Diane Moss lost her home in the Santa Monica Mountains after power lines ignited the apocalyptic Woolsey Fire in 2018. Since then, she’s pressed for a safer electric grid in California. “It’s so easy to forget the risk that we live in — until it happens to you,” said Moss, a longtime clean energy advocate. “All of us in California have to think about how we better prepare to survive disaster, which is only going to be more of a problem as the climate changes.” In recent years, California’s power companies have been doing just that: insulating power lines and burying lines underground, trimming trees, deploying drones and using risk-detection technology. As wildfires across the U.S. intensify , California is on the leading edge of efforts to prevent more deadly and destructive fires ignited by downed power lines and malfunctioning equipment. Customers have shouldered a hefty price for wildfire safety measures. From 2019 through 2023, the California Public Utilities Commission authorized the three largest utilities to collect $27 billion in wildfire prevention and insurance costs from ratepayers, according to a report to the Legislature. And the costs are projected to keep rising: The three companies — Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric — continue to seek billions more from customers for wildfire prevention spending. Rates are expected to continue outpacing inflation through 2027 . Fire safety projects are a big part of the reason that Californians pay the highest electric rates in the nation, outside of Hawaii. Other reasons include rooftop solar incentives, new transmission systems and upgrades for electric vehicles. High electric bills have helped fuel a statewide affordability crisis alongside soaring housing prices, expensive groceries and costly gasoline. Small businesses are feeling the burden, along with the state’s poorest residents: One in three low-income households served by the three utilities fell behind in paying their power bills this year. California’s three investor-owned utilities are regulated monopolies, so when they spend money on costs related to wildfires, they recover it through customers’ bills. The price of electricity has ignited debate about how much California families should bear for the cost of wildfire prevention, whether utilities are balancing risk and affordability and whether the money is being spent wisely. Loretta Lynch, a former head of the state utilities commission, said lack of oversight is a problem, with the commission “rubber-stamping outrageous costs” and allowing the companies to “address wildfires in the most expensive, least effective way possible.” One of the biggest controversies is whether the utilities should be spending so much on burying power lines, an extremely costly and slow process. Last year, a state audit concluded that the utilities commission and the state’s advocates office must do more to verify whether utilities were completing the work they sought payment for. The three companies say the billions of dollars in spending is necessary as climate change worsens wildfires across the state . Utility equipment has caused less than 10% of the state’s fires but nearly half of its most destructive fires, according to the utilities commission . PG&E, which a few years ago came out of bankruptcy triggered by its liability for several deadly, destructive fires, has adopted the stance that “catastrophic wildfires shall stop.” The company, which serves the most high-risk areas in California, is the state’s largest spender on wildfire prevention. PG&E plans to bury 10,000 miles of power lines in its highest-risk areas — work that is highly contentious because it is costly and slow. The company has buried 800 miles since 2021 , with each mile costing between $3 and $4 million. Last year, the commission approved a $3.7 billion plan for PG&E to bury 1,230 miles of lines through 2026. Sumeet Singh, PG&E’s chief operating officer, told CalMatters that the utility is concerned about rates, too. He said the company is “very committed to stabilizing our customer rates as we go forward without compromising safety. I think that’s clear, that it’s a non-negotiable....There’s a pretty robust process, and oversight, that we are under.” Kevin Geraghty, chief operating officer of SDG&E, called the wildfire spending process “the most highly-scrutinized, regulatory utility process I have ever been involved in, in my life.” Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order in October aimed at tackling the high costs of electricity, asking state agencies to evaluate their oversight of wildfire projects and ensure that the utilities are focused on “cost-effective” measures. He is seeking proposals for changes in rules or laws by Jan. 1. The spark for the increased spending came seven years ago, after California suffered one of its worst droughts and a series of devastating wildfires in 2017 and 2018, many ignited by utility equipment. Sixteen fires were caused by PG&E equipment during a rash of October 2017 fires that decimated Napa, Sonoma and other Northern California counties. That December, the Thomas Fire , sparked by Southern California Edison equipment, engulfed parts of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. But the devastation of 2017 was only a prelude to an even graver year. On Nov. 8, 2018, the Camp Fire leveled the town of Paradise, killing 85 people, making it the deadliest wildfire in state history. The Camp Fire was caused by the failure of an old metal hook attached to a PG&E transmission tower. An intense wind event pushed the fire at a rate of roughly 80 football fields per minute at its peak. The