Business
Gavin Newsom expands California’s mortgage relief plan
‘Keeping It Real’ podcast host Jillian Michaels discusses social media addiction as tech giants face trial and calls out California leadership over the wildfires on ‘Varney & Co.’
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is taking a direct shot at the Trump administration, expanding a state mortgage relief program to $100,000 per household while accusing the White House of “turning its back” on California fire survivors.
On Thursday, Newsom announced that disaster-affected homeowners now qualify for a full 12 months of mortgage payment relief, a significant increase from the previous three months, with a total increase to $100,000.
The maximum assistance per household skyrocketed from the original $20,000. According to a state press release, the funds are non-repayable grants with payments going directly to mortgage providers.
To date, $6.5 million has allegedly been paid to 793 recipients, primarily from the Palisades and Eaton fires, leaving a significant portion of the fund’s $1 billion budget still available.
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS FACE BRUTAL CHOICE ONE YEAR AFTER LOS ANGELES FIRES DESTROYED THEIR LIVES
Gov. Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Gavin Newsom, governor of California, attends the 62nd Munich Security Conference Feb. 13, 2026. (Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance via Getty Images)
The move signals an aggressive shift by Sacramento to bypass a stalled federal disaster package and provide direct cash infusions to high-income homeowners.
In a press release, Newsom also called President Trump’s response a “lie” and a “disgrace” as the state moves to fill a perceived federal aid gap.
“We’ve been on the ground, listening and adjusting to meet people’s evolving needs. That’s why we’re expanding this program — to close the gap between relief and long-term recovery and make sure folks get the help they need to move forward,” Newsom said.
FOX Business’ Stuart Varney analyzes a scathing New York Times op-ed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, examining the exodus of over 1 million residents, the state’s dead-last affordability ranking and the strategic liability he poses to his party.
But federal officials at the Small Business Administration and White House argue that $3.2 billion in federal loans are already approved but are being blocked by California’s “local permitting backlogs” and “red tape.”
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler previously called California’s state and local permitting backlog a “nightmare” that has dragged out wildfire recovery.
“With President Trump’s leadership and alongside EPA, the SBA is opening an expedited path to recovery for every borrower who has been held hostage by the bureaucracy of Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass,” Loeffler said.
Palisades Fire victim Janna Kohl and Douglas Elliman agent Cory Weiss speak to Fox News Digital about recovery efforts and the aftermath of the Los Angeles-area fires exactly one year later.
Though the Palisades and Eaton fires were contained by the end of January 2025, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation reports that they caused up to $53.8 billion in property damage alone.
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The department’s research also found extraordinarily high destruction rates, with the Palisades Fire destroying 56.3% of all assessed structures and 55.8% of single-family homes. The Eaton Fire destroyed about 50% of all structures and single-family homes.
Additionally, more than 160 lending institutions have already agreed to offer 90-day forbearance extensions beyond the legally required 12 months; and the state has pushed to use rebuilding funds to incentivize “all-electric” homes, costing anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 less than mixed-fuel homes but aligning with California’s climate mandates.
Fox News’ Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
Form 13G Airsculpt Technologies For: 13 February
Operator
Good afternoon, and welcome to the Ultragenyx Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]
It is now my pleasure to turn the call to Joshua Higa, Vice President of Investor Relations.
Joshua Higa
Director of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Thank you. We have issued a press release detailing our financial results, which you can find on our website at ultragenyx.com.
Joining me on this call are Emil Kakkis, Chief Executive Officer and President; Howard Horn, Chief Financial Officer; Erik Harris, Chief Commercial Officer; and Eric Crombez, Chief Medical Officer.
I’d like to remind everyone that during today’s call, we will be making forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and our actual results may differ materially. Please refer to the risk factors discussed in our latest SEC filings.
I’ll now turn the call over to Emil.
Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.
American Girl is marking its 40th anniversary with a bold redesign of its beloved historical dolls, prompting swift backlash on social media.
The Mattel-owned brand announced Wednesday the launch of its new “Modern Era Collection,” reimagining six of its most iconic characters with contemporary outfits and a smaller 14.5-inch frame, down from the brand’s traditional 18-inch dolls, according to a news release from Mattel.
“Discover the Modern Era Collection of 14.5-inch dolls and fashions — Felicity, Addy, Molly, Kirsten, Samantha and Josefina reimagined for today,” as noted on the American Girl website.
AUTISTIC BARBIE JOINS MATTEL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION LINE
From left, Felicity Merriman, Josefina Montoya, Kirsten Larson, Addy Walker, Samantha Parkington and Molly McIntire from American Girl’s new “Modern Era Collection.” (Mattel)
The collection includes:
- Samantha Parkington, whose story is set in 1904, styled in bows and a plaid skirt.
- Addy Walker, from 1864, wearing a pink and blue dress as well as accessories inspired by her heritage.
- Molly McIntire, set in 1944, sporting glasses, a blue skirt and a beret.
- Josefina Montoya, whose character is set in 1824, dressed in ruffled crimson shorts and cowgirl boots.
- Felicity Merriman, from 1774, featuring a rose-print shirt and jeans.
