"Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Skiewone.
Search and rescue efforts are continuing around the clock three days after catastrophic
“flooding and mudslides devastated communities along the Nepal China border.”
More than 600 people are confirmed dead, thousands of others remain missing, including dozens of Americans. NPR's Jennifer Pack has the latest from Beijing. To reach the worst affected area, the Jelong Raswab border checkpoint, Chinese rescue teams have had to go on foot.
One group accompanied by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, arrived Saturday morning, only defined vast stretches of mud, suddenly they spot a car and tree branches poking out. Is anyone there the rescuers call out? They must work fast, they risk facing further floods, landslides and avalanches. It's the same challenge over in Nepal.
Uma Tapa with the charity world vision tells NPR, severe weather and blocked roads are limiting aid distribution. Jennifer Pack and NPR News, Beijing, President Trump says his government has reached an agreement with Venezuela that could give the U.S. access to vast amounts of the South American countries on top to oil reserves.
John Otis reports. "In a social media post, Trump called the agreement "the biggest oil deal in world history." Venezuela's acting president Delci Rodriguez said it will allow for the development of
17 fields in Venezuela with a proven potential of 65 billion barrels of oil.
Under the agreement, the U.S. would partner with an unnamed private company to develop these reserves." Rodriguez said the deal would help revive Venezuela's oil industry, which had fallen on hard times after years of mismanagement, corruption and U.S. sanctions. It comes nearly nine months after U.S. military forces removed authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro
and established a pro-washington government led by Rodriguez. For NPR News, I'm John Otis. In Ukraine, overnight, a Russian air strike just west of Kiev hit a depostoring shells, drones and other munitions, causing an explosion, according to the Ukrainian officials at least 37 people were killed.
The local official says at least 50 residential buildings were damaged. President Vladimir Zelensky has ordered an investigation into how deadly ammunition came to be stored there, as Ukrainian law prohibits ammunition storage near residential areas. It's a horrific situation, and the negligence of those who have stored explosives right next to people is appalling.
There is extensive damage, the community leader died while assisting with the rescue operation. My condolences go out to all the families and loved ones. Ukraine's president Zelensky heard there through a BBC interpreter. This is NPR News in Washington. The Department of the Interior says there has been no political pressure and no final decision
has been made on handing over a piece of land in Yosemite National Park to a private developer. From member station KQED in San Francisco, Sarah Wright reports. A land exchange with property somewhere else in California would allow King's Barn Realty Capital to build a shortcut from a plot it owns to Yosemite's main attractions.
The news was first reported by the publication notice, and PR has not independently confirmed
the reporting. An exchange like this has been under debate since the early 2000s when the former landowner lost the same battle in court. Retired Yosemite's superintendent Don Newbocker called this latest attempt, quote, "radiculous."
“"When you do land exchange, you have to demonstrate it's in the best or interest of the government.”
I don't see how anybody can claim that." King's Barn has not responded to inquiries. For NPR News, I'm Sarah Wright. The former president of Ecuador, Lenin Moreno, has been sentenced to prison for accepting bribes for a Chinese company in connection with the construction of a hydroelectric
plant. 73-year-old Moreno will serve his five-year sentence under house arrest for health reasons. At the Royal Palace in Oslo, tens of thousands of mourners, many leaving cards and flowers, have paid respect to the late King Harold of Norway he died Friday at 89, his 53-year-old son succeeds him.
I'm Louise Givoni and PR News, Washington. Fall is right around the corner. That means the midterms. Hey, it's Miles Parks from the MPR Politics podcast. Now is the perfect time to calibrate your news diet for the fall.
Follow our show for short daily episodes that will help you stay ahead of the most important
“midterm storylines that you need to follow.”
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