President Trump bragged about overturning Roe v. Wade in a video address to tens of thousands of attendees at the March for Life anti-abortion rally in Washington, D.C., on Friday.

The big picture: Trump had shied away from abortion while campaigning after it became a winning issue for Democrats. His speech Friday found him once again leaning into a core priority for many Republicans.

• The annual March for Life comes one day after Trump pardoned 23 anti-abortion activists who were convicted of illegally blockading a reproductive health clinic in D.C.

Driving the news: In a recorded video address, Trump called Roe v. Wade an "unconstitutional decision" that kicked off "50 years of division and anger."

• He vowed to "stop the radical Democrat push for a federal right to unlimited abortion-on-demand, up to the moment of birth and even after birth," repeating a false claim he's made in the past.
• After flip-flopping on a national ban, Trump vowed on the campaign trail to leave abortion to individual states. Vice President JD Vance previously expressed support for a national ban, and Trump once called a national ban after 15 weeks "very reasonable."
• "In my second term, we will again stand proudly for families and for life," Trump said.

Vance, attending in person, touted the "return of the most pro-family, most pro-life American president of our lifetime."

• He said it's the task of the government to make it easier to afford having children.
• "We need a culture that celebrates life at all stages, one that recognizes and truly believes that the benchmark of national success is not our GDP number or our stock market, but whether people feel that they can raise thriving and healthy families in our country," the VP added.

Zoom out: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also addressed the rally Friday afternoon, and told the crowd: "Since we were able to beat Amendment Four, Florida's not only the place where woke goes to die, it's the place where babies go to live."

• House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) gave remarks earlier too.

What they're saying: "President Trump governed as a pro-life president during his first term, which resulted in a long list of accomplishments," March for Life leaders Jeanne Mancini and Jennie Bradley said in a statement Thursday.

• "We look forward to working with him and Vice President Vance as they dismantle the Biden Administration's aggressive and unpopular abortion agenda and once again put wins on the board for vulnerable unborn children and their mothers."

What we're watching: Anti-abortion groups see limiting access to mifepristone as a top priority in Trump's term, but the president in a December Time magazine interview committed to protecting access to the abortion pill.

Flashback: Trump in 2020 became the first sitting president to attend the March for Life rally in person.

March for Life 2025: in photos

Go deeper: These states backed both Trump and abortion rights

Editor's note: This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

President Trump signed pardons on Thursday for 23 anti-abortion protesters who were convicted of illegally blockading a reproductive health clinic in Washington, D.C.

What they're saying: "They should not have been prosecuted; it's a great honor to sign this," Trump said as he signed the order one day before he's due to speak via video at anti-abortion activists' annual March for Life rally on the National Mall in D.C., which Vice President JD Vance is due to address in person.

• After White House staff secretary Will Scharf told Trump the pardons were for "peaceful pro-life protesters who were prosecuted by the Biden administration," Trump said "many" of the activists were "elderly people."
• Trump described it as "ridiculous" that some remained in prison as he signed their pardons.

Zoom in: Among those convicted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and pardoned by Trump was Lauren Handy, 31, who was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for leading the blockade that prosecutors said resulted in a nurse spraining her ankle.

• Police found fetuses at Handy's Capitol Hill home, which anti-abortion activists said related to illegal late-term abortions. She was never charged with any offense in relation to this.

Zoom out: Trump signed the pardons one day after the 52nd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court establishing the constitutional right to an abortion.

• This ruling, Roe v. Wade, was overturned in a majority Supreme Court decision in 2022 that Trump took credit for.
• Trump said during the 2024 presidential campaign that abortion laws should be left to states to decide, but did not endorse a national abortion ban after earlier hinting that he would support one.

Flashback... Vance: GOP has to earn America's trust back on abortion

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more context.

President Trump plans to have a "whole big discussion very shortly" on the Federal Emergency Management Agency because he'd "rather see the states take care of their own problems," according to an interview broadcast Wednesday evening.

Why it matters: Trump has signed a multitude of executive orders since taking office again on Monday and he indicated on Fox News in his first interview since being inaugurated that he could have FEMA in his sights.

• Trump and others in the GOP have in recent months complained that FEMA's disaster response has been biased against Republicans.

Driving the news: "The FEMA is getting in the way of everything," Trump said on Fox News' "Hannity."

• "FEMA is a whole 'nother discussion because all it does is complicate everything," he told Fox News' Sean Hannity in the prerecorded interview.
• "FEMA has not done their job for the last four years."
• Trump gave the example of if Oklahoma were hit by a tornado, then the state should be allowed to respond "and then the federal government can help them out with the money."

