• A United Airlines plane hit a coyote during departure, the FAA and the airline confirmed.
• The Boeing 737 Max turned back to Chicago and landed 40 minutes after departing.
• The probability of wildlife strikes has risen "dramatically" in recent years due to quieter planes.

A United Airlines plane embarked on a 40-minute flight to nowhere after hitting a coyote on the runway.

On Monday, the Boeing 737 Max was taking off from Chicago O'Hare Airport, bound for Phoenix, when the incident occurred.

The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the aircraft "struck a coyote on departure." It added that the plane's right nose gear was damaged.

It was classified as minor damage, per the FAA's notice.

United confirmed the incident to Business Insider, saying the plane, operating as Flight 1727, "safely returned to Chicago O'Hare International Airport to examine the aircraft after its landing gear struck a coyote during takeoff."

The plane had 167 passengers and six crew on board, United said. There were no injuries reported.

Data from Flightradar24 shows that the plane took off normally, climbing to around 6,000 feet before U-turning.

It looped around twice before landing back in Chicago about 40 minutes after taking off.

Audio recordings archived by LiveATC.net show air traffic control confirming to the pilots that equipment was standing by to inspect the aircraft upon landing.

The incident wasn't too disruptive for the airline as the same 737 Max took off again four hours later, per Flightradar24.

The Chicago Department of Aviation did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Airports have wildlife management plans because animals can pose risks to aircraft — although birds are usually the main concern.

The FAA says the probability of wildlife strikes has "increased dramatically" in recent years, not only due to increased animal populations but also because newer planes have much quieter engines.

President-elect Trump is being inundated with so much money from corporations and wealthy donors that his team expects to raise about $500 million by summer — even though he can't run again, sources in his operation tell Axios.

Why it matters: By stockpiling so much cash, Trump is signaling he doesn't want to be seen as a lame duck in his second term, and is ready to help political allies, punish opponents and help Republicans keep full control of Congress in 2026.

• "The money is just pouring in at Mar-a-Lago. Trump doesn't have to lift a finger. Everyone's coming to him," said a Trump adviser who was among five insiders to speak with Axios anonymously to describe the inner workings of Trump's operation.
• "We're looking at half a billion [dollars] by June, and we're on track," this adviser said. "It's sort of a target but it's just a realistic projection of what's happening."

Zoom in: Trump's donors are giving to a variety of accounts.

• They include the president-elect's inauguration account, the MAGA Inc. super PAC, a political nonprofit called Securing American Greatness, the Republican National Committee and Trump's presidential library fund.
• The donors run the gamut: from health care to agriculture, insurance, financial institutions, tech and cryptocurrency investors.
• "The crypto guys are just blowing it out," the Trump adviser said. "It used to be $1 million was a big number. Now we're looking at some folks giving like $10 [million] or $20 million."
• "If the tech guys are giving big, it makes everyone give," another Trump adviser added.

Catch up quick: The bumper crop of donors is a marked difference from this time four years ago, after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol by Trump supporters.

• Many major GOP donors and corporate interests vowed to either pause or stop donations to Trump or congressional Republicans because of the plot to try to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Some of the donors resumed contributions later, but Trump has kept a grievance list of those who haven't, and he's reminding them he won in 2024 without their help.

• Insiders say Trump's even pulling out corporate balance sheets and referring to the companies' bottom lines as their executives — some carrying donations — come to meet him.

"You guys made this amount of money last year and you're gonna make so much more now because of me," Trump told the representatives of one company, according to a confidant who heard the story from the president-elect.

• "But when I needed you, where the f**k were you? You weren't with me and maybe you were with her," referring to Vice President Harris, whom Trump defeated in November.
• One company's consultant told Axios that he saw Trump in a meeting with a client and soon-to-be-donor "raking them over the coals" and asking them, "Where were you the last four years?"

Between the lines: Trump is transactional but not for sale, these sources say. In these meetings, they say, Trump has made it clear that this is a one-way street: They donate money to support his agenda, but he's not taking their money to support their agenda.

• "A lot of these guys are going down [to Mar-a-Lago] taking victory laps because he's taking their money and they're in for a rude awakening," the company consultant said. "Sure, he'll throw an inaugural party with their money but he owes them nothing."
• "He'll take your money and then tell you, 'I don't give a f**k what you want.' He did that during the campaign," said another Trump adviser. "He's going to do what he wants, what the base wants."

