# data[].attributes.body
The capabilities of the U.S.'s top-of-the-line missile defense systems have been called into question as North Korea has boosted the range and power of its growing arsenal, and a recent report showed not even the U.S.'s allies may be able to rely on its anti-missile technology.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The capabilities of the U.S.'s top-of-the-line missile defense systems have been called into question as North Korea has boosted the range and power of its growing arsenal, and a recent report showed not even the U.S.'s allies may be able to rely on its anti-missile technology.

Amid last month's series of lightning developments in Saudi Arabia, which included the alleged forced resignation and detainment of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri as well as a mass anti-corruption purge headed by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a missile headed toward the kingdom's capital of Riyadh. A group of Yemeni Zaidi Shiite Muslim rebels known as Ansar Allah, or the Houthis, claimed responsibility for the attack, which Saudi Arabia said had been thwarted by a U.S.-built MIM-104F Patriot missile defense system, a staple of U.S. defenses deployed around the world.
Related: North Korean missiles could hit the U.S. and trick missile defense systems, experts warn
Keep up with this story and more by subscribing now

In a recent report, however, analyst Jeffrey Lewis and his team at the Middlebury Institute for International Affairs uncovered a different account, one that appeared to challenge statements by Saudi officials and President Donald Trump.

"Governments lie about the effectiveness of these systems. Or they're misinformed," Lewis told The New York Times. "And that should worry the hell out of us."

By analyzing scores of photos and videos on social media and other available evidence from the incident, Lewis and his team determined that the five shots fired by Saudi Arabia's Patriot batteries likely missed their target altogether and the Houthis' incoming Burkan H-2 (Volcano H-2) short-range ballistic missile flew well over the kingdom's defenses but missed its target, believed to be Riyadh's international airport. The missile instead appeared to have struck about half a mile away, a distance Lewis called "a pretty normal miss rate for a Scud," in reference to the Soviet-era missile on which the Houthis' latest and most powerful weapon was based.

"The Houthis got very close to creaming that airport," Lewis told the Times.

Shortly after the November 4 attack, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition battling the Houthis in neighboring Yemen told BBC News that the missile had been "intercepted." Saudi Arabia has accused the rebel group, which took full control of Sanaa in early 2015, of being an Iran-backed proxy, and Mohammad bin Salman said the attack was "a direct military aggression by the Iranian regime and may be considered an act of war against the kingdom." Trump, another vocal critic of Iran, took the opportunity to praise the effectiveness of his military's technology.

"We make the best military equipment in the world," Trump told reporters November 5 on Air Force One, according to CNN. "...You saw the missile that went out? And our system knocked the missile out of the air. That's how good we are. Nobody makes what we make, and now we're selling it all over the world."

If Saudi Arabia's defenses hit the missile at all, however, Lewis' team found that it must have been hit only on its rear tube-after that useless part had already separated from the deadly explosive warhead, which almost certainly hit the ground. While Houthi rebels may not present a major threat to U.S. forces, the same Patriot system that appeared to have failed against the insurgents is also trusted as a major line of defense against a much more powerful foe-North Korea.

Trump has escalated the U.S.'s decades-long struggle to stop North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) at a time when its youngest ruler, Kim Jong Un, has made the country more powerful than ever. In addition to increasing sanctions and diplomatic pressure against his rival, Trump has boosted U.S. military activity in a region where an estimated 62,500 U.S. personnel are stationed.

North Korea's state media as recently as Tuesday compared the forces involved in joint U.S.-South Korea air drills to "a group of tiger moths flying into fire only to perish in it." As evidenced by North Korea's most recent ICBM test last week, U.S. forces stationed abroad aren't the only ones in trouble if North Korea decides to unleash the full extent of its missile wrath.

Echoing previous estimates disclosed by experts, Michael Elleman, a senior fellow for missile defense at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told Newsweek Monday that there was about " a 50 percent chance" the U.S. could intercept a North Korean ICBM heading toward the country. Elleman said he is "not entirely confident in the system."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Forget North Korea, U.S. missile defense couldn't even stop rebels in Yemen

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The capabilities of the U.S.'s top-of-the-line missile defense systems have been called into question as North Korea has boosted the range and power of its growing arsenal, and a recent report showed not even the U.S.'s allies may be able to rely on its anti-missile technology.

# data[].attributes.body
Melanie Martinez from the Voice was accused of sexual assault by her form best friend.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Singer Melanie Martinez has been accused of sex assault by a former friend, who claims to have "repeatedly said no" to her sexual advances.

Timothy Heller, a Los Angeles-based aspiring singer, came forward with the allegations late Monday, sharing her story on Twitter about how she said Martinez, an artist who shot to stardom after appearing on NBC's "The Voice," sexually assaulted her.

"I have kept this secret for years, convincing myself that it wasn't a big deal and I wasn't hurt by it. The thought of accepting that my best friend raped me seems insane," Heller began her post on Twitter that attracted more than 61,000 shares at the time of publication. "When faced with a friend who really needed help though, I can honestly say she let me down completely."

Heller claims she was sexually assaulted by her then-best friend "during the most difficult time in my life, my rock bottom," and taken advantage of during one of the nights she slept at the singer's place.

Heller did not specify when the alleged assault occurred.

"I never said yes. I said no, repeatedly. But she used her power over me, and broke me down," she said. "Just so there is no confusion, I was molested by my best friend."

After multiple attempts to touch her, Martinez proceeded to perform "oral sex on me and then I was penetrated with a sex toy without being asked," the woman alleged. "She knew I didn't want to, I made that clear," noting that she was "completely not reciprocating."

Heller wrote that she was encouraged to break her silence following the recent sexual misconduct allegations against celebrities and other popular figures. "The only reason I do this now is because I'm hoping because of recent events, people will believe me."

"I beg you to imagine her role in this being a man. Girls can rape girls. Best friends can rape best friends. Friendships does not equal consent. Silence doesn't equal consent. I wish it wasn't so hard for me to convince myself of these things," she added.

Martinez responded to the allegations on Monday, writing on social media that although she's "horrified" by the allegations, Heller "never said no to what we chose to do together."

