Headlines From The Times

President Trump said the Iran war is “nearing completion” while warning the U.S. will strike Iran extremely hard over the coming weeks. Oil prices jumped as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained shut down, with global benchmarks climbing above $100 a barrel. In California, a fight over AI infrastructure is growing, with a proposed $40 million data center in Monterey Park facing backlash over cost, noise, and pollution. Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom is drawing criticism for a more aggressive social media strategy that pokes fun at conservatives. In business, the eco-friendly footwear company Allbirds has agreed to sell its assets to American Exchange Group for a fraction of its previous $4 billion valuation, and Trader Joe’s continues its steady growth with new locations in Paso Robles and Anaheim Hills. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

On the first day of his second term in office, President Trump signed an executive order arguing that babies born in the United States to parents who are either undocumented immigrants or temporary foreign visitors are not citizens, going against U.S. policy that dates back more than 150 years based on a longstanding interpretation of the 14th Amendment. On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court took up that question again, and in a historic move, Trump attended the oral arguments in person, something no sitting president has ever done before. We should see a decision on this in late June or early July. Meanwhile, for the first time in more than 50 years, humans are headed for the moon. On Wednesday evening, NASA's Artemis II is launching four astronauts on a lunar fly-around. Already, the mission is making history, the crew includes the first woman, the first person of color, and the first non-American to set off for the moon, with liftoff scheduled from Cape Canaveral, Florida. In business, organizers of the Barbie Dream Fest in Florida are issuing full refunds after attendees reported the high-priced immersive event failed to meet expectations, and Apple is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

The United States and Israel's war on Iran is going on a month now, with Iran reportedly dismissing President Trump's ceasefire plan and offering a proposal of their own. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is ordering 2,000 soldiers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. In total, an estimated 50,000 U.S. troops are stationed throughout the region in what the Pentagon is calling "Operation Epic Fury." And lawmakers are facing intense pressure to fund the Department of Homeland Security as travel chaos spreads across the country, with the Senate appearing to be closing in on a deal that would fund parts of DHS like TSA, but not ICE, which has been at the core of the dispute. Now, airlines are turning up the heat on lawmakers. Delta Airlines announced Wednesday that it will suspend special accommodations for members of Congress, including airport escorts and priority travel support. In business, Amazon-backed Zoox is quadrupling its autonomous vehicle service area in San Francisco and preparing for launches in Austin and Miami, and plus-size fashion retailer Torrid is shuttering a significant portion of its physical locations as it shifts focus toward digital sales. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Markwayne Mullin was sworn in Tuesday as DHS secretary, taking the reins of a department that's faced growing scrutiny over its immigration enforcement and mass deportation operations. The Oklahoma senator and former MMA fighter is an ally of President Trump and has long supported his predecessor, Kristi Noem. Meanwhile, a University of Southern California professor created a methodology that determined which candidates from the California gubernatorial race should be invited to a debate. That debate was supposed to happen on Tuesday night, but USC canceled it with less than 24 hours notice after they received backlash for not including any candidates of color. In business, discount retailers like Ross are seeing record growth in California as consumers pivot away from traditional department stores, and developers of the massive One Beverly Hills luxury complex have secured $4.3 billion in financing to complete the 17.5-acre project. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

At New York City's LaGuardia Airport, two pilots were killed and dozens more injured after an Air Canada plane crashed into a Port Authority fire truck. The Federal Aviation Administration closed LaGuardia until the late afternoon on Monday. The fatal collision comes as anxiety surrounding air travel is already growing due to the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has led to hourslong security lines at some airports tied to a nationwide shortage of TSA agents. Meanwhile, President Trump calmed some market uncertainty brought on by the war in Iran, which is entering its fourth week, announcing a five-day moratorium on U.S. attacks of Iranian energy sites; this caused oil prices to come down, with the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all ticking up. In business, California lawmakers are debating a bipartisan bill that would prohibit children under 16 from maintaining social media accounts, and Uber is partnering with Rivian to deploy up to 50,000 autonomous R2 robotaxis across North America and Europe by 2031. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

