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Nauru becomes 189th member of IMF, World Bank
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Tiny South Pacific island nation Nauru has become the 189th member of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the two institutions announced today.
Nauru applied for membership in the Washington-based IMF and World Bank in April 2014, after joining the United Nations in 1996 as the world's smallest independent republic.
The World Bank, which helps developing countries to spur growth and fight poverty, welcomed Nauru as its smallest member by land mass, at 21 square kilometers (eight square miles).
"Nauru faces challenges in sustaining growth and ensuring fiscal and debt sustainability over the medium term -- challenges faced by many of the nation's Pacific Island neighbors," the Bank said in a statement.
By joining the World Bank, Nauru gains access to financial support, technical support and special expertise in dealing with Pacific area issues, such as water and sanitation and disaster risk management amid the threat of climate change and rising sea levels.
With the IMF, Nauru can benefit from the crisis lender's advice on managing government finances and monetary policy.
"I am very pleased to welcome Nauru as member of the IMF," said Christine Lagarde, IMF managing director, in a statement.
"As Nauru faces a number of challenges common to small island economies, including its geographical remoteness and climate change, it will benefit from participating fully in the economic cooperation of our global membership."
Before Nauru, the last country to join the IMF and World Bank was South Sudan, in April 2012.
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Join in an Organization
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The Locust Plague in East Africa Is Sending Us a Message, And It's Not Good News
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The coronavirus isn't the only thing plaguing East Africa. Amid a global pandemic, people in this region of the world are also contending with another "extremely serious" threat to their lives and livelihoods: locusts. After one of the wettest years on record, these voracious insects have been gathering forces since 2019, as weather conditions allowed them to breed generation upon generation. Swarming in the trillions, they are destroying precious pastures and crops in what is considered the worst regional locust plague in decades, from Kenya through Ethiopia and Yemen, reaching as far as parts of northern India. While many are justifiably worried about famine and the economic fall-out of these swarms, entomologist Dino Martins sees them as a more existential warning from nature. "As terrifying and as dramatic as they are," he told the Harvard Gazette in a recent interview, "there is a deeper message, and the message is that we are changing the environment." Martins works at the Mpala Research Centre in northern Kenya, and he says there's no question about it: local environmental degradation, overgrazing, deforestation and the expansion of deserts are creating ideal conditions for more and more locusts to breed. The first major swarms emerged late last year, after unusually warm and wet weather, and they numbered in the hundreds of billions. Come April, the next generation hit the skies, this time in the trillions. The third generation is expected to take off this July in even larger numbers. "When you're in a swarm, especially if it's just as they're getting moving, it's actually quite an incredible experience, " Martins told the Harvard Gazette. "You see, they change colour when they're young - they're more pinkish and then as they mature they become yellow - so when they are flying around you at that stage, you have all these pink and yellow wings whirring around and a slightly nutty smell of the locusts surrounding you and lots of birds feeding on them." Locust forecast in the summer of 2020. (FAO) Today, these insects are commonly controlled with pesticides sprayed from helicopters overhead. But that route obviously comes with consequences to human health, and the health of our environment. Climate change, after all, is altering our weather patterns and bringing more rain to this part of the world, which will only see locusts thriving more. Rick Overson, who works at Arizona State University's Global Locust Initiative, told NPR recently that he thinks our current solutions are too small in scope. In the end, he says they will only tire us out. "It's hard to maintain funding and political will and knowledge and capacity building when you have these unpredictable boom and bust cycles that could play out over years or decades," says Overson. "The drama and spectacle of the outbreak right now is important to cover, but the more nuanced narrative involves the slow, ratchet method of building infrastructure: If you wait until it's reactive and forget about it until it happens again, we're going to be in this situation forever." So far, over half a million hectares of land in this region of the world have been treated with pesticides, and, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), that has saved enough crops to cover basic cereal requirements for nearly 8 million people. But treating huge swathes of land with pesticides is terrible for biodiversity. Even if you don't care a thing for locusts, there are clearly other animals to consider. As farmers grow desperate to preserve their crops, more of them are indiscriminately spraying pesticides. Bill Hansson, a chemical ecologist from the Max Planck Institute in Germany, told Bloomberg he's worried that we will kill other crucial insects, such as bees, in the process. As heavy rains continue to undermine the efforts to control the locusts, the director general of FAO, Qu Dongyu, recently asked for time and cooperation. "Our gains have been significant, but the battle is long and is spreading to new areas," Qu said. "It is clear that we cannot declare victory yet. Upsurges of this magnitude are rarely defeated in a few months." In combination with COVID-19, Qu warned there could be catastrophic consequences on local livelihoods and food security. Half a world away, Argentina is battling a separate locust swarm of huge proportions, and it's threatening to spill over to Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil. Experts suspect this event might also be linked to climate change.
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Insect Disaster
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The rapid spread of Australia's cane toad pests - BBC News
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The rapid spread of Australia's cane toad pests
By Phil Mercer
Cane toads were introduced to Queensland from Puerto Rico
They are toxic invaders that have conquered swathes of northern Australia as they continue their seemingly irrepressible march west towards the Indian Ocean.
Packed with poison and supremely adaptable, the dreaded cane toad, or Bufo marinus, has few friends in Australia, where a massive scientific and community effort has failed to stop their advance.
"They probably have moved about halfway through that tropical region of Western Australia," explained Rick Shine, a professor in biology at the University of Sydney. "They are in very inaccessible country now in the Kimberley. It is very hard to get detailed information on exactly where the front is but it seems to be moving at 50 to 60km (31 to 37 miles) per annum."
The warty amphibians move only during the wet season. Although tracking studies have shown many hop less than 10 metres a day, those at the front line have grown bigger and faster.
"The guys at the invasion front up in the tropics are moving often kilometres in a single night and they have evolved this very distinctive behaviour," Prof Shine told the BBC.
"They've actually evolved differences in shape and physiology as well. Essentially they have turned into these dispersal machines and they move as far as they can, as fast as they can."
Experts are reluctant to speculate on how many of these unwelcome pests have been unleashed across Australia's north. They are prolific breeders - some estimates put the figure at around 1.5 billion - but it is impossible to know for sure.
Australia has a long and depressing history of inadvertently introducing wrecking ball species as pets and livestock, or for sport. Examples include foxes, pigs and rabbits, goats, camels and cats.
Invasive plants and fish have also had a dramatic effect on native flora and fauna, but it is the cane toad that is widely reviled above all else.
How did they arrive?
For Australia, the grim story began in the sugar cane plantations of Puerto Rico, which had imported giant toads from South America to eat the grubs that were devouring the crop.
Word spread of the successes of these bug-catching amphibians and by the 1930s, the cane toads were being sent around the world. In 1935, 101 toads arrived in Far North Queensland in areas including Cairns and Innisfail, before being bred in captivity. Their progeny was released on missions to hunt and kill cane-destroying beetles on Australia's north-east coast.
Community toad "musters" have snared countless numbers over the years. In 2005 David Tollner, a former federal MP, famously urged Northern Territory residents to help squash the problem with their golf clubs and cricket bats - effectively turning eradication into sport.
Large cane toads collected in the Kimberley region, in Western Australia
Then there was the so-called "bottom-line" defence supported by the RSPCA in Darwin, which recommended killing captured amphibians by smearing them with haemorrhoid cream, which acted as an anaesthetic.
In 2009, toads crossed the Western Australian border with the Northern Territory, more than 2,000km from the site of their original release 74 years earlier.
It was a dark day that conservationists had both dreaded and seen coming. The invasion penetrated the Kimberley region, an area three times the size of England and regarded as a wilderness frontier.
"Sadly, the Kimberley has lost the battle to the cane toad. They have invaded close to 70% of the Kimberley, so the toads are well and truly on their way to the northern coastal areas," said Lee Scott-Virtue, the president of Kimberley Toadbusters, a group she set up in 2004.
"It has been a really disturbing lesson. The problem is they are adapting to dry, desert conditions. They are adjusting to very cold climates and they are actually starting to breed in saline water."
Most recent discovery
On Wednesday, wildlife rangers revealed a cane toad was found beside a road near Mount Kosciuszko in southern New South Wales. Authorities suspect it was carried in by a tourist, and have not found other evidence of the species there. Nonetheless, they are concerned.
"There are certainly environment and times of the year when such an animal could persist (survive)," Dave Woods, a state wildlife officer, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Cane toads, which carry toxins, can kill large animals such as monitor lizards
He said toads could provide a fresh threat to endangered species in the area, a national park.
The toads are devourers of insects and other small prey, but they are at their most destructive when they are eaten by larger predators, such as snakes, goannas and freshwater crocodiles. A large gland on the toad's shoulder is loaded with deadly cardiac toxins.
In an unusual move, researchers are trying to train predators to avoid larger cane toads by feeding them smaller specimens, which make them ill but should not kill them.
These so-called taste-aversion strategies include feeding sausages made of minced amphibian to northern quolls, a carnivorous marsupial. They eat the meat, which causes vomiting, in the hope it will put them off eating toads again. A large-scale trial is due to start in Western Australia soon.
Corrin Everitt, from the state's Department of Parks and Wildlife, told the BBC that while the project could ensure fewer large predators were lost, it would not halt the invasion.
Rangers will trial feeding cane toad sausages to native animals
"At the moment we're predicting the toads to take at least five years to reach the Broome area," she said.
"They are an amazing animal when you take away all the ugliness about them. You just wish that our native species could be as adaptable and successful in colonising areas as they are."
More on this story
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Insect Disaster
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Attorney General James Protects NYC Children from Lead Poisoning in Housing
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NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James announced today that her office has reached an agreement with a major New York City landlord to ensure that children living in its apartments are protected from dangerous lead-based paint. The agreement resolves the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) investigation into A&E Real Estate Holdings (A&E), which found that A&E was not in compliance with apartment inspection, lead hazard remediation, and other key requirements of New York City’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act.
As a part of today’s agreement, A&E will continue to bring its apartments into compliance with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, and will report its compliance to the OAG for the next three years. A&E will also pay $510,000 to the OAG for initiatives aimed at protecting children from lead poisoning. This is the first announced agreement resulting from investigations that the OAG is conducting into New York City apartment building owner and operators’ compliance with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act.
“The legacy of lead paint in housing continues to be an enduring threat to the health and future of our youngest New Yorkers,” said Attorney General James. “Children have the right to live in healthy, hazard-free environments, and their landlords have an obligation to ensure that happens. The health and safety of our children is paramount, and through today’s action, we will continue to ensure that they are always our priority.”
Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause serious and irreversible adverse health effects. Children who have been exposed to even very low levels of lead are at risk for neurological and physical problems during critical stages of early development. In fact, no safe lead level in children has been identified. Children under six are more likely to be exposed to lead than any other age group, as their normal behaviors could result in them chewing lead paint chips; breathing in or swallowing dust from old lead paint that gets on floors, window sills, and hands; and can be found in soil, toys, and other consumer products. Lead poisoning in New York City is highest among children of color and children living in high-poverty neighborhoods.
Lead paint in residential housing has been a pervasive problem for decades, particularly in New York. Beginning in the 20th century, paint with dangerously high levels of lead was used on both exterior and interior surfaces of housing in the United States. Lead paint has been found in approximately 43 percent of all of New York dwellings. In 1960, New York City prohibited the sale of paint with high levels of lead for residential use, New York state imposed a state-wide ban in 1970, and the federal government banned lead in paint in 1978. The vast majority of older, painted buildings contain some paint with lead levels higher than these bans. The New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act requires owners of apartments and houses built before 1960 to take critical safety measures to prevent lead poisoning in children tenants.
A&E owns and manages more than 10,000 apartments in buildings throughout New York City, most of which are located in Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn. The OAG’s investigation into A&E, beginning in 2018, determined that A&E violated several provisions of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act related to notice requirements, annual inquiries, and turnover procedures. Specifically, A&E:
A&E’s non-compliance resulted in the potential exposure to lead-based paint hazards, particularly for children under the age of six.
The agreement reached today requires A&E to achieve and maintain full compliance with all requirements of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, including taking actions to resolve lead-based paint violations open with the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). A&E also agreed to take several measures beyond the requirements of the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, including reporting directly to the OAG regularly on its compliance with the Act for the next three years, and paying $510,000 to the OAG to fund projects that help protect children from lead poisoning. Any future violation of the law by A&E violates the agreement and could subject the company to legal action by the OAG.
Attorney General James thanks HPD for its assistance in this and other, related ongoing investigations.
“HPD is committed to meeting the goals of LeadFreeNYC, keeping children safe from lead through enhanced enforcement against property owners who fail to meet their obligations and through education and resources for tenants and property owners,” said HPD Commissioner Louise Carroll. “We will continue to pursue enforcement through our own litigation and in joint efforts with partners like the attorney general, who utilize the work of our inspectors and lead-based paint enforcement teams to identify and audit buildings where lead-based paint regulations are not followed. I hope this settlement serves to let all property owners know how seriously HPD and the attorney general take lead-based paint compliance and encourages them to find out more about how to properly comply.”
“The dangers of exposure to even trace amounts of lead has serious implications on the development and well-being of our city’s young children — this is well documented and beyond dispute,” said New York City Council Health Committee Chair Mark Levine. “As a city, we made a promise that we would eliminate lead poisoning in children by 2010 when we passed the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, but have yet to live up to that promise. Attorney General James’ work to hold big landlords accountable and ensure that our lead laws are consistently being enforced is a big step forward in our battle against lead poisoning. This is the only way we will reach our goal of finally protecting, once and for all, our children from this entirely preventable but detrimental hazard.”
“As a health and environmental advocate, I was a sponsor of the NYC Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. It's a great law, but any law is only as good as the enforcement it receives," said New York City Council Environmental Protection Chair James F. Gennaro. “I applaud Attorney General Letitia James for all her hard work to vigorously enforce this law and for creating a fund for the proceeds of fines for violating this law to go towards OAG programs to protect our children from lead poisoning and keeping New York City kids safe. All parents in our city owe Attorney General James a debt of gratitude.”
“The degree to which bad actors are still, in 2021, endangering children and families by not complying with the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act is shocking. In the City Council, we have passed several pieces of legislation to strengthen the lead monitoring and remediation requirements in Local Law 1, including my bill Int. 904 which ensures the City conducts thorough investigations when pregnant mothers test positive for lead exposure,” said City Council Member Carlina Rivera. “I am grateful to Attorney General James and her office for their leadership in investigating A&E Real Estate Holdings' lack of compliance. I look forward to seeing justice won for these, and all other affected families citywide.”
“I commend Attorney General James for her diligence in uncovering significant lack of compliance with New York City’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act and for this substantial agreement with A&E,” said City Council Member Stephen Levin. “Childhood lead poisoning has been a scourge to New York City children for far too long. Attorney General James has fought for childhood victims of lead poisoning since her time at the New York City Council and this agreement today will add meaningful funding to that effort statewide.”
“I applaud the efforts of the Attorney General’s office and Letitia James for continuing to advocate and work to protect children in New York,” said City Council Member Oswald Feliz. “As a tenant attorney I know firsthand the difficulties in litigating cases against landlords when it comes to lead paint violations, and dealing with the after effects that lead paint has on the health and wellbeing of our children. This especially occurs in communities of color, such as my own, which are often neglected. This agreement will send a message to all landlords in the state, directing them to comply with their obligations when it comes to lead paint inspections and reporting to ensure that our children are not coming into contact with lead paint and experiencing poor health conditions later on as a result.”
“The effects that lead can have on young children cannot be overstated. We should be relentless in preventing lead poisoning, and I applaud Attorney General James for her investigation which will hold this mega-landlord accountable to New York's stringent health standards,” said City Council Member Margaret Chin. “As council member, I have passed multiple pieces of legislation to curb lead exposure, including laws mandating the Department of Buildings work with the Department of Health to swab for lead dust at construction sites in residential buildings, and requiring the Department of Education to regularly inspect classrooms for lead. We must continue to pursue any party in violation of the New York City's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act so that no child or family must suffer the irreversible harm inflicted by exposure to heavy metals.”
“We applaud New York Attorney General Letitia James for taking on criminally negligent landlords who ignore laws designed to protect children from toxic lead poisoning which causes irreversible damage to mental and physical health,” said Sonal Jessel, policy director, WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “Lead poisoning is completely preventable, and the city has plenty of laws on the books but they are rarely enforced. This is extremely troubling for Black/African American communities because we know from national studies that Black children living below the poverty line are twice as likely to suffer from lead poisoning as poor white children. New York City has a major child lead poisoning problem, with a rate of 11.2 per 1,000 children living in private housing having elevated blood lead levels. We are glad to see Attorney General James is serious about enforcing our laws.”
“The goal of New York City’s landmark Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Law was to end this wholly preventable epidemic by 2010,” said Matthew Chachère, attorney, Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation. “Sadly, that has yet to happen, in large part due to the failure of too many landlords to comply with their obligation to maintain their apartments free of lead-based paint hazards. New York City’s children are well served by the Attorney General’s efforts to secure compliance with this important public health measure.”
Attorney General James is continuing to pursue legal actions across New York to end the scourge of childhood lead poisoning by holding accountable landlords that allow lead paint-related hazards to proliferate in low-income rental properties. In September 2020, she sued a group of Buffalo individuals and companies for repeated violations of county, city, state, and federal laws by illegally allowing lead paint-related hazards to proliferate in their rental properties. In February 2020, Attorney General James sued Chestnut Holdings of New York, Inc. for failing to comply with provisions of New York City’s lead poisoning prevention law.
This matter is being handled by Special Counsel of the Health Care Bureau Sara Haviva Mark, Assistant Attorney General Abigail Katowitz, Chief Scientist Jodi Feld, and all of the Environmental Protection Bureau, under the supervision of Environmental Protection Deputy Bureau Chief Monica Wagner. The Environmental Protection Bureau is led by Lemuel M. Srolovic. Data analysis was handled by Senior Data Analyst Akram Hasanov, under the supervision of Research and Analytics Department Directior Jonathan Werberg and Deputy Director Megan Thorsfeldt. The Environmental Protection Bureau is a part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and is overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
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Mass Poisoning
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Benton Harbor riots
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The city of Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA has had two major riots. On August 30, 1966, due to a fatal shooting,[1] residents rioted for six days. Governor George W. Romney dispatched troops from the Michigan National Guard, who stood down on September 5. [2][3]
In June 2003, several citizens in Benton Harbor rioted for two days when black motorcyclist Terrance Shurn, being chased by a police officer, crashed into a building and died. Rioters set five vacant and dilapidated houses in the worst neighborhood of Benton Harbor on fire, to express their overall frustration with conditions in their lives and in the city of Benton Harbor. Many Benton Harbor residents came out to see what was going on. As many as 300 state troopers and law enforcement personnel from neighboring communities were called to Benton Harbor. [3][4][5][6][7]
Indirectly, the riot contributed to the Jimmy Carter Work Project being held in Benton Harbor and Detroit in 2005. Benton Harbor also experienced rioting in 1960, 1967, and 1990. [3]
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Riot
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2019 Campbellfield factory fire
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The 2019 Campbellfield factory fire was a major industrial fire that began in Campbellfield, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on 5 April 2019. The size of the fire site was about 5,000 square metres (53,819.55 sq ft), and it emitted toxic smoke across the city’s northern suburbs. [1] The fire was finally extinguished four days after it started. [2]
The company which operated the property where the fire took place, Bradbury Industrial Services, collapsed in July 2019, leaving taxpayers to potentially foot a multimillion-dollar clean-up bill. [3] On 1 August 2019, the administrators for the company were given three months to clean up the site. [4]
The fire occurred at a waste management factory owned by Bradbury Industrial Services on Thornycroft St at 6:40 am. [5] Buildings and vehicles were turned into fireballs and chemical drums sent soaring high above the warehouse as the inferno raged for hours. A witness in a nearby suburb to the fire said he saw a "massive explosion that looked like a mushroom cloud". [1] Two other fires had broken out in the facility previously. [6]
Bradbury Industrial Services provides storage and disposal services for hazardous and industrial waste, and specialises in treating solvent and other waste from paint and related industries. [7]
Metropolitan Fire Brigade firefighters brought the blaze under control by midday on 5 April; however, the fire was not fully extinguished until four days later. [2] About thirty people were believed to have escaped the building before the firefighters arrived. At least two factory workers were hospitalised as a result of severe burns from the fire, with one employee receiving an eye injury. The fire was initially contained within four hours by 175 firefighters. [8] Fire crews remain at the scene, using heat-detection devices to continually identify and dampen-down hotspots. [6][9] The fire forced the closure of nearby schools and businesses. Some residents fled their homes to escape toxic fumes. [10]
A number of schools and kindergartens in proximity to the fire were closed as of 7 April including:[11]
Investigations into the cause of the fire were started on 9 April, involving police, fire investigators from the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade, WorkSafe Victoria, and the Victorian Coroner. [2]
Initial speculations focused on the illegal or improper storage of flammable chemical waste. [5]
The fire began less than one day after Victorian Environment Protection Authority authorities inspected the factory, and fifteen days[8] after the factory had its license revoked for storing three times[12] as much waste as it was permitted. [13] The EPA's inspection on 4 April discovered 300,000 litres of chemicals inside. [14]
EPA executive director Damian Wells said the factory contained "highly flammable materials". [5]
The EPA has begun an independent review into its systems and processes for dealing with toxic waste.
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Fire
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Rockingham fishing and swimming warning near Cape Peron after wastewater leak concerns
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The Water Corporation is warning people not to swim, dive, kayak or fish within one kilometre of a wastewater outlet off the coast of Cape Peron in Rockingham.
Testing of water near the outlet, four kilometres from the shore, has been showing elevated microbiology levels since mid-February.
More than 150 dead mullet, along with some jellyfish, washed up on the Safety Bay foreshore on March 28, but they were too decomposed to determine if there was a link.
A Water Corporation spokeswoman attributed the rise in microbiology levels to recent works associated with a major upgrade of the Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The outlet has fed into a 20-metre deep channel running parallel to the shore since 1984.
Between 1991 and 1994 a Water Corporation study was conducted to determine the effects of nitrogen in the wastewater.
It found the effects of ocean disposal at the Point Peron outlet to be minor and not ecologically detrimental.
Wastewater in WA is diluted through physical and chemical processes to make it lighter and lower in density, so it rises and mixes with seawater to minimise the environmental impact. However the Water Corporation said part of a $158 million upgrade to the Woodman Point facility had affected the efficiency of this.
The project is expected to completed by October 2019, but the work which is having an impact on the water quality is due to be completed before May.
Water Corporation was undertaking further testing to determine with more certainty when the water will become safe again.
It has apologised for any inconvenience caused to users of the ocean in the area.
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Environment Pollution
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‘Like an Earthquake’: Gas Explosion Rips Through a Bronx House
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Ten people suffered minor injuries in the blast, which knocked a door off its hinges and across the street and blew windows out of their frames.
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Investigators at the scene of an explosion in the Bronx, which may have been caused by a gas plumbing system.Credit...Dakota Santiago for The New York Times
By Ed Shanahan and Amanda Rosa
Feb. 18, 2021
Ten people were hurt, none of them seriously, when a gas explosion ripped through a three-story house in the Bronx on Thursday, officials said.
The explosion’s force blew one of the house’s doors off its hinges and across the street, where it hung from telephone wires in the frigid air as night fell and investigators scoured the building and the area around it.
Inspectors were examining the house’s gas plumbing system as a possible source of the blast, a Buildings Department spokesman said. Fire marshals were also investigating, as were Con Edison employees, officials said.
A Con Edison spokesman said that the utility was not doing work at the house at the time of the explosion and that gas service had been shut off after the incident.
Officials initially said that two of those who were injured, including a child, had been taken to the hospital in critical condition. But a hospital spokesman later said none of the nine patients treated by trauma specialists there had life-threatening injuries.
Image
Inspectors assessed the house’s structural soundness after the blast.Credit...Dakota Santiago for The New York Times
Hours after the explosion, residents, still looking stunned, grabbed clothes and blankets from their homes in the darkness. A black cat that appeared to have burn wounds slinked around in the snow near the remnants of windows that had been knocked from their frames.
Genesis Garcia, 18, said she was cleaning her room in her family’s first-floor home when she heard a loud boom and felt the building shake.
“It felt like an earthquake,” she said.
Ms. Garcia, like her neighbors, spent hours in the cold helping her family grab things from their home. She was grateful that her dogs and five ferrets, bundled up together in a blanket, were safe.
The blast, on Paulding Avenue in the Westchester Square neighborhood, occurred just before 3:30 p.m. and was under control in about an hour, fire officials said. Ten people, including a firefighter with a minor injury, were injured, and most of them were taken to Jacobi Medical Center, fire officials said.
By 7 p.m., one person had been released and the rest were being treated in the hospital’s trauma center for injuries that were not life-threatening, said John C. Doyle, a spokesman for Jacobi.
Image
The blast, on Paulding Avenue in the Westchester Square neighborhood, occurred just before 3:30 p.m., officials said.Credit...Dakota Santiago for The New York Times
Inspectors and engineers from the Buildings Department determined that the house and two others in a row of four that had been damaged were structurally stable, an agency spokesman said. Department records showed that the property had no outstanding violations.
The row of houses is owned by Trackside Homes L.L.C. of the Bronx, according to city property records. The property’s owner could not immediately be reached.
As of 10 p.m., the American Red Cross said it had provided financial assistance and temporary housing to two households totaling nine people.
Alberto Martinez, 50, was among the residents taking stock of the damage on Thursday evening.
Mr. Martinez told reporters that he had rushed home from his job at a Manhattan law firm after hearing about the explosion. He said his wife, Norma Galarza, had been home when the blast happened and had run outside. She saw a neighbor whose two children she often babysits for calling for help, Mr. Martinez said.
“The parent was out the window begging for help because she didn’t know what to do at that point,” he said. “So my wife just asked her to throw the baby down.”
Ms. Galarza caught the baby, he said, and the neighbor and the second child, a toddler, eventually got out of the building safely. Mr. Martinez said he was proud of his wife’s bravery.
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Gas explosion
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1989 Taufiqiah Al-Khairiah madrasa fire
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On 22 September 1989, a fire took place at Taufiqiah Al-Khairiah madrasa (also known as Madrasah Pondok Pak Ya) in Guar Chempedak, Kedah, Malaysia. Around 27 students who are mostly girls were killed in the incident. [2][3] All victims bodies later were buried in a special Muslim cemetery at Padang Lumat as the "27 Syuhada Peristiwa Kebakaran Pondok Pak Ya" (27 Martyrs of the Taufiqiah Al-Khairiah madrasa fire). [1]
A total of 27 victims, all women, were killed in the fire. 1.Faridah binti Che Daud
2.Kamisah binti Sudin
3.Norazura binti Abdul Wahab
4.Siti Mariam binti Zakaria
5.Khairul Asma binti Abdullah
6.Faridah binti Baharom
7.Mariani binti Lebai Hassan
8.Norasmah binti Md. Nor
9.Hamidah binti Abd. Hamid
10.Asmah binti Osman
11.Siti Noraini binti Yaacob
12.Rokiah binti Abdullah
13.Zuraini binti Md. Fadzil
14.Sarina binti Shaari
15.Norasiah binti Mehad
16.Zaharah binti Ramli
17.Asnidar binti Abu Bakar
18.Paizah binti Isa
19.Nurul Uyun binti Abdullah
20.Anisah binti Osman
21.Mashitoh binti Yaacob
22.Ezzah binti Ismail
23.Siti Aishah binti Nayan
24.Syafinaz binti Ishak
25.Suhaibah binti Mahmud
26.Rosnani binti Ismail
27.Rohani binti Syaari
Al-Fatihah
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Fire
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KLM Cityhopper Flight 433 crash
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KLM Cityhopper Flight 433 was a Saab 340B, registered as PH-KSH, which crashed during an emergency landing on 4 April 1994. Flight 433 was a routine scheduled flight from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to Cardiff, United Kingdom. The aircraft took off from Runway 24 at Schiphol Airport at 2:19 pm local time, with the captain as the pilot flying. At 2:30, the pilots received a false warning of low oil pressure in the right engine, caused by a short circuit. While the first officer consulted the emergency checklist, the captain unilaterally set the right engine's power to idle, probably to reduce the risk of damage. However, the oil pressure gauge was still showing above 30 PSI, indicating that oil pressure was within safe limits and the warning was false. The checklist recommended continuing normal flight operations under the circumstances. [1][2]
However, the captain did not return the engine to the previous throttle setting, leaving the aircraft effectively flying on one engine. As the Saab approached flight level 170 (17,000 feet), the loss of power degraded the aircraft's climb performance. The crew misinterpreted this, and decreasing oil pressure from the retarding right engine, as confirmation that the engine was faulty. [1] A Pan-Pan call was made at 2:33, requesting to return to Schiphol. The captain had not anticipated the consequences of flying with one engine at idle, and was unable to stabilize the final approach onto Runway 06; the situation was aggravated by an 8 knot tailwind. He also disengaged the autopilot, while the first officer neutralized the rudder trim, both of which had been compensating for the asymmetric thrust. During this time the aircraft fell below the glideslope and airspeed decreased to 115 knots, below the target approach speed of 125 knots. In response, the captain increased torque on the left engine, causing the aircraft to veer to the right of the runway. The crew did not apply additional rudder deflection to correct it, instead relying on the ailerons. [2][3]
At a height of 45 feet, the captain decided to perform a go-around, and commanded full throttle to the left engine, while leaving right engine at idle. The crew continued to only use the ailerons to counteract the thrust imbalance. The aircraft rolled to the right and pitched up, while airspeed decayed to 105 knots, activating the stall warning. Some rudder deflection was applied afterwards, and full deflection was applied 8 seconds later, but the aircraft was unrecoverable as airspeed decreased to 93 knots and the right bank increased to 80 degrees. [2][4]
At 2:46, the aircraft crashed in a field just outside the airport, 560 meters from the runway. Of the 24 people on board, 3 were killed—the captain and 2 passengers. Out of the 21 survivors, 9 suffered serious injuries, including the first officer. Due to amnesia caused by the crash, the first officer could not recall the accident. [2]
The aircraft involved was a Saab 340B, registration PH-KSH, which had first flown in 1990. The aircraft was powered by two General Electric CT7-9B turboshaft engines and had flown 6,558 hours at the time of the accident. [3][5]
The captain, 37-year-old Gerrit Lievaart, had been with KLM Cityhopper since 2 March 1992. He had a total of 2,605 hours flying time, including 1,214 hours on a Saab 340. However, training records revealed that he had failed two engine-out checks, and on his most recent one had been given a “standard minus,” the lowest passing grade. The first officer, 34-year old Paul Stassen, had been with KLM Cityhopper since 27 January 1992. He had a total of 1,718 hours flying time, including 1,334 hours on a Saab 340. The final report from the Netherlands Aviation Safety Board found that pilot error, through inadequate use of flight controls during unequal throttle go-around, resulting in loss of control, was the primary cause of the accident. [2] In addition, the report included recommendations directed at KLM, regarding contributing factors,[2] addressing: improved training on Crew Resource Management; improved pilot assessment techniques; and improved guidance on flying with an idle engine. [1] In addition, the report found that the crash was generally survivable, with the Captain's death attributable to not wearing his shoulder restraints. [2]
The crash of KLM Cityhopper Flight 433 was covered in 2019 in "Fatal Approach", a Season 19 episode of the internationally syndicated Canadian TV documentary series Mayday. [1]
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Air crash
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Zinc Mine Collapse Kills 1, Injures 2
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Kevin Cronin | Jul 19, 2021 A worker was killed and two others injured when Nyrstar’s Immel Minean underground zinc mine collapsed in Knoxville County, Tennessee, according to authorities. The injured workers were hospitalized with at least one requiring surgery. The cause of the collapse was unknown. This was the third death at one of the company's Tennessee mines this year. An investigation was underway. The mine was cited three times by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) for safety violations in July. Nyrstar is a Dutch company with mining and smelting operations in Europe and the US. It has a processing plant and three underground zinc mines in Tennessee.
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Mine Collapses
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Trump Moves to Pull U.S. Out of World Health Organization in Midst of Covid-19 Pandemic
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Updated July 7, 2020 7:46 pm ET The U.S. has formally notified the World Health Organization it will withdraw from the United Nations agency over President Trump’s criticism of its ties to China, a move critics say will hamper the international fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and sap the U.S. of global influence. The U.S. State Department sent notice to the U.N. on July 6 it would end its 72-year-old membership in the WHO. “The President has been clear that the WHO needs to get its act together,” a department spokesman said. “That starts with demonstrating significant progress and the ability to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks with transparency and accountability.”
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Withdraw from an Organization
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Investigation begun into China gas line explosion; death toll now 25
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An investigation has begun into the cause of a gas line explosion at a market in central China where the death toll has risen to 25
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Authorities have rescued nearly 150 people from the area, including 39 with serious injuries and rushed them to hospitals, state-run Xinhua news agency reported | AP/PTI
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Karnataka: PM Modi condoles loss of lives in Shivamogga dynamite blast
An investigation has begun into the cause of a gas line explosion at a market in central China where the death toll has risen to 25.
Rescuers climbed over smashed bricks and slabs of concrete to find victims following the blast early Sunday that ripped through the market in the Hubei province city of Shiyan as residents were buying breakfast and fresh vegetables.
Local officials announced the higher death toll and the formation of an investigation team at a news conference late Monday.
The two-story building built in the early 1990s included pharmacies, restaurants and other businesses. More than 900 people were evacuated from the area.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for a thorough investigation into the cause of the blast in order to create a good atmosphere for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Communist Party on July 1, state media reported.
The blast appeared similar to one that occurred in the northeastern port of Qingdao in 2013, in which 55 people were killed when underground pipelines ripped open following a leak.
Frequent deadly accidents are usually traced to weak adherence to safety standards, poor maintenance and corruption among enforcement bodies. Among the worst accidents was a massive 2015 explosion at a chemical warehouse in the port city of Tianjin that killed 173 people, most of them firefighters and police officers.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Gas explosion
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South Eastern Freeway shut in both directions after serious crash between car and motorbike
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Adelaide's South Eastern Freeway has been closed to traffic in both directions after a crash involving a motorcyclist and a car. SA Police said the crash happened on the major arterial road about 5:00pm between Stirling and Bridgewater. It's a carpark between Stirling & Aldgate down track. SE freeway.Possible rollover.@abcadelaide pic.twitter.com/yeLWNK6d7O Police said the crash involved a car and a motorbike and "there are reports of serious injuries". The Freeway has been closed to all traffic between Bridgewater and Stirling. Police said the crash happened near the turn-off to Old Mount Barker Road, and that diversions are in place. "Expect significant delays on South Eastern Freeway following a serious crash," police have tweeted. "[The] Freeway [is] currently closed to all traffic in both directions between Stirling and Bridgewater. "Be careful of emergency personnel working in the area." Police have asked drivers to avoid the area if they can. Major Crash investigators are heading to the scene.
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Road Crash
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Greece secures an additional 6.8 billion euros from the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund despite warnings that the Greek government is moving too slow to reform the government.
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Greece has passed another hurdle in its bailout programme, by securing the next instalments of funds that are keeping the country afloat.
The money, totalling 6.8bn euros ($8.7bn), will come from the troika of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
But they said that Greece's reform programme is moving too slowly.
The troika added that the country's economic outlook remains uncertain.
Eurozone finance ministers meeting in Brussels said 2.5bn euros ($3.2bn) would come from the eurozone rescue fund and 1.5bn euros ($1.9bn) from European Central Bank.
While the payments are likely to be made this month, another 500m euros ($643m) from the rescue fund, plus 500m euros from the European Central Bank will follow in October.
Then the IMF will loan 1.8bn euros ($2.3bn), bringing the overall total to 6.8bn euros.
The loans are conditional on Greece making progress with its reform programme.
Greece's creditors have warned that reforms are behind schedule, especially the privatisation of state assets. Last month, the sell-off of the public gas company collapsed. But the reforms have caused much anger in Greece.
Around 25,000 civil servants will be put on reduced salaries, before either being dismissed or redeployed. That will add to the nation's unemployment rate which already stands at 27%.
Meanwhile, thousands of Greek municipal workers and school teachers took to the streets of Athens on Monday in a noisy protest against public sector layoffs. Public unrest has lead to political instability, and four different Greek governments in as many years.
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Financial Aid
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Four Priorities To Watch From President Biden’s $750 Billion College Proposal
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(Free) Community Colleges: It is no surprise that the Biden administration is putting the needs of community colleges at the top of its policy agenda. First Lady Jill Biden, a community college faculty member, has long been a champion of free tuition at community colleges. The free college agenda is built on a foundation of states’ “promise programs” which have been championed by former Obama administration undersecretary for education, Martha Kanter. It is expected that a free community college program would provide tuition-free access to two-year programs, nationwide, for all learners including part-time students, adults and Dreamers. The administration’s ‘free community college’ proposal may be the first test of their goal towards bipartisanship. The College Promise movement was actually seeded in Republican-governed Tennessee, but has become an initiative championed by Democrats in Washington and so far has failed to get support from Congressional Republicans. The pandemic has revealed more than the need for learners and workers to upskill, but it has also revealed that the technology in place at many community colleges is out-of-date. To that end, the administration is calling for greater investment in technology, allowing institutions to ensure learners can access courses and programs. Job Training Programs & Credentials: Taking their commitment beyond free community college, the Biden administration is also committed to putting additional resources into short-term training programs. This $50 billion investment would be focused on “high-quality” job-skills training programs that would ensure a seamless pathway between community colleges and other partners including industry, government and high schools. Additional grant dollars for community colleges would also be available to support student success through advising, additional staff and clarity around transfer and articulation policies. These policies would ultimately help students move from short-term programs into a degree-granting program, allowing the learner to build (or stack) their credentials toward alignment with career aspirations. Federal Student Financial Aid: At the top of many presidential policy agendas has been a commitment to double the Pell Grant. And the Biden administration is no different. Yesterday, acting assistant secretary Cooper noted that the president is committed to doubling the maximum Pell Grant to support low-income students. Cooper, a longtime champion for the Pell Grant program and deep subject matter expert in the mechanics of the federal financial aid programs, noted that the Pell Grant should be better aligned with inflation to ensure that its value does not diminish, as some have argued has happened in the last few decades. And while the administration has already put a pause on borrowers’ loan payments as a result of the pandemic, there is a further commitment to ensuring student loan repayments do not exceed five percent of a borrower’s discretionary income. The administration has also proposed to forgive federal student loans after 20 years of payments. While President Biden has proposed broader forgiveness for up to $10,000 for some borrowers, there is increasing pressure from Democratic Congressional leaders to increase the level of loan forgiveness. While it remains unclear whether the forgiveness level will grow, the current pause on loan payments has given the administration valuable time (until September) to determine their path forward. Perhaps the most notable reform proposed by the administration is to grant Dreamers access to federal financial aid, by fully reinstating DACA. While some states - such as my home state of Colorado - provide access to state aid for Dreamers, federal financial aid has long been a barrier for many Dreamers who seek financial assistance to pursue higher education. Restrictions on For-Profit Education: Not surprisingly, the Biden administration is proposing further restrictions and regulation of for-profit education providers. And, while the details of the plan have not been shared, the Democratically-controlled House Committee on Education and Labor included further restrictions around the 90/10 rule for for-profit providers in their budget reconciliation package this week. The 90/10 rule currently caps the percentage of revenue a for-profit institution can receive from federal financial aid (90% from federal Title IV sources, 10% from other non-federal sources). It has long been debated whether other federal sources such as GI Bill benefits should be included in the ratio (Democrats argue this is a ‘loophole’ and historically, Republicans have fought to preserve the current calculation). The change proposed in the House reconciliation package now re-elevates the debate around what federal sources should be included in the ratio, such as workforce funds to employer tuition benefits. One thing is clear: the Biden administration has prioritized ‘consumer protection’ from ‘predatory institutions’ that have ‘left graduates and nongraduates with mountains of debt, and very few opportunities.’ The question remains whether this sentiment will extend to all institutions, regardless of tax status. The postsecondary education agenda and the team that will lead the work over the next four years should become more clear as Secretary-elect Miguel Cardona is expected to be confirmed by the Senate before the end of the week.