Even so, donors seem to be giving on the assumption that there's something in it for them.

• The reasons appear to vary: ideological alignment with Trump; getting favorable legislation in the upcoming "reconciliation" bill that Trump and the GOP-led Congress are putting together, or avoiding public criticism from Trump that can drive down a company's value.
• The new Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been cited by some as a new factor. It's now a verb in the political lexicon, meaning something that's on the chopping block.
• "We don't want to get DOGE'd," one lobbyist told Axios.

There also are competitors to consider: Some industries and companies are fighting each other, so they feel pressure to contribute if their rivals have.

• "The pharma guys came down and met with Trump and blamed a lot of problems on drug prices on the PBM guys," one Trump adviser said, referring to pharmacy benefit managers.
• "So now, the PBM guys are coming in to meet with Trump."

Democratic women senators grilled Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's pick for Defense secretary, during his Tuesday confirmation hearing over his stances on women in the military.

Why it matters: Hegseth, an Army combat veteran, previously said he doesn't believe women should serve in combat roles — and had to answer to women sharply questioning him on that and his subsequent change in stance.

What they're saying: "You will have to change how you see women to do this job well, and I don't know if you are capable of that," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said.

Catch up quick: Hegseth said in a podcast hosted by Shawn Ryan on Nov. 7: "We need moms, but not in the military, especially in combat roles."

• He said in the same interview having women in combat roles "hasn't made us more effective."

Zoom in: Gillibrand referenced the statements during Hegseth's confirmation hearing.

• "Please explain these types of statements because they're brutal, and they're mean, and they disrespect men and women who are willing to die for this country," she said.
• Hegseth responded:  "I would point out I've never disparaged women serving in the military. I respect every single female service member that has put on the uniform past and present."
• He answered to Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) that he supports women serving in combat roles and said his critiques stemmed from specific instances of seeing lowered standards.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) descibed Hegseth's responses as inconsistent.

• "On the one hand, you say that women are not competent, they make our military less effective," Shaheen said. "And on the other hand, you say 'oh no, now that I've been nominated to be the secretary of defense, I've changed my view on women in the military.'"
• Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who lost both legs and partial use of her right arm while deployed to Iraq, said: "This hearing now seems to be a hearing about whether or not women are qualified to serve in combat, and not about whether or not you are qualified to be secretary of defense."

Zoom out: Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) also questioned Hegseth on sexual assault allegations against him.

• A woman told police Hegseth sexually assaulted her in 2017 after allegedly taking her phone, blocking the door to a hotel room and refusing to let her leave.
• His attorney has said a payment was made to the women as part of a confidential settlement.
• Hegseth has denied the sexual assault allegations.

Go deeper: Five questions Hegseth dodged at his Defense Department confirmation hearing

• Americans face potential tax bill changes as Trump's 2017 tax package is set to expire this year.
• The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowered rates and shifted brackets for filers.
• Republicans plan to prioritize tax policy, aiming to extend cuts and reduce other taxes.

Americans could see their tax bill change next year as a legislative battle looms.

Many provisions from President-elect Donald Trump's major tax package from his first term, 2017's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, are set to expire this year. The legislation lowered tax rates for many Americans and shifted tax brackets. For many everyday Americans, TCJA's expiration would mean the possibility of a larger tax bill — the Tax Foundation estimates that 62% of filers would see a tax increase should TCJA expire.

With the GOP controlling the White House and both houses of Congress, however, it's likely that the bulk of the law will be extended.

"President Trump is committed to lowering the tax burden on the American people who elected him in November with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Wealthy Again," Karoline Leavitt, a Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman, said in a statement to Business Insider. "The Trump Administration will be dedicated to ensuring that American workers keep more of their hard-earned dollars in their pockets while growing the strongest and most resilient economy the world has ever seen."

To determine the potential tax impacts for Americans, we used the Tax Foundation's projections of what tax rates and brackets would be for single filers in 2026 under a TCJA extension and under a TCJA expiration scenario.

TCJA also impacts the deductions that filers can claim on their taxes, but, since those are often determined on an individual basis based on varying circumstances — such as having a child or business — they are not included in these calculations, which cover taxable income after any such deductions and adjustments.

Higher earners would end up with the biggest tax increases if TCJA expires. For instance, an American with $1 million of taxable income would see their tax burden grow by over $12,000 should TCJA provisions expire.