A deal to merge two of the largest local television news companies, Nexstar and Tegna, closed Thursday despite a lawsuit from the attorneys general of eight states to block it. The Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department approved the $6.2 billion deal, clearing the way for Nexstar to expand its already massive broadcast operation. Meanwhile, Muslims around the world are celebrating the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. It's a day traditionally greeted with joy as families and friends gather in prayer, enjoy traditional delicacies, and take part in vibrant festivities, but this year the celebration comes amid conflict, with war in and across the Middle East. In business, Edison International's CEO received a significant pay raise despite ongoing scrutiny over its potential role in the fatal Eaton Fires, and a new bipartisan bill restored billions in federal funds to help Southern California aerospace and defense startups. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Cesar Chavez's name adorns city streets and university buildings, but later this month, Californians for the first time will celebrate Farmworkers Day after lawmakers voted on Thursday to change the name of the state holiday. This comes after a New York Times investigation came out Wednesday under the headline "Cesar Chavez, a Civil Rights Icon, Is Accused of Abusing Girls for Years." It was a watershed moment and a time of reckoning with Chavez's legacy. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is racing to contain a growing global energy crisis as the war with Iran pushes oil prices further. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business on Thursday that the U.S. government could lift sanctions on Iranian oil, freeing up more than 100 million barrels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. In business, Josh D’Amaro has officially succeeded Bob Iger as CEO of Disney, and travelers face increasing ticket prices as jet fuel costs surge globally. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

As the Iran War rages on, it's continuing to cause ripples across the global economy, including an increase in the cost of jet fuel, meaning flights might get more expensive for consumers. Meanwhile, as controversial prediction markets take off, one of the biggest names in the industry, Kalshi, is being hit with criminal charges by the state of Arizona. And, just a year after the deadly 2025 Eaton fires, Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, which claimed responsibility for the blaze, rewarded two of their top executives with massive paydays. In business, Amazon has launched a one-hour delivery service in Los Angeles and hundreds of other cities, and Grindr is introducing AI features for premium subscribers to improve user matching and conversation tracking. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

The SAVE America Act, a controversial election bill backed by President Trump, is headed for a Senate showdown. It would be one of the largest revisions to voting rights in U.S. history. Meanwhile, National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent is resigning, writing on X that he "cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran," which has left over 1,400 Iranians dead. And, Southern California is bracing for what climate scientist Daniel Swain is calling a "full on summer heat wave in March," with temperatures expected to peak Tuesday through Friday, reaching the 80s on the coast, and inland, possibly over 100 degrees. In business, Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick has confirmed his relocation to Texas, joining a growing list of billionaires leaving California ahead of a proposed 5% wealth tax, and Downtown Los Angeles advocates are pushing for the adoption of San Francisco’s "Vacant to Vibrant" program to fill retail vacancies. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr is threatening to revoke the licenses of news outlets that fail to align their reporting with what his agency deems the public interest. Meanwhile, leaders of the country's top airlines are urging Congress to end the partial government shutdown, which has left tens of thousands of TSA agents working without pay. The CEOs of American, JetBlue, Delta, and Southwest sent an open letter to lawmakers Sunday, calling on them to restore funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA. In business, El Pollo Loco plans to open 20 locations outside of California after reporting high sales numbers last year, and the luxury outdoor mall Victoria Gardens sold for $500 million dollars to a real estate venture group. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

The U.S. military announced the death of six service members, who lost their lives when a refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, bringing the total to at least 13 U.S. troops killed in the Iran War. At least 1,300 Iranian civilians have been killed. Meanwhile, the Senate on Thursday passed the most significant housing bill in about 35 years to address the nation's housing crisis. New data shows U.S. economic growth slowed at the end of 2025 after the record-long government shutdown. Hundreds of Los Angeles residents are wearing body cameras to record their daily chores, providing data to help train AI. And, California gas prices have reached an average of $5.20 per gallon, sparking renewed interest in electric vehicles, despite the elimination of federal tax credits and production cutbacks by major automakers. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Florida's no state income tax and pro-business policies are making it a haven for the wealthy, especially tech billionaires from California. Meanwhile, Iran's attacks on commercial ships and oil refineries in the Persian Gulf have prompted the International Energy Agency to release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves, with the U.S. contributing 172 million barrels. And Noma's head chef René Redzepi is stepping down from the restaurant he helped create in 2003, but his LA pop-up will go on. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

