Heavy rain leads to ‘historic weather event’ in United Arab Emirates
Historic flooding in the United Arab Emirates has led to the closure of Dubai’s airport and schools canceling classes. The rain began late Monday, April 15, and by the night of Tuesday, April 17, Dubai had received more than 6 inches of rain in over 24 hours, far surpassing the city’s average annual rainfall of just over 3 inches.
Emirates airline halted check-in for all flights departing from Dubai from 8 a.m. to midnight on Wednesday, April 17, while Fly Dubai also suspended flights until 10 a.m. on April 17 due to extreme weather. Al Ain recorded the highest rainfall in the UAE at 10 inches in less than 24 hours, marking a 75-year high for the country.
In response, the government issued a red warning, closing offices and banks nationwide, and the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Authority urged residents to stay indoors and protect their property from potential flood and hail damage.
At least one person was killed in the floodwaters. The state-run news agency described the rainfall as a “historic weather event” that surpassed “anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949.”
DeSantis drops out of presidential race ahead of New Hampshire primary: The Morning Rundown, Jan. 22, 2024
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis drops out of the race for the White House as the New Hampshire primary is a day away. And video captures flames shooting from a cargo plane in an incident now under investigation. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, Jan. 22, 2024.
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Ron DeSantis drops out of race ahead of New Hampshire primary
With the New Hampshire primary one day away, the field of Republican candidates running for the presidency is down by one. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Sunday, Jan. 21, that he is ending his bid for the White House.
“Now, following our second-place finish in Iowa, we’ve prayed and deliberated on the way forward,” DeSantis said. “If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it. But I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don’t have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today, suspending my campaign.”
DeSantis came in a distant second to former President Donald Trump in last week’s Iowa caucuses. In his video on social media announcing the end of his campaign, DeSantis said he is now endorsing Trump as the Republican nominee.
While he admitted the two have disagreed on issues in the past, DeSantis said he sees a majority of Republican primary voters want to give the former president “another chance.” At a rally in New Hampshire later in the day, Trump thanked DeSantis for the endorsement, calling the Florida governor “a really terrific person.”
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley told reporters the race is now down to “one fella and one lady,” adding, “may the best woman win.”
A new poll conducted by CNN and the University of New Hampshire shows Trump is the clear GOP frontrunner, with the former president holding 50% support among likely Republican voters, while Haley has 39%.
Meanwhile, two-thirds of likely Democratic voters say they will write in President Biden’s name after the president did not file to be a candidate on the state’s primary ballot following a dispute between New Hampshire and the Democratic National Committee.
2 Navy SEALs presumed dead during mission to stop Iranian weapons transfer
The U.S. military has called off a 10-day search and rescue effort for 2 Navy SEALs, now presumed dead, who went missing in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia. According to U.S. Central Command, rescue efforts have turned into recovery efforts.
According to reports, during the nighttime boarding mission, one of the SEALs fell in the water; following protocol, another team member jumped in to rescue them while the rest of the team carried out the mission. Weapons were recovered, but the two operators have not been.
“We mourn the loss of our two Naval Special Warfare warriors, and we will forever honor their sacrifice and example. Our prayers are with the SEALs’ families, friends, the U.S. Navy, and the entire Special Operations community during this time,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, U.S. Central Command Commander.
Netanyahu rejects Hamas’ conditions to end the war, release hostages
“I reject outright the terms of surrender of the monsters of Hamas,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
Families of the hostages taken by Hamas held a protest outside of Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, demanding he take action to bring all of them home. A senior Hamas official speaking to Reuters said Netanyahu’s refusal to end its operations in Gaza “means there is no chance for the return of the captives.”
Netanyahu is facing international pressure to end the war. On Sunday, Jan. 21, he reaffirmed his stance that Israel should be in control over Gaza after the fighting ends, despite speaking with President Biden, who pressed the prime minister on working toward a two-state solution during a call two days earlier.
More than 90 weather-related deaths reported as cold temps swept across US
Reports are now showing just how dangerous the conditions were across the country as low temperatures gripped the nation last week.
The New York Times is reporting more than 70 people were killed in weather-related incidents; CBS News is reporting that number is likely to be more than 90.
In Mississippi, where 11 deaths have been reported, officials are warning of black ice on the roads and to only travel if necessary. Twenty-five weather-related deaths were reported in Tennessee, another 16 in Oregon, and more deaths have been recorded in:
New York
New Jersey
Illinois
Washington
Pennsylvania
Kentucky
Wisconsin
While some fatalities are still being investigated to confirm they were due to the severe weather conditions, bitter cold temperatures continued this weekend, affecting tens of millions, with many in the east expected to experience the coldest temperature of the year before a warm-up this coming week, including in northern Florida.
