Two major fires continue to burn in SoCal

Santa Ana winds to pick up Tuesday morning

As two major fires continue to burn in and near Los Angeles, fire officials warn that major Santa Ana winds are expected to return early Tuesday morning, extending red flag warnings.

As of midday Monday, 26 individuals have died from the fires. Many died because they refused to evacuate their homes, according to fire officials. Gov. Gavin Newsom has deployed a second round of national guard members to assist law enforcement in evacuations and prevent looting of evacuated areas.

“The men and women of the California National Guard have been on the ground since day one – not only fighting fires, but also assisting with public safety efforts in communities devastated by these fires,” a statement from Newsom reads.

As of Monday morning, the fire that began in the Pacific Palisades last week has grown to 23,713 acres with 14% containment and 5,123 firefighters working to contain the fire. Additionally, there are 44 helicopters, 540 engines, 66 dozers, 60 water tenders and 115 crews.

Evacuation zones reach east toward Sherman Oaks and south toward Santa Monica. There remains a mandated curfew in these areas from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and a “Do Not Drink” notice to Pacific Palisades zip codes and surrounding areas due to the potential of pollutant contamination of the water because of the fire.

The Palisades fire is the most destructive wildfire Los Angeles has ever seen with thousands of structures burning to the ground and tens of thousands of people forced to evacuate.

The other major fire is the Eaton Fire, which also began last week in Eaton Canyon right outside of Pasadena. The fire has grown to 14,117 acres at 33% containment and is spreading into the Los Angeles National Forest, which remains closed. There are hundreds of structures destroyed and thousands of people who have been forced to evacuate. Areas in Altadena and Pasadena near the fire and evacuation zones are under a “Do Not Drink” order and all schools in the Pasadena Unified School District remain closed.

There are currently 3,408 personnel fighting the fire with both air and ground support.

Officials have also issued an air quality warning for the City of Los Angeles and those living in surrounding areas. The pollutants in the air are specifically dangerous, according to officials, because of the structures being burned, including old ones that contain harmful materials such as asbestos.

Related Topics:#TheCenterSquare CaliforniaWildfires EatonFire MadelineArmstrong PalisadesWildfire SantaAnaWinds

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Jihadis behead 70 Christians in DR Congo church

International

Jihadis behead 70 Christians in DR Congo church

Published on February 21, 2025

Todayville

MxM News

Quick Hit:

Seventy Christians were brutally murdered by jihadists affiliated with ISIS in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The victims were forced into a Protestant church and beheaded, marking one of the deadliest attacks on Christians in the region.

Key Details:

The attack occurred on February 13 in the town of Kasanga, where members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), linked to ISIS, rounded up villagers and executed them inside a Protestant church.
Open Doors UK, a human rights organization, reported that the ADF targeted 70 Christian villages, leaving families too terrified to bury their dead for a week.
The international community has largely ignored the atrocity, with few public statements condemning the violence, except from Hungary’s State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, Tristan Azbej.

Diving Deeper:

Open Doors UK revealed that the massacre took place when the ADF militants surrounded the village of Maybe, forcibly removing residents from their homes. The 70 Christian villagers were herded into an abandoned Protestant church in Kasanga and systematically executed by beheading. The church had been previously deserted due to escalating security threats in the area.

The ADF, an Islamist militant group linked to ISIS, has been responsible for numerous violent attacks across northeastern DRC. Their objective is to overthrow the governments of the DRC and Uganda to establish a caliphate, similar to the one ISIS formed in Syria and Iraq. The group has intensified its activities in the mineral-rich North Kivu province, killing at least 200 people in the past month alone.

The aftermath of the attack has left surviving Christians in fear, prompting many to flee the region. A church elder from CECA-20, the Evangelical Community in Central Africa, expressed despair, stating, “We don’t know what to do or how to pray. We’ve had enough of massacres. May God’s will alone be done.”

Open Doors UK strongly condemned the attack, urging governments and international organizations to prioritize civilian protection in eastern DRC. Despite the magnitude of the atrocity, international media coverage has been minimal. Social media users have criticized the lack of global attention to the incident.

Hungary’s State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, Tristan Azbej, was one of the few international figures to respond publicly. He expressed horror at the killings, calling the victims “Christian martyrs” and emphasizing the need for global recognition and action against Christian persecution.

The violence underscores the ongoing security crisis in the DRC, where numerous militant groups, including the ADF, continue to vie for control over the region’s valuable mineral resources. As the humanitarian situation worsens, the international community faces growing pressure to respond to the escalating persecution of Christians in the region.

International

Mexico to reform constitution after Trump designates cartels as terrorist organizations

Published on February 21, 2025

Todayville

MxM News

Quick Hit:

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced plans to propose constitutional reforms following U.S. President Donald Trump’s designation of six Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

Key Details:

The U.S. designation targets six Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, published in the Federal Register on Thursday.
Sheinbaum’s proposed reforms would protect Mexico’s sovereignty and limit foreign agents’ operations within the country.
The reforms would also impose severe penalties on foreigners involved in gun trafficking, addressing Mexico’s longstanding demand for stricter U.S. gun control measures.

Diving Deeper:

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed plans to propose constitutional reforms in response to the Trump administration’s recent designation of six Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. The U.S. action, announced on Thursday, has raised concerns in Mexico about potential military intervention on its soil, an idea Mexico strongly opposes.

“The Mexican people will not accept under any circumstances interventions, interference or any other act from abroad that could be harmful to the integrity, independence and sovereignty of the nation,” Sheinbaum asserted during her daily press briefing. She emphasized that Mexico would not allow outside involvement in investigations or prosecutions without authorization and collaboration from the Mexican government.

The U.S. designations are part of a broader effort to increase pressure on the cartels by treating them similarly to groups with political motives rather than purely economic interests. The decision follows a Jan. 20 executive order by President Donald Trump, aiming to curb cartel operations that contribute to violence and instability in the region.

Sheinbaum’s proposal seeks to solidify existing restrictions on foreign agents operating in Mexico, which were first introduced by her predecessor, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Those laws limited the independence of foreign agents, requiring Mexican authorities to be informed of their movements. By enshrining these restrictions in the constitution, Sheinbaum aims to further safeguard Mexico’s sovereignty.

Additionally, Sheinbaum plans to introduce severe penalties for foreigners involved in gun trafficking, a longstanding issue in U.S.-Mexico relations. Mexico has repeatedly called on the U.S. to do more to prevent the flow of firearms from American gun shops and manufacturers into Mexico. With majorities in both chambers of Congress, Sheinbaum’s Morena party and its allies are well-positioned to pass the proposed constitutional amendments.

“What we want to make clear in the face of this designation is that we do not negotiate sovereignty,” Sheinbaum said, signaling her firm stance against any potential foreign military action on Mexican territory. As the situation develops, the proposed reforms are likely to shape Mexico’s domestic and international policy landscape, especially in its ongoing relationship with the U.S. under President Trump’s administration.