title
stringlengths 1
7.43k
| text
stringlengths 111
32.3k
| event_type
stringlengths 4
57
| date
stringlengths 8
14
⌀ | metadata
stringlengths 2
205
⌀ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Volkswagen fined $125 million for misleading customers about emissions
|
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
Volkswagen has been hit with a double whammy in one day — fined $125 million for misleading consumers about its diesel emissions and hit with allegations that it broke responsible lending laws.
Volkswagen AG, the German parent company, has been slugged with the highest penalty order ever made by the Federal Court for contravening consumer law.
The car manufacturer admitted it did not disclose to the Australian government its cars had two-mode software that hid the true nature of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
When mode one was switched on, it limited the amount of NOx that was emitted.
Cars were tested for emissions in mode one.
But when cars were put on the road, mode two was switched on which produced higher NOx emissions.
Volkswagen engineers designed the two-mode software in 2006 and it was kept secret until it was discovered in 2015.
How did German carmaker Volkswagen rig emissions tests in diesel-powered vehicles and fool US regulators?
The Federal Court found Volkswagen should have disclosed the information to the government when it sought approval to supply and import more than 57,000 cars into Australia between 2011 and 2015.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chairman Rod Sims said Volkswagen's conduct was "blatant and deliberate".
"This penalty reflects a trend of ever higher penalties for breaches of Australian consumer law," he said.
The ACCC had previously reached a settlement that would have seen Volkswagen AG pay $75 million, but changed course, instead referring the matter to the Federal Court.
In a statement, Volkswagen AG said it "had agreed in principle to the smaller sum and is now reviewing the court's reasons for deviating from that amount".
It says it will "determine in coming weeks if it will appeal against the decision."
The car manufacturer said most cars have now had an update to the engine control software under an ongoing voluntary recall.
All new motor vehicles supplied or imported into Australia must comply with Australian standards for exhaust emissions.
Volkswagen's Australian financial arm, Volkswagen Financial Services, is being sued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) for allegedly breaking responsible lending laws. ASIC has accused Volkswagen Financial Services of breaking consumer credit laws in 49,380 car loan contracts between 2013 and 2016. It alleges Volkswagen Financial Services did not carry out proper checks to make sure customers could repay the loans.
The Federal Court will examine whether Volkswagen contravened the National Credit Act provisions.
The maximum penalty for each contravention is $1.8 million.
"The responsible lending obligations in the National Credit Act are intended to prevent consumers entering unsuitable credit contracts," ASIC commissioner Sean Hughes said.
"It is entirely the responsibility of credit providers to properly assess whether the consumer has the capacity to service the loan without incurring substantial hardship."
In a statement, Volkswagen Financial Services Australia said it took its compliance obligations seriously and it has been cooperating with ASIC on matters arising from 2013 to 2016.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work.
This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced.
AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
|
Organization Fine
| null | null |
Moranbah mine explosion leaves five people in serious condition
|
Five people have serious injuries after an explosion at Grosvenor coal mine at Moranbah in central Queensland's Bowen Basin. The patients suffered burns to their upper bodies and airways and were taken to Moranbah Hospital in a serious condition. Ambulance crews were called to the scene just after 3:00pm and multiple rescue helicopters were called in. A spokesperson for Queensland Mines Minister Anthony Lynham said the explosion took place at Grosvenor coal mine, which is operated by Anglo American. In a statement, mining company Anglo American said it was in the process of evacuating the mine and the emergency response was underway. "Five people have been injured and transported to hospital. All of the injured people's families have been contacted," it read. "All remaining onsite personnel have been accounted for. The mine is in the process of being evacuated and operations stopped. Emergency response is currently underway. "The mines inspectorate has been contacted and Anglo American is working to ensure the injured people have the best available medical care." Two rescue helicopters and three LifeFlight rescue jets were deployed to assist in the medical response. A spokesperson for the Queensland Mines Inspectorate confirmed it had received reports of five injured workers. "Mines Inspectors have deployed to Grosvenor Coal Mine, near Moranbah, following an incident at the mine on Wednesday 6 May," the statement read. "The mine operator has advised the Inspectorate that all mine workers were evacuated and have been accounted for." Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman Bridgette Seymour said officers arrived at the mine site shortly after 3:00pm and the five injured workers were taken to hospital. "At the moment, our officers have got the five patients in serious conditions, all with significant burns," she said. Ms Seymour said they would be flown to Brisbane on Wednesday evening for treatment if medical teams deemed it safe. She said Rescue Services Queensland would be "working with the teams on the ground there to make sure the patients are stable and bring them back safely to the Brisbane area". In a statement, the CFMEU said it was aware of an event that occurred underground at the mine. "Union safety inspectors are attending the site and will undertake a thorough, independent investigation into causes of what appears to be an ignition of gas on the longwall face," the statement read. Stephen Smyth, president of the CFMEU Mining and Energy Queensland District, said the immediate priority was taking care of affected workers. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured workers and their families, and all the workers at Grosvenor affected by today's events," Mr Smyth said. "The union will do everything possible to support a return to safe conditions at the mine and get to the bottom of what has occurred today. "Explosions are the worst nightmare for underground coal miners; we will make sure no stone is left unturned," he said. Queensland Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said she was "praying for the safety of the miners" injured in the explosion. "There have been too many tragedies in our mines in the past 18 months and this news is another terrible shock for the industry," Ms Frecklington said. "My thoughts are with these workers and with their families, friends and workmates. "This incident is a reminder of the very real risks that mine workers take every day to provide for their families and their communities. "Every Queenslander should be able to go home safely when their work is done," she said.
|
Mine Collapses
| null | null |
Some businesses closed, others offering to help amid widespread power outages
|
John Bright of Fort Gratiot knows what it’s like to sit in a house without power, so with power outages affecting thousands in St. Clair County, he’s opening his business to the community. In a Facebook post Thursday morning , Bright invited people to come to his Port Huron Township business, Bright Bargains Trade Center at 3292 Lapeer Road. People can charge their devices, use the kitchen to heat food and play games. “It’s open for everybody,” he said. “I don’t care who comes.” DTE Energy hopes to restore power to most customers in Michigan by the end of the day Friday, according to a company press release. Many businesses and organization are closed due to power outages Thursday, including St. Clair County Health Department, Day Treatment/Night Watch, St. Clair County Community College, Port Huron Area School District, Algonac Community Schools, Marysville Public Schools, Yale Public Schools and the YMCA of the Blue Water Area. Some businesses expected to potentially be closed longer, like The Windjammer Bar and Grill in Lexington. The restaurant had "100% food loss" and needed to restock, re-prep and expected to be closed until Wednesday, according to a Facebook post Thursday. Port Huron Downtown Development Authority Director Cynthia Cutright said there were some minor branches down in downtown after a walkthrough Thursday morning, with outages “pretty spotty.” There is a major power pole down in the west Quay Street lot near the Zebra Bar in downtown, which is where the majority of issues are believed to come from. The lot is closed until wires can be removed, she said. Some businesses in downtown had electricity, but no internet and could not take credit card payments Thursday morning. A few businesses had chosen to be closed for the day due to outages, she said. Cutright said there are no estimates for when power will be fully restored downtown, but like the rest of the city it will probably take a couple days. The Port Huron Parks and Forestry phone line is down so people are asked to call City Manager James Freed's office directly at (810) 984-9740 to be redirected to the right department, she said. DTE Energy was planning to offer ice and other resources from noon to 6 p.m. at the north McMorran Arena parking lot and clothing store Patrick & James was offering to let people charge their phones at 225 Huron Ave. in Port Huron, Cutright said. Due to the widespread power outages throughout St. Clair County, the following locations are available for residents to charge personal wireless devices and medical devices during normal business hours, according to a county press release: Algonac City Hall: 805 St. Clair River Drive, Algonac Burtchville Township Offices: 4000 Burtch Road, Burtchville Township Home Depot – Fort Gratiot: 4195 24th Ave., Fort Gratiot Township Lowes – Fort Gratiot: 4200 24th Ave., Fort Gratiot Township Grant Township Offices: 7942 Wildcat Road, Grant Township Ira Township Fire Station: 7065 Meldrum Road, Ira Township Kimball Township Fire Department – Station 1: 1970 Allen Road, Kimball Township Kenockee Township Fire Department: 8815 Main St., Avoca Memphis Fire Department: 35095 Potter St., Memphis Mussey Township Fire Department: 550 W. Mill St., Capac City of Port Huron Municipal Office Center: 100 McMorran Blvd., Port Huron Port Huron Township Offices: 3800 Lapeer Road, Port Huron Township And then of course there’s Bright Bargains. Bright said as of 11 a.m. only family members had taken advantage of his invitation, with family bringing in a crockpot and making chili. He has a small kitchen area with a microwave, hot plate, toaster, coffee pot and Keurig people can use. He said he’s set up to help, with tables and many chairs he uses for auctions. He has put out a power strip for people to use and can pull out a TV with a Roku so people can stream. The business is open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays and he has staff planned to operate the building, but if there’s a crowd and the building needs to stay open later it will, Bright said. He’s had people reach out to him when he needed it, so it’s nice to be able to pass it along. Hopefully people can get back their power and lives soon, but if not, he’s there. “We’re here, we’re available,” he said. “It’s just the right thing to do.” Contact Bryce Airgood at (810) 989-6202 or bairgood@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @bairgood123. How to keep food safe during a power outage According to the Michigan State University Extension Nutrition Program, keeping food safe during power outages is important for the health and safety of people and their families. “Knowing how to determine if food is safe and how to keep food safe will help minimize the potential loss of food and reduce the risk of foodborne illness,” according to an alert from the St. Clair County MSU Extension Office. The following are some of the office’s tips for food during a power outage: Keep the refrigerator or freezer door closed to keep the cold air inside. Do not open the door any more than necessary. Cover the appliance with blankets, sleeping bags or comforters to keep the cold in, making sure vents are not covered. A full free-standing freezer will stay at freezing temperatures about two days; a half -full freezer about one day if closed. Keep the temperature of the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower; the colder the food, the longer it will stay frozen. Refrigerated food will usually remain cool in the refrigerator for four to six hours, depending on the room temperature. People cannot rely on appearance or odor to determine if the food is safe. Never taste food to determine its safety. Some foods may look and smell fine, but, if they have been warm too long, they may contain bacteria in quantities that could cause illness. Dairy foods are very perishable and should be discarded. People with questions can call the MSU Extension Food Safety Hotline at (877) 643-9882 or contact Laurie Messing at lmessing@msu.edu or (989) 269-9949. For more information visit MSU Extension's website.
|
Organization Closed
| null | null |
2019 Men's EuroHockey Championship IV
|
The 2019 Men's EuroHockey Championship was the 17th edition of the EuroHockey Nations Championship, the biennial international men's field hockey championship of Europe organised by the European Hockey Federation. It was held alongside the women's tournament from 16 to 24 August 2019 in Antwerp, Belgium. [1][2] The tournament also served as a direct qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, with the winner Belgium qualifying. The hosts Belgium won their first-ever European title after beating Spain 5–0 in the final. [3] The two-time defending champions the Netherlands won the bronze medal by defeating Germany 4–0. [4]
The following teams, shown with pre-tournament world rankings, participated in the 2019 EuroHockey Championship. [5]
The eight teams were split into two groups of four teams. The top two teams advanced to the semifinals to determine the winner in a knockout system. The bottom two teams played in a new group with the teams they did not play against in the group stage. The last two teams were relegated to the EuroHockey Championship II. All times are local (UTC+2). The points obtained in the preliminary round against the other team were taken over. Qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics
Relegated to the EuroHockey Championship II
The following awards were given at the conclusion of the tournament. [3]
There were 103 goals scored in 20 matches, for an average of 5.15 goals per match. 5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
Source: FIH
|
Sports Competition
| null | null |
COVID-19 tracker: Total Japan-wide cases top 1.5 million, up 500,000 in month
|
People line up in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on Saturday to obtain a lottery ticket to get vaccinated against COVID-19. | KYODO Staff report, Jiji Sep 1, 2021 The cumulative number of new COVID-19 cases nationwide topped 1.5 million on Wednesday, in the latest sign of just how quickly the virus is spreading under the latest wave of infections. While it took about 15 months for the cumulative number of cases to reach 500,000 after the first case in Japan was confirmed in January last year, it took just 26 days for the number to rise from 1 million in early August to 1.5 million, indicating the accelerated pace of spread last month. Japan confirmed 20,031 new cases on Wednesday, sending the total tally since the discovery of Japan’s first case last year to 1,511,394. The number of severely ill COVID-19 patients stood at 2,092 across Japan, down 18 from Tuesday. It was the first fall since July 20. Seventy-one coronavirus deaths were reported nationwide, the highest number since July 28, when 78 died. Osaka Prefecture reported 3,004 new COVID-19 cases, topping the 3,000 threshold for the first time even as infections in Tokyo and other areas continue to fall. Osaka, which confirmed 2,347 cases a day earlier, also reported 12 deaths linked to the virus. In the capital, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 3,168 new cases, as well as seven new fatalities among infected people. Tokyo’s daily infection total fell by 1,060 from a week earlier, down for the 10th consecutive day. The daily infection tally there averaged 3,369.3 for the past week, down from 4,471.4 in the preceding week. The number of severely ill COVID-19 patients in Tokyo under the metropolitan government’s criteria stood at 286, down one from the previous day. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
|
Disease Outbreaks
| null | null |
5,000-year-old relic from the Great Pyramid discovered in a cigar box in Scotland
|
Late last year, curatorial assistant Abeer Eladany was reviewing items in the University of Aberdeen's museum collections, when she came across an item that didn't seem to belong. Eladany, who is originally from Egypt and had spent a decade working at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, noticed the country's former flag on an unassuming cigar box. She opened it up to find small pieces of wood inside -- and, after cross checking it with museum records, realized she had stumbled upon a lost artifact from the Great Pyramid of Giza, the centerpiece of an enduring archaeological mystery. Only three objects have ever been recovered from inside the Great Pyramid -- a trio of items known as the "Dixon Relics," according to the University of Aberdeen. Two of them, a ball and a hook , are now housed in the British Museum. But the third object, fragments belonging to a much larger piece of cedar wood, had been missing for more than 70 years, the university added. Abeer Eladany with the cigar box and pieces of wood. Credit: University of Aberdeen "Once I looked into the numbers in our Egypt records, I instantly knew what it was, and that it had effectively been hidden in plain sight in the wrong collection," said Eladeny in a press release from the university. Egypt adds restaurant at ancient pyramid site "I'm an archaeologist and have worked on digs in Egypt but I never imagined it would be here in north-east Scotland that I'd find something so important to the heritage of my own country." The Great Pyramid stands 139 meters (about 455 feet) high and was built around 4,500 years ago. It's the largest of the group of pyramids at Giza, the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and a major tourist attraction. The pyramid is composed of narrow , cramped tunnels, difficult for people to climb through. In the 18th and 19th centuries, archaeologists and researchers used to try blasting their way into chambers inside. To avoid further damaging the ancient structures, modern archaeologists now use technology like robots and remote cameras to explore its interior; in the Great Pyramid, they have so far only gained access to three known chambers. The relics were first discovered in 1872 inside the pyramid's Queen's Chamber by engineer Waynman Dixon. He was assisted by his friend James Grant, a graduate from the University of Aberdeen; their discovery of the relics, according to the release, was widely reported at the time. The Giza pyramids in Egypt, photographed on March 13, 2020. Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP/Getty Images Dixon took the ball and hook, and Grant took the piece of wood, the university said. After Grant's death in 1895, his collections were bequeathed to the university, and his daughter donated a "five inch piece of cedar" in 1946. Archaeologists unearth 'huge number' of sealed Egyptian sarcophagi But because the piece was never properly classified, it stayed hidden for decades despite an "extensive search," until Eladany accidentally discovered it in the Asia collection. "The University's collections are vast -- running to hundreds of thousands of items -- so looking for it has been like finding a needle in a haystack," she said. "I couldn't believe it when I realized what was inside this innocuous-looking cigar tin." There are different theories about the wood's purpose and date of origin -- some researchers think it's part of a larger measurement tool, which they believe could provide clues as to how the towering pyramids were constructed. The cigar box with wooden fragments had been added to the museum's Asia collection, but actually housed the Egyptian relics. Credit: University of Aberdeen The process of radiocarbon dating has revealed that the fragments are from around 3341-3094 B.C. -- centuries before the construction of the Great Pyramid. Covid-19 restrictions had delayed the dating of the 'lost' cedar fragment, said the university. The larger piece of wood it originated from, still inside the Great Pyramid, was most recently seen by a robotic camera in 1993 and is now unreachable. Discovery of ancient ramp may solve Egyptian pyramids mystery This suggests that the relics were original to the construction of the Pyramid, instead of being later left by those inside the completed Pyramid. "It is even older than we had imagined. This may be because the date relates to the age of the wood, maybe from the center of a long-lived tree," said Neil Curtis, Head of Museums and Special Collections at the University of Aberdeen, in the release. "Alternatively, it could be because of the rarity of trees in ancient Egypt, which meant that wood was scarce, treasured and recycled or cared for over many years." He added that the discovery might "reignite interest" in the relics. "It will now be for scholars to debate its use and whether it was deliberately deposited, as happened later during the New Kingdom, when pharaohs tried to emphasize continuity with the past by having antiquities buried with them.
|
New archeological discoveries
| null | null |
TheJakartaPost
|
Two centuries-old shipwrecks packed with ceramics and other artefacts have been found off Singapore in a rare discovery that will shed light on the city-state's maritime heritage, archaeologists said Wednesday. The prosperous island nation has long been a key trading hub on global shipping routes connecting the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. The wrecks were found off Pedra Branca, a rocky outcrop east of Singapore, according to the National Heritage Board and think tank the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, which worked together on the project. The first wreck, discovered after divers accidentally came across ceramic plates in 2015, was carrying Chinese ceramics that possibly date back to the 14th century, when Singapore was known as Temasek. Some of the items were similar to artefacts found in archaeological digs on land, which showed that Singapore was a trading hub well before the arrival of British colonisers in 1819. Undersea excavations on the first wreck led to the discovery of the second, which is likely to be the Shah Munchah, a merchant vessel built in India that sank in 1796 while sailing from China to India. Items recovered from the second wreck ranged from Chinese ceramics to glass and agate objects, as well anchors and cannons, the heritage board and think tank said. The survey and recovery of artefacts from the two wrecks was completed this year. Such cannons were typically mounted on merchant ships used by the East India Company --- the trading behemoth through which the British empire expanded in Asia -- in the 18th and 19th centuries, they added. The vessel discovered in 2015 was the first ancient shipwreck to be found in Singapore's waters. It was carrying "more Yuan dynasty blue-and-white porcelain than any other documented shipwreck in the world," said Michael Flecker, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute's archaeology unit. "Many of the pieces are rare, and one is believed to be unique." The Yuan dynasty existed in what is now China in the 13th and 14th centuries. Much of the Chinese cargo in the second wreck was destined for eventual shipping to Britain, said Flecker.
|
Shipwreck
| null | null |
Crops and livestock 'polluted' by plastic along Port Wakefield Road
|
Farmers are considering their legal options after rubbish associated with trucks offloading at a dump in Adelaide's north was blamed for polluting grain and potentially causing the death of livestock.
The shoulder of the Port Wakefield Road highway from Bolivar to Dublin is littered with plastic and rubbish, creating what former SA Farmers Federation president John Lush called an "untidy" and expensive headache for nearby grain growers.
"When we deliver grain, there's a nil tolerance for foreign objects," the Mallala farmer told ABC Radio Adelaide's Mornings program.
"Sticks and stones and plastics and all sorts of things, if you've got any of that in your load, it gets rejected and you've got to take it home and clean it out."
He said farmers were having to pay several hundred dollars at a time to take their grain home and clean it up due to finding plastic among their loads.
"And if you've driven from Mallala to Port Adelaide and you get sent home, then you're looking at extra costs," Mr Lush said.
"I'm aware of some farmers that live along that road who have a fairly major problem, and it's not just crops, it's livestock as well."
Steve Jones, who created the famous Lower Light Sculptures protesting local dumps several years ago, said he once ran cattle in a paddock fronting Port Wakefield Road opposite the Dublin dump.
He found cattle dead in the paddock, having "blown up [become overtly bloated] for no reason".
"We noticed they were chewing the plastics that were blowing along the road and which would blow onto your fence and hang off the barbed wire," Mr Jones said.
He said the owner of a smaller feedlot across the road bordering the dump's south did an autopsy on a steer found dead in the paddock.
"There was a large amount of plastic bags and plastic materials inside the animal's stomach," Mr Jones said.
"Because they've got more than one stomach, they can't digest stuff, so they just blow up and die."
Mr Jones said he believed most of the rubbish was blowing off trucks after they had left the dump with remnant plastic and light materials left inside the cargo hold.
Mr Lush said farmers had not yet received legal advice, but said it was something they should look at to find out whether there was a "culpability dimension" to those responsible for the loose rubbish and plastic littering the roads and finding its way onto adjacent land.
"I'd have to talk to a lawyer on that one because I would imagine polluting the landscape so it can downgrade someone else's produce would not be acceptable," he said.
The IWS Group was given approval to build its Northern Balefill at Dublin in 1998, provided conditions were met to mitigate any groundwater contamination and to manage litter and potential health risks to livestock.
IWS chief operating officer Colin Mayberry said the group remained committed to operating its landfill in accordance with Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
He said the group did not provide a direct waste transport service and there were "multiple transport operators delivering waste to this site and other landfill sites in the area".
"All waste transport operators must hold an EPA waste transport licence to enter an IWS facility," Mr Mayberry said.
EPA director of regulation Peter Dolan said IWS was fined in January for failing to pick up litter outside the site.
He said another fine was given to a company during April for failing to fit their litter net properly.
"It doesn't take very much litter from very many trucks for it to become unsightly and to cause problems for the neighbours, so it's something we're cracking down on all the time," Mr Dolan said.
He said there had been a higher level of compliance since IWS was fined and suggested the biggest issue was remnant litter escaping uncovered trucks once they had left the site, or litter that blew away during the baling process.
"Landfill gates are manned, and staff ... should be reminding drivers of their responsibilities as they go," Mr Dolan said.
"It's not a mandatory requirement to have them doing that but it's in the landfills' interests, otherwise they get blamed for the litter that blows around the site."
The EPA at one point trialled two cameras on the road leading out of the landfill site but they were stolen about two years ago and never replaced.
"We've actually had unmarked vehicles with dashcams follow trucks from time to time," Mr Dolan said.
"Most people cover their loads [and] we're not seeing a lot of direct evidence that way.
"There are a dozen truck movements a day and we can't see them all."
He did, however, suggest that the biggest culprits were drivers of vehicles such as B-double trucks.
"We think people are just being lazy and not covering up and that's clearly a serious issue.
"I certainly want those farmers to come to us so we can investigate more fully.
"Unless we see the rubbish blow off the truck, we don't actually know which truck we're dealing with, so if they can at least see the [company] name on the side of the truck, or a numberplate, that would help us a lot."
Mr Dolan said the public could also call the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI), which is responsible for litter management along the highway.
A DPTI spokesperson said it had been liaising with the EPA to "address the volume of unrestrained refuse that blows onto major road corridors".
She said Port Wakefield Road was a major corridor that had been subject to an EPA blitz in March, "with a particular emphasis around the Dublin dump". "It's disappointing that some transport operators do not secure loads appropriately, resulting in additional rubbish on the road network," the spokesperson said.
"Please be assured that all roads are regularly inspected on a fortnightly basis in an effort to ensure the road is maintained in a safe condition."
