The $15.7 Trillion AI Revolution Is Here

Tech giants like Amazon, Google, and OpenAI are paying BILLIONS to access this critical AI tech.

Hawaii wildfire victims spared from testifying after last-minute deal over $4B settlement

JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
January 29, 2025

HONOLULU (AP) -- Lawyers representing victims of a deadly Hawaii wildfire reached a last-minute deal averting a trial Wednesday to determine how to split a $4 billion settlement.

The agreement means victims and survivors will not have to testify, reliving in court details of the massive inferno in Lahaina that killed more than 100 people, destroyed thousands of properties and caused an estimated $5.5 billion worth of damage.

Before the trial was scheduled to begin Wednesday morning, lawyers met in private with Judge Peter Cahill, who later announced that a deal had been reached late Tuesday. Lawyers are expected to file court documents detailing the agreement in a week.

Some victims had been ready to take the witness stand, while others submitted pre-recorded testimony, describing pain made all the more fresh by the recent destruction in Los Angeles.

"Some folks I'm sure will be disappointed, because in their minds this was their time to share their story," Jacob Lowenthal, one of the attorneys representing individual plaintiffs, said Wednesday. "Other folks are going to be relieved because they don't have to go in and testify."

One of the individual plaintiffs is Kevin Baclig, whose wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law were among the 102 people known to have died.

Baclig said in a declaration that if called to testify he would describe how for three agonizing days he searched for them -- from hotel to hotel, shelter to shelter. "I clung to the fragile hope that maybe they had made it off the island, that they were safe," he said.

A month and a half went by and the grim reality set in. He went to the Philippines to gather DNA samples from his wife's close relatives there. The samples matched remains found in the fire. He eventually carried urns holding their remains back to the Philippines.

"The loss has left me in profound, unrelenting pain," he said. "There are no words to describe the emptiness I feel or the weight I carry every day."

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green announced the $4 billion settlement -- agreed by the state, power utility Hawaiian Electric, large landowners and others -- about a year after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century devastated Lahaina in 2023. At the time, he touted the speed of the deal to "avoid protracted and painful lawsuits."

The trial was supposed to determine a percentage split between two groups of plaintiffs, including some who filed individual lawsuits after losing their family members, homes or businesses, and other victims covered by class-action lawsuits, including tourists who canceled trips to Maui because of the blaze.

Only a nominal portion of the settlement should go to tourists whose trips were delayed or canceled, Lowenthal said.

"The categories of losses that the class is claiming are just grossly insignificant compared to our losses," he said.

Attorneys for the class have not responded to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment on the averted trial.

In their trial brief, they challenged the idea that everyone who has a claim worth suing over had already done so. Many people held off hiring attorneys, the brief said, because of the fire's disruption to life, "distrust in heavy attorney advertising, and a desire to see how the process plays out first."

Separately, the state Supreme Court is considering whether insurers can sue the defendants for reimbursement for the $2 billion-plus they have paid out in fire claims, or whether their share must come from the $4 billion settlement. Oral arguments in that case are scheduled for Feb. 6.

"That is the last big piece that needs to be decided before the global settlement can move forward," Lowenthal said.

Continue Reading...

Popular

Top 3 Utilities Stocks That May Rocket Higher This Month

The most oversold stocks in the utilities sector presents an opportunity to buy into undervalued companies.

What to know about Trump's buyout proposal for federal employees

President Donald Trump's administration is offering to federal employees to quickly reduce the government workforce. They don't have a long time to decide: The deadline is Feb. 6.

2025's No. 1 Trump Era Trade - Ad

Elon Musk is warning about a major shortage we will face in 2025. Trump is targeting one specific resource as the solution to the problem. One American company is virtually the only company set up to solve this situation... generating billions in sales.

Trump's Commerce Secretary nominee, Howard Lutnick, vows to sell his business interests in 90 days

WASHINGTON (AP) — Billionaire financier Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Commerce Department, said Wednesday that he would sell all of his business holdings within 90 days.

Shipments of uranium ore can resume under agreement reached with the Navajo Nation

Shipments of uranium ore from just south of the Grand Canyon are expected to resume in February after the Navajo Nation reached a settlement with the mining company, clearing the way for trucks to transport the ore across the largest Native American reservation in the U.S.

"Boring Trade" Generates $185 Every Day. Like Clockwork. - Ad

Forget cryptos, pot stocks, and other "shiny object" investments. Instead, you could collect an average of $185 every day of the year with this "boring" trade strategy Forbes magazine says is "like finding money in the street."

