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Driver killed when car hits tree, two men hospitalised after separate stabbings in Adelaide
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A driver was killed when his car hit a tree in Adelaide's north this morning, with police also kept busy overnight by two stabbings and an armed hold-up. The man was the only person in the Holden sedan when it hit a tree on Main North Road at Salisbury Heights just before 8:30am. "The driver and sole occupant, a 52-year-old from Kilburn, sadly died at the scene," police said. Major Crash investigators attended the scene and the road has since reopened. Earlier in the morning, police arrested two men after a stabbing at Port Noarlunga South. Police were called to a house on Oxford Street about 4:00am after reports of a disturbance. Senior Constable Kristina Phillipson told ABC Radio Adelaide police found a 27-year-old man with stab wounds to his abdomen. "He was rushed to Flinders Medical Centre with serious injuries," she said. "His condition is potentially life-threatening." A 21-year-old man from Port Noarlunga South was arrested at the scene. A 47-year-old man who lives at the address was taken to Noarlunga Hospital with lacerations to his hands. He has been arrested and charged with aggravated commit assault that causes harm. "Investigations on that stabbing are continuing and police believe the men are known to each other and that it wasn't random," Senior Constable Phillipson said. Police are also investigating a stabbing at St Marys, which happened at about 5.30pm last night. Emergency services were called to Rothesay Avenue after reports that a man had been stabbed by people known to him. When police arrived they found a 37-year-old man who had been stabbed in his abdomen. He was taken to the Flinders Medical Centre with non-life-threatening injuries. Police are searching for a man who robbed the Woodcroft Hotel bottle shop last night. At 6.30pm last night, a man threatened staff at the bottle shop with a knife and stole cash from the till. Police said he then ran across the road where another man was waiting on a red dirt bike. They were last seen travelling west along Bains Road. "Also, just a reminder, as the Commissioner said on Saturday, committing crime is not one of the five reasons to leave home," Constable Phillipson said. Police ask anyone with information on the stabbings or robbery to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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Road Crash
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Carbon monoxide poisoning suspected in woman’s east Charlotte apartment death
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CHARLOTTE — Firefighters said a woman died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning Tuesday morning following a small fire inside an east Charlotte apartment.
Around 4 a.m., fire crews responded to carbon monoxide alarms going off at an apartment complex on Kelston Place, near Albemarle Road. When they got there, firefighters heard the alarms and forced their way into an apartment on the second floor where they found a smoldering fire in the kitchen.
In another room, they found an unconscious woman and tried to perform CPR. She was taken to the hospital but officials said she did not survive.
Family members identified the victim as Kimberly Wallace. They told Channel 9 that she was a loving person.
Wallace’s nephew, Dwayne Mixson, said his aunt loved to garden. Potted plants lined her balcony.
“She was a loving mother,” he told Channel 9. “She had three grandchildren and she lived a wonderful life.”
Mixson said his entire family is still trying to process what happened to his aunt, and is asking for prayers.
“I texted her and she said that she loved me and I said, ‘I love you, too,’ and that was the last time I spoke with her.”
Twenty apartments were subsequently evacuated until CO levels were deemed safe. No other injuries were reported.
Fire department investigators ruled the kitchen fire was accidental due to unattended cooking.
[ ALSO READ: Married firefighters die of carbon monoxide poisoning in own home, authorities say ]
Investigators are trying to determine whether Wallace’s carbon monoxide detector was working.
On the fire department’s website, the number one listed cause of home fires is unattended cooking, and carbon monoxide is the number one cause of poisoning deaths in the U.S. Carbon monoxide is known as the “silent killer” because you cannot see, taste or smell it -- which is why working CO detectors are so important.
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Mass Poisoning
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1935 Digor earthquake
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The 1935 Digor earthquake occurred on 1 May at Digor, Kars in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. It had a moment magnitude of 6.1 and caused 540 fatalities.
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Earthquakes
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New details emerge in case of Fort Hood detective accused of poisoning wife
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Updated: November 12, 2021 @ 10:35 am
A Fort Hood soldier has been indicted on a murder charge aft…
Killeen Education reporter
Fort Hood’s Bernie Beck Gate, photographed Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, is located on T.J. Mills Boulevard in Killeen.
New documents released in the case of a former Fort Hood special agent accused of murdering his wife with puffer fish poison detail multiple poisoning attempts spanning two different countries.
Staff Sgt. Lesly J. Lindor is accused of murdering his wife of two years with poison, known as a tetrodotoxin, obtained from an unauthorized trip to Haiti, according to new documents obtained by the Herald. Tetrodotoxin is a deadly neurotoxin found in puffer fish, and some other marine species, which can cause paralysis and death, according to the CDC.
His wife, Rachelle Lindor, 34, was found dead on Sept. 3, 2018 in Harker Heights. A funeral for Lindor was held in her hometown of Medford, Massachusetts.
CHARGES
Charge documents signed by Fort Hood Lt. Gen. Robert P. White in June detail Lindor’s alleged multiple poison attempts.
On one or more occasions, between July 4 and 5, 2018, Lindor attempted to murder his wife by placing “a toxic powder in and around” a car seat and shoes in Harker Heights, according to charge documents.
On Aug. 24, 2018, court documents allege Lindor attempted to murder his wife by “placing poison in her water” in Montrouis, Haiti.
Lastly, on Aug. 27, 2018, Lindor attempted to murder his wife in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti by “placing poison in her food,” charge documents allege.
Between April to September of 2018, Fort Hood court documents allege Lindor developed a plan to murder his wife in Harker Heights with another man. Lindor and the other man met in Port Au Prince, and Les Cayes, Haiti, on multiple occasions between June 29 and Aug. 28, 2018, according to charge documents. On Aug. 21, 2018, court documents allege Lindor exchanged money for the “acquisition and production” of “various substances” used to carry out the murder.
The former special agent, who worked for Fort Hood’s Criminal Investigation Command, commonly called CID, is also accused of using the Defense Manpower Data Center Department of Defense Person Search and the Army Law Enforcement Reporting Tracking System for non-official business.
FORT HOOD
Lindor is charged with murder, stalking, attempt to violate the Federal Biological Weapons statute, failure to obey a lawful order, failure to obey a general regulation, dereliction of duty and obstruction of justice, according to Fort Hood officials.
“Charging decisions were made by the command after a complete and thorough investigation by CID, and an independent review by Army prosecutors,” CID Chief of Public Affairs Chris Grey said in an email Wednesday. “As a reminder, charges are merely accusations and the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
Initially, Grey said, the Harker Heights Police Department was the lead investigative agency before special agents from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command opened a joint investigation.
“During the investigation, Special Agents from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command became suspicious of the cause and manner of death and continued an independent investigation into the death of accused’s spouse,” Grey said.
Lindor joined the Army in November 2010 and became an agent in 2017. He was placed on administrative duty in October 2018, removed from an investigative unit and placed in a support unit, Grey said. Lindor has not worked on CID investigations since October 2018.
Lindor is in pre-trial confinement at this time, Grey said.
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Mass Poisoning
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Covid-19: Maharashtra reports 3,608 new infections, 48 deaths; active cases drop below 40,000
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Maharashtra on Wednesday reported 3,608 new COVID-19 cases, up 477 from a day ago, and 48 fresh deaths, taking the infection tally to 65,31,237 and the toll to 1,38,664, a health department official said. The official said with 4,285 patients discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, the number of recovered cases rose to 63,49,029.Maharashtra now has 39,984 active cases. On Tuesday, the state had reported 3,131 COVID-19 cases and 70 fatalities. The state has 2,64,416 people in home quarantine and another 1,678 in institutional quarantine, according to the official. He said Maharashtra’s COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.21 per cent, while the fatality rate is 2.12 per cent. The cumulative number of coronavirus tests conducted in the state climbed to 5,74,76,142 after 1,68,917 samples were examined in the last 24 hours, the official said. As many as six districts – Dhule, Nandurbar, Nanded, Akola, Bhandara and Gondia – did not report any fresh COVID-19 cases (in rural areas). Similarly, Jalgaon, Parbhani, Nanded and Amravati municipal corporations (urban areas) also did not report any new cases in the last 24 hours. The official said Ahmednagar district reported the highest 763 new infections followed by Mumbai district at 486. Satara district reported the highest 12 fatalities in the state. Among the eight regions of Maharashtra, the Pune region reported the highest 1,246 new COVID-19 cases followed by 1,011 in the Mumbai region. The Nashik region reported 890 new cases, Kolhapur 293, Latur 107, Aurangabad 30, Nagpur 21 and the Akola region 10. According to the official, among the 48 fresh fatalities, the highest 18 were reported from the Pune region, followed by nine each from Nashik and Kolhapur regions. Mumbai and Latur regions logged seven and five fatalities, respectively. Significantly, Aurangabad, Akola and Nagpur regions did not report any new coronavirus-related deaths. The official said Mumbai witnessed 486 new COVID-19 cases and four deaths, while Pune city reported 182 cases, but no fresh fatalities. Among the 39,984 active patients in the state, Pune district has the highest at 11,344, he said. Out of the 63,49,029 recovered patients across the state, the highest – 11,06,183 – were are from Pune district, he added. Coronavirus figures for Maharashtra are as follows: Total cases 65,31,237; new cases 3,608, death toll 1,38,664; recoveries 63,49,029; active cases-39,984; total tests 5,74,76,142.
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Disease Outbreaks
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XL Airways Germany Flight 888T crash
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XL Airways Germany Flight 888T (GXL888T)[1] was an acceptance flight for an Airbus A320 executed on 27 November 2008. The plane crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, 7 km (4.3 mi; 3.8 nmi) off Canet-en-Roussillon on the French coast, close to the Spanish border, killing all seven people on board. [2]
The aircraft was on a flight test (or "acceptance flight") for which it had taken off from Perpignan–Rivesaltes Airport, made an overflight of Gaillac, and was flying back to Perpignan Airport, doing an approach over the sea. The flight took place immediately following light maintenance and repainting to Air New Zealand livery on the aircraft, done in preparation for its transfer from XL Airways Germany, which had been leasing it, to Air New Zealand, the owner. [2]
The aircraft involved was an Airbus A320-232, registered D-AXLA, manufactured in 2005, and assigned a manufacturer's serial number of 2500. It first flew on 30 June 2005, and was delivered to Air New Zealand's low-cost subsidiary Freedom Air with the registration ZK-OJL. Star XL German Airlines (as XL Airways Germany was named at the time) took delivery of the aircraft on 25 May 2006. The aircraft had been overhauled by a local French company located at the Perpignan–Rivesaltes Airport prior to its return off lease. [3][4][5][6] At the time of the crash it was due to be delivered back to Air New Zealand and re-registered as ZK-OJL. [7]
Seven people were on board, two Germans (the captain and first officer, from XL Airways) and five New Zealanders (one pilot, three aircraft engineers, and one member of the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAA)). [8][9]
The captain was 51-year-old Norbert Käppel, who had been with the airline since 24 August 1987. He became an Airbus A320 captain in February 2006. Käppel had logged a total of 12,709 flight hours, including 7,038 hours on the Airbus A320. [10]:21–22
The first officer was 58-year-old Theodor Ketzer, who had been with the airline since 2 March 1988. He had been a first officer on the Airbus A320 since April 2006. Ketzer had 11,660 flight hours, with 5,529 of them on the Airbus A320. [10]:22–23
The pilot from New Zealand was 52-year-old Brian Horrell, who had been with Air New Zealand since September 1986. He had been an Airbus A320 captain since 27 September 2004, and had 15,211 flight hours, including 2,078 hours on the Airbus A320. Horrell was seated in the cockpit jumpseat at the time of the accident. He did not speak nor understand German. [10]:23–24
The three aircraft engineers were 37-year-old Murray White, 49-year-old Michael Gyles, and 35-year-old Noel Marsh. [10]:24[11] The member of the CAA was 58-year-old Jeremy Cook. [10]:24[12]
The aircraft departed Perpignan–Rivesaltes Airport at 14:44 UTC. The overflight at Gaillac was mostly normal. At 15:04, though, angle-of-attack sensor number 1 became blocked, and sensor number 2 became blocked two minutes later. [10]:16
At 15:33, the aircraft started back towards Perpignan Airport, but at 15:46 UTC during final approach, the aircraft suddenly disappeared from the radar screens. The aircraft crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, 7 km (4.3 mi; 3.8 nmi) off the coast of Étang de Canet-Saint-Nazaire near Canet-en-Roussillon. All seven people on board were killed. [10]:15–20
Two bodies were recovered within hours of the crash; the others were found during later weeks. The extent of shattering of the wreckage indicated that the crash occurred at high speed. [13] The crash area was declared a crime scene and the French justice system opened a manslaughter investigation. [13]
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was quickly found and recovered, and on 30 November, divers recovered the second flight recorder–the flight data recorder (FDR)–and a third body, unidentified at the time. Although the CVR was damaged, experts said a good probability existed of recovering data from it. [14]
In late December, French investigators attempted to retrieve data from the CVR and FDR, but they could not be read. Usable data from the recorders was later recovered by Honeywell Aerospace in the United States. [15][16]
The investigators' interest focused on the air data inertial reference unit (ADIRU) following recent similar incidents involving Airbus A330s operated by Qantas, exhibiting sudden uncommanded manoeuvring (including Qantas Flight 72). [17] The investigation was led by the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA), with the participation of its counterparts from the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU), the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC), and the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Specialists from Airbus and from International Aero Engines (IAE, the manufacturer of the aircraft's engines), from XL Airways Germany (operator of the aircraft), and from Air New Zealand (the owner of the aircraft), were associated with the work of the technical investigation. [18][19]
Analysis of the data led to an interim finding that the crew lost control of the aircraft. The crew was not granted needed airspace to do their acceptance checklist of various test procedures, but they chose to conduct a number of the tests as they flew back to base. One of the tests that the crew unofficially fit into their flight was a test of low-speed flight, which they attempted after already dropping to a low altitude (rather than the normal 10,000 feet), while descending through 3000 feet on full autopilot for a go-around. Landing gear was just extended when at 15:44:30 UTC the speed dropped from 136 to 99 knots in 35 seconds. The stall warning sounded four times during violent manoeuvring to regain control. By 15:46:00, the warning had silenced as the aircraft regained speed in a rapid descent, but 6 seconds later, at 263 knots, the aircraft had only 340 feet elevation and was 14° nose down. A second later, the aircraft crashed into the water. [20]
In September 2010, the BEA published its final report into the accident. One of the contributing causes was incorrect maintenance procedures, which allowed water to enter the angle-of-attack (AOA) sensors. During fuselage rinsing with water before painting, three days before the flight, the AOA sensors were unprotected. As specified in the Structure Repair Manual by Airbus, fitting a protection device on AOA sensors before these tasks is mandatory. [10]:56,95 The water was able to penetrate inside the sensor bodies, then froze in flight, rendering two of three of the sensors inoperative, thus removing the protection they normally provided in the aircraft's flight management system.
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Air crash
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Bel Air Fire
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The Bel Air Fire was a disaster that began as a brush fire on November 6, 1961 in the Bel Air community of Los Angeles. 484 homes were destroyed and 16,900 acres (68 km2) were burned. The fire was fueled by strong Santa Ana winds. [1]
There were multiple celebrities affected by the fire. Actors Dennis Hopper and Brooke Hayward,[2] Burt Lancaster, Joan Fontaine, and Zsa Zsa Gabor, comedian Joe E. Brown, Nobel laureate chemist Willard Libby, composers Lukas Foss and Conrad Salinger, and writer Aldous Huxley all lost homes in the fire. Others that fought flames before they evacuated were former Vice President Richard Nixon, actor Robert Taylor, film producer Keith Daniels and orchestra leader Billy Vaughn. [3]
The fire's precise cause was not determined, but it was believed to be accidental. [4]
As a result of the Bel Air Fire, Los Angeles initiated a series of laws and fire safety policies. These included the banning of wood shingle roofs in new construction and one of the most stringent brush clearance policies in the US. [1]
The Los Angeles City Fire Department produced a documentary, "Design For Disaster", about the wildfire, narrated by William Conrad. It called the densely packed homes nestled on hillsides covered in dry brush "a serious problem in fire protection, even under the best of conditions. "[4]
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Fire
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Aspect Software Announces Merger With Noble Systems
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WESTFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Aspect Software will merge with Noble Systems of Atlanta Georgia, to form Alvaria™, (pronounced: ahl-vahr-ee-uh), a new global company delivering optimized customer experience and workforce engagement software and cloud services technology solutions. “He has led Noble through 30 years of innovation and growth. This merger is a fitting exclamation point to his successful career.” The newly combined company will be led by Patrick Dennis, Aspect President and CEO. “This merger will combine two of the leaders in the customer experience space into a major unified force for innovation and growth,” said Patrick Dennis, President & CEO of Alvaria. “Our unified customer base represents the largest financial institutions, healthcare, online retail, and travel and transportation companies in the world. We are so excited to embark on this next stage of our corporate development.” Abry Partners (“Abry”), a Boston-based private equity firm, spearheaded the merger and is now the majority owner of the combined company. Vector Capital, owner of Aspect, will continue as minority equity holder. The total value of the combined transaction is over $1 billion USD. “We are impressed with the transformation of Aspect under the leadership of Patrick and the Vector team,” said Tomer Yosef-Or, partner at Abry, “and Noble Systems will be an excellent merger partner, making Alvaria an even stronger competitor in the market.” Andy Fishman, a Managing Director of Vector Capital, added, “We congratulate and thank Patrick and the entire Aspect organization for their incredible work. We are excited to partner with Abry as we bring together Aspect and Noble Systems as the new Alvaria and look forward to supporting the new company through its next phase of growth.” Jim Noble, founder and CEO of Noble Systems, will transition into a new role as an advisor to Abry and Alvaria. “Jim has made a lasting impact in this marketplace,” continued Mr. Yosef-Or. “He has led Noble through 30 years of innovation and growth. This merger is a fitting exclamation point to his successful career.” News of this merger was met with enthusiasm from key Industry Analysts. According to Nancy Jamison, Industry Director, Information and Communications Technologies at Frost and Sullivan, “Aspect plus Noble is a very strong match. Their combined technology stack and market presence, particularly in outbound contact management, will make Alvaria an extremely formidable player in the space. This should be welcome news to enterprise customers worldwide.” According to Mary Wardley, VP Customer Care and CRM research at IDC, “The Aspect/Noble merger will be a jolt of lightning to the Contact Center market for several reasons; first will be the surprise to the market, second will be the long-term opportunity these two companies and product lines bring. Large enterprise customers will especially see big benefits through innovations to come. This could spur more acquisitions as vendors vie for customers and market share.” “We are launching Alvaria with an aggressive schedule, beginning with the immediate introduction of our new corporate identity and website, www.alvaria.com, followed by merged operations,” said Michael Harris, Alvaria Chief Product Officer and CMO. “Customers of Aspect Software and Noble Systems will continue to use the existing products and services they depend on now for delivering mission critical services, without interruption, followed by a seamless transition to the next generation of Alvaria systems and services.” Aspect Software and Vector Capital were advised by Jefferies LLC as their sole financial advisor, and Paul Hastings LLP as their legal counsel. Abry Partners was advised by TD Securities (USA) LLC as its financial advisor, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP as its legal counsel. Noble Systems was advised by Eversheds Sutherland as its legal counsel. About Alvaria: Alvaria was founded through the merger of Aspect Software and Noble Systems, technology leaders in Customer Experience (CX) and Workforce Engagement solutions. Our name is derived from Latin for “hives” – nature’s perfect form for millions of years – bringing you solutions that are scalable, resilient and secure, with efficiency, speed and pinpoint accuracy. ALVARIA™. Reshaping Customer Experience™. For more information, please visit www.alvaria.com About Abry Partners: Abry is one of the most experienced and successful sector-focused private equity investment firms in North America. Since their founding in 1989, the firm has completed over $82.0 billion of leveraged transactions and other private equity or preferred equity placements. Currently, the firm manages over $5.0 billion of capital across their active funds. For more information on Abry, please visit www.Abry.com. About Vector Capital Vector Capital is a leading global private equity firm specializing in transformational investments in established technology businesses. With more than $3 billion of capital under management, Vector actively partners with management teams to devise and execute new financial and business strategies that materially improve the competitive standing of businesses and enhance value for employees, customers, and all stakeholders.
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Organization Merge
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Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad Break 400-Meter Hurdles World Record to Win Gold and Silver
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In one of the most highly anticipated match-ups of the Olympic Games in Tokyo on Tuesday, Americans Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad once again battled their way into the record books of the 400-meter hurdles.
This time, it was the 21-year-old McLaughlin who claimed gold in 51.46, crushing her own world record of 51.90 by nearly half a second. She set the previous mark in Eugene, Oregon, at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June of this year.
Muhammad, the reigning Olympic and world champion, finished just over a tenth of a second back in 51.58 for the silver medal. Femke Bol of the Netherlands was third in 52.03—which also would have been a world record before McLaughlin’s performance in June.
"I'm absolutely delighted," McLaughlin told the media after her race. "What a great race. I'm just grateful to be out here celebrating that extraordinary race and representing my country."
The 31-year-old Muhammad, who had both COVID-19 and a hamstring injury this year, started aggressively and held the lead until the final 40 meters of the race. McLaughlin stuttered on the ninth hurdle, but regained her composure, and with a clean clearance of the tenth and final hurdle, where Muhammad slightly stuttered, she was able to overcome her compatriot for gold.
“You know we’ve practiced the last 40 meters so many times in practice, so it was nothing unfamiliar for me,” McLaughlin said to reporters. “I knew I had to go and give it everything I had into a dip at the line.”
The victory was McLaughlin’s first Olympic medal. In 2016, she became one of the youngest track and field Olympians for the United States when she qualified as a 16-year-old, but did not advance to the final in Rio, where Muhammad won gold.
Since then, the two athletes have pushed the event from a near afterthought to one of the marquee races of the Olympic Games. They finished 1-2 at the 2019 U.S. Championships and World Championships, with Muhammad pushing to a world record each time. Then, at the pandemic-delayed U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021, it was McLaughlin’s turn to put her name in the record books, as the New Jersey native became the first woman to break 52 seconds in the event, lowering Muhammad’s record from 52.16 to 51.90.
“You need somebody who’s going to push you to be your best, and I think that’s what we do so well,” McLaughlin said to reporters. “It’s iron sharpening iron. Every time we step on the track, it’s always something fast.”
The world record was the second in the 400-meter hurdles in 24 hours. The previous day, Norway’s Karsten Warholm and Team USA’s Rai Benjamin also battled their way into the record books with a historic 45.95 to 46.17 contest, the two fastest times in history. Warholm’s mark took almost an entire second off his own world record, set earlier this year, which in turn had broken the 46.78 world record that had stood for 29 years.
Next up for track and field at the Olympic Games is the first round of the 4x100-meter relays, the men’s 110-meter hurdles final and the conclusion of the heptathlon and decathlon. The finale endurance challenge—the marathon for men and women—will be held this weekend.
Related:
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SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
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Break historical records
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2007 South American Cross Country Championships
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The 2007 South American Cross Country Championships took place on February 25, 2007. The races were held at the Centro de Treinamento da Marinha in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A detailed report of the event was given for the IAAF. [1]
Complete results[2][3][4][5] and results for junior and youth competitions[6] were published. †: Guest athlete. * Host nation (Brazil)
According to an unofficial count, 86 athletes (+ 1 guest) from 10 countries participated.
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Sports Competition
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Brazil bank robbers dig 600-meter tunnel in Sao Paulo
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Brazilian police have thwarted the country's biggest attempted bank robbery. A gang of 16 people allegedly dug a sophisticated 600-meter tunnel equipped with lights. A criminal gang dug a 600-meter (2000-foot) tunnel in an attempt to rob 1 billion reais ($318 million, €270 million) from a bank. They were thwarted by police shortly before completing the heist. The tunnel entrance was in a nook in a rental house. The 16 participants pooled their money to pay for the tunnel, reaching about $1.27 million, police alleged. The tunnel was accessed through a 2 meter-deep ladder. The tunnel itself was about 1.5 meters high, was reinforced with iron beams and wood and lined with plastic, and was even wired with lights. The rental house was filled with food, water, special clothing and digging tools. The gang had spent four months digging the tunnel. Police arrested the gang members and a court ruled they should be held ahead of their trial. A criminal gang dug a 600-meter (2000-foot) tunnel in an attempt to rob 1 billion reais ($318 million, €270 million) from a bank. They were thwarted by police shortly before completing the heist. The tunnel entrance was in a nook in a rental house. The 16 participants pooled their money to pay for the tunnel, reaching about $1.27 million, police alleged. The tunnel was accessed through a 2 meter-deep ladder. The tunnel itself was about 1.5 meters high, was reinforced with iron beams and wood and lined with plastic, and was even wired with lights. The rental house was filled with food, water, special clothing and digging tools. The gang had spent four months digging the tunnel. Police arrested the gang members and a court ruled they should be held ahead of their trial. Brazilian police this week foiled a criminal plot to rob a bank of 1 billion reais ($318 million, 270 million euros) using an enormous secret tunnel. A team of 16 prospective bank robbers had dug a tunnel nearly 600-meters (2000 feet) long, running from a nearby rental house to a Sao Paulo branch of government-owned Banco do Brazil. The Sao Paulo state Public Safety Department said on Tuesday the gang had been under surveillance for three months before the tunnel was discovered. The gang allegedly spent about $1.27 million building the tunnel, with the cost split among its participants. Read more: Military police gain precarious control after Brazil prison chaos Work on the tunnel began four months ago and the project was impressively equipped. Police allege the leader of the gang was a 35-year-old woman implicated in an attempted robbery of a security van in Paraguay. The court ruled the group be held in pre-trial detention. The group dug the tunnel by hand, loading the soil into sacks and carrying it through a fork in the tunnel to an underground storm water drain, El Globo reported. Long drug tunnel found in US-Mexico border city Tijuana To enter the tunnel, gang members descended a two meter ladder from one of the rooms in the rented house. The tunnel was about 1.5 meters high and was reinforced with iron beams and wood, and was even wired with lights. The walls were lined with plastic garbage bags to reduce the dust, the national daily reported. The house was reportedly filled with food, water, special clothing and digging tools. Police were probing whether the gang had the assistance of a engineer when building the tunnel, local daily Agora reported. The tunnel renewed memories of a tunnel robbery 12 years ago when thieves made off with about $70 million. On that tunnel, diggers worked in shifts from 8 p.m. until 4 a.m., taking a break on weekends, Estadao reported in 2015. Three gang members involved in that attempt were involved in two separate prison escapes using tunnels equipped with ventilation and lighting. aw/rc (AP, AFP) After 17 years of construction, the Gotthard Base Tunnel is finally ready for operation. Some 28 million tons of rock were carved out of the Swiss Alps by massive boring machines, and the leftover debris was then used to make concrete and form the smooth tunnel walls. Inaugural train rides are planned for June 1, but normal operations won't commence until another 3,000 test drives are completed. A key advantage of the new Gotthard tunnel is the flat surface of its tracks, making it easier for heavier trains to travel between Erstfeld and Bodio with fewer engines - and do so at higher speeds. This will make it possible for 260 freight trains to pass through the tunnel in a day, compared to the 180 that made their way through the old Gotthard tunnel. In all, 2,600 people came together to work on the Gotthard Base Tunnel project, including engineers, geologists and contractors. Together, they chalked up 4 million man-hours. The Swiss, true to their reputation for precision and punctuality, finished the project a year ahead of schedule and only marginally overbudget. With the Gotthard tunnel's completion, Switzerland dethrones Japan as having the world's longest underground railroad passage. Opened in 1988, the Seikan tunnel was commissioned after a devastating typhoon sank five ferry boats. Eager for a safer way to cross the Tsugaru Strait, the Japanese carved a 53.9-kilometer tunnel through a major earthquake zone. An engineering marvel in its own right, the Gotthard tunnel is seven kilometers longer than the Channel Tunnel, which has been recognized as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Also known as the Eurotunnel, this 50.5 kilometer-long link between Great Britain and France also has one of the longest undersea sections in the world (37.9 kilometers). Gotthard's tenure as the longest rail tunnel in the world may be over by 2026. That's when construction of the Brenner Base Tunnel is slated for completion. The Brenner tunnel will stretch 64 kilometers and is aimed at relieving congestion on the popular - and highly trafficked - Brenner Pass (pictured). Many German engineers worked on the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which finished sooner than expected and with only minor cost overruns. That feat is in stark contrast with some major construction projects in Germany, notably Berlin's new airport, whose opening is already four and a half years behind schedule, due to sloppy project management and a series of major engineering mistakes by contractors. Author: Chris Cottrell Motivated criminals in Brazil dug an enormous tunnel in an attempt to grab hundreds of millions of dollars from a bank. (04.10.2017)
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Bank Robbery
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2011 South Africa Piaggio Albatross crash
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On 14 August 2011, a pair of privately-owned Piaggio P.166 Albatross aircraft crashed into the Wolkberg mountains in the Limpopo province of South Africa, killing all 13 people on board both planes. The aircraft had departed minutes earlier from Tzaneen, and were flying in formation towards Johannesburg when they struck the mountain in cloud. [1][2]
The subsequent investigation found no evidence of any technical problem with the aircraft and cited adverse weather and poor flight planning as factors in the accident. [3]
The two Albatross aircraft had participated the previous day in the Tzaneen Air Show, and in the morning of 14 August at around 10:20 local time, they took off from Tzaneen Airfield to return to Rand Airport in Johannesburg. Each aircraft had one pilot on board; one aircraft had five passengers and the other one six. The pair set off on a southerly heading flying in formation. [3]
After failing to arrive at Johannesburg, at 13:30 the aircraft were reported missing, and a search and rescue operation was launched. No distress call was received by air traffic control or other aircraft. Hampered by adverse weather and by the fact that no flight plan had been filed by either pilot, search teams were able to locate the wreckage of the aircraft only two days later. [4][5]
Both aircraft had collided with a north-facing, near-vertical escarpment on the slopes of Mamotswiri Peak, in the Wolkberg mountain range, and were completely destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire. The two wreckages were found 75 metres (250 feet) apart at the foot of the cliff, at an altitude of 5,030 ft (1,530 m), around 300 ft (90 m) below the top of the ridge. There were no survivors. [3]
On the day of the accident, a witness in the Lekgalameetse Valley reported seeing both aircraft overflying the valley before disappearing into low clouds. A loud bang was heard shortly after. [3]
The aircraft involved were both twin-engined Piaggio P.166S Albatross, with registrations ZS-NJX and ZU-MMI, serial numbers 446 and 462. They were built in 1973 as coastal patrol, search and rescue aircraft for the South African Air Force, but subsequently retired and sold to private owners. The accident investigation found that both aircraft were properly maintained, and that no major problems had emerged during their recent mandatory periodic inspections. None of the aircraft was fitted with either flight data recorders or emergency locator transmitters, and there was no regulatory requirement to fit such equipments. [3]
The pilot of ZS-NJX held a commercial pilot licence and had logged around 4,300 hours of flight in total. He also held an instrument rating, and during the accident flight he was leading the formation. The pilot of ZU-MMI, instead, held a private pilot licence with approximately 2,900 hours, and was not instrument-rated. Both pilots had flown in and out of Tzaneen on numerous occasions before. [3]
The 11 passengers were South African nationals, some returning to the country for a holiday, and included two children. [6]
The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) was in charge of the accident investigation. In its final report, it concluded that the probable cause of the crash was controlled flight into terrain, and cited as contributory factors "lack of proper flight planning" and low clouds present in the Wolkberg area at the time of the flight. No evidence was found of any pre-existing defects or mechanical problems with either aircraft. [3]
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Air crash
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Tokyo 2020 - Karsten Warholm: Norwegian smashes his own world record to emphatically win 400m hurdles final
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Brazil's Alison dos Santos won bronze in 46.72 seconds which would have won every past Olympic 400m hurdle final.
The only doubt that Warholm may be caught was in the final 100m when he became locked in a contest with Benjamin trailing behind, but the Norwegian was able to somehow step up a further gear to win his first Olympic medal.
"It hasn't sunk in but running this time is just crazy," Warholm told Eurosport's Greg Rutherford after his stunning achievement.
"My coach actually told me in training 'the perfect race can be in 45 seconds' but to do it is something else.
"We always said 'well done is better than well spoken' and today I knew that it was going to be a tough race.
I've just got to give credit to my competitors as well. Can you imagine running 46.17 and getting a silver? He deserves a gold as well.
"I told my subconscious going in 'when you get to the last hurdle put in everything you've done to reach this moment'."
Mark Gillingham said on Eurosport commentary: "The Viking roars and the double world champion is now the Olympic champion and he's bettered his own record.
"He's the first man in under 46 seconds and that is simply stunning."
Gemili pulls up in 200m heat, ending Olympic dream
Co-commentator Chris Dennis said: "That is a remarkable chunk off the world record. To give it some perspective the great Edwin Moses never broke 47 seconds.
Benjamin was looming on his inside, but the fact that Warholm decided to stick an extra stride at the last.
"He'd been loping a little bit to the penultimate hurdle which allowed Benjamin in, but then Warholm stuck in an extra stride which allowed him to run hard off that final barrier.
It is a phenomenal run. There simply won't be a performance at this Olympics that comes close to that.
RUTHERFORD: I'M LOST FOR WORDS
"An unbelievable 400m hurdles, Rutherford said after the race. "We have just seen one of the greatest athletic performances in the history of this sport.
"The man has just done sub-46 in the four hurdles. To put that into perspective he would have won the UK trials in 400m flat without the hurdles being there.
"I'm lost for words. He's already broken the world record once. To then do it again in the Olympic final, to that level I'm trying to process what I've just seen. Unbelievable.
"A great person, a great ambassador for the sport so to see that is wonderful."
- - -
Watch every unmissable moment live from Tokyo 2020 across Eurosport, the Eurosport app and discovery+ . Download the Eurosport app for iOS and Android now.
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Break historical records
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Team USA’s Caeleb Dressel wins men's 100m freestyle - and first individual gold - in Olympic record
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Caeleb Dressel of USA breaks men's 100m freestyle Olympic record for second gold of Tokyo Olympic Games
Swimmer Caeleb Dressel has won the first individual Olympic gold of his career in the men’s 100m freestyle.
The American swimmer held off the defending Olympic champion, Australia’s Kyle Chalmers, to win by 0.06 seconds. Dressel’s winning time at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre was an Olympic record of 47.02 seconds.
Kliment Kolesenikov, representing ROC claimed the bronze in 47.44 secs.
"It means a lot [to win]," said Dressel on winning his first individual Olympic gold. "I knew that weight was on my shoulders - I'd won (Olympic) relay medals but never individual, so it was really special.
"It is different. I didn't want to admit it but now that I did it, I can. It's a lot different - you can't rely on anyone else.
"It's just you and the water, there's no one there to bail you out. It's tough."
Caeleb Dressel was the pre-race favourite, having qualified for the final with the fastest time in the world this year.
And the race was given extra frission by the fact it was a repeat of the final at the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016, where Chalmers won gold and Dressel finished sixth.
This time around, Dressel was leaving nothing to chance.
Exploding out of the blocks with the fastest reaction time of the finalists (0.60), Dressel led from start to finish.
Trailing in third at the 50m mark, Chalmers powered back to challenge his US rival in the latter stages of the race.
Following a furious sprint to the wall, Dressel beat Chalmers by 0.06 second, leaving the defending champion with the silver.
Dressel already has a gold medal from the Tokyo, as part of the USA’s victorious 4x100m freestyle relay team.
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Break historical records
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A hint of what’s to come for dying malls: Phoenix mall owner sells out as property is rezoned for other uses
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The future of the suburban shopping mall could look something like a mini community, with far fewer places to shop. The U.S. mall owner Macerich announced Thursday it’s sold a majority stake in Paradise Valley Mall in Phoenix, for $100 million, to a joint venture with an affiliate of the Phoenix-based, mixed-use real estate company RED Development. The partners will convert the 92-acre site into a community with homes, offices and a grocery store. The 1970s-era Paradise Valley Mall has been rezoned to allow the sprawling plot of land to include high-end grocery options, restaurants, 3.25 million square feet of residential space, office buildings and some retail shops. “As the retail landscape continues to evolve here in Arizona and around the country, our decision to realize the market value of this non-core asset makes sense for Macerich,” Macerich President Ed Coppola said in a statement. Malls packed full of clothing, footwear and other retail shops are looking for a new life, as more consumers buy online and skip trips to dated department stores and archaic food courts. This transition was only accelerated by the Covid pandemic, which has kept many Americans stuck at home, surfing the web. Market share and shopper traffic has also increasingly shifted to off-mall retailers such as Target and Walmart. One consumer research firm, Coresight Research, has estimated that 25% of America’s roughly 1,000 malls will close by 2025. Often, as one or two department stores in a mall close, that triggers a wave of closures by other businesses within the mall, leaving the owner no choice but to look for new uses or get rid of the property entirely. “America’s malls have reached the end of their useful life,” said Mark Toro, a managing partner in Atlanta of real estate developer North American Properties. “Communities across the U.S. have turned their backs on what was once their center.” “These properties often occupy real estate that would best be repurposed to better serve the community,” he said. A few malls are becoming e-commerce warehouses to meet retailers’ rising demand for industrial space. Amazon, for example, opened a distribution facility where Randall Park Mall used to sit in North Randall, Ohio. It’s also taken over Euclid Square Mall in Euclid, Ohio. Inside a mall in Burlington, Vermont, meantime, kids are now attending high school in what used to be a Macy’s department store. The future of each struggling mall will likely be case by case, dependent upon the surrounding town’s needs, experts say. It could entail demolishing the property entirely, and undergoing rezoning, for a new community. In some instances, developers will view the land that the mall sits on as worth more than the mall itself. Macerich, which owns or has interests in 47 regional shopping centers, said the transaction with RED Development closed Monday and generated net proceeds of about $95 million. It will retain a 5% stake in the project through the venture. Macerich shares were up less than 1% on Thursday, having risen about 10% year to date. The real estate owner has a market cap of $1.94 billion.