company in 2020 pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter for its role in the disaster. The same day as the destruction in Paradise, another fire ignited some 470 miles south. In the Simi Hills of Ventura County, Southern California Edison wires in two separate locations made contact with others, triggering “arc” flashes that rained hot metal fragments and sparks onto the dry brush below. These triggered two blazes, which soon merged to form the Woolsey Fire. Santa Ana winds spread the conflagration across parched terrain, with swaths of the nationally protected Santa Monica Mountains reduced to ash. Moss, the clean energy advocate, evacuated her home with her son that day. Her husband, clinging to hope, stayed until the blaze threatened to swallow him whole. Their neighborhood near Malibu, with its heavily wooded surroundings, was no match for the inferno. “My husband stayed until the last minute, when it just — it looked like it could cost him his life,” Moss said. “Everybody else left, and just about all of us lost.” Three people died. Moss’ home was gone, reduced to a hollowed out structure and charred rubble, along with about 100,000 acres of parkland and wilderness , more than any other fire in recorded history for that area. In 2019, downed PG&E lines ignited Sonoma County’s Kincade Fire . Then two years later, the Dixie Fire , also caused by PG&E equipment, became the second largest wildfire in California history, burning 963,000 acres north of Chico. The 2021 Dixie Fire, which claimed one life and destroyed 1,311 structures, was the last catastrophic wildfire in California confirmed to be caused by utility equipment. The number of fires triggered by the companies’ equipment fluctuates from year to year, driven by the huge variability in California’s weather. But data from 2014 through 2023 indicate there were substantially fewer fires last year than in other recent years. SDG&E equipment caused 16 fires after its high of 32 fires in 2015, Southern California Edison had 90 fires, compared to a 2021 high of 173, and PG&E reported 374 fires after a high of 510 in 2020. PG&E also reported that fires in its highest-risk areas trended down every month of 2023 compared to the same months in previous years. But that progress reversed this year, with 62 fires reported by August in high-risk areas, compared to 65 in all of 2023. (PG&E would not provide 2024 fire data to CalMatters.) Caroline Thomas Jacobs, inaugural director of the state Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, established in 2021 to oversee utility safety, said progress can be hard to measure. Nevertheless, she said she has seen a cultural shift at electric companies in recent years, with a more focused approach in high-risk areas and an environment that empowers workers to prioritize safety. “It just takes the wrong ignition ... under the right conditions, to have a catastrophic fire,” Thomas Jacobs said. “But are we in a better place? The numbers seem to indicate we’re moving in the right direction.” PG&E has installed more than 1,500 weather stations and 600 AI-enabled cameras to detect severe weather and ignitions, Singh said. Enhanced safety systems now cut power to lines within a tenth of a second. The utility also has cleared vegetation, ordered power shutoffs during high-risk times, insulated lines and buried some lines underground. “Where do we see the greatest risk?” Singh said the company asks itself, and “what is the most cost-effective way to be able to reduce that risk for every dollar that’s spent?” Southern California Edison said since its investments began in 2019, the risk of catastrophic wildfire in its system has dropped between 85 and 90%. The company plans to bury 600 miles of lines in high-risk areas but it is relying much more on less-expensive insulating technology, which already has been used on more than 6,000 miles of lines. SDG&E began prioritizing wildfire prevention, including underground and insulated lines, a decade ahead of the other two utilities, after its lines sparked three major fires in 2007. The company has avoided a catastrophic fire since 2007, despite operating in one of the nation’s most fire-prone regions. “We continue to double down, and do and do more tomorrow than we did yesterday,” said Brian D’Agostino, the utility’s vice president of wildfire and climate science. “We don’t take a single day without a fire for granted.” Critics say the scramble to address the wildfire crisis has left the state vulnerable to overspending by utilities. About two months before the Camp and Woolsey fires, outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown in 2018 signed a $1 billion plan to thin forests and clear out the tinderbox of California’s dead and dying trees. That measure came too late to prevent the devastation. But it opened the door to increased spending by utilities beyond limits set in the highly deliberative process known as their general rate cases, which determine what Californians pay. Newsom and the Legislature in 2019 created a $21 billion wildfire fund paid for by Wall Street investors and California ratepayers to help PG&E exit bankruptcy and protect utilities from being financially threatened by the wildfires they cause. The utilities cannot access the state’s $21 billion fund unless their wildfire plans are approved by the energy safety office. One problem, critics say, is that the safety plans are approved by one government entity while the spending to carry them out is approved by another. “We now have this very odd system,” said Lynch, who served on the utilities commission from 2000 through 2004. “The Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety reviews the plans, puts out guidelines, but then the (commission) still has to ratify the plans, so that the utilities can take money from their ratepayers.” On a temperate, clear morning in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Placerville in October, a PG&E construction crew donned yellow jackets and safety helmets and went about the work of burying power lines along a narrow, wooded road. Overhead lines snaked through thick trees in this area — prime fire risk territory. The workers buried the lines in a trench that had been dug using a heavy piece of equipment designed to cut hard concrete and soil. Once those power lines are buried and activated, their risk of fires are all but eliminated. Burying lines in high-risk areas improves reliability amid rising wildfire risks and extreme weather, PG&E’s Singh said. Though it’s pricier up front, it eliminates the yearly expense of trimming trees and vegetation, which makes it a better, long-run value for customers, he said. “Underground is a no-brainer when you look at it from that lens,” Singh said. But the high cost and the time it takes to do the work has left some skeptical. The company has buried 800 miles of wires underground since 2021, and plans to bury more than 1,600 by the end of 2026. It aims to get the cost per mile down to $2.8 million by the end of 2026 from $3 million at the end of 2023. Michael Campbell, assistant deputy director of energy for the public advocates office, a state entity that represents utility customers, said PG&E should consider other means of preventing wildfire, like insulated wires, otherwise known as “covered conductors.” This can be deployed more quickly and at a lower cost, he said, and is effective when combined with operational techniques like fast trip settings and power safety shutoffs. “In some areas, (burying power lines) really is the correct approach to minimize risk. But it’s also very slow and very expensive, and so there’s a need to address safety in as many miles as quickly as possible, to reduce overall risk,” Campbell said. The utilities commission has taken a proof-of-concept approach: The commission scaled back PG&E’s plan to bury 2,000 miles through 2026 to 1,230. The commission approved installing covered conductors, or insulated power lines, over 778 miles. Lynch is skeptical of utilities and their big projects because they can profit from them, and Mark Toney, executive director of The Utility Reform Network, says too much spending is going unchecked. The sense of urgency following fires paved the way for the multi-billion surge in spending. The commission authorized PG&E, for instance, to spend $4.66 billion on wildfire costs from 2020 through 2022, but the company ultimately spent $11.7 billion and is seeking payment through utility bills, according to The Utility Reform Network. Audits of nearly $2.5 billion in 2019 and 2020 wildfire spending found some costs from PG&E , Southern California Edison and SDG&E may already have been covered by previously approved rates, or more documentation was needed to confirm they had not been covered. The utilities challenged many of the findings, saying they didn’t plan to claim some of the costs, and disputed the auditor’s conclusions as well as some of their calculations. In interviews with CalMatters, representatives for all three utilities said the process in place to oversee wildfire spending at the utilities commission was robust and thorough. Geraghty, of SDG&E, said the process is transparent, with public comment periods and hearings. Regarding critics who say wildfire prevention should be cheaper and faster, “every one of them had that voice, had that say, had that transparency through this entire process,” he said. Some expenses, such as operating costs, have an immediate impact on how much people pay in their bills. But other costs, such as long-term investments in insulating or burying power lines, are stretched out over years, meaning they add to bills for decades to come . Over time, these capital costs are growing due to factors like depreciation and the returns utilities are allowed to generate. This creates a compounding effect, meaning wildfire-related capital costs will take up an increasing share of what California customers are charged in the future. The burden of the rising bills is hitting many Californians hard. Roshonda Wilson, of Oakland, couldn’t afford to pay her power bill even though she said she watches television only after sunset, refrains from running unnecessary appliances and is hyper-aware of every energy-consuming action in her household. At one point PG&E turned her power off this year. “I couldn’t catch up,” she said. On the other hand, Moss — who has weathered not just the trauma of losing her home near Malibu but also the difficult process of rebuilding — says the expensive wildfire prevention work is critical to prevent more tragedies. “Even though (burying power lines) is costly and time-consuming, the cost and time of not doing it is starting to seem more devastating to a broader swath of people,” Moss said. Nevertheless, the rate hikes have alarmed climate activists who fear rising power bills in California may trigger a backlash against the state’s effort to switch to renewable energy, and influence other states, too. “The state, we fear, will start to lose the political will to keep pushing on,” said Mohit Chhabra, a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council. “The problem with that is not that California will be a few years late — we can handle that. But the impact on all the other states who are looking at California.” Natasha Uzcátegui-Liggett and Miguel Gutierrez Jr. contributed to this report.
