Newsom cut over $100M in fire prevention programs months before tragedy
A review of last year’s California state budget shows California Gov. Gavin Newsom cut funding for wildfire and forest resilience by more than $100 million.
The budget, signed in June and covering the 2024-25 fiscal year, eliminated $101 million from seven “wildfire and forest resilience” programs, according to a report from Newsweek.
The California fires, responsible for destroying more than 10,000 buildings in the Los Angeles area, are still not contained.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES DEVASTATE LOS ANGELES COUNTY, KILLING 5 AND THREATENING THOUSANDS OF HOMES
Cal Fire had a $5 million reduction in spending on fuel reduction teams, including funds used to pay for vegetation management work by the California National Guard, the report noted.
LA FIRE SOUNDED ALARM ON BUDGET CUTS IMPACTING WILDFIRE RESPONSE: MEMO
Other changes:
- $28 million cut from multiple state conservancies that expand wildfire resilience
- $12 million cut from a “home hardening” experiment that would protect homes from wildfires
- $8 million cut from monitoring and research spending, mostly dedicated to Cal Fire and state universities
- $4 million cut from the forest legacy program, which encourages landowners to manage their properties
- $3 million cut from funding for an inter-agency forest data hub
Newsom’s director of communications, Izzy Gardon, called the budget cuts a “ridiculous lie,” in a statement to Fox News Digital Friday night.
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“The governor has doubled the size of our firefighting army, built the world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet and the state has increased the forest management ten-fold since he took office,” she wrote. “Facts matter.”
His office attached statistics that refer to the overall increase in spending and personnel over a number of years since he took office in 2019, as opposed to commenting on the most recent cuts.
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Cal Fire did not immediately respond to a request for comment as of 8 p.m. Friday.
The woke programs that got LA County funding while fire budget was slashed
While Los Angeles officials were stripping millions in funding from their fire department ahead of one of the most destructive wildfires in state history, hundreds of thousands of dollars were allocated to fund programs such as a “Gay Men’s Chorus” and housing for the transgender homeless.
Deadly fires erupted across Southern California this week, which were amplified by fierce winds that resulted in about 10,000 homes and businesses being destroyed. After fire hydrants weren’t producing water and homes burned to the ground, residents began calling out Democratic-led leadership in the state, who cut the Los Angeles Fire Department’s (LAFD) funding by $17.6 million just months prior.
But even as the department funding was being pulled back, a Fox News Digital review of the L.A. County budget uncovered thousands of taxpayer dollars that were allocated to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and programs giving syringes to the homeless.
For example, the budget allocated $14,010 to the “Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles” this year, a group that seeks to “create musical experiences that strengthen our role as a leader among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and performing arts organizations.”
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Another $190,000 was allocated to the Homeless and HIV Program, which includes a “syringe exchange” program that gives sterile syringes to homeless drug addicts.
An additional $100,000 of county funds was put aside to pay for Juneteenth celebrations, while $13,000 was allocated to “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Heritage Month Programs.”
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The Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department was also granted $100,000 for a “Midnight Stroll Transgender Cafe” to fund housing for homeless transgender individuals in Hollywood.
The county also granted $13,000 to “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Heritage Month Programs” and $4.5 million to the infrastructure of electric vehicle (EV) chargers. Appropriations for the General City Purposes saw $250,000 set aside for “equity and inclusion.”
According to the report, homelessness funding was larger than the LAFD budget for the second year in a row.
Amid the Los Angeles-area fires, celebrities, such as actress Sara Foster, called out state officials for their legislative focus over the years.
“We pay the highest taxes in California. Our fire hydrants were empty. Our vegetation was overgrown, brush not cleared. Our reservoirs were emptied by our governor because tribal leaders wanted to save fish. Our fire department budget was cut by our mayor. But thank god drug addicts are getting their drug kits,” Foster wrote in a post on X. “@MayorOfLA @GavinNewsom RESIGN. Your far left policies have ruined our state. And also our party.”
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Following the funding cut, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone on Wednesday said that “there are not enough firefighters in L.A. County to address four separate fires of this magnitude.”