)
|
Environment Pollution
| null | null |
Northern Lights could add spooky flare to Halloween weekend skies
|
A file photo of the aurora borealis, captured when the International Space Station saw Northern Lights over the midwestern United States. NASA A storm that started more than 92 million miles away is sending a spooky light snow to skies above the Pacific Northwest — and across the northern third of the rest of the United States, too. It started with a powerful solar flare that left the sun on Thursday. Now charged particles are heading toward Earth, prompting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to announce a geomagnetic storm watch for Saturday and Sunday nights. That’s likely to result in visible aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, in areas where the lights are rarely seen. The ghostly night-sky phenomenon, which at its brightest can fill dark skies with glowing, dancing sheets of translucent green and purple lights, occurs when electrons from the sun’s solar flares collide with the upper reaches of Earth’s atmosphere, according to NOAA. In cities or other well-lit areas, light pollution may render the phenomenon invisible to the naked eye, and cloud cover can also block views. If skies are clear, though, a drive to rural areas of Washington or northern Oregon is likely to provide space enthusiasts with a glowing show. Prineville Reservoir State Park has been certified as an International Dark Sky Park and is the first Oregon park to make the list of the places around the world with the least nighttime light pollution. Prineville Reservoir State Park is the first Oregon park to be certified as an International Dark Sky Park.
|
New wonders in nature
| null | null |
2018 PDC World Darts Championship
|
The 2018 William Hill World Darts Championship was a darts event, held between 14 December 2017 and 1 January 2018 at the Alexandra Palace in London, United Kingdom. It was the 25th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation. Michael van Gerwen was the defending champion, but lost 6–5 to Rob Cross in the semi-finals. Cross went on to win the World Championship on his debut by defeating Phil Taylor 7–2 in the final. This was Taylor's 29th and final World Championship, surpassing the record of 28 appearances he jointly held with John Lowe. Jamie Lewis became the first player to reach the semi-finals after entering the championship through a preliminary round event, first introduced at the 2004 Championship. Lewis eventually fell to Taylor in the semi-final, by a score of 6–1. The 2018 PDC World Darts Championship is the 25th World Darts Championship to be organised by the Professional Darts Corporation; and the tenth to be held at Alexandra Palace, London. It was held between 14 December 2017 and 1 January 2018, the culmination of the 2017 Professional Darts Corporation season. [1] 72 players competed in the championship; with the 32 highest ranked players on the PDC Order of Merit being seeded, and the next sixteen highest ranked players from the 2017 PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit and the top eight ranked players from a number of international and invitational qualifiers also going straight into the first round. The remaining sixteen international and invitational qualifiers competed in a preliminary round. Michael van Gerwen, the winner of the 2014 and 2017 championships, was top of the two-year PDC Order of Merit and number one seed going into the tournament. [2] The tournament was to be the last for Phil Taylor, who had won the PDC World Championship fourteen times previously, most recently in 2013. [3] As well as van Gerwen and Taylor, three other previous PDC world champions qualified as seeds, two-time champions Gary Anderson and Adrian Lewis, and 2007 champion Raymond van Barneveld. The top seeds below van Gerwen were 2017 UK Open winner Peter Wright, Gary Anderson, 2017 World Grand Prix winner Daryl Gurney and 2017 Champions League of Darts winner Mensur Suljović. [2] Rob Cross, the runner-up at the 2017 European Championship, made his World Championship debut as the 20th seed. [2]
Richard North, in his debut year, was the highest ranked non-seed on the 2017 PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit. As well as North, three other qualifiers through the Pro Tour made their debut, Peter Jacques, Steve Lennon and Martin Schindler. [2] The list of qualifiers also included the 2017 Youth Champion Dimitri Van den Bergh and the 2004 runner-up Kevin Painter. Amongst the international and invitational qualification tournaments there was, for the first time, a South and Central American Qualifier. [4] The majority of tournaments were the same as had been for the previous championship, but there was no longer a Philippines Championship. [5] Gordon Mathers was the first player to qualify for the Championships, having finished top of the Dartplayers Australia rankings. [6] The top two players on the Nordic & Baltic rankings also qualified,[5] as did the winners of the fifteen international qualifiers, including the 2017 PDC World Youth Championship. The final four qualification places were announced on 19 October,[5] with places being given to the highest ranked Eastern European, Krzysztof Ratajski, the National Darts Federation of Canada number one Jeff Smith, the highest ranked African, Devon Petersen, and the then-undetermined 2017 Development Tour winner, Luke Humphries. [7] The sudden announcement of these places, and the granting of them to Ratajski, who had declined an invitation to the rival 2018 BDO World Darts Championship before failing to qualify through the 2017 PDC Pro Tour Order of Merit; and Jeff Smith, who had failed to qualify for the BDO World Darts Championship and not played a single PDC event in the previous year, were criticized by some, with ITV4 pundit and tour card holder Paul Nicholson saying he had written to the Professional Darts Players Association to seek clarification over the placings. [8]
The final three placings were determined by the PDPA qualifier held at Arena MK on 27 November, with Ted Evetts securing a first round place by winning the tournament, and runner-up Brendan Dolan and third-place playoff winner Jamie Lewis both qualifying to the preliminary round. The third place had become available as the 2017 PDC World Youth Championship, which carries a qualification place, was won by Dimitri Van den Bergh, who qualified through the Pro Tour Order of Merit. [9]
15 of the international and invitational qualifiers were making their PDC World Championship debuts, Seigo Asada,[5] Willard Bruguier,[5] Ted Evetts,[9] Cody Harris,[5] Luke Humphries,[7] Kai Fan Leung,[10] Alan Ljubić,[11] Gordon Mathers,[5] Kenny Neyens,[12] William O'Connor,[5] Diogo Portela,[13] Krzysztof Ratajski,[5] Bernie Smith,[14] Jeff Smith,[5] and Zong Xiao Chen. [15] Portela was the first ever Brazilian to qualify for the World Championships. [16]
[2]
Order of Merit
Pro Tour
PDPA Qualifier[9]
First Round Qualifier
Preliminary Round Qualifiers
First Round Qualifiers
Preliminary Round Qualifiers
The prize money for the tournament was a record high of £1,800,000 in total. The winner's prize money has increased from £350,000 to £400,000. [18]
The top quarter of the draw saw reigning champion Michael van Gerwen dominate, knocking fellow Dutchman Christian Kist out in the first round,[19] before defeating James Wilson, without losing any of the twelve legs played,[20][21] and Gerwyn Price,[22] to set up a quarter-final with fellow Dutch former world champion Raymond van Barneveld. In the quarter-final, van Gerwen took an early lead, but missed a dart in the fifth set to take a 4–1 lead and ended up being pulled back to 3–3. The two took one more set each before van Gerwen won the deciding set 3–1 to qualify for the semi-final. [23]
In the second quarter, the fourth seed, Daryl Gurney, was eliminated in the second round by John Henderson. [24] Debutant Rob Cross defeated Michael Smith in the second round after Smith missed two match darts,[25] and Cross went on to defeat Henderson[26] to set up a quarter-final against the World Youth Champion Dimitri Van den Bergh, who had defeated fifth seed Mensur Suljović in the third round. [27] In the quarter-final, Cross led his Belgian opponent early on, leading 4–1 in the best-of-nine match after five sets. Van den Bergh took the next three sets in succession, setting up a decider which Cross won 3–1, hitting double one in the final leg to qualify for the semi-final. [23]
The two highest-ranked seeds in the third quarter fell early on. Two-time champion and seventh seed Adrian Lewis was knocked out in the first round by German qualifier Kevin Münch,[28] while the second seed Peter Wright was knocked out in the second round by Jamie Lewis, who had qualified for the event by coming third in the final PDPA Qualifier. [29] Welshman Jamie Lewis went past the unseeded James Richardson in the third round, becoming the first player to go from the preliminary round to the quarter-final in the history of the championship;[30] before whitewashing Darren Webster to reach the semi-final. [23]
Two former world champions, two-time champion Gary Anderson and retiring sixteen-time champion Phil Taylor, met in the last quarter-final. Anderson's run to the quarter-final included a second round win over 63-year-old Singaporean, Paul Lim, a match noted for a leg in which Lim, who in 1990 had become the first player to throw a perfect nine-dart leg in the World Darts Championship,[31] missed a dart at double twelve to repeat the feat. [32] Taylor had faced English opposition in his three previous rounds, beating Chris Dobey[33] in the first round before whitewashing Justin Pipe[34] and Keegan Brown[35] in the next two rounds to set up the quarter-final. Taylor took a 4–1 lead after winning six consecutive legs, and despite Anderson winning the next two sets, Taylor took advantage of missed darts in the eighth set to triumph, 5–3. [23]
The semi-final between Taylor and Lewis was the first to be played, and, despite Lewis winning the first set, Taylor took the next three, with Lewis having missed darts in all three sets to have potentially been 4–0 up. Taylor won the next two sets as well, before Lewis took the first two legs in the seventh set, with Taylor taking advantage of three missed set darts from Lewis to steal the set and qualify for the twenty-first World Darts Championship final in his career. [36]
In the second semi-final, debutant Cross took on reigning world champion van Gerwen. The first eight sets in the match all went with throw, with Cross taking a lead before being pegged back by van Gerwen. Michael van Gerwen got the first break in the ninth set, taking a 5–4 lead to throw for the match, but Cross fought back to win the tenth set 3–1 to force a deciding set.
|
Sports Competition
| null | null |
2015 Tajikistan earthquake
|
On December 7, 2015, an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the moment magnitude scale struck Tajikistan 105 km (65 mi) west of Murghab at 07:50 UTC at a depth of 26.0 km (16.2 mi). [1] The earthquake was also felt in neighboring Xinjiang in China, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan.
The earthquake was felt with intensities of MMI IV in Islamabad, Pakistan, MMI IV in New Delhi, India, MMI IV in Kashgar, China, MMI II in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, MMI II in Kabul, Afghanistan, MMI III in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, MMI III in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and MMI II in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
A truck driver and a policeman were killed while dozens more were injured and 500 homes destroyed. [6]
The epicentre of this quake was approximately 5.0 km (3.1 mi) distant from the epicentre of the M7.3 1911 Sarez earthquake which formed the Usoi Dam across the Murghab river. The eastern part of Tajikistan (the Pamir Mountains) lies within the complex zone of collision between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. The dominant structures in this area are a combination of thrust faults and sinistral (left lateral) strike-slip faults. The Sarez–Karakul fault zone is a major SW–NE trending sinistral strike-slip fault that extends from south of Sarez Lake to north of Karakul lake. The 1911 earthquake is thought to have been caused by movement on this structure.
Based on observations of ground rupture from SAR interferometry, the earthquake ruptured a 79 km section of the Sarez–Karakul fault zone. This is consistent with the observed distribution of aftershocks and the focal mechanism. [8] Three separate segments were involved, consisting of two longer SW–NE trending segments linked by a shorter more WSW–ENE trending patch forming a restraining bend. The hypocenter is located within the southwesternmost segment. The earthquake's detailed rupture history has been determined using a backprojection method using teleseismic data from stations in the European seismic network. Analysis has shown that the rupture propagated to the northeast initially at speeds below the S-wave velocity (subshear), but jumping to supershear speeds. At the restraining bend it slowed to subshear speeds before accelerating again to supershear speeds on the third segment. [8]
|
Earthquakes
| null | null |
Hapag-Lloyd Flight 3378 crash
|
Hapag-Lloyd Flight 3378 (HF-3378) was a passenger service operated by Hapag-Lloyd Flug from Chania, on the island of Crete, Greece, to Hannover, Germany. On 12 July 2000, the aircraft flying the route, an Airbus A310-304, registration D-AHLB, with 143 passengers and 8 crew on board, set off for Hannover leaving the landing gear fully extended, as a precaution, since a malfunction had prevented its proper retraction after take-off. The plane eventually ran out of fuel while attempting a diversion to Vienna, crash-landing just short of runway 34. No fatalities resulted, although the aircraft was written off. [1]
Captain Wolfgang Arminger (56) was the pilot-in-command. The flight departed at 10:59 CEDT, shortly after which it was found to be impossible to fully retract the landing gear, as indicated by both the red "gear unsafe" lamp and the yellow "gear door open" lamp. After a total of four retraction attempts, the gear was left in the fully extended condition where all lights indicated a valid condition with the doors trimmed for cruise airspeed. The flight continued towards Germany, as fuel must be burned before landing in any case. The crew had to cope with a heavier cockpit workload that was aggravated by the unavailability of the airline HF radio station for technical consultation, forcing the first officer to spend almost an hour establishing alternative communications with the airline through ACARS and Stockholm Radio. Using the Flight Management System (FMS), the crew estimated the aircraft's fuel consumption, and the captain in consultation with dispatch decided to shorten the flight and divert to Munich Airport, where another A310 would be ready to take the passengers to their final destination. However, the captain ignored the fact that the FMS was not designed to take into account the extra drag produced by the extended landing gear. In fact, Munich was not within range, as eventually became clear from the unexpectedly rapid fall in fuel reserves. At about 12:00 CEDT, this led the captain to decide to divert to Vienna-Schwechat Airport. [2]
Shortly thereafter, the first officer noted and reported to the captain that they had already consumed half of their initial fuel load, although they had progressed to only their last waypoint "YNN" still inside Greece (about a third of the total distance to Vienna). [3] At 12:34, the FMS prediction for fuel remaining upon arrival at Vienna fell to 1.9 t. Under such conditions, the airline rules require immediate diversion to the nearest suitable airport, which would have been Zagreb, 10 minutes away. The investigation report states "there was no evidence of immediate crew response to this situation." While contact with Zagreb ATC was made 9 minutes later, the crew pressed on towards Vienna, requesting the most direct access to a runway. At 12:53, the crew notified Vienna ATC that if direct runway access were not available, they would prefer to divert to closer Graz. This prompted Vienna ATC to inquire and finally learn that the flight was short of fuel, but the pilots declared no emergency, still anticipating a normal landing. When the fuel gauges fell through 1.9 t remaining, the first officer twice urged the captain to declare an emergency, but the captain postponed such action. At 13:01, the "LT-Fuel low level" warning indicated remaining fuel of 1340 kg, which automatically generates an ACARS message. At this time, the aircraft was 42 nautical miles (78 km) northeast of Zagreb, 85 nautical miles (157 km) south-east from Graz, and 131 nautical miles (243 km) from the destination Vienna. At 11:07 UTC, the crew finally declared an emergency due to lack of fuel, while still stating that they expected to reach Vienna. [2]
At this point, the crew was still debating a possible diversion to Graz, but discovered that the approach chart for that airport was missing from the aircraft map collection. At 11:12 UTC, the crew still debated the contribution of the FMS to their plight; the first officer (correctly) distrusted its performance with gear down, while the captain still defended it. The captain instructed the first officer to request no emergency services for post-landing, and to defer deployment of the flaps, especially if the engines flamed out. At 11:26 UTC, the pressure dropped at the inlet of the right external fuel pump, but the pump was left running. Both engines flamed out 12 nautical miles (22 km) from the runway, although the first officer was able to restart them for a few more minutes of thrust. As there was no time for the final checklist, the "Land Recovery" switch was neglected, resulting in limited operation of inboard ailerons needed for stability control at low speeds. The left wing tip hit the grassy surface about 660 m short of the runway, followed by the left landing gear, which collapsed after 22 m. The aircraft skidded on the left engine and the right main landing gear, over arrays of approach lights and antennas, turning left 90°, and coming to rest off the runway near the end taxiway. About 26 passengers received minor injuries while using the escape slides. [2] Although the photographs suggest that the aircraft remained structurally intact, it was written off due to the severe damage to the underside of the fuselage. This was the sixth hull-loss of an Airbus A310. [1][4]
The final Report on the investigation of the incident was published (only in German) on 21 March 2006 by the Air Accident Investigation Board (Flugunfalluntersuchungsstelle) of the Austrian Federal Office for Transport (Bundesanstalt für Verkehr, BAV). [2] The Report identified the cause of the failure of landing gear retraction as a minor oversight during maintenance; an inadequately secured lock nut allowed a screw to gradually turn, eventually leading to a 10 mm adjustment error that prevented complete retraction. The Report identified several key reasons why the cockpit crew failed to adequately cope with this relatively minor technical malfunction of the landing gear, continuing the flight to engine failure due to fuel exhaustion. The Report makes 14 recommendations for improvements in systems, documents and procedures to avoid such problems in future. Hapag-Lloyd reported that the Captain Wolfgang Arminger voluntarily left the airline six months after the incident. In 2004, a Hannover district court convicted Captain Arminger of "dangerous interference in the air traffic," saying he was "endangering others' lives" mainly by failing to divert to Zagreb, and gave him a six-month suspended prison sentence. [5][6] The conviction was criticized by German court reporter Gisela Friedrichsen who thought the two court sessions of the main trial were not enough to present and evaluate all evidence. [7]
A report published in 2012 by the American Bar Association argues that airline safety is undermined by such prosecutions because its threat would impede the investigative processes. [8]
|
Air crash
| null | null |
2009 Shizuoka earthquake
|
The 2009 Shizuoka earthquake occurred with a magnitude of 6.4 [1][2] that hit Shizuoka Prefecture in the south of Honshū, Japan, on August 11 at 05:07 local time (August 10, 20:07 UTC). The seismic intensity was observed as shindo 6- in Izu, Yaizu, Makinohara, Omaezaki, Shizuoka. [3]
One woman was killed in Shizuoka, 134 people were injured, and 6,000 buildings received at least minor damage. In addition, the shoulder of Tōmei Expressway was damaged. [4][5][6]
In this area, it is presumed that an M8 class Tokai earthquake will occur in the near future. [7]
|
Earthquakes
| null | null |
Binter Mediterráneo Flight 8261 crash
|
Binter Mediterráneo Flight 8261 (Registration EC-FBC), on 29 August 2001, crash-landed next to the N-340 highway, some 200 metres short of runway 32 at Ruiz Picasso International Airport at Málaga, Spain. The captain reported a fire in the aircraft's port engine to Málaga Air Traffic Control while on its final approach. The fire turned out to be a false alarm but, in following the emergency procedures, the First Officer inadvertently shut down both of the aircraft's engines. The plane descended, hitting the airport approach lights, and stopping next to the N-340. Four of the 47 people on board were killed, including the captain. [1] The aircraft was scrapped. [2]
Binter Mediterráneo Flight 8261 took off at the Melilla Airport at 09:37 CEST on 29 August 2001,[3] with 47 people on board (44 passengers and 3 crew). [4] The weather was fine. During the approach to runway 32 at Málaga, a warning light in the cockpit indicated a fire in the port engine. [2][5] In fact, it was a false alarm, possibly caused by moisture and/or dirt in the circuitry, though the crew did not know this. [6][7] The captain continued the approach, while the co-pilot followed the emergency procedure for an engine fire. [2] In the process, he erroneously activated the fire-handles for the right engine as well as the left, causing them both to stop. [2][8] The plane landed some 500 m (1,600 ft) short of the runway threshold and came to rest against the embankment of the N-340 motorway. [9] The pilot did not communicate any information about the emergency in progress to the cabin crew, and consequently passengers were not instructed to assume the brace position prior to impact. [10]
Three passengers plus the pilot were killed in the accident. While the co-pilot's incorrect execution of the emergency procedure was the primary cause of the accident, the investigators learnt that he had not received any simulator training in emergency procedures from the airline. [11]
The investigation also considered that incomplete adherence to relevant maintenance procedures was the most likely reason for the false fire alarm. [11]
The remains of the plane were taken to the CASA Sevilla factory, for an investigation. Following completion of the investigation, the aircraft was scrapped. The tail was saved however, and is exhibited in the Museo del Transporte Aéreo de Málaga.
|
Air crash
| null | null |
2011 eruption of Grímsvötn
|
The 2011 eruption of Grímsvötn was a Plinian eruption of Grímsvötn, Iceland's most active volcano, which caused disruption to air travel in Northwestern Europe from 22–25 May 2011. The last eruption of Grímsvötn was in 2004,[2] with the previous most powerful eruptions in 1783, 1873 and 1902. [3][4] The Grímsvötn eruption was the largest eruption in Iceland for 50 years. [5]
The eruption is estimated to have started under the glacier at around 17:30 UTC on 21 May 2011 when an intense spike in tremor activity was detected. [6] At around 19:00 UTC, the eruption broke the ice cover of the glacier and started spewing volcanic ash into the air. [7] The eruption plume quickly rose to 65,000 feet (20 km). [6] A series of small earthquakes had commenced at the time of eruption. [8] Glacial flooding was anticipated, which normally occurs within 10–12 hours after eruption,[9] but it never occurred as a flood had occurred the previous autumn, meaning a smaller chance of another flood appearing. [10]
On 25 May, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) confirmed the eruption had paused at 02:40 UTC. [11] Later the BBC reported that the volcanic activity appeared to have stopped. [12] At 15:00 the IMO issued an update stating that no further ash plume was expected. [13] Pulsating explosions continued to produce ash and steam clouds, some reaching a few kilometers in height, rising up from the vents. There was widespread ash in cloud layers up to 5 km from the eruption site. [13]
On 26 May the IMO and the University of Iceland reported that ashfall was only occurring adjacent to the eruption site. Visual observations indicated that little ice meltwater was produced during the eruption, so that an outburst flood (jökulhlaup) was not expected. [14]
The eruption ceased at 7am on 28 May 2011. [15]
The ash content from the Grímsvötn volcano in Iceland had a much lower silica content (50%) compared to the ash from the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull (63%), giving the latter a higher viscosity. The ash emitted from Grímsvötn is also more coarse than the smaller, more abrasive particles emitted from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption[16] as a result of the basalt-based magma of the Grímsvötn volcano exploding through the glacier, rather than reacting with meltwater. [5]
A total of 900 flights (out of 90,000 in Europe) were cancelled as a result of the eruption in the period 23–25 May. [17]
On 22 May, Iceland closed down its main airport Keflavík International Airport, with domestic flights operated from Reykjavík Airport cancelled as well. [18] Transatlantic flights had also experienced delays, and the threat of further air travel disruption cut US President Barack Obama's state visit to Ireland a day short. [19] Part of Greenland's eastern airspace was also closed,[20] with one flight being cancelled by Air Greenland between Denmark's Kastrup Airport and Greenland's Kangerlussuaq Airport. [21]
By 23 May, authorities in Denmark closed airspace below 6.4 km (21,000 ft) in the northwestern part of the country, with some delays and cancellations at Copenhagen. [22]
On 24 May, more than 1,600 flights were grounded as ash clouds travelled over Scotland,[23] with airports in Scotland and northern England closed and 250 UK flights grounded. [24] British Airways, KLM, Aer Lingus, Flybe, BMI, Loganair, Eastern Airways, EasyJet, and Ryanair cancelled most flights in the Scotland region,[25] seeing Wales' Cardiff Airport also cancelling inbound and outbound flights by airline Flybe. [26] Certain flights from Northern Ireland were also grounded. [27] The BBC has provided a list of affected flights to and from Irish airports. [28] By nightfall, 20 flights had been cancelled to and from Göteborg Landvetter Airport, with anticipated wind shift bringing the ash clouds from southwestern Sweden to the northeast, possibly reaching Stockholm's Arlanda Airport by 02:00 on Wednesday morning. [29] Furthermore, Continental Airlines Flights 75 and 97 (from Hamburg and Berlin Tegel to Newark Liberty) had to make stopovers at Gander Airport, Newfoundland, to refuel as they were assigned more southerly routes that exceeded the Boeing 757-200s' range. [citation needed]
On 25 May, Germany also shut down airports in the north of the country, specifically Bremen Airport and Hamburg Airport at 03:00 and 04:00 CET, while Berlin Airports were closed from 09:00 CET. [30] 600 flights were affected in Germany, however the closure was lifted by the afternoon. [31]
By 26 May no European airspace was closed due to Grímsvötn volcanic ash, which was dissipating. [32]
However on 27 May Greenlandic airspace was closed due to a concentration of ash over Greenland and the North Atlantic, affecting 1,000 passengers and 20 tonnes of cargo. [33] The following day, certain flights had been restored with a Dash 8 taken out of service for technical issues, leaving minor disruptions to restored services. Ash clouds also remained over the region of Uummannaq and Upernavik, meaning northern-bound flights were still subject to weather developments. [34] By Sunday 29 May, more flights and services had been restored, with few passengers stuck in coastal regions with arrivals expected on Monday or Tuesday. [35]
Kirkjubaejarklaustur was one of the most affected areas by the volcano. The Icelandic civil defence agency Almannavarnir established a service centre to organise cleanup efforts and provide a point of contact for people who need help. [36] During a local public meeting on the 26th, residents were permitted to claim for losses and additional costs for those who possess household fire insurance. [36]
A study based on mortality data from Sweden found that there was an increase in mortality in the week following the ash cloud passing over Sweden the 24th and 25 May 2011,[37] but the results were not statistically significant. [38]
Trading on jet fuel recovered as concerns on the volcano eased, causing the June swap contract to gain $18.30 to reach $1,019.14 per tonne by 16:15 GMT, after having reached a week low of $995.64 on Monday. Jet fuel barges on the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp hub had dropped to $989 on Monday, dropping from $1,003 per ton on 20 May. [39] June jet fuel cargo swaps dropped to $93.15 per tonne on Tuesday compared to $99.45 on Monday trading. [40]
|
Volcano Eruption
| null | null |
Satellites Monitor Unpredictable Explosive Behavior of Mount Etna – Europe’s Most Active Volcano
|
This image, captured on April 2, 2021, by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission, shows the latest activity in Italy’s Mount Etna. The image has been processed using the mission’s shortwave-infrared band to show the ongoing activity in the crater. Smoke plumes can be seen blowing eastwards towards the town of Giarre. Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2021), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO Italy’s Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, has recently been on explosive form, with 17 eruptions in less than three months. Instruments onboard three different satellites orbiting Earth have acquired imagery of the eruptions – revealing the intensity of the lava-fountaining eruptive episodes, known as paroxysms. Located on the east coast of Sicily, Mount Etna is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Its eruptions occur at the summit, where there are four craters: the Voragine and the Bocca Nuova, formed in 1945 and 1928 respectively, the Northeast Crater, the highest point on Etna (3330 m) and the Southeast Crater, which has recently been the most active of the four. This Copernicus Sentinel-2 animation shows the latest activity taking place in Mount Etna from February 16, 2021, until April 2, 2021. Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2021), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO Starting in February 2021, the Southeast Crater produced a series of intense lava fountains coloring the night sky in hues of orange and red. Over the course of the following weeks, the volcano produced lava fountains reaching as high as 1.5 km. These spectacular explosions are amongst the highest observed at the Southeast Crater in recent decades. In the past, lava fountains reaching the same height were only observed at the Voragine crater in December 2015 – with lava fountains of over 2000 m. This image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission shows the ash plume on February 23, 2021. Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2021), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO Different satellites carry different instruments that can provide a wealth of complementary information to understand volcanic eruptions. Once an eruption begins, optical instruments can capture the various phenomena associated with it, including lava flows, mudslides, ground fissures, and earthquakes. The images below show the latest activity taking place in the volcano. The images, captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 missions, have been processed using the shortwave-infrared band to show the ongoing activity in the crater. Smoke plumes can be seen blowing eastwards towards the town of Giarre. This image, captured on March 28, 2021, by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission, shows the latest activity in Italy’s Mount Etna. The image has been processed using the mission’s shortwave-infrared band to show the ongoing activity in the crater. Smoke plumes can be seen blowing eastwards towards the town of Giarre. Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2021), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO Atmospheric sensors on satellites can also identify the gases and aerosols released by the eruption, as well as quantify their wider environmental impact. The image below, captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite, shows the sulfur dioxide concentrations visible traveling southwards towards Libya. Sulfur dioxide is released from a volcano when magma is relatively close to the surface. After a week or so of remaining calm, Etna’s Southeast Crater re-awoke on the morning of 31 March with a loud explosion at around 07:00 CEST, followed by several puffs of ash and lava. Atmospheric sensors on satellites can also identify the gases and aerosols released by the eruption, as well as quantify their wider environmental impact. This image, captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite, shows the sulfur dioxide concentrations visible traveling southwards towards Libya. Sulfur dioxide is released from a volcano when magma is relatively close to the surface. Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2021), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO According to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy (INGV), the explosive activity increased in the late afternoon and during the night with lava flowing towards the Valle del Bove, with smaller flows advancing southwards. As of today, activity in the Southeast Crater remains calm. Stromboli erupts several times daily.Much more active than Etna. Yes, but not in a populated area and with generally less violent eruptions.
