AP National News

Interior secretary: Drought demands investment, conservation

By PATTY NIEBERG - Associated Press/Report For America
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by Rayos Syndication User

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland says confronting the historic drought that has a firm grip on the American West requires a heavy federal infrastructure investment to protect existing water supplies. But she says it also depends on efforts at all levels of government to reduce demand by promoting water efficiency and recycling. Western states are gripped by the worst drought in modern history, including most of western Colorado. Haaland spoke at the start of a three-day visit to Colorado that includes a visit to the Bureau of Land Management’s new headquarters in Grand Junction, which was established by the Trump administration in 2019. 

The Latest: 3rd Czech athlete tests positive in Tokyo

AP
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by Rayos Syndication User

The Latest on the Tokyo Olympics, which are taking place under heavy restrictions after a year’s delay because of the coronavirus pandemic: A third athlete from the Czech Republic has tested positive for COVID-19 at the Tokyo Games. The Czech team says beach volleyball player Markéta Sluková has entered a quarantine hotel, where two other athletes and two other coaches…

The Latest: Indian government dismisses excess deaths study

By The Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

DELHI, India — India’s government has dismissed a recent study which estimated that the country’s excess deaths during the pandemic could be 10 times the official COVID-19 toll, calling it “misleading” and “fallacious.” On Tuesday, new research by the Center for Global Development estimated excess deaths — the gap between those recorded and those that would have been expected —…

Experts: Spend opioid settlement funds on fighting opioids

By BEN FINLEY and GEOFF MULVIHILL - Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

Public health experts are citing the 1998 settlement agreement with tobacco companies as a cautionary tale ahead of the expected $26 billion settlement with opioid producers. Only fractions of the $200 billion tobacco settlement have gone toward preventing smoking and helping people quit in many states. Much of the money has instead helped to balance state budgets and repair roads. A group of advocacy organizations is pushing for governments to follow a set of principles regarding how they’ll use the opioid settlement money. Lawyers involved in the planned settlement say there are requirements to use most of the money to combat addiction and the toll of opioids.