LA mayor refuses help from ‘New York’s Bravest’ as gov welcomes crews from Mexico
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass rejected an offer from the New York Fire Department to help battle deadly wildfires scorching the Golden State, the New York Post reported.
As of Friday morning, the California fires have burned more than 10,000 homes and buildings in the Los Angeles area. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently agreed to pay for more firefighters after the state reported it was beyond capacity.
New York City Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker extended the offer in “recent days,” according to the report. JetBlue agreed to pay for the firefighters’ fares to the city.
LA FIRE SOUNDED ALARM ON BUDGET CUTS IMPACTING WILDFIRE RESPONSE: MEMO
Mexico is sending crews to help contain the Eaton Fire, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday via X.
“California is deeply grateful for President @ClaudiaShein’s support as we work to suppress the Los Angeles wildfires,” Newsom wrote. “Our partnership and shared commitment to helping communities in need is greatly valued.”
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES DEVASTATE LOS ANGELES COUNTY, KILLING 5 AND THREATENING THOUSANDS OF HOMES
On a call with Fox News Digital on Friday afternoon, FDNY officials said they would prepare a statement.
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However, minutes later, they responded with an email saying, “We are currently unable to confirm or comment on this.”
The audio tape of President-elect Trump’s New York City sentencing hearing was released to the public on Friday, giving insight into the unprecedented conviction against a former president where Trump was ultimately sentenced to an unconditional discharge.
“This has been a very terrible experience,” Trump, who virtually attended the criminal trial sentencing hearing, told the New York City courtroom on Friday morning. “I think it’s been a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system.”
“This is a case that Alvin Bragg did not want to bring. He thought it was, from what I read and from what I hear, inappropriately handled before he got there. And a gentleman from a law firm came in and acted as a district attorney,” the president-elect continued. “And that gentleman, from what I heard, was a criminal or almost criminal in what he did. It was very inappropriate. It was somebody involved with my political opponent.”
“I think it’s an embarrassment to New York and New York has a lot of problems, but this is a great embarrassment,” he added.
DONALD TRUMP SENTENCED WITH NO PENALTY IN NEW YORK CRIMINAL TRIAL, AS JUDGE WISHES HIM ‘GODSPEED’ IN 2ND TERM
At one point, Trump, appearing virtually, leaned forward, looking at Judge Juan Merchan, and referenced the November election, suggesting that it represented a repudiation of this case.
“It’s been a political witch hunt,” Trump explained. “It was done to damage my reputation so that I’d lose the election. And obviously, that didn’t work. And the people of our country got to see this firsthand because they watched the case in your courtroom. They got to see this firsthand. And then they voted, and I won.”
Assistant District Attorney Josh Steinglass stated that there was “overwhelming evidence to support the jury’s verdict” and was critical of Trump, claiming the president-elect “has caused enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system and has placed officers of the court in harm’s waywith the comments he publicly made during the trial.
“I very, very much disagree with much of what the government just said about this case, about the legitimacy of what happened in this courtroom during the trial and about President Trump’s conduct fighting this case from before it was indicted, while it was indicted, to the jury’s verdict, and even to this day,” Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche said in response to the prosecution.
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During the hearing, Merchan defended the actions he took along the way.
“The imposition of sentence is one of the most difficult decisions that any criminal court judge is called to make,” Merchan said, noting the court “must consider the facts of the case along with any aggravating or mitigating circumstances.”
Merchan reflected on the case, saying that “never before has this court been presented with such a unique set of circumstances.” The judge said it was an “extraordinary case” with media interest and heightened security but said that once the courtroom doors were closed, the trial itself “was not any more unique or extraordinary” than any other case.
Merchan acknowledged that Trump is afforded significant legal protections, but argued that “one power they do not provide is the power to erase a jury verdict.”
“Sir, I wish you Godspeed as you assume the second term in office,” Merchan said at the close of the hearing.
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Merchan’s unconditional discharge sentence means there is no punishment imposed: no jail time, fines or probation. The sentence also preserves Trump’s ability to appeal the conviction.
“After careful analysis, this court determined that the only lawful sentence that permits entry of judgment of conviction is an unconditional discharge,” Merchan said Friday. “At this time, I impose that sentence to cover all 34 counts.”