|
Volcano Eruption
| null | null |
American Airlines Flight 293 crash
|
American Airlines Flight 293 was a regularly scheduled flight which was hijacked by Nikola Kavaja, a Serbian nationalist and anti-communist, on June 20, 1979. During the hijacking Kavaja demanded and received another airplane with the intent of crashing it into the headquarters of the Yugoslav Communist Party. Nikola Kavaja was one of six Serbs convicted of the May 1979 bombing of a Yugoslav consul’s home in Chicago. [1] On June 20, 1979, Kavaja, already released on bail, took over the Boeing 727 shortly before it landed in Chicago from New York by threatening the pilots with a homemade bomb. [1] He demanded the release of Stojilko Kajevich, a Serbian Orthodox priest and accomplice in the consul home bombing who remained in jail. [1] After letting the passengers and most of the crew members go, Kavaja forced what was left of the crew to fly back to New York City, where he demanded and received a Boeing 707 to fly him initially to Johannesburg, South Africa, but later to Ireland after learning from his lawyer that Ireland did not have an extradition treaty with the United States. After arriving at Shannon Airport he planned to take control of the airplane and fly it to Belgrade where he would crash it into the headquarters of the Yugoslav Communist Party; however, after being persuaded by his lawyer, who was also on board, to not do so, he surrendered to the Irish authorities, who then turned him over to the Americans. Kavaja was sentenced to 67 years in an American prison, but served only 20 years. [1][2] Kavaja died from a heart attack at his home in Belgrade in November 2008. [3]
Kavaja later claimed in numerous interviews with Serbian newspapers that Osama bin Laden stole his idea of crashing airplanes into tall buildings in the September 11, 2001 attacks. [4]
|
Air crash
| null | null |
Mahabad riots
|
1945–2000
21st century
On 7 May 2015, ethnic Kurds rioted in Mahabad, Iran, following the unexplained death on 4 May 2015 of Farinaz Khosravani, a 25-year-old Kurdish hotel chambermaid. Khosravani fell to her death from a fourth-floor window of the Tara, the hotel where she worked. Anger mounted following reports that Khosravani died attempting to escape an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official who allegedly raped her. The rioters reportedly set fire to the hotel. [1] At least 25 people were wounded in the riot. [2]
Unrest and violence spread to other Kurdish cities in Iran, such as Sardasht, where police clashed with hundreds of protesters on 9 May 2015. [3]
One protester was reportedly killed in the clashes, and that additionally, Kurdish insurgent group PJAK had attacked an Iranian checkpoint killing two Iranian personnel, according to PJAK. [4] According to ARA sources, as of May 11, the death toll climbed to 6 protesters killed. [5]
In response to the mass protests, the Iranian government reacted by executing an alleged 84 of its supporters and arresting dozens more. As a result, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan announced it was reviving its armed struggle early in 2016. [6]
|
Riot
| null | null |
Harry Styles cancelled his Vancouver concert and fans are devastated
|
Pop star Harry Styles was set to play Vancouver at Rogers Arena on Aug. 16, 2021, rescheduled from 2020. Now the UK singer has re-announced his tour, and it features only U.S. dates. Harry Styles / Facebook What's the opposite of a "Watermelon Sugar" high? Whatever it is, it's what Vancouver fans of British pop star Harry Styles are feeling after learning his upcoming Vancouver concert has been cancelled. Styles, whose solo career has skyrocketed since he first shot to fame as a member of One Direction, was set to play Rogers Arena in Vancouver on August 16, 2021. The Vancouver stop on his "Love on Tour" tour had been rescheduled from August 23, 2020, with the venue planning to honour those tickets to the sold-out show on the new date. However, on July 14, Styles re-announced his "Love on Tour" dates, which start Sept. 4 in Las Vegas, and continue on through November, exclusively in the U.S. Rogers Arena removed the Styles concert from its website (though it can still be seen - for now - on Ticketmaster ). Fans who may have been holding out hope the show would go on may have been in denial, seeing as British Columbia's health officials indicated in May that the soonest indoor concerts could return would be in Step 4 of the province's four-step "Restart Plan." The earliest B.C. could enter Step 4 would be Sept. 2, 2021 - two weeks after the planned Styles concert at Rogers Arena. Vancouver's many Harry Styles fans, however, are still processing their feelings at missing out on seeing the singer perform live: No word yet on what Styles plans to do regarding his Canadian and UK dates. In Vancouver, Rogers Arena lists its next shows as rescheduled Celine Dion dates in late August.
|
Organization Closed
| null | null |
Ancient Gilgamesh 'dream tablet' to go back to Iraq
|
UN and US officials will return a stone inscription bearing part of the Epic of Gilgamesh to their counterparts from Iraq at a ceremony in Washington this week. The 'dream tablet' is imprinted with cuneiform script UNESCO officials will return a stone inscription bearing part of the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest known works of literature in the world, to Iraq, the UN agency has said in a statement. They will hand the tablet to their counterparts from Iraq at a ceremony in Washington on Thursday, September 23, at the Smithsonian Institution, the statement said. Some 17,000 other artifacts that were also looted following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 will be returned to Baghdad at the event. "By returning these illegally acquired objects, the authorities here in the United States and Iraq are allowing the Iraqi people to reconnect with a page in their history," UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said, adding that this restitution was a "major victory over those who mutilate heritage and then traffic it to finance violence and terrorism." In July, the US Department of Justice announced it would be returning the artifacts to Iraq. Calling the restitution "unprecedented," Iraqi Culture Minister Hassan Nazim said in a press statement at the time that it was "the largest return of antiquities to Iraq" and a "result of months of efforts by the Iraqi authorities in conjunction with their embassy in Washington." In 2018, the British government returned ancient objects that were similarly looted after the US invasion and then appeared in England. Speaking to DW, Iraqi historian Abdullah Khorsheed Qader, who is an archaeologist and professor at the Salah-al-Din University in Erbil, northern Iraq, and director of the Iraqi Institute for the Conservation of Antiquities and Heritage, said he was elated the objects were being brought back to his country. "Feeling great and hopeful because of the positive responses from the United States of America," he told DW in an email in July. "Most of these artifacts were part of the materials that were looted from the Iraq Museum in Baghdad during the US invasion," Elizabeth Stone, an archaeologist and professor of anthropology at the Stony Brook University in New York, told DW. Stone has been a part of various archaeological expeditions to Iraq, including a notable one in 2012, where she and her team excavated close to the site of Ur, the home of the biblical figure of Abraham. According to Stone, these objects left Iraq as part of an illegal trade in antiquities. "It was clear to everyone that these had been stolen from the Museum since they had catalog numbers on them and so could not have come from illegal excavations." Some objects were confiscated by customs officials, but others were bought by Cornell University and Hobby Lobby, the arts and crafts chain, Stone said. Hobby Lobby was in the news recently after it was revealed the business had acquired a rare tablet in cuneiform script, inscribed with a portion of the Epic of Gilgamesh. The object was bought to display at the Museum of the Bible in Washington DC — the institution is funded by the family of David Green, Hobby Lobby's founder. On July 27, a New York court ordered the forfeiture of the object, which was reportedly purchased from the family of a London coin dealer by an American antiquities dealer, the US Department of Justice said in a statement. "The antiquities dealer and a US cuneiform expert shipped the tablet into the United States by international post without declaring the contents as required. After the tablet was imported and cleaned, experts in cuneiform recognized it as bearing a portion of the Gilgamesh Epic. The tablet measures approximately 6 inches by 5 inches [15 x 12 centimeters] and is written in the Akkadian language," according to the press statement. The Sumerian poem is considered one of the oldest works of literature, and together with several thousand other objects, comprises one of the largest caches of archaeologically important artifacts stolen from Iraq during its turbulent years in the past few decades. According to UNESCO, the Gilgamesh tablet was stolen in the 1990s, following the Gulf War, emerging fraudulently in the US market in 2007. Illegal excavation, theft and smuggling of historical artifacts is an ongoing problem — especially in Iraq and Syria — with black market dealers, smugglers and members of the "Islamic State" (IS) exploiting the chaotic situation in the region, where it is relatively easy to find antiquities and sell them abroad. What is now left of the ancient ruins at Palmyra - known as the "Pearl of the Desert" - is uncertain after a new strike by IS militants on Thursday. This photo shows the face of statue at a destroyed museum in March 2016. Syrian government forces had recaptured Palmyra that month from jihadists, who view the UNESCO-listed site's ancient ruins as idolatrous. This image of Palmyra's Tetrapylon was taken in 2014. If SANA agency reports are correct, this monument is no longer standing. Current images after Thursday's reported strike are still unavailable. This image shows the Roman amphitheater, which was originally built around 200 A.D., in April 2016. Reports now say the facade has been destroyed by IS extremists. In 2015, jihadists used the site - which once premiered plays - for mass executions. After the city was retaken from IS last year, the Russian government staged a classical music concert here to celebrate the success. Palmyra's National Museum, shown here, also suffered heavy losses under IS rule. Its treasures were looted, some were damaged and others burned. This picture, taken last March, shows the ruins of Palmyra's Temple of Baalshamin - just two columns left standing after IS destruction the year before. The smaller image, held by the photographer, shows the image he took in 2014 - with clearly more in the background behind the columns. Author: Sabine Oelze (als) Meanwhile, archaeologists like Qader are happy that efforts to bring back the treasures have borne fruit. "Iraqi contacts with the American side made it clear that the smuggled antiquities are in the safe hands of the American Homeland Security," Qader says. Embassy officials had been communicating for many years to recover these pieces and "this has become a reality, finally," adds Qader. He hopes that the rest of the world, too, will step in and help recover other lost artifacts. Meanwhile, the archaeologist and his colleagues are busy laying the groundwork for re-establishing archaeological institutions that were damaged during years of war and conflict. Together with US organizations like the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Delaware, Qader is training young professionals and educating the community. One important goal of his program is "restoring confidence and self-belief in the Iraqi Museum community and archaeological professionals by building and strengthening a national conservation program for cultural heritage." These perforated shells, dating back 150,000 years, are believed to be the world's oldest jewelry. Assumed to have formed necklaces and bracelets, they were discovered in the Bizmoune cave near the coastal resort of Essaouira in Morocco. Researcher Abdeljalil Bouzouggar described them as "symbolic objects that can only be transmitted through language." A sprawling winemaking complex dating back some 1,500 years was recently unearthed in Yavneh, Israel, complete with wine presses, kilns for producing clay wine jars, and warehouses. Excavation director Jon Seligman explained that wine was a common substitute for drinking water, which was not always safe back then, and was served to both adults and children. A Greek warship found in the sunken city of Heraklion in Egypt's Abu Qir Bay is the latest discovery of very rare Hellenistic-era ships. Heraklion — also known as Thonis — was hit by earthquakes, tsunamis, rising sea levels, and soil liquefaction at end of the 2nd century B.C. The ship was docking near the temple of Amun, when the entire city collapsed, burying it under the debris. In early July, Israeli archaeologists found what may have been a 2,000-year-old city council building during excavations under Jerusalem’s Old City. The opulent hall is believed to have been a banquet hall for the elite. It is located close to the site of the Second Temple, which was destroyed by the Romans during the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. A 3,100-year-old pottery fragment inscribed with the name "Jerubbaal," relating to the biblical Book of Judges, was found in southern Israel. Written in early Canaanite script, it provides a rare and valuable clue to the development and spread of writing systems in the region, as it is unusual for local researchers to find any writing from the 12th and 11th centuries B.C. This 51,000-year-old bone decorated by a Neanderthal was found in July in the Unicorn Cave in Germany's Harz Mountains. The lines purposefully carved into the toe bone belonging to a prehistoric deer may have had symbolic meaning. Archeologists were blown away by the artifact because it was evidence that the Stone Age hominids were capable of artistic expression. During excavations in the Israeli town of Yavne in June, archeologists discovered an intact 1,000-year-old ancient chicken egg. Comparing it to the shelf life of modern-day eggs, they said, "The egg's unique preservation is evidently due to the conditions in which it lay for centuries, nestled in a cesspit containing soft human waste that preserved it." Sadly, it cracked later in the lab. In June, researchers found the remains of the "Nesher Ramla Homo type." They took the name from the area in Israel where they had been doing excavation work in a sinkhole. The hominids lived alongside our species over 100,000 years ago. The finds included this jaw that belonged to a person who lived 120,000 to 140,000 years ago. Egyptologists announced the discovery of a 3,000-year-old "lost golden city" near Luxor in April, touting it as one of the most important discoveries since Tutankhamun's tomb. It dates back to the reign of Amenhotep III, one of Egypt's most powerful pharaohs, who ruled from 1391 to 1353 B.C. In April, French archaeologists said they believed the Saint-Belec slab, which dates from the Bronze Age and was unearthed in 1900 in western France, may be Europe's oldest 3D map. The 4,000-year-old etchings on the slab measuring 2.2 by 1.5 meters (7.2 by 5 ft) appear to resemble topographical features such as hills and a river network, maybe referring to an area in modern-day western Brittany. This mysterious ceremonial gold mask found in March in Sanxingdui, in China’s Sichuan Province, unwittingly became a social media sensation after its discovery. Having inspired memes and tribute videos in China, the 3,000-year-old artifact was one of 500 Bronze Age relics that experts said could provide new insights on the ancient Shu state, which ruled the area before 316 B.C. In March, Israeli archaeologists found a well-preserved basket with a capacity of about 100 liters (26 gallons) dating back to the pre-pottery Neolithic period, roughly 10,500 years ago. Found in the Muraba'at Caves in the Judean Desert above the Dead Sea, it was buried under almost three feet of soil. It's exquisite preservation due to the region's high temperatures and extreme aridity. In 2021, Australian and Indonesian archaeologists found cave paintings in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Depicting prehistoric Indonesian pigs, they were done using ochre, an inorganic mineral that cannot be carbon dated. Researchers instead dated the calcium stalagmites and stalactites surrounding the paintings and found that the oldest painting was created at least 45,500 years ago. Ancient statues, jewelry or coins: when 'Islamic State' militants aren't destroying priceless works of art, they are selling them to fund terrorism. And they're getting better at it, says archeologist Mark Altaweel. Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of an ancient city in the desert outside Luxor ion Egypt. They say it dates back to the golden age of the pharaohs more than 3,000 years ago.
|
New archeological discoveries
| null | null |
Suspected serial bank robber arrested by FBI, Salt Lake City police
|
SALT LAKE CITY — A man accused of at least four bank robberies — including the same bank three times — has been arrested by the FBI and Salt Lake City Police Department investigators, officials said. Edward Begley, 64, of Salt Lake City, was taken into custody Tuesday. Begley was seen leaving U.S. Bank in a black Nissan sedan after a robbery that occurred on Tuesday, FBI officials said in a news release. According to an affidavit, Salt Lake City police then saw a vehicle matching that description and took Begley into custody after a traffic stop. The complaint says that after Begley was interviewed, he confessed to Tuesday's robbery and admitted to robbing at least two other banks. According to the affidavit, on Oct. 13 Begley allegedly robbed a Wells Fargo Bank located at 2001 S. Main Street in Salt Lake City. The documents state that he approached the teller and handed a note that stated, "I have a gun. Don't tell anyone. I need cash out. Stay Calm." The suspect was wearing dark Carhartt jacket, blue jeans, purple bandana face mask, and dark gloves and shoes. Nearly 29 minutes after the first robbery, around one mile away, a second robbery occurred at U.S. Bank at 1575 S. Main Street in Salt Lake City. Begley allegedly entered the building and told the teller, "Stay calm, I have a gun." He was wearing the same clothing as before. Police said that the same bank was robbed again on Nov. 30 using the same purple bandana face mask as the previous two robberies. According to the affidavit, after the teller gave Begley money he left the bank in a black Nissan sedan. The robbery occurring Tuesday occurred for the third time at U.S. Bank at 1575 S. Main Street in Salt Lake City. The affidavit states that he handed a teller a note that said, "Stay Clam! I have a gun. No alarm/no dye pack. Put all teller cash in bag. Think of your family. Wait 30 min before saying anything." The suspect then left in the same black Nissan sedan from Nov. 30. It was the car description that led Begley to be pulled over by a Salt Lake officer. The affidavit states that Begley identified himself as the individual in photographs shown by investigators. He also told investigators in an interview that the clothing used in the robberies along with small amounts of leftover money and notes from the robbery were in his home. Begley is scheduled to make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City on Friday.
|
Bank Robbery
| null | null |
COVID-19 in schools: See which Tennessee districts are closed amid outbreaks, staffing shortages
|
Barely a month into the new school year, several Tennessee school districts already have shuttered schools because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Staffing shortages and hundreds of confirmed cases among students are driving these choices, even as the state says entire districts cannot pivot to remote learning . Amid the confusing directives from the state , some districts have opted to close individual schools or their district altogether, often using one of a handful of inclement weather, or stockpile, days.
|
Organization Closed
| null | null |
‘The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic’ Wins Top Awards at El Gouna Film Festival
|
Teemu Nikki’s Venice and Antalya winner “The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic” won the Golden Star for best film at the 5th El Gouna Film Festival in Egypt, which wrapped Friday. The award carries a cash prize of $50,000. The film’s lead Petri Poikolainen won best actor, while Maya Vanderbeque, the young star of “ Playground ,” won best actress. Egyptian filmmaker Omar El Zohairy’s Cannes winner “Feathers,” which also won the Variety award at El Gouna earlier, won the prize for best Arab narrative film, which has a cash prize of $20,000. Directors Aleksey Chupov and Natasha Merkulova’s “Captain Volkonogov Escaped” won the Netpac award and Bronze Star in the narrative category, with $15,000 cash for the latter award. Michel Franco’s “Sundown” won silver and a cash prize of $25,000 in the narrative competition, while Aditya Vikram Sengupta’s “Once Upon a Time in Calcutta” earned a special mention from Netpac. Mounia Akl’s “Costa Brava, Lebanon” won the FIPRESCI award for debut film and the Green Star award and $10,000 for tackling environmental issues. The Golden Star, with a cash prize of $30,000, in the feature documentary competition was won by Renato Borrayo Serrano’s “Life of Ivanna.” Directors Svetlana Rodina and Laurent Stoop’s “Ostrov – Lost Island” won the Cinema for Humanity audience award, which carries $20,000 in cash and the Silver Star for documentary film, which comes with $15,000 cash. The El Gouna Bronze Star for documentary film, with a cash prize of $7,500, went to “Sabaya” by Hogir Hirori. Ali El Arabi’s “Captains of Za’atari” won best best Arab documentary film, which carries a cash award of $10,000. Andrey Natotsinsky’s “Katia” won the Golden Star and $15,000 for best short, while Ahmed Abdelsalam’s “CAI-BER” won best Arab short, which has a cash prize of $5,000. The El Gouna Silver Star for short film, and $7,500, went to “Holy Son” by Aliosha Massine, while the Bronze Star and $4,000 went to “On Solid Ground” by Jela Hasler. The Khaled Bichara Award for Egyptian independent filmmakers went to “Adel” by Dina Eleleimy. In all, the festival disbursed $244,000 in cash prizes across various categories. The highlight of the ceremony, held at the Festival Plaza, which caught fire on the eve of the festival , was when festival patron Samih Sawiris invited firefighters and behind the scenes staff who worked overnight to make the opening ceremony a reality onto the stage. They received a standing ovation. The career achievement award for iconic Palestinian actor Mohammad Bakri was received in his absence by a representative. Bakri had decided not to attend following the deportation of his compatriot Said Zagha. After the awards, winners, nominees and festival guests, numbering over a 1,000, partied into the night. For many, the main topic of discussion was which destination would be their next stop on the fall festival calendar.
|
Awards ceremony
| null | null |
BREXIT – The UK has left the European Union
|
Anti-Brexit Demonstrators wave the British Union flag and the European Union (EU) flag outside the Houses of Parliament in London, U.K., on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered an historic defeat in Parliament and the showdown over Brexit continues today in the House of Commons. BREXIT – The UK has left the European Union The U.K. formally quit the European Union, closing the chapter on nearly half a century of integration with its European neighbours as it begins to chart a new and uncertain course in the world. Almost four years on from the 2016 referendum, the UK ceased to be a member of the bloc at 11pm on Friday. By modernpakelites / February 1, 2020 Britain has left the European Union, bringing the curtain down on 47 years of membership. The historic moment came into life at 23.00 GMT. Candlelit vigils were held in Scotland, which voted to stay in the EU, while Brexiteers partied in London’s Parliament Square. A light show illuminated Downing Street when the clock struck 11pm, with a mixture of celebration and regret across Britain on a landmark day. An hour before UK left the EU, Prime Minister Boris Johnson shared his statement “For many people this is an astonishing moment of hope, a moment they thought would never come. And there are many of course who feel a sense of anxiety and loss. And then of course there is a third group – perhaps the biggest – who had started to worry that the whole political wrangle would never come to an end.” He added further “I understand all those feelings and our job as the government – my job – is to bring this country together now and take us forward.” Boris Johnson also tweeted on twitter after UK left the EU. He hopes this decision will advantage Britain. Tonight we have left the EU – an extraordinary turning point in the life of this country. Let us come together now to make the most of all the opportunities Brexit will bring – and let’s unleash the potential of the whole UK. ?? — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 31, 2020 “We did it!” declared Nigel Farage, the former member of the European Parliament who has campaigned for Brexit for years, before the crowd began singing the national anthem. Brexit however has led to divisions in the British society. I’ve managed to desensitise myself from Brexit the last year or so, but at the moment #Brexit happened I was at the Brandenburg Gate where a crowd had gathered to sing the European anthem (and Auld Lang Syne). Very moving and very sad ?. ?????? pic.twitter.com/ez2pFpY0Ag — John P. (@BerlinBrit) February 1, 2020 Crowd gathers at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany at the same time when United Kingdom ends its membership with the European Union at 23.00 GMT. Seen chanting EU’s anthem to express their support. Though the referendum may have divided our opinions, the spirit of our nation will always be united. I am proud to have played my part in delivering #Brexit , and am enthusiastic and optimistic for our bright future as an independent, global nation. — Dehenna Davison MP (@DehennaDavison) February 1, 2020 Conservative Party’s Member of the House of Commons, Dehenna Davison feels proud on delivering ‘Brexit’ and says ‘the spirit of our nation will always be united.’
|
Withdraw from an Organization
| null | null |
Olympics: Jacobs first Italian to win Men's 100m final
|
Lamont Marcell Jacobs has made Olympic history by becoming the first Italian to win the Men's 100m final which was held in Tokyo today, Sunday 1 August.
