Don't let all the grim news get you down. You might be able to improve your health and gain some peace of mind -- by birdwatching. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. (You can also get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)
1. California wildfires
Firefighters in Southern California have a brand-new blaze to battle. The Sierra Fire sparked up overnight and is burning through about 20 acres east of Los Angeles County. But there's some good news. The firefight may not be as rough as with other blazes because forecasters predict the swirling winds that have fueled the fires will slowly begin to decrease today, with favorable conditions lasting a couple days.
So far, 48 people have been killed in the northern part of the state by the Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history, while two have died in the Woosley Fire, in Southern California. Officials fear the number will rise as search teams comb through rubble and ashes in the town of Paradise, which was wiped out by the Camp Fire. It's just been a hellish time in California. In the past week, more than 230,000 acres have burned -- more area than Chicago and Boston combined. And in the past 30 days, firefighters have battled more than 500 blazes, Cal Fire said.
2. White House
Now that the midterms are (sort of) over, it looks like there's going to be some turnover at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And not all of it will be orchestrated by the President. First lady Melania Trump shocked the heck out of everybody when she put out a stinging statement seeking the ouster of senior national security adviser Mira Ricardel. Now, President Trump seems poised to fire her. Ricardel reportedly ran afoul of the first lady after feuding with her staff over her recent trip to Africa (about plane seats and National Security Council resources).
But that's not all the potential people-moving that could happen. The President is reportedly looking at replacements for Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, as well. It's not unusual for a White House to retool after midterms, but this seems more tumultuous.
Looks like the UK and the EU have come up with a framework for an agreement on Brexit. The so-called draft deal will be discussed today during an emergency meeting of Prime Minister Theresa May's Cabinet. It's not clear just what's in this agreement, but the main sticking point had been over the Irish border. Currently, the UK and Ireland are both part of the EU single market, so goods passing between them do not need customs inspections. The sides wanted to avoid a "hard border" between Northern Ireland (which is part of the UK) and Ireland (which will remain in the EU), which would require infrastructure and customs checks. May wanted to strike a deal now to get it ratified by the time Britain is due to leave the EU at the end of March.
4. Ohio killings
The slayings of eight relatives rocked an Ohio town in 2016. Now comes shock over the suspects arrested in the crime -- all from another Ohio family. Police arrested four members of the Wagner family yesterday in connection with the shooting deaths of Rhoden family members. Authorities said the Wagners planned the crimes for months, learning the Rhodens' routines, the layouts of their homes and where they slept. The motive for all this violence may have something to do with a child custody dispute, Ohio's attorney general said.
5. Hate crimes
Hate crimes were up, significantly, in the US last year, according to just-released numbers from the FBI. Reported incidents rose 17% in 2017 compared to 2016. Of 7,106 single-bias hate crimes reported last year:
• 59.6% of victims were targeted because of the offenders' race/ethnicity/ancestry bias;
• 20.6% were targeted because of sexual-orientation bias;
• 1.9% were targeted because of gender identity bias;
• 0.6% were targeted because of gender bias.
Of 1,679 religious hate crimes reported, 58.1% were anti-Jewish, while 18.6% were anti-Muslim. The stats are a compilation of bias-motivated incidents submitted to the FBI by some 16,000 law enforcement agencies.
THIS JUST IN ...
Plane crash
An Air Force plane crashed last night at the Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas. One pilot is dead and another is in the hospital.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Winter is here
Send a raven, because we now know that the last season of uber-show "Game of Thrones" starts in April.
'Who are people you'd rather not spend time with?'
Think Alex Trebek loves everybody that pops up on "Jeopardy?" Think again. These are the contestants that really irk him.
Chip and Joanna Gaines are coming back to TV, and this time it looks like they'll be fixing up an entire network.
Unfriendly skies
Passengers explain how an 11-hour Air France flight from Paris to Shanghai turned into a three-day odyssey -- with a layover in Siberia.
We'll let this one slide
A photobomber lurking in your engagement photos is not funny, unless it's one of the funniest comics on the planet.
TODAY'S QUOTE
"I hope that by participating ... I can help ensure that what happened to me never happens to another young person in our country again."
Monica Lewinsky, explaining why she decided to take part in a new documentary on then-President Bill Clinton's 1990s affair with her
AND FINALLY
Dancin' for dinner
You can't help but smile watching this cute little guy excitedly tapping his toes as his dinner is served. (Click to view.)
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