Trump’s team said in court that they will appeal the conviction, and he will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Jan. 20.
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ star’s wife shares heartbreaking regret about item lost in house fire
“Top Gun: Maverick” star Miles Teller’s wife Keleigh Teller shared her sorrow over losing one of her most cherished belongings after the couple’s Pacific Palisades home was destroyed by the wildfires raging in California.
On Friday, the model posted before-and-after photos of their house, noting in the caption that she regretted leaving her wedding dress behind when she and the actor evacuated before the flames consumed their property.
“If you’re in the LA area PLEASE get out if you can. I wish I grabbed my wedding dress .. wish I did a lot different but it doesn’t matter, stay safe, get out,” Keleigh wrote.
“To everyone reaching out I can’t thank you enough, your kind hearts have meant the world, I’ll never forget them,” she added. “Community has come out stronger than I could imagine, pacific palisades I love you beyond measure you are a little slice of heaven, we will come back stronger than ever.”
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“There are no words. THANK YOU to the first responders fighting.”
In her new Instagram post, Keleigh revealed that the first photo of her intact house was the last image she snapped of the home before it was reduced to rubble by the Palisades Fire.
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Keleigh and Teller were among the many celebrities who have been impacted by the crisis that unfolded this week.
Jessica Simpson and her family were forced to leave their Hidden Hills home after the Kenneth Fire ignited in West Hills.
The singer evacuated on Thursday and shared a photo of smoke near her house on her Instagram story.
“We stayed as long as we could,” she wrote.
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Britney Spears also evacuated last night, writing in an Instagram post, “I had to evacuate my home and I’m driving 4 hours to a hotel !!!”
Her message was shared along with a video that showcased doll shoes. She explained, “I’m posting these adorable shoes to lift people’s spirits !!! Most people may not even be on their phones !!! I wasn’t the past two days because I had no electricity to charge and I just got my phone back !!! I pray you’re all doing well and I send my love.”
Milo Ventimiglio is mourning the loss of his Malibu home – a safe space he and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, were expecting to introduce their new baby to in just a few days.
During an interview with CBS News, the “This Is Us” actor, 47, opened up about the “heavy” reality that has hit his family due to the Los Angeles wildfires.
“You start thinking about all the memories in different parts of the house and what not, and then you see your neighbors’ houses and everything kind of around and your heart just breaks,” a visibly upset Ventimiglia said while walking through the rubble of what is left of his home.
LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES: ANNA FARIS LOSES PACIFIC PALISADES HOME, MOLLY SIMS WEEPS OVER ‘DEVASTATED’ COMMUNITY
Ventimiglia, who evacuated on Tuesday, revealed he and his wife watched their home burn to the ground through their security cameras.
“I think there’s a shock moment where you go, ‘Is this real and is this happening?’ At a certain point we just turned it off. We accepted the loss.”
With Mariano set to give birth any day now, Ventimiglia revealed the baby’s nursery was complete.
“The whole thing was set up,” he said.
Ventimiglia, whose character Jack Pearson died of smoke inhalation after his home burned down in “This Is Us,” said he is fully aware of the irony.
“It’s not lost on me, life imitating art,” he said.
While the couple prepare to become parents and adjust to their new normal, Ventimiglia said he is grateful.
“We got good friends, and we got good people we’re working with, and we’ll make do. Wife and baby and dog, most important,” Ventimiglia said.
Ventimiglia is one of many celebrities who have lost their homes due to the raging wildfires.
“Jurassic World” star Daniella Pineda shared that she also lost her home and was only able to escape with her dog and her laptop.
“This was the first house that I ever bought,” she wrote on Instagram. “My very first. The fire broke out so fast all I could grab was my dog and my laptop and that was it. I lost everything else. I have 1 pair of shoes to my name. I’m happy to be alive. Grateful to be alive. People really show up for one another when disaster hits. Thank you to everyone who offered to help me.”
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“This may seem silly to some, but I had two Beta fish that I absolutely loved. Always made sure their temp was just right, spoiled them, played with them. Loved them. They were precious and brought me joy everyday. Things are things, they are meaningless. Living creatures, humans, our environment, this is what matters.”
