Vice President-elect JD Vance like President-elect Donald Trump is taking aim at California leadership as wildfires continue to rage in the southern part of the state.
Appearing Sunday on Fox News, Vance criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom for "very bad decisions" leading up to the wildfires, which have claimed the lives of at least 16 people and destroyed thousands of structures and landmarks in the Los Angeles area.
"We have to do a better job. We need competent, good governance," Vance said. "Now that doesn't mean you can't criticize the governor of California for I think some very bad decisions over a very long period of time. I mean, some of these reservoirs have been dry for 15, 20 years. The fire hydrants are being reported as going dry while the firefighters are tying to put out these fires. There is a serious lack of competent governance in California and I think it's part of the reason why these fires have gotten so bad."
"President Trump is committed to doing a better job when it comes to disaster relief," Vance added. "That's true for the hurricane victims and flood victims in North Carolina. Its true for the fire victims in California. We just, we have to do a better job."
California Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, inviting him to come see the effects of the wildfires after Trump criticized Newsom's handling of the disaster and propagated misinformation about response efforts.
"In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines," Newsom wrote. "Hundreds of thousands of Americans displaced from their homes and fearful for the future deserve to see all of us working in their best interests to ensure a fast recovery and rebuild."
The massive Palisades Fire, the largest in Los Angeles County history, is continuing to grow after officials ordered additional evacuations late Friday. It was the largest of several active fires burning in Los Angeles County.
While Hurricane-force wind gusts fueled the flames last week, those winds have since subsided in the Los Angeles area, perhaps giving firefighters an opportunity to better contain the fires.
However, areas north and east of Los Angeles remain under a red flag warning, meaning conditions are favorable for wildfire development. The National Weather Service says winds could gust up to 65 mph in inland Orange County.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, inviting him to come see the effects of the wildfires in Los Angeles for himself.
In the letter, Newsom invites Trump to come see the damage, meet with first responders and displaced victims and thank firefighters and emergency personnel for their work.
"In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines," Newsom wrote. "Hundreds of thousands of Americans displaced from their homes and fearful for the future deserve to see all of us working in their best interests to ensure a fast recovery and rebuild."
Trump, who will be inaugurated as President of the United States on Jan. 20, has criticized Newsom's handling of the disaster and propagated misinformation about response efforts.
In a social media post on Thursday, Trump claimed that water distribution issues during the response to the fires were connected to environmental policy decisions made earlier to balance statewide water resources and protect endangered species.
Later that night, he told Republican governors at his Mar-a-Lago club that he would "force" Newsom to make policy changes.
"But its very late because I think its one of the great catastrophes in the history of our nation," Trump said.
Newsom on Friday ordered an investigation into the water pressure and distribution problems that plagued responders earlier in the week.
"While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the efforts to protect some homes and evacuation corridors," Newsom said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants answers about why fire hydrants lost water pressure as multiple devastating fires broke out in the Los Angeles area.
Los Angeles officials had filled three one-million-gallon tanks to provide as much pressure as possible to feed hydrants in the hilly Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Tuesday, but it wasn't enough.
While acknowledging that resources and infrastructure was bound to be put to the test, Newsom called the loss of water pressure "deeply troubling."
"While water supplies from local fire hydrants are not designed to extinguish wildfires over large areas, losing supplies from fire hydrants likely impaired the efforts to protect some homes and evacuation corridors," Newsom said.
In addition to the problem with fire hydrants, Newsom requested that Los Angeles officials conduct an investigation into the "reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir."
At least 10 people have died and more than 10,000 structures have been destroyed in the wildfires. The largest of the fires, the Palisades Fire, has burned over 20,000 acres. It was 8% contained as of Friday afternoon.
A specialized Canadian firefighting plane responding to the wildfires in Southern California was grounded Thursday after it struck an unidentified drone, officials said.
The CL-415 "Super Scooper" is designed specifically to perform water drops on fires. It is an amphibious aircraft that skims across the surface of large bodies of water to scoop up more than 1,600 gallons of water in a single filling run.
On Thursday, one of the two Super Scooper planes assigned to the California fires collided with a drone while performing its duties, officials said. The collision left the plane with a visible hole in one of its wings.
Details about the type of drone the plane hit or its fate were not available.
The plane is expected to be repaired and flying again by Monday.
But the incident forced the temporary grounding of all firefighting aircraft, officials said. They cannot fly unless the airspace is confirmed to be clear of other aircraft.