A shooter kills UnitedHealthcare's CEO in an ambush in New York, police say NEW YORK (AP) — UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been shot and killed in what police say is a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference. The shooting rattled the city and set off a massive dragnet hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting. Police say 50-year-old Brian Thompson was shot around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch says the shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire. Police have not yet established a motive. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the US but was unknown to the millions of people his decisions affected. The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk early Wednesday swiftly became a mystery that riveted the nation. Police say it was a targeted killing. Thompson was 50. He had run health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s insurance business since 2021. It provides health coverage for more than 49 million Americans. He had worked at the company for 20 years. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year. Thompson's $10.2 million annual compensation package made him one of the company’s highest-paid executives. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s Pentagon pick, is fighting to hold on to his Cabinet nomination amid growing questions about his personal conduct as the president-elect’s team considers alternatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But Hegseth says, “We’re not backing down one bit." The Trump transition team is concerned about Hegseth’s path to Senate confirmation and is actively looking at potential replacements, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hegseth is under pressure as senators weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him. Beyond DeSantis, there have been discussions about shifting Michael Waltz, who was named by Trump as his national security adviser, to the Defense Department Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is bringing Peter Navarro back to the White House for his second administration. Trump announced Wednesday on Truth Social that Navarro will serve as a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing. He was a trade adviser in Trump's first term. Navarro served four months in prison after being held in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump also chose Daniel Driscoll as Army secretary, Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator and Adam Boehler as special presidential envoy for hostage affairs. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A Palestinian health official said Wednesday that at least 21 people were killed in Israeli strikes on a camp housing displaced people in Gaza. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants. The strikes hit in the Muwasi area, a sprawling coastal camp housing hundreds of thousands of displaced people. It came after Israeli forces struck targets in other areas of Gaza. According to Palestinian medics, strikes in central Gaza killed eight people, including four children. The war in Gaza is nearly 14 months old and showing no end in sight, despite international efforts to revive negotiations toward a ceasefire. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. Yoon's move baffled many experts. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Yoon hasn't commented on the impeachment bid. But the political instability he unleashed could make it more difficult for his government to nurse a decaying economy. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers have joined together to vote on a no-confidence motion prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet to resign. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered the new details Wednesday about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. Donald Trump won more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, and he had with a big assist from dog owners. That's according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support Trump over Kamala Harris. Cat owners were evenly split between the two candidates. Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who own a cat but no dog. Past comments by Trump's running mate, JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue.
On November 30, Saturday, the makers of the recently-released Malayalam film Hello Mummy, starring by Sharaf U Dheen and Aishwarya Lekshmi in the lead roles, took to their social media to release a new single from the film titled Neeyo. With music composed by Jakes Bejoy, the song features lyrics by Suhail Koya along with English lyrics and vocals by Reyan. Hello Mummy hit the big screens on November 21 to mixed reviews, mostly positive. The film has been directed by debutant filmmaker Vaishakh Elans. Billed as a fantasy comedy, Hello Mummy has been written by writer Sanjo Joseph of Falimy-fame. More About The Film The film, which has been billed as a fantasy comedy, marks the feature film debut of well-known ad film director Vaishakh Elans. The script of the film as been written by Sanjo Joseph, who penned the screenplay for Basil Joseph's Falimy. Filming for Hello Mummy took place in a number of locations around Mala, Thrissur. The supporting cast of the film includes Jagadish, Johny Antony, Sruthy Suresh, Adhri Joe, Joemon Jyothir, and Ganga Meera. With Hello Mummy, actor Sunny Hinduja, who is known for his roles in web series and Hindi films such as Aspirants, The Family Man, and The Railway Men, is making his Malayalam debut. The Crew Of Hello Mummy Praveen Kumar, a former colleague of Santhosh Sivan, has handled the cinematography for this film. The editor is Chaman Chacko. Jakes Bejoy has composed the songs and the original score for the film. Muhsin Parari is the lyricist. Hangover Visual Effects has handled the special effects in this fantasy comedy. The film has been produced by Hangover Films and A&HS Productions, Jomin Mathew, Aibin Thomas, and Rahul ES. The co-producers are Nisar Babu, Dipen Patel, and Sajin Ali. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Malayalam, Entertainment News and around the world.