“All My Children” star Cameron Mathison revealed he left behind some “valuable” items when he evacuated his home due to the Eaton Fire. The actor only grabbed passports, birth certificates and photo albums because he “didn’t really believe” he would lose the home.
“I unfortunately left some valuable ones where the kids were very, very young and film that you can’t replace,” Mathison told Entertainment Tonight. “If I really thought the house was going down, I would’ve grabbed so much more.”
Mathison and his wife evacuated to Pasadena, where they learned their home didn’t make it.
“[Vanessa] woke me up at 5 in the morning, because she’d been up pretty much all night and watched the news and heard that the street above our street…. the reporters were literally on our block on TV,” Cameron recalled. “We’re sitting on the couch, watching the news, recognizing the houses around our house burned down, but I couldn’t see our house.”
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“I just was sitting there, it was probably 6 in the morning, and I had to go up there,” he continued, saying he bought a mask and protective glasses before going into his neighborhood. “It looked like a war zone.”
Mathison revealed he realized his home “was all gone” when he arrived. “It was really, really decimated. There’s nothing there. Less than nothing. It’s just all burnt to just ashes.”
Other stars, including Anna Faris, Adam Brody and Leighton Meester, John Goodman, and Paris Hilton, have also lost their homes.
Hilton shared an update on Instagram Thursday as she visited the spot where her home once stood.
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“I’m standing here in what used to be our home, and the heartbreak is truly indescribable,” Hilton captioned a video of the devastation. “When I first saw the news, I was in complete shock – I couldn’t process it. But now, standing here and seeing it with my own eyes, it feels like my heart has shattered into a million pieces. This house wasn’t just a place to live – It was where we dreamed, laughed, and created the most beautiful memories as a family. It was where Phoenix’s little hands made art that I’ll cherish forever, where love and life filled every corner. To see it reduced to ashes… it’s devastating beyond words.”
“What breaks my heart even more is knowing that this isn’t just my story,” she continued, in part. “So many people have lost everything. It’s not just walls and roofs – it’s the memories that made those houses homes. It’s the photos, the keepsakes, the irreplaceable pieces of our lives. And yet, in this pain, I know I’m incredibly lucky. My loved ones, my babies, and my pets are safe. That’s the most important thing, and I’m holding onto that gratitude with everything I have. And beyond grateful to all the firefighters, first responders and volunteers risking their lives to fight these fires.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Billy Crystal and his wife, Janice Crystal, said they are experiencing complete devastation.
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“Words cannot describe the enormity of the devastation we are witnessing and experiencing,” the couple said in a joint statement. “We ache for our friends and neighbors who have also lost their homes and businesses in this tragedy. Janice and I lived in our home since 1979. We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away. We are heartbroken of course but with the love of our children and friends we will get through this.”
Ricki Lake, who lost her home to the Palisades fire on Jan. 7, revealed the timeline that led to their safe evacuation.
“11:24 am early signs of smoke in Temescal Canyon 11:54 am setting up our fire defense system 4:10 pm Ross hosing down our neighbors palm tree (baller move) 6:17 pm Ross attempting to siphon gas for the fire defense system motor. (Even bigger baller move, though it didn’t work.) 6:55 do we stay or do we go?”
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“We finally surrendered our efforts and left our home at 8:02 pm … No doubt had we stayed, we would not have survived. Sharing for all who have been asking. Thank you for the love and well wishes. Again, please pray for those impacted by this catastrophic event and help if you are able. Bless our brave firefighters and first responders. May they stay safe.”
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Nutrition experts identify the 10 best diets of 2025 — and there’s something for everyone
The New Year typically ushers in resolutions to adopt healthier lifestyles, which often means making better food choices.
This week, U.S. News & World Report revealed its annual list of the Best Diets Overall, chosen by a panel of medical and nutrition experts.
The experts all specialized in diabetes, heart health and weight loss.
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The diets were chosen for “nutritional completeness, health risks and benefits, long-term sustainability and evidence-based effectiveness,” according to the report, as well as their capabilities to achieve specific goals.
