DANY MAG

By Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves

BUDAPEST, April 15 (Reuters) - Hungary's election winner Peter Magyar said ‌on Wednesday his government will suspend state media ‌broadcasts, pass a new media law and ensure press freedom ​after his cabinet takes power.

"Every Hungarian deserves a public service media that broadcasts the truth," Magyar said on Kossuth state radio, where outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban ‌had been a ⁠weekly guest for the past 16 years while opposition politicians rarely got invited.

"We ⁠will need a little time to pass a new media law, a new media authority and setting up ​the professional ​conditions for state media ​actually do what it ‌is meant to do," Magyar added.

Advertisement

Magyar's TISZA (Respect and Freedom) party won a landslide victory in Sunday's election, ending Orban's 16-year rule.

Critics say public media served as a government mouthpiece under Orban and accused him ‌of presiding over the undermining ​of independent media as allies ​of his Fidesz ​party took control of private outlets - charges ‌he denied.

Orban's landslide defeat handed ​Magyar a ​strong majority in Hungary's 199-seat legislature, opening the door for an overhaul of a system that ​critics in the ‌European Union said subverted democratic norms.

(Reporting by ​Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves; Editing by Sonali ​Paul and Andrew Heavens)

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — There is an odd sense of isolation when you are coveringPope Leo XIVfrom inside the Vatican’s traveling press pool: Escorted from venue to venue with police motorcades that clear even the most congested of traffic jams, it’s a membership that has many privileges.

Algeria Pope Africa

But during Leo’s epicfour-nation trip to Africa, being inside the Vatican “bubble” has been an almost surreal experience, asan unprecedented back-and-forthplays out between U.S. President Donald Trump and history’s first American pope.

Every morning this week, waking up todevelopments in Washingtonfrom the evening before, the questions have abounded: Will Leo bite? How will he address the latest criticism, if at all, while focusing on the Africa program he has planned?

That was certainly the case on Wednesday, as Leo, the Vatican delegation and a pool of around 70 accredited reporters boarded the ITA Airways charter for the second leg of Leo’s 11-day odyssey — the flight from Algiers, Algeria to Yaounde, Cameroon.

Much to the reporters’ delight, Leo had responded head-on to Trump at the start of the trip when he gamely greeted reporters traveling April 13 from Rome to Algiers. He responded to those who asked him about Trump’s Truth Social post a day earlier, in which the U.S. president had accused him of being soft on crime, cozy with the left and owed his papacy to Trump.

Trump was responding to Leo’s calls for peace, in reference to the Iran war, and comments that Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization were “truly unacceptable.”

Leo had told journalists aboard the papal plane that he was merely preaching the Gospel when he called for peace and criticized war, and that he didn’t fear the Trump administration.

A comment about peace

On Wednesday, Leo didn’t take questions from reporters and kept his remarks focused on his just-concluded visit to Algeria, where he honored the legacy of his spiritual inspiration,St. Augustine of Hippo.

In brief remarks to reporters standing at the front of economy class, Leo didn’t refer to war or Trump. But he spoke in terms that could suggest the latest overnight lobs from Washington certainly hadn't gone unnoticed. Perhaps tellingly, he spoke exclusively in English.

Trump had kept up the criticism on Truth Social, while U.S. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, said that Leo should “be careful” when speaking about theology.

For starters, Leo noted the sign of “goodness,” “generosity,” and “respect” that the Algerian government showed him in welcoming him on the first-ever papal visit. He said that the Algerian honors had included a full military aerial escort of the papal plane through Algerian airspace.

He also recalled his visit to the Great Mosque in Algiers, which he said was a significant way to show that “although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshipping, we have different ways of living, we can live together in peace.”

Advertisement

He said that St. Augustine’s message of searching for God, searching for truth, building bridges and seeking unity and community “is something which the world needs to hear today and that together we can continue to offer in our witness as we continue on this apostolic voyage.”

A papal press pool

Like other heads of state, the pope travels internationally with both the Vatican’s own media team as well as a group of external news organizations that pay, oftentimes handsomely, to have their reporters travel aboard the papal plane and have special access to cover his events.