She wrote: "I am horrified and saddened by the statements and story told by Timothy Heller. What she and I shared was a close friendship ... We tried to help each other. We both had pain in dealing with our individual demons ... She never said no to what we chose to do together. And although we parted ways, I am sending her love and light always."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'The Voice' star Melanie Martinez accused of sex assault by former friend, denies allegations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Singer Melanie Martinez has been accused of sex assault by a former friend, who claims to have "repeatedly said no" to her sexual advances. Timothy Heller, a Los Angeles-based aspiring singer, came forward with the allegations late Monday, sharing her story on Twitter about how she said Martinez, an artist who shot to stardom after appearing on NBC's "The Voice," sexually assaulted her.

# data[].attributes.body
Body of Nebraska woman, 24, who vanished after date with woman, 23, found; Suspect posts cryptic message.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The body of a Nebraska woman who reportedly vanished after a November date was found Monday by authorities who traced her digital footprint.

Police said they found the body of Sydney Loofe, 24, in an "open area" in Clay County, about 90 miles west-southwest of Lincoln, the Omaha World-Herald reported. Loofe's family announced the discovery in a Facebook post Monday night.

"It's with heavy hearts that we share this most recent update with you all. Please continue to pray for Sydney and our entire family," the family wrote, according to the Omaha World-Herald. "May God grant eternal rest unto thee. We love you Sydney."

Lincoln police said an autopsy was being conducted -- but they suspect foul play in Loofe's death.

Aubrey Trail, 51, and Bailey Boswell, 23, were taken into custody and named "persons of interest" in Loofe's death. They had not been charged in the case as of Tuesday. Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister, in a news conference Tuesday, said the duo was likely the last people in contact with Loofe on Nov. 15, the day before her family reported her missing.

Authorities searched for clues for nearly a month, and tracked Loofe's digital footprint after they found a cell tower in Wilbur had received a ping from Loofe's cellphone.

Boswell reportedly posted on Facebook she dropped off Loofe after they went on a date, but investigators could not confirm the account, Bliemeister said in a news conference. A previous warrant was issued for Boswell in May 2016 when she failed to appear in court for a drug possession charge.

Trail also has a criminal history. He was charged with possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person and with being a habitual criminal, court records from Nov. 21 showed. He was previously convicted of forgery and issuing a bad check.

In a cryptic Facebook post last week, Trail said he didn't kill Loofe and decided to turn himself in "and see where this goes," the Omaha World-Herald reported.

"We've pretty much decided to turn ourselves in and see where this goes," he said. "I'm a crook, I'm a thief, have been all my life...but I'm not what you're trying to make me out to be."

Katherine Lam is a breaking and trending news digital producer for Fox News. Follow her on Twitter at @bykatherinelam

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Body of Nebraska woman, 24, who vanished after date with woman, 23, found; Suspect posts cryptic message

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The body of a Nebraska woman who reportedly vanished after a November date was found Monday by authorities who traced her digital footprint. Police said they found the body of Sydney Loofe, 24, in an "open area" in Clay County, about 90 miles west-southwest of Lincoln, the Omaha World-Herald reported.

# data[].attributes.body
The world's biggest Starbucks opens.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Starbucks is going venti in China.

The Seattle-based coffee company opened a 30,000-square-foot store in Shanghai on Tuesday. It's the first Starbucks Reserve Roastery -- the company's new retail offering -- outside the U.S.

It's also the largest Starbucks in the world, spanning an area nearly twice as large as the next biggest, a Roastery in Seattle that opened three years ago.

Executive Chairman Howard Schultz said the store would blend the company's 46-year history in the coffee shop business with "China's rich, diverse culture."

China is a vital market for Starbucks , according to John Gordon, a restaurant analyst at Pacific Management Consulting.

The company's latest quarterly earnings were pretty gloomy, showing disappointing sales growth in a tough retail environment.

The one bright spot was China, which stood out as Starbucks' fastest growing market. Sales there were up 8% compared with the same quarter last year.

The company is riding that wave and expanding aggressively in China, opening a new Starbucks store every 15 hours on average.

Related: China will get 2,000 more McDonald's restaurants in the next few years

Even though Chinese are traditionally tea guzzlers and less hooked on coffee than Americans, the country's growing ranks of upwardly mobile consumers still view Starbucks as an attractive, aspirational brand.

The company is playing to that perception with its new Shanghai shop.

"This is a show store," Gordon said. "The point is to be in a highly, highly visible, touristy [area] where there's foot traffic, offices and urban housing in order to promote the brand."

Related: Starbucks bets big on China

The new store will roast beans on site in a massive copper cask. There is also a special emphasis on tea, with a dedicated bar offering items like nitrogen cold brew tea.

In a sign of the times, Starbucks partnered with Chinese tech giant Alibaba to aggressively promote the Shanghai store opening online. Customers can book coffee tasting experiences on Alibaba's e-commerce site and also buy special Starbucks Reserve coffee and related products tied to the store's launch.

But the Shanghai roastery won't hold the title of largest Starbucks for too long. The company has already inked a deal for an enormous 43,000-square-foot Reserve Roastery in Chicago that's set to open in 2019.

CNNMoney (Hong Kong ) First published December 5, 2017: 12:39 AM ET

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The world's biggest Starbucks just opened in China

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Seattle-based coffee company opened a 30,000-square-foot store in Shanghai on Tuesday. It's the first Starbucks Reserve Roastery -- the company's new retail offering -- outside the U.S. It's also the largest Starbucks in the world, spanning an area nearly twice as large as the next biggest, a Roastery in Seattle that opened three years ago.

# data[].attributes.body
fire in south Carolina is now increasing on the the damage because of a strong wind

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
fast-moving wildfire threatens homes near l.a. - cnn video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fast-moving wildfire threatens homes near L.A. - CNN Video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pushed by powerful Santa Ana winds, a Southern California fire spread with explosive speed, forcing hundreds to evacuate.

