AP Top Stories February 18 A

Here's the latest for Thursday February 18th: Anger grows as Texas deals with blackouts and cold; Thousands in dark for days in Portland, Oregon; Biden Administration plans to boost COVID testing supplies; Italy's Mount Etna volcano erupts.

Video Transcript

ED DONAHUE: This is AP News Minute. Texas residents are getting angry as they deal with a failing power grid and a brutal winter freeze. Nearly 1.9 million residents were still without power Wednesday morning, and it's unclear when they'll get it back.

More than 100,000 homes and businesses in and around Portland, Oregon have been without power for almost a week. A massive snow and ice storm knocked down hundreds of miles of power lines in the area.

The Biden administration says it will spend more than $1.4 billion to boost coronavirus testing supplies and coordination. It's part of the plan to get more students back to school.

Italy's Mount Etna has left neighbors with a big clean up job. The volcano blasted out lava, ash, and stones on Tuesday, some of it littering nearby villages.

Ed Donahue, the Associated Press, with AP News Minute.

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