Los Angeles Steven Otero, who lives in a tent on Skid Row, witnessed ash fall on everything in his house as wildfires burned just miles away. The poisonous flood even threatened his food and water. He claimed that in a matter of minutes, the cup of water I had set out had filled with ash. Otero claimed that he has no underlying medical conditions or respiratory ailments, but on the third day of the fires, which broke out on January 7 in the Pacific Palisades district of Los Angeles and the neighboring city of Altadena, killing at least 47 people and destroying 16,255 homes, he was having trouble breathing. "It felt like the shortness of breath you get when you're leaving the pool after swimming," he added. Unhoused persons on Skid Row do not have the same options, they claimed, as many A...

WashingtonAccording to two people familiar with his plans, President Donald Trump is anticipated to sign a comprehensive executive order on Wednesday that will prioritize and free up government resources to expand school choice programs. According to a senior White House official, the directive is anticipated to have an impact on a number of government departments, including the Department of Education, which would be instructed to give school choice initiatives priority when allocating discretionary grants and to advise states regarding federal funding for districts and schools. According to the source, the Department of Health and Human Services will be required to publish guidelines outlining how states that receive block grants for families and children can utilize those funds for priv...

On Wednesday, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to be the next secretary of health and human services, will face his first Senate confirmation hearing. He is anticipated to be questioned about his opinions on abortion and vaccines, as well as any potential conflicts of interest that may arise in the position. Although a number of Trump's Cabinet choices have caused controversy, few have sparked as much outside opposition from the left and right as former third-party presidential candidate John F. Kennedy has. Kennedy has been the target of derogatory paid advertising efforts, with conservatives denouncing his views on abortion and liberals condemning his anti-vaccine views. Nobel laureates and doctors have publicly warned about him and charged him with politicizing sc...

Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat, declared on Tuesday that he would not seek reelection in Michigan in 2026, setting up a crucial open-seat contest in one of the country's most evenly divided swing states. In an interview with The Detroit News, Peters announced that he would not retire but would not run for reelection because he did not believe that serving in Congress was something that should be done for the rest of one's life. He told the newspaper, "I always thought there would come a time when I would step aside and pass the reins for the next generation." This is a fairly common statement, in my opinion, for everyone to make: I've done a job, and I'm proud of it, but I have other goals for my life. I can contribute to the community in various ways. Peters announced his choice via a press...

WashingtonAccording to two people familiar with his plans, President Donald Trump is anticipated to sign a comprehensive executive order on Wednesday that will prioritize and free up government resources to expand school choice programs. According to a senior White House official, the directive is anticipated to have an impact on a number of government departments, including the Department of Education, which would be instructed to give school choice initiatives priority when allocating discretionary grants and to advise states regarding federal funding for districts and schools. According to the source, the Department of Health and Human Services will be required to publish guidelines outlining how states that receive block grants for families and children can utilize those funds for priv...

This Super Bowl, Fox Corporation is winning big. According to a person familiar with the situation, the broadcaster has sold out of commercial space for Super Bowl 59 on February 9; over ten of those advertisements sold for $8 million each. Fox announced that it had sold out of Super Bowl advertising spaces for the fall of 2024 during its results call with investors in November. Media reports at the time estimated average rates at almost $7 million per ad. On the call in November, Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch stated, "We're sold out for the Super Bowl at record what we believe [is] a record pricing." According to a person familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss nonpublic matters, a large portion of the Super Bowl ad inventory was sold during Fox's Upfront pre...

Although there was no change in mortgage rates last week, the demand for new house loans kept declining. The higher loan rates of today are a hindrance to both prospective and existing homeowners. The seasonally adjusted index from the Mortgage Bankers Association showed a 2% drop in the overall volume of mortgage applications from the previous week. on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances of $766,550 or less, the average contract interest rate stayed at 7.02%, while points on loans with a 20% down payment increased from 0.62 to 0.63 (including the origination fee). Home loan refinance applications fell 7% for the week and increased 5% over the same period last year. Few people are able to take advantage of the 24 basis point increase in interest rates from a year ago...

On Wednesday, former Senator Bob Menendezis will be sentenced in federal court in New York on accusations of bribery and corruption. Prosecutors are recommending that he be imprisoned for 15 years. The 71-year-old former leader of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee calls the plan "vindictive and cruel" and "a life and death sentence" for the New Jersey Democrat. In July, following a dramatic trial in which prosecutors accused Menendez of accepting bribes, including cash and gold bars, to favour the governments of Qatar and Egypt, he was convicted guilty of extortion, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and operating as a foreign agent. Menendez entered a not guilty plea and promised to challenge the verdict. According to NBC News, he has also been requesting a pardon from P...

A little more than a week after President Donald Trump took office for a second term with Elon Musk at his side, Tesla released its fourth-quarter earnings report. Shareholders of the electric car manufacturer have some concerns now that the CEO of Tesla is firmly established in Washington, D.C., in a prominent advisory position. More than 100 shareholders posted questions regarding Musk's politics, including his official position at Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and his support of far-right candidates, on the forum that Tesla uses to ask investors questions before its earnings calls. In comparison to his public interactions with Trump, DOGE, and political activities, how much time does Elon Musk spend expanding Tesla, resolving product difficulties, and increasing sha...