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Organization Closed
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1981 England riots
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In April and July 1981, there were riots in several cities and towns in England. The riots mainly involved black British youth clashing with police. They were caused by tension between black people and the police,[1] especially perceived racist discrimination against black people through increased use of stop-and-search,[2] and were also fuelled by inner city deprivation. [3] The most serious riots were the April Brixton riots in London,followed in July by the Toxteth riots in Liverpool, the Handsworth riots in Birmingham, the Chapeltown riots in Leeds, and the Moss Side riots in Manchester. There were also a series of less serious riots in other towns and cities. As a result of the riots, the government commissioned the Scarman Report. In all four main cases, the areas had large ethnic minority communities, who had largely immigrated from the Commonwealth in the 1950s and 1960s to do low-paid manual jobs. All the areas suffered from poor housing (mostly dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries), high unemployment and particular problems with racial tensions. According to the Scarman report that was subsequently commissioned by the UK government, the riots were a spontaneous outburst of built-up resentment sparked by particular incidents. Lord Scarman stated that "complex political, social and economic factors" created a "disposition towards violent protest". The Scarman report highlighted problems of racial disadvantage and inner-city decline, warning that "urgent action" was needed to prevent racial disadvantage becoming an "endemic, ineradicable disease threatening the very survival of our society". [4]
Brixton (London), Toxteth (Liverpool) and Chapeltown (Leeds) were originally built as affluent areas of these cities. However the relocation of industry, rising popularity of homes on new private housing estates since the 1930s, poor connections and the influx of migrant workers had led to a downfall in their fortunes and the large Victorian terraces and villas were often divided up into low-rent bed sits, and many of those still existing as houses had been bought by landlords who let them to tenants. The First Thatcher ministry (Conservative Party) elected in May 1979 had instituted new powers for the police under the Vagrancy Act 1824 to stop and search people based on only a 'reasonable suspicion' that an offence had been committed[citation needed] – hence their common name of "sus laws". These were applied disproportionately to the black community, and caused widespread resentment amongst young black men. The majority of these were not immigrants; they were the British-born children of immigrants, mostly born in the late 1950s or the first half of the 1960s (Baby boomers). [5]
The election of the Conservatives in 1979 had also seen the implementation by the Thatcher government of monetarist economic policies that were designed to tackle inflation, which had peaked at 27% just before the election, dropped merely to 22% in 1980 and was still above 10% by 1981. [6] In 1979, the second oil price crisis started. Although inflation was falling by 1981, unemployment was still rising and the recession was now in its second year. By April 1981, unemployment exceeded 2.5 million, having stood at 1.5 million two years earlier. Less than a decade earlier, unemployment had still been in six figures and it had stood at less than 400,000 as recently as the early 1960s. The inner city areas affected by the 1981 riots were among those hit particularly hard by the recession and the unemployment and other social issues that came with it. This level of unemployment, not seen since the 1930s (Great Depression in the United Kingdom), had led to mass discontent in the working-class areas of Britain most affected by the recession. [7]
The Asian community also felt isolated and vulnerable to racist attack. The police were given new powers to question people about their immigration status. Resentment arose that these laws were applied, but the police were failing to protect the Asian community from violence. On 11 July 1981, the "Bradford 12" — a group of Asian youths, members of the "United Black Youth League" — were arrested for manufacturing petrol bombs, allegedly to protect their community from a threatened attack. At the subsequent trial, they were acquitted by a jury, on the grounds of self-defence. [8]
On 18 January 1981, thirteen Black youths died in the New Cross Fire in London when a house was reportedly petrol bombed. The police quickly dismissed a racial motive for the apparent arson attack;[9] and the local Black community were dismayed by the indifference shown in the press towards the deaths. 15,000 people marched demanding action to Central London, in the largest Black issue demonstration seen in the UK. [10]
Racial tensions continued to rise in the early part of the year. On 28 March 1981, Enoch Powell — by then an Ulster Unionist MP, but still an influence on the Conservative Party — gave a speech in which he warned of the dangers of a "racial civil war" in Britain. Powell had been dismissed from the shadow cabinet in 1968 by the then Tory leader Edward Heath following Powell's controversial Rivers of Blood speech in which he predicted mass civil unrest if Commonwealth immigration continued. Three years later, when still a Tory MP, he warned of an "explosion" unless there was a massive repatriation scheme for the immigrants. Racial tension had been particularly high in Wolverhampton, where Powell was an MP, and the town was one of those affected by the less serious waves of rioting during 1981. By 6 April, overall unemployment had risen from 1.5 million to 2.5 million in 12 months; and that joblessness among ethnic minorities had risen faster, up 82% in the same period. [10] During March and April, the Metropolitan Police began "Operation Swamp 81", a London-wide campaign against burglary and robbery. In Brixton, over only six days, 120 plain-clothes officers stopped 943 people, arresting 118 — predominantly Black youths. The police justified their style of policing by statistics showing that while street robberies had increased 38% across London between 1976 and 1980; in Brixton it had risen 138%. [10]
The first disturbances began in Brixton over the weekend of 10–12 April 1981, and were followed in July by a series of similar disturbances in more than 35 cities and towns, especially Liverpool. In London, these included Dalston, Stoke Newington, Clapham, Hounslow and Acton. Kenneth Leech, the Race Relations Field Officer of the Church of England's Board for Social Responsibility,[11] noted "Here these were not race riots – riots between races. Rather the conflict was with police as symbols of white authority, with state racism and criminalisation of black communities". [12]
These riots in areas of high unemployment called the Government to attention that strategies for helping young people into work were not working. The Youth Training Scheme and similar schemes were brought in for school leavers. The Association of Chief Police Officers, who develop police policy in England, produced their Public Order Manual in response to the riots. This was subsequently used in training by police forces throughout Britain. The UK government commissioned the Scarman report two days after the Brixton Riots. The terms of reference for the enquiry were "to inquire urgently into the serious disorder in Brixton on 10–12 April 1981 and to report, with the power to make recommendations".
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Riot
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1948 Accra riots
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The Accra Riots started on 28 February 1948 in Accra, the capital of present-day Ghana, which at the time was the British colony of the Gold Coast. A protest march by unarmed ex-servicemen who were agitating for their benefits as veterans of World War II was broken up by police, leaving three leaders of the group dead. Among those killed was Sergeant Nii Adjetey,[1] who has since been memorialized in Accra. The 28 February incident is considered "the straw that broke the camel's back", marking the beginning of the process of the Gold Coast towards being the first African colony to achieve independence, becoming Ghana on 6 March 1957. [2]
In January 1948, the Ga chief, Nii Kwabena Bonne III,[3] known in private life as Theodore Taylor (1888–1968),[4] had organized a boycott of all European imports in response to their inflated prices. [5]
The boycott's aim was to press the foreign traders known as the Association of West African Merchants (AWAM) to reduce the inflated prices of their goods. [6] [notes 1]The boycott was followed by a series of riots in early February 1948. [8] The day the boycott was scheduled to end, 28 February, coincided with a march by veterans of World War II. [6]
The march on 28 February 1948 was a peaceful attempt by former soldiers to bring a petition to the Governor of the Gold Coast requesting the dispensation of promised pensions and other compensation for their efforts during the war. The ex-servicemen were members of the Gold Coast Regiment, who were among the most decorated African soldiers, having fought alongside British troops in Burma. They had been promised pensions and jobs after the war; however, when they returned home, jobs were scarce and their pensions were never disbursed. [citation needed]
As the group marched toward the Governor's residence at Christiansborg Castle, they were stopped and confronted by the colonial police, who refused to let them pass. The British police Superintendent Imray ordered his subordinate to shoot at the protesters, but the man did not. Possibly in panic,[9] Imray grabbed the gun and shot at the leaders,[10] killing three former soldiers: Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe, and Private Odartey Lamptey. [5] Apart from the three fatalities, a further 60 ex-servicemen were wounded. [citation needed]
People in Accra took to the streets in riot. [10] On the same day, the local political leadership, the United Gold Coast Convention[11] (UGCC), led by the Big Six, sent a cable on the same day to the Secretary of State in London:[12]
"...unless Colonial Government is changed and a new Government of the people and their Chiefs installed at the centre immediately, the conduct of masses now completely out of control with strikes threatened in Police quarters, and rank and file Police indifferent to orders of Officers, will continue and result in worse violent and irresponsible acts by uncontrolled people. "[12]
They also blamed the Governor Sir Gerald Creasy (whom they called "Crazy Creasy") for his handling of the country's problems. [8] The UGCC cable further stated:
"Working Committee United Gold Coast Convention declare they are prepared and ready to take over interim Government. We ask in name of oppressed, inarticulate, misruled and misgoverned people and their Chiefs that Special Commissioner be sent out immediately to hand over Government to interim Government of Chief and People and to witness immediate calling of Constituent Assembly. "[12]
The unrest in Accra, and in other towns and cities, would last for five days, during which both Asian and European-owned stores and businesses were looted and more deaths occurred. [13] By 1 March, the Governor had declared a state of emergency and a new Riot Act was put in place. [12]
The British colonial government set up the Watson Commission,[14][15][16] which examined the circumstances of the riots, and paved the way for constitutional changes that eventually culminated in Ghana's independence. The immediate aftermath of the riots included the arrest on 12 March 1948 of "the Big Six" – Kwame Nkrumah and other leading activists in the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) party (namely Ebenezer Ako-Adjei, Edward Akufo-Addo, J. B. Danquah, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey and William Ofori Atta),[17] who were held responsible for orchestrating the disturbances and were detained, before being released a month later. The arrest of the leaders of the UGCC raised the profile of the party around the country and made them national heroes. [18]
The Watson Commission reported that the 1946 constitution was inappropriate from the start, because it did not address the concerns of the natives of the Gold Coast. It also recommended that the Gold Coast be allowed to draft its own constitution. A 40-member committee was set up to draft a constitution, with six representatives of the UGCC. The governor excluded "radicals" such as Kwame Nkrumah, among others, from the constitutional drafting committee for fear of drafting a constitution that would demand absolute independence for the colony. [19]
By 1949, Nkrumah had broken away from the UGCC to form the Convention People's Party (CPP), with the motto "Self-government now", and a campaign of "Positive Action". Nkrumah broke away due to misunderstandings at the leadership front of the UGCC. On 6 March 1957, the country achieved its independence and was renamed Ghana, with Nkrumah as its first President. [12]
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Riot
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Rising food insecurity pushing people into famine conditions in South Sudan, warns IRC
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Juba, South Sudan, January 1, 2021 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is extremely concerned about the counties in South Sudan where an increasing risk of famine amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is pushing more than 7 million people into hunger. Food insecurity is rising amidst massive displacement of civilians resulting from a perfect storm of crises; the effects of years of conflict, an economic crisis, recurrent flooding and COVID-19. According to the IRC’s 2021 Watchlist, the risk of famine will increase even more in 2021. With more than 60% of the South Sudanese population facing food insecurity, the IRC is calling for a scale-up in international financial support and improvements in access for food assistance for South Sudan to prevent famine. Caroline Sekyewa, South Sudan Country Director at the IRC, said, “People in South Sudan were already struggling to access food. This year, counties are experiencing the impact of years of conflict, and peace is still extremely fragile. Further, an economic crisis, flooding and COVID-19 is forcing more people to go hungry as they lose their livelihoods and ability to feed their families. COVID-19-induced economic downturns and drops in oil prices are constraining the new government’s ability to implement the peace deal, whose implementation is already heavily delayed. South Sudan is the tenth deadliest country for civilians in the world - though many incidents likely go unreported.” “It is estimated that 11,000 people are experiencing famine and this is likely amongst households where recent conflict and two consecutive years of severe floods are exhausting coping capacity. Due to the combined impact of devastating floods, conflict, and worsening economic conditions, most households are not able to meet their basic food needs or are using extremely detrimental strategies to cope. Amongst the 7 million people going hungry, 1.7 million people are estimated to be battling emergency levels of hunger across 35 counties, with areas of greatest concern concentrated in Jonglei, Unity, Lakes, Warrap, and Upper Nile.” “Going into 2021, the 2018 peace deal remains fragile and even if it holds, conflict will continue, with civilian populations and humanitarians caught in the middle. Civilians and aid workers continue to face harm. Experts recorded over 500 fatalities in “violence against civilians” incidents in the first nine months of 2020. COVID-19 threatens to exacerbate the country’s health crises, given its extremely low coping capacity. More than half of the population has no access to primary health services, which, alongside limited access to clean water, poor sanitation services and extremely low immunization rates, has left the population highly susceptible to diseases like COVID-19. IRC calls on more support and funding for people in South Sudan as food insecurity threatens lives. ” The IRC is one of the largest aid providers in South Sudan, operating there for over 30 years and delivering emergency assistance and supporting vulnerable populations in hard-to-reach areas. Our health response includes capacity building in state clinics, training of local health workers, nutrition programs, and sanitation services. We also provide support to survivors of sexual violence and child protection services. Community leaders and government officials are trained on the importance of upholding human rights. The IRC helps empower people through cash assistance, job and livelihoods training. Learn more about the IRC’s South Sudan response.
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Famine
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Puerto Rican government-debt crisis
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The public debt of Puerto Rico is the money borrowed by the government of Puerto Rico through the issue of securities by the Government Development Bank and other government agencies. In May 2007, local economists expressed serious concerns when it was revealed that the Puerto Rico public debt equaled to 76% of its gross national product (GNP), making it one of the most indebted countries by percentage in the world, even more than the United States. [1] During the fiscal years 2016-2017 debt rose from 93% to 95% of its gross national product (GNP). [2]
Economists have criticized the government's fiscal policy, whose level of expenditures and indebtness has increased significantly within the past decade while the economy was grown at a much slower pace. Between 2000 and 2006 alone, Puerto Rico's GNP rose 5.37%, while its public debt's relation to GNP rose 18%. [1]
On February 4, 2014 Standard & Poor's downgraded the debt of Puerto Rico to junk status. [3] By early 2017, the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis posed serious problems for the government which was saddled with outstanding bond debt of $70 billion or $12,000 per capita[4] at a time with a 45 percent poverty rate and 12.4% unemployment that is more than twice the mainland U.S. average. [5][6] The debt had been increasing during a decade long recession. [7]
The Commonwealth had been defaulting on many debts, including bonds, since 2015. With debt payments due, the Governor was facing the risk of a government shutdown and failure to fund the managed care health system. [8][9] "Without action before April, Puerto Rico’s ability to execute contracts for Fiscal Year 2018 with its managed care organizations will be threatened, thereby putting at risk beginning July 1, 2017 the health care of up to 900,000 poor U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico", according to a letter sent to Congress by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. They also said that "Congress must enact measures recommended by both Republicans and Democrats that fix Puerto Rico’s inequitable health care financing structure and promote sustained economic growth. "[9]
Initially, the oversight board created under PROMESA called for Puerto Rico's governor Ricardo Rosselló to deliver a fiscal turnaround plan by January 28. Just before that deadline, the control board gave the Commonwealth government until February 28 to present a fiscal plan (including negotiations with creditors for restructuring debt) to solve the problems. A moratorium on lawsuits by debtors was extended to May 31. [10] It is essential for Puerto Rico to reach restructuring deals to avoid a bankruptcy-like process under PROMESA. [11] An internal survey conducted by the Puerto Rican Economists Association revealed that the majority of Puerto Rican economists reject the policy recommendations of the Board and the Rosselló government, with more than 80% of economists arguing in favor of auditing the debt. [12]
According to the Government Development Bank, statehood might be the only solution to the debt crisis. Congress has the power to vote to allow Chapter 9 protection without the need for statehood, but in late 2015 there was very little support in the House for this concept. Other benefits to statehood include increased disability benefits and Medicaid funding, the right to vote in Presidential elections and the higher (federal) minimum wage. [13]
By early August 2017, the debt was $72 billion in an era with a 45% poverty rate. The island's financial oversight board said that it would investigate how the debt was caused "and its relationship to the fiscal crisis". [14] The agency also planned to institute two days off without pay per month for government employees, down from the original plan of four days per month; the latter had been expected to achieve $218 million in savings. Governor Ricardo Rosselló rejected this plan as unjustified and unnecessary. [15] In February 2021 governor Wanda Vázquez Garced rejected the agreement reached by the board to reduce the island's debt by 70% arguing the plan was too burdensome for the pensioners and that the bill needed to be approved by the legislature. [16][17] A new agreement was reached in 2021 to reduce the debt by 80% and governor Pedro Pierluisi supports the agreement. [18]
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Financial Crisis
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23 killed in twin coal mine collapse due to gas explosion in Pakistan
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Islamabad: Two neighbouring coal mines collapsed after gas explosions in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, killing 23 people, officials said on Sunday. The first accident occurred in Marwaarh, 45 kilometres east of provincial capital Quetta, due to a gas explosion on Saturday. The roof caved in following the blast triggered by the accumulation of methane gas, killing 16 miners, Deputy Commissioner Farrukh Atique told PTI. "We have recovered all the 16 bodies from the rubble caused by the collapse in the coal mine," Atique said. There were 30 labourers inside the mine when the explosion occurred. All the injured miners were rescued and taken to the hospital. Rescue officials said a dozen of the dead miners belonged to Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. "The collapse apparently took place because of a gas explosion and the miners working at that time were trapped inside. Some died on the spot, while others who were badly injured breathed their last under the rubble," Atique said. Chief of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Muhammad Tariq also confirmed that 16 miners had been killed. Hours later, another coal mine collapsed in Sooranj area, in which seven miners were killed, Geo TV reported. Two workers were rescued in an unconscious state, while bodies of two miners were recovered last night, an official said. The rescue operation resumed this morning and bodies of remaining five labourers were recovered. Mining is considered highly dangerous in Pakistan where dozens of miners are killed each year due to lack of modern mining facilities, training and equipment.
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Mine Collapses
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Georgia Railroad strike of 1909
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The Georgia Railroad strike of 1909, also known as the Georgia race strike, was a labor strike that involved white firemen working for the Georgia Railroad that lasted from May 17 to May 29. White firemen, organized under the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen (B of LF&E), resented the hiring of African American firemen by the railroad and accompanying policies regarding seniority. The labor dispute ended in Federal mediation under the terms of the Erdman Act, with the mediators deciding in favor of the railroad on all major issues. In Fall 1902, the Georgia Railroad began hiring African Americans as firemen for some of their longer routes. They were hired at considerably lower wages than white firemen, and their hiring increased during the depression of 1907. By April 1909, African Americans made up about 42% of the total firemen working for the railroad. The average pay for a white firemen was $1.75 per day, while African American firemen were paid $1.25 per day. [1] Furthermore, the railroad allowed full seniority rights to the African American firemen, but denied them the opportunity to be promoted to the position of railroad engineer. [2] The effect of this was that many of the African American workers accumulated more seniority than their white firemen counterparts, allowing them the choice of more profitable runs. [2][3]
By early 1909, tensions began to rise among the white firemen of the Georgia Railroad, many of whom were members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen (B of LF&E), an all-white labor union. In April, Eugene A. Ball, the union's vice president, visited Georgia and urged the railroad to change its policies. [2] A critical development occurred on April 10, as ten white firemen had been fired by the Atlanta Terminal Company and replaced by African American workers at lower wages. Ball mistakenly believed that the general manager of Georgia Railroad was also a board member of the Atlanta Terminal Company, and as such believed the firings constituted a significant enough event to warrant further action. On May 13 and 14, Ball oversaw near unanimous voting in favor of a labor strike. [2]
On May 17, eighty firemen, all white members of the brotherhood, went on strike against the Georgia Railroad. [4] As part of the strikers' demands, they called for the ten white workers to be rehired by the Atlanta Terminal Company and for the railroad to cease its replacement of white workers with African Americans. [5] The Georgia Railroad was open about its policy of hiring African Americans for lower wages and attacked the union for attempting to remove African Americans from employment on railroads. [5][6] Early on, the railroad attempted to attack Ball as an instigating outsider, highlighting the fact that he was Canadian. Ball responded that he was both a Canadian and a white man who stood "for a white man's country". [7]
Attempting to break the strike, the railroad ran freight trains fired entirely by black workers, many of whom faced violence from mobs along the line. [8] Shortly after the outbreak of the strike, Ball published an open letter in The Atlanta Constitution attacking Georgia Railroad's policies. [9] Several days later, on May 19, mobs in Dearing and Thomson, both near Augusta, stopped Georgia Railroad trains and attacked the black firemen on board. [9] The following days saw mob activity in other places through the state, including in Covington and Lithonia. [9] Georgia Railroad asked Governor M. Hoke Smith for militia protection, but Smith, who sympathized with the strikers, refused. [8] Smith also feared that his political opponent Thomas E. Watson would exploit any perceived intervention on the behalf of African Americans. [10]
With the governor unwilling to help, Georgia Railroad sent telegrams to Federal officials Charles P. Neill and Martin Augustine Knapp asking them to serve as mediators under the terms of the Erdman Act, which had been passed several years earlier as a response to the Pullman Strike, another railroad strike. [11] However, following the mob activity, on May 22 the governor sent John C. Hart, the Attorney General of Georgia to meet with railroad officials and review the situation. Hart recommended that both sides seek arbitration, though initially there were disagreements between the railroad and union on how this should be done. The Georgia Railroad turned down the offer to have the arbitration be done locally, most likely due to mistrust of Governor Smith, and the union rejected the proposal from Neill and Knapp to have Federal arbitration, calling the dispute "purely local". [12] Meanwhile, mob activity increased as trains were now being detained in Union Point and Georgia Railroad began to bring in white strikebreakers from outside the state. [12]
On May 23, following attacks on two engineers, the engineers of the Georgia Railroad left their post. [13] The following day, Neill announced he would be coming to Atlanta to work on a settlement between the two parties, though the union was quick to dismiss this as "outside interference". [13] According to The New York Times, which had been covering the incident, President William Howard Taft was considering the use of Federal troops to address the situation, but ultimately decided against that, as he felt it would hurt the Republican Party's image in the Southern United States. [14] On May 27, Ball, fearful of further Federal involvement in the strike, allowed for two mail trains to run between Augusta and Atlanta daily, which started the following day. That same day, Knapp joined Neill in Atlanta. [15] On May 29, the strike was called off as the two parties entered into discussions. [14]
Following Knapp's arrival, the railroad and union came to an agreement that the ten white firemen whose firings had triggered the strike would be rehired, but the railroad rejected the union's proposal to fire all African American firemen. [7][15] Additionally, the railroad and the brotherhood agreed to allow a team of three mediators to resolve the remaining issues under the terms of the Erdman Act. [10][16] The three men selected as arbitrators were Thomas W. Hardwick (the union's pick), Hilary A. Herbert (the railroad's pick), and University of Georgia chancellor David Crenshaw Barrow Jr. (Hardwick and Herbert's pick). [17] On June 21, the three mediators began to hear testimony. [18]
On June 26, the arbitrators released their decision, wherein they decided against the union on every major point. However, the arbitrators did rule that the railroad would be required to pay African American and white firemen the same wage. Hardwick had been a dissenting vote on several of the issues, and he opposed allowing the railroad to employ African Americans, but supported the requirement for equal pay. [10][19] The decision, while unpopular among Ball and other union officials, was not appealed. [19]
In an article published concurrently to the strike, African American newspaper the Atlanta Independent, noted that the strike was "nothing less than a cowardly subterfuge … for the purpose of oppressing black working men because they are black. "[20] Furthermore, Benjamin Davis, editor of the Independent and father of civil rights activist Benjamin J. Davis Jr., called the strike an act of "coercion and violence" against African American workers. [21] American historian Darlene Clark Hine said the strike was the most widely covered labor and race-related incident prior to the East St. Louis riots of 1917. [22]
The arbitration's decisions were popularly received by many in the African American community, especially the ruling of equal pay for both whites and African Americans. While there were initially concerns that this ruling would result in whites being selected over African Americans, railroads retained African American firemen at pre-strike levels.
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Strike
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1979 Imperial Valley earthquake
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The 1979 Imperial Valley earthquake occurred at 16:16 Pacific Daylight Time (23:16 UTC) on 15 October just south of the Mexico–United States border. It affected Imperial Valley in Southern California and Mexicali Valley in northern Baja California. The earthquake had a relatively shallow hypocenter and caused property damage in the United States estimated at US$30 million. The irrigation systems in the Imperial Valley were badly affected, but no deaths occurred. It was the largest earthquake to occur in the contiguous United States since the 1971 San Fernando earthquake eight years earlier. The earthquake was 6.5 on the Mw scale, with a maximum perceived intensity of IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale. However, most of the intensity measurements were consistent with an overall maximum intensity of VII (Very strong), and only the damage to a single structure, the Imperial County Services building in El Centro, was judged to be of intensity IX. Several comprehensive studies on the total structural failure of this building were conducted with a focus on how the building responded to the earthquake's vibration. It was one of the first heavily instrumented office buildings to be severely damaged by seismic forces. The Imperial Valley is surrounded by a number of interconnected fault systems and is vulnerable to both moderate and strong earthquakes as well as earthquake swarms. The area was equipped with an array of strong motion seismographs for analyzing the fault mechanisms of nearby earthquakes and seismic characteristics of the sediments in the valley. The earthquake was significant in the scientific community for studies of both fault mechanics and repeat events. Four of the region's known strike-slip faults and one additional newly discovered normal fault all broke the surface during the earthquake. The Salton Trough is part of the complex plate boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate where it undergoes a transition from the continental transform of the San Andreas Fault system to the series of short spreading centers of the East Pacific Rise linked by oceanic transforms in the Gulf of California. The two main right–lateral strike-slip fault strands that extend across the southern part of the trough are the Elsinore Fault Zone/Laguna Salada Fault to the western side of the trough and the Imperial Fault to the east. [7] The Imperial Fault is linked to the San Andreas Fault through the Brawley Seismic Zone, which is a spreading center beneath the southern end of the Salton Sea. With the San Jacinto Fault Zone to the northwest, the Elsinore fault to the south-southwest, and the Imperial fault centered directly under the Imperial Valley, the area frequently encounters seismic activity, including moderate and damaging earthquakes. Other events in 1852, 1892, 1915, 1940, 1942, and 1987 have impacted the region. [8] More small to moderate events of less than 6.0 (local magnitude) have occurred in this area than any other section of the San Andreas fault system. [9]
The earthquake was caused by rupture along parts of the Imperial Fault, the Brawley fault zone and the Rico Fault, a previously unknown normal fault near Holtville, though slip was also observed on the Superstition Hills Fault and the San Andreas Fault. The maximum observed right lateral displacement on the Imperial fault—measured within the first day of the event to the northwest of the epicenter—was 55–60 cm (22–24 in), but measurements taken five months following the earthquake closer to the southeast end of the rupture showed there was an additional 29 cm (11 in) of postseismic slip (for a total slip of 78 cm (31 in). Several strands of the Brawley fault zone, to the east of the Imperial fault, ruptured intermittently along a length of 11.1 km (6.9 mi), and just one kilometer of the Rico fault slipped with a maximum vertical displacement of 20 cm (7.9 in) (no horizontal slip was observed on that fault). [10]
The pattern of displacement along the Imperial Fault was very similar to that observed for the northern part of the rupture during the 1940 El Centro earthquake, although on this occasion the rupture did not extend across the border into Mexico. This had been explained as the behavior of individual slip patches along the Imperial Fault with two patches rupturing in 1940 and only the northern one in 1979. [11] The faulting that gave rise to the earthquake has been modeled by comparing synthetic seismograms with near-source strong motion recordings. This analysis showed that the rupture speed had at times exceeded the shear wave velocity,[12] making this the first earthquake for which supershear rupture was inferred. [13]
The United States Geological Survey operates a series of strong motion stations in the Imperial Valley and while the majority of stations in the array recorded ground accelerations that were not unexpected, station number six registered an unusually high vertical component reading of 1.74g which, at the time, was the highest yet recorded as the result of an earthquake. One explanation of the anomaly attributed the amplification to path effects and a separate theory put forth described supershear effects that generated a focused pulse directly at the station. A later proposal stated that both multipath and focusing effects due to a "lens like effect" produced by a sedimentary wedge at the junction of the Imperial and Brawley faults (under the station) may have been the cause of the high reading. [5]
The earthquake caused damage to the Californian cities of El Centro and Brawley, and in the Mexican city of Mexicali Mexico. There were injuries from the quake on both sides of the border. The state Office of Emergency Preparedness declared 61 injuries on the American side and police claimed that 30 were injured in Mexico. The Red Cross stated that cuts from broken glass, bruises from falling objects, and a few broken bones were reported. California's Interstate 8 developed cracks in it, but vehicles were still able to traverse the highway. The California Highway Patrol warned drivers that use of the road would be at their own risk. [14]
Damage to the roadways was heavier farther north on California State Route 86 where settling of the road by as much as four to six inches occurred, and a bridge separation closed the highway west of Brawley. Governor Jerry Brown ended a presidential campaign trip through New England early in order to return to the Imperial Valley and declare a state of emergency there. Two fires occurred in El Centro with the loss of a trailer being reported, though fire was avoided near the Imperial County Airport when a 60,000 barrel gasoline tank farm was seriously damaged and was losing 50 US gallons (190 l; 42 imp gal) a minute. Firefighters drained the tanks and replaced the fuel with water to avoid the gasoline vapor from causing a hazard. [15]
The earthquake shaking also led to extensive damage to the irrigation systems of the Imperial Valley, leading to breaches in some canals, particularly the All-American Canal that brings water to the valley from the Colorado River. A 13 km (8.1 mi) section of the unlined canal between the Ash and East Highline canals experienced settling. The Imperial Irrigation District estimated damage to be $982,000 for the three canals. Water flow was immediately reduced to prevent further damage and to allow assessments to be made, and within four days the repairs had been completed and full capacity restored. A hydraulic gate and a concrete facility that were damaged during the May 1940 earthquake needed repair again. The 1940 event caused significant destruction to canals on both sides of the international border, with 108 km (67 mi) of damage along eight canals on the US side alone. [16]
The Imperial County Services building, a six-story reinforced concrete building located 29 km (18 mi) northwest of the epicenter in El Centro, was built in 1971 when there were few other tall buildings in the area. The decision to equip the building with nine strong motion sensors in May 1976 was based on its size, structural attributes, and location in a seismically active area. [17] Unusually detailed structural analysis was possible as a result of the building having been outfitted with the instrumentation. The initial configuration was tested shortly after its installation when a relatively small (4.9 local magnitude) earthquake occurred 32 km (20 mi) northwest of the building on 4 November 1976. The accelerations recorded on the equipment during the event proved to be of very low amplitude and, as a result, the instrumentation was upgraded to include a 13 channel configuration in the building along with a Kinemetrics triaxial (3 channel) accelerograph located 340 ft (100 m) east of the building at ground level.
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Earthquakes
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Dam collapse at Brazilian mine exposes grave safety problems
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Brazilian rescue workers continue searching for more than 300 people missing after a dam burst at an iron ore mine over the weekend. The dam, which ruptured on Jan. 25 close to the Brazilian town of Brumadinho, Minas Gerais state, released a muddy sludge of watery mine waste that engulfed buildings, vehicles and roads. At least 65 people are confirmed dead, and the official toll will rise as the missing are declared dead. The catastrophe has exposed the dangers of Brazil’s aging dam system. A recent government report found nearly 1,800 dams in Brazil at high or moderate risk of failure. The figure is all the more stunning because the report’s authors evaluated just one-fifth of Brazil’s nearly 24,000 registered dams. Dams are an environmentally and economically risky business, as our global research on hydropower and many other studies have shown. Beyond the loss of human life, the economic damages of a dam breach can soar into the billions. An entire region’s natural and cultural heritage may be decimated by flooding, and the freshwater ecosystems that humans and fish alike rely on compromised. Yet dozens of countries worldwide, including the United States and Canada, use dams to store water, generate electricity and trap mine waste, or “tailings.” And there’s no easy or cheap way to dismantle or fix aging dams. The Brumadinho dam collapse is the second dam accident in Brazil involving one of the world’s largest iron ore producers, Vale S.A., in recent years. In November 2015, two of Vale S.A.‘s tailings dams – that is, dams used to contain the watery runoff of nearby mines – also collapsed in Minas Gerais state, where some mountains are made almost entirely of iron ore. That disaster killed 19 people and spewed over 10 billion gallons of water and mine sediment downstream, contaminating 441 miles of Brazil’s Rio Doce river before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. It is considered the country’s worst environmental tragedy ever. Repairing broken dams in Brazil can cost between US$40,000 and $10 million per dam, according to Brazil’s national water authority. That is a financial hurdle for a country that has been in deep recession since 2015. But the social, economic and environmental costs of letting old dams fail may be higher. The environmental damage is particularly acute when tailings dams collapse, since the large amounts of mining waste they release is highly toxic. Of the roughly 3,500 tailings dams worldwide, over 300 collapse each year. Two to five of those are “major” failures like Brazil’s. Prompted by this impending danger, the United Nations Environmental Program recently issued recommendations for enhancing tailings dam safety around the world. Mining companies should strive for zero-failure, it said, warning that “safety attributes should be evaluated separately from economic considerations, and cost should not be the determining factor.” The report also suggests the creation of a global database of mine sites and tailings storage facilities to better track, and ultimately predict, dam failures. When old dams have become too costly to maintain or repair, removal is generally considered the best course. Dismantling old dams, as the United States and Europe are increasingly doing, also restores freshwater ecosystems that have been impacted by decades of damming. Brazil is considering decommissioning at least one dam, in the country’s north, due to biodiversity concerns and because it no longer efficiently produces hydroelectricity. Since the country has federal guidelines regulating the treatment of old dams, the decision about whether to repair, dismantle or continue operating dams is largely left to state officials. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has promised to further deregulate the mining industry. That setup, we fear, leaves the country ill-equipped to deal with its impending dam crisis. To increase the safety of its mines, Brazil and other countries could look beyond dams for storing iron ore waste. New technology has created some promising alternative solutions. These include approaches that create a paste of thickened mine tailings, which may then be stored either above ground or in impermeable plastic sheathes below the surface. This method both makes it less likely that the contamination seeps into the ground. It also reduces water use. However, it is expensive. Constructed and engineered wetlands can also act as treatment systems – a kind of faux natural filter. Wetlands are affordable to build and operate and require relatively little maintenance. Technology can enhance their natural capacity to remove contamination from wastewater. However, mines must have sufficient available land to support wetlands, and the these systems – like all wetlands – don’t work as efficiently during cold winter months. Every mine is uniquely situated in terms of its geography, physical setting, environmental context and human population. None of these waste-storage systems alone will make tailings dams obsolete. But Brazil’s Brumadinho dam collapse is the world’s latest reminder of the risk posed by old and unsafe dams. With national safety guidelines informed by science and stricter enforcement, countries can reduce the chance of a disaster like this happening again.
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Mine Collapses
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Teenager dies following carbon monoxide poisoning at hog production facility
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ALGONA, IOWA – The Kossuth County Sherriff’s Office in Iowa confirmed that a 17-year-old died from carbon monoxide poisoning after she was cleaning a hog confinement building on April 19. The facility is owned by Christensen Farms, based in Sleepy Eye, Minn.
Victoria Marie Parra-Lerdo was found unconscious at the facility near Swea City, Iowa, where she was helping power wash and clean. The autopsy released on April 22 showed that inadequate ventilation within a small area caused the carbon monoxide fumes. The medical examiner ruled that the death was accidental.
Parra-Lerdo was taken to Kossuth Regional Health Center where she was pronounced dead.
The Globe Gazette in Mason City, Iowa, reported that Parra-Lerdo was working for her mother’s company, which was hired to clean the facility.
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Mass Poisoning
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Srisailam hydroelectric power plant fire
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On 20 August 2020, a major fire broke out in late night hours in an underground hydroelectric power plant in Srisailam in the state of Telangana. The fire blaze killed 9 people, including 5 engineers and 15 employees who were inside the power plant escaped since the fire broke out. [clarification needed][1][2] It was suspected that the fire broke out due to a short circuit situated at Srisailam's dam left bank. [3] The fire was brought under control by the firefighters after several hours of struggle as of 21 August 2020 and the rescue operations were delayed for hours due to smoke. The bodies of nine workers were recovered during the rescue operations. [4]
India has recorded numerous cases related to fire accidents in the history mainly due to lack of safety facilities and inadequate fire extinguishers. The Visakhapatnam gas leak, Vijayawada fire, the Delhi factory fire, and the Delhi hotel fire were the country's worst fire accidents in the recent[when?] times. India is currently[when?] the third worst affected country in the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the fire incident has posed further burden and humiliation to the healthcare sector impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in India. [citation needed]
Chief minister of Telangana K. Chandrasekhar Rao ordered an immediate inquiry by the CID[clarification needed] to probe regarding the incident.The state government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh for the kin of the engineers and Rs 20 lakh for the others. [5] Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy who was scheduled to visit Srisailam for an aerial survey of a project apparently cancelled his visit and instead promised to offer assistance. [6]
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his deep condolences regarding the tragic incident and tweeted that he was anguished by the terrible incident. [7]
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Fire
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President Barack Obama on Friday signed into law a $600 million bill to beef up security on the U.S. border with Mexico, and his aides pressed lawmakers to set aside election-year politics and work toward broader immigration reform
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President Barack Obama on Friday signed into law a $600 million bill to beef up security on the U.S. border with Mexico, and his aides pressed lawmakers to set aside election-year politics and work toward broader immigration reform.
With illegal immigration seen as a key issue in the November congressional elections, the Obama administration touted the border enforcement plan as laying the groundwork for a revived effort to overhaul the U.S. immigration system.
Congress passed the measure this week and sent it to Obama, who sought the extra funding amid complaints from southwestern U.S. states that the government was failing to seal the border from illegal immigrants and drug traffickers.
But lawmakers have been reluctant to push ahead on the hot-button issue of immigration reform, and no serious progress is likely until after the mid-term elections.
Obama’s aides insisted the president remained committed to revamping what he has called a broken immigration system, and challenged Democrats and Republicans to show leadership.
“They will need to address this in a bipartisan way,” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters at the White House. “It cannot only be done by Democrats. The Republicans need to come to the table.”
But mindful of the political climate, administration officials set no timetable for breaking the deadlock.
Obama has called for comprehensive reform that includes not only better border security but a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants. Republican critics support a tighter border but say citizenship proposals would amount to an amnesty for lawbreakers.
“If the president takes amnesty off the table and makes a real commitment to border and interior security, he will find strong bipartisan support,” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement.
The new $600 million will fund some 1,500 new border patrol agents, customs inspectors and other law enforcement officials along the border, as well as two more unmanned aerial “drones” to monitor border activities.
Congress’ speedy approval of the measure marked a rare display of bipartisanship.
Democratic Senator Charles Schumer said he hoped the bill’s passage would help break the stalemate over broader immigration reform. Obama, in a statement issued on Thursday, said he wanted to continue working toward that goal.
There are believed to be about 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States. But immigrants’ rights advocates say Republicans have inflated concerns about illegal immigrants in order to put Democrats on the defensive ahead of the Nov. 2 congressional elections.
With the measure’s passage, members of Congress running for re-election will be able to spend the next several weeks boasting that they acted to reinforce the border.
Officials in southwestern states have asked for more help from the federal government to stem the flow of illegal immigrants, weapons and narcotics. Obama already has ordered more National Guard troops to the border for a year.
A federal judge last month blocked key parts of an Arizona law that sought to drive illegal immigrants out of the state, handing a victory to the Obama administration, which argued the measure was unconstitutional.
The White House also rejected calls by some Republicans in Congress to alter the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution to eliminate language that gives automatic U.S. citizenship to all people born in the United States. These Republicans oppose automatic citizenship for babies of illegal immigrants born in the United States.
The amendment, ratified in 1868 in the aftermath of the U.S. Civil War, was intended to guarantee that former slaves were automatically given U.S. citizenship.
“Those that have, with steadfast fidelity, talked about not tampering with our Constitution, have now swerved to pick the 14th Amendment as the best place to address comprehensive immigration reform,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
“It’s rich in its irony. It’s wrong in its approach.”
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Sign Agreement
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South Croydon rail crash
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The South Croydon rail crash on the British railway system occurred on 24 October 1947. [2]
The crash took place south of South Croydon railway station. Two electric commuter trains collided in fog and 32 people were killed, including the driver of the second train. It was the worst accident on Britain's Southern Railway. The crash was a rear-end collision caused by a signalman's error. The inexperienced signalman at Purley Oaks forgot about a train from Haywards Heath to London Bridge standing invisible in the fog. The line was protected by the Sykes "Lock and Block" apparatus, which prevented him from allowing another train into the section until the preceding one had left it. However, he believed that the elderly apparatus was faulty and used a release key. This allowed a train from Tattenham Corner to London Bridge into the same section, and they collided near South Croydon Junction. The trains were crowded in the rush hour, carrying 800 and 1000 people respectively, hence the heavy death toll. [3][4]
Similar crashes occurred at Battersea Park in 1937, Barnes in 1955 and Crayford railway station in 1959. Coordinates: 51°21′25″N 0°5′33″W / 51.35694°N 0.09250°W / 51.35694; -0.09250
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Train collisions
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2008 Red Square demonstration
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The 2008 Red Square demonstration was a political demonstration that took place on August 24, 2008, at the Lobnoe Mesto in Moscow, Russia, in reference to the 1968 Red Square demonstration. The demonstration involved seven protesters unfurling a banner with the slogan For Your Freedom And Ours (Russian: За вашу и нашу свободу),[1] before police arrived at the scene several minutes later. The police officers detained several protesters and spectators, and tried to destroy all record of the event. The demonstration was a reference to the 1968 Red Square demonstration, in which seven Russians protested against the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia (see Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia). [2][3] The 2008 demonstration was organized to express the sentiment that the Russian Federation had reverted to such Soviet customs, an impression fueled by the inconsistency of official notices published in the media during the Russo-Georgian War. [4]
At noon on 24 August 2008, the protesters unfurled a banner reading For Our Freedom And Yours, and began to shout that slogan. [5]
After several minutes, they started explaining their views to spectators, distributing notices, and answering questions. The basic views of the protesters included the following:
One police officer subsequently approached the protesters and requested that they leave the area. The protesters complied and began walking along the Red square along with the officer; other officers subsequently joined the group. The protesters handed the banner to the police officers and left the Red Square; only three of them, Dmitroshkin, Zboroshenko and Ninenko, were detained, along with several spectators who took pictures and recorded videos of the event. These pictures and videos were destroyed, and one camera was reported to have been broken by the police. Four journalists were amongst the detained spectators, namely
The detained individuals were sent to the Kitai-gorod police department, where the police officer major Selishev (Селищев) dealt with them. At 12:20pm, all the journalists were released except Kostuchenko, who insisted that the police officers state officially that they had broken her camera. The actions of detained persons were classified as "violation of rules of public events" (article 20.2 of the Offences Code of Russia, "not following the rules of proceedings of a public protest").