If you are found to be flying drones in that airspace, "You will be arrested, you will be prosecuted, and you will be punished to the full extent of the law," said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman at a press conference on Friday.
An unauthorized flight is a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison or a fine of up to $75,000.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. Officials also said Friday federal agencies would be able to track unauthorized drone flights.
"Our federal partners behind the scenes are going to be implementing procedures to be able to follow drones in our two large fire areas, and they will be able to identify who the operator of that drone is," said L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone.
The wildfires that destroyed homes in multiple sections of the Los Angeles area will test California's efforts to stabilize the state's insurance marketplace after many insurers stopped issuing residential policies due to the high fire risk.
The wind-driven blazes that started Tuesday roared through neighborhoods from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena and the Hollywood Hills.
The vast property damage in a disaster-prone state with high real estate prices and an uncertain insurance landscape could make coverage more expensive and even harder to find.
One area likely to feel the impact and encounter challenges rebuilding is Pacific Palisades, an affluent community sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Monica Mountains. This week's wildfire there has been named as the most destructive in the modern history of the city of Los Angeles. Flames destroyed businesses, a library, cultural landmarks as well as houses.
State authorities previously listed the Palisades as one of the five Southern California areas with the highest concentration of potential wildfire risks. The community also is among the areas most impacted by an unavailability of insurance coverage.
When State Farm decided to discontinue coverage for 72,000 houses and apartments in California last year, it dropped nearly 70% of its market share in Pacific Palisades, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
During a press conference Friday morning, Los Angeles County Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said he has used his moratorium power to prevent insurance companies from canceling or not renewing home coverage for Los Angeles wildfire victims in affected zip codes over the next year.
Here's what to know about California's residential insurance crisis and how the ongoing wildfires may further disrupt the policy market:
Why does California have a home insurance crisis?
California has seen other major insurers pull back on property coverage in the nation's most populous state as climate change makes wildfires, floods and windstorms more common and damaging.
Of the top 20 most destructive wildfires in state history, at least 15 occurred since 2015. The data did not include the Los Angeles area fires this week.
In 2023, seven of the 12 largest insurance companies by market share in California either paused or restricted issuing new policies in the state.
That has made it extremely difficult for homeowners in high-risk areas to obtain or afford insurance.
What happens to residents who can't get regular home insurance?
California homeowners in wildfire-prone areas either go without insurance or join the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan, which the state created as a last resort for homeowners who couldn't find insurance.
Many people purchase the FAIR Plan to satisfy their mortgage requirements, but the policies only cover basic property damage and carry a $3 million limit. Given the value of the real estate involved and the limited coverage, FAIR Plan policyholders who lost homes in this week's fires may struggle to be made whole.
The policies can be very bare bones, with some options only covering the actual cash value of what was lost rather than the true replacement costs, said Amy Bach, executive director of the consumer advocacy group United Policyholders.
The plan was designed to be a temporary solution, but more Californians are relying on it than ever. The number of FAIR residential policies issued in the state more than doubled between 2020 and 2024, reaching nearly 452,000 policies.
Could claims from the LA fires push the FAIR Plan into insolvency?
Policies sold to FAIR customers primarily fund the plan, but insurers would have to pay into the fund if it becomes insolvent or to keep it from insolvency. Under a new state rule, insurers could ask the state to approve rate increases to recoup the money spent on bailing out the FAIR Plan.
FAIR Plan spokesperson Hilary McLean said it could take years to tally total losses from the Los Angeles area fires. While it's too soon for reliable loss estimates, the FAIR Plan anticipates being able to pay out claims from the wildfires, McLean said.
"We are aware of misinformation being posted online regarding the FAIR Plan's ability to pay claims," she said in a statement. "The FAIR Plan has payment mechanisms in place, including reinsurance, to ensure all covered claims are paid."
The plan has roughly $700 million in cash on hand and about $2.5 billion in reinsurance, according to testimony given to California lawmakers last year.
The mean home value in Pacific Palisades and its surrounding areas hovers around $3.3 million, according to real estate company Redfin. Owners of the most valuable properties probably are not relying on the FAIR Plan because of the coverage limit, said Jamie Court, president of nonprofit organization Consumer Watchdog.
The claims from the fires will be significant, Court said, "but this is not enough to put the industry out of business or the FAIR Plan out of business."