But the tax bills of Americans in the middle income band would see the highest percent increase should TCJA expire. For instance, a filer with $50,000 of taxable income would see their tax burden increase by nearly 20%; comparatively, a filer making $700,000 would see their tax burden grow by just around 2%.

Of course, this doesn't tell the whole tax story. Measures like the Child Tax Credit were expanded under TCJA, meaning that, should the bill expire, parents would owe more or get a smaller refund.

The TCJA also capped how much filers could deduct for paying hefty local taxes. For Americans in high-tax areas, which includes states like New York and New Jersey, the State and Local Tax deduction cap expiring could mean a bigger break on their taxes.

"The change in the tax brackets is only a small part of the story of the TCJA," Ernie Tedeschi, Yale Budget Lab's director of economics, told BI. "Most of the story is actually in the law's changes to deductions, exemptions, and credits."

Republicans are already lining up to tackle tax policy as one of their major priorities once they hold their House, Senate, and White House trifecta. The GOP may go even further than merely extending the TCJA's cuts through proposals from Trump to nix taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security.

But slim Republican congressional majorities will likely mean that any tax changes could be contentious, although Republicans are gearing up for the fight. Rep. Jason Smith, the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, said in his weekly report that he's been working closely with Trump on a bill.

"Passing one big, beautiful bill is the best way to ensure as much as possible of President Trump's agenda is enacted," Smith said. "In one fell swoop, we can secure the border, unleash American energy, and deliver tax relief to workers, families, farmers, and small businesses. These are the policies the American people are demanding. Now it's up to Congress to deliver."

Are you concerned about your tax bill changing, or did it change in the wake of 2017? Contact this reporter at [email protected].

• Some companies are calling employees back to the office and hiring for in-person roles.
• But many Americans continue to work at least part of the week from home.
• Some workers could retain their flexible work arrangements but struggle to find a new remote role.

Americans who want to keep their work-from-home arrangements may need to cling to their current jobs.

Corporate giants like Amazon, AT&T, and JPMorgan have notified employees they must return to the office five days a week this year. This comes as the share of remote and hybrid postings on job platforms has ticked down in recent years — which has made landing one of these roles more difficult.

As of November, the share of remote and hybrid job postings on Indeed had declined to 7.8% from over 10% in 2022. On LinkedIn, the share of remote or hybrid postings had declined to roughly 21% as of December, down from 26% two years prior.

But remote and hybrid work hasn't faded away. In December, roughly 23% of US workers worked from home at least part of the time, up from about 19% two years prior, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, about 10% worked completely from home.

"We keep hearing stories that 'work-from-home is over,' and while yes it is true for some firms, others must be doing the reverse," Nicholas Bloom, a Stanford University economist and cofounder of the remote work research website WFH Research, told Business Insider. Bloom's research shows that the share of paid full days worked from home in the US has been fairly steady over the past two years — fluctuating between roughly 25% and 30%.

Bloom and other economists told BI that the divide between remote/hybrid job postings and work-from-home rates suggests that some employers could be prioritizing in-person hires while letting some of their existing employees continue working more flexibly. They said this strategy could allow companies to boost their in-office attendance without drawing the ire of employees who've grown used to a remote or hybrid arrangement.

"We know that companies frequently make exceptions to return-to-office mandates for employees to avoid losing them, so policy changes might affect new hires more than incumbent employees," Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter, told BI.

This approach would allow workers to retain their flexible work arrangements — but make it more difficult for them to snag a remote or hybrid role at another company, Kory Kantenga, head of economics, Americas, at LinkedIn's Economic Graph Research Institute told BI.

"If you already have a job and you are grandfathered into this flexible work, you're maintaining it in a lot of cases," Kantenga said. "Companies are using those new positions to roll that flexible work back a little bit, but they're not necessarily rolling it back for the workers who already have it."

Why remote work could stick around

Even if more businesses prioritize in-person hiring, it could take a while for work-from-home rates to fall significantly, said Lisa Simon, chief economist at Revelio Labs. That's because hiring, layoffs, and quits have slowed, which means that "very few people have actually changed jobs in the last two years" and businesses haven't added many new workers who would be subject to recent RTO mandates, Simon told BI.

