NOAA has averted the early cancellation of an Amazon Web Services contract that would have caused a slew of agency websites to go dark beginning at midnight, the agency said Friday.
Why it matters: The outages mainly would have affected NOAA's research division, and would have made numerous websites and data sets inaccessible to the public, sources who spoke on condition of anonymity told Axios.
A stalled series of storm systems is set to slam parts of the Mid-South and Ohio Valley through Sunday with severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and potentially "catastrophic" flooding.
Threat level: The National Weather Service is predicting a "high risk" of excessive rainfall in parts of Arkansas and Missouri on Friday, with a broader "moderate risk" area extending from northeast Texas to southern Illinois.
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners on Friday agreed to acquire the Colonial Pipeline, which stretches 5,500 miles from Houston to New York, for around $9 billion (including debt).
Why it matters: Scarcity. There are tons of government hurdles to building new pipelines in the U.S., despite Trump's all-in energy policies, and tariffs could make new construction even more daunting.
President Trump's head-in-the-sand approach to climate change during his second term could put Americans at greater risk of harm from its effects, some analysts warn.
Why it matters: Just three months into his tenure, his administration's actions may not be reversible given how many rollbacks are being pursued and how many scientific programs are being disbanded, some observers say.
Oil prices slidto their lowest levels since 2021 Friday after China unveiled steep retaliatory tariffs, adding to Thursday's plunge on news of the White House trade war and more OPEC+ supply.
Why it matters: The swirling forces bringing the steep drop serve one White House goal (lower energy prices) while further impeding another (drill baby drill).
A powerful multi-day storm system that's lashing the U.S. South and Midwest has killed at least seven people as it unleashes tornadoes and flooding rains.
The big picture: The storm that ramped up Wednesday has brought a "life-threatening, catastrophic," flash flood event to the Lower Ohio Valley and Mid-South. The National Weather Service said more "significant severe weather" was "expected from the Mid-South through the Ozarks and ArkLaTex," with "very large hail and strong tornadoes possible."