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Financial Aid
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Minister for Africa commits £8 million to mitigate famine in South Sudan
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James Duddridge’s visit to South Sudan shows how the UK is helping protect the vulnerable, prevent famine across Africa and act as a force for good in the world. The UK Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, travelled to South Sudan this week (20 to 22 October) where he committed £8 million to help the victims of flooding, reduce extreme hunger and help mitigate the ongoing risk of famine in the country. He was joined by the UK’s Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs, Nick Dyer. This support will help the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide food assistance, nutrition support, shelter, and water, sanitation and hygiene support. This will help some of the most vulnerable in areas where nearly a million people have been affected by flooding and conflict, leaving them on the verge of humanitarian catastrophe. The announcement was made during a visit to Pibor and Bor to see first-hand how UK aid is providing vital assistance to people facing flooding, conflict and severe hunger. The minister also had the opportunity to speak to the President and Vice Presidents of South Sudan about the peace process, ensuring humanitarian access, and preventing famine. James Duddridge, Minister for Africa said: The UK stands with the people of South Sudan and is helping save lives. We will provide vital food and support to thousands of people on the brink of hunger, following devastating flooding and conflict. However, aid is not a long-term solution. The Government of South Sudan must commit more resources to ending conflict, bringing peace and stability and providing basic services including health and education to its people. Matthew Hollingworth, WFP Country Director in South Sudan said: Conflict, extreme flooding and increases in violence mean South Sudan is facing humanitarian catastrophe. Millions of households are skipping meals.
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Famine
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Family hospitalized from carbon monoxide poisoning
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Michigan State Police say the Vassar Fire Department and Mobile Medical Response responded to assist at a home in Juniata Township with three residents that had potential lethal levels of carbon monoxide in their system.
Click here for safety tips.
State Police say initially the first responders did not recognize the signs and symptoms of the exposure and had left the home. RELATED LINK: Gov. Whitmer encourages Michiganders to prepare for winter weather hazards
One resident had later collapsed and fell unconscious in the home, prompting a second 911 call.
Investigators say all occupants were transported from the residence by ambulance to a local hospital and are expected to survive.
According to a news release, the investigation revealed the residents live in an older mobile home that had lost power due to the recent storms and that the residents were using a gas-powered generator outside to run essential equipment inside the home.
RELATED LINK: Local family faces carbon monoxide scare on Christmas Eve
Investigators say metal sheeting was used to cover the generator to keep it protected from the elements. The generator exhaust was aimed directly underneath the mobile home. Fire department responders opened all the windows and uncovered the generator, moving it away from the home, and then contacted Consumers Energy to clear the home.
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Mass Poisoning
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Aeroflot Flight 892 crash
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Aeroflot Flight 892 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Minsk to East Berlin, which crashed on 12 December 1986 due to pilot error, killing seventy-two of the eighty-two passengers and crew on board. [1]
Due to adverse weather conditions, the scheduled flight from Minsk to East Berlin diverted to Prague. Once the weather in Berlin improved, the flight took off for the original destination. Upon arrival the conditions allowed only an ILS landing. The airport controller cleared the flight to land on runway 25L (left), but when the aircraft was entering final approach, the runway lights for runway 25R (right), which was undergoing renovation at the time and was closed, were turned on. The controller warned the crew in English that this was a test, but due to the lack of English language proficiency among the Aeroflot flight crew, the radio operator understood that this meant that the airplane was to land on runway 25R. The pilot disengaged the autopilot and manually changed the course to runway 25R, which was 460 meters to the right of runway 25L and 2200 meters nearer to the position of the aircraft. The error was noticed on the ground, but the warnings went unnoticed for some time due to discussion among the crew. The ILS signal was dropped. Once the crew registered the mistake, they rapidly changed course and engaged the autopilot, but without increasing the thrust of the aircraft's engines. The Tu-134 stalled and struck trees some 3 km from runway 25L's threshold. Upon impact, the fuel in the aircraft's tanks ignited. The rescue services found 12 survivors, but two later died in the hospital. In all, all 9 crew members and 63 passengers (including 20 of the 27 schoolchildren from class 10A of the Schwerin high school) lost their lives.
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Air crash
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Slinkard Fire
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The Slinkard Fire was a wildfire in Mono County in California in the United States. The fire was reported on August 29, 2017. It was caused by a lightning strike. The fire was fully contained on September 12, after it had burned 8,925 acres (36 km2). [3]
The Slinkard Fire was first reported on August 29, 2017, at 6:00 PM PDT. The fire was sighted west of Topaz, California. It was started in Slinkard Valley by a lightning strike. By August 30, the fire had spread due to wind. It crossed California State Route 89 and started to move closer to Topaz. As of that day, Highway 395 was closed in the area and Topaz was evacuated north of State Route 89 and to the state line. Additionally, State Route 89 was closed between Highway 395 and California State Route 4. The fire had burned 1,500 acres (6 km2). It was fueled by cheat grass, sagebrush and juniper. [4] That evening the fire grew to 3,000 acres (12 km2) and remained 0% contained. Highway 395 was also closed at the junction of California State Route 182 in Bridgeport to the Nevada state line. [5] The fire expanded into Alpine County, California and Douglas County, Nevada. The fire had grown to 5,000 acres (20 km2) by the morning of August 31, burning to Highway 395 and crossing State Route 89. It remained in Slinkard Valley and had expanded to Antelope Valley. Power went out in the surrounding area. Closures and evacuation orders remained, with Highway 395 at Interstate 4 being closed. [6] During the day and early evening, the fire traveled uphill and towards Alpine County. [7]
Overnight, the fire was described as "active and erratic." The fire had moved north and west, along slopes towards Highway 395. The California Inspection Station was threatened and saved by fire crews. Crews prioritized the protection of Holbrook Junction and the Leviathan Lookout. Topaz evacuations and all road closures remained in place. [8]
The fire moved very little on September 2 due to calm winds, with fire crews concerned about increasing temperatures, light wind and low humidity, all which could grow the fire. Highway 395 was opened throughout out the area. [9]
As of September 3, the fire had burned 9,051 acres (37 km2) and was at 35% containment. A small spot fire occurred on Highway 395, but was extinguished quickly. [10] The next day, only Highway 89 over Monitor Pass remained closed. [11]
As of the morning of September 5, the fire had been 74% contained. The fire remained on the west slope of Antelope Valley, west of Topaz Lake, and eight miles north of Walker. The fire remained in Mono County only, no longer burning in Alpine County, California and Douglas County, Nevada. In total, 322 fire personnel, four helicopters, 24 fire engines, two dozers, and seven water tenders fought the Slinkard Fire. [1] On September 12, the fire was 100% contained. [3]
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Fire
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Gillingham Fair fire disaster
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The Gillingham Fair fire disaster (also known as the Fireman's Wedding disaster) occurred on 11 July 1929 in Gillingham, Kent, England, when a firefighting demonstration went wrong, and resulted in the deaths of 15 men and boys. Each summer in the 1920s, a fair was organized in Gillingham Park to raise funds for the local St Bartholomew's Hospital. The traditional highlight of the event, which took place at the end of the festivities, was a demonstration of firefighting and rescue by the Gillingham Fire Brigade. Each year, a house of wood and canvas, three stories and 40 feet high, was constructed in the park as the venue for a mock wedding reception at which two firemen, costumed as a bride and groom, would be entertaining their "guests": other firemen, Royal Naval Cadets from the nearby Chatham unit of the Volunteer Cadet Corps, and sea scouts. The display would involve the simulated break out of a small fire necessitating the rescue of the occupants from the upper levels of the building. Flares and smoke bombs were used to give the illusion of the structure being ablaze, and after everybody had been "rescued" from the building, a real fire was set to enable the fire brigade to demonstrate their firefighting skills. After the mock wedding, the six men and nine boys aged between 10 and 14 were ready to enact their staged rescue when the real fire was accidentally lit; the cause of this error is unknown. Flames instantly took hold and spread the full height of the structure, trapping the occupants inside. Other firefighters were immediately aware that they were now dealing with a genuine emergency rather than a demonstration, but initially most of the spectators did not realize anything was amiss, taking the cries for help they heard to be part of the performance, and reportedly cheering and applauding what they believed to be realistic and spectacular effects until they witnessed two boys with their clothing ablaze jump to their deaths from the top of the structure. [1]
The fire was extinguished within a few minutes, but had been of such intensity that 13 people died at the scene. Two victims were rescued alive, but both died of their injuries in the hospital, St Bartholomew's, for which they had been intending to raise funds, bringing the final death toll to 15. [2]
The funerals of those who died were held on 17 July; all shops in Gillingham remained closed on that day and thousands of people lined the two mile funeral route. General
Specific
Coordinates: 51°22′37″N 0°33′14″E / 51.377°N 0.554°E / 51.377; 0.554
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Fire
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Annie and 2face: Another celebrity marriage break-up looms
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It is gradually becoming an every week affair for news of impending marriage breakup of top celebrities to filter in. Just when fans are about to get over the news of Psquare’s Paul Okoye and Anita’s alleged divorce, Nollywood actress and wife of Nigeria’s music icon, 2face, Annie Idibia hits the social media with a disturbing information about her marriage. Though its not the first time Annie questioned his husband about spending to much time with his baby mama, Pero, but this time seems to be more serious. She has not only threatened that the present issue may affect their marriage, it has also been alleged that she unfollowed her super star husband on Instagram. Her words are strong and emotion studded as she also implicated 2Face’s family, manager, Efe and Frankie in the squabble. The post on her handle reads: “I am not a patient woman!! I am not a fool, Innocent! Your family never loved me from the beginning! No matter how hard I tried! I was never worthy to them!!! I have made so many sacrifices for you and all your children. God knows I have tried. “Your baby mamas constantly use your children as an excuse for all sorts of rubbish! I try to stay gracious!! you are not the first man on the planet to have kids with different women!!! you can do better! everything I do is to show the good human that u r!!! (sic) But today! This move done by you, Efe, Frankie n your family is unacceptable!!! “What kind of man takes his kids to Disney and spend nights in the same apartment with his kids n their mother!? How many times have u gone to see ur kids with Pero! N she stay with u n the kids under the same roof for nights! Or is it when your brother @hi.idibia house u, your kids n Pero under the roof??! I can go on n on!. “These are the words of a frustrated Annie who is expressing herself on how angry and dissatisfied she is with her husband’s relationship with his baby mamas.” Some of 2face fans have also taken to their social media to advice the actress to be wise about her decision, stressing she knew her husband’s r a n d y w a y s before s h e s a i d yes to be his wife. 2Baba is dying slowly because of you —brother hits Annie Charles Idibia, brother to 2Baba, the awardwinning musician, has slammed Annie Idibia, his wife, over her social media rant. In a series of now-deleted posts on her Instagram stories, Annie had slammed her husband for allegedly spending nights with one of his baby mamas on the ground that he’s visiting his kids. In the rant, she also spoke of the sacrifices she made in the marriage, adding that 2Baba’s “family never liked me” from the outset of the union. But reacting via his Instagram page, Charles claimed Annie’s diatribe was because she could no longer totally have her way like she used to do in the past. In the now-deleted post, Charles also alleged that her brother’s marriage to the movie star had made him so unhappy that “he’s dying slowly.” “You got married into a family of peace lovers, so peaceful that it is even a family flaw as I have come to realize. Perhaps, this has made you think we are fools but we are not,” he wrote. “You are bringing up a Disney trip that happens pre-COVID because you somehow cannot totally have your way today like you used to? “Trying to paint your husband bad publicly because he is a very private person. Is your threat tool means of gaining control? I thought you were smart abi the dealer gave you the wrong dose today?” Charles alleged that Annie’s mother is using ‘juju’ for her just to sustain the marriage, while he also debunked the film star’s claim that his family never gave her peace. “Asking your mum who lives in one of the rooms to add more fire to the juju pot would have been a smarter move but as God will have it, you chose today to expose yourself,” he added. “You better finish what you started because maybe the public will help us all. Inno is dying slowly, never seen a man so unhappy in real life but we must all maintain peace that never existed from day one. “The Idibia family never gave you peace? Please bring out all the wrongs and post them on your page. I have a lot to say and I will say it regardless.” In a follow-up post, he also called Annie a “liar”, adding that “the truth won’t hide forever.” 2Baba married Annie in May 2012. They both have two children, Olivia Idibia and Isabella Idibia. He had previously been in a relationship with two other women named Sumbo Ajala- Adeoye and Pero Adeniyi. The musician also fathered two children with Sumbo and three with Pero, making a dad to seven kids in total. ‘Don’t marry ladies heavy on social media’ —Harrysong warns after Annie Idibia outburst Celebrities appear to be wading into the outburst by Annie Idibia, wife of 2Baba, Nigerian singer. This has since prompted celebrities to condemn the idea of bringing relationship problems to social media. Joining the fray, Harrysong advised his colleagues never to marry women who are fond of social media. “If you want to live long and have peace in your home as a married man, do not marry a woman that is heavy on social media; that can’t have the discretion of what to post and what not to,” he wrote on his Instastory. “Because everything becomes content to attract brands to her.” In a similar fashion, without mentioning Annie, Nkechi Blessing, another Nollywood actress, cursed those who encourage the use of social media as a marriage court. “E no go better for the person wey turn this social media to law court, where couples bring their dirty linen for people who don’t give a hoot about them to have a say in what goes on behind closed doors,” she wrote in Pidgin. “The person no go die better. No matter how pushed I am you ain’t hearing jack shit from me, I take my L and move the F**k on. God forbid. This Evil app that the devil has hijacked is making marriage look like a bad thing, “I refused to allow an app that can be deleted tomorrow to take the better part of my life. Never Nigerian music icon 2Face Idibia's younger brother, Charles, has continued to drag his wife, Annie over her recent social media outburst. In his latest posts shared via his Instagram page on Saturday, September 4, 2021, he accused the movie star of publicly humiliating her husband on several occasions. "Even though… September 4, 2021 In "Arts & Entertainments" Nigerian music icon 2Face Idibia’s wife, Annie Idibia, has called him out over his relationship with one of his baby mamas, Pero Adeniyi. Pero is 2Face’s first baby mama and she gave birth to three kids for the music star. Annie took to her Instagram on Thursday night to call…
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Famous Person - Marriage
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2008 Egyptian general strike
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The 2008 Egyptian general strike was a strike which occurred on 6 April 2008, by Egyptian workers, primarily in the state-run textile industry, in response to low wages and rising food costs. Strikes are illegal in Egypt and authorities have been given orders to break demonstrations forcefully in the past. [1] The strike took place just two days before key municipal elections. Using Facebook, blogs, SMS, independent media and word-of-mouth, activists, and workers in Egypt sought to organize strikes, protests, and demonstrations throughout the country on April 6. Calling it the "Egyptian Intifida", supporters called for civil disobedience, asking everyone to stay home from work and avoid making purchases. The strike began as an initiative of the workers of El-Mahalla El-Kubra but was picked up, promoted, and expanded by activists using the Internet and cell phones. April 6 Youth Movement, a group on the social networking site Facebook, attracted more than 64,000 members. [1] Although the banned Islamist organization the Muslim Brotherhood did not officially support the strike, it did not prevent its members from participating, and several Muslim Brotherhood activists and bloggers supported the strike. [2] The night before Egyptian blogger Malek and three activists from the Islamic Labour Party were arrested for posting fliers about the strike. [3]
The text of the call for strike read:
All national forces in Egypt have agreed upon the 6th of April to be a public strike. On the 6th of April, stay home, do not go out; Don’t go to work, don’t go to the university, don’t go to school, don’t open your shop, don’t open your pharmacy, don’t go to the police station, don’t go to the camp; We need salaries allowing us to live, we need to work, we want our children to get education, we need human transportation means, we want hospitals to get treatment, we want medicines for our children, we need just judiciary, we want security, we want freedom and dignity, we want apartments for youth; We don’t want price increases, we don’t want favouritism, we don’t want police in plain clothes, we don’t want torture in police stations, we don’t want corruption, we don’t want bribes, we don’t want detentions. Tell your friends not to go to work and ask them to join the strike. [4]
The strike at Mahalla was to have begun at 7 a.m. but plainclothes security personnel and police infiltrated the factory and allegedly intimidated workers from striking. [5] Hundreds of plainclothes security men took control of the Mahalla textile factories before work began, seizing workers and forcing them to work. At the end of the day, police escorts led small groups of workers out of the factories in an attempt to discourage mass protests. [6] This led some in the press to call the strike a failure and many left the region (about an hour outside Cairo) before any violence started. [7] Two people, including a 15-year-old-boy, were killed by Egyptian police, who used tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition against the striking workers and other protesters. [8][9] Several leaders of opposition parties have been detained, including the Kifaya coordinator Mohamed el-Ashqar, Freedom Commission Rapporteur of the Labor Party Mohamed Abdel Kodous, prominent activist and Kifaya member Magdy Qarqar, and blogger Sharkawy[10] (who was sodomized and tortured by Egyptian police in 2006),[11] and others. [12]
Official media channels controlled by the Egyptian government discouraged citizens from participating in the strike, and law enforcement officials warned that protesters could be punished with three months to one year in jail. [citation needed] Thousands of police lined the streets in downtown Cairo near the universities and in Mahalla in attempt to intimidate people and prevent them from participating. [13] There were no protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square (most likely due to strong police presence; at least some protesters were chased from the square by police),[6][14] though students at Ain Shams, Helwan and Cairo universities held demonstrations. [citation needed] Many people did stay home in solidarity with the protesters and out of fear of possible violence, with the streets of Cairo noticeably quiet and more stores than usual shuttered for the day. [14]
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Strike
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Northwest Airlines Flight 1 crash
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Northwest Airlines Flight 1, registration NC17389, was a Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra aircraft which crashed in eastern Montana on Friday, January 13, 1939, approximately a half-mile (0.8 km) southwest of the Miles City Airport. All four on board were killed in the accident. [1][2][3][4][5]
Flight 1 normally originated from Chicago to Seattle, with intermediate stops in Minneapolis; Fargo, North Dakota; Bismarck, North Dakota; Miles City, Montana; Billings, Montana; Butte, Montana; and Spokane, Washington. On the date of the accident, the flight actually began in Minneapolis and departed at 4:00 PM CST. [1] After the two stops in North Dakota, the flight reached Miles City at 7:41 PM MST to refuel and take on cargo. [1]
Departure from Miles City was delayed for over an hour due to weather conditions at Billings, but the aircraft eventually departed at 9:14 PM, with only two passengers on board. Shortly after takeoff to the northwest (current runway 31), and at an altitude of five hundred feet (150 m) above ground level (AGL), the aircraft began a short turn to the left, lost altitude rapidly, and descended almost to the ground. It then pulled up into a sharp climb, reached about 500 feet AGL again, turned left again and descended rapidly into a ravine approximately half-mile southwest of the field. [1]
Investigators with the Department of Commerce's Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA), a predecessor organization to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), determined that an intense fire had developed in the cockpit shortly after the aircraft had departed the airport. [1]
Although the state of the wreckage prevented investigators from definitively pinpointing the exact origin of the fire, an area of severe burning was found close to the cross-feed fuel valve located in the cockpit between the pilot and co-pilot. The Super Electra's cross-feed fuel system maintained a constant pressure of approximately 4.5 pounds per square inch (31 kPa), and there had been numerous reports of leakage in the vicinity of the valve. Lockheed designers had not provided any method by which any fuel that did leak from the valve could safely be drained. It was also difficult to maintain or inspect the valve due to its location. [1]
The CAA recommended that the cross-feed fuel system be relocated to allow for easier maintenance and inspection and to reduce the possibility of a cockpit fire caused by fuel leakage. They also recommended that areas of leakage in the fuel line be modified so as to allow for adequate drainage. [1]
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Air crash
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Cristiano Ronaldo becomes all-time leading goalscorer in European Championship history
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The Portuguese captain who earlier became the first player to appear in five editions scored a brace in the team’s 3-0 win over Hungary.
Jun 15, 2021 · 11:35 pm
Updated Jun 15, 2021 · 11:41 pm
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates a goal against Hungary at Euro 2020 | Alex Pantling / POOL / AFP
Cristiano Ronaldo became the all-time top scorer in the history of the European Championship with a late brace in Portugal’s opening Euro 2020 game against Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday.
Ronaldo’s strike, which put the title holders 2-0 up with three minutes left, was his 10th in the European Championship finals, spread across five tournaments going back to 2004.
He then added another one from open play to take his tally to 11 goals.
He beats the previous mark of nine set by France’s Michel Platini.
⏰ RESULT ⏰
? Cristiano Ronaldo becomes all-time EURO top scorer
?? Ronaldo nets twice in Portugal win; Guerreiro also on target
Who did it best? ? #EURO2020
— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 15, 2021
Ronaldo’s brace helped Portugal overcome a tough test against Hungary who had kept the defending champions at bay for a long time. But Portugal eventually broke through to win 3-0 in Budapest.
Here’s a list of the all-time leading goalscorers in European championship history
List of all-time leading goalscorers at Euros
Rank
0.43
Portugal off to a winning start
Portugal struck three times late on to beat a stubborn Hungary 3-0 in their Euro 2020 opener at a packed Puskas Arena on Tuesday.
The holders, who appear to have a much stronger squad than when they won their first major title five years ago, laboured for long periods in Budapest.
But Raphael Guerreiro made the vital breakthrough in the 84th minute and Ronaldo slammed in a penalty shortly afterwards before tapping home in injury time.
The 36-year-old is also just three goals away from matching Iranian Ali Daei’s all-time international scoring record of 109.
Ronaldo chose by far the biggest crowd of the tournament to break the record in front of, with Budapest the only Euro 2020 venue not to limit fan capacity due to Covid-19.
The Puskas Arena has a capacity of almost 68,000 fans.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos opted to play Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and Bernardo Silva alongside Ronaldo ahead of Joao Felix.
It almost paid instant dividends, as Jota forced Hungary goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi into a smart save with a left-footed drive in the fourth minute, although he perhaps should have squared the ball for an unmarked Ronaldo.
Five minutes later, Jota, who was out injured for most of the latter stages of the club season, volleyed Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick over the crossbar.
Ronaldo created an opportunity for Bernardo Silva in the 28th minute by winning the ball back high up the pitch, only for the Manchester City winger to delay his shot too long and see the opening snuffed out by an excellent tackle from Hungary centre-back Willi Orban.
Hungary offered very little from open play, although they sent Portugal a warning shortly before half-time when Adam Szalai headed a free-kick too close to Rui Patricio.
Jota continued to be Portugal’s most dangerous player, but his shot on the turn was beaten away by Gulacsi.
Ronaldo misses glorious chance
The best chance of the opening period fell to Ronaldo in the 44th minute, only for the Portugal captain to plant the ball over from six yards out after meeting Guerreiro’s low cross.
Portugal came out of the blocks quickly after the break, knowing failure to win would put them in trouble in such a difficult group, with Pepe seeing a downward header well saved by the stretching Gulacsi.
Santos’ men continued to press despite Hungary growing in confidence, with Fernandes drawing Gulacsi into another fine stop with a dipping strike from long range.
Despite having Felix, in-form Eintracht Frankfurt striker Andre Silva and Pedro Goncalves, last season’s top-scorer in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, on the bench, Santos waited until the 71st minute to make a change, sending on Rafa Silva for Bernardo Silva.
Portugal’s increasing frustration in the closing quarter of an hour was shown when Ronaldo begged for a penalty for handball against Attila Fiola.
Hungary thought they had snatched a shock lead through substitute Szabolcs Schon, but he was denied by a late linesman’s flag for offside.
Rafa Silva played a key role in the opening goal, though, as his deflected cross was met by Guerreiro, whose shot also took a huge deflection and dribbled agonisingly into the corner of the Hungarian net.
The home side’s resistance was totally over three minutes later, as Orban pulled back Rafa Silva when he was clean through on goal.
Ronaldo stepped up and made no mistake, sending Gulacsi the wrong way to add another record to his collection on the day he became the first player in history to play at five European Championships.
There was more to come from Ronaldo, as he danced through after a one-two with Rafa Silva and rolled in his 106th goal for Portugal.
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Break historical records
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Chinese Mining and Indigenous Resistance in Ecuador
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China has become a global power, but there is too little debate about how this has happened and what it means. Many argue that China exports its developmental model and imposes it on other countries. But Chinese players also extend their influence by working through local actors and institutions while adapting and assimilating local and traditional forms, norms, and practices. With a generous multiyear grant from the Ford Foundation, Carnegie has launched an innovative body of research on Chinese engagement strategies in seven regions of the world—Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, the Pacific, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Through a mix of research and strategic convening, this project explores these complex dynamics, including the ways Chinese firms are adapting to local labor laws in Latin America, Chinese banks and funds are exploring traditional Islamic financial and credit products in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, and Chinese actors are helping local workers upgrade their skills in Central Asia. These adaptive Chinese strategies that accommodate and work within local realities are mostly ignored by Western policymakers in particular. Ultimately, the project aims to significantly broaden understanding and debate about China’s role in the world and to generate innovative policy ideas. These could enable local players to better channel Chinese energies to support their societies and economies; provide lessons for Western engagement around the world, especially in developing countries; help China’s own policy community learn from the diversity of Chinese experience; and potentially reduce frictions. Evan A. Feigenbaum Vice President for Studies, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Chinese mining companies were drawn to Ecuador by a strong interest in diversifying their sources of copper in Latin America. But Chinese mining operations in Ecuador, which could have contributed to Ecuadorian development, soon gained a negative reputation after these activities prompted a great deal of local pushback, especially from affected Indigenous communities. As a result, the major Chinese mining consortium that now controls Ecuador’s two main copper mines has taken adaptive steps to stabilize its mining investment and increase the security of its supply networks, steps that often have not produced the intended results. Working through two subsidiaries, the Chinese mining consortium has responded to this localized criticism with a blend of tactics that includes co-opting select local figures, colluding with national officials to sidestep environmental and sociocultural safeguards, and coercing inhabitants into relocating under the threat of force from accommodating Ecuadorian authorities. By turning Ecuadorian national elites against locals and using divide-and-conquer tactics among Indigenous communities, the Chinese-led mining projects have entrenched existing political cleavages, have undermined community cohesion, and ultimately have harmed Ecuador’s democratic fabric, especially the standing of civil society and Indigenous rights organizations. While Ecuador has welcomed Chinese capital and other sources of international investment, this infusion of financing has increased the risk of political abuses at the national and local levels. This paper explains the adaptive strategies employed by the Chinese consortium and its subsidiaries in charge of the Mirador and San Carlos Panantza mining sites, contrasting the differing results these tactics have produced in each case. Both projects are located in Ecuador’s so-called Copper Belt provinces of Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe, which are part of a mountain range known as the Cordillera del Cóndor. They are embedded in an ecologically and culturally sensitive zone that includes territory of the Indigenous Shuar community in the Ecuadorian Amazon. In the case of Mirador, the Chinese mining consortium’s adaptive response helped its subsidiary overcome local resistance but only by crushing it. In the case of San Carlos Panantza, local resistance so far has not been overcome, so the Chinese consortium has remained unable to proceed with its project. Neither case, even the Mirador site where mining has moved forward, is a sign of success for future relationships between Chinese mining conglomerates and Ecuadorian communities. To understand why the Chinese consortium’s adaptive tactics were somewhat more successful in Mirador, it is important to focus on the differing composition of the inhabitants of the land where the two mines are located. Mirador sits on territory shared by Shuar and non-Shuar settler communities who have different bonds with the land. The non-Shuar settlers emphasize the productive and commercial value of the land over the spiritual and symbolic value that is key for many in the Shuar community. The Canadian-held and later Chinese-controlled companies active in Ecuador’s mining industry understood this difference between Mirador’s inhabitants and adapted accordingly: they managed to displace resistant residents despite widespread opposition through questionable and sometimes arguably illegal purchases of land. In San Carlos Panantza, a second subsidiary of the Chinese consortium chose to respond to local criticism with the same alleged practices of violence, occupation, and displacement used in Mirador. However, although the two projects are geographically near each other, the situation played out differently at the second would-be mine: ongoing opposition has prevented mining operations from beginning at all yet. Again, paying attention to the inhabitants of the land is instructive. San Carlos Panantza is in the heart of Shuar territory in Arutam, a region with few non-Indigenous settlers. The mining incursion by the Chinese-run subsidiary and the Ecuadorian security forces tasked with supporting it were seen as a threat to the area’s Shuar people, who have been strongly protesting and opposing the mining venture since late 2016. This state of affairs is likely to have far-reaching effects for Ecuador too. The apparent collusion between Ecuador’s national government and the Chinese consortium (and its subsidiaries) has crushed those who oppose mining, has upended the country’s policies on resource extraction, and has yielded documented violations of local communities’ human rights. These events have transpired because both the Chinese firms and the Ecuadorian state have tended to see local communities as an obstacle to the development of the country’s extractive industries. As a result, local social and environmental safeguards have been weakened, tenuous consultation processes have eroded, environmental licenses have been granted under dubious circumstances, and local communities have been forcibly displaced. This paper explores the implications of the adaptive tactics chosen by the Chinese mining subsidiaries that run the Mirador and San Carlos Panantza mines. It also addresses how Chinese companies have, in some cases, negotiated with local communities to begin mining exploitation, while also analyzing the ways the Chinese mining consortium has interacted with the Ecuadorian government and other players, such as the Canadian mining company it acquired and other peer companies that set up successful coalitions for mining development in Ecuador. Finally, the paper explores the effects the agreements between the Ecuadorian government and the Chinese consortium have had on local actors. The mining industry has been gaining relevance in China’s international development strategy, most notably in Africa and Latin America. Chinese players have expanded the country’s direct investments in mining and its imports of metals and minerals. During the first decade of Beijing’s Go Global strategy from 2000 to 2010, Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) managed to position the country as “a leading producer of more than twenty types of minerals,” as Chinese mining came to account for nearly $70 billion in economic activity in 2010.1 The International Council on Mining and Metals reported that this figure represents an expansion of more than 550 percent in the sector, making China one of the world’s most powerful producers and consumers of metals.2 To understand China’s growing impact, take just one part of the mining sector—copper. China’s demand for copper, at 12,794 metric tons per year, makes it the world’s largest consumer of the metal, constituting 53 percent of global demand.3 And copper has been of increasing importance to China, since it is a key input for major economic sectors such as construction, technology, and especially energy. China has focused particularly on Latin America because the region holds 20.7 million tons of copper reserves, an amount that is roughly equivalent to 70 percent of the copper located in Chinese territory.4 Given this increasing Chinese dependence on natural resources such as copper, Beijing has prioritized investments in metal and mineral deposits abroad by sometimes making the pursuit of nonferrous metals a priority of bilateral relations. And more and more, China is looking for new partners in the region. For instance, though Chilean copper accounted for 66 percent of Chinese copper imports from Latin America in 2015, the depletion of the country’s existing copper deposits has led Chinese players to redirect their mining investments to alternative sources. This includes countries like Peru, which has 17 million tons in known copper reserves; Bolivia, which has about 0.3 million tons; and Ecuador, which has 3.5 million tons.5 China also has brought these Latin American countries a steady source of financing in an industry where stable, long-term investment is needed. This has been vital for Ecuador because, over the last decade, the country has struggled to find international financing, especially following major drops in oil prices in 2016, 2017, and 2019. Chinese actors have become preferred strategic partners in the financing and implementation of Ecuadorian infrastructure projects, and Chinese mining investment has been decisive for the country’s national development. Over the past decade, certain Chinese actors have positioned themselves to make new investments that Ecuador has badly needed to build up its strategically important mining industry. One particularly influential Chinese actor in the Ecuadorian mining sector has been a Chinese-run mining consortium, which is jointly owned by the Tongling Nonferrous Metals Group and China’s national champion railcar maker, the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC). The consortium is called CRCC-Tongguan. In 2010, it acquired the Canadian company Corriente Resources along with Ecuador’s two largest copper deposits—Mirador and San Carlos Panantza. The deal’s terms valued the acquired company at around $650 million.6 In the process, CRCC-Tongguan gained control of two subsidiaries that Corriente Resources had established to help drive its mining operations in Ecuador—EcuaCorriente SA and Explocobres SA. While CRCC-Tongguan and its subsidiaries are not the only active players in Ecuador’s mining sector, this paper focuses predominantly on them. As this Chinese consortium has navigated Ecuador’s mining sector, it has invariably confronted a dynamic political landscape featuring a complex thicket of national and local actors, from ruling elites to local communities. The latter often have resisted the terms and conditions of big projects backed by political elites in the national capital, Quito. As a result, the Chinese players active in Ecuador’s mining sector have had to adapt and employ various negotiating tactics with national and local interlocuters while seeking to safeguard their mining investments and their supply of metals and minerals. It is worthwhile to compare the different strategies the Chinese mining consortium has employed since taking control of these copper mines in 2010. Both the San Carlos Panantza and Mirador projects are located in Ecuador’s Copper Belt in the provinces of Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe by a mountain range along Ecuador’s border with Peru known as Cordillera del Cóndor. The mines are also embedded in an ecologically and culturally sensitive part of the Ecuadorian Amazon that includes territory of the Indigenous Shuar community. The Shuar community is the most numerous Indigenous group in the jungles of Ecuador and Peru. In 1998, there were an estimated 110,000 Shuar people living in 668 communities in the two countries. Their territory in Ecuador is located in the Pastaza, Upano, and Zamora river basins in the Cordillera del Cóndor; this stretch of land covers 900,688 hectares, of which the state has only recognized 718,220 hectares.7 The Shuar are grouped into communities that are linked to federations (civil organizations used by Indigenous communities) where the highest authority is the assembly led by a common president. Economically, the Shuar focus mainly on agriculture, and many Shuar people tend to strongly emphasize caring for the jungle and ceremonially significant sites such as rivers and waterfalls. The Mirador project is managed by the consortium’s EcuaCorriente SA subsidiary and directly affects the town of Tundayme and its 737 inhabitants, just over one-fifth of whom identified as members of the Shuar community before forced migrations took place.8 Since 1960, Tundayme’s population also has included non-Shuar farmers that have migrated from the Sierra Mountains to the Amazon. Historically, the town has been an agricultural and cattle town, but since the early 2000s, large-scale mining has taken off too.9 Meanwhile, the San Carlos Panantza project, administered by Explocobres SA, is close to the Limon Indanza and San Juan Don Bosco cantons, and several nearby parishes or small towns are being directly affected by the project. These towns include San Miguel de Conchay, Indanza, San Antonio, San Carlos de Limón, San Jacinto de Wakambeis, San Juan Don Bosco, Santiago, and Santiago de Panantza. The area’s 12,289 inhabitants, of whom 5,636 are Shuar, are being affected by the project.10 On both projects, the injection of Chinese capital and the entry of a major Chinese consortium exacerbated social conflict and displaced members of the Tundayme and Nankints communities between 2015 and 2016. And in both cases, the lack of democratic channels for resolving these conflicts between the Ecuadorian state, the consortium and its subsidiaries, and these local actors left Indigenous communities without the political or organizational tools to resist or reverse these displacements. In this environment, the Chinese mining consortium had to choose whether and how to engage with these local communities. The consortium did engage with Ecuadorian players, but it reportedly leveraged mostly national elites and some local elites against ordinary local residents. This negotiating strategy of pitting Ecuadorians against other Ecuadorians ultimately blunted protections for these Indigenous communities and exacerbated existing social divisions. The first section of this paper explores the factors underpinning the success of a mining coalition in Ecuador between the Chinese consortium and a key Canadian acquisition with aligned interests as well as the alliances the Chinese parties in this coalition forged with the Ecuadorian state. Second, the paper analyzes the relationships the Chinese consortium and its subsidiaries formed with local Ecuadorian communities, especially the Indigenous ones that live near both mining projects. Third, it assesses the Chinese players’ successes and failures in navigating the dynamics of local resistance from these communities. Finally, the paper describes the negotiating tactics the Chinese consortium and its subsidiaries used with national and local Ecuadorian actors. The CRCC-Tongguan consortium has left an indelible impact on Ecuador’s societal and natural landscape with its copper mining investments, but it follows in a long line of Ecuadorian actors and multinational corporations that have sought to profit from the country’s wealth of natural resources. The Chinese mining consortium entered Ecuador’s mining sector in 2010 by leveraging the existing business networks and operations of the Canadian firm it acquired, Corriente Resources, which had been active in the sector for years. The consortium and other similar Chinese companies had a straightforward goal in mind: diversifying their supply of metals while reducing the monopoly power of Western multinational companies such as Broken Hill Proprietary (BHP, formerly known as BHP Billiton), the International Minerals Corporation, Rio Tinto, Vale, Anglo American, and others.11 This repositioning of leading Chinese state-owned mining companies within global supply chains not only has stabilized copper production for Chinese customers but also has increased China’s power to shape international markets and exert leverage in countries that receive Chinese investment. Under President Xi Jinping, China has become more assertive, not least through the pursuit of brownfield investments in the mining sector, including the purchase of existing firms such as Corriente Resources. Mergers and acquisitions have been the core of China’s approach to the Ecuadorian mining sector. Between 2010 and 2019, there were 138 transactions of this type in Latin America, with a total investment of $79.2 million (see figure 1).12 In a similar vein, Chinese mining investment heavily involves state-run firms. These SOEs have acquired turnkey projects for the exploitation of strategic resource reserves in Ecuador, including large-scale mining endeavors like Mirador and San Carlos Panantza. The dominant role played by Chinese SOEs in the mining and energy sectors owes much to their leading role in strategic sectors of the Chinese economy. These companies, some of which are run by national-level officials in Beijing and some of which are run by provincial-level officials, are both owned and regulated by government entities in one form or another. Mergers and acquisitions in countries like Ecuador provide key benefits to Chinese state-run enterprises. Such acquisitions lock in reliable supplies of natural resources, and they help major Chinese companies learn by getting plugged into global commercial networks and absorbing technical know-how. What is more, such transactions allow