Jacobs won the race with a time of 9.80 seconds after qualifying for the final by setting a new European record of 9.84 seconds.
The race, which featured a new generation of sprinters, was the first without three-time champion Usain Bolt since the 2004 Athens Games.
Jacobs, age 26, was viewed as a surprise contender in the race which saw American Fred Kerley take the silver medal and Canadian Andre de Grasse win bronze.
The world record for the race was set by Bolt, who retired after the 2017 world championships, with a time of 9.58 seconds.
Son of an Italian mother and a Texan father, Jacobs was born in El Paso, Texas, on 26 September 1994.
Jacobs moved to Italy as a baby, settling in Desenzano del Garda where he began practising athletics at the age of 10.
Jacobs lives in Rome with his partner Nicole and their two children Anthony and Megan, and he also has a son Jeremy from a previous relationship.
......................
Jacobs’ victory coincided with Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi sharing a rare Olympic athletics gold medal in the high jump with Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim.
Tamberi, age 29, and Barshim, 30, agreed to settle for joint gold after three failed attempts to clear the top height of 2.39 metres.
|
Break historical records
| null | null |
Brock Holt -- Brock Holt! -- Makes History With Baseball's First Playoff Cycle
|
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 8: Brock Holt #12 of the Boston Red Sox high fives teammates after hitting a... [+] home run during the inning of game three of the American League Division Series to hit for the cycle against the New York Yankees on October 8, 2018 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
Barry Bonds, Sam Crawford, Tris Speaker and Pete Rose — the all-time leaders in homers, triples, doubles and singles — combined to appear in 152 of the first 1,619 playoff games in baseball history. But none of the elite quartet (we can’t say Hall of Fame quartet, because Pete liked to bet on baseball and anyone with a working set of eyes in the early days of the 21st century strongly suspects Barry liked ingesting something stronger than flaxseed oil) ever hit for the cycle in a postseason setting.
Nor, in fact, did anyone else who ever appeared in a playoff game between 1884 and early Monday night. Not Derek Jeter, who basically played an extra season’s worth of games (158) in the playoffs. Not Bill Haselman, who went 0-for-2 in his lone postseason appearance in 1995.
But then came all-time playoff game no. 1,620 Monday night, when Red Sox utilityman Brock Holt, making his fifth career postseason appearance, not only hit for the cycle but, because baseball is awesome and glorious and weird and unpredictable, did it against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on the 62nd anniversary of Don Larsen’s World Series perfect game and did it by hitting a feat-clinching homer off a backup catcher.
PROMOTED
“It’s a really special night,” Holt said after he led the Red Sox to a 16-1 thumping of the Yankees and a two games to one lead in the best-of-five AL Division Series. “I don’t think it sank in. Whenever you say first player ever to do something, I mean, that’s crazy to even think about.”
It seems even crazier to think about Holt pulling off the feat. Until Monday night, Holt was best-known for a magical first half of the 2015 season in which he hit for the cycle against the Braves on June 16 — he’s now the 26th player to hit for the cycle at least twice — and served as the only All-Star representative for a Red Sox squad on its way to a last-place finish in the AL East.
Holt hit just .265 with no homers following the All-Star Break in 2015 and was limited to 158 big league games the next two seasons, when he battled concussions and vertigo and underwent treatment for anxiety that was believed to be connected to his vestibular system issues.
A healthy Holt re-established himself as a solid jack-of-all-trades this season, when he set career-high marks in RBIs (46) and OPS+ (109) and tied his career high in homers (seven) while playing in 109 games and appearing at every position except pitcher, catcher and centerfield. He finished the season by hitting .354 with four homers and 13 RBIs in just 48 at-bats in September.
“The last two years, it’s part of my story now,” Holt said. “I feel like I’m a good baseball player when healthy and when right and given an opportunity.”
Still, Holt was easy to overlook on a team loaded with superstars and borderline Hall of Famers. Along the wall of lockers leading to the showers at Yankee Stadium are stalls belonging to Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez, each of whom are likely to finish in the top three in the MVP voting. Along the wall of lockers at the entrance to the visitor’s locker room are the spots belonging to Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler, who rank 19th and 20th among second baseman all-time in JAWS, the ranking system designed by Hall of Fame historian Jay Jaffe.
Holt, meanwhile, lockers along the back wall with the likes of Steve Pearce, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Tzu-Wei Lin, the latter of whom, like Holt, didn’t even appear in the first two games of the ALDS. But manager Alex Cora, looking to jump-start an offense that produced just two runs over the final 14 innings at Fenway Park over the weekend, informed a surprised Holt late Sunday night that he would play in Game Three.
“I don’t have very good numbers against (Yankees starter Luis) Severino,” Holt said. “I sent him a text and said ‘Are you sure?’”
Holt ended up doing most of his damage against Yankees relievers, though he helped to chase Severino with his first hit, a single leading off the fourth inning. It was Holt’s second hit against Severino in 17 career at-bats.
Severino didn’t retire a batter before he was lifted for Lance Lynn, who allowed three of the four batters he faced to reach base before giving way to Chad Green, who gave up a two-run triple to Holt that capped a seven-run outburst.
Holt grounded out to first to end the sixth — the only inning in which the Red Sox were retired in order — and completed the third part of the cycle when he hit an RBI double during a three-run eighth in which the Sox sent eight batters to the plate.
The big inning left Holt due up fourth in the ninth, and begging for his teammates to give him a chance at the homer.
“Usually when stuff like that’s going on, you don’t really talk about it,” Andrew Benintendi said. “Everybody knows, but they don’t talk about it. Brock is going around (saying) ‘Get me up, I need a homer.’ He wasn’t shy about it.”
It looked like Holt might be left on the on-deck circle when Austin Romine, the Yankees’ backup catcher who became the second position player to ever pitch in the postseason, retired the first two batters he faced. But Ian Kinsler worked a six-pitch walk to give Holt a chance.
“I was going to try to hit a home run, but figured I’d ground out to first, be out in front of something,” Holt said. “I was going to be swinging at anything and try to hook anything. Obviously, you don’t expect to hit a home run, but I was trying to. I was trying to hit a home run. That’s probably the first time I’ve ever tried to do that.”
Holt hit Romine’s first pitch — a 79 mph “fastball” — just fair down the right field line and a few rows into the seats. The Red Sox, who did their best to show the Yankees some mercy — Kinsler almost sheepishly trotted home from third on a wild pitch in the eighth — tried to mute their celebration, though it was impossible for Holt and his teammates to maintain a collective poker face.
“Seeing everyone going nuts in the dugout was a pretty cool moment for me,” Holt said.
Holt extended his arm as he reached first base and held both hands aloft to the Red Sox’s dugout upon reaching third base. Hooting and hollering was picked up on the TBS microphones as Holt received and handed out enthusiastic high-fives in the dugout.
“For Brock to be able to do something like that, it was something special,” Kinsler said. “And I think everyone in here is going to remember that forever.”
In the short-term, the left-handed hitting Holt is likely to return to the bench Tuesday night, when the Red Sox face Yankees southpaw CC Sabathia. But with one memorable night, Holt struck a blow for utilitymen everywhere and ensured it’ll be a long time before he’s overlooked again.
“In the position I’m in, you try to stay ready, and whenever your name’s called, you try to do what you can to help the team,” Holt said. “I was able to do that tonight.”
Plus, do something that hadn’t been done in baseball history.
“Now it has,” Kinsler said. “And Brock Holt did it.”
I have covered professional sports in the northeast for a variety of online and print publications since 1997. Currently I cover the Mets and Islanders for outlets such as The Sports... Read More
I have covered professional sports in the northeast for a variety of online and print publications since 1997. Currently I cover the Mets and Islanders for outlets such as The Sports
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
End of dialog window.
|
Break historical records
| null | null |
2012 Mexico Learjet 25 crash
|
On 9 December 2012, a Learjet 25 business jet carrying five passengers including American singer Jenni Rivera crashed south of Monterrey, Mexico, minutes after taking off from the city's international airport. All aboard, including two crew members, were killed. [1]
The subsequent investigation was unable to determine the cause of the sudden steep descent that led to the aircraft impacting the ground at extremely high speed. The Learjet 25 was chartered to fly Rivera and four others from Monterrey to Toluca, near Mexico City, after she performed a concert at the Monterrey Arena. It took off from Monterrey International Airport at about 3:20am local time on 9 December 2012. Around 15 minutes later, while still climbing towards its assigned cruise level, the aircraft suddenly went into a steep descent and disappeared from radar, crashing to the ground. No distress call was received from the crew. [2][3]
The wreckage was located later in the day near Iturbide, Nuevo León. [3] The aircraft had completely disintegrated on impact. There were no survivors among the seven people on board. [4]
The aircraft was a twin-engine Learjet 25 with US registration N345MC, built in 1969 with serial number 25-046. It was operated by Starwood Management LLC. [3]
In 2005, N345MC was involved in an incident during which a fuel imbalance developed between the left and right wing's fuel tanks, although no technical fault was found within the fuel system. No-one was injured. [5]
The investigation into the accident was carried out by the Mexican Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC). Since the United States was the state of manufacture and registry of the aircraft, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) sent an accredited representative to assist with the inquiry. [6]
In December 2014, the DGAC issued its final accident report. The investigation was hampered by the fact that the flight data recorder was destroyed in the impact, and no information could be retrieved. The cockpit voice recorder was never found. [7]
From the analysis of the recorded radar information, it was determined that the Learjet had experienced a sudden loss of control while climbing through 28,000 feet (8,500 m), leading to a nearly vertical high-speed nosedive. The angle of impact with terrain was estimated at 89°, and the impact speed higher than the aircraft's maximum operating speed. [7]
Other flight crews that had previously flown on N345MC had reported occurrences of anomalous vibrations felt on the control column during cruise, leading the investigators to speculate that the sudden nosedive might have been the result of a failure in the horizontal stabilizer, although no hard evidence was found among the badly damaged parts of the system recovered from the wreckage. [7]
Furthermore, the NTSB, after conducting laboratory analysis on the stabilizer's actuator, found no evidence of pre-existing damage or failure, and later issued a comment on the DGAC's findings that there was "no factual data that supports [the hypothesis of a horizontal stabilizer failure]. "[6][8]
The report concluded that the probable cause of the accident was "loss of control of the aircraft for undetermined reasons." It was also established that the flight crew was in breach of local regulations regarding age limits and qualifications. The captain, 78, had exceeded the maximum age allowed for his role, while the co-pilot, 21, did not hold a valid type rating for the Learjet 25. [7]
Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics documents
National Transportation Safety Board documents:
|
Air crash
| null | null |
Armand Duplantis breaks Bubka's outdoor pole vault world record
|
Another day, another record - Armand Duplantis at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea meet in Rome. - Getty Images Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis broke Sergey Bubka's 26-year-old outdoor world record on Thursday.Duplantis cleared 6 meters, 15 centimeters (20 feet, 2 inches) at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea meet in Rome with his second attempt, besting Bubka's mark of 6.14 meters (20 feet, 1 1/2 inches) set in Sestriere in July 1994.Nicknamed "Mondo," Duplantis already holds the indoor world record of 6.18 meters (20 feet, 3 1/4 inches) set in Glasgow in February - but Bubka's classic outdoor mark was viewed by many as the ultimate test.READ: Murali Gavit’s 10,000m bronze in Asian Championships likely to be upgraded to silver
"World record - finally! It is so cool," Duplantis said. "I wanted to get over these 6.15 so badly. Everybody kept talking about it, it was a big chip on my shoulder ... When I did it, it was more relief than joy."The 20-year-old Duplantis, who was born and raised in the United States, came agonizingly close on his first attempt before clearing the bar on his second."It is crazy," Duplantis said. "It has been a long time coming. Coming into the season we did not know if we were able to do any competition at all. This world record is really unexpected and I am very grateful."
"World record - finally! It is so cool" - Getty Images Read more stories on Athletics.
|
Break historical records
| null | null |
TWA Flight 553 crash
|
Trans World Airlines (TWA) Flight 553 was a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15 jet airliner, registration N1063T, operated by Trans World Airlines in American airspace en route from Pittsburgh to Dayton. While descending toward Dayton about 29 miles from the airport, the flight collided in midair with a Beechcraft Baron (a small general aviation airplane) near Urbana, Ohio, on March 9, 1967. All 26 people, 25 on the DC-9 as well as the pilot of the Beechcraft (its sole occupant) perished. [1]
Flight 553 departed from Greater Pittsburgh Airport en route to Dayton Municipal Airport. After passing Columbus, Ohio, Flight 553 had been cleared to descend from Flight Level (FL) 200 (about 20,000 feet (6,000 m) above sea level) to 3,000 feet (900 m). The flight was in uncontrolled airspace, but being handled by Dayton radar approach control, who advised them of uncontrolled VFR traffic ahead and slightly to the right, and one mile away, about 18 seconds before the collision. The crew acknowledged the traffic advisory. As the airliner descended through 4,500 feet (1,400 m) at a speed of 323 knots on a southwest heading, it collided with the smaller craft, a southbound Beechcraft Baron 55. [2] The front right side of the DC-9 hit the left side of the Beechcraft. Both aircraft fell to earth in Concord Township, a rural area northwest of the city of Urbana in Champaign County. The collision was just northeast of the intersection of Melody Lane and Woodville Pike. [1]
Visual flight rules (VFR) were in effect at the time of the accident, meaning it was the responsibility of the pilots on both aircraft to "see and avoid" each other. In addition, the radar controller stated that he did not see the Beechcraft on his radar scope until 22 seconds before the crash. Controllers testified that the zone near the crash site was a zone where small planes could be difficult to detect on radar, but flight checks in the area proved inconclusive. [1]
The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the accident and determined that due to the high rate of descent of the DC-9, its pilots were not able to see the other plane in time to avoid a collision. Weather conditions included widely scattered, thin clouds, with haze reducing visibility to 6 to 7 miles (10 to 11 km), twice the 3-mile (5 km) visibility required for VFR flight. [1]
Since 1961, FAR Part 91.85 had mandated speed restrictions below 10,000 feet (3,000 m) within 30 nautical miles of a destination airport (the result of a previous midair collision), but after this accident, all areas below 10,000 feet (3,000 m) were prohibited from exceeding 250 knots (460 km/h; 290 mph) IAS. It also contributed to the Federal Aviation Administration's decision to create terminal control areas or TCAs (now called Class B airspace) around the busiest airports in the country. The airspace around Dayton did not become a TCA, undergoing only minor changes until it was reclassified as Class C airspace in the late 1980s.
|
Air crash
| null | null |
2014 Masters (darts)
|
The 2014 Unibet Masters was the second staging of the non-ranking Masters darts tournament, held by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). It was held between 1–2 November 2014 at the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh, Scotland. Phil Taylor was the defending champion, having beaten Adrian Lewis 10–1 in the inaugural tournament's final. James Wade beat Taylor 11–9 in the semi-finals. Wade got off to a slow start in the final against Mervyn King, and trailed 0–5, 1–6, 2–9 and 6–10. However, Wade won the last 5 legs to triumph 11–10, and win his first major title since the 2011 UK Open. [1]
The match distance changed this year with the first round and quarter-finals best of 19 legs. The semi-finals and final also increased in distance to best of 21 legs. Only the top 16 players on the PDC's Order of Merit on 19 October 2014 qualified for the event. [2] These were:
The total prize fund was £160,000. [3]
The draw was made on 20 October 2014. [4]
The tournament was available in the following countries on these channels:[5]
|
Sports Competition
| null | null |
4,200-year-old queen's identity among remarkable new finds in Egypt
|
Cairo — Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities has revealed details of the latest landmark discoveries to emerge from the Saqqara necropolis, south of Cairo. The vast burial grounds sit in what was once Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to more than a dozen pyramids, including Egypt's oldest, the Pyramid of Djoser. The site has yielded thousands of artefacts over decades of excavation, but among the biggest rewards for Egyptologists in this latest round of discoveries was the identity of a queen who died around 4,200 years ago. Her tomb was discovered at a site adjacent to the pyramid of King Teti, the first pharaoh of the Sixth Dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom, the era between about 2680 and 2180 BC known as the Age of the Pyramids. "The excavation started in 2010, when we discovered a pyramid of a queen next to the pyramid of King Teti, but we didn't find a name inside the pyramid to tell us who the pyramid belonged to," leading Egyptologist and former minister of antiquities Dr. Zahi Hawass told CBS News. About a month ago they discovered a funerary temple, and now researchers finally have a name for the ancient female monarch: Queen Neit, the wife of King Teti. Her name was finally found, carved on a wall in the temple and also written on a fallen obelisk in the entrance to her tomb. "I'd never heard of this queen before. Therefore, we add an important piece to Egyptian history, about this queen," said Hawass, who heads the archaeological mission. He said the recent discoveries would help "rewrite" the history of ancient Egypt. His team also discovered 52 burial shafts, each around 30 to 40 feet deep, inside of which they found have more than 50 wooden coffins dating back to the New Kingdom, around 3,000 years ago. "Actually, this morning we found another shaft," Hawass told CBS News on Monday. "Inside the shaft we found a large limestone sarcophagus. This is the first time we've discovered a limestone sarcophagus inside the shafts. We found another one that we're going to open a week from now." The team also found a papyrus about 13 feet long and three feet wide, on which Chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead is written in hieroglyphics, with the name of its owner recorded on it. The Book of the Dead is an ancient manuscript that explains how to navigate through the afterlife to reach the field of the Aaru — paradise, to ancient Egyptians. Hawass said it was the first time such a large papyrus had been discovered inside a burial shaft. Other finds from the site include numerous wooden funerary masks, a shrine dedicated to the god Anubis (Guardian of the Cemetery), statues of Anubis, and games that were buried with the dead, to keep them busy in the afterlife. One of them was a game called "Twenty," found with its owner's name still visibly written on it. Another game, called "Senet" (cross), was found in the shafts. It's similar to chess, but if the deceased player wins, they go safely into the afterlife.
|
New archeological discoveries
| null | null |
Acute hunger set to soar in over 20 countries
|
Acute hunger set to soar in over 20 countries, warn FAO and WFP: call for urgent and at-scale action to avert rising hunger and risk of famine ROME -- Acute hunger is set to soar in over 20 countries in the coming months without urgent and scaled-up assistance, warn the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) in a new report issued today. Yemen, South Sudan and northern Nigeria top the list and face catastrophic levels of acute hunger, with families in pockets of South Sudan and Yemen already in the grip of - or at risk of starvation and death according to the **Hunger Hotspots report. ** Although the majority of the affected countries are in Africa, acute hunger is due to rise steeply in most world regions - from Afghanistan in Asia, Syria and Lebanon in the Middle East, to Haiti in Latin America and the Caribbean. Already, over 34 million people are grappling with emergency levels of acute hunger (IPC4) - - meaning they are one step away from starvation - across the world. "The magnitude of suffering is alarming. It is incumbent upon all of us to act now and to act fast to save lives, safeguard livelihoods and prevent the worst situation". said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. "In many regions, the planting season has just started or is about to start. We must run against the clock and not let this opportunity to protect, stabilize and even possibly increase local food production slip away," urged Qu. "We are seeing a catastrophe unfold before our very eyes. Famine -- driven by conflict, and fuelled by climate shocks and the COVID-19 hunger pandemic -- is knocking on the door for millions of families," said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. "We urgently need three things to stop millions from dying of starvation: the fighting has to stop, we must be allowed access to vulnerable communities to provide life-saving help, and above all we need donors to step up with the US$ 5.5 billion we are asking for this year," he added. Conflict, COVID-19 amongst key drivers of acute food insecurity One or a mix of the following factors are behind the projected rise in acute food insecurity in the 20 hunger "hotspots" between March and July 2021. Urgent, at-scale action needed to stop rising hunger and risk of famine The report recommends critical short-term actions in each hunger hotspot to address existing and future needs. These range from scaling up food and nutrition assistance, distributing drought-tolerant seeds, treating and vaccinating livestock to rolling out cash-for-work schemes, rehabilitating water-harvesting structures and increasing income opportunities for vulnerable communities. Agricultural production is possible and essential, especially where access is constrained and people are even more reliant on local production. Earlier this month, FAO and WFP called for US$ 5.5 billion to swiftly scale up actions and avert famine through a combination of humanitarian food assistance, cash and emergency livelihoods interventions. Hunger hotspots -- up close People in South Sudan, Yemen and northern Nigeria remain most at risk of rising and dangerously high acute food insecurity. In Burkina Faso, food security has slightly improved since last October, but the situation is still very concerning. In South Sudan, in parts of Jonglei State, people were likely already grappling with famine last October and November, and will continue to do so through this April-July lean season. FAO and WFP call for urgent and at-scale action now to stop likely widespread starvation and death, as well as a complete collapse of livelihoods in these areas. Over 7 million people across South Sudan are projected to fall into crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity, including over 100,000 at catastrophe level (IPC5), during April-July - 700,000 more since the same period last year. In Yemen, continued violence and economic decline as well as severe disruptions to the humanitarian response are likely to persist over the coming months. In Al Jawf, Amran and Hajjah governorates, the number of people in catastrophe level of food insecurity is estimated to triple -- reaching 47,000 in June 2021, up from 16,000 in October--December 2020. With already highly vulnerable populations, severe malnutrition, rising displacement and the deteriorating economic situation, the risk of famine in Yemen is increasing. Overall, over 16 million Yemenis are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity by June 2021, an increase of some 3 million since the end of last year. In conflict-hit northern Nigeria, projections for the June-August lean season show that the number of people in emergency level of acute food insecurity is likely to almost double - to over 1.2 million -- since the same period last year. In the next six months, food and nutrition insecurity is set to rise considerably in northern Nigeria with some 13 million people affected unless food and livelihood assistance is scaled up. Burkina Faso has seen a slight improvement in food security since June 2020 due to a good agricultural season and people in remote and previously, inaccessible areas reached with food. But the situation remains very worrying and needs close monitoring as violence is likely to continue pushing people into acute food insecurity. Some 2.7 million Burkinabe are projected to face high acute food insecurity between June and August 2021 -- a sharp increase from 700,000 in 2019, before violence escalated in the West African nation. Other countries identified by the report as amongst the worst hunger hotspots -- where life-threatening hunger is on the rise - are Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, the Sudan, and Syria.
|
Famine
| null | null |
Dominican Republic Signs Agreement with the World Bank to Curb Carbon Emissions and Reduce Deforestation
|
With 189 member countries, staff from more than 170 countries, and offices in over 130 locations, the World Bank Group is a unique global partnership: five institutions working for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing countries.
The World Bank Group works in every major area of development. We provide a wide array of financial products and technical assistance, and we help countries share and apply innovative knowledge and solutions to the challenges they face.
