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Los Angeles -- slow-speed police pursuit in Compton ended with the driver falling out of the car Tuesday night. Newschopper4 was over the chase around 11:20 p.m., with the car moving at slow speeds of 5-15 mph. The car was moving at extremely slow speeds in a residential neighborhood until it came to a stop at the entrance to a driveway. As a standoff was brewing, the driver's side front door popped open and a man fell out of the front seat onto the ground. The driver did not appear to be moving and was possibly unconscious. Soon after, deputies moved in and took the man into custody. It was not immediately clear what led to the pursuit.

Vapour trail sunset after launch from Vandenberg air base near Los Angeles.

Good Night California!

National Forecast. Widespread freezing rain event and ice storm this week. Avoid travel if possible.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In honor of the impeachment hearings beginning this week, the Capitol Building has been decorated to look like a giant circus tent. As soon as congressional maintenance staff heard that the impeachment hearings were going to begin, they went into storage and got out "the Big Top," also used during the Kavanaugh hearings last year. "We keep the Big Top on hand for certain situations," said one staff member. "Usually these big inquisition-style trials, that kind of thing. They're great entertainment. And the kids love the monkeys." Congressional vendors will be selling peanuts, popcorn, programs, and those big foam fingers to enhance viewers' experience. Rep. Adam Schiff was furious with the changes, saying they make a mockery out of a serious show trial. "These are serious proceedings, and we will not have them mocked!" Schiff cried, wearing a clown nose, riding an elephant, and juggling fourteen flaming bowling pins. (Read more.)

Good Morning Los Angeles! With Wednesday sunrise approaching Los Angeles, the downtown temperature is 51°F. Today's expected high 63°F. During National Burn Awareness Week, review how to keep your family safe at home: http://bit.ly/burn_safe

There was no threat of a tsunami for the West Coast after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred in the Loyalty Islands region north of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean Wednesday morning. The undersea earthquake struck at 5:20 a.m. Pacific time just southeast of the Loyalty Islands, which is part of New Caledonia. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 6.2 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. At 6:40 a.m., the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center reported that there was no threat of a tsunami to California, Oregon, Washington state, Alaska or British Columbia. It’s unclear if the quake caused any damage or injuries to the New Caledonia region.

The National Fraternal Order of Police reports with sadness that as of today, 419 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty due to COVID19.

View the state-by-state breakdown https://fopcovid19.org/news/covid-19-line-of-duty-deaths/

The city of Los Angeles recorded 11 homicides last week, up from four homicides during the same week in 2020 and continuing an upward trend.

According to Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Horace Frank, the city so far this year has had 50 homicides and 192 shooting victims, versus 31 homicides and 70 shooting victims at the same point in 2020.

Overall, violent crime has increased 0.7%, Frank told the Police Commission, while property crime throughout the city has decreased in all areas except stolen vehicles.

Frank said the increase in violent crime and homicides is happening in other major U.S. cities, and the LAPD is working with other agencies to advance ways of addressing it.

"We're not an anomaly when you look at the crime trends, and yes, we are in very close communication with the other major city chiefs, almost on a weekly basis," Frank said. "I know Chief (Michel) Moore engaged in meetings with the Police Executive Research Forum and with the (Major Cities Chiefs Police Association) regarding this particular issue," Frank said.

"What we're seeing in Los Angeles is what they're also seeing in places like New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, some of the other major cities."

Frank also said the department is "on the right track" in developing strategies, and the departments are working to implement each other's best practices.

"It's important that we do continue to engage in (Gang Reduction and Youth Development), that we continue to use those best practices that have gotten us those reductions in the past and we should stick to it," Frank said.

"We have to stick with our youth diversion programs because part of this also is that whole issue of prevention, making sure we have resources available to at-risk youths, at-risk individuals to steer them away from going down those bad paths."

From Inbox: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A 3D CGI billboard.

Ring of Fire earthquake emergency: 8 huge quakes hit Indonesia in 3 hours – tsunami threat. An earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck the southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia, on Wednesday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Center mentioned. The quake was at a depth of 18.64 miles, EMSC mentioned. It struck round 180 mile to the south-west of Bengkulu, a metropolis of 328,000 individuals, at 12:52 GMT. Sri Lanka’s Department of Meteorology mentioned in an announcement it doesn’t count on the earthquake to impression its island. Meanwhile, an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck southeast of Loyalty Islands on Wednesday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Center mentioned. The quake’s epicentre was 300 mile east of Tadine, New Caledonia, and was at a depth of 1.5 mile.