Power restored to nearly all of Puerto Rico after blackout
Power is mostly restored to homes and buildings across Puerto Rico after a major blackout left the U.S. territory in the dark on New Year’s Eve. However, that might not be the end of it for some.
Luma Energy, the company that provides electricity to Puerto Rico, warned that more temporary outages could happen as it works to restore full power. The company said this could take up to two days.
The Puerto Rican energy grid experienced an Island-wide outage on the morning of December 31. Tap below for updates from tourism and hospitality industry partners:https://t.co/VywB8UxVWH
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the outage, but Luma Energy said a preliminary review indicated a failure in an underground electric line.
This is just the latest incident to highlight an ongoing problem with Puerto Rico’s power grid. In August, half of all the territory’s utility customers lost power during Hurricane Ernesto. It took more than a week to get it back.
Arbor Day Foundation to replant 10M trees in 6 hurricane-ravaged states
The Nebraska-based nonprofit organization told The Guardian on Tuesday, Dec. 31, that it is the largest project the group has taken on.
New year, new trees
Arbor Day Foundation officials said they will replant various species of native trees with the help of 25,000 volunteers over four years. Trees will be planted in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
The nonprofit organization revealed it will start with community giveaways and evolve those efforts into replanting trees at the beginning of 2025.
Officials with the project said a major area of early attention would be schools, low-income neighborhoods and community spaces.
The Arbor Day Foundation noted trees are vital to communities.
Helping communities rebuild
Project managers said the replanted trees will reduce stormwater runoff, provide shade in hot summer months and reduce electric bills by providing a much-needed cooling effect on homes.
The group will replant fruit trees in “food deserts,” areas where residents have limited access to fresh fruit or produce.
“In seeing the devastation of Helene and Milton, we felt a strong pull to make a bold commitment to recovery, and we weren’t alone,” the statement said.
The Arbor Day Foundation noted it “received an outpouring of calls and emails from people eager to help.”
Insured losses from natural disasters top $100B for 5th straight year
Hurricane season in the United States has been over for about two weeks but the damage totals are still coming in. Around the world, disaster costs have mounted.
For the fifth straight year, insured losses have topped $100 billion globally, according to the Swiss Re Institute. Those are financial damages covered by an insurance policy.
The institute says two-thirds of the $135 billion in insured losses came as a result of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, as well as a high frequency of thunderstorms in the U.S.
Helene was a Category 4 storm in September. It pounded the Southeast with more than 40 trillion gallons of rain, according to AccuWeather. That led to destructive flooding that washed away roads, bridges and buildings in mountain towns in western North Carolina.
Hurricane Milton came next in early October, roaring ashore just south of Tampa, Florida. Massive flooding, storm surge and vicious winds did the most damage. The chief economist at Swiss Re says economic development continues to be the main driver of the rise in insured losses from floods.
The Biden administration has sent a $100 billion request to Congress to help Americans affected by the major disasters in 2024 and 2023. However, the legislative year is winding down with the Senate slated to adjourn next Friday, Dec. 20.
It’s not just the United States. The Institute says $10 billion in insured losses were attributed to Europe, where storms led to flooding in places like the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Spain, Romania and Italy.
Army enhancing soldier experiences, modernizing office space: Weapons and Warfare
This week on Weapons and Warfare, host Ryan Robertson delves into an innovative aspect of military evolution: the Army’s efforts to modernize office spaces for today’s soldiers. Gone are the days of monotonous, sterile environments; Ryan explores how the Army is reimagining workspaces to boost productivity, morale and troop collaboration.
Also featured in this episode:
The U.S. moves to arm Ukraine with counter-drone technology.
Hurricane Hunters call it a wrap on a busy 2024.
The USS Zumwalt gets fit for hypersonic weapons.
Weapon of the Week: AeroVironment’s P-550 drone. With advanced reconnaissance capabilities and high-tech sensors for real-time intelligence, the P-550 is set to transform aerial surveillance on the battlefield.
You can subscribe to the Weapons and Warfare podcast on the platform of your choosing here.
Hurricane season comes to an end after record-breaking year
For many families in 2024, the holidays will look different due to a devastating hurricane season. From homes being destroyed to lives lost, this season left a trail of destruction stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the East Coast.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which officially ends Saturday, Nov. 30, has been one of the busiest on record. Meteorologists said 11 hurricanes formed, compared to the typical seven.
One of the earliest and most destructive storms was Hurricane Beryl, which made history as the first Category 4 hurricane to form in June. The storm first slammed into islands in the Caribbean and later became the earliest-ever Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic on July 1. A week later, Beryl made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane.
In September, Hurricane Helene became the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, claiming more than 200 lives. Helene caused nearly $49 billion in damage across several states, including North Carolina, Florida and Georgia.