Chinese firms to learn about mediation processes when disputes arise with local communities affected by major projects. In Ecuador, for example, the CRCC-Tongguan consortium was able to piggyback on the groundwork laid by companies it had acquired (like Corriente Resources), saving the consortium time and resources as it looked to initiate additional projects. Chinese firms have not always held sway over Ecuador’s mining sector. Prior to 2009, Canadian companies dominated the Ecuadorian mining scene. But after the country’s new mining law came into force in 2009, China’s participation in the sector grew, in effect repositioning Chinese companies in regional and global value chains where Western companies had long predominated.13 The passage of the new mining law paved the way for Chinese investments because a provision that would have required firms to acquire the prior and informed consent of affected communities was ultimately not incorporated into the law. Moreover, Ecuador’s Public and State Security Law (also passed in 2009) gave the country’s armed forces a mandate to protect the facilities and infrastructure of public and private companies from the fallout of opposition to their commercial activities.14 The emergence of these Chinese firms, in turn, has had a profound impact on Ecuador’s national development objectives, as national policymakers have come to prioritize the extraction of natural resources more heavily—a trend that has had major effects on local Ecuadorian communities.15 For one thing, the Ecuadorian national government has softened regulations to pave the way for large-scale mining, with negative consequences for local communities. Indeed, the Ecuadorian government particularly has neglected social and environmental safeguards for local communities affected by the Mirador and San Carlos Panantza projects. The Mirador mining site encompasses nearly 10,000 hectares under concessions in the province of Zamora Chinchipe.16 As the first open-pit mine in Ecuador, Mirador is the country’s most advanced mining project to date. The mine began operations in July 2019, with an initial production of 10,000 tons per day of copper concentrate.17 The project has reserves of about 3 million tons of copper, 3.2 million troy ounces (about 110,000 kilograms) of gold, and 26.1 million troy ounces (around 810,000 kilograms) of silver.18 The CRCC-Tongguan consortium’s other major copper deposit acquisition in the 2010 deal was the San Carlos Panantza site in the province of Morona Santiago, a project led by Explocobres SA. But the consortium developed the Mirador project first because it was less politically controversial and faced less Indigenous opposition.19 Even so, the second mine at San Carlos Panantza is also a strategic project for Ecuador. This project, which is at an advanced stage of exploration, is also an open-pit mine, but it is much larger than Mirador, with 38,548 hectares under concession.20 During the first ten years of exploitation, the mine is projected to produce 500 million pounds of copper, 30,000 ounces of gold, 1.1 million ounces of silver, and 3 million pounds of molybdenum each year with a daily rock-processing capacity of 90,000 tons.21 But in contrast to the Mirador project, San Carlos Panantza is currently suspended due to resistance from local communities.22 This contrast reveals much about how the CRCC-Tongguan consortium has and has not been able to successfully overcome local opposition to its mining operations. The CRCC-Tongguan consortium was far from the first actor to try to exploit the natural resources nestled amid the natural beauty of Cordillera de Cóndor—a trend that goes back more than half a century. For all their economic promise, these mines are located in a rich natural landscape and are poised to have a major ecological impact. The Cordillera de Cóndor region is known for its biodiversity, hosting 600 species of birds, 120 species of amphibians, and 59 kinds of reptiles, while also boasting more than 220 species of tree in each hectare of forest.23 It arguably contains some of the richest displays of flora of nearly any area of comparable size on the planet, and the region is a key part of the hydrologic cycle in the surrounding landscape, uniting the Andes Mountains with the Amazon River. The region’s unique biological endowments go hand in hand with its geological richness: limestone and sandstone formations are abundant in the Andes Mountains amid the Cordillera del Cóndor’s many plateaus, with abundant deposits of copper, gold, silver, molybdenum, and other elements.24 These metal and mineral deposits are complemented by a wealth of cultural and archaeological sites that populate what has been the ancestral territory of the Shuar Indigenous people for centuries. However, in the middle of the twentieth century, the Ecuadorian state sought control of these Amazonian lands by declaring them vacant territories and ignoring the ancestral rights of their Indigenous inhabitants. The region’s Indigenous communities lost their hold on their territory after the legalization of property ownership for new settlers.25 This process deepened with the passage of the Land Reform, Idle Lands, and Settlement Act of 1964; the formation of the Institute of Agrarian Reform and Settlement; and the evangelizing undertaken by the Catholic Church and evangelical Christian missions—all of which devastated these Indigenous communities.26 This coalition of the Ecuadorian state and the church displaced local communities by facilitating migratory waves of Kichwa people (another Indigenous group), mestizos, and other settlers from Ecuador’s central highlands to the Cordillera del Cóndor; these migrants were attracted by the region’s wealth of natural resources, including wood, rich agricultural lands, and livestock. This wave of migration, in turn, inaugurated an initial period of extractivism (intensive extraction of natural resources) centered on primary industry, whereby raw materials were sold to be converted into manufactured goods elsewhere.27 In this first phase, the expansion of extractive activities on the South Amazon frontier fragmented the traditional territory of the Shuar people by dispossessing them of large tracts of their land and transforming their communities’ traditional mode of living. In time, this state of affairs condemned Shuar communities to a sedentary lifestyle.28 By the mid-1970s, a second phase of extractivism had begun in the Ecuadorian Amazon, as oil exploration in the region expanded due to the shortage of oil wells in the country’s southern reaches (see map 1).29 Investments in oil yielded a more aggressive form of extractivism that fully integrated these Amazonian territories into the global economy as multinational companies appropriated Indigenous lands. The Ecuadorian state claimed these areas for exploitation and had them incorporated into the national government’s resource extraction strategy due to their lucrative natural resource deposits. In the process, these lands were emptied of many of their biological and ecological resources.30 For local populations and especially for Indigenous peoples, this trend yielded stark choices about whether or not to comply with the Ecuadorian government’s nation building, a bind that further facilitated these Indigenous people’s loss of self-determination.31 For Ecuador, this phase of extractivism gave rise to a new Amazonian political economy. The territories exported natural resources and had a scarcely diversified range of industries, meaning that the whole region was highly dependent on the fluctuations of international demand for natural resources.32 This process has continued for decades in the Cordillera del Cóndor, with the Ecuadorian state hoping to exploit resource deposits identified in the early 1990s. But the Alto Cenepa War between Ecuador and Peru in January and February 1995 in the provinces of Morona Santiago and Zamora Chinchipe discouraged exploration activities for a time by the mining company GEMS SA.33 Future success in the Amazonian Copper Belt, from that point forward, required the resolution of this armed conflict. Peace negotiations extended until 1998, when a peace treaty was signed, enabling multinational companies to enter the Cordillera del Cóndor.34 After the signing of an agreement to end the war, a follow-on agreement on mining was signed, emphasizing the investigation of new deposits and the delineating of areas to be ceded for exploration by major mining corporations worldwide.35 In 1999, the Australian giant BHP (then BHP Billiton) acquired the concessions of GEMS SA in the Cordillera del Cóndor. Later that year, these holdings passed into the hands of Corriente Resources, which stood up two subsidiaries, EcuaCorriente SA and Explocobres SA, a few years later to implement the Mirador and San Carlos Panantza projects.36 Before the CRCC-Tongguan consortium got in on the act, several trailblazing Canadian mining companies (including Corriente Resources) set the stage for massive mining operations in the Ecuadorian Amazon. After the 1998 peace agreement enabled mining exploitation in the Cordillera del Cóndor, the amount of Ecuadorian lands set aside by early 2000 as concessions for exploration or exploitation rose almost exponentially, including about 5,629,751 hectares or roughly 20 percent of the country’s national territory.37 In this early stage, Canadian mining companies like Corriente Resources gained a foothold in the Cordillera del Cóndor without major social opposition, due to the lack of socialization of the projects by both transnational companies and the Ecuadorian state. Moreover, structural poverty and the state’s failure to provide adequate public services ensured that local communities were initially supportive of the arrival of mining companies and the new benefits and wealth that they provided.38 Later on, the lack of transparency about the projects eventually did breed more discontent once this initial societal infatuation with the Canadian companies subsided. These Canadian companies took advantage of the sheer absence of the Ecuadorian state from these areas by negotiating directly with local communities. In effect, the companies displaced the Ecuadorian government by providing small gifts or community-focused projects that wove ties of reciprocity between the firms and local inhabitants.39 These corporate strategies of community relations ensured that the firms secured informal local consent for the projects without needing the Ecuadorian government to mediate.40 What is more, by displacing the Ecuadorian state in negotiations with local actors, the mining companies themselves managed to reduce social unrest in towns and isolate groups opposed to the mining because they had secured wider community acceptance of their extractive activities.41 But this arrangement ultimately had a downside for Ecuador at the local level: the absence of the state in local communities left them more vulnerable to pressure from private actors.42 According to Hugo Ayui, president of the Shuar El Pangui Association, an Indigenous advocacy group, this situation facilitated agreements between select local communities and these companies, including exploration agreements between EcuaCorriente SA and the Shuar Waritnz Center in Morona Santiago, which were signed without the knowledge of the Interprovincial Federation of Shuar Centers of Morona Santiago.43 This arrangement established a new pattern in Ecuador that continued even after the Canadian companies involved were acquired by the Chinese consortium: the co-optation of local leaders by multinational companies without the wider support of community organizations. This common practice ultimately weakened the Shuar community and the Indigenous organizations in these localities and facilitated an alliance between companies like Corriente Resources, BHP Billiton, and Lowell Ecuador SA. For example, according to a major Ecuadorian environmental nonprofit called Acción Ecológica, Lowell Ecuador SA allegedly promised to make an annual payment to the Shuar center in exchange for an exploration permit and the indefinite use of the community’s lands.44 Such informal practices are, in fact, illegal in Ecuador as they violate Decree 1793, which covers public procurement.45 These informal agreements between the Canadian (and later Chinese) companies and local leaders led to the fragmentation of the broader Shuar community, since not all the Shuar centers agreed to such arrangements. In particular, the Shuar people in the region of Arutam, where the San Carlos Panantza project is located, rejected this practice.46 Indeed, strong Shuar opposition in San Carlos Panantza halted that project’s development and led the Chinese consortium to choose Mirador instead to be the first mega-mining project executed in Ecuador.47 The distinctive social composition of Mirador’s communities also factored into the Chinese consortium’s decision to prioritize that mine. Unlike San Carlos Panantza, which sits on Shuar territory in Arutam, Mirador was populated by many more-recent settlers and mestizos whose attachment to the land was based more on its productive capacity, whereas other Shuar and Indigenous populations tend to value the land for its intrinsic ancestral value.48 These differences enabled EcuaCorriente SA to adapt to local conditions, leveraging different strategies to secure land rights in Mirador, while taking advantage of the poor socialization and general lack of awareness about the project among members of the community. But the Ecuadorian state failed too. There was little clarity on the terms of the project’s environmental impact assessment and the project’s ecological effects on the land.
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Organization Merge
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Båstad riots
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The Båstad riots (Swedish: Båstadskravallerna) is the name given to the riots that took place during a Davis Cup tennis match between Sweden and Rhodesia on May 3, 1968 in Båstad, Sweden. Demonstrators were protesting the participation of the two apartheid countries, Rhodesia and South Africa, in the international tennis competition. The countries were barred from other international sporting events. It became the most violent confrontation between the Swedish police and demonstrators during the 1960s. It was followed by a dialogue between the Swedish government and the demonstrators to curb the escalation of violence. The match later was played in secrecy, and Sweden won 4-1. [1]
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Riot
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2012 Luzon southwest monsoon floods
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The 2012 Luzon southwest monsoon floods (informally known in Tagalog as Hagupít ng Habagat, "wrath of the monsoon" and Bagsík ng Habagat, "fierceness of the monsoon", from habagat, the Filipino term for the southwest monsoon), was an eight-day period of torrential rain and thunderstorms in Luzon in the Philippines from August 1 to August 8, 2012. Its effects centered on Metro Manila, the surrounding provinces of the Calabarzon region (Quezon, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal) and the provinces of Central Luzon (Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan). Not a typhoon in its own right, the storm was a strong movement of the southwest monsoon (Tagalog: Habagat) caused by the pull of Typhoon Saola (Gener) from August 1–3, strengthened by Typhoon Haikui. It caused typhoon-like damage: the most damage caused by rain since September 2009, when Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) struck Metro Manila. The heavy rain caused the Marikina River to overflow, destroying areas also affected by Ketsana, triggering a landslide in the Commonwealth area and collapsing the northbound Marcos Highway. Its damage was nearly as severe as Ketsana's, although the storm did not reach typhoon intensity when the rain reached its peak on August 7. The floods and rain left 95 people dead, 8,428 homes destroyed and 6,706 damaged. Nationwide losses totaled at least ₱604.63 million (US$14.31 million). [1][2]
On July 26, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that a tropical depression had developed within an area of strong vertical wind shear in the monsoon trough about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) southeast of Manila. [3][4] Although the shear temporarily relaxed, it increased the following day and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert for the system. [5]
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) upgraded the system to a tropical depression (naming it "Gener");[6] the JTWC upgraded "Saola" to a tropical storm,[7] and early on July 29 the JMA upgraded it to a severe tropical storm. [8] On July 30 the JTWC upgraded Gener to a Category 1 typhoon (since it began developing an eye-like feature), but downgraded it to a tropical storm later that day. [9][10]
The following day, the JTWC again upgraded Saola to a Category 1 typhoon. [11] Later that day the JMA upgraded Saola to a typhoon, and the JTWC upgraded it to a category 2 typhoon early on August 1. Typhoon Gener did not make landfall in the Philippines, and occupied a small portion of the northern Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). It pulled southwest-monsoon winds from the South China Sea and damaged the City of Manila, causing a storm surge and striking the fish ports of Navotas and Malabon. It broke a large part of the sea wall on Roxas Boulevard, and caused tons of refuse be washed onto the Baywalk. Portions of Metro Manila damaged by Typhoon Nesat (Pedring) in 2011 were under repair when the storm hit. Shortly after the typhoon, clean up of the Manila Bay Coast was ordered by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). Initial reports indicated about a dozen confirmed casualties, but early on August 3, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) revised the death toll to 37 with at least 519,000 people affected. More than 17,500 were in evacuation centers. [12] As of August 6, 51 fatalities were confirmed in the Philippines with six reported missing. Damage from the storm amounted to about ₱404 million (US$9.6 million), half of which was agricultural losses. [13] When Gener left the PAR, its wind would be triggered by Typhoon Haikui to cause heavy rainfall on August 6. With strong winds, the La Mesa Dam in Novaliches was near overflowing. Hundreds of kilometers from the Philippines, the southerly flow from Typhoon Haikui enhanced the southwest monsoon across much of Luzon. [14] As a result, widespread heavy rains impacted regions recovering from deadly floods triggered by Typhoon Saola less than a week earlier. During a 72-hour period (August 6–8), 1,007 mm (39.6 in) of rain fell in parts of Metro Manila (leading local media to compare the event to Typhoon Ketsana in 2009, which killed 464 people in the city). [15]
The Marikina River, which overflowed during Typhoon Ketsana, again reached the deadly 19-meter level by 7:00 pm. Because of the rain, two of the La Mesa Dam's gates to the Tullahan River overflowed; the water flowed to Barangay Greater Lagro, flooding Lagro High School and the Regalado Highway (nearly 4 m (13 ft)). As a result of La Mesa Reservoir overflowing,[16] the Tullahan flooded North and West Fairview and the Santa Lucia District. It submerged the Atherton Bridge in Fairview, and many houses along the banks were swept away. A number of schools in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon suspended classes,[17] and as a precautionary measure officials cut power to some areas of Metro Manila. [18] At least 250,000 people left their homes when flooding covered more than a third of the city. The head of the NDRRMC compared the flood to the scenes in the 1995 post-apocalyptic film Waterworld. [19]
At 8:00 am, in the hills of the Commonwealth District in Quezon City, a rare landslide occurred which buried two houses (owned by the Baylon and Castulo families, and housing 12 people). The inhabitants were rushed to East Avenue Medical Center. Nine were dead on arrival: Jayson Baylon (age 16), Jayvee Baylon (20), Jissele Baylon (7), Cecilia Baylon (50), Jonathan Castulo (3), Junica Castulo (three weeks), Jessica and Jethro Baylon, and Joshua Castulo. [20]
The worst flooding occurred on August 7 along the Marikina River, which swelled to near-record levels. During the afternoon the river reached a height of 20.6 m (68 ft), well beyond the flood level of 16 m (52 ft) and about 3 m (9.8 ft) above its banks but below the record level set during Typhoon Ketsana. It again flooded Provident Village, among the villages most damaged by Ketsana. Flooding also occurred on Espana Boulevard and at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), which lie along the river. The northern district of Quezon City was heavily flooded by the Tullahan River. Most of the water flowed along the Quirino Highway to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and A. Bonifacio Street, and the Freeway was closed to traffic that afternoon. Flooding also occurred, from a creek in Munoz, causing flooding on EDSA and Roosevelt Avenue. These districts, along Gregorio Araneta Avenue, had been damaged by Typhoon Ketsana. The creek under the median rose, and by noon flooding nearly reached two-storey buildings and businesses along the Avenue and the nearby roads (particularly Gumamela Street and Eulogio Rodriguez Sr. Boulevard). The overflow from the Marikina River swelled the Manggahan Floodway, flooding Pasig and Taguig and overflowing Laguna de Bay. The swelling of the bay flooded the cities of San Pedro and Calamba in Laguna; both were declared in a state of emergency the following day. The rain triggered several monsoon surges, which again flooded Roxas Boulevard and submerged the Quezon Boulevard Claro M. Recto Underpass in Quiapo and the Lagusnilad-Taft Avenue Underpass on Padre Burgos Street.
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Floods
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EgyptAir Flight 990 crash
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EgyptAir Flight 990 (MS990/MSR990) was a regularly scheduled flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Cairo International Airport, with a stop at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City. On October 31, 1999, the Boeing 767-300ER operating the route crashed into the Atlantic Ocean about 60 miles (100 km) south of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, killing all 217 passengers and crew on board. Since the crash occurred in international waters, it was investigated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation's Egyptian Civil Aviation Agency (ECAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) under International Civil Aviation Organization rules. As the ECAA lacked the resources of the NTSB, the Egyptian government asked the American government to have the NTSB handle the investigation. Two weeks after the crash, the NTSB proposed handing the investigation over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as the evidence they had collected suggested that a criminal act had taken place, and that the crash was intentional rather than accidental. The Egyptian authorities refused to accept the proposal to hand the investigation over to the FBI, so the NTSB solely continued the investigation. The NTSB found that the probable cause of the accident was the airplane's departure from normal cruise flight and subsequent impact with the Atlantic Ocean "as a result of the relief first officer's flight control inputs", but did not determine a specific reason for the relief first officer's alleged actions. [1] The ECAA concluded that the incident was caused by mechanical failure of the aircraft's elevator control system. The report suggested several possibilities for the cause of the accident, focusing on the possible failure of one of the right elevator's power control units. [1][2] However, the NTSB dismissed the ECAA report after it was found that no scenario could explain the doomed flight's final movements other than an intentional human act. [3]
Flight 990 was being flown in a Boeing 767-366ER aircraft with registration SU-GAP, named Tuthmosis III after a pharaoh from the 18th Dynasty. The aircraft, a stretched, extended-range version of the standard 767, was the 282nd 767 built. It was delivered to EgyptAir as a new aircraft on September 26, 1989. [1][4][5][6]
Flight 990's cockpit crew consisted of 57-year-old Captain Ahmed El-Habashi, 36-year-old First Officer Adel Anwar, who was switching duty with another co-pilot so he could return home in time for his wedding, 52-year-old relief Captain Raouf Noureldin, 59-year-old relief First Officer Gameel Al-Batouti, and the airline's chief pilot for the Boeing 767, Captain Hatem Rushdy. Captain El-Habashi was a veteran pilot who had been with EgyptAir for 36 years and had accumulated about 14,400 total flight hours, more than 6,300 of which were on the 767. Relief First Officer Al-Batouti had close to 5,200 flight hours in the 767 and a total of roughly 12,500 hours. [1]
Because of the 10-hour scheduled flight time, the flight required two complete flight crews, each consisting of one captain and one first officer. EgyptAir designated one crew as the "active crew" and the other as the "cruise crew", sometimes also referred to as the "relief crew". While no formal procedure specified when each crew flew the aircraft, the active crew customarily made the takeoff and flew the first four to five hours of the flight. The cruise crew then assumed control of the aircraft until about one to two hours before landing, when the active crew returned to the cockpit and assumed control of the aircraft. EgyptAir designated the captain of the active crew as the pilot-in-command or the commander of the flight. [1]
While the cruise crew was intended to take over far into the flight, relief first officer Al-Batouti entered the cockpit and recommended that he relieve the command first officer 20 minutes after takeoff. Command first officer Anwar initially protested, but eventually relented. [1]
The flight was carrying 203 passengers from seven countries: Canada, Egypt, Germany, Sudan, Syria, the United States, and Zimbabwe. Of the 217 people on board, 100 were American, 89 were Egyptian (75 passengers, 14 crew), 21 were Canadian, and seven were of other nationalities. [7] Of the American passengers,[8] 54, many of them elderly, were booked with the tour group Grand Circle Travel for a 14-day trip to Egypt. [9] Of the 203 passengers, 32 boarded in Los Angeles; the rest boarded in New York. Four were nonrevenue EgyptAir crew members. [10] Included in the passenger manifest were 33 Egyptian military officers returning from a training exercise; among them were two brigadier generals, a colonel, a major, and four other air force officers. After the crash, newspapers in Cairo were prevented by censors from reporting the officers' presence on the flight. [11]
The authorities at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) used the JFK Ramada Plaza to house relatives and friends of the victims of the crash. Due to its similar role after several aircraft crashes, the Ramada became known as the "Heartbreak Hotel". [12][13]
At 1:20 am EST (06:20 UTC), the aircraft took off from JFK's runway 22R. While relief first officer Al-Batouti was alone in the cockpit and captain El-Habashi was in the lavatory, the aircraft suddenly went into a rapid dive nose-first, resulting in weightlessness (zero-g) throughout the cabin. Despite this, the captain was able to fight the lack of gravity and re-enter the cockpit. The speed of the 767 was now dangerously close to the sound barrier, exceeding its design limits and beginning to weaken its airframe. The captain pulled back on his control column and applied full power to the engines, but neither action had any effect due to the aircraft's speed and the engines having been shut down. The captain then deployed the speedbrakes, which slowed the aircraft's dive, bringing it back to a safer speed. However, these abrupt maneuvers resulted in the aircraft entering a steep climb, causing g-forces to push the passengers and crew into their seats. Both engines then stopped completely, causing the aircraft to lose all electrical power and both flight recorders stopped at this point. [1]:6,21,25 The aircraft then fell into another steep dive and huge mechanical stress caused the left engine to separate from the wing. The aircraft began to break apart in midair at 10,000 ft (3,000 m) and debris crashed into the Atlantic Ocean[14] at 1:52 am EST. All 217 people on board were killed. [15]
US air traffic controllers provided transatlantic flight-control operations as a part of the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center (referred to in radio conversations simply as "Center" and abbreviated in the reports as "ZNY"). The airspace is divided into "areas", and "Area F" was the section that oversaw the airspace through which Flight 990 was flying. Transatlantic commercial air traffic travels via a system of routes called North Atlantic Tracks, and Flight 990 was the only aircraft at the time assigned to fly North Atlantic Track Zulu. Also, a number of military operations areas are over the Atlantic, called "warning areas", which are also monitored by New York Center, but records show that these were inactive the night of the accident. [1]
Interaction between ZNY and Flight 990 was completely routine. After takeoff, Flight 990 was handled by three different controllers as it climbed up in stages to its assigned cruising altitude. [1] The aircraft, like all commercial airliners, was equipped with a Mode C transponder, which automatically reported the plane's altitude when queried by the ATC radar.
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Air crash
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A secret celebrity wedding, and more ICYMI news
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Anna Faris is married. Who knew! The actress accidentally dropped the news while talking on her "Anna Faris is Unqualified" podcast. While taking calls and speaking to listeners, Anna let it slip that she and partner Michael Barrett secretly got hitched at a local courthouse in Washington state. "I think we've spent the last year in a place of reflection, in a place of prioritization to some degree, a place of anxiety, a place of assessment," she said. "But I'm looking around, so, my fiancé is right… he's now my husband." She added, "I'm sorry… I just blurted that out. I couldn't say fiancé anymore." RELATED: Celeb kids all grown up Adele is off the market. Over the weekend, the singer was linked to sports super-agent Rich Paul after they were seen together at an NBA Finals game. At the time, ESPN's Brian Windhorst broke the news on The Lowe Post podcast, telling listeners that Rich, who is LeBron James' agent, brought "his girlfriend to the game sitting next to LeBron. His girlfriend is Adele… This is the first time that they've come out in public together." In the days that followed, several media outlets confirmed the romance. "They are [definitely] dating," a source told Page Six. People magazine said the couple has been dating "for a few months." Morgan Wallen is opening up about an n-word scandal that has become an unfortunate lowlight of his blossoming career. While speaking to "Good Morning America" on July 23, the singer said, "I was around some of my friends, and we just … we say dumb stuff together. And it was — in our minds, it's playful … that sounds ignorant, but it — that's really where it came from … and it's wrong." Morgan said he didn't have a clear understanding of the meaning of the word and the pain behind it. "I think I was just ignorant about it," he said. "I don't think I sat down and was, like, 'Hey, is this right or is this wrong?'" In speaking about how it hurts Black people, he said, "I don't know how to put myself in their shoes because I'm not, but I do understand. Especially when I say I'm using it playfully or whatever, ignorantly, I understand that that must sound, you know, like, 'He doesn't understand.'" RELATED: Celebs who got married in 2021 The Internet went absolutely berserk this week after a picture of Ice-T's daughter went viral. On July 18, the "Law & Order: SVU" star's wife, Coco Austin, posted an Instagram image with 5-year-old Chanel from backstage at a Body Count concert. Fans immediately went wild thanks to Chanel's remarkable resemblance to her father. Chanel looks so much like her famous father that fans actually wondered if the picture was doctored. As one fan said, "Ice T dont need no paternity test." On July 21, Ice responded to the hoopla. "Today @BabyChanelworld just wanted to say THANKS! for all the recent internet LOVE she's been getting… 48k Twitter and 447k IG followers," he tweeted. "Not bad for a 5yr old." Millie Bobby Brown is set to take legal action against her ex-boyfriend for his sexually-implicit livestream from earlier this month, according to Teen Vogue. In his livestream, TikTok star Hunter Echo made crude comments about the "Stranger Things" star and alluded to kinky sex acts with her while she was 16 years old. As he was 20 years old at the time, many accused him of "grooming" Millie. Hunter has since apologized for making the video. It's finally out! After multiple delays, Kanye West finally released his long-anticipated 10th album, "Donda," on July 23. The official album announcement came on July 20 during a Beats by Dre commercial that aired during the NBA Finals. The ad included a sample from the new track "No Child Left Behind," as well as an appearance from sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson, who was left out of the Olympics due to a marijuana suspension. The album was initially supposed to be released on 2020. "Donda" is a follow up to his 2019 album "Jesus Is King." Prior to the official announcement, there was speculation that album would be released at some point this week. Megyn Kelly is causing controversy again. On July 19, the former NBC host accused tennis star Naomi Osaka of being a hypocrite for appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Issue but refusing to participate in press conferences at the French Open. Naomi left the Open and withdrew from Wimbledon to focus on her mental health. Responding to Megyn's criticism, Noami tweeted, "Seeing as you're a journalist I would've assumed you would take the time to research what the lead times are for magazines, if you did that you would've found out I shot all of my covers last year. Instead your first reaction is to hop on here and spew negativity, do better Megan." The tennis champ them seemingly blocked Megyn. "Poor [Noami] blocked me while taking a shot at me," Megyn Kelly tweeted afterward. "She is apparently arguing that she shot her many covers b/4 publicly claiming she was too socially anxious to deal w/press. Truth is she just doesn't like Qs she can't control. Admit it." Dr. Dre is gonna have to dish out some serious cash to his ex… perhaps forever. On July 22, court records showed that the hip hop mogul has been ordered to pay his estranged wife, Nicole Young, $293,306 per month in spousal support beginning on Aug. 1. He'll have to continue dolling out the money until she remarries or enters into a domestic partnership. She had initially asked for $2 million in monthly spousal support. The court reserves the right to change the financial order in the future. In June 2020, Nicole filed divorce paperwork, ending her 24-year marriage to the rapper. She cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. In the days that followed, Dre revealed that they signed a prenuptial agreement back in 1996 and argued that their division of property should be governed by their prenup. Soon after, Nicole challenged that prenup and said she "unwillingly" signed the documents amid pressure from the rapper and his team. Think Britney Spears is done ripping her conservatorship or her family? Think again. On July 20, the pop star took to Instagram to give her followers an update on her mindset. "So I said 'life goes on' in one of my recent posts but it's always easier said than done !!!!!" she wrote. "In that moment that's what felt was the easiest to say but I think we all know that I will never be able to let go and fully move on until I've said all I needed to say … and I'm not even close !!!! I was told to stay quiet about things for so long and I finally feel like I'm just getting here!!!!" This message came a few days after she seemed to call out her little sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, for not being a good support system for her. "There's nothing worse than when the people closest to you who never showed up for you post things in regard to your situation whatever it may be and speak righteously for support … there's nothing worse than that," Britney wrote.
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Famous Person - Marriage
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Meriton fined $3 million for interfering with negative TripAdvisor reviews
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A Victorian man who flew from Brisbane to Hobart on flight VA702 today has tested positive to COVID-19 and has not been allowed to board a flight to Melbourne
A Watch & Act warning is in place for a fire in the northern parts of Mokine, in WA's Northam Shire. Keep up to date with ABC Emergency
Meriton Property Services has been fined $3 million for preventing customers from leaving potentially negative reviews on the online travel website TripAdvisor.
The Federal Court decided that Meriton — one of Australia's largest apartment developers and serviced apartment operators — had engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct between November 2014 and October 2015.
It also found that the company committed 13 breaches of the Australian Consumer Law, across 13 of its properties in New South Wales and Queensland.
"The maximum penalty that the judge could have imposed was about $14 million," Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) commissioner Sarah Court said.
"We had submitted [arguments that] the penalty should be very much higher than $3 million. Meriton, conversely, submitted that it should be limited to a couple of hundred thousand dollars.
"We were arguing for a higher penalty, but we very much respect the decision that the court has made."
The court, presided over by Justice Mark Moshinsky, also ruled that Meriton be restrained from "filtering, selecting or limiting" the guest email addresses that it provides to TripAdvisor — the conduct which landed it in legal trouble.
However, this prohibition only applies for the next three years.
The court action was launched by the ACCC, following an ABC investigation into the matter in 2015.
"Meriton's management directed staff to engage in 'masking' to stop potentially negative reviews from appearing on TripAdvisor," Ms Court said.
"This gave the impression Meriton accommodation was of a higher standard than otherwise may have been the case."
The process of "masking" involved Meriton's staff inserting additional letters ("MSA", which stands for Meriton Serviced Apartments) in front of certain guests' email addresses — particularly if they had complained, or were likely to leave a negative review online.
This led to TripAdvisor receiving incorrect guest email addresses — so its emails to customers, prompting them to leave reviews of the hotel, would bounce back.
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Organization Fine
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Delhi Records Zero Covid Deaths, 24 New Cases In A Day; Positivity Rate 0.03%
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COVID-19 Delhi: On Friday, 24 Covid infections were recorded with the case positivity rate dipping 0.03 per cent, according to the latest health bulletin. A total of 69,465 tests -- 46,555 RT-PCR and 22,910 rapid antigen tests -- were conducted a day ago, it said. Updated: September 24, 2021 5:22 pm IST Delhi recorded zero death due to COVID-19 and 24 fresh cases in last 24 hours (Representational) New Delhi: The national capital recorded zero death due to COVID-19 and 24 fresh cases of viral infection in a day with the positivity rate dropping to 0.03 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department on Friday. Three fatalities due to the coronavirus infection have been reported this month, one each on September 7, September 16 and September 17. The number of deaths due to COVID-19 in Delhi stands at 25,085. On Friday, 24 Covid infections were recorded with the case positivity rate dipping 0.03 per cent, according to the latest health bulletin. A total of 69,465 tests -- 46,555 RT-PCR and 22,910 rapid antigen tests -- were conducted a day ago, it said. The cumulative COVID-19 cases reported in Delhi so far stood at 14,38,658. Over 14.13 lakh patients have recovered from the disease. On Thursday, 48 cases were reported with a positivity rate of 0.07 per cent, while on the day before, 30 cases were logged with a positivity rate of 0.04 per cent. On Tuesday, 39 cases were recorded with a positivity rate of 0.06 per cent. The Daily Covid case count had dropped to 17 on September 13, with no death being recorded, while the positivity rate was 0.04 per cent. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Disease Outbreaks
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Chicago and Southern Flight 4 crash
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Chicago and Southern Air Lines Flight 4 was a regularly scheduled flight from New Orleans, Louisiana to Chicago, Illinois, via Jackson, Mississippi, Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri, operated with a Lockheed Model 10 Electra. On August 5, 1936, after departing from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, the flight crashed in a farm field near the Missouri River. All 6 passengers and 2 crew members were killed in the crash. [1]
The Lockheed Electra, named “City of Memphis,”[2] was on a flight from New Orleans to Chicago. After having left New Orleans at 5:30 PM, it proceeded normally to Jackson, Memphis and St. Louis. It departed St. Louis at 9:52 PM,[3] and was scheduled to arrive in Chicago at 12:55 AM. [4]
The aircraft departed St. Louis and proceeded on a northerly track towards the Missouri River. Five minutes after departure, all radio contact was lost with the aircraft. Chicago and Southern’s company radio controller made repeated attempts to contact the flight, and then notified the Chicago station, informing them of the missing aircraft. [4]
“The accident is believed to have occurred 10 minutes later, indicated by the wrist watch of the dead pilot which stopped at 10:02.”[5]
“The ship was unheard from after its takeoff but airline officials were not concerned until they received a report from Tom King, a farmer, that he had heard motors of a plane die in midair. The wreckage was discovered hours later by a searching party from the airport. “Ralph L. Sharp, of Fairfield, Ill., visiting friends near the scene, said he saw the plane flying low and then bank sharply to the left as though the pilot, encountering bad visibility, had decided to return to the airport.”[6]
“Ben Knobbe, a farmer, said the approach of the plane frightened him as it passed over his home. “With the pilot apparently attempting to nose up, the heavy 10-passenger Lockheed-Electra [sic] transport cut a triangular swath across a cornfield before it turned over. Wreckage and bodies were strewn over a radius of 50 feet. A part of the motor dropped out and the left wing was thrown to one side. All but one of the occupants were hurled out of the fuselage and the seats went with them.”[8]
“Aviators said the ship was traveling approximately 180 miles an hour when it crashed.”[9]
Farmers in the vicinity of the aircraft’s last radio contact were contacted, and began a search for the aircraft, believing an accident had occurred. Within several hours the aircraft was located, in a farm field near the Missouri River, 16 miles north of St. Louis. [10] Seven of the plane’s eight occupants were found within 50 feet of the wreckage; the remaining passenger was found still in the cabin. All of the victims showed signs of massive impact trauma, and were believed to have been killed instantly. [4]
The weather in the area had been reported as clear, except for in the vicinity of the river, where heavy ground fog was present. Preliminary reports believed the ground fog to have been a factor. [4]
Upon examination of the wreckage, it was found that the plane had, for unknown reasons, been in a low turn near the ground, and the wingtip made contact with the terrain, causing the aircraft to impact the ground. The reason for the low-altitude turn was unknown. [11]
“A preliminary investigation by A. S. Koch, Federal aeronautical inspector, indicated the crash was caused by fog. Major R. W. Schroder, chief of the airway inspection service of the department of commerce, arrived here tonight to assume charge of the inquiry. “‘So far we have not found any evidence of mechanical failure,’ Koch said. ‘The indications are the pilot ran into trouble as a result of a thick ground fog soon after leaving the airport and crashed while attempting the circle back to the field.’”[12]
The dead were:
All of the passengers had boarded at St. Louis, except Omile, who enplaned at Memphis. [13]
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Air crash
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Two rural Alberta schools close due to COVID-19 infections among students
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Two schools in rural Alberta are closing their classrooms over the number of students not attending because of COVID-19 infections. The Big Valley School and Donalda School, both in central Alberta's Clearview Public Schools, announced Monday that too many students are away from school to continue in-person classes. "At the time of writing this letter, the percentage of students away continues to be over 10 per cent with reported cases of COVID-19," the school authority said in a release. The schools have closed their classrooms to in-person learning for students in Grades 1 through 9 starting Monday until Oct. 1. Kindergarten and playschool classes will continue to be held. "Instruction and learning opportunities will be offered using a combination of online and paper-based materials," the release says. "Classroom teachers will provide a detailed schedule so that students will have direct access to them at specified times during the day." The announcement came on the first day of the Alberta government's new proof-of-vaccination program that allows some businesses and public facilities to operate without capacity limits and other public health measures. The program was implemented in a bid to clamp down on Alberta's surging fourth wave of COVID-19. Businesses that don't require proof of vaccination will also be subject to capacity limits. Those limits won't apply to schools. More school closures are likely, said Opposition NDP education critic Sarah Hoffman "We know that hundreds of cases of this deadly virus have been reported among students attending schools across Alberta," she said in a release. "We're beginning to see some schools closed and students forced to learn at home yet again." An Alberta Education spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. Alberta's devastating fourth wave of the pandemic hit 20,614 active cases on Monday — more than twice as many as any other province or territory and the first time the numbers have surpassed 20,000 in the province since mid-May. The province is leading the country by a wide margin in daily new COVID-19 cases and active cases. As of Monday, there were 954 people being treated in hospital, 216 of whom were in intensive care beds. Earlier Monday, the province released more details about which businesses and institutions come under its Restriction Exemption plan. Retail stores, libraries, hotels and post-secondary institutions will not be required to take part in the program, nor will worshippers at a church, employees on a worksite or students on a school trip. Some restrictions will still apply. Stores must limit shoppers to one-third of normal capacity, for example. Entertainment facilities from restaurants to nightclubs to art galleries are all eligible to participate in the program, allowing them to operate normally as long as they require patrons to show proof of vaccination. Eligible facilities that choose not to participate must work under public health rules that include capacity limits and mask requirements for indoor public spaces. Premier Jason Kenney announced the program last week. Retail stores and libraries were initially on the list of eligible organizations but were removed on the weekend. Kenney had previously opposed a vaccine passport over what he said were privacy concerns. He switched to support for passports as Alberta's hospitals faced the prospect of being overwhelmed in the pandemic's fourth wave. Starting Sunday, immunized Albertans could download proof-of-vaccination cards, but some pointed out they were easily altered. A health ministry spokeswoman said work continues on a more secure QR code that would be available in the coming weeks.
