Friday Briefing: Three days of devastating fires

Plus, a new president in Lebanon

View in browser|nytimes.com January 10, 2025 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering the Los Angeles wildfires and a new president for Lebanon. Plus: Beyond the "cougar." Extinguishing hot spots from the Eaton fire on Thursday. Philip Cheung for The New York Times A third day of devastating fires in Los Angeles The economic cost of wildfires in Los Angeles could exceed $50 billion, after three days of fast-moving fires that have burned tens of thousands of acres and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. Here's the latest. Local officials yesterday hoped that decreased winds would finally give firefighters a chance to control the blazes. Helicopters and planes dropped water from the sky, and firefighters battled on the ground. Despite the subsiding winds, the risk remained for current fires to spread and for other fires to ignite. At least five people have died in the firestorms, and the Los Angeles County sheriff said he expected the death toll to rise. One of the blazes — the Palisades fire, in one of the city's most affluent areas — has damaged or destroyed thousands of buildings and has burned more than 17,200 acres. On the ground: The fires have torn through communities of every socioeconomic status and stripe, affecting mansions as well as '70s townhouses, ranches and subdivisions. Residents are overwhelmed by the pervasiveness and see themselves as stuck in the middle of a mega-catastrophe. Aid: President Biden said that the federal government would pay for 100 percent of the firefighting needs in the area for the next 180 days. Gen. Joseph Aoun is considered to have Washington's support. Hussein Malla/Associated Press Lebanon elected a president after two years of gridlock After two rounds of voting, Lebanon's Parliament picked Gen. Joseph Aoun, the commander of the Lebanese military, to be the next president. His election reflects the changing power balances at an unnerving time for Lebanon, which has endured a series of disasters in recent years, including an economic collapse and a war between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah. The country's international allies, including the U.S., had hinted that financial support after the war was contingent on a successful presidential election. Background: Aoun is considered to have U.S. backing and is widely respected in Lebanon. Since 2017 he has led the military, which is the only national institution to have cross-sectarian support. War in Gaza: Rebuking a move by the International Criminal Court to charge top Israeli leaders with war crimes, the U.S. House passed a bill that would lead to sanctions for officials at the tribunal. Israeli soldiers on vacation overseas are being investigated for potential war crimes, with social media posts made in Gaza often cited as evidence. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine with the U.S. secretary of defense, Lloyd Austin. Ronald Wittek/EPA, via Shutterstock Zelensky made an appeal to his allies In an impassioned address, President Volodymyr Zelensky implored representatives from roughly 50 nations to maintain their military support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, even after President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. "The new chapter starts for Europe and the entire world just 11 days from now," Zelensky said, "at a time when we have to cooperate even more, rely on one another even more and achieve even greater results together." MORE TOP NEWS Erin Schaff/The New York Times Jimmy Carter: The U.S. bade farewell to the 39th president at a pomp-filled state funeral in Washington. Venezuela: The country's popular opposition leader, María Corina Machado, was detained during an antigovernment protest in Caracas, her party said. Politics: Elon Musk is trying to help push the far-right Alternative for Germany party through a political blockade and into the mainstream. Germany: The government approved the creation of a tribunal to help the heirs of Jewish collectors recover Nazi-looted art. France: The founder of the website used by Dominique Pelicot to invite dozens of men to rape his wife was indicted on multiple charges. Egypt: Cairo called on the West for financial help to support the Palestinians, Sudanese and Syrians seeking refuge there from war. Tech: TikTok is facing a potential ban in the U.S. For several years it has been waging other fights in at least 20 countries. Finance: Big banks have been notching major victories that could allow them to avoid regulatory checks that were put in place after the U.S. financial crisis of 2008. Canada: Pierre Poilievre, a combative populist politician, is the favorite to become the country's next leader. Climate: U.S. efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions stalled in 2024 as the demand for electricity surged, according to a recent estimate. China: Communist Party leaders are placing Tibetan children in boarding schools, rights activists say. Times journalists analyzed videos to learn how these schools operate. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: West Ham United named Graham Potter as its new head coach. Tennis: The Australian Open begins Sunday. It kicks off with some big names facing tough matchups in first-round matches. Golf: Kevin Kisner has been tapped as NBC's lead analyst. Here's what he's looking forward to in this year's tour season. MORNING READ Benjamin Malapris for The New York Times As a top conductor, Daniel Harding scaled the heights of classical music. Then he set out to conquer the skies — as a pilot for Air France. "In flying, we have to identify all the threats and make sure we don't go anywhere near them," he said. "In music, it's the opposite: We have to get as close as we can to catastrophe." Lives lived: Peter Fenwick, a neuropsychiatrist who became a leading expert on near-death experiences, has died at 89. Read out-of-body anecdotes from his work. CONVERSATION STARTERS New Balance Frankenfeet: Are New Balance's "Snoafers" — not quite sneakers, not quite loafers — cool, ugly or not ugly enough? Emo who? Mollusks from 430 million years ago had bangs and spiky "hair." Now they have punk rock names to match. Secrets in the walls: When two architects renovated a 12th-century palazzo in Genoa, Italy, their goal wasn't period perfection. ARTS AND IDEAS Niko Tavernise/A24, via Associated Press Beyond the 'cougar' Depending on your age, you might associate the "older woman" — a cinematic figure who is defined by her sexual and romantic relationships with younger men — with "Mrs. Robinson" or the joke about "your mom." Now, in a slew of new movies and television shows, she is the protagonist. "The bounty of the older woman's recent plots, and the complexity of her new arrangements, come as a thrill, and a relief," our critic Amanda Hess writes. "For so long, the movies have flattened her into a villain or reduced her to a joke." We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: For a simple yet satisfying breakfast, bake your oatmeal. Prepare: Traveling internationally? Here's what to do if you get sick or injured. Watch: Pamela Anderson is dazzling in "The Last Showgirl," our critic writes. Dream: Can a magical Marrakesh riad be found for $500,000? Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. Have a great weekend. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? 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