On Thursday state lawmakers introduced a bill that would give the FAIR Plan the ability to seek "catastrophe bonds" if it faces liquidity challenges.
How has California responded to the insurance crisis?
In a new tactic, state officials undertook a yearlong overhaul to give insurers more latitude to raise premiums in exchange for more issuing policies in high-risk areas.
A new regulation that took effect this month allows insurers to consider climate change when setting their prices. California previously did not let insurance companies factor in current or future risks when deciding how much to charge. Many companies cited the restriction as their reason for retreating from the state's insurance market.
The state is also in the final stage of approving a rule that would let insurance companies pass on the costs of reinsurance to California consumers. Insurance companies typically buy reinsurance or insurance for themselves in case they face huge payouts from natural disasters or catastrophic losses. California is the only state that doesn't already allow the cost of reinsurance to be borne by policyholders.
The new rules have prompted Farmers, the second-largest insurer in the state, to resume writing new policies for homeowners last month. Consumer Watchdog's Court says the rules also could make it easier for insurers to raise rates with little oversight.
How will the fires impact California's insurance market?
It's "premature" to assess whether the wind-whipped fires and their destruction will put a damper on California's attempt to preserve home insurance options for residents, said Denneile Ritter, a vice president with the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, the largest national trade association for home, auto and business insurers.
But higher homeowner premiums could be coming soon, RAND economist Lloyd Dixon said. If insurers' models signal a potential increase of risk, "then you'd expect to see the requests for premium increases by the insurers," he said.
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said Wednesday that the newly enacted rules allowing climate change consideration in premiums will help insurers accurately assess risks and set fair rates. The state is also issuing a one-year moratorium prohibiting insurance companies from dropping coverage in areas affected by fires.
"Insurance companies are pledging their commitment to California, and we will hold them accountable for the promises they have made," Lara said in a statement.
A new report from the Clean Label Project says some popular protein powders may actually be poisonous.
The report found disturbing levels of lead and cadmium in over-the-counter protein powders, with the highest amounts of the heavy metals being found in plant-based, organic and chocolate-flavored products.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, there is no safe level of lead for human consumption and cadmium is a known carcinogen.
The heavy metals are known to cause complications to the heart, kidneys, gut, brain, respiratory and reproductive systems.
The study tested 160 products from 70 of the top-selling brands representing 83% of the market.
Nearly half of those products exceeded federal or state safety regulations. Of the products tested, the Clean Label Project said 47% exceeded California Proposition 65 safety thresholds for toxic metals.
The organization said two possible sources of the contaminants in protein powders are the contaminated soils where ingredients are grown and the packaging used for these products.
Donald Trump Jr. flew to the icy Danish territory of Greenland on Tuesday as his father continued to insist that the U.S. should take control of the island.
Justin Wells, the producer of "Art of the Surge," a documentary series documenting Trump's return to power, accompanied Trump Jr. to Greenland. He posted a video on X that showed Trump calling in to speak with locals in Nuuk.
"It's a very special place. It needs security for itself and it also needs security very much for the world," Trump told the group.
Before his son's trip, during which no official government business is taking place, Trump reiterated his desire to take control of Greenland.
"I am hearing that the people of Greenland are 'MAGA,'" Trump said on Truth Social, referring to his Make America Great Again campaign slogan.
"Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!" Trump added.
Greenland holds strategic military importance due to its location. The U.S. operates a military base in northwest Greenland, which is vital for missile defense and space surveillance.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark. Its prime minister has said the island is not for sale.
The largest snowstorm to strike the Midwest and mid-Atlantic this winter has exited the East Coast, but cold weather has been left in its wake.
The storm moved from the Rockies through the Central Plains, Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic before exiting the U.S. Data from the National Weather Service shows a swath of locales got 8-12 inches of snow from Saturday through Monday, and some localized areas around Kansas City, Cincinnati and Washington got 12-18 inches.
Kansas City, Missouri, had about 12 inches of snow, while Cincinnati had nearly 10 inches. Washington, D.C. had about 8 inches.
Now, these regions are experiencing colder-than-average temperatures, meaning the snow will not melt anytime soon. Kansas City and Cincinnati are not expected to climb above freezing for the next week, while Washington may barely hit the mid-30s by the weekend.
With cold weather enveloping the U.S., another storm system is expected to bring winter weather, this time further south.