Flashback: After Trump and others amplified claims that FEMA's response to Hurricane Helene was biased against Republicans affected by the storm in North Carolina and that money for those impacted was diverted to housing for illegal immigrants, the agency launched a fact-checking page on its storm response.

Between the lines: Trump's suggestion would require a major shakeup in emergency response, given how Congress has expanded FEMA's authority by assigning responsibilities to it, codifying it in various laws.

• But given how his administration has moved to crack down on undocumented immigrants and stamp out federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs during his first week back in office, such an overhaul cannot be ruled out.
• Project 2025 suggests "reforming FEMA emergency spending to shift the majority of preparedness and response costs to states and localities instead of the federal government" — though during the 2024 campaign Trump disavowed the Heritage Foundation-backed blueprint that some of his Cabinet picks have ties to.

Zoom in: FEMA employs over 20,000 people nationwide, with headquarters in D.C. and 10 regional offices, as the agency responds to disasters and other emergency situations by providing financial and on-the-ground assistance.

• It was officially created in a 1979 executive order by then-President Carter and became part of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, according to the agency's website.
• Congress passed legislation in 2006 that established FEMA as a distinct agency within DHS following the devastating Hurricane Katrina the previous year.

Zoom out: Trump also discussed with Hannity his planned Friday visits to wildfire-hit California and North Carolina — where FEMA announced Monday it was extending its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program for two months in response to the state's request for further assistance for families displaced by Hurricane Helene.

• As Southern California faces fresh wildfire threats, Trump told Hannity "I don't think we should give California anything until they let water flow down into their system."
• Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Go deeper: Florida sues FEMA for alleged Trump supporter discrimination after hurricanes

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more comment from President Trump and further context. Andrew Freedman contributed reporting.

Fresh California wildfires ignited in Southern California on Thursday during "critical" fire weather, leaving tens of thousands of people under evacuation orders.

The big picture: The Hughes Fire, north of Los Angeles, and San Diego County's Border 2 Fire were among the biggest threats as the destructive Eaton and Palisades fires continued to burn during the fourth straight day of red flag warnings amid dry, windy conditions.

State of play: The Hughes Fire grew to 10,396 acres by Thursday night and was 36% contained after igniting a day earlier in Los Angeles County and spreading across over 5,000 acres to Ventura County — making it the biggest and fastest-spreading wildfire since the Eaton and Palisades fires erupted on Jan. 7.

• LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a Wednesday briefing that some 31,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders and a further 23,000 were under evacuation warnings in the fire that's near the popular water reservoir Castaic Lake, some 40 miles from the Palisades and Eaton fires.
• The blaze in the San Gabriel Mountains prompted authorities on Wednesday to temporarily close all northbound lanes on Interstate 5 from just north of State Route 126 and issue smoke, windblown dust and ash advisories.

In San Diego County, the Border 2 Fire was burning out of control across some 600 acres after exploding in size following its ignition about 2:30pm Thursday.

• The county has seen at least seven fires this week, some of which prompted since-lifted evacuation orders. However, Axios San Diego's Kate Murphy notes this blaze is by far the biggest.

Zoom in: Other wildfires that started on Thursday included the Sepulveda Fire, which triggered evacuation warnings after igniting around 12:30am near LA's Getty Center and the UCLA campus.

• The warnings were later lifted as firefighters managed to get the blaze to 60% containment over 45 acres despite facing dry, warm and gusty conditions from Santa Ana winds.
• The Laguna Fire ignited in Ventura County later Thursday morning and was at 70% containment over 94 acres.

Meanwhile, firefighters continued tackling the destructive and deadly Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County despite the challenging conditions.

• The Palisades Fire was burning across 23,448 acres at 75% containment on Wednesday night.
• The Eaton Fire remained unchanged from Wednesday, across 14,021 acres at 95% containment.

Between the lines: This extreme weather event is partly related to the Arctic blast that's been impacting most of the Lower 48 states, with cold air surging into the Great Basin helping to fuel dry, offshore winds across Southern California.

• The region is suffering from hydroclimate whiplash worsened by human-caused climate change, having seen two wet winters followed by a bone-dry, unusually hot spring, summer and fall.
• Many parts of Southern California have had their driest start to the wet season on record. Only 0.16 inches of rain has fallen in LA since May 6.
• Much of the region has been experiencing "moderate drought" conditions, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.

What's next: A cooling trend was expected to begin on Friday and "turn significantly cooler over the weekend as a cold storm system moves over the region," per an NWS LA forecast discussion.

• LA County on X urged residents to "prepare for potential flooding, mudslides & debris run-off" over the weekend due to "an increased chance of mud & debris flow in recent burn areas."

