Los Angeles wildfires devour thousands of homes even as fierce winds ease
LOS ANGELES — Two massive wildfires menacing Los Angeles from the east and west devoured nearly 10,000 homes and other structures, burning into a third night on Thursday even as the fierce winds eased and gave firefighters a welcome but temporary respite.
TikTok stars and marketers brace for app’s disappearance this month
The impending disappearance of TikTok, one of the most popular social media apps in the United States, has sent marketers, agencies and creators racing to embrace alternatives — even if they’re not entirely convinced that TikTok will in fact exit the United States this month.
Trump’s tariff threat spurs auto suppliers to rethink production plans
LAS VEGAS — Global auto suppliers are working out how much of their production can be moved to the United States, or closer to it, as a defense against tariffs promised by President-elect Donald Trump, according to industry executives at CES in Las Vegas. The auto industry has already experienced eight years of U.S. protectionism, from real and threatened tariffs during Trump’s first term and then more tariffs and the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act under President Joe Biden. Most of those measures were aimed squarely at China, in particular a proposal by the Biden administration to bar Chinese software and hardware from cars on U.S. roads. But Trump has vowed to go much further, imposing a blanket tariff of 10% on global imports into the United States and a far higher 60% tariff on Chinese goods. In late November, he specifically pledged a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico when he takes office on Jan. 20.
Bill to expand deportations of migrants accused of crimes sails ahead in senate
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday came closer to passing a bill requiring the deportation of immigrants in the country illegally charged with minor crimes after most Democrats joined Republicans to advance it.
US efforts to cut emissions stalled in 2024 as power demand surged
America’s efforts to cut its climate change pollution stalled in 2024, with greenhouse gas emissions dropping just a fraction, 0.2%, compared with the year before, according to estimates published Thursday by the Rhodium Group, a research firm.
Can low unemployment last under Trump?
For a time, not too long ago, it was the central question animating economic forecasts and bets laid by investors in financial markets: Will the U.S. economy avoid a recession?
Judge rejects Biden’s title IX rules, scrapping protections for trans students
WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Kentucky on Thursday struck down President Joe Biden’s effort to expand protections for transgender students and make other changes to the rules governing sex discrimination in schools, ruling that the Education Department had overstepped and violated teachers’ rights by requiring them to use students’ preferred pronouns.
Lebanon chooses a president after 2 years of gridlock
BEIRUT — Lebanon’s fractured parliament overcame more than two years of gridlock Thursday to select a new president, a critical step toward bringing stability to a country attempting to recover from economic catastrophe and a devastating war.
Gaza war toll likely significantly undercounts deaths, says study
LONDON — An official Palestinian tally of direct deaths in the Israel-Hamas war likely undercounted the number of casualties by 41% through the middle of 2024 as the Gaza Strip’s healthcare infrastructure unravelled, according to a study published on Thursday.
2024 was the first year above 1.5C of global warming, scientists say
BRUSSELS — The world just experienced the first full year in which global temperatures exceeded 1.5C above pre-industrial times, scientists said on Friday.
Brazil’s Lula calls Meta fact-checking changes ‘extremely serious’
BRASILIA — Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Thursday that social media company Meta’s decision to scrap its fact-checking program in the U.S. was “extremely serious,” and that he would discuss the matter in a meeting with government officials.
A lofty tribute to a public servant and humble grandfather
WASHINGTON — The nation bade farewell to former President Jimmy Carter on Thursday with a majestic state funeral for a man who saw himself as anything but, remembering a peanut farmer from Georgia who rose to the heights of power and used it to fight for justice, eradicate disease and wage peace not war.
Trump blames Newsom, and his water policy, for wildfires
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday blamed California’s Democratic governor for the failure to contain fires engulfing parts of the Los Angeles area, turning a still-evolving natural disaster into a political opportunity and accusing the state’s government of letting environmental policies run amok.
Los Angeles wildfires spread to Hollywood as 100,000 ordered to evacuate
LOS ANGELES — Raging wildfires surrounding Los Angeles spread to the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday, after five other fires in the area killed at least five people, destroyed hundreds of homes and stretched firefighting resources and water supplies to the limit.
Obamacare enrollment hits record before Trump’s return
WASHINGTON — The number of Americans enrolled in the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplaces has roughly doubled since President Joe Biden took office, but White House officials warned Wednesday that the surge in Americans taking advantage of increased government health care subsidies could face risks as President-elect Donald Trump returns to office.
US warns North Korea becoming better prepared for war, fighting against Ukraine
UNITED NATIONS — The United States warned on Wednesday that North Korea is benefiting from its troops fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine, gaining experience that makes Pyongyang “more capable of waging war against its neighbors.”
Shareholders urge UnitedHealth to analyze impact of healthcare denials
NEW YORK / BOSTON — UnitedHealth Group shareholders on Wednesday said they requested the company prepare a report on the costs and public health impact related to its “practices that limit or delay access to healthcare.”
Ozempic, Legos and hearing aids: what Trump’s Greenland plan could hit
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump has threatened tariffs on many countries for many different reasons.
Study documents extinction threats to world’s freshwater species
WASHINGTON — Freshwater environments cover about 1% of Earth’s surface while accounting for more than 10% of known species. Like many marine and terrestrial ecosystems, however, they are in distress. A new study looking at some of the denizens of freshwater habitats offers a stark illustration of this biodiversity predicament.
Mourners defy subfreezing temperatures to honor Jimmy Carter at the capitol
WASHINGTON — They came amid the ice and snow, bundled in parkas and long johns, expecting an hourslong wait in the subfreezing temperatures and whipping winds.