The show will go on for Noma's pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles’s Silver Lake neighborhood, but some of Noma's sponsors like American Express, Resy, and Blackbird are pulling out of the 16-week event after allegations of abusive behavior by chef and co-founder René Redzepi toward his staff. Meanwhile, your trip to LAX might cost you more than usual as the airport starts charging rideshare companies like Uber, Lyft, and taxis higher access fees. The new fees will take effect later this summer when the airport opens its long-delayed automated train known as Skylink. In business, Yamaha Motor Corp. announces it will relocate its California operations to Kennesaw, Georgia, by the end of 2028, and Disney names Thomas Mazloum as the new chairman of Disney Experiences, overseeing theme parks and cruise lines. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed that Tuesday will be the “most intense” day of strikes on Iran. When asked about the timeline of the conflict, Hegseth and President Trump have given mixed messages. On Monday, Trump told CBS News that the war with Iran is “very complete,” before reversing course later in the day. Meanwhile, AI company Anthropic is suing the Department of Defense after being labeled a supply chain risk last week. The company alleges the government violated its First Amendment rights following disputes over how federal agencies could use Anthropic’s technology. In business, Ross has opened two new locations in Alhambra and North Hollywood as part of a national plan to launch 110 stores this year, and Beyond Meat officially rebranded as "Beyond The Plant Protein Co." to reflect its expansion into protein drinks and bars. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Oil prices surged Monday as the war in Iran escalates. Brent crude, the international benchmark, briefly climbed near $120 a barrel after Iran announced Mojtaba Khamenei will succeed his father as Supreme Leader. Meanwhile, travelers at some airports across the U.S. reported hours-long security lines as TSA agents prepare to go without pay during the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown. In business, Chinese Labubu maker Pop Mart has opened its 22,000-square-foot U.S. headquarters in Culver City, and Grocery Outlet announced it will close 36 underperforming stores by the end of the year. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

The war on Iran continues to quickly escalate into a broader regional conflict. Iran is accusing the United States of an "atrocity at sea" after a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean. Civilian casualties from Israeli and U.S. attacks have topped 1,000, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Meanwhile, Paramount's deal to purchase Warner Brothers Discovery could soon bring two of the most powerful networks in television news, CNN and CBS News, together under one roof — forcing the longtime competitors into a potentially complex partnership. The Los Angeles City Council recognized the Brady Bunch home as a historic cultural landmark. California wineries are facing severe decline due to grape oversupply, decreased demand from younger consumers, and international trade boycott. And, Varda Space Industries has leased a former Mattel plant in El Segundo to scale its operations. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

The United States' war on Iran is quickly expanding into a regional conflict. On its fourth day, Iran attacked the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, coming after their attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait. In total, over 700 Iranians have been killed as of Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, all eyes are on Texas, as voters head to the polls to cast their ballots in one of the first primary elections in the country. The race has already become the most expensive primary in U.S. history, with more than $15 million spent on advertising, according to AdImpact. Democrats haven't won a statewide election since 1994, and they're hoping to make history in November. In business, California gas prices may rise due to the U.S. war on Iran, and Paramount plans to merge its streaming platform with HBO Max as part of its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Over the weekend, the United States and Israel attacked Iran, killing the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, over 500 Iranians, four U.S. soldiers, and at least 11 Israelis have been killed, according to reports. Iran has retaliated by striking at least six U.S. military facilities across the Middle East and attacking luxury hotels and airports in Dubai. President Trump says the U.S. military will continue to attack Iran for four to five weeks, if necessary. And, already the war is having dramatic effects on global markets, with oil and gas prices surging nearly 10%. However, about 20% of the world's oil supply flows through the Strait of Hormuz, where tanker traffic has effectively been shut down. In business, compounding factors are driving car insurance prices up in California, and Coco Robotics introduced Coco 2, an upgraded version of its autonomous food delivery robot. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

