The Latest: Utilities president blasts PG&E over outages

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Latest on a massive power shut-off last week in Northern California (all times local): 3:15 p.m. California's top utilities regulator says she's astounded by the lack of basic preparation Pacific Gas & Electric officials took in readying for a pre-emptive power shut-off that...

Tropical Storm Nestor forms, threatening US Gulf Coast

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Newly formed Tropical Storm Nestor bore down on the northern Gulf Coast with high winds, surging seas and heavy rains Friday, threatening to hit an area of the Florida Panhandle devastated one year ago by Hurricane Michael. But unlike Michael, a powerful storm that left thousands...

The Latest: Nestor zeroing in on Florida Panhandle coast

MIAMI (AP) — The Latest on storm moving toward U.S. Gulf Coast (all times local): 4:20 p.m. Forecasters say Tropical Storm Nestor is zeroing in on Florida as it moves across the Gulf of Mexico. The National Weather Service has scaled back on a tropical storm warning that extended all the way to parts of...

Plans pushed back to explode 2 cranes in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Plans have been pushed back a day to bring down two giant, unstable construction cranes in a series of controlled explosions before they can topple onto historic New Orleans buildings, the city's fire chief said Friday, noting the risky work involved in placing explosive on the towers....

Tropical Storm Nestor has formed in the Gulf of Mexico; storm surge, high winds expected along US Gulf Coast

UK royal couple returns home after 5-day visit to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate wrapped up their five-day visit to Pakistan on Friday, in which they dined with the prime minister and made an emotional tour of a cancer hospital previously visited by William's mother, the late Princess Diana. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge...

The Latest: Tropical storm expected to develop in Gulf

MIAMI (AP) — The Latest on tropical weather (all times local): 10:55 p.m. A disturbance in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico is expected to become a tropical storm Friday as it moves toward the northern U.S. Gulf Coast. On Thursday night, the U.S. National Hurricane Center says the storm was about 445 miles...

Hurricane Center: Tropical storm likely along Gulf Coast

MIAMI (AP) — A disturbance in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico is likely to become a tropical storm that will strike the northern U.S. Gulf Coast with high wind and heavy rains, forecasters said Thursday. Moving off the eastern coast of Mexico, the low pressure system was expected to develop into a tropical...

Controlled blasts to bring down cranes at collapse site

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Two giant, badly damaged construction cranes towering over a partially collapsed hotel project are to be demolished Friday with a series of controlled explosions in hopes of dropping them straight down without damaging nearby businesses and historic buildings around the site at the edge...

Some US farmers get a reprieve at end of challenging year

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Many farmers in the Midwest and South whose planting this year was interrupted by wet weather are getting a reprieve, though a few Northern states have seen harvest prospects go from bad to worse. Minnesota and the Dakotas have seen snow and rain in recent weeks that have hampered an...