Cargo plane makes emergency landing after engine fire
Cell phone video taken by a witness on the ground shows flames shooting from a cargo plane in Miami shortly after takeoff, and now the FAA and the NTSB are investigating the incident.
“Oh my God, it’s on fire! Oh my God,” the witness can be heard screaming on the video.
The Atlas Air flight made an emergency landing back at Miami International Airport on Thursday night, Jan. 18. The airline said the cargo plane landed safely after “experiencing an engine malfunction.”
Former home of Marilyn Monroe saved from demolition for now
The former California home of legendary Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe, slated to be demolished, has been saved, at least for now. Last week, the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission voted unanimously to declare the property a historic cultural monument.
The 2,9000-square-foot estate is the only property Monroe ever purchased; she bought it in February 1962 for $77,500. It was also the home where she was found dead six months later at the age of 36. However, the home’s future is still in question, as the commission’s vote only temporarily prevents demolition remains under review.
Arctic blast grips parts of U.S. with well-below zero temperatures
A bitter cold is sweeping across parts of the U.S. as Arctic air pushes south from Canada. The record-low temperatures are expected to last through at least midweek, impacting an NFL playoff game, as well as the first Republican presidential primary event, the Iowa Caucuses.
The National Weather Service predicts that temperatures may reach 30 degrees below zero from the Rocky Mountains into Iowa and northern Kansas on Monday, Jan. 15.
The Arctic storms have proven deadly, as ABC News reported four people were killed, and thousands were left without electricity in the Northwest. A toppled tree fell on a house in Oregon killing one man. Two others died of possible hypothermia, and a fire that spread from a stove after a tree fell on a house killed a fourth person. Officials in Portland estimate around 100 trees were toppled during the storm.
The winter storm system also brought snowfall to the South and pounded the Northeast. In Buffalo blizzard conditions forced the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Buffalo Bills NFL playoff game to be moved to Monday, Jan. 15, at 4:30 p.m. ET. Buffalo Bills fans helped dig out snow from a buried Highmark Stadium over the weekend. The fans were rewarded for their hard work being paid $20 an hour.
Logan Eschrich, a storm chaser who was in Buffalo, who helped dig the stadium out told ABC News, “We made progress shoveling, but not much at all.”
The game still could be in jeopardy; The National Weather Service is predicting heavy lake-effect snow to arrive in New York from Lake Erie, adding to the one to two feet of snow already covering parts of Upstate New York. New York isn’t the only state feeling the wrath of Winter; in Montana and the Dakotas, sub-zero wind chills as low as 50 degrees below zero are expected.
As temperatures continue to plummet, officials are urging customers to limit electricity use. From Texas to Nebraska, power utilities are asking customers to voluntarily conserve energy. In Nebraska, Omaha Public Power District appealed to customers to lower thermostat temperatures and reduce appliance usage to prevent “controlled outages.”
Passengers taking to the “friendly skies” also felt the impact of Winter storms. Airports across the country experienced delays and cancellations.
As more severe weather is expected on Monday Jan. 15 and Tuesday, Jan. 16, it remains to be seen if the grips of Winter will go away anytime soon. It’s not just snow that’s the problem; The Sunshine State is expecting rain and thunderstorms. Meanwhile, forecasters said freezing rain is likely in parts of the Appalachian Mountains.
U.S. shoots down missiles, drones in largest Houthi attack in Red Sea: The Morning Rundown, Jan. 10, 2024
U.S. forces take down a barrage of missiles and drones in what is being called a “complex attack” by Houthi militants. And masked gunmen storm onto the set of a live newscast in Ecuador as the country’s president declares a state of emergency. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024.
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U.S. shoots down barrage of Houthi missiles, drones over Red Sea
United States Central Command said U.S. and British warships shot down a massive barrage of drones and missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen Tuesday night, Jan. 9. The U.K. defense minister said the attack over the Red Sea was the largest by the Houthis since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas.
Central Command said in a statement that U.S. forces intercepted a “complex attack” of 18 drones, two anti-ship cruise missiles, and one anti-ballistic missile. Fighter jets from the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower and four other U.S. warships, along with a British Navy destroyer, took down the 21 munitions fired by the Houthis. The U.S. reported no injuries to military personnel or damage to its ships.
