UN official highlights how better preparation has shrunk disaster deaths despite worsening climate
A top United Nations official says even though climate change makes disasters such as cyclones, floods and droughts more intense, more frequent and striking more places, fewer people are dying from those catastrophes globally.
KPRC 2โฒs Bill Spencer questions CenterPoint on Houstonโs massive power outages after storm; Hereโs what we learned
Day 5 of storm recovery was getting rough for some people still without power, which means no air conditioning as temps hit above 90 for the fourth day in a row, with the weather promising to feel even more like an oven as we move toward the holiday weekend.
World Mental Health Day: Young Houstonians help peers address mental health
Mental Health is fast becoming one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, especially for young people. The city of Houston is taking a unique approach to make sure young people have support and resources when they need help.
Street takeovers could cost more than jail time, says top law enforcement in Harris Co.
Four top law-enforcement officials in the Harris County region warned Thursday of severe consequences for those plotting illegal โstreet takeoversโ to promote street racing or reckless driving like recent events in Austin and Houston.
Military places restive areas of Myanmar under martial law
Martial law has been declared in several areas of military-run Myanmar, a day after authorities announced that a state of emergency has been extended throughout the country, which is wracked by violence that some U.N. experts have described as a civil war.
Wealth will now largely determine which Texans can access abortion
The U.S. Supreme Courtโs reversal of Roe v. Wade will not fall equally. Texans most likely to seek out abortion care in the past are now the least likely to be able to afford it. People of color will be most disproportionately affected.
Designer shares ways to make your backyard feel like a cozy oasis
The last two years have transformed how people entertain in their homes, placing a greater importance on outdoor spaces. One of the summerโs emerging design trends is the concept of bringing indoor furniture and dรฉcor outdoors to achieve a cozy feeling.
Study: Vaccinated people can carry as much virus as others
In another dispiriting setback for the nationโs efforts to stamp out the coronavirus, scientists who studied a big COVID-19 outbreak in Massachusetts concluded that vaccinated people who got so-called breakthrough infections carried about the same amount of the coronavirus as those who did not get the shots.
Here is how you can score penny deals while shopping at Dollar General
Dollar stores are among the fastest growing segment of retail right now. It's not just shoppers trying to save money. Hoards of people are headed to Dollar General every week to hunt for items that cost just one penny. It's a movement getting a lot of traction on social media. People are posting and sharing items they have found for one cent.
Reversing Trump, Pentagon releases new transgender policies
Stephanie Miller, director of ascension policy at the Pentagon, left, speaks during a briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Wednesday, March 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON โ The Pentagon on Wednesday swept away Trump-era policies that largely banned transgender people from serving in the military, issuing new rules that offer them wider access to medical care and assistance with gender transition. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin then gave the Pentagon two months to finalize the more detailed regulations that the military services will follow. AdMiller also said that medical costs associated with treatment and gender transition is very small, โa handful of million dollars per year." Four of the military service chiefs told Congress in 2018 that they had seen no discipline, morale or unit readiness problems with transgender troops serving openly in the military.
Alabama, Georgia pick up the pieces after deadly tornadoes
Officials found โheavy, heavy damageโ in parts of the cityโs historic district, Newnan Fire Chief Stephen Brown told a news conference. One of the victims in the hard-hit town of Ohatchee, a small community of about 1,170 people in eastern Alabama, was Dwight Jennings' neighbor. AdBad weather wasn't limited to Georgia and Alabama. ___Chandler reported from Shelby County, Alabama. Associated Press journalists Kevin McGill in New Orleans; Desiree Mathurin in Atlanta; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Butch Dill in Ohatchee, Alabama; and Rebecca Santana in New Orleans, contributed to this report.
US officials to hold talks in Mexico on migration
Mexican immigration agents stop people who crossed the Suchiate River, the natural border between Guatemala and Mexico, to see their identification documents as they enforce limits on all but essential travel near Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico, Monday, March 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)MEXICO CITY โ Mexico announced Monday that several top U.S. advisers on border and immigration issues will meet with Mexican officials on Tuesday to discuss migration and development in Central America. The talks come as a surge of migrants has hit the U.S. southern border. AdU.S. border patrol officials had encountered more than 29,000 unaccompanied minors since Oct. 1, nearly the same number of youths taken into custody for all of the previous budget year, according to administration officials. Officials say migrant traffickers are encouraging people to make the trip by claiming the U.S. border is open to migrants, while Biden administration officials have stressed that the border is not open.