After more than two months of tug-of-war for Warner Brothers Discovery, Netflix is dropping the rope and clearing the way for Paramount Skydance to take over one of Hollywood's most iconic studios. Meanwhile, more fallout after the FBI raided Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho's home and office on Wednesday. And from flood watch to heat warnings, Southern California is rounding out February with more extreme weather. After a series of winter storms pummeled the Southland earlier this month, damaging roads and flooding businesses, a high-pressure system is sending temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above normal. In business, the majority of Moreno Valley Mall remains closed after city officials found hundreds of fire safety violations, and Trader Joe's issued a nationwide frozen chicken fried rice due to potential glass contamination. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

In this episode of The Envelope podcast, Teyana Taylor describes the “slingshot” of success that’s come with “One Battle After Another” and shares her insights as to why fictional revolutionary Perfidia Beverly Hills does what she does in the film.

President Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address on record Tuesday night, presenting an upbeat, defiant vision of America. But recent polling tells a different story: 57% of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy and 64% disapprove of his tariff policy. Meanwhile, Dr. Casey Means, Trump's controversial nominee for U.S. surgeon general, testified before the Senate on Wednesday seeking confirmation after the role sat empty for over a year. And in Los Angeles, autonomous delivery robots require an entire field team to keep them clean, charged, and safe, creating a new gig economy job: robot wranglers. In business, developer Kali P. Chaudhuri has agreed to purchase downtown Los Angeles’ unfinished Oceanwide Plaza that became infamous for its graffiti, and Public Storage becomes the latest company to leave California. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

President Trump’s State of the Union comes as a majority of American voters disapprove of how he is handling the economy, immigration, tariffs, healthcare, and foreign policy, according to a recent Wall Street Journal poll. Also, Savannah Guthrie is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to her mother Nancy's recovery. Meanwhile, the San Diego-based fast food chain, Jack in the Box, has struggled quite a bit. The chain lost over $400 million on the acquisition of Del Taco; Jack in the Box closed more than 60 locations, raised prices, and are now embroiled in tension over their board chairman. In business, seven candidates have entered the race for California Insurance Commissioner following a devastating wildfire season, and Uber announced it’s preparing to launch robotaxis in Los Angeles within the next few months under its "Uber Autonomous Solutions" program. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

For the first time in nearly 400 years, a senior member of Britain's royal family was arrested. Prince Andrew was arrested by British police on Thursday and questioned about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, Bari Weiss, the new CBS News editor-in-chief, cemented her media career around championing free speech. Weiss was slated to give a talk at UCLA for their prestigious Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture Series. But, she’s withdrawing from the event, citing security concerns. UCLA, however, says the decision was made solely by Weiss and her team and that the university was ready to put in place comprehensive measures to ensure her safety. In business, California regulators decided not to suspend Tesla’s sales after the company revised the marketing language for its "Full Self-Driving" feature, and OpenAI has been temporarily blocked from using the name “Cameo” for an AI video feature after the celebrity video platform sued over trademark infringement. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