# data[].attributes.body
Pink and Carey Hart raising her children to be 'gender neutral'

Her 6-year-old daughter, Willow, even thinks of herself as a boy, and Pink couldn't be more pleased. ^^

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pink and Carey Hart raising children to be 'gender neutral'

# data[].attributes.body
Two little girls from Utah were found safe on monday, three months after they were allegedly kidnapped, who reportedly tried to marry them off to a cult leader. The names of the girls were Hattie Briella Coltharp, and Dinah Elizabeth Coltharp.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Two Utah girls were found safe Monday three months after they were allegedly kidnapped by their "doomsday prepper" dad -- who reportedly betrothed his daughters to a cult leader.

An Amber Alert was canceled Monday when authorities found Hattie Briella Coltharp, 4, and Dinah Elizabeth Coltharp, 8, outside Lund, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported. Authorities initiated the alert when they received a tip and arrested Samuel Warren Shaffer, 34, who calls himself the prophet of a polygamous sect named "Knights of the Crystal Blade." The children's father, John Coltharp, is a member of the sect.

Authorities raided a suspected sect compound and located the girls and their brothers.

Monday's discovery came days after Coltharp, 33, was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping. He refused to tell authorities the girls' location, even after they offered to release him on his own recognizance if he provided the information. He's now being held on $50,000 bail and no formal charges have been filed.

Records don't list an attorney for Coltharp.

Micha Soble, the girls' mom, told FOX13 she hadn't seen her children since Sept. 10, when their father took them and disappeared with his grandparents. Soble's attorney also told the Salt Lake Tribune her ex-husband "stated, according to [Soble's] understanding, that he would rather see the kids dead than with the police."

"They are with a man that calls himself Samuel 'The Seer,'" Soble said. "His name is Samuel Warren Shaffer and he believes he holds the keys of this dispensation and he has been many people throughout the history of time and that he has been reincarnated. They are following his prophecies and I believe he is with them and helping hide the children."

Family members also told the Denver Post they believe Coltharp had given their daughters to Shaffer for marriage.

Coltharp is said to be a survivalist and "doomsday prepper" who doesn't believe in modern medicine, according to court documents. His ex-wife also said Coltharp carried a pistol and threatened to send a police officer or childcare worker "to the next life" if they took away his children.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Katherine Lam is a breaking and trending news digital producer for Fox News. Follow her on Twitter at @bykatherinelam

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2 Utah girls found after kidnapping by 'doomsday prepper' dad who wed daughters to cult leader, cops say

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Two Utah girls were found safe Monday three months after they were allegedly kidnapped by their "doomsday prepper" dad -- who reportedly betrothed his daughters to a cult leader. An Amber Alert was canceled Monday when authorities found Hattie Briella Coltharp, 4, and Dinah Elizabeth Coltharp, 8, outside Lund, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported.

# data[].attributes.body
Two Utah girls were found safe Monday three months after they were allegedly kidnapped by their “doomsday prepper” dad -- who reportedly betrothed his daughters to a cult leader.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Two Utah girls were found safe Monday three months after they were allegedly kidnapped by their "doomsday prepper" dad -- who reportedly betrothed his daughters to a cult leader.

An Amber Alert was canceled Monday when authorities found Hattie Briella Coltharp, 4, and Dinah Elizabeth Coltharp, 8, outside Lund, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported. Authorities initiated the alert when they received a tip and arrested Samuel Warren Shaffer, 34, who calls himself the prophet of a polygamous sect named "Knights of the Crystal Blade." The children's father, John Coltharp, is a member of the sect.

Authorities raided a suspected sect compound and located the girls and their brothers.

Monday's discovery came days after Coltharp, 33, was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping. He refused to tell authorities the girls' location, even after they offered to release him on his own recognizance if he provided the information. He's now being held on $50,000 bail and no formal charges have been filed.

Records don't list an attorney for Coltharp.

Micha Soble, the girls' mom, told FOX13 she hadn't seen her children since Sept. 10, when their father took them and disappeared with his grandparents. Soble's attorney also told the Salt Lake Tribune her ex-husband "stated, according to [Soble's] understanding, that he would rather see the kids dead than with the police."

"They are with a man that calls himself Samuel 'The Seer,'" Soble said. "His name is Samuel Warren Shaffer and he believes he holds the keys of this dispensation and he has been many people throughout the history of time and that he has been reincarnated. They are following his prophecies and I believe he is with them and helping hide the children."

Family members also told the Denver Post they believe Coltharp had given their daughters to Shaffer for marriage.

Coltharp is said to be a survivalist and "doomsday prepper" who doesn't believe in modern medicine, according to court documents. His ex-wife also said Coltharp carried a pistol and threatened to send a police officer or childcare worker "to the next life" if they took away his children.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Katherine Lam is a breaking and trending news digital producer for Fox News. Follow her on Twitter at @bykatherinelam

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2 Utah girls found after kidnapping by 'doomsday prepper' dad who wed daughters to cult leader, cops say

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Two Utah girls were found safe Monday three months after they were allegedly kidnapped by their "doomsday prepper" dad -- who reportedly betrothed his daughters to a cult leader. An Amber Alert was canceled Monday when authorities found Hattie Briella Coltharp, 4, and Dinah Elizabeth Coltharp, 8, outside Lund, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported.

# data[].attributes.body
A homeless man did hesitate to run into a burning building to save to children trapped in the fire

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
homeless man rescues 2 children from a burning building  - cnn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Homeless man rescues 2 children from a burning building

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A homeless man walking in an eastside Las Vegas neighborhood didn't hesitate to act when he saw plumes of smoke coming from an apartment building.

# data[].attributes.body
Fox News has obtained a photo of Peter Strzok, the longtime FBI deputy fired by Special Counsel Robert Mueller over his bias against President Trump. Strzok (pronounced "Struck"), was sacked by Mueller after electronic messages he reportedly sent to a colleague emerged, but not before he played key roles in the probes swirling around Trump.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Now there's a face to go with the name of the biased FBI operative at center of multiple probes and controversies dogging the Trump administration.