More from Axios:

• How to safely clean toxic wildfire ash
• Climate change plays key contributing role in LA fires
• Why fire hydrants ran dry as wildfires ravaged Los Angeles

Editor's note: This a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

A rare winter storm that's slamming the southern U.S. with "dangerously cold temperatures," historic snow and icy conditions has been linked to at least 10 deaths as it disrupts travel across the region.

The big picture: Schools, government offices and roads across the region closed and thousands of flights were delayed or canceled due to the cold weather that's brought record snowfall to places including New Orleans, Louisiana; Mobile, Alabama; and Pensacola, Florida.

• Lake Charles, La., saw its first-ever blizzard warning on Tuesday due to heavy snow and high winds from the extreme weather that's tied to the polar vortex event across the Lower 48 states, as it left some 300 million people under cold weather alerts.

Threat level: Rare winter storm and blizzard warnings and advisories stretched from South Texas to Jacksonville, Florida.

• The once-in-a-generation winter storm with "heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain" was spreading eastward from parts of the Florida Panhandle through the eastern Carolinas, per a National Weather Service forecast discussion.
• "Major highway and air traffic disruptions, including possible road closures and flight cancellations, may continue for several days even after the snowfall ends," the NWS noted.
• "The Arctic Air Mass will create widespread sub-freezing overnight lows along the Gulf Coast and throughout the Southeast. The cold weather will exacerbate power outages," it added.
• "From Tuesday evening into Wednesday, 0.10 inches of freezing rain will develop across northeastern Florida and southeastern Georgia."

Situation report: States of emergency were declared in states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi ahead of the extreme weather event, but storm-related deaths have been reported across the region.

• Five deaths were reported in a vehicle crash on a highway between La Pryor and Batesville in Zavala County, Texas, on Tuesday morning.
• The Dale County, Alabama coroner confirmed two storm-related deaths.
• Austin-Travis County emergency officials "have responded to more than a dozen cold exposure calls since Monday, including two fatal incidents," per a city of Austin, Texas, statement
• Georgia officials said at least one person had died of hypothermia in the Atlanta area.

Zoom in: Winter weather warnings are impacting areas not usually affected by extreme cold, with the NWS Jacksonville noting on X that southeast Georgia into northeastern Florida among the areas facing snow, sleet and ice.

• The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office in a Facebook post urged people to stay off the roads if possible Tuesday night into Wednesday.
• "We are expecting some winter weather we're not used to in Northeast Florida," per the post. "The safest place you can be Tuesday night and Wednesday is at home!"

Zoom out: "Bitterly cold" high pressure extended from the Ohio Valley to the Southern Plains, bringing temperatures 25 to 30 degrees below average for parts of the Mid-Atlantic in addition to the Central Gulf Coast, per the NWS.

• New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in 13 counties on Tuesday, with communities near Lake Ontario forecast to receive up to 3 feet of snow and those in the state's west up to 2 feet.

Between the lines: Studies suggest that polar vortex shifts over longer timescales may be more likely because of human-caused climate change, per Axios' Andrew Freedman, who notes this is an area of active research.

• Despite this extreme weather event, the Environmental Protection Agency notes that total snowfall has fallen in many parts of the U.S. since widespread observations began in 1930.
• "In addition to changing the overall rate of precipitation, climate change can lead to changes in the type of precipitation," per the EPA.
• "One reason for the decline in total snowfall is because more winter precipitation is falling in the form of rain instead of snow."

More from Axios:

• Read Axios New Orleans' coverage
• Read Axios Houston's coverage
• In photos: Rare snowstorm hits much of the U.S. South, Texas

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

The Trump administration is directing agencies to move to close federal diversity, equity and inclusion offices and place DEI staff on paid leave by 5pm Wednesday ET ahead of being laid off.

The big picture: The memorandum that the Office of Personnel Management sent to federal agencies on Tuesday follows President Trump's signing of an executive order a day earlier to dismantle DEI initiatives within the federal government.

Details: The OPM's memo instructs agencies to take offline all websites and social media accounts associated with DEI by the Wednesday deadline.

• The next action is for agencies to report on steps taken to implement the order by 12pm Thursday ET.
• This includes providing a "complete list" of DEI offices and workers as of Election Day 2024, according to the memo.
• The agencies must provide a written plan for "executing reduction-in-force action" for DEI employees by 5pm Friday ET, the memo says.

What they're saying: "President Trump campaigned on ending the scourge of DEI from our federal government and returning America to a merit based society where people are hired based on their skills, not for the color of their skin," said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a media statement.

• "This is another win for Americans of all races, religions and creeds. Promises made, promises kept."
• Trump in Monday's order calling for the termination of all federal government DEI programs described the Biden administration initiatives to increase diversity, equity and inclusion as "illegal and immoral discrimination programs."