The latest attack by the Houthi militants comes a week after the U.S. and a dozen allies issued a final warning to the group to stop their attacks on commercial ships traveling through the Red Sea or “bear the responsibilities of their consequences.” The Houthis said they will only cease their attacks when Israel stops the war in Gaza.
Gunmen storm set of live TV newscast in Ecuador
Tense and disturbing moments during a live news broadcast airing in Ecuador on Tuesday, Jan. 9, when a group of masked gunmen stormed the set waving guns and explosives. Sounds of gunshots could be heard in the background as the assailants shouted out threats over the air for 15 minutes before the feed cut out.
The station’s crew was forced onto the set and ordered to lie down. It was not immediately clear if any of the employees were injured during the incident. Police responded, arrested the 13 gunmen, and said they would be charged with terrorism.
The head of Ecuador’s armed forces said the attacks were in response to the government’s moves against gangs in the country. The president of Ecuador declared a state of emergency on Monday, Jan. 8, after one high-profile gang leader escaped from prison. Following the TV set attack, the president issued a decree declaring the South American country had entered an “internal armed conflict.”
Defense Secretary diagnosed with prostate cancer
After being diagnosed with prostate cancer in December, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin underwent a “minimally invasive” surgery, which led to his mysterious hospitalization. According to Austin’s doctors, he underwent surgery on Dec. 22; a week later, he reported severe pain in his abdomen, hip, and leg. Unbeknown to anyone in the White House, Austin was taken to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Jan. 1 and treated for a urinary tract infection.
“Nobody at the White House knew that Secretary Austin had prostate cancer until this morning,” Kirby said. “And the president was informed immediately after.”
Doctors said that Austin’s cancer was detected early, and the prognosis was excellent. Still, questions about transparency within the Defense Department persist, as President Biden was kept in the dark, and up until Tuesday, Jan. 9, it was believed that Austin underwent an elective medical procedure, not prostate surgery. It is still not clear how or if the cancer diagnosis will affect Austin’s work.
At least 4 dead due to winter storms across the country
Much of the country was hit by severe weather on Tuesday, Jan. 9, from tornadoes to snow to heavy rain and flash flooding, with officials confirming at least four people have died due to the storms. An 81-year-old woman was killed when a suspected tornado swept through Alabama. Fire officials in Birmingham said one person died when a tree fell onto a car. A similar incident killed a person near Atlanta.
In North Carolina, one person was killed, and four others were hospitalized after a suspected tornado hit a mobile home park. At least four tornadoes were believed to have touched down in the Florida panhandle. In the Midwest, a snowstorm that began Monday, Jan. 8, is blanketing parts of the region with up to 12 inches of snow. The strong storms knocked out power to more than 600,000 customers along the East Coast Tuesday night, Jan. 9.
SEC says X account hacked after post approving Bitcoin ETFs
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said its account on the social media site X was hacked after a post went out Tuesday, Jan. 9, claiming the SEC had approved Bitcoin ETFs, exchange-traded funds, that would allow everyday investors to have exposure to Bitcoin without owning the cryptocurrency directly.
The SEC’s false post led to the price of Bitcoin spiking for a brief period. Minutes later, the SEC sent out a follow-up post that said its account had been compromised and the commission did not make the message approving Bitcoin ETFs. On Tuesday night, Jan. 9, X released a statement explaining an unidentified user had breached SEC’s account by obtaining a phone number through a third party.
X confirmed that the SEC account did not have two-factor authentication enabled. The SEC is expected to decide on Bitcoin ETFs sometime this week.
NASA delays moon landing to 2026
It has been over 50 years since a human stepped foot on the moon, and now we’ll have to wait a little longer to see it again. On Tuesday, Jan. 9, NASA announced it is delaying the Artemis III mission from late 2025 to September 2026. The mission would see humans land on the moon for the first time since 1972. NASA said the delay concerns SpaceX developing its starship lunar lander and completing multiple test flights. NASA is also pushing back the timing for its Artemis II mission from November 2024 to September 2025.
The flight would send four astronauts around the moon and back. NASA said the delay will give engineers more time to resolve an issue with the capsule’s protective heat shield, which was found during the first Artemis mission.
Major climate report says entire US impacted hard by climate change
Climate change, global warming and climate crisis are all buzzwords sparking increased polarization in Washington, D.C., but scientists have been raising the alarm about these buzzwords for years. A newly released federal report shows that the effects of climate change are already being felt across the country, particularly by families living below the poverty line.