We face big challenges to help the world’s poorest people and ensure that everyone sees benefits from economic growth. Data and research help us understand these challenges and set priorities, share knowledge of what works, and measure progress.
Santo Domingo, May 12, 2021 - The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources signed a landmark agreement today with the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), unlocking payments of up to US$25 million for verified carbon emission reductions between now and 2025 through the country’s emissions reduction program.
“This agreement is a country achievement, a reason for celebration and progress in the fight against the challenges of climate change and is the result of four years of preparation of the Program for the Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), which will be implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, with the direct involvement of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD), ” said Milagros De Camps, Vice Minister of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
The Dominican Republic’s Emission Reductions Program is a national initiative focused on lowering forest emissions from deforestation and forest degradation across the country's 4.8 million hectares of biodiversity and forest-rich land, to improve local livelihoods and protect natural ecosystems. With this Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA) in place, the Dominican Republic is expected to reduce 5 million tons of forest-related carbon emissions.
“The Dominican Republic has a long and rich history of protecting its natural resources, having dedicated significant efforts to the conservation and development of its forests,” said Alexandria Valerio, World Bank Representative for the Dominican Republic. “This agreement is further proof of the country’s continued commitment to sustainable forest management and economic development.”
The country’s Emission Reductions program will work with the government and civil society to strengthen sustainable agroforestry initiatives that aim to curb agricultural expansion into forest areas. The program also aims to promote broader and more sustainable natural resource management that can contribute to the growth of small and medium-sized forest enterprises, and the conservation of forests.
The Dominican Republic is the third country in Latin America and the Caribbean (after Chile and Costa Rica) and 14th globally to reach such a milestone agreement with the FCPF, which together have unlocked nearly $670m in results-based financing. ERPAs are innovative instruments that incentivize sustainable land management at scale and help to connect countries with other sources of climate financing. The resources from the FCPF provide new opportunities to conserve and regenerate forest landscapes and biodiversity while supporting sustainable economic growth, which is critical for the Dominican Republic’s development going forward.
The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society, and Indigenous Peoples' organizations focused on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, forest carbon stock conservation, the sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries, activities commonly referred to as REDD+. Launched in 2008, the FCPF has worked with 47 developing countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, along with 17 donors that have made contributions and commitments totaling US$1.3 billion.
|
Sign Agreement
| null | null |
2027 World Women's Handball Championship
|
The 2027 World Women's Handball Championship, the 28th event hosted by the International Handball Federation, will take place in Hungary in 2027. [1] It will be the main qualifying event for the women's handball tournament of the 2028 Summer Olympics. [2]
The bid includes the following four host cities/venues:
^ 1. To bear in mind the 2028 Summer Olympics, the IHF Council awarded the United States with wild cards for the 2025 and 2027 World Championships. [3][4]
^ 2. If countries from Oceania (Australia or New Zealand) participating in the Asian Championships finish within the top 5, they will qualify for the World Championships. If either finishes sixth or lower, the place would have been transferred to the wild card spot.
|
Sports Competition
| null | null |
Property spruiker Rick Otton and We Buy Houses fined record $18 million for 'peddling false hope'
|
Property spruiker Rick Otton and We Buy Houses fined record $18 million for 'peddling false hope'
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 man and his company who claimed people could buy a house for $1 have been fined a record $18 million for misleading consumers.
The Federal Court imposed the fines on Rick Otton and his company We Buy Houses after an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and New South Wales Fair Trading.
The court found the organisation's expensive real estate investment strategies and mentoring programs contained false or misleading claims. ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the company was charging customers for advice that "sounded credible and very sophisticated but ultimately didn't work".
"We Buy Houses and Mr Otton peddled false hope to people simply looking to get a foothold in the housing market or invest money in real estate for their future," Mr Sims said.
"These were programs that the judge described as 'an expensive waste of time' and I think the judge got it right.
"It was a very sophisticated marketing approach using very complicated terms but ultimately it didn't work and it cost Australian consumers a lot of money."
Between 2011 and 2014, We Buy Houses made $20 million running free property seminars, $3,000 bootcamps and mentoring programs that people paid up to $26,000 to attend.
Among the claims made by Mr Otton and his company were that people could:
In August last year the Federal Court found these claims were false or misleading, contravening Australian Consumer Law.
In a decision handed down on Thursday, We Buy Houses was fined $12 million for the breach and Mr Otton was fined $6 million.
Both have been banned from any further involvement in the real estate industry.
"This was a record penalty under Australian consumer law in relation to a company, and it's 10 times larger than any other penalty against an individual," Mr Sims said.
The court found that Mr Otton's claim that he had successfully implemented the wealth creation strategies he taught, were false and misleading.
It also found "students'" claims that they were able to buy a house for $1, which appeared on company websites and a book Mr Otton wrote, were false or misleading.
We Buy Houses has conducted training programs since 2000 and had recently expanded to the United Kingdom.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work.
This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced.
AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
|
Organization Fine
| null | null |
Georgian riot police use tear gas, water and sonic cannons to break up thousands of anti-government protesters
|
Images broadcast around the world revealed armed officers blasting crowds with a high-pressure water cannon. A few minutes later, police fired tear-gas canisters and rubber bullets to scatter demonstrators.
There is also video footage of masked riot police clubbing unarmed protesters before putting them into police vans.
Special weapons expert Viktor Siryk described the police action as "an inhumane means of crowd control."
“Georgian police used an acoustic gun. It’s a non-lethal weapon that disorients people for a period of time," Mr Siryk said.
"Also, officers used so-called stink bombs and rubber bullets that can cause very serious damage.”
It's believed much of the equipment was imported from abroad. Iraqi police use such weapons to control crowds.
"A democratic country could never use them against peaceful demonstrators.”
The police's co-ordinated response to the non-violent protest has caused widespread anger in Georgia.
The use of high-tech foreign weapons has led to accusations that Georgian police were planning for Wednesday's bloody showdown.
|
Protest_Online Condemnation
| null | null |
Northern Lights visible in Scotland tonight after solar storm - exact time to see it
|
Scots will be treated to the night time spectacle once again this evening. Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter Scots will be able to catch another glimpse of the Northern Lights this evening, according to forecasters. A strong geomagnetic storm from the sun arrived on Earth last night, which meant that thousands of Scots were treated to the night sky spectacle overnight. Hues of green and purple were spotted as far south as Dumfries and Galloway, with some northern England being treated to the phenomenon on Wednesday. It looks like more could be on the way this evening and could even last into the little hours of Friday. Krista Hammond from the Met Office said: “As was predicted by the Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre, a coronal mass ejection impacted with the Earth yesterday. “The resulting strong geomagnetic storm meant the Northern Lights were visible across large areas of the UK overnight last night. “We’ve had reports that the aurora could even be seen in some central areas of the UK, which is possible when a storm of this magnitude impacts the Earth. “Further geomagnetic storms are possible tonight and into the early hours of tomorrow morning, due to ongoing effects of the coronal mass ejection.” But Scots have been warned that the weather may not be on their side this evening. The meteorologist added: “This means there is the potential for further sightings of the Northern Lights overnight, although there will be spells of patchy cloud over Scotland which could limit visibility in places.” A Met Office ‘space weather notification’ remains in place for the Geomagnetic Storm from this evening to last until 1am during the early hours of Friday. The Aurora Borealis take their name from Aurora (the Roman goddess of dawn) and Boreas (the Greek name for north wind), the lights are caused by solar activity. Charged particles in the solar wind collide with the earth's magnetic field, which pulls them north and south to the poles. This means that Scotland is one of the best places in Europe outwith Scandinavia to see them.
|
New wonders in nature
| null | null |
At least nine people have been killed in a militant attack on a sports match in Afghanistan's turbulent eastern Paktika province.
|
At least nine people have been killed in a militant attack on a sports match in Afghanistan's turbulent eastern Paktika province.
Dozens of people were also wounded in the attack but no group has yet said it carried out the attack. It came on the same day 300 fighters allied to so-called Islamic State attacked checkpoints in Nangarhar.
Two policemen were reported killed in the co-ordinated assault on security forces.
The provincial police chief said children were among the injured in the attack in Paktika, close to the Pakistan border. "The enemy had placed explosives on a motorbike and detonated it on the edge of the volleyball playground," said Zarawar Zahid.
There were conflicting reports about whether volleyball, cricket or football was being played at the time. The Taliban has denied that it attacked the game Last November, at least 50 people were killed in an attack on a volleyball match in Paktika. Earlier, a statement purportedly issued by an IS affiliate claimed a "big attack" had been carried out in Nangarhar, also bordering Pakistan and in an area IS refers to as Khorasan state.
A local official told the BBC earlier that government forces were resisting militant attacks in Achin district, and had killed 60 fighters.
Militants affiliated to Islamic State have have been gaining support in Afghanistan.
Governor Haji Ghalib said it was the first time IS fighters had carried out co-ordinated attacks in the province. Locals in the province said the group had been torturing and beheading people and taking prisoners.
The attacks come a day after a special operation by government forces killed 51 IS militants, according to a spokesman for the Afghan interior ministry.
|
Armed Conflict
| null | null |
Dave Chappelle, Joe Rogan concert scheduled for New Orleans this weekend is postponed
|
Even though much of New Orleans could use a laugh right about now, the Dave Chappelle and Joe Rogan show scheduled for Saturday (Sept. 4) at the Smoothie King Center has been postponed. In addition to the obvious reason — the damage and power outages across south Louisiana caused by Hurricane Ida — there is another complication: Rogan announced this week that he had contracted COVID-19. In an Instagram post Wednesday, the comic and podcast host said he started feeling bad after returning home following a show last weekend. Fatigue and a headache soon gave way to fevers, chills and a positive COVID test. "We immediately threw the kitchen sink at it, all kinds of meds," Rogan said in his Instagram video. "Monoclonal antibodies, ivermectin, Z-pak, prednisone, everything. And I also got an anti-D drip and a vitamin drip." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration have cautioned against taking ivermectin, an anti-parasitic and de-worming drug generally used on animals, as a COVID treatment. The Rogan/Chappelle show scheduled for Friday (Sept. 3) in Nashville has been postponed to Oct. 24 because of Rogan's diagnosis. No new date for the New Orleans performance has been announced yet. A social media message from the Smoothie King Center advised ticketholders to hold onto their tickets and that more information about a new date would be coming next week. Rogan and Chappelle were originally slated to co-headline the Smoothie King Center in April 2020. That initial show was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. For now, the Smoothie King Center still has two other concerts on its September schedule: rapper Lil Baby on Sept. 14 and guitarist Eric Clapton on Sept. 18.
|
Organization Closed
| null | null |
Worli riots
|
The Worli riots refers to the violence that occurred in the chawl, or tenement, in the Worli neighborhood of Mumbai between January and April 1974. The riots began on 5 January 1974 after the police attempted to disperse a rally of the Dalit Panthers that had turned violent. Regular clashes between the Dalit Panthers, the Shiv Sena, and the police continued for several months. Six people were killed in the riots, and approximately 113 injured; widespread property damage also occurred in the tenements. The riots have been described as anti-Dalit violence by scholars. A larger number of unemployed youth lived in the Worli neighborhood of Mumbai in the 1970s. These youth frequently organized themselves into gangs which included individuals from multiple caste backgrounds, brought together by their lower-class status and their shared life in the Worli chawls, or tenements. These youth were often associated with the Shiv Sena, a Hindu nationalist political party, which gave them "ideological and organisational focus", and which used them to mobilise support during elections. However, the formation of the Dalit Panthers, which drew inspiration from the Black Panthers in the United States and advocated for Dalit rights, led to Dalit youth moving towards the new organisation, leading to conflict between the two groups. Support for the Sena declined. The Sena accused the Dalit Panthers of damaging Maharashtrian unity by raising issues of caste. The Panthers stated that the Sena only represented upper-caste Hindus, and did not offer Dalits a way to overcome systemic inequality.
The Worli riots occurred during a time of dissatisfaction with the Indian National Congress government in Maharastra. This dissatisfaction resulted in political tension; for example, on 2 January 1974, various communist organisations had called for a "Maharashtra Bandh Day" ("Shut Down Maharashtra Day"); the call had the support of several opposition parties, as well as the Dalit Panthers. A by-election to the Maharashtra legislative assembly had been scheduled for January 1974. The candidate of the Congress had the support of most of the Republican Party of India, which had historically commanded substantial support among Dalits. The Dalit Panthers opposed any agreement with the Congress, and asked Dalit voters to boycott the bypoll.
The riots began on 5 January 1974. The events which triggered the riots are in dispute. The violence began after speakers at a rally of the Dalit Panthers were stoned: they were accused of having made obscene statements about Hindu deities. Bhagwat Jadhav, a member of the Dalit Panthers, was killed by a grinding stone thrown at the rally.] Reacting to the violence, the police attempted to disperse the crowd using tear gas and baton charges. The crowd was pushed into the close-packed slum area of the neighborhood; 70% of the inhabitants of this area were non-Dalits. Members of the Shiv Sena followed the gathering, and began to attack them; the Dalits retaliated. Dalits and non-Dalit Hindus were reported to have attacked each other with stones and glass bottles.
The violence continued the next morning; intermittent violence would continue in the Worli tenements until April 1974, and also spread to other parts of the city of Mumbai; an eyewitness stated that gangs of people threw stones at each other, often from terraces of the tenements. Electric bulbs, acid, and kerosene bombs were also thrown. Being in a numerical minority in these neighborhoods, Dalits bore the brunt of this violence. The local police supported the attacks on the Dalits; one of the Dalit men killed in the violence was the victim of police firing. A number of the eye-witnesses stated that the police sided with the Shiv Sena, and that members of the police who were not on duty were part of the Hindu mob. Six people were killed in the violence, and 113 were estimated to have been injured. The police opened fire on violence mobs on 19 occasions. 70 complexes within the Worli tenement were damaged, affecting over half of its residents.
Scholarly analysis of the 1974 riots has generally described the incidents as anti-Dalit violence. Historian Eleanor Zelliot described the riots as an attack on Dalit Buddhists by their Hindu neighbors. Scholar Jayashree Gokhale‐Turner stated that the nature of the police's response to the violence was seen as a warning to the Dalit Panthers to moderate their methods. Scholar Anupama Rao stated that the Worli were part of a systematic attempt by non-Dalit Hindus to undermine the influence of "neo-Buddhists", or Dalits who had followed B. R. Ambedkar in converting to Buddhism. Rao referred to the riots as "an important landmark in Dalit politics".
The Maharashtra Government ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter. The inquiry was led by S. B. Bhasme, a high court judge, and lasted until April 1974. The commission's report described the riots as a conflict between "caste Hindus and neo-Buddhists" and attributed much of the severity of the conflict to the physical proximity of Hindu and Buddhist chawls which facilitated stone throwing. Much evidence was also presented to the commission regarding partisan police behavior against Dalits, with some witnesses describing a "police riot". The report did not mention the role of the Shiv Sena as an organisation, but stated that a large number of the perpetrators of the violence were supports of the Sena.
The violence significantly lowered voter turnout among Dalit voters, and the Congress candidate lost the election to Roza Deshpande, a candidate of the Communist Party of India.The repression faced by the Dalit Panthers after the riots led to the organisation moderating its methods. The riots brought the neighborhood of Worli into national prominence. The performance of the police was criticized in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly by a member of the legislature. The riots have been described as triggering the end of a period of unity among the Dalit Panthers; the organisation would break into two factions later in 1974. Members of the Congress party were rumoured to have attended the rally, hoping to come to an agreement with the Panthers about the election. Though the rumours were never substantiated, they were the subject of a disagreement between factions of the Panthers, which played a role in the split that followed.
|
Riot
| null | null |
1961 Scotch Cup
|
The 1961 Scotch Cup was the third edition of the men's World Curling Championship. It was held across four venues: Ayr, Kirkcaldy, Perth and Edinburgh, Scotland. The tournament began with games in Ayr on 21 March. The second and third days were on 22 and 23 March in Kirkcaldy, and the fourth day was in Perth on 24 March. The tournament was expanded to a three team competition with the United States debuting in the tournament. After the three teams ended up tied with a 2-2 win-loss record, a playoff was played with the semi-final played on 25 March in Perth and the final played in Edinburgh on 30 March. [1] In the final, Canada won the Scotch Cup for the third time with a 12-7 win over Scotland in the final. Skip: Hec Gervais
Third: Ray Werner
Second: Vic Raymer
Lead: Wally Ursuliak
Skip: Willie McIntosh
Third: Andrew McLaren
Second: Jim Miller
Lead: Bob Stirrat
Skip: Dr. Frank Crealock
Third: Ken Sherwood
Second: John Jamieson
Lead: Bud McCartney
At Ayr Curling Rink. [2]
23 March, Kirkcaldy
|
Sports Competition
| null | null |
FedEx Express Flight 630 crash
|
FedEx Flight 630 was a regular scheduled cargo flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Memphis International Airport, Memphis, Tennessee. On July 28, 2006, the McDonnell Douglas MD-10-10F
operating the flight, crashed upon landing due to a landing gear failure. [1] The main left undercarriage collapsed seven seconds after touchdown causing the MD-10 to roll off the runway out of control. The aircraft finally came to a stop near taxiway M4 and caught fire. The fire consumed the wing and port engine and the crash and evacuation left the two crew members and the sole passenger, an off-duty crew member, injured. [2]
The aircraft involved was a 32-year old McDonnell Douglas MD-10-10F registration N391FE was built in mid-1974 and delivered to FedEx Express on May 21, 1997. Like quite a few of FedEx MD-10s, this aircraft was originally delivered to United Airlines (N391FE was originally delivered to United Airlines in February 1975 as N1826U). While in service with United, the aircraft was temporarily leased to 2 other airlines, World Airways and Leisure Air. With Line number 169 and Construction Number (MSN) 46625 the aircraft was 32.2 years old at the time of the accident. The airframe was written off as a result of the incident and broken up shortly thereafter. [3] The aircraft was nicknamed Chandra. [4]
At the time of the crash, FedEx had 81 other McDonnell Douglas MD-10F in its fleet. [5]
FedEx Flight 630 was a regular scheduled cargo flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Memphis International Airport, Memphis, Tennessee which was operated by the company's 82 McDonnell Douglas MD-10F aircraft. On 28 July, N391FE was conducting a visual approach to runway 18R which was initially flown with the autopilot engaged and coupled to the ILS. The first officer was the pilot flying for the landing. At 1600 feet the airplane was configured for a landing. At 400 feet the autopilot was disconnected, the final approach segment was smooth. [6] Upon touchdown, the left main gear collapsed without warning, causing the left wing to contact the runway, with the jet veering violently to the left and eventually coming to a stop near taxiway M4. The NTSB launched an investigation into the crash. The final report, released in 2008, cited a fatigue crack in the air filler valve hole caused by inadequate maintenance. [7]
|
Air crash
| null | null |
UN chief warns of famine in Yemen, urges halt to violence
|
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Friday that Yemen could face "the worst famine we have seen in decades" and urged the country's warring parties to immediately halt the violence. The UN chief told reporters "the urgency of the humanitarian crisis leaves no room for complacency" and the "building wave of momentum" for peace must be seized. UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock warned last week that "there is a clear and present danger of an imminent and great big famine engulfing Yemen" that could affect 14 million people — half of the country's population. The conflict began in 2014 when Houthi Shia rebels toppled the internationally recognized government. A Saudi-led coalition allied with the government has been fighting the Houthis since 2015. Guterres said more and more countries are engaged in helping create conditions for the warring parties to understand the need to cease hostilities and engage in serious negotiations. He urged the coalition and the Houthis "to overcome obstacles and resolve differences through dialogue" at UN facilitated talks later this month. Guterres stressed that "violence must stop everywhere — with an immediate halt around critical infrastructure and densely populated areas." "My objective is to appeal to the parties to the conflict to understand that there is an opportunity that must be seized, and to say that the humanitarian situation is so dire that if that doesn't happen" the world will have to deal with a famine in Yemen next year, he said. "I must say, I hope the voice of reason will prevail," Guterres said.
|
Famine
| null | null |
the economic losses caused by an oil spill near a world heritage-listed area of Solomon Islands last year could be as high as $AUD 50 million
|
A confidential report estimates the economic losses caused by an oil spill near a world heritage-listed area of Solomon Islands last year could be as high as $AUD 50 million.
More than 300 tonnes of heavy fuel oil spilled from the damaged hull of the bulk carrier MV Solomon Trader after it ran aground on Rennell Island in rough seas last February.
A confidential damage assessment report compiled by a team of local and international experts for the Solomons government found the ecological impacts were significant and long-lasting.
It was handed to the Solomon Islands government more than a year ago but its contents have never been made public and locals are yet to be compensated.
It found the grounding of the ship caused the direct loss of more than 10,000 square metres of reef and more than 4000 square metres of lagoon habitat in Kangava Bay.
The report said surveys of the sea floor where the the bulk carrier ran aground found "reduced invertebrate abundance and richness, reduced fish biomass, abundance and richness and reduced live coral cover". "Statistical analysis suggests these impacts extend to within 1-3 kilometres of the grounding site."
The fuel spill affected at least 27,000 square metres of the lagoon until most of the oil was cleaned up several weeks later.
The researchers also interviewed locals to gauge the socio-economic impacts of the disaster and found it had affected their physical and mental health and given rise to concerns about the loss of subsistence fishing, dietary changes and negative impacts on cultural practices.
"Economically the oil spill and subsequent clean‐up operations had a significant positive benefit on the economy of Rennell Island through the direct employment of casual labour, rent of houses, cars, boats and increased trade through local business houses," the report said.
"However a range of negative economic impacts were also incurred ... through the loss of income from marine resource sales due to a seafood harvest ban, costs associated with replacing seafood with other protein sources, tourism impacts of a five month travel warning and ongoing aesthetic impacts on the coastal environment."
The report found the most severe long‐term impact was the loss of "ecosystem services", which are the benefits locals receive from the environment, and calculated it could be as much as $51 million depending on the rate of natural recovery and the effort to rehabilitate the area.
It recommends recommends follow-up assessments be conducted and the head of the Solomon Islands Environment Ministry Dr Melchior Mataki says that is the aim but it's unclear when further research will be carried out.
"Because we are also putting it on the insurance company of the vessel owners to fund them," he said.
Dr Mataki said the government recently signed an international shipping convention that will allow it to pursue the ship owner's insurer for compensation.
Lawyer William Kadi from the Public Solicitors Office is preparing a compensation case on behalf of Rennell islanders but he told the ABC he has not seen the report.