“On the list of best diets, there are important commonalities,” Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, told Fox News. (Freirich was not involved in the study.)
“Each diet is evidence-based, includes a variety of foods from all the food groups, and focuses on increasing unprocessed foods with high nutrient density.”
Below is the list of the diets topping the list for 2025.
1. Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet has long been linked to a long list of health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity and more.
Studies have found associations between the Mediterranean diet and increased longevity.
“Each diet is evidence-based, includes a variety of foods from all the food groups, and focuses on increasing unprocessed foods with high nutrient density.”
The diet is a plant-based nutrition plan that mimics the regional cuisines of the countries along the Mediterranean Sea, such as Italy and Greece.
Primary foods in the diet include whole vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, and herbs and spices, according to Mayo Clinic’s website. Olive oil is the primary source of added fat.
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Other foods — including fish, poultry and dairy — can be incorporated in moderation.
The diet limits red meat, sweets, butter and sugary drinks.
The Mediterranean diet’s health benefits stem from limiting saturated fats, refined carbohydrates (including sugars) and sodium, as well as promoting healthy unsaturated fats, fiber and antioxidants, according to Cleveland Clinic’s website.
2. DASH diet
The DASH diet — the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet — was designed by the U.S.-based National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, to help lower blood pressure and promote overall health.
“This well-balanced diet puts an emphasis on increasing fruit and vegetable intake along with whole foods, something most of us fall short on,” said Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian and author of “2-Day Diabetes Diet.”
“It is a well-balanced, evidence-based eating plan that can offer a variety of health benefits.”
3. Flexitarian diet
For those who want to add more plant-based foods to their diet without fully committing to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, the Flexitarian diet allows for occasional meat consumption, making it more accessible and sustainable for many individuals, Palinski-Wade said.
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“This diet has been ranked as one of the easiest diets to follow, thanks to its flexibility and the absence of strict rules or restrictions,” she told Fox News Digital.
“Research also suggests that the Flexitarian diet may be more effective than traditional vegetarian or vegan diets at maintaining heart health.”
4. MIND diet
The MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet is a hybrid of the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet.
This diet is gaining in popularity, as it may help to benefit brain health and potentially reduce the risk of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, noted Palinski-Wade.
“As a flexible meal plan focused on maximizing overall intake of nutrient-dense foods, it may not only improve cognitive health, but could also reduce the risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers,” she said.
5. Mayo Clinic diet
Designed by Mayo Clinic, this 12-week diet program follows a food pyramid with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole grains, most of which have low calorie density, according to U.S. News.
Members can sign up for a monthly or yearly plan to access meal plans, trackers and other tools to help with healthy eating habits.
6. TLC diet
Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes, also known as the TLC Diet, is a program designed to control hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol).
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“The TLC diet is beneficial for heart health due to its focus on reducing saturated fats and cholesterol while emphasizing fiber-rich plant foods and whole grains, effectively managing cholesterol levels and supporting overall cardiovascular well-being,” Michelle Routhenstein, a New York-based preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com, previously told Fox News Digital.
7. Menopause diet
This eating plan is tailored for women in midlife who are approaching or experiencing menopause. It is designed to alleviate the side effects of hormonal fluctuations and to prevent weight gain, according to US News.
The diet emphasizes whole foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lean proteins and soy products.
It limits simple carbohydrates, fatty foods, sugars, alcohol and caffeine.
The diet has “proven health benefits,” the report states.
8. Dr. Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet
Designed by Dr. Andrew Weil, an integrative medicine doctor, this diet plan is designed to reduce and prevent inflammation.
The diet emphasizes unprocessed foods, including lean proteins, healthy fats and fruits and vegetables.
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“It is a way of selecting and preparing anti-inflammatory foods based on scientific knowledge of how they can help your body maintain optimum health,” said Dr. Weil’s website.
“Along with influencing inflammation, this natural anti-inflammatory diet will provide steady energy and ample vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids dietary fiber and protective phytonutrients.”
9. Volumetrics diet
This diet allows for the consumption of all foods, but calls for larger quantities of low-calorie, healthy meals to curb hunger.