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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Cathay Pacific Flight 780 crash
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Cathay Pacific Flight 780 was a flight from Surabaya Juanda International Airport in Indonesia to Hong Kong International Airport[4] on 13 April 2010. On board were 309 passengers and a crew of 13. As Flight 780 neared Hong Kong, the crew were unable to change the thrust output of the engines. The aircraft, an Airbus A330-342, landed at almost twice the speed of a normal landing, suffering minor damage. The 57 passengers who sustained injuries were hurt in the ensuing slide evacuation; one of them received serious injuries. [3][2]
The cause of the accident was contamination of the fuel taken on board at Surabaya, which gradually damaged both engines of the aircraft. [5]
The flight's two Australian pilots, Captain Malcolm Waters and First Officer David Hayhoe, who safely landed the aircraft despite the extraordinary challenge, have been compared to pilots Chesley Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles of US Airways Flight 1549 the previous year (January 2009). In March 2014, the two Flight 780 pilots were awarded the Polaris Award by the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations for their heroism and airmanship. [5]
Captain Malcolm Waters, who was 35 years old, was working for Cathay Pacific for 12 years, while 41-years-old First Officer David Hayhoe, was working for Cathay Pacific for 3 years and previously served with the Royal Australian Air Force for 11 years. Waters retired in 2013 while Hayhoe retired in June 2021. The aircraft involved in the accident was an Airbus A330-342, registration B-HLL, manufacturer's serial number 244, fitted with Rolls-Royce Trent 772-60 engines. It first flew on 4 November 1998, and was delivered to Cathay Pacific three weeks later on 25 November 1998. [3] This aircraft was configured for a capacity of 311 passengers and 13 crew, with 44 business-class seats and 267 economy-class seats. After the incident, it was bought by DVB Bank in July 2011 (Arena Aviation Capital since March 2017) and was transferred to Dragonair (Cathay Dragon) since 23 April 2012, and was reconfigured for a capacity of 307 passengers, with 42 business-class seats and 265 economy-class seats in 2013. It was also repainted into the new Cathay Dragon livery on 3 November 2017. The aircraft has also had another incident 6 years later as flight KA691 from Hong Kong to Penang on 8 September 2016, with 295 passengers and crew on board, when an airport delivery van crashed onto the aircraft's left engine. The aircraft was withdrawn from service on August 13, 2020, in the expiration of its lease, after its last commercial flight from Beijing to Hong Kong as KA993, and its final flight was on October 14, 2020, to Pinal Airpark in Marana, Arizona, via Anchorage as KA3496. Cathay Pacific Flight 780 departed from stand 8 at Juanda International Airport in Indonesia. It took off from runway 28 at 08:24 local time (01:24 UTC). During the climb, both engines experienced small engine pressure ratio fluctuations, with No. 2 engine fluctuating over a greater range than No. 1. [3] Just over half an hour after takeoff, cruising at flight level 390 (about 39,000 ft (12,000 m) above sea level), the electronic centralised aircraft monitoring (ECAM) system displayed an "ENG 2 CTL SYS FAULT" error message. [3] The crew contacted maintenance control (MC) to discuss the fluctuations. As other engine operating parameters on both engines were normal, continuing the flight was determined to be safe. [3]
Almost two hours after departure, at 03:16 UTC, the "ENG 2 CTL SYS FAULT" ECAM message reappeared. The crew contacted MC to review the issue. As all other engine parameters remained normal, continuing on to Hong Kong was again deemed safe. After another two hours elapsed, the aircraft was on descent to Hong Kong when, at 05:19 UTC, about 203 kilometres (126 mi; 110 nmi) southeast of Hong Kong International Airport, the aircraft's ECAM displayed "ENG 1 CTL SYS FAULT" and "ENG 2 STALL" within a short period. [3] The second message signified an engine compressor stall, a potentially serious engine problem. The flight crew accordingly carried out the necessary ECAM actions with No. 2 engine's thrust lever moved to the idle (or minimum-thrust setting) position. The crew set No. 1 engine to maximum continuous thrust to compensate for the low thrust of No. 2 engine. Following these actions, the crew declared a "pan-pan" with Hong Kong air traffic control, requesting the shortest possible route to the airport and priority landing. [3]
A few minutes later, about 83 km (52 mi; 45 nmi) southeast of Hong Kong International Airport , the aircraft was in a descent and approaching an altitude of 8,000 ft (2,438 m) when an "ENG 1 STALL" ECAM message was annunciated. The flight crew carried out the actions for a No. 1 engine compressor stall and declared a "mayday". The captain then moved the thrust levers to test engine responses. No. 1 engine's rotational fan speed slowly spooled up to about 74% N1, while No. 2 engine remained running below idle speed, about 17% N1, providing sufficient thrust to level off at 5,500 ft and reach Hong Kong. As the flight approached the airport, the crew found that movement of the thrust levers failed to reduce thrust below 74% N1 on No. 1 engine. [3]
At 13:43 hours local time (05:43 UTC), 11 minutes after declaring the "mayday", the Airbus touched down hard on runway 07L (length 3800 m; 12,470 ft) at a groundspeed of 426 km/h (265 mph; 230 kn),[3] 176 km/h (109 mph; 95 kn) over the normal touchdown speed for an A330[6][7] and above both the maximum allowable flap-extension speed and the speed rating of the tyres. [7][8] The plane bounced and briefly became airborne again until it slammed down hard while banking left, causing the left engine to scrape against the runway surface. Both wing spoilers deployed automatically. Only No. 1 engine's thrust reverser deployed and activated with the right engine’s thrust reverser unresponsive due to a technical snag, forcing the crew to bring the aircraft to a stop using manual braking.
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Air crash
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China launches Tianzhou 3 cargo ship to new space station
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Tianzhou 3 will help prep the Tianhe core module for the arrival of its next astronaut crew. China has launched a cargo mission to its new space station, just days after astronauts departed the orbiting outpost. A Long March 7 rocket topped with the robotic Tianzhou 3 freighter lifted off from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in southern China's Hainan Province today (Sept. 20). Liftoff occurred at 3:10 p.m. local time (3:10 a.m. EDT; 0710 GMT). About 6.5 hours later, Tianzhou 3 autonomously docked with Tianhe ("Harmony of the Heavens"), the core module of China's new Tiangong space station, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Three astronauts recently departed the 54-foot-long (16.6 meters) Tianhe after a three-month stay, landing safely in Inner Mongolia early Friday (Sept. 17) to wrap up their Shenzhou 12 mission. Related: The latest news about China's space program The 35-foot-long (10.6 m) Tianzhou 3 is loaded with thousands of pounds of supplies, scientific equipment and propellant that will help get Tianhe ready for its next astronaut crew, which will arrive soon. The three-astronaut Shenzhou 13 mission is expected to launch toward the core module in mid-October. (Firm target dates are hard to come by, because China tends not to announce many details of its spaceflight plans in advance.) Tianhe is the heart of a three-element space station called Tiangong ("Heavenly Palace"), which China aims to finish building in 2022. It will take a total of 11 launches to fully assemble and equip Tiangong, which will be about 20% as massive as the International Space Station (ISS), Chinese space officials have said. (China is not a partner on the ISS, which has been hosting rotating astronaut crews continuously since November 2000.) Tianzhou 3 was the fourth of those 11 launches. Tianhe was the first, lifting off on April 28. Tianzhou 2 launched to Tianhe a month later and remains attached to the core module. Shenzhou 12 took flight on June 16. In case you were wondering, the first Tianzhou vehicle launched to the prototype Tiangong-2 space lab in April 2017. The cargo craft performed a series of refueling and rendezvous maneuvers before being deorbited in September of that year. Tiangong-2 was steered to a fiery death over the Pacific Ocean in July 2019. Tianzhou translates as "Heavenly Vessel." Shenzhou continues the cosmic naming theme, translating as "Divine Vessel."
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New achievements in aerospace
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Vietnamese famine of 1945
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The Vietnamese famine of 1945 (Vietnamese: Nạn đói Ất Dậu – famine of the Yiyou Year) was a famine that occurred in northern Vietnam in French Indochina during World War II from October 1944 to late 1945, which at the time was under Japanese occupation from 1940 with Vichy France as a puppet government of Nazi Germany in Western Europe. Between 400,000 and 2 million people are estimated to have starved to death during this time. [1][2] The estimates of the death toll vary from a lower one of about 700,000 to an upper one of 2,000,000. [3]
According to a 2018 study, the primary cause of the famine were typhoons that reduced the availability of food, Japan's occupation, American attacks on the Vietnamese transport system, and French colonial administration hindering an effective famine alleviation response. [4]
The famine had many causes. The direct cause was the effects of World War II on French Indochina. The involvement of France and Japan in Vietnam caused detrimental effects to the economic activities of the Vietnamese. In 1944, after US bombing cut off supplies of coal from the north to Saigon, the French and Japanese used rice and maize as fuel for power stations. According to diplomat Bui Minh Dung, "the Japanese occupation of Vietnam was the direct cause, in the final analysis, of several other factors, in turn affecting the famine, but their military efforts together with their economic policy for the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere per se seem to have systematically played a role considerably greater than any other factors in the Vietnamese starvation. "[2]
The mismanagement of the French administration in Vietnam was the indirect cause. The French reformed the economy to serve the administration and to meet the needs of war because they had been being invaded themselves. Natural causes included natural disasters such as droughts and floods, which destroyed northern crops. The crop failures of 1943–45 were compounded by lack of dike maintenance following US bombing of the north and the catastrophic rainfall of August-September 1944, causing flooding and loss of rice plants. After the Great Depression in the 1930s, France returned to its policy of economic protectorate and monopolized the exploitation of natural resources of French Indochina. The people in French Indochina had to increase the economic value of the area by growing cash crops in place of lower-value agricultural produce, but only the French, a small minority of Vietnamese and Hoa and some people in the cities benefited. A similar poor harvest as in the famine had happened in 1937, but the administration had managed to counter it by prepared food reserves and a series of public works projects for poor farmers, akin to the American New Deal. [2]
When the war started, France was weakened. In East Asia, Japan began to expand and viewed French Indochina as a bridge into Southeast Asia and a means to isolate and further weaken the Nationalist government of China. In mid-1940, Metropolitan France was occupied by Nazi Germany and Japan increased pressure on France and entered French Indochina that September. Vietnam was pulled into a wartime economy, with France and Japan competing in administration. Japanese troops forced farmers to grow jute, instead of rice, thus depriving them of needed food, but France had already started the same policy to a smaller degree. The land set aside for growing staple crops such as maize and potatoes was decreased to make land for growing cotton, jute, and other industrial plants. Because of the decreased land available for growing, harvests of staple crops decreased considerably. Crops were also exported to Japan. The militaries of both France and Japan forcibly seized food from farmers to feed their troops. By 1941, there were 140,000[5] Japanese troops in French Indochina in addition to the Vichy French forces. During the occupation the Allies made frequent air strikes against roads, warehouse and transportation facilities, which made the transport of rice from the south to the north extremely difficult. In the meantime, the puppet Vichy French civilian administration was dysfunctional and unable to distribute remaining food stocks to areas where needed. In March 1945, the Japanese ousted the Vichy administration and replaced it with the Japanese-sponsored Empire of Vietnam, headed by Trần Trọng Kim. While this new government increased efforts to alleviate the famine, the inadequate food supply and the hoarding of food by the Imperial Japanese Army made their efforts futile. In northern Vietnam, a drought and pests caused the winter-spring harvest of 1944 to decrease by 20%. Then, a flood during the harvest season caused the crisis to occur, which led to famine in 1945. The exact number of deaths caused by the 1944–1945 famine is unknown and is a matter of controversy. Various sources estimate between 400,000 and 2 million people starved in northern Vietnam during this time. In May 1945, the envoy at Hanoi asked the northern provinces to report their casualties. Twenty provinces reported that a total of 380,000 people starved to death and 20,000 more died because of disease. In October, a report from a French military official estimated half a million deaths. Governor General Jean Decoux wrote in his memoirs A la barre de l'Indochine that about 1 million northerners had starved to death. Modern Vietnamese historians estimate between 1 and 2 million deaths. Ho Chi Minh, in his Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam on September 2, 1945, used a figure of 2 million.
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Croatia to become an Associate Member of CERN
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Today, the Director-General of CERN, Fabiola Gianotti, and the Minister of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia, Blaženka Divjak, signed an Agreement admitting Croatia as an Associate Member of CERN.
28 FEBRUARY, 2019
Zagreb. Today, the Director-General of CERN1, Fabiola Gianotti, and the Minister of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia, Blaženka Divjak, in the presence of Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, signed an Agreement admitting Croatia as an Associate Member of CERN. The status will come into effect on the date the Director-General receives Croatia’s notification that it has completed its internal approval procedures in respect of the Agreement.
“It is a great pleasure to welcome Croatia into the CERN family as an Associate Member. Croatian scientists have made important contributions to a large variety of experiments at CERN for almost four decades and as an Associate Member, new opportunities open up for Croatia in scientific collaboration, technological development, education and training,” said Fabiola Gianotti.
“Croatian participation in CERN as an Associate Member is also a way to retain young and capable people in the country because they can participate in important competitive international projects, working and studying in the Croatian educational and scientific institutions that collaborate with CERN,” said Blaženka Divjak.
Croatian scientists have been engaged in scientific work at CERN for close to 40 years. Already in the late 1970s, researchers from Croatian institutes worked on the SPS heavy-ion programme. In 1994, research groups from Split officially joined the CMS collaboration and one year later a research group from Zagreb joined the ALICE collaboration, working with Croatian industry partners to contribute to the construction of the experiments’ detectors. Scientists from Croatia have also been involved in other CERN experiments such as CAST, NA61, ISOLDE, nTOF and OPERA.
CERN and Croatia signed a Cooperation Agreement in 2001, setting priorities for scientific and technical cooperation. This resulted in an increased number of scientists and students from Croatia participating in CERN’s programmes, including the CERN Summer Student Programme. In May 2014, Croatia applied for Associate Membership.
As an Associate Member, Croatia will be entitled to participate in the CERN Council, Finance Committee and Scientific Policy Committee. Nationals of Croatia will be eligible for staff positions and Croatia’s industry will be able to bid for CERN contracts, opening up opportunities for industrial collaboration in advanced technologies.
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Consumer finances at risk as 4,000 City firms face collapse in Covid crisis
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Ramping up the availability of coronavirus vaccinations and addressing the fiscal crisis facing many Americans — including housing issues — are the current priorities for President Biden and his administration. An array of potential new housing policies proposed during his campaign could help first-time buyers, increase the affordability of housing and address discrimination. “Housing policy is another way to address social justice and income inequality issues,” said Tim Rood, head of government and industry relations at SitusAMC, a company that provides technology, data analytics and consulting services to lenders. “Homeownership is a wealth creation opportunity that has gotten away from too many people in this country.” Biden addressed the short-term housing crisis during his first days in office with the extension of the foreclosure and eviction moratoriums through the end of March that will allow people to stay in their homes during the coronavirus pandemic even if they cannot pay their rent or mortgage. Biden has proposed extending these moratoriums farther, providing $30 billion in rental and critical utilities assistance to families and delivering $5 billion in emergency assistance to help secure housing for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness, White House spokeswoman Rosemary Boeglin wrote in an email. “This recession has been unusual in the way it disproportionately and severely hurt lower-income, primarily renter households,” said Rick Sharga, executive vice president of marketing for RealtyTrac, a foreclosure listings site that is part of Attom Data Solutions. “The eviction ban and rental assistance in the last stimulus bill as well as the initial Cares Act [stimulus measure] have been successful, but we still see a potential bankruptcy and foreclosure crisis if small landlords who own a few apartments or single-family rentals don’t have a way to recoup their losses and pay their mortgages.” Biden says he’s willing to negotiate parameters of coronavirus deal, but ‘time is of the essence’ A public-private partnership to address the severe shortage of affordable rentals is important, said Sharga, because the affordable housing problem was exacerbated by the pandemic. “President Biden believes that safe, affordable housing should be a right — not a privilege,” Boeglin wrote. “Especially at a time when so many Americans are struggling to pay their rent or their mortgage as a result of the health and economic crises facing our country, this means helping families to keep a roof over their heads. But it also implies a longer-term agenda to expand the supply of affordable housing, with a strong emphasis on racial equity. The President will continue to lay out both his administration’s near- and longer-term plans in the coming weeks to ensure that all Americans — regardless of Zip code, race, or ethnicity — have a home that is safe and affordable.” On Tuesday, Biden announced an executive order for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to reinstate the “disparate impact” rule of 2013 that the Trump administration had rescinded. The rule addressed discrimination in the housing market by barring lenders and landlords and others in the housing industry from requiring criminal background checks for tenants or from using artificial intelligence to predict creditworthiness. The Biden administration has not specified the timetable for pursuing the housing proposals, or how they might be enacted: by executive order, through HUD policies or congressional action. Typically, programs and policies that require tax policy changes or a significant expenditure by the federal government must go through Congress. Given the divisions between Republican and Democratic lawmakers, it’s an open question whether the proposals would result in legislation clearing both chambers. Still, some analysts say they think the administration will make them a high priority given Biden’s interest in social justice. “The homeownership gap between Whites and minorities hasn’t improved much in decades, so the Biden administration will look at ways to improve that,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics. “Housing is also a big part of the focus on the K-shaped economic recovery that has crushed low-income households while wealthier households have recovered more quickly.” We spoke with several housing analysts who offered pros and cons about Biden’s housing proposals. The proposed first-time buyer tax credit of up to $15,000 is both advanceable and refundable, which means that home buyers would receive the tax credit when they make the purchase rather than when they file their federal income taxes the following year. The biggest challenge for many would-be home buyers is saving for a down payment and closing costs, said Bryan Greene, vice president of policy advocacy for the National Association of Realtors. “Once they get past this hurdle, paying the mortgage often costs about the same or less as paying rent,” Greene said. “Steep student loan payments, sky-high child-care costs and other factors, however, have made it increasingly difficult for most to accumulate the savings needed to cover initial closing costs.” However, not everyone is sold on the first-time buyer tax credit. “The federal government has a bias to subsidize homeownership over renting, but I don’t see any inherent advantage in owning versus renting,” said Chris Edwards, director of tax policy studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. “Homeownership can be expensive, but even more importantly, it makes you less mobile. That can be a disadvantage to someone wanting to change jobs or relocate for a lower cost of living.” Sharga said that he is concerned about the unintended consequences of a first-time buyer tax credit. “The tax credit addresses the second biggest problem that faces first-time buyers, which is the down payment,” he said. “The first problem is that there’s nothing for them to buy. These types of initiatives work great when you need to stimulate demand, but the lack of first-time buyers now isn’t a demand issue.” Real estate agents, too, share the concern about increasing demand, particularly for entry-level housing. Biden administration revives effort to put Harriet Tubman on $20 bill “While [real estate agents] are very enthusiastic about this idea, we also note that today’s housing market is experiencing a 50-year low in inventory of available homes, and starter homes are particularly hard to find in many markets,” said Greene. “This imbalance between demand and supply is driving up prices and making it even harder for many to get in to their first home. Therefore, NAR believes that any efforts to assist first-time home buyers should be balanced with other tax incentives to create more supply of affordable homes.” Zandi said he believes the stimulus for first-time buyers is important because it allows them to save some funds for an emergency home repair. “But you have to marry this with incentives for builders to put up more affordable entry-level housing,” he said. Average home prices used to be proportionately about twice the median income, but now home prices are about 3½ times the median income, said Rood. “In theory, I love the idea of upfront down payment assistance so people can save their money for an emergency, but the challenge is that increasing demand without increasing supply will send home prices even higher and make it even harder for first-time buyers to find something they can afford,” said Rood. The housing shortage impacts every level of the market, but low- and moderate-income households are the hardest hit for both renters and buyers. “We’re short about 1 million homes, which slows sales and increases prices for everyone,” said Jerry Howard, CEO of the National Association of Home Builders. “We need some stimulus to build more housing.” For example, Howard said easing some regulatory burdens from the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies could reduce costs and make materials for building housing less costly. “Affordable housing is particularly an issue in coastal housing markets where prices are so high that households with moderate incomes can’t afford to rent or buy,” he said. “In those places and others, local zoning issues are the biggest problem because they prevent the development of multifamily housing.” Edwards said he believes federal agencies such as HUD can be a powerful influence on local zoning rules and building codes that prevent solutions such as accessory dwelling units, tiny houses or more apartments to be built. “The federal government’s role can be informational about best practices, comparisons of state and local policies, and studies that can drive changes that will make it easier to build more affordable housing,” he added. The federal government can use a “carrot and stick” approach to zoning issues in states and cities, said Rood. “You need a combination of infrastructure and amenities for communities, so the federal government could use those as incentives and develop penalties for jurisdictions that don’t address these land-use issues that obstruct the development of affordable housing,” he said. One Biden administration proposal, a renter’s tax credit for low-income households to offset the portion of their housing payment that rises above 30 percent of their income, could have the unintended consequence of increasing rents, said Sharga. “We wouldn’t want to see the same thing happen as with student loan debt, when government-guaranteed loans allowed colleges to increase tuition astronomically,” he said. Howard said he believes addressing the supply side of housing would be more valuable than a renter’s tax credit. “The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, which has been around since 1986, is one of the successful housing production tools in history,” he said. The Biden administration proposes to expand that program and increase funding for the Housing Trust Fund, both of which support the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing. “There are a number of financial incentives in place that address workforce and affordable housing issues for both renters and purchasers that are effective, such as the New Markets Tax Credit,” said Zandi. “The beauty of the Biden administration’s strategy is to empower and expand the reach of these successful ways to increase the supply of affordable housing.” NAR also supports the Neighborhood Home Investment Act, which is targeted to rehabilitating distressed neighborhoods by offering tax benefits to encourage replacing and renovating homes for which financing is often unavailable because the home appraisals are too low, said Greene. Biden’s proposals would address racial bias by eliminating exclusionary local and state housing regulations, holding financial institutions accountable for discriminatory practices, and strengthening enforcement of the Fair Housing Act and the Community Reinvestment Act so that all communities are being served. Biden moving to nix Trump plan on opioid-recovery prescriptions “The protections provided by the Fair Housing Act must be fully upheld,” said Greene. “We support increased funding at the federal level for fair housing enforcement, including expanding funding and support for discrimination testing programs.” Credit scoring is a good place to focus, Zandi said, because after the lack of down payment, that’s the second biggest impediment to buyers. “Minority groups often have less access to credit and are unbanked or lightly banked,” he said. “Even if they get credit, it’s often at a higher interest rate if they have a low credit score, which makes it more likely that they’ll have trouble paying off the debt.” One Biden proposal would create a new credit reporting bureau within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “I’d be careful of that, because it could have unintended consequences if it reduces the efficacy of credit-scoring models,” Zandi said. “But it’s good if the federal government focus is on improving credit-scoring technology to accelerate the availability of credit scoring on things like cellphone and rent payments.” Policies that are designed to get lenders to solve the impediments to getting loans to underserved groups are worthwhile, Zandi said. “We’re not talking about people who are less creditworthy, they’re just different,” he said. “For example, we need to address how to allow multigenerational households with a variety of income streams to qualify for a mortgage. It’s too hard for creditworthy borrowers who don’t fit in the credit box to get loans.” NAR also supports alternative credit programs for people with little or no credit history, said Greene. “NAR has invested research to help policymakers reviewing new credit-reporting models to better inform regulatory and legislative proposals and ensure they promote fair lending,” Greene said. “NAR also supports the Community Reinvestment Act, which must maintain focus on supporting minority homeownership and continue giving more CRA credit for mortgages to underserved communities.” Rood said he is wary that new policies may force lenders to make loans to at-risk borrowers and yet punish them if those loans fail. “If the only focus is on more requirements and fiercer punishments for lenders, you’ll get a lot less progress than if you focus on incentives,” Rood said. “If you focus on incentives, you’ll get more of what you intended in the first place, which is to serve underserved borrowers.” Sharga warned that the challenge is to be careful not to push lenders to make loans to buyers who aren’t ready for homeownership. “Seeing someone become a homeowner for the first time is one of the most emotionally gratifying things you can imagine,” he said. “But seeing that homeowner lose that same house to foreclosure because they weren’t ready for the financial commitment is completely devastating,” he added. “It’s important that whatever new policies are put in place that you don’t set up people to fail, but you also don’t want to limit opportunities for qualified buyers. That’s the challenge of any policy decisions. It’s always a balancing act.”
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Battlestar Galactica's Katee Sackhoff Got Married Over The Weekend, She Confirmed With Fun Post
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last updated October 06, 2021 Starbuck has tied the knot. Celebrity marriage announcements are always nice to hear, and there have been quite a bit of them during the past year. The news is even sweeter, though, when a star drops it as a surprise following the actual ceremony. This was recently the case for Battlestar Galactica alum Katee Sackhoff, who married her boyfriend, Robin Gadsby, this past weekend. And the star’s social media post hints at what was surely a beautiful and sentimental ceremony. When it came to announcing her marriage, the Mandalorian star posted a photo of her wedding dress along with the shoes she wore. The snapshot, which she posted on Instagram, also included an aged bottle of Insignia, which she says was a gift from her father. You can check out the post for yourself down below: Katee Sackhoff and Robin Gadsby reportedly met while working on the set of Netflx’s Another Life back in 2018. Earlier this year, during an appearance on the Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum podcast, the actress explained that Gadsby was part of the production team on the sci-fi drama. The two apparently felt a connection, but Sackhoff was initially hesitant to head back into the dating world months after the end of her relationship with The Boys’ Karl Urban. But in the end, she took a chance, and the two got together, ultimately getting engaged on April 8 (Sackhoff’s birthday) last year. As previously mentioned, she isn’t the only star to reveal her nuptials this year. Harry Potter alum David Thewlis, known for playing Remus Lupin, revealed that he was secretly married this year, breaking the news with a lovely and reflective post. Don Cheadle also tied the knot with his longtime partner of 28 years. The actor is glad to have finally jumped the broom, but he also provided a funny and practical reason for finally choosing to put a ring on it. Katee Sackhoff is sure to be enjoying her marital bliss at the moment, yet she’ll likely be getting back to the old grind sooner rather than later. She has a few work obligations on her plate, with the most immediate being the release of Another Life Season 2. The season is set to hit Netflix on October 14, and one would imagine that Sackhoff will soon be promoting it. And in the proces, she could shed some light on what it was like to have that Battlestar Galactica reunion with Kate Vernon and Rekha Sharma. Of course, that’s not the only science fiction show she has in her life at the moment. The fan-favorite actress also stars as Mandalore native Bo-Katan Kryze on The Mandalorian. Her involvement in the upcoming third season has yet to be officially confirmed but, based on one of Season 2’s massive cliffhangers, I’d say we’ll likely see her again. Just recently, she even opened up about what she’d like to explore in the Star Wars show moving forward. Katee Sackhoff is undoubtedly one of the most beloved stars in Hollywood, and fans will surely be pleased to hear the news of her marriage. We here at CinemaBlend wish her and Robin Gadsby all the best as they begin this new chapter in their lives! Covering superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. I eat more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
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Port Said Stadium riot
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On 1 February 2012, a massive riot occurred at Port Said Stadium in Port Said, Egypt, following an Egyptian Premier League football match between Masry and Ahly. 74 people were killed and more than 500 were injured after thousands of Masry spectators stormed the stadium stands and the pitch, following a 3–1 victory by their team, and violently attacked Ahly fans using clubs, stones, bottles, and fireworks, trapping them inside the El Ahly partition of the stadium. Many of the deaths were due to the police's refusal to open the stadium gates, trapping the Ahly fans inside, leaving some to die, and killing others in a stampede to escape. Civil unrest and severe clashes continued until 11 February but general strikes ended on 13 February. Riots erupted in Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Luzon. Police fired tear gas at protesters thus clashes erupted on the streets due to battles of tear gas. Unrest calmed and ended on 13 February. Seventy-three defendants, including 9 police officers and 2 officials from Port Said's Al-Masry club, were charged in the aftermath of the riots. As of 20 February 2017, 26 defendants were acquitted including 7 police officers and a Al-Masry club official. Of the 47 convicted, 11 were sentenced to death, 10 received 15-year prison terms, 9 received 10-year sentences, 16 received 5-year sentences including 2 police officers and a Al-Masry club official, and 1 received a 1-year sentence. As a result of the riot, the Egyptian government shut down the domestic league for two years, which affected the Egyptian national team.
The match kick-off was delayed thirty minutes because Al-Masry fans were on the pitch. During half-time and after each of the three second-half goals for Al-Masry, the club's supporters stormed the pitch,[5] and at the conclusion of the match, thousands of spectators ran onto the playing field. Masry fans threw bottles and fireworks at Ahly players, who fled to their changing rooms under police protection. The Masry fans were armed with stones and some carried knives.
In the ensuing melees, 74 people were killed.Some were stabbed and clubbed, while others were thrown off the stands or died in the stampede as they were trying to escape through a closed stadium gate in the back of the stands.Hisham Sheha, an official in the Egyptian health ministry, said the deaths were caused by stab wounds, brain hemorrhages, and concussions. Over 500 were injured. At least 470 Al-Masry fans were initially arrested and 73 eventually faced trial.
Ahly coach Manuel José was kicked and punched by Masry fans while attempting to return to his locker room. He was afterwards taken to a police station. Both José and Mohamed Aboutrika reported that they witnessed Ahly fans die in Ahly locker room. As an immediate reaction to the disaster, Aboutrika decided to retire from football, along with other Egyptian international football stars Mohamed Barakat and Emad Moteab, while Al-Ahly coach Manuel José seriously considered leaving Egypt and retiring from coaching football.
Video footage appears to show that the police were unable or unwilling to contain the attackers. Eyewitnesses said that the police "did nothing to stop it", and "refused to open the closed gates" to allow the crowds to escape. The bureau chief of the Voice of America in Egypt received reports that police opened the barriers separating the Al-Ahly and Al-Masry supporters. Another witness said that many people were allowed into the stadium without tickets. The New York Times reported that a major factor in the riots was retaliation on the part of the authorities towards the Ultras Ahlawy, who were actively involved in Tahrir Square during the 2011 Egyptian revolution protests and during Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) Chairman Mohamed Hussein Tantawi’s rule as they kept chanting anti-government revolutionary chants in almost all Ahly games in the Egyptian Premier League. The BBC reported the Egyptian deputy health minister described it "the biggest disaster in the country's football history. "The Parliament of Egypt called for an emergency session to be held on 2 February 2012 to discuss a response.
A scheduled match between Zamalek and Ismaily was cancelled due to the Port Said deaths. Subsequent matches of the 2011–12 Egyptian Premier League were postponed following the disaster. On 10 March 2012, the Egyptian Football Association announced the cancellation of the remainder of the season. A spokesperson for the Egyptian Football Association said the decision was made because there was insufficient time to play the remaining games before the national team was scheduled to compete in the 2012 Olympics and qualifiers for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. FIFA President Sepp Blatter issued a statement that read:
I am very shocked and saddened to learn this evening that a large number of Football supporters have died or been injured following a match in Port Said, Egypt. My thoughts are with the families of those who have lost their lives this evening. This is a black day for football. Such a catastrophic situation is unimaginable and should not happen.
In an interview with British writer Islam Issa, Al-Masry's captain Karim Zekri and his brother, former Masry player Mohamed Zekri, said that the police, army, and ex-regime incited the massacre. They added that there were numerous factors suggesting that it was planned, including the lack of searching and ticket inspection outside the stadium, the floodlights switching off, the welding shut of the away stand's gate, and the arrival of thugs from outside.
Al-Ahly coach Manuel José also said that the whole massacre was orchestrated. He said that at the north end of the stadium there was a banner that said, in English: "We are going to kill you all", a slogan which he thought was directed at the international media and not at the teams. He said that the gates at the south end, where the Al-Ahly fans were located, were locked and some fans died of asphyxiation there. He criticized the police, saying that they were sitting down rather than facing the pitch, and did nothing to stop the repeated pitch invasions during the match. José considered retiring the team at half-time and said that the referee should have cancelled the match then. He stated that he saw everyone going towards the Al-Ahly end and saw people falling off the stands. He was taken to a VIP room and tried to return to the locker room, but it was impossible to get there. He reported that four people died in the Al-Ahly locker room. José said he wished to remain at Al-Ahly for a couple more years before retiring, saying that he likes living there, loves the club, and is treated very well.
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2014 Vietnam anti-China protests
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2014 Vietnam anti-China protest (Vietnamese: Biểu tình phản đối Trung Quốc tại Việt Nam 2014) was a series of anti-China protests followed by unrest and riots across Vietnam in May 2014, in response to China deploying an oil rig in a disputed region of the South China Sea. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Although the PRC oil rig was used as the rallying event, several of the early organizers are claimed to have stated that they organized the protests to complain about government repression of free speech and government collaboration with China, and that using the oil rig as the stated cause of the protests was done in an attempt to prevent governmental backlash. [10]
In Bình Dương Province, the province most heavily affected by the protests, only 14 of the 351 factories that were damaged, looted, or destroyed were owned by Chinese corporations. [11]
In the 1970s, Sino-Vietnamese relations began to deteriorate and Vietnam evicted Chinese nationals. This forced a large number of Chinese citizens and ethnic Chinese to return to China [14]. This resulted in the Sino-Vietnamese war. Vietnamese officials have been infamous for their anti-China propaganda, often resorting to extreme racist rhetoric and metaphors [15]. After the disastrous event, the two countries tried to improve their relationship many times, and to minimal avail [16]. Despite this, Vietnam has repeatedly engaged in anti-China demonstrations in 2007, 2011, and 2012. These demonstrations were all due to the South China Sea disputes [14]. In 2008, the People's Republic of China began to build a deep-water semi-submersible drilling rig named Haiyang Shiyou 981. It was launched in 2010[17]. In 2012, it set off for the South China Sea[18]. Vietnam protested this rig in 2014. [19] Vietnam tried twice to detect oil in the disputed waters in 2011, and encountered Chinese law enforcement ships cutting the cables. [20] On May 6, 2014, US State Department spokesperson Shaqi stated: "China's decision to install oil rigs in disputed waters is provocative and will not help maintain regional peace and stability" [21]; US Secretary of State John Kerry put out a warning in early May stating that the People’s Republic of China’s establishment of drilling platforms in disputed waters is a “provocative act” and that “this kind of behavior has harmed regional peace and stability.” Chinese officials responded by saying: "The United States is required to be cautious in its words and deeds. The Xisha dispute does not exist at all, and China has definite control over the surrounding waters." [22][23][24]
Li Linghua, a research scholar at the China Ocean Information Center, declared: "China is one of the parties to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Therefore, China must abide by Article 74 and Article 83 of the Convention and respect the claims of the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of neighboring countries[25 ][26].” On May 7, 2014, the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam issued a notice to various Mainland-funded and Hong Kong-funded institutions in Vietnam and asked for security precautions[27] and secretly arranged evacuation[28]. Radio France International claimed that in the end, Taiwanese businesses in Vietnam suffered the most; companies in the mainland and Hong Kong should have been the first to suffer but faced far less harm [29][30]. The cost of setting up factories in Vietnam for Hong Kong-owned enterprises is 20% to 30% lower than that of setting up factories in mainland China. Vietnam has cheap land and relatively cheap wages. Workers are more productive. The average age is relatively young, about 30 years old. These attributes have attracted thousands of Hong Kong-funded enterprises to invest and set up factories in Vietnam. As of July 2020, Hong Kong was the sixth largest source of investment in Vietnam[31]. Taiwanese businessmen have invested a large amount of Taiwanese capital in Vietnam because of the “southern policy” implemented by the government in the early years. [32] Taiwan media claimed that Chinese cadres in Taiwan’s enterprises brought China’s usual militarization and irrational management model to the country. The local area in Vietnam, coupled with low wages and other issues, caused the Vietnamese working class to regard the Chinese as the main target of this incident. [33] Taiwanese businessmen pointed out that the Chinese cadres rely on their language advantages and their strong management style in Vietnam to succeed in business endeavours. The two sides have been grieving for a long time [34]. There are also Chinese businessmen in Vietnam who pointed out that the labor conflicts in Vietnam are mainly concentrated in the Chinese and Taiwanese companies. The Vietnamese government is pursuing the one-China policy due to the pressures of the Chinese government. All Vietnamese textbooks portray Taiwan as a province of the People’s Republic of China. People believe that Taiwan belongs to the People's Republic of China. Furthermore, the management of mainland manufacturers is relatively harsh which is why some people act against Chinese capital in the name of anti-China in the South China Sea. [35] Many Chinese companies have aided Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Corporation with the construction of a steel plant in Ha Tinh Province. This has resulted in Vietnamese people regarding Chinese personnel in this area as targets [36]. Taiwan’s investment in Vietnam far exceeds China’s [37]. On the other hand, Hong Kong-funded and Taiwan-funded enterprises use Chinese characters at the entrance of their factories. The Vietnamese believe that Taiwan is a province of China, and Taiwanese manufacturers bear the brunt [38]. Wu Yuanfu, a scholar who studies Vietnam issues, believes that the image of Taiwanese in Vietnam is inherently "serious", and the Vietnamese working class also uses this to vent problems such as social injustice, corruption, and disparity between the rich and the poor. Taiwanese businessmen may therefore be deliberately targeted [42]. Bình Dương and Đồng Nai provinces are highly industrialized and both have a dense concentration of foreign-invested industrial parks. Anti-China demonstrations quickly developed into a full scale worker riots. Factories were looted, smashed or burnt. Swarms of rioters on motorbikes mistakenly identified South Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Singaporean businesses as Chinese and vandalized them. Binh Duong had more riots than Dong Nai Province. Due to their close proximity, auto and motorcycle parts factory Zhixing (4535) temporarily suspended two plants in Dong Nai Province. This was done to ensure the safety of personnel.
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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A massive fire burning on the West Atlas rig has also largely been put out
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An oil rig which has leaked thousands of barrels of oil into the Timor Sea over the last 10 weeks has been plugged, the rig's operators have said.
A massive fire burning on the West Atlas rig has also largely been put out, said PTTEP Australia. Experts plugged the leak on their fifth attempt by injecting thousands of barrels of mud into the well. The oil leak, in the Timor Sea between Australia and Indonesia, has endangered marine life, environmentalists said. PTTEP Australasia, said the fire broke out on Sunday as it made another attempt to plug a leak deep underwater at the West Atlas rig. Government inquiry
The company said it pumped nearly 3,500 barrels of mud into a relief well to plug the leak. The fire on the platform which had been impeding efforts to plug the leak is now dying down, the company said. "Some material on the topside of the West Atlas rig might still be on fire but it is expected to be extinguished as the fuel source burns out," the Australian Associated Press quoted PTTEP as saying in a statement. Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson earlier said the accident, the first on such a scale in 25 years of offshore drilling, had "clearly had an impact on the standing of the oil and gas industry in Australia". The government has ordered an inquiry into the emergency while environmentalists have expressed concerns about the waters off the north-west coast, which are home to whales and dolphins. Engineers had been trying for more than 10 weeks to stop the leak which was spewing out natural gas and oil at an estimated 400 barrels a day.
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Environment Pollution
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Biden spokeswoman Psaki diagnosed with COVID
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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has been diagnosed with COVID-19, sidelining President Joe Biden’s top spokesperson.
“While I have not had close contact in person with the president or senior members of the White House staff since Wednesday – and tested negative for four days after that last contact -- I am disclosing today’s positive test out of an abundance of transparency,” she said in a statement. “I last saw the president on Tuesday, when we sat outside more than six-feet apart, and wore masks.”
She bowed out of Biden’s trip with the White House citing a family emergency.
Psaki is among the highest profile figures in the Biden administration to test positive. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also tested positive recently after an outdoor event with Biden.
Biden has received his booster shot, which health experts have said restores vaccine protection to original levels, amid concerns that the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccine fades after roughly six months. Biden received the Pfizer vaccine.
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Famous Person - Sick
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TACV Flight 5002 crash
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TACV Flight 5002 was a flight operated by TACV that crashed on 7 August 1999. Due to technical difficulties, the aircraft normally serving the route from São Pedro Airport on the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde to Agostinho Neto Airport on the island of Santo Antão, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, was replaced with a Cape Verde Coast Guard Dornier 228 (registration D4-CBC). The aircraft took off from São Pedro at 11:42 for the short flight to Agostinho Neto. Thirteen minutes after takeoff, rain and fog covered Santo Antão and placed the arrival airport below VFR minimums. The pilots made the decision to return to São Vicente at 11:56. The aircraft overflew the island of Santo Antão at 12:02, but crashed into the wooded mountainside at an altitude of 1,370 metres (4,490 ft). The aircraft burst into flames, killing all 18 passengers and crew on board.
