Obama monitors response to Joplin, Missouri tornado from abroad

President Obama was in Ireland Monday, kicking off a week-long tour through Europe, but he is monitoring the aftermath of the Missouri,tornado that killed at least 89 people Sunday.

The president received multiple updates on the tornado damage throughout the course of his flight to Ireland, a White House official told reporters. He instructed his staff to keep him updated and to stay closely coordinated with state and local officials going forward.

Mr. Obama called Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon this morning "to personally extend his condolences and to express that all of the families of Joplin affected by the severe tornadoes are in his thoughts and prayers," according to White House spokesman Nicholas Shapiro. "The president assured the governor that FEMA [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] will remain in close contact and coordination with state and local officials."

The president has directed FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to travel to Missouri to ensure the state has the support it needs. In addition, in anticipation of requests for assistance, a FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) is en route to Joplin, the White House said. This team will work with FEMA officials already in Missouri, as well as state and local officials, to identify disaster response needs.

Mexican Drug Boss Arrested at Birthday Party | Americas | English

Mexican Drug Boss Arrested at Birthday Party | Americas | English: "Mexican police say they have captured a suspected drug kingpin.

Authorities say Gilberto Barragan Balderas was arrested Friday in the border town of Reynosa, across from McAllen, in the U.S. state of Texas, at what appears to have been his birthday party.

Police say Barragan was a leading member of the Gulf drug cartel who was in charge of defending some of the gang's main smuggling routes into the United States from the rival Zeta cartel.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Barragan's capture."

Yemen Transition Falters as Loyalists Hit Streets | News | English

Yemen Transition Falters as Loyalists Hit Streets | News | English: "Yemen's president appears to be backing out again from signing a Gulf region-brokered deal that would have him transfer power within a month.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Sunday that he is not interested in signing a deal inked 'behind closed doors.'

His statement came hours before he was scheduled to sign the agreement.

Plans to sign the deal have already stalled twice because of objections by the Yemeni leader.

Yemen's opposition signed the pact Saturday with the understanding that the president would sign the agreement Sunday.

Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis in the capital Sanaa poured into a central square Sunday that has become the center of opposition protests."