Being inside the Vatican bubble has journalistic advantages and disadvantages. You get the best access and are traveling under the Vatican’s security umbrella, meaning there’s little or no hassle from local security organizers. The Vatican facilitates visas and local SIM cards in advance, and arranges hotels and local transportation, allowing reporters to focus on the news rather than logistics.

Journalists in the bubble get the pope’s speeches ahead of time and have occasional access to delegation members, as well as other information in real time from the Vatican spokesman.

But the real reason news organizations choose to spend thousands of dollars per journalist, per trip, to be on the papal plane is to be on hand for the pope’s news conferences. The only time a pope holds such briefings with journalists is at an altitude of 35,000 feet (around 10,000 meters)

Who could forget Pope Francis’ famous line on his maiden trip as pope, in 2013 to Rio de Janeiro, when he uttered the line “Who am I to judge,” when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest.

The downside of being in the Vatican bubble is obvious for many of the same reasons it’s helpful: You are removed from local reality, whether in Algeria or Alaska, and rarely have time to do the type of on-the-ground reporting that makes a news report balanced.

Those news organizations that have the resources have teams on the ground producing such content, or journalists within the bubble break away to do their own reporting, so that the end result is a healthy combination of official Vatican information and local input.

But when the real drama involving the pope is occurring thousands of miles and time zones away, being in the Vatican bubble is a somewhat jarring experience. The news everyone wants to know isn’t necessarily what the pope has on his agenda.

But on this trip, the first by an American pope to Africa, being in the Vatican bubble certainly had its advantages.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’scollaborationwith The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

By Humeyra Pamuk, Ariba Shahid and Asif Shahzad

Displaced people return to their homes after a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect, at the southern suburbs of Beirut

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD, April 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence that an agreement could soon be reached to end the Iran war and urged the Tehran-aligned Hezbollah group to hold its fire as a 10-day truce went in to effect between Lebanon and Israel.

Trump said the next meeting between the United States and Iran could take place at the weekend and an extension of a two-week ceasefire was ‌possible, but may not be needed as Tehran wanted a deal.

"We're going to see what happens. But I think we're very close to making a deal with Iran," he told reporters outside the White House, adding if an agreement was ‌reached and signed in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, he may go there for the occasion.

Hours later while in Las Vegas, Trump went further, saying the war "should be ending pretty soon".

The war with Iran has been unpopular in the United States and has left Trump with a political headache just months before a crucial midterm election ​at home.

The U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran that started on February 28 has triggered the worst oil price shock in history and led to an International Monetary Fund downgrade of its outlook for the global economy and a warning that prolonged conflict could push the world to the brink of recession.

A Pakistani source involved in mediating between the U.S. and Iran said on Friday there was progress in backdoor diplomacy and that an upcoming meeting between the two sides could result in the signing of an agreement.

The two sides would first sign a memorandum of understanding followed by a comprehensive agreement within 60 days, the source said.

"Detailed agreement comes later. Both sides are agreeing in principle. And technical bits come later," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A diplomatic source said the key Pakistani mediator, army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, had been holding talks ‌in Tehran since Wednesday and had made a breakthrough on "sticky issues".

OIL PRICE FALLS ON DEAL HOPES

Oil ⁠prices fell in early trade on Friday and Asian stocks headed for a second week of strong gains on optimism the Middle East conflict could be nearing an end, even though the critical Strait of Hormuz, an artery for a fifth of the world's oil and gas supply, remains effectively closed.

The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.8% as investors locked in profits after a blistering rally ⁠this month, with the index close to its highest since the Iran war broke out.

Japan's Nikkei slipped 1% after hitting a record high on Thursday and almost all stock markets were back to pre-war levels.

Brent crude futures declined to $98.17 a barrel at 0434 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell to $93.47 a barrel, trimming gains from the previous session.

France and Britain will chair a meeting on Friday of around 40 countries aimed at signalling to the United States that some of its closest allies, many chided by Trump for failing to act, are ready to help restore freedom of ​navigation ​in the Strait of Hormuz once conditions allow.