Zoom out: Companies have in recent months responded to Republican lawmakers and activists railing against DEI by rolling back programs.

Go deeper: Americans are fine with corporate DEI

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

The Gaza ceasefire saw three hostages held by Hamas since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel released on Sunday, along with 90 Palestinian prisoners.

The big picture: In the first hostage-for-prisoner swaps to occur since the ceasefire began Sunday, Israelis Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher and dual British-Israeli national Emily Damar were freed and Israel released a group of prisoners that mostly comprised women and minors.

Flashback: Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal officially signed in Doha

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more photos.

President-elect Trump pledged during a pre-inauguration victory rally in Washington, D.C. to act when he begins his second term starting Monday "with historic speed and strength and fix every single crisis facing our country."

The big picture: Trump claimed at Sunday's rally in Capital One Arena on the eve of his inauguration that "before even taking office, you are already seeing results that nobody expected to see."

State of play: Trump pointed to a surging stock market, optimism among small businesses, Bitcoin's record highs, among other positive news that's happened in recent months.

• "And as of today, TikTok, is back," he said, in reference to the company's move to restore the video app in the U.S. after Trump vowed to sign an executive order on his first day in office to delay enforcing the ban of the platform that's owned by Chinese firm ByteDance.
• Trump also highlighted the Gaza ceasefire that saw Hamas release three Israeli hostages on Sunday, which Axios' Barak Ravid reports wouldn't have been possible without unprecedented coordination between President Biden's and Trump's teams.
• "This agreement could only have happened as a result of our historic victory in November," Trump said.

Zoom in: Trump promised during his speech that people are "going to see executive orders that are going to make you extremely happy, lots of them" when he takes office on Monday and renewed his vow for a hardline crackdown on immigration.

• "I will outline in my inaugural address tomorrow ... the most aggressive, sweeping effort to restore our borders the world has ever seen," Trump said.
• "By the time the sun sets tomorrow evening, the invasion of our borders will have come to a halt and all the illegal border trespassers will, in some form or another, be on their way back home."

What we're watching: The president-elect said he would visit wildfire-ravaged Southern California on Friday.

• Meanwhile, incoming Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) co-leader Elon Musk pledged onstage at the rally to "make significant changes" and "cement those changes and set the foundation for America to be strong for a century, for centuries, forever."

In photos: Supporters rally for Trump

More from Axios:

• What to know about Trump's inauguration
• Carrie Underwood to perform at Trump's inauguration
• Trump inauguration signals a warmer tone than 2017

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Apple is suspending its new artificial intelligence feature summarizing alerts for news and entertainment apps after facing complaints from news outlets and press freedom groups about generating false and inaccurate information.

Why it matters: The BBC lodged an official complaint after the Apple Intelligence summaries generated an inaccurate headline of a report by the British outlet that incorrectly represented a report on Luigi Mangione, the suspect in last month's killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, by suggesting he had committed suicide.

• It's the latest in a series of problematic rollouts of AI features by tech giants, with Microsoft in June announcing changes to its Recall feature following criticism from security and privacy experts.
• Google paused AI image generation last February following complaints about diversity.

Driving the news: Following the BBC false headline controversy, the nonprofit Reporters Without Borders called generative AI services "a danger to the public's right to reliable information on current affairs."

• Meanwhile, the U.K.-based National Union of Journalists called on Apple to swiftly remove the feature, saying: "At a time where access to accurate reporting has never been more important, the public must not be placed in a position of second-guessing the accuracy of news they receive."
• The BBC reported at the time that three news stories on different matters by the New York Times on Nov. 21 "were grouped together in one notification," with one stating that Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been "arrested."

What they're saying: "With the latest beta software releases of iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3, Notification summaries for the News & Entertainment category will be temporarily unavailable," per an Apple statement emailed on Thursday evening.

• "We are working on improvements and will make them available in a future software update."

What to expect: Apple is deploying updates to make clear, using italicized text, that enabling notification summaries activates a beta feature, which may occasionally produce unexpected results.

• Users will be able to manage this feature from the lock screen.

Go deeper: Apple's AI story is still a rough draft

China's leader Xi Jinping is sending a top envoy to attend President-elect Trump's inauguration in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Beijing confirmed.

Why it matters: The "unprecedented" deployment of Xi's special representative, Vice President Han Zheng, is intended to reduce tensions with the U.S. after Trump threatened to impose major tariffs on China and other countries, per the Financial Times, which first reported the news.

• Trump invited Xi to attend his inauguration ceremony to create "an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies but our adversaries and our competitors, too," incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News last month.