President Trump's Board of Peace met for the first time to discuss goals for redevelopment in Gaza, where more than 70,000 Palestinians have died over two years of war. And, more news is coming out about a High Sierra tragedy—the avalanche that left eight skiers dead and one still missing; of the 15 skiers who set out with Blackbird Mountain Guides, six were rescued and two remain hospitalized, but are expected to recover. It's now the deadliest avalanche in modern California history. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Senator Bernie Sanders is taking aim at billionaires, helping a campaign to tax California's wealthiest residents. The proposal would impose a one-time 5% tax on the total wealth of billionaires in the state. In business, L.A's westside is getting its first Ikea, and California regulators approved new rules that would ban blackjack in card rooms. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Just northwest of Lake Tahoe, eight of the nine skiers that were still trapped under an avalanche were found dead on Wednesday afternoon. The search for the remaining person has turned into a recovery mission more than 24 hours after the collapse buried 15 backcountry skiers under the deadliest avalanche in modern California history. Meanwhile, public comments sent out by an AI-powered advocacy company might’ve led, in part, to a Southern California plan being scrapped that would’ve placed fees on new gas furnaces and water heaters in an effort to cut back on smog-forming pollution. And, it’s a day of celebration for Mikaela Shiffrin, who took gold in slalom. Shiffrin’s the most decorated skier in Olympic history, but failed to medal at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. Mikaela Shiffrin is so back. In business, fire survivors in Altadena say connecting to Southern California Edison’s new underground power lines could cost $20,000 to $40,000 per home, and Rivian's shares jumped up after reporting a profitable year despite a broader slowdown in the EV industry. Read more at LATimes.com.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., died at the age of 84. As leaders around the world reflect on his legacy, Jackson is remembered as one of the nation’s most powerful voices for Black Americans. In other news, Warner Bros. Discovery is giving Paramount Skydance seven days to submit its “best and final” offer to buy the entire studio, including Warner’s cable channels and HBO Max. The move comes after Paramount submitted an enhanced offer last week, complicating Netflix’s proposed $82.7 billion deal. And happy Lunar New Year! The Year of the Fire Horse is said to inspire action, confidence and independence. In business, Chipotle reports its worst business year since going public 20 years ago, and Mattel saw its shares plunge after reporting weak holiday sales due to miscalculated Barbie doll demands. Read more at LATimes.com.

The Department of Homeland Security could shut down this weekend if lawmakers leave Washington for a holiday break without reaching a deal on a funding bill. Meanwhile, inflation cooled in January. New data shows U.S. inflation at 2.4%, just above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. In other news, President Trump repealed the 2009 endangerment finding on greenhouse gases, reversing years of federal climate policy. And in Southern California, a storm is expected to bring moderate rain and potentially dangerous waves to the coast next week. In business, a proposed California bill would extend mortgage relief for homeowners rebuilding after the Palisades and Eaton fires, and Wall Street is selling stocks seen as vulnerable to artificial intelligence disruption. Read more at LATimes.com.

Newly released Justice Department records tied to Jeffrey Epstein mention several prominent Los Angeles figures, including Casey Wasserman, Barry Josephson and Brett Ratner. The documents contain emails, photos and other records ranging from professional to personal, underscoring the breadth of Epstein’s network before his 2019 death while facing sex trafficking charges. Meanwhile, L.A. County officials have voted to place a half-cent sales tax increase on the June ballot. Supporters say the measure would offset expected federal healthcare cuts, while critics question its oversight and impact on taxpayers. In business, major social media companies including Meta, TikTok, and Snap will be evaluated under a new teen safety rating system, and Los Angeles has approved a new adaptive reuse ordinance allowing office buildings to convert into housing.

The Federal Aviation Administration shut down flights coming in and out of El Paso Airport for 10 days, citing "special security reasons." But then, pretty quickly, lifted that order. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says drones from Mexican cartels breached U.S. airspace. And in California, nine people have died inside LA County jails so far this year, an alarming number for the sheriff's department, who's already under investigation by the state over conditions in local lockups. Also, Elon Musk is making waves by merging SpaceX with his AI company. Will there be an AI data center in space? In business, a Super Bowl commercial has ignited a public dispute about ads in chatbots, and the Westminster Mall now has a demolition date. Read more at LATimes.com.

A proposed tax on billionaires in California: Governor Gavin Newsom is against it, Senator Bernie Sanders is for it. Sanders is soon kicking off a campaign to get that measure across the finish line. Basically, the idea is a one-time 5% tax on the assets of the over 200 billionaires in California. Supporters need signatures from about 875,000 registered voters to submit to election officials by the end of June for the measure to qualify for the November election. Meanwhile, San Francisco public schools shut down on Monday, as teachers walked off the job for the first time in nearly 50 years. San Francisco Unified School District is only offering teachers a 6% raise and limited coverage, blaming decreased state funding and a massive deficit. In business, a survey found that Los Angeles and Long Beach homes are among the most expensive in the nation, and BYD toppled Tesla as the world’s leading electric vehicle seller last year due to increased competition due to the end of federal EV tax incentives, growing competition overseas and brand damage. Read more at LATimes.com.