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Organization Closed
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One-and-half-year old girl infected with Omicron in Pune discharged post recovery
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A 3-year-old boy in Pune, also infected with Omicron, is asymptomatic | PTI A one-and-a-half-year-old girl, who had tested positive for the Omicron variant of coronavirus in Pimpri Chinchwad area of Pune district of Maharashtra recently, has been discharged from hospital after recovering from the infection, while a three-year-old boy, who was also found infected with the new strain in the area, is asymptomatic and keeping well, health officials said on Saturday. The three-year-old boy is among the four new patients in Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) area. The three others are all adults - two males and one female. They are all contacts of the Indian origin woman and her two daughters from Nigeria, who were earlier found infected with the Omicron variant on their arrival here. The woman from Nigeria had come to meet her brother in Pimpri Chinchwad. However, apart from the woman and her two daughters, her brother, his two daughter, including the one-and-a-half-year-old, had tested positive for the Omicron strain, officials said. "Out of the six Omicron patients found earlier, four patients, including the one-and-a-half-year-old have been discharged from the hospital after they tested negative during their repeat test," an official said. "Barring one female, who had dry cough, all the patients, including the baby, are asymptomatic and keeping fine. The woman, who had dry cough, also tested negative in the repeat test and was given discharge along with three others. The other two females tested positive in the repeat test and that is why they are currently in hospital, but they are also keeping fine," he said. The three-year-old boy, who is among the four new patients, is asymptomatic and keeping fine at the paediatric care. The other three patients are also asymptomatic and there is no cause of worry, Dr Laxman Gophane, medical officer of PCMC, said. Meanwhile, the only Omicron patient from Pune city, who has now tested negative, was also given discharge on Friday. He had returned to Pune from Finland, officials said.
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Famous Person - Recovered
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The man, the sea and the $1500 DIY tsunami alert system
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Frustrated at trying to get help from authorities to alert his coastal community in the event of a tsunami, Chris Knight went one better. He installed a tsunami alert system for less than $1500. In the house he built above Taieri Mouth, about a 35-minute drive south of Dunedin, Knight likes what he sees. The sea is calm and the sky is blue, but all that could change in the event of a tsunami. READ MORE: * Surfers and paddleboarders and people near water despite beach, marine threat Knight, who moved to New Zealand from the United Kingdom 26 years ago, has a background in the Royal Navy and police. But his work as an electrical engineer prompted the local Taieri Mouth Amenities Society to ask him if he could investigate an alert system for the several hundred residents late last year. Hamish McNeilly/Stuff Taieri Mouth, about a 35-minute drive south of Dunedin. Knight contacted Civil Defence locally and nationally to ask about an alert system ,and whether they could trigger an installed system. However, there was no interest, he said. ‘’I ran into a brick wall trying to get assistance... it was just a joke, really.’’ Even asking for a tsunami sign proved fruitless, and so the exasperated Knight ended up making his own for $35 each. He believed there were many other semi-isolated coastal communities, similar to Taieri Beach, which struggled with adequate telecommunications. A tsunami would head towards the Taieri River ‘’like a funnel’’, and those on the beach, on or on fishing boats, or in low-lying areas could be in trouble. ‘’Energy has to go somewhere.’’ Hamish McNeilly/Stuff Taieri Mouth resident Chris Knight has built his own tsunami alert system, and this sign. However, a tsunami siren system would make ‘’people react’’. ‘’People are going to say ‘get off the beach... now’.’’ The Taieri Mouth community was divided by the Taieri River with the northern side struggling with broadband, while cellphone coverage had been ‘’basically dead’’. Knight was able to install broadband at his property more than a decade ago. Soon word spread, and he was able to supply a neighbour, with other residents quickly following. And when the Clutha District Council allowed him to have access to a toilet block on the other side of the river, Knight had power and a data feed while more residents would soon have broadband. That also included putting wi-fi in the local hall, and the tsunami alert system was ‘’just a bolt-on, because it is on the network’’. Hamish McNeilly/Stuff The sign as you enter Taieri Mouth from the north. ‘’There isn’t a huge amount of money involved, just climbing on the roof and putting a safety harness on and bolting the aerials on.’’ Knight had previously installed repeaters, giving residents cellphone coverage until a cell tower was installed late last year. The tsunami alert system was able to be accessed remotely by some designated residents who could activate the alarm in the event of an emergency. Speakers on the roof of the hall could be heard from the beach to the river gorge, test runs proved. That compared to previous tsunami alerts in the area, involving members of Fire and Emergency New Zealand, who were based in other towns, going door-to-door to check on residents. Gary Knowles, National Emergency Management Agency emergency management deputy chief executive, said the agency was responsible for issuing alert warnings. To ‘’reach as many people as possible’’ emergency information and warnings would be provided across a range of channels. Julian Thomson/GNS An official tsunami evacuation sign showing the way to safety. That included online and broadcast media, emergency mobile alert, social media and websites. But a local source tsunami could arrive in minutes, meaning there would not be time for an official warning, Knowles said. It was important to recognise the natural warning signs and act quickly, he said. ‘’If you’re in a coastal area, and you feel a long or strong earthquake, don’t wait for an official warning; move immediately to the nearest high ground, out of tsunami evacuation zones, or go as far inland as possible.’’
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Tsunamis
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A tunnel at a mine in the remote east of Indonesia caved in Tuesday with around 30 workers inside
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JAYAPURA, Indonesia — A tunnel at a mine in the remote east of Indonesia caved in Tuesday with around 30 workers inside, the US operator and police said.
Rescuers did not know whether those inside were alive or dead following the accident at Freeport-McMoRan’s Grasberg, one of the world’s biggest gold and copper mines which is high in the mountains of rugged Papua province.
It is the latest problem for the mine, which was hit by a major strike in 2011 that crippled production.
“A tunnel in the underground training area collapsed, trapping a number of employees,” said a statement from the Indonesian subsidiary of Freeport.
“We cannot confirm the number of injured or trapped individuals nor whether there have been any fatalities.”
Local police chief Jermias Rontini said that more than 30 people were believed to have been inside when the tunnel collapsed.
“The evacuation team and the police are still outside the tunnel because we are worried there may be further collapses or poisonous gas,” he said.
Freeport added that the rescue operation at the mine “is difficult and will take some time to complete”.
The company did not disclose the nationalities of those trapped, although the vast majority of the more than 24,000 workers at the mine are Indonesian.
Neither police nor Freeport said why the accident happened.
The 2011 strike lasted three months and crippled production, only ending once the firm agreed to a huge pay rise.
The industrial action sparked a wave of deadly clashes between police and gunmen around the mine, with at least 11 people, all Indonesians, killed.
Earlier this May, some 1,100 workers employed by Freeport contractors staged a three-day strike over pay but it caused only minimal disruption to production.
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Mine Collapses
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Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 724 crash
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Merpati Nusantara Airlines Flight 724 (MZ724/MNA724) was a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by Merpati Nusantara Airlines from Pattimura Airport in Maluku's provincial capital Ambon to Jefman Airport in Sorong, Irian Jaya (currently West Papua); both in Indonesia. On 1 July 1993, the aircraft operating the flight, a Fokker F28 Fellowship 3000 registered as PK-GFU, crashed into the sea after it struck a small hill near Jefman Airport. Forty-one people were killed in the crash.
The crash was the deadliest in Merpati Nusantara Airlines' history. Investigators concluded that the pilot of the aircraft unintentionally flew into high terrain. Subsequent damage caused the aircraft to crash into the sea off Jefman Airport. [1]
On 1 July 1993, the Fokker F28 Fellowship was approaching Jefman Airport at a relatively low height. Survivors recalled that the distance between the ground and the aircraft was less than one metre. The aircraft suddenly climbed then the left landing gear struck the summit of a small hill. Survivors stated that there was a loud bang when it happened. [3]
Some passengers were thrown from their seats inside the aircraft. Parts of the wing detached, and the aircraft began to spin. The aircraft then overran the airport and crashed into the sea, breaking into three main sections. Most of the victims were found still strapped to their seats and several bodies floated to the surface. Search and rescue units were deployed immediately after the crash. Local fishermen arrived first on the crash site and helped a young boy and a man from the site. Several people survived the crash, but some died from their injuries. A man survived the crash and saved an unconscious boy from the water. While handing the boy over to a local fisherman, he suddenly became unconscious and later died. [3][4]
News of the crash began to break at 3:00pm - 4:00pm. Relatives of the victims were informed about the crash and were transported to the crash site. They arrived the following day. The evacuation process was relatively quick, as the crash site was easily accessible. [4]
The aircraft involved in the crash was a Fokker F28 Fellowship 3000 registered as PK-GFU with a serial number of 11131. The aircraft had its first flight in April 1978. It was delivered the same year and after service with Garuda Indonesia it was sold to Merpati Nusantara Airlines in 1989. [5]
Weather conditions were reported as bad at the time of the crash. Eyewitnesses stated that heavy rain was accompanied by strong wind. Merpati spokesman also stated that the weather in and around Sorong was "inclement", including the area of Jefman Airport. Thick black clouds could be seen at the time of the crash. Reports revealed that air traffic controllers had warned the crew of Flight 724 to abort their landing attempt and divert to Biak Airport. However, the pilot of Flight 724 insisted on landing at Jefman Airport. [4]
When the pilot started the descent the aircraft turned towards the sea instead of the runway. The pilot seemed to be disoriented due to the inclement weather conditions. Seconds later, the crew realized their mistakes and executed a climb, but failed. The front part of the aircraft did manage to avoid the hill, however the rear part of the aircraft hit it. The aircraft then broke into three sections and crashed into the sea. [4]
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Air crash
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1958 Dan-Air Avro York crash
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The 1958 Dan-Air Avro York crash was a fatal accident involving an Avro York cargo aircraft operated by Dan Air Services Limited on a non-scheduled international all-cargo service between Karachi, Pakistan, and New Delhi, India. The aircraft crashed on 25 May 1958 during a forced landing at Gurgaon, Haryana, India, after an engine had caught fire en route from Karachi to Delhi. Four of the five occupants of the aircraft were killed. [1][2][3]
The aircraft, operated by Dan Air Services Ltd, was an Avro 685 York (registered in the United Kingdom as G-AMUV) that had its first flight in 1946. [2] The York had been delivered to the Royal Air Force in February 1946, it was withdrawn from use and sold as a civilian aircraft in 1952. Following the aircraft's departure from Karachi Airport in Pakistan's Sindh province, an in-flight fire developed en route to Delhi. This necessitated an immediate forced landing on rough terrain near Gurgaon in the Indian state of Haryana, resulting in the aircraft's break-up and a post-crash fire. [2] Among the crew of five, the radio operator was the sole survivor. This crash was Dan-Air's first fatal accident. [1]
The subsequent investigation established a mid-air fire as a consequence of an internal failure of the aircraft's no. 1 engine as the accident's probable cause.
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Air crash
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Precipitation stabilized but didn't stop drought, U.S. Drought Monitor says
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Despite the minimal precipitation the region received over the last week, the drought and its conditions continue to spread across the country, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Written By: Emily Beal | 3:57 pm, Apr. 22, 2021 × The U.S. Drought Monitor released on April 22, 2021, showed the spreading drought across both the Midwest and western part of the country. (U.S. Drought Monitor) The drought that has been present in the Midwest and western part of the United States has garnered the attention of the Biden-Harris administration. Due to the regions’ excessive dryness, the White House has launched a drought relief working group that will address the urgency of the water crisis. “In the United States, intense droughts threaten major economic drivers in rural communities such as agriculture and recreation, disrupts food systems and water supplies, endangers public health, jeopardizes the integrity of critical infrastructure, and exacerbates wildfires and floods. With our interagency Working Group, we will collaborate with Tribes, agricultural producers, landowners, and rural communities to build regional resilience to drought,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor , Vilsack is correct about the intensity of the drought. In the western region, which includes Montana, drought conditions increased in the report released April 22 for conditions on April 20, as compared to a week prior. More than 80% of the region is considered to be in drought, with 21.05% considered in exceptional drought, the most severe category on the map. Drought conditions did not change significantly in the High Plains region, which includes North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska, or in the Midwest region, which includes Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. Here's a state-by-state look at this week's Drought Monitor: Iowa: Iowa's drought conditions remained relatively unchanged since last week. Severe drought decreased to 7.62% from 7.83%, while moderate drought increased from 4.8% to 5.01%. Abnormally dry conditions also increased slightly from 26.4% to 28.13%. Those conditions are a large improvement, however, over where the state was three months ago, at the start of the year and at the start of the water year following a sudden and severe drought last summer . Minnesota: Due to the state’s current drought situation, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has issued a red flag warning to certain counties . According to the Minnesota DNR, A Red Flag Warning means the area is experiencing critical weather conditions that are ideal for wildfire, including strong winds and low humidity. Do not burn while the Red Flag Warning remains in effect and check any burning done recently to ensure the fire is out. Any spark could become a wildfire under Red Flag conditions. However, the state’s overall drought conditions have improved significantly. Last week 56.33% of the state was not experiencing drought conditions, whereas this week the percent has gone up to 67.44% not experiencing drought. Montana: Montana had another rough week, with percentages in all three drought categories rising compared to last week. The extreme drought percentage rose from 8.46% to 10.91% this week. Only 11.78% percent of the state is not in a Drought Monitor category, meaning 88.22% of Montana is battling drought or abnormally dry conditions. Nebraska: Nebraska drought conditions did not see much change over the past week. The severe drought percentage stayed at 7%. However the abnormally dry percentage increased slightly this week, from 37.95% last week to 38.82% this week. North Dakota: More than three quarters of the state of North Dakota is in the extreme drought category at 75.85%. Severe drought comes in at 17.14%, slightly down from last week’s percent of 17.19%, while the moderate drought category increased from 4.8% to 4.85%. The state’s abnormally dry percentage remains the same, coming in at 2.16%. Despite the slight precipitation the state experienced over the weekend, the entire state is officially considered to be abnormally dry or worse. South Dakota: South Dakota’s extreme drought category did not budge this week, still remaining at 19.42%. The severe drought percentage dipped to 16.54%, from last week’s 20.22%, while moderate drought increased to 36.72% from last week’s 33.03%. Only 5.02% of South Dakota is not experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions. Wisconsin: Compared to the other states in the region, Wisconsin’s drought is considerably mild. The state’s moderate drought percentage is 0.74%, the same as last week, while the abnormally dry percentage decreased from last week's 36.92% to 36.01%.
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Droughts
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Brazil dam collapse: Death toll rises as mining company faces criticism
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(CNN) — The number of deaths from a collapsed dam at a Brazilian iron mine rose on Sunday from 37 to 58, a spokesperson for the Civil Defense said. Authorities say 427 people were in the Córrego do Feijão mine in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais when the dam burst Friday, unleashing a muddy sea of mining debris into the region. Hundreds of people are still missing and the extent of damage is still being calculated, especially in the mining town of Brumadinho, which was nearly buried in the deluge. The latest death toll was announced after rescuers returned to the mine Sunday afternoon. Authorities temporarily halted search and rescue on Sunday and placed 3,000 people under evacuation orders amid fears that another dam nearby was about to rupture. The orders were lifted after authorities determined dam VI was no longer at risk of bursting. The disaster renewed scrutiny of Brazilian mining giant Vale, which was linked to another deadly dam collapse in Minas Gerais less than four years ago. Protesters gathered in Casa Branca, about 15 kilometers from Brumadinho, waving signs that read “Vale kills” and “Vale profits while mud kills,” local media reported. Greenpeace Brazil said Vale’s “corporate greed” and “the omission and inefficiency” of the Brazilian government were to blame for the 2015 incident in Mariana and the latest in Brumadinho. “We are not dealing with an accident, but with a crime against people and nature. How many lives do we still have to lose [until] the Brazilian state and mining companies learn from their mistakes?” Greenpeace Brazil Campaigns director Nilo D’Ávila said in a statement. The breach flooded parts of Minas Gerais and buried most of Brumadinho, according to footage from CNN affiliate Record TV. Debris spilled into the mine’s administrative area, where employees were working, Vale said. Heavy rains hampered search and rescue. Video showed helicopters hovering feet above the ground as firefighters plucked people from the muck. At least 361 people have been found and 305 are still missing, Civil Defense spokesperson Col. Flavio Godinho said. Additionally, 23 people are hospitalized, the fire department said. Nineteen victims have been identified, Godinho said. Vale has a list online with names of people it has not been able to contact. Karolainy Stefany de Jesus, 21, lives close to the affected area. She received a call from her uncle, who works at Vale, and ran to the affected area to see if she could find relatives. She found was a scene of despair, she said. “I could only see people screaming and shouting,” she said. “The sirens did not work, only people shouting to advise others, everyone was desperate.” De Jesus’ niece, Cristina Paula, is missing and is not on any list. Paula worked at hotel Nova Instancia, which was engulfed by the mud water during the dam break. De Jesus says two survivors in the hotel told her that employees didn’t have time to advise anyone because, “They could only run for their lives.” “It is devastating, everyone here at the community is in shock, nobody expected that to happen,” de Jesus said. Officials say they expect to contain the sludgy mine waste known as tailings within two days. The Brazilian National Water Agency said they are monitoring the tailings and coordinating plans for supplying water to the affected region. Attorney General André Mendonça said Vale is responsible for the disaster — the second of its kind in three years involving the mining company. Authorities called the 2015 Mariana dam collapse the worst environmental disaster in the country’s history. The collapse killed 19 people and wreaked havoc on the environment, leading mining company Samarco — a joint venture between Vale and BHP Billiton — to reach a deal in 2016 with the Brazilian government to pay up to 24 billion reals ($6.2 billion). In a company video over the weekend, Vale chief Fabio Schvartsman called the Brumadinho dam break “inexcusable” and asked the Brazilian public for forgiveness. He said the company will aid victims and noted that Vale put “immense effort” into improving its dams after the disaster in Mariana. But Greenpeace and others accused Vale and the Brazilian government of failing to act after Mariana, contributing to the latest breach. In a news conference Sunday, Regional Development Minister Gustavo Canuto said that government failed to enact legislation after the Mariana disaster to improve policies for securing dams. “The National Security Dam Policy was edited in 2010. It is a law that needed to be reviewed. After the accident in Mariana, various projects were presented but we couldn’t finalize this change in the law, but this is essential, Canuto said. “The responsibility of monitoring and avoiding future disasters is on all of us: private, state and federal. The idea is that we all sit at the table, listen to specialists, review the regulatory framework and improve this situation to avoid other disasters in the future.” Local environmental activist Carolina de Moura echoed Canuto’s comments about a lack of policy reform after Mariana. She says she attended public hearings and meetings with civil society for Vale’s licensing renewal and was disappointed by the company’s lack of transparency. “We attended periodic meetings at their offices. No one had any information of any problems in the dam, but they were less than transparent. They wouldn’t even share with us the presentations they made, for example,” she said. She says she hopes Vale will face legal consequences this time around, but she’s not optimistic. “The only possible response is the full restoration of the Rio Doce basin. However, considering what happened in Mariana, I think we will still suffer for this for a very long time.”
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Mine Collapses
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Stephen Curry passes Wilt Chamberlain for most points in Warriors history, scores 53 in win over Nuggets
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Stephen Curry already holds most major Golden State Warriors records. He leads the team in all-time assists, 3-pointers, turnovers and free-throw percentage, and is in the top three in games played, minutes and steals. He is the only two-time MVP in franchise history, and is one of only a few that have won three championships with the franchise. But on Monday, he hit his most significant individual milestone yet as a Warrior.
For over five decades, Wilt Chamberlain held the Warriors record for most points. Chamberlain didn't spend his entire career with the Warriors but was so dominant in his time there that he managed to rack up 17,783 points. No Warrior approached that total until now. On Monday, Curry broke the record with his 19th point. In true Curry fashion, he got there in the first quarter.
Curry finished the evening with a ridiculous 53 points in the win over the Nuggets, putting the exclamation mark on his historic night. The two-time MVP is only 33 years old and is expected to re-sign with Golden State at some point before the expiration of his current contract, which runs through next season. If he stays healthy, that means he should be expected to push this record to bold new heights. If he maintains his 23.9 points per game career average over five more healthy seasons, he would retire with over 27,000 career points. Only 13 players in NBA history have ever reached that level of volume scoring.
And Curry has done it all with one team. In an era defined by player movement, Curry has become the face of one of the NBA's most historic franchises without ever seriously considering a departure. It makes the fact that he passed Chamberlain in particular that much more fitting. Wilt posted historic scoring numbers, but did so for several teams. Now, his record belongs to a player who's only ever played for one. Nobody doubted that Curry was the greatest Warrior ever. Now, he has the record to prove it.
Just a few weeks into the season and the NBA has already been hit by a rash of player absences. Whether it's injuries, health and safety protocols or a very deserved suspension, teams around the league found themselves without key pieces quite often this week, which threw the Power Rankings into flux.
One team has remained steady throughout the early season, however, earning the undisputed No. 1 spot in this week's rankings: The resurgent Golden State Warriors. Right behind them are two teams most wouldn't have expected to see at the top at this juncture of the season, the Washington Wizards and the Denver Nuggets. Washington is thriving while getting acclimated to a host of new players, and Denver went undefeated this week despite lineup staples Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola Jokic missing games.
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They weren't the biggest risers, though, as that honor goes to the Phoenix Suns, who shook off a rocky start to go 4-0 this week and claim the No. 4 spot. On the other side, the biggest fallers were the Toronto Raptors, who dropped from No. 6 last week all the way to No. 19.
But that's how things go early in the season. One week you're on top of the world, and the next week you're on the outside looking in. Just ask the Miami Heat. Here are this week's NBA Power Rankings.
*Please keep in mind that our Power Rankings are based on the team's performance the previous week, not the entire season.
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Break historical records
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1951 Atlantic C-124 disappearance crash
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The 1951 Atlantic C-124 disappearance involved a Douglas C-124 Globemaster II of the 2nd Strategic Support Squadron, Strategic Air Command, which ditched on the late afternoon of 23 March 1951, after an explosion in the cargo and ensuing fire forced the pilots to ditch the aircraft at 50 degrees 22 minutes North, 22 degrees 20 minutes West, in the Atlantic Ocean several hundred nautical miles West Southwest of Ireland, as recorded in the logbook of the US Coast Guard Cutter Casco. The ditching and subsequent evacuation were successful, but when Casco arrived at the ditching position, the aircraft and its occupants had vanished. The transport was on a military flight from Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, New Mexico, to RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England, with a stopover at Limestone Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine. It was commanded by Major Robert S. Bell, of the Second Strategic Support Squadron (similar to the 1950 Douglas C-54D disappearance in that respect). At 1300 hours, 23 March 1951, the aircraft radioed "Mayday" to weather ship USCGC Casco, reporting a fire in the cargo crates and giving their position as 51 degrees 30 Minutes North, 27 degrees 05 minutes West, according to the logbook of Casco. [3] Unable to extinguish the fire, Major Bell made the decision to ditch while there was still daylight. The exact ditching position of 50 degrees 22 minutes North 22 degrees 20 minutes West was radioed to Casco. The aircraft landed safely and intact. All hands then donned life preservers and climbed into inflatable 5-man rafts equipped with numerous survival supplies, including food, water, signal flares, cold-weather gear, and "Gibson Girl" hand crank emergency radios. [1][2]
A Boeing B-50 Superfortress, from the 509th Bomb Wing Detachment, was en route from RAF Lakenheath with the intention of joining up with the stricken aircraft and escorting it to the nearest landing site. When the B-50 arrived at the ditching position the crew spotted the survivors in rafts and flares. [3] The location was reported and the B-50 reached its minimum fuel required for safe landing and had to return to base. When Casco arrived at the ditching point on 24 March, the men had disappeared. Casco was later joined by British planes, weather ships, submarine, several warships, including the USS Coral Sea, which arrived at the crash site over 19 hours later, on Sunday, 25 March. The aircraft, along with its passengers and crew, were gone. All that was found was some charred plywood and a briefcase. [3] The survivors' bodies were never found. Overall, the fate of the crashed C-124 and its 53 occupants remains undetermined. [2]
A copy of the Air Force official report into the crash was provided to the Shreveport Times in 2011 via a Freedom of Information Act request. According to the accident report, "The aircraft was evidently, more or less, intact when it hit. This is indicated by the small number of pieces recovered, as well as the fact that two inflated aircraft tires carried as part of the cargo were never found. Also, the debris found was burned by fuel fire from fuel in the wing fuel cells, which indicates that the wing fuel cells were still attached to the fuselage. There is no conclusive proof that anything unusual happened before the aircraft struck the water, not that it struck the water out of control. There is evidence that a fire occurred on top of the water after the aircraft hit. "[4] Included in the report are over a dozen pages of debris analysis by the airplane's manufacturer, Douglas Aircraft Company. [4]
The passengers included Brig. Gen. Paul Thomas Cullen, vice commander of 2nd Air Force and commander of 7th Air Division, and other senior officers. Soviet vessels were active in the area. This fact, combined with the possibility of sabotage, the strategic value of the passengers, the potential distressed note recovered, and the knowledge that the evacuation from the airplane into safety rafts was a success has led some to speculate on potential Soviet involvement. [4]
In 2012, more than 50 years after the disappearance of all personnel on board the plane, two men from the crash were granted graves at the Arlington National Cemetery.
Coordinates: 50°45′00″N 24°03′00″W / 50.7500°N 24.0500°W / 50.7500; -24.0500
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Air crash
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Agriculture Minister: Locust problem under control - Loop News
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Agriculture Minister: Locust problem under control
Loop News
September 9, 2016 03:31 PM ET
Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries Minister Clarence Rambharat said that Government is presently assisting farmers with the recent attack of locusts in New Village, Point Fortin and other parts of South Trinidad.
Speaking in Friday's reconvening of Parliament on Friday, Rambharat said Ministry workers are at the scene and are providing assistance.
“The issue of locust infestations is not unusual in the counties of Victoria and St Patrick. On that basis the Ministry is always prepared to respond, as we responded to an infestation in Chatham in 2014, and as we have responded to an infestation in Moruga.”
“In relation to this particular infestation, as we speak officers of the Ministry are on the ground and the Ministry is committed in the issue of locusts as it pertains to farmers in the South-west.”
The Agriculture Ministry advised farmers that there is a well-established and successful management strategy for removing the insects.
Afflicted farmers can contact the St Patrick West County Office in Point Fortin at 648-1426 OR 648-2384 for further information and assistance.
Thousands of locusts plagued the community on Thursday, decimating trees and forcing villagers to take refuge inside their homes.
The community, also known as Striker’s Village, is also home to a Servol Life Centre.
Point Fortin mayor Clyde Paul confirmed to media that the Ministry conducted spraying in Mora Village on Thursday and was scheduled to visit New Village on Friday.
The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is a species of locust.
Plagues of desert locusts have threatened agricultural production in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia for centuries. The livelihood of at least one-tenth of the world’s human population can be affected by this voracious insect.
The desert locust is potentially the most dangerous of the locust pests because of the ability of swarms to fly rapidly across great distances. It has two to five generations per year.
The last major desert locust upsurge in 2004–05 caused significant crop losses in West Africa and had a negative impact on food security in the region.
While the desert locust alone is not responsible for famines, it can be an important contributing factor.
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Insect Disaster
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Platypuses in polluted water could ingest 'half a human dose' of antidepressants
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A platypus' diet consists of worms, insects and yabbies — but if they live near people, they might also be served a side of antidepressants, painkillers and antibiotics.
Ecologists found nearly 70 different medications in water-dwelling creepy-crawlies at creeks near Melbourne.
In a paper published in Nature Communications today, the researchers also calculated that a platypus living at the most contaminated site could ingest about half a human dose of antidepressants every day.
Erinn Richmond, an ecologist at Monash University and lead author of the study, said this was a problem as researchers do not know how human medications — and their combinations — affect other creatures.
"If you or I went to the doctor and said we're taking 69 different drugs, they'd probably have a heart attack," she said.
And even though the sampling was conducted in Victorian creeks, it is not a local dilemma.
"Unfortunately, this is a global issue," Dr Richmond said.
"Last year, pharmaceuticals were found in surface water in Antarctica. It's getting increasingly harder to find pristine, uncontaminated sites."
When you flush the toilet, unless you have a septic tank, waste goes to a treatment plant.
There, some pharmaceutical compounds do get broken down by bacteria, said Stuart Khan, a water quality chemist and engineer at the University of New South Wales.
"Caffeine, paracetamol, salicylic acid or aspirin are all well removed, as well as ibuprofen to a lesser degree," said Professor Khan, who was not involved in the study.
"Others, by virtue of their chemical structure, are much harder."
For instance, the natural oestrogen that people excrete can be processed by bacteria.
Just like the word "organic", there is no regulation of phrases or words like "eco-friendly" and "natural".
But synthetic oestrogen, found in the contraceptive pill, is a different story.
"It has a small chemical modification, and that has made it less biodegradable," Professor Khan said.
This means it ends up in waterways. And in the 1990s, fish were famously found "feminised" by the hormone.
While there are wastewater treatment plants that can remove pretty much everything — Switzerland, for instance, has upgraded plants that discharge drinkable water — they are the minority.
It costs money and energy to add those extra purification steps.
So to find out what chemical cocktail ends up in Melbourne waterways, Dr Richmond and her colleagues collected water samples and wildlife from six creeks in 2014 and 2015.
They captured creek-dwelling invertebrates such as insect larvae and snails, as well as spiders that build webs over water to catch adult insects that emerge from their creek nursery.
The animals were tested for 98 different pharmaceutical compounds.
Traces of pharmaceuticals were found in creatures at all six sites, even in the relatively pristine Lyrebird Creek in the Dandenong Ranges National Park, albeit in lower concentrations.
The five most frequently detected drugs in water-dwelling creatures were Alzheimer's medication memantine, codeine, two anti-fungal drugs (fluconazole and clotrimazol) and an antidepressant, mianserin.
Be part of our live audience, as Natasha Mitchell hosts a series of public events on hotly debated topics in science. Find out more and book your free seat.
These creatures are, in turn, eaten by platypuses and brown trout, so Dr Richmond calculated how much of each drug those predators might inadvertently ingest.
Compounds accumulate in higher concentrations up the food chain, much like the way mercury levels can rise as small fish are eaten by bigger ones, a process called "biomagnification". Dr Richmond estimated that if a platypus lived at the most contaminated site — Brushy Creek in Chirnside Park, a north-eastern Melbourne suburb — it could end up consuming up to half an adult dose of antidepressants. A brown trout might end up with around a quarter of a dose.
And even though there is no data to show that platypuses live actually at Brushy Creek, they do live downstream in the Yarra River, Dr Richmond said.
"They can range widely, and it's possible they could travel some distance up Brushy Creek."
The next step is to try to detect these medicines in wild platypuses through blood or tissue samples, she added.
This is something Ben Kefford, a freshwater ecotoxicologist at the University at Canberra, said he was keen to see.
"The platypus is a much lighter animal, but is getting half a human dose," said Dr Kefford, who was not involved with the study.
"When you consider the dose in terms of milligrams per kilogram, it doesn't necessarily mean there will be an issue, but I do find it concerning."
Dr Kefford said one issue in toxicology research was that there are few "real life" field studies that look at multiple species at different sites.
"The cool thing about this study is it looked at invertebrate tissues — not just those from the water, but also spiders," she said.
"Most [studies] measure chemical concentrations in the water, or their effects in the lab on biochemical pathways."
Even so, the researchers said their results were not entirely conclusive.
Spiders at five sites had higher concentrations of drugs than the critters that lived in the water.
This was to be expected from a biomagnification perspective, given they eat the adult versions of the water-dwelling larvae.
But they saw the opposite at Brushy Creek: spiders on average had lower levels of pharmaceuticals.
This might be because the site is so polluted that fewer flies made it to adulthood, so spiders were forced to dine on non-aquatic insects instead.
Professor Khan said he would like to see the study replicated and measurements confirmed by another team.
Still, he said the issue of environmental contamination posed risks that scientists still do not understand very well.
"We have seen that low concentrations of some drugs intended for human medicine can have wildly unexpected impacts on non-target species," Professor Khan said.
"I would like to see the responsibility for much greater environmental impact assessment from pharmaceuticals placed back on the producers of those products."
Get all the latest science stories from across the ABC.