- Kirsten Larson, inspired by her 1854 prairie story, styled in a blue, floral dress and red shoes.
Each doll retails for $90 and is available for pre-sale, with shipments expected by May 1, as noted on the American Girl website.
BARBIE MAKER MATTEL RAISES PRICES AMID TRUMP TARIFF FIGHT
Many fans have taken to social media to argue that the redesign missed the mark. (Mattel)
Many fans have taken to social media to argue that the redesign missed the mark.
“Holy corporate these look soo cheap,” one Instagram user wrote under the brand’s announcement post.
“Do yall even ask ppl what they want to buy?” another commented.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAT | MATTEL INC. | 16.47 | +0.62 | +3.91% |
“What?? Nooo, this ruins the whole point of the historical dolls!!” a third user said.
“Nooooo we like the classics and want the old outfits back,” another commenter wrote. “Listen to your millennial followers who are now buying stuff for their daughters.”
ICONIC TOY MAKER ‘CAPITALIZING’ ON NEW INDUSTRY TRENDS: ‘GAME PLAY IS HERE TO STAY’
A view of the American Girl store at Rockefeller Center in New York City. (Plexi Images/GHI/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)
American Girl’s historical dolls feature fictional 9- to 12-year-old characters from various periods in American history. The dolls are paired with books and designed to teach history through the character’s perspective, according to the brand’s website.
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“As we look ahead, we’re excited to continue evolving for the next generation while staying true to telling stories that act as both windows and mirrors, empowering girls to see themselves as the heroines of their own story,” Jamie Cygielman, global head of dolls at Mattel, said in a statement.
Mattel and American Girl did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.
Patrick Industries EVP Amundson sells $568k in stock
Plenty of good economic news this week, with an outsize gain in jobs, especially private sector jobs. And a much lower-than-expected report on consumer prices.
All this with a stock market hovering near 50,000 amidst booming productivity, low energy prices, and a more than trillion dollar deregulation at EPA. And even a Gallup poll showing a 49-36% rebound in economic confidence.
So you sort of have to wonder why the Wall Street Journal runs an editorial that ‘America is Running out of Patience with Republicans’.
If there ever was a real affordability issue, right now the Trump Economy is crushing it.
The latest reading from the strong January jobs report showed production workers getting an increase in pay and working more hours. What some economists, including myself, call the wage income proxy, which is hourly earnings times hours worked, jumped in January to 5.6% at an annual rate over the past three months.
Meanwhile, today’s CPI inflation report showed a 2.4% rise over the past three months, so that gives you a 3.2% real wage take-home pay number.
Let me do it again: 5.6% on wages and hours worked, against only a 2.4% three-month CPI change.
Trumponomics is delivering.
And the workforce is earning their pay hikes with a tremendous productivity run, and businesses remain very profitable with only a 1.1% increase in unit labor costs.
Technology is booming, demand for power is booming. President Trump is taking the shackles off oil, gas, and coal, so-called baseload energy, by getting rid of the Obama-Biden endangerment finding that was never put into law anyway. So average autos can probably come in somewhere around $2,400 cheaper. Scoring another for the middle class.
Factory construction is booming. It was one of the strongest parts in the January jobs report. And some of that can be directly traced to the President’s tariff-driven reciprocal trade policy.
Plus, 100% immediate depreciation write-offs, creating a huge business capital goods boom, where new investment means stronger employment and wages, and eventually consumer spending power.
While it may be true, as President Trump told me this week, that he and his team have to work harder to get the message out, the fact is the numbers are on his side.
And editorialists who dwell on tired old left-wing Biden-esque criticisms, should really just give it up.
Trumponomics is working, and a midterm election victory for Republicans is very much in sight.
Apollo Global: Overdone Credit Fears Create A Buying Opportunity (Upgrade)
Sanofi SAN -1.87%decrease; red down pointing triangle shares fell after the drugmaker said Belen Garijo, the chief executive of Germany’s Merck MRK 1.91%increase; green up pointing triangle KGaA, would succeed Paul Hudson as CEO after its board decided not to renew his mandate.
The change at the helm of the French company follows a string of clinical setbacks last year that put its shares under pressure and left investors and analysts wondering whether Sanofi would be able to replace sales from blockbuster Dupixent—an anti-inflammatory drug jointly developed with Regeneron—once the medicine goes off patent.
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Telus T -3.22%decrease; red down pointing triangle longtime Chief Executive Darren Entwistle will hand over the reins of the Canadian telecom giant, making way for former bank boss Victor Dodig.
Entwistle will retire on June 30 following a 26-year tenure as Telus’s president and CEO, the company said Thursday. Dodig, who has been an independent director on the Telus board for almost four years, becomes CEO designate with immediate effect and will join the company’s leadership team full time May 1 before taking over as CEO at the start of July, Telus said.
Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Two men jailed in UK for Islamic State-inspired plot to kill hundreds of Jews
Form 13G LIGHTWAVE ACQUISITION CORP-A For: 13 February
Form 13G Airsculpt Technologies For: 13 February
LayerZero Unveils Zero L1 Blockchain With DTCC, ICE, and Citadel Partnerships
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