Sunday marked one week since Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, was kidnapped from her home in Arizona. Meanwhile, in Italy, the home of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, U.S. athletes are speaking out about politics back home. And in 1946, Minute Maid figured out a way to make orange juice a year-round breakfast staple. But now, after 80 years, the company is halting sales of its frozen juice cans. In business, healthcare workers at Kaiser Permanente are raising one of California’s first major labor challenges over artificial intelligence, and 25-year-old Ali Ansari is nearing billionaire status after co-founding an AI startup that employs human experts like lawyers and doctors to train AI models. Read more at LATimes.com.

It's the first day of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Hockey, curling, alpine skiing, luge, and now a new sport: ski mountaineering, also known as "skimo." And another storyline to follow is the return of superstar skier Lindsey Vonn, who was on the sidelines for five years before returning for this year's Olympics. Meanwhile, a $16 billion plan called the Hudson River Tunnel Project is kaput for now after President Trump announced he's withholding its funding. It was seen as one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the country. Also, in Los Angeles, traffic jams don't just happen on the freeways, they're happening in the sky too, with the airspace over Hollywood Burbank Airport being some of the most congested in the country. In business, the graffiti towers, officially known as the Oceanwide Plaza, reached a bankruptcy agreement that may open the path to its sale and cleanup, and the Teamsters of California are calling for the state to ban Waymo cars after one struck a child in Santa Monica. Read more at LATimes.com.

United States and Russia are reportedly closing in on a deal to continue the expiring arms control treaty called New START. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has joined the World Health Organization's Global Outbreak Response Network. Meanwhile in California, officials have green-lit a controversial plan to eliminate all the deer on Catalina island. And for the first time in over ten years, NHL players are preparing to face off on Olympic ice. In business, the Eddie Bauer retailer may close its stores as its parent company prepares to file for bankruptcy, and new data shows California’s job losses slowed in January even as layoffs surged nationwide. Read more at LATimes.com.

In Washington, the government has, in fact, reopened from after a partial shutdown. Also, President Trump is suggesting the federal government take control of some state elections, which at the moment is illegal. Meanwhile, in New York City, companies are throwing their hat in the ring for a $1.1 billion contract with the city to design subway turnstiles that, in part, prevent fare evasion. And in Los Angeles, several local leaders are calling on the chair of the LA28 Olympics Committee, Casey Wasserman, to resign. In business, California lawmakers are demanding answers from major insurers over strict documentation requirements, and quantum computing company D-Wave plans to move its headquarters to Boca Raton, Florida. Read more at LATimes.com.

It's Groundhog Day, and Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, meaning his prediction is six more weeks of winter weather. Meanwhile in Washington, D.C., the House Rules Committee is meeting on Monday in an effort to fully reopen the government. And Americans are living longer than ever; in 2024, U.S. life expectancy reached 79 years old, the highest mark in country history. In business, the modern day space race is taking over California's Central Coast, raising environmental concerns, and a Palo Alto company is selling flying vehicles that customers can fly within limited airspace and without a pilot's license. Read more at LATimes.com.

Forty years ago today, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after taking off at Cape Canaveral's Kennedy Space Center; New Hampshire Public Radio spoke to people who knew Christa McAuliffe, who was going to be the first teacher in space. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve voted to keep interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, despite heavy pressure from the White House to lower borrowing costs. Also, new data shows median rent in LA dropped to about $2,100 in December, the lowest in four years. And for the first time since the pandemic, California's population has stalled. In business, California Covered enrollees may see higher premiums now that pandemic-era health insurance subsidies have expired, and Amazon says it will layoff 16,000 workers and shut down its brick-and-mortar stores. Read more at LATimes.com.