Iran has largely closed the strait to ships other than its own and Washington this week imposed a blockade ​on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports. Analysts said the blockade could prevent roughly 2 million barrels ‌per day of Iranian crude from reaching its primary buyer China.

Advertisement

Only a trickle of vessels have passed through the strait since the war started, compared to an average 130-plus each day before the conflict.

HOPES FOR 'MEANINGFUL TALKS'

The ceasefire in Lebanon went into effect on Thursday and Trump said he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun and planned to invite them to the White House for "meaningful talks" that could happen over the next week or two.

Iran has insisted that any peace deal should also cover the fighting in Lebanon. The ceasefire was part of an understanding reached with the U.S. and mediated by Pakistan, Iranian media reported, citing a foreign ministry spokesperson.

"May have been a historic day for Lebanon. Good things are happening!!!" Trump said on social media late on Thursday.

In an earlier post, he urged Hezbollah to respect the ceasefire.

"I hope Hezbollah acts nicely and well during this important period of time. It will be an GREAT moment for them if they do. No more killing. Must finally have PEACE!" he said.

Conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed ‌Hezbollah in Lebanon was reignited by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Hezbollah opened fire in support of Tehran on March 2, prompting an Israeli offensive in ​Lebanon that authorities say has killed 2,000 people, 15 months after their last major conflict.

Celebratory gunfire rang out across parts of Beirut as the clock struck midnight ​on Thursday to mark the start of the truce and witnesses heard explosions from rockets fired in celebration, prompting a ​safety warning and threat of arrests from the Lebanese Army.

But the pause in hostilities remained fragile, with the army early on Friday reporting that Israel had already violated the ceasefire with intermittent shelling of several southern ‌Lebanese villages.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which had said earlier that its forces ​remained deployed in the area, in what a spokesperson said was ​in response to continued Hezbollah militant activity.

Hezbollah released a lengthy statement on its military operations against Israel throughout Thursday, which listed its last attack as being 10 minutes before the ceasefire took effect.

The truce was "essential, urgently needed and a demand shared by all," senior Hezbollah official Bilal Lakkiss told NBC News ahead of the start of the ceasefire, but said the group would not comply with Israel’s demand that it disarm "except within a framework tied to a broader national security vision".

NUCLEAR AMBITIONS A ​STICKING POINT

Tehran's nuclear ambitions were a sticking point at talks in Islamabad last weekend, where the ‌U.S. proposed a 20-year suspension of all nuclear activity by Iran. Tehran suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals.

Trump on Thursday said Iran had offered not to possess nuclear weapons for ​more than 20 years.

Iran has demanded that international sanctions be lifted and Washington has pressed for any highly enriched uranium to be removed from Iran.

Two Iranian sources said there were signs of a compromise on the HEU ​stockpile, with Tehran considering shipping part of it out of the country.

(Reporting by Reuters bureaus, Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban PresidentMiguel Díaz-Canelsaid Thursday that whileCubadoes not want military aggression from the United States, his country is prepared to fight should it happen.

Cuba Anniversary

Díaz-Canel spoke during a rally that drew hundreds of people to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the declaration of the Cuban Revolution’s socialist essence.

“The moment is extremely challenging and calls upon us once again, as on April 16, 1961, to be ready to confront serious threats, including military aggression. We do not want it, but it is our duty to prepare to avoid it and, if it becomes inevitable, to defeat it,” Díaz-Canel said.

He spoke astensions remain highbetween the two countries, withCuba’s crises deepeningas a result of a U.S. energy blockade.

Earlier this week, Trump said his administration could focus on Cuba after thewar in Iranends.

“We may stop by Cuba after we finish with this,” he said. He described it as a “failing nation” and asserted that it’s “been a terribly run country for a long time.”

Trump previously has threatened to intervene in Cuba, like he did in early January whenthe U.S. military attacked Venezuelaand halted key oil shipments from the South American country.

Weeks later, Trumpthreatened tariffson any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba.

Both Trump and U.S. Secretary of StateMarco Rubio— whose parents emigrated from Cuba in the 1950s before the revolution — have described the island’s government as ineffective and abusive. The U.S. demands on Cuba's government in return for easing sanctions have included an end to political repression, a release of political prisoners and a liberalization of the island's ailing economy.