He said that he's been waiting for the government to release it, so that his clients can put a figure to their compensation demand.
|
Environment Pollution
| null | null |
‘Our Children Will Starve’ Say Pakistan Farmers as Locusts Breed
|
A desert locust feeds on wheat crops near the village of Nur Gamma in Balochistan province, Pakistan, on March 6. Government seeks help from China to defeat pests that have destroyed thousands of acres. Three swarms of locusts this year have all but wiped out Saadullah Zehri’s wheat crop on his small farm in the mountains of Pakistan's vast and arid Balochistan province. He’s worried about what’s coming next. “Every farmer in the village has lost crops worth hundreds of thousands of rupees,” said Zehri, 33, a bearded father of six. But in the hills surrounding the village of Nur Gamma, two hours’ drive north of the city of Khuzdar, are hundreds of thousands of pods of orange-colored eggs waiting to hatch into a new plague in time to devour his most valuable crop. “I’ll sow cotton on about 20 to 25 acres for the next harvest,” he said. “But I’m afraid these new locusts will come and destroy our crops again.” Planting of cotton, a mainstay for Pakistan’s farmers, textile mills and clothing factories, begins this month, with harvesting in October. Pakistan has sought help from China to try to wipe out the insects. On Feb. 24, an eight-member Chinese delegation came for a week to assess the condition in the fields. China agreed to provide spraying equipment and 300 tons of pesticide, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority said in a statement on March 6. “Chinese technicians will train Pakistani plant protection staff to use the equipment,” it said. The pest damage could cut Pakistan’s economic growth to less than 2% in the fiscal year ending in June, said Khurram Schehzad, chief executive officer at Karachi based advisory Alpha Beta Core Solutions Pvt. Before the effects of the locusts, the central bank had been forecasting growth of as much as 4%. Add in the impact of the coronavirus on the global economy and the outlook could be even worse. Locusts are breeding in the deserts, threatening a new harvest Source: Food and Agriculture Organization The twin plagues have hit a government that is already struggling to tame inflation that reached a 10-year high of 14.6% in January and meet the terms of its latest International Monetary Fund bailout. The world’s fifth most populous nation is having to cope with sporadic shortages of essential food items like sugar and wheat flour. Prime Minister Imran Khan’s administration said it will raise the guaranteed price for wheat to support farmers and import 300,000 tons of the grain to bolster supplies of flour. “Every farmer here used to reap about 100 to 200 bags of wheat, but all that has gone. The locusts have eaten it,” said Abdul Qadir, a farmer from Pashta Khan Moulla in Balochistan. He said there are at least 2,000 people in the village and all of them depend on income from farming. “If the locusts damage our cotton crop, our children will starve.” At stake is the raw material for the textile industry, Pakistan’s biggest employer and the source of 60% of its exports. This year, the country is expected to produce 9.45 million bales of cotton, the lowest total since 2015 and 26% below its target. That means it will have to import a record quantity of the fiber. Textile mills have already ordered about 5 million bales, said Naseem Usman, chairman of the Karachi Cotton Brokers Forum. If the locusts come again, imports could soar. “Textile and spinning mills expect to import 5.5 million to 6 million cotton bales,’’ said Usman. “This will be a record.” Swarms of desert locusts occur irregularly in North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, usually when a drought is followed by heavy rain. There hadn’t been a major plague of the large grasshoppers for decades until numbers began to explode uncontrolled in the Empty Quarter of the Arabian peninsula in 2018. Over the past year, the swarms crossed into Africa and Iran and onto Pakistan and India, destroying harvests as they went. More than 140,000 acres of crops have been damaged in Pakistan alone since last April. “This is the worst locust attack we have seen since 1993,” said Falak Naz, director general of crop protection at Pakistan’s Ministry of Food Security. He said a new generation of eggs is hatching that may also threaten India, as well as the fertile valleys of Punjab and Sindh provinces which supply much of Pakistan’s food. “The locusts will attack our crops in Punjab and Sindh again in May and June,” he said. In the villages north of Khuzdar this month thousands of the yellow locusts filled the air. Females were visibly full of eggs in long tubes that officials said would soon be laid. Many more of the pests lay dead from insecticide or age, while others could be seen mating furiously in the ravaged wheat fields. Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, a Balochistan agriculture officer, said each locust can eat double its weight. Government workers have been spraying insecticide from two vehicles over the land in the district, said locust control official Saeed Ahmed. In February, the government of Prime Minister Khan declared an emergency and agreed to spend billions of rupees to kill the insects. Minister for National Food Security and Research Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar told reporters on Jan. 19 that the country had sufficient wheat stocks for domestic demand and promised to punish those involved in hoarding or profiteering. But government reserves in remote areas like rural Balochistan are often old and poorly stored. In a government warehouse in the Chandni Chawk area of Khuzdar, more than 170 tons of reserves have been sitting in bags for up to six years. “This isn’t wheat any more. It has turned into sand,” said Rehmatullah, the 50 year old caretaker of the warehouse. “Insects are eating it.” The swarms have made a hard life even harder in the scattered desert villages of Balochistan, the largest, poorest and least inhabited province in Pakistan. Wracked by decades of insurgency and unrest, many people still live in mud houses and use wooden fuel for cooking. None of Zehri’s six children go to school as there is no school in their village. “We’ll fall into a huge debt if they do this to our cotton,” he said, standing among the chewed remains of his wheat stalks. “My family would lose at least 1.8 million rupees” ($11,400). Not everyone is unhappy with the insects that locals call molakh. Zehri’s seven-year-old son Obaidullah is trying to catch them in flight. “We have a lot of fun chasing these flying molakh,” he said. “I play with them.” But his father is worried. “The government teams are making sprays to kill them but I don't think they can kill them all,” said Zehri. “This is the creation of God. They will be reborn.”
|
Insect Disaster
| null | null |
‘Don’t take it lightly’: Coast mom still enduring effects of COVID-19 after spending 53 days in hospital
|
‘Don’t take it lightly’: Coast mom still enduring effects of COVID-19 after spending 53 days in hospital Taylor Manning was 35 weeks pregnant when she tested positive for COVID. It would be another seven weeks before she finally got to meet baby Maevi. OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. (WLOX) - At the height of the Delta variant this summer, Taylor Manning - then pregnant with her third child - tested positive for COVID-19. For weeks, she lay in a hospital bed, fighting for her life, desperate to get home to her family. She’s home now and recovering but her journey with coronavirus left its mark, leaving lingering effects that still impact her life now months after getting out of the hospital. Taylor Manning is slowly recovering after fighting COVID in August. The mom of three says she still has long-haul effects from the virus but she is just grateful to be alive for her three children and husband.(WLOX) Manning was 35 weeks pregnant with her third child Maevi when she first tested positive for the virus. That was in early August, as the Delta variant raged across the Gulf Coast, leaving dozens of people died and even more hospitalized. Taylor Manning was 35 weeks pregnant when she tested positive for COVID-19. Within days of that test, she was in the hospital struggling to breathe as doctors performed an emergency C-section to deliver baby Maevi.(Taylor Manning) After some of her coworkers tested positive for the virus, the 31-year-old mother-to-be was advised to work from home to be safe. However, it was too late. She was already infected and did not yet know it. “I’d been sick my whole pregnancy with her so I didn’t think anything of it,” recalled Manning. “I thought it was a pregnancy symptom.” At first, doctors sent her home to rest and recover. However, just days later, it became hard for her to breathe so she returned to the hospital. Once there, she learned she would undergo an emergency C-Section to deliver Maevi. Taylor Manning was in the hospital for weeks fighting COVID-19. Now, she is home but is still coping with the linger effects left behind by the virus.(Taylor Manning) It would be seven whole weeks before Maevi and her mom would finally get the chance to meet. “The last thing I remember asking the anesthesiologist was, ‘Am I going to wake up after this?’ And, he said, ‘That’s the plan,’” said Manning. Manning woke up three days later and discovered she was intubated. ”I just couldn’t figure out how I got from ‘Hey, you have COVID, we’re going to induce you,’ to ‘You could potentially die,’” she said. BIG DAY TODAY! It may be slow as snails, but i took my first steps in 52 days! It may not seem like a lot to many, but... Posted by Taylor Manning on Thursday, September 23, 2021 The mother of three spent nearly a month in a medically-induced coma, her family documenting her progress on Facebook every step of the way. At times, her prognosis was bleak. As he cared for their newborn and two young children, Manning’s husband Daniel was faced with the possibility that he might lose his wife. As his wife lay in a hospital bed, the middle school math teacher was also coping with the loss of his brother, who died from COVID-19. Taylor Manning's daughter was seven weeks old before the mom and infant could meet.(Taylor Manning) Her husband, Daniel, was facing the possibility of losing his wife while caring for a newborn and two children. His brother was also sick with COVID at the time. Sadly, the virus claimed the life of Daniel’s brother a few weeks later in October. Now that she’s recovered, Taylor has a new appreciation for her husband, saying he truly is the stronger person she knows. “By the third week, the doctors actually called my family to come to say goodbyes because that’s how fast I declined in my health,” she recalled. Manning could have no personal contact with anyone outside of the medical staff caring for her. She was behind four-inch glass for weeks while she fought for her life. She FaceTimed with her husband daily, but often it was too emotional for her. For my Bday, Daniel arranged for the nurses to take me outside and meet my sweet baby for the first time!!!!! Posted by Taylor Manning on Sunday, September 19, 2021 After 53 combined days in the hospital followed by a short stint in a rehabilitative center, Taylor Manning finally came home. While the worst of the virus is behind her, she still suffers from long-haul effects, including hair loss, breathing problems, and PTSD. Even though the number of new cases in Mississippi are significantly lower than what they were a few months ago, Manning wants people to understand how serious COVID-19 can be. “Don’t take it lightly. I know there are people that don’t believe in it, but I’ve got some pretty scars from it that definitely prove that it is a real thing,” she said. Taylor had to relearn how to do simple things, like breathing and walking up stairs, but she’s determined and has made great progress in the last few months. The next big step in her recovery will be to return to work, which she hopes to be able to do next month.
|
Famous Person - Recovered
| null | null |
Texas man drives dealership loaner to rob bank to buy BMW: feds
|
Everything is bigger in Texas, including the boldness of one thief’s brazen scheme to get himself a BMW. Eric Dion Warren, 50, drove a car dealership loaner to a bank, robbed the bank and then drove back to the dealership to use the stolen money to buy a Beemer, federal prosecutors said in a press release. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the audacious crime Tuesday, officials said. Warren pulled the stunt in 2019, driving the dealership car to a bank outside Lubbock. There he put an empty fast food restaurant bag and a note on the counter, the feds said. The note read: “This is a f—— robbery. Play with me and die. I want $10,000 in 50 and 100 dollar bills now you got 1 minute or I will kill you.” Warren then pulled out what looked like a handgun and said, “I ain’t playing around, I only want 100s and 50s,” according to the release. The teller filled the fast food bag with cash — including a bundle of 20s with recorded serial numbers, prosecutors told the court. Warren then drove the $5,086 haul back to the car dealership, where he had been in the process of buying a black BMW. “Mr. Warren began waving the cash that he had illegally obtained from the bank robbery at employees in the car dealership,” prosecutors said. The fraudulent financing quickly went south for Warren, when authorities called the car dealership 15 minutes later and informed workers about the getaway car with dealer plates, prosecutors said. Police arrived at the dealership and found Warren in possession of the traceable cash and a pellet gun painted to look like a real weapon. Warren plead guilty to federal bank robbery in August, according to prosecutors.
|
Bank Robbery
| null | null |
Banana massacre
|
The Banana Massacre (Spanish: Matanza de las bananeras or Spanish: Masacre de las bananeras[1]) was a massacre of United Fruit Company workers that occurred between December 5 and 6, 1928 in the town of Ciénaga near Santa Marta, Colombia. A strike began on November 12, 1928, when the workers ceased to work until the company would reach an agreement with them to grant them dignified working conditions. [2] After several weeks with no agreement, in which the United Fruit Company refused to negotiate with the workers, the conservative government of Miguel Abadía Méndez sent the Colombian army in against the strikers, resulting in the massacre of 47 to 2,000 people. After U.S. officials in Colombia and United Fruit representatives portrayed the workers' strike as "communist" with a "subversive tendency" in telegrams to Frank B. Kellogg, the United States Secretary of State,[3] the United States government threatened to invade with the U.S. Marine Corps if the Colombian government did not act to protect United Fruit’s interests. The Colombian government was also compelled to work for the interests of the company, considering they could cut off trade of Colombian bananas with significant markets such as the United States and Europe. [4]
Gabriel García Márquez depicted a fictional version of the massacre in his novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, as did Álvaro Cepeda Samudio in his La Casa Grande. Although García Márquez references the number of dead as around three thousand, the actual number of dead workers is unknown. The workers of the banana plantations in Colombia went on strike on November 12, 1928. The workers made nine demands from the United Fruit Company:
The strike turned into the largest labor movement ever witnessed in the country until then. Radical members of the Liberal Party, as well as members of the Socialist and Communist Parties, participated. [5]
The workers wanted to be recognized as employees, and demanded the implementation of the Colombian legal framework of the 1920s. [6]
An army regiment from Bogotá was dispatched by the government to deal with the strikers, which it deemed to be subversive. Whether these troops were sent in at the behest of the United Fruit Company did not at first clearly emerge. Three hundred soldiers were sent from Antioquia to Magdalena. There were no soldiers from Magdalena involved because General Cortes Vargas, the army-appointed military chief of the banana zone in charge of controlling the situation, did not believe they would be able to take effective actions, as they might be related to the plantation workers. [2]
The troops set up their machine guns on the roofs of the low buildings at the corners of the main square, closed off the access streets,[7]
and, after issuing a five-minute warning that people should leave,[1] opened fire into a dense Sunday crowd of workers and their families including children. The people had gathered after Sunday Mass[7] to wait for an anticipated address from the governor. [8]
General Cortés Vargas, who commanded the troops during the massacre, took responsibility for 47 casualties. In reality, the exact number of casualties has never been confirmed. Herrera Soto, co-author of a comprehensive and detailed study of the 1928 strike, has put together various estimates given by contemporaries and historians, ranging from 47 to as high as 2,000. [1] According to Congressman Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, the killed strikers were thrown into the sea. [1] Other sources claim that the bodies were buried in mass graves. [2]
Among the survivors was Luis Vicente Gámez, later a famous local figure, who survived by hiding under a bridge for three days. Every year after the massacre he delivered a memorial service over the radio. The press has reported different numbers of deaths and different opinions about the events that took place that night. The conclusion is that there is no agreed-on story, but rather diverse variations depending on the source they come from. The American press provided biased information on the strike. [2] The Colombian press was also biased depending on the political alignment of the publication. For example, the Bogotá-based newspaper El Tiempo stated that the workers were within their rights in wanting to improve their conditions. However, since the newspaper was politically conservative, they also noted that they did not agree with the strike. [2]
Telegram from Bogotá Embassy to the U.S. Secretary of State, Frank B. Kellogg, dated December 5, 1928, stated:
I have been following Santa Marta fruit strike through United Fruit Company representative here; also through Minister of Foreign Affairs who on Saturday told me government would send additional troops and would arrest all strike leaders and transport them to a prison in Cartagena; that government would give adequate protection to American interests involved. [3]
Telegram from Santa Marta Consulate to the U.S. Secretary of State, dated December 6, 1928, stated:
Feeling against the Government by the proletariat which is shared by some of the soldiers is high and it is doubtful if we can depend upon the Colombian Government for protection. May I respectfully suggest that my request for the presence within calling distance of an American warship be granted and that it stand off subject to my call ... It is admitted that the character of the strike has changed and that the disturbance is a manifestation with a subversive tendency. [3]
Telegram from Bogotá Embassy to the U.S. Secretary of State, dated December 7, 1928, stated:
Situation outside Santa Marta City unquestionably very serious: outside zone is in revolt; military who have orders "not to spare ammunition" have already killed and wounded about fifty strikers. Government now talks of general offensive against strikers as soon as all troopships now on the way arrive early next week. [3]
Telegram from the U.S. Department of State to Santa Marta Consulate, dated December 8, 1928, stated:
The Legation at Bogota reports that categorical orders have been given the authorities at Santa Marta to protect all American interests. The Department does not (repeat not) desire to send a warship to Santa Marta. Keep the Department informed of all developments by telegraph. [3]
Telegram from Santa Marta Consulate to the U.S. Secretary of State, dated December 9, 1928, stated:
Troop train from banana zone just arrived in Santa Marta with all American citizens. No Americans killed or wounded. Guerrilla warfare now continuing in the zone but military forces are actively engaged in clearing the district of the Communists. [3]
Dispatch from Santa Marta Consulate to the U.S. Secretary of State, dated December 11, 1928, stated:
Looting and killing was carried on from the moment the announcement of a state of Martial Law was made and the fact that the American residents in the Zone came out of it alive is due to the defense they put up for six hours when they held off the mob that was bent upon killing them. I was justified in calling for help and I shall welcome the opportunity to defend the position that I took on the morning of the sixth and until the afternoon of the eighth. [3]
Dispatch from Bogotá Embassy to the U.S. Secretary of State, dated December 11, 1928, stated:
The opposition press, that is, the press of the Liberal Party, is conducting a violent campaign against the Government for the methods used in breaking up the strike, and is bandying ugly words about, especially referring to the Minister of War and the military forces, words such as murderer and assassin being used. Although the thinking people of the country realize that it was only the Government's prompt action that diverted a disaster, this insidious campaign of the Liberal press will undoubtedly work up a great deal of feeling against the Government and will tend to inculcate in the popular mind a belief that the Government was unduly hasty in protecting the interests of the United Fruit Company. The Conservative journals are defending the Government's course but I doubt that their counter-fire will suffice to do away with the damage the Liberal journals are causing. [3]
Dispatch from U.S. Bogotá Embassy to the U.S. Secretary of State, dated December 29, 1928, stated:
I have the honor to report that the legal advisor of the United Fruit Company here in Bogotá stated yesterday that the total number of strikers killed by the Colombian military authorities during the recent disturbance reached between five and six hundred; while the number of soldiers killed was one. [3]
Dispatch from U.S. Bogotá Embassy to the US Secretary of State, dated January 16, 1929, stated:
I have the honor to report that the Bogotá representative of the United Fruit Company told me yesterday that the total number of strikers killed by the Colombian military exceeded 1000. [3]
Guerrilla movements in Colombia such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) argued that the growth of Communism in Colombia was triggered by atrocities like these, and called it state terrorism.
|
Strike
| null | null |
Ex-Ireland rugby player charged with stealing almost €600,000 from BOI
|
Brendan Mullin, of Albert Lodge, Stillorgan Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, leaving Dublin District Court on Tuesday. Photograph: Collins Courts Former Irish rugby international Brendan Mullin is to face trial accused of deception, false accounting and theft of close to €600,000 from Bank of Ireland where he held a senior executive position. Mullin (57) appeared at Dublin District Court on Tuesday following an investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) into bank fraud allegations going back a decade. The former rugby star won 55 Irish caps between 1984 and 1995 before he went into financial services and became managing director at Bank of Ireland Private Banking Ltd. He was arrested at 9.08am on Tuesday when he met gardaí in Dublin city-centre. He was brought to the Bridewell Garda station where he was charged with 15 offences which allegedly took place between 2011 and 2013. He is accused of stealing €500,000 on December 16th 2011, at Bank of Ireland Private Bank at Burlington Plaza, Burlington Road, Dublin 4. Mr Mullin, of Albert Lodge, Stillorgan Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, is charged with eight further thefts of amounts totalling €73,000 from the bank. Five counts of false accounting were also put to him. He was also charged with deception by inducing a named man and woman to sign a payment instruction with the intention of making gain for himself or another on July 27th, 2011. Dressed in a grey suit and light blue shirt, he sat silently during his hearing before Judge Michael Walsh. GNECB Detective Sean O’Riordan told the court Mr Mullin made no comment when charged. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed trial on indictment meaning his case will go before a judge and jury in the circuit court. The DPP has also stated that he can be sent forward for sentencing on a signed plea, should that arise, but defence solicitor Robert Purcell told Judge Walsh a book of evidence will be required. Bail terms had been agreed, Judge Walsh noted, and it was set in Mr Mullin’s own bond of €10,000. He was ordered to surrender his passport but this was not made a precondition of release; Judge Walsh warned him that it must be handed over to gardai within 48 hours of taking up bail. Mr Mullin needed to travel for work purposes and that could be done once the GNECB detective is notified in advance, the judge said. He must appear again at the District Court on November 11th next to be served with the book of evidence by the prosecution. A trial order can then be granted.