According to the Straight Arrow News Media Miss™ tool, this story is a Media Miss for the right. The Media Landscape indicates that while left-leaning and center-oriented outlets are covering this story, fewer right-leaning outlets are reporting on the topic.
As of August 2023, extreme weather events reportedly cost the U.S. more than $39 billion. According to the National Weather Service, that total ranks just behind 2021 for the highest total damage toll through seven months.
The peer-reviewed congressionally mandated report marks the fifth of its kind since 2,000. Researchers said climate change continues to encroach on Americans’ mental and physical health, along with their wallets, as insurance costs, food prices, and medical costs go up.
According to the report, scientists are more confident that climate change has made rainstorms, hurricanes, and wildfires stronger and more frequent and heat more deadly.
Looking into the future, scientists said, it is only going to get worse. While warming pollution has slightly decreased in the U.S., it is not moving fast enough to hit the country’s carbon goals or the U.N. initiative to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius or below.
The hope is that the report helps policymakers make fact-based decisions regarding climate change at the federal and local levels.
On Tuesday, Nov. 14, President Joe Biden announced $6 billion in funding for climate resilience projects in the U.S. and spoke on what this report means for the American people.
“This assessment shows us in clear scientific terms that climate change is impacting all regions, all sectors of the United States,” Biden said. “It warns that more action is still badly needed. We can’t be complacent.”
Straight Arrow News strives to provide unbiased, fact-based news in addition to offering a comprehensive look at how the media is covering stories that matter most. Learn more about the Media Miss™ tool and decide for yourself.
Popular study attributing severe heat to climate change wasn’t peer-reviewed
There have been three simultaneous heat waves across the globe in July. North America, Mexico, Europe and China in particular are the regions experiencing a brutal summer. Tens of millions of people have been under extensive heat advisories. In many cases, high temperature records are being broken.
July 2023 is currently on pace to be the hottest month globally since records started being tracked. Climate scientists believe this is the hottest the Earth has been in about 120,000 years.
A new study says the trio of heat waves would’ve been “virtually impossible” without climate change. The World Weather Attribution Group published the findings on Tuesday, July 25, and it’s already getting a lot of attention from the media.
According to the Straight Arrow News Media Miss™ tool, nearly 100 news sources are reporting on the study that warns of climate change impacts. A large majority of those news outlets are left-leaning, with few right-leaning outlets highlighting the study’s findings.
Roberto Klarich from Canada cools off at a fountain near the Pantheon, after giving up queuing to enter because it was too hot during a heatwave across Italy. July 19, 2023. Source: Reuters
Something to note, however, is the study is fairly limited. It was a rapid analysis that started July 17 and only lasted one week. The results were also not peer-reviewed by other scientists or analysts, which is the typical gold-standard for verifying a study such as this.
The study suggests heat-trapping gasses, largely from the burning of coal, oil, and gas, are responsible for the heat wave in China — a country that lags behind in clean energy. The study says China was 50 times more likely to experience extreme heat due to global warming.
Report: Extreme weather’s toll is millions of deaths, trillions in damage
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released an updated report Monday, May 22, on the toll extreme weather has taken on the world. According to the report, from 1970 to 2021, extreme weather, climate and water-related events have killed more than 2 million people and caused $4.3 trillion in damage.
“The USA alone incurred US$1.7 trillion, accounting for 39% of economic losses worldwide in the 51 years,” the WMO said in a statement on the extreme weather report. “But Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States suffered a disproportionately high cost in relation to the size of their economies.”
According to Straight Arrow News’ exclusive Media Miss tool, out of the 18 sources covering this story, only two lean right.
In the statement, the WMO said the economic losses from extreme weather “have soared.” The organization added “improved early warnings and coordinated disaster management” have led to fewer deaths.
According to the report, over 90% of extreme weather deaths happened in developing countries. The WMO statement touched on Cyclone Mocha which devastated communities in Myanmar and Bangladesh earlier in May.
“It caused widespread devastation in Myanmar and Bangladesh, impacting the poorest of the poor,” WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in the statement. “In the past, both Myanmar and Bangladesh suffered death tolls of tens and even hundreds of thousands of people.”
Morning rundown: Military emails leaked; Ramaswamy running for president
The U.S. military is investigating a leak of emails from a Pentagon server; a new candidate enters the 2024 presidential contest; a fourth train derailment within a month; and a massive winter storm is coming. These stories and more highlight the daily rundown for Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023.
U.S. military email server exposed
The U.S. Military’s Special Operations Command is investigating a report from a cyber security researcher that suggests a U.S. military email server was left exposed for two weeks, allowing internal emails to leak.
