President-elect Donald Trump and some social media users and pundits blamed Los Angeles’ deadly fires on California Governor Gavin Newsom, saying the Democrat’s environmental policies enabled the blazes’ danger and wreckage. As of January 12, authorities counted at least 16 people dead, more than 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres) burned and thousands of structures damaged or destroyed. Some social media users reposted Trump’s 2018 and 2019 criticism of California’s forest...

How to cut federal spending – and by how much – consumes Congressional Republicans right now. Firestorms are scorching Southern California. But a political firestorm is about to singe Capitol Hill. The natural disaster dynamic has morphed into a regular fiscal nightmare in Congress. And frankly, the way lawmakers address natural disasters creates a hyper obstacle to making a serious dent in the deficit and national debt. Expect staggering costs.

Viral elderly siblings are reminding us that love transcends all time and distance. 94-year-old Barbara Carolan of Seabrook, Massachusetts, hadn’t been able to see her 90-year-old sister Shirley, who lives in Nevada, since 2020.When it became clear to Barbara that she might not have much time left to spend with her beloved sister, she prepared to make the 2,700-mile cross country trip to say goodbye.“They waited so long to see each other, and if you don’t know if you’re going to see someone again, you know, especially siblings, it must be really hard,” Barbara’s granddaughter, Stephanie Atkinson Shively, told told her local news outlet WMUR.Shively volunteered to ride alongside her grandmother and document the trip. In a viral TikTok video, , we see Barbara and Shirley getting emotional while reminiscing.“We had a wonderful, wonderful time,” Barbara tells Shirley through tears.“If we don’t see each other [again] on this earth, we’ll see each other in heaven,” her little sister assured.“You betcha!” Barbara sobs. “You betcha.”Watch the video below, aptly captioned: “Hug your sister.” @stephanieatkinson #goodbye #sistersforever #notgoodbye ♬ original sound - Stephanie Atkinson Shively Needless to say, viewers were struck by the sweet moment.“There needs to be a category on this app for videos that are guaranteed to make you cry cuz dammit I’m tired of randomly balling my eyes out!” one person wrote. Another added, “It’s not good bye, it’s see you later. I imagine when we pass, it’ll be like going home. And never again will we have to be separated from the ones we love.”Shively shared several other moments from the journey, including some pictures of the sisters when they were younger. But the ‘last tearjerker’ showed grandma Barbara waving goodbye as she made her way back home.There’s a bit of comic relief in this one, as Barbara yells “Until we meet again!” and gets a loud “WHAT?!” from Shirley, prompting her to repeat herself a bit more forcefully.Watch: @stephanieatkinson #sistersforever #notgoodbye #sisterlylove ♬ original sound - Stephanie Atkinson Shively All in all, just a beautiful, heartwarming reminder to savor our lives, and all the loved ones in it.Now, (if you have one) go hug your sister. If not, just hug someone you love. This article originally appeared two years ago.

High-level talent competition shows have been around for a long time. And from them, we’ve come to expect spectacular performances from trained artists completely dedicated to their craft. While that’s remarkable to watch, sometimes it’s just as inspiring to witness average folks doing something they love. Take it from Sara Beth, a mother of three recently dubbed the “Accidental American Idol.” First of all, Sara Beth is filled to the brim with quirky charm and does nothing to try to hide her nervousness. Judge Katy Perry accurately described her as a “comic strip character brought to life.” In a sea of ultra confident divas it’s refreshing, to say the least.Second, as a 25-year-old who married and started a family young, Sara Beth admitted that she had been focused on being there for her kids and only recently began pursuing music. Or as she called it, having “a minute for me.” So when asked if singing was her dream, Sara Beth was hesitant. “I’m still processing…I can’t even answer. This is so much,” she confessed. That answer didn’t impress judges Lionel Richie and Katy Perry, but it certainly resonated with views in the crowd and at home—parents in particular.“As a mother of two young boys I can easily relate to this not being her dream yet,” one mom wrote. “She has spent years pouring into others and taking it day by day and she just recently pulled her head out of water and remembered that she is a person with talents and hobbies and interests outside of being a mom...she doesn't even have the mental capacity for [American Idol] to be a dream yet but she took a huge bet on herself.”Despite Sara Beth not fitting the usual parameters for an American Idol, there was no denying her incredible voice once she started singing. Watch:Sara Beth might have moved forward with only two out of three yes votes, but let’s just say her audience approval rate was pretty damn unanimous.“Sara Beth is wonderfully herself and a breath of fresh air, judges are faced with a woman who is open with no filters of fear. I think she's amazing.”“I think she IS the hidden gem in this competition. She could definitely win.”“I won't be surprised if she wins this whole thing.”Just take it from the “Accidental American Idol:" It’s okay to be unsure…and go for the thing anyway.Soon after she shook things up in her American Idol audition, Sara Beth shocked everyone by leaving the show early to be with her children, and also citing discomfort after Katy Perry made a "Mom-Shaming" joke. Luckily for us, her exit from American Idol was not her exit from music. Sara Beth is still active and posting original songs on her TikTok and Instagram, and you can stream her music on Spotify. https://www.instagram.com/p/DElIB4fT_PI/ See on Instagram This article originally appeared two years ago.

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Was there finally a problem that Samanta couldn't nose-twitch her way out of?

Congress Must Use 2025 to Restore FCC Auction Authority and Build a Spectrum Pipeline