Winter storm watches are in place for parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. At least 4 inches of snow is expected in southeast Oklahoma and western Arkansas.
The Dallas region could also see a wintry mix as it prepares to welcome thousands of football fans for Friday's Cotton Bowl.
The National Weather Service also said that freezing rain remains a concern, which could disrupt power and travel in the region.
Lawyers for President-elect Donald Trump are attempting to block special counsel Jack Smith from releasing a report about Smith's investigations into Trump. They filed the motion in a case involving codefendants Waltine Nauta and Carlos De Olivera.
Smith was appointed by the Department of Justice to handle investigations involving Trump. Smith ultimately filed charges in two federal cases against Trump.
The attorneys said they have reviewed a draft of the report and said the report contained a "one-sided narrative."
"These Defendants will irreparably suffer harm as civilian casualties of the Government's impermissible and contumacious utilization of political lawfare to include release of the unauthorized Report. The Final Report relies on materials to which Smith, as disqualified special counsel, is no longer entitled access making his attempt to share such materials with the public highly improper," the attorneys claim.
In response, Smith said his office is working to finalize a two-volume confidential report that will be given to Attorney General Merrick Garland. The filing says one of the volumes pertains to the case involving Nauta and De Olivera, and Garland has not determined whether to release this volume.
Smith said that the volume would not be released to the public to the public before Friday at 10 a.m., if at all.
The case involves allegations that Trump, Nauta and De Olivera mishandled classified documents at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort home in Florida. Although Trump formally had his charges dropped in July by Judge Eileen Cannon, Smith filed an appeal to reinstate the charges.
However, given Trump's victory in the November election, Smith said he would no longer try to reinstate the charges against Trump. The prosecution against Nauta and De Olivera has remained.
Smith is reportedly expected to resign as special counsel as Trump takes office. Trump has also stated he would fire Smith once in office.
To date, there have been 66 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the U.S., but no human-to-human transmission. The CDC maintains that the public health risk is low.
Most of these cases have resulted in mild symptoms for patients in the U.S. and a full recovery. However, past cases of bird flu in humans in other countries have been severe, with some resulting in death, according to federal health officials.
Prevention measures include avoiding contact with sick or dead animals, in particular wild birds, and poultry.
Costco is recalling a specific cold and flu medication sold in its stores due to the risk of contamination by foreign objects.
The recall applies to certain runs of Kirkland Signature Severe Cold & Flu Plus Congestion caplets, which were sold in stores while potentially containing foreign objects that contaminated the medication.
The affected products are marked with lot code P140082 on the outside of their packaging. Costco says they were sold between Oct. 30, 2024 and Nov. 30, 2024 in stores in the U.S. Midwest and Southeast.
The drugs were manufactured by LNK International, Inc., a New York-based company.
In early January Costco sent letters to customers asking them to return any of the affected products to Costco stores for a full refund.
Seasonal flu infections are on the upswing in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says at the end of December, the rate of flu cases remained elevated in most states and was increasing by about 18% from week to week.
This flu season has caused an estimated 63,000 hospitalizations and 2,700 deaths, and sickened more than 5.3 million people. Every year on average, influenza infects somewhere between 9.3 million and 41 million people in the U.S., according to the CDC.
Trump was convicted last May of 34 counts of falsifying business records, including what prosecutors described as a scheme to cover up a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016. But after Trump's 2024 presidential election win, Judge Juan M. Merchan indefinitely postponed sentencing as prosecutors weighed in on the future of the case.
Then in a major turn of events, Judge Merchan last week scheduled for Trump to be sentenced Friday, but indicated that he would not face jail time. Nevertheless, the decision set up Trump who is set to be inaugurated on Jan. 20 to become the first U.S. president to take office after being convicted of felony crimes.
Trump's legal team has continued to argue that the case and verdict should be thrown out on the grounds of presidential immunity. Merchan, however, has said he found "no legal impediment to sentencing" Trump.
"I never falsified business records," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth social over the weekend, criticizing the case against him. "It is a fake, made up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department, an attack on their political opponent, ME!"
"Every legal scholar of note said there IS NO CASE AGAINST ME," Trump continued. "The judge should be disbarred!"
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would step down from the role and as the country's party leader on Monday, but will remain in office as a replacement is chosen.
Trudeau who has become deeply unpopular over a range of issues, including the soaring cost of food and housing has kept publicly mum in recent weeks, despite intensifying pressure for him to step down after the abrupt resignation of his finance minister on Dec. 16. He returned to Ottawa after the Christmas holidays and made the announcement to resign, adding he would remain in the role until a replacement is chosen.