Homes were destroyed, drinking water systems were knocked offline, farms were wiped out and large areas of forest were decimated. In rural areas of the Carolinas, where flooding is rare, communities were under several feet of water. The effects of the storm were felt as far north as the Great Lakes, where heavy rainfall triggered widespread flooding.
As the season continued into October, Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified, reaching wind speeds of 180 miles per hour. Milton became one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico, second only to Hurricane Rita in 2005. The storm came on the heels of Helene, compounding the already severe damage in some regions of Florida.
Even as the season neared its end, another storm formed. Hurricane Rafael, which nearly became the strongest November hurricane on record in the Gulf, reached winds of up to 120 miles per hour as it hovered over Cuba.
With each storm’s passing, recovery efforts followed. But with back-to-back hurricanes like Helene and Milton, disaster relief efforts were stretched thin. FEMA’s disaster relief fund is now down to less than $5 billion, according to agency testimony during the week of Nov. 18. The Biden administration requested nearly $100 billion in disaster aid from Congress, with $40 billion of that earmarked for replenishing FEMA’s disaster relief fund.
While there is relief with the official end of the hurricane season, The Weather Channel cautioned that just because the season is over doesn’t mean no more storms can form. While over 97% of Atlantic storm activity typically occurs between June and September, outlier storms can still wreak havoc.
Biden administration requests $100B for disaster relief after hurricanes
The Biden administration is calling for bipartisan action and urging Congress to quickly pass a nearly $100 billion disaster relief spending bill. Around $40 billion of the money requested will go to FEMA’s disaster relief fund as Americans in the Southeast are still cleaning up from major back-to-back Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Further, $24 billion would go to the Department of Agriculture to help farmers, $12 billion would be given to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s fund for communities, $8 billion would go toward road and bridge repair, $4 billion for water system upgrades and $2 billion to the Small Business Administration’s disaster loan program.
“From rebuilding homes and reopening critical infrastructure, such as schools and roads — to supporting the nation’s farmers and ranchers and ensuring access to healthcare services — impacted communities await your response. There can be no delay,” President Joe Biden wrote in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Biden noted that such hefty supplemental disaster aid is not a new thing. More than $120 billion was provided after Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in 2017.
Congress must now decide whether to take up the request as a standalone bill or packaged with the end-of-year spending bill.
Trump calls RFK Jr. a ‘great mind’ after health secretary nomination
President-elect Trump has named RFK Jr. as his Health and Human Services Secretary. And fight fans are ready for a streaming spectacle: former champ Mike Tyson will return to the ring to take on social media star Jake Paul. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.
Trump calls RFK Jr. a ‘great mind’ after health secretary nomination
“[Kennedy is] another one, who’s a great guy and great mind and so popular, and I think he’s right, he wants to make people healthy,” Trump said. “It’s driven him pretty wild over the last number of years, and the Democrats didn’t treat him well. He was doing fantastically well.”
“Today I nominated him for, I guess if you like health and you like people that live a long time, it’s the most important position RFK Jr.,” Trump said.
Kennedy responded to the nomination earlier in the day, posting on X in part, “We have a generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic disease epidemic.”
The 70-year-old Kennedy is a former Democrat, who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the race. He would oversee a group of health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson (R) called Kennedy “a brilliant, courageous truth-teller whose unwavering commitment to transparency will make America a healthier nation.”
Meanwhile, critics of Kennedy pointed to his previous comments questioning vaccinations. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D) said in a statement, “Mr. Kennedy’s outlandish views on basic scientific facts are disturbing and should worry all parents who expect schools and other public spaces to be safe for their children.”
Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey (D) just posted three words: “Dangerous. Unqualified. Unserious.”
Kennedy is also the founder of the Children’s Health Defense, which is described by media outlets as the leading anti-vaccine group in the nation.
When pressed on the subject of vaccinations by both NBC News and NPR in interviews earlier this month, Kennedy said if put into this type of role he is “not going to take away anybody’s vaccinations.”
President-elect Trump adds more names to his cabinet
Also on Thursday, Trump nominated Doug Collins as Veterans Affairs secretary. The former Republican congressman from Georgia and Iraq war veteran was a supporter of Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2019.
Trump also named three of his lawyers to positions in the Justice Department.
Finally, John Sauer, who won the presidential immunity case at the U.S. Supreme Court, is Trump’s pick for solicitor general.
House Ethics Committee cancels meeting on Matt Gaetz investigation
The Republican-led House Ethics Committee canceled its meeting over the investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, according to multiple outlets citing sources. Gaetz resigned from Congress earlier this week after President-elect Trump announced he’s nominating Gaetz for attorney general.