|
Bank Robbery
| null | null |
Sunak’s tax giveaway fails to spur a speedy economic recovery
|
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is due to convene on 20th September 2021. The Monetary policy Committee (MPC) will be announcing its policy rate after retaining it since March 2020. As the world deals with the uncertainty of the delta variant along with the dilemma between inflation and growth, it is a plenary to watch as Pakistani policymakers would join heads to decide the stance on the economic situation. However, the decision would be a tough one. Primarily because the mixed signals could either lead to burgeoning inflation and subsequent financial deterioration or they should guide the central bank to strangulate the growth prematurely. Either way, the policymakers would have to be cautious about the degree of inclination they lean to each side of the argument – economic contraction or growth with inflation. A poll conducted by Topline Research shows that about 65% of the financial market participants expect status quo; the MPC to maintain the policy rate at 7% to further accommodate economic growth. Pakistan has barely mustered a 4% growth rate after the contraction of 0.4% last year. In this regard, Mr. Mustafa Mustansir, head of Research at Taurus Securities, stated: Visible signs of demand-side pressure are still quite weak. In another survey conducted by Policy Research Unit (PRU): a policy advisory board of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), 84% of the market participants believe there will be no change in the policy rate. The sentiment implies that the researchers and the business community don’t expect a rate hike in this week’s policy meeting. However, the macroeconomic indicators paint a bleak picture for Pakistan’s economy: warranting a tougher policy response. The external trade figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) project a debilitating situation for the national exchequer. According to the data, Pakistan’s trade deficit has increased to $7.5 billion in the first two months (July-August) of the fiscal year 2021-22. The deficit stands at $4.1 billion: 120% higher than the same period last year. Due to the accommodative policies implemented by the government of Pakistan, the trade deficit has already climbed 26% up to the annual target of $28.4 billion, set in the fiscal budget 2021-22. Despite excessive subsidies, the bi-monthly exports have only grown by 28% to stand at $4.6 billion. And while it is an increase of nearly a billion dollars compared to the same months in the preceding year, the imports have more than perforated the balance of payments. During the July-August period, the imports have grown by a whopping 73% to stand at $12.1 billion: 22% of the annualized target. What’s more worrisome is the fact that despite a free-float currency mechanism, the exports have failed to turn competitive in the global market. According to the data released by PBS, Pakistan’s exports have dropped from their previous levels for three consecutive months. And despite a 39% net currency depreciation in the past three years, the exports continue to drift sluggish around the $2 billion/month mark. Yet, the imports are accelerating beyond expectation: clocking a 95% increase last month alone. Clearly, something is not working. Moreover, while the forex reserves with the State Bank stand at a record high of around $20 billion, the rapid depreciation in the rupee is gradually damaging the financial viability of Pakistan. According to Mettis Global, a web-based financial data and analytics portal, the rupee recently slipped to its all-time low of 168.95 against the greenback. While the currency reserves are at their peak, the rupee continues its losing streak as the State bank has refrained from intervening in the forex market to artificially buoy the currency. Primarily because the IMF program stands contingent on letting the rupee float and find equilibrium. As a result, the rupee is touted to breach the 170 rupees against the US dollar mark by next month. The bankers around Pakistan have urged the State Bank for an intervention to put an end to “abnormal volatility in spite of increased reserves.” However, an intervention seems highly unlikely as the SBP Governor, Dr. Reza Baqir, already warned regarding currency devaluation in the last policy meeting: citing supply constraints, debt repayments, and increased imports as primary reasons for the temporal slump. Nonetheless, almost 10% of the market participants, according to the survey, expect a rate hike of 50 basis points in the policy rate to hedge against inflation. Furthermore, analysts at Topline Securities expect a hike of 25 basis points to counter “vulnerabilities in the current account and control inflationary pressures.” Regardless of the prudent beliefs in the market, however, a few players actually believe that a rate cut of 50-100 basis points is plausible in the meeting. They argue that while the Consumer Price Index (CPI) – a national inflation measure – refuses to let down, the core inflation of Pakistan has dropped perpetually down to 6.3% in August. A stratum of the business community, therefore, also believes that the policy rate should be gradually brought down to 5% to match the regional dynamics. I somehow find this notion ironic, as the government has already doled billions of dollars in subsidies, provided lucrative loans, and slashed taxes periodically. Yet, the exports have stayed relatively redundant. While it may not be the most effective time to hike the policy rate and tighten the monetary policy, in my opinion, a cut in the policy rate would be detrimental – catastrophic for the current account and incendiary for prevailing inflation. The Monetary Policy of Pakistan: SBP Maintains the Policy RateJuly 29, 2021In "Economy" Would it be Last Bailout Package for Pakistan from IMF?May 29, 2019In "Economy" Global Growth: Modest Pickup to 2.5% in 2020 amid Mounting Debt and Slowing Productivity GrowthJanuary 10, 2020In "Reports" Today’s World Demands Sustainability Global Revolution in the Crypto World: Road to Legalization The author is an active current affairs writer primarily analyzing the global affairs and their political, economic and social consequences. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree from Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi, Pakistan. South Asia replaces the Middle East as the epicentre of Muslim religious ultra-conservatism India imposed Arms Race on Pakistan Ultraconservative triumph puts Pakistan at risk India and Pakistan’s FATF Status Pakistan’s approach to fighting against COVID-19 may be utilized as guidelines Religious ultra-conservatism has a field day in Pakistan. It puts Saudi Arabia on the Spot How can a nation save itself from repeated mistakes? Why do huge opportunity losses for not having national mobilization of entrepreneurialism as a safety net and not creating highly skilled citizenry occur? The intents are always there but why manage differently? The funds are always spent but in which direction? How long will a trillion dollars relief injected into a money-addicted mentality last? What are some immediately deployable solutions? Erasing micro manufacturing and micro trading; while exporting industrial plants is what dragged once mighty nations to their knees. When numbers do not add up, smashing the calculator is one logical option. Needed today, dedicated formatting of talented productivity colliding with innovative excellence under entrepreneurial wisdom to push out global game-changers out of the garage doors? Is this rocket-science or common sense? Humankind’s problems are now searching for humankind’s solution; to decipher this Babel, deeper studies on such factum already neglected by scared academia are now prerequisites for better fine-tuning of mindsets, a cry of the time. Study the history of the ecommerce revolution. How brains and decorum left loose just to build. Open the garage doors wider. Climate change issues better served by innovative excellence out of job-creator mindsets and not by gazillion dollar PR and case studies proving who is right and who is wrong. They are all confused, while calamity is visible. The entrepreneurial age is once again a forlorn rise, The pandemic recovery is a harsh test on our civilization. Gummies flavored yummy vaccines are not the final answers yet. Fighting progressive business ideas on real tactical battlefields of real value creating enterprises and rolling wildly in sand boxes is where future growth hidden. Nouveau occupationalism as if professional hobbyist on the toboggan slides altering mindsets in real times and going all out adventuring. Of course, this is extremely scary for the traditionalist gold-watch-awaits but extremely fruitful for youthful masses without any direction. Study the last 100 greatest entrepreneurs how they tumbled upon an idea by mistake. Mistakes and failures are non-issues to entrepreneurs, as they never hide it, other mindsets do. Study deeply. After the Second World War, the survivors created the largest ever-entrepreneurial turnaround. Ecommerce revolution was not an academic case study, rather born in garages when thousands of youthful techies of the period like Jobs and Gates toyed with technologies and moved mountains. South East Asian entrepreneurship suddenly began after 2000, when experienced, educated and liberated minded immigrants went back to their own countries as America treated them with suspicious looks at airports, offices and society. This post pandemic assembly of displaced on the march is the largest ever in the history of humankind; most are already out of the box. Most have no idea of the future, an entrepreneurial trait of openness. Now to manage such narratives any academic psycho-mumbo-jumbo will fail. Which nations are bold and smart enough to harness their entrepreneurial powers? Leaving them to migrate from nation to nation, will only break and split host nations apart? Which nation has the frontline teams articulate enough on such agendas? Which nations are busier in acquiring more riot gear? What is stopping national debates and realistic assessment of the calamites? What are the next immediate gateways and pathways? Such advancements are not the intellectualism of political science primarily based on Machiavellian treachery and now morphed into crypto-tyrannies; this is more a common sense revolution based on rebuilding grassroots prosperity in addition, creating real value based economic development models. Despite its random invisibility, entrepreneurialism is far more disciplined behaviors of risky adventure into perfection. Such fine art of business expansion bearing battlefield scars with only straight lines mentality is a serious mistake. These undercurrent entrepreneurial movements are only visible to “job-creators” and now expanding towards “job-seekers” with positive options. Few selected leaderships and regions are aware of such transitions, the rest still on their gong-shows waiting for their moment. The COP26, G&, G20 all speak volumes. Best replay the events. The world economy is ready for a modest change where small business declared as big business, to bring a new perspective at the next Cabinet Meetings. Worshiping big business is good but to give them a full set of keys of the house, not wise. Why Brainwashing suddenly reversed; across the world, leaders of sorts, already believe they have mesmerized the global populace, but how wrong. The garbage-in-garbage-out social-media-education-systems designed for masses of the world are surprisingly now in reverse order dry-cleaning the brains. Finally, the public discovered their weaknesses and limitations but also their own hidden potentials while surrounded by broken systems. The 500-day-isolation created brand new wisdom. The whistle-blower-narratives further verified what the public already knew. Spanning decades, neither the mainstream education, nor the media and political narratives contributed anything significant to unite the citizenry. The bifurcation of all groups of societies, pushed into sequential events to entangle in foolish battles of their own inner sanctums while ignoring the root causes and crumbling realities. The masses are increasingly aware of misguided flamethrowers. Control the words; control the thoughts, actions and results. The billions, displaced, replaced, misplaced on the march are not amused. They now have better words of their own. Today, it is beyond words on coffee-mugs, t-shirt slogans and election buttons. This is also beyond the teleprompter rhetoric and election promises, because this is when humankind faces humankind-size problems. Truth the only sword left to the populace and common sense the only logical wisdom to guide. Duck is no longer the Swan. Degrees and bureaucratic experiences bring little or no value, more personality and attitude tests needed to match skills and capabilities, because now mindsets on fixing the future must demonstrate futuristic literacy. Failed and struggling nations showing their own self-inflicting damages are all queued in their respective lines of winners and losers. Technology did create the hyper-telescopic capabilities to observe and expose nation’s performance levels in the open in real time. It is those bureaucracies still frozen in the old time zone mindsets. The squeeze on performance demands will have skills road tested. Without diversity, tolerance and social justice, the societies will stay standstill under dark clouds. The entrepreneurialism is a proven trajectory for the job-creator mindsets. Job seeker mindsets will grow, build and create harmonious grassroots prosperity. Study deeply how national mobilization of entrepreneurialism creates uplifts on local regions and stabilizes economies. Why is this happening in 2022? Western Economies, the new world of officeless, workless societies now need a new mobilization strategy on how to transform millions once mighty office workers now either depressed or angry, slowly marching on main boulevards of the nations. The dark clouds over downtowns now juggling new working models, while the rise of populism in closed-door discussions a hot topic. There is no mass resignation, it is all about readjusting of mindsets and exploring new options, because Covidians now more experienced to evaluate better alternatives. What will help? As an economic survival strategy, in this vacuum no other than entrepreneurialism must occupy the center stage and fill voids where the art of national mobilization of entrepreneurialism on digital platforms economies turns into a science as a success model. Today, engaging the confused working citizenry with real value creation options with authoritative solutions and entrepreneurial blood to transfuse the lingering economies are the critically missing links. Who needs to understand mobilization of entrepreneurialism? Nations around the world have tried to create entrepreneurialism but frequently failed. However, these same nations were able to create well-trained armies and high-ranking officers because they all trained in tactical battlefield engagements and by veterans with real life experiences. Soldiers do not draw pictures of battlefields on whiteboards and run around with water pistols.
|
Financial Crisis
| null | null |
2017 Pohang earthquake
|
The 2017 Pohang earthquake, measuring magnitude 5.4 on the moment magnitude scale, struck Heunghae, Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea on November 15 2017. [2] It is tied with the 2016 Gyeongju earthquake as the country's strongest earthquake in modern history. The earthquake, along with several aftershocks, caused significant infrastructure damage in the southern port city of Pohang. At least 82 people were injured in the earthquake, including 15 people who were hospitalized. About 1,124 people stayed in temporary shelters after they had to leave their home. [3]
Aftershocks of the earthquake
Shakemap for the earthquake
Crumbled walls piled on damaged cars in Pohang, South Korea
According to an initial assessment by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the earthquake damaged 2,165 private properties, including 1,988 private houses. Of those, 52 homes suffered severe damage and 157 suffered serious damage. [3]
Damage was also reported at 227 schools across the region, 107 of them in Pohang, 44 in Ulsan and 26 in Daegu. Furthermore, damage was reported at 79 public offices and parks, 23 port facilities, 7 roads, 90 shops, 77 factories, and 11 bridges. [3]
Nearly 20,000 people, including soldiers, were mobilized to help clear debris and to assist in restoration works. More than 80 percent of damaged properties were restored within 4 days of the initial earthquake. [3]
A seismograph installed nearby epicenter of this earthquake measured peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 0.58 g; Due to Pohang City's poor subsoil area, seismic wave amplified while passing through, making the damage somewhat heavier than the 5.8 magnitude 2016 Gyeongju earthquake. 0.58g of PGA is about equivalent to MMI Intensity VIII to IX. [4]
The mainly caused fault of this earthquake was under debate; initially Yangsan Fault was thought to be the cause of this earthquake, however days later Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) announced that Jangsa fault - a branch fault of Yangsan fault - is main cause of the earthquake. However, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) analyzed that the unknown fault caused this earthquake. [5] Water injection in the ground by the geothermal plant in Pohang might have also triggered the earthquake.
The College Scholastic Ability Test was delayed by one week both to change testing sites and allow nerves a chance to relax from the quake.
|
Earthquakes
| null | null |
1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake
|
The 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake[4] (also known as the 1959 Yellowstone earthquake[4]) occurred on August 17[4] at 11:37 pm (MST)[5] in southwestern Montana, United States. The earthquake measured 7.2 on the Moment magnitude scale,[1] caused a huge landslide, resulted in over 28 fatalities and left US$11 million (equivalent to $97.66 million in 2020) in damage. The slide blocked the flow of the Madison River, resulting in the creation of Quake Lake. Significant effects of the earthquake were also felt in nearby Idaho and Wyoming, and lesser effects as far away as Puerto Rico and Hawaii. [6][page needed]
The 1959 quake was the strongest and deadliest earthquake to hit Montana, the second being the 1935–36 Helena earthquakes that left four people dead. It also caused the worst landslides in the Northwestern United States since 1927. [6][page needed]
The earthquake occurred at 11:37 p.m. (MST) with a magnitude of 7.2 Mw . [1] The U.S. Weather Bureau reported that the quake lasted 30–40 seconds. [7] During the earthquake the surrounding landscape dropped as much as 20 feet (6.1 m) and shockwaves caused numerous seiches to surge across Hebgen Lake for 12 hours. Water pushed by the seiches poured over the dam which did not collapse. [4] Several aftershocks ranging from 5.8 to 6.3 were reported after the quake. [5]
The earthquake struck in Madison Canyon, an area to the west of Yellowstone National Park. Several nearby campgrounds were occupied by vacationing campers and tourists at the time. Although magnitude estimates for the 1959 earthquake vary (the United States Geological Survey recorded the quake at both 7.3[8] and 7.5,[9] now calculated by the ISC as 7.2 Mw [1]) the 1959 earthquake is comparable to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake as one of the strongest earthquakes in North America,[6][page needed] behind the 1964 magnitude 9.2 Good Friday earthquake in Alaska and the 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes in Missouri. The 1959 earthquake is also the most severe earthquake in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States along with the 6.9 magnitude earthquake which struck Idaho in 1983. [10] The landslide caused by this quake was the largest since an earthquake in Wyoming in 1925 caused a landslide amounting to 50 million cubic yards (38 million cubic metres) of rock and debris that left 28 people dead. The death toll from the quake was also the highest since the 1925 earthquake and most recent for the Northwestern United States since an earthquake in 1927 that left seven people dead. The 1959 earthquake was also the most damaging earthquake to occur in Montana since the 1935–36 earthquakes that left four people dead. [6][page needed] The Hebgen Lake area also experienced earthquakes again in 1964, 1974, 1977 and 1985. [10]
The landslides caused by the quake carried 50 million cubic yards (38 million cubic metres) of rock, mud and debris down into the valley and created hurricane-force winds strong enough to toss cars. In Madison Canyon, the landslide swept away a family of seven, five of whom perished. Two more fatalities were also reported in nearby Cliff Lake to the south. In Rock Creek, tourists camping there were caught off guard by the quake and landslide, which swept them into the creek. The earthquake caused a seiche which inundated trailers and tents, uprooted trees, and injured one additional person. [6][page needed]
New geysers and cracks sprouted up in nearby Yellowstone National Park. Near Old Faithful, the earthquake damaged the Old Faithful Inn, forcing guests there to evacuate. Landslides caused by the quake blocked a road between Mammoth and Old Faithful, damaging a bridge inside the park. [7] There was one reported injury when a woman broke her wrist. [11] The earthquake also created fault scarps as high as 20 feet (6.1 m), causing extensive damage to roads, homes, and buildings. [8] In Belgrade, Montana the earthquake damaged measuring equipment placed in a 100-foot (30 m) water well. [7] The quake also knocked out telephone communications between Bozeman and Yellowstone, with the city of Bozeman itself suffering moderate quake damage to homes and buildings. [12] Buildings at the Montana State University campus also sustained quake damage. [6][page needed] In Butte, the quake caused a pendulum clock to stop at 12:42 a.m. (MST) and caused minor damage to homes. [13]
Areas around Hebgen Lake were also affected as the quake caused parts of the lake to rise eight feet (2.4 m). Roads and highways running along the shores of the lake collapsed into the water. [6][page needed] In Ennis, most residents were evacuated due to concern Hebgen Lake might flood the town. The evacuation was subsequently called off when it became known the landslide had blocked the river's flow. [14] In West Yellowstone, the earthquake damaged a courthouse[7] and a railroad station. [15]
The earthquake also caused damage and fatalities outside of Montana. In Raynolds Pass in Eastern Idaho, a landslide killed eight more people. [11] Seismic waves from the quake were reported in Boise and Macks Inn, Idaho, causing minor well and sewer damage. The final death toll from the earthquake was 28,[8] although some newspaper reports suggested the death toll was high as 50–60. [11] US$11 million (equivalent to $97.66 million in 2020) in damage was caused. [8]
The quake was felt outside the region. In Salt Lake County, Utah, police officers at the local jail and officials at the Salt Lake Municipal Airport felt the effects of the earthquake. Water levels in wells were affected as far away as Hawaii, 3,200 mi (5,100 km) away, where water in wells fluctuated .10 ft (1.20 in; 0.03 m), and .01 ft (0.120 in; 0.003 m) in Puerto Rico. Levels in nearby Idaho fluctuated as much as 10 ft (3.0 m). [6][page needed]
The landslide caused by the quake blocked the flow of the Madison River. [8] The blockage caused the water to rise and formed a new lake, which was later to be named Quake Lake (officially Earthquake Lake).
|
Earthquakes
| null | null |
Morocco to Participate in Naval Exercise in Tunisia
|
Rabat - Morocco and 11 other countries will participate in a naval exercise hosted by the Tunisian armed forces between May 17 and 28.The 2021 Exercise Phoenix Express, will be the 16th iteration of the North African maritime exercise. This year it is set to take palace off the coast of Tunis, the Tunisian capital, as well as throughout the Mediterranean Sea. The main portion of the exercise will take place at the La Goulette naval base in Tunis. One of the main objectives is to test the North African, European, and US naval forces’ “abilities to respond to irregular migration and to combat illicit trafficking and the movement of illegal goods and materials,” according to organizers. “Exercises such as Phoenix Express 2021 increase interoperability among participating nations in order to increase maritime security and sustain global commerce,” said Captain Harry Knight, Phoenix Express exercise director.Read also: US’ Georgia Army National Guard to Join African Lion Military ExerciseHe added: “Our maritime exercises allow us to develop our skills with our regional partners by learning from each other and working together."Besides the host country, Tunisia, 12 other nations are slated to participate in the exercise. Among them are Algeria, Belgium, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, and the US.“Phoenix Express is more than a multinational maritime exercise; it is a strategic opportunity for all participating nations to build a fruitful partnership and benefit from the others’ experience,” said Senior Captain Jamel Ben Omrane of the Tunisian Navy.“The Tunisian Navy is more than ever motivated to meet the challenges and organize the 16th iteration of Phoenix Express despite the COVID pandemic,” he added. The exercise is held in a different location every year. The 2020 exercise was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions, and Morocco hosted the exercise back in 2019. Morocco is an active participant in a variety of military exercises organized around Africa. Moroccan armed forces participate in organizing the joint Moroccan-American exercise, “African Lion,” which some consider as one of the most important interallied exercises in the world.
|
Military Exercise
| null | null |
Minas Gerais suffered a mine collapses
|
BRUMADINHO, Brazil (AP) — Firefighters on Monday carefully moved over treacherous mud, sometimes walking, sometimes crawling, in search of survivors or bodies, four days after a dam collapse that buried mine buildings and surrounding neighborhoods with iron ore waste. The confirmed death toll rose to 58, with up to 300 people still missing, authorities said. In an ominous sign, nobody was recovered alive Sunday, a stark difference from the first two days of the disaster, when helicopters were whisking people from the mud. The slow speed of search efforts was due to the treacherous sea of reddish-brown mud that surged out when the mine dam breached Friday afternoon. It is up 24 feet (8 meters) deep in some places, and to avoid the danger of sinking and drowning searchers had to carefully walk around the edges or slowly crawl out onto the muck. Firefighting officials said Monday they had identified a bus believed to be filled with bodies and had worked through the night trying to get through the mud. Flavio Godinho, a spokesman with the civil defense of the state of Minas Gerais, told the G1 news portal that the bus was near the dam that collapsed, but that it was too soon to say how many might be inside. Rescue efforts were suspended about 10 hours Sunday because of fears that a second mine dam in the southeastern city of Brumadinho was at risk of failing. An estimated 24,000 people were told to get to higher ground, but by afternoon civil engineers said the second dam was no longer at risk. Areas of water-soaked mud appeared to be drying out, which could help firefighters get to areas previously unreachable. Still, it was slow going for the search teams, and residents were on edge. “Get out searching!” a woman yelled at firefighters near a refuge set up in the center of Brumadinho. “They could be out there in the bush.” Brazilian searchers were poised to get reinforcements on Monday, when more than 100 Israeli soldiers and other personnel were set to join the efforts. Throughout the weekend, there was mounting anger at the giant Vale mining company, which operated the mine, and questions rose about an apparent lack of an alarm system Friday. Caroline Steifeld said she heard warning sirens Sunday, but there was no alert when the dam collapsed Friday. “I only heard shouting, people saying to get out. I had to run with my family to get to higher ground, but there was no siren,” she said, adding that a cousin was still unaccounted for. In an email, Vale told The Associated Press that the area has eight sirens, but “the speed in which the event happened made sounding an alarm impossible” when the dam burst. People in Brumadinho desperately awaited word on their loved ones. Romeu Zema, the governor of Minas Gerais state, said that by now most recovery efforts would entail pulling out bodies. The flow of waste reached the nearby community of Vila Ferteco and an occupied Vale administrative office. It buried buildings to their rooftops and an extensive field of the mud cut off roads. Some residents barely escaped with their lives. “I saw all the mud coming down the hill, snapping the trees as it descended. It was a tremendous noise,” said a tearful Simone Pedrosa, from the neighborhood of Parque Cachoeira, 5 miles (8 kilometers) from where the dam collapsed. For many, hope was evaporating. “I don’t think he is alive,” Joao Bosco said of his cousin Jorge Luis Ferreira, who worked for Vale. “Right now, I can only hope for a miracle.” The carpet of mining waste also raised fears of widespread environmental contamination and degradation. According to Vale’s website, the waste is composed mostly of sand and is non-toxic. However, a U.N. report found that the waste from a similar disaster in 2015 “contained high levels of toxic heavy metals.” Over the weekend, courts froze about $3 billion from Vale assets for state emergency services and told the company to report on how they would help the victims. Neither the company nor authorities had reported why the dam failed, but Attorney General Raquel Dodge promised to investigate. “Someone is definitely at fault, she said.” Dodge noted there are 600 mines in Minas Gerais alone that are classified as being at risk of rupture. Another dam administered by Vale and Australian mining company BHP Billiton collapsed in 2015 in the city of Mariana in Minas Gerais, resulting in 19 deaths and forcing hundreds from their homes. Considered the worst environmental disaster in Brazilian history, that disaster left 250,000 people without drinking water and killed thousands of fish. An estimated 60 million cubic meters of waste flooded nearby rivers and eventually flowed into the Atlantic Ocean. Sueli de Oliveira Costa, who hadn’t heard from her husband since Friday, had harsh words for the mining company. “Vale destroyed Mariana and now they’ve destroyed Brumadinho,” she said. Other residents quietly noted that Vale was the main employer in the area. “The company is responsible for a new tragedy, but it’s the principal employer,” said Diego Aparecido, who has missing friends who worked at Vale. “What will happen if it closes?” Environmental groups and activists said the latest spill underscored the lack of environmental regulation in Brazil, and many promised to fight any further deregulation. Marina Silva, a former environmental minister and presidential candidate, toured the area Sunday. She said Congress should bear part of the blame for not toughening regulations and enforcement. “All the warnings have been given. We are repeating history with this tragedy,” she told the AP. “Brazil can’t become a specialist in rescuing victims and consoling widows. Measures need to be taken to avoid prevent this from happening again.”
|
Mine Collapses
| null | null |
Toxic foam spill: Federal Government may consider phasing out chemical after Brisbane airport spill
|
The Federal Government has flagged the possibility of phasing out a potentially harmful chemical used in firefighting foam in the wake of a spill from a Qantas hangar into the Brisbane River.
Thousands of litres of the foam leaked into the river from a Qantas hangar at Brisbane's airport last week, killing fish and sparking a public warning by the Queensland Government to not eat locally caught seafood.
It sparked renewed calls to ban the foam across Australia and possibly more legal action.
The Queensland Government wants the Commonwealth to ban the foam entirely. A statement by federal Minister for Infrastructure Darren Chester said the Commonwealth was now considering the "transitional removal" of the chemical used in the firefighting foam.
"While it is known PFAS can persist for a long time, there is no consistent evidence that PFAS exposure is harmful to human health," Mr Chester said in a statement.
"The Government is considering management options for PFOS and PFOA transitional removal from use, improved management and appropriate disposal of PFOS-containing firefighting foams at all facilities in Australia, consistent with the listing of the chemical under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
"The federal department continues to work with Qantas, BAC, the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage, the Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Energy, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and other relevant Commonwealth departments regarding management of the spill and to ensure the spill is managed correctly and in line with respective jurisdictional regulations."
Queensland health authorities are still advising people not to eat fish or prawns taken from the Brisbane River after the foam spill last week, despite encouraging preliminary test results.
Testing has found that chemical levels in Boggy Creek in the immediate vicinity of the Qantas spill had diluted enough to make the creek safe for recreational activity.
But Queensland Health said more results from a wider area were needed before a restriction was lifted on fishing and trawling.
Acting chief health officer Dr Mark Elcock said more results were needed before a restriction was lifted on fishing and trawling.
"This is encouraging, but it's not the full story," he said.
"We wouldn't be changing our advice around eating the seafood that was caught within this specific area. "There has been dilution of the chemicals, which is good, but until we get a fuller picture, we would still advise people not to eat seafood that had originated from that area."
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Steven Miles said Qantas today would be issued with an Investigation Notice, requiring the airline to properly investigate the spill and report to the Environment Department.
Qantas advised the environmental regulator 22,000 litres of foam was accidentally released from a sprinkler system in an airport hangar on April 10.
Qantas advised about three-quarters of the foam was captured within the hangar, but some escaped into the airport stormwater system and the surrounding environment.
Qantas has said it was working with Brisbane Airport on the clean-up and investigation.
Moreton Bay Seafood Industry Association spokesman Michael Wood said the incident had caused causing financial losses for the local seafood industry.
"I've had an order this week off a processor I do business with for a 1,000 kilograms of prawns, and he's rung me up, and said 'don't want it' — the customer has cancelled," he said.
"I'm at least $10,000 out of pocket and there could be other possible orders there he could have, that I can't supply."
Mr Wood said the MBSIA wanted to lobby the Federal Government to ban PFOA.
"We don't know the reason why Qantas has still got it," he said.
"From what I understand, it's legal to use on Commonwealth land but not on state soil — I don't know what other stuff is available on the market.
"No doubt there's other fire-retardant products on the market that they would use."
Mr Wood has called on Qantas to compensate local anglers for their financial losses. "Qantas at present is virtually ignoring everyone — they say they have spoken to stakeholders ... I can assure you, they have not spoken to my organisation," Mr Wood said.
He said it was too early to consider whether to take legal action against Qantas.
"It's early days yet, we'll see what pans out," he said.
"Who knows? Qantas might come to the party and offer us a deal, but if they don't, we will certainly go out to industry and ask their thoughts on it."
Hundreds of residents from Oakey in Queensland and Williamtown in New South Wales launched a class action against the Department of Defence over the same foam leaching from RAAF bases into groundwater. Defence has been phasing out the foam from most sites across Australia.
Airservices Australia said it has transitioned to a PFC-free foam at all civilian airports since 2010.
But it said it had no control over its use by airlines.
Professor Ravi Naidu, from the Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment, said a blanket ban was not necessarily the answer. "The way I see it, as a scientist, is that human life is important," he said.