I care deeply about this country, Trudeau said during a press conference Monday morning.
Trudeau said he came to the decision after speaking with his family about their future over the holidays.
"I am not someone who backs away from a fight, particularly when the fight is as important as this one is but I have always been driven by my love for Canada, by my desire to serve Canadians and by what is in the best interest of Canadians," Trudeau said. "Canadians deserve a real choice in the next election and it has become obvious to me with the internal battles that I cannot be the one to carry the Liberal standard into the next election."
An official familiar with the matter said Parliament, which had been due to resume on Jan. 27, will be suspended until March 24. The timing will allow for a Liberal Party leadership race. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the matter publicly.
While all three opposition parties now say they would support a vote to topple Trudeau's minority government, Parliament is not currently in session so that threat wasnt immediate. But members of his own party increasingly called for his resignation.
If he stayed on until Parliament returns later this month, his Liberal party wouldve been forced from power by a no-confidence vote that would trigger an election, which would very likely favor the opposing Conservative Party.
During Mondays press conference, Trudeau said hes requested a new session of Parliament and it was granted.
Trudeau came to power in 2015 after 10 years of Conservative Party rule, and had initially been hailed for returning the country to its liberal past. But the 53-year-old scion of one of Canadas most famous prime ministers became deeply unpopular with voters in recent years over a range of issues, including the soaring cost of food and housing, and surging immigration.
The political upheaval comes at a difficult moment for Canada internationally. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods if the government does not stem what Trump calls a flow of migrants and drugs in the U.S. even though far fewer of each crosses into the U.S. from Canada than from Mexico, which Trump has also threatened.
Canada is a major exporter of oil and natural gas to the U.S., which also relies on its northern neighbor for steel, aluminum and autos.
Trudeau was scheduled to participate virtually in a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Canada-U.S. Relations on Monday.
"His long silence following this political drama speaks volumes about the weakness of his current position," said Daniel Bland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal.
Trudeau had been planning to run for a fourth term in next years election, even in the face of rising discontent among Liberal Party members. The party recently suffered upsets in special elections in two districts in Toronto and Montreal that it has held for years. No Canadian prime minister in more than a century has won four straight terms.
And based on the latest polls, Trudeaus chances for success looked slim. In the latest poll by Nanos, the Liberals trail the Conservatives 47% to 21%.
Over nearly a decade in power, Trudeau embraced an array of causes favored by his liberal base. He spoke in favor of immigration at a time other countries were trying to tighten their borders. He championed diversity and gender equality, appointing a Cabinet that was equal parts men and women. He legalized cannabis.
His efforts to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental protection were criticized by both the right and left. He levied a tax on carbon emissions and rescued a stalled pipeline expansion project to get more of Albertas oil to international markets.
Fewer people died from COVID-19 in Canada than elsewhere and his government provided massive financial support. But animosity grew among those opposed to vaccine mandates. Flags with Trudeaus name and expletives became a common sight in rural parts.
A combination of scandal and unpopular policies damaged his prospects over time.
Trudeaus father swept to power in 1968, and led Canada for almost 16 years, becoming a storied name in the countrys history, most notably by opening its doors wide to immigrants. Pierre Trudeau was often compared to John F. Kennedy and remains one of the few Canadian politicians who are recognized in America.
Tall and trim, with movie-star looks, Justin Trudeau channeled the star power if not quite the political heft of his father.
He became the second-youngest prime minister in Canadas history, and rivals said his age was a liability when he first sought office. But he won a sweeping mandate in a come-from-behind victory in 2015.
Trudeau is a former teacher, nightclub bouncer and snowboard instructor who has three children with his now estranged wife, a former model and TV host.
Authorities say the suspect accused in the deadly New Year's Day truck attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people visited the city twice in the months leading up to the attack and may have used special hands-free glasses to record the city's historic French Quarter.
Speaking at a press conference Sunday afternoon, FBI Assistant Director Christopher Raia said Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen and Army veteran from Houston, also traveled abroad to Egypt, Cairo and Canada prior to the attack.
Investigators are still looking at what correspondence if any Jabbar may have had with others while out of the country, but authorities said there are currently no indications of any other suspects involved in the attack.
