President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at speeding up rebuilding in Los Angeles neighborhoods devastated by the January 2025 wildfires, directing federal agencies to streamline reviews and allow builders to self-certify compliance. California officials argue financing gaps and insurance issues, not permitting, are the biggest obstacles for families still waiting to return home.
Seattle advanced to the Super Bowl after a 31-27 NFC championship win over the Los Angeles Rams, powered by Sam Darnold’s three touchdown passes and a late defensive stop. The Rams had a chance inside the Seattle 10 late but were turned away on fourth down.
Meta Platforms agreed to pay Corning up to $6 billion over several years for optical fiber, cable and connectivity products for U.S. data centers, as the company expands AI computing infrastructure. Corning plans to expand manufacturing capacity in North Carolina, where Meta will be an anchor customer.
UPS says it will cut as many as 30,000 operational jobs in 2026 through buyouts and attrition, while closing facilities and shifting focus to higher-margin segments such as healthcare. The company is continuing to scale down Amazon package volume as part of a broader restructuring designed to align costs with demand.
Investors headed into a major week of earnings and a Federal Reserve decision with futures flat, while a sweeping winter storm disrupted travel and safe-haven demand pushed gold above new highs, reflecting heightened anxiety around policy and geopolitics.
The death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse and U.S. citizen shot by a federal officer in Minneapolis, has amplified legal and political pressure over aggressive immigration enforcement and the growing number of fatalities tied to operations under the Trump administration.
U.K. police said 86 people were arrested after demonstrators gathered outside HMP Wormwood Scrubs in West London in support of a Palestine Action prisoner who has been on hunger strike, with authorities alleging protesters breached prison grounds and disrupted operations.
New England and Seattle will meet in Super Bowl LX on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, setting up a high-profile rematch that follows the Patriots’ AFC title run and the Seahawks’ NFC Championship victory.
A sprawling winter storm pushed snow, ice and extreme cold across large parts of the United States, triggering mass flight cancellations, widespread delays and major power outages as officials warned disruptions could linger into midweek.
Bottled water is often chosen as a ‘safer’ option, but experts warn it can add significant microplastic exposure compared with tap water. The best choice may depend on local contamination risks—and on whether people can realistically maintain effective filtration.
The Commerce Department’s CHIPS Program Office announced a proposed funding package for USA Rare Earth aimed at onshoring critical minerals and scaling rare-earth magnet manufacturing, linking industrial policy to the semiconductor ecosystem and supply-chain security.
The World Health Organization said Ethiopia has declared its first Marburg virus disease outbreak over after 42 consecutive days without new confirmed cases, following response efforts spanning surveillance, labs, case management and community engagement.