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AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
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Environment Pollution
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Gulf Air Flight 771 crash
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Gulf Air Flight 771 was a flight from Karachi, Pakistan, to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. On 23 September 1983, while the Boeing 737-2P6[1] was on approach to Abu Dhabi International Airport, a bomb exploded in the baggage compartment. The plane crashed in the desert near Jebel Ali between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE. All five crew members and 107 passengers died. [2]
The flight's cockpit crew consisted of the following:[3]
The cabin crew were of mixed nationalities, with only one Bahraini. [4] Two of the crew were from the United Kingdom, the latter who was a native of Peterborough. Other nationalities of the passengers included a Filipino, Indian, Pakistani, and an American. [citation needed]
There were 96 Pakistani nationals, many returning to jobs in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain after spending the Eid al Adha holiday with their families in Pakistan. There were also seven passengers from the United Kingdom, one from the United States, and one from Iran. [5][6][7]
The bomb explosion led to a fire in the baggage compartment. Despite this, the crew managed to send a short distress signal. The aircraft then crashed into the ground, killing all 112 people on board. [1]
The investigation was carried out by the American National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and they released a 400-page report on their findings, which was not immediately published in the Persian Gulf region. The report was revealed in September 1987 by British politician Sir Dudley Smith, under pressure from the parents of British stewardess Lyn Farthing who perished in the crash. [citation needed]
The report included a description of the last moments in the cockpit, including a description of Omani captain Saoud Al Kindy praying as the plane nose-dived into the desert. [4] The report mentioned that everything on board the flight was perfectly normal and voice transcripts showed the crew chatting among themselves. One asked the other if he was on duty the next day, to which he replied "No, I've got a day off tomorrow". That was followed by a sudden interruption and the recording showed the pilots making a frantic attempt to control the plane. [4]
The report indicated a bomb in the baggage hold as the primary cause of the accident, due to the following factors:[4]
The bomb was apparently planted by the Abu Nidal Organization (named after Abu Nidal himself), to convince Saudi Arabia to pay protection money to Nidal so as to avoid attacks on their soil. [8]
Death certificates issued for the passengers on board showed the cause of death as asphyxiation. [4]
As of August 2017, Gulf Air still uses the flight number 771, operating scheduled services between Islamabad and Bahrain. [9]
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Air crash
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2012 Buenos Aires rail disaster
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The 2012 Buenos Aires rail disaster, also known as the Once Tragedy, occurred on 22 February 2012, when a train crashed at Once Station (Spanish: Estación Once de Septiembre; IPA: [ˈonse]) in the Balvanera neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. There were about 1,000 passengers on board when the crowded eight-carriage train, whose working brakes were not activated, hit the buffers at the end of the line, crushing the motor carriage and the following two carriages, after approaching the station at a speed of 26 km/h (16 mph). Fifty-one people were killed and more than 700 were injured;[1] the dead and seriously injured were in the first two carriages,[3] which were packed with people who had moved to the front of the train to be near the station exit on arrival. The Sarmiento Line, on which the incident occurred, was operated by Trenes de Buenos Aires (TBA), owned by the Cirigliano brothers. It was the second fatal accident on the line within six months, following the 2011 Flores rail crash, and the third-deadliest train accident in Argentina's history, after the Benavídez rail disaster in 1970 (which left 142 dead and 368 injured) and the Sa Pereira rail disaster in 1978 (which left 55 dead). [4]
Train number 16 was operating the Sarmiento Line local service 3772 from Moreno to Once during the morning rush hour on the first working day after a Carnival holiday. [5][6] The train was reported to be traveling too fast — about 50 km/h (30 mph) — on entry to the station. [7] It failed to stop before the end of the track at Once Station and at 8:33 ART crashed into the buffer stops at a speed of 26 km/h (16 mph). [citation needed] The motor carriage and the following two carriages were crushed;[8] the second carriage was telescoped 7 metres (23 ft) into the first. [3] Several passengers described the impact as an explosion. [9]
Several ambulances were in the area at the time of the accident, waiting for a ship that had suffered an influenza B outbreak, and were used to transport victims to nearby hospitals. [6] People with minor injuries left the accident zone on foot. [6] According to the city's head of civil defence, the rescue was difficult because the hard and complicated structure of the carriages made the task of removing the wreckage difficult. [6][failed verification]
The train driver survived the crash; he was rescued and evacuated in an ambulance. It took many people to free him from the wreckage. [6] He was not seriously injured, and a test for blood alcohol content gave a negative result. [10]
The Sarmiento Line did not resume normal operation for several hours. People demanding the reopening of the line threw bottles, sticks and chairs at federal police and soldiers guarding the crash site, though police regained control within a few minutes. [6]
Fifty-one people, including three children, were confirmed dead. More than 700 others were injured. [1] The crash scene and audio logs were examined to determine the cause of the accident. [11]
Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner declared two days of national mourning and suspended the Carnival festivities. Mauricio Macri, the chief of government of the autonomous city of Buenos Aires, and the governor of Buenos Aires Province, Daniel Scioli, did the same. [12]
Secretary of Transport Juan Pablo Schiavi announced that the government will investigate the accident. He reported that the driver was well rested at the time of the accident and had very good labour reports. The train's and station's black box and the security tapes were handed to the a Federal Judge. [13] Minister of Planning and Public Investment Julio de Vido announced that the presidency would initiate a lawsuit against TBA, the owners of the Sarmiento line,[14] but that was not accepted by the Justice Department, arguing that government officials could also have broad responsibilities in the accident. [15]
The Radical Civic Union proposed the impeachment of Schiavi, requesting explanations about the state of railway lines, and pointing to previous complaints about the lack of proper state control over the working of the lines. [16] They also urged Congress to create a commission to investigate the case and the responsibilities of the government. [17] The Civic Coalition criticized De Vido's announcement, pointing out that the state cannot be plaintiff as it is involved in the case. [18] The General Confederation of Labour complained about the overall poor condition of the railways, saying that the accident highlighted the problem. [16] The Argentine Workers' Central Union requested the removal of the TBA administration of the train. [18]
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom regretted the incident and expressed its condolences to the "families of the victims" and the "emergency agencies that are still working to aid" those in the accident. [19] The Secretariat of Foreign Affairs of Mexico sent its condolences to the "sister country of Argentina" and hoped for the "speedy recovery of the families and those injured. "[20] Pope Benedict XVI sent his condolences. [21]
Initially a union leader said that the train had been working well, and there had been no problems with the brakes at previous stations. [citation needed] Some passengers reported the same. [9] The driver, 28-year-old Marcos Antonio Córdoba, was taken into custody but later released by the investigating judge over the objections of the prosecutor after declaring under oath "I tried to brake twice, but the mechanism failed." He also activated the hand brake, which also failed. [1] A judicial source said Cordoba told investigators: "At each station he advised the dispatcher by radio that he had problems with the brakes." He reportedly said he was told to keep going. [22]
An event in Plaza de Mayo was arranged for 22 February 2014, to mark the second anniversary of the crash. [23]
On 29 December 2015, the case was tried and resulted in the conviction of 21 people and the acquittal of seven. Sergio Cigliano, one of the owners of TBA, was sentenced to nine years in prison. Juan Pablo Schiavi, former Secretary of Transportation, was sentenced to eight years in prison and a lifelong ban on public office. Ricardo Jaime, another former Secretary of Transportation, got six years of prison and the same ban. Marcos Córdoba, the driver, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and also banned from driving trains for six years. [24][25]
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Train collisions
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Chinese authorities should immediately and unconditionally release Zhang Zhan
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Urgently Provide Zhang Zhan Access to Adequate Medical Care, Family (New York) – Chinese authorities should immediately and unconditionally release Zhang Zhan, an activist wrongfully imprisoned for reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic in the city of Wuhan in early 2020, Human Rights Watch said today. Her family says she is in desperate need of medical care. Zhang, 38, has been on multiple hunger strikes since being detained in May 2020. She was hospitalized for 11 days in August 2021 but has since been returned to prison despite her worsening health condition. Zhang’s mother, who had a video visit with Zhang in October, said her daughter could not hold her head up for lack of strength. Zhang is 1.77 meters (5 feet, 10 inches) tall yet now weighs less than 40 kilograms (88 pounds) and urgently needs medical treatment. “The Chinese government needs to be held to account for allowing yet another peaceful critic to fall gravely ill while unjustly imprisoned,” said Yaqiu Wang, senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Governments should call for Zhang Zhan’s urgent release to prevent an already terrible situation from becoming a tragic one.” In early February 2020, Zhang, a former lawyer, went to Wuhan, where Covid-19 was first identified, to document the coronavirus outbreak. In the three months she stayed in the city, Zhang uploaded videos to YouTube that showed scenes of Wuhan during the government’s draconian lockdown and residents speaking about the impact of the lockdown on their lives. Her first video post was entitled “My Claim to the Right of Free Speech.” In May, police detained Zhang and took her back to Shanghai, where she lived. In December, a court convicted her of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and sentenced her to four years in prison. Zhang declined to appeal her conviction, telling her lawyers that she rejected the validity of the legal process used to imprison her. In 2019, police in Shanghai detained Zhang for over two months for voicing support for the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. The authorities had previously canceled her lawyer’s license after she participated in various human rights activities, including signing petitions. In February 2021, the authorities revoked the license of Zhang’s lawyer, Ren Quanniu, for representing Zhang along with a group of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists in a separate case. The authorities also warned Zhang’s mother not to speak to the media. Conditions in China’s detention facilities and prisons are poor, usually with minimal nutrition and rudimentary health care. In recent years, a number of prominent dissidents in China have become seriously ill in detention, been denied adequate care, and died either in detention or shortly after being released. In February, Tibetan activist and tour guide Kunchok Jinpa died less than three months after being transferred to a hospital from prison. In July 2019, Fujian-based activist Ji Sizun died two months after being released from prison. In January 2018, Islamic scholar Muhammed Salih Hajim died a month after being detained on unspecified charges. In July 2017, Nobel Peace Laureate Liu Xiaobo died three weeks after he was transferred to a hospital under heavy security. In July 2015, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a revered Tibetan lama, died while serving a life sentence after months of increasingly serious allegations that his health was deteriorating. In March 2014, activist Cao Shunli died in a Beijing hospital months after she was arbitrarily detained. The Chinese government should end all torture and ill-treatment of prisoners and detainees, including denial of adequate medical treatment. The authorities should accept an independent, international investigation – with the participation of forensic and human rights experts from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – into the mistreatment and deaths of activists in custody. Foreign diplomats in China should request visits with Zhang at Shanghai Women’s Prison. If such requests are denied or receive no response, they should go to the prison and personally request access to Zhang and meet with prison officials to express concerns about her case. “Unjust sentences handed down against activists in China frequently end up being death sentences,” Wang said. “Governments around the world should send a clear message to Beijing that the wrongful arrest and mistreatment of activists needs to stop.”
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Famous Person - Commit Crime - Release
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Woman Found Dead In Car In Lincoln Park Died From Accidental Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Autopsy Finds
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CHICAGO (CBS) — A Lake Forest woman who was found dead in her car in Lincoln Park, along with her dog, died of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, an autopsy determined on Friday.
Payton Mickey, 25, was found dead in the driver’s seat of a car around 8:20 p.m. Thursday near Clark Street and Fullerton Parkway, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. A dog also was found dead in the car.
A bystander told CBS 2 she had learned the woman had been in the car since the morning, and a neighbor called police to report it after noticing the woman she had not moved.
An autopsy performed on Friday determined Mickey died from carbon monoxide toxicity from inhaling automobile exhaust, and her death was ruled an accident.
Further information was not immediately available.
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Mass Poisoning
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IICA establishes Advisory Council for Food Security in the Americas
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San Jose, 1 April 2020 (IICA). The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has established a Food Security Advisory Council for the Americas, which includes leading professionals from seven countries in the hemisphere who have made significant contributions to the agrifood sector, both in the political and academic spheres. The Council will monitor the impact of the new Coronavirus on food security in the region, with a view to offering analyses and recommendations that may inform the decision-making processes of various public and private sector entities. Council members will carry out dynamic analysis exercises with respect to the situation and will offer perspectives on food security in the hemisphere, in light of the pandemic triggered by the new Coronavirus which is creating challenges for the region’s agricultural economy. They will also support IICA in its technical cooperation efforts, in order to assist the organization to redirect its efforts to address new and more urgent demands of the countries, which have arisen as a result of the pandemic, thereby contributing to the development of a new institutional roadmap. Director General, Manuel Otero made the announcement regarding the establishment and activation of the Council. In introducing the Council—which will meet via online sessions—Otero remarked that, “The Advisory Council will present concrete ideas on alternative scenarios with respect to food security in the hemisphere and the obstacles to be overcome. It will also enhance the technical cooperation that IICA provides to countries”. The initial members of the Council will be Gloria Abraham (Costa Rica), Chelston Brathwaite (Barbados), Carlos Gustavo Cano (Colombia), Cassio Luiselli (Mexico), Elsa Murano (United States), Martín Piñeiro (Argentina), Álvaro Ramos (Uruguay), Roberto Rodrigues (Brazil) and Eduardo Trigo (Argentina). Meet the members of IICA’s Food Security Advisory Council: Gloria Abraham, Costa Rica Dr. Abraham holds a Masters degree in sociology and a Doctorate in sociology, with emphasis on development economics from the University of Toulouse in France. She was Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica from 2010 to 2014, the first woman to occupy that position. She has worked in different international organizations including UNDP, the World Bank and IICA, where she held positions such as Representative, technical specialist in international cooperation, public policies and agricultural trade. She has vast experience in negotiating international free trade agreements in the area of agriculture. She is currently the Ambassador and Head of Delegation for Costa Rica to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Chelston Brathwaite, Barbados Dr. Brathwaite holds a B.Sc. in Agricultural Science, a M.Sc. degree, as well as a Ph. D in Plant Pathology from Cornell University, USA. Dr. Brathwaite has a Diploma in Agricultural Development with Distinction from the University of London and has completed courses in Executive Management at INCAE and in Leadership for Senior Executives at Harvard Business School. He was a lecturer in the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of the West Indies (UWI). Dr. Brathwaite served as the Director General of IICA (2002-2010). He joined UWI as the Interim Director of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture and has served as the Ambassador of Barbados to the People’s Republic of China. Carlos Gustavo Cano Sanz, Colombia An economist and politician, Carlos Gustavo Cano Sanz holds an M.Sc in Economics from the University of Lancaster and has also completed post-graduate studies in Government and International Economics at the University of Harvard, as well as in Senior Business Management. As Colombia’s Minister of Agriculture (2002–2005), he implemented reforms that led to the merging of the Ministry with other entities to become the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. He was Manager of the Federación Nacional de Arroceros (FedeArroz), President of the Colombia Agriculture Society and an international consultant in Strategic Planning for IICA. Currently, he is Co-Director of the Board of Directors of the Bank of the Republic of Colombia. Cassio Luiselli Fernández, Mexico Dr. Luiselli holds a BSc. in Economics, an MSc. and Ph.D from the University of Wisconsin, specializing in Agricultural Economics, Rural Development and International Economics. He also has a Ph.D from the University of South Africa, Pretoria. Dr. Luiselli is Professor Emeritus of the Humanities division of the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterey – Mexico City Campus (ITESM). He was a former advisor to the President of the Republic on agricultural development (1967–1970). He has also served as Mexico’s Ambassador to South Korea, South Africa and Uruguay; as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Mexico to ALADI; and as Under-Secretary for Development and Environmental Regulation (SEMARNAT). Elsa Murano, United States Dr. Murano possesses a BSc. from Florida International University, as well as an M.Sc. in Anaerobic Microbiology and a Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from Virginia Tech. She served as the United States Undersecretary of Agriculture for Food Safety (2001-04), and also has extensive experience in the field of education. She was President of Texas A&M University and served as Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Texas A&M University in Agriculture and Life Sciences (2005-07). Dr. Morano was also a member of the Board of Directors of Hormel Foods. Martín Piñeiro, Argentina An agricultural engineer, he holds a PhD in Agrarian Economics from the University of California, USA. He is the current Director of the Committee on Agricultural Affairs of the Argentine International Affairs Council (CARI) and a member of the Support Team of the Group of Producing Countries from the Southern Cone (GPS) in Argentina. He is also a Special Advisor to IICA. He was Director General of IICA (1986-1994); President of the Steering Committee of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and member of the Steering Committee of the International Service for Agricultural Research (ISNAR). Álvaro Ramos, Uruguay Mr. Ramos obtained his Agricultural Engineering degree from the Universidad de la República. He served as Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (1990-1993) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1995-1998). He was a senator in his country and has worked as a consultant for IICA and other international organizations, and as an Institutions and Public Development Policies specialist for the FIDA MERCOSUR regional program. Roberto Rodrigues, Brazil An agricultural engineer, he served as Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (2003-2006) and as Secretary of Agriculture and Supply of the State of Sao Paolo (1993-1994). He received the Sao Paolo Medal of Scientific Merit and the National Scientific Merit award for his technical contribution to the development of science in Brazil. In 2004, he was named Agronomist of the Decade by the Association of Agricultural Engineers of the State of Sao Paolo (AEASP). He is also a rural entrepreneur and a special ambassador for cooperatives. Eduardo Trigo, Argentina Mr. Trigo is a consultant for IICA and the IDB. He is the director of the CEO Group (Economics and Organization Consultants). He spearheaded the project entitled ‘’Prospects for Biotechnology in Argentina 2030’’ of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (2014-2016), and also served as advisor to the Directorate of International Affairs of the MINCYT in Argentina (2000-2014). He was executive director of the ArgenINTA Foundation (1994-1998) and headed the Research and Technology Transfer Unit at IICA (1986-1994).
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Organization Established
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2013 Lushan earthquake
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The Lushan earthquake or Ya'an earthquake (Standard Tibetan: གཡག་རྔ་ཡི་ས་ཡོམ་, Yak-ngai Sayom) occurred at 08:02 Beijing Time (00:02 UTC) on April 20, 2013. The epicenter was located in Lushan County, Ya'an, Sichuan, about 116 km (72 mi) from Chengdu along the Longmenshan Fault in the same province heavily impacted by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. [12] The magnitude of the earthquake was placed at Ms 7.0 by China Earthquake Data Center, Ms 7.0 by Russian Academy of Sciences, Mw 7.0 by Geoscience Australia, Mw 6.6 by the United States Geological Survey (USGS),[13] Mw 6.6 by the European Alert System (EMSC) and Mj 6.9 by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). 1,815 aftershocks have been recorded as of 00:00 (UTC+8h) April 22. [7]
The earthquake has resulted in 196 people dead, 24 missing, at least 11,826 injured with more than 968 seriously injured as of 5:00 PM (UTC+8h, April 20). [8][9] Sichuan provincial government has held the 3rd press conference on April 21, reported that the earthquake has resulted in 186 people dead, 21 missing, 11248 injured and 852 of them seriously as of 2:00 PM (UTC+8h, April 21), this is still the latest official report. [8] Several townships suffered major damage,[6][11] and many old buildings in Lushan collapsed. [14] The electricity service was interrupted, and the electricity grids in the counties of Baoxing, Lushan, and Tianquan disintegrated. [15][16] Telecommunication was interrupted in part of Ya'an. [17] The Chengdu–Ya'an and Ya'an–Xichang sections of the G5 Beijing–Kunming Expressway were reserved exclusively for vehicles for rescue purpose and closed to other vehicles. [18] The Xiaojin section (小金段) of Sichuan Provincial Highway 210 between Baoshan (宝山) and Lushan was interrupted. [18] A debris dam appeared in Jinjixia (金鸡峡) of the Yuxi River (玉溪河) in Lushan. [19] 2 volunteers were injured seriously in a traffic accident on the way to Lushan. [20] However, around 60 giant pandas in the BiFengXia National Nature Reserve in Ya'an, were left unharmed by the devastating earthquake. [21]
The epicenter was located in Lushan. As of April 21, it was reported that 120 people died, 578 people were seriously injured, 5537 slightly injured, 278 saved from the ruins, and 3 still missing in Lushan County. [22] The electricity grid disintegrated, and there were no water and gas services. According to China News Service, "100%" of houses in the 9 towns and townships and in the county seat were damaged. [22]
As of April 21, it was reported that 24 people died, 2500 were injured, and 19 missing in Baoxing County. [23] The electricity, water, and gas services were interrupted in the county seat. Most of houses in the county seat of Baoxing were uninhabitable. Water, medicines, and tents were urgently needed. [23] Some rescuers had had to walk to Baoxing because major roads to there were cut off. [24][25] On April 22, it was reported that the access to the county seat of Baoxing had been restored. [26]
About 8,000 soldiers from the People's Liberation Army were sent into the stricken area in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, as well as 1,400 provincial rescue workers and 120 support vehicles. Also, 180 doctors from a Chinese emergency response team and search-and-rescue dogs were dispatched, with volunteers mobilized from other parts of the country. [27]
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang toured the area and emphasized the need for quick action. Officials warned that regional rainfall and aftershocks were factors complicating the rescue efforts, with potential secondary effects like additional landslides and further building collapses being concerns. Impassible roads and damaged communications infrastructure posed substantial challenges to rescue efforts. [28]
Hong Kong chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, put forward a proposal to the Legislative Council to donate HK$100m ($13m) to the Sichuan provincial government for relief efforts. However, the government motion was vehemently opposed by legislators, in particular pan democrats, who feared that the local government would misuse the funds destined to help with earthquake relief efforts. [29][30] Apparent signs of misappropriations or misuse by local officials of $HK9 billion donated after the earthquake in 2008 was cited as one major concern. The proposal failed to win support of Hong Kong people. [29][30] An civic campaign was started online to try to stop earthquake donations falling into the hands of corrupt officials; and the liberal Apple Daily highlighted embezzlement scandals on the mainland. [31] To satisfy the legislature, the Hong Kong government was forced to donate the money to registered Hong Kong non-governmental organisations. [32]
On April 25, the provincial government of Sichuan announced that April 27 (seven days after the occurrence of Lushan earthquake) would be the day of mourning for those that passed in earthquake. [33] Public entertainment was forbidden, and the sound of siren wailed for 3 minutes to mourn the loss of earthquake. [33] The domestic media also mourned the passed in different ways. [34] Baidu changed its background of the page to black. [35] The social media also developed a special feature about the Lushan earthquake. [36]
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Earthquakes
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2013 ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier
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The 2013 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier was played in November 2013 in the United Arab Emirates and is a part of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier series. This edition of the qualifier for the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 was an expanded version comprising ten qualifiers from regional Twenty20 tournaments in addition to the top six finishers of the previous edition. The groups were announced by the ICC on 7 August 2013. [1]
Ireland met Afghanistan in the final for the third time with Ireland winning their 2nd title against Afghanistan and 3rd title overall. The top 6 nations (previously 2) qualified for the 2014 ICC World Twenty20: Ireland, Afghanistan, Netherlands and making their World Twenty20 debut the UAE, Nepal and Hong Kong. The tournament runs for 16 days with 72 fixtures amongst 16 teams, divided into two groups of eight. Each group plays a round-robin tournament. The bottom three teams of each group are immediately eliminated from contention for the top six positions but will play matches to determine which teams finish in positions 11 to 16. The top three teams from each group compete in the first place playoffs to determine the teams finishing in the top four positions. The other two teams are relegated to the fifth place playoffs where they compete with the fourth- and fifth-ranked teams from each group for the positions of five to ten. Both the first and fifth place playoffs are played in a six-team, single-elimination format. The bottom four teams play in the quarter-finals. The winners of the quarter-finals compete with the top two teams in the semi-finals. Playoffs follow to determine the finishing positions of the teams. [2] The top six teams qualify for the 2014 ICC World Twenty20. They will join the hosts Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in the preliminary group stage, from which only two teams will advance. The following squads were named ahead of the tournament:[6]
Officiating the tournament was three regional match referees and 17 umpires, one of which was of the Elite Panel and three was on the ICC Assiciate and Affiliate Panel of Umpires. [7]
† Teams qualified for the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 upon reaching this stage. Qualified for the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 and 2015 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier.
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Sports Competition
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The unemployment impacts of COVID-19: lessons from the Great Recession
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The International Monetary Fund’s special drawing right – the international reserve asset created in 1969 to prepare for a new dollar crisis – is undergoing a renaissance, with important worldwide repercussions. The announcement of by far the largest-ever increase in SDR allocations, which will greatly improve the liquidity of many developing nations, signals alignment between the US and China in a key area of global monetary power. The immediate reason behind the decision on 19 March by the G7 group of industrial nations was to help low- and middle-income countries hit by the pandemic. UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, speaking after a finance ministers’ meeting under the UK’s G7 presidency, said the new capital injection ensured that ‘no country is left behind’. Kristalina Georgieva, IMF managing director, said the planned SDR allocation – to be finalised next month – would accompany measures on ‘debt vulnerabilities’ and concessional finance. The action has wider significance. The US now agrees with using the IMF’s balance sheet to boost world liquidity. One side effect of the pandemic is that the IMF’s accounting unit is advancing beyond its status as an arcane currency basket – and could become an essential part of a future monetary reset. The G7 decision, already foreshadowed by agreement at G20 level, is likely to more than triple SDR allocations by at least $500bn. This reflects a change in US policy to back measures strongly advocated last year by China as well as leading European and African countries. G7 countries will coordinate with the IMF to explore how countries could ‘voluntarily recycle their SDR holdings to further support low-income countries’. This would open a new channel for rich nations with large reserves to distribute part of their plentiful SDR stocks to poor countries. The massive increase in SDR reserves – which can be converted into its five constituents: the dollar (42%), euro (31%), renminbi (11%), yen (8%) and sterling (8%) – indirectly boosts the Chinese currency’s international reserve role. As Geoffrey Yu of Bank of New York Mellon wrote in July 2020, ‘China may have an additional interest in pushing for a general [SDR] issue, as it is a shortcut to a significant de jure nominal increase in the global level of renminbi reserves.’ Janet Yellen, US Treasury secretary, has been a key architect of President Joe Biden’s emollient line on the SDR. In a letter to the G20 shortly after her appointment two months ago, she called for more SDR printing in a ‘truly collective and multilateral response’, urging G20 countries ‘to continue to take significant fiscal and financial policy actions.’ The new allocation, the first since 2009, reversed the Trump administration’s rejection last year of calls from European and African leaders for the IMF to create additional reserve assets to help emerging economies hit by the pandemic. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron joined Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to urge an immediate decision on SDRs. The IMF has been swamped by requests for financial assistance by dozens of countries, some of which face cumulative per capita income losses as high as 22% by 2022. With current IMF resources less than $1tn, extra liquidity supply is badly needed. This latest action underlines changes in the world economy since 2011, the last time emergency SDR use was discussed, at the start of the euro debt crisis. The US administration proposed that the Bundesbank release excess stocks to aid Greece. The Bundesbank opposed this idea strongly. Merkel refused to put pressure on the central bank to change its mind, citing Bundesbank independence introduced under Anglo-American stabilisation measures for post-war Germany. The SDR – brainchild of then French Finance Minister (and later President) Valéry Giscard d’Estaing – was conceived at a time when many countries, led by France, were converting surplus dollar holdings into gold. Under the Bretton Woods system, which broke down in 1971-73, the dollar would always be ‘as good as gold’. However the IMF’s unit has taken a long time to gain ground. In 2009, the United Nations suggested a new SDR-based ‘global reserve system’ – ‘feasible, non-inflationary, and … easily implemented, including in ways which mitigate the difficulties caused by asymmetric adjustment between surplus and deficit countries.’ That same year, Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People’s Bank of China, proposed that the SDR could become the pivotal international reserve currency, disconnected from individual nations, as ‘the light in the tunnel for the reform of the international monetary system’. Now, as a result of Covid-19, the world’s monetary system based on national fiat currencies may be approaching a turning point. With the SDR revival, Zhou’s ‘light in the tunnel’ is shining a little brighter. Willem Middelkoop is the author of The Big Reset and the founder of the Dutch-based Commodity Discovery Fund. David Marsh is Chairman of OMFIF
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Financial Crisis
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2011 Royal Moroccan Air Force C-130 crash
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On 26 July 2011, a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft operated by the Royal Moroccan Air Force crashed near Guelmim, Morocco, killing all 80 people on board. [1] The plane was carrying 71 passengers (initially reported as 72), mostly members of the Moroccan Armed Forces, and nine crew. Three occupants were pulled alive from the wreckage but later died of their injuries. [2][3]
The aircraft involved, a four-engined Lockheed C-130H Hercules with registration CNA-OQ, was travelling from Dakhla Airport in Western Sahara to Kenitra Air Base, with a scheduled stopover at Guelmim. [1][4]
While approaching Guelmim Airport, the Hercules crashed into Sayyert Mountain, approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi; 5.4 nmi) north-east of Guelmin. At that time, the weather in the area was reported as poor. [3][5]
It was the deadliest aviation accident of 2011, and Morocco's deadliest military aviation disaster. [6]
King Mohammed VI announced three days of national mourning following the crash. [6]
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Air crash
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Lodi man gets sentence deferred, sexual assault charge dismissed
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A former Prairie du Sac man entered a deferred prosecution agreement Tuesday after being charged with third-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct in Sauk County Circuit Court. Dibble Brett R. Dibble, 33, of Lodi, had initially faced more than 10 years in prison. The sexual assault charge was dismissed on a motion from the Sauk County District Attorney’s Office. Dibble entered a no contest plea for the misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct. Prosecution will be deferred for 12 months. If Dibble meets the conditions of the agreement, the case will be dropped. A signature bond of $2,000 will remain in place during the agreement, though it was amended to remove the condition that he not have any contact with the person he allegedly assaulted. According to the criminal complaint, Dibble went to a man’s Prairie du Sac home Sept. 8 and when granted access, he began grabbing the other man and trying to take his pants off. The man told police he had tried to get away from Dibble by running into other rooms and attempting to shut the door but was eventually cornered, where Dibble began to engage in a nonconsensual sex act. The man said he was able to push Dibble away and get to another space. He said that Dibble also approached him with a multi-tool that had a knife, scaring him given the assault. When he tried to get away, Dibble pushed him while at the top of a staircase but he didn’t fall. The man went outside. Dibble followed and the man tried to get back into home and lock the door, but Dibble pushed back. The man said Dibble punched him in the stomach and left. Devin J. Schroeder, 25, of Madison, talks to his attorney, Mark Frank, during his sentencing hearing Wednesday at the Sauk County Courthouse. Albart B. Shores, 59, of La Crosse, enters the courtroom Sept. 30 for his sentencing hearing in Sauk County Circuit Court. A jury found him guilty of all counts against him in a deadly crash from Oct. 2018 along Interstate 94/90 in the town of Delton in which Shores was found to have a blood alcohol content of 0.09%. Sauk County Assistant District Attorney Rick Spoentgen argues for Devin J. Schroeder, 25, of Madison, to receive a prison sentence of 16 years for charges of arson and burglary during a sentencing hearing Wednesday at the Sauk County Courthouse. Amber Lundgren, center, appears in December 2019 in Sauk County Circuit Court with attorneys Andrew Martinez, left, and Taylor Hart. Robert Pulvermacher turns to the family of Harold Johnson, the 88-year-old Pulvermacher admitted to stabbing to death in January 2019, to say he was sorry during his sentencing hearing Dec. 1 at the Sauk County Courthouse. A computer streams the sentencing hearing of former Baraboo pastor William A. Metzger from the jury assembly room Monday in the Sauk County Courthouse. Defense attorney Jeremiah Meyer-O'Day tells the jury in April that his client, Albart B. Shores of La Crosse, was not responsible for a car accident that resulted in the deaths of two men in October 2018. Shores is charged with six felony counts of homicide by use of a vehicle. Amber Lundgren enters the courtroom before a preliminary hearing in January 2020 at the Sauk County Courthouse. Lundgren is facing a lifetime prison sentence for the death of 37-year-old Westfield resident Christopher Lytle. A Medflight helicopter lands on City View Road north of Baraboo after a head-on collision in October 2019. Two people were taken to the University of Wisconsin Hospital and were described as in "serious condition" by Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister. Robert M. Pulvermacher appears in January 2019 in Sauk County Circuit Court after he was captured in the early hours of Wednesday morning on the east side of Madison. To his right is Baraboo attorney David Susens. Amber Lundgren, right, sits quietly crying next to her attorney Andrew Martinez during a preliminary hearing in January 2020 at the Sauk County Courthouse. Lundgren faces life imprisonment for a first degree intentional homicide charge after admittedly shooting a man in September 2019. Albart B. Shores, 58, La Crosse, stands while masked and behind a plastic divider beside his attorney, waiting for the jury to enter the courtroom April 19 at the Sauk County Courthouse for the first day of his trial. Shores was charged with six felony counts of homicide by use of a vehicle in relation to a fatal October 2018 crash. Sauk County Assistant District Attorney Rick Spoentgen addresses Circuit Court Judge Patricia Barrett during a proceeding in December 2019 regarding a first-degree homicide case against Amber Lundgren, center right, as she sits alongside her attorneys Andrew Martinez, center, and Taylor Hart. Robert Pulvermacher, right, listens as family members of Harold Johnson, an 88-year-old Pulvermacher stabbed to death in January 2019, read statements about how the murder has affected their lives during Pulvermacher's sentencing hearing Dec. 1 at the Sauk County Courthouse. Amber Lundgren, 35, right, sits with her attorney Andrew Martinez during a proceeding Thursday at the Sauk County Courthouse. Former Sauk County Supervisor William Wenzel, right, speaks during his sentencing hearing in February 2020 as his attorney Christopher Van Wagner listens. Sauk County Circuit Judge Michael Screnock jokes while giving a speech about newly appointed District Attorney Mike Albrecht as he sits with his son, Henrik, during a swearing-in ceremony Friday at the county courthouse. Judge Wendy Klicko confers with defense attorney Andrew Martinez, left, and Assistant District Attorney Rick Spoentgen, right, in July 2019 in Sauk County Circuit Court during the sentence hearing on sexual abuse charges for Riley M. Roth, 18, of Reedsburg. Sauk County Assistant District Attorney Rick Spoentgen gives an opening statement in April at the county courthouse in the first day of the homicide trial of Albart B. Shores, a La Crosse man charged with vehicular homicide. Sauk County Sheriff's Detective Drew Bulin answers questions from District Attorney Michael Albrecht during a preliminary hearing over a homicide case in January 2020 at the Sauk County Courthouse. William Wenzel, right, appears in August 2019 in Sauk County Circuit Court alongside defense attorney Christopher Van Wagner. Wenzel stood mute and pleaded not guilty to five felony charges of possession of child pornography. Sauk County Sheriff's Deputy Matthew Tate tells local children and families about K-9 Jennings during the Baraboo library's pet expo July 22 at Ochsner Park in Baraboo. Mike Albrecht takes the oath of office as the newly appointed district attorney with his son, 11-month-old Henrik, as he is sworn in by Sauk County Circuit Court Judge Patricia Barrett during a ceremony in November 2019 at the Sauk County Courthouse. Det. Lt. Chris Zunker of the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office speaks May 10 during Sauk County's Respect for Law Day observance in front of the courthouse in downtown Baraboo. Reporter A Loganville man, who had been charged with multiple counts regarding the sale and possession of methamphetamine within the last year, was sen… A Reedsburg man was charged with arson after telling police officers that he started a Joker mask on fire in his home because he didn’t like it. One of two Reedsburg men was sentenced for his part in sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in February 2020. Officials from the Baraboo Police Department said the person they believe responsible for an armed robbery Thursday has been captured. A man charged in July with attempted homicide after allegedly stabbing another man during a fight outside of a J-1 student housing building in… Sauk County tax rates are set to drop for homeowners due to a decrease in more than $1.8 million in debt, the final installation payment for c… Plans have been ongoing to understand the future function of the Baraboo Fire Department and the Baraboo District Ambulance Service as officia… Disagreement over the placement of solar panels by members of the Baraboo-Wisconsin Dells Regional Airport Commission killed plans for a 1.2 m… Organizers and presenters of the Conserve Sauk Film Festival agreed Saturday, during the second ever event, that it exposes attendees to new i… A Baraboo man who entered into a plea agreement with the Oconto County District Attorney’s Office after being charged with reckless homicide i… A Baraboo man was released on a $1,000 signature bond Friday after being arrested in Reedsburg. A man who was sentenced to prison in August for exposing two children to sex acts and genitalia now faces charges of sexually assaulting a chi… Sauk County Circuit Court Judge Patricia Barrett issued an arrest warrant Friday for a Baraboo man charged with sexually assaulting an unconsc… After being spotted drinking a beer while driving, a Reedsburg man was sentenced Friday for a fifth drunken driving offense. A Fitchburg man arrested in the Sauk Prairie area after a police officer found cocaine in his car was recently sentenced for two separate case… After the initial case was dismissed due to his preliminary hearing not being held within legal time limits, a Baraboo man was recently senten… A Baraboo man who had initially faced 46 years in prison for burglarizing a local business more than once in February was sentenced Friday to … Karissa L. Litscher, 44, appeared in Sauk County Circuit Court for a sentencing hearing where Judge Wendy Klicko sentenced her to seven years … .
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Famous Person - Commit Crime - Sentence
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Well-known actress claims millions as divorce proceedings from world-renowned DJ continue
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A famous SA celebrity couple continue to battle it out in court more than a year after they announced their split.
More details surrounding claims amounting to millions of rand have been made public in court documents published on the Southern African Legal Institute’s website.
The estranged couple, a world-renowned DJ and a well-known actress, got engaged in 2010. They had a traditional wedding a year later and a white wedding in 2017. In 2019 they confirmed, after months of speculation, that they are getting divorced.
The couple's road to divorce has not been smooth as they have gone back and forth trying to reach a settlement they were both happy with in terms of the sharing of assets as they dissolve their marriage.
The latest demands from the actress were made public after the court published the judgment on February 18 for an application brought forward by the DJ and heard in October last year.
The DJ brought an application to the court to ask that it save him “unnecessary” legal costs by having their “marriage in community of property” notion dismissed. The application also requested that the court uphold the civil marriage which they entered into, and that the antenuptial contract entered into between the parties be made valid and enforceable.
This after the actress instituted a Rule 43 application against the DJ in June 2020, wherein she claimed among other things that she needed a R4m contribution towards her legal costs based on her intention to appoint a forensic auditor to do a forensic investigation of the DJ’s offshore and local assets and to do a comprehensive investigation to determine the value of the “joint estate”.
The couple entered into a customary marriage in community of property on May 14 2011. On January 5 2017, they entered into a civil marriage and shortly before that — in 2016 — had concluded an antenuptial contract in terms whereof they excluded community of property, community of profit and loss and the accrual system.
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Famous Person - Divorce
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Switzerland admitted as 190th member of United Nations
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Switzerland admitted as 190th member of United Nations
10 September 2002
Opening its fifty-seventh annual session, the United Nations General Assembly today voted to accept Switzerland as the organization’s 190th member.
During a ceremony to raise the Swiss flag outside UN Headquarters in New York, Secretary-General Kofi Annan praised Switzerland for embodying what the United Nations stands for - a peaceful and multicultural society built on strong democratic traditions - and noted the country's active and generous participation in the wider UN family.
"You bring to us invaluable experience and know-how in areas at the forefront of the UN agenda," Mr. Annan said in his remarks at the flag raising, which also included the participation of Kaspar Villiger, President of the Swiss Confederation, and Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss. "From today, your entry as a full member enables you to make your voice heard across the full range of our work. I, for one, very much look forward to hearing it."
In Geneva, which hosts the UN's European headquarters, a number of events were scheduled to mark Switzerland's membership, including an exhibition by Swiss painter Hans Erni at the Palais des Nations.
