The Evening: L.A. fires force thousands to evacuate

Also, Trump suggested expanding the U.S.

View in browser|nytimes.com January 7, 2025 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Tuesday. Wildfires in Southern California Trump's comments on U.S. expansion Plus, 52 places to travel in 2025 Smoke rises from the Pacific Palisades fire today. Mark Abramson for The New York Times Los Angeles fires force thousands to evacuate Wildfires are spreading rapidly in Los Angeles, fanned by a fierce windstorm. Gusts of up to 100 m.p.h., stronger than any the region has seen in a decade, are forecast to blow through the night. Here's the latest. The flames are threatening Pacific Palisades, an affluent coastal neighborhood that is home to about 24,000 people, roughly 20 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. Officials ordered residents to evacuate immediately. Part of the Pacific Coast Highway and several nearby schools were closed. The region's electricity provider said it was preparing to cut power to as many as 419,000 customers as a pre-emptive measure to keep wildfires from sparking under high wind conditions. "This is about as bad as it gets in terms of fire weather," forecasters said. Southern California is extremely dry right now, especially for this time of year. Last month, a fire threatened the Malibu area. Officials are even more concerned this time because the windstorm is projected to affect a broader, more populated region. Forecasters issued a rare "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warning for portions of Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange Counties, including downtown Los Angeles. Typically, forecasters use this special warning every few years; this is the third time a warning of this level has been issued this season. For those in the area: Here's how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., today. Doug Mills/The New York Times Trump suggested expanding the U.S. into Greenland and Canada Donald Trump said today at a news conference that he would not rule out the use of military or economic coercion to retake control of the Panama Canal and to force Denmark to sell Greenland to the U.S. "We need them for economic security," the president-elect said. Trump said he would "tariff Denmark at a very high level" if it did not give Greenland to the U.S. He also suggested that Canada should become a U.S. state by getting "rid of that artificially drawn line," but he ruled out using force to annex parts of the country. In related news, a federal judge temporarily barred the special counsel from releasing his final report on Trump's classified documents case. Mark Zuckerberg last year. Kenny Holston/The New York Times Meta said it would end its fact-checking program Meta announced today that its popular apps — Facebook, Instagram and Threads — would stop using third-party fact-checkers to curtail misinformation. Instead, the social media company will rely on users to add notes to posts that may contain false or misleading information. The reversal was a stark sign of how the company is repositioning itself for the upcoming Trump presidency. Announcing the change on Fox News, Joel Kaplan, Meta's newly installed global policy chief, said there was "too much political bias" in the fact-checking program. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's chief executive, described the shift as a return to "our roots around free expression." Yesterday, Zuckerberg announced the addition of Dana White, the chief executive of Ultimate Fighting Championship and a close Trump ally, to Meta's board. Sudanese refugees from the Darfur region in Chad in July. Ivor Prickett for The New York Times The U.S. said a genocide took place in Sudan The U.S. declared today that the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group, and its allies had committed genocide in Sudan in their fight against the country's military. The wave of violence took place in western Darfur, where men, boys and infants were targeted and murdered, and women were raped "on an ethnic basis," Antony Blinken, the secretary of state, said. Members of the Masalit ethnic group were targeted, a central element in the genocide determination. The judgment might propel a new drive for accountability in Africa's largest war, which has caused up to 150,000 deaths. More top news Immigration: The House passed a bill that would target undocumented immigrants charged with nonviolent crimes for deportation. China: A magnitude 7.1 quake struck near one of Tibet's holiest cities. At least 126 people died, according to Chinese state media. Washington: Jimmy Carter will lie in state until Thursday in the Rotunda of the Capitol. He received an elaborate send-off. Taiwan: Officials said they suspect that a ship linked to China was responsible for damaging an undersea cable. Health: Pharmacists in Washington State have begun prescribing abortion pills, opening up a new front in the abortion fight. California: Exxon sued the state's attorney general and environmental groups, claiming that they had conspired to defame the company amid a debate over plastics recycling. San Francisco: Daniel Lurie, an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, will soon take over as mayor. He promises "common sense," but details of his agenda are sparse. Russia: Soldiers are returning as amputees, and many suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Once home, they face stigma and grueling rehabilitation. U.S.: After a flight from New York City to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., two bodies were found in a JetBlue plane's landing gear. Lives Lived: Jean-Marie Le Pen, the French far-right politician who rode waves of xenophobia as leader of the National Front, died at 96. TIME TO UNWIND 52 places to go in 2025 Every year, The Times publishes a list of locations worth visiting: 52 Places to Go. This year's list includes Jane Austen's former home, a glossy new gateway to Greenland's pristine wilderness, the resilient mountain town of Asheville, N.C., and a hip beach town in Kenya. Check out the full list. "I should be hanging up my boots now," Bryn Terfel said. "The time is right." Vincent Tullo for The New York Times A thundering performer returns to the Met Opera Thirteen years have passed since the bass-baritone Bryn Terfel last performed at the Metropolitan Opera. But his enormous voice and imposing presence are hard to forget. After his debut in 1994, Terfel became one of the company's most beloved artists of his generation. This week, after recovering from injuries that kept him away, Terfel is back for four more performances of "Tosca." We talked with him about his return, and his plans for the future. Valentin Tkach Dinner table topics The man who got away: Here's how a businessman fleeing fraud charges built a life offshore. Quiet confidence: Frida Escobedo became the first woman to design a wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in its 154-year history. An appraisal: Peter Yarrow, who brought folk to the pop charts, died today at 86. Ask Well: Can estrogen cream reverse skin aging? WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Linda Xiao for The New York Times Cook: The secret to silky, juicy chicken: velveting. Watch: In "Lockerbie," Colin Firth wants answers. Read: Check out these two great books about the moneyed class. Write: Here's how to start and keep a journal. Discuss: Sign language can help us be better communicators. Exercise: You can still hit peak fitness after 40. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. ONE LAST THING The apartment's main room combines the living room, dining room and kitchen. Anna Positano, Gaia Cambiaggi | Studio Campo A new apartment from a 12-century palazzo Matteo Rocca and Ronan Dunphy were tired of renting. So they purchased the run-down second floor of a 12th-century palazzo in Genoa, Italy. The space, which had been sitting empty for nearly six decades, was historically significant. But it needed a lot of work. During the renovation, the couple discovered a hidden staircase — which they turned into a bookcase — and a marble column. They also hired a conservator who spent eight months restoring a beautiful ceiling fresco depicting a carriage of angels. Here's what the apartment looks like now. Have an impressive evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Sean Kawasaki-Culligan was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018