Insured losses from the Los Angeles wildfires now appear likely to fall in a range of $35 billion to $45 billion, analytics firm CoreLogic said Friday.
Why it matters: At the high end of the range, and even adjusting for inflation, it would be one of the top five costliest natural disasters in world history by insured loss.
The Federal Reservesaid on Friday that it will quit a group dedicated to addressing the risk climate change poses to the global financial system.
Why it matters: The Fed's exit from the coalition suggests a huge pivot underway relative to years past. As President-elect Trump readies to take office, it is more obvious than ever that the political winds have shifted.
Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Gracie Abrams and a host of other music acts will headline the FireAid benefit concerts later this month in Inglewood, California, in response to the Los Angeles County wildfires.
Why it matters: All proceeds from FireAid on Thursday, Jan. 30, will go toward short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters.
President-elect Trump's inaugural ceremony Mondaywill take place inside the Capitol Rotunda due to the weather forecast in Washington, D.C., he posted on Truth Social.
The big picture: Ronald Reagan's 1985 presidential swearing-in was the last to move indoors because of cold temperatures.
With winter storms bringing snow and ice to areas that don't often get much powder, it's a good opportunity for a refresher on how to drive in the slick stuff without wrecking.
Here are seven snow driving tips from me, an upstate New Yorker who once thought it would be a good idea to circumnavigate Iceland in March (fun drive!):
The number of public electric vehicle chargers doubled over the last four years, driven by a combination of increased private investment and a surge in government funding under the Biden administration.
Why it matters: EVs and charging have been a chicken-and-egg-problem that's now getting a little easier.
LOS ANGELES — Elon Musk and his allies are waging a ruthless information war in California, sensing opportunity in the ashes of the most destructive wildfires in state history.
Why it matters: For decades, Republicans have tried and failed to end Democrats' near-monopoly on power in the nation's most populous state. This time, they insist, the conditions are ripe for a reckoning.
Hundreds of GoFundMe pages to help friends, neighbors and even strangers impacted by the L.A.-area fires are being shared online, but the language of their fundraising pages could curb the FEMA aid they receive.
The big picture: By law, FEMA cannot duplicate benefits people receive from another source, according to the agency.
A powerful Arctic outbreak tied in part to the polar vortex is set to send temperatures by next week tumbling down to as cold as 25 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit below average for mid-January, forecasts show.
Why it matters: The hazardous cold could endanger public health, stress electricity grids, damage crops and make for a frigid Inauguration Day.
President-elect Trump is pledging his full support for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, telling organizers in a meeting late Wednesday that he wants to help the area recover from the devastating wildfires.
Why it matters: The fires that have destroyed more than 10,000 homes have left Los Angeles County with a massive rebuild. Trump told the local Olympic organizing committee, LA28, that he wants to ensure the games go on without a hitch, according to a source briefed on his meeting at Mar-a-Lago with Casey Wasserman, LA28's president and chairman.
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