Jabbar, 42, was ultimately killed during a gunfight with police after driving a rented pickup truck into a crowd of New Year's revelers around 3 a.m. local time in the historic area of Bourbon and Canal Street.
The FBI said two guns, an ISIS flag, and a potential improvised explosive device were located inside the vehicle. Authorities added that other potential IEDs were also located in the French Quarter, though none were detonated.
In addition to the 14 victims killed, dozens of others remain hospitalized with injuries. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry announced Sunday that he was issuing an executive order for a dedicated period of mourning, in which flags will be flown at half-staff and each victim will receive their own day of remembrance, beginning Monday.
Authorities reiterated that this is a fluid investigation that stretches across state and international borders, but that each day the picture becomes clearer as they examine new evidence.
President Joe Biden is slated to visit New Orleans on Monday to pay his respects to the victims and their families and offer full federal help and support to those in need in the surrounding community.
The city of New Orleans has now begun recovery from the deadly attack on New Years' Day. The Sugar Bowl went on and Bourbon Street has reopened.
But more challenges await, with the city set to host the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras in the weeks ahead.
Scripps News spoke with Rep. Troy Carter, Sr., who represents Louisiana's 2nd District in the U.S. House.
"The concern now is 'how do we recover from this? What do we need to do?'" Carter said. "I understand there was a 2019 study that identified weaknesses that may not have been corrected. We know that Canal Street is now wider than one vehicle. Perhaps we needed two dump trucks or we needed three vehicles to prevent someone from making it to the sidewalk."
On Bourbon Street, Carter said, "If the bollards had been up, those sidewalks are too narrow. A car could not have gotten along it. But at the risk of playing Monday morning quarterback, rather than going backwards we now need to do a complete diagnostic of the French Quarter, on all of its safety entrances and exits, to make sure that we are anticipating what we sometimes can anticipate, and that is a terrorist threat."
"We have to make sure that we're utilizing the best practices, the best technology, utilizing our federal, local and state law enforcement partners to create the best system of protection," Carter said.
"What happened on New Years' Eve was a terrorist attack that could have happened anywhere. Let's learn from it."
Watch the full interview with Carter in the video above.
2024 seemed to be the year of artificial intelligence, so what does 2025 have in store for technology?
Scripps News spoke with Rita McGrath, author and business inflection point expert, about the trend predictions for businesses in the coming year.
McGrath said AI has already replaced low-level, repetitive work in a lot of industries, particularly in the world of "white collar" jobs in the same way robotics took over "blue collar" work.
Another area of focus that will see growth is information communication technology, known as ICT.
McGrath said consumers will see these technology trends impact them in ways like dematerialization, in which consumers rely on less physical items. For example, if we wanted to listen to a song we'd have to buy a CD and something to play it on whereas now we use streaming services.
AI will likely replace a lot of common tools and applications for consumers, McGrath said.
She also said AI is starting to become more widespread in medical services.
An 18-year-old girl dreaming of becoming a nurse, a single mother, a father of two and a former Princeton football star suffered fatal injuries when the driver of a white pickup truck sped down Bourbon Street, packed with holiday revelers early Wednesday morning.
Officials have not yet released the names of the 14 people killed in the New Orleans New Year's Day truck attack, but their families and friends have started sharing their stories.
New Orleans Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna said in a statement late Wednesday that they will release the names of the dead once autopsies are complete and they've talked with the next of kin. About 30 people were injured.
Zion Parsons of Gulfport, Mississippi, had been celebrating New Year's Eve at his first night on Bourbon Street when a vehicle appeared and plowed into his friend, 18-year-old Nikyra Dedeaux, who he said had dreamed of becoming a nurse.
"A truck hit the corner and comes barreling through throwing people like in a movie scene, throwing people into the air," Parsons, 18, told The Associated Press. "It hit her and flung her like at least 30 feet and I was just lucky to be alive."
As the crowd scattered in the chaos he ran through a gruesome aftermath of bleeding and maimed victims, hearing gunshots and explosive sounds.
"Bodies, bodies all up and down the street, everybody screaming and hollering" Parsons said. "People crying on the floor, like brain matter all over the ground. It was just insane, like the closest thing to a war zone that I've ever seen."
Dedeaux was a responsible daughter -- shorter than all her siblings but the one who helped take care of everyone, Parsons said. Dedeaux had a job at a hospital and was set to start college and begin working towards her goal of becoming a registered nurse.