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Join in an Organization
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2008 Kazan gas explosion
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The Kazan gas explosion occurred on January 9, 2008, destroying an entire corner of a three-story khrushchyovka-style apartment building on Malaya Pechyorskaya Street in the Aviastroitelny District of Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia. The explosion took place at 0:28 a.m. local time (UTC +3). The blast destroyed 12 apartments and killed ten residents, including one woman who died of blast-related trauma in a hospital after being rescued from the rubble. Additionally, two were non-fatally wounded. Rescue efforts were complicated by low temperatures of -30 °C, raising concerns that victims trapped in the destroyed building might freeze before being reached by rescuers. [citation needed]
Three of the building residents, including one child, were not immediately accounted for. However, several body parts were found in the ruins,[1] and subsequent DNA analyses determined that the young girl and her grandfather were both among those killed in the explosion. The girl's grandmother, also thought to have been in the apartment, is still counted missing. [2]
The exact cause of the blast has not been established. While a criminal investigation was initiated, city authorities suspect that the cause may have been improper use of gas appliances. [3]
The Kazan city government arranged for residents of the building destroyed in the blast to receive apartments in newly constructed buildings. On July 10, 2008, the first nine affected families received keys to new apartments in a building on Amirkhan Street. The residents received the apartments in exchange for their destroyed ones, an arrangement set up by the city-held OAO Residential Investment Company of the City of Kazan and supported by Kazan mayor Ilsur Metshin and the district administration. Families were also given the opportunity to pay for larger apartments at a discounted price per square meter. [4]
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Gas explosion
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US pushes diplomacy, prepares sanctions as Ethiopia launches new offensive in brutal war, risking famine
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Nearly a month after President Joe Biden created a new U.S. sanctions authority and threatened to impose economic penalties on Ethiopian leaders unless they halted a conflict in the country's northern province, that war is now escalating. The worsening fighting puts millions of lives at risk amid reports of famine-like conditions already faced by up to 900,000 people and severe food insecurity impacting 6 to 7 million, according to U.S. officials. The U.S. announced Tuesday it is providing $26 million more humanitarian aid, but that will do little to stop the suffering as of now. Aid convoys into the Tigray region have been blocked and attacked throughout the conflict, with a particularly brutal blockade by the Ethiopian government for nearly 110 days now keeping resources like food, fuel and medicine out. "Looking forward, it's pretty dark and pretty bleak without a significant change either politically or militarily -- I hate to say that, but the status quo really cannot continue. The famine is only going to start taking more lives at an accelerated pace," said David Del Conte, the former deputy director for Ethiopia at the United Nations' humanitarian agency. Spurred by warnings like that, the U.S. seemed to kick diplomacy into a higher gear this week, too. The U.S. hosted a summit of high-level donor countries to urge humanitarian access and a halt to fighting -- openly weighing the possibility of a humanitarian airlift. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also met with the African Union's envoy trying to negotiate a ceasefire. But once again, it is all seems to be falling on deaf ears on the ground. In the last week, the Ethiopian government launched a new major military offensive against Tigrayan forces, the country's former longtime ruling party that has been at war with the federal government since last November. Those forces say Ethiopian forces, backed by troops from the neighboring country Eritrea and a neighboring province Amhara, have launched attacks on several fronts, according to the Associated Press. Every side in this nearly one-year-old conflict has been accused of atrocities, in some instances documented in great detail by monitors like Amnesty International and media outlets. Blinken has said the U.S. has seen reports of "ethnic cleansing" -- but increasingly, reports from the region are hard to come by because the Ethiopian government has cut cell phone and internet communications. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Tuesday the U.S. was aware of the reported offensive, adding, "Escalating fighting undermines critical efforts to keep civilians safe and the ability of international actors to deliver humanitarian relief to all those in need, and we know there are too many in need." .@ABCNewsLive Prime piece on the deadly conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, and how Ethiopian Americans are responding to the humanitarian crisis. pic.twitter.com/73mbqRsVor— Kenneth Moton (@KennethMoton) August 26, 2021 .@ABCNewsLive Prime piece on the deadly conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, and how Ethiopian Americans are responding to the humanitarian crisis. pic.twitter.com/73mbqRsVor The Biden administration is "considering the full range of tools," including using those economic sanctions that Biden authorized last month, Price added. One source familiar with the administration's plans said those sanctions are being prepared, although Price declined to preview any announcement Tuesday. But it's unclear what, if any, effect that will have on Ethiopian officials, up to and including Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. His government declared a ceasefire in June as its military and aligned forces retreated from Tigray and Tigrayan troops retook territory. But fighting has continued, including Tigrayan offensives into neighboring regions like Amhara and Afar -- each side defying threats of sanctions from the U.S., European Union and others. "From Abiy's perspective, this fight is existential, at least politically for him, so the idea that these sanctions are going to make him turn on a dime and reevaluate the nature of the campaign is unlikely," said Hardin Lang, vice president for programs and policy at Refugees International, an advocacy group. But, he added, it is an important "tool" that could "erode support of those around Abiy." Abiy's blockade has created shortages of food, fuel, medicines and medical supplies, and cash in Tigray, while continued fighting threatens to heighten humanitarian crises in neighboring regions. The United Nations, aid groups and other countries, including the U.S., have increasingly sounded the alarm about the risk of a massive famine in Tigray and beyond, especially now in Amhara and Afar. In total, more than 2 million people have fled their homes, and some 48,000 have fled across the border into neighboring Sudan as refugees, according to U.S. officials. In response to those warnings, however, the Ethiopian government expelled U.N. officials from the country two weeks ago -- sparking more international condemnation. Ethiopia's ambassador to the U.N. accused those officials last Wednesday of falsifying data -- prompting a striking rebuttal from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Already, there are reports of people starving to death. USAID Administrator Samantha Power said today that people are going multiple days without food, left to eat leaves. "Innocent Ethiopian lives depend upon the government of Ethiopia immediately reestablishing communications, banking and other vital services within Tigray, and fully restoring transport corridors and air linkages to Tigray," said Power, who convened Tuesday's high-level meeting of G7 countries and other major donor countries. The countries discussed the "possibility of augmenting road operations -- which are failing to meet urgent humanitarian needs due to government obstruction -- by expanding air operations to deliver relief supplies directly to the region," she added in her statement. That kind of airlift would still require the Ethiopian government's permission, however, and would be far less effective at bringing in supplies than convoys of trucks, according to Del Conte. One cargo aircraft would cost more than up to 100 trucks in a convoy, he said, while feeding only about as much aid as what one double-trailer truck could carry. In addition to Power's summit, Blinken held his own high-level meetings Tuesday on Ethiopia. He met one-on-one first with the African Union's Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Nigerian president now serving as special envoy for the Horn of Africa -- before they joined Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who heads the regional bloc the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, along with the EU and UK's top diplomats and senior diplomats from Germany and France. Together, they discussed the conflict and agreed to urge "the parties to the conflict to immediately end abuses, to enter into negotiations toward a ceasefire, and to lay the foundation for a broader and inclusive dialogue to restore peace in Ethiopia and preserve the unity of the Ethiopian state," Price told reporters during a briefing. But with this new offensive, it seems clear Abiy has no interest in a dialogue -- instead hoping a communications blackout means the world will not pay attention. "The government in Addis has shown remarkable commitment to a military solution to the conflict," said Del Conte, now the leader of Refugees International's Stop Tigray Famine campaign. "What we see out of northern Ethiopia is going to be dramatic and significant. ... I'm deeply concerned at the unwillingness to change directions in any way."
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Famine
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Hodgkinson breaks national record to win 800m silver
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Teenager Keely Hodgkinson took stunning silver to win Team GB’s first women's 800m medal since 2004 and break Kelly Holmes's British record.
The 19-year-old unleashed her potent kick finish to come from fourth to second and finish in 1:55.88.
She came home 0.67s behind USA’s Athing Mu, also 19, who won in a national record of 1:55.21.
Sensational run from @keelyhodgkinson ?The 19-year-old clocked a British Record time of 1:55.88 on route to silver in the 800m.Simply stunning.#TeamGB pic.twitter.com/hwwO8sklYB
Hodgkinson delivered Team GB their first medal on the fifth day of the athletics programme at the Olympic Stadium.
Jemma Reekie ran a superb 1:56.90 personal best and was second coming onto the home straight, missing out on a medal by 0.09s to USA’s Raevyn Rogers.
On Olympic debut, Alexandra Bell also ran a personal best of 1:57.66. Olympic silver ✅British Record ✅@keelyhodgkinson, what a star!? @BBCSport #TeamGBpic.twitter.com/pWtlYakeVr
"That was such a good race from every single person in that race, it was so open and I wanted to leave it all out there," said Hodgkinson.
"It's going to take a couple of days to sink in but I'm so happy.
"I'm pretty speechless right now. Kelly Holmes is a legend, she's going to be a legend for British Athletics for a long time.
"I've looked up to her, I spoke to her over the past couple of days and she's a lovely person, I just have no words for that.
??@keelyhodgkinson ? @damekellyholmes #TeamGB pic.twitter.com/4C5MJ2mfET
"I want to thank my amazing team, my family that make so many sacrifices for me, they've put so much belief in me.
"I don't normally cry - my friends will be wondering what I'm crying for.
"If the Olympics were last year, I wouldn't be here. It's definitely given me a chance to grow and compete with these girls.
"It's not just me who's 19 - Mu is almost 19, teenagers taking on the podium is incredible and hopefully we've got many battles ahead of us."
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Break historical records
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Igandu train collision
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The Igandu train disaster was an accident which occurred during the early morning of June 24, 2002, in Tanzania. In one of the worst rail accidents in African history. A large passenger train with over 1,200 people on board rolled backwards down a hill into a slow moving goods train, killing 281 people. The train had travelled from Dar es Salaam to the state of Dodoma in Central Tanzania, had passed Msagali, and was nearing the city of Dodoma when it began climbing the tracks at a hill called Igandu. It is believed that there was a fault with the train's brakes as it climbed the hill. The driver stopped the train near the summit of the hill, inspected and adjusted the braking system, and climbed back into the cab. When the train began moving again the brakes failed totally, causing the train to immediately begin rolling backward. The train accelerated to very high speeds as it rolled straight back down the hill, passing two train stations as it went, and finally crashed into a seemingly slow moving goods train travelling to Dar es Salaam. Local people joined with ambulance services to rescue as many as they could. The shortage of doctors at Dodoma hospital was so severe that the Tanzanian health minister, Anna Abdallah, was obliged to help more than 400 people who were badly injured. Rescue teams were also hampered by the lack of large cutting machinery or industrial equipment needed to cut or lift wreckage off injured people; the necessary equipment did not arrive until that evening. Four days after the incident, the Tanzanian government released a statement to the effect that 281 people had been killed by the crash, or had died subsequently in hospital, although this number was seen as likely to increase, given the number of people critically injured. There were 88 bodies who could not be identified and who were buried in Maili Mbili graveyard outside Dodoma. State-owned Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) later presented individual compensation payments of between 100,000 and 500,000 shillings to the families of the victims, a pay-out which angered some people who blamed the TRC for the crash. In the months prior to the accident, Tanzania had been searching for a private company to assume control of the dilapidated state railway system, and had been interviewing representatives of European and South African companies. Finally in 2007 the TRC was concessioned to the Rites Consortium of India in 2007, but was eventually reclaimed by the Tanzanian government in 2011. There was also speculation, emphatically denied by both the organisation and Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye, that the crash was sabotage committed by angry train union members who were protesting the pending sale of the company, but no evidence of this has ever been provided. Note: 100,000 shillings is roughly equivalent to $100
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Train collisions
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Carbon monoxide poisoning forces Cody Ware out for Richmond, Bristol
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Cody Ware will skip the next two NASCAR Cup Series races at Richmond Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning during Sunday’s Darlington Raceway event. Garrett Smithley will replace him in the #51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet for Richmond, while a Bristol driver was not immediately announced.
“After being treated in the infield care centre at Darlington Raceway this past weekend, Cody Ware will be sidelined as a precautionary measure for both Richmond Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway,” read a statement by RWR on Friday. “On Monday after being treated, Cody still was feeling adverse effects of Carbon Monoxide. Cody felt that it was in the best interest for the team to have a replacement driver for the next two races.
“Garrett Smithley will pilot the #51 20th Anniversary 9/11 Tribute Tunnel to Towers car at Richmond Raceway this weekend. The driver for Bristol Motor Speedway will be announced at a later date.”
Ware retired from Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 after completing 209 of 367 laps when he started feeling ill due to carbon monoxide in the car. He had been involved in a crash with team-mate James Davison earlier in the race that damaged the crush panels, causing toxic fumes to enter the cockpit. Carbon monoxide poisoning, which forced inaugural Brickyard 400 pole sitter Rick Mast into retirement, also caused Ware to exit the 2019 Sonoma event when it occurred due to a broken air conditioning unit.
Currently in his first full Cup season, Ware’s best finish is twenty-first in the season-opening Daytona 500.
Smithley races part-time for RWR’s #53 with nineteen starts in 2021, with a best run of twenty-fifth at Nashville. He drove the #51 at the Coca-Cola 600 in May when Ware was initially supposed to enter the Indianapolis 500, though Ware would eventually pilot the #53 in the 600. In his lone Cup start at Richmond in the spring, Smithley finished thirty-fifth.
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Mass Poisoning
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1970 Polish protests
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The 1970 Polish protests (Polish: Grudzień 1970, lit. 'December 1970') occurred in northern Poland during 14–19 December 1970. The protests were sparked by a sudden increase in the prices of food and other everyday items. Strikes were put down by the Polish People's Army and the Citizen's Militia, resulting in at least 44 people killed and more than 1,000 wounded. In December 1970, the government suddenly announced major increases in the prices of basic foodstuffs, especially dairy products, after bad harvests throughout the year. The increases proved to be a major shock to ordinary citizens, especially in the larger cities. [1]
Demonstrations against the price increases broke out in the northern Baltic coastal cities of Gdańsk, Gdynia, Elbląg, and Szczecin. The regime was concerned about an emerging wave of sabotage, which may have been inspired by the secret police, who wanted to legitimize a harsh response to the protestors. [2] Another possible reason why the secret police would instigate sabotage and violence would be to precipitate a change in the leadership of the ruling party, by causing violent deaths among the workers and then blaming the party for them. [3] It is known that the secret police had their agents among the striking workers (and recruited more in the aftermath). Actions of the secret police before and after the protests were codenamed akcja "Jesień '70". Protests started on 14 December. When a party official tried to convince the strikers to return to work, addressing them using loudspeakers on a police car, the strikers took over the police car and used the loudspeakers to announce a general strike, and to call for a manifestation in front of the party building to be held the same day. Fighting against the police started in the afternoon, and widespread fighting and rioting, including arson, continued until late in the evening. [4]
The police started rounding up workers, often random ones who did not participate in protests or rioting, and brutally beating them, commonly using a technique where the detainee was forced to move along a long row of policemen, all of them beating the detainee with their batons. [5]
On 15 December in Gdańsk, strikers set fire (reportedly twice) to the building of the Provincial Committee of the ruling party, which became an iconic moment of the protests. They also took some policemen prisoner, transported them to the shipyard, forced them to change into the workers' work clothing, and then transported them to a police station. Fire consumed the roof of the Provincial Committee's building until the protesters were repelled by a column of twenty OT-62 military armored personnel carriers. At least six people are known to be killed on December 15 in Gdańsk. Two more were shot to death the next morning, at or near the shipyard. [4][6]
In Gdynia, a neighboring city with its own shipyard, the protests were generally more peaceful than in Gdańsk - until the events of 17 December. Vice prime minister Stanisław Kociołek, in his televised speech on the evening of 16 December, condemned the protesters but also called for the workers to get back to work. However, on the 16–17 December night, the shipyard in Gdynia was surrounded by the police and the military, including tanks. Responding to the vice PM's appeal proved deadly to some of the workers. In Gdynia, the soldiers had orders to stop workers returning to work and on 17 December fired into the crowd of workers emerging from their trains; at least 11 of them were killed. Then, in other parts of Gdynia, people were shot dead while protesting, bringing the official death toll in Gdynia to 18. The number of the wounded in Gdynia is far from certain but is estimated to be in the hundreds. [7][8][9][10][11]
The protest movement then spread to other cities, leading to strikes and occupations. The government mobilized 5,000 members of special squads of police and 27,000 soldiers equipped with heavy tanks and machine guns. Overall, more than 1,000 people were wounded and at least 44 killed,[9][12][13] and 3,000 arrested, by modern accounts. Only six people were initially reported dead by the government. All who died were buried overnight, with only the closest relatives present or no relatives present at all, in order to avoid spreading the riots. [citation needed]
The Party leadership met in Warsaw and decided that a full-scale working-class revolt was inevitable unless drastic steps were taken. With the consent of Leonid Brezhnev in Moscow, Gomułka, Kliszko, and other leaders were forced to resign: if the price rises had been a plot against Gomułka, it succeeded. Since Moscow would not accept Mieczysław Moczar, Edward Gierek was drafted as the new leader. The price increases were reversed, wage increases announced, and sweeping economic and political changes were promised. Gierek went to Gdańsk and met the workers, apologised for the mistakes of the past, promised a political renewal and said that, as a worker himself, he would now govern for the people. [14]
Stanisław Kociołek lost the position of vice prime minister. For a short time he remained a member of the Central Committee, but in February 1971 he was reassigned to diplomatic service. That was soon after in January 1971, in a reversal of the previous policy of secrecy, government-controlled media published the list of 44 people who were killed during the protests. [9] Kociołek is vilified in a song related to the events of December 1970, Ballada o Janku Wiśniewskim, as the person responsible for deaths of children and women. When workers were shot dead after listening to his appeal (seemingly being lured into a trap), the blame fell on him. Although the aims of the protesters were mostly social and economic rather than political, the riots reinvigorated the dormant political activity of Polish society. [15] Nevertheless, the workers from the coast did not prevent the government from implementing its goal of increased food prices, which was achieved a few weeks later, after the 1971 Łódź strikes. [citation needed]
The Polish protests elicited broad sympathy and support, both in Western Europe and the Soviet bloc. There were copycat strikes on the Kühlungsborn Pier in East Germany and in Riga; Russian sailors on stranded Soviet ships shared their food with the citizens of Gdansk and Szczecin, while Polish strikers shielded Russian families in Poland from reprisals. [16]
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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Heavy rain brings floods, mudslides, tap water issues to parts of Colorado
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DENVER – Heavy rain over Colorado's burn scars caused flash flooding in parts of Boulder and Larimer counties Saturday, creating drinking water issues in Grand County. Multiple mudslide were also reported near Telluride in San Miguel County and on Loveland pass, where CDOT shut U.S. 6 down. The pass was later reopened. The National Weather service issued a flash flood warning for the Calwood burn scar in Boulder County, but later upgraded it to "considerable threat" for flash flooding occurring in the area near Geer Canyon Dr. to Lefthand Canyon then to Hwy 36. The warning expired around 6:45 p.m. Boulder County authorities issued a "climb to higher ground" order for areas of Geer Canyon and Lefthand Canyon, east of Geer Canyon, due to expected flooding and possible debris flows. Around 6 p.m., authorities gave the "all clear" after flood waters receded. No significant damage was reported. Flooding was also occurring in Larimer County. Authorities issued an alert to residents in The Retreat subdivision, warning them of dangerous flooding occurring in the area. Thunderstorms were producing heavy rain across the the Cameron Peak burn area, where more than a half an inch of rain fell in 20 minutes. Authorities later downgraded the flooding threat in Larimer County and issued a voluntary evacuation order for areas near the Cameron Peak burn area. On Friday, flash floods once again swept through Poudre Canyon in Larimer County. However, officials said Saturday there were no major structural damage to residences and there are no reported casualties or missing persons associated with Friday's flash flood event. Debris and mud from the burn scars caused cloudy water in the Colorado River, prompting Grand County water officials to shut off an intake plant. County residents are being asked to conserve tap water for the next 48 hours as the county's public works department has stopped refilling a water storage tank. Interstate 70 remains closed through Glenwood Canyon after more than 100 people were trapped Thursday night during heavy rains. The Colorado Department of Transportation said the closure there is expected to last through the weekend as crews clear heavy debris from mudslides. CDOT crews worked aggressively to clear the debris and drain the water from the roadway on Saturday. While much progress has been made, CDOT said there remains the danger and risk of more slides with heavy rain in the forecast. Loveland Pass was shut down late Saturday evening due to a mudslide near A-Basin. Traffic was being diverted onto I-70, where hazmat vehicles were being escorted through the tunnel. The pass reopened around 2 p.m. On Saturday, multiple mudslides with debris, including boulders, swept across Colorado Highway 145 in the Sawpit area near Telluride in San Miguel County. The most severe slide occurred at mile marker 79 with 1-2 feet of debris and boulders that will require equipment to move. The highway is closed in both directions in that area and an extended closure is expected. And Highway 14 through Larimer County – between Rustic and Larimer County Road 103 – was closed just after 2 p.m. because of flash flooding at the Cameron Peak burn scar. Sunday's forecast calls for drier weather Sunday with a limited threat of flash flooding in the East Troublesome and Williams Fork burn areas.
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Mudslides
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TWA Flight 277 crash
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Transcontinental and Western Air Flight 277 was a C-54 Skymaster en route from Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, to Washington, D.C. on June 20, 1944. The aircraft crashed on Fort Mountain, in Maine's Baxter State Park. All seven on board died, including six civilian crewmembers and one United States Army Air Force passenger. The flight was a scheduled contract flight for Air Transport Command. After taking off from Newfoundland, the aircraft encountered severe weather, including heavy rains, high winds, and lightning-induced radio static over New Brunswick and Maine which blew the aircraft 70 miles (110 km) off course. The pilot, Roger "Rolley" Inman, apparently did not realize that the aircraft, flying at less than 4,000 feet, had been blown into mountainous territory with peaks in excess of 5,000 feet. The aircraft's starboard wing struck a ridge of boulders at an elevation of 3,700 feet (1,100 m) on the mountain and the aircraft impacted the ground and was destroyed. This Maine-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Coordinates: 45°57′35″N 68°58′5″W / 45.95972°N 68.96806°W / 45.95972; -68.96806
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Air crash
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Thousands of leaking barrels containing insecticide DDT found in dumping ground off LA coast
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More than 27,000 barrels, many suspected to be full of the banned insecticide DDT, have been found on the ocean floor off the coast of Los Angeles.
Many of the barrels have been noticeably leaking — and scientists say there could be anywhere up to a few hundred thousand barrels in total.
The barrels were discovered during a mapping exercise conducted in March, in which researchers used high-resolution imaging to scan 15,000 hectares of ocean floor in water depths of up to 900 metres.
The exercise was conducted between the Los Angeles coast and Santa Catalina — an island about 35 kilometres to the south.
That body of water was used as a dumping ground for numerous petrochemical companies throughout the 20th century, until the US introduced the Ocean Dumping Act in 1972.
But while the area was a known dumping ground, project leader Eric Terrill — a researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography — said they were still shocked by what they saw.
"We were a bit incredulous when the survey data began to unfold for us," Dr Terrill said.
"As the days of the survey continued, and as the results kept pouring in, it gave us pause to consider the potential impacts of the findings."
In two previous studies in 2011 and 2013, researcher David Valentine, from the University of California, Santa Barbara, visually confirmed the presence of about 60 barrels.
"The practice of dumping in this area had been written about previously, albeit lost to the dusty archives," Professor Valentine, who wasn't involved with the discovery, said.
"We were the first people to lay eyes on what was going on at the seafloor, 3,000 feet [900m] down."
The latest sonar images showing the location of the barrels indicate they're concentrated along straight lines, as if dumped from a moving ship or barge.
Although they haven't sampled the contents of the barrels, analysis of sediment taken from the area and published in a 2019 paper by Professor Valentine and colleagues, revealed very high concentrations of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT).
Previous research also found that dolphins in the Southern California Bight had high concentrations of DDT in their blubber and that sea lions with high concentrations of DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) had a significantly higher instance of cancer.
Shipping logs from a company working for a DDT manufacturer in California revealed up to 2,000 barrels of "DDT-laced sludge" were dumped every month between 1947 and 1961, according to an investigation by the LA Times.
In addition to the barrels, the researchers identified more than 100,000 pieces of debris, many of which could also be associated with DDT, according to Professor Valentine.
"There are certainly more," he said.
"There remains a lot more area to survey and some of the 100,000 debris items could be decomposed or mainly buried barrels."
Although there was a designated dump site off the LA coast in the mid-20th century, the location of many of these barrels was well outside that area.
DDT was originally hailed as a miracle insecticide and was widely used during and after World War II to wipe out mosquitoes and keep malaria and other insect-borne diseases at bay.
However, its persistence in the environment and suspected association with animal and human health risks led to the chemical being banned in the US in 1972.
It was banned in Australia in 1987.
Want more science — plus health, environment, tech and more? Subscribe to our channel.
Professor Valentine said he was concerned the chemical could be concentrating up the food chain as the barrels disintegrate and release the DDT into the environment.
"DDT accumulates in the fat tissues of animals, which leads to biomagnification in fish and marine mammals," he said.
"My primary concern is with the health of the ocean ecosystem."
Dr Terrill said he hoped that bringing the extent of the dumping ground to public attention could lead to proper management being put in place.
"First and foremost we hope the data will guide future studies to further investigate the impacts of the dump site, and inform the development of a scientific and management response."
Get all the latest science stories from across the ABC.
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Environment Pollution
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2011 Gabonese protests
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The 2011 Gabonese protests is mass protests and violent protests against the government of Ali Bongo and his cabinet in Gabon, inspired by the Tunisian Revolution and 2011 Egyptian Revolution, mainly the Arab Spring, will calls for pan-Sub-Saharan reforms and calling for the government to step down. [1]
The wave and period of massive anti-government protests and street demonstrations started as an opposition rally and unprecedented announcement of the instatement of opposition activist Andre Mba Obame as president; supporters came onto the streets in support of the plan. The protests was also dispersed and met with extreme force, like Tear gas and Rubber bullets. [2]
The protesters was marching first in Libreville, demonstrating against the federal government of Ali Bongo and calling on him to resign. The protest movement gained momentum, gaining attention on international outlets. The protests erupted in support of the opposition and solidarity marches was scheduled nationwide, despite a crackdown on sustained nationwide anti-government rallies. As soon as the protests began, the security forces responded to the anti-government street protests by Tear gas. After a tide of protests, the demonstrations was quelled by the police and opposition was banned. No concessions was made and the demands with protesters was suppressed. [3][4]
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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United Arab Airlines Flight 749 crash
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United Arab Airlines Flight 749 was a scheduled international passenger flight on 18 March 1966 that crashed while attempting to land in Cairo, Egypt. All thirty passengers and crew on board were killed. Flight 749 took off from Nicosia Airport bound for Cairo International Airport. En route, the aircraft encountered bad weather, and conditions were poor in Cairo due to the presence of sandstorms. The crew of Flight 749 contacted Mirsairs Operations about diversion options. The flight crew also reported they were flying through thunderstorms with icing conditions, that two of the aircrafts altimeters were giving different readings, the magnetic compass being unserviceable, and that there was a crack in a cockpit window panel due to the thunderstorms. After diverting was discussed, Flight 749 continued to Cairo. The flight was cleared for a Runway 23 approach but crashed approximately 5 kilometres from it. Everyone on board Flight 749 perished in the accident. After the crash, the sandstorm hampered rescue operations. Visibility was near zero and rescue vehicles became bogged down in the drifting sands. Among those killed in the crash was Yemens Agriculture Minister, Ali Mohammad Abdou. Accident investigators determined that "the accident arose from the descent of the aircraft below the safe flight altitude in the final approach and the impact of the port wing against the sand dunes lying to the northeast of the aerodrome. As a result the pilot lost control of his aircraft and hit the ground. It is probable that the cause of descent of the aircraft below the safe level was due to the change from IFR to VFR, taking into consideration that considerable time would have been needed for the pilot to have adapted to this change in the prevailing weather conditions."
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Air crash
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2014 Olsberg mid-air collision crash
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On 23 June 2014, a German Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet and a Learjet 35 business jet participating in a military exercise collided mid-air over Olsberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The Learjet subsequently crashed to the ground with the loss of both crew members on board. The Typhoon was damaged but managed to land safely. The accident happened at 14:38 CEST (12:38 UTC). [BFU 1][1] Two Eurofighter Typhoons were on exercise with the Learjet in the Elpe-Olsberg[2] area. The Learjet was simulating a civilian airliner that had been hijacked and had broken off radio contact with Air Traffic Control, while the Typhoons were simulating a military response to such a scenario. [3][BFU 2][4][5] The lead Typhoon intercepted the Learjet, and as the latter turned to follow it, the two aircraft collided. [6][BFU 3]
The Learjet crashed about 100 metres (110 yd) from houses in Olsberg, killing both crew members. [BFU 4][1][7][8][2] The Typhoon aircraft was severely damaged, but was able to land safely at Nörvenich Air Base, near Cologne. The second Typhoon landed at Cologne Bonn Airport. The first aircraft was a Eurofighter Typhoon, msn GS0070. The aircraft was built in 2012. [BFU 5] It was operated by Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader 31 "Boelcke", Luftwaffe. It was based at Nörvenich Air Base. [1]
The second aircraft was a Learjet 35A, registered D-CGFI, msn 35A-612, which had first flown in 1986. [BFU 6][2] It was operated by the GFD Gesellschaft für Flugzieldarstellung [de], a subsidiary company of Airbus Defence and Space,[3] and was based at Hohn Air Base. [2]
Investigations into the accident were carried out by the General Flugsicherheit der Bundeswehr and the Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU). [1] The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder of the Learjet were recovered on the day of the accident, from a site 3 kilometres (2 mi) from the crash site of the aircraft. [9][10] The data from these devices were published in the BFU's interim report in September. [BFU 7][9] The BFU's final report into the accident was published in August 2015. The pilots of the two Eurofighter Typhoons were being investigated by the public prosecutor's office on suspicion of causing death by negligence and might face charges of manslaughter. [8][needs update] A commander at the Tactical Air Force squadron reported that both of the jet pilots were very experienced and had frequently been involved in such exercises. [8]
BFU
Interim Report (PDF). Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU). September 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2015. Final Report (PDF). Bundesstelle für Flugunfalluntersuchung (BFU). August 2015. BFU 1X002-14. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
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Air crash
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Explained: What Are The 'Natural Experiments' That Won This Year's Nobel
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Noida: Natural and experiment--two words put together that sound like an oxymoron. But this year's Nobel prize for the economic sciences went to three economists who study natural experiments--events that occur uncontrolled, such as natural disasters, or new policies applied in the real world--the opposite of controlled experimental settings. They use these studies to understand cause and effect, such as understanding the impact of immigration on employment levels, of more years of education on income, and so on. Many natural experiments have helped researchers and policymakers understand impacts of policies and programmes in India. For instance, canal construction in India increased the pace of urbanisation , found a 2021 study. And the chances of a woman winning on a seat that was reserved for women in the previous election were five times higher than those on a seat where the quota had not applied in the previous election, found a 2008 study in Mumbai. Another natural experiment allowed researchers to study whether schooling improved in marginalised groups after they were added to the list of Scheduled Castes. The 2011 study found that such impacts were based on whether people resided in urban areas and had access to schools. Such natural experiments have added to our knowledge of how programmes and interventions impact people's well being, information that can be used to make evidence-based policies in the future. In this #TIL piece, we explain what natural experiments are and why they are important to study the impact of programmes and policies. What is causality and why do we need to study it? If two variables (for instance, the number of two-wheelers, and crime, in a neighbourhood) are observed over time, it is possible that the two show some sort of relationship: both are increasing over time, both are decreasing over time, or one is increasing while the other decreases. Such relationships are known as correlations . But this correlation is not enough to say that one variable causes the other. So, if both the number of two-wheelers and crime are increasing over time, we cannot say that more two-wheelers are leading to more crime (or vice-versa)! To establish that causality, a researcher would have to prove that there is no third factor impacting both the variables. For instance, it is possible that growing incomes are causing both--families buying more two-wheelers, and more thieves targeting the neighbourhood. Measuring causality Since economics involves studying complex interactions between people in diverse social and political settings, economists reduce these interactions to models to understand causality. A model is a simplified version of reality and rests on many assumptions, and a model is only as useful as its assumptions are valid. Essentially, teasing out causality involves ruling out other explanations for a particular phenomenon using experimental design. The simplest technique to establish causality is called least squares regression, a statistical method that "controls" for all possible other factors that can cause the change in the variables (one control in the above example would be family income). Similarly, to determine the effect of gender on wages, economists control for schooling, ethnicity and work experience, to figure whether gender roles alone impact wages ( they do .) While regression is a powerful tool, progress in computation and the availability of vast, high-frequency data have also allowed econometrics--the use of statistical methods to understand economic data--to move much further. Researchers now also use difference-in-differences, in which an outcome is measured before and after a treatment, such as difference in rates of anaemia before and after an iron supplementation programme. Another approach uses instrumental variables, when the actual "cause" variable cannot be measured, by using a proxy. For instance, let's say the hypothesis is that children born in the October-December quarter are exposed to more pollution than those born in January-March, based on pollution data. So, researchers would, instead of using data on actual exposure of children to pollution, compare children born in January-March with those born in October-December and look at the differences in, say, lung capacity. The gold standard for establishing causality is a randomised controlled trial, or RCT. An RCT in economics, just like one for a drug or vaccine, involves assigning people to two groups randomly and administering a treatment, such as admission to a remedial tutoring programme , to one of them. To know the efficacy of the programme, the outcome of interest (maths scores, in this example) is measured for both groups that are identical in every way other than the remedial programme. An early example of an RCT is one conducted by Donald Davidson in 1955 to measure utility--the satisfaction derived from something. In 2019, Michael Kremer, Esther Duflo and Abhijit Bannerjee, won the Nobel prize in economics, for their work with RCTs. Natural experiments are also one way to test models with data. What makes an experiment natural? An experiment that uses a 'natural' happening, and not a programme designed especially for the purpose of that experiment, is called a natural experiment. For instance, David Card, professor of economics at the University of California in Berkeley, USA, and one of the Nobel prize winners, used the Mariel boatlift , in which thousands of Cuban refugees from the Mariel harbour in Cuba landed in Miami in the USA, to study how immigration impacts jobs and wages for the local population. He found that though the refugee influx increased the population of Miami by 7%, and added significantly to its labour supply, it did not create a shortage of jobs , even of the semi-skilled type. The only disruption in the Miami job market was the entry of immigrants, who did not come there looking for jobs. This allowed Card to impose a crucial condition called 'ceteris paribus' (all other things being equal) on his model. It allowed Card to study the effect of immigration on jobs in a town without other factors that could have caused the immigration, such as a sudden burst of job openings, higher standards of living in Miami or a desire to live in the United States. It would be unethical to create forced migration to study such phenomena, and a natural experiment allows economists to get around these ethical concerns. Card also studied the effect of legislation such as a minimum wage law , which applied to people on one side of a state border. Comparing the number of jobs available in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before and after the minimum wage law was passed in New Jersey, Card found that having a minimum wage did not result in fewer jobs. In such an experiment, people are part of either the treatment group (where the minimum wage law applied) and of the control group (where no such law existed), based on a border, rather than because of the researchers' intervention. Such natural experiments help researchers eliminate other reasons for the effect they see, and pinpoint the most probable cause. Another experiment, conducted by the other Nobel prize winner, Joshua Angrist, an economics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, USA, showed that soldiers returning from war made less money as civilians than their non-combatant peers. Since the USA relied on a random allotment of men to the " draft ", as the compulsory service in the armed forces is known, the difference in earnings of the workers, after considering age, education and professional experience, could be attributed entirely to serving in the military. In another example of a natural experiment, Guido Imbens, an economics professor at Stanford University, USA, the third Nobel prize winner, studied lottery winners in the USA and found that unearned income reduced labour earnings and increased leisure marginally, and most for those between 55 and 65 years. Before the use of natural experiments to study cause and effect, economists used correlations (such as that between unemployment rate and inflation) to explain social phenomena. But given the complexity of understanding cause and effect, these studies had varying degrees of success. For instance, William Phillip's famous 1958 study showed an inverse relationship between unemployment and inflation. However, in the 1970s, both unemployment and inflation increased at the same time, calling the theory into question . No method is foolproof RCTs cannot be used for all research as they are expensive and have ethical and methodological concerns . For instance, in order to study the effect of low calorie intake during pregnancy on the health of children, it would be wrong to starve one group of mothers. However, a natural experiment, such as a short-duration famine in a developed country, provides the conditions necessary to study this, as did this study by L.H. Lumey and Frans van Poppel of the 1944-45 famine in the Netherlands. Both natural experiments and RCTs can be used by policy makers if the design is sound and the data are analysed correctly, said Martin Ravallion, a professor of economics at Georgetown University, in Washington D.C., USA, and previously the director of research at the World Bank. "The difference is that a natural experiment uses the actual, 'real world' policy, while for an RCT you are creating a new policy, which (unlike almost any real world policy) uses randomised assignment." We contacted the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for their comments on the use of these different evaluation techniques by government officials, but did not receive a response. "There can be something unnatural about experiments designed to randomise assignments to 'treatment' and 'control' groups. That is a rather artificial setup, not common in the real world, Ravallion explained. "The beauty of a natural experiment is that it is real--not something contrived for the purpose of research," he added. "Natural experiments can provide valuable real-world lessons, including for policy making. But learning from natural experiments brings challenges too, most importantly in assuring that the lessons drawn can be believed." Unlike physics or chemistry, economics is not an exact science, which means that theories are not as easily represented mathematically or always reproducible in different settings. For instance, a match struck will always light up if it is of good quality and dry. But a social programme can have different results in different geographies and cultures, such as the use and impact of free mosquito bed nets versus those that people have to buy. Another shortcoming of economics is its inability to forecast a result based on experiments. Because of these reasons, social sciences, like economics, have been accused of " physics envy "--attempting to measure and predict the result of a social or behavioural experiment in the same way as a physics experiment. There are many reasons for why economics is not an exact science: Bias always creeps in, and it is impossible to rule out confounding factors , such as the role of age in an experiment to determine the effect of exercise on weight gain, even in the most rigorous natural experiments. Even Card's results on the effect of a minimum wage on the unemployment rate do not always hold up , as in this 2012 study comparing New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Hampshire -- all cities in the USA. However, this does not mean that empirical experiments can be discredited entirely. "Card and Krueger's findings have established that an increase in minimum wage does not always lead to higher unemployment," explained Anand Srivastava, a professor of econometrics at the Azim Premji University in Bengaluru.
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Awards ceremony
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Nigma Galaxy founders on their merger: “We want to be the biggest esports organization in the next three years”
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When the growth and success of the esports industry is discussed, typically the conversation includes Asia, Europe, and North America. Galaxy Racer, a Middle Eastern organization, are looking to develop the region by achieving global recognition while retaining focus on their origins. To help with this mission, they’ve merged with fellow Middle Eastern org Nigma. The few esports organizations that are actually profitable at this stage in the industry are those that have diversified streams of revenue, with emphasis on those away from competing. Merchandise, content, sponsorships, and membership schemes are common means of generating revenue for most high-profile companies. Galaxy Racer, based in Dubai, are no different. Advertisement They have five divisions, namely content creation, tournament operations, merchandising, their new music label GXR Records, and their competitive operation. The latter will now be known as Nigma Galaxy as a result of their new merger with Nigma, another seldom prominent Middle Eastern esports org. Founded by Team Liquid’s former Dota 2 roster, and victors of The International 7, they’ve joined forces with their former competitors to strengthen their collective foothold in their nation and beyond. Both Galaxy Racer CEO Paul Roy and Nigma co-founder Mohamed Morad spoke with Dexerto to explain the reasoning behind the union and how it will set them up for further success moving forward. Comparitively, this merger is like FaZe Clan and OpTic Gaming joining forces — they’re two of the biggest esports brands in North America, much like Nigma and Galaxy Racer are in the Middle East. While the two NA giants have recently launched their own collaborative merchandise, that’s likely to be the extent of their working relationship. How exactly did the MENA region’s biggest competitors decide to stop competing and instead work together on a permanent basis? “The boys at Nigma met my head of esports and they started out talking about Dota 2,” Galaxy Racer CEO Paul Roy told Dexerto. “We all later met for a beer and figured out that we liked each other, one thing led to another and it felt like a good marriage. Some of our verticals are doing really well but we’re fairly new in esports, that’s where we were lacking. We weren’t a tier-one organization. This opportunity was too good to pass on.” Advertisement “When we started our journey, we figured out that we wanted to put a lot of emphasis on the MENA region,” added Nigma co-founder Mohamed Morad. “We saw Galaxy Racer as our main competitor and, over time, we saw them expanding and growing and we naturally developed a relationship with them. We share a passion for competition. “Nigma means ‘star’ in Arabic and Galaxy Racer’s name fits into that theme. They understood that Nigma is an established brand and already developed an affinity to it, we wanted to have a natural integration of the two entities and figured that Nigma Galaxy was a perfect combination. A galaxy full of stars.” Advertisement Many major organizations have divisions for their different endeavours that are all named the same, creating a uniformed, all-encompassing brand where the lines are certainly blurred. Self-evidently, Galaxy Racer aren’t on board with that strategy as demonstrated by the formation of Nigma Galaxy. “There are a few leading organizations where you can’t really distinguish what they are,” explained Roy. “Are they a competitive team, are they a content team? We like each of our departments to have their own clear identity and this distinction allows Nigma Galaxy to concentrate on what they do best: esports.” ‘Global expansion’ is a growingly popular, somewhat-buzzwordy phrase that has been spouted by every organization with international ambitions over the past couple of years. While franchised leagues like those seen in Call of Duty League and Overwatch League are built around specific locations, most organizations are built for global fandom. Despite this, the industry is keen on categorizing team brands into the region they were founded in — Nigma Galaxy isn’t interested in such constraints, though both Galaxy Racer and Nigma have looked to develop their home region from their get-go. Advertisement “If you look at our competitive rosters, we only have one team in the Middle East,” Roy said. “We’ve always had a European base when it comes to esports. With Nigma coming in, there will be a new strategy where they will expand into a few titles and cut a few titles. We’re not entirely a Middle Eastern company, I just happen to live in Dubai — a lot of our team are in Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia. There are certain territories that we want to be in, South America and Far East Asia are areas we really want to be in. “We’ve got a little bit of insight into emerging markets for gaming and esports because another of my companies makes games. I track a lot of user data across the world and it’s the reason we got into female esports. Females control about 78% of all game spending; 40% of them play games themselves and the other 38% control the decision-making with in-game spending. There’s a huge opportunity there.” “We have both been putting a lot of emphasis on developing the region and trying to build the infrastructure,” Morad told Dexerto. “We both spawned from that region but we want to be global entities, right now we’re the only two here with that positioning. “We’re sure there’s talent in the Middle East, a lot of our talent have backgrounds in the region and all they needed was a chance. Everybody used to be afraid to pick up a player from the region — are the cultures going to clash or will they fit into a European team? Now the two biggest organizations from the region are working together, we think this will create more chances to give back to the community and give more chances to the people of the region. It’s a huge win for the Middle East because of the resources Nigma Galaxy will have.” We’ve seen the likes of LOUD focus exclusively on underserved and emerging markets and it certainly seems like Nigma Galaxy are aware of how lucrative this can be for them, never mind how beneficial it can be for the entire industry and the nations they focus their development efforts on. We're excited to announce Nigma Galaxy, the new competitive division of Galaxy Racer, a merger between @TeamNigma and @GalaxyRacerDxb! — Team Nigma (@TeamNigma) September 20, 2021 While they’re going to continue providing opportunities for players in the Middle East, they’ll continue on their path of having a significant presence in areas that are already well-established. Trying to combine the best of both worlds is a costly and attention-heavy practice, but as Galaxy Racer’s CEO goes on to explain, they feel equipped for the lofty task. “Right now we have about 185 people working under Galaxy Racer, and we’ll probably be at 205 with this merger,” Roy revealed. “As a group, Galaxy Racer is a profitable operation. If you pick it out per vertical, that may change. One vertical feeds off of another so I always view the units together. “We want to be the biggest esports organization in the next three years. Titles, fan following, and revenue will be the key indicators there.” The jury is out on whether these metrics can be met. There are already dozens of options for fans looking to support a team, considering the global appeal of the bigger organizations, so it will take something extraordinary to stand out and also produce products and services that esports’ young demographic is willing to part with its cash for. While three years sounds like a slog, this industry is developing all the time with record-breaking partnership deals, unexpected collaborations, and new titles always appearing to be on the horizon.