Díaz-Canel accused them of trying to construct a “narrative” that has no justification.

Advertisement

“Cuba is not a failed state. Cuba is a besieged state. Cuba is a state facing multidimensional aggression: economic warfare, an intensified blockade and an energy blockade,” said Díaz-Canel, the main speaker at Thursday’s rally.

“Cuba is a threatened state that does not surrender. And despite everything. And thanks to socialism. Cuba is a state that resists, creates, and make no mistake, a state that will prevail,”Díaz-Caneladded.

Both Cuba and the U.S.have acknowledged talksto resolve the tension, but no details have been disclosed.

The Cuban president recalled the achievements made possible by the revolution and its social welfare system, which allows for free education that has trained thousands of professionals, many of whomhave chosen to emigratedue to the country's economic crisis.

The oil embargo imposed by Trump worsened thealready harsh conditionsbrought on by an economic crisis that has lasted for five years, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and a tightening of U.S. sanctions aimed at pressuring for a change in the island’s political model.

Experts have warned of a humanitarian crisis.

Measures to prevent the island from acquiring oil from its Venezuelan, Mexican and Russian suppliers are exacerbating the already poor living conditions of the population, includingprolonged blackoutsand fuel shortages.

The rally commemorated the 65th anniversary of a historic speech by the late leader,Fidel Castro, during a crisis with the United States. That moment marked the ideological course the Caribbean nation would take and its opposition to Washington’s continental hegemony.

Follow AP’s Latin America coverage athttps://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) —Pope Leo XIVon Wednesday doubled down asU.S. President Donald Trump’s criticismshowed no sign of letting up, insisting that the message "the world needs to hear today” is one of peace and dialogue.

Leo spoke to journalists en route toCameroonas he continued his Africa visit.

He made no mention of Trump’s latest social media post or the suggestion by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, that he should “be careful” when speaking about theology.

Leo took no questions. Rather, he focused on his first stop in Algeria and the teachings ofSt. Augustine of Hippo, the inspiration of his religious order and his own spirituality.

But Leo spoke in terms that suggested the Trump administration's criticism of the pope's calls for peace in the Iran war hadn't gone unnoticed. He spoke exclusively in English.

Trump has issued repeated broadsides this week against history’s first U.S.-born pope, accusing him of being weak on crime and a captive to the left, and asserting that Leo owed his papacy to Trump. Trump also posted, then took down, an artificial intelligence-generated, Christ-like image of himself that drew widespread condemnation, even from many supporters.

Trump’s attacks on Leo began after the pope amplified criticism of war and asserted that God doesn’t bless those who drop bombs. Leo also called Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization “truly unacceptable.”

Overnight, Trump posted “Not good!!!” in response to a post citing social media posts by Leo before he was pope that were critical of Trump. And he wrote: “Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable.”

Leo points to St. Augustine and ‘search for truth’

Leo drew attention to his visit Tuesday to Annaba, the ancient city of Hippo where St. Augustine, the theological and philosophical giant of the early church, lived as a bishop for more than 30 years.

“His writings, his teaching, his spirituality, his invitation to search for God and to search for truth is something that is very much needed today, a message that is very real for all of us today as believers in Jesus Christ, but for all people,” Leo said.

By going to Hippo, Leo said that he wanted to offer the church and the world a vision that St. Augustine offers in terms of seeking "unity among all peoples and respect for all people in spite of the differences.”

He recalled that the vast majority of Algerians are Muslim, but that they respect and honor St. Augustine as “one of the great sons of their land.” Such an attitude, he said, helps to build bridges between Christians and Muslims and promote dialogue.

Advertisement

And he recalled his visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers, where he stood in silent prayer.

“I think the visit to the mosque was significant to say that although we have different beliefs, we have different ways of worshiping, we have different ways of living, we can live together in peace,” he said.

“And so I think that to promote that kind of image is something which the world needs to hear today.”

While being on the receiving end of Trump's criticisms online, Leo pointed to the respectful way that the Algerian government had received him on the first-ever papal visit — with a full military airborne escort through Algeria's airspace.