According to TechCrunch, anyone who knew the IP address of the server could access the data without a password until the server was secured on Monday.
A military spokesman told TechCrunch that there are no signs anyone hacked their system. TechCrunch said the server housed data that contained sensitive information but not classified material.
Ramaswamy is a biotech and health care entrepreneur. The multi-millionaire describes himself as an “anti-woke” activist.
“That is why today, I’m announcing my run for president of the United States. This isn’t just a political campaign, this is a cultural movement to create a new American dream for the next generation,” Ramaswamy said during his announcement.
In a Twitter post hours after his announcement, Ramaswamy said he would repeal federal affirmative action mandates on day one.
Ramaswamy’s early campaign has included talks of addressing a national identity crisis. He says faith, patriotism, and hard work have been replaced by gender ideology, a focus on climate change, and “COVID-ism.”
Our business correspondent Simone Del Rosario has an in-depth report on Ramaswamy’s place in corporate America. You can find that story here.
Train cars derail in Nebraska
The Union Pacific Railroad has confirmed that one of their trains carrying coal derailed Tuesday in Nebraska. More than 30 train cars were involved in the derailment. Union Pacific said there was no hazmat situation at the wreckage site. And we’re learning train derailments in this area have happened before, with four derailments occurring within the last nine months.
This is just the latest in a string of derailments that prompted Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to announce a list of rail safety reforms yesterday.
The Nebraska incident marks the fourth high profile derailment in the U.S. in less than a month. A train derailed Monday in Sacramento. Another derailed last week outside of Detroit. These follow the derailment in Ohio earlier this month that led to a hazmat situation, toxic chemical release, and evacuation. And before that, in Louisiana, a train derailment led to a chemical spill and evacuation.
Texas bill aims to ban polls at schools
Last week, Texas state Rep. Carrie Isaac, R, introduced a bill to bar polling places at any institution of higher education. Now she’s working on a bill to bar polling places at K-12 public and charter schools in the state too. The state legislator introduced the bill in the name of school safety and security.
On the other side of the aisle, Democrats have advocated for legislation to mandate polling sites on larger college campuses to allow more voter accessibility.
Number of strikes double in 2022
The number of strikes across the country more than doubled in 2022. And the number of workers involved jumped 60% year-over-year. That’s according to a new labor action tracker.
About 224,000 total people walked off the job in 424 strikes. That is up from 279 strikes in 2021.
Fast food workers with the “Fight for $15” campaign, and Starbucks baristas organized over 100 strikes, making up about a quarter of all strikes in the U.S. But the majority of strikes came from the education sector. About 60% of the workers striking in 2022 were educators.
More strikes occurred last year than ever before as workers exert leverage in tight labor market conditions.
Winter storm threatens parts of the U.S.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm, blizzard and high-wind advisories throughout the western and north-central U.S., with up to two feet of snow expected through Thursday.
Wind gusts could also reach 50 mph, with wind chills expected to reach -50 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota, according to the Weather Service.
Schools across the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin are closed today in preparation for a storm, which is expected to bring white out conditions.
US suffers historic drought, extreme weather damage in 2022
“Drought coverage across the contiguous U.S. remained significant for the second year in a row, with a minimum extent of 44% occurring on Sept. 6 and a maximum coverage of 63% on Oct. 25 — the largest contiguous U.S. footprint since the drought of 2012,” NOAA said Tuesday. “The multi-year western U.S. drought resulted in water stress/shortages across many locations in 2022 as some major reservoirs dropped to their lowest levels on record.”
While the U.S. as a whole did not experience its driest year ever, individual states like Nebraska (fourth) and California (ninth) experienced top-10 years for dryness. Seven states experienced a top-10 warmest year in 2022, including:
California
Connecticut
Florida
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
While part of the country dealt with drought conditions, others had to recover from one of the most expensive years when it comes to extreme weather damage. There were 18 so-called “billion dollar disasters” that led to 474 deaths and more than $165 billion in damage.
“The following 18 events, each exceeding $1 billion, put 2022 in third place (tied with 2011 and 2017) for the highest number of disasters recorded in a calendar year, behind 2021 — with 20 events — and 2020, with a record 22 separate billion-dollar events,” NOAA said. “Damages from these disasters.. makes 2022 the third most costly year on record, only behind 2017 and 2005.”
Highlighting these extreme weather events was Hurricane Ian, which cost the U.S. just under $113 billion. It now ranks as the third most costly hurricane on record behind Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey.