Microsoft reports 10% quarterly profit growth as it works to show AI investments paying off

REDMOND, Wash. (AP) — Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday that its profit for the October-December quarter grew 10% from the same time last year as it works to capitalize on the huge amounts of money it has spent to advance its artificial intelligence technology.

South Carolina treasurer calls questions of his role in $1.8 billion accounting error a witch hunt

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis said Wednesday that calls for him to resign over that left the state trying to figure out what happened to a $1.8 billion fund amounted to a witch hunt.

Legendary Wall Street Stock Picker Names No.1 AI Stock of 2025 - Ad

Marc Chaikin's system has detected another bewildering trend in the U.S. stock market. And he says this stock could shoot sky-high in the new year as a direct result. To hear it for yourself, click here. You'll get this stock's name and ticker symbol, absolutely free.

3 coup-hit West African nations formally leave ECOWAS in an unprecedented disintegration

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have formally withdrawn from the regional bloc known as ECOWAS, the body said Wednesday, the culmination of a yearlong process during which the group tried to avert its unprecedented disintegration.

Shiba Inu's Shytoshi Kusama Teases 'Extremely Powerful Partnership' -- Coin Themed On Him Rallies 25%

Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) lead ambassador Shytoshi Kusama hinted at a major partnership announcement for the blockchain ecosystem on Tuesday, stirring up excitement among enthusiasts.

Elon Musk: "AI Will Run Out of Electricity ... in 2025" - Ad

This AI boom is going to push America's power grid to the brink... Elon Musk even recently said that AI could run out of electricity by 2025. This crisis may just reveal one of the greatest investment ideas we are ever going to find. My research has recently uncovered two companies that could make a massive difference today.

Ozempic Receives FDA Approval To Treat Kidney Disease

The FDA on Tuesday approves Ozempic, the weight loss drug made by Novo Nordisk, for the treatment of chronic kidney disease in patients who also have type 2 diabetes. 

Lyft Faces Growing Competition, Bank of America Analyst Warns

Bank of America analyst Micheal McGovern reiterated a Buy rating on Lyft and lowered the price target from $21 to $19.

Is This Defi Coin Your Next "10-Bagger" Investment? - Ad

Our #1 pick in decentralized finance is largely overlooked by mainstream investors (for now). This governance token could skyrocket as DeFi adoption surges with the smart money and institutions.

Chubb CEO Expects $1.5 Billion Loss From LA Wildfires: 'California Is A Difficult Market For Insurance Companies'

Chubb held its fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday and addressed the future financial impacts resulting from the recent California wildfires. 

MrBeast's Net Worth Hits $1 Billion—But In 2023, He Promised To 'Give Away' All His Money. What Drives The YouTuber's Philanthropy?

MrBeast, who once defended his charity-driven content by pledging to give away all his money, has officially become a self-made billionaire with a $1 billion net worth, driven by his massive YouTube empire, merchandise sales, and a $100 million Amazon streaming deal.

5-Second Trump Clip will Give You Chills - Ad

If you have any money in the markets, take a moment to see this presentation with a 5-second clip of a shocking prediction President Trump made during his victory speech... Because according to legendary investor Louis Navellier, who correctly predicted Trump's win... This prediction is about to become a reality.

Mark Zuckerberg Says China's DeepSeek Did Some Novel Things 'We're Still Digesting,' But Meta May Keep Pouring Billions Into AI Infrastructure Anyway

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged that China's DeepSeek made novel advancements that Meta is still evaluating but emphasized that the company will continue investing billions in AI infrastructure, seeing it as a long-term strategic advantage.

More AI Patents Than Nvidia, OpenAI and Tesla Combined? - Ad

Most people have no idea this company exists. That's because it's on the inside of your smartphone, your computer, and everything else... 99% of Americans don't even know its name. Billionaires have been buying this $50 AI stock hand over fist...

Dubai International Airport, busiest for world travel, sees record 92.3 million passengers in 2024

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel, saw a record 92.3 million passengers pass through its terminals in 2024, officials announced Thursday.

Elon's Next Millionaire-Making Project? - Ad

This could create more wealth than all of his previous ventures... combined.

Czech Central Bank Considering 5% Bitcoin Reserve

The Czech National Bank (CNB) could become the first Western central bank known to allocate a portion of its reserves to Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC).

Hong Kong's snake soup is slithering away but still simmers in a decades-old kitchen

HONG KONG (AP) — As Hong Kong prepares to welcome the Year of the Snake on Wednesday, Chau Ka-ling displays a moving serpent with practiced ease, holding it like a pet in her decades-old restaurant in the city.