“This diet focuses on satiety and offers flexibility, making it easy to stick with,” said Palinski-Wade.
“All diets should be something you can maintain long-term for long-lasting success.”
“The focus on adding high-volume foods, which are often rich in fiber, may promote a variety of health benefits, from weight loss to lower cholesterol levels and improved heart health.”
The dietitian noted that the Volumetrics diet is also easy to follow, as it does not involve strict rules or restrictions and can be tailored to individual needs and preferences.
10. Cleveland Clinic diet
The Cleveland Clinic has launched its own diet app “designed to optimize wellness, weight loss and heart health,” according to the report.
The wellness tracker allows people to enter their food intake and activity.
Based on their answers to a questionnaire, each user is guided to enter either the HeartSmart (heart-friendly) or BodyGuard (overall well-being) program.
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“The goal is to help educate consumers on healthy eating and eating for health instead of just looking at weight loss for overall health,” said Julia Zumpano, registered dietitian nutritionist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition and one of the developers of the app, in the report.
What’s the best diet for you?
When recommending diets for people, Freirich advises avoiding overly restrictive diets or diets that heavily depend on packaged foods.
“All diets should be something you can maintain long-term for long-lasting success,” she said.
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“Most importantly, the best diet is the one that works best for your life, medical history and health goals. Discussing dietary changes with your doctor and a registered dietitian is a surefire way to find the best diet for you.”
Insurance industry pushes back after VP Harris levels ‘dangerous’ accusation
The insurance industry is pushing back after Vice President Kamala Harris suggested insurance companies have canceled the policies of victims of California’s wildfires, calling her claim “false, wrong and dangerous.”
During a press conference regarding the ongoing wildfires on Thursday, Harris said, “Many insurance companies have canceled insurance for a lot of the families who have been affected and will be affected, which is only going to delay or place an added burden on their ability to recover.”
“I think that is an important point that must be raised,” she continued, “and hopefully there can be some way to address that issue, because these families — so many of them — otherwise will not have the resources to recover in any meaningful way, and many of them have lost everything.”
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David Sampson, president and CEO of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), told FOX Business, “It is false, wrong and dangerous to even insinuate that insurers are abandoning their customers, and it’s especially concerning coming from a former California statewide elected official who should know the law.”
He added, “Insurers are committed to protecting the safety of those affected and providing expedited relief to their policyholders for the covered losses.”
Sampson noted that California law prohibits insurers from canceling an insurance policy during its term, except for very limited exceptions, such as non-payment of premiums or fraud.
He added, “So the implication that people who have insurance coverage effective on January 7th are being canceled — just to leave that impression with people and to create that fear — is irresponsible, in my view.”
FOX Business has reached out to the White House for comment.
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Even before this week’s wildfires hit, California was in the midst of an insurance crisis, with many residents unable to obtain homeowners insurance due to several carriers limiting their exposure in the state or pulling out completely in recent years because of heavy losses and the inability to adequately raise premiums or assess risk due to California’s regulations.
The state’s largest homeowners insurance carrier, State Farm, announced in March of last year that it would not renew some 72,000 home and apartment policies in the summer. The company cited inflation, regulatory costs and increasing risk of catastrophes for its decision and had previously stopped accepting new applications in the state.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES COULD COST INSURERS $20B, HIGHEST IN STATE’S HISTORY
Several other leading insurers, including All State, Farmers and USAA, have also in recent years curbed new policy applications in California as part of an effort to limit their exposure to policies that carry what they see as undue risk given what the state’s regulators have allowed them to charge policyholders. Similar reasons of escalating risk, high repair costs and rising reinsurance premiums have been cited in those decisions.
While it is illegal for insurance companies to cancel policies before they expire in California, many homeowners whose policies were not renewed have struggled to obtain or afford coverage, as the number of carriers in the state continues to shrink.
Because of that situation, many homes destroyed by the ongoing wildfires were not insured.
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In the wake of the latest fires in Southern California, some critics have blamed insurance companies for declining to cover property in the state’s fire-prone areas. But Sampson says he has been warning California regulators for years about the vulnerability of the insurance market in the state.