Rescuers save 2 from pickup dangling over deep Idaho gorge
(Idaho State Police via AP)BOISE, Idaho โ Authorities say a set of camp trailer safety chains and quick, careful work by emergency crews saved two people after their pickup truck plunged off a bridge, leaving them dangling above a deep gorge in southern Idaho. Idaho State Police responded to the accident at about 2:45 p.m. Monday, said ISP spokeswoman Lynn Hightower. A trooper found a man and a woman inside the pickup truck that was dangling, nose-down, off the side of the bridge spanning the Malad Gorge. The gorge is narrow but is roughly 100 feet (30.48 meters) deep below the bridge, roughly the height of a 10-story building. The gorge reaches about 250 feet (76.20 meters) deep at its deepest point.
Fully vaccinated people can gather without masks, CDC says
NEW YORK โ Fully vaccinated Americans can gather with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing, according to long-awaited guidance from federal health officials. The CDC is continuing to recommend that fully vaccinated people still wear well-fitted masks, avoid large gatherings, and physically distance themselves from others when out in public. The CDC guidance did not speak to people who may have gained some level of immunity from being infected, and recovering from, the coronavirus. AdOfficials say a person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose of vaccine. But some people who are fully vaccinated were pleased by Monday's news.
Man who killed himself, shot wife identified after shooting at west Houston hospital
HOUSTON โ The man who died after shooting his wife at a doctorโs office next to a hospital at west Houston has been identified as Andrew Wang, 64, according to the Houston Police Department. The shooting was reported on Monday just before 3 p.m. at 12141 Richmond Ave., next door to the Womanโs Hospital of Texas. Houston police said the couple came into the office together for the suspectโs appointment at an office on the 4th floor of the professional building next to the hospital. Police said a witness reported that the man seemed agitated and told his wife โIโm going to kill you, I want you to dieโ before shooting her twice. The 54-year-old woman was found lying on the floor with a gunshot wound to the chest and forearm.
President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden to visit Houston
FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, file photo, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden watch fireworks from the White House, in Washington. An interview with the Bidens appears in the Feb. 15, 2021, issue of People magazine, hitting newsstands nationwide Friday, Feb. 5. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)(Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
M&T Bank buying People's United in $7.6B all-stock deal
(AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)M&T Bank Corp. is buying Peopleโs United Financial Inc. in an all-stock deal valued at about $7.6 billion. Peopleโs United shareholders will receive 0.118 of a share of M&T common stock for each share they own. M&T had been active in acquisitions, but People's United would be the first major deal in almost six years. Peopleโs headquarters in Bridgeport, Connecticut will serve as the New England regional headquarters for M&T. AdShares of People's United rose 8.4% before the market open Monday.
Freezing temperatures are dangerous for homeless people. Shelters are urging Texans to come in off the streets.
In Houston, the emergency shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center has received almost 800 people on Tuesday. In Austin, city officials recorded around 500 people across different emergency shelters, including the Palmer Event Center. AdIn Fort Worth, the two largest homeless shelters were without power for extended periods, leading to icy temperatures inside, according to Tara Perez, manager of the Directions Home program. The city has since opened up its convention center as a warming center. AdHomeless organization leaders said that no one will be denied space in these emergency shelters and they are also working to provide blankets, food and water.
โI put my life on hold:โ Disability groups plead for vaccine
People with disabilities have been pushed down the priority list in places like North Carolina and California, where the state reversed course after days of public pressure. With vaccine supplies limited and the rollout shaky in much of the United States, getting a shot is difficult. Groups like older people and essential workers are in dire need of the vaccine and state health departments say their plans are aimed at making the most of limited supplies. AdPeople with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often immunocompromised, putting them at greater risk for complications if they get sick. In Tennessee, officials said data showed people with those disabilities had a death rate three times higher than the general population, and put them higher on the priority list.
Tips for preparing your home, pets and plants for freezing temperatures
Eccles said to start by letting cold water drip from your faucet. Safety TipsThe Harris County Fire Marshalโs Office encourages residents to follow these heating safety tips:Place space heaters on solid and flat surfaces. Check space heaters for cracked or damaged cords and plugs. Plug space heaters directly into wall outlets, donโt use an extension cord or power strip. Create a โkid-free zoneโ three feet from open fires and space heaters.
