Good morning. We're covering wildfires in California and the discovery of a dead hostage in Gaza. Plus: "Make Greenland Great Again"?
Raging wildfires in California kill at least 5Multiple wildfires raged across thousands of acres in Southern California, displacing tens of thousands of people and ravaging entire Los Angeles neighborhoods, as strong winds and a dwindling water supply stymied firefighters' efforts to stop the destruction. At least five people have died, the authorities said, and the fires have burned more than 25,000 acres and razed at least 1,000 buildings. As of yesterday afternoon, an estimated 1.5 million customers were out of power. The Palisades fire is among the top 20 most destructive ever in California, based on the number of structures that have been destroyed. Officials attempted to control the fire yesterday, as helicopters and planes that were previously grounded because of high winds were cleared to drop water on the blazes. The winds, which reached 80 to 100 miles per hour in some areas, weakened on Wednesday afternoon to 50 to 60 m.p.h., according to the National Weather Service. Quotable: "This is going to be devastating — a devastating loss — for all of Los Angeles," Councilwoman Traci Park said.
A hostage was found dead in GazaThe Israeli military said that it had discovered the body of a hostage taken from Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in an underground tunnel in the area of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Youssef Ziyadne of Rahat, an Arab Bedouin city in southern Israel, and three of his children were abducted from a kibbutz, where he and two of the children were working when Hamas led the attack on Israel that ignited the war in Gaza. Ziyadne's two younger children, who are in their late teens, were released in November 2023, but his adult son Hamza Ziyadne, who was about 22 at the time of his abduction, has remained in captivity. The Israeli military said that the same operation that led to the discovery of Youssef Ziyadne's body also revealed "findings" related to Hamza, raising "serious concerns for his life." Context: The announcement came amid a major push for a cease-fire deal and the return of the hostages. President-elect Donald Trump warned this week that "all hell will break out" if the roughly 100 hostages held in Gaza, at least a third of whom are presumed dead, were not released. Gazans have responded: If this is not hell, then what is? In other news from the region:
'Make Greenland Great Again'?Since 2019, during his first term as president, Donald Trump floated the idea of a U.S. purchase of Greenland. This week, as president-elect, he doubled down, insisting that the U.S. must annex the island for security reasons — and he made similar suggestions of the Panama Canal and Canada. Denmark's leadership has said that Greenland is not for sale, and the territory's future must be determined by the local population, many of whom desire independence. But Greenlanders have been left wondering: Is this idea more bombast from Trump or something to worry about? Attributes: Greenland's position — east of Canada along the Arctic Sea — could be strategically important, as climate change melts the ice, opening up new paths through the Arctic zone. The island is loaded with mineral resources such as cobalt, copper and nickel. Response: France and Germany both issued statements defending Greenland's territorial integrity and warning against the threat of any military action. Read more about growing fears of Trump's territorial ambitions.
For years, France's far-right National Rally tried to distance itself from Jean-Marie Le Pen's racist, antisemitic and anti-gay remarks. But after his death on Tuesday at age 96, the party hailed him as a visionary, who, according to its statement, "held in his hands the small flickering flame of the French Nation." Lives lived: Perry, the miniature donkey who was the model for Donkey in the "Shrek" franchise, has died at 30.
What determines longevity?Countless people live to be 100 years old, and their daily habits don't always adhere to common medical advice — they drink, they smoke, they don't exercise. Helen Reichert, a cigarette smoker who lived for more than a century, outlived all the doctors who told her to quit. But decades of research have shown cases like hers to be more of an anomaly than a motivation to let loose. So, how much of a person's longevity comes down to lifestyle, and how much is because of luck — or lucky genetics? Both can be factors in how long you live. Read more. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times.
Cook: This lemony Greek chicken, spinach and potato stew comes together in one pot. Train: This 15-minute kettlebell workout will build up your strength and your heart. Watch: Colin Firth stars in a new series about Britain's worst terrorist attack. Listen: Take five minutes to fall in love with jazz guitar. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com.
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