What they're saying: "China follows the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation in viewing and growing its relationship with the United States," per a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement posted Friday morning local time.

• "We stand ready to work with the new U.S. government to enhance dialogue and communication, properly manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly pursue a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship and find the right way for the two countries to get along with each other."

Flashback: Beijing's actions are in stark contrast to President Biden's Inauguration Day four years ago, when Beijing imposed sanctions on officials from the first Trump administration.

Go deeper: How U.S. policy toward China transformed under Trump's first administration

President Biden in his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday took aim at Big Tech and warned of "dangerous consequences" if a "concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people" goes unchecked.

Why it matters: Biden's warning that an "oligarchy" was "taking shape in America" comes as the world's richest person, Elon Musk, prepares to co-lead the incoming Trump administration's new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as his companies including SpaceX hold government contracts.

• Meanwhile, Big Tech CEOs have recently moved to embrace President-elect Trump — with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg overhauling longstanding policies and the board of Facebook and Instagram's parent company to be more Trump-friendly.

What he's saying: In his address, Biden pointed to President Dwight Eisenhower's 1961 farewell address in which he warned of "military-industrial complex" and "'the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power."

• Six decades later, Biden said he's "equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech industrial complex."
• Americans "are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power," Biden said.
• "The free press is crumbling. Errors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking," added Biden, in reference to Meta's move to replace checking facts with X-style community notes.
• "The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit."

Of note: Biden called artificial intelligence the "most consequential technology of our time, perhaps of all time."

• He added: "AI could spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, our privacy, how we work and how we protect our nation."

Go deeper: Biden jabs at Trump in farewell address, but pledges peaceful transition

President-elect Trump will move to "preserve" TikTok, said his pick for national security adviser, Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.), on Wednesday — as a potential nationwide ban looms.

The big picture: It's not immediately clear what action Trump could take if the U.S. Supreme Court were to uphold a bipartisan law that would, unless sold to a U.S. firm, ban the popular video app that's owned by Chinese company ByteDance.

• The justices seem inclined to uphold the law, which could take effect as soon as this Sunday.

Driving the news: Fox News' Bret Baier asked Waltz in an interview Wednesday about how true a Washington Post report headlined "Trump considers executive order hoping to 'save TikTok' from ban or sale in U.S. law" was.

• "If the Supreme Court comes out with a ruling in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear," Waltz said on Fox News' "Special Report."
• "Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use, and was great for his campaign in getting his message out. But, number two, he is going to protect their data," he said. 
• "We're going to find a way to preserve it but protect people's data. And that's the deal that will be in front of us."

Zoom in: Waltz acknowledged there are "people out there who don't want the U.S. government seeing all their data and passwords" and "we certainly don't want the Chinese government seeing all their data and passwords."

• But he said that Trump "is a dealmaker," adding: "I don't want to get ahead of our executive orders but we're going to create the space to — to put that deal in place."

Between the lines: University of Minnesota law professor Alan Rozenshtein told the Washington Post Wednesday that executive orders were "not magical documents" that would stop a ban from going into effect.

• "TikTok will still be banned, and it will still be illegal for Apple and Google to do business with them," said Rozenshtein, a former national security adviser to the Justice Department.
• "But it will make the president's intention not to enforce the law that much more official."

State of play: President Biden signed into law a bill that passed last year requiring ByteDance to either sell TikTok to an American company or shut down operations in the U.S. by Jan. 19.

• Trump asked the Supreme Court last month to pause the TikTok ban after previously advocating for one before flip-flopping.
• During oral arguments last week, most of the justices focused on the fact that under the law, TikTok could continue operations if it used an algorithm other than ByteDance's and that as a Chinese company it doesn't have First Amendment rights, per Axios' Sam Baker.

What we're watching: Biden could push the ban's deadline by 90 days if ByteDance makes progress toward divestiture in the U.S. by Sunday, the day before Trump's inauguration.

• Rozenshtein noted on X Wednesday that the Supreme Court's website suggests it will release an order list on Tuesday, two days after the law is due to take effect.
• "So they might let the law go into effect without actually saying anything either way," he added.

More from Axios:

• Who could buy TikTok to avoid a ban
• What will happen to TikTok on Jan. 19
• TikTok ban timeline: Here's where things stand

Southwest Airlines is being sued and Frontier Airlines fined over chronic flight delays by the Department of Transportation, the DOT announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: Wednesday's announcement by the outgoing Biden administration's Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, comes days after the DOT fined JetBlue $2 million for chronic flight delays — the first time such a penalty had been imposed on an airline.