2 people found dead inside home in Galveston County, deputies say
GALVESTON, Texas โ An investigation is underway after two people were found dead inside of a home in Galveston County Friday, deputies said. A police source identified the men, as younger, perhaps in their 20s. Identifications of the victims were still not confirmed by the Galveston County Sheriff as of Friday evening. Deputies said the two people were found around 3:45 a.m. at a home located on Old Alvin Road and FM 517. According to the Galveston County sheriff, they are trying to figure out if this was a double-homicide or a murder-suicide.
Montgomery County opens phone line to help with COVID-19 vaccinations
HOUSTON โ Want to get a COVID-19 vaccine, but donโt have internet access? Montgomery County has opened a call center to help register people 65 and older for the COVID-19 vaccine. The number is 936-523-3916. The Texas Department of State Health Services said people should call 211 for referral to a local vaccine provider.
10 rememberable quotes from Bidenโs inaugural address
After his official swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, Biden gave his inaugural address to the American people. While the inauguration marked the end of a tremulous election, Biden spoke about unity and the pursuit of the American dream for all. Here are some of the most enduring quotes from Bidenโs inaugural address:Bidenโs oath to AmericansBefore God and all of you, I give you my word I will always level with you. On the American storyBut the American story depends not in any one of us, not on some of us, but on all of us. And weโll lead not merely by the example of our power, by the power of our example.
โMy whole soul is in itโ: Read Bidenโs inaugural address as the 46th president
WASHINGTON D.C. โ President Joe Bidenโs inaugural address Wednesday, as provided by CQ Transcripts:Chief Justice Roberts, Vice President Harris. Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice President Pence, and my distinguished guests, my fellow Americans, this is Americaโs day. Once in a century virus that silently stalks the country has taken as many lives in one year as America lost in all of World War II. To overcome these challenges, to restore the soul and secure the future of America requires so much more than words. Through Civil War, the Great Depression, world war, 9/11, through struggle, sacrifice, and setbacks, our better angels have always prevailed.
Hereโs where you can watch New Yearโs Eve fireworks in Houston
As a long and challenging year comes to an end, some people are looking forward to celebrating everything they have overcome in 2020. Some major annual events are not taking place this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but there are few places where you can watch a public fireworks display. Here are three events happening in Houston:Cost: Free entry until 11 p.m. When: Starting 7 p.m. on Dec. 31Address: 2401 San Jacinto St., Houston, TexasCost: $10When: Starting 7 p.m. on Dec. 31Address: 3333 Farm to Market 359, Richmond, TexasCost: $35When: Starting 8 p.m. on Dec. 31Address: 16416 Mueschke Road, Cypress, TexasDo you know of other public fireworks displays in the area? Drop them in the comments.
Biden's beach hideaway has political sun shining on Rehoboth
People enjoy the boardwalk, Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, in Rehoboth Beach, Del. This resort town known for Atlantic waves that are sometimes surfable, fresh-cut French fries and a 1-mile wooden boardwalk that dates back to the 1870s has long prided itself on being the Nation's Summer Capital. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Potential national shutdown sparks debate among Houstonians
โWe could pay for a package right now to cover all of the wages, lost wages for individual workers, losses to small-to-medium companies, cities, states, county governments. We can do all of that,โ Dr. Michael Osterholm told Yahoo Finance Live this week. NBC News later reported that Osterholm told them he was talking about a past article and not advocating for a nationwide shutdown. Some Houstonians worry about the possibility of another shutdown. The amount of stimulus that I think would need to be generated would be huge,โ Kennedy said.
Three go on trial for deadly 2017 Barcelona terror attacks
MADRID โ Three people went on trial Tuesday in Spain for their alleged roles in terror attacks around Barcelona that killed 16 people and injured 140 others in 2017. The six people who carried out the attacks were later shot and killed by police. Several members of the cell carried out a similar vehicle attack in the nearby resort town of Cambrils before they were shot dead by police. Houli Chemlal told authorities after his arrest that he had been told what to say during the video and that he did not agree with what they did. Houli Chemlal was injured in the blast.
Harris County makes final preparations for Election Day
HOUSTON โ On Sunday, about 100 County Clerkโs Office staff members worked to process about 400 presiding election judges. We have over 800 Election Day voting centers,โ Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said. Workers made sure election judges had their list of voters for each precinct and other items they need to process voters on Election Day. โWe give them essentially the control boards that theyโll be using to check in voters on election days, but we donโt have those machines yet. He said there will be over 11,000 workers on Election Day to make sure all votes get counted.