He explained, “Over the last almost decade now, for every dollar of homeowners premium that we have collected, we have paid out $1.09 in claims — and that’s not sustainable.”
Socialist dictator threatens to unleash gang violence into US, opposition warns
As the Venezuelan political crisis reaches a breaking point, members of the Venezuelan opposition party are warning there will be an increase in Tren de Aragua gang violence with deadly consequences for the U.S. if socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro remains in power.
Despite widespread belief among Venezuelans and much of the international community that Maduro lost the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election to opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, he was sworn into his third six-year term on Friday.
But with opposition leader María Corina Machado calling on Venezuelan citizens to join her on the streets to demand González be installed as the rightful president of Venezuela, the stage is now set for a confrontation with the Maduro regime.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Machado, whose supporters said she was temporarily kidnapped by authorities and then released after a rally on Thursday, warned that if Maduro is not stopped there will be millions of Venezuelan migrants fleeing the country into the U.S.
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“If Maduro remains, prepare yourself because we will see three, four or five million Venezuelans crossing the border,” she said.
On the other hand, Machado told Fox News Digital: “I want you to know how important it is also for the safety of the American people.”
“We also are desperate to solve the migration problem in our region,” she said. “We want those Venezuelans to come back in billions and voluntarily. And that will happen when they’ll see there’s a future in their country.”
Meanwhile, José Gustavo Arocha, a former high-ranking Venezuelan military official who fled persecution by the Maduro regime, told Fox News Digital that gang violence in the U.S. by the Maduro-aligned criminal group Tren de Aragua will get worse if he remains president.
Tren de Aragua — also known by its acronym “TdA” — is Spanish for “Train from Aragua.” It is a brutal international gang that victimizes Venezuelan migrants and Americans alike and has unleashed a spate of violence in recent months, including kidnapping, torture, robbery and taking over entire apartment buildings.
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Arocha, who is now a senior fellow for the U.S.-based Center for a Secure Free Society, told Fox News Digital that “if Maduro remains in power, he will likely use the Tren de Aragua as a tool for coercion and asymmetric tactics to achieve his objectives.”
“Migration, weaponized with elements of the Tren de Aragua, will serve as leverage to seek the easing of economic sanctions and to gain legitimacy from the United States,” he said. “Repression, economic collapse and chaos in Venezuela will continue to be cornerstones of Maduro’s state policy. As a result, migrants who are deported will likely return, as in recent years they have established logistical routes that enable them to navigate clandestine pathways along the southern border.”
Alberto Ray, a security and risk strategist who helps handle security for Machado, told Fox News Digital that the situation in Venezuela is “extremely explosive.” He said that “more Maduro is more Tren de Aragua in the U.S.”
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While Ray noted that most Venezuelan migrants are honest, hardworking people, he said that Maduro has been “weaponizing” migration to sow chaos and discord in the U.S. He said it is “inevitable” that TdA presence in the U.S. will grow if the Maduro regime continues.
“These are very few fractions of Venezuelans that were introduced inside those migration processes designed by the regime… but you don’t need too many to destabilize, create chaos, to install organized crime processes inside the U.S.,” said Ray. “What is going to happen if Maduro stays in power is that more illegal and weaponized migration is going to keep going out of Venezuela and that increases the probability of Tren de Aragua and other gangs to migrate and be around the region, including the U.S.”
On the other hand, Ray said that if Maduro is stopped, “we will see Venezuelans returning to Venezuela because many of them didn’t want to leave.”
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While he said that both the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration have been very supportive, Ray urged the U.S. to take a strong stance against Maduro not only for the sake of the Venezuelans but for Americans as well. He urged the U.S. government to shed light on what is happening in Venezuela and to strictly enforce already-existing sanctions against Maduro and several members of his government.
He said that “the next 72 hours are going to be critical.”
“Maduro has nobody supporting him but some factions inside the armed forces, and he’s counting on those factions to support him and make him president,” Ray explained, adding, “There are not two sides here. There is a huge Venezuelan side that is democratic, and they are looking and trying to get back democracy. And there is a tiny group that is in power that is desperately fighting to keep their privileges and to keep their position in power.”