Israeli strikes on tent camps near Rafah kill at least 25 and wound 50, Gaza health officials say
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza health officials say Israeli strikes on a tent camp outside the southern city of Rafah have killed at least 25 people and wounded another 50. Friday’s strikes were the latest deadly attack on displaced people in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands have fled fighting between Israel and Hamas. Witnesses whose relatives died in one of the bombardments near a Red Cross field hospital say that Israeli forces fired a second volley, which killed people who came out of their tents. The International Committee of the Red Cross said the hospital was flooded with casualties, including 22 dead and 45 wounded. It condemned the firing of “high-caliber projectiles” a few yards from the facility.
Millions baking across the US as heat prolongs misery with little relief expected
A relentless heat wave continues to bake most of the U.S., with numerous areas expected to see record-breaking temperatures. Forecasters were also warning there would likely be little relief through the weekend for most areas. The steamiest conditions on Friday were expected in parts of Ohio and Indiana, where heat indexes were expected to soar past 100 degrees Fahrenheit and remain there most of the day. But the Midwest was not the only area being baked, as heat warnings and advisories have been issued across the northeast, the mid-Atlantic and in some western states. Idaho officials said Friday that two people in their 60s had died of heat-related causes.
FEMA is ready for an extreme hurricane and wildfire season, but money is a concern, Mayorkas says
WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Homeland Security Department says the agency tasked with responding to disasters across the country is prepared as it goes into what is expected to be an intense hurricane and wildfire season. But Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told The Associated Press that he’s concerned about looming budget shortfalls. Mayorkas was visiting the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday for a briefing about the hurricane season, which started on June 1. Experts think this year could be one of the busiest on record. As parts of the U.S. swelter, Mayorkas said extreme heat could qualify as a major disaster but that local communities historically have been able to deal with major heat waves without needing federal financial assistance.
Escape from killer New Mexico wildfire was ‘absolute sheer terror,’ says woman who fled the flames
With little warning, thousands of people were forced to flee their homes as a pair of wildfires ballooned in a single afternoon. Traffic was bumper to bumper as residents tried to leave the mountain village of Ruidoso on Monday evening. Smoke obscured their view as they inched just a few miles in what seemed like an eternity. Residents are now scattered from Roswell and Alamogordo to Texas and beyond, after a chaotic escape from the billowing smoke and flames. Rain and cooler temperatures are helping firefighters keep the flames in check. Top officials are expected to visit Saturday to survey some of the neighborhoods that were destroyed.
Teamsters president will speak at the Republican National Convention
CHAPIN, S.C. (AP) — The president of the Teamsters Union is set to speak at this summer’s Republican National Convention. Trump said on social media that Sean O’Brien had “accepted” his invitation to address delegates in Milwaukee next month. Teamsters spokesperson Kara Deniz says that O’Brien requested a speaking slot at both major party conventions. Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, is trying to chip away at President Joe Biden’s support among the blue-collar workers, who will likely play a major role in the general election. Both Trump and Biden have met with Teamsters leaders this year. DNC officials said no final programming decisions had been made for their event. The union has endorsed Democratic candidates in the last two presidential cycles.
How Biden and Trump are taking very different approaches to preparing for next week’s debate
NEW YORK (AP) — President Joe Biden is beginning an intense period of private debate preparations at Camp David. The Democrat’s trip comes as officials in both major political parties scramble to set expectations for what may be the most consequential presidential debate in decades. Biden’s team notes he cannot afford an underwhelming performance against Donald Trump on June 27 in Atlanta. Trump’s allies are pushing the Republican to stay focused on his governing plans but expect him to be tested by pointed questions about his unrelenting focus on election fraud and his legal baggage. Strategists on both sides agree on one thing: Nearly four months before Election Day, the political stakes could not be higher.
Shooting at grocery store in Arkansas kills 3 and wounds 10 others, police say
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas State Police say a shooter opened fire Friday at a grocery store, killing three people and wounding 10 others. The shooting at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce has left the store and parked cars riddled with bullet holes. Bystanders ducked for cover both indoors and in the grocery’s parking lot. State Police Director Co. Mike Hagar says police shot the suspected shooter, who sustained injuries that were not life-threatening. Two law enforcement officers were among those shot, and neither have life-threatening injuries. Police identified the shooter as 44-year-old Travis Eugene Posey of New Edinburg.
El Salvador death toll rises to 19 as heavy rains continue
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — The death toll from torrential rains and landslides in El Salvador has risen to 19. The number includes six victims from Friday when two girls and four adults died after being buried in their homes. ​​A weather system along Guatemala’s Pacific coast and another in the Gulf of Mexico developed Tropical Storm Alberto. They have brought saturating rains to southern Mexico and Central America. The Civil Protection authorities of El Salvador issued a red alert and the country’s Congress declared a state of national emergency for 15 days because of the severity of the rains.
Climate change makes India’s monsoons erratic. Can farmers still find a way to prosper?
BENGALURU, India (AP) — Most of India’s 120 million farmers depend on rain from monsoons for a good harvest. India typically has two monsoons: one from June to September, and another from October to December. But with more planet-warming gases in the air, the rain now only loosely follows this pattern. Farming has become precarious with climate change making the season increasingly erratic. A good monsoon can noticeably boost India’s economy, making it a vital weather phenomenon. Experts say adapting to changing rainfall patterns, growing climate-resilient crops, having more localized weather predictions and preparing for extreme rain and droughts can help Indians make the most of the monsoons.
Hawaii settles lawsuit from youths over climate change. Here’s what to know about the historic deal
HONOLULU (AP) — About two years after 13 children and teens sued Hawaii over the threat posed by climate change, both sides have reached a settlement that includes an ambitious requirement to decarbonize the state’s transportation system over the next 21 years. The lawsuit was filed in June 2022. It had been scheduled to go to trial next week. The state is not admitting any liability or wrongdoing by settling. Both sides say the deal is historic. They say it’s the first of its kind between a state government and youth plaintiffs to address constitutional issues arising from climate change.
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