Idalia is expected to make landfall in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane with dangerous rain, winds and storm surge

Idalia is expected to make landfall in Florida as a Category 3 hurricane with dangerous rain, winds and storm surge

CNN  —  Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to strengthen into a hurricane Monday and could bring potentially catastrophic winds, heavy rain and flooding to Florida’s Gulf Coast as a powerful Category 3 storm later this week, prompting evacuations and school closures in parts of the state. By Monday night, Idalia was “almost a hurricane” as … Read more

Defiant North Korea tells UN its spy satellite program is its ‘legitimate right as a sovereign state’

Defiant North Korea tells UN its spy satellite program is its ‘legitimate right as a sovereign state’

CNN  —  In a defiant speech to the UN Security Council, North Korea insisted its efforts to launch a spy satellite into space are transparent and within “its legitimate right as a sovereign state.” Pyongyang’s ambassador to the UN Kim Song defended his country during a rare address to the UN on Friday, denying that … Read more

Merryville evaucation: Wildfires force southwestern Louisiana town to evacuate amid extreme drought

Merryville evaucation: Wildfires force southwestern Louisiana town to evacuate amid extreme drought

CNN  —  Louisiana has recorded an unprecedented 441 wildfires in August, forcing multiple southwestern towns to evacuate Thursday and the state to implement a burn ban. The state is experiencing severe heat and drought conditions. In an email to CNN, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry spokesperson Jennifer Finely said 441 fires have burned from … Read more

About 4 million children in Pakistan have no safe water, one year after deadly floods

About 4 million children in Pakistan have no safe water, one year after deadly floods

CNN  —  One year after catastrophic floods devastated swathes of Pakistan, some 4 million children in the South Asian nation remain without access to safe water, the United Nations children’s agency has warned. In a news release Friday, UNICEF said it estimates that there are 8 million people in the country, around half of whom … Read more

Michigan power outages: Severe storms leave more than 500,000 in the dark across Michigan and Ohio

Michigan power outages: Severe storms leave more than 500,000 in the dark across Michigan and Ohio

CNN  —  More than half a million homes and businesses are without power in parts of Michigan and Ohio overnight into Friday as a forceful round of severe thunderstorms has brought heavy rains, strong winds and at least one confirmed tornado to the region. The storms marched from southern Michigan into Ohio overnight, threatening powerful … Read more

Fukushima nuclear waste water: Japan to release treated water despite China’s opposition

Fukushima nuclear waste water: Japan to release treated water despite China’s opposition

CNN  —  Japan on Thursday began releasing treated radioactive wastewater from its Fukushima nuclear plant, sparking a fiery tirade from China which described operation as a “selfish and irresponsible act”. The release is part of a controversial plan that has met fierce objections from many consumers as well as some regional countries, with Beijing leading … Read more

Japan to start releasing Fukushima wastewater as soon as Thursday

Japan to start releasing Fukushima wastewater as soon as Thursday

Tokyo CNN  —  Japan will begin releasing treated radioactive water from Fukushima into the ocean as early as Thursday, officials announced on Tuesday, following months of heightened public anxiety and pushback from many neighboring countries. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said authorities would go forward with the release on August 24 “if they encounter no obstacles.” … Read more

Tenerife wildfires force over 12,000 evacuations

Tenerife wildfires force over 12,000 evacuations

CNN  —  Over 12,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Tenerife after wildfires tore through the Spanish Canary Island. Police data showed the the number of evacuations surged from the 4,500 reported on Friday. Some 11 towns have been affected by the fires but tourist areas have been spared. While worsening weather … Read more

Hurricane Hilary prompts historic tropical storm warning for California as Southwest braces for dangerous rain, flooding

Hurricane Hilary prompts historic tropical storm warning for California as Southwest braces for dangerous rain, flooding

CNN  —  Residents in the Southwest are bracing for heavy rains and potentially catastrophic flooding as Hurricane Hilary is expected to pummel the region as a rare tropical storm beginning Sunday and lasting into next week. Hilary remains a Category 4 hurricane as it marches toward the coast of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula with sustained … Read more

Hurricane Hilary could dump a year’s worth of rain on parts of the Southwest

Hurricane Hilary could dump a year’s worth of rain on parts of the Southwest

CNN  —  Concern is growing Hurricane Hilary will unleash a prolific amount of flooding rainfall on the southwestern US and parts of California as it makes a rare move over the region Sunday and into early next week, triggering a tropical storm warning for parts of Southern California. Hilary could dump more than a year’s … Read more