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Air crash
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Fredline Events has been adjudged the Best Events Vendor of the Year for the Northern Region
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Fredline Events has been adjudged the Best Events Vendor of the Year for the Northern Region at the just ended 3rd edition of the 2021 Ghana Event Industry Conference (GEIC) Gala and Awards night held at the Labadi Beach Hotel. The prestigious award was in recognition of the company’s dedication and commitment to building the events industry as well as being a highly respected advocate for best practices in the tourism sector. Speaking to the media after receiving the award, CEO of Fredline Events, Adeline Amenga-Etego expressed gratitude to the Board and Leadership of the GEIC, her staff and cherish clients. “I am very overwhelmed for such a wonderful recognition. I started this fifteen years ago and today I thank God for such a moment. I dedicate this award to my clients and staff for always pushing the brand this far. I am indeed grateful”, she said. Adeline Amenga-Etego took the opportunity to urge government to keep investing in the event sector to ensure proper standards in all aspects. “I want to take this opportunity to call on government and all stakeholders involved to constantly support the creative art industry so we can bring out the best in our industry”. This year’s Ghana Event Industry Conference (GEIC) organized by the Event Vendors Association of Ghana (EVAG) was on the theme “Resilience, Rethink, Redefine and Recreate”. The platform which was created for operators in the event industry is to pull resources from each other and also promote high level of ethics within the events industry as well as ensuring that management maintains high standards. The event was filled with fun and excitement as guests enjoyed amazing performances from Kojo Antwi, Kuame Eugene, Adina and Camidoh.
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Awards ceremony
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2015 South India floods
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The 2015 South India floods resulted from heavy rainfall generated by the annual northeast monsoon in November–December 2015. They affected the Coromandel Coast region of the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. [12] More than 500 people were killed and over 1.8 million (18 lakh) people were displaced. [13] With estimates of damages and losses ranging from nearly ₹200 billion (US$3 billion) to over ₹1 trillion (US$14 billion), the floods were the costliest to have occurred in 2015, and were among the costliest natural disasters of the year. [18]
Though the unusually heavy rainfall in southern India during the winter of 2015 has been attributed to the 2014–16 El Niño event, in July 2018 the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) categorised the flooding across Tamil Nadu as a "man-made disaster", and held the Government of Tamil Nadu responsible for the scale of the catastrophe, which the latter had termed a natural disaster. [19]
From October to December each year, a very large area of south India, including Tamil Nadu, the coastal regions of the Andhra Pradesh and the union territory of Puducherry, receives up to 60 percent of its annual rainfall from the northeast monsoon (or winter monsoon). The northeast monsoon is the result of the annual gradual retreat of monsoonal rains from northeastern India. Unlike during the regular monsoon, rainfall during the northeast monsoon is sporadic, but typically far exceeds the amount produced by the regular monsoon by up to 90 percent. This excessive rainfall can be exacerbated by an El Niño of order of the magnitude which has since been evaluated to every year, such as 2015. [20]
The coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh usually bear the brunt of heavy rains that occur during the northeast monsoon; with numerous river systems and wetlands, Puducherry and eastern Tamil Nadu are prone to flooding. [20] The city of Chennai alone experienced five major floods between 1943 and 2005, with the 1943, 1978 and 2005 floods causing particularly severe damage. [21] In addition, unplanned and often illegal urban development has led to many wetlands and natural sinks being built over; this, along with ageing civic infrastructure and poorly designed drainage systems, has resulted in an increased frequency of severe flooding. [20]
On 8 November 2015, during the annual cyclone season, a low-pressure area consolidated into a depression and slowly intensified into a deep depression before crossing the coast of Tamil Nadu near Puducherry the following day. Because of land interaction and high vertical wind shear, the system weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area over north Tamil Nadu on 10 November. [22] The system brought very heavy rainfall over the coastal and the north interior districts of Tamil Nadu. On 13 November, Kanchipuram recorded 340 mm of rain and several low-lying areas were inundated and Vembakkam close to Kanchipuram recorded 470 mm. On 15 November, a well-marked low-pressure area moved northwards along the Tamil Nadu coast, dropping huge amounts of rainfall over coastal Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh with 24‑hour totals peaking at 370 mm in Ponneri. Chennai International Airport recorded 266 mm of rainfall in 24 hours. On 28–29 November, another system developed and arrived over Tamil Nadu on 30 November, bringing additional rain and flooding. The system dropped 490 mm of rainfall at Tambaram in 24 hours starting 8:30 am on 1 December. Very heavy rains led to flooding across the entire stretch of coast from Chennai to Cuddalore. A study from IISc shows that on 1 December, clouds were stationary over Chennai. [23] This study showed that the mountains of Eastern Ghats blocked clouds that came from the Bay of Bengal from moving further inland. The mechanism is referred to as 'upstream blocking'. Therefore, they were stationary over Chennai throughout the day. These clouds gave continuous rainfall over Chennai that caused massive flooding. Between 9 and 10 November 2015, Neyveli received 483 mm (19.0 in) of rainfall; rains continued to lash Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram and Chennai. [22] Several low-lying areas in Kanchipuram, including major thoroughfare Gandhi Road, were inundated as the city and its neighbourhood received a heavy precipitation of 340mm during the 24-hours that ended with 8.30 a.m. on 13 November 2015. The Manjalneer Kalvai, primarily a flood drain channel for the city, overflowed after the Netteri lake breached on the Kancheepuram-Vellore Road in the wee hours of Friday, flooding the entire stretch of Gandhi Road and Munusamy Mudaliyar Avenue and forcing the police to close for traffic the prime junction Moongil Mandapam where the Gandhi Road joins with Vallal Pachaiyappan Salai. Kanchipuram Collector R.Gajalakshmi told reporters later that a total of 7,294 persons were rescued from inundated areas and accommodated in 26 shelters opened by the civic body. Boats were used to rescue the people from inundated areas in Pillayarpalayam, the Collector said. And also Vembakkam close to Kanchipuram recorded 470mm of rain on 13 November 2015. Continuing rains led to low-lying parts of Chennai becoming inundated by 13 November, resulting in the evacuation of over 1000 people from their homes. [12] The flooding in Chennai city was worsened by years of illegal development and inadequate levels of flood preparedness. [24] Much of the city remained flooded on 17 November, though rainfall had largely ceased. [25] Chennai received 1,049 mm (41.3 in) of rainfall in November, the highest recorded since November 1918 when 1,088 mm (42.8 in) in of rainfall was recorded. Kancheepuram district registered the heaviest rainfall—183% higher at 181.5 cm as against average rainfall of 64 cm in October–December period and Tiruvallur district recorded 146 cm compared to average 59 cm of rain. The flooding in Chennai city was described as the worst in a century. [28] The continued rains led to schools and colleges remaining closed across Puducherry and Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts in Tamil Nadu, and fishermen were warned against sailing because of high waters and rough seas. [29]
Though rainfall from the earlier low-pressure system ended on 24 November, another system developed on 29 November, bringing additional rain and the India Meteorological Department predicted heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu until the end of the week. On 1 December, heavy rains led to inundation in many areas of Chennai. [32] By afternoon, power supplies were suspended to 60% of the city while several city hospitals stopped functioning. [33] The same day, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Jayalalithaa announced that, because of the continued flooding and rains, half-yearly school examinations originally scheduled for 7 December would be postponed until the first week in January. [34] For the first time since its founding in 1878, the major newspaper The Hindu did not publish a print edition on 2 December, as workers were unable to reach the press building. [35] The Southern Railways cancelled major train services and Chennai International Airport was closed until 6 December. [33]
Chennai was officially declared a disaster area on the evening of 2 December. [28] At the MIOT Hospital, 14 patients died after power and oxygen supplies failed. With a letup in rainfall, floodwaters gradually began to recede in Chennai on 4 December, though 40 percent of the city's districts remained submerged and safe food and drinking water remained in short supply. [36] Though relief efforts were well underway across most of the area by 3 December, the lack of any coordinated relief response in North Chennai forced thousands of its residents to evacuate on their own. [37] As intermittent rains returned, thousands of displaced residents from Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts attempted to flee the stricken region by bus or train and travel to their family homes.
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Floods
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2011 Wisconsin protests
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The 2011 Wisconsin protests were a series of demonstrations in the state of Wisconsin in the United States beginning in February involving at its zenith as many as 100,000 protesters[3] opposing the 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, also called the "Wisconsin Budget Repair bill." The protests centered on the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, with satellite protests also occurring at other municipalities throughout the state. [8][9] Demonstrations took place at various college campuses, including the University of Wisconsin–Madison[10] and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. [11] After the collective bargaining bill was upheld by the Wisconsin Supreme Court on June 14,[12] the number of protesters declined to about 1,000 within a couple days. [13]
The protests were a major driving force for recall elections of state senators in 2011 and 2012, the failed recall of Governor Scott Walker in 2012 and a contentious Wisconsin Supreme Court election in 2011. Wisconsin was the first state in the United States to provide collective bargaining rights to public employees in 1959. [14] Over the past decades public sector labor unions have grown from 10.8% of public workers being represented by a union in 1960 to 36.2% in 2010. Over the same time period, the percentage of private sector employees in a union shrank from 31.9% to 6.9%. [15] This increase in public-employee unionism coincided with the granting of collective bargaining rights to public employees. Total union membership for all employees, both public and private, has decreased substantially over the years, with total union membership in 2010 at 11.4%. [16]
When Jim Doyle (D-Wisconsin) was governor (2003–2010), the budget deficits that the state faced were filled three times by taking money from the transportation fund, in amounts totaling $1.257 billion. [17] Subsequently, 53 counties throughout the state passed referenda to prevent government officials from taking money from the transportation fund for use in other projects. [18]
Both Governor Walker and his opponent in the 2010 Governor's race, Tom Barrett, stated that they would not close the budget deficit by taking money from the transportation fund. [19] As a candidate for governor, Walker proposed that state employees pay more toward their pensions saying it would save the state about $180 million a year. [20] Walker was elected as Governor in November 2010. Under collective-bargaining agreements, employers and unions had negotiated health insurance considerations from carrier to cost to benefits. Contributions for health insurance of active employees total 38.8% of wages. [21] For private-sector workers nationwide, as of 2011, the average is 10.7%. [22] Public-sector unions may also have cover health insurance for retirees, which can have significant cost. This is especially the case for teachers in many states, because the eligibility rules of their pension plans often induce them to retire in their 50s, and Medicare does not kick in until age 65. [21] According to David Cay Johnston, prior to Act 10, Wisconsin state employers paid 5% of employee wages into their pension as was negotiated under the principle of "deferred compensation. "[23][24][25][26][27]
In January 2011, the state legislature passed a series of bills providing additional tax cuts and deductions for businesses at "a two-year cost of $67 million. "[28] In early February, the Walker administration projected a budget shortfall in 2013 (Wisconsin functions on two-year budgets) of $3.6 billion[29] and a $137 million shortfall for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011. [30][31]
The Walker-backed bill proposed to alleviate the budget shortfall included taking away the ability of public sector unions to bargain collectively over pensions and health care and limiting pay raises of public employees to the rate of inflation, as well as ending automatic union dues collection by the state and requiring public unions to recertify annually. [32][33] The bargaining changes exempted the unions of public safety officers, including police, firefighters, and state troopers. [34] Walker stated that without the cuts thousands of state workers would have to be laid off. [35]
The protests and demonstrations began following Walker's introduction of Assembly Bill 11[36][37] to the Wisconsin State Assembly on February 14, 2011. On Monday, February 14, the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Teaching Assistants Association distributed "We ♥ UW: Don't Break My ♥" Valentine cards to the governor, as a means of protesting the bill's negative impacts on working conditions at the university. [39]
On February 15, tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated in and around the Capitol building in Madison[40][41] regarding the proposed legislation's limitations on collective bargaining for and against Walker's bill. [42] "Kill the Bill" remained one of the main slogans of the protesters. [43] That same day, union members, students and private-sector citizens took part in public hearings with the senators and representatives from both parties, which lasted 17 hours; some defenders of the bill expressed their position, but the majority of the participants opposed the bill. [44]
By February 16, the number of protesters in front of the Wisconsin State Capitol was estimated at 30,000. [45]
On February 17, about 25,000 people continued the protest. [40] Citing concerns that Republicans were attempting to pass the legislation without scheduling adequate time for public review and debate, Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller led the 14 Senate Democrats in fleeing the state to prevent the quorum necessary for a vote on the Budget Repair Bill. [46][47] On the same day, the protests spread to Columbus, Ohio, where about 3,800 protesters demonstrated against a similar bill to "eliminate collective bargaining" being considered by the Ohio legislature. [40] According to Mike Lux, some protesters in the two states carried Egyptian flags, indicating their Egyptian revolution inspiration. [48] Ed Schultz of MSNBC's The Ed Show appeared live outside the Wisconsin State Capitol on February 17 and 18. [49]
On February 18, the AFL-CIO president, Richard Trumka, and other state labor leaders addressed the protest crowd on the Capitol lawn. Trumka asserted that Governor Walker's plan was part of a larger national Republican strategy. [50] The number of protesters in Madison grew to over 70,000 on February 19, including some who supported Walker's plan. [51]
On February 19, 11 faculty members from the University of Wisconsin's School of Medicine and Public Health established a "medical station" at the capitol, and signed sick notes for public employees abandoning their public post in order to protest. [52] This shut down several school districts in the state. [53]
By February 20, protestors had undertaken a physical occupation of the Capitol building, establishing a fully functioning community within the public spaces of the Wisconsin State Capitol, including an information center, a sleeping area, a medic station staffed by members of the Madison Community Wellness Collective, and food stations with food for protestors supplied by local businesses. [54] Protestors also covered the walls of the Capitol with thousands of homemade signs. [55] On February 20, a union organizer participating in the protests said that the protests would continue "as long as it takes." Other union leaders called for teachers to return to work. [55] During this timeframe several members of the teaching and project assistant union of UW-Madison (TAA-Madison) designed and implemented "Defend Wisconsin", a web site to help coordinate rallies, publish video footage by protesters, and relay general information about the bill and protests. On February 22, Assembly Republicans began procedures to move the bill to a vote while Democrats submitted dozens of amendments and conducted speeches. [56]
Also on February 22, Walker delivered a state address on the Budget Repair Bill. [57]
On February 22–23, the public information officer for the Madison Police Department (whose union was participating in the protests[58]), claimed "almost all" of the protesters were from Wisconsin, while an independent reporter from the Daily Cardinal estimated one in four of the protesters were from outside the state.
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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Head of US CENTCOM inspects site of Egypt-US joint military exercises Bright Star 2018
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US Army General Joseph Votel, the head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) inspected on Monday forces taking part in the joint US-Egyptian military drills Bright Star 2018, which are being held at the Mohamed Naguib Military Base in Egypt's North Coast, as part of his multi-day official visit to the country. Exercise Bright Star 2018 between the militaries of both countries started on Saturday at Mohamed Naguib Military Base in Hammam City in Marsa Matrouh govenorate and will run until 20 September. Land, naval and air forces from Egypt, the US, Greece, Jordan, the UK, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Italy and France were due to take part in the drills. General Votel, who was accompanied by the commander of Egypt's Northern Military Zone, inspected the command and control center at the base and the areas anf fields of training. The Egyptian army spokesperson published a one-minute video showing footage of the visit on his official Facebook page. The army said that the commander "praised the high combat efficiency of all the elements involved in the training, as well as the training and administrative capabilities available at the military base, which Egypt opened last year. Votel described the Bright Star drills as one on of the most important joint drills undertaken by the US, praising the depth of the military partnership between the US and Egypt. He thanked the Egyptian Armed Forces for its efforts in hosting and preparing well for the Bright Star drills. The Egyptian army had earlier said the excercise is aimed at promoting the exchange of expertise and interoperability among participant forces, and developing operational and training methods in counter-terrorism and irregular warfare scenarios.
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Military Exercise
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Natural phenomenon of billions of cicadas will soon swarm ...
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Sustainability Environment
Natural phenomenon of billions of cicadas will soon swarm across eastern US
After 17 years developing underground, the insects emerge from the ground as adults en masse to mate and lay eggs for about five to six weeks.
By
Joseph Guzman | Jan. 26, 2021
Story at a glance
Periodic cicadas — insects with black bodies, orange wings, red eyes and a familiar loud buzz — lay eggs inside the twigs of trees and shrubs that later hatch and drop to the ground.
Billions are expected to emerge this year between mid-May and late June to mate.
Researchers believe cicadas have been carrying out their 17-year, underground cycle for millions of years as a way to avoid predators.
Billions of cicadas that have spent close to two decades underground are expected to remerge this spring and summer across large swaths of the eastern United States and Midwest.
Periodic cicadas — insects with black bodies, orange wings, red eyes and a familiar loud buzz — lay eggs inside the twigs of trees and shrubs that later hatch and drop to the ground. The tiny nymphs then burrow into the soil and suck fluid out of the roots of plants for the next 13 to 17 years as they develop.
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After 17 years underground, the insects emerge from the ground as adults en masse to mate and lay eggs for about five to six weeks. The swarms of male cicadas fill the air with their distinct hum that can reach 100 decibels.
Researchers group the insects by the year they emerge as adults after spending years developing underground. Brood X is the name for the largest and most widespread colony of cicadas in the U.S.
Brood X last emerged in 2004, so the insects are expected to once again resurface this year between mid-May and late June once the ground hits about 64 degrees Fahrenheit. The insects are expected to emerge in 15 states: Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C., USA Today reports .
“Cicadas do not bite and are harmless to humans and property — other than being a nuisance. They may amass in millions in parks, woods, neighborhoods and can seemingly be everywhere. When they are this abundant, they fly, land and crawl everywhere, including occasionally landing humans,” Gary Parsons, an entomologist at Michigan State University, explained last year.
Researchers believe cicadas have been carrying out their 17-year underground cycle for millions of years as a way to avoid predators.
“By emerging in the millions all at once, they are too numerous for any predators that do eat them from ever wiping them out. There are so many of them that lots of them will always survive,” Parsons explained.
After mating and laying eggs, the brood will die off and the cicadas that hatch in 2021 will drop to the ground and burrow into the earth and develop for 17 years before emerging to breed in 2038.
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Insect Disaster
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Typhoid fever occurs in Popokabaka and lasts for months
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Nestled in the hills at the confluence of three rivers, the health zone of Popokabaka, nearly 400 kilometres southeast of Kinshasa, the capital of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been the centre of an outbreak of typhoid fever that has lasted for months. “Our team was called to respond in Popokabaka after the authorities confirmed the epidemic,” says Jean-Marc Mavunda, medical manager of Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF) emergency team. “But all indications were that the disease had already been present for several months and had already claimed many lives.” Usually spread either by ingesting water or food contaminated with human faeces and secretions, or else through hand-to-hand contact, the main symptoms of typhoid are a prolonged fever, a headache and digestive problems including stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhoea. Once diagnosed, typhoid is treatable in just a few days with antibiotics. But diagnosing it can be difficult, particularly in local health centres, because its symptoms are very similar to other diseases. Laboratory analysis is needed. When treatment is delayed, typhoid can lead to serious complications and sometimes death. “How do you expect us to avoid the disease?” This morning, Chadrac Mbaya is sitting next to his one-year-old daughter La Joie. La Joie was admitted to Popokabaka hospital four days ago with symptoms of typhoid. “One night she started vomiting and having diarrhoea,” says her father. “We went to the health centre, but the treatment she received did not improve her condition. She ended up being transferred here. Her sister also had the disease, but fortunately she recovered.” People’s living conditions in Popokabaka mean that outbreaks of waterborne diseases are common. There is limited access to clean drinking water, while sanitary facilities are almost non-existent in most residents’ homes. “In this area, people drink water from the river, where we also bathe and clean the dishes,” says Chadrac. “How do you expect us to avoid the disease?” To reduce people’s risk of catching the disease as they go about their daily life, MSF health promoters have held awareness-raising sessions in school, health facilities and within the community. Meanwhile MSF teams have tracked the course of the disease throughout the area in order to respond quickly and effectively. “In addition to support for care and awareness [of the community], we conducted epidemiological surveillance of the entire zone in order to adapt our response to the evolving situation,” says Mavunda. “This work quickly revealed that the number of cases was much higher than initially estimated.” “Every day, the hospital was receiving patients with typhoid fever referred from peripheral health centres,” Mavunda continues. “In total, it is estimated that more than 3,700 people have been affected since the beginning of the year.” Surgery for patients with complications Endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, typhoid can cause serious complications in 10 to 15 per cent of patients, including digestive haemorrhage, intestinal perforation and peritonitis, all of which require surgery. “Given the number of complicated cases in the area, we directly integrated a surgical component into our response,” says Mavunda. “We've dealt with a lot of cases of peritonitis, which is a serious infection that can easily lead to death. Acute peritonitis sometimes requires multiple operations on the same patient.” “Before we launched our response, 29 in-hospital deaths had been reported, almost all of them post-operative,” Mavunda continues. “Providing surgical support and post-operative care was therefore fundamental.” Eleven-year-old Tharcisse developed complications from typhoid and has already had four visits to the operating theatre. “The first three operations were performed last May and June,” says his father, also called Tharcisse. “After the first two, the situation had not improved.” “I was about to take him to Kinshasa to be treated there, but when I heard that the MSF team had arrived, I decided to wait,” says the senior Tharcisse. “And it was the MSF team that organised the rest of the operations.” Cases decreasing, but need for vigilance remains From mid-July to mid-September, 2,180 patients were treated, and 20 surgical operations were performed with MSF’s support. In addition to treating typhoid fever, our team also operated on 11 people for surgical emergencies and treated more than 3,500 patients suffering from simple and severe malaria. Cases of typhoid fever are now decreasing, allowing our team to respond to emergencies elsewhere in the country, but staff at health facilities across the region will need to be vigilant in the coming weeks. Water, hygiene and sanitation – the main factors in the spread of typhoid fever – are still far below what is needed in the Popokabaka area, and the onset of the rainy season could lead to an increase in cases. Before heading elsewhere, the MSF emergency team donated medicines, medical and surgical equipment to Popokabaka hospital to strengthen care, but a more structural response is needed to improve people’s living conditions and tackle the disease at its source.
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Disease Outbreaks
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Hostile Takeover
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The term hostile takeover refers to the acquisition of one company by another corporation against the wishes of the former. The company being acquired in a hostile takeover is called the target company while the one executing the takeover is called the acquirer. In a hostile takeover, the acquirer goes directly to the company's shareholders or fights to replace management to get the acquisition approved. Approval of a hostile takeover is generally completed through either a tender offer or a proxy fight.1 Factors playing into a hostile takeover from the acquisition side often coincide with those of any other takeover, such as believing that a company may be significantly undervalued or wanting access to a company's brand, operations, technology, or industry foothold. Hostile takeovers may also be strategic moves by activist investors looking to effect change on a company's operations. The target company's management does not approve of the deal in a hostile takeover. This type of bid occurs when an entity attempts to take control of a firm without the consent or cooperation of the target firm's board of directors. In lieu of the target company's board approval, the would-be acquirer may then: When a company, investor, or group of investors makes a tender offer to purchase the shares of another company at a premium above the current market value (CMV), the board of directors may reject the offer. The acquirer can approach the shareholders, who may accept the offer if it is at a sufficient premium to market value or if they are unhappy with current management. The Williams Act of 1968 regulates tender offers and requires the disclosure of all-cash tender offers.2 In a proxy fight, opposing groups of stockholders persuade other stockholders to allow them to use their shares' proxy votes. If a company that makes a hostile takeover bid acquires enough proxies, it can use them to vote to accept the offer. The sale of the stock only takes place if a sufficient number of stockholders, usually a majority, agree to accept the offer. To deter the unwanted takeover, the target company's management may have preemptive defenses in place, or it may employ reactive defenses to fight back. To protect against hostile takeovers, a company can establish stocks with differential voting rights (DVRs), where a stock with less voting rights pays a higher dividend. This makes shares with a lower voting power an attractive investment while making it more difficult to generate the votes needed for a hostile takeover if management owns a large enough portion of shares with more voting power. Establishing an employee stock ownership program (ESOP) involves using a tax-qualified plan in which employees own a substantial interest in the company. Employees may be more likely to vote with management. As such, this can be a successful defense. In a crown jewel defense, a provision of the company's bylaws requires the sale of the most valuable assets if there is a hostile takeover, thereby making it less attractive as a takeover opportunity. This line of defense is officially known as a shareholder rights plan. It allows existing shareholders to buy the newly issued stock at a discount if one shareholder has bought more than a stipulated percentage of the stock, resulting in a dilution of the ownership interest of the acquiring company. The buyer who triggered the defense, usually the acquiring company, is excluded from the discount. The term poison pill is often used broadly to include a range of defenses, including issuing additional debt, which aims to make the target less attractive, and stock options to employees that vest upon a merger. Sometimes a company's management will defend against unwanted hostile takeovers by using several controversial strategies, such as the people poison pill, a golden parachute, or the Pac-Man defense. A people poison pill provides for the resignation of key personnel in the case of a hostile takeover, while the golden parachute involves granting members of the target's executive team with benefits (bonuses, severance pay, stock options, among others) if they are ever terminated as a result of a takeover. The Pac-Man defense has the target company aggressively buy stock in the company attempting the takeover. A hostile takeover can be a difficult and lengthy process and attempts often end up unsuccessful. For example, billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn attempted three separate bids to acquire household goods giant Clorox in 2011, which rejected each one and introduced a new shareholder rights plan in its defense.3 The Clorox board even sidelined Icahn's proxy fight efforts, and the attempt ultimately ended in a few months with no takeover. An example of a successful hostile takeover is that of pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis's (SNY) acquisition of Genzyme. Genzyme produced drugs for the treatment of rare genetic disorders and Sanofi-Aventis saw the company as a means to expand into a niche industry and broaden its product offering. After friendly takeover offers were unsuccessful as Genzyme rebuffed Sanofi-Aventis's advances, Sanofi-Aventis went directly to the shareholders, paid a premium for the shares, added in contingent value rights, and ended up acquiring Genzyme.4 A hostile takeover bid occurs when an entity attempts to acquire control of a publicly traded company without the consent or cooperation of the target's board of directors. The would-be acquirer has three options to wrest control. The first is a tender offer, which requires a majority of the shareholders to accept, the second is a proxy fight, whose goal is to replace enough of the uncooperative board members, and the third is to buy the necessary company stock in the open market. To protect against hostile takeovers, a company can establish stocks with differential voting rights, where a stock with less voting rights pays a higher dividend. This makes these lower voting power shares an attractive investment, making it more difficult to generate the votes needed for a hostile takeover, especially if management owns a large enough portion of them. Another defense is to establish an employee stock ownership program, which is a tax-qualified plan in which employees own a substantial interest in the company. Employees may be more likely to vote with management, which is why this can be a successful defense. Officially known as a shareholder rights plan, a poison pill is a common defense against a hostile takeover. There are two types of poison pill defenses, which are called the flip-in and flip-over. A flip-in is more common, allowing existing shareholders the right to buy newly issued stock at a discount if one shareholder (acquirer) amasses a certain threshold percentage of shares of the target company. This results in a dilution in the ownership interest of the acquiring company. The acquirer is excluded from the discount. A flip-over poison pill strategy allows stockholders of the target company to purchase the shares of the acquiring company at a deeply discounted price if the hostile takeover attempt is successful, thereby diluting the equity in the acquiring company. Other strategies to defend against unwanted hostile takeovers include the crown-jewel defense, golden parachute, and the Pac-Man defense. In a crown jewel defense, a provision of the company's bylaws requires the sale of the most valuable assets if there is a hostile takeover, thereby making it less desirable to the acquirer. Golden parachutes consist of substantial benefits given to top executives which, in the event of a takeover, might discourage the acquirer because of the associated costs.
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Organization Merge
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Man seriously injured in Northwest Baltimore gas explosion last year is suing BGE, city
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A man who was seriously injured in the major gas explosion in Northwest Baltimore in August is suing Baltimore Gas & Electric and the city, claiming that both are liable for the blast that badly burned him and buried him in his house.
Attorneys for Terry James, who rented a basement apartment at 4232 Labyrinth Road, claim BGE knew its gas lines were unsafe and failed to respond to a meter for the house that recorded “a shocking and abnormally high rate of natural gas flowing into the building basement” for about six hours.
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“BGE opted not to respond to the area promptly and address the gas leak in any fashion,” the complaint says. “For the 6 consecutive hours natural gas leaked into the basement of 4232 Labyrinth Rd., Terry James was sleeping in his basement apartment while natural gas engulfed his body, his lungs and mind.”
BGE spokesman Aaron Koos said while the company “does not comment on the merits of pending litigation, it is important to remember that BGE’s equipment was inspected, tested, and found to be operating safely and was not the cause of the tragic natural gas explosion that occurred on Aug. 10.”
“We remind all customers to contact BGE immediately at 877-778-7798 or call 911 from a safe location to report a gas odor or any issue with gas equipment,” Koos said in an emailed statement.
The explosion happened the day after homeowner Leroy Johnson hired an HVAC company to install “and/or work on a furnace and gas piping as well as an air conditioning unit” at the house, the lawsuit says.
It says the homeowner “returned to the property to address complaints from his tenants” around 1 a.m. Aug. 10, the day of the explosion, “engaged with various pieces of equipment involving the gas meter, then reassured his tenants, including Terry James, that everything was fine.”
When James turned on the stove to make breakfast around 9:30 a.m., the blast threw him into the basement and buried him under the house, causing second-degree burns over his head, face, neck, chest, arms, back and legs, the lawsuit says.
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He had to be extricated by first responders; his feet were amputated; and he suffered vocal cord paralysis and severe post-traumatic stress disorder, among other injuries, according to the suit.
BGE said the day after the explosion that it had found no leaks on the homes’ gas mains, and that company data indicated “some type of issue beyond the BGE meter on customer-owned equipment.”
But the lawsuit claims BGE had performed a June 2019 inspection of its gas lines in the block that found “its 1960 gas infrastructure was unsafe, needed replacing, promoted gas leaks and indicated BGE was required to monitor [it] even more closely . . . for gas leaks no matter the source or cause.”
The lawsuit filed last week was amended from a January filing, which also listed the homeowner and the HVAC contractor, Jimmy Gusky Heating & Air, as defendants. The initial suit also listed the mother of Joseph Graham, a 20-year-old Morgan State University sophomore killed in the blast, as a plaintiff. The Labyrinth Road blast also killed 61-year-old Lonnie Herriott .
“Our matter as to the homeowner and contractor has been resolved with a confidential amount,” said Latoya Francis-Williams, James’ attorney, of the Offices of A. Dwight Pettit.
Jimmy Gusky Heating & Air and the homeowner could not be reached for comment.
The lawsuit says James was an unwitting resident of an unlicensed rental property, and one of several people living in the house at the time.
It claims the City of Baltimore “had a duty” to ensure the house did not serve as a multifamily property without proper licenses, and officials should have required BGE to “insure reasonable promptness in the detection of all natural gas leaks that might occur from any cause.”
“Baltimore City failed to do so, even after having specific knowledge of the dilapidated and deteriorating gas pipes servicing 4200 block Labyrinth Rd. and having knowledge of the substantial fines to Baltimore Gas and Electric by the Public Service Commission for their safety violations leading to prior gas explosions in and near the City of Baltimore,” the lawsuit says.
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Gas explosion
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Russia withdraws from Open Skies Treaty after U.S. departure
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Russia announced on Friday it was pulling out of the Open Skies treaty, saying that the pact, which allows unarmed surveillance flights over member countries, had been seriously compromised by the withdrawal of the United States.
The move, announced by Russia’s Foreign Ministry, comes days before U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s January 20 inauguration amid fears of a burgeoning arms race. Moscow’s last major nuclear arms pact with Washington is set to expire next month.
The United States left the Open Skies arms control and verification treaty in November, accusing Russia of violating it, something Moscow denied.
Russia said in a statement that Moscow had made specific proposals to other members to mitigate against the impact of the U.S. exit but that those proposals were not backed by Washington’s allies.
Moscow will formally notify other member states about its exit once it has completed unspecified withdrawal procedures at home, it said. The exit process usually takes months to be finalised.
Russia has raised concerns that despite leaving the treaty Washington could potentially retain access to overflight intelligence gathered by allies who remain members in the treaty.
The Kommersant newspaper reported earlier that Moscow had tried to get guarantees from other countries that they would not share such intelligence with the U.S. but had not been given any assurances.
Arms control tensions have been rising between Moscow and Washington and New START, their last remaining major nuclear arms control treaty, is set to expire in February.
Mr. Biden has said he’s keen to renew it but it remains unclear for how long.
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Tear Up Agreement
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Wall Street falls after Google is hit with $3.6b fine and Obamacare-repeal vote delayed
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Following a disappointing performance from US and European stock markets, Australian shares are set to open lower.
There is no local economic data being released today, so it will be a quiet day for Australia that front.
Healthcare and technology stocks were the main drags on Wall Street - as Google copped a world record fine and the US Senate delayed voting on key healthcare legislation.
European markets closed lower after European Central Bank president Mario Draghi defended the bank's loose monetary policy.
Mr Draghi also said a premature ending to easing could lead to another recession.
The world's most prominent central banker, Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen, also made a public appearance overnight.
At a question-and-answer event in London, Dr Yellen said she does not believe that there will be another financial crisis for at least as long as she lives, due to banking system reforms in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis.
There was a commodities rebound overnight - with oil prices rebounding from last week's seven-month low, and gold recovering from yesterday's six-week low.
Also, iron ore soared more than 5 per cent over optimism about the outlook of the Chinese economy, after an upbeat speech by Premier Li Keqiang. The tech-heavy Nasdaq was weighed down by a sell-off in technology stocks, which were down 1.5 per cent.
In particular, Google's parent company Alphabet had a sharp fall of almost 2.5 per cent.
This was after the European Commission issued Google with a record 2.4 billion euro ($3.57 billion) fine because its "Google Shopping" service breached breached antitrust laws.
In ranking its Google Shopping service ahead of other competitors, the company was able to significantly increase its amount of internet traffic (and revenue).
The EU regulator ruled that the internet giant had "abused its market dominance as a search engine by giving an illegal advantage to another Google product".
This also had the effect of bumping down - and disadvantaging - competing shopping businesses.
"It denied other companies the chance to compete on the merits and to innovate," EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said.
"Most importantly, it denied European consumers a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation."
Google is currently considering an appeal to the European Court of Justice.
Senate Republicans were due to vote on its signature healthcare bill to repeal and replace Obamacare this week.
But the prospect of facing a potentially disastrous defeat by members of his own party has prompted Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell to postpone that vote until next week (on July 4).
At least seven Republicans have publicly stated they will oppose the bill in its current form.
The Democrats only need the support of three Republican senators for the Obamacare-repeal bill to fail.
After party leaders failed to win over the small band of Republican dissenters, President Donald Trump summoned all 52 Republican senators to the White House.
"We're going to talk and we're going to see what we can do," the President said.
"We're getting very close."
The Congressional Budget Office analysed the bill and said it would result in 22 million Americans losing their health insurance over the next decade - even though it would reduce the US deficit by $321 billion during that period.
The legislation would also repeal major elements of Obamacare and shrink the Medicaid government healthcare program for the poor.
President Trump has said he wants to repeal Obamacare before he implements his other policy items - corporate tax cuts, and financial deregulation.
So this delay on passing the healthcare bill is causing investors, who are betting on the President's pro-business agenda, to feel jittery.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work.
This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced.
AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
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Organization Fine
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UNHCR chief shocked at the news of a boat tragedy off the Italian island of Lampedusa, which is reported to have claimed at least 82 lives.
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UNHCR chief shocked at the news of a boat tragedy off the Italian island of Lampedusa, which is reported to have claimed at least 82 lives.
The Italian coastguard brings survivors of Thursday’s tragedy to the harbour in Lampedusa. © ANSA
GENEVA, October 3 (UNHCR) - UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres on Thursday said he was shocked at the news of a boat tragedy off the Italian island of Lampedusa, which is reported to have claimed at least 82 lives.
In a press release, UNHCR said that Guterres had commended the swift action taken by the Italian coastguard to save lives. “At the same time, he expressed his dismay at a rising global phenomenon of migrants and people fleeing conflict or persecution and perishing at sea,” the release added.
Of the estimated 500 passengers on the boat, believed to be Eritreans, only 147 have been rescued so far. The boat, which originated from Libya, caught fire half a mile from the coast.
The statement said UNHCR was actively engaging with countries in the region to provide effective alternatives for people resorting to taking these dangerous journeys so they do not have to risk their lives.
Thursday’s incident was the second boat disaster this week off Italy’s coast. Thirteen men drowned off the southern coast of Italy on Monday when they attempted to swim ashore from a foundering vessel.