Australia's economy continues to limp along at a sub-par pace, new data is expected to confirm, in line with federal government warnings. or signup to continue reading The national accounts report for the September quarter is expected to show gross domestic product expanded by a sluggish 0.4 per cent in the three months, and by 1.1 per cent over the year, according to economists. While this might be a tad higher than the pace for both measures recorded by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in the June quarter, it would be the slowest rate of expansion since December 1991 excluding the COVID-19 pandemic. In a ministerial statement on the economy to the federal parliament on November 20, Treasurer Jim Chalmers acknowledged the economy had continued to grow "but barely". "But any growth at all in these circumstances is welcome given many other countries have gone backwards," he added. One of the key drivers of economic growth is consumer consumption and spending. Some clues on how the consumer side is faring will be reflected in the statistics bureau's retail spending data for October, due on Monday, and a tally of the value of residential dwellings for the September quarter due on Tuesday. The bureau will also release quarterly balance of payments numbers, which measure the nation's trade position, and business indicators on company profits, wage payments and inventories for the three months ended September. Elsewhere on Monday, CoreLogic will release its home value index for November, which could show a slowing in price growth, and the Reserve Bank of Australia's head of domestic markets David Jacobs will give a speech at a securitisation conference. Mr Jacobs' speech will be the last the financial markets will hear from bank officials before it reveals its next decision on interest rates on December 10. Inflation continues to be outside the bank's target band of two to three per cent, dashing hopes of a rate cut anytime soon. Last week, the Albanese government smashed through a big chunk of its legislative agenda, including changes for the bank. The Reserve Bank board will soon be split into two separate committees - one for interest rate settings and the other for governance - after Labor struck a deal with the Greens and crossbench senators to approve the overhaul. The split was a key recommendation in last year's review of the bank. Meanwhile, the Australian stock market is expected to open higher on Monday after Wall Street made solid gains in a shortened trading day. The US S&P 500 rose 33.64 points, or 0.6 per cent, to 6,032.28, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 188.59 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 44,910.65, while the Nasdaq composite rose 157.69 points, or 0.8 per cent, to 19,218.17. During weekend trading the key ASX SPI200 Index futures contract added 21 points to 7012 points. The local market on Friday ended lower, with the ASX200 closing down just 8.1 points, or 0.1 per cent, at 8,436.2 and the All Ordinaries losing nine-tenths of a point to 8,699.1. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement AdvertisementAam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Rajya Sabha member from Ludhiana, Sanjeev Arora, has completed nearly 30 months. During his time in the Parliament, he has raised multiple issues related to Punjab and the industrial city of Ludhiana. He has also kept a close watch on drug menace and the pollution of Buddha Nullah, a bane for the city. According to Arora, a lot has been done to address the issues, but more work is needed. The MP spoke to Tarsem Deogan about his vision. Edited excerpts from the interview: Q As your terms near 30 months, what are some of the key accomplishments? My journey as a Rajya Sabha MP, which began in April 2022, has been both challenging and rewarding. Among the initiatives I’m most proud of are the upgrade of ESI Hospital in Ludhiana, setting up an ESIC medical college, and developing critical infrastructure like bridges on the Sidhwan Canal, Halwara Airport, and Ludhiana’s cycle tracks. Q: You pledged your Parliamentary salary to charitable and developmental causes. Could you elaborate? From the very beginning, I pledged to donate my entire salary to charity and developmental efforts.The financial commitment allows me to focus on people’s welfare and development without any personal interest, which I believe is the essence of true public service. Q: Infra development appears to be a cornerstone for you. What are some ongoing projects? Infrastructure development directly impacts people’s quality of life and drives economic growth. My focus stems from a desire to create sustainable, functional, and efficient public spaces. Ongoing projects include the beautification of areas under Ludhiana’s elevated highway, upgrading Ludhiana and Dhandari Kalan railway stations, and constructing parking lots under the highway with a capacity of 750 vehicles—the first such initiative by NHAI in the country. Q: How do you balance your role in Parliament with work on the