24/7 News: The Latest
The Latest: 01/25/2025 12:59am ET
This is your 24/7 news update, the latest views this hour in just four minutes. Add another name to the list of Trump Cabinet appointees after a late night vote. Vice President J.D. Vance is confirming Pete Hegsethe as the Secretary of Defense. A tense vote in the Senate Friday night ended in a 50/50 tie after three Republicans voted against his confirmation. Vice President Vance had to act as a tiebreaker and voted Hegsethe in. This is only the second time in history that a Vice President had to act as a nomination tiebreaker. Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Mitch McConnell voted against the former Fox News host. Murkowski said past behavior that Hegsethe, quote, "has admitted to, including infidelity on multiple occasions, demonstrate a lack of judgment." Hegsethe has faced allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking on the job. President Trump is promising federal support for Los Angeles County in the wake of the devastating palestades and eaten fires. Daniel Martindale has more. On Friday afternoon, Trump met with first responders and wildfire survivors in Pacific palestades, the site of the most expensive natural disaster in Los Angeles history. The federal government standing behind you, 100 percent. The first lady and I are in California to express a great love for the people of California. He also toured the disaster area in the air and on the ground. Trump then took questions and comments from local officials and property owners. He discussed waiving limits on permits, reducing an anticipated 18-month period before rebuilding can begin, getting more water to Southern California to prevent and fight future fires, allowing property owners to immediately return to what's left of their homes and expediting the rebuilding process. I'm Daniel Martindale. And the separation of church and state could be weakened by the Supreme Court's latest decision on Friday. The highest court in the land agreed to hear a bid to remove a publicly funded religious school. Justices will rule on a dispute over the proposed Catholic school in Oklahoma. I'm Jim Forbes, the 17-year-old who fatally shot a student at a Nashville high school live stream part of the crime. That's according to kick the streaming platform the shooter used. The company says the account that posted the video was quickly banned and the company removed it. The shooter killed a female student Wednesday at Antioch high school before wounding a second student. The shooter then committed suicide. On Thursday, police said the gunman was influenced by internet content that was harmful and objectionable. Three people were injured in an early morning Queen's townhouse fire and officials say they've found multiple e-bikes inside. Jonathan O'Halloran has the very latest. The F.D. and Y says it happened just before 5 30 Friday morning on 60th Avenue in Flushing. It broke out on the first floor and firefighters were delayed in battling those flames after the hydrogen closest to the building was found to be frozen. Once the fire was out, the F.D. and Y says at least six e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries were found inside. Officials now say one of those batteries sparked the fire. Two of the victims were taken to the hospital in serious condition for smoke-related injuries but are expected to be okay. Two giant pandas are making their American debut this weekend. Giant Pandas Bali and Qingbao can be seen at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. starting today. The zoo is hosting a public celebration of the pandas with the series of special events and programs through February 9th including a Lunar New Year event. The zoo is also relaunching its giant panda cam which includes 40 cameras in the panda habitat recording live from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. And flight risk is off to a decent start at the box office. The action film starring Mark Wahlberg made $950,000 from Thursday previews. It's expected to make between 9 and 11 million dollars in its first weekend in theaters. I'm Jim Forbes.