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Organization Merge
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2009 India floods
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The 2009 India floods affected various states of India in July 2009, killing at least 36 people in Orissa and 13 in Kerala. The most affected states were Karnataka, Orissa,[1][2][3][4] Kerala,[5] Gujarat[6] and North-East Indian[7] states. Floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains killed at least 36 people in the eastern Indian state of Orissa alone and inundated half a million homes. [2] On 13 July, seven people were killed and many others missing when a bus fell into a rivulet after being swept away by flood waters in Nayagarh district in Orissa. Nayagarh is 87 km from the Orissa state capital, Bhubaneswar. [8] The world-famous Sun Temple at Konark is also water-logged, causing hardship for tourists. [9] The most flood affected districts in Orissa are Nayagarh, Cuttack, Ganjam,[10] Keonjhar, Koraput and Kandhamal. [1]
Several parts of Kerala were affected with the torrential rains with losses amounting to crores of rupees. At least 13 people in Kerala state are reported dead due to floods in the state. [11] The most affected districts of Kerala are Kannur,[12] Ernakulam,[13] Kozhikode,[14] Kollam[15] Thrissur,[16] Malappuram, Wayanad, Kasaragod and Alappuzha districts. [17] A number of relief camps are opened throughout the state. [13] The Revenue Minister of Kerala state, K. P. Rajendran at Kozhikode has convened a meeting on 20 July 2009 to review the damage caused by rain. District Collectors and officials of the various departments of Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakkad districts are likely attend the meeting. [18]
Over three lakh people have been hit after incessant rains in Assam[19] and other north eastern states of India. At least 10 people, including four children and two women, were killed and nine others injured on 27 July 2009 when a wall collapsed due to heavy rains in the satellite township Noida of the national capital of Delhi. [20]
This article about a flood is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. This Indian history-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
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Floods
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Air Fiji Flight 121 crash
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Air Fiji Flight 121 (PC121/FAJ121) was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Nausori International Airport in Fiji's capital Suva to Nadi International Airport in Nadi, operated by an Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante. On 24 July 1999, the Bandeirante carrying 17 people consisting of 15 passengers and 2 crews crashed into a mountain near Delailasakau while en route to Nadi. The crash killed everyone on board, making it the deadliest aviation accident to occur in Fiji. [1]
The Bandeirante took off from Nausori with 17 passengers and crews. The aircraft was carrying nine Fijians, five Australians, one New Zealander, one Chinese and one Japanese. [2] 15 minutes after take off from Nausori International Airport, the aircraft slammed into the mountainside near Delailasakau, shortly after dawn. [3] Radio contact was lost with the aircraft. At about 08:40 or twenty minutes to nine, police had a call from the radio telephone operator from Windina to say that they heard a loud crash out in the hills, north of Nasevou village. Witnesses stated that they saw the aircraft was flying low, and shortly after slammed into the mountainside. One man stated that he heard a "cannonball" during the crash. He then saw parts from the tail fall down. [4]
A search team was dispatched by the authorities. Shortly after, a helicopter spotted the wreckage of Flight 121. There were no signs of life on the crash site. [5] Most bodies were severely mutilated, with witnesses describing many internal organs spread throughout the crash site. The area of the crash site was a remote area, forcing the rescuers to evacuate the bodies only by foot. The crash site is about six hours' walk from the nearest village, with few roads and no telephone links. Police operations director Jahir Khan said police would try to remove the bodies by 25 July. Lack of equipment hampered the evacuation process and several bodies were trapped in the wreckage had to be evacuated by cutting and removing the wreckage from the area. [6]
The aircraft involved in the crash was an Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante (Serial Number 110416) registered in Fiji as DQ-AFN. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop engines, the aircraft was first flown in 1983 and had flown a total of 22411 cycles. The aircraft was registered in America and Australia prior to being operated by Air Fiji. [7]
The Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji (CAAF) investigated the crash of Flight 121, with assistance from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Interviews conducted by the CAAF found that witnesses stated that before the aircraft crashed, parts of its tail and wings fell down onto the forest, indicating a possible structural failure. The tail fin and horizontal stabilisers were found 300 m (980 ft) to the left of the line of flight. This was consistent with a pre-impact structural failure, meaning that the aircraft may have broken up in the air before crashing to the ground. Specific investigations later found that the pilot of Flight 121 may have been intoxicated. The brother of the pilot stated that four hours before the crash the captain of the flight had been drinking alcohol. [8] The investigation also revealed that the captain had insufficient rest prior to the flight and that he had consumed an above-therapeutic level of antihistamine prior to the flight. Air Fiji's Standard Operating Procedure was also found to be inadequate. The structural failure that occurred in flight was a result from the crew's error in descending below the Minimum Descent Altitude of 5,400 ft (1,600 m). The right wing struck a ridge at an elevation of 1,300 ft (400 m), the aircraft then broke up and impacted the slope of a ridge 1.3 km (0.81 mi; 0.70 nmi) further on. The tail section and right wing were found 150 m (490 ft) from the main wreckage. [1]
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Air crash
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1996 IAAF World Road Relay Championships
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The 1996 IAAF World Road Relay Championships was the third edition of the global, international marathon relay competition, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). [1] The event took place on 13–14 April on the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark with the participation of 282 athletes (174 men and 108 women) from 34 nations. The women's race took place on Saturday 13 April and the men's race took place on Sunday 14 April. [2]
Each national team consisted of six athletes, who alternately covered six stages to complete the 42.195 km marathon distance. The first, third and fifth stages were of 5 km, the second and fourth stages were of 10 km, and the final stage covered the remaining 7.195 km. [3]
In the women's race, Genet Gebregiorgis and Berhane Adere established a 38-second lead for Ethiopia over the first two legs. The nation dominated the competition to win in a championship record of 2:16:04, having the fastest runner in every stage, bar an interruption of Italy's Silvia Sommaggio on the third leg. The Romanian and Japanese teams traded places for the runner-up spot, but a decisive final leg by Elena Fidatov brought the Romanians the silver medals by a margin of 17 seconds. In the men's race, it was the Kenyan team that dominated, with Simon Rono and Joseph Kimani establishing a lead of 41 seconds over the first two stages and David Kipruto grabbing the fastest time in the fifth stage. The Brazilians closed the gap slightly in the mid-race thanks to Delmir dos Santos, but ultimately ended up runners-up with a time of 2:01:24 hours behind Kenya's 2:00:40. Ethiopia and the hosts Denmark battled for the bronze position throughout the race but a strong final leg by Ethiopia's Worku Bikila resulted in a time of 2:01:50 hours, putting clear distance between the two teams.
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Sports Competition
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ČSA Flight 511 (March 1961) crash
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ČSA Flight 511 was a flight operated by an Ilyushin Il-18 that crashed in Gräfenberg near Nürnberg on March 28, 1961 during flight across West Germany. [1]
A German investigation commission stated that the primary cause of the accident was pilot error or an autopilot malfunction. Soviet investigators refused this conclusion and stated that the accident was caused by an explosion near the tail of the plane.
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Air crash
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Piatra Neamț hospital fire
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On 14 November 2020, around 18:30 EET, a fire broke out in the COVID-19 ward of the Piatra Neamț Emergency Hospital in Romania. [1] The fire killed ten people[2] and injured another four, including two doctors. [1] All the deceased people were patients receiving treatment for COVID-19. [1] Many in the ward were on ventilators. [3] The fire brought back to the public's attention the state of the Romanian health system, as well as the political interference in hospital management. [4] In January 2021 another fire at a fellow COVID-19 hospital, in Bucharest, killed five patients. [5]
The fire broke out on the second floor of Piatra Neamț Emergency Hospital, where the COVID-19 ward was located. [3] Initially, the medical staff intervened, trying to extinguish the fire and help the patients. Firefighters responded with five fire trucks and a ladder. According to them, the fire had a "very, very fast evolution". [6] Sources in the investigation said the fire broke out from a syringe pump and quickly spread to the oxygen source. [7] A strong deflagration followed, and the fire spread to the room. The fire was extinguished in about 25 minutes. [6] Nelu Tătaru, the Minister of Health, declared that during the fire eight ICU beds were completely burned. [6]
Ten people were killed in the fire, three women and seven men. [8] All were patients with COVID-19 and were between 67 and 86 years old. [9] Eight of the victims were killed in the room where the fire broke out,[3] and two others died of respiratory failure while being evacuated from the adjoining room. [7] A doctor on ward round who tried to save the patients from the flames was critically injured after his protective equipment caught fire. [1] He suffered burns on 40% of his body surface and fourth-degree burns on his limbs. [10] He was brought to Bucharest during the night of 14–15 November and was prepared at the Floreasca Emergency Hospital to be transported by military aircraft to Queen Astrid Military Hospital in Brussels. [10] Three more medical staff – a doctor and two nurses – received burn care, but their condition was good and they did not need hospitalization. [6] Six patients from the adjoining room were transferred to the modular hospital in Lețcani, Iași County, for proper treatment. [7] Three of them were in serious condition, but none suffered burns. [11]
The Prosecutor's Office attached to the Neamț Tribunal opened an in rem case for culpable homicide. Subsequently, the investigation was taken over by the General Prosecutor's Office. The investigation was led by Marius Iacob, a prosecutor who in the past dealt with the investigations into the Colectiv nightclub fire and the Giulești Maternity Hospital fire. [12]
Dan Iamandi, the head of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, ordered the creation of two commissions regarding the Piatra Neamț fire: one of the commissions will determine the probable cause of the fire, and the second will verify the observance of the authorization conditions. [13] The hospital obtained a fire safety permit before 1990. [14] Marius Filip, director of the Standards Unit within the National Authority for Quality Management in Health, stated in a telephone interview with Digi24 that the Piatra Neamț Emergency Hospital had irregularities in terms of staff and patient safety. According to George Lazăr, the prefect of Neamț County, the ICU for patients with COVID-19 was moved from the third floor to the second floor of the building on 14 November, a few hours before the fire broke out, without approval and without notifying the authorities. [15] His claims were contradicted by the hospital manager, according to which the Public Health Directorate had given its approval for the operation of the ICU on the second floor of the medical unit. [16] However, on the evening of 15 November, the Neamț Public Health Directorate issued a statement in which it showed that the reconfiguration of the ICU and the relocation of COVID-19-positive patients, from the third floor to the second floor, was carried out without approval. [17]
President Klaus Iohannis sent a condolence message to the families and prayed for the victims at the Jesuit Church in Sibiu. [18] He also stressed the need to reform the public health system. [18] Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said he was shocked by the tragedy and promised the identification and the prosecution of the guilty ones. [19]
The Minister of Health, Nelu Tătaru, made an emergency visit to Piatra Neamț to assess the situation at the County Hospital. He announced that the hospitals subordinated to the local authorities will be placed under the coordination of the Ministry of Health. [20] Tătaru also stated that there is a collective guilt for the Piatra Neamț fire and that an urgent reevaluation of the entire Romanian medical system is needed. [21]
After a working meeting at the Victoria Palace, Orban announced that, starting with 16 November, joint teams of the Public Health Directorates and the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations will carry out controls in all ICUs at national level to check the installations and the conditions for the commissioning of medical equipment. [22]
Mara Togănel, the prefect of Mureș County, announced that the health units in Mureș County will come to support the Piatra Neamț Emergency Hospital with ICU beds, ventilators, monitors and syringe pumps. [12]
The Social Democratic Party and the Save Romania Union announced the suspension of any election campaign action for their parties out of respect for the victims of the fire. [12] The National Liberal Party postponed the governing program launch event, scheduled for 16 November. [23]
At the end of the Angelus, Pope Francis sent a message of compassion and prayed for the victims of the Piatra Neamț fire. [24] Condolence messages were also conveyed by politicians from Austria, France, Hungary, Israel, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Turkey. [25][26][27] The mayor of Chișinău, Ion Ceban, laid a wreath at the Romanian Embassy in Moldova as a tribute to the victims of the fire. [28]
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Fire
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2020 Korean floods
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Since June 2020, floods have severely impacted large areas of both North and South Korea due to heavy rains of the regional rainy season, primarily in the far southern parts of the Korean Peninsula. These floods are closely related to ones across China and in Kyushu, Japan. As of 9 August 2020, 30 people have died in South Korea as a result. [1]
The monsoon rainy season began in South Korea in late June. [2] In early July, Busan was flooded following heavy rains. [3] Late July again saw heavy downpours and strong winds hit southeastern areas of South Korea, killing several people and causing more damage. [4] In mid-July, a Korea Meteorological Administration official stated that "the rainy season began on Jeju Island on June 10 and in the southern and central regions on June 24. Generally, the wet season ends in those areas in late July, though the exact period differs from region to region. "[5]
August, however, witnessed a continuation of the seasonal rains with flooding all over South Korea, while most damage and fatalities continued to be in the southern areas. [6] Evacuees and local officials raised concerns regarding emergency shelter given the simultaneously ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. [7]
The floods worsened as Typhoon Hagupit and Tropical Storm Jangmi dropped more rainfall over the Korean Peninsula in August 2020. [8]
As of 8 August 2020,[update] the 2020 rainy season is the second longest on record after the 2013 season. [6]
On 3 August, the North Korean State Hydro-Meteorological Administration, issued a red alert over extreme rainfall in parts of the south and northwestern regions of North Korea. [9] Accurate information on the effects of the rains in North Korea is hard to come by, but the North is typically highly susceptible to seasonal flood damage. [6] The Korean Central News Agency reported damage in North Korea, but no fatalities. [10] Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un was reported on 7 August to have inspected flood-damaged areas of North Hwanghae Province, adjacent to South Korea, among them in village of Taechong-ri,[11] Unpa County. [12][10] There are concerns that the late flooding in 2020 could interfere with the North's food harvest and precipitate a threat to the state's food security. [6][10] Further reconstruction works took place in Kangbuk-ri, Kumchon County. [13] On October that year, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Choe Ryong-hae visited the village Samjigang-ri in Chaeryong County to inspect reconstruction efforts. [14]
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Floods
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Great Survival Stories: Shipwreck, Sharks, and Deborah Kiley
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The only rescue photo of Deborah Kiley and Brad Cavanagh after their horrific five days adrift. Photo: News Australia Deborah Kiley’s gruesome, five-day ordeal in 1982 began as a routine sailing trip in the Atlantic. Soon, she would be forced to feed her friend to sharks and watch helplessly as two others leaped to their deaths. Deborah Kiley watched helplessly as sharks ate two of her friends. Kiley was a confident sailor. By the age of 23, she already had years of experience crewing yachts. She earned her big break sailing in the 70,000km Whitbread Round the World Race (now The Ocean Race). In 1981, Kiley became the first American woman to complete the event. Her sailing future appeared prosperous. The following year, she was hired to crew an 18m yacht called Trashman, during its transfer from Maine to new owners in Florida. When the crew — Kiley, Captain John Lippoth, his girlfriend Meg Mooney, and sailors Brad Cavanagh and Mark Adams — set off from Maine for their six-day, 2,000km trip, conditions were perfect. “The weather was beautiful, the boat was fun to steer,” recalled Kiley years later. On their second day, they began to run into trouble. A storm, and a drunken captain A violent storm hit Trashman with 110kph winds and 10m waves. A heavily intoxicated Lippoth lay asleep at the wheel when the voices of her terrified crewmates woke Kelly up. Cold water gushed into the cabin. In a matter of moments, their situation turned desperate. The yacht, now off the coast of North Carolina, was sinking quickly. The crew’s only option was to throw themselves into the ocean. Adams managed to inflate a small rubber dinghy. As the crew clambered into their life raft, Adam felt a nudge on his leg. They were completely surrounded by great white sharks. “The minute we got in, there were fins everywhere in the water. I don’t mean like two or three, I mean 10, 20. They were everywhere,” said Kiley. They realized that Mooney had gashed her leg severely during the capsize. The smell of blood drew sharks to the helpless crew. One shark clutched the dinghy’s bowline in its mouth, pulling the terrified crew along. When that didn’t tip them into the ocean, the sharks started nudging the boat. Kiley resolved to stay focused. She covered her body in seaweed for warmth. To stay in control, she recited prayers. Mooney was in agonizing pain. Her leg quickly became infected, and blood poisoning set in. By day three, everyone was severely dehydrated. Out of desperation, a delirious Lippoth and Adams began drinking from the ocean. Toxic saltwater accelerates dehydration and shuts down the kidneys. In different circumstances, both men would have understood this. Lippoth was the first to go. Convinced that he saw land, he suddenly threw himself overboard. A blood-curdling scream and the captain was gone “All of a sudden, we just heard this shrill scream. Blood-curdling,” said Kiley. “Then it was over, silence. There was no crying, nothing. There was no doubt what got him. The sharks got him.” Shortly after, Adams suffered a similar fate. He babbled incoherently of heading to the shop to buy beer and cigarettes before hurling himself over the side of the dinghy. “It was by far the most horrifying moment of my entire life,” Kiley said as she watched sharks eat him too. In their frenzied attack on Adam, the sharks butted the raft, tipping it precariously. Somehow, it managed to stay upright. Hallucinations weren’t yet over for the surviving crew members. Mooney succumbed next from the blood poisoning. She was dying before Kiley and Cavanagh’s eyes, but there was nothing they could do to help. When the pair woke in the morning, she was dead. Starving and dehydrated, Cavanagh considered eating Mooney’s remains. Focused, Kiley talked him out of it. A third perishes Mooney’s infection had wept all over the dinghy’s floor, which was now sodden with a mess of seaweed, blood, and pus. Feeling that they were risking infection themselves, the two survivors threw their friend overboard. First, they undressed her, saving clothes and jewelry to give to her family, if they survived. Then they recited a prayer and pushed her over the edge of the boat. ‘We tried to sleep so we wouldn’t see Meg being eaten by sharks,” said Kiley. The pair had now been at sea for five days. Three of their friends had died. They tried to clean the boat from Mooney’s infection. While doing so, Cavanagh slipped and fell into the shark-infested waters. A desperate Kiley used all her strength to try to pull Cavanagh back into the boat, but she was just too weak. Then the pair spotted a cargo ship on the horizon, and a surge of adrenalin came over Cavanagh. Summoning the last of his strength, he managed to haul himself back on board. Deliverance When the pair were picked up 140km south of Cape Lookout, they’d drifted almost 150km off course. Kiley and Cavanagh’s five days in the Atlantic Ocean shifted the course of their lives irreversibly. It took years for Kiley to stop hearing her friends’ screams as the sharks ate them. Returning to her previous life no longer made sense. Kiley became a motivational speaker and penned two books about her ordeal. Albatross: The True Story of a Woman’s Survival at Sea (1994) and No Victims Only Survivors: Ten Lessons for Survival (2006). She married twice and had two children. In a cruel irony, her son drowned at the age of 23. When Kiley was 54, she herself died at home in Mexico. The cause of death was not made public. Before she died, Kiley and Cavanagh featured in a 2005 Discovery Channel episode of I Shouldn’t Be Alive. In the documentary, Cavanagh admitted, “It’s not something you just turn off when it’s over. You keep living in that survival mode. I don’t know if you’re shellshocked or what…but it’s impossible to just go back to being the way you were before.”
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Shipwreck
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All you need to know about today's solar eclipse
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Analysis: we can expect Irish skies to turn a little darker as 30% of the Sun is eclipsed by the Moon Between 10am and midday on Thursday June 10th, Irish skies will turn a little darker as a result of 30% of the Sun being eclipsed by the Moon, with parts of the Earth entering the moon's shadow. As the Moon orbits in a nearly but not quite circular path around the Earth, it sometimes comes in between the Sun and the Earth itself, casting a shadow at specific locations on our planet. This phenomenon - known as a solar eclipse - occurs when the Moon blocks out part of the Sun's area as seen from Earth, reducing the amount of sunlight reaching our planet. We need your consent to load this YouTube contentWe use YouTube to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences NASA Scientific Visualization Studio visualization of the Moon's shadow during tomorrow's annular solar eclipse In this week's eclipse as seen from Ireland (weather permitting), a maximum of about 30% of the Sun’s area will be blocked out by the Moon at 11:09am Irish time. If you imagine the Sun as a biscuit, it will look at that point as if someone has taken a bite off it and removed about 30% of its top-left portion. Since not all of the Sun’s area will be blocked out, this eclipse is known as a partial solar eclipse. The eclipse will start around 10:01am Irish time, reach its maximum darkness (maximum blocked-out area) at 11:09am and end at around 12:21pm. The exact times and maximum blocked out area depend slightly on your exact viewing location. Solar eclipses are seen from different parts of the globe usually a couple of times per year, but it occurs a lot less often over Ireland. In the Irish skies, the last partial Solar eclipse took place in August 2017 but then the Moon only blocked out 4% of the Sun. The last major (though still partial) eclipse took place in March 2015, when as much as 92% of the Sun was blocked out by the Moon. Viewers in parts of Canada, Russia, and Greenland will be extremely fortunate as they will be blessed with a spectacular, and rare annular 'Ring of Fire' eclipse. That means that the Moon doesn’t quite block out the entirety of the Sun’s disk (in what would be called a total solar eclipse), but fits just inside it, creating an astonishing ring of light. Only the youngest among us will be able to witness a total and an annular solar eclipse in Ireland, which are due in 2090 and 2093. However, we will not have to travel far or wait too long to witness the incredible spectacle that is a total solar eclipse, with one due to be visible from Northern and Eastern Spain, as well as Greenland and Iceland, in August 2026. Time to book tickets! We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences From RTÉ Archives, RTÉ News report on the 1999 solar eclipse While solar eclipses are breathtaking phenomena, it is crucial to remember that eclipses should NOT be viewed unfiltered. Do not attempt to look directly at the Sun with your own naked eyes, with normal sunglasses, or any optical devices that are not specifically designed and certified for eclipse viewing. Even when using sunglasses, looking at the Sun for even a very short period of time is extremely dangerous, and can cause permanent damage to your eye, even leading to blindness. To safely view the eclipse, you should - Get your hands on certified eclipse viewing glasses - Project an image of the eclipsed sun onto a sheet of paper by creating a hole on a stiff piece of paper or cardboard , or even just a colander ? For an even better projected view, using a cardboard box such as a shoebox also helps ? View the eclipse online through the many remote events organised by astronomers in Ireland or worldwide if you want to witness the full annular 'Ring of Fire’ eclipse. The latest update from Met Éireann forecasts that Thursday morning skies should be largely overcast but with some potential breaks in the cloud cover, particularly on the East coast. Keep your eclipse glasses, or your DIY eclipse projecting equipment, to hand and be ready for any break in the clouds! Eclipse data from Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak and Chris O’Byrne at NASA’s GFSC, and from Stellarium planetarium open source code v0.21.0 The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
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New wonders in nature
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Toronto propane explosion
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Coordinates: 43°43′57″N 79°28′22″W / 43.73250°N 79.47278°W / 43.73250; -79.47278
The Toronto propane explosion (also known as the Sunrise Propane incident) was a series of explosions and ensuing fire that took place on the morning of August 10, 2008, in the Downsview neighbourhood of North York, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. [1] The explosions occurred at the Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases propane facility, located near Keele Street and Wilson Avenue around 03:50 ET. [2] The blasts caused thousands of people to be evacuated from their homes and cost C$1.8 million to clean up, half of which was paid by the province of Ontario. [3][4] An employee of Sunrise died in the initial explosions and a firefighter died of cardiac arrest the next day while at the scene. [2][5]
Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases was a company that sold propane for commercial and home purposes, in addition to other gases such as helium and acetylene. [6] The company had operated under a number of names since at least 1999. In 2002, a company named Sunrise Petroleum was successfully sued by First Choice Petroleum Inc., an oil and lubricants supplier, who claimed the company owed them C$54,063.73 in products and had forged a document to avoid settling their account. [7] In that case, it was found that Sunrise had forged the signature of a First Choice employee named Thomas Tims in a 1999 document, which stated Sunrise Petroleum would be taken over by a new company called Sunrise Petroleum Lubricants and that Sunrise Petroleum would thereby not be responsible for any outstanding, unpaid, or unsettled accounts. However, Tims would not have signed the document because he was listed on it as "Tim Toms", rather than Tom Tims. As a result of the case, Sunrise was forced to pay the account owed plus interest, totalling C$93,389.54, and an additional C$34,284.71 in legal fees. Court documents also revealed a third name, Sunrise Propane & Petroleum, that the company had previously used. [7]
An Ontario corporate profile states the facility was incorporated in 2004, though a Sunrise corporate solicitor and spokesperson is uncertain how long the facility was in operation. [7] The facility was built in a residential neighbourhood in Toronto's North York district. Toronto mayor David Miller stated that the facility was allowed to be built in the neighbourhood under zoning that was in place for over a decade. [8]
The facility had previously been warned by Ontario's Technical Standards and Safety Authority for its lack of safety by not ceasing to conduct truck-to-truck transfers at the company's facilities. During the investigation following the explosions, investigators found that truck-to-truck transfers were common at the facility. Truck-to-truck transfers are prohibited in Ontario because they increase the risk of a gas leak or a fire. [5]
At approximately 03:50 ET on the morning of August 10, 2008, a large explosion occurred at Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases, located near Murray Road and Spalding Road. This was followed by a series of explosions that sent large fireballs and clouds of smoke billowing into the sky. Large pieces of metal from the exploding propane tanks were ejected onto nearby streets and properties. Many homes and offices were damaged, windows were shattered, and doors were ripped from their hinges. About 200 firefighters battled the seven-alarm fire that resulted from the explosions. [2]
The threat of further blasts and concerns about the air quality forced the police to conduct a voluntary evacuation of a large area in the surrounding community. Residents living within a 1.6-kilometre (1 mi) radius were told to leave their homes in the early hours of the morning. [9] Toronto Transit Commission buses were used to evacuate them to Downsview Park and then to York University. [1]
The explosions rocked the area and also caused the closure of part of Highway 401, between highways 404 and 400, for over 12 hours. [10] Emergency crews feared another major explosion as two rail tankers continued to burn more than five hours after the initial explosion. [11] Regular commercial air traffic was allowed to continue in and out of Pearson International Airport while smaller, privately owned aircraft were restricted from flying over the area. [2]
Six people were sent to the hospital, 18 people admitted themselves to emergency clinics, and Emergency Medical Services treated 40 people on the site. [12] During the course of the emergency response to the scene, a Toronto firefighter was found lifeless by emergency crews. Paramedics and firefighters tried to revive him but were unsuccessful. He was then rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The firefighter was identified as Bob Leek, a 55-year-old district chief of emergency planning and a 25-year veteran. [2] Leek, who was off duty that night, had been asked to bring some equipment to aid the activities of his colleagues, which he did. He just happened to have had a heart attack at that time. Sunrise employee Parminder Saini was unaccounted for. On August 11, a body was found at the scene. On September 3, the body was confirmed to be that of Saini. [13][14]
The Ontario Fire Marshal's Office handled the investigation of the explosions. [2] While the cause of the explosions had not yet been determined, on August 21, 2008, Ontario's independent safety regulator for fuels, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), released a statement saying that, just before the explosion, a truck driver was illegally transferring propane from one truck to another. The agency also reported that, in November 2006, Sunrise Propane was warned about its lack of safety from not stopping the truck-to-truck transfers at the company's facilities, and that truck-to-truck transfers were a frequent and routine operating practice at the facility. [5] An investigator with the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office stated that it could take months before the cause of the explosions could be determined. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty also said that the province was willing to provide financial aid to residents whose homes were damaged by the explosions. [15]
On August 4, 2010, the Toronto Star reported that the massive Sunrise propane explosion in 2008 was caused by an illegal "tank-to-tank transfer" along with a gas hose leak. The report said that liquid propane was released from a hose after a "tank-to-tank transfer" was completed. The Star reports that Sunrise did not have the right licence to perform those types of transfers and that it was previously barred from doing so by the TSSA in November 2006. [16][17]
The Environment Ministry has argued that Sunrise failed "to show that there was a proper preventative maintenance system in place. "[18] Leo Adler, Sunrise's lawyer, argued that the event was an unforeseeable accident because Sunrise kept their equipment in good order and cannot be held responsible for a hose failure. [19][20]
Due to its proximity to the site, Highway 401 was shut down from Highway 404 to Highway 400, and the local Yorkdale Mall was closed for part of the day. [4] Toronto Transit Commission routes and the York Region Transit Viva Orange route were affected as a result of evacuation zone.
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Gas explosion
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Lichfield rail crash
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The Lichfield rail crash was a rail crash which occurred on New Year's Day 1946 at Lichfield Trent Valley station in Staffordshire, England. 20 people were killed in the accident, caused when a points failure routed a goods train into the back of a stationary passenger train waiting at the station. This event is the basis for the story The Flying Kipper in the Railway Series by Rev. W. Awdry. At Lichfield Trent Valley station there were four tracks running through the station; two fast through lines in each direction with loops on each side for trains stopping at the station. The crash occurred at 18:58, and involved the 14:50 fish train from Fleetwood to London Broad Street. This train consisted of seven four-wheel fish vans and a brake van hauled by a Stanier Class 5 4-6-0. It was travelling at around 35 mph when it passed into the station, and was scheduled to run through on the fast up line. However at the north end of the station, the points had become stuck in the position used by the preceding train; a Stafford to Nuneaton local passenger train, which had left the main line for the platform loop in order to stop at the station, and was still waiting there for the goods train to pass. The goods train was diverted onto the platform loop where it collided with the rear end of the local passenger train. The passenger train consisted of four old wooden-bodied coaches, the force of the impact demolished the rear three coaches, and hurled the engine (a LNWR Prince of Wales Class 4-6-0) forwards 100 yards. 20 passengers on the passenger train lost their lives; 13 in the collision and the remainder either in hospital or on the way there. Another 21 were injured, some seriously, including a porter on the platform who was injured by flying debris. The crew of the passenger train were unhurt, however the crew of the goods train suffered bruises and minor injuries, and the driver had to be treated for severe shock. The points failure was caused by the extremely cold weather that day freezing the point mechanisms. When the signalman had accepted the fish train from the previous signalbox to the North, he needed to swing the facing points (that allowed entry into the Up Platform Loop from the Up line) from reverse to normal. Unbeknown to him, the points had frozen in reverse position, however he was able to push the lever back into the frame and engage the point lock and thus clear the signal. He was able to do this because the point rods had become bent, allowing sufficient play for the lever to be pushed fully into the normal position, but actually leaving the points in reverse. This accident is one of the very rare occasions where mechanical interlocking has failed to work correctly.
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Train collisions
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Famine knocking at the door of 41 million worldwide
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Famine is already present in four countries but millions more people are at risk, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday, underscoring the need for urgent funding and humanitarian access to reach those in need. Recent analysis by the UN agency reveals 41 million people in 43 countries “are teetering on the very edge of famine”, up from 27 million two years ago. “I am heartbroken at what we’re facing in 2021. We now have four countries where famine-like conditions are present”, WFP chief David Beasley told its Executive Board on Monday, according to a press release. He described the situation as “just tragic”, as “these are real people with real names.” WFP said 584,000 people are already experiencing famine-like conditions in Ethiopia, Madagascar, South Sudan and Yemen. Nigeria and Burkina Faso are also of particular concern as they have pockets where famine-like conditions are present. “In Somalia in 2011, 260,000 people died of hunger – and by the time the famine was actually declared – half of that number had already died,” Mr. Beasley recalled. “We can’t debate the numbers to death when people need our help now.” Hunger has risen due to conflict, climate change and economic shocks, WFP said. However, soaring prices for basic foods have also compounded the situation, with the global cost of maize rising almost 90 per cent year-on-year, for example. In many countries, currency depreciation is also a factor, the agency added. This has driven prices even higher, stoking food insecurity in places such as Lebanon, Nigeria, Sudan, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. WFP is this year mounting its biggest operation ever, targeting 139 million people. With sufficient funding and access, the agency said it can provide them with lifesaving food and nutritional assistance. Mr. Beasley underlined the urgent need for support. “I want to emphasize just how bad it is out there. Today, 41 million people are literally knocking on famine’s door. The price tag to reach them is about $6 billion. We need funding and we need it now,” he said Famine risk spikes amid conflict, COVID-19 and funding gapsJune 20, 2021In "Human Rights" Aid agencies call for urgent action to prevent famine in hunger hotspotsNovember 8, 2020In "Africa Today" Conflict, COVID, climate crisis, likely to fuel acute food insecurity in 23 ‘hunger hotspots’August 2, 2021In "Human Rights"
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Famine
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Police say 'it can only be concluded' the missing worker 'died' in Henty Gold Mine
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Police say it is "unlikely" a man missing after a collapse at a Tasmanian gold mine on Thursday morning could have survived. In a statement, police said operations overnight had used a drone with 3D laser technology which revealed the extent of the collapse. "The amount of earth and rock and the situation that presents tells us that it is highly unlikely he could have survived," the statement read. "Using the imagery and technical information to assess the site, it can only be concluded that he died in the incident. "We have been liaising closely with his family since the incident and engaging with the Henty workforce who are all suffering at this tragic time. "This is very sad for the all his family and loved ones and the West Coast community and our thoughts are with them." The man has been missing in the Henty Gold Mine, near Zeehan and Queenstown in Tasmania's west, since 4:00am on Thursday when his colleagues lost contact with him and discovered a section of collapsed earth. The missing worker was about a 20-minute descent underground at the time, police said. Chief executive of mining services contractor PYBAR Brendan Rouse this morning said the drone was still on site with specialist operators. "There was still material falling [in the mine last night] so it may have gotten worse this morning," he said. "That's why it's not safe to put people anywhere near the hole at the moment." He said for that reason, exploration was being done remotely for now. "That will form the basis of any other recovery plans going forward, the safety of our people," he said. "We'll come up with a plan of how we're going to do it, but it won't involve putting people into the unsafe area. "It's quite a big mine, so the area is quite isolated." Mr Rouse said the company was keeping the family "informed along the way". "They're our first point of contact and we have spoken to the family this morning," he said Earlier, AWU national secretary Daniel Walton said Queenstown locals knew "all too well the inherent dangers with mining". "Queenstown is a small mining community here, and unfortunately, in recent years there's been a few accidents around here," he said.