What we're watching: When asked for comment Wednesday evening on whether Southwest would petition the incoming Trump administration to withdraw the lawsuit, company spokesperson Lynn Lunsford said the airline "has kept an open dialogue with DOT and continues to invite the agency to engage in discussions about a reasonable settlement."

Driving the news: The U.S. Government and Buttigieg are seeking maximum penalties against Southwest for allegedly illegally operating multiple chronically delayed flights, per the lawsuit that was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Wednesday.

• DOT alleges an investigation found that Southwest operated two "chronically delayed" services between April and August 2022 that resulted in 180 flight disruptions for passengers.
• Each flight between Chicago Midway International Airport and Oakland, Calif., as well as between Baltimore, Md., and Cleveland, Ohio, was chronically delayed for five consecutive months, according to the suit.

Separately, DOT issued Frontier Airlines a fine for "operating multiple chronically delayed flights."

• The airline faces $650,000 in civil penalties with $325,000 to be paid to the U.S. Treasury, per a DOT statement.
• The remaining $325,000 will be suspended if the carrier avoids operating any chronically delayed flights over the next three years.

What they're saying: "Airlines have a legal obligation to ensure that their flight schedules provide travelers with realistic departure and arrival times. Today's action sends a message to all airlines that the Department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections," Buttigieg said in a statement.

• Lunsford said via email the airline was "disappointed that DOT chose to file a lawsuit over two flights that occurred more than two years ago" and noted there had been no other violations of the department's Chronically Delayed Flight policy since it was issued in 2009.
• "Any claim that these two flights represent an unrealistic schedule is simply not credible when compared with our performance over the past 15 years," she said. "In 2024, Southwest led the industry by completing more than 99% of its flights without cancellation."
• Representatives for Frontier declined to comment and representatives for President-elect Trump did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Go deeper: The best (and worst) airports for on-time departures

Some of the most destructive wildfires in California's history have killed at least 25 people in Los Angeles County, caused hundreds of thousands to evacuate and choked air quality across the region for the past week.

The big picture: The fires erupted in extremely dry conditions last Tuesday as powerful Santa Ana winds struck. As some assess damage in what's set to be among the most costly wildfire disasters ever in the U.S., parts of L.A. and Ventura counties face a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" red flag warning into Wednesday.

Timeline: Wildfires threaten Southern California

Jan. 7

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South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested at his presidential residence on Wednesday morning local time following an hours-long standoff, images from the scene show.

Why it matters: It's the first time an incumbent president has been detained in South Korea and marks the second attempt by anti-corruption investigators to arrest him for questioning related to his brief martial law declaration last month that triggered protests and shocked allies.

• Yoon's many guards and supporters prevented the last attempt earlier this month.

The big picture: South Korean police are investigating Yoon for possible insurrection in connection with his declaration that saw him impeached and suspended from presidential duties.

• He has via lawyers denied the allegations and maintains he took the emergency action to counter "pro-North Korean" elements in the country.
• Yoon could face life in prison or the death penalty if he were charged and convicted of the offenses he's accused of as presidential immunity doesn't extend to insurrection or treason in South Korea.

In photos: How Yoon's arrest unfolded

Go deeper: South Korean president hit with travel ban after martial law mayhem

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more photos and details from the arrest.

At least two wildfires ignited in Southern California during critical fire weather and triggered fresh evacuations on Tuesday, one week after deadly blazes first erupted across Los Angeles County.

The big picture: The fires have killed at least 25 people and the "Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning" that the National Weather Service's L.A. office issued remains in effect until Wednesday afternoon.

Threat level: "Southern California continues to see ingredients for high fire danger: strong wind gusts in the 45-70 mph range and relative humidities in the 8-15 % range," per an NWS forecast discussion.

• Santa Ana winds were weaker than expected Tuesday. But the National Weather Service's L.A. office said on X: "We are not out of the woods yet. Please stay on guard for a fast-moving fire."
• It added: "The winds underperformed today, but one more enhancement could happen tonight-tomorrow."

The high fire risk extends into San Diego County, where peak wind gusts had also exceeded well over 50-60 mph in several places, per a post from the local NWS office Tuesday. Sill Hill recorded a gust of 74 mph — hurricane intensity.

• The winds are expected to subside after that, but the fire threat remains due to extremely dry conditions as firefighters continue to tackle California's biggest blazes — the Palisades and Eaton fires, which are already among the state's most destructive on record.
• Evacuation orders remain in effect for both of those fires, which ignited as Santa Ana winds arrived last Tuesday.

Situation report: The Palisades Fire has killed at least eight people and destroyed thousands of structures over an estimated 23,713 acres as of Tuesday evening. It was at 18% containment, per Cal Fire.