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Shipwreck
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2020 Michigan graduate students strike
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Graduate Employees' Organization
The 2020 Michigan graduate students strike was a labor strike launched by the Graduate Employees' Organization, the graduate student employee union that represents approximately 2,100 graduate student instructors at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. The main cause of the strike was related to graduate students' objection to the university's plans for reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional calls were made by the union for defunding the campus police. The strike started on September 8, 2020 and was scheduled to last for four days, with a subsequent vote extending the strike for another week. Following the start of the strike, resident assistants and student employees for the university's dining services announced they would also strike over similar concerns regarding the university's COVID-19 policies. On September 16, union members voted to end the strike, with work resuming the following day. Prior to the strike, graduate student instructors (GSIs) at the University of Michigan expressed objections to the university administration's plans for reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 31, members of the Graduate Employees' Organization, the graduate student employee union at the university representing approximately 2,100 GSIs,[1] protested outside the house of President of the University of Michigan Mark Schlissel and organized a die-in. [2][3] On September 7 (Labor Day), the union announced a labor strike that would start the next day following a general membership vote held the previous day[4][5] that saw 80% of voters approve strike action. [6] According to the GEO president, just under 600 members voted in favor of striking and slightly less than 100 voted against it, with some members unavailable for the vote due to being away for Labor Day weekend. [7] The strike was scheduled to last for four days,[6] with a vote scheduled afterwards that would extend the strike for another week if union demands were not met. [8] A previous strike organized by GEO in 2008 had lasted only two days. [9]
Demands by the union include a universal right to work remotely,[6] increased COVID-19 testing (including random testing) by the university, and defunding the police on campus, with 50% of the campus police's budget to be reallocated towards community programs. [10] The Lecturers' Employee Organization (LEO), the union for lecturers at Michigan, announced on Labor Day that they support the GSIs' strike and share similar concerns over the campus's reopening policies. [11][12] However, LEO officials reminded members that they would not be participating in the strike, and that any members involved in strike action would be subject to disciplinary action. [7] In response to the call for a strike, the university highlighted that the strike would violate both the law of Michigan and the contract between the union and university signed in April 2020. [13] Additionally, the university claimed that some of the demands from the union could not be resolved through collective bargaining or contract renegotiations. [7] The Detroit-based alternative newspaper Metro Times called the university's actions "ironic," considering that their response came on Labor Day, a day strongly tied to the American labor movement. [14]
The strike began on September 8, with GSIs performing a work stoppage and picketing around the university campus. [15] That same day, the university filed an unfair labor practice charge against the union for violating terms of their contract. [16] Later that night, the Central Student Government Assembly, a student government at the university, unanimously passed a resolution in support of the strike,[17] urging students to not attend classes in solidarity with the strikers. [18] The next day, September 9, over 100 resident assistants at the university announced that they would also go on strike,[19] demanding both better protections from COVID-19 and hazard pay. [20][21] Additionally, graduate student unions at Harvard University and Western Michigan University expressed support for the strike, and some construction workers at the university joined striking GSIs on their picket lines. [22] That night, the union held a general meeting where they voted to reject a proposal that had been put forward by the university that would have ended the strike. [18] The proposal had been supported by GEO leadership, but was rejected by an "overwhelming majority" of the general membership,[12] with 736 voting to reject, 428 voting to approve, and 81 abstaining. [16] Following the rejection, the university issued a release describing the proposal in greater detail, also claiming that the strike has disrupted thousands of classes since its start and reiterating the illegality of the strike. [23] The university also claimed that they would rescind their unfair labor practice charge and not penalize striking employees if a deal could be reached that would end the strike. [1]
On September 10, student employees for the university's dining services announced they would perform a walkout the next day to also protest the university's COVID-19 policies. [24][25] The strike expired that same day, with a vote scheduled over the next two days that would determine if the strike would be prolonged. [16] On September 11, about 250 protestors gathered at the Michigan Union, where multiple speeches were given on issues pertaining to the strike. [26] By September 13, the union announced that 80% of the votes cast were in favor of extending the strike for another week. [27] The next day, President Schlissel announced that the university would be seeking a restraining order and a preliminary injunction against the union through the Washtenaw County Circuit Court to stop the strike. [28] According to the university, the union could be held in contempt of court and face civil damages if the injunction is granted. [27] That same day, U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan voiced her support for the strikers, accusing the university of "union-busting via the courts. "[29]
On September 16, the GEO held a press conference on the steps of the Hatcher Graduate Library where they elaborated on some of their anti-policing demands and spoke about the support they had received on both a local and national level. The conference included several members of the university community discussing their concerns with the university's COVID-19 response. [30] On the night of September 16, the union held a vote during a general meeting regarding a continuation of the strike. Ultimately, the union voted to end the strike with a vote of 1,074 to 239, with 66 members abstaining. [31] Statements by the union claimed that the university made "substantial movements" on all of the union's demands, including policing reforms that had not been addressed in the university's first proposal to the union. As part of the end to the strike, the university agreed to drop its case with the Circuit Court to intervene in the work stoppage. [29] Ultimately, the strike was the longest in GEO history since 1975. [29]
On September 16, at a meeting of the faculty senate of the University of Michigan which attracted over 2,000 participants, members voted 957 to 953 on a vote of no confidence against President Schlissel, with 184 faculty members abstaining. [32][33] While the vote was initially reported to have failed, the senate issued a statement on September 18 that said that, after a closer reading of Robert's Rules of Order regarding parliamentary procedure, the vote had actually passed. [34] This was the first time the faculty senate had ever voted no confidence on a president,[34] with the senate stating that they have "exhausted all channels of communication to express their grave concerns about reopening plans" and that the president "has shown little substantial changes in policy in response to expressed concerns". [32] The vote is a symbolic act, as the president is ultimately accountable not to the faculty, but to the Regents of the University of Michigan, who stated their support of Schlissel on September 17. [33][34]
On September 17, an open letter was published by staff members of the university in which they voiced alarm at the university's response to the strike actions and stated that they "believe many of the issues GEO and other student activists are fighting for remain unresolved". The letter, which also stated support for the resident assistants' demands, was signed by 116 university staff members by September 19. [19]
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Strike
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Brown locust plague threatens Eastern Cape farmers
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Locust in the Eastern Cape are moving westward rapidly, warns Agri Eastern Cape A brown locust outbreak that aggregated in the drought-ravaged Sarah Baartman and Chris Hani districts in the Eastern Cape is now moving westwards, warns Eben Du Plessis, chairman of the communications committee at Agri Eastern Cape. Du Plessis cautions that this brown locust outbreak has the potential to be a colossal natural disaster that could eat deep into the famers’ pockets if it is not addressed. The Eastern Cape provincial department of national development and agrarian reform in a recent media statement described the brown locust as an agricultural pest in South Africa that attacks all types of crops, although it prefers grasses, cereal crops and maize fields. READ: ARC wants Southern Africa fruit fly free in 3 years Prof. Frances Duncan, environmentalist at the school of animal, plant and environmental sciences at the University of Witwatersrand says that brown locusts (Locustana pardalina) exist all year round, but their numbers grow especially during the dry season. Duncan says the locusts continue to breed when it is dry, laying eggs. “The brown locust is fascinating because the eggs can stay dormant for three to five years. When there is a build-up of the eggs in the soil and the good rains come then all of these eggs start hatching. The hoppers emerge and they meet each other and start to form hopper bands.” Duncan says a female locust can lay about three to four egg packets in her lifetime, which lasts a month. Each egg packet can consist of about 20 eggs. She explains that the brown locust then goes through five growth stages before it can become a fully grown adult that is ready to fly. She explains that the brown locusts are particularly harmful to crops because if a swarm ends up on the maize fields, they consume the entire field. “At the moment the impact is not so severe, except that the locusts are competing with the livestock to consume grass. So, you don’t notice it that much but the impact could become very severe when the flying locust take off and they get into, for example, the Free State maize fields. That can cause considerable damage. They also eat the growing crops and that’s when food security is threatened,” she says. Brown locusts moving west rapidly Du Plessis warns that the damage that could be done by the brown locust in the Eastern Cape is enormous. “The brown locusts in the Eastern Cape are moving westward at a very rapid pace. They are still walking at this stage and not flying, which makes it a lot easier for spraying. But as soon as they start flying, they are going to move very fast and will do a lot of damage,” he says. He estimates that a swarm of locusts can damage a hectare of food per day and he believes that the brown locust is not a threat to food security, but rather a threat to farmers’ expenditure. “I don’t think it will have a direct impact on food security, but it will definitely impact farmers because it impacts their grazing. They have to move animals and give additional feed to the animals since the brown locusts have the potential of destroying a lot of hectares in the Karoo,” he explains. He indicates that they are trying to curb the brown locust outbreak by all means necessary with the assistance of the Eastern Cape provincial department of national development and agrarian reform and the national department of agriculture, land reform and rural development. “We are getting good support from the national department. These types of outbreaks fall under national departments. In De Aar we have made some recommendations from Agri Eastern Cape side to the national department and they are listening to us and helping a lot at this stage,” he says. He says the known affected areas are to the east of Middleburg, Graaff-Reinet and Cradock “They are a lot easier to contain when they are not flying because they don’t move so fast. The sprayers can identify and spray them with pesticides before they can disappear.” Du Plessis says the brown locusts first hit drought-stricken towns in the Northern Cape before moving to the Eastern Cape. “Some of them are hatching in the Eastern Cape, but a lot of them are hatching in the dry areas of the Northern Cape and then moving into the Eastern Cape. Areas like Richmond, Hanover and Noupoort have been spraying for the last month already,” he says. East African plague still a threat Hundreds of billions of locusts of a different species swarmed through parts of East Africa and South Asia in the worst infestation for a quarter of a century, threatening crops and livelihoods earlier this year. The swarms first appeared in Kenya in late December 2019, with a second wave following in April. The region is now bracing for a third, possibly bigger wave in the weeks ahead. Locusts haven’t been seen at this scale, in these numbers, for 70 years. According to the United Nations, a locust swarm one square kilometre in size can eat the same amount of food in a day as 35,000 people, a devastating amount of destruction for local farmers. Several countries and NGOs such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated over R2.8 billion to contain the swarms, making some progress in East Africa and Yemen, as well the Gulf states, Iran, Pakistan and India. Food For Mzansi is an initiative to introduce South Africans to the unsung heroes of the agricultural industry. We unashamedly share success stories and good news from the farms and agri-businesses who feed South Africa. We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society.
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Insect Disaster
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America’s First Corps deploys to Guam to lead Exercise Forager 21
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ANDERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Guam – America’s First Corps will lead U.S. Army Pacific’s Forager 21 which is the primary training exercise in support of Defender Pacific 21. Forager 21 is designed to test and refine the Theater Army and the Corps’ ability to deploy landpower forces to the Pacific, execute command and control, and effectively conduct multi-domain operations throughout Oceania from July 11 to August 6, 2021. “America’s First Corps is proud to lead Forager 21, a premiere training and operational partnership opportunity enabling U.S. Army Pacific and First Corps to practice its mission in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Maj. Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, commander of First Corps. “Forager 21 allows us to dynamically employ forces to the Pacific to practice our response to a full range of security concerns in support of our regional alliances and international agreements across all domains, land, air, sea, space and cyber.” It also enables follow-on exchanges and exercises with our allies and partners to deepen our military interoperability built over the decades and to help maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. Approximately 4,000 U.S. personnel are directly participating in Exercise Forager 21. This exercise will consist of several major events, to include: an 82nd Airborne operation, a bilateral airborne operation with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and 1st Special Forces Group, an AH-64 live fire exercise, multi-domain operations including movements of Strykers, Avengers, and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems by land, air, and sea, and modernization efforts in the space and cyber domains.
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Military Exercise
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US to withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council
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The U.S. will withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley announced Tuesday. The decision to exit the U.N. body comes after more than a year of threatening to do so, calling for reform, and accusing it of an anti-Israel bias -- but it also follows one day after its High Commissioner criticized the U.S. over President Donald Trump's immigration policies, especially the one that has led to separating of families at the U.S.-Mexican border. Haley blasted the U.N. body as a "hypocritical and self-serving organization that makes a mockery of human rights" and "is not worthy of its name," while Pompeo slammed it as "an exercise in shameless hypocrisy" and said it had become "an obstacle to progress and an impediment to change" by providing cover for repressive regimes. After repeated warnings by the Trump administration, Haley said, "Regrettably, it is now clear that our call for reform was not heeded." The administration has argued that the body, which issues a report on Israel at every session, is inherently biased against the U.S. ally. But it's also criticized it for including repressive regimes among its ranks and not speaking out against member states. In her remarks Tuesday, Haley specifically cited countries like Venezuela and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, both of which are members of the body. "When a so-called Human Rights Council cannot bring itself to address the massive abuses in Venezuela and Iran and it welcomes the Democratic Republic of Congo as a new member, the Council ceases to be worthy of its name," she said. She lamented that no country would publicly join U.S. efforts to reform the body, even while many expressed support, she said. Specifically, she called out Russia, China, Cuba, and Egypt for blocking reform efforts, saying they'd done so to protect their own bad behavior. The Human Rights Council was created in 2006 after its precursor, the Human Rights Commission, was disbanded by then-Secretary General Kofi Annan because of a "credibility deficit." The body consists of 47 member states, with a specific number of seats given to each region of the world. Members are elected by the U.N. General Assembly for three-year terms and cannot serve more than two terms in a row. When it began, President George W. Bush's administration boycotted it because its membership included countries with poor human rights records. It was only in 2009 that the U.S. joined the organization under President Barack Obama, whose administration argued that U.S. membership could better steer it. But since Trump came into office, his administration has threatened to withdraw if it did not reform: "If the Human Rights Council is going to be an organization we entrust to protect and promote human rights, it must change. If it fails to change, then we must pursue the advancement of human rights outside of the Council," Haley said at a speech in Geneva last year. The Human Rights Council opened its latest three-week session Monday, and the High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein blasted the U.S. in his opening remarks for its "unconscionable" immigration policy of separating migrant parents from their children at the border, calling it "government-sanctioned child abuse." Neither Haley nor Pompeo referenced Al Hussein's remarks or answered a reporter's shouted question about them, but Haley accused the body of "attack[ing] countries that uphold human rights and shield[ing] countries that abuse human rights." Pompeo also seemed to take a shot at Al Hussein's criticism, saying, "When organizations undermine our national interests and our allies, we will not be complicit. When they seek to infringe on our national sovereignty, we will not be silent." A State Department official said prior to their address that the withdrawal was something long under consideration: "You don't make those decisions in reaction to one person's comments," they said. Haley added that the U.S. would rejoin if the reforms it has called for were made, but the withdrawal is effective immediately. The decision was criticized by human rights groups, who argued it was part of a pattern by the Trump administration of undermining human rights protections. "Once again President Trump is showing his complete disregard for the fundamental rights and freedoms the U.S. claims to uphold," said Amnesty International's Secretary General Salil Shetty in a statement. The U.S. "is willfully choosing to undermine the human rights of all people everywhere and their struggles for justice." Some even questioned whether the U.S. departure would negatively affect ongoing investigations into human rights abuses. "A decision to withdraw from this vital body undermines the international community’s ability to take collective action against grave human rights abuses," said Dr. Homer Venters, Physicians for Human Rights' director of programs. "With current investigations into alleged atrocities in Myanmar against the Rohingya, a humanitarian crisis in Yemen, and assaults on health care and civilians in Syria, including chemical attacks, there is no time more pressing than the present for nations to redouble their efforts to unite in defending human rights around the world." Foreign leaders, too, expressed disappointment with the move, with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying through a spokesperson that he "would have much preferred for the United States to remain in the Human Rights Council. The U.N.'s Human Rights architecture plays a very important role in the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide." But the administration did get one vocal and almost immediate response in support of its decision. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted just minutes after the announcement, "Israel thanks President Trump, Secretary of State Pompeo, and Ambassador Haley for their decision against the hypocrisy and lies of the U.N. Human Rights Council. For years, the Council has proved itself to be a biased, hostile and anti-Israeli body that is betraying its mission to protect human rights."
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Withdraw from an Organization
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Justice News
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Pharmacist and Two Pharmacies Agree to Pay $1 Million to Resolve Allegations of False Claims for Anti-Overdose Drug
Riad “Ray” Zahr, a pharmacist in Dearborn, Michigan, along with two specialty pharmacies that Zahr formerly owned and operated, have agreed to pay the United States $1 million to resolve allegations that they submitted false claims for the drug Evzio. Evzio was an injectable form of naloxone hydrochloride indicated for use to reverse opioid overdose. Evzio was the highest-priced version of naloxone on the market, and insurers frequently required the submission of prior authorization requests before they would approve coverage for Evzio.
The United States contended that, between Aug. 1, 2017, and June 30, 2019, Plymouth Towne Care Pharmacy dba People’s Drug Store (People’s Drug Store) and Shaska Pharmacy LLC dba Ray’s Drugs (Ray’s Drugs) submitted false claims for Evzio to Medicare. In particular, the government alleged that People’s Drug Store and Ray’s Drugs submitted false and misleading prior authorization requests for Evzio that contained clinical assertions for which the pharmacies lacked any factual basis. At times, Zahr and the pharmacies initiated Evzio prescriptions based on rudimentary patient lists with only basic biographical details. Zahr and the pharmacies also included assertions in Evzio prior authorization requests purportedly authored by prescribing physicians regarding the comparative effectiveness of Evzio that the pharmacies or Zahr actually authored. The prescribing physicians did not review, sign or submit the prior authorizations at issue. The settlement also resolves allegations that Zahr, People’s Drug Store and Ray’s Drugs dispensed Evzio prescriptions to Medicare beneficiaries at times without collecting or attempting to collect co-payment obligations for Evzio, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
“We expect the submission of truthful and non-misleading documentation by all those involved in the delivery of health care goods or services, including pharmacies that submit claims for pharmaceutical products,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to preventing fraud in Medicare and other taxpayer-funded health care programs.”
“Taxpayers pay a huge amount of money for federal health care programs, and they expect that money will be spent honestly and effectively – especially when it comes to expensive therapies,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell for the District of Massachusetts. “Our job is to find and stop misconduct like this, which hurts those programs and cheats us all.”
“When health care providers put their own financial gain above honest billing of Medicare, they violate the basic trust the public extends to health care professionals,” said Special Agent in Charge Phillip M. Coyne of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS OIG). “Our agency, working with our law enforcement partners, will continue to root out all forms of waste, fraud and abuse in our federal health care programs.”
“Pharmacies that take shortcuts to increase their profits by submitting false claims for expensive drugs increase medical costs for all of us,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta of the FBI Boston Division. “Today's settlement should deter anyone thinking about abusing our federal health care programs that so many rely on for their health care needs.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Rebecca Socol, a former employee of kaléo Inc., the manufacturer of Evzio. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. As part of this resolution, Ms. Socol will receive $200,000 of the settlement amount. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Socol v. Plymouth Towne Care Pharmacy, Inc., 18-cv010050-RGS (D. Mass.) (under seal). On Nov. 9, the department announced that kaléo agreed to pay $12.7 million to resolve allegations that kaléo caused the submission of false claims for Evzio.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, with assistance from HHS OIG; the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Office of Personal Management, Office of Inspector General; the FBI; and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Sarah Arni of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Derusha and Abraham George for the District of Massachusetts.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Famous Person - Commit Crime - Investigate
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1954 Bjørnøya Consolidated PBY Catalina crash
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The 1954 Bjørnøya Consolidated PBY Catalina crash (Norwegian: Bjørnøya-ulykken) was a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) of a Consolidated PBY Catalina on the island of Bjørnøya in Svalbard, Norway, on 28 March 1954 at ca. 15:00. The Royal Norwegian Air Force aircraft of No. 333 Squadron RNoAF (333 Sqn) was conducting a postal drop flight from Tromsø to five settlements on Svalbard, including Bjørnøya Radio, making a low pass over Bjørnøya at a height of 40 meters (130 ft) before crashing into the ground. Only one of the nine on board survived. The crew at the station set out to find the aircraft in 3 ft (1 m) of snow, and did not manage to bring the survivor back to the station until the following day. Four military ships were dispatched to search for the aircraft. Once it was found, Andenes and Sørøy returned to Tromsø and then took the investigation commission to Bjørnøya. They concluded that the accident was caused by the aircraft losing altitude through a sideslip, possibly due to the pilot losing spatial awareness in the poor visibility. Svalbard had since its settlement in the early 20th century been entirely isolated from the world during winter, when ice closed its ports. As a trial, the air force carried out a postal delivery expedition in April 1949, dropping mail at Longyearbyen, Ny-Ålesund and Sveagruva. Another flight was carried out the following year, with two more in 1951. The services continued with increasing frequency throughout the 1950s. [1]
The aircraft was a Boeing-Canada PB2B-1 Catalina IVB—a version of the Consolidated PBY Catalina—with construction number 28129 and the Squadron code of KK-N. It was built in 1944 for the United States Navy. The aircraft was sold to Norway after the Second World War ended. It was bought by Vingtor Luftveier of Oslo and registered as LN-OAP on 2 June 1947. The RNoAF bought the aircraft on 15 September 1948. It was originally given the squadron code K-AN, which was later changed to KK-N.[2] The aircraft was part of No. 333 Squadron based at Sola Air Station. [3]
The flight was a postal delivery flight which was to drop mail at six Norwegian settlements and outposts in Svalbard. The flight plan was to take a load of post from Tromsø Airport, Skattøra and fly a route to drop it at Bjørnøya Radio, Isfjord Radio, Longyearbyen, Ny-Ålesund, Hopen Radio and then fly back via Bjørnøya. The flight had an estimated duration of sixteen hours. It had been delayed for several days because of bad weather. The aircraft was prepared for the flight on 27 March. [3]
The aircraft had a crew of eight: three pilots, two navigators, two radio operators and a mechanic. [3] The same crew had been attached to the aircraft and flown it together the past 20 months. [4] In addition there was a passenger, a journalist from the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, who was making a radio program about the flight. Originally the broadcaster had appointed Jan Frydenlund to the task, but when it became clear that the flight would be delayed by several days he was replaced by local radio journalist Sigvart Tingvoll. [3]
The aircraft departed Skattøra on 28 March at 01:55. The flight went as planned, with the post being dropped at Bjørnøya and all the other settlements. The surviving crewmember reported that the residents of the various settlements greeted the aircraft enthusiastically at all locations. The weather was generally poor, with low-laying rainclouds. However, there were clear spots in between the clouds which provided pockets of good sight. [4]
On the return leg from Hopen the aircraft followed a route via Bjørnøya, approaching the island from the northeast. At 14:57 it passed at low altitude just west of the station, while it retained radio contact. [5] Minutes later the station lost contact with the aircraft, although the operators there simply presumed that the aircraft's radio had stopped working—a common occurrence at the time. [3] The aircraft was flying at an altitude of only 40 meters (130 ft) above the ground over Bjørnøya. [6] While passing the radio operator on the Catalina had made contact with Bjørnøya Radio. He had attempted to make contact again just before impact, which was thought by the investigation commission to be possibly because the crew had discovered something wrong with the aircraft. This possible problem may have been the cause of the accident. [7] The impact took place 4.5 kilometers (3 mi) south of the station, when the tip of the right wing hit the ground and subsequently the aircraft crashed into the ground in an explosion. [5] The landscape at the accident site is completely flat. [6]
The investigation commission concluded that the accident was caused by the aircraft losing altitude, falling into a sideslip and descending into the ground, first hitting it with the right wingtip. The cause of loss of altitude was unknown, but could either have been part of a sideways banking maneuver or uncontrolled. The varying weather with pockets of good and poor visibility led the commission to believe that the aircraft could have flown into an area with fog and lost sight of the horizon. It reported that the accident took place towards the end of a very long flight and that fatigue could have reduced the pilots' faculties. This could be a decisive pivoting factor in the narrow margins while maneuvering at such low altitudes. The commission found no signs of technical error on the aircraft. It also commented that flying at low altitudes over the sea was common because of the lower wind speeds.
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Air crash
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1960 RB-47 shootdown incident crash
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On 1 July 1960, a United States RB-47H spy plane was shot down by the Soviet Air Defence Forces while performing signals intelligence in the Barents Sea, near the Kola Peninsula, off the Arctic coast of the Soviet Union. Four of the six crew members died. [1] The shootdown occurred exactly two months after the far better known U-2 shootdown involving Francis Gary Powers, and added to the tensions created by that incident. The plane was part of the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing and took off from RAF Brize Norton airbase in the UK. It was shot down by Soviet pilot Vasily Polyakov in a MiG-19. The US position was that the plane was in international waters, and this was later corroborated by information provided by spy Oleg Penkovsky. [2]
Three of the crewmen (reconnaissance officers Capt. Oscar Goforth, Capt. Dean Phillips, and Capt. Eugene Posa) were missing in action, and the remains of one other (aircraft commander Maj. Willard Palm) were recovered. [3][4] The two survivors, navigator Captain John R. McKone and co-pilot Captain Freeman "Bruce" Olmstead, were picked up by Soviet fishing trawlers and held in Lubyanka prison in Moscow until immediately after the inauguration of newly-elected US president Kennedy, when they were released by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev as a goodwill gesture. [5][6]
McKone and Olmstead appeared on the cover of the 3 February 1961 issue of Time magazine. [7] In his news conference on 21 April 1961, President Kennedy was asked if the dropping of charges against an accused Soviet spy was in exchange for the release of the RB-47 aviators. The president denied this. [8]
As a result of their involvement in the incident, Olmstead and McKone received POW medals in 1996 and Silver Star medals in 2004, as well as the Distinguished Flying Cross. [3][4]
General:
Analogous incidents:
White, William Lindsay (1962). The Little Toy Dog: The story of the two RB-47 flyers, Captain John R. McKone and Captain Freeman B. Olmstead. E.P. Dutton & Co. LCCN 62007801. OL 25622095M.
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Air crash
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Justice News
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Three Companies Face Charges of Negligent Conduct During Offshore Oil Leak that Damaged Southern California Coastline
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury today accused three companies with illegally discharging oil during a pipeline break in early October by acting negligently in at least six ways, including failing to properly respond to eight separate leak alarms over the span of more than 13 hours and improperly restarting the pipeline that had been shut down following the leak alarms.
An indictment filed this afternoon charges the companies that own and operate the 17-mile-long San Pedro Bay Pipeline with one misdemeanor count of negligent discharge of oil. The charged defendants are Amplify Energy Corp.; Beta Operating Co. LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of Amplify doing business as Beta Offshore); and San Pedro Bay Pipeline Co. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Amplify).
The pipeline, which was used to transfer crude oil from several offshore facilities to a processing plant in Long Beach, began leaking on the afternoon of October 1, but the defendants allegedly continued to operate the damaged pipeline, on and off, until the next morning. As a result of the allegedly negligent conduct, what is estimated to be about 25,000 gallons of crude oil were discharged from a point approximately 4.7 miles west of Huntington Beach from a crack in the 16-inch pipeline.
The indictment alleges that the defendants acted negligently by:
Failing to properly respond to eight alarms from an automated leak detection system that were activated between 4:10 p.m. on October 1 until the final alarm at 5:28 a.m. the following day;
Shutting down and then restarting the pipeline five times after the first five alarms were triggered on October 1, resulting in oil flowing through the damaged pipeline for a cumulative period of more than three hours;
Despite the sixth and seventh alarms, pumping oil for three additional hours late on October 1 into the early morning hours of October 2 while a manual leak test was performed;
Despite the eighth alarm, operating the pipeline for nearly one hour in the predawn hours of October 2 after a boat they contacted failed to see discharged oil in the middle of the night;
Operating the pipeline with crewmembers who had not been sufficiently trained on the automated leak detection system; and
Operating the pipeline with an understaffed and fatigued crew.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
For a corporate defendant, the charge of negligently discharging oil carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years of probation, as well as fines that potentially could total millions of dollars.
The Coast Guard Investigative Service; the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division; and the FBI are investigating the oil leak.
Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew O’Brien and Brian Faerstein of the Environmental and Community Safety Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
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Famous Person - Commit Crime - Investigate
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1931 Fuyun earthquake
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The 1931 Fuyun earthquake (富蕴地震) occurred on August 10 at 21:18 UTC. [3] The epicenter was near Fuyun County of northern Xinjiang, China. It was a Mw 8.0 earthquake[4] and had a surface rupture of 171 km[1] with a maximal horizontal displacement of 14 m[5] along the Koktokay-Ertai fault zone (可可托海-二台断裂带). [6] The Koktokay-Ertai fault has a slip rate of 4±2 mm per year. [7] The rupture of this earthquake was caused by right-lateral strike-slip movement with normal component. [8] The rupture is well preserved and becomes one of the main features of the Koktokay National Geopark (可可托海国家地质公园) located in Koktokay. [9]
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Earthquakes
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Berkeley police arrested the perpetrator of several bank robberies
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Berkeley police arrested 59-year-old Bryan Keith Richardson in Oakland on Thursday, said BPD spokesman Officer Byron White. Richardson “is also suspected of robbing several other banks throughout the Bay Area,” White said. He could not say more, he added, because those cases are being handled by other law enforcement agencies. But Pinole PD wrote on Facebook that Richardson was responsible for a robbery at Mechanics Bank there. SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY BRIEFING Don’t miss a story. Get Berkeleyside headlines delivered to your inbox. “The subject approached a teller, presented a note and demanded money,” Pinole PD wrote. “The teller complied with the suspect’s demand and handed over cash.” White said Richardson hit three banks in Berkeley in recent weeks: Jan. 14 at Mechanics Bank at 2301 Shattuck Ave. (at Bancroft Way); Jan. 22 at Mechanics Bank at 1801 Solano Ave. (at Colusa Avenue); and Jan. 27 at Wells Fargo at 1800 Solano Ave (also near Colusa). White said the Alameda County district attorney’s office charged Richardson on Monday “with multiple counts of robbery as well as several criminal enhancements.” Berkeleyside has requested further information and documents from the district attorney’s office. According to federal court papers, Richardson also pleaded guilty in 2009 to eight counts of bank robbery. He was sentenced to 120 months in prison as a result. According to jail records online, Richardson is being held on $100,000 bail. His next court appearance was not listed as of publication time. Berkeleyside relies on reader support so we can remain free to access for everyone in our community. Donate to help us continue to provide you with reliable, independent reporting.
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Bank Robbery
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Gibraltar given full Uefa membership at London Congress
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Gibraltar given full Uefa membership at London Congress
Gibraltar has been accepted as a full member of Uefa, European football's governing body.
The application was approved on a majority vote at the organisation's congress in London, with no votes against and no abstentions.
The British Overseas Territory off the south coast of Spain has a population of just under 30,000.
Gibraltar will be allowed to enter qualifying for the 2016 European Championship.
The territory tried to join Uefa in 2007 but the bid was controversially rejected. Spain opposed the move and threatened to boycott both club and international competitions if it succeeded.
Gibraltar football facts
600 registered players
Six teams in Gibraltar Premier Division - Lincoln FC (the 2012-13 champions), St Joseph's FC, Man United FC, Lynx FC, Lions Gibraltar, Glacis FC.
First bid to join Uefa rejected in 2007 when only England, Wales & Scotland voted in favour.
Only three of Uefa's 52 associations voted in favour of Gibraltar - the English, Welsh and Scottish Football Associations.
Previously Gibraltar, which has six top-division teams and 600 registered senior players, had been told it could not join Uefa as it was not a country recognised by the United Nations.
It was accepted as a provisional member of Uefa in October 2012 and that membership has now been ratified.
Spain continues to claim sovereignty over the territory, which has been ruled by Britain since 1713 under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht.
The European Union has put pressure on Spain and Britain to resolve the issue of Gibraltar's status. Both sides, under the Brussels Process launched in 1984, have attempted to reach an agreement.
But Spain's insistence on eventually acquiring full sovereignty, and Britain's determination to retain full control of Gibraltar's military base, have been among the stumbling blocks.
Uefa president Michel Platini has confirmed that Gibraltar and Spain will be kept apart in qualifying groups.
"Gibraltar will not play qualifying matches with Spain - we also have this situation with Armenia and Azerbaijan," Platini said.
Gibraltar head coach Allen Bula
Born: 4 January 1965
Represented country from Under-15 to Under-21 level
Played for Gibraltar United, St Joseph's and Glacis United
Formerly the head of football development and academy manager at Slovakian first division club MFK Kosice
"This is a momentous occasion for football in Gibraltar. Uefa membership means that we can begin the next chapter of Gibraltarian football," the president of the Gibraltar Football Association, Gareth Latin, said.
"At last we'll be able to show the whole of Europe that we can match the best with football of a high standard and entertaining style."
Allen Bula, head coach of Gibraltar's national side, would relish the chance to play the country's neighbours.
"I always said I would love to play Spain. I would play them any day, anywhere, any time," Bula told the BBC's World Football programme earlier this year.
"When I took over the national team I had one purpose - to show Europe and the world that what Spain were saying about us, that we were only in it for political reasons and that we didn't have any quality, was a load of rubbish.
"They have not let us progress, we've never given up and now we are ready to show Europe what we are made of."
Gibraltar becomes the smallest Uefa member in terms of population, behind San Marino (just over 32,000), Liechtenstein (approximately 37,000) and the Faroe Islands (just under 50,000).
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Join in an Organization
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Three people dead, five injured in head-on crash at Suttontown, near Mount Gambier
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Police and emergency services were called to the Princes Highway at Suttontown, 5 kilometres west of Mount Gambier, at 12:30pm. The three occupants of a Ford Territory — a 39-year-old woman, a 77-year-old woman and an 80-year-old man, all from Millicent — died at the scene. Four occupants of the second car, a Toyota Landcruiser, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while a fifth is being treated for critical injuries. Princes Highway is closed between Sassanowsky Road and Kangaroo Flat Road, with traffic diversions expected to remain for several hours. Major crash investigators are currently at the scene. Limestone Coast officer in charge Superintendent Phil Hoff said the fatal crash was "an absolute tragedy". "You can see the road is clearly defined by barrier lines, and what's happened is two vehicles have collided on one side of the road," he said. "That begs some questions, and our major crash people will put those pieces together." He said it appeared one vehicle was travelling towards Mount Gambier, while the other was travelling towards Millicent — but investigators still needed to determine which was on the wrong side of the road. He said the incident had "the worst possible outcome". "Three people dead, here we are a month before Christmas," he said. "In the Limestone Coast this year, we haven't had any lives lost on our road, none. In one fell swoop, three people have lost their lives and five others are being treated in hospital." Superintendent Hoff said while the crash was "absolutely heartbreaking", it made him "angry" as well. "We've gone to extraordinary lengths and been very vigorous in our traffic education campaigns, our traffic enforcement campaigns, and yet here we are," he said. As South Australia lifts its coronavirus border restriction with Victoria on Tuesday, the regional border communities were anticipating "a lot more traffic on the road". "The public can well and truly expect us to be out in force, ensuring that people are doing the right thing," Superintendent Hoff said. "We've all gone through so much hardship this year, the last thing we need is something like this to occur again." South Australia's road toll now stands at 85, compared to 101 at the same time last year.
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Road Crash
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India: Celebrity couples who got married amid lockdown
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From Rana Daggubati to Revathi, here's a look at stars who recently said their 'I dos' Published: August 11, 2020 11:22 IANS and Karishma H. Nandkeolyar, Parenting Editor Rana Daggubati and Miheeka Bajaj. The "Baahubali" star got married to Miheeka Bajaj on August 8 in the presence of close family and friends. The close-knit yet glamourous affair was hosted at the Ramanaidu Studios in Hyderabad. Actress Prachi Tehlan got married to Delhi-based businessman Rohit Saroha on August 7 in New Delhi. Prachi said every safety measure was ensured at the celebrations. "[The] health and safety of each and every human at the wedding is of utmost importance to me. That is why we have booked a venue that has a huge space. The idea is to make sure that guests do not come in close proximity to each other. Besides, we have invited them at an interval of 30 minutes to avoid crowding," she had said about her wedding. Image Credit: Instagram "Sasural Simar Ka" actor Manish Raisinghani tied the knot with Sangeita Chauhaan on June 30. They got married in a gurudwara in Mumbai in the presence of their immediate family members. "Ek haath mein Sword...Doosre haath mein Sanitizer.... and face pe mask...Hmmm...What do we call it shadi or kidnapping? Hmm.Congratulations @sangeitachauhaan Ur kidnapped (for life)," Manish wrote on his Instagram after his wedding. Image Credit: Instagram Television stars Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma had planned for a grand wedding in April, but had to stall due to the pandemic. On the same day, Puja took to her Instagram account to reveal that the couple had already had a court marriage one-and-half month back. They donated the amount they had set aside for their wedding. Image Credit: Instagram Telugu actor Nithiin tied the knot with Shalini at a five star hotel in Hyderabad in July. Despite the lockdown and the pandemic, the couple managed to host a grand wedding, while following the rules and restrictions imposed by the government due to the pandemic. Image "Saaho" director Sujeeth Reddy got married to Pravallika on August 2 in Hyderabad. It was a close-knit ceremony with only family members in attendance. On June 10, the couple got engaged in an intimate ceremony. They were in a relationship for the past few years. Image Credit: Instagram Telugu actor Nikhil Siddhartha got married to his longtime girlfriend Pallavi Varma at a farmhouse in Hyderabad in May. The couple were earlier planning to get married in April but had to postpone the wedding owing to the lockdown. The wedding was attended by only a few family members of the bride and the groom. Image Credit: Instagram Nikhil Gowda, Kannada actor and son of former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, got married to Revathi in April at a farmhouse near Bidadi in Ramanagara district amid the lockdown. It was said that the "wedding was simple without frills". Image Credit: Instagram
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Famous Person - Marriage
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2018-21 Turkish currency and debt crisis
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The 2018-21 Turkish currency and debt crisis (Turkish: Türkiye döviz ve borç krizi) is a financial and economic crisis in Turkey. It was characterized by the Turkish lira (TRY) plunging in value, high inflation, rising borrowing costs, and correspondingly rising loan defaults. The crisis was caused by the Turkish economy's excessive current account deficit and large amounts of private foreign-currency denominated debt, in combination with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's increasing authoritarianism and his unorthodox ideas about interest rate policy. [1][2][3][4] Some analysts also stress the leveraging effects of the geopolitical frictions with the United States and recently enforced tariffs by the Trump administration on some Turkish products such as steel and aluminum. [5]
While the crisis was prominent for waves of major devaluation of the currency, later stages were characterised by corporate debt defaults and finally by contraction of economic growth. With the inflation rate stuck in the double digits, stagflation ensued. The crisis ended a period of overheating economic growth under Erdoğan-led governments, built largely on a construction boom fueled by foreign borrowing, easy and cheap credit, and government spending. [6]
The economic crisis caused a significant decline in Erdoğan's and the AKP's popularity, which lost most of Turkey's biggest cities including Istanbul and Ankara in 2019 local elections. [7][8]
A longstanding characteristic of Turkey's economy is a low savings rate. [13] Since Recep Tayyip Erdoğan assumed control of the government, Turkey has been running huge and growing current account deficits, $33.1 billion in 2016 and $47.3 billion in 2017,[14] climbing to US$7.1 billion in the month of January 2018 with the rolling 12-month deficit rising to $51.6 billion,[15] one of the largest current account deficits in the world. [13] The economy has relied on capital inflows to fund private-sector excess, with Turkey's banks and big firms borrowing heavily, often in foreign currencies. [13] Under these conditions, Turkey must find approximately $200 billion a year to fund its wide current account deficit and maturing debt, while being always at risk of inflows drying up; the state has gross foreign currency reserves of just $85 billion. [2] The economic policy underlying these trends had increasingly been micro-managed by Erdoğan since the election of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2002, and strongly so since 2008, with a focus on the construction industry, state-awarded contracts and stimulus measures. Although, research and development expenditure of the country (% of GDP)[quantify] and the government expenditure on education (% of GDP)[quantify] are nearly doubled during AKP governments, the desired outcomes could not be achieved[16][17][10] The motive for these policies have been described as Erdoğan losing faith in Western-style capitalism since the 2008 financial crisis by the secretary general of the main Turkish business association, TUSIAD. [10] Although not directly related in the conflict, the Turkish invasion of Afrin largely strained US-Turkish relations, and led to mass instability in Syria. This led to global view of Turkey as an unnecessary aggressor. [18][19][20]
Investment inflows had already been declining in the period leading up to the crisis, owing to Erdoğan instigating political disagreements with countries that were major sources of such inflows (such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands). [1] Following the 2016 coup attempt, the government seized the assets of those it stated were involved, even if their ties to the coup were attenuated. Erdoğan has not taken seriously concerns that foreign companies investing in Turkey might be deterred by the country's political instability. [1] Other factors include worries about the decreasing value of lira (TRY) which threatens to eat into investors' profit margins. [1] Investment inflows have also declined because Erdoğan's increasing authoritarianism has quelled free and factual reporting by financial analysts in Turkey. [21] Between January and May 2017, foreign portfolio investors funded $13.2 billion of Turkey's $17.5 billion current account deficit, according to the latest available data. During the same period in 2018, they plugged just $763 million of a swollen $27.3 billion deficit. [22]
By the end of 2017, the corporate foreign-currency debt in Turkey had more than doubled since 2009, up to $214 billion after netting against their foreign-exchange assets. [23] Turkey's gross external debt, both public and private, stood at $453.2 billion at the end of 2017. [24] As of March 2018, $181.8 billion of external debt, public and private, was due to mature within a year. [25] Non-resident holdings of domestic shares stood at $53.3 billion in early March and at $39.6 billion in mid-May, and non-resident holdings of domestic government bonds stood at $32.0 billion in early March and at $24.7 billion in mid-May. [26] Overall non-residents' ownership of Turkish equities, government bonds and corporate debt has plummeted from a high of $92 billion in August 2017 to just $53 billion as of 13 July 2018. [22]
The finance minister of the Turkish government, Albayrak unveiled a new economic program to stave off the recent financial crisis. The three-year plan aims to "reign in inflation, spur growth and cut the current account deficit". [27] The plan includes reduction on the government expenditures by $10 billion and suspension of the projects whose tender have not been carried yet. The transformational phase of the plan will be focusing on value-added areas to increase the country's export volume and long-term production capacity with the goal of creating two million new jobs by 2021. [28] The program is expected to lower economic growth substantially in the short term (from a previous forecast of 5.5% to 3.8% in 2018 and 2.3% in 2019) but with a gradual growth increase by 2021 towards 5%. [29][30]
Turkey has experienced substantially higher inflation than other emerging markets. [32] In October 2017, inflation was at 11.9%, the highest rate since July 2008. [33] In 2018, the lira's exchange rate accelerated deterioration, reaching a level of US$4.0/TRY by late March, US$4.5/TRY by mid-May, US$5.0/TRY by early August and 6.0 as well as US$7.0/TRY by mid-August. Among economists, the accelerating loss of value was generally attributed to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan preventing the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey from making the necessary interest rate adjustments. [34][35]
Erdoğan, who said interest rates beyond his control to be "the mother and father of all evil",[36] shared unorthodox interest rate theories in a 14 May interview with Bloomberg and said that "the central bank can't take this independence and set aside the signals given by the president. "[34][37] Presidential interference with central bank policy comes with a general perception in international investment circles of a "textbook institutional decline" in Turkey, with Erdoğan seen increasingly reliant on politicians whose main qualifications for their jobs is loyalty, at the expense of more qualified and experienced options. [38] Erdoğan also has a long history of voicing Islamist discourse of interest-based banking as "prohibited by Islam" and "a serious dead-end". [39][40] He is also on record referring to interest rate increases as "treason". [3] Despite Erdogan's opposition, Turkey's Central Bank made sharp interest rates increases. [41]
The Financial Times quoted leading emerging markets financial analyst Timothy Ash analyzing that "Turkey has strong banks, healthy public finances, good demographics, pro-business culture but [has been] spoiled over past four to five years by unorthodox and loose macroeconomic management. "[42] By mid-June, analysts in London suggested that with its current government, Turkey would be well advised to seek an International Monetary Fund loan even before the dwindling central bank foreign exchange reserves run out, because it would strengthen the central bank's hand against Erdoğan and help gain back investor confidence in the soundness of Turkey's economic policies. [43]
Economist Paul Krugman described the unfolding crisis as "a classic currency-and-debt crisis, of a kind we’ve seen many times", adding: "At such a time, the quality of leadership suddenly matters a great deal. You need officials who understand what’s happening, can devise a response and have enough credibility that markets give them the benefit of the doubt. Some emerging markets have those things, and they are riding out the turmoil fairly well. The Erdoğan regime has none of that. "[44]
During the emergence of the crisis, lenders in Turkey were hit by restructuring demands of corporations unable to serve their USD or EUR denominated debt, due to the loss of value of their earnings in Turkish lira. While financial institutions had been the driver of the Istanbul stock exchange for many years, accounting for almost half its value, by mid-April they accounted for less than one-third.