The meeting, which was scheduled for Friday morning, Nov. 15, before Gaetz resigned, was supposed to focus on the investigation into multiple allegations against Gaetz, including sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepting improper gifts, and obstruction.
Tropical Storm Sara brings dangerous torrential rain to Honduras
Tropical Storm Sara made landfall late Thursday in northern Honduras, bringing torrential rain as it skirts the country’s coast. Authorities there have warned of the potential for dangerous flash flooding and landslides, with the country’s president saying it could “become a catastrophic event.”
Honduran officials have issued the highest-level warning along the country’s northern coast and activated the national police and military for rescue and relief efforts. Sara is expected to move inland, making landfall over Belize on Sunday, Nov. 17, before dissipating over the Yucatán Peninsula, according to the National Hurricane Center.
This marks the 18th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30.
Annual UFO report finds 21 cases that can’t be explained
Pentagon officials maintain they’ve found no evidence of alien activity, but the government’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) said it takes every report seriously and investigates each one.
If none of this UAP stuff exists, if it’s all false, why at every turn are people trying to stop transparency? You can’t talk about fight club if there’s no fight club. pic.twitter.com/otPGNbwu71
Of the new reports the AARO has received, nearly 50 have already been closed as everyday items, such as balloons, birds or drones. The government agency expects to resolve another 243 cases by identifying them as one of those objects.
More than 400 of the new reports were put into an active archive because there was not enough data or evidence to keep investigating.
Tyson vs. Paul in Netflix’s first live streaming boxing event
The two faced off during a final weigh-in on Thursday, with Tyson slapping Paul. The eight-round match at AT&T Stadium in Texas was postponed from July after Tyson suffered an inflamed ulcer weeks before the bout.
Reports indicate both competitors are expected to have a big payday. Tyson, who has a record of 50-6, will reportedly make $20 million and the 27-year-old Paul, who has a record of 10-1, will make $40 million.
Paul’s startup, Most Valuable Promotions, teamed up with Netflix to bring the fight together.
Netflix currently has more than 282 million paid subscribers worldwide and Paul predicts at least 25 million of them will tune in. If that comes to pass, it’ll make this the most watched boxing match of all time.
Vice President Kamala Harris concedes the election to former President Donald Trump. And President Joe Biden speaks to Trump to invite him to a meeting at the White House. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
Harris concedes presidential election to Trump
Donald Trump is once again president-elect, with more media outlets calling the election on Wednesday, Nov. 6. The former (and future) president not only won the Electoral College but the popular vote as well.
As of early Thursday morning, Nov. 7, Decision Desk HQ had Trump standing at 312 electoral votes, surpassing the 270 needed to win. His opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris earned 226. Trump also led in the popular vote at close to 73 million, with Harris getting just over 68 million.
We heard from Trump celebrating his victory in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. Harris chose not to speak at that time.
Instead, the vice president waited until the afternoon to address a crowd of supporters at Howard University, where she conceded the election.
“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for,” she said, “but hear me when I say, hear me when I say, the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”
Harris said she spoke with Trump on the phone to congratulate him. She also told her supporters it is important to accept the election results and engage in a peaceful transfer of power, calling it “a fundamental principle of American democracy.”
“At the same time, in our nation, we owe loyalty not to a president or a party, but to the Constitution of the United States, and loyalty to our conscience and to our god,” she said. “My allegiance to all three is why I am here to say, while I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign.”
Harris also told the crowd, they might “feel dark times are ahead” but she hopes that’s not the case and added that “sometimes the fight takes a while.”
Harris, as the sitting vice president, will be the one overseeing Congress’ ceremonial certification of the election in January.
Meanwhile, there is speculation Trump could soon begin announcing appointments to key positions in his cabinet, in just a matter of days. Some prospective nominees reportedly canceled their flights out of south Florida Wednesday after election night celebrations, in order to remain close to Trump.
Biden congratulates Trump on win, invites him to White House
President Joe Biden also reached out to President-elect Trump over the phone on Wednesday. During that call, he invited Trump to a meeting at the White House and offered his congratulations.
The White House released a statement saying, “President Biden expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and emphasized the importance of working to bring the country together.”
A Trump campaign spokesperson confirmed the call, and that Biden invited the president-elect to the White House to “ensure a smooth transition between the current administration and the incoming administration.” The Trump campaign said the White House meeting would take place shortly and Trump very much appreciated the call from Biden.
Biden also spoke to Vice President Harris on the phone Wednesday. He released a statement following her concession speech saying in part, “Under extraordinary circumstances, she stepped up and led a historic campaign that embodied what’s possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision for a nation.”
President Biden added that selecting Harris as his vice president was “the best decision” he made.
The president is expected to address the nation Thursday on the election and the transition of power.