“It’s a sign of the goodness, of the generosity, of the respect that the Algerian people and the Algerian government have wished to show to the Holy See and to myself,” Leo said.

A debate about ‘just war’

The Vatican's editorial director, Andrea Tornielli, was more pointed than Leo in his rebuttal of Vance, who had argued that the Catholic Church had a long tradition of endorsing so-called “just wars,” when war can be morally justified.

Tornielli noted that the “just war” theory was developed centuries ago, when wars were fought with swords, not machine-guided drones.

“This teaching has gradually been enriched and deepened, to the point of recognizing how increasingly difficult it is to claim that a ‘just war’ exists,” Tornielli wrote on Vatican Media. Modern warfare poses a "reality that raises moral questions of dramatic intensity.”

“There has been a growing awareness that war is not a path to be followed,” he wrote.

U.S. Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, has said the U.S.-Israeli war in Iranfailed to meet the minimum criteriafor the war to be considered morally just. Such criteria would have included that it was a response to an imminent threat, that the U.S. and Israel had clearly articulated their intentions or that the benefits would outweigh the harm.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’scollaborationwith The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

About 70 vehicles were involved in a major pileup on a section of a Colorado highway, sending eight people to the hospital, amidhazardous cold weather, authorities said.

Troopers responded to an area of Interstate 70 near the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel on Tuesday, April 14, after receiving reports of a large multi-vehicle crash at around 2:50 p.m. local time, according to the Colorado State Patrol. The roadway was initially closed in both directions.

Further investigation revealed that the pileup occurred only on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70, the Colorado State Patrol said in a statement. The westbound left lane of the highway was closed for medical staging, while the westbound right lane remained open and was moving slowly.

In an update, the Colorado State Patrol said an estimate from responders at the scene showed that about 70 vehicles were involved in the incident. Nineteen people were evaluated for injuries, including 11 people who declined to be taken to the hospital and eight who were transported to nearby area hospitals.

Of the eight people who were taken to area hospitals, the Colorado State Patrol said one person sustained "serious bodily injuries. The agency told USA TODAY on Wednesday, April 15, that it did not have additional updates on the incident or the conditions of those injured.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said ina statementthat his office was "closely monitoring the serious multi-vehicle crash" and asked the public to follow official guidance and to avoid the area as emergency crews responded to the scene.

The Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel, located about 60 miles west of Denver on Interstate 70, is a key connection for motorists traveling from the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains to the western slope, according to theColorado Department of Transportation.

Police car chases:At least 8 dead after series of police pursuits across US

Massive pileup occurred during a series of crashes on Colorado highway

Before the large pileup, the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office said six crashes had occurred on the morning of April 14. Five crashes occurred on a section of westbound Interstate 70, and another happened on Highway 40.

Advertisement

"Some have been single vehicle; others, multiple," the sheriff's office said in astatement on social media. "Bottom line, we need folks to slow down, increase following distance, and make it to their destination safely."

The sheriff's officethen reportedat around 3 p.m. local time that a "multi-vehicle, injury crash" had occurred on the eastbound lanes of Highway 6 on-ramp to Interstate 70 by the Loveland Ski Area. At the time, the sheriff's office had estimated that at least 75 vehicles were involved in the incident, and the crash was blocking a section of the highway.

"The closure is due to a severe multi-vehicle crash on the east side of Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel that took place this afternoon," the Colorado Department of Transportation said ina statement. "However, due to the severity of the crash, drivers approaching the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel should expect to be turned around for the next several hours."

Following the incident, the Colorado State Patrol said all eastbound Interstate 70 was estimated to be closed for four to six hours. By around 8:10 p.m. local time, the sheriff's office said the section of the highway had reopened.

The sheriff's office later reported that the westbound Interstate 70 at the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel was briefly closed for an unrelated incident involving a "pickup truck and trailer that jack-knifed." All westbound lanes were then reopened.

Crash happened amid snowy weather

The Colorado Department of Transportation previously warned motorists that winter driving conditions were being reported throughout the Interstate 70 Mountain Corridor on April 14. The department advised motorists to exercise caution and prepare for delays.