Fox News has obtained a photo of Peter Strzok, the longtime FBI deputy fired by Special Counsel Robert Mueller over his bias against President Trump. Strzok (pronounced "Struck"), was sacked by Mueller after electronic messages he reportedly sent to a colleague emerged, but not before he played key roles in the probes swirling around Trump.

Strzok, a former deputy to the assistant director for counterintelligence at the FBI, oversaw the bureau's interviews with ousted National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, changed former FBI Director James Comey's early draft language about Hillary Clinton's actions regarding her private email server from "grossly negligent" to "extremely careless" and reportedly helped push the largely unverified dossier on Trump that was initially prepared by Fusion GPS for the Clinton campaign's opposition research.

Strzok's bias has made him a poster child for Trump and his supporters, who believe the Mueller probe into alleged campaign collusion with Russia is biased.

"ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE," President Trump tweeted Monday. "Now it all starts to make sense!"

Stzok's messages were reportedly not only anti-Trump, but also pro-Hillary. That has raised the ire of critics because, prior to joining Mueller's probe, he made edits to Comey's speech exonerating Hillary Clinton.

The language being edited was important because classified material that's been mishandled for "gross negligence" calls for criminal consequences, analysts point out.
MUELLER AIDE FIRED FOR ANTI-TRUMP TEXTS NOW FACING REVIEW FOR ROLE IN CLINTON EMAIL PROBE
Flynn pleaded guilty Friday to lying to the FBI about reaching out to Russian officials. Prosecutors said Flynn in December 2016 asked Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Sergei Kislyak, not to escalate the situation after the outgoing Obama administration imposed sanctions on Russia in retaliation for suspected election interference.

Flynn left the White House in February after acknowledging that he had given an incomplete account to Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts regarding Russia.

The wording change came to light last month after newly reported memos to Congress showed that a May 2016 draft of Comey's statement closing out the email investigation accused the former secretary of state of being "grossly negligent." A June 2016 draft stated Clinton had been "extremely careless."

The modified language was final when Comey announced in July 2016 that Clinton wouldn't face any charges in the email investigation.

Strzok is being reviewed by the Justice Department's Office of Inspector General for the role he played in the Clinton email investigation.

A source close to the matter told Fox News that the probe, which will examine Strzok's roles in a number of other politically sensitive cases, should be completed by "very early next year."
Fox News' Jake Gibson, James Rosen and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Nicole Darrah covers breaking and trending news for FoxNews.com. Follow her on Twitter @nicoledarrah.

Nicole Darrah covers breaking and trending news for FoxNews.com. Follow her on Twitter @nicoledarrah.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fired FBI official at center of Flynn, Clinton, dossier controversies revealed

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Now there's a face to go with the name of the biased FBI operative at center of multiple probes and controversies dogging the Trump administration. Fox News has obtained a photo of Peter Strzok, the longtime FBI deputy fired by Special Counsel Robert Mueller over his bias against President Trump.

# data[].attributes.body
Inside the Christmas Village, which is where most of the Christmas decorations come from.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It was during the middle of the summer that production of Santa hats, tinsel and LED-lit Christmas trees reached their peak in the city that has come to be known as China's "Christmas Village."

Located a little over an hour away on the bullet train south of Shanghai, Yiwu, an inland city of 1.2 million people, reportedly produces nearly two-thirds of the Christmas decorations consumed worldwide. Between September 2016 and this past August, the 600 workshops and factories surrounding the city churned out $3 billion worth of Christmas products, according to monthly tallies from Hangzhou Customs.

Some Christmas factories told ABC News that at least 30 percent of their orders are from the United States, while most of the rest of the goods are shipped from the city to adorn houses in Russia, Latin America, and China itself.

ABC News

Christmas is not an official holiday in China, but more and more people have gotten into the holiday spirit. And that means more and more decorations shipped from Yiwu, which is located in Zhejiang province.

"My children really like Christmas; it's just like spending the Chinese New Year," Huang Aijuan, the owner of a factory that produces artificial Christmas trees, told ABC News.

In order to receive all the goods in time for holiday sales back home, Christmas traders from all around the world make yearly pilgrimages to the city months in advance. Their first stop is often the Yiwu International Trade Market.

ABC News

Located in the center of the city, the wholesale-only market is a multistoried shopping labyrinth divided into five sections. The market covers a sprawling 2 square miles, roughly the same size as 26 of Macy's Herald Square flagship store in New York City. The Christmas subdivision in Section One makes up only a small portion of the 75,000 mini-showrooms that sell virtually everything and anything at relatively low prices.

Yiwu is really where the whole "Made in China" phenomenon started. Just years into China's "reform and opening" era in the early 1980s, the Yiwu Market had already taken shape. It was then that the city started to supply the world with all sorts of toys, ornaments, small home appliances, underwear, umbrellas and auto accessories.

More recently, under President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road initiative, which seeks to reinvigorate trade along the Ancient Silk Road, freight trains now run directly between Yiwu and Madrid, London and Prague, as well as Tehran.

ABC News

With 13,000 permanent foreign residents, according to the local government website, and numerous traders who travel back and forth between Yiwu and destinations mainly in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, the city is arguably becoming one of the most diverse places in China, thanks to the cultures the traders bring with them.

To maintain its reputation as the world's factory, suppliers in Yiwu face pressure to keep costs low to be able to compete with other emerging countries with cheaper labor.

Workers in the factories that ABC News visited at the end of August were mostly migrant laborers from different parts of China. They said they worked as long as 13 hours per day, seven days a week. One worker earned the equivalent of about $30 per day, he said.

One factory owner told ABC News that the local government had asked her to improve working conditions, so she planned to move into a bigger space.

But as the world's demand for Christmas decorations continues, Yiwu seems poised to be the real-world Santa's workshop for the foreseeable future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Inside China's 'Christmas Village,' where the world's decorations come from

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It was during the middle of the summer that production of Santa hats, tinsel and LED-lit Christmas trees reached their peak in the city that has come to be known as China's "Christmas Village." Located a little over an hour away on the bullet train south of Shanghai, Yiwu, an inland city of 1.2 million people, reportedly produces nearly two-thirds of the Christmas decorations consumed worldwide.