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Financial Crisis
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Kalamazoo man, 23, acquitted of murder charge is released from jail on bond
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Updated: Oct. 25, 2021, 12:17 p.m. | Published: Oct. 25, 2021, 12:17 p.m. 20 By Marie Weidmayer | mweidmay@mlive.com KALAMAZOO, MI – A man acquitted of murder charge was granted bond after nearly two years in jail. Gabreon Wells-Lindsey, 23, was convicted of one felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon and acquitted of open murder and felony firearms by a jury Oct. 14 in Kalamazoo County Circuit Court. He was granted a $5,000 cash or surety bond by Judge Gary Giguere Jr. on Oct. 22. Some of the bond conditions include wearing a GPS tether, a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day and no contact with witnesses from the trial. Wells-Lindsey was denied bond when he was first arrested Nov. 13, 2019. It was changed after he was acquitted of open murder. His bond was posted Oct. 23, per Kalamazoo County Jail records. Related: Jury finds man, 23, not guilty of murder in 2019 fatal shooting of Kalamazoo man Wells-Lindsey fatally shot Alex Johnson Nov. 13, 2019. Both attended Loy Norrix High School, and played basketball together. Wells-Lindsey admitted to shooting Johnson, when he testified during the trial, but said it was in self-defense. Johnson also had a gun. Wells-Lindsey said he saw Johnson start to move the gun from where he was holding it at his side. At that point, Wells-Lindsey said, he dropped into a squat, moved against a wall and pulled out the gun he had on the small of his back. He said he then started to shoot behind himself as he ran for the door. Wells-Lindsey is scheduled to be sentenced for the carrying a concealed weapon charge on Nov. 8. It carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
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Famous Person - Commit Crime - Release
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1998 China floods
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The 1998 China floods (1998年中国洪水) lasted from middle of June to the beginning of September 1998 in China at the Yangtze River[1] as well as the Nen River, Songhua River[2] and the Pearl River. In the summer of 1998, China experienced severe flooding of the Yangtze River, the Nen River, the Songhua River and the Pearl River after torrential rains took place. Areas that were most threatened associated the Yangtze include the low-lying basins surrounding the Dongting and Poyang lakes, and surrounding provinces in Hubei and Hunan. [3]
The event was considered the worst Northern China flood in 40 years. [4] The floods resulted in 3,704 dead, 15 million homeless and $24 billion in economic loss. [5] Other sources report a total loss of 4150 people, and 180 million people were affected. [4] Around 100,000 square kilometres (25,000,000 acres) were evacuated, and 13.3 million houses were damaged or destroyed. The main cause of the flood was due to above average rainfall in the region for several months before and during the summer of 1998. [6] Most areas saw double the normal amount of rainfall during the rainy season, with certain regions seeing rainfall levels as much as nearly three times the historical average. [6][7] Combined with above average rainfall since the previous winter, this pushed water levels to above cautionary levels. The floods can be split into three general stages, beginning when one of the strongest subtropical highs in history arrived in the Yangtze River Basin during mid-June and lingered, providing sustained heavy rainfall for a period of roughly two weeks. [6][7] As much as 1000 mm of precipitation was seen in some locations. [7] After briefly shifting north, the same system eventually returned to the region in mid-July. [7] Although the system had weakened, rainfall during this period was more intense and localized. [7] During this second period of rain, many surrounding lakes and rivers broke record high water levels and overflowed into the Yangtze River, causing a sudden sharp rise in water levels. [7] Another 300-500 mm of rain was seen across several areas during this second phase, causing significant damage as it flowed into villages and towns. [7] The final period of rainfall occurred in August, with an average of 150-200 mm of rainfall seen in most regions. [7] Although the water had begun to subside at this point, this extra rainfall caused further damage to homes and farmland in the surrounding areas. [6][7] It was also during this period that the dikes began to break, causing further death and widespread damage to property. [7]
(Archived 2009-10)
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Floods
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Go WestRussia holds the largest military exercise in Europe for 40 years
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The zapad (“west”) military exercise of 1981 was the largest and grandest exercise ever conducted by the Soviet Union, mustering as many as 150,000 troops from across the ussr and its alliance of satellite states, the Warsaw Pact. Cold-war nostalgics may be pleased to learn that this year’s iteration, which began on September 10th, might be larger still. Zapad-21 could involve up to 200,000 troops from Russia, Belarus and several other countries, if Russia’s defence ministry is to be believed, outnumbering even the very largest NATO exercises of recent times. That reflects both the frostiness of Russia’s ties with the West, and the strengthening of those with Belarus. Whether Zapad-21 will in fact match the spectacle of 1981 is not entirely clear. In part, that is because Russia is caught between playing down the scale of its exercises, for diplomatic reasons, and embellishing them, to awe its enemies. The Vienna Document, a confidence-building measure agreed between Russia and the West in 1990, says that exercises with more than 13,000 troops must be reported and open to foreign observers. In recent years, Russia has simply insisted that what appear to be huge drills are in fact a series of distinct, smaller ones, and thus exempt.
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Military Exercise
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2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot
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The 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot was a public disturbance in the downtown core of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 2011. The riot broke out almost immediately after the conclusion of the Boston Bruins' win over the Vancouver Canucks in game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals, which won the Stanley Cup for Boston. At least 140 people were injured during the incident, including 1 critically. At least 4 people were stabbed, 9 police officers were injured, and 101 people were arrested.
Four years after the riot, police finished their investigation and recommended the final charges against two suspects, bringing the total to 887 charges against 301 people.
City organizers had set up a two-block long fan zone on six-lane Georgia Street near the Rogers Arena. Two big screen TVs were set up for fans to watch the game. Temporary fences and gates were set up to provide checkpoints where police could control access to the area and check for alcohol (which police generally poured out when found). Following recommendations stemming from the 1994 riot, all liquor stores in the area were closed earlier in the day. Crowds had been generally well-behaved in the fan zone for the previous six games, with roughly 70,000 attending each event. Similar though smaller events had been very successful during the 2010 Winter Olympics. For the final game, an estimated 100,000 people crowded into the area, and people found ways to enter the zone without being checked for alcohol. Planned corridors to allow movement of emergency vehicles became impassable.
Violence frequently occurs in the wake of sporting events in North America and Europe.The 2011 Vancouver riot is consistent with past Stanley Cup riots in Canada. Since the 1980s, Vancouver itself had riots following the Canucks' defeat in 1994, while Edmonton Oilers fans set fires and looted in the Whyte Avenue ("Blue Mile") area of Edmonton when the team qualified for the 2006 finals, and Montreal was vandalized by Montreal Canadiens fans after both the 1986 and 1993 titles, and during the 2008 and 2010 playoffs.
On Wednesday, June 15, 2011, the riot began to take shape as the game came to a close at 7:45 p.m., with some spectators throwing bottles and other objects at the large screens in the viewing area. Boston Bruins flags and Canucks jerseys were set afire, and soon some rioters overturned a vehicle in front of the main post office. According to one eyewitness, a group who was heard chanting "Let's go riot, let's go riot" as early as the first period of the game were among those responsible for flipping the first car. [15] Fist fights broke out when people standing on porta-potties fell when others tipped the porta-potties over. People began jumping on the car that had been first overturned; it was set afire at 7:46.With a crowd of onlookers chanting "burn the truck", a second vehicle in the same area was lit ablaze. Firemen were able to put it out]
but the truck was again set afire after it was overturned. In a nearby parking lot, two Vancouver Police squad cars were later also set on fire.
In total, 17 cars were burned, including police cars. Windows were smashed in a bank and various businesses along the West Georgia corridor, some of which were also looted. Riot police eventually managed to push the rioters away from Georgia, onto Granville Street and Robson Street, where the rioters then caused further substantial damage, breaking the windows of several shops and looting. Some of the stores affected were Future Shop, Sears and Chapters bookstore. One man was sent to hospital in critical condition after he attempted to jump from the Georgia Viaduct onto another platform and fell.
Several hundred theatregoers were attempting to leave after a showing of the Broadway musical Wicked but were trapped and remained inside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, which was situated in the riot zone. Transit authorities diverted or halted bus routes normally running through the affected area, and police closed bridge lanes into the city so that people could leave the area but further arrivals were restricted. By midnight, the majority of the crowd had dispersed. The Vancouver Police Department made 101 arrests during the riot. 85 people were arrested for breach of peace, eight for public intoxication and eight for breaking and entering, assault or theft.
In the immediate aftermath, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson initially attributed the situation to "a small group of troublemakers". [26][27] Vancouver Police Department Chief Jim Chu said that instigators appeared to be some of the same individuals involved in a protest on the opening day of the 2010 Winter Olympics, and that they came equipped with eye protection, gasoline and other tools. He called them "criminals and anarchists" who disguised themselves as fans. The idea that anarchists were involved in the violence was rejected by UBC political science professor Glen Coulthard, and others in a Vancouver Sun article on June 24. "That this gets tagged as anarchist activity is just more of an assumption or bias that has been around for a long time," said Coulthard. "[A]narchists are a convenient scapegoat for the police to deflect responsibility for what happened," said another commentator. One critic indicated that authorities had made several mistakes in the planning for the crowd—among them allowing parked cars near the screens and leaving newspaper boxes nearby which could be used as projectiles.
After the riot, thousands of volunteers organized via texting and social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to clean up the damage. The estimated 15,000 volunteers,many taking a day off work, stated that they went downtown to clean up the damage to "... show that not all Canucks fans are like that".Streets were reportedly clean by 10 am, with volunteers having shown up with brooms and dustpans to clean the city. Boarded up windows were covered in apologies and defences of the city's reputation. In response, the Hudson's Bay Company, a major retailer in the area, hosted a free pancake breakfast in thanks.
As many as 70 officers from eight different police agencies formed the Integrated Riot Investigation Team, tasked with sifting through hundreds of hours of video and other evidence to identify rioters. Several participants in the riots turned themselves in to police after their faces were broadcast on TV, including the person responsible for setting the first car on fire. More than 1,000,000 photos and 1,200 – 1,600 hours of video recorded by citizens were sent to the Vancouver Police Department as evidence.
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) offered their facial-recognition software to the police in an attempt to aid in their criminal investigation of the riot.
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Riot
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‘Your Honor, This Is Racism’: Black Man Claims Bias Before Getting Longest Sentence So Far In Connection with Jan. 6 Insurrection, Judge Says Not So Fast
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A Black man received the longest sentencing yet in connection to the Capitol riots that took place on Jan. 6. On Thursday, Oct. 21, Troy Anthony Smocks of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 14 months in prison after pleading guilty to one felony count of transmitting threats in interstate commerce, WUSA reported. However, Smocks did receive credit for nine months served while he awaited trial. Federal prosecutor stated that the man traveled to Washington on Jan. 6 and for the next two days, repeatedly shared threats via his Parler account. It is believe he never entered the Capitol on that fateful day. In one message the 58-year-old wrote, “Many of us will return on January 19th, 2021, carrying our weapons in support of Our nation’s resolve, to which the world will never forget. We will come in numbers that no standing army or police agency can match.” Meanwhile, in another post, Smocks allegedly encouraged other users on the social media platform to “get our personal affairs in order” and to prepare their weapons, also telling them, “Let’s hunt these cowards down like the Traitors that each of them are.” Prior to being sentenced by U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, Smocks — who reportedly has an extensive criminal history — claimed he was being discriminated against because of his race, citing Dawn Bancroft, another suspect who is white. Bancroft was permitted to plead to a misdemeanor, despite actually trespassing on government property and entering the U.S. Capitol. On the day of the attacks, the 59-year-old white woman recorded herself looking for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi “to shoot her in the friggin’ brain.” CNN reports that Bancroft was not charged by federal prosecutors with making the threats “because Bancroft had uttered the comment while she was exiting the Capitol, potentially making it harder to prove that the threat to Pelosi was serious.” Bancroft’s charges of illegally demonstrating, picketing, or parading inside the Capitol carry a maximum sentence of six months in prison, a third the amount of time Smocks received. “Your honor, this is racism,” Smocks contended, before referencing Martin Luther King Jr., claiming he shares the same “idea of justice” as the late civil rights leader. However, Chutkan was not moved. She slammed Smocks, telling the man, “Coming into this courtroom and trying to make yourself out to be a victim of racism. … I find that offensive.” She continued, “There are people who died for civil rights. For you to hold yourself up somehow as a soldier in that fight is really quite audacious,” before noting that Smocks’ crime history was not that of someone capable of living “a law-abiding life.” “I listened to every word Mr. Smocks said, and nowhere did I hear a single word of remorse,” Chutkan added. “Not a single word of acknowledgment of the enormity and seriousness of what he did.” In addition to 14 months in prison, Smocks was handed three years of supervised release. With Democrats saying racism has often been behind decisions of how and where to build highways, and Republicans raising their voices to counter them, a culture war could be in the making. Jeremy Renner says that he turned down the role of Hellboy in Guillermo del Toro's 'Hellboy' movie before getting cast as Hawkeye. The suspect surrendered when deputies arrived, officials say. Police say they found the man with his pants down wearing an open jacket. Yuhwei Chou sat still and expressionless in a video room at the jail during the virtual hearing before Superior Court Judge Peter Tober on Tuesday. Twenty-five years ago, a man feeding ducks with his nephew spotted a cardboard box wrapped in rope and duct tape floating down a Miami Lakes canal. Thinking it might be something valuable, they corralled the box, opened it and were immediately met with the smell of rotting flesh. The customer was angry hot soup had melted its plastic lid, according to the worker’s TikTok video. NEWPORT NEWS — A murder trial began Tuesday in a slaying that prosecutors say stemmed from a long-running feud between two female U.S. Postal Service mail carriers in Newport News. Jeremy Pettway, 41, who also worked at the Patrick Henry post office, faces first-degree murder and other charges in the April 7 slaying of 39-year-old Salahud-Din “Sal” Ibn Shabazz just inside the doorway of his ... It has the makings of a Hollywood thriller: A determined dad rescues his teenage daughter from an alleged Seattle sex trafficking ring and then takes brutal A Las Vegas judge ordered former Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III to appear before her on Monday after learning he missed a required alcohol test while on house arrest following a fatal crash he’s accused of causing by driving drunk at speeds up to 156 mph. Ruggs’ lawyers told Justice of the Peace Suzan Baucum that Ruggs “self-tested” negative shortly after missing one of his calls for a breath test last weekend. Ruggs' attorney, David Chesnoff, blamed the delay on trouble with testing equipment. Baker Mayfield, Kim Kardashian West and others have shown their support for the execution of Julius Jones, an Oklahoma man, to be called off. The rawness of these past few months in Kenosha spills out onto the Kenosha County Courthouse steps as people wait for the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict. Stephen B. Morton/GettyTravis McMichael, the Georgia man accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery last February, took the stand on Wednesday and told jurors he only shot the 25-year-old unarmed Black man because it was a “life or death situation.”“He had my gun. It was obvious that he was attacking me and if he’d have gotten the shotgun from me, it’d be a life and death situation,” McMichael said while testifying on his own behalf in Glynn County court. McMichael, his father, Gregory, and William “Rod Kyle Rittenhouse's defense team filed an updated motion for mistrial with prejudice ahead of Monday's closing arguments. The Pennsylvania gas station's sole worker at the time left a note saying, "Closed because the people of Moon Township treat our employees horribly!" One night in late May, a 39-year-old Virginia Beach woman joined several friends for a night of barhopping. The woman’s son had agreed to serve as the designated driver, and waited in his vehicle in the parking lot while the woman and her friends went into their final stop of the night — Seaside Raw Bar at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The last thing the woman remembers about that evening was ... Unlike in the trial of Kenosha vigilante Kyle Rittenhouse, the Georgia judge overseeing the trial of three white men accused in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery ain’t picking up what the defense is putting down. On Monday, the lawyers for Greg and Travis McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan for the second time tried to make an issue of Black ministers sitting in the courtroom in support of the Arbery’s family. And again, according to the New York Times, Judge Timothy Walmsley shut it down when they The Florence County Coroner confirmed to a local TV station that Sheridan Wahl suffered internal injuries. Her body was found at the bottom of the fire station’s training tower. Three suspects are being sought out in connection with an attack on a 30-year-old Asian man in New York City on October 23. Reported incident: Security footage from the incident provided the New York Police Department with images of the attack and perpetrators. According to the NYPD Hate Crimes Twitter, five people approached the man around 10:30 p.m. near 31st St. and Fifth Ave in Manhattan’s Koreatown. The man who filmed two teenagers stealing his car talks about the financial and mental burden of being a crime victim.
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Famous Person - Commit Crime - Sentence
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Manzanita Fire
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The Manzanita Fire was a wildfire that burned south of the towns of Beaumont and Banning near Highway 79 in Riverside County, California during June 2017. The fire had consumed some 6,309 acres (2,553 ha) and was burning eastward towards the community of Poppet Flats and Highway 243. [2] Fanned by Red Flag conditions, the Manzanita fire ignited from a traffic collision that grew to over 1,200 acres (490 ha) within several hours of burning. [3] The communities of Poppet Flats, Silent Valley and Highland Springs were threatened for a time but no structural damage occurred during this incident. [4] The fire was fully contained on Friday, June 30. [1]
The fire was initially reported at 3:10 pm on Monday, June 26, off of Highway 79 in the Lamb Canyon area, burning with a rapid rate of spread in heavy grass and chaparral. First reported to be 40 acres in size, the fire soon ballooned to 500 to then 1,200 acres within the next three hours as hot, dry, windy conditioned fueled the flames burning in already rugged terrain. [2] Highway 79 was closed in both directions, from Beaumont Avenue to Gilman Springs Road, due to the severe fire actively burning on both sides of the highway. However the highway was reopened later that evening. [5][6] An evacuation warning was issued as of 6:30 p.m., that day, for Highland Home Road east to Highway 243, as well as the communities of Poppet Flats and Silent Valley. [6] Late Monday, many residents across the Inland area received an emergency alert via their cellphones telling them to “evacuate now.” However, the sending of that warning was in fact an error. [2] At 11:45 pm, 8 hours after the fires ignition, Cal Fire reported the fire to be 5,000 acres in size. [1] Overnight, the fire advanced toward the Silver Fire burn area of August 2013 where it would later burn itself out. [7]
By Tuesday morning, the fire was estimated at 5,800 acres in size with no structures destroyed. However, the areas of Poppet Flats and Silent Valley were still under an evacuation warning. [7] As the day progressed, the fire was seemingly largely contained as there was a lack of smoke or active flame within the burn area. However the fire remained at 20% containment due to the Red Flag fire conditions that persisted, with winds blowing through the area at 40 mph. [7] Over 1,300 firefighters were on scene battling the fire by Tuesday evening. [7]
On Wednesday morning, officials had updated the incident burn area to 6,309 acres in size due to better mapping overnight. [4] Containment grew from 20 percent to 77 percent as firefighters were being released from the incident, dropping the number of personnel from 1,300 to 575. The evacuation warning for the area of Highland Home Road as well as the San Jacinto Mountain communities of Poppet Flats and Silent Valley were also lifted Wednesday. [4]
Cooler temperatures and a lack of wind in the fire area assisted firefighters in gaining the upper hand on the incident. [8] On Friday evening, four days after the fire broke out, the Manzanita fire was declared 100 percent contained at 6,309 acres (26 km2) in size. [1]
The fire was determined to have been caused by a traffic collision on Highway 79 in the Lamb Canyon Landfill area when a vehicle veered off the roadway and went down an embankment, igniting the brush. Two individuals from the vehicle, both a woman and a man, escaped with non-life-threatening injuries.
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Fire
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Nyrstar fined $35,000 for toxic acid spill into waterways near Port Pirie lead smelter
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The owners of Port Pirie's lead smelter have been fined $35,000 for a series of failures that led to 700 litres of "toxic" sulphuric acid leaking from the plant into waterways and mangroves near the town.
Nyrstar caused material environmental harm by polluting the environment through toxic waste leakage between January 31 and February 2, 2019 — the extent of that harm could not be quantified.
The Environment, Resources and Development Court previously heard the company did not respond for about eight hours as it made "a wrong assumption" that the leak only contained weak acid.
Judge Paul Muscat said the case was not a "flagrant disregard" by Nyrstar and sat at the lower end of the scale.
"An incident of this general nature was not entirely unforeseeable and effective mechanisms to prevent it could — and should — have been implemented," he said.
"The incident was not caused by a single error but a combination of small failures in processes and human error that led to environment harm.
"These systems and processes were clearly insufficiently designed and not implemented to the required standard.
"The harm in this case is to be limited to potential environmental harm that is not trivial."
The acid leak occurred when the systems the Nyrstar had in place to prevent a spillage "failed", with sulphuric acid corroding a wrongly installed valve on the very system designed to safeguard against leakage.
It led to "a slug" of acid filtering into the waterways.
The Environment Protection Authority previously — in seeking a penalty of up to $120,000 — told the court the leak increased the presence of heavy metals in the natural and manmade waterways that were toxic to aquatic life, but it could not be "conclusively proven" that the acid leak was responsible for killing fish, as there was an algal bloom present at the same time.
A spokesperson for Nyrstar said quick action was taken after the spill to replace the affected valve.
"Nyrstar also made adjustments and upgrades to ancillary equipment to reduce the likelihood of further spills, and improved its monitoring and response processes to better manage potential spills," the spokesperson said.
"Nyrstar has fully cooperated from the outset with the EPA investigation and subsequent court proceedings.
"In addition, it undertook its own investigation and shared its data and findings with the EPA.
"Since the date of the spill, Nystar's new management has driven further significant environment- and safety-related upgrades at the Port Pirie site."
Judge Muscat gave Nyrstar credit for addressing the inefficiencies in its systems.
The company has also been ordered to pay costs of $5,000.
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Environment Pollution
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Air traffic controllers' strike of 1981
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The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization or PATCO was a United States trade union that operated from 1968 until its decertification in 1981 following an illegal[1] strike that was broken by the Reagan Administration. PATCO was founded in 1968 with the assistance of attorney and pilot F. Lee Bailey. On July 3, 1968, PATCO announced "Operation Air Safety" in which all members were ordered to adhere strictly to the established separation standards for aircraft. The resultant large delay of air traffic was the first of many official and unofficial "slowdowns" that PATCO would initiate. In 1969, the U.S. Civil Service Commission ruled that PATCO was no longer a professional association but in fact a trade union. [2] On June 18–20, 1969, 477 controllers conducted a three-day sick-out. [3]
On March 25, 1970, the newly designated union orchestrated a controller "sickout" to protest many of the FAA actions that they felt were unfair; over 2,000 controllers around the country did not report to work as scheduled and informed management that they were ill.[4] Controllers called in sick to circumvent the federal law against strikes by government unions. Management personnel attempted to assume many of the duties of the missing controllers but major traffic delays around the country occurred. On April 16, the federal courts intervened and most controllers went back to work by order of the court, but the government was forced to the bargaining table. The sickout led officials to recognize that the ATC system was operating nearly at capacity. To alleviate some of this, Congress accelerated the installation of automated systems, reopened the air traffic controller training academy in Oklahoma City, began hiring air traffic controllers at an increasing rate, and raised salaries to help attract and retain controllers. [2]
In the 1980 presidential election, PATCO (along with the Teamsters and the Air Line Pilots Association) refused to back President Jimmy Carter, instead endorsing Republican Party candidate Ronald Reagan. PATCO's refusal to endorse the Democratic Party stemmed in large part from poor labor relations with the FAA (the employer of PATCO members) under the Carter administration and Ronald Reagan's endorsement of the union and its struggle for better conditions during the 1980 election campaign. [5][6]
During his campaign, Reagan sent a letter to Robert E. Poli, the new president of PATCO, in which he declared support for the organization's demands and a disposition to work towards solutions. In it, he stated "I will take whatever steps are necessary to provide our air traffic controllers with the most modern equipment available, and to adjust staff levels and workdays so they are commensurate with achieving the maximum degree of public safety," and "I pledge to you that my administration will work very closely with you to bring about a spirit of cooperation between the President and the air traffic controllers." This letter gave Poli and the organization a sense of security that led to an overestimation of their position in the negotiations with the FAA, which contributed to their decision to strike. [7]
In February 1981, PATCO and the FAA began new contract negotiations. Citing safety concerns, PATCO called for a reduced 32-hour work week, a $10,000 pay increase for all air-traffic controllers and a better benefits package for retirement. [8] Negotiations quickly stalled. Then, in June, the FAA offered a new three-year contract with $105 million of up front conversions in raises to be paid in 11.4% increases over the next three years, a raise more than twice what was being given to other federal employees, “The average federal controller (at a GS_13 level, a common grade controller) earned $36,613, which was 18% less than private sector counterpart";[9] with the raise demanded, the average federal pay would have exceeded the private sector pay by 8%, along with better benefits and shorter working hours. However, because the offer did not include a shorter work week or earlier retirement, PATCO rejected the offer. [10]
At 7 a.m. on August 3, 1981, the union declared a strike, seeking better working conditions, better pay (PATCO sought a total raise of $600 million over three years, compared to FAA's offer of $40 million)[9] and a 32-hour workweek (a four-day week and an eight-hour day combined). In addition, PATCO wanted to be excluded from the civil service clauses that it had long disliked. In striking, the union violated 5 U.S.C. (Supp. III 1956) 118p (now 5 U.S.C. § 7311), which prohibits strikes by federal government employees. Anthony Skirlick of the Los Angeles Center warned that these “Unrealistic demands in the face of this change is suicide". [9] Despite supporting PATCO's effort in his 1980 campaign, Ronald Reagan declared the PATCO strike a "peril to national safety" and ordered them back to work under the terms of the Taft–Hartley Act. Only 1,300 of the nearly 13,000 controllers returned to work. [5] At 10:55 a.m., Reagan included the following in a statement: "Let me read the solemn oath taken by each of these employees, a sworn affidavit, when they accepted their jobs: 'I am not participating in any strike against the Government of the United States or any agency thereof, and I will not so participate while an employee of the Government of the United States or any agency thereof. '"[11] He then demanded those remaining on strike return to work within 48 hours or officially forfeit their positions. After PATCO disobeyed a federal court injunction ordering an end to the strike and return to work, a federal judge found union leaders including PATCO President Robert Poli to be in contempt of court, and the union was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine, and certain named members were ordered to pay a $1,000 fine[12] for each day its members are on strike. At the same time, Transportation Secretary Drew Lewis organized for replacements and started contingency plans. By prioritizing and cutting flights severely (about 7,000), and even adopting methods of air traffic management that PATCO had previously lobbied for, the government was initially able to have 50% of flights available. [5]
On August 5, following the PATCO workers' refusal to return to work, the Reagan administration fired the 11,345 striking air traffic controllers who had ignored the order,[13][14] and banned them from federal service for life. In the wake of the strike and mass firings, the FAA was faced with the difficult task of hiring and training enough controllers to replace those that had been fired. Under normal conditions, it took three years to train new controllers. [2][page needed] Until replacements could be trained, the vacant positions were temporarily filled with a mix of non-participating controllers, supervisors, staff personnel, some non-rated personnel, military controllers, and controllers transferred temporarily from other facilities. PATCO was decertified by the Federal Labor Relations Authority on October 22, 1981. The decision was appealed but to no avail,[15] and attempts to use the courts to reverse the firings proved fruitless. [16]
The FAA had initially claimed that staffing levels would be restored within two years; however, it took closer to ten years before the overall staffing levels returned to normal. [2]
Some former striking controllers were allowed to reapply after 1986 and were rehired; they and their replacements are now represented by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, which was certified on June 19, 1987, and had no connection with PATCO. The civil service ban on the remaining strike participants was lifted by President Bill Clinton on August 12, 1993. [17] Nevertheless, by 2006 only 850 PATCO strikers had been rehired by the FAA. [8]
Reagan's firing of the government employees encouraged large private employers, like Phelps Dodge (1983), Hormel (1985–86), and International Paper (1987), to hire striker replacements instead of negotiating in labor conflicts. [18] Comparatively, in 1970 there were over 380 major strikes or lockouts in the U.S., by 1980 the number had dropped to under 200, in 1999 it fell to 17, and in 2010 there were only 11. [19]
In 2003, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, speaking on the legacy of Ronald Reagan,[20] noted:
Perhaps the most important, and then highly controversial, domestic initiative was the firing of the air traffic controllers in August 1981. The President invoked the law that striking government employees forfeit their jobs, an action that unsettled those who cynically believed no President would ever uphold that law. President Reagan prevailed, but far more importantly his action gave weight to the legal right of private employers, previously not fully exercised, to use their own discretion to both hire and discharge workers.
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Strike
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Archaeologists have discovered several millennia-old iron production sites across a historical village in southcentral Iran
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TEHRAN – Archaeologists have discovered several millennia-old iron production sites across a historical village in southcentral Iran. "Several iron production sites and kilns for melting iron ores have been discovered across Chahak rural district in Khatam county of Yazd province," a local tourism official announced on Saturday. The discoveries were made during a survey led by Iranian archaeologist Hossein Azizi under the supervision of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, the official said. So far, 60 cultural and historical relics and sites, including buildings, castles, aqueducts, tombs, cemeteries, and hills, have been identified during the survey, the report said. The oldest cultural elements and artifacts identified so far in this survey date to the late Middle Paleolithic, a period about 25,000 to 35,000 years ago, the official noted. Available data suggest the production of iron objects was practiced in the region during the Achaemenid era (c. 550-330), however, the survey is aimed to determine exact dates for the ancient craftsmanship across the village. According to experts, Achaemenid art is a combinatorial art with its elegance and beauty. One of the most elegant artifacts by Achaemenian artists is metal wares, especially bowls. The Achaemenid bowls are one of the most important documents discovered in different parts of the Empire. Some of these bowls have royal inscriptions which represent the importance of these types of wares in the Achaemenid court. Such bowls give researchers significant information about metalwork, decorating style, techniques of production, and commercial, social, economic, and artistic communications. The Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550–330 BC) was the largest and most durable empire of its time, stretching from Ethiopia, through Egypt, to Greece, to Anatolia (modern Turkey), Central Asia, and to India With its winding lanes, a forest of badgirs (wind catchers), mud-brick houses, atmospheric alleyways, and centuries of history, Yazd is a delightful place to stay, referring to as a ‘don't miss’ destination by almost all travel associates in the region. The oasis city is wedged between the northern Dasht-e Kavir and the southern Dasht-e Lut on a flat plain ringed by mountains.
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New archeological discoveries
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Total Eclipse Indiana 2024
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April 8th, 2024 the long total eclipse drought will finally end for Indianapolis when the circle city experiences its first total solar eclipse in 819 years! The path of the eclipse will cut through the U.S. from Texas to Maine with Indianapolis area sitting near the center of the path of totality. The Moon will completely cover the Sun causing day to turn quickly to twilight for nearly four minutes. The path of totality will be about 115 miles wide and will stretch from Friendship to Frankfort with Franklin on the center line. Outside of this path of totality the Sun will remain shining though at a reduced amount and you cannot look directly at the Sun without protection . The best viewing for the total solar eclipse will be the Southeastern half of Indiana including Indianapolis. For the Indianapolis area, totality will last roughly 3 minutes 50 seconds. A telescope will not needed to view this event; just proper safety eye wear during partial phases such eclipse glasses (see below) or indirect viewing methods such as the pinhole method or mirror projection method . Though we are many years away from this event you can plan on Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium to provide educational programming as the date nears. Viewing the Eclipse It is safe to be outside during an eclipse. Sunlight during an eclipse is no different than normal. Just wear proper eye protection to look directly at the Sun. You should never look directly at the Sun without solar viewing glasses or filters sold by astronomical specialists which block more than 99.999% of visible light and 100% of Infrared and Ultraviolet light. The only time the Sun can be viewed directly is during totality when it is safe to remove your eclipse viewers.
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New wonders in nature
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2018 Kazakhstan bus fire
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On 18 January 2018, a bus caught fire on the Samara–Shymkent road in Yrgyz District, Aktobe, Kazakhstan. [1] The fire killed 52 passengers, with five persons escaping including the drivers. [2][3][4]
The fire occurred at around 10:30 AM (UTC+5:00) as the bus was transporting Uzbek migrant workers to Kazan in Russia. [5][6][1]
All the deceased were Uzbeks; the survivors were Uzbek passengers and the Kazakh drivers. [2][5] A side door was reportedly blocked, preventing exit from the vehicle. [2]
Uzbekistan dispatched both Foreign and Emergencies Ministry personnel to the scene,[7] and announced that they would repatriate the bodies of the deceased[8] with DNA testing used for identification. [9]
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev sent a telegram of condolence to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. [5] Condolences were also expressed by the presidents of
Tajikistan,[10]
Georgia,[11]
Azerbaijan,[12]
Belarus[13]
and Turkmenistan[14] and King Abdullah II of Jordan. [15]
Later on the day of the fire, the Kazakh Ministry for Investments and Development stated the bus was a 29-year-old Setra S216 HDS with an expired technical safety certificate and no license to transport passengers but declined to comment on the immediate cause. [5] The regional Emergency Situations Department stated that an electrical malfunction was being treated as an initial theory. [2]
Both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan launched investigations into the incident. A special Uzbek commission was created by Mirziyoev to be headed by Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov with an initial focus on potential traffic rule violations. [2] A special criminal investigation was set up by the Kazakh authorities. [2]
On 19 January, investigators released a statement based upon the testimony of the survivors, which stated that an open flame cooker used as a heating device was considered the likely source of the ignition, as the bus itself did not have a functional heater. [16] The bus was carrying gasoline containers due to the absence of refueling stations on the long and remote road, one of which was reportedly knocked over near the open flame resulting in the blaze. [16]
A preliminary list of victims released by Uzbekistan’s Emergency Situations Ministry released on 19 January listed 29 identified casualties as well as the two Uzbek survivors, all of whom were men from the Namangan Region. [16]
On 25 January the drivers were detained by the Kazakh authorities. [17]
Coordinates: 49°13′54″N 60°43′30″E / 49.23167°N 60.72500°E / 49.23167; 60.72500
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Fire
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Summary of Proposals and Policy Actions To Reduce the Black-White Wealth Gap
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A stream of recent data suggests that the global economy is showing signs of stagflation, that odd 1970s-style mixture of rising inflation and declining growth. Those who have noticed it – and there are still too few of them – fall into two broad camps. Some see the phenomenon as temporary, and quickly reversible. Others fear that it will lead to a renewed period of unsatisfactory growth, but this time with unsettlingly high inflation. But a third scenario, which draws on both of these views, may well be the most plausible. Stagflationary winds are more likely to be a part of the global economy’s upcoming journey than a feature of its destination. But how policymakers navigate this journey will have major implications for longer-term economic well-being, social cohesion, and financial stability. The much-needed global economic recovery has recently been losing steam as growth in its two major locomotives, China and the United States, has undershot consensus expectations. The more contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus has dampened spending in some sectors, such as leisure and transportation, while hampering production and shipments in others, particularly manufacturing. Labor shortages are becoming more widespread in a growing number of advanced economies. Add to that a shipping-container shortage and the ongoing reordering of supply chains, and it should come as no surprise that the headwinds to a strong and sustainable global recovery are being accompanied by higher and more persistent inflation. Higher inflation is putting pressure on those central banks that wish to maintain an exceptionally loose monetary policy. At the same time, decelerating economic growth presents a problem for central banks that are more inclined to scale back stimulus measures. All this also risks eroding political support for much-needed fiscal and structural policies to boost productivity and long-term growth potential. Some economists, and the majority of policymakers, believe that current stagflationary trends will soon be muted by a combination of market forces and changes in human behavior. They point to recent declines in previously spiking lumber prices as indicative of how competition and increased supply will dampen inflation. They think the sharp fall in Delta-variant cases in the United Kingdom foreshadows what lies ahead for the US and other countries still in the grips of the latest COVID-19 wave. And they take comfort from multiplying signs of booming corporate investment in response to supply disruptions. Others are more pessimistic. They argue that demand headwinds will intensify due to reductions in fiscal schemes that were supporting household income, citing the expiration of supplementary unemployment benefits and direct cash transfers. They also worry about the gradual exhaustion of the cash buffers that many households unexpectedly accumulated as a result of exceptionally generous government support during the pandemic. On the supply side, the stagflation pessimists welcome higher business investment but fear that its benefits won’t come fast enough, especially as supply chains are redirected. Supply disruptions will therefore persist for much longer, in their view, and central banks will fall behind with the needed policy response. I suspect that neither of these scenarios is likely to dominate the period ahead. But they will influence the alternative that does materialize. Ideally, policymakers would respond in a timely and self-reinforcing manner to the increasing evidence of stagflation. The US would lead by progressing faster on a policy pivot, with the Federal Reserve already unwinding some of its ultra-loose monetary policy and Congress enabling President Joe Biden’s administration to advance its plans to enhance US productivity and longer-term growth by boosting investments in physical and human infrastructure. Meanwhile, national and international financial authorities would coordinate better to strengthen prudential regulation, especially as it pertains to excessive risk-taking among non-bank market participants. These measures would lead to declining inflationary pressures, faster and more inclusive growth, and genuine financial stability. And such a desirable outcome is attainable provided the needed policy response proceeds in a comprehensive and timely manner. Absent such a response, supply-side problems will become more structural in nature, and therefore more prolonged than the transitory camp expects. The resulting inflationary pressures will be amplified by the higher wages that many firms will have to offer to attract the workers they currently lack and retain the ones they have. With central banks lagging in their policy response, inflationary expectations risk being destabilized, directly undermining the low-volatility paradigm that has helped push financial-asset prices ever higher. Because the Fed would then be forced to hit the policy brakes, higher inflation would be unlikely to persist. Unfortunately, reducing it would come at the cost of lower and less inclusive growth, especially if the Biden administration’s plans remain stuck in Congress (which would be more likely in the high-inflation scenario). Rather than prolonged stagflation, the global economy would repeat what it experienced in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis: low growth and low inflation. The recent appearance of stagflationary tendencies serves as a timely reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive economic-policy measures. The faster such a response materializes, the greater the probability of anchoring economic recovery, social well-being, and financial stability. But if policymakers delay, the global economy will neither be saved by self-correcting forces nor pushed into a prolonged stagflationary trap. Instead, the world will return to the previous “new normal” of economic underperformance, stressed social cohesion, and destabilizing financial volatility.
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Financial Crisis
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Korean Air Lines Flight 015 crash
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Korean Air Lines Flight 015 was a Boeing 747-200 operating a scheduled passenger flight from Los Angeles International Airport, in Los Angeles, California, to Gimpo International Airport in Seoul, South Korea with an intermediate stop in Anchorage, Alaska, that crashed while attempting to land on 19 November 1980. Of the 226 passengers and crew on board, 15 were killed in the accident. [1]
The wind was calm with a visibility of 1,000 m in fog as the Korean Air Lines 747 made its approach to Runway 14 at Gimpo International Airport. [2] The pilot reported trouble with the controls[3] shortly before the aircraft touched down 90 metres short of the threshold and contacted an embankment slope. The aircraft's cargo compartment was ruptured after the main landing gear were pushed into it. Flight 015 slid down the runway on its belly and a fire broke out. The aircraft was evacuated but six crew and nine passengers were killed in the accident and four passengers had serious injuries.
Crashed short of runway due to crew error in low visibility weather.
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Air crash
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Grasshopper Swarms So Dense They Show Up on Radar
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ABC News Network | © 2022 ABC News Internet Ventures. All rights reserved.
Grasshopper Swarms So Dense They Show Up on Radar
By Dina Abou Salem June 2, 2014
The worst grasshopper infestation in 20 years has become so thick around Albuquerque, N.M., that the airborne bugs are showing up on weather radar, officials said today.
"Albuquerque has not seen these levels of grasshoppers since the early-mid 1990's," said John R. Garlisch, extension agent at Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service.
The National Weather Service said the air is so dense with the bugs that they appear on its radar like rain.
Grasshopper infestation is so dense around Albuquerque, N.M., they show up on weather radar like rain. National Weather Service
"We have actually been noticing the insects on radar since about Memorial Day," said NWS spokesman David Craft. "We have noticed the greatest impact on the radar during the evening, but they are noticeable at other times of the day, too."
