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“When a series of dangerous, wind-driven fires broke out on Tuesday in the Los Angeles area, Mayor Karen Bass was on the other side of the globe, part of a delegation sent by President Biden to Ghana for the inauguration of its new president,” the New York Times reports. “The mayor’s absence has drawn criticism from some Angelenos.

“Donald Trump urged a federal appeals court late Wednesday to block the release of both volumes of a special counsel report on his two dismissed federal cases — the latest attempt by the president-elect to fight the final remnants of his criminal cases,” the Washington Post reports.

Google donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, CNBC reports. Google will also live-stream the swearing-in ceremony on YouTube and include a direct link on its homepage.

“President-elect Donald Trump’s latest demands of America’s NATO partners—that they cede territory to the U. S. and spend more on defense than Washington itself does—risk undermining allies’ confidence and potentially emboldening adversaries,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The highest court in New York said Thursday it would not prevent the sentencing of President-elect Donald Trump for his crimes, currently scheduled for Friday,” CBS News reports.

“The five living presidents are making a rare simultaneous appearance on Thursday at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral,” the New York Times reports. “It is unusual for five living presidents to be together in one place. Before 1991, there was only one other period in United States history, around 1861, when more than five presidents were even alive at the same time.” Michael Shear: “President-elect Trump has been talking almost nonstop to former President Barack Obama since the two sat down next to each other a few minutes ago.