ground? Parliamentary sessions are often disrupted or adjourned early, I utilise the time to visit project sites and interact with stakeholders to ensure progress. My questions in Parliament —156 to date, 140 of which pertain to Punjab — focus on public interest issues. Q: You’ve emphasised that your approach transcends party lines. Could you explain why this is important in today’s political landscape? Development should never be limited by political affiliations. My goal has always been to work for the public good, regardless of party lines. By focusing on Ludhiana’s and Punjab’s needs — be it through infrastructure, healthcare, or industrial development — I’ve gained the trust of people across the spectrum. Th collaborative approach has been crucial in achieving milestones like the approval of vehicle underpasses (VUPs) in Ludhiana, addressing traffic blackspots, and ensuring long-pending projects like focal point roads are completed.
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Sujeet Nair - CEO & Founder of Edel Assurance Sujeet Nair is the Founder and CEO of Edel Assurance, a leading provider of extended warranty solutions for luxury and high-end vehicles in India. Under his visionary leadership, Edel Assurance has grown from a startup in 2016 to a trusted industry name, catering to premium car owners across India. Sujeet’s expertise in risk management and strategic innovation has been instrumental in delivering exceptional results. A passionate traveler and automotive enthusiast, he balances professional success with a fulfilling personal life, valuing meaningful connections with family and friends. Vikas Singroha - Founder of Impresio Studio Vikas, the visionary founder of Impresio Studio, has transformed photography in India, setting unmatched standards of creativity and excellence. With over 5,000 shoots and branches in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, and Dubai, Impresio Studio is a trusted name for timeless artistry. Awarded the Best Photography Award by IBA, the studio has collaborated with renowned personalities like Gazal Singh (MamaEarth Founder) and Pavitra Kaur (TheClassyFoodPhile). Vikas ensures every moment captured is truly unforgettable. Dr.Saurabh Arora - Managing Director of Auriga Research Private Limited Dr. Saurabh Arora, a P.Hd in Pharmaceutics and managing director of Auriga Research Pvt. Ltd., which is a leading multidisciplinary testing lab & contract research organization in India. Auriga aims to drive innovation and ensure safe, high-quality products through world-class testing, inspection & related services worldwide. Over the four decades, Auriga's 800+ professionals have supported 12,000+ customers across the food, pharma, Ayush, FMCG, & medical devices industries in building credible brands. Mahesh Ravaria - CEO & Co-Founder of Beauty Garage Professional Mahesh Ravaria, CEO and Co-Founder of Beauty Garage Professional, is revolutionizing the hair care industry with innovative solutions and a customer-first approach. Blending expertise in commerce and event management, Mahesh introduced cutting-edge treatments like Hair Botox and ScalpSense, redefining salon experiences. Beauty Garage Professional, a true Made in India brand, leads with advanced research, sustainability, and a strong distribution network. Under Mahesh’s visionary leadership, the company is transforming the Indian hair care market and setting global benchmarks, positioning itself as a trusted partner for salons worldwide. Beauty Garage Professional is transforming a multi-million dollar Hair Care Sector and reinventing hair and scalp health with groundbreaking products. Gautam Rajgarhia - Pro Vice Chairman of DPS Varanasi, Nashik, Lava Nagpur, & Hinjawadi Gautam Rajgarhia, Pro Vice Chairman of DPS Varanasi, Nashik, Lava Nagpur, and Hinjawadi, is a visionary education leader with over 15 years of experience. An alumnus of B.M.S. College of Engineering and IIM Ahmedabad, he drives innovation and student-centered learning across his schools, impacting 8,000+ students annually. Founder Investor of Dreamtime Learning and Co-founder of Equanimity Learning, he emphasizes holistic education and 21st-century practices. A marathoner and advocate for quality education, Gautam’s institutions are celebrated for academic excellence, global citizenship, and preserving India’s cultural and environmental heritage. Delhi Public School Nashik, Lava Nagpur, Varanasi, and Hinjawadi (Pune) hold a distinguished reputation for its unwavering commitment to providing academic excellence. Its 75-year legacy stands as a testament to its rich heritage. Prasad Patil - CTO & Chief- Business Operations of Mobicule Technologies Pvt Ltd. Prasad Patil, CTO & Chief - Business Operations at Mobicule technologies Pvt. Ltd, is a visionary leader with over 26 years of experience. He has held key roles such as COO, CTO, and CISO in reputed organizations like Mahindra & Mahindra and ICICI Bank. At Mobicule, a pioneer in mobile field force solutions, he drives innovation in Debt Collection, Digital KYC, and KPI Gamification, integrating advanced technology with internal and external systems. Outside work, Prasad is passionate about well-being, trekking, and marathons, reflecting his dynamic and driven personality. Mobicule is a pioneer in products focused on mobile field force and has successfully deployed and managed some of the largest mobile field force implementations across Sales & Distribution, Telecom, BFSI. Hemant Sapra - President, Global Sales & Marketing of KARAM Safety Mr. Sapra served as the president of Safety Appliances Manufacturing Association(SAMA) in India until his recent retirement last