However, the modest share of available remote/hybrid jobs could be somewhat misleading. Simon said that a slowdown in hiring for white-collar roles — where flexible working arrangements are more common — could be pushing down remote/hybrid job postings.

Additionally, Bloom said some companies might not want to commit to a flexible working arrangement in the job posting, but could ultimately allow the employee to work from home at least some of the time.

"They don't want to repeat the 2021 mistake of promising generous work-from-home only to have to painfully reverse this later," he said. Bloom added that for some roles — like university professors — working from home on days when they don't have classes is a norm of the job. However, a job posting might not classify this position as remote or hybrid.

Pollak said remote/hybrid roles are generally underrepresented in job postings because they tend to have lower turnover than the typical in-person job.

"A hotel may replace its entire staff of janitors three times a year, but only replace its remote customer support staff every two years," she said.

Has your employer asked you to work from the office more days a week? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected].

• Justin Baldoni sued the New York Times for its story about Blake Lively's complaint against him.
• He alleges that the paper took his publicists' quotes out of context and omitted an emoji.
• Experts say emojis can change the meaning of a statement, and that Baldoni might have a point.

As the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni ramps up, one of the most contested points may involve an emoji.

In his lawsuit against the New York Times, Baldoni said the paper failed to include an upside-down smile emoji — which is used to convey sarcasm or silliness — in a quote, effectively changing the meaning.

The Times quoted Jennifer Abel, one of his publicists, as saying "Wow. You really outdid yourself with this piece" to Melissa Nathan, a crisis management expert. Read at face value, it would appear that Abel is congratulating Nathan for contributing to a Daily Mail story critical of Lively.

However, Baldoni said that the upside-down emoji at the end indicated that Abel was being sarcastic and therefore changed the meaning of the text.

He raises an interesting question about modern communication, Dr. Monica Riordan, a computer-mediated communication professor at Chatham University, told Business Insider.

"I would argue that the inclusion of that emoji is actually very important," Riordan said. "You can't just remove an emoji from a message and indicate that the message contains the same meaning."

Others disagree, arguing that the emoji omission won't be enough to help Baldoni's case.

Emojis make up for a lack of body language

Emojis originated in Japan in the late '90s as a set of pixelated images created for an early mobile internet platform. By 2011, Apple introduced an emoji keyboard on iPhones and has regularly replenished it with new ones.

As communication has become more reliant on digital media, from texting close friends to messaging online dates, emojis have become crucial for filling in the blanks for what we don't see.

"Emojis have similar functions to body language and spoken interaction in the digital space," Vyvyan Evans, a linguist and author of "The Emoji Code," told BI. As with IRL body language, he said emojis are often used to establish tone.

Evans compared the upside-down smiley emoji to rolling one's eyes or shrugging in real life. Because tone of voice and facial expressions can drastically change the meaning of a phrase, emojis can, too.

"If an emoji is removed, it's not just that it impacts the tone, it's changing the meaning in a substantive way," he said.

Emojis are more complicated than tone of voice

Unlike smiling or frowning, which have more universally agreed-upon meanings, emojis are more up to interpretation, Riordan said. How people use emojis can differ by generation, for example.

It gets even thornier when analyzing a relationship between two people who may have their own shared language. It's common to develop some norms around emoji use that maybe people outside that relationship might not actually understand or may misinterpret," she said.

Not everyone uses the upside-down emoji the same way — some mean it to be ironic, others to denote frustration or painful acceptance.

It makes analyzing emojis in texts all the more challenging. Riordan said there are "perils" to wading through so many layers of communication to analyze a person's intent. It gets even hazier when the emoji is cut from a quote.

It likely won't be enough to help Baldoni's case

Sean Andrade, a Los Angeles lawyer who's represented plaintiffs in libel cases, previously told BI that the Times removing context such as emojis would be "a little unethical." Still, he believes it won't be enough to disprove that Baldoni's team engaged in a smear campaign against Lively.

Riordan said Baldoni can make an argument for the emoji changing the meaning of the message, but would likely "have a difficult time proving intent." Not everyone views emojis as necessary to quote.

However the case pans out, Evans said it brings up an important point for journalists: it can be "very dangerous" from an ethical and legal standpoint to omit emojis that could dramatically change the interpretation of a quote.

"The communicative intent is what is important," he said. "Without the other relevant elements, you're changing that and misreporting," whether a journalist means to or not.