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Mine Collapses
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2015 Baku residence building fire
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The 2015 Baku residence building fire occurred on 19 May 2015 in a 16-level residence building located in Azadlig Avenue 200/36 in Binagadi raion of Baku, Azerbaijan. [1][2] The official death toll from the fire was 15, of whom five were children; at least 63 people were injured. [3] Most of the dead were killed by toxic smoke as the building caught fire. [4] It took firemen three hours to completely extinguish the fire. The disaster led to severe outrage among the population and provoked a lot of discussions around the material used in the renovation of the facade of more than 200 apartment blocks in Baku built in the Soviet period. Flammable Styrofoam facing had been installed on the exterior of old buildings as part of Baku's "beautification" scheme. [5] Consequently, the city officials started the process of removing the facade of the buildings where the material causing the fire was used. In some extreme cases, residents used hammers and their hands to remove the material from their buildings. A similar fire had erupted in Baku about a month earlier, on 10 April 2015, but there were no injuries. The reason for both of the fires is indicated as low quality flammable facade material used in the renovation. [6]
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Fire
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Mandal Commission protests of 1990
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Mandal commission protests of 1990 were against reservation in government jobs based on caste in India. Mandal Commission was set up in 1979 January by Morarji Desai government to identify the socially or educationally backward classes to consider the question of seat reservations and quotas for people to redress caste discrimination, and used eleven social, economic, and educational indicators to determine backwardness. It was chaired by B. P. Mandal. [1] The commission submitted the report to the president on December 30, 1980. It recommended 27% reservation quota for OBC resulting in total 49.5% quota in government jobs and public universities. [2] V.P. Singh, the Prime Minister at the time, tried to implement its recommendations in August 1990 which led to protests. These protests were against giving government jobs to certain castes on basis of birth rather than merit of the candidate. These protests closed roads, highways, transportation services, government services, schools, and businesses of India. Anti-reservationists protested. Student protests were planned publicly, and in advance. Protest events were photographed for many published articles of newspapers locally and nationally. [3] Protests began during the year when the eleven-year-old Mandal Commission was opened to bring into effect new government employment opportunities, reservation for backwards classes. Between the failure to effectively control the political cost of the protests escalating enough to close parts of the nation, and an eleven-year-old human rights improvement project, were causes that ultimately led to accepting the resignation of the Janata Dal party's Prime Minister of India, V. P. Singh. Most likely, the protests were comparable to a globally largest, unified national demonstrations of a labour union strike combined with a version of a race riot. [weasel words]
Culturally unique features of the protests and riots were bandhs (a version of a strike), hartals (a version of a municipal shut-down), dharnas (a version of swarming). Incidents of destruction of public property, looting, and intimidation for bandhs, hartals and dharnas were published and listed geographically as travel information in newspaper articles. Articles also highlighted politicians and victims of rioting during the protests. Although not advisable, late summer travel by airline and vehicle during the protests was possible without delays, between capitals New Delhi and Chandigarh, and Shimla for example. Police prevented extending the range and duration of the strikes, and some strike activity from even occurring. A national state of emergency was largely not declared to mobilize army units against any one demonstration. [citation needed]. The strike helped to give large popularity to Mandal Commission report and fueled the political grouping of the OBC castes, which later helped a lot for the strengthening of regional political parties and stronger parties other than Congress and BJP. Rajiv Goswami was the first student to attempt self-immolation while a student at Deshbandhu College, Delhi University in October, 1990 to protest against Prime Minister V.P. Singh's implementation of the Mandal Commission laws for Affirmative Action (reservation) recommendations. His action sparked a series of self-immolations by college students and led to a formidable movement against job reservations for backward castes, as recommended by the Mandal Commission. [4] He was later elected as the President of Delhi University's Student Union, he died after about a decade of suffering because of the 70% burns he had suffered.
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Strike
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1925 Dali earthquake
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The 1925 Dali earthquake occurred at 14:42 UTC on 16 March. It had an estimated magnitude of 7.0 on the surface wave magnitude scale and a maximum perceived intensity of at least IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale. [2] It had an epicenter in the province of Yunnan in southern China and killed an estimated 5,000 people. Yunnan lies in a tectonically complex zone affected by the broad zone of deformation associated with the ongoing collision between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. A rhomb-shaped fault-bounded block, known as the Sichuan-Yunnan Block, is recognised that is bounded by the active left-lateral strike-slip faults of the Xianshuihe fault system and the currently right lateral Red River Fault and Jinshajiang Fault. [3][4]
The earthquake was caused by movement on the northwestern part of the Red River Fault. [4]
The area affected by shaking of at least intensity VII was nearly 5,000 square kilometres. [2]
The city of Dali was severely damaged. 76,000 homes were destroyed either by the shaking or subsequent fires. The city walls were badly affected, locally collapsing completely, with battlements devastated and two of the gate towers destroyed. 3,600 people were killed in the city, with a further 7,200 injured. 5,000 livestock were also killed. [1] In Fengyi, thousands of houses were destroyed and over 1,200 people died, with a further 550 injured. In Midu County, 159 people died and 165 were injured. In Binchuan County, over 800 people died and more than 500 were injured. There were also deaths in Dengchuan, Xiangyun and Weishan.
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Earthquakes
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Trump Begins Process Of U.S. Withdrawal From World Health Organization
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The Trump administration on Tuesday began the process of officially withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization–which would take effect in July 2021–after he repeatedly slammed the agency throughout the coronavirus pandemic for alleged misinformation about the virus. This photograph taken on July 3, 2020, shows a sign of the World Health Organization (WHO) at their ... [+] headquarters in Geneva, amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, caused by the novel coronavirus. The United Nations health agency has sustained an onslaught of criticism from Trump, who has claimed it failed to quickly obtain and share valuable information, spread incorrect information and is at the beckon-call of China. “The W.H.O. really blew it. For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China centric. We will be giving that a good look,” Trump tweeted in April. The administration has also slammed the organization for allegedly criticizing his travel ban, with a White House fact sheet claiming it “made the disastrous decision to oppose travel restrictions from China and other countries—despite applauding travel restrictions within China itself—leading to further spread of the virus internationally.” In April, Trump said he would put a hold on U.S. funding to the agency–which accounts for about 15% of its overall funding–and “look at” the agency’s response, before announcing in May he would withdraw altogether. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) tweeted on Tuesday that “Congress received notification that POTUS officially withdrew the U.S. from the WHO in the midst of a pandemic.” A White House spokesperson confirmed to Forbes that “the United States' notice of withdrawal, effective July 6, 2021, has been submitted to the UN Secretary-General, who is the depository for the WHO." Menendez, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, slammed the White House’s decision to withdraw from the agency. “To call Trump’s response to COVID chaotic & incoherent doesn't do it justice,” he said. “This won't protect American lives or interests–it leaves Americans sick & America alone.” The move was also met with opposition from Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the chair of the Senate Health Committee, who said in a statement that the move would “interfere with clinical trials that are essential to the development of vaccines,” and “make it harder to work with other countries to stop viruses before they get to the United States.” But some conservatives have cheered the move. “If an organization is going to cover up and lie about another country’s cover up’s and lies, why should we be party to such corruption?” said Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.). “Withdrawing from the WHO is an important action in accountability for our country and for all countries who’ve suffered due to COVID.” 130,133. The move comes as coronavirus cases continue to rise in the U.S. Over 2.9 million have been reported, including 46,329 new cases reported on Tuesday, according to CDC data. Deaths have ticked up as well, with 322 new deaths reported on Tuesday for a total of 130,133 total deaths. Some former Trump advisors have been raising alarm bells about surges in case numbers in the South and West. Whether the U.S. follows through on leaving the WHO relies on the outcome of the 2020 election. Trump’s Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, reacted to the news by declaring “on my first day as President, I will rejoin the WHO and restore our leadership on the world stage.”
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Withdraw from an Organization
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Hattiesburg plane crash
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HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Four people are dead after a small plane crashed into a Hattiesburg home Tuesday evening. Three people in the plane and a person in the home were killed in the crash. A media relations representative with the National Transportation Safety Board said the plane was headed to Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport, a little less than two miles from the crash site. According to Forrest County Coroner Butch Benedict, the victims have been identified as:
Standley lived in the home and the other three victims were on board the plane. According to Federal Aviation Administration public records, Louis Provenza was a licensed pilot. Our sister station in Wichita Falls, KAUZ, has confirmed 2-year-old Harper Provenza is the daughter of Anna Calhoun. The University of Southern Mississippi confirmed that family members of a graduating student were involved in the crash. USM President Rodney D. Bennett issued a statement, sending his condolences to the family and community members:
“My heart breaks for our student and her family, and for our community members and their family. The University extends our deepest condolences and our thoughts and prayers to all those who are affected by this tragedy during this time of great loss.”
Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker released a statement saying that Standley’s family is part of the city workforce and that Standley worked at Warren Paving. His wife, Melinda, is a division manager for dispatch, according to Hattiesburg police. Barker said the other grieving family includes a Southern Miss student. The statement reads in part, “Both families live miles apart from each other, but today — they will both be walking the same road as they grieve the loss of their loved ones. To the families of all involved: while we cannot bear the full impact of this tragedy for you, know that we feel the loss deeply with you.”
We’re told Standley’s church held a private prayer service for the family Wednesday night. WDAM spoke with the aunt of Melinda Standley, the wife of Gerry Standley. “We’re devastated,” Thereta White said. “You know, when unexpected accidents happen, it devastates you. And you really don’t know which way to turn other than to God.”
A GoFundMe account benefiting the Standley family has already surpassed more than $5,000 in donations. You can donate to the account below. Hattiesburg Police Department public information officer Ryan Moore said they were notified of an aircraft crash on Annie Christie Drive around 11:20 p.m.
Once at the scene, emergency personnel confirmed that a small civilian plane had crashed into a home. Residents living around Annie Christie Drive described what they heard when the airplane crashed into the Standley home. Delton Smith was inside his home on Collins Street when he heard an explosion, followed by the arrival of emergency vehicles. “It just hit one house out of all the houses down here, it hit just one,” Smith said. “And they say it looks like a stick of dynamite was thrown on it. I’m just praying for the family, that’s all you can do right now.”
One block away on Evans Street, Suzanne Burkhalter and her family were watching TV when they hear the airplane coming down. “It came over our house, I mean it came straight over and nosedived into that other house,” said Burkhalter. “It just made a thump, and then dead silence after that, and then screams everywhere. It felt like it lasted forever, but it only lasted maybe 10 to 15 seconds and that was it,” she added. CNN and NBC have confirmed the airplane involved in the crash was a Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 that took off from Wichita Falls Regional Airport in Texas. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been contacted to investigate the crash. FAA investigators were coming through the wreckage Wednesday. NTSB officials are expected to arrive Thursday morning. According to the NTSB website, the organization will send representatives and establish a command post near the crash site. Once together, it plans to hold daily briefings when possible. It may take up to 12 to 18 months before the cause of the accident is determined, according to the NTSB. In response to the crash, Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resources will be in the Irene Chapel Neighborhood for onsite crisis and grief counseling at Edwards Street Fellowship from Wednesday, May 5 through Friday, May 7, from 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mental Health Therapists, Community Support Specialists and Peer Support Specialists will also be available to residents, should they be needed. Annie Christie Drive is closed from Evans Street to Collins Street. Edwards Street is now open to traffic. Moore said if you encounter what you believe to be wreckage or debris from the plane, do not touch it or remove it. You should contact the Hattiesburg Police Department at 601-467-7556.
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Air crash
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More bodies buried in mass grave after Myanmar jade mine landslide
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(Reuters) - Dozens of jade miners killed in a landslide in northern Myanmar were buried on Saturday, a local official said, after 77 were interred in a mass grave on Friday in one of the worst mining accidents in the country’s history. More than 170 people, many of them migrants seeking their fortune in the jade-rich Hpakant area of Kachin state, died after mining waste collapsed into a lake on Thursday, triggering a surge of mud and water. The miners were collecting stones in Hpakant, the centre of Myanmar’s secretive billion-dollar jade industry, when the wave crashed onto them, entombing them under a layer of mud. Thar Lin Maung, a local official from the information ministry, told Reuters by phone 171 bodies had been pulled out but more were floating to the surface. He said the 77 people buried on Friday had been identified. Another 41 were interred on Saturday, another local official said. Volunteers carried plywood coffins and placed them into a mass grave carved out by diggers close to the mine site. Dozens more were cremated in line with Buddhist traditions at a cemetery on a hillside. Among them was 21-year-old Saw Myint Tun, a university student who had travelled hundreds of miles from his home in Rakhine state, his family told Reuters. His brother-in-law, Hla Shwe Win, said one of his brothers had also died in the disaster, while another was wounded. They had followed him to Hpakant to work in the mines, Hla Shwe Win said, as women wept over the coffin before it was burned in line with Buddhist traditions. “They came here, counting on me,” he told Reuters, saying there were no words to describe how he felt. Many other bodies, battered and stripped of their clothing by the force of the wave that hit them, have not been identified. Myanmar supplies 90% of the world’s jade, the vast majority exported to neighbouring China, which borders Kachin state. Deadly landslides and other accidents are common in the mines, which draw impoverished workers from across Myanmar. About 100 people were killed in a 2015 collapse that led to calls to regulate the industry. Another 50 died in 2019. Thursday’s landslide was the worst in memory. Myanmar’s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on Friday blamed the disaster on joblessness in the country, lamenting in a Facebook Live broadcast that informal workers had to go to the mines for lack of other employment. The government announced the formation of a committee to investigate the disaster. Activists say little has changed in the industry, despite a pledge from Suu Kyi’s government to clean it up when she took power in 2016. Rights group Global Witness said the landslide was a “damning indictment of the government’s failure to curb reckless and irresponsible mining practices.” “Neither a promised new Gemstone law, passed by parliament in 2019, nor a Gemstone policy that has been in production for several years have yet been implemented,” the group said in a statement. It says the trade is worth billions of dollars a year, funds it says fuel armed conflict between government troops and ethnic Kachin rebels fighting for greater autonomy for the region.
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Mine Collapses
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1958 London Vickers Viking accident crash
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The London Vickers Viking accident occurred on 2 September 1958 when an Independent Air Travel Vickers VC.1 Viking (registration G-AIJE) with three crew members aboard and loaded with two Bristol Proteus turboprop engines as cargo attempted a flight from London Heathrow Airport to Tel Aviv via Nice, Brindisi and Athens. [1]
The aircraft took off from Heathrow at 05:54 GMT but minutes into the flight the flight crew reported engine problems and requested a return to Blackbushe Airport. The crew was cleared by Air Traffic Control to descend to 3000 feet, but they were unable to maintain this altitude and continued descending. A Mayday call was made from the aircraft at 06:32 GMT, shortly before it crashed into a row of houses on Kelvin Gardens, Southall, Middlesex. [1][2] The aircraft burst into flames on impact, killing all three crew members as well as four people on the ground, a mother and three children. Witnesses reported that they saw one of the crew waving outside of the aircraft just before the aircraft crashed. [3]
According to the Public inquiry which investigated the accident, the probable cause of the accident was that "the aircraft was allowed to lose height and flying speed with the result that the pilot was no longer able to exercise asymmetric control. "[2] While the reasons for the loss of power and the subsequent loss of height and speed were not known, the public inquiry found a number of serious flaws in the operation of Independent Air Travel and the maintenance of the aircraft. Maintenance had been carried out on one of the aircraft propellers at Heathrow on the night before the accident by personnel who were not qualified to carry out the work. [1] The aircraft was overloaded[1] and the pilot had not had adequate rest, having effectively been on duty for 31 hours 30 minutes compared with the 16 hours required by the regulations[1] (This took advantage of a loophole in regulations that allowed crew to carry out flights during "rest" hours if no passengers or cargo was carried.[4]). Check flights, which should have tested the pilot's ability to handle the aircraft at high weights and with one engine out were found to be "perfunctory" and did not adequately prove the pilot's ability to handle the aircraft with one engine failed. [1]
The report stated that "it is quite clear...that the policy of this company was to keep its aircraft in the air at all costs and without any real regard for the requirements of maintenance. "[1] and that "it is not difficult for employers who are not unduly concerned to observe the regulations, to drive their employees and . . . to induce them to disregard the regulations designed to ensure safety in the air. "[1]
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Air crash
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Man convicted in Bob Evans shooting sentenced to life in prison without parole
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The man convicted of shooting and killing a former girlfriend while she was working at a local Bob Evans restaurant in April was sentenced today in court. 55-year-old Richard Nelson was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Nelson was found guilty on October 22 of aggravated murder in the shooting death of Rebecca Rogers, 38. The shooting happened while the victim was at work. Police told Fox 8 Nelson pursued Rogers into a hallway at the back of the restaurant where she was shot multiple times. About six to eight employees and a half dozen customers were inside when shots rang out about 9:30 a.m. on April 16. 9-1-1 callers reported frightened customers and employees hiding under tables. No one else was shot or injured. Rogers was rushed to a local hospital where she later died of her injuries. Nelson fled out of a back door but was apprehended by police a short time later in East Canton. Prior to the shooting Nelson already had a lengthy criminal history which included at least three prior arrests for domestic violence, assault and obstruction.
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Famous Person - Commit Crime - Sentence
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Rocket Report: Super Heavy rolls to launch site, Funk will get to fly
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Welcome to Edition 4.05 of the Rocket Report! We have a really big week in small launch: Virgin Orbit confirmed the viability of its LauncherOne vehicle with a second consecutive successful flight. Congratulations to the engineers and technicians who strove to make that rocket a reality. Virgin Orbit does it again. Virgin Orbit demonstrated Wednesday morning that its first spaceflight in January was no fluke. The company's Cosmic Girl aircraft took off from Mojave Air & Space Port about an hour after sunrise Wednesday and flew about 200 km off the California coast. The 747 carrier aircraft then dropped the LauncherOne rocket, which proceeded to ignite, reorient itself upward, and blast into orbit. Eventually, the rocket deployed seven small satellites into an orbit about 500 km above the planet. So what comes next? ... Virgin Orbit is hardware rich and had already begun building five new rockets in its Long Beach factory, Ars reports . But this preparedness has come at a cost. Founder Richard Branson has acknowledged that he and others have invested about $1 billion in Virgin Orbit to date, a very large sum for a relatively small rocket. LauncherOne has the capacity to send about one-half of a metric ton into low Earth orbit. The company says it has a variety of strategies underway to bring a return on that investment. Relativity Space will move into a gigantic factory. The California-based launch company announced plans on Wednesday morning to move into a new factory—its third new facility in three years—as the startup company continues to scale up its ambitious launch plans. The new factory, formerly a 93-acre Boeing facility that manufactured the C-17 aircraft in Long Beach, California, has 1 million square feet of work space, Ars reports . New rocket, new factory ... CEO Tim Ellis said the new 3D-printing factory is needed to support the production of the proposed Terran R rocket , a fully reusable booster intended to compete with SpaceX's highly successful Falcon 9 rocket. Relativity is also rapidly growing, he said, and the company now has a total of 400 employees. Relativity plans to add 200 more people by the end of 2021 and then likely double the total by the end of next year. The new factory will accommodate about 2,000 employees.
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New achievements in aerospace
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Seaboard World Airlines Flight 253A crash
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Seaboard World Airlines Flight 253A was a military charter flight carrying 214 American troops bound for South Vietnam. On July 1, 1968, the plane was intercepted by Soviet jets after it unintentionally violated Soviet airspace. It was forced to land on one of the Soviet-controlled Kuril Islands with all 238 Americans aboard being detained for two days. [1]
On the afternoon of July 1, 1968, a Seaboard World Airlines Douglas DC-8 Super 63CF departed McChord Air Force Base, near Seattle, Washington bound for Yokota Air Base in Japan. The plane was piloted by Joseph D. Tosolini, with copilot Henry Treger, flight engineer Earl Scott, and navigator Lawrence Guernon. [2] Because the plane was on its maiden flight, the crew also included a check pilot and a check engineer. [2] It was carrying 214 American troops and 24 crew members who were en route to South Vietnam via Japan. The aircraft strayed westward of its planned track as it came into range of Japan, passing along the Soviet-controlled Kuril Islands. Japanese radar controllers notified the crew of the error when it was about 80 nautical miles (150 km) off course. [1] Accounts differ as to whether the message was unintelligible to Flight 253A due to static[1] or whether the message was received but the crew did not have time to react. Two Soviet MIG fighter aircraft,[1] piloted by Yu. B. Alexandrov, V.A. Igonin, I.F. Evtoshenko and I.K. Moroz, intercepted the DC-8 at 2320 UTC (8:20 am)[citation needed], and directed it to follow by firing warning shots. [1] The DC-8 was led to Burevestnik airfield on Soviet-controlled Iturup Island,[2] landing at 2343 UTC (8:39 am), on the 2,400 metres (7,900 ft) concrete runway. [3] No damage to the plane was reported by the captain as he shut down the engines at 8:42 am. [2]
Burevestnik was a Soviet interceptor airfield served only by a military post and a small village. Initially all the Americans were confined to the aircraft and allowed outside to a radius of about 100 metres (330 ft) of the plane. Food in the galley ran out the next day, and the Soviets delivered military rations of brown bread, canned cheese, butter, weak coffee, beef bouillon, noodles, and cigarettes. The female cabin flight crew were allowed to sleep in a maintenance building on the second night. Diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Moscow began almost immediately with U.S. Ambassador Llewellyn Thompson already in Moscow for nuclear arms reduction talks. [2] The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which had been negotiated just weeks earlier, had been signed by U.S. President Lyndon Johnson on that day. Ambassador Thompson informed Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin that the airspace violation was unintentional,[1] but Kosygin explained that circumstances prevented him from doing as he wished and that the incident was under investigation. The following day Thompson was given a short protest note by the Soviets,. [1] A partially declassified CIA document indicated that Deputy Minister Kuznetsov added the personal comment that the USSR "did not wish to do anything to worsen our relations"[4] but expressed it was most important to have a quick reply. The U.S. issued a short note of apology, and Tosolini also apologized, allowing the plane to leave. Upon landing at Misawa Air Base in northern Japan about an hour later, Tosolini retracted his apology, insisting the plane had not strayed into Soviet territory. [5]
The incident was a diplomatic embarrassment for all parties, playing into the hands of the Soviet Union by distracting the U.S. from arms talks. The Sino-Soviet split reached a peak at this time and with China viewing the USSR's release of the plane as aiding Americans in the fight against North Vietnam, one of China's allies. [citation needed]
In December 1968, Seaboard was forced to pay a $5,000 civil penalty to the FAA, as its onboard Doppler radar was not properly certified. [6]
The aircraft continued to operate with Seaboard until 1970, when it was transferred to Icelandic Airways and re-registered as TF-FLB. In 1984, the aircraft was converted into a freighter and delivered to UPS airlines, re-registered as N836UP. The aircraft operated with UPS until it was withdrawn from use in 2003 and was later scrapped. [7]
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Air crash
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U.S. Steel Recognition Strike of 1901
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The U.S. Steel recognition strike of 1901 was an attempt by the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers (the AA) to reverse its declining fortunes and organize large numbers of new members. The strike failed. The AA had formed in 1876. It was a labor union of skilled iron and steel workers which was deeply committed to craft unionism. However, technological advances had reduced the number of skilled workers in both industries. In 1892, the AA had lost a bitter strike at the Carnegie Steel Company's steel mill in Homestead, Pennsylvania. The Homestead strike, which culminated with a day-long gun battle on July 6 that left 12 dead and dozens wounded, led to a wave of de-unionization. From a high of more than 24,000 members in 1892, union membership had sunk to less than 8,000 by 1900. The AA looked for growth in the tin industry, which still required skilled workers. By 1900, the union had organized 75 percent of the sheet metal mills and all but one of the tin mills in the country. [1]
But the AA seriously misjudged both the economics and the technology underlying the tin industry. The formation of the American Tin Plate Company, a monopoly trust, on December 14, 1898, brought a number of nonunion plants into the union facilities of the American Tinplate Company. Daniel G. Reid, primary owner of the tin plate trust, agreed to recognize the AA at the nonunion plants after a token strike in 1899. The formation in March 1900 of the American Sheet Steel Company, another trust, also brought a number of nonunion plants together with unionized facilities. But this time the company refused to recognize the AA in the nonunion plants. Instead, the American Sheet Steel Co. idled its union facilities while keeping its nonunion works running at full speed. [2]
The AA attempted to counteract the power of the trusts by amending its constitution. A clause was added which required every mill in a trust to strike if even one mill in the trust struck. [3]
The formation of the U.S. Steel trust in 1901 threatened the AA with ruin. U.S. Steel not only combined Elbert Gary and J.P. Morgan's Federal Steel with Andrew Carnegie's steel operations, it also incorporated the plants of the American Tin Plate Co. The AA was confronted with a crisis: It had to organize the plants of U.S. Steel before the corporation, with its comparatively limitless resources, could stop the union drives. But the executive committee of U.S. Steel was equally aware of the threat the AA posed, and the company's board of directors secretly adopted a resolution on June 17, 1901, opposing any unionization attempt. U.S. Steel's Tin Plate subsidiary reneged on promises to recognize the AA on the grounds that the union had not won contracts at every plant owned by the American Sheet Steel Co. Sheet Steel executives, meanwhile, not only refused to recognize the union at its nonunion plants but also began withdrawing recognition and refusing to bargain at its unionized plants. [4]
The AA tried to apply pressure on Sheet Steel by organizing U.S. Steel—the company which supplied Sheet Steel with most of its raw material. The AA settled on staging a recognition strike. U.S. Steel executives, worried about the impact of a strike during a high-demand time of the year and angered that Sheet Steel executives had provoked a strike with stridently anti-union actions, demanded a compromise. Subsequently, Sheet Steel officers agreed on July 13, 1901 to recognize the union at 18 of the company's 23 nonunion plants. But AA president T.J. Shaffer rejected the deal; after having demanded the unionization of every Sheet Steel plant, he would not be satisfied with anything less. A meeting between Morgan and Shaffer (accompanied by AA secretary John Williams) resulted in an additional wage agreement. But this wage agreement, which covered only the existing unionized plants, was rejected by the AA executive board. [5]
At a meeting on August 3, 1901, Morgan refused to renegotiate the wage agreement. It had been agreed to by Shaffer and Williams, and he considered it binding. The AA executive board ordered Shaffer to call a strike, to begin on August 10. The strike was crushed. At several plants, workers refused to turn out at all. Union members in Illinois and Pennsylvania turned out in small numbers. Unionized facilities at the National Steel and National Tube subsidiaries turned out almost to a man, but the overall effect on U.S. Steel was too weak. Strikebreakers were pouring into plants by the thousands, and shuttered works were reopening. Shaffer appealed to Samuel Gompers, asking for American Federation of Labor support and the calling of a national labor conference to make the strike the federation's main issue. Gompers refused. [6]
The strike against U.S. Steel ended on September 14, 1901. The AA settled for terms far worse than those offered in August. Only plants which had started and ended the strike were covered, which meant that the union lost recognition at 15 plants. The company even won a pledge from the union not to organize any plant not already unionized, and to reject any offer of affiliation from a unionized plant. [7]
In March 1903, the American Sheet Steel Co. merged with U.S. Steel, ensuring its future as a nonunion company. [citation needed]
In A History of American Labor, Joseph G. Rayback has written,
After the strike was lost, the Amalgamated charged Gompers with "lukewarmness" and Mitchell of the U.M.W. with failure to keep a promise to support steelworkers. Although Gompers and Mitchell were exonerated by a committee of the federation, the indictment made an impression. It served to focus attention upon Gompers' and Mitchell's association with industrialists in the National Civic Federation. The more aggressive labor leaders began to reveal a suspicion of the alliance; socialists became convinced that Gompers had sold out; even some middle-class reformers sympathetic to labor began to doubt.
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Strike
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2007 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship
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The 2007 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship was the 8th edition of the women's field hockey championship organised by the European Hockey Federation. It was held in Manchester, England from August 18 to August 25, 2007. In the final, Germany upset Netherlands to clinch the first title. Meanwhile, England secured the last automatic berth for 2008 Summer Olympics after defeated Spain in third place match. All times are Central European Summer Time (UTC +2)
The teams who finished third and fourth in their respective pools are carried to this pool. They have to play two matches in this pool with the opponents they had not met while carrying the results for their matches against the played opponents. The team finishing at the top of this pool classified as the fifth-place winner. As per statistical convention in field hockey, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws. There were 77 goals scored in 20 matches, for an average of 3.85 goals per match. 5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
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Sports Competition
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Linc Energy fined $4.5 million for serious environmental harm at underground coal gasification plant
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A Victorian man who flew from Brisbane to Hobart on flight VA702 today has tested positive to COVID-19 and has not been allowed to board a flight to Melbourne
A Watch & Act warning is in place for a fire in the northern parts of Mokine, in WA's Northam Shire. Keep up to date with ABC Emergency
A gas company has been fined a record $4.5 million for causing serious environmental harm at its underground coal gasification plant on Queensland's western Darling Downs.
Linc Energy was found guilty by a District Court jury in Brisbane last month after a 10-week trial.
The company was charged with five counts of wilfully and unlawfully causing serious environmental harm between 2007 and 2013 at Hopeland near Chinchilla.
Linc Energy mismanaged the underground burning of coal seams, which caused rock to fracture and allowed the escape of toxic gases which contaminated the air, soil and water on site.
The court heard the highest fine imposed upon a company so far in Queensland for similar offending was $500,000.
Linc Energy did not defend itself during the trial because it is now in liquidation.
Five executive directors have been charged with failing to ensure compliance of the company and are due to face a committal hearing in the Brisbane Magistrates Court in July.
Prosecutor Ralph Devlin told the court the company knew it was causing damage but pressed ahead with operations, and described its offending as "serious".
"The defendant acted in devious and cavalier way … its motivation was commercial gain," he said.
"It pursued commercial interests over environmental safeguards."
The court heard there would be monitoring and remediation of the site for decades to come, and it will take potentially between 10 to 20 years for groundwater to recover.
Judge Michael Shanahan said despite the fact the company was now in liquidation, there was good reason to impose financial penalties.
"I am unsure of any of its assets or liabilities and capacity to pay fines," he said.
"Linc was well aware of the damage being done … and attempted to hide it from the regulator."
Judge Shanahan said the offending was carried out over seven years and was "persistent and in clear breach" of its obligations.
Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane said the project had been a "blight" to the environmental and resources council, saying "99.99 per cent of the industry comply by the rules".
"This is one company that stepped outside those rules and I think it's important that the full force of the law was laid against them," Mr Macfarlane said.
Senior Queensland Government Minister Kate Jones said the fine was a clear warning for all companies impacting the environment.
"I'm very pleased with this result," Ms Jones said.
"Clearly Linc Energy has done the wrong thing and the fine sends a very strong message to other companies out there to do the right thing."
Lock the Gate spokesperson Vicki Perrin said she was deeply concerned about Linc Energy's ability to pay the $4.5 million penalty, given they were currently in liquidation.
"The Queensland Government needs to stop approving every mining and gas project that comes before it, and set higher standards in the early stages before we end up with another mess like this," she said.
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Organization Fine
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Families who live in Grand Sud, Madagascar，which suffers droughts, have seen drastic impacts on their livelihoods and health.
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Droughts in Grand Sud, Madagascar, have sharply increased in both frequency and intensity in recent years. Bearing the full brunt of the effects of climate change, families who live in this region have seen drastic impacts on their livelihoods and health. In 2020, there were virtually no rains. Historically low rainfall levels depleted the few sources of clean water that existed in this chronically dry region. As a result, water-bourne illnesses such as diarrhea have increased sharply. And, without rain, there could be no harvests. Food insecurity and malnutrition rose. “What little I produced in the past has been completely consumed. I don't know the dates, but it's been a long time since I had a harvest,” says Maliha, 38, a single mother of eight children. “Since the rain stopped, the children are not eating regularly. I give them whatever I can find, like cactus leaves. With this diet, they have diarrhea and nausea, but we have no choice. At least it doesn't kill them.” Many families struggled to survive 2020, and hoped for a better year in 2021. Sadly, the rains have not yet come. GRAND SUD ON THE VERGE OF FAMINE “Kéré” means famine in Malagasy, Madagascar’s national language. It’s a term that too many families are familiar with, too often: periods of hunger come annually between harvests in Grand Sud. This year, the lean period has been longer and drier than usual – and the hunger crisis more severe. Persistent drought and sandstorms have resulted in the second consecutive year of poor harvests. And, while food prices continue to rise, families have run out of what remained of their reserves and many cannot afford what’s in the market. Right now, an estimated 1.14 million people in the Grand Sud are suffering from severe acute food insecurity, including nearly 14,000 people who are struggling to survive famine conditions. More than 135,000 are acutely malnourished, and more than 27,000 of those children are suffering from the deadliest form of hunger - severe acute malnutrition. “The lean season comes every year, but right now, it is particularly hard. It has lasted the whole year. Before, the rain fell during the months of January, February, and March and allowed the cultivation of varieties of melons and pumpkins,” says Jean Delacroix Tsimanantsiny, Deputy Head of Programs for Action Against Hunger in one of the hardest hit districts, Ambovombe. "This year, the rains have never fallen and the population is suffering." MOBILE TEAMS RESPOND Action Against Hunger’s 25 mobile health and nutrition support teams reach families that live furthest from health centers, targeting the areas with the highest numbers of malnourished children across nine districts. When they arrive in a village, the mobile teams screen all children under five years old for malnutrition. A typical team includes a screener, who uses a color-coded arm band, height board, and scale to check a height, weight, and child’s nutrition status, and two nurses, who can provide treatment for malnutrition and other illnesses. If a malnourished child needs additional treatment, they are taken to a nearby outpatient center. The most severe cases, or cases where there are additional medical complications, are transferred for inpatient care at the local hospital. “The situation has really deteriorated. Before, there were nearly 80 cases of children needing treatment at the health center, but now there are nearly 400 cases. That is why we must come – as reinforcements. The numbers are increasing both at the health center and in the villages,” explains Hamelo Lahimalio, who serves as a nurse on one of our mobile teams. By working directly in the village, our teams are as close as they can be to the communities and can catch cases of malnutrition earlier, to reduce the need to visit a health center, which is far from home and often overloaded with patients in need. After children are screened and rations of treatment are distributed to those in need, our teams work with mothers to teach them about what is causing malnutrition in their children. We also show them how to conduct an appetite test with their little ones using a packet of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a special peanut paste. Often a sign of malnutrition worsening is a loss of appetite and interest in food. “We cannot feed our children. This is what makes us suffer the most. There is no rain, so no harvests. The land is no longer arable and is abandoned. We eat plants - anything we can pick up.” says Donoe, a 40-year-old mother of six children. “This support helps us a lot. My child is now healthy after receiving the treatment.” Between October 2020 and March 2021, our teams have provided treatment to 8,727 severely malnourished children, 8,582 moderately malnourished children, and 9,611 children with other illnesses. "I remember a child who had only skin and bones. The situation seemed without hope,” recalls Florentine Ramanampisoa, an Action Against Hunger nurse. “It was hard to think he could make it through, it seemed hopeless, but we never gave up. We told the mother to follow the treatment protocols carefully and, luckily, he recovered.” The hunger crisis in Grand Sud threatens to drag on for months. Even if the rains come at the end of the year, farmers’ resources are depleted after such a poor harvest. And now, they lack the resources to afford fertilizer, seeds and other tools to plant their fields adequately. With the nutrition situation already more than alarming, our teams will continue their tireless work to help children and families who are suffering from hunger in the region.
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Droughts
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2016 PDC World Darts Championship
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The 2016 William Hill World Darts Championship was the 23rd World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation. The event was held at the Alexandra Palace, London, between 17 December 2015 and 3 January 2016. Gary Anderson was the defending champion, having won his first world title in the 2015 final by beating 16-times champion Phil Taylor 7–6. He retained his title by beating Adrian Lewis 7–5. [1] He also threw a nine-dart finish in his semi-final against Jelle Klaasen to add a bonus £15,000 to his winnings, and hit two maximum checkouts of 170 in the progress. [2]
There were 654 maximums thrown during the event, beating the record of 625 from the previous year. 34 of these were produced in the final which is a record for a professional match. [3]
Three-time world champion John Part was a notable absentee in this tournament, having failed to qualify for the first time since joining the PDC in 1997. The tournament featured 72 players. The top 32 players on the PDC Order of Merit on 30 November 2015 (after the Players Championship Finals) were seeded for the tournament. They were joined by the 16 highest non-qualified players from the Pro Tour Order of Merit, based on the events played on the 2015 PDC Pro Tour. These 48 players were joined by two PDPA qualifiers (as determined at a PDPA Qualifying event held in Coventry on 30 November 2015), and 22 international players: the four highest names on the European Order of Merit not already qualified, and 18 further international qualifiers determined by the PDC and PDPA. Some of the international players, such as the four from the European Order of Merit, and the top American and Australian players entered straight into the first round, while others, having won qualifying events in their countries, were entered into the preliminary round. [4]
Thanawat Gaweenuntawong became the first player from Thailand to play at a World Darts Championship. [5]
Order of Merit
Pro Tour
European Pro Tour
PDPA QualifierFirst Round Qualifier
Preliminary Round Qualifier
International Qualifiers
First Round Qualifiers
Preliminary Round Qualifiers
The 2016 World Championship featured a prize fund of at least £1,500,000 – an increase of £250,000 from the 2015 tournament. [6]
The prize money was allocated as follows:
The format in the preliminary round was extended from a best-of-seven legs to a best-of-three sets format. One match was played in the first eight sessions with the winners playing their first round matches at the end of the session. This table shows the number of players by country in the World Championship, the total number including the preliminary round. The tournament was available in the following countries on these channels:[23]
† Sky Sports F1 was renamed as Sky Sports Darts for the duration of the tournament.
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Sports Competition
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Binghamton High closed for day after police investigate shooting on Murray St.
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Binghamton High School was closed to in-person learning Tuesday and operated fully remote due to an ongoing investigation into a shooting that occurred around 2:50 p.m. Monday on Murray Street. Binghamton High School Principle Kevin Richmond said via Twitter that the high school and a pre-k program held at the school was closed to ensure the safety of students and staff and to assist with the investigation. On Tuesday, the district said in a news release that the high school closed so it could reduce pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the area, allowing police to continue its investigation. Today, there was an incident at North and Murray street that involved gun shots. No one was injured and BPD is conducting an investigation. To ensure the safety of all, and assist with the investigation, BHS will be fully remote tomorrow, Tuesday, September 21. — Kevin J Richman (@Kevin_Richman) September 20, 2021 Binghamton Police Capt. Cory J. Minor said several shots were fired around 121 Murray St., and four men were seen fleeing the area. The high school is around the corner, with the main entrance on Main Street. Police found 24 9mm bullet casings, and two occupied homes were struck by gunfire, as well as two parked, unoccupied vehicles. No one was injured. Anyone with information on the ongoing investigation is asked to contact the Binghamton Police Detective Bureau at (607) 772-7080.
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Organization Closed
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Australia provokes China anger over scrapped deals
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Australia has scrapped agreements tied to China's Belt and Road initiative, prompting anger from Beijing and adding further strain to tense relations between the countries. The federal government used new powers to rip up two deals made between the state of Victoria and China. Canberra said it was backing away from the agreements to protect Australia's national interest. The Chinese embassy in Australia branded the move "provocative".
It said the action by Canberra was "bound to bring further damage to bilateral relations, and will only end up hurting itself." "It further shows that the Australian government has no sincerity in improving China-Australia relations," a spokesperson said in a statement. It is the first time Canberra has used the powers to veto deals made by states, local governments or public universities with foreign countries. The laws allow the government to cancel agreements deemed to threaten Australia's national interest.
In addition to the China deals, Foreign Minister Marise Payne also scrapped agreements with Iran and Syria. They were a memorandum of understanding sealed between Victoria's education department and Iran, signed in 2004, and a 1999 scientific cooperation agreement signed with Syria. Senator Payne said the four agreements were "inconsistent with Australia's foreign policy or adverse to our foreign relations".
Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, she defended the government's decision and said she did not expect China to retaliate. "I think Australia is acting in our national interest, we are very careful and very considered in that approach," she told the AM radio programme.
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Tear Up Agreement
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