"It is a nuisance to people because they fly into people's faces while walking, running, and biking. They are hopping into people's homes and garages, they splatter the windshield and car grill while driving, and they will eat people's plants," Garlisch said.
The swarm, the worst in two decades, is being blamed on the drought.
"There wasn't enough winter to kill the egg pots. Because of the dry winter the eggs survived, hence the outbreak of grasshoppers," David B. Richman, professor emeritus at the Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology, and Weed Science, New Mexico State University said.
Garlisch also said that the lack of forage and food on the open range lands is pushing the grasshoppers to seek greener pastures. "What better place than the Rio Grande with its riparian vegetation and an urban center where people keep green lush yards and gardens?" he said.
Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service told ABC News that they received many complaints about the grasshoppers.
"Some people are freaked out about them, others fear they will bring disease, and some folks want different agencies to spray to control them," said Garlisch.
While some people expect the state or the county to spray the grasshoppers, others protest any public spraying.
"Reality, spraying insecticide will be ineffective and will cause more harm than good," he said.
Katie Goetz, spokeswoman of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, said that the department is aware of people's complaints. "The department determined that this is a homeowners' issue rather than an agricultural… It's localized in Bernalillo County," Goetz said.
The damage the grasshoppers may do includes eating the young tender leaves of flowers and vegetables. "We are encouraging gardeners to cover plants. Insecticide sprays are ineffective and not recommended. Grasshoppers are flying upwards of 3-5 miles. If an insecticide for the home gardener is used, it may kill a few grasshoppers, but more will be flying in. The more the homeowner sprays, this will negatively impact other insect species as well as the plant growth," said Garlisch.
Garlisch recommended waiting for this cycle to end. "Wait it out…As with everything this too shall pass," he said.
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Insect Disaster
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Gisborne speedway racer Brenden Gooch underwent surgeryin Middlemore Hospital yesterday
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Gisborne speedway racer Brenden Gooch underwent surgery in Middlemore Hospital yesterday after suffering a spinal injury in a crash at the Meeanee track in Hawke's Bay on Saturday night. Gooch hit the wall head-on in the second race of the night. “He was leading by about a quarter of a lap, way out in front, when he undertook a slower car that clipped him, and he flew into the wall,” his father Neil said this morning. He had to be cut out of the car before being flown to Middlemore Hospital with spinal injuries. “Brenden underwent four hours of surgery on his lower back at Middlemore yesterday morning and is now recovering,” Neil said. “We await the results of his surgery.” Members of the Gooch family headed to the hospital to be with him. “Gooch Motorsport would like to thank the numerous St John staff, speedway volunteers and helpers who took care of Brenden after the incident,” Neil said. “They all did an amazing job under the circumstances. “Also, our thanks to everyone that has sent in best wishes.” The family and Brenden have had calls from all over the country. “The support has just been overwhelming,” Neil said. “It shows just how respected Brenden is as a driver and a person.” “His road to recovery has just begun and we are hopeful of a full recovery. “With the support of his family, friends and the speedway community we have no doubt that he will overcome this.” BADLY HURT: Streetstock speedway racer Brenden Gooch, seen here racing with 3NZ on his car in 2020, was seriously injured in a crash at the Meeanee speedway in Hawke's Bay on Saturday night and is in Middlemore Hospital.
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Famous Person - Recovered
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Newton (South Lanarkshire) rail accident
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On 21 July 1991, two commuter trains crashed just west of Newton railway station in Cambuslang, near Glasgow, Scotland. The junction had been remodelled in the month previous to the crash. At 21.55, 2P55, the 21:55 Newton-Glasgow Central Cathcart Circle service, a British Rail Class 303 driven by Reginald McEwan left the "down" platform at Newton. Meanwhile, 2J66, the 20:55 Balloch-Motherwell, a Class 314 driven by David Scott was crossing from the fast West Coast Main Line tracks through a single-lead junction to enter the "up" platform. The two trains collided head on at the junction, killing both drivers and two passengers and injuring 22. The Class 303 unit overrode the buffer unit of the Class 314 unit and the trains telescoped over one another. [1] The leading coach of the Class 314 was completely destroyed (being cut up at the site) later replaced by a redundant Class 507 driving motor vehicle. [2]
People who lived in the area near to the crash described hearing something that sounded "like an explosion" and soon 400 people had gathered at the crash site. One local ran to Newton to telephone the signaller on duty and had asked him to turn the overhead wires off as he had feared for the safety of everyone. [3]
A report into the accident was commissioned by British Rail, which started on 23 July 1991[4] and reported to the Health and Safety Executive, who published a report in November 1992. A separate fatal accident inquiry team, composed of the Sheriff's court of Glasgow, were taken to the crash site by train in February 1993. They rode in train from the low level platform at Glasgow Central to the crash site at Newton and they were then bussed to the signalling centre which controlled the points and lights at Newton at the time of the crash. [5]
The accident was attributed to the Cathcart Circle train passing a signal at danger and causing a collision at the single-lead junction, as at Bellgrove in Glasgow just over a year earlier. The junction's configuration was newly installed at a cost of £5 million and designed to be simpler than the double-lead junction that it replaced. [6] This allowed faster running on the WCML following the East Coast electrification (through Carstairs) but was inherently less safe. The configuration was unnecessarily constrained and was strongly criticised in the accident report[7] and by contemporary commentators (Hall 1999). Following the accident the junction was closed, with a special timetable in place for several months while the layout was revised to provide double track from the platforms towards Kirkhill. Diversions included West Coast Main Line trains being diverted via the Rutherglen and Coatbridge Railway and Whifflet with electric trains hauled by diesel locomotives to Mossend Yard, East Coast Main Line trains terminating at Edinburgh Waverley, and Lanark and Motherwell trains being diverted along the North Clyde Line via the Whifflet link line immediately west of Coatbridge Sunnyside. After the accident, the track that had been removed was replaced immediately[6] and it remains there to this day. [8]
Coordinates: 55°49′9″N 4°8′16″W / 55.81917°N 4.13778°W / 55.81917; -4.13778
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Train collisions
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Southwest Airlines Flight 1763 crash
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Southwest Airlines flight 1763 was a scheduled passenger flight, operated by Southwest Airlines, from McCarran International Airport, in Paradise, Nevada, to Salt Lake City International Airport, in Salt Lake City, Utah. On August 11, 2000, Jonathan Burton, a Las Vegas resident, stormed the cockpit door of the Boeing 737 operating the flight, in an apparent case of air rage. The 19-year-old was subdued by six to eight other passengers with such force that he died of asphyxiation. [5] The death was initially believed to have been a heart attack. There were conflicting reports of Burton's air rage and the events which happened on the plane. CBS News reported the conclusion of the U.S. Attorney's office that criminal charges would not be filed because the death was not intended. [6] Time published an article by Timothy Roche entitled "Homicide in the Sky" in which they described the ruckus rising after Burton had initially been subdued. According to the article, the eight men who pinned Burton rose after Burton had injured an off-duty officer in his struggles and pushed aside the men holding him. [7] The Guardian reported that fellow passenger Dean Harvey said that one of the men involved continued jumping on Burton's chest even after he had been told that Burton was contained. [8]
In a case of air rage, Burton charged the cockpit door, kicking it open and sticking his head in. Eight passengers restrained him, some holding him down with their feet on his neck, causing him to suffocate. [8]
The medical examiner's autopsy report stated that when police arrived, "Mr. Burton was lying face down with at least one individual standing on his neck. "[9] Burton had low levels of marijuana in his body but this was not capable of explaining his outburst, which was out of character, and he had no history of violence or mental illness. [8]
Four months later, an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation featured a plot paralleling Burton's death, “Unfriendly Skies”, where five complete strangers board a plane and kill a man after believing him to be trying to take down the plane; the episode was televised December 8, 2000. A year later, playwright Lucas Rockwood turned the incident into a play, Fifty Minutes, which was performed a few weeks prior to the attacks of September 11, 2001. [10]
An episode of Mile High “Series 2 Episode 7” (first screened on April 4, 2004) also featured a plot echoing the death of Burton. In that episode, a young man of Arabian appearance is treated with suspicion by other passengers, panics, and attempts to reach the cockpit. Other passengers subdue him and strangle him to death in the process. Honduran American comedian Carlos Mencia mentioned the case of Flight 1763 in his special No Strings Attached, comparing to the attempted bombing of American Airlines Flight 63. In the bit, he mentioned how Richard Reid, a terrorist trying to blow up a plane, was restrained but lived, yet how "ghetto" people on Southwest beat and killed a man in a case of air rage a year before the September 11 attacks.
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Air crash
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Tampa bank robbery suspect arrested in Daytona, police say
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A man accused of robbing a bank in Tampa was arrested 150 miles away on the other side of the state in Daytona Beach about a week later, according to the Tampa Police Department. On Oct. 30, 46-year-old Roger Salik is accused of donning a Guy Fawkes mask, going to a TD Bank on Kennedy Boulevard and handing the teller a note demanding cash. [TRENDING: Eta still soaking Fla. | Do masks with antiviral coating work? | Shaq’s mansion discounted by $3M] Records show he fled in a Toyota Camry and at the time, his identity was unknown. Police said they were able to identify Salik and issue a warrant for his arrest. That warrant was executed during a traffic stop in Daytona Beach on Nov. 5, a news release said. Salik reportedly admitted to the crime after his arrest and the stolen cash was located in his hotel room, records show.
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Bank Robbery
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2002 Charlotte's Dale train collision
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The Charlotte's Dale train crash was the collision of a commuter train with a freight train in the town of Charlotte's Dale, 42 miles from Durban in South Africa on 6 February 2002. The commuter train was a regular service traveling from Durban to outlying towns and most of the passengers on board were school children returning home following the end of school shortly before. As it approached the town of Charlotte's Dale at 4.00pm, the train collided at high speed with the rear of a stationary freight train on the same line. The force of the crash derailed six coaches and crumpled several of them, trapping dozens of people in the wreckage. Local people helped those initially injured, but it took a team of over 200 emergency personnel several hours to cut the remaining casualties out of the train. The final toll was 24 dead including 16 children and 168 injured. The train did not catch fire, and many of the people trapped in the wreckage were later rescued alive. The crash was later determined to be the result of criminal damage to some railway signals and power lines, which meant that the passenger train failed to change track on its approach to the station, and piled into the stationary goods train on the original track. This damage was caused by unknown persons who stole copper wiring from the signal and power lines causing the signal and switcher to fail to respond when an operator tried to change them. Although the operator realized something was wrong, there was no time to contact the train and slow it down before the crash.
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Train collisions
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The Great Fire of Key West
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The Great Fire of Key West was a major fire that destroyed a significant portion of the city of Key West in 1886. It was the largest and most devastating fire in Key West history. [1]
The fire began in a coffee shop next to the San Carlos Institute. It burned for 12 hours over 50 acres, destroyed most of the commercial area of the city, killed seven people, injured 15 more, and cost one and a half million dollars in property damage. [1][2]
There were several compounding factors that caused the fire to burn for so long and destroy so much of the city. [1]
Since 1875, the city had a serious fire department, organized first by A. H. Dorsett. [3] However, at the time of the fire, the city's only steam fire engine had been sent to New York for repair. Firefighters were only able to use less effective measures like hand pumpers. [4]
Secondly, on the night when the fire occurred, strong winds were blowing, which caused the fire to start up again even where it appeared to have been put out. [1][5]
There is speculation that the fire was started on purpose by arsonists sent by the Spanish empire attempting to undermine Key West citizens' support for Cuban independence. [1] This stems from three key details of the fire. The fire was started immediately next to the San Carlos Institute, which was the heart of Cuban culture in Key West. The economic prosperity that Cuban emigrants found in Key West was the source of direct financial contributions to the Cuban revolution. [1] Secondly, the morning after the fire, there was a Spanish ram waiting to take on any unemployed Cuban cigar workers who wanted to return to Cuba. 400 workers returned at that time. [6] Thirdly, Havana newspapers reportedly ran an article describing the great fire the day before it actually took place. [1]
Notable buildings destroyed by the great fire include the San Carlos Institute, City Hall, St. Paul's Church, Fire House No. 1, the Fogarty Mansion, the Patterson House, and the Key West Custom House. Because the blaze occurred in the heart of the island's business district, many cigar factories and sponge warehouses burned down, putting four thousand employees out of work. [5]
William Curry was chairman of the Relief Committee created to rebuild the city after the fire. On April 4, he publicly requested aid from US Citizens: "A large portion of our city having been swept away by the flames, our industrial occupations entirely ruined, and thousands of our people left in other destitution and distress, we found ourselves compelled to appeal to the benevolence of our country..."[7]
The local fire department took measures to better prepare for such a massive fire in the future. They purchased two new steam engines, rebuilt the firehouse, and built several new firehouses across town over the next several years. [4][8]
Within two years, the city had a waterworks system to bring in salt water in case of fire. The city also became home to a privately owned telegraph fire alarm system. [4][8]
Buildings reconstructed after the fire often used wood, which is unusual for communities that have experienced such a massive fire event. [9] The motivations for this appear to be economic: lumber was readily available in Key West due to the wrecking business. The wood used most often in wealthy homes was Dade County pine, which had high resistance to termites. [9] However, many buildings destroyed in the fire (such as Fire House No. 1) were rebuilt with red brick. [10]
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Fire
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2013 Luxor hot air balloon crash
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On 26 February 2013, a hot air balloon crashed near Luxor, Egypt, killing 19 out of the 21 people on board. A fire developed in the basket due to a leak in the balloon's gas fuel system, causing the balloon to deflate mid-air and crash to the ground. [1]
It was the deadliest ballooning accident in history and the deadliest aerostat disaster since the Hindenburg disaster in 1937, which killed 36 people. [2][3]
Hot air balloons are commonly used in Luxor to provide tourists with aerial views of the Nile River, the temple of Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings, among other historical attractions. [4][5] Concerns over passenger safety have been raised from time to time, with multiple crashes reported in 2007, 2008 and 2009. [1]
In April 2009, 16 people had been hurt when a balloon crashed during a tour of Luxor. After the crash, flights were grounded for six months while safety measures were improved. [1] Pilot training was increased and balloons were given a designated launching site. [5] Following the toppling of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, the rule of law and the improved regulations were largely ignored. [6]
Sky Cruise, the operator of the balloon, had suffered a previous accident in October 2011, which even involved the same balloon. [7] The company has stated that it is properly insured and prepared to compensate victims' families. [8]
On 26 February at 07:00 Egypt Standard Time (05:00 UTC), an Ultramagic N-425 balloon,[9] registration SU-283,[10] operated by Sky Cruise departed on a sight-seeing flight carrying 20 passengers and a pilot. [11] According to a nearby balloon pilot, Mohamed Youssef, a fire started in the Sky Cruise balloon a few meters off the ground as it was attempting to land, as a result of a leaking fuel line. [1][6] As the fire engulfed the basket, the pilot and one passenger leaped to safety as the craft rose rapidly aided by a wind gust. [1][11] As the balloon rose, approximately seven passengers jumped to their deaths to escape the fire. [1] At an altitude of approximately 300 meters (980 ft), there was an explosion which could be heard several kilometers away. [1] The balloon and remaining passengers plunged to the ground, killing everyone remaining on board. Youssef said it appeared that a gas leak in one of the balloon's tanks caused the fire and resulting explosion, consistent with information reported in state-run media. [1][4] Earlier reports had indicated that the balloon may have contacted a power line. [6]
Two minutes later, the burning craft crashed into a sugar cane field west of Luxor. [12] A second explosion was reported 15 seconds later. [1] Ambulances arrived on the scene after 15 minutes. [13] Bodies were scattered across the field when rescue workers arrived on the scene. [5] The balloon's final moments were caught on amateur video. [5]
At the time of its ascent, the balloon carried 20 passengers and Momin Murad, the balloon's Egyptian pilot. [4][8] Nineteen of the passengers were tourists: nine from Hong Kong, four from Japan, three from Britain, two from France, and one from Hungary; the 20th passenger was an Egyptian tour guide. [14] Of the Hong Kongers, five were women and four were men. They were members of three families on a tour group organized by Kuoni Travel. The Japanese victims were two couples from Tokyo in their 60s. [15] They were on a ten-day tour of Egypt organized by JTB Corporation. [16] The three Britons and the Hungarian-born passenger, a resident of the UK, were on a tour organized by Thomas Cook Group. [17] The French victims were a 48-year-old woman and her 14-year-old daughter. [18]
The accident killed 18 of the passengers on site; the pilot and two passengers survived the initial crash. [19] The two surviving passengers, both British men, were rushed to hospital in critical condition. [6] One of them died after five hours of surgery. [6] Dr. Mohammad Abdullah, the head of the emergency ward of the Luxor hospital, said that the Briton who died in the hospital had probably suffered a 50-meter (160 ft) fall. [17] The surviving Briton was described as being in critical but stable condition, while the pilot was said to be conscious and talking, but with burns covering 70% of his body. [1] Doctors at the Luxor International Hospital said that many of the dead suffered severe internal injuries and severe burns. [17]
After news of the accident broke, Governor of Luxor Ezzat Saad banned hot air balloon flights in his jurisdiction until further notice. [4] Egypt's civil aviation minister, Wael el-Maadawi, followed by suspending balloon flights nationwide. [1] In a statement, President Mohamed Morsi expressed his "deepest condolences and sympathy for the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident. "[11] National government spokesman Alaa Hadidi said a committee would be formed to investigate the accident. [4]
The bodies of the victims were transported to four hospitals in Cairo. Chinese consular officials in the Arab Republic of Egypt and Hong Kong Immigration Department officers were scheduled to travel with the family members of the Hong Kong victims to Cairo. [20]
[21]
Kuoni Travel, the Hong Kong travel agency that organized the tour attended by the Hong Kong passengers, made plans for the six tour members who did not take the balloon ride to leave Egypt. The tour agency stated that, in addition to the US$7000 per person stipulated by contract, additional compensation would be given. [15]
Mohammed Osman, head of the Luxor Tourism Chamber, accused civil aviation authorities of lowering standards prior to the accident. "I don't want to blame the revolution for everything, but the laxness started with the revolution," he said. "These people are not doing their job, they are not checking the balloons and they just issue the licenses without inspection. "[5] National authorities were quick to deny the allegations, noting that the balloon had recently been inspected.
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Air crash
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1957 Ramnad riots
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The Ramnad riots or the Mudukulathur riots were a series of violent clashes that occurred between July and September 1957 in the Ramnad district and in southern Tamil Nadu, India. The violence was between Thevars supporting the Forward Bloc, and pro-Congress Dalit Pallars, and was triggered by a by-election held in the aftermath of the Madras Legislative Assembly elections of earlier that year. 42 Dalits were killed during the riots. [1][2]
Ramanathapuram district was deemed to be infamous for its brutal caste-based discrimination during the colonial era of the 1930's. Dalits were denied any type of symbols linked with superior social position. In his book, J. H. Hutton, the then Census Commissioner, explained the eight restrictions enforced on Dalits by Upper castes, including a ban on the use of jewelry, ornaments and education. This system was subsequently re-established with a stricter collection of 11 restrictions. [3]
In the 1930s, with the support of Christian missionaries, Dalits became educated and economically strengthened. Migration and religious conversion to a certain degree, allowed them to gain access to jobs and education and thus they started to assert themselves. But at the other side, the Thevars stayed disadvantaged in education and, as reported in the Government Order in 1957, they were unable to "align themselves with the present democratic reality and could not accept that the feudal system was rapidly disappearing. "[2]
Due to the rise of Immanuel Sekaran, there was a huge change in society in the form of resistance to caste exploitation by low caste and Dalit workers, particularly in the southern districts as well as from left-wing movements in the Thanjavur district. This led to increased awareness amongst Dalits, who used the opportunities available in the government through the policy of reservations. The Social Scientist M. S. S. Pandian described that migrating to greener pastures and later returning to their villages and investing in agriculture enhanced their financial base, which ultimately led to Dalits, starting to assert themselves. [3][2]
The Congress Reform Committee (CRC) was formed one month before the 1957 elections to the Lok Sabha and the Madras Legislative Assembly, and soon began cooperation with the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) of U. Muthuramalingam Thevar. The CRC-AIFB combined contested 59 seats in the assembly election, 54 candidates from CRC, and five candidates from AIFB. There was also an informal agreement with the Communist Party of India, which did not oppose the CRC. In the 1957 general elections, U. Muthuramalingam Thevar had contested both the Srivilliputhur parliamentary seat and the Mudukulathur seat in the Madras legislative assembly. He won both, defeating the Congress candidates. The combined CRC-AIFB formulated a 12-point election manifesto and emerged as the major opposition alliance in these elections, but could not defeat the Congress government. CRC won 14 seats and AIFB won three. Half of the seats won were from the Ramnad and Madurai districts. Following the election, a joint 'CRC opposition' group was formed in the legislative assembly, to counter the bid of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (which had 16 seats) to hold the post of Leader of the Opposition. Soon five independent assembly members joined the CRC opposition group, and V.K. Ramaswamy Mudaliar was elected leader. After the election, Thevar chose to retain his parliamentary seat, and a by-election was called for the Mudukulathur assembly constituency. The by-election was held on 1 July, and when the results were released on 4 July, the situation in the area grew tense. The Forward Bloc candidate T.L. Sasivarna Thevar won the election. Gradually, incidents of violent clashes between Thevars (who generally supported the Forward Bloc) and pro-Congress Devendrakula Velalar began to occur. Initially these clashes were limited to a handful of villages, but after some time the violence spread throughout the constituency. In order to offer sacrifices to the Badrakali temple, the Maravars kidnapped 9 Dalit men from the Katamangalam village and took them. [1]
A 'peace conference' was held on 10 September, attended by U. Muthuramalinga Thevar (who had returned day before from Delhi), T.L. Sasivarna Thevar and Velu Kudumbar from the Forward Bloc party, a delegation of six representatives from Devendrakula Velalar from the Congress party and Veluchamy Nadar and Soundara Pandian of Kamuthi (a representative from the Nadar caste). The conference was convened by the Ramnad district collector. The peace meeting was held in a nearby village called Mudukulathur. Initially all delegates, including Immanuvel Sekaran and the district collector, appealed to Thevar to campaign for peace in all riot affected areas but Veluchamy Nadar did not agree. The conference delegates finally decided to give statements independently. On 11 September, Emmanuel Sekaran, a member of the Congress delegation at the peace conference, was murdered in Paramakudi by Maravars. [1]
On 13 September, clashes erupted at Arumkulam. Five Devendrakula Velalar and three Thevars were killed, and their bodies were thrown into a fire. Two of the Thevars and one of the Devendrakula Velalar were women. [citation needed]
On 14 September, a group of armed police entered the village of Keelathooval in order to arrest suspects in the Emmanuel Sekaran murder case. Five Thevars were killed in police gunfire. According to Forward Bloc sources, the five were blindfolded and executed. A police inquiry commission later refuted that claim. On 16 September, clashes erupted in villages including Veerambal, Arumbakkan, Irulandapatti and Sandakottai. In the two latter places sixteen Devendrakula Velalar, including one woman, were killed by Kallars. On the same day, the Thevar village of Ilanchambol was attacked by a Devendrakula Velalar mob; the village had been deserted by the police two days earlier. Two Thevars were killed in the attack. The attack was interrupted as Thevars from the neighbouring village of Keelapanayur arrived, driving off the pallar and killing four people.
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Riot
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1971 January 22 Surgut Aeroflot Antonov An-12 crash
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The 1971 January 22 Surgut Aeroflot Antonov An-12 crash occurred on 22 January 1971, when an Aeroflot Antonov An-12B, registered CCCP-11000, flying from Omsk Tsentralny Airport, in the Soviet Union's (RSFSR), crashed 15 km (9.3 mi) short of the runway on approach to Surgut International Airport, Surgut, RSFSR. An investigation found the aircraft's ice protection system was ineffective because the engine bleed air valves were closed during the flight; ice therefore built up on the aircraft causing it to go out of control. [1][2]
The aircraft was an Antonov AN-12B with the aircraft registration 11000 (factory number - 5343610, a serial number showing some basic information about the aircraft, 5 for the last digit of the year of manufacture - 1965, 34 for the factory of origin - the Tashkent aviation factory, 36 for the production batch and 10 for the individual aircraft within that batch[3][4]) this aircraft left the production line of the V. P. Chkalov Tashkent aviation production association on the 3rd of December 1965 and by the 2nd of February was handed over to the main directorate of the civil air fleet (the governmental organ tasked with overseeing aviation throughout the soviet union). The aircraft was then sent to the Syktyvkar aviation department of the Komi territorial directorate of the civil air fleet. At the time of the crash the aircraft had completed 5626 flying hours in total and 2578 landings. [5][6]
In the first half of January 1971 CCCP-11000 was one of two Antonov AN-12s which, along with 3 crews from the 75th flying squadron were temporarily based at Omsk airport, these aircraft were used in transporting freight. On January 22nd an order was received to fly CCCP-11000 to Syktyvkar, where routine maintenance work was to be carried out on the aircraft. It was decided to combine the flight with the delivery of 12 metric tons of freight to Surgut. The goods to be transported consisted mainly of rolls of netting, plastic floor tiles and other household goods, as well as a C-995 piledriver for use in construction. Aboard were two crews, the flight crew and a relief crew. The flight crew consisted of:
The relief crew consisted of:
Two others were also on board: an engineer from the 75th flying squadron; Nikolai Pavlovich Kayakan and loadmaster; Yevgeniya Rudolfovna Kramar. At Surgut, according to the weather forecast provided to the crew, there were Stratocumulus clouds at a height of 500–700 m (1,640.4–2,296.6 ft), visibility was 3–4 km (1.9–2.5 mi), there was snow, with icing conditions in the clouds. After take-off at 18:09 Moscow time from Omsk airport the AN-12 climbed to a flight level of 6,600 m (21,653.5 ft). [5]
At Surgut there was solid cloud at a height of 450 m (1,476.4 ft) , visibility was 5.5 km (3.4 mi), a fresh breeze was blowing from the north and the air temperature was −9 °C (15.8 °F). At 19:20 the radar controller at Surgut gave permission for the crew of the AN-12 to descend to a height of 4,500 m (14,763.8 ft), and then to a height of 1,200 m (3,937.0 ft). When the crew reported that they had reached a height of 1,200 m (3,937.0 ft), they were ordered to contact landing control. They approached the runway on a magnetic heading of 180° and the aircraft entered the second turn of its circuit whilst descending to a height of 400 m (1,312.3 ft), the distance to the runway at this point was 11 km (6.8 mi). At 19:34 Moscow time the crew reported that they were passing the outer marker beacon at a height of 400 m (1,312.3 ft), which was acknowledged by the controller. At 19:36 Moscow time (21:36 local time), the aircraft was 11 km (6.8 mi) laterally and 16 km (9.9 mi) radially from the runway. The crew received the order to perform the third turn of their holding pattern, this instruction was acknowledged by the crew. This was the last communication that took place with the aircraft. [5]
When the AN-12 was at a distance of 18 km (11.2 mi)to the North-East of Surgut airport at a speed of 330 km/h (205.1 mph) conducting a left turn, the aircraft experienced flow separation on the wing as a result of which it entered a progressive left turn and lost altitude. At this point, having deviated from its original course by 110°, and now on a bearing of 40° and with a left bank around 90° the aircraft crashed into the ground in the vicinity of the river Pochekuika and was completely destroyed with the wreckage catching fire. [5]
According to an analysis of the weather conditions there was severe icing conditions at an altitude of 400–1,300 m (1,312.3–4,265.1 ft). Severe icing conditions at 1,200 m (3,937.0 ft) were also reported by the crew of CCCP-12996, another AN-12 involved in a very similar crash at the same airfield just 9 days later. [5]
The conclusion of the commission: The aircraft suffered a stall at the third turn due to a sharp deterioration in its aerodynamics as a consequence of icing on the wing whilst flying through severe icing conditions, and also due to an inappropriate speed given for the third and fourth turns for an aircraft weighing 55 tons and with icing on the wings. Icing on the wings occurred due to insufficient heating of the leading edge of the wing resulting from incomplete opening of the air bleed valves from the engine. Other factors:
In the span of 9 days (22nd and 31st of January 1971) two AN-12 aircraft crashed at Surgut, CCCP-11000 and CCCP-12996. Both crashes occurred under similar circumstances, whilst carrying out the third turn of their landing circuit both aircraft suffered spontaneous rolls due to flow separation on the wing caused by a drop in aerodynamics because of icing, which in turn was caused by ineffective de-icing systems since the hot air intake valve from the engine was not fully open. In order to prevent further catastrophes of the same nature significant improvements were made to the air bleed control systems including an indicator to show the fully open position of the valves. Special tests were also carried out, the results of which helped to clarify the aerodynamic characteristics of the AN-12 during icing. It also lead to changes in many civil aviation governing documents. [5]
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Air crash
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AVAir Flight 3378 crash
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AVAir Flight 3378 was a scheduled flight from Raleigh–Durham International Airport to Richmond International Airport which crashed after takeoff from Raleigh/Durham airport late in the night of 19 February 1988. All 12 people on board were killed in the accident. The weather at the time of the accident included a low ceiling and low visibility. [1] The flight crew consisted of Captain Walter R. Cole Jr., 38, and First Officer Kathleen P. Digan, 28. [2]:25 The aircraft did not carry a cockpit voice recorder (CVR) or a flight data recorder (FDR) and was not required to at the time. [2]:13
AVAir Flight 3378 took off from Raleigh–Durham International Airport at 21:25 local time and climbed to a height of 300 feet. Shortly after, the last transmission from the aircraft to the air traffic control was heard. The aircraft maintained an appropriate climb speed but at an excessive rate of turn, 40 to 45 degrees; a standard turn rate would have been 22 degrees. Due to the turn, the plane started to descend. The aircraft then struck the water in a reservoir 100 feet from the shoreline, at a point 5100 feet west of runway 23R. The wreckage then continued onto land and into a forest. Some post-crash fires also were seen at the crash site, but were quickly extinguished. [3][2]
According to the local controller, he heard but could not see the immediate previous plane, an American MD-80, depart. He saw the MD-80 on radar and cleared AVAir 3378 for departure. He briefly saw AVAir 3378 in the air, observed it on radar, and then cleared a Piedmont airplane to depart. In the next 3 minutes, he cleared a Cessna to land, coordinated with the departure controller, and attempted to locate AVAir 3378. At 2131:45, the RDU local controller alerted the emergency systems. [2]
This accident was rated as unsurvivable by the NTSB due to extreme destruction of the aircraft. [2]
The NTSB published its report into the disaster on 13 December 1988. They found that the preliminary cause of the accident was the failure of the flight crew to maintain a proper flight path because of the improper instrument scanning by the first officer and the flight crew's response to a perceived fault in the stall warning system. Contributing features were the lack of company response to documented indications of difficulties in the first officer's piloting, and the lack of FAA surveillance of AVAir. [2][3]
In 1993, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) filed a petition against the findings of the investigation and asked it to be reconsidered. The NTSB accepted the petition in part. The causes of the crash were changed to: "The probable cause of this accident was the failure of flight crew to maintain a proper flightpath. Contributing factors were the ineffective management and supervision of flight crew training and operations and inappropriate FAA surveillance of AVAir. "[2][3]
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Air crash
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Trump withdraws US from Trans-Pacific Partnership deal
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President formally pulls US out of massive 12-nation TPP trade deal that covers 40 percent of world’s economy. Published On 24 Jan 201724 Jan 2017 The US president, Donald Trump, has signed an executive order formally withdrawing the country from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, following through on a promise from his presidential campaign. “We’ve been talking about this for a long time,” Trump said as he signed the executive order in an Oval Office ceremony on Monday, calling the move a “great thing for the American worker”. In the same ceremony, Trump also signed an order imposing a federal hiring freeze, with the exception of the military. Additionally, Trump signed a directive banning US aid or federal funding for international non-governmental organisations that perform abortions abroad. INSIDE STORY: Targeting Barack Obama’s legacy The TPP accord was negotiated by former President Barack Obama’s administration but never approved by US Congress. Signed by 12 countries in 2015, the agreement had yet to go into effect and the US’s withdrawal is likely to sound its death knell. WATCH: US – President Trump continues war with media (2:25) It had been the main economic pillar of the Obama administration’s “pivot” to the Asia-Pacific region to counter China. Its signatories are Australia, Vietnam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the US and Brunei. They together represent 40 percent of the world economy. Trump, who took office on January 20, called it a “potential disaster” during his campaign. His opposition to the deal, as well as his campaign demands for US allies to pay more for their security, has raised concern in Japan and elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region. Trump concerns in Asia-Pacific On Monday, Trump also met a dozen manufacturers in the US at the White House, pledging to slash regulations and cut corporate taxes, but warning them he would take action on trade deals he felt were unfair. The new president has promised to bring manufacturing plants back to the US, an issue he said helped him win the November 8 election. He has not hesitated to call out by name companies that he thinks should bring outsourced production back home. The Republican leader is looking to shift attention firmly back to his policy agenda after a first few days that put his incoming administration on the back foot. “Busy week planned with a heavy focus on jobs and national security,” he tweeted early on Monday. Since he was sworn in on Friday, Trump’s White House has been pilloried for lying to the public about inaugural crowds and over a campaign-style speech by the president before a memorial to fallen CIA officers. On Saturday, several million Americans poured onto the streets for women-led demonstrations against Trump, the scale of which were unseen in a generation, in a potent rebuke to the president.
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Withdraw from an Organization
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USS Kitty Hawk riot
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The USS Kitty Hawk riot was a racial conflict between white and black sailors aboard the United States Navy aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk on the night of October 12/13, 1972, while positioned at Yankee Station off the coast of North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. In the early days of the Vietnam War, black service members represented less than 5% of the Navy. [1]
The draft enticed men of all races to get into the Navy as a way to dodge heavy combat. This resulted in stiff competition, allowing Navy recruiters to be selective, enlisting only the top performers on the Armed Forces Qualification Test. This was known as "Qualitative Recruitment"—recruiting the "highest quality" sailors, of which nearly all happened to be white, as the quality of the education that white candidates had received was far superior to that of the black candidates. This made it improbable for black candidates to ever really compete with their white counterparts. [1]
By 1971, after Richard Nixon sought to remake the military into one of all-volunteers, and the U.S. was beginning to disengage from Vietnam, the number of men drafted dramatically decreased, and the demand to join the Navy decreased with it. The Navy recruitment quota fell by more than 50% from 1971 to 1972, which resulted in the Navy needing black men to achieve its recruitment goals. [1]
Black men joined at a high rate, increasing their overall representation to 20%.[why?] Due to scoring lower on their qualification exams, blacks were more likely to be placed in less desirable jobs within the Navy. Whites were often promoted to the more desirable jobs and accounted for 99% of the Navy's officers. [1][2][3]
By October 1972, the majority of the black enlisted sailors on the Kitty Hawk had been serving less than a year. And, of approximately 4,500 sailors on the ship, less than 7% were black. [1]
Racial tensions were reportedly high on the ship. Politically, the black sailors were more likely to be against the war,[example needed] and to support the advancement of social minorities. These views conflicted with the reality that they faced obstacles in advancing into higher skilled positions on the ship because they were undereducated. This created hostility on the ship and only compounded the frustration the sailors felt from being at sea for nearly eight months. [1]
The first racial incident occurred on October 8 at Subic Bay, in Olongapo, a town where racial segregation was enforced – the white section was known as "The Strip," while the black section was known as "The Jungle. "[4] That night, a fight between black and white sailors broke out at the enlisted men's club – the EM Club. The fight began as a drunken misunderstanding[clarification needed], but escalated when a black sailor went on stage and began voicing his opposition to the "white man's war" and advocating "black power." A white sailor threw a glass at the black sailor's head. A fight between blacks and whites spread throughout the club and ultimately was broken up by base Marines. [5] The black sailors were told not to go back to the EM Club. Around 12:30 am on October 9, another incident occurred when a black airman, Dwight Horton, was en route to the ship. He was arrested for fighting with two white petty officers, though he contested that they beat him, arguing he could not fight back because his arm was in a cast. When he returned to the Kitty Hawk, the airman told the other black sailors about what happened, which further agitated them. [6]
On October 10, the black sailors decided to disrupt a favorite hangout of white sailors on The Strip – the Sampaguita Club – to retaliate against Horton's treatment. That night was designated "Soul Night" at the club, which was the only night black sailors were welcome. Around 9:00 pm, a petty scuffle began when a white shore patrolman tapped a black sailor on the shoulder, and the black sailor punched him. To keep the situation from escalating, 15 additional shore patrolmen were summoned to monitor the club. Around 1:00 am, 10 black sailors walked on stage in mockery "soul brother" gear, and began "dapping" each other, and throwing their blackness in the face of the white sailors in the crowd. [clarification needed] As the white sailors began berating the black sailors with racial epithets, the black sailors in the crowd voiced their solidarity. [7]
As this was happening inside, outside Horton arrived and punched at a shore patrolman. This distracted several of the shore patrolmen also outside. While they were distracted, inside, white sailors began throwing beer bottles at the 10 black sailors on stage, and fighting began between the black sailors and white sailors in the crowd, resulting in a brawl that was broken up by Marines. [7]
In the morning, the sailors returned to the ship, bloodied and bruised, and the ship went to sea. [8]
On the afternoon of October 12, while Kitty Hawk was participating in Operation Linebacker off the coast of North Vietnam, African American sailor Perry Pettus went on deck with two other black sailors. The three were approached by two Marines who told them, "You blacks can't walk in over twos." When the black sailors ignored them and kept walking, Pettus was put into a stranglehold from behind with a nightstick by one of the Marines. [9]
When the ship's captain, Marland Townsend Jr., learned of the incident, he apologized to the three black sailors. Word of the incident made its rounds among black sailors, who were incensed by the Subic Bay events. Thirty minutes after flight operations, one of those black sailors – 18-year-old black Airman Apprentice Terry Avinger – went to the mess deck to eat. He requested two sandwiches. A white mess cook refused, and limited Avinger to one sandwich. Avinger then reached across the food line and took another sandwich, which resulted in a shouting match between him and the mess cook. [1] Things escalated after another white mess cook, organizing food trays, stepped on a black sailor's foot, creating more tension. [1]
Upset about what transpired, Avinger went to a bunk area, where black sailors regularly got together, and expressed his frustration about the way they were being subjugated by whites on the ship, telling them he regretted "that he didn't just beat the racist cracker's ass right there." He railed that "black sailors on the Kitty Hawk had had enough and it was time to stand up for themselves. "[1] The black sailors then went into the ship's passageway and armed themselves with makeshift weapons – broom handles, wrenches, a foam fog nozzle and pieces of pipe. They then began accosting white sailors, beating them, and vandalizing some of the ship's compartments.
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Riot
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Africa locust plague: New app launched to battle swarms
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Africa locust plague: New app launched to battle swarms
Issued on:
07/07/2020 - 17:34
Locusts on a tree in the Turkana region of northern Kenya on July 2, 2O2O. © Reuters / France 24
Vast numbers of locusts have been swarming across East Africa in recent months, devastating crops and threatening food security in the region. Now, authorities are hoping a new app could help them gain the upper hand in their battle against the pests.
Called E-Locusts, the app allows a team of ‘locust scouts’ to track the swarms and provide real-time information on their size and location.
“I go look for locusts where they are, I report, I take pictures, I upload videos of their movement and also advise them which kind of control can be used,” Achilo Christopher, a locust scout in the Turkana region of northern Kenya, told Reuters.
The information is logged in a central database and analysed by technical teams who can then decide what action to take including whether to spray pesticides either by plane or with ground teams.
The app was launched by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation in response to growing fears the locust infestations are threatening food security in the region.
The current locust infestation is the worst that's been seen for three generations, with unseasonably wet weather helping them to breed in greater numbers than usual.
Since late 2019, billions of the insects have ravaged crops in countries including Kenya , Somalia and Ethiopia and spread into India, Pakistan and the Red Sea region.
An average locust swarm of around 40 million insects can travel up to 150 km a day and consume enough food in that time to feed 35,000 people.