• Startup CTO Arun Prasad Jaganathan has been in the US for almost 14 years, mainly on an H-1B Visa.
• He said the application process isn't easy and companies don't sponsor applicants to fill spaces.
• The system has flaws, but there are misconceptions about H-1B employees contributing to the economy.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with
Arun Prasad Jaganathan, CTO of workforce platform Jugl. He is from Coimbatore, India, and now lives in Prosper, Texas. His identity, work experience, and visa status have been verified by Business Insider. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I have been in the US for almost 14 years. I built most of my career here. I have my family here. I have my home here. So it would be tough for me to shift back to India and build something from there.

I wanted to come to the US to experience the technology innovation firsthand. The US adapts technology faster than anywhere in the world.

I completed my computer science and engineering degree in India and got an offshore position at global tech services company Cognizant. Eventually, they wanted me to come to New York because they felt like my presence in the US would help them build a better product and train them to scale their processes. So I came in on an L-1B visa, which is for an intra-company transfer to help on a project. Then, I applied for the H-1B Visa.

H-1B is mainly for high-skilled workers. It helped me gain more product and business knowledge because it gave me first-hand experience working with US businesses.

I'm in the process of acquiring permanent residency now, but the H1-B visa has helped me grow from my role at Cognizant to lead and architect at nThrive to managing advanced technology projects at KPMG. Now, I am leading technology and product for the startup Jugl.

It's not easy to get

To get the H-1B Visa, I needed to show a lot of documentation, including my degree, résumé, and job offer. I also needed a very good support letter from the client my company served, arguing the need for me to be placed in that location. The first time, I also had to go for an interview with a US Citizenship and Immigration Services officer once the documents were submitted.

Every three years, you have to go through the same process. If there was no premium processing, which costs more, it took around three to six months to get my renewal. With premium processing, it takes about two weeks.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services scrutinizes every application. Companies don't hire H1-B talent just to fill spaces. They are very cautious about whom they sponsor for H-1B and they make sure that it's the top talent.

There are also regular audits from USCIS. They come and visit the companies and interview them. They audit employees. They ask questions to make sure they are placed in the same roles that they were submitted in the application.

The system has flaws — but there are misconceptions

The H-1B Visa system isn't perfect. However, I would not agree with the misconception I've heard that the H-1B visa is causing job losses. Any process will have loopholes, and they're working toward fixing them, but how fast they are going to do it is a question of the administration and other government functions.

Another argument is that H-1B employees don't contribute to the economy because they don't pay taxes. H-1 B employees pay taxes and insurance, have 401Ks and IRAs, and contribute back to the economy because they buy homes and cars and invest here in the US. I have a home, wife, and kids. I trained people already in the US. I helped them gain knowledge, build teams, develop products, and grow companies.

USCIS is making adjustments. The lottery system is little bit more difficult now because it's not just about skill level, it's more about luck. Now, because there is a lottery system, people with better skills might be frustrated.

In the last couple of years, many people were applying through different companies for a higher chance of getting picked in the H-1B lottery. USCIS understood this was happening, so they updated their system.

There is still room for improvement. For example, USCIS increased wages H-1B employees have to make and also increased sponsorship fees. The downside to it is companies have less incentive to hire.

With the startup I work for now, if we cannot find the talent we are looking for in the US, we have to hire H-1B candidates. But at the early stages of startup, it is a higher cost for us to hire H-1B workers. The H-1B process involves paying the attorney and legal fees as overhead, in addition to the high salary we need to pay compared to local talent.

Now other countries are catching up, like China and India. If H-1B is becoming tougher for workers they're going to open startups where they can build those products. Or, multinational corporates are going to open centers in locations where they can find people like in India, Mexico, Canada, and many other places.

• Hotmail is a Microsoft-owned email platform that surged to popularity over two decades ago.
• Microsoft ultimately folded Hotmail into its broader software suite known as Microsoft Outlook.
• You can still create a Hotmail.com email address, but through Outlook.

A generation ago, AOL, Ask Jeeves, GeoCities, and Hotmail were all the rage. Surprisingly, of those 1990s vintage platforms, only AOL still exists in anything like its original form. Ask Jeeves is now Ask.com, and GeoCities is simply gone.

As for Hotmail, it's still around, but not in the same form as you remember it. Hotmail is now part of Microsoft Outlook, an email, calendar, contact, and scheduling software suite favored by many businesses. And while you can still get and use a Hotmail email address, don't bother trying to do so at Hotmail.com — you'll just be redirected to Outlook, which was once part of Microsoft Office, now known as Microsoft 365.

When was Hotmail launched and what were its early days like?

Hotmail was first launched in the summer of 1996, and it was bought by Microsoft the following year, as the company coasted on the success of its massively popular Windows operating system. Microsoft ultimately rebranded Hotmail as MSN Hotmail, though that name was rarely used by the public.

Despite being one of the most popular email platforms of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Hotmail was also plagued by problems.

In 1999, for example, it came out that any account could be logged into using the word "eh" as the password, prompting a hurried security fix. And then, two years later, hackers found an easy way to extract email from another user's account by creating a URL that included that account's email address.

Still, Hotmail remained popular throughout the first decade of the 21st century, though in the 2010s, Microsoft would merge Hotmail into its new program, Microsoft Outlook.

What happened to Hotmail?

In 2013, Microsoft rolled Hotmail into Outlook and sunset the original email service. But despite being officially discontinued, Hotmail did not in fact go away. You can still use your Hotmail email address and in fact you can log into Outlook with it. You can also log into Outlook with a Live or MSN email address, or of course with an Outlook email.

As of now, Outlook seems like it will not be going anywhere any time soon, so don't worry about yet another change coming. While not as venerable as, say, Microsoft Word, it is a core platform of the company.

Can you still get a Hotmail address?

Yes, you can still get a Hotmail email address, but you will have to access it through the Outlook platform. When signing up, you can choose a Hotmail.com address as your email domain.

How can I access my old Hotmail account?

To recover an old Hotmail account, go to Microsoft's account recovery page, then follow the prompts on screen, which will have you enter an old email account to be recovered as well as a current account to which to send the information.

Keep in mind that if your Hotmail account was totally inactive for more than two years it may have been permanently deleted.

• The LA wildfires could cost between $250 and $275 billion in damages while displacing thousands.
• High property values in areas like the Pacific Palisades are contributing to the massive cost.
• Governments, insurers, and residents face long-term financial burdens from the disaster.

The damage and economic cost estimates for the wildfires in Los Angeles are in the hundreds of billions, a bill that will be split among local and federal governments, insurers, and residents.

As of January 14, LA authorities reported that 24 people have died and over 12,300 structures have been destroyed. Meanwhile, more than 40,000 acres have burned, displacing residents and leveling entire neighborhoods. High winds expected this week have firefighters racing to contain the blazes.

And, as the damage increases, so does the price tag.

A new estimate by weather data platform AccuWeather puts the total cost between $250 and $275 billion and calls the damage "catastrophic." The full cost of the wildfires won't be clear until long after the smoke clears, and expensive rebuilding efforts could take years.

The wildfire cost will likely be calculated through direct and indirect damages

Since 1980, more than 400 weather and climate events in the US have exceeded $1 billion in damages when adjusted for inflation, per the National Centers for Environmental Information.

The Los Angeles wildfires could be among the most expensive on record. The total cost of a disaster is calculated from both direct and indirect losses, said Jeff Schlegelmilch, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University.

AccuWeather's estimate accounts for direct costs like rebuilding, relocation, cleanup costs, and emergency shelter expenses. It also factors in indirect costs: healthcare bills for people who were injured or exposed to wildfire smoke, lost wages and housing displacement for employees, along with hits to the local job market, business scene, and tourism industry.

Part of the reason that the LA fires are so costly is because of the area's high property values, Schlegelmilch said. The severely impacted Pacific Palisades neighborhood, for example, is home to several celebrities and has an average home value of $3.5 million.

Beyond direct damages and lost economic opportunity, there are costs that are difficult to quantify. Many LA residents are facing the costs of short or long-term displacement, along with emotional or physical trauma.

A combination of governments, insurance companies, and LA residents could pay the bill

In the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, local and federal governments pick up some of the tab.

The Federal Emergency Response Agency (FEMA) provides a variety of aid like supplying hazard mitigation, clearing debris, and financing emergency shelters, along with offering monetary support to some displaced residents. The federal government often signs off on block grants — money that is directed from national to local governments for a specific purpose, like disaster relief — but it could take months or years for that money to become accessible to local communities.

State and LA-county leaders, the Small Business Administration, and philanthropic groups will also likely shoulder some rebuilding costs for homes and businesses.

President Joe Biden said the federal government will cover 100% of fire response costs and provide a one-time $770 stimulus check for those impacted: "I told the governor and local officials, spare no expense," he said on January 9. Congress has not yet reached an agreement on an aid package, and it's not clear what President-elect Donald Trump's plan will be for disaster relief in California.

Still, most government response programs are not built to provide long-term aid.

"FEMA is not designed to make you whole again," Schlegelmilch said. "It's not designed to completely pay for the cost of rebuilding a new house."

Private and state insurers will be responsible for covering much — but not all — of the property damage for their customers, he added.

However, not all homeowners are insured. Companies like State Farm and Farmers have recently cut or restricted coverage in areas they deem "uninsurable" due to high and rising disaster risks, leaving thousands of LA-area households uninsured or forced to enroll in FAIR, the state's insurer of last resort. This means some residents can expect significant out-of-pocket costs to repair their homes.

Schlegelmilch added that LA residents will feel wildfire impacts in other parts of the economy too.

The cost of construction will likely increase as local residents and businesses look to rebuild, he said. Schlegelmilch expects that the price of hiring contractors, plumbers, electricians, and other specialists will increase with steep demand.

Consumer prices in the LA-area for things like rent, lumber, and building materials may also spike because of price gouging, increased demand, or damaged supply, Schlegelmilch said. He said taxes likely won't change in the short-term, but the overall cost of living in the area could become more expensive with time.

Past natural disaster response shows what LA might expect

Previous devastating natural disasters give a clue into how wildfire costs could be handled in LA.

Following 2012's Hurricane Sandy in New York, Congress provided around $20 billion adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars to affected areas through a Community Development Block Grant. That represents a share of the storm's inflation-adjusted $88.5 billion cost, per the National Centers for Environmental Information. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 caused $201.3 billion in inflation-adjusted damages, which was partially covered by federal emergency response and recovery grants.

Schlegelmilch said that a key challenge with disaster relief in cases like Sandy and Katrina is that aid can be distributed inequitably between high and lower-income areas because wealthier areas often have stronger insurance and access to resources. He cautions that the same could happen in California.

"Those that are the most vulnerable before often see that vulnerability grow," Schlegelmilch said," adding "a lot of times we see this along racial lines, along socio-economic lines, and we see communities decades later still struggling to recover when the downtown areas are nice and new and everyone says it's back to normal."

Looking forward, Schlegelmilch said that disaster preparedness policies could help alleviate losses and keep residents safe. He said this could look like building with flame-retardant materials, widening roads that allow for emergency vehicles to easily pass through when necessary, and planting less flammable vegetation in dry areas.

"There's actually quite a bit that can be redone in the rebuilding process that can help lower the risk into the future," he said. "There are costs associated with it, and in the short-run, it may be more expensive. But, in the long run, it's a lot less expensive."

Have you experienced steep out-of-pocket or insurance costs due to a natural disaster? Are you open to sharing your experience with a reporter? If so, reach out to [email protected].

• Jeffrey, 57, submitted an average day of eating to be reviewed for Business Insider's Nutrition Clinic.
• A dietitian said his diet might be too restrictive to maintain, and he should eat more carbs.
• If you'd like to have your diet reviewed by an expert, fill out this form.

Jeffrey, 57, submitted his eating routine to Business Insider's Nutrition Clinic, where qualified dietitians and registered nutritionists offer readers advice on their eating habits.

He said his goal is to lose weight.

Jeffrey described himself as "somewhat active," having recently started doing yoga or calisthenics daily. He also plans to build up to walking a minimum of two miles a day.

Jaclyn London, a dietitian, told BI that Jeffrey's restrictive diet would likely be difficult to maintain long-term, which could see him fall into a binge-restrict pattern and even leave him nutritionally deficient.

"It is possible to lose weight, keep it off, and still enjoy your life," London said. "And all of that can be achieved with some small but meaningful tweaks he can make to each meal and through the addition of some strategic snacks."

Eat a range of fruits at breakfast

For breakfast, Jeffrey eats three eggs with some avocado, plus Greek yogurt with berries or walnuts.

London said Jeffrey's breakfast is a nutritious choice, providing protein, satiating fats, and some fiber.

However, he could eat more fruit by always having some at breakfast and eating some for snacks and in meals later in the day.