year and currently holds an advisory role. He serves as the Chairman of the Safety & Fire Task Force at PHD Chamber of Commerce, Delhi, and holds the position of Co-Chairman at the PHD Chamber of Commerce Uttar Pradesh chapter. KARAM Safety, a global leader in occupational safety since 1998, offers over 3,500 certified products across 100+ countries. With advanced manufacturing, strategic acquisitions, and a turnover of INR 1,000 crore, KARAM sets benchmarks in PPE and fall protection. Committed to innovation and sustainability, it protects millions worldwide. Sudeep Gupta - Co-Founder & CEO of Store My Goods Sudeep Gupta is a dynamic Co-Founder & CEO and a 2X entrepreneurial leader with over 14 years of experience in launching and scaling businesses across e-commerce, F&B, automotive, hospitality, and real estate. Currently leading Store My Goods, a seed-funded, tech-enabled storage solutions company, Sudeep specializes in business development, strategy, franchise expansion, and general management. Recognized as a “Negotiations Guru,” he was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 by France’s Minister of Foreign Trade. Under his leadership, Store My Goods has redefined storage solutions in India with Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune hubs. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NRDPL and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — 2024 was a brutal year for the Amazon rainforest, with rampant wildfires and extreme drought ravaging large parts of a biome that’s a critical counterweight to climate change. A warming climate fed drought that in turn fed the worst year for fires since 2005. And those fires contributed to deforestation, with authorities suspecting some fires were set to more easily clear land to run cattle. The Amazon is twice the size of India and sprawls across eight countries and one territory, storing vast amounts of carbon dioxide that would otherwise warm the planet. It has about 20% of the world’s fresh water and astounding biodiversity, including 16,000 known tree species. But governments have historically viewed it as an area to be exploited, with little regard for sustainability or the rights of its Indigenous peoples, and experts say exploitation by individuals and organized crime is rising at alarming rates. “The fires and drought experienced in 2024 across the Amazon rainforest could be ominous indicators that we are reaching the long-feared ecological tipping point,” said Andrew Miller, advocacy director at Amazon Watch, an organization that works to protect the rainforest. “Humanity’s window of opportunity to reverse this trend is shrinking, but still open.” There were some bright spots. The level of Amazonian forest loss fell in both Brazil and Colombia. And nations gathered for the annual United Nations conference on biodiversity agreed to give Indigenous peoples more say in nature conservation decisions. “If the Amazon rainforest is to avoid the tipping point, Indigenous people will have been a determinant factor," Miller said. Wildfires and extreme drought Forest loss in Brazil’s Amazon — home to the largest swath of this rainforest — dropped 30.6% compared to the previous year, the lowest level of destruction in nine years. The improvement under leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva contrasted with deforestation that hit a 15-year high under Lula's predecessor, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, who prioritized agribusiness expansion over forest protection and weakened environmental agencies. In July, Colombia reported historic lows in deforestation in 2023, driven by a drop in environmental destruction. The country's environment minister Susana Muhamad warned that 2024's figures may not be as promising as a significant rise in deforestation had already been recorded by July due to dry weather caused by El Nino, a weather phenomenon that warms the central Pacific. Illegal economies continue to drive deforestation in the Andean nation. “It’s impossible to overlook the threat posed by organized crime and the economies they control to Amazon conservation,” said Bram Ebus, a consultant for Crisis Group in Latin America. “Illegal gold mining is expanding rapidly, driven by soaring global prices, and the revenues of illicit economies often surpass state budgets allocated to combat them.” In Brazil, large swaths of the rainforest were draped in smoke in August from fires raging across the Amazon, Cerrado savannah, Pantanal wetland and the state of Sao Paulo. Fires are traditionally used for deforestation and for managing pastures, and those man-made blazes were largely responsible for igniting the wildfires. For a second year, the Amazon River fell to desperate lows , leading some countries to declare a state of emergency and distribute food and water to struggling residents. The situation was most critical in Brazil, where one of the Amazon River's main tributaries dropped to its lowest level ever recorded. Cesar Ipenza, an environmental lawyer who lives in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, said he believes people are becoming increasingly aware of the Amazon's fundamental role “for the survival of society as a whole." But, like Miller, he worries about a “point of no return of Amazon destruction.” It was the worst year for Amazon fires since 2005, according to nonprofit Rainforest Foundation US. Between January and October, an area larger than the state of Iowa — 37.42 million acres, or about 15.1 million hectares of Brazil’s Amazon — burned. Bolivia had a record number of fires in the first ten months of the year. “Forest fires have become a constant, especially in the summer months and require particular attention from the authorities who don't how to deal with or respond to them,” Ipenza said. Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Guyana also saw a surge in fires this year. Indigenous voices and rights made headway in 2024 The United Nations conference on biodiversity — this year known as COP16 — was hosted by Colombia. The meetings put the Amazon in the spotlight and a historic agreement was made to give Indigenous groups more of a voice on nature conservation decisions , a development that builds on a growing movement to recognize Indigenous people's role in protecting land and combating climate change. Both Ebus and Miller saw promise in the appointment of Martin von Hildebrand as the new secretary general for the Amazon Treaty Cooperation Organization, announced during COP16. “As an expert on Amazon communities, he will need to align governments for joint conservation efforts. If the political will is there, international backers will step forward to finance new strategies to protect the world’s largest tropical rainforest,” Ebus said. Ebus said Amazon countries need to cooperate more, whether in law enforcement, deploying joint emergency teams to combat forest fires, or providing health care in remote Amazon borderlands. But they need help from the wider world, he said. “The well-being of the Amazon is a shared global responsibility, as consumer demand worldwide fuels the trade in commodities that finance violence and environmental destruction,” he said. Next year marks a critical moment for the Amazon, as Belém do Pará in northern Brazil hosts the first United Nations COP in the region that will focus on climate. “Leaders from Amazon countries have a chance to showcase strategies and demand tangible support," Ebus said. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org . Steven Grattan, The Associated PressUpstart Holdings CTO Paul Gu sells $6.08 million in stockAs Donald Trump prepares to fulfill a lengthy list of campaign promises, the president-elect's vow to ensure that all remaining Bitcoin is "made in the USA" may prove to be one of the most challenging to keep. Trump made the pledge in a post on his Truth Social account in June after meeting at Mar-a-Lago with a group of executives from crypto miners, the companies whose massive, high-tech data centers do the work that facilitates transactions on the blockchain in exchange for compensation paid in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. The gathering was a key juncture in Trump's transformation from a crypto skeptic to one of the industry's strongest allies. "It is a Trump-like comment but it is definitely not in reality," said Ethan Vera, chief operating officer at Seattle-based Luxor Technology, which provides software and services to miners. While seen widely as a symbolic pledge of support, it's near impossible in practice since blockchains are decentralised networks in which no one controls or can be banned from participating in the process. On a practical basis, the sector is becoming increasingly competitive as large-scale operations pop up across the world to get a slice of the tens of billions of dollars in revenue generated each year by the industry. Crypto Tracker TOP COIN SETS Web3 Tracker 15.95% Buy DeFi Tracker 12.77% Buy AI Tracker 12.07% Buy Crypto Blue Chip - 5 5.42% Buy BTC 50 :: ETH 50 4.99% Buy TOP COINS (₹) Tether 86 ( 0.37% ) Buy BNB 58,813 ( -1.79% ) Buy Bitcoin 8,190,326 ( -3.15% ) Buy Ethereum 284,753 ( -4.45% ) Buy XRP 184 ( -5.9% ) Buy Russian oligarchs, Dubai royal families and Chinese businessmen in Africa are some of the freshest competitors. Deep pockets and access to vast amounts of power are spurring them to join in on the lucrative but energy-intensive process. About 95% of the 21 million Bitcoin that will ever be created have already been minted, though the hard cap on production isn't expected to be met for about 100 years. Did you Know? The world of cryptocurrencies is very dynamic. Prices can go up or down in a matter of seconds. Thus, having reliable answers to such questions is crucial for investors. View Details » The Bitcoin mining sector in the US has morphed into a multi-billion dollar industry over the last several years as the token saw exponential increases in prices. However, the total computing power generated from US-based miners is well below 50% and it is impossible to power the entire network by domestic companies, according to industry analysts. 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They have more specific information on mining locations through their software that aggregates computing power to increase chances for miners to get Bitcoin rewards. US miners such as CleanSpark and Riot Platforms were quick to support Trump, banking on the former-president to ease scrutiny on the environmental impact of the high-energy use process, curb competition from overseas and to roll back what they view as restrictive guidelines under the Biden administration. Trump's support of crypto helped to generate about $135 million in campaign contributions during the last election cycle, the most by any one industry. Despite rapid expansion in the US and the latest bull run in the crypto market, economic sanctions by the US and rampant inflation in some emerging economies have spurred overseas miners to ramp up their operations even more. "There is huge growth coming up in a few different markets," said Taras Kulyk, chief executive of Synteq Digital, which is one of the largest brokers for specialized computers for Bitcoin mining. (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel )