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Insect Disaster
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Aeroflot Flight 3603 crash
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Aeroflot Flight 3603 was a Tupolev Tu-154 operating a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Krasnoyarsk to Noril'sk, both in the Soviet Union, that crashed while attempting to land on 17 November 1981. Of the 167 passengers and crew on board, 99 were killed in the accident. [1]
It was dark and there was a low overcast with a cloud base of around 400 feet when the Tupolev Tu-154 began its approach to Noril'sk Airport. The aircraft was about 5,000 pounds above its calculated weight and its center of gravity was beyond the forward limit for the type. The nose heavy condition caused Flight 3603 to descend through the glide path as it made its final approach. Flight 3603's captain initiated a go-around maneuver but the jetliner struck a mound approximately 1,500 feet short of the runway. [2] Four crew members plus 95 passengers were killed in the accident. [3]
The primary cause of the accident was the failure of the crew to accurately calculate the appropriate landing weight, failing to align with the runway at the proper approach speed, failing to abort the landing and go-around in time, and failing to maintain control of the auto-throttle. [4]
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Air crash
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Health experts call for reform as data suggests woodfired heaters are responsible for more premature deaths than thought
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Health experts call for reform as data suggests woodfired heaters are responsible for more premature deaths than thought
Alisa Perks loves living in the regional New South Wales town of Armidale, but she has been forced to lock herself inside every winter for the past 16 years.
She has asthma and, throughout the cooler months, smoke from woodfired heaters blankets the region.
About two in five homes in Armidale use the heaters and they contribute to the majority of the city's air pollution in winter.
"I love this town, but quite frankly, it's a stench," she said.
"We need to keep every door and window closed or the smoke gets in."
Ms Perks is one of the 2.7 million Australians with asthma. About one-quarter can have potentially deadly asthma attacks triggered by smoke.
Now, a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia on Monday suggests this type of smoke is killing at least 14 of Armidale's residents prematurely each year.
And for those born in the town, it's the equivalent of taking an entire year off their expected lifespan.
Report author Dr Dorothy Robinson, from the University of New England, said people died from the health impacts of long-term smoke exposure.
"Typically, heart attacks and strokes are the main reasons for the premature deaths," Dr Robinson said.
The findings have ramifications for the whole of New South Wales, where the government is currently reviewing its clean air strategy.
The new data suggests wood heaters across NSW are responsible for far more excess deaths than previously thought.
One-in-nine Australians have asthma and about a quarter of them have attacks triggered by smoke — including Harrison Betts.
Statewide, about 10 per cent of homes use wood heaters as the main source of heating.
In Sydney, the heaters are responsible for about 40 per cent of wintertime air pollution.
That was previously thought to equate to about 100 premature deaths in NSW each year but now, because of the study, that figure is in question.
"[The study] probably means that the number of deaths from wood smoke has been underestimated," Dr Robinson said.
"It's probably about 200 deaths a year in the greater Sydney metropolitan area — that's Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and the surrounding areas."
The Asthma Foundation has called on the NSW government to introduce buyback schemes, which have been effective in Tasmania and the ACT.
They also want the heaters removed any time a house is sold, as well as banned from new builds.
Dr Robinson, who is also an Armidale Regional City Councillor, said any scheme should also include subsidies to improve home insulation.
"It should look at finding good alternatives to wood heaters," she said.
NSW Environment minister Matt Kean told the ABC in June that the government recognised the potential adverse health impacts but they were a cost-efficient form of heating for many, particularly in rural areas.
He said buybacks in the past hadn't been popular.
"The government is committed to improving its evidence on wood smoke impacts on local communities," he said at the time.
"It will continue to work closely with local councils and stakeholders to manage these impacts and ensure that any future wood smoke reduction programs are cost-effective and meet the needs of local communities."
Armidale is well-known for being covered in a layer of smoke each winter.
Its unique topography in the hills of New England sees smoke accumulate in its bowl-like city centre.
The north-east corner of the town, Ms Perks said, was particularly bad.
"You can feel yourself walking through the blanket and suddenly it's really thick."
Dr Robinson said air pollution in Armidale exceeded the national daily standard for small airborne particulates, known as PM 2.5s, on 32 days in 2018.
Over time, wood smoke becomes dangerous for people's health because of long-term exposure to these tiny particles and other carcinogens.
It's worse than other forms of air pollution because when wood is burned in home heaters, it's happening at comparatively low temperatures.
As a result, it undergoes what's known as "incomplete combustion", which leads to more dangerous by-products.
Subscribe to the Background Briefing podcast to listen to Australia's best investigative journalism, with a new story every episode.
Even modern wood heaters have been shown to emit eight times more particulates than they were designed to emit into living rooms.
"Those particulates are smaller than the wavelength of light, so you can't always see them," Dr Robinson said.
"If you can smell smoke, you're breathing it in and it's not good for you.
"It's as important as protecting people's health from cigarette smoke, because the two things contain the same and very similar chemicals."
Dr Peter Irga, who lectures in air and noise pollution at the University of Technology Sydney, supported the study and said it was "comprehensive".
He said it probably didn't go far enough though in illustrating just how harmful smoke is to people's health.
"Smoke also contains air pollutants like carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide," he said.
"The health implications could actually be understated and it could be significantly more."
Do you know more about this story? Email Specialist.Team@abc.net.au.
These new findings come while concerns over air quality continue, following the 2020 bushfires.
The Victorian parliament is holding an inquiry into air quality.
The Rural Doctors Association and Asthma Australia are scheduled to give evidence to that inquiry on Wednesday, when they will raise the issue of wood heaters.
In Queensland, hundreds of people have signed a petition calling on the state government to remove wood heaters from homes and ban their installation in new buildings.
In the ACT, wood heater sales are going up despite long-term buyback schemes with claims some consumers don't think alternatives are warm or cheap enough.
Ms Perks rejected those suggestions and said she easily warms her Armidale home using reverse-cycle air conditioning.
"It's so effective we turn it off by about 8.30 at night," she said.
"I think more people should move towards cleaner heating."
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Environment Pollution
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20 South Africa’s Biggest and Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups
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When celebrities start dating, it is always full of so much love and romance at the beginning. The whole public show of affection and love usually makes fans wish they were in their shoes instead. The entire relationship fanfare is often nothing compared to the kind of wedding ceremony they have in most cases. While some celebrity relationships never even get to taste the glory of a beautiful wedding, others do – but most end up in what has come to be known in South Africa as ‘Celebrity Breakups.’
Just the same way their relationship and wedding are so loud and attract the attention of fans, who are usually so happy for them, so they break up. Many South African celebrities have broken up, but some celebrity breakups were so shocking because nobody saw them coming. Here are South Africa’s celebrity breakups that have shocked fans the most. South African actors Mona Monyane and Khulu Skenjana faced many tragedies during their ill-fated marriage, which lasted for over four years. Although the union was short, it produced two daughters – Ase-Ahadi Lesemole Mamphai Skenjana, born in August 2016, and Amani-Amaza Wamazulu Skenjana, born on November 16, 2017. However, their second daughter lived only for a week as she died just seven days after birth. This was a huge loss to the young family, but they were able to stay together. Mona and Khulu became the subject of online trolling shortly after that as people criticized the couple for expecting a baby so soon after their child’s death. The criticisms were particularly awful, especially towards Mona, but again, they could pull through that. But as though that was not enough, they lost their house to a fire outbreak. Perhaps, the saddest tragedy for the union would happen in March 2020 when their marriage that had only lasted for just about five years, came to a shocking end. In a now-deleted post on Twitter, former Muvhango actress informed fans about their divorce, she said:
When South African rapper, Sizwe “Reason” Moeketsi divorced his wife, Mosa Moeketsi, after seven years of marriage, he was accused of cheating on her with the TV personality Luthando “LootLove” Shosha. However, in 2017, he came out to debunk the claims, insisting that they had just been friends. By the time he debunked this rumor, he was already married to LootLove. Reason and LootLove got married in March 2014; they had two children, twin girls, to be precise. Their union, which looked like the happily-ever-after kind of marriage, sadly came to an end in 2020 – after six years. You know, it is funny how celebrities look so good together while in a relationship, until after their divorce or break up, you begin to hear things you never expected – like they were sticking to something they were not happy with. Lootlove, who initially didn’t want to speak about her divorce, finally let the cat out of the bag. In an Instagram post, Lootlove opened up with a caption that read:
We really didn’t see this coming, but then all we can do is wish them a happy life after divorce. DJ Black Coffee, whose real name is Nkosinathi Maphumulo, and Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa had one of the biggest South African celebrity breakups – and almost everyone with a keen eye saw it was coming. Despite so many infidelity allegations – on the part of Black Coffee – the former lovebirds were able to stay together still and endure whatever challenges they faced together. Most especially, the whole problem of cheating didn’t stop them from getting married in 2017. Barely two years after their fantabulous wedding, they decided to go their separate ways after the actress and fashion designer accused her now estranged husband of abusing her emotionally. Detailing her account of why they are getting a divorce, Mbali alleged that she had been abused emotionally by the popular South African DJ. In a statement she put on Instagram, the actress said even though it was not her style to put out her issues and failures before the court of public opinion, she felt the need to do so in the same way she has defended the institution of marriage in public also. Here’s the full statement:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNo4qNCHucx/
The dissolution landed in the courts as Mbali demanded a restraining order against Black Coffee. On his part, the South African DJ denies assaulting his estranged wife, saying she is trying to manipulate the system against him. The case is still ongoing at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court in Randburg. In the name of respect and dignity for my family and my children I've been quiet but now I feel a need to speak.GBV is major issue in our country, every day we read about horrendous crimes committed by men against women and children. — Black Coffee (@RealBlackCoffee) April 13, 2021
I personally grew up witnessing GBV in my own household and from a young age I vowed never to allow that to happen again under any circumstances. I DID NOT assault Mbali, the mother of my children. I didn’t do it now and I have never done It before. — Black Coffee (@RealBlackCoffee) April 13, 2021
It is truly regrettable that she has chosen to mislead the public using the name of GBV and seeking a protection order against me to sperate me from my children and our home. — Black Coffee (@RealBlackCoffee) April 13, 2021
Divorce is never easy but for us it has been especially painful and I’ve spent the last 3 years in and out of intense therapy to deal with it privately. Everyday I am attacked by relentless lies and falsehoods. I DID NOT ASSAULT HER
— Black Coffee (@RealBlackCoffee) April 13, 2021
As a law-abiding citizen, I will absolutely observe the demands of the interim order but will categorically oppose the permanent installation of its prescripts and this is why we are currently in court. — Black Coffee (@RealBlackCoffee) April 13, 2021
Professing the wedding vows and being together for 15 years was not enough to keep the marriage between Nhlanhla and the award-winning music artist, Thembinkosi “TK” Nciza. Even though the announcement came out amicably, there have been rumors that TK Nciza was cheating on his wife. Although that may not be why they got divorced eventually, the couple managed to stay together despite the infidelity rumors. However, a very trying period in their marriage surfaced when their only daughter, Zinathi, who was five years old, died in a fatal motor accident in 2009. During that period, fans even noticed Nhlanhla’s drastic weight loss and attributed it to the fact that she was grieving her daughter’s death. Aside from Zinathi, the couple had three other sons – Nkululeko, Thamsanqa, and Luvuyo. In 2019, after 15 years of being together, Nhlanhla and TK Nciza decided to call it quits on their union. Without stating any reason, Nhlanhla released the bombshell in an Instagram post which read:
Fans believe that their marriage came to an end due to TK’s infidelity. Considering they have been together for over a decade, the divorce was obviously not an easy choice for them. Mentorship for deaf people is one of the noblest ways two people can fall in love. A meeting like this was how the love story between South African iconic rapper and actor Mxolisi Majozi, also known as Zuluboy and Andiswa Gebashe, started. It blossomed into a marriage union that birthed a child as the duo was married for five years. While Zuluboy is an iconic South African actor and rapper, his ex-wife Gebashe is a professional sign language interpreter on SABC 3 evening news. Sadly, in 2019, it was revealed that their marriage had come to an end. The revelation was brought forward by Zuluboy, who uncharacteristically granted an interview with IsiZulu newspaper, iLanga Langesonto. Surprisingly, the rapper said he had been divorced from the mother of his child, who also doubles as his manager for the previous two years. Although it was not mentioned, it has been suggested that the actors’ dwindling career was a major factor in their divorce as Gebashe became the breadwinner. This is one of the divorces that caused a ripple in the South African entertainment sphere in 2019, largely because the couple was one of the few respected couples in Mzansi’s entertainment space. South Africans were treated to a heavy public show of affection characterized by sultry photos and Instagram posts between exotic dancer Zodwa Wabantu and her “Ben 10” boyfriend, Vusi Buthelezi. While all this was on, one would have been deceived into thinking that this was the case of another happy ending for the love-struck couple. In fact, a wedding between the two was reported in some quarters as they granted interviews, showcasing their love for one another. However, as disappointing as it may sound, the relationship ended in a public spectacle. Well, it is better that they got separated without getting married first. At least, they didn’t have to sign any divorce papers. Indeed their relationship was rosy until robbers attacked Wabantu’s house and made away with properties worth R100,000. Things were not working out for them, and Vusi Buthelezi worked out of the relationship without an explanation. This irked the South African pantyless dancer as she accused her ex-boyfriend of fraud. She called him out on social media, demanding that he returns all the expensive gifts – including an Audi car – she has got for him. Buthelezi responded by denying allegations that the car was registered in Zodwa’s name. He claimed he understood she was going through a rough time and wished her all the best. He also called on fans to stop peddling unsubstantiated rumors about his time with Zodwa. Although it was already being rumored that the South African power couple were on the verge of a break-up, it still came as a huge surprise when sports journalist and media personality Robert Marawa tweeted to confirm their relationship was over publicly. I confirm the rumour & speculation that our relationship with Miss Pearl Thusi ended a few months ago.We continue 2 be good friends though. — robertmarawa (@robertmarawa) August 6, 2017
This happened in August 2017, and it was an unfortunate surprise to fans who were not happy that one of their favorite couples was splitting. Although Robert claimed that they were still friends, he had already blocked his ex-fiancée on Twitter when he put out that tweet – and in turn, she blocked him too. When asked about their breakup when she appeared as a guest on Mac G’s Podcast and Chill, the Lip Sync host said:
At this point, fans knew that their beloved couple would not be walking down the aisle, nor would they see any new beautiful picture of the duo looking all loved up ever again. Fans certainly did not see the divorce of Lerato Kganyago And Thami Ndala coming after two months of marriage. The couple who got married in a plush traditional ceremony in March 2020 went their separate ways by May 2020. The radio and TV personality announced their divorce via a post on Instagram, which read:
As expected, the divorce dominated the airwaves and trended on the social media space, with some bashing her for rushing into marriage while others were more sympathetic towards her. While fans were expecting the news concerning the marriage of Psyfo And Hulisani, who had been in a relationship for ten years, that was not the case. Although Hulisani didn’t speak much about their separation at that time, she made a tweet saying,
Finally, in an interview with Destiny, she revealed that their separation was so hard for not just fans but also her family members. She was advised to give the relationship a chance again, but that was unnecessary as the relationship had already crumbled. Psyfo, on the other hand, has moved on with Amirah Mirah and has told fans to focus on their lives. Divorce hits more when the couple in question have been married for a long time because everyone expected them to learn how to cope with issues. However, that’s not always the case, as even after so many years, separation is still always possible – and that was the case with Phemelo Motene and Mthandeni Ngcobo. After being married for 16 years, Phemelo Motene and Mthandeni Ngcobo had to watch their marriage go down the drain. On Moja Love’s Show Me Love, Phemelo revealed that their union had come to an end in 2019. Although she didn’t speak much about the cause, she said the divorce was not easy on the children. The marriage between former Miss South Africa, Claudia Henkel, and her husband, Orin Roeesstorff, who tied the knot in 2015, came to a sad end in February 2019, after barely four years of being married. They got divorced 15 months after the birth of their twin babies. Claudia revealed the news about their divorce to Huisgenoot, a weekly family magazine, and in a Facebook post, she thanked fans for their love and support and ended by saying;
Although she never revealed the exact cause of the separation, she said she suspects that the miscarriage she had at the early stage of their marriage could have contributed to making their relationship sour. Claudia still wears a wedding ring to date, and according to her, she bought that ring for herself as a symbol of the promise she made to herself to love and respect herself before giving her heart to any other person. After 9 years of being married to the long-time love of her life, Lerato “Lira” Molapo surprised her fans in July 2019 when she posted a beautiful picture of her and her husband on IG. Still, this time, instead of a heartwarming message or romantic thoughts, it was a “separation announcement.” The post read:
A post shared by @Miss_Lira Loves Life (@miss_lira)
The reason for their separation (and probably divorce) has not been revealed, but it has been two years since she made this post, and they have not found their way back to each other. We have definitely seen the last of the duo together as Lira seems to be the happier of the two – judging from her post on social media. In 2017, after dating for five years, businessman and media strategist Frans Mashao finally popped the question every lady in a relationship wants to hear during a trip to Ibiza, Spain. The beautiful TV personality, Thando Thabethe, who she was madly in love with the CEO at the time, was so excited and took to Instagram to share her joy with fans. Speaking with the Juice, she confirmed their engagement and said she knew he was the one. After their engagement that had lasted for about a year, fans noticed that Thando was no longer wearing the engagement ring that Frans gave her, and rumors started spreading that they had separated. She confirmed the rumors in an interview with True Talk and said she did not need to explain everything that happened. A report from Sunday Sun revealed that the main reason for their split was infidelity “with multiple women” on the part of Frans Mashao. However, since any of the parties has not confirmed this, no one can say the exact reason for their separation. Former Miss South Africa, Liesl Laurie, and Idols SA host, Proverb were so cute and lovely together, and nobody saw their separation coming. In fact, no one wanted that to happen, but it is not always about how cute a couple looks together. As we have come to see, if things ain’t working, they ain’t working, and separation is sometimes the best decision. And so, after three years of being together, they called it quits. Speaking to Sunday Sun, the former Miss South Africa confirmed their break-up, telling the newspaper, “Yes, it’s true, but please don’t write this.” Not long after the breakup news made it to the public space, Proverb got himself a new SUV and took himself on a trip to Dubai for a vacation. When a spouse travels all the way from one country to another to meet their partner to issue them divorce papers, you know they have had enough. South African musician turned celebrity Papa Penny, who runs his own reality TV show, got his fans surprised and angry at the same time during one of the episodes in 2019. Papa Penny and Zinha, his now ex-wife, were married for 19 years. While he stayed in South Africa, Zinha needed to be in Mozambique. Little did she know that something was going on between her husband and the maid she hired in her absence. On the other end, Papa Penny was not going to divorce his wife without letting her know the truth, so in one of the episodes of his reality TV show, he traveled to see his wife. And after they went down memory lane together, he finally told her the truth. He even went as far as blaming his infidelity on his wife, saying she brought a young girl as a maid instead of an older woman. This made fans so mad, and they had their say about that opinion on social media. The happy marriage of South African Idols judge and former Metro FM DJ Unathi Nkayi and DJ Thomas Msengana, also known as Bad Boy T, was loved and appreciated by many fans. People were not expecting that they would separate after so many years of being together. But sadly, they did. In an interview with eNCA in 2017, Unathi confirmed the divorce with her response. When she was asked if she and her husband were still together, she said, “No, we are not.” She, however, says they are in a good space because they are family.
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Famous Person - Divorce
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Here are six infectious diseases we should probably keep an eye on
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Over the last forty years, the world has seen an increase in the number of emerging infectious diseases nearly four times what was once considered normal. Even as the global health community grapples with Covid-19, other infectious diseases are being reported around the world. Even as the World Health Organization announces it expects the coronavirus pandemic to end in early 2022, most scientists agree that the world is not ready for the next pandemic. The big concern is that while most new outbreaks are usually manageable, public health infrastructure is either overwhelmed or entirely focused on countering Covid-19, which has caused over 110 million infections and over 2.4 million deaths worldwide. Here are the infectious diseases that you should know about. 1. Ebola Ebola is transmitted by a species of fruit bats that live in forests. While the virus is dangerous, it is not transmitted through the air like Covid-19, but rather through contact with the bodily fluids of someone infected by Ebola. In 2020, the 10th outbreak of the Ebola virus took place in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2018. More critically, it remains unknown if the current Ebola vaccine is effective against other variants of the virus. As of February 14, 2021, Guinea’s ministry of health reported multiple cases of Ebola virus to the WHO, after patients showed symptoms of fever, vomiting, bleeding, and diarrhea. Seven cases exist, 5 of whom have since died. The seven are estimated to have come into contact with 192 other people. The WHO flagged the outbreak as a ‘high-risk’ event, because of the region’s limited capacities that are already taxed by yellow fever and measles outbreak, and because no one knows the origin or duration of the outbreak. 2. Influenza In November 2020, bird flu (H5N8) was reported as spreading between birds in Europe at an alarming rate. Russian News Agency TASS reported that the bird flu has now crossed over into humans, after seven poultry farm workers were discovered to be infected on February 20 2021. All seven patients only suffered mild symptoms, and are reported to be recovering. The WHO is closely monitoring the outbreak, and says that while the virus can cross from birds to humans, it cannot be transmitted between humans for now, unless it mutates. H5N8 has also been reported in chickens ranging throughout Europe, China, India, and the Middle East. Meanwhile, swine flu (H3N2) was reported in the US as early as January 13 2021, with the initial infected child and their family making a full recovery. Vaccines against the flu are ineffective against swine flu, which is further compounded by the vulnerability of pigs to other flu viruses originating from birds, humans or other pigs. At times, pigs can be infected with more than one flu at the same time. If this occurs, it is possible for the viruses to mix and create a new virus. In 2009, H1N1, a swine flu strain caused a regional epidemic that never reached the heights of the current Covid-19 pandemic. 3. Vaccine preventable diseases In spite of advances by vaccine and modern medicine, nearly 1.5 million people die every year from diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. Covid-19 has deeply disrupted how the global health community fights diseases such as measles, polio and diphtheria. That leaves nearly 80 million children under the age of one over 68 countries at risk of these diseases. Diphtheria is making a comeback in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. Meanwhile, efforts to fight polio in Afghanistan and Pakistan are being set back by the pandemic. At least 41 countries have delayed their regular measles vaccine drives for a year. 4. Drug resistant superbugs Bacteria evolves naturally, even in the face of antibiotics. The problem is, if bacteria evolves to become immune to antibiotics, there’s not much left in the modern medical arsenal to kill it. For this reason, doctor’s are careful in prescribing antibiotics unless absolutely necessary, and emphasise a patient needs to finish taking the full course of the drug to ensure the bacteria has been killed off. But multidrug resistant organisms are nonetheless on the rise. In September 2020, 22 US states reported over 1430 confirmed cases of the candida auris fungal infection, untreatable by drugs. In some states, the cases have doubled on a monthly basis. This same fungal infection was found in the blood of 2.5 percent of coronavirus patients in India in July 2020, particularly those in intensive care units, largely due to the contamination of medical equipment or reuse of PPE equipment. 5. Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-Cov) In late 2020, four new cases of MERS-Cov were detected in Saudi Arabia. The disease is a coronavirus, meaning it passes from animals, in this case camels, to humans. MERS-Cov can be transmitted between humans, and has severe symptoms and a high mortality rate. Over the last eight years, it’s claimed nearly 882 deaths with over 2,566 confirmed cases. The disease is more severe for patients with diabetes, lung disease or kidney failure. The WHO reports that testing capacity for MERS-Cov has been affected in many Middle Eastern countries as governments struggle to stay on top of Covid-19 testing. While the disease doesn’t seem to be going anywhere for now, epidemiologists are on guard if the virus mutates to become more infectious. 6. Nipah Virus This virus causes painful brain-swelling, with a 45 to 75 percent mortality rate. Also originating in fruit bats, the virus is not well understood. The virus also has a long incubation period of 45 days, making it difficult to test for it before it’s been transmitted to others. The virus can be transmitted through close contact, airborne droplets or contaminated foods but luckily doesn’t have a high rate of transmission. The WHO has flagged the virus in need of urgent research, in fear that it could mutate and become more transmissible. Currently, there is no cure for the disease. The last sighting of the virus was of an isolated-case 2019 in India. The world has seen major outbreaks of the virus in 1999 in Malaysia, and 2001 in Bangladesh and India.
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Disease Outbreaks
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Lufthansa Flight 005 crash
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Lufthansa Flight 005 was a scheduled flight en route from Frankfurt to Hamburg with a stopover in Bremen. The aircraft crashed just beyond the runway in Bremen just before 19:00 on January 28, 1966, in a go-around after an aborted landing. All occupants — 42 passengers and 4 crew members — died in the accident. [1]
Among others, seven swimmers from the Italy national swimming team, their coach, and an Italian reporter were on board the 53-passenger aircraft. The actress Ada Tschechowa, daughter of Olga Chekhova and mother of Vera Tschechowa, was also one of the victims. The flight departed Frankfurt Airport on runway 25R at 5:41 PM after a slight delay of 8 minutes. The aircraft's weight at takeoff was 22,148 kilograms (24.414 short tons), only slightly under the maximum of 22,544 kilograms (24.851 short tons). The Convair CV-440 was fueled with 3,200 litres (850 US gal) of aviation gasoline, sufficient for a flight of 5 hours, 13 minutes. This extra reserve was necessary because the crew had chosen Stuttgart Airport as their alternate destination due to poor weather conditions. At about 18:40, after about 30 minutes cruising at Flight Level 140 (14,000 ft or 4,300 m), the flight began its approach from the east to runway 27 at the Bremen Airport. The temperature was 4 degrees Celsius and the ceiling was less than 100 m (300 ft). The visibility was only approximately 700 m (2,300 ft) because of heavy rains. Wind speed was 9 knots from 140 degrees. The resulting tailwind affecting the aircraft was 6 knots. The minimum weather conditions at the Bremen Airport for that Convair 440 aircraft type permitted a tailwind of no more than 5 knots. Capitan Heinz Saalfeld began his final descent, but commenced a go-around maneuver at an approximate height of 10 m (30 ft) above the ground. A few moments later, at 6:51 pm, the 21.5-ton aircraft spun to the left and crashed into a field 400 metres (1,300 ft) beyond the end of the runway. The remaining fuel (approximately 2,500 litres or 660 US gallons) ignited, causing a ground fire that was extinguished by the airport's Fire and Rescue only after 40 minutes. At the time, the accident was the fourth total loss of a Lufthansa aircraft since the company's reestablishment in 1954: after the crash of a Lockheed Super Constellation on January 11, 1959 during approach at Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport, the airline had also lost two Boeing 720-030B during training flights over West Germany in 1961 and 1964. After the accident, an investigative commission was formed. The commission released its final report about a year later, concluding that the crash was caused by a chain of technical and human errors. According to the report, an instrument in the cockpit displayed false information, causing the aircraft to deviate from the prescribed flight path specified by the instrument landing system, flying above its glide path. As the aircraft broke free of the cloud cover and switched from instrument controlled flight to visual control, the captain presumably estimated the altitude incorrectly due to darkness and poor visibility, causing the aircraft to come in too far, which made the final approach too late. The captain decided to abort because the little remaining runway would not have been sufficient to allow for braking the aircraft. At this point, he maneuvered the Convair into an extreme flight attitude, leading to a stall and the aircraft striking the ground with its left wing first. The aircraft burned completely except for the tail section and the right wing. When the rescue team arrived they could only sort through the wreckage. According to an article in the German magazine Der Spiegel, the aircraft was considerably iced over and the pilot's visibility almost impossible. According to the accident report, it could not be ruled out that during the critical landing phase the pilot suffered from a cardiovascular disorder, precluding him from being able to control the aircraft any longer. He could not control the further progress of the flight on account of the rather poor stall performance of the aircraft type, the extraordinary difficulties to control a stall during instrument flight conditions, and the insufficient height available for transition from a stall to a normal attitude after the aircraft. The copilot could not level off the aircraft because of the very low altitude. The report ended with the sentence, "Other causes could also have contributed to the accident. "[2]
A pathological examination of the pilot's remains was not possible. An examination of the copilot's body, however, revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.24 per mil. The Convair Metropolitan 440, built in 1958, was operated from July 18, 1958 by the Deutsche Flugdienst Company (renamed Condor Flugdienst November 1, 1961). It carried the registration D-ADAD. On November 7, 1961 Lufthansa took control of the aircraft with the new designation D-ACAT. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had logged 13,872 hours of flight time (see also- Kreuzer, H. -Absturz: total flight time- 12,218). The aircraft was not equipped with a flight data recorder. The following Italian swimmers were among the victims:[3]
In memory, the Italian National Olympic Committee and the Italian Swimming Association raised a stone monument not far from the crash site on Norderländer St. in Bremen in the name of the Italians killed. At the funeral for the Italian swimming team victims, something very unusual happened. As the coffins of the victims were brought out from the church to the square, the crowd started to applaud. It was a spontaneous salute, almost a statement of defiance against death. It was also a tangible tribute to the young athletes. This, incidentally, was the very first time that clapping was recorded at a public, media-covered funeral in Italy. On numerous subsequent occasions, crowds would salute the victims of the Red Brigades and other domestic terrorist acts in a similar way. Clapping at funerals slowly became a typical salute for victims of media-covered funerals. [citation needed]
Francesco Zarzana directed the documentary Tra le onde, nel cielo on the 50th anniversary of the incident. [4]
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Air crash
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Beijing halting inactive Australia economic dialogue, as part of 'meaningless acts of symbolism'
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Beijing's decision today to indefinitely suspend all activities under the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue – the first formal freeze of a diplomatic mechanism since relations between the two countries soured – was an "act of pure symbolism" with "zero substantive effect,'' says Analyst Jeffrey Wilson, from the Perth USAsia Centre."The Strategic Economic Dialogue has been in abeyance for nearly four years; not to mention the fact that official interactions across the board have been wholly suspended by the Chinese side since April 2020," Wilson said, ABC News Australia reports."Specifically, it retaliates against the cancellation of Victoria's two [Belt and Road Initiative memorandums of understanding], and the announcement of another review of the Darwin Port lease". Wilson said the announcement might also indicate that China had "run out of ammunition" to aim at Australia."China has placed sanctions against practically all major Australian exporters that it can, bilateral investment has collapsed, and intergovernmental discussions are non-existent."By going thermonuclear in 2020, China now has no substantive forms of leverage over Australia, and has to resort to largely meaningless acts of symbolism."Monash University economy professor Heling Shi also played down the economic impact of the announcement."I think China still needs Australia's iron ore. China's economy is recovering, and to a huge extent, China still relies on iron ore from Australia, so the economic activities won't stop," he told the ABC.Professor Shi said the framework was designed to discuss macroeconomic collaboration policies and strategies between China and Australia, but it did not cover all economic and trade events held by both countries.The term of "indefinite suspension" was also "flexible,'' Professor Shi said."The so-called 'indefinite suspension' is a flexible term. From the Chinese government's perspective, it depends on Australian governments following actions."If the Australian federal government changes their current policy [to China], then the dialogue can be reinstated immediately," he said.He also agreed the move was retaliation for Australia's decision to scrap Victoria's Belt and Road agreements, as well as the government's move to review the lease of Darwin Port to a Chinese company.Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the decision was "regrettable" and said Australia's trade with China could not be on Beijing's terms alone.But he also said the episode highlighted the importance of building relations with other major powers in the region, accusing the government of damaging ties with India by bungling the announcement of its ban on travel from the country."What's also regrettable is that the government says it wants to have better relations with countries including the Quad and that of course includes the US, Japan and India [as well as Australia]," he said."If anyone thinks our relations with India have been improved in the last week, then they're kidding themselves."But the Australia China Business Council warned the announcement could still hurt trade between the two countries, calling it "a new low in the relationship.''"Some commentators are describing Beijing's announcement as largely symbolic with little immediate impact on trade. This misses the point," the ACBC said in a statement."Business and consumers in China take their cues from Beijing and there is no disguising the parlous state of the political relationship with Australia. This will have an impact over time as business and consumers look elsewhere."
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Tear Up Agreement
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Probe into deaths in Chinese mine accident after claims of cover-up
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Six people were killed in an iron mine accident in northern China last month, the local government said on Wednesday, and an investigation is under way after the operator was accused of a cover-up.
They died after falling down a shaft at the mine in Wuan, Hebei province on February 24, the city government said in a statement after a preliminary investigation.
It also said the operator, Tuanchengdong Mining, did not report the accident to authorities as required by law.
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Chinese media reports on the incident emerged on Tuesday after allegations began circulating online that three deaths had been covered up, including that compensation had been offered to the family of at least one miner.
The authorities launched an investigation which confirmed there had been an accident that was not reported and that six people had died.
Tuanchengdong Mining could not be reached for comment.
How iron ore is powering China’s infrastructure boom, and why securing new sources is so vitally important
Wuan, located in the country’s top steelmaking province, is one of the four richest areas for iron ore in China. The authorities said the mine involved in the accident had capacity for 100,000 tonnes of iron ore a year but halted production in late 2018.
According to official news agency Xinhua, the six people were killed during an inspection of the mine.
People associated with Tuanchengdong Mining had been placed “under control” and were being investigated by authorities in Handan, which oversees Wuan, the Xinhua report said, without elaborating.
Tuanchengdong Mining is wholly owned by the Wuan government through the Wuan Metallurgical Mining Group, according to company data provider Qichacha.
The Communist Party committee of Wuan declined to say whether the mine’s manager had been detained. “We do not have a very clear idea about the situation,” a spokeswoman for the party committee said.
China has a poor record on industrial safety, especially at its mines, where accidents are common.
There were 573 mining-related deaths in the country last year, according to the National Mine Safety Administration.
In January, an explosion at a gold mine in Qixia, Shandong province, caused an access tunnel to collapse. While 11 miners were eventually rescued, the blast left 10 dead and one missing . The accident was not reported to local authorities until 30 hours after the explosion, which they said seriously delayed rescue efforts.
Shandong authorities closed all non-coal mining operations in the province in February after another deadly accident at a gold mine, just over a month after the Qixia blast. The mines will be able to resume operations once they pass a safety inspection.
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Mine Collapses
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Boeing's Starliner spacecraft just met its rocket for NASA test launch July 30
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Boeing's Starliner spacecraft has been mated to its rocket ride ahead of its July 30 launch. The mission, called Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2), will be Boeing's second attempt at launching its new astronaut taxi to the International Space Station . The CST-100 Starliner spacecraft was stacked atop its United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on July 17 at Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, marking a key milestone ahead of the mission's launch next week. "Seeing the Starliner atop the Atlas V just days away from launch is symbolic of how proud our team feels about executing this mission," John Vollmer, vice president and program manager for Boeing's Commercial Crew Program, said in a statement from Boeing. " OFT-2 is a critical milestone on our path to crewed flights, and we're all ready to see our hard work come to life with a successful mission from beginning to end." Related: Photo tour: Inside Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spaceship hangar Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft was secured atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex-41 at Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on July 17, 2021. Boeing shared a video of the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft being rolled out of the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida around 4:00 a.m. EDT (0800 GMT) on July 17. The spacecraft was driven 10 miles (16 kilometers) to United Launch Alliance's Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where it was hoisted and mated to its Atlas V rocket. Now, teams will perform integrated testing to ensure the two spacecraft are communicating properly prior to launch. The OFT-2 mission will be Boeing's second uncrewed test flight, designed to evaluate the capabilities of its Starliner spacecraft, including launch, docking, atmospheric re-entry and a desert landing in the western U.S. The mission is meant to demonstrate that Starliner is ready to transport NASA astronauts to and from the space station, according to the statement. Boeing's first Starliner test flight launched in December 2019. However, the spacecraft did not reach the space station as planned due to a series of technical problems . Following a postflight review, the company completed dozens of NASA requirements before announcing it would repeat the orbital flight test. "Boeing worked hand-in-hand with NASA to address lessons learned from Starliner's first flight, including re-verifying flight code, completing a comprehensive test of flight software, and performing an end-to-end mission rehearsal with final flight software, hardware and mission operators," officials said in the statement. The OFT-2 mission was previously targeting launch in March 2021. However, Boeing experienced delays due to scheduling conflicts with other missions headed to the space station, as well as technical and weather issues. If all goes according to plan, the Starliner spacecraft will launch on July 30 at 2:53 p.m. EDT (1853 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 41. The capsule, which will carry supplies and test equipment as well as a flight dummy dubbed Rosie the Rocketeer to simulate future crewed missions, should dock with the space station the next day.
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New achievements in aerospace
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The supernatural understanding of volcanic eruptions
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The Ile Lewotolok volcano in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province erupts on Nov. 29. The eruption forced more than 7,000 people in 15 villages to evacuate. (Photo: BNPB Indonesia) On Nov. 29, 2020, Mount Lewotolok, locally known as Ile Lewotolok or Ile Ape, erupted on the Indonesian island of Lembata. Formerly known as Lomblen, Lembata is a separate regency, part of the province of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT). Demographically, it is a relatively small island with a population of just over 145,000. Indonesian is widely spoken throughout the island, but there is also a regional language, Lamaholot, spoken in a variety of dialects in different villages and districts. Lamaholot is also spoken in the eastern part of the islands of Flores, Adonara, Solor, Alor and Pantar, but with slight variations in terms of stress and intonation. On the eastern part of Lembata, another distinct native language, Kedang, is spoken. Eruptions of Ile Lewotolok have occurred several times since late November. Some explosions were so loud that they could be heard throughout the island and even as far as neighbouring islands such as Adonara and Pantar. Smoke was visible, cold lava flowed down into the valley, gravel and ash fell in areas around the volcano and even on the nearby island of Adonara. Most people living around the volcano left their villages, but dozens of village elders decided not to move. These elders, as I was told, were confident that the eruptions wouldn’t hurt or kill them even though their homes are located close to the lava path, which is of course very dangerous. They seemed to have no fear whatsoever. They strongly believe that if we look after nature, then it will look after us; nature won’t destroy us. Interestingly, according to some villagers, despite the powerful eruptions, the forests near the peak of the mountain were not destroyed. No trees fell, and the grass remained green. There were also no earthquakes, as often occurs before or during eruptions. This was the testimony of at least two elders who climbed the mountain on Dec. 29 to observe the top of Mount Lewotolok. They also claimed that the weather there was rather cold, and there were no signs of destructive impacts of the eruptions. Apparently the two elders wanted to climb up the mountain to look into the crater while there was no cloud covering it. Is this an act of bravery or stupidity, or a bit of both, when the mountain was then still actively erupting? The locals believe that the eruptions of Ile Lewotolok occurred because the supernatural beings occupying the mountain were angry with the exploitative behavior of humankind towards nature. Human failure to take care of nature is believed to anger the spirits of the mountain, and their anger is demonstrated through natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions. So when Mount Lewotolok erupted on Nov. 29, dozens of village elders refused to leave their villages. They said they had to remain in the village to try make peace with the mountain spirits through a peace ritual to stop the eruptions. Since then a peace ritual has been conducted at a certain place on Mount Lewotolok by those known to have the authority within the social structure and those who have supernatural power, locally called molan. The volcano seemed to stop coughing out gravel, ash and lava, continuing only with smoke and some rumbling. The locals quietly declared that their peace ritual had been accepted by the spirits. Those who left their villages at the end of November began to return home beginning Jan. 4. This story highlighting the connection between volcanic eruptions and supernatural forces can also be found in other places in Indonesia. The Balinese people, who adhere to the Hindu Bali religion, believe that their gods live on Mount Agung. It is a sacred mountain and is thus believed to be the spiritual epicentre of the Balinese cosmology. The several eruptions of Mount Agung in the years since 1808 are believed to be a supernatural warning of the loss of cosmological balance or harmony — a philosophy called Tri Hita Karana. Human beings are warned about their destructive behaviour toward the natural-social environment and of their failure to maintain harmony with the gods, and that they must immediately improve their way of life and deeds. The gods' anger, however, is best managed through ritual prayers and offerings, asking for pardon and requesting the mercy of the gods. In Java, there are also legends about supernatural beings living on mountains such as Merapi. To the locals, volcanoes do not spew things out without reason, and the reason is supernatural in nature. To someone educated in Western science, the failure of some people to evacuate in the face of an impending eruption seems irrational. The locals often look to shamans for answers to questions such as: Why did the volcano erupt, and what do I do now? The answer to the first question is based on myth, while the answer to the second is always to follow some traditional volcano ritual. When Mount Merapi in central Java was about to erupt in 2006, both Indonesian and foreign volcanologists were frustrated as the locals refused to immediately leave their villages. At the time, the scientists told the locals to leave, as both the hot lava and ash could be deadly. Instead, in response, at a nearby village, holy men and hundreds of their followers lit incense and placed rice and fruit and other offerings in small, makeshift boats, then sent the miniature flotilla down a river. Apparently, it was an important ritual believed to prevent their villages from being destroyed by the eruption of Mount Merapi. Indeed, the locals continue to see volcanic eruptions as a supernatural event, rather than simply a natural phenomenon; this is demonstrated in volcanic myths and rituals that can be observed throughout Indonesia. Justin Wejak studied philosophy in Indonesia, theology and anthropology in Australia and currently teaches at the University of Melbourne.
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Volcano Eruption
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