Damaging tornadoes move through Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky
MADISON, Ind. (AP) — Suspected tornado have raked parts of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, damaging dozens of homes and leaving people without electricity. Forecasters say they are aware of damage in the Lakeview, Ohio, area and across the region and plan to survey the area Friday to confirm the tornado. A spokesperson for Logan County’s Emergency Management Agency confirmed the tornado. She said there were no confirmed reports of fatalities or injuries. Lakeview is in Logan County.
Colorado snow storm knocks out power for thousands
DENVER (AP) — A major storm is dumping heavy, wet snow in Colorado. Conditions are forcing flight cancellations and shuttered a highway that connects Denver to Colorado’s ski resorts. Some drivers were stranded in their cars on Interstate 70 for much of the day Thursday. The storm began Wednesday night and is expected to continue through Friday morning. The heaviest accumulations were expected along Colorado’s Front Range, where the eastern plains meet the Rocky Mountains. The region is home to the vast majority of the state’s population.
A plan to find new leadership for Haiti is moving forward, Caribbean officials say
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Caribbean officials say a plan to create a transitional presidential council is moving forward after a majority of Haitian parties and coalitions submitted the names of those charged with finding new leaders for the country. Officials said Thursday that the names were provided to a regional trade bloc known as Caricom that is helping lead the transition. The names were submitted a day after Haitian politicians and influential figures bickered publicly about the plan and what names to submit, seemingly putting creation of the council at risk. Prime Minister Ariel Henry pledged to resign once the council is created.
Interior Department will give tribal nations $120 million to fight climate-related threats
(AP) The Interior Department will be allocating more than $120 million to tribal governments to fight the impacts of climate change. The funding is designed to help tribal nations adapt to climate threats, including relocating infrastructure. Indigenous peoples in the U.S. are among the communities most affected by severe climate-related environmental threats, which have already negatively impacted water resources, ecosystems and traditional food sources in Native communities in every corner of the U.S.
Former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin says he’s putting together investor group to buy TikTok
(AP) Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says he’s going to put together an investor group to buy TikTok after the House passed a bill that would ban the popular video app in the U.S. if its China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake. Speaking on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Mnuchin said he believes TikTok should be sold. He says the company should be owned by U.S. businesses and that China would never let a U.S. company own something similar in China. He offered no details about who may be in the group or about TikTok’s possible valuation. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Survivors of Mediterranean rescue say about 60 people died on the trip from Libya, aid group reports
MILAN (AP) — A humanitarian rescue group says survivors aboard a deflating rubber dinghy rescued in the central Mediterranean Sea have reported that some 60 people who departed Libya with them more than a week ago perished during the journey. SOS Mediterranee says its rescue ship Ocean Viking spotted the dinghy Wednesday with 25 people on board. Two were unconscious, and evacuated by an Italian Coast Guard helicopter for treatment. The other 23 were in serious condition, exhausted, dehydrated and with burns from fuel on board the boat. SOS Mediterranee spokesman Francesco Creazzo said that the survivors were all male, 12 of them minors with two of those not yet teenagers. They were from Senegal, Mali and The Gambia.
Federal officials say they’re investigating a tire problem on an American Airlines flight to LA
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration says it’s investigating an incident in which an American Airlines plane flying from Dallas to Los Angeles suffered a tire problem. American flight 345 landed safely at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday night. American says pilots got a warning of low pressure in one of the tires. The plane, a Boeing 777, has 14 tires to handle the pressure of takeoffs and landings. The FAA is also investigating an incident last week in which a United Airlines Boeing 777 lost a tire during takeoff in San Francisco.