Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Wednesday.
The Justice Dept. asserted its immigration authorityThe Justice Department threatened in a new memo to prosecute local officials who refuse to help President Trump carry out his immigration agenda. The directive raised the possibility of clashes between the Trump administration and Democrats in so-called sanctuary cities and states. The memo was issued yesterday by Emil Bove, the acting deputy attorney general and a former member of Trump's criminal defense team. The document asserts that state and local officials are bound to cooperate with the Trump administration under the Constitution's Supremacy Clause and could face criminal prosecution or civil penalties if they failed to comply. The move came as the Department of Homeland Security prepared to make targeted raids in cities, including Chicago, with high numbers of undocumented immigrants. It was one of a blitz of actions the Trump administration has taken on immigration, including an executive order declaring border crossings an "invasion." The Pentagon also said today that it would send 1,500 troops to the southwestern border by the end of the month. Several more border deployments are likely to follow, a Defense Department official said.
Trump began gutting diversity initiativesPresident Trump signed an order today that revoked a 60-year-old executive order banning discrimination in the federal government's hiring practices. The move, according to Trump's order, will allow the government to focus on "speed and efficiency" rather than diversity. The measure was a sweeping example of Trump's efforts to "forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based," as he vowed to in his inaugural address. He also ordered that officials overseeing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the federal government be placed on leave by the end of today. The president's push is part of a broader effort to eliminate diversity and inclusion programs across the country. Many companies have followed suit. One notable holdout has been Costco.
A storm dumped snow on the CarolinasParts of the South were at a standstill today after a powerful winter storm brought record snowfall to the Gulf Coast and the Carolinas. Much of the region was unequipped to deal with the sudden influx of snow. Here's what it looked like there. The storm, fueled by a whirling mass of Arctic air, killed at least 10 people in Texas, Alabama and Georgia and left hazardous ice-covered roads and frozen bridges in its wake. Many schools, businesses and airports were closed. Freezing temperatures are expected to last across much of the country.
L.A. residents died where evacuation orders were lateWhen embers from the Eaton fire began showering homes in Pasadena and Altadena, Calif., this month, evacuation orders went out within minutes. But one neighborhood did not get the order to leave until more than seven hours later, and the consequences appear to have been fatal. All 17 people who died in the fire lived in that area. The latest: A new fire north of Los Angeles reached more than 5,000 acres in just a couple of hours. Residents were told to evacuate. More top news
2025 is shaping up to be a big year for tourismVacationers returned to roads, rails, oceans and skies en masse last year, putting an end to the pandemic travel lull. This year is expected to be even bigger. Our Travel team published a guide to help you understand where the industry is headed. Cruise lines are expanding to islands, luxury resorts are adopting the all-inclusive model, solo travelers are connecting with one another and interest in sustainability is still rising.
A wide-open Oscar seasonThe Academy Award nominations will be announced tomorrow. While in previous years the winners' names seemed already engraved on statuettes, this season remains fluid. Kyle Buchanan, our awards season columnist, wants to be surprised: "It's fun!" But he also has a few front-runners in mind. Here are his predictions.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Try this reliable gukbap, which means "soup rice" in Korean. Watch: A brilliant mathematician becomes an enemy of the deep state in "Prime Target." Read: "Darkmotherland" is one of five new books we recommend. Listen: Here are 10 essential songs by Garth Hudson, the Band member who died yesterday. Learn: Experts corrected 10 myths about gut health. Carry: Wirecutter tested more than two dozen slim wallets. This one is the best. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.
An 11-year-old found a one-of-a-kind treasureJust about everyone who collects baseball cards is suddenly jealous of an 11-year-old from Los Angeles. The child, according to the card maker Topps, found the hobby's most sought-after new prize: a special-edition rookie card featuring the Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Paul Skenes. The card is expected to fetch $1 million at auction. The Pirates offered the child 30 years of season tickets and several other rewards in exchange for the card. Have an extraordinary 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.
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