Why it matters: Venezuela under Maduro has been a massive problem for Latin America and the U.S. It's accounted for the largest modern-day migration in the Western Hemisphere — nearly 8 million people have fled Maduro's regime in the past decade.
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.
