Nearly half a million residents and businesses were without power after relentless, record-breaking storms hit across California. Also in the news: A new report says police encountered "significant challenges" responding to the Lahaina wildfire and no, Super Bowl 58 is not a scripted Swiftie stunt. | |  |
This is the news to know Tuesday. |
Mudslides, flash flooding threaten tens of millions in California |
The tail end of a powerful atmospheric river storm that knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of California homes and businesses deluged the state with more heavy rain, mudslides, flooding, and several feet of snow in the mountains. |
Multiple weather and climate phenomena are conspiring to make these storms particularly damaging. |
| • | Record-high ocean water temperatures provide energy to the storms while the Pacific Ocean is seeing the effects of El Niño, where weakening trade winds reduce the upwelling of ocean waters and allow surface waters to bake in the sun and grow warmer still. And California, coming off years of drought and wildfires, is particularly vulnerable to mudslides and flooding. | | • | The brunt of the storm's fury Monday centered on the Los Angeles area: The 11.87 inches that fell in 24 hours at UCLA's weather station was a 1-in-1,000 year rainfall event. | | • | Where is the storm headed next? The storm's moisture will help fuel heavy snow across the West, and heavy rain in the normally arid Desert Southwest over the next few days, forecasters said. | | The Los Angeles River soars above normal levels as it carries stormwater toward the Pacific Ocean on Feb. 5, 2024. Sandy Hooper, Sandy Hooper / USA TODAY NETWORK |
Maui police release 98-page report on Lahaina wildfire response |
About six months since wildfires devastated the coastal town of Lahaina, the Maui Police Department released an exhaustive 98-page preliminary report on its response to one of the deadliest wildfires in American history. The police department concluded the flames were caused by severe weather, and the winds that fanned the fires created a domino effect of chaos for police. Despite remaining questions and criticism over the cause of the fires and what, or who may have exacerbated them, the Maui Police Department's investigation solely focused on its response. Read more |
How will Congress coalesce around a border deal? |
A sweeping $118 billion Senate proposal has the backing of President Joe Biden and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and, to date, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. On the other hand, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and former President Donald Trump have openly rejected the bill, and a growing number of Republicans are joining them. Any path forward would require moderates in both parties, though it's not clear they'll throw their support behind the deal. Read more |
Netanyahu: No cease-fire near in Israel-Hamas war |
Cease-fire talks continue but a deal is not near, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel, he says, wants a deal similar to the one that resulted in the release of more than 100 hostages in November. But no deal for the remaining hostages will be tied to a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, he said. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived Tuesday in Egypt amid a Middle East trip aimed at brokering a deal to halt the bloodshed in Gaza and return hostages to Israel. Read more | Palestinians mourn their relatives killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Deir al Balah, Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. Adel Hana, AP |
No, Super Bowl 58 isn't a Kelce-Swiftie setup |
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell pushed back against claims that the league played a hand in securing the Kansas City Chiefs victories so the sideshow of tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift could continue through to Super Bowl 58. Multiple reporters posed Kelce-Swift questions to Goodell in his annual pre-Super Bowl news conference, a signal of how the romance has captivated the league since September. Read more | Travis Kelce answers questions during Super Bowl Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium. Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports |
Photo of the day: Rest in peace, Toby Keith |
Country singer-songwriter Toby Keith, who was battling stomach cancer, passed peacefully on Monday surrounded by his family. He was 62. the 6-foot-4 singer broke out in the country boom years of the 1990s, crafting an identity around his macho, pro-American swagger and writing songs that fans loved to hear. Over his career he publicly clashed with other celebrities and journalists and often pushed back against record executives who wanted to smooth his rough edges. Read more | Toby Keith performs onstage. Tom Donahue, FOX |
Associated Press contributed reporting. | | This 7-day newsletter course will help you be an informed voter before Nov. 5. | | | | | | |
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