Climate and environment

Deadly severe weather roars through several states, spawning potential tornadoes

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Deadly severe weather roars through several states, spawning potential tornadoes

Thousands of homes and businesses were without power Tuesday as severe weather roared through several states, causing at least one death and spawning possible tornadoes. Parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia and Georgia were under tornado watches into Tuesday night, while Wisconsin was experiencing a spring snowstorm. Storms in Northeastern … Read more

South Africa: Taps run dry after unprecedented water crisis hits Johannesburg

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South Africa: Taps run dry after unprecedented water crisis hits Johannesburg

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — For two weeks, Tsholofelo Moloi has been among thousands of South Africans lining up for water as the country’s largest city, Johannesburg, confronts an unprecedented collapse of its water system affecting millions of people. Residents rich and poor have never seen a shortage of this severity. While hot weather has shrunk reservoirs, … Read more

E-waste from trashed electric devices is piling up and recycling isn’t keeping pace, UN says

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E-waste from trashed electric devices is piling up and recycling isn’t keeping pace, UN says

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — U.N. agencies have warned that waste from electronics is piling up worldwide while recycling rates remain low and are likely to fall even further. The agencies were referring to “e-waste,” which is defined as discarded devices with a plug or battery, including cellphones, electronic toys, TVs, microwave ovens, e-cigarettes, laptop computers … Read more

UN weather agency issues ‘red alert’ on climate change after record heat, ice-melt increases in 2023

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UN weather agency issues ‘red alert’ on climate change after record heat, ice-melt increases in 2023

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. weather agency is sounding a “red alert” about global warming, citing record-smashing increases last year in greenhouse gases, land and water temperatures and melting of glaciers and sea ice, and is warning that the world’s efforts to reverse the trend have been inadequate. The World Meteorological Organization said there is … Read more

Long recovery ahead for some in path of deadly tornadoes in central US

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Long recovery ahead for some in path of deadly tornadoes in central US

LAKEVIEW, Ohio (AP) — Residents in a swath of the central U.S. hit by deadly tornadoes were cleaning up, assessing damage and helping neighbors on Saturday. But it will be a long recovery from the storms that ripped through parts of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas. Thursday night’s storms claimed three lives in the Indian … Read more

India’s Bengaluru is fast running out of water, and a long, scorching summer still looms

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India’s Bengaluru is fast running out of water, and a long, scorching summer still looms

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Bhavani Mani Muthuvel and her family of nine have around five 20-liter (5-gallon) buckets worth of water for the week for cooking, cleaning and household chores. “From taking showers to using toilets and washing clothes, we are taking turns to do everything,” she said. It’s the only water they can afford. … Read more

A pioneering bill to slow fast fashion gets approval from France’s lower house. Next stop the Senate

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A pioneering bill to slow fast fashion gets approval from France’s lower house. Next stop the Senate

PARIS (AP) — A pioneering bill to curb the rampant pace of fast fashion won unanimous approval in the lower house of the French Parliament, making France one of the first countries worldwide to target the influx of low-cost, mass-produced garments predominantly from China. The fashion industry is among the world’s biggest producers of greenhouse … Read more

Blizzard howls in Sierra Nevada, high winds closes roads and ski resorts

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Blizzard howls in Sierra Nevada, high winds closes roads and ski resorts

TRUCKEE, Calif. (AP) — A powerful blizzard that a meteorologist termed “as bad as it gets” howled in the Sierra Nevada mountains, closing a long stretch of Interstate 80 in Northern California, forcing ski resorts to shut down, and leaving thousands of homes without power. More than 10 feet (3 meters) of snow was expected … Read more

Mexico’s Popocatépetl volcano erupts 13 times in past day, prompting airport delays

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Mexico’s Popocatépetl volcano erupts 13 times in past day, prompting airport delays

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s National Disaster Prevention Center said Wednesday the Popocatépetl volcano, located just 50 miles from the country’s capital, has erupted 13 times in the past day and urged people to not try to climb it due to debris shooting out of the crater. Volcanic ash from the Popocatépetl disrupted flights out … Read more

Texas wildfires: Fire grows to second-largest in state history

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Texas wildfires: Fire grows to second-largest in state history

A fast-moving wildfire burning through the Texas Panhandle grew into the second-largest blaze in state history Wednesday, forcing evacuations and triggering power outages as firefighters struggled to contain the widening flames. The sprawling blaze was part of a cluster of fires that burned out of control and threatened rural towns, where local officials spent the … Read more