Saturday, January 11, 2025

Good Morning! On this day in 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt utilized the Antiquities Act of 1906 and designated the Grand Canyon as a national monument. It would later be established as a national park in 1919.

In today’s edition, we report on an Australian hiker who survived for nearly two weeks on foraged granola bars and berries. When rescuers found him, he was surprisingly well and had lost track of time, believing only a week had passed. Read about it below.

We are sponsored this weekend by Gundry MD offering the latest dietary advice.

Trump Sentenced, Released Without Restrictions

President-elect Donald Trump received an unconditional discharge sentence on Friday, freeing him from the threat of jail or fines related to his felony conviction for falsifying business documents.

Trump was found guilty of 34 felonies in a New York courtroom last May, but a series of legal motions delayed sentencing. He is now the first former president and presidential candidate to be convicted of a felony.

Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the proceedings including Friday’s sentencing, addressed the court, stating that Trump received fair treatment and that the case was no different than any other case.

Trump appeared virtually from his Florida residence and disagreed with Merchan’s assessment, proclaiming his innocence and stating that the case lacked merit.

Firefighters Make Progress in California

Multiple wildfires continued to burn in Southern California yesterday, with officials reporting at least 10 deaths. Over 10,000 homes across 27,000 acres have burned, and 20 suspected looters have been arrested.

Wind conditions improved Friday, allowing firefighters to push back the flames and increase containment. As of Friday morning, the Palisades Fire was 8% contained, the Eaton Fire 3%, the Hurst Fire 37%, and the Kenneth Fire 35% contained. See a map of the fires here.

Insurance officials have estimated that damages from this week's fires may exceed $20 billion, surpassing the $12.5 billion in damages from the 2018 Camp Fire, which was the most costly blaze in the nation’s history.

President Biden announced on Thursday that the federal government would cover 100% of costs for the initial disaster response, including debris removal, temporary shelters, and salaries for first responders for 180 days.

Rankings: Worst Drinking Water in the Nation

Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia have the worst drinking water in the nation, according to Newsweek, while Hawaii, Delaware, and Kentucky have the cleanest.

Newsweek analyzed data from the Environmental Protection Agency on health-based violations, including failures to remove harmful chemicals, monitoring and reporting issues, and not notifying the public about water quality problems.

Hawaii, the state with the fewest violations, had only two, followed by Delaware with 117 and Kentucky with 139. Pennsylvania had the most violations, with 24,525, followed by Texas with 15,340 and West Virginia with 7,473.

Newsweek also reported that bottled water is regulated by the FDA, which has less rigorous oversight compared to the EPA's regulation of tap water. Additionally, some bottled water is simply filtered tap water. See where your state ranks here.

➤ A recent AP-NORC poll shows President Biden is less popular than President-elect Trump was after January 6, 2021, with fewer than 1 in 10 Americans calling Biden’s presidency great. (More)

➤ Oil prices surged on Friday, reaching their highest levels since October, after the Treasury Department imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia’s oil industry. (See Prices)

➤ December's job numbers surpassed expectations, with employers adding 256,000 jobs, well above the forecasted 153,000, while the unemployment rate dropped to 4.1%. (More)

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➤ Ohio State beat Texas 28-14 to win the Cotton Bowl last night. The Buckeyes will advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship in Atlanta on Jan. 20, where they will face Orange Bowl winner Notre Dame. (More)

➤ The NFL all-pro teams have been released for the 2024 regular season. Interestingly, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was named as the league's top quarterback over Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, the current MVP favorite. (See teams)

➤ Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has reportedly suffered a second Achilles tendon rupture just three months after undergoing surgery for an Achilles tear during the regular season. Watson is expected to miss the 2025 NFL season. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s results: NCAAF | PGA | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

Today's White House section is brought to you by:

➤ China will send a senior official to President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony, accepting an invitation that Trump extended to Chinese President Xi Jinping last month. (More)

➤ Russian officials confirmed President Vladimir Putin is willing to meet without preconditions with President-elect Donald Trump, a day after Trump announced plans for the meeting. (More)

➤ Vice President-elect JD Vance and Sen. Ted Cruz made a friendly Cotton Bowl wager on social media this week: the loser must deliver food and beer wearing the winning team’s jersey. (See Bet)

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Daily Market Report 01/10/2025

▼	NASDAQ National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations	19,161.63	-1.63%
▼	SPX S&P 500	5,827.04	-1.54%
▼	DJI Dow Jones Industrial Average	41,938.45	-1.63%
▲	BTC Bitcoin	$94,807.16	2.51%
▲	GOLD Per Ounce	$2,717.40	1.25%

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Drink Coffee at Least once a Week? (Must See This)

There are two different types of coffee drinkers in this world. One who likes to drink their coffee black, and one that likes to add a little cream.

However, a very shocking discovery revealed that one of these people are much more prone to damaging their digestive lining and experiencing digestive issues.

And even if you drink coffee just one day a week, you are going to want to see this shocking video.

➤ Nicolás Maduro began his third term as Venezuela’s president just as the U.S. announced a $25 million reward for his arrest and the UK sanctioned 15 top officials. (More)

➤ An Australian hiker has been found alive after being lost for nearly two weeks, surviving on foraged berries and discarded granola bars left by other hikers. (More)

➤ The U.K. has introduced new travel restrictions requiring all U.S. and Canadian citizens, among other countries, to apply for travel authorization and pay a $12.50 fee before visiting the country. (More)

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➤ A reporter covering the Southern California wildfires discovered his childhood home in Pacific Palisades reduced to smoldering ruins, sharing his emotional reaction with viewers. (More)

➤ A severe winter storm is expected to continue across the South today, bringing heavy snow and ice from eastern Oklahoma to the southern Appalachians, affecting nearly 50 million people. (See Forecast)

➤ Macy's plans to close 66 underperforming stores in 22 states, aiming to shut down 150 locations over three years and focus investments on 350 more profitable stores. (More)