• The Eaton Fire has killed at least 17 people and destroyed thousands of structures over an estimated 14,117 acres over the same period. That fire was 35% contained.

Meanwhile, authorities issued evacuation orders in response to the Scout Fire that's burned at 0% containment across an estimated two acres in Riverside County since igniting during Santa Ana winds at lunchtime Tuesday.

• Angeles National Forest announced on X that another Riverside County wildfire that ignited in Hemet on Tuesday, the Stone Fire, had been "knocked down at 1/2 acre."

Between the lines: Research suggests a climate-change related weather "whiplash" that saw two wet winters and an extremely, unusually hot spring, summer and fall helped contribute to the weeklong fires in L.A. county.

• "The evidence shows that hydroclimate whiplash has already increased due to global warming, and further warming will bring about even larger increases," per a statement from UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain, lead author of a study published during critical fire weather in the L.A. area on Jan. 9.
• "This whiplash sequence in California has increased fire risk twofold: first, by greatly increasing the growth of flammable grass and brush in the months leading up to fire season, and then by drying it out to exceptionally high levels with the extreme dryness and warmth that followed."

What we're watching: "Although winds have overall trended lighter than initially expected, NE to E winds may create large breaking waves to Avalon and Two Harbors late tonight into Wednesday late morning," per an NWS LA forecast discussion.

• This could potentially create "hazardous conditions and possible minor coastal flooding."
• The region may face more critical fire conditions next week, the NWS' Climate Prediction Center warned on Tuesday.

More from Axios:

• In photos: L.A. County endures a week of fires
• LA's wildfires sparked by rare collision of climate factors
• The psychological toll of California's catastrophic fires
• Weather Service struggles to convey fire warnings to public

Editor's note: This a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Former first lady Michelle Obama won't attend President-elect Trump's inauguration next week, her office announced on Tuesday.

Why it matters: All other living first ladies and presidents have confirmed they will follow the tradition of attending the presidential swearing-in ceremony, including her husband, former President Obama.

• Representatives for former President Clinton and ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Trump's 2016 presidential rival, have confirmed their attendance at Monday's ceremony — as have former President George W. Bush and ex-first lady Laura Bush.
• Michelle Obama was also notably absent from former President Carter's funeral.

Driving the news: "Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies," per a media statement from the Obamas' office.

• "Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration," added the statement, without elaborating further.
• Representatives for the Obamas did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment Tuesday evening.

Go deeper: Village People, Kid Rock to play at Trump inaugural rally

President-elect Trump allegedly spread "demonstrably and, in many cases, obviously false" claims about his 2020 election loss in an effort to overturn results, special counsel Jack Smith alleged in the final report of his investigation, published early Tuesday.

Why it matters: The Justice Department closed its investigations in the face of Trump's November election win, but Smith maintains in the report he would have secured a conviction in the case if it had gone to trial.

Driving the news: The Department of Justice published volume one of the report it's sending to Congress early Tuesday.

• "The department's view that the Constitution prohibits the continued indictment and prosecution of a president is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the government's proof or the merits of the prosecution, which the office stands fully behind," Smith wrote in the report first shared with NBC News.
• "Indeed, but for Mr. Trump's election and imminent return to the presidency, the office assessed that the admissible evidence was sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial."

The other side: Trump responded to the release of volume one of the DOJ report by calling Smith a "lamebrain prosecutor who was unable to get his case tried before the election" in a post his Truth Social platform early Tuesday.

Zoom in: Smith in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland accompanying the report defended his prosecution of Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the special counsel.

• "The claim from Mr. Trump that my decisions as a prosecutor were influenced or directed by the Biden administration or other political actors is, in a word, laughable," Smith wrote.
• "Mr. Trump's letter claims that dismissal of his criminal cases signifies Mr. Trump's 'complete exoneration.' That is false," Smith said, citing the Constitution as a reason for not proceeding.
• However, Smith said this "does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government's proof, or the merits of the prosecution — all of which the Office stands fully behind."

The big picture: The report marks the end of a lengthy legal battle to hold Trump accountable for his purported role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the events leading up to it, which occurred while he was still serving his first term as president.

• He denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to all federal charges in the case.
• Despite being free of legal danger in the case, Trump waged a protracted legal battle to bar the release of the report, which his lawyers called a "politically motivated manifesto."

Catch up quick: Trump was indicted in 2023 and charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights.

• The indictment came months after the House Jan. 6 select committee accused him of taking part in a "multi-part conspiracy to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 Presidential election."
• A superseding indictment in the case was filed in Aug. 2024 in light of the Supreme Court's presidential immunity ruling.
• However, the case was dismissed after Trump's election win in November.
• Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

For the record: The Justice Department did not release volume two of the report on Trump's federal classified documents case in Florida because portions of the case against other defendants are ongoing.