"Berries are a very common 'low carb' fruit, but the truth is, fruit (and other whole foods) provide complex carbs on which our bodies thrive," London said. "Fruit provides antioxidants, fiber, key minerals, and phytochemicals that help us feel our best by supporting our gut health and overall immunity, and increasing our fiber intake so we can get (and stay) regular."

Don't be afraid of complex carbs

For lunch, Jeffrey typically has a turkey spinach wrap using a low-carb flatbread with tomato and feta cheese.

London recommended Jeffrey eat more carbs in the form of starchy vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and legumes.

"All of these are complex carbohydrates, which are nutrient-dense, provide additional fiber, minerals, and phytochemicals which deliver powerful nutritional benefits and have been linked to decreased risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes," she said.

Starchy vegetables like potato, sweet potato, and squash can be a good place to start, London said, as they are satisfying and will help Jeffrey stay feeling full longer.

He could then try to incorporate grains like oats, buckwheat, and quinoa into his meals once he sees that the vegetables only make him feel more energized without causing weight gain, she said.

Eat snacks rich in protein and fiber

Jeffrey said he generally doesn't snack but if his energy levels are low he might have an Atkins shake.

London said Jeffrey would likely benefit from eating more snacks rich in protein and fiber to prevent him from becoming ravenous before each meal and help him stay energized.

"Include fiber-filled foods like vegetables and fruit; pulses, nuts, and seeds; plus protein from animal and plant sources at each eating occasion, and add snacks that are satisfying, nutritious, and provide just enough energy to keep your weight loss on track without losing too much too fast," London said.

Instead of an Atkins shake, London recommended making a high-protein, whole-food smoothie using Greek yogurt or milk, fresh or frozen fruit, and some nut butter.

"This will add some fiber-filled carbs, protein, plus healthy fat to boost satiety and add extra nutrient density to Jeffrey's day," London said.

Stay hydrated and strength train

For dinner, Jeffrey might eat chicken, fish, or shrimp with green vegetables (such as broccoli, green beans, or asparagus). Sometimes, he adds a small chickpea salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, he said.

London said it's great that these meals are nutrient-dense and high in protein and fiber, but she again recommended adding some carbs. London said Jeffrey should aim to have carbs take up 40% of his overall energy intake.

Equally, London advised Jeffrey stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and incorporate strength training into his workout routine.

"This is critical at every age, but especially as we get older," London said. "Replacing fat mass with lean muscle is the most effective way to keep weight off, maintain metabolic health, promote better strength, balance, and bone health as we age, and help your metabolism work more efficiently to promote slow, steady, and sustainable weight-loss over time."

• Synthesia has secured $180 million in Series D funding led by NEA, valuing it at $2.1 billion.
• The London-based startup uses AI to create videos and avatars for businesses.
• Check out the 18-slide pitch deck the startup used to secure fresh funding.

Generative AI startup Synthesia has secured $180 million in a Series D funding round led by venture firm NEA.

The London-based startup, launched in 2017, creates AI-generated videos and avatars for businesses.

The round values the startup at $2.1 billion — making it the UK's largest generative AI startup by valuation, according to data platform Dealroom.

"Over the last few years, we think we've built the market-leading AI video platform for enterprise," cofounder and CEO Victor Riparbelli told Business Insider in an interview.

Synthesia offers its customers a suite of products, including tools for creating custom AI avatars, an AI screen recorder that can help edit videos on the startup's platform, and an AI video assistant that can turn web pages into videos.

Companies like Zoom and UiPath use Synthesia's platform to develop everything from customer service videos to corporate training clips.

Riparbelli said the company's global client base distinguishes it from other European AI companies. "Over half our revenue comes from the US, so we've been quite successful at building not just a regional player but a global player out of the UK," he said.

Synthesia has benefited from the heightened investor appetite for growth-stage AI startups. The Series D was led by NEA, with participation from existing investors, including Google Ventures, and new backers, including WiL (World Innovation Lab), Atlassian Ventures, and PSP Growth. This brings its total funding to $330 million.

With the cash injection, Synthesia will continue to hone its existing product suite and build out its video publishing platform. "We're also building some of our AI agents that help you in the video production process," Riparbelli added.

The startup also plans to expand its geographic footprint in Japan, North America, and Australia in the coming year.

Check out the 18-slide pitch deck it used to secure the fresh funds.