The U.S. military has reportedly started to send troops to eastern Syria in accordance with orders from President Trump, who seeks to protect oil fields in the region, per U.S. defense officials cited by the Washington Post.
Why it matters: "U.S. officials have said that the new mission around the oil fields there will prevent the Islamic State from capturing them, but also allow the Pentagon to continue carrying out counterterrorism operations on the militant group and maintain control of the airspace overhead," the Post writes.
PG&E, which has temporarily shut the power off for millions of Californians ahead of weather forecasts ripe for wildfires, refused to give rebates to customers affected by the lack of electricity, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Why it matters: Gov. GavinNewsom said Friday that California would hold PG&E accountable for failing to do its job in the wake of fires burning through the state. But PG&E is ultimately calling the shots, per the Times. California lawmakers are out of session until January. Without a special legislative session, the issue won't be addressed until then.
At least 58,000 acres have burned in California from 14 ongoing fires, the earliest of which sparked in September, the Los Angeles Times reports. Five of those fires started Thursday, and one began Friday.
What's happening: The Kincade fire, which started Thursday and has already blazed through 21,900 acres — namely in Northern California’s wine country — is currently the largest fire in the state. 50,000 people near the Tick fire in Santa Clarita were ordered to evacuate on Friday, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in the counties affected by those two wildfires.
The ongoing House impeachment probe subpoenaed three Trump administration officials Friday — two from the Office of Management and Budget and one from the State Department.
Why it matters, via Axios' Alayna Treene: Every time House Democrats hit a roadblock with Trump officials, they can flex their muscle by issuing another subpoena.
BP said Friday that its venture capital arm is investing $5 million in a company that specializes in offsetting carbon emissions through forest projects.
Why it matters: It's the latest example of oil giants using their venture arms to stake companies with tech and products designed to fight climate change.
Ford is offering a little more info about its upcoming long-range electric vehicle, saying it will unveil its "Mustang-inspired" electric SUV on Nov. 17 and teasing the outlines of the car.
Why it matters: Ford has been slower to move into EVs than some other auto giants, but it's now pouring billions of dollars into the effort to develop a number of vehicles — including an electric F-150.
Tesla's stock price rallied nearly 18% on Thursday after a stronger-than-expected earnings report, putting a big dent in the profits of short sellers.
Why it matters: Many short sellers pulled out of the trade after the stock fell to $178.97 a share in June, counting $5.16 billion in mark-to-market profits because of the stock's decline, according to data from S3 Partners. But those who continued to short Tesla have paid dearly, and are now in the red, year-to-date.
Offshore wind power is poised to grow rapidly and fill an important role in the world's renewable electricity mix, a new International Energy Agency report found.
What’s new: Although offshore wind provides just 0.3% of global electricity today, IEA predicts within about two decades it will increase at least 15-fold and make up between 3.1% to 5.4%, depending on how aggressively countries enact policies to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer said new plans to speed the transition to electric cars will be a pillar of wider climate legislation he'll propose if Democrats gain a majority in the 2020 elections.
Why it matters: The proposal unveiled in a New York Times op-ed on Thursday provides a look at major climate measures Schumer will promote if his party takes control of the chamber (which is an uphill battle).