• Judge Aileen Cannon has ordered a hearing later this week on whether to release the second part of the report.

Go deeper... READ: Jack Smith's final report on Trump's Jan. 6 case

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Southern California Edison is being sued by residents and businesses impacted by the Eaton Fire, who allege the Los Angeles utility's equipment may have started the deadly blaze.

The big picture: It's among multiple wildfires that have erupted across the L.A. area since last week amid extremely dry conditions and powerful Santa Ana winds, and the National Weather Service has issued a rare "Particularly Dangerous Situation" red flag warning that's set to last until Wednesday.

• There have been at least 25 reported wildfire-related deaths, including 17 in the Eaton Fire. The 14,117-acre blaze ignited on Jan. 7 and was 33% contained as of Monday evening, per Cal Fire.

Driving the news: The cause of the Eaton Fire is still being investigated, but lawyers for Singleton Schreiber allege in the lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiffs that it may have begun when Edison's electrical equipment contacted or caused sparks to contact surrounding vegetation.

• The complaint that was filed in the L.A. Superior Court against the utility and Edison International says the utility reported itself to the California Public Utilities Commission on Jan. 9 to say "its equipment was located within the general area of ignition."
• The complaint added: "Defendants deliberately prioritized profits over safety. This recklessness and conscious disregard for human safety was a substantial factor in bringing about the Eaton Fire."

What they're saying: Southern California Edison spokesperson Jeff Monford said Monday evening SCE was aware that a lawsuit related to the Eaton Fire had been filed, but it had not yet been served with a complaint.

• "SCE will review the complaint when it is received. The cause of the fire continues to be under investigation," Monford said by phone.
• "Our hearts remain with our communities during the devastating fires in Southern California, and we remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time. SCE crews, contractors and mutual assistance partners are dedicated to safely restoring power to our customers."

More from Axios:

• Climate change plays key contributing role in LA fires
• L.A. County fires among California's most destructive
• L.A. fires could be the U.S.' worst natural disaster, Newsom says

Steve Bannon will "do anything" to keep Elon Musk out of the incoming administration, the former Trump White House adviser said in a new interview.

Why it matters: The conservative media firebrand's comments to Corriere della Sera about the tech billionaire whom Trump has tapped to co-lead the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) mark an escalation in a MAGA-world civil war over immigration as the president-elect prepares to begin his second term.

What he's saying: "I will have Elon Musk run out of here by Inauguration Day" on Jan. 20, Bannon told the Italian outlet, per excerpts from the interview published in English by Bannon's former employer Breitbart over the weekend.

• "He will not have full access to the White House. He will be like any other person," Bannon said.
• "He is a truly evil guy, a very bad guy. I made it my personal thing to take this guy down."

Driving the news: The MAGA-world division emerged last month over the H-1B visa scheme that's designed to attract skilled foreign workers to the U.S. and which the South African-born naturalized U.S. citizen Musk has said he held.

• Some in MAGA world want to restrict immigration and promote U.S. workers, but Axios' Ben Berkowitz and Zachary Basu note others want to cut costs and increase efficiency, regardless of who does the work.
• Musk branded Republicans opposed to the scheme "hateful, unrepentant racists" following anti-Indian rhetoric online in relation to the scheme, and Trump publicly backed the world's richest person over the visas.
• "This thing of the H-1B visas, it's about the entire immigration system is gamed by the tech overlords, they use it to their advantage, the people are furious," said Bannon in his interview, adding that Musk's "sole objective is to become a trillionaire."
• Bannon said Musk "should go back" to South Africa. "Why do we have South Africans, the most racist people on earth, white South Africans, we have them making any comments at all on what goes on in the United States?" he said.

Zoom out: Musk donated millions of dollars to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign after endorsing him in July following the assassination attempt on the Republican leader at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally.

• Musk has said he voted for Democrats Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden in previous presidential elections.
• Bannon cast doubt on Musk's intentions during his interview.
• "He will do anything to make sure that any one of his companies is protected or has a better deal or he makes more money," he said. His aggregation of wealth, and then — through wealth — power: that's what he's focused on."

Between the lines: Trump fired Bannon during his first administration. However, the "War Room" podcast host remains an influential figure in MAGA world.

• Bannon was released from prison in October after serving a four-month sentence on contempt of Congress charges for refusing to comply with a subpoena related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
• Representatives for Musk's companies, Bannon and Trump did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment in the evening.

Go deeper: Reality bites: Trump and Musk pare back promises as inauguration approaches