Headlines From The Times

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.