# data[].attributes.body
Employees smash Chuck E. Cheese's head in with a sledgehammer after final show

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Chuck E. Cheese is ushering in a new era of entertainment, violently.

In August, Chuck E. Cheese's announced they would be getting rid of the animatronic band that had been part of the restaurant and arcade for decades.
CHUCK E. CHEESE BIDS FAREWELL TO ANIMATRONIC BAND AMID RENOVATIONS
The popular children's entertainment chain is in the process of phasing out the legendary robotic rockers in exchange for more "realism and special effects" that kids have come to expect, CEC Entertainment chief executive Tom Leverton said.

And what happens to the famed fake musicians? They get beat with sledgehammers.

In the video taken at an Illinois Chuck E. Cheese's location that was closing, employees are recorded taking turns smashing the beloved icon's big smiling head in with a sledgehammer. It takes the women in the video nearly two minutes to finally completely destroy the plastic mouse - which never fully collapsed.
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS
Patch reporter Lorraine Swanson, who recorded the event and called the smashing of Chuck E Cheese's head "symbolic," reported that it is company policy to destroy any branded items - including the animatronic heads - when closing a location.

Looks like there won't be any hopes for a reunion tour of the old Pizza Time Players.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Employees smash Chuck E. Cheese's head in with a sledgehammer after final show

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Chuck E. Cheese is ushering in a new era of entertainment, violently. In August, Chuck E. Cheese's announced they would be getting rid of the animatronic band that had been part of the restaurant and arcade for decades. CHUCK E.

# data[].attributes.body
2 Utah girls found after kidnapping by 'doomsday prepper' dad who wed daughters to cult leader, cops say

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Two Utah girls were found safe Monday three months after they were allegedly kidnapped by their "doomsday prepper" dad -- who reportedly betrothed his daughters to a cult leader.

An Amber Alert was canceled Monday when authorities found Hattie Briella Coltharp, 4, and Dinah Elizabeth Coltharp, 8, outside Lund, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported. Authorities initiated the alert when they received a tip and arrested Samuel Warren Shaffer, 34, who calls himself the prophet of a polygamous sect named "Knights of the Crystal Blade." The children's father, John Coltharp, is a member of the sect.

Authorities raided a suspected sect compound and located the girls and their brothers.

Monday's discovery came days after Coltharp, 33, was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping. He refused to tell authorities the girls' location, even after they offered to release him on his own recognizance if he provided the information. He's now being held on $50,000 bail and no formal charges have been filed.

Records don't list an attorney for Coltharp.

Micha Soble, the girls' mom, told FOX13 she hadn't seen her children since Sept. 10, when their father took them and disappeared with his grandparents. Soble's attorney also told the Salt Lake Tribune her ex-husband "stated, according to [Soble's] understanding, that he would rather see the kids dead than with the police."

"They are with a man that calls himself Samuel 'The Seer,'" Soble said. "His name is Samuel Warren Shaffer and he believes he holds the keys of this dispensation and he has been many people throughout the history of time and that he has been reincarnated. They are following his prophecies and I believe he is with them and helping hide the children."

Family members also told the Denver Post they believe Coltharp had given their daughters to Shaffer for marriage.

Coltharp is said to be a survivalist and "doomsday prepper" who doesn't believe in modern medicine, according to court documents. His ex-wife also said Coltharp carried a pistol and threatened to send a police officer or childcare worker "to the next life" if they took away his children.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Katherine Lam is a breaking and trending news digital producer for Fox News. Follow her on Twitter at @bykatherinelam

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2 Utah girls found after kidnapping by 'doomsday prepper' dad who wed daughters to cult leader, cops say

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Two Utah girls were found safe Monday three months after they were allegedly kidnapped by their "doomsday prepper" dad -- who reportedly betrothed his daughters to a cult leader. An Amber Alert was canceled Monday when authorities found Hattie Briella Coltharp, 4, and Dinah Elizabeth Coltharp, 8, outside Lund, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported.

# data[].attributes.body
"We're excited to offer the convenience of beer and wine delivered to a customer's home," said Stacy Lynn Bourgeois, Pizza Hut's director of brand marketing, in an interview with CNNMoney.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Pizza Hut bets you want some booze delivered with that pepperoni pie.

The pizza chain said Tuesday that it will start testing beer and wine delivery in certain cities.

"We're excited to offer the convenience of beer and wine delivered to a customer's home," said Stacy Lynn Bourgeois, Pizza Hut's director of brand marketing, in an interview with CNNMoney.

The service will debut in Phoenix, Arizona with six-packs of Anheuser-Busch brands, including Budweiser, Bud Light and Shock Top and Kilt Lifter, which is made by Arizona-based craft brewer Four Peaks.

All options will cost a flat $10.99.

Wine delivery will roll out in Phoenix in January, but details are still up in the air. The company still hasn't decided which wines to deliver, or whether it should offer full bottles or single servings, Bourgeois said.

Related: Pizza Hut delivery is getting hotter ... 15 degrees hotter

She declined to say where the pilot program will expand to after Phoenix.

The move is Pizza Hut's latest attempt to shore up sales. Parent Yum! Brand has been on a tear, with shares up 32% this year. But Pizza Hut hasn't been performing as well as siblings Taco Bell and KFC -- spurring a turnaround effort.

In October, the company unveiled a new delivery system that it said would keep its pies hotter. Over the summer, the chain announced plans to hire 14,000 new drivers by the end of the year.

Beer and wine deliverycould also provide an edge. Competitors Papa John's and Domino's only offer water bottles and soft drinks for delivery, according to their websites.

Market Sectors: See latest news & which stock market segments are performing best

Still, the move will take some logistical coordination.

Stores need to have a license to distribute alcohol, though Bourgeois said many Pizza Hut locations already have one.

All drivers with beer and wine deliveries on their routes will be at least 21 years old, according to the company. Customers will be required to show their IDs at the door.

