Category: 3-SometimeCommentary

Should L.A. communities rebuild so close together? Is there a better way to prevent fires from starting in the first place? Would a full reservoir have saved homes in the Pacific Palisades? Does L.A.‘s fire chief deserve credit or blame? What’s it like to fight a fire in the face of 100 mph winds? These questions and more are answered by Clare Frank, a 30-year veteran of the California Fire Service and the author of Burnt: A Memoir of Fighting Fire. Plus, as TikTok goes splat, other media companies that are allowed to operate as platforms for free speech are instead voluntarily choosing to cut themselves off at the knees.

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Republican officials are hinting that they may withhold aid from California in the wake of devastating fires unless "conditions are met."

President Joe Biden bid farewell to the nation in his final address, warning Americans against the dangers of populism.

Meanwhile, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal that will begin a path for the war in Gaza to end.

And Ukraine arrested has North Korean troops fighting for Russian forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr said Ukraine is ready to send them back to their homeland in exchange for its own soldiers held in Russia.

1A's Todd Zwillich guides us through the week's biggest headlines for this installment of the News Roundup.

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• Ron's piece on 'late regime' presidencies
  
  
• Ron's interviews with Kamala's advisers
  
  
• Tim's interview with Rep. Jim Himes
  
  
• The book Ron referenced, "The Politics Presidents Make"
  
  
• Tim's playlist
  
  

Vic is back, and we're diving into the latest from Capitol Hill! We're covering Senate confirmations, Biden's farewell address, and the implications of a new agreement in the Middle East. Tune in now!

11:02 Confirmations

28:15 Biden Farewell

35:26 Middle East Deal

For the this installment of our (dot) GOV series, we're taking a closer look at two departments with big responsibilities.

The Department of the Interior is tasked with protecting and managing the nation's "natural resources and cultural heritage." It's often referred to as "The Department of Everything Else." It's made up of about 70-thousand workers.

Meanwhile, the Department of Energy sounds a bit more straightforward – but even then, what exactly does "energy" entail – especially in an agency with about 13-thousand federal workers?

We dig into the departments and the people running them.

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Partisanship is often portrayed as a societal ill—usually by those jerks in the other party. But as Julian Zelizer, Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University, argues: partisanship can be beneficial. In fact, things become rather inefficient without it. Meanwhile, the Hamas-Israel hostage deal remains on the precipice of implementation, and Joe Biden issues a warning about oligarchs. He likely has one specific billionaire in mind, though there is significant political diversity even among the hundred-billionaire class.

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Negotiators have reached a ceasefire deal, with a path to ending Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza. It is set to begin on Jan. 19.

The war in Gaza began after Hamas' attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage. In response, Israel launched a military offensive in Gaza.

Gaza's health ministry says more than 46,500 people have been killed during the war. A new, peer-reviewed study in The Lancet suggests that the death toll could be 40 percent higher than that tally. Israel says 94 of the hostages remain in Gaza, of whom 34 are presumed dead.

We talk about what this deal means for both sides and for the future of the Middle East.

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• John's "How to Fix It" podcast
  
  
• Melissa's "Strict Scrutiny" podcast
  
  
• Biden's farewell address
  
  
• John's book, "Washington's Farewell"