"She had her mindset -- she didn't have everything figured out but she had the plan laid down," Parsons said.
Reggie Hunter
A 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge was among the 14 people killed early Wednesday when a pickup truck careened down Bourbon Street in what officials called an act of terror.
Reggie Hunter had just left work and headed to celebrate New Year's with a cousin when the attack happened, his first cousin Shirell Jackson told Nola.com.
Hunter was killed and his cousin was injured, Jackson said.
Tiger Bech
A former high school and college football player from Louisiana was among those who died after a driver rammed a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans' French Quarter, according to an education official.
Tiger Bech, 27, died late Wednesday morning at a New Orleans hospital, according to local media outlets citing Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette. Bech attended the high school, where he played wide receiver, quarterback, punt returner and defensive back, NOLA.com reported.
Bech played football at Princeton University before graduating in 2021. Most recently he was working as an investment trader at a New York brokerage firm.
Princeton football coach Bob Surace said Wednesday that he had been texting with Bech's father, sharing memories of the player, who was a school kick returner and receiver from 2017 to 2019. He earned All-Ivy League honors as a returner.
"He might be the first Tiger to ever play for us, and that nickname kind of described him as a competitor," Surace told ESPN. The school's nickname is the Tigers. "He was somebody that somehow, like in the key moments, just excelled and was full of energy, full of life."
Bech has been working at Seaport Global, where company spokesperson Lisa Lieberman could not confirm his death. But she told The Associated Press that "he was extremely well regarded by everybody who knew him."
Bech's younger brother, Jack, is a top wide receiver at Texas Christian University.
In a response to a KLFY-TV report posted on X about Tiger Bech's death, a post from an account for a Jack Bech on the social media site said: "Love you always brother ! You inspired me everyday now you get to be with me in every moment. I got this family T, don't worry. This is for us."
Nicole Perez
Nicole Perez was a single mother to a 4-year-old son working hard to make life better for her family when she was killed in the New Orleans truck attack, according to her employer.
Perez, who was in her late 20s, was recently promoted to manager at Kimmy's Deli in Metarie, Louisiana and "was really excited about it," deli owner Kimberly Usher said in a phone interview with AP. Usher confirmed Perez's death through her sister, who also works for her.
Usher said Perez would walk in the morning to the deli, which opened at breakfast time, and would ask lots of questions about the business side of the operations. She also was permitted to bring her son, Melo, to work, where during breaks she taught him basic learning skills.
"She was a really good mom," said Usher, who started a GoFundMe account to cover Perez's burial costs and to help with expenses for her son that "he will need to transition into a new living situation," the donation request says.
The driver of the Cybertruck that exploded outside Trump International Hotel Las Vegas was a member of the elite Army Special Forces known as the Green Berets.
Law enforcement on Thursday was seen outside a home in Colorado Springs where Matthew Livelsberger apparently lived.
Investigators have not revealed the cause of the explosion. However, gas canisters and fireworks were inside the vehicle, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill.
Authorities in Las Vegas said on Wednesday that they are investigating whether the explosion was an act of terrorism.
"We believe this is an isolated incident. We do not believe that there is a bunch of folks out there supporting this or helping this and we don't believe that there's any other danger to the community right now," said Jeremy Schwartz, acting special agent in charge for the FBIs Las Vegas office.
The explosion in Las Vegas happened hours after a vehicle slammed into revelers in New Orleans, killing at least 14 people. Scripps News Denver reports that the suspects in both incidents served at the same military base. They also both used the vehicle rental company Turo to obtain the trucks used in the incidents. However, the FBI stated on Thursday that there is no "definitive" link between the two incidents.
The New York City Police Department is searching for as many as four gunmen who opened fire outside the Amazura Nightclub early Thursday morning.
Investigators say as many as 30 shots were fired into a crowd of people at the club. Before the gunmen took off in a gray Infiniti with out-of-state plates,
10 people were hurt, although it's unclear if they all suffered gunshot wounds or were hurt in the scramble as the shots were being fired. Police said all 10 victims had non-life-threatening injuries.
The 10 victims included six females and four males, officials said.
NYPD says this does not appear to be a terror-related incident and they are looking into potential ties to gang violence.
"There's zero tolerance for these senseless shootings, these horrible acts of violence on our streets. And those responsible for this crime will be apprehended and brought to justice," said Philip Rivera, NYPD chief of patrol.
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