CNNMoney (New York) First published December 5, 2017: 7:02 AM ET

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pizza Hut is testing beer and wine delivery

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The pizza chain said Tuesday that it will start testing beer and wine delivery in certain cities. "We're excited to offer the convenience of beer and wine delivered to a customer's home," said Stacy Lynn Bourgeois, Pizza Hut's director of brand marketing, in an interview with CNNMoney.

# data[].attributes.body
John Oliver grills Dustin Hoffman about sexual harassment allegations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The exchange, which was captured on video by Washington Post reporter Steven Zeitchik, took place during a panel moderated by Oliver for a 20th anniversary screening of "Wag the Dog" at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, which Hoffman starred in. The poor quality video is edited and only about six minutes of the one hour panel discussion was posted online by the Washington Post. Portions of the video are hard to understand due to the poor audio quality.

The comedian host brought up the allegations in front of the panel's live audience.

The Post reports that about half way through the movie discussion, Oliver began to broach the subject.

"This is something we're going to have to talk about because," Oliver said. "It's hanging in the air."

Oliver was referring to recent allegations made by Anna Graham Hunter in an essay she wrote, which was published on November 1 by The Hollywood Reporter. In the column, she claims Hoffman, now 80, made multiple inappropriate comments and unwanted sexual advances towards her when she was a 17-year-old production assistant on the set of "The Death of a Salesman" in 1985.

"It's hanging in the air?" Hoffman said. "From a few things you've read you've made an incredible assumption about me. You've made the case better than anyone else can. I'm guilty," he told Oliver.

Weeks ago, Hoffman apologized for his alleged behavior and his statement was published in Hunter's essay.

"I have the utmost respect for women and feel terrible that anything I might have done could have put her in an uncomfortable situation," Hoffman said at the time. "I am sorry. It is not reflective of who I am."

On Monday, Hoffman duked it out with Oliver on the stage, where the actor was joined by his fellow "Wag the Dog" co-star Robert De Niro, producer Jane Rosenthal and director Barry Levinson.

According to the Post, Hoffman also said during the panel that he has "never met" Graham.

"I still don't know who this woman is," Hoffman said. "I never met her; if I met her it was in concert with other people."

In the video, Oliver called out Hoffman's apology, saying he was angered by the actor's word choice.

"'It's 'not reflective of who I am.' It's that kind of response to this stuff that pisses me off," Oliver said. "It is reflective of who you were. If it happened and you've given no evidence to show that it didn't [happen] then there was a period of time for a while when you were a creeper around women. So, it feels like a cop-out to say 'well this isn't me.' Do you understand how that feels like a dismissal?"

Hoffman replied, "It's difficult to answer that question. You weren't there..."

Hoffman also questioned whether Oliver believes everything printed about what his accuser says happened.

"Do you believe this stuff that you read?" Hoffman asked.

"I believe what she wrote, yes," Oliver replied.

"Because there's no point in her lying," said Oliver.

"Well, there's a point in her not bringing this up for 40 years," Hoffman said.

"Oh, Dustin," Oliver said, as he put his head in his hand.

Hoffman went on to discuss behavior on movie sets along with some of the more colorful talk and banter that would often take place between movie crews and actors.

Hoffman described how his co-workers were "a family," who sometimes said stupid sexual things, that were meant to be funny. He reminded Oliver and the audience that this was 40 years ago.

Oliver said, "It doesn't feel self-reflective in the way that it seems the incident demands.

I get no pleasure from having this conversation because you and I are not the victims here...."

CNN has reached out to Hoffman and Oliver's reps for comment.

Oliver's show airs on HBO, which along with CNN is owned by Time Warner.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
john oliver grills dustin hoffman in heated exchange over sexual harassment allegations  - cnn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
John Oliver grills Dustin Hoffman in heated exchange over sexual harassment allegations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The exchange, which was captured on video by Washington Post reporter Steven Zeitchik, took place during a panel moderated by Oliver for a 20th anniversary screening of "Wag the Dog" at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, which Hoffman starred in.

# data[].attributes.body
Thousands of people were forced to flee their homes on Monday as firefighters battled a fast-moving wildfire in Southern California that has charred at least 45,000 acres of land, authorities said. one person was killed along with a dog.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
&#151; -- Firefighters in Southern California began battling a new wildfire Wednesday that engulfed an area of Los Angeles near the Getty Center and the Skirball Cultural Center.

The brush fire ignited around 5 a.m. CT near 405 Freeway and Mulholland Drive in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. More than 350 firefighters were on the scene with helicopters hovering above as the so-called Skirball fire was 5 percent contained as of Wednesday night.

Authorities have shut down northbound 405 for an "undetermined period" as a result of the blaze and ordered mandatory evacuations for parts of the affluent Bel-Air neighborhood, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The smoke can even be seen from space -- the International Space Station shared photos of the fires on Twitter Wednesday.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the Skirball fire has damaged 11 structures and destroyed at least six structures in the area, all residences, so far. Garcetti has declared a local state of emergency in response to the Skirball fire, which had burned at least 150 acres in Bel Air by Wednesday afternoon, his office said in a press release.

The Los Angeles Unified School District is closing all 265 schools in the San Fernando Valley and the west side of Los Angeles through Friday due to the Skirball fire, the school district said in a press release.

A major Santa Ana weather event with wind gusts between 70 and 80 mph, along with low relative humidity, is to blame for the fire emergency near Los Angeles.

While about 4,600 people have been affected by the fire, some evacuation orders might be lifted Wednesday evening depending on the progress, officials said. Conditions are favorable, but the Santa Ana winds will return this evening, so firefighters are working on making progress before the winds pick back up, officials said.

All residents, especially those in mountainous areas, should be ready to go at a moment's notice, officials said.

Meanwhile, fire crews are still fighting a fast-moving wildfire in Ventura County that officials said on Wednesday night has charred at least 90,000 acres of land -- up from 65,000 acres a day earlier.

Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes since the flames ignited. The so-called Thomas fire began as a 50-acre brush fire in foothills east of Santa Paula on Monday and it rapidly grew to 10,000 acres in just four hours, authorities said.

