Latest Disaster planning and response News

Report says 2.3 billion people globally use polluting fuel to cook; 675 million have no electricity
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Up to 2.3 billion people around the world are still using polluting fuels to cook and 675 million don't have electricity, according to a report released Tuesday by five international organizations. The report said that at current rates, 660 million people are...

Mississippi's capital only collects 56% of fees from its struggling water system
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi's capital is collecting only a little more than half of the money it bills for water use, far below the rate at which most American cities obtain such fees, Jackson's federally appointed water manager said Monday. Ted Henifin, appointed in...

Mexico president's ruling party ousts once-dominant party in most populous state
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The ruling party of Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador won the governorship of the country's most populous state, dealing a life-threatening blow to the old ruling Institutional Revolutionary Part y — or PRI — which had governed the State of Mexico without...

Report: Buffalo's snow-removal equipment, communications fell short during deadly blizzard
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo's snow-removal fleet was no match for the historic Christmas week blizzard that left 31 people dead in the city, and officials fell short in issuing warnings and providing shelter, according to a report released Friday. The 175-page review of the...
Implosion of smokestacks at shuttered coal-fired power plant causes unexpected outages
SPRINGDALE, Pa. (AP) — The implosion of two smokestacks at a shuttered coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania went mostly as planned on Friday, but officials say an air burst caused some utility poles and power lines to come down on a nearby street, leading to power outages. The...

Poland's president proposes urgent amendments to law on Russian influence
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish President Andrzej Duda said Friday that he was proposing urgent amendments to a law on Russian influence he signed this week that drew U.S. and European Union criticism. Duda said he was aware of objections, including in Poland, to the law proposed by...

Tropical Storm Mawar intensifies rains for Japan, threatens floods and mudslides in some regions
NAHA, Japan (AP) — Heavy rains intensified by Tropical Storm Mawar fell on Japan’s main archipelago Friday, halting trains and triggering floods and mudslides in central and western regions where residents were urged to use caution or evacuate. Up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) of...

Just days to spare, Senate gives final approval to debt ceiling deal, sending it to Biden
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fending off a U.S. default, the Senate gave final approval late Thursday to a debt ceiling and budget cuts package, grinding into the night to wrap up work on the bipartisan deal and send it to President Joe Biden's desk to become law before the fast-approaching deadline. ...

Devers breaks tie in 6-run 8th, Red Sox beat Reds 8-2 to avoid sweep
BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers doubled to break an eighth-inning tie and the Boston Red Sox overcame Chris Sale’s early exit because of shoulder soreness to beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-2 on Thursday night. Sale departed after manager Alex Cora and a member of the training staff...

Japan's southern Okinawa Islands prepare as tropical storm approaches
NAHA, Japan (AP) — A weakened Tropical Storm Mawar headed toward Japan's southern archipelago of Okinawa on Thursday, leading businesses and the airport to close and fishermen to batten down their boats in preparation. Many residents in the prefectural capital of Naha on the main...