This morning at 11 AM ET, I’ll address the nation to discuss the election results and the transition.
Special counsel, DOJ reportedly in talks to end Trump prosecutions
Now that former President Trump is once again president-elect, Special Counsel Jack Smith is reportedly in talks with Department of Justice leadership to figure out how to end the criminal cases against Trump. That’s what sources familiar with the matter have told several media outlets.
The DOJ has had a longstanding policy against prosecuting a sitting president and Justice Department regulations say a special counsel must consult DOJ leaders — possibly even Attorney General Merrick Garland — on major decisions in an investigation.
Last year, Smith charged Trump with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and illegally keeping classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Those latter charges were dismissed by a judge earlier this year, but Smith has appealed that ruling. Trump has pleaded not guilty in both cases.
Biden admin rushing billions in assistance to Ukraine: Reports
The Biden administration plans to rush billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine before President Biden leaves office in January, according to multiple reports. The goal is to make sure Ukraine’s government is in a good place when President-elect Trump takes office.
Trump has been critical of the scale of the U.S. military and financial support for Ukraine in its war with Vladimir Putin and Russia.
I had an excellent call with President @realDonaldTrump and congratulated him on his historic landslide victory—his tremendous campaign made this result possible. I praised his family and team for their great work.
We agreed to maintain close dialogue and advance our…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 6, 2024
In April, the Republican-controlled House approved more aid for Ukraine, including an allocation for weapons. However, more than $6 billion in aid that has been set aside for Ukraine has not made it there yet.
Trump has vowed to end the war between Russia and Ukraine quickly but has not specified how.
Cuba’s power grid collapses after Hurricane Rafael makes landfall
Hurricane Rafael weakened after making landfall in Cuba as a powerful Category 3 storm, but not before causing the island’s electrical grid to collapse.
While the storm is expected to stay in the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico, heavy rain will be seen in Florida and neighboring parts of the southeast. One to three inches of rain are expected for parts of the Florida Keys.
Rafael is the fifth major hurricane of the year in the Atlantic and the strongest to hit this late in the year since 2020.
Fox News wins election ratings, overall viewership falls from 2020
Fox News once again led the pack, getting the most viewers on election night. During primetime hours between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET, 9.8 million viewers tuned into Fox News. However, that is down from the nearly 14 million viewers who watched in 2020.
On the broadcast side, ABC News came in No. 1 in primetime with 5.6 million viewers.
Overall, Nielsen said across 18 cable and broadcast networks, 42 .3 million people tuned into coverage. That’s down more than 25% from 2020, when election coverage drew nearly 57 million viewers.
*Corrections to Wednesday’s “Unbiased Updates”: We would like to correct that North Carolina did not ‘flip’ blue as the current governor, Roy Cooper, is a Democrat.And, in our final story, history was made in three states on Election Day as two of the elections we mentioned took place in Delaware.
Category 3 Hurricane Rafael threatens Cuba, the Gulf in rare November storm
Hurricane Rafael has rapidly intensified into a Category 3 storm, with landfall expected in Cuba on Wednesday, Nov. 6. The storm, with winds of 115 miles per hour, is already causing concern across the island.
Authorities have evacuated 70,000 people, and the military has been mobilized to respond to the threat.
Rafael is the fifth major hurricane of the Atlantic season, and its rare November timing has drawn attention.
Rafael is the fifth storm this season to strengthen into at least a Category 3, following Beryl, Helene, Kirk and Milton. Cuban authorities are warning of life-threatening storm surges, hurricane-force winds, and flash flooding as the storm approaches.
North Carolina needs $53B to recover from Helene, ‘redneck air force’ steps in
New numbers revealed the cost of destruction to North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. The state needs at least a record $53 billion to recover.
That number includes damages and potential investments to prevent similar destruction in future storms.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, D, said the state’s previous record for storm damage was $17 billion from Hurricane Florence in 2018.
Helene caused 1,400 landslides in western North Carolina and damaged or destroyed around 126,000 homes. More than 1,000 bridges and at least 6,000 miles of roads were also damaged.
Nearly 40 of the state’s 100 counties are within the federally declared disaster area.
Critics say the government didn’t act fast enough following the storm, which led to private citizens forming their own homegrown rescue and supply operation known as the “redneck air force.”
The group, created by Savage Freedoms, includes current and former soldiers, special operations pilots and helicopter tour guides.
The group is using its own aircraft to fly doctors, medicine, generators, fuel and food to isolated residents, relying on donations to fund the project.
FEMA said it has shipped over 9 million meals and more than 11 million liters of water.
Lawmakers plan to meet for a one-day session on Thursday, Oct. 24, to advance additional hurricane recovery legislation for North Carolina. They already approved a $273 million package.