Emergency officials originally said a person died in the fire, but later clarified that a dog was killed.

Smoke rises behind a leveled apartment complex as a wildfire burns in Ventura, Calif., Dec. 5, 2017.

More than 50,000 people from 15,000 homes have been evacuated, officials said Wednesday night, up from 38,000 people on Tuesday. Officials have gone door-to-door to enforce mandatory evacuations.

So far, about 2,500 homes were under mandatory evacuation in Ventura County as the flames moved southwest toward the coast. Officials said several thousand homes in nearby areas were also evacuated because of the Thomas fire, though they cautioned that was a rough estimate.

"We urge you, you must abide by these evacuation notices," Ventura County Sheriff Jeff Dean said at a press conference late Monday. "We saw the disasters and the losses that happened up north in Sonoma, and this is a fast, very dangerous moving fire."

Smoke rises from the 'Thomas Fire' as it spreads over thousands of acres near Santa Paula, Calif., Dec. 4, 2017.

More than 150 structures, including a 60-unit apartment complex, have been destroyed by the Thomas fire and over 12,000 structures are threatened, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The massive fire has also knocked out power for more than 190,000 customers in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, according to Southern California Edison.

A home burns as strong winds push the Thomas Fire across thousands of acres near Santa Paula, Calif., Dec. 5, 2017.

Intensified by strong winds and harsh weather conditions, the Thomas fire is pushing west toward the Pacific Ocean. At 0 percent containment, officials said critical fire conditions are expected throughout the week.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

At a press conference Tuesday, Los Angeles County Deputy Fire Chief David Richardson described the unpredictable conditions that firefighters are facing as they attempt to contain the blaze.

"You can only imagine the impact this weather is having on the fire front," Richardson said. "We're chasing the fire and trying to get ahead of it. And we're chasing multiple fronts."

Firefighters in Ventura County said they were dealing with winds of 30-50 mph -- slightly up from 25 to 50 mph a day earlier -- which they said made it impossible to fight the fire via aircraft.

"The prospects for containment really are not good. Mother Nature is going to decide when we have the ability to put it out, because it is pushing hard with the wind," Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said at a press conference Monday night.

"As far as getting ahead of the fire, that's exactly what we're doing right now, but it's in defense of structure and property right now, not actually trying to put the fire out," he added.

Firefighters are also battling a growing brush fire in the Kagel Canyon area above the Sylmar neighborhood in Los Angeles that has scorched over 11,000 acres since Tuesday morning.

Hundreds of firefighters and a number of water-dropping helicopters were on scene as the so-called Creek fire remained at 0 percent contained. The Los Angeles Fire Department said homes in the affected area have been damaged, without providing an exact number.

At least seven firefighters were injured while fighting these flames. The extent of their injuries was unknown but are believed to be not life-threatening, officials said.

More than 150,000 people were affected by evacuations related to the Creek fire, officials said.

Another wildfire that began in Santa Clarita on Tuesday morning has burned 7,000 acres, spreading across the Los Angeles County line into Ventura County.

At 5 percent contained, the so-called Rye fire has not damaged any homes but has prompted school closures and the evacuation of 1,300 people, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Overall, more than 4,000 firefighters are battling these four wildfires in Southern California. Authorities say strong offshore winds and dry conditions are hampering efforts to contain these blazes, which have collectively scorched over 83,000 acres.
ABC News' Matthew Fuhrman and Michael Kreisel contributed to this report.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wildfires threaten several thousand homes in Southern California

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
151; -- Firefighters in Southern California began battling a new wildfire Wednesday that engulfed an area of Los Angeles near the Getty Center and the Skirball Cultural Center. The brush fire ignited around 5 a.m. CT near 405 Freeway and Mulholland Drive in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.

# data[].attributes.body
Howling Santa Ana winds pushed a wildfire from rural hills into parts of the Southern California city of Ventura overnight with explosive speed, destroying dozens of buildings and forcing thousands of people to evacuate.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
One person died from a car accident associated with the fire, according to a tweet f rom the Ventura County Fire Department's public information officer account.

More than 800 homes in the city of Santa Paula are under mandatory evacuation. And fire officials warned that the powerful winds are pushing east, which could turn the flames toward the cities of Ventura and Santa Paula.

Officials warned that they expected the fire to impact East Ventura by 1 a.m. (local time).

The brush fire, which is called the Thomas Fire, was first reported in Steckel Park, which is just north of Santa Paula. Within a few hours, the fire had jumped to at least 10,000 acres as it scorched through steep terrain.

Officials shut Route 150, between Ojai and Santa Paula, due to the fires.

Evacuation centers were opened at the Ventura Fairgrounds and a high school in Ojai.

The fire ignited as officials had warned of extreme fire danger in the area due to the Santa Ana winds, blowing as fast as 40 to 60 mph.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
hundreds evacuate in fast-moving southern california fire - cnn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
1 dead and hundreds evacuate in fast-moving Southern California fire

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
One person died from a car accident associated with the fire, according to a tweet f rom the Ventura County Fire Department's public information officer account. More than 800 homes in the city of Santa Paula are under mandatory evacuation.

# data[].attributes.body
Homeless man rescues kids from burning building.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
homeless man rescues 2 children from a burning building  - cnn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Homeless man rescues 2 children from a burning building

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A homeless man walking in an eastside Las Vegas neighborhood didn't hesitate to act when he saw plumes of smoke coming from an apartment building.

# data[].attributes.body
Southern California fire is out of control. more then 45,000 acres have been scorched in a matter of 13 hours.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
One person died from a car accident associated with the fire, according to a tweet f rom the Ventura County Fire Department's public information officer account.

More than 800 homes in the city of Santa Paula are under mandatory evacuation. And fire officials warned that the powerful winds are pushing east, which could turn the flames toward the cities of Ventura and Santa Paula.

Officials warned that they expected the fire to impact East Ventura by 1 a.m. (local time).

The brush fire, which is called the Thomas Fire, was first reported in Steckel Park, which is just north of Santa Paula. Within a few hours, the fire had jumped to at least 10,000 acres as it scorched through steep terrain.

Officials shut Route 150, between Ojai and Santa Paula, due to the fires.

Evacuation centers were opened at the Ventura Fairgrounds and a high school in Ojai.

The fire ignited as officials had warned of extreme fire danger in the area due to the Santa Ana winds, blowing as fast as 40 to 60 mph.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
hundreds evacuate in fast-moving southern california fire - cnn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
1 dead and hundreds evacuate in fast-moving Southern California fire

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
One person died from a car accident associated with the fire, according to a tweet f rom the Ventura County Fire Department's public information officer account. More than 800 homes in the city of Santa Paula are under mandatory evacuation.

# data[].attributes.body
2 Utah girls found after kidnapping by 'doomsday prepper' dad who wed daughters to cult leader

Two Utah girls were found safe Monday three months after they were allegedly kidnapped by their “doomsday prepper” dad -- who reportedly betrothed his daughters to a cult leader.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Two Utah girls were found safe Monday three months after they were allegedly kidnapped by their "doomsday prepper" dad -- who reportedly betrothed his daughters to a cult leader.

An Amber Alert was canceled Monday when authorities found Hattie Briella Coltharp, 4, and Dinah Elizabeth Coltharp, 8, outside Lund, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported. Authorities initiated the alert when they received a tip and arrested Samuel Warren Shaffer, 34, who calls himself the prophet of a polygamous sect named "Knights of the Crystal Blade." The children's father, John Coltharp, is a member of the sect.

Authorities raided a suspected sect compound and located the girls and their brothers.

Monday's discovery came days after Coltharp, 33, was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping. He refused to tell authorities the girls' location, even after they offered to release him on his own recognizance if he provided the information. He's now being held on $50,000 bail and no formal charges have been filed.

Records don't list an attorney for Coltharp.

Micha Soble, the girls' mom, told FOX13 she hadn't seen her children since Sept. 10, when their father took them and disappeared with his grandparents. Soble's attorney also told the Salt Lake Tribune her ex-husband "stated, according to [Soble's] understanding, that he would rather see the kids dead than with the police."

"They are with a man that calls himself Samuel 'The Seer,'" Soble said. "His name is Samuel Warren Shaffer and he believes he holds the keys of this dispensation and he has been many people throughout the history of time and that he has been reincarnated. They are following his prophecies and I believe he is with them and helping hide the children."

Family members also told the Denver Post they believe Coltharp had given their daughters to Shaffer for marriage.

Coltharp is said to be a survivalist and "doomsday prepper" who doesn't believe in modern medicine, according to court documents. His ex-wife also said Coltharp carried a pistol and threatened to send a police officer or childcare worker "to the next life" if they took away his children.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Katherine Lam is a breaking and trending news digital producer for Fox News. Follow her on Twitter at @bykatherinelam

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2 Utah girls found after kidnapping by 'doomsday prepper' dad who wed daughters to cult leader, cops say

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Two Utah girls were found safe Monday three months after they were allegedly kidnapped by their "doomsday prepper" dad -- who reportedly betrothed his daughters to a cult leader. An Amber Alert was canceled Monday when authorities found Hattie Briella Coltharp, 4, and Dinah Elizabeth Coltharp, 8, outside Lund, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported.

# data[].attributes.body
Wildfire in Southern California threatens thousands of homes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Thousands were forced to flee their homes on Monday as firefighters battled a fast-moving wildfire in Southern California that had charred at least 45,000 acres of land, authorities said.

Interested in California Wildfires?

Add California Wildfires as an interest to stay up to date on the latest California Wildfires news, video, and analysis from ABC News.

David McNew/Reuters

Intensified by strong winds and harsh weather conditions, the fire was impacting structures in downtown Ventura early Tuesday morning, with multiple residential homes on fire near City Hall. Emergency officials had originally said a person had died in the fire but later clarified that a dog was killed.

About 650 residents were under mandatory evacuation in Ventura County as the wildfires moved southwest toward the coast. Officials said several thousand homes in nearby areas had been evacuated due to the fire, although they cautioned that was a rough estimate.

"We urge you, you must abide by these evacuation notices," Ventura County Sheriff Jeff Dean said at a press conference late Monday. "We saw the disasters and the losses that happened up north in Sonoma and this is a fast, very dangerous moving fire."

Officials said the blaze started as a 50-acre brush fire in a foothills area east of Santa Paula -- located about 40 minutes east of Santa Barbara -- at around 6:30 p.m. Monday.

It multiplied in size to 10,000 acres in just four hours, authorities said. Santa Paula has a population of about 30,000.

Separately, Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, California, which has about 350 students, was evacuated Monday evening.

David McNew/Reuters

The fire, referred to as the Thomas Fire by authorities, knocked out power for more than 190,000 customers in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, Southern California Edison said.

Firefighters in Ventura said they were dealing winds of between 25 and 50 mph, which they said made it impossible to fight the fire via aircraft. Officials said they planned to attack the fire by air at daybreak.

"The prospects for containment really are not good. Mother Nature is going to decide when we have the ability to put it out because it is pushing hard with the wind," Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said Monday evening.

"As far as getting ahead of the fire, that's exactly what we're doing right now, but it's in defense of structure and property right now, not actually trying to put the fire out," he added.

About 500 firefighters were deployed to battle the blaze, with help from emergency officials in neighboring cities.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wildfire threatens several thousands of homes in Southern California

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Thousands were forced to flee their homes on Monday as firefighters battled a fast-moving wildfire in Southern California that had charred at least 45,000 acres of land, authorities said. Intensified by strong winds and harsh weather conditions, the fire was impacting structures in downtown...

# data[].attributes.body
Wildfires spread in California.

The wildfire is pushing parts of the city of Ventura. It has burned about 45,000 acres and forced about 27,000 people to evacuate.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
wildfires spread in california: follow the latest - cnn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Meg Wagner, Brian Ries and Amanda Wills, CNN

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wildfires spread in California: Follow the latest

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At least one person is dead and nearly 8,000 homes are under mandatory evacuation orders as a fires spread in Southern California.