Snow showers were expected in the mountains through the evening of April 14, according to theNational Weather Service's office in Boulder, Colorado.

"Snow showers, a few briefly heavy, for the mountains through this evening,"the weather service said on Xon the morning of April 14. "Some slick travel over higher mountain passes early this morning and again this evening."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Several injured in Colorado highway crash involving 70 vehicles

More than 50 million people across the Midwest and Plains are bracing forsevere weatheron Tuesday, a day after baseball-sized hail and multiple tornadoes were reported in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Kansas.

The threat of damaging storms has shifted slightly south from where strong winds blew the roofs off several buildings on Monday, including the collapse of a nursing home roof in Lodi, Wisconsin.

A level 3 out of 5 "enhanced risk" for severe storms is in place on Tuesday for parts of Iowa, southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, far northern Indiana, far northwestern Ohio and southern Michigan. Strong tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail are possible for parts of the Midwest on Tuesday, including the cities of Chicago, Milwaukee, Des Moines, Iowa and Detroit.

A tornado watch has been issued until at least 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday for parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Large hail and damaging winds are expected across that region.

A level 3 out of 5 "enhanced risk" for severe storms is also in place on Tuesday for parts of central Oklahoma. Some tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail are possible for parts of the south-central Plains on Tuesday, including Oklahoma City.

A widespread area from the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas to the U.S.-Canadian border in Michigan is under the threat of slightly less severe storms on Tuesday.

Tornadoes, especially in Oklahoma, are possible, along with large hail and damaging winds.

In the Northeast, severe weather threat alerts are in effect from northern Pennsylvania to southern Vermont until at least 10 p.m. ET Tuesday.

The storms are expected to pop up in the Northeast sometime after 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday and continue into the evening.

The severe weather comes after destructive storms hit on Monday in parts of rural Minnesota, Wisconsin and Kansas.

At least 14 tornadoes were reported on Monday across Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Advertisement

The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed at least two tornadoes touched down in eastern Kansas on Monday. The NWS said one of the tornadoes, packing 125 mph winds, measured as an EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale and cut a 7-mile path of destruction through the city of Ottawa, Kansas.

The sheriff's office in Franklin County, Kansas, reported that three people suffered minor injuries in Ottawa.

A second tornado, according to the NWS, hit the city of Quenemo in Osage County, Kansas, measured as an EF0 with winds of 65 mph.

Video taken by ABC Kansas City affiliate station,KMBC, showed the roofs ripped off several buildings in the Ottawa area, including a motel in the city.

In nearby Hillsdale, Kansas, in Miami County, the NWS is surveying storm damage from another suspected tornado. More than 50 homes were damaged, according to the Red Cross, which was providing support for displaced families.

On Wednesday, severe storms are expected to be in place from Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City and Tulsa, to southern Wisconsin. Parts of Kansas, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Ohio, including the cities of Pittsburgh and Cleveland, could also be in the path of severe weather on Wednesday.

In Michigan, heavy rains over the past few days, combined with snow melt, caused flooding on Monday when several rivers, including the Manistee River in northwest Michigan's Lower Peninsula, overflowed, officials said. Several roads and bridges were washed away in the flood and some homes were damaged by the floodwaters, authorities said.

Flooding threatens Hawaii, while dry and breezy conditions raise fire danger in the Northeast

The Manistee River, near Sherman, Michigan, reached a new record level on Monday and was still rising early Tuesday morning as heavy rain continued to fall. The river has surpassed 18 feet, topping its previous record of 16.9 feet set in April 2014, authorities said.

The US just had its warmest March ever, by a historic margin

Residents living downstream from two Michigan dams were advised to evacuate after seepage was found at the base of the Bellaire Dam in Antrim County. The Cheboygan Dam in Cheboygan County, near Lake Huron, was at risk of failing, authorities said Monday night.

Rain in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is expected to taper off on Tuesday afternoon, but another round of thunderstorms is expected to bring more rain to the area on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, increasing the flooding threat and adding pressure to the Bellaire and Cheboygan dams.