The United States has been the world’s biggest importer of Chinese lithium-ion batteries for the fifth year in a row, making up a quarter of China’s overall exports of more than $61 billion last year, Chinese customs data showed. The trade data was better than expected as the strong growth of battery energy storage systems more than offset the effects of the drop in electric vehicle battery exports, after the US government has imposed a 25% tariff on Chinese EV batteries since last September. China’s total export value declined by 6% year-on-year, with the industry grappling with a lithium price slump over the past two years, according to figures published by the General Administration of Customs (GAC) earlier this month. Still, China shipped more than 3.9 billion Li-ion batteries in 2024, which include those for EVs and energy storage systems, representing an increase of 8.1% from a year ago. [Caixin]
Shock Poll Shows Massive Rightward Shift in Los Angeles in Wake of Fires – RedState– redstate.com
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Excerpt:
In the wake of the Los Angeles fires and revelations that fire hydrants weren’t working and a key reservoir had been empty for a year, a new poll shows that Los Angeles voters are more open to Republican leadership than they have been in more than a generation – and that LA Mayor Karen Bass’ tenure is in jeopardy.
The poll, conducted among likely voters in Los Angeles County between January 19 and 22, revealed that only 37 percent of respondents approve of Bass’ job performance related to wildfire response. Pollsters also asked respondents who they’d vote for, if the mayoral election were held today, in a hypothetical rematch between Bass and her 2022 opponent, businessman Rick Caruso, and only 36 percent said they’d vote for her again. It definitely looks like Bass won’t retain her job; while it’s true that voters have notoriously short memories, Bass is going to face at least one radical lefty in addition to two more moderate choices (rumors at this point are that LA City Councilwoman Traci Park and Caruso will also run), so Bass doesn’t really have a lane.