Friday morning news: January 10, 2025

Jimmy carter » Political leaders from both sides of the aisle gathered in the Washington National Cathedral Thursday to pay their final respects to the late former President Jimmy Carter.

All five living presidents were there for Carter's national funeral.

President Biden delivered the eulogy:

BIDEN: Jimmy Carter's friendship taught me and through his life taught me the strength of character is more than title or the power we hold. It's a strength to understand that everyone should be treated with dignity, respect.

The late president's grandson, Jason Carter, spoke of his grandfather's lifetime of service to the community.

JASON CARTER: My grandfather spent the entire time I've known him helping those in need. He built houses for people in needed homes, he eliminated diseases in forgotten places. He waged peace anywhere in the world, wherever he saw a chance. He loved people.

Carter service in Plains » After the ceremony, Carter’s body was taken to his hometown of Plains, Georgia, where WORLD’s Lindsay Mast reports:

LINDSAY MAST: The flag-draped casket of America’s 39th president arrived here in Plains… hours after the service in Washington.

Carter was born near this town of about 500 people in 1924 … and lived most of his life here.

He was away for his time in the US Naval Academy and military service, and of course … for the four years he lived in the White House. He came back home after leaving office in 1981.

Carter’s family and friends held a private service Thursday at Maranatha Baptist Church, where Carter taught Sunday School.

A short time later, he was buried at home next to his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn.

For WORLD, from Plains, Georgia, I’m Lindsay Mast.

Trump sentencing » President-elect Donald Trump will be sentenced today in a Manhattan courtroom in his New York business fraud case, just 10 days before he’s sworn in as president.

The US Supreme Court turned away a request by Trump’s lawyers to step in and halt today’s sentencing after state courts also refused that request.

The judge in the case, however, has signaled that he’s leaning toward "unconditional discharge" at sentencing, which would mean that Trump would not face incarceration, fines, or probation.

California wildfires » In southern California, firefighters are still battling a series of raging fires in the Los Angeles area. LA Fire Chief Kristen Crowley:

CROWLEY:  It is safe to say that the Palisades fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles.

Thousands of firefighters are battling several different blazes, which have killed five people and scorched some 30,000 acres.

U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General C.Q. Brown says the Defense Dept is pitching in:

BROWN:  There's 10 U. S. Navy helicopters as well as 10 guard helicopters.. They can also help with the ground search and rescue incident response awareness and the medical support. Um, those Marines will be in place the next 24 to 48 hours.

There is some good news to report as the weather has been cooperating a little more. Winds have died down enough to allow aerial drops on the flames.

President Biden declared Thursday:

BIDEN:  Today I'm announcing that the federal government will cover 100 percent of the cost for 180 days. This is going to pay for things like debris and hazard material removal, temporary shelters, first responder salaries.

Authorities say the cause of the fires is still under investigation.

9/11 mastermind » Federal prosecutors have made an emergency appeal to try and stop a plea deal for the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks from being finalized today. WORLD’s Kristen Flavin has that story.

KRISTEN FLAVIN: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-defendants had agreed to plead guilty to their roles in the September 11th, 2001 terror attacks…. if the death penalty was removed as a sentencing option.

The plea agreement quickly sparked widespread public outrage … prompting Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to withdraw the deal.

But … a military court ruling revived the plea agreements last month. The court found that Austin did not have ultimate veto power over his department … and that the deals were still valid.

Prosecutors have asked an appellate court to halt today’s plea proceedings … arguing that limiting the sentencing options for the terrorists … deprives Americans of justice.

For WORLD, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Judge strikes down Biden Title IX changes » A federal judge has struck down the Biden administration’s Title IX rule changes.

Title IX a provision within civil rights law designed to safeguard the rights of women and girls in education and school sports.

The Biden administration wanted to redefine that provision to, among other things, allow males who identify as women to compete on women’s or girl’s sports teams and use their locker rooms and bathrooms.

But after a wave of legal challenges U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves in Kentucky ruled Thursday that the administration overstepped its authority.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Culture Friday with John Stonestreet. Plus, the history behind our calendar, and the marking of time.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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