What Bill O'Reilly Said Floored Me - Ad

Bill O'Reilly has trusted one expert for investment advice for over 20 years... Alexander Green. Now, Alex is revealing Trump's impact on YOUR Money, like how AI technology could amplify Trump's policies and details on 3 stocks that could rise 20-fold by 2029.

AI ETFs In Focus As Alibaba Challenges DeepSeek With New Model

AI arms race fueled by DeepSeek and Alibaba's AI models. Investors can profit from trend with AI-focused ETFs, including AIQ, ARKQ, QQQ.

MrBeast And Group Of Investors, Including Roblox CEO, Lock In Over $20 Billion For TikTok Takeover

A group of American investors, including YouTube star MrBeast and Roblox CEO David Baszucki, has secured over $20 billion for a potential TikTok takeover, but ByteDance has yet to respond to their bid.

Alex Green Reveals The Top Trump Trades for 2025 - Ad

Wharton's Jeremy Siegel says Trump is "the most pro-stock market president we've had in our history." Now, with Trump's new economic blueprint in place, Alex Green has identified a handful companies that could lead the next wave of wealth creation... And he's revealing the names and ticker symbols, free of charge.

Spain's leader wants the EU to 'make social media great again.' Here's how

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — Spanish Prime Minister is launching a crusade against what he sees as the downsides of .

Despite chaos over Trump White House's funding pause, FAFSA forms and student loans still available

A temporary freeze imposed briefly this week by the White House on federal grants and loans left many students wondering about the impact to the used to apply for financial aid.

Top-Secret Military Base in New Mexico Desert - Ad

Out in the New Mexico desert sits a top secret government facility... The scientists here are studying a new technology that will change the way wars are fought... Once you see this thing for yourself -- you'll know in your heart it could be coming for all of us. That's why I've taken steps to help protect myself and my family from what could be unleashed as early as April 11.

Firings, freezes and layoffs: A look at Trump's moves against federal employees and programs

CHAPIN, S.C. (AP) — Changeover among federal government agencies is normal when a new administration comes to Washington. But President has implemented in the first days of his second administration, from firing career agency employees to freezing trillions in federal grant funds and halting diversity, equity and inclusion programs that could result in wide-ranging layoffs.

Nvidia Says DeepSeek An 'Illustration' Of How New AI Models Can Be Created While Being Export-Control Compliant Amid $600 Billion Market Value Plunge

Nvidia Corp. has thrown its support behind China's DeepSeek R1 artificial intelligence model, calling it "an excellent AI advancement" even as the startup's emergence triggered a historic $600 billion plunge in the chipmaker's market value on Monday.

Bill Gates' Next Big AI Bet: Stargate Could Be a Game-Changer - Ad

Jeff Brown, the tech expert who predicted Bitcoin, Nvidia, and Tesla, reveals Bill Gates' new AI project, Stargate. Could this be the next big AI breakthrough?

Elizabeth Warren To Elon Musk: Cut Unnecessary Federal Cannabis Enforcement And Save Billions

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a detailed letter to Elon Musk, chair of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with numerous suggestions for slashing federal spending.

Teva's Duvakitug Set To Shake Up IBD Treatment, Analyst Highlights Competitive Data

Piper Sandler analyst maintains an Overweight rating on Teva, citing positive feedback on duvakitug's potential in treating IBD.

This Coin Could Surge Like Bitcoin Did Back in 2013... - Ad

A new coin is emerging in the crypto world. And investing in it now could end up like Bitcoin or Ethereum during their first bull runs.

Bank of America's Sensitive Customer Data Compromised in Third-Party Hack - Is Your Account Safe?

Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) has confirmed a data breach involving a third-party software provider that led to the exposure of sensitive customer data.

Trending Now

Information, charts or examples are for illustration and educational purposes only and not for individualized investment management This message contains commercial elements, such as advertising. We only send these offers to those who have opted in to our newsletter. Past performance is not indicative of future results. For these reasons we strongly suggest trading in a DEMO/Simulated account. The information provided by us is for educational and informational purposes only. We make no representations or warranties concerning the products, practices or procedures of any company or entity mentioned or recommended and have not determined if the statements and opinions of the advertiser are accurate, correct or truthful. If you use, act upon or make decisions in reliance on information contained or any external source linked within it, you do so at your own peril and agree to hold us, our officers, directors, shareholders, affiliates and agents without fault.

Copyright finstrategist.com
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service