"Therefore we need to come up with ways and means to ensure that the risk of the active ingredients in PFAS pose to humans is minimised."
Professor Naidu said there were alternatives to using the foam.
"From the literature I'm familiar with, none of the alternatives are as good as what we used to have in terms of time it takes to dose fire," he said.
"Often accidents do occur, but the key thing is — if accidents do occur, you need to put in strategies that minimise damage to the environment.
"If you look at it this way, then perhaps they [Qantas] didn't have appropriate strategies in place."
)
|
Environment Pollution
| null | null |
Paris Hilton Is Married—Plus, Every Celebrity Wedding of 2021 So Far
|
Things are starting to look up—the vaccine rollout is underway, small weddings are beginning to feel safe again, and couples are starting to plan larger weddings for the rest of 2021 and beyond. And of course, our favorite celebrity couples are no exception. Plenty of celebrities have decided to tie the knot in secret with small intimate ceremonies in 2021. From Kristen Wiig and Avi Rothman's secret nuptials to Nicolas Cage and Riko Shibata's romantic intimate Vegas wedding, celebs are leaning into the COVID-19 trend of minimonies and intimate ceremonies. And all the celeb weddings this year so far are making it quite apparent that we're not leaving micro weddings in 2020! So you heard it here first: Intimate weddings are still trendy! Read on to see what celebrities have tied the knot in 2021—so far! Steve Granitz / Getty Images Paris Hilton and Carter Reum have officially tied the knot! The DJ and her entrepreneur fiancé wed on Thursday at a private estate in Los Angeles, according to People. “My forever begins today... ✨? 11/11 ?,” Hilton captioned a stunning Instagram photo showing off her bridal look. The couple said “I do” in front of a guest list that included Hilton’s famous family (Real Housewives stars Kathy Hilton and Kyle Richards were of course in attendance) and a number of her celebrity friends. Emma Roberts, Paula Abdul, and Bebe Rexha were all spotted arriving at the wedding in photos obtained by E! News, while People reports that Hilton’s longtime BFF Kim Kardashian West was also on hand to celebrate Hilton’s big day. Fans won’t have to wait long to get all of the details on the couple’s star-studded nuptials—Hilton filmed her entire wedding planning process for her new 13-part Peacock series, Paris in Love. The first episode dropped on Thursday, with subsequent episodes premiering each week. The couple will also continue their wedding festivities with two upcoming parties, both of which will be captured for the new show. Reum proposed to the iconic socialite back in February after a year of dating. He popped the question with a $1 million custom engagement ring, designed by Jean Dousset, the great-great-grandson of legendary jeweler Cartier. Malala Congratulations are in order for Malala! The activist, Oxford graduate, and youngest-ever Nobel Prize winner shared her wedding news on Instagram. “Today marks a precious day in my life. Asser and I tied the knot to be partners for life," Malala wrote alongside a gorgeous wedding shot. "We celebrated a small nikkah ceremony at home in Birmingham with our families. Please send us your prayers. We are excited to walk together for the journey ahead.” Meadow Walker is married! The model and daughter of late actor Paul Walker tied the knot with her actor boyfriend Louis Thornton-Allan earlier this month in the Dominican Republic. @meadowwalker Meadow shared the news on Instagram on October 22 alongside a sweet black-and-white video from the couple’s intimate beach wedding. “We’re married !!! !,” she captioned the post. @meadowwalker In the video, Paul Walker’s Fast & Furious co-stars Vin Diesel and Jordana Brewster can be seen celebrating with the couple during their nuptials. According to E! News, Diesel, who is Meadow’s godfather, walked the bride down the aisle in place of her father, who passed away in 2013. Meadow and Thornton-Allan announced their engagement in August just weeks after publicly confirming their relationship. The couple sparked marriage rumors earlier this month when Meadow shared a photo of the pair wearing matching wedding bands. Congrats to the newlyweds! @sarahplevy Sarah Levy is married! The Schitt’s Creek actress—who starred as Twyla Sands alongside her father and brother in the beloved series—tied the knot with actor and producer Graham Outerbridge over the weekend. The bride’s brother, actor Dan Levy, shared the news of the wedding on Instagram alongside a photo of the sibling duo on the dance floor. “My sister got married this weekend,” he captioned the post. “This is absolutely not a photo of us screaming the lyrics to S Club Party on the dance floor. Love you, @sarahplevy.” Sarah also shared a snap of her and Outerbridge posing in a photo booth at the reception, which was held at the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood. “Bells are ringing ✨✨10.16.2021,” she wrote alongside the sweet shot. Outerbridge reposted a few snaps of the bride and groom sharing their first dance on his Instagram story. The couple has been dating since at least 2018, when Outerbridge first posted a photo of Sarah on his Instagram. Congrats to the happy couple! Getty Images Lena Dunham is married! The actress and her boyfriend Luis Felber tied the knot in a secret ceremony in London over the weekend, a source confirmed to PEOPLE. The couple chose to keep their wedding small and intimate in order to adhere to COVID-19 protocols. According to Page Six, however, there was at least one very special guest in attendance. Dunham’s longtime pal Taylor Swift reportedly attended the event with her boyfriend Joe Alwyn. Dunham first confirmed her relationship with the English-Peruvian musician back in April during an interview with The New York Times. The couple later made their red carpet debut at the Sundance Film Festival in August. Jasmine Tookes Jasmine Tookes officially wed Juan David Borrero is a stunning ceremony in Quito, Ecuador. "I’m officially Mrs. Borrero," she captioned an Instagram post of the event. Along with a gorgeous, show-stopping veil, Zuhair Murad gown, and epic flower petal-covered exit, the model shared special shots from the church procession and beautiful couple moments. "Still can’t believe I’m living in a real-life fairytale with you," she shared. @lilyjcollins Lily Collins and Charlie McDowell have officially tied the knot! The actress announced the news on her Instagram on Tuesday with a photo from the stunning Colorado event. “I’ve never wanted to be someone’s someone more than I do yours, and now I get to be your wife. On September 4th, 2021 we officially became each other’s forever. I love you beyond @charliemcdowell…” she wrote. She also tagged the Joshua Tree-based photography duo Cedar and Pines in the caption. McDowell shared the same photo on his Instagram, along with a smiling portrait of the newlyweds that showed Collins donning a lace hooded veil. “I married the most generous, thoughtful, and beautiful person I’ve ever known. I love you @lilyjcollins,” he captioned the images. Collins also tagged her bridal glam team in her post, which included makeup artist Fiona Stiles, hairstylist Gregory Russell, and nail artist Thuy Nguyen. She also tagged designer Ralph Lauren, who seemingly created her stunning high-neck lace gown. As for the location of the nuptials, the actress tagged Dunton Hot Springs, a luxury resort in Colorado where the wedding was held. Collins shared an additional photo of her and McDowell standing beside a gorgeous waterfall in their wedding attire. “What started as a fairytale, is now my forever reality. I’ll never be able to properly describe how otherworldly this past weekend was, but magical is a pretty good place to start…” she wrote. Getty Images After 20 years together, John Corbett and Bo Derek have tied the knot! While virtually appearing on The Talk on Tuesday, the Sex and the City alum shared the exciting news while talking to one of the show's hosts and his buddy Jerry O'Connell. "Jerry, I can't believe I forgot to tell you. Around Christmas time we got married. Bo and I got married," he shared. "We got married. And this is probably the first time — we're pretty private people. We didn't make an announcement. All our friends and family knew." The My Big Fat Greek Wedding star showed off his wedding band on the video call, flashing it to the camera. He added that this was their first time going public with the news. "But this is the first time either one of us has said anything publicly about it because really, we haven't had an opportunity," he said. "So, you're my buddy, and now I guess I'm telling all of America or the world. And yeah, after 20 years we decided to get married." He also revealed the reason why they finally decided to wed after all these years. He said they wanted to be bring some positivity to the year 2020 adding that they ""didn't want 2020 to be that thing that everybody looks back and hated." "And we thought, let's get one good thing around it and did it around Christmas." @issarae Issa Rae is married! The Insecure star married fiancé Louis Diame in an intimate wedding in the South of France over the weekend. The actress shared the news on Instagram alongside a series of photos from the stunning nuptials. “A) Impromptu photo shoot in a custom @verawanggang dress,” she captioned the post. “B) My girls came to help me, but they all coincidentally had on the same dress! They were sooooo embarrassed. C) Then I took a few flicks with Somebody’s Husband.” Rae also tagged the wedding vendors that helped make her dream day possible in the post. “Big thanks to @whiteedenweddings for being so gracious and accommodating and making this feel so real and special,” she wrote of her wedding planner. Rae also shared that her strapless sweetheart gown was a custom design from Vera Wang, while renowned wedding photographer Lauren Fair was behind the stunning photos. As for her bridal glam, celebrity hairstylist Felicia Leatherwood created Rae’s sophisticated ponytail, while makeup artist Joanna Simkin and nail artist Yoko Sakakura were responsible for her wedding makeup and manicure. The actress first sparked engagement rumors back in April 2019, when she was spotted wearing a ring on the cover of Essence. Rae and Diame have been dating for several years, but have always kept a low profile when it comes to sharing details about their relationship—including their surprise nuptials! Getty Images/ Design by Cristina Cianci Anna Faris and Michael Barrett are married! The actress shared the news that the couple secretly eloped on an episode of her Anna Faris is Unqualified podcast yesterday. “Yes, we eloped … I’m sorry. I didn’t know … I’m sorry, honey. I just blurted that out, but it just feels [like] I can’t say fiancé anymore,” the former Mom star said to Barrett on the episode. Faris and the cinematographer started dating in 2017 after she split from ex-husband Chris Pratt, with whom she shares 8-year-old son Jack. News of Faris and Barret’s engagement broke in January 2019, when her former co-star Allison Janney confirmed the announcement to Us Weekly. Getty Images From The Voice costars to husband and wife! Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton have officially tied the knot in an intimate ranch ceremony over the July Fourth holiday weekend. According to Page Six, the couple got married on Shelton’s Oklahoma estate, where sources allege the singer built a small chapel for the ceremony. This comes less than a month after the No Doubt singer sparked rumors by sporting a wedding band on her left hand. Getty Images Elizabeth Olsen is married! Or at least that's what she said. The WandaVision star revealed that she secretly got married presumably to her longtime boyfriend Robbie Arnett on Tuesday, June 8, during an interview with Kaley Cuoco during Variety's Actors on Actors discussion. She let the news slip in a subtle manner when referencing a book in the background of her interview. “I also just noticed that my husband put ‘Little Miss Magic' — you know, the ‘Little Miss’ books? They’re these classic books," she explained. "But magic because of WandaVision, because he’s such a f–king cutie.” This is the first time she has referred to Arnett as her husband. She started dating the Mile Greene band member back in 2017, and they reportedly got engaged in July 2019.
|
Famous Person - Marriage
| null | null |
Court Line Flight 95 crash
|
Court Line Flight 95 was an international charter flight from London Luton Airport, Bedfordshire, England, to Munich-Riem Airport, West Germany, operated on 18 April 1974 by Court Line (Aviation) Ltd BAC One-Eleven 518 G-AXMJ. During its take-off run, Piper PA-23 Aztec G-AYDE of McAlpine Aviation entered the active runway without permission. Although the pilots of the One-Eleven tried to take avoiding action, a collision between the two aircraft occurred, killing the pilot of the Aztec and injuring his passenger. The pilots of the substantially damaged One-Eleven successfully aborted the take-off and the aircraft was evacuated using emergency slides, with no casualties. The Aztec was written off, but the One-Eleven was repaired and returned to service. Four recommendations were made following the accident. Flight 95 was an international charter flight from Luton, Bedfordshire, UK, to Munich-Riem, West Germany. [1] At 15:19 Greenwich Mean Time, the One-Eleven received permission to taxi to holding point Delta where it was to await clearance. At 15:24 GMT, permission was granted for the One-Eleven to enter runway 08/26 and backtrack along Runway 08, where the aircraft was to hold at the threshold awaiting permission to take off. The One-Eleven reported it was entering Runway 08/26 between 15:25:14 and 15:25:23. At 15:25:32, the Aztec reported that it was ready to taxi. Information was given to the pilot of the Aztec that the wind was from 300° at 10 knots (19 km/h) and the pilot was offered a choice of runway 08 or runway 26 for take-off. He chose runway 26. At about 15:26, the Aztec was instructed "Cleared to Alpha Two Six",[2] This was non-standard phraseology; the correct instruction should have been "Cleared to holding point Alpha, Runway Two Six". This non-standard phraseology was a causal factor in the accident. [1] In the meantime, the One-Eleven had received clearance to take off at 15:25:24 and reported that it was rolling at 15:27:31. At 15:27:49, the Aztec was asked to report when it was ready for take-off, to which the reply was that it would be ready in 30 seconds. [2]
The Aztec then entered the active runway. The passenger on board the Aztec, who was also a pilot himself, queried the pilot via the intercom as to whether or not the aircraft had been cleared to enter the runway. He did not receive an answer, and by this time the aircraft had entered the runway. At this point, the One-Eleven had reached a speed of 100 knots (190 km/h) during its take-off run. The first officer was flying the aircraft. The captain, seeing the Aztec enter the runway from the left and realising it was not going to stop, took control of the aircraft. He fully opened both throttles and steered the aircraft to the right whilst attempting to lift the port wing over the Aztec. The passenger in the Aztec saw the One-Eleven approaching and ducked before the collision occurred, but was unable to warn the pilot of the impending collision. The port wing of the One-Eleven sliced through the cabin of the Aztec, killing the pilot instantly and injuring the passenger. [1] The Aztec lost the top of the cabin and its propellers were damaged, while the outer 6 metres (20 ft) of the One-Eleven's port wing was substantially damaged, resulting in fuel leaking from the tank contained therein. Use of full reverse thrust and maximum braking enabled the take-off to be successfully aborted within the remaining runway length, with the damaged One-Eleven stopping 750 metres (820 yd) beyond the point of collision. [3][1]
As there was a risk of fire from the leaking fuel, the commander ordered an emergency evacuation of the aircraft. Although the rear doors opened as intended and the evacuation slides deployed, both forward doors required considerable force to open them before all on board could evacuate the aircraft. No injuries were sustained in the evacuation. The investigation subsequently was able to replicate the difficulty in opening both forward doors on the One-Eleven. It was discovered that inadequate guidance from the manufacturer of the escape slides meant that they were incorrectly stowed. One door had an incorrect part fitted. A warning was issued to all One-Eleven operators and the relevant aviation authorities concerning this issue. [1]
After the accident, some airline pilots called for general aviation aircraft to be banned from using Luton, a view which was not supported by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators[4]
The BAC One-Eleven 518 involved was registered G-AXMJ, c/n H204,[5] and was built in February 1970. [1] Following the accident, the aircraft was repaired and returned to service. In February 1975, it was re-registered G-BCWG before entering service with Monarch Airlines. [nb 1][5] The aircraft was subsequently sold on to Philippine Airlines, which had it re-registered RP-C1189. [6][7][8][9]
The Piper PA-23 Aztec involved was registered G-AYDE, c/n 27-3807. [3] Manufactured in 1967,[1] it had previously been registered N6516Y in the United States,[3] before being sold to McAlpine Aviation in 1970. [1]
The accident was investigated by the Accidents Investigation Branch. The final report was issued on 26 February 1975. The cause of the accident was found to be that the pilot of the Aztec entered the active runway without permission. Non-standard phraseology by the controller at Luton was found to be a contributory factor. The ground markings and signage at Luton were found to be compliant with the legislation then existing. No stop bars or stop lights were provided, nor were they required by law. The pilots were not informed by radio of each other's movements, so may have been unaware that the runway was being used for departures in both directions. Although the radio installation on the Aztec conformed to legislation then existing, its arrangement was criticised as the passenger/co-pilot could not hear in his headset transmissions made by the pilot. Four recommendations were made; three concerning the operation of Luton Airport and one concerning the radio installation in aircraft.
|
Air crash
| null | null |
2021 eruption of La Soufrière
|
La Soufrière, a stratovolcano on the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, began an effusive eruption on 27 December 2020. On 9 April 2021 there was an explosive eruption, and the volcano "continued to erupt explosively" over the following days, with pyroclastic flows. [4] The activity pattern of the ongoing eruption is comparable to that of the event that occurred in 1902, which had a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 4. [5][1] The volcano is known to have erupted 23 times in the last 4,000 years, and had been dormant since 1979. [1]
Evacuation of the inhabitants of the island began when the explosive eruptions started. Many countries, including islands in the region, and organisations provided relief and support. Services such as electricity and water were severely affected. Emitted ash and sulfur dioxide gas affected the population. The COVID-19 pandemic made evacuation more difficult, requiring usual COVID-19 precautions to avoid outbreaks. [6]
As volcanoes like La Soufrière can very suddenly switch between effusive and explosive eruption phases, volcanologists were on high alert once[2] an effusive eruption formed a new lava dome inside the summit crater on 27 December 2020. [7][8] The lava dome was created on the west-southwest edge of an earlier dome that had formed during the 1979 eruption. [9] Government officials began to reach out to residents in the area throughout December and January in order to review evacuation plans in case volcanic activity escalated. [10]
The effusive eruption continued into January, during which time the lava dome had grown. [11] On 6–12 January, the dome grew and expanded to the west, produced small rockfalls and emitted gas and steam plumes. The lava dome had grown taller on 14 January and had expanded to the east and west. Vegetation on the east, south and west inner crater walls was extensively damaged on 15 January, with the dome estimated to have been 90 m (300 ft) high, 160 m (520 ft) wide and 340 m (1,120 ft) long. On January 16, the expanding western dome front reached temperatures of around 590 °C (1,094 °F). A small circular depression at the top of the lava dome was releasing gas emissions. On 20–26 January, the lava dome continued to grow, releasing gas and steam plumes. The dome attained a volume of 4,450,000 m3 (157,000,000 cu ft) on 27 January, during which time it was estimated to be 428 m (1,404 ft) long, 217 m (712 ft) wide and 80 m (260 ft) tall. [9]
In February 2021, the lava dome was still actively growing, releasing gas and steam plumes from its top. [12] Sulfur dioxide emissions were first detected on 1 February, which suggested that groundwater was drying up and no longer interacting with the gas species. A report of anomalously higher temperatures and gas odors prompted scientists to visit the Wallibou Hot Spring area on 7 February where they had detected hydrogen sulfide and a 5-6 degree increase in temperatures. The National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) reminded the public to avoid the volcano and that descending into the crater remained extremely dangerous. By 12 February, the lava dome was 618 m (2,028 ft) long, 232 m (761 ft) wide and 90 m (300 ft) tall, attaining a volume of 6,830,000 m3 (241,000,000 cu ft). [9]
The lava dome continued to slowly grow and release gas and steam throughout March 2021. [9] By 22 March 2021, the lava dome was 105 m (344 ft) tall, 243 m (797 ft) wide and 921 m (3,022 ft) long. Sulfur dioxide was being released from the top of the dome. [13] A swarm of small low-frequency seismic events lasting about 45 minutes was detected by the regional monitoring network on 23 March. The cause of this swarm was likely due to magma movement beneath the dome. A series of volcano tectonic earthquakes were subsequently felt in the neighboring communities of Fancy, Owia and New Sandy Bay Village. These volcano tectonic earthquakes lasted until 26 March when only small, low frequency events associated with the growth of the lava dome were detected. [9]
Growth of the lava dome continued into April 2021, during which time gas and steam continued to rise from its top. A swarm of volcano tectonic earthquakes more intense than the previous one began on 5 April. The events were felt in the nearby communities of Fancy and Chateaubelair. [9] On 8 April, after a sustained increase of volcanic and seismic activity over the preceding days, a red alert was declared and an evacuation order issued as an explosion was deemed to be imminent. [14][15]
An explosive eruption occurred at 8:41 a.m. AST (12:41 UTC) on 9 April 2021, with an ash plume reaching approximately 10,000 m (32,000 ft) and drifting eastward towards the Atlantic Ocean. [16][17] Approximately 16,000 people were told to evacuate the area surrounding the volcano. [10][18] A warning stated that the eruption was "likely to continue for days and possibly weeks". [19] Another explosive eruption, created by multiple pulses of ash, was reported that afternoon. [16][20] The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (SRC) reported a third explosive eruption starting on the evening of 9 April at 6:45 p.m. AST. [20]
Saint Lucia, Grenada, Antigua and Barbados all agreed to take in evacuees. Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves encouraged people evacuating to shelters elsewhere on Saint Vincent to take the COVID-19 vaccine and said people must be vaccinated to board cruise ships or to be granted refuge on another island. [17] Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza announced via Twitter that his country would send humanitarian supplies and risk experts. [21] Carnival Cruise Lines sent Carnival Paradise and Carnival Legend; each had a capacity to transport up to 1,500 residents to neighbouring islands. The cruise line Royal Caribbean Group sent Serenade of the Seas and Celebrity Reflection. [21][22] Only those who have already been vaccinated against COVID-19 will be accepted as evacuees by some other islands. [23]
Another explosive event occurred on 11 April 2021. [4] Prime Minister Gonsalves reported that water could no longer be supplied to most of the island, and the local airspace had been closed due to the pollution in the air.
|
Volcano Eruption
| null | null |
Food Security Council created by Whitmer: To release recommendations on hunger amid pandemic
|
LANSING — A Food Security Council within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has been created by an executive order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Friday. An Upper Peninsula resident, Tammy A. Rosa, of Gladstone, manager for the Upper Peninsula Area Agency on Aging, is one of the 16 members appointed. The council is tasked with identifying and analyzing the origins of and solutions for food insecurity in Michigan and working to ensure all Michiganders, no matter their socioeconomic status, can put food on the table for themselves and their families. “No one should have to worry about how they are going to put food on the table the next day,” Whitmer said in a press release. “Food insecurity is a very real and prevalent issue for many Michiganders, and COVID-19 has only made the problem worse. That is why, today, I am creating the Food Security Council to bring together leaders from both sides of the aisle to find solutions on behalf of Michigan families. I am committed to making sure every family and person has access to the quality, nutritious food they need.” Food insecurity is a “pressing and persistent problem” in the state and despite the work of many individuals and groups, many Michigan residents continue to live without reliable, daily access to an adequate amount of affordable, nutritious food, the release states. “COVID-19 has magnified the effects and challenges of food insecurity and increased the number of Michigan residents who struggle with the toxic stress of being food insecure. This is a nonpartisan challenge, and while multi-layered, it is solvable for the second-most diverse agricultural state in the U.S.,” said Phil Knight, chair of the Food Security Council, in the release. “Creating food security is the first step toward self-sufficiency, and while it starts in the field, it is sustained in the workplace. Our hungry neighbors are worthy of our investment in them as we seek to fulfill the directives given to the council. I am honored to work with this incredibly smart and insightful group of leaders who will bring wisdom, perspective and passion to the work of creating a food secure state. I am thankful for Gov. Whitmer’s leadership that enables her to see better, beyond and before in the creation of this council to address food insecurity across Michigan.” The Food Policy Council will identify and analyze the nature, scope and causes of food insecurity in Michigan. The council will identify and assess evidence-based policies to decrease food insecurity both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, analyze the return on investment to policies that decrease food insecurity, and review and make recommendations regarding how resources and efforts can be best coordinated, implemented and effectively supplemented. The council must prepare and submit a final report to the governor in two stages, with the first stage due in three months and focused on short-term findings and recommendations related to food insecurity and COVID-19. The council must issue its full, final report within 18 months, and will dissolve 90 days after doing so. The council will consist of the superintendent of public instruction and the directors of the departments of Health and Human Services, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Labor and Economic Opportunity, or their designees. In addition, the governor is appointing the following 16 members representing various sectors affected by and/or working toward a solution for food insecurity in Michigan, such as the health care, agriculture, education, business and nonprofit sectors: ≤ Tammy A. Rosa, of Gladstone, is a nutrition program quality assurance specialist and caregiver programs manager for the Upper Peninsula Area Agency on Aging. She holds a Bachelor of Science in administrative dietetics and nutrition from Central Michigan University. ≤ Amy Baker, of Pentwater, is the quality management director at Peterson Farms. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in labor relations from Michigan State University. ≤ Patrice Brown, of Detroit, is a food access manager for Eastern Market. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Michigan. ≤ Alex Canepa, of Ann Arbor, is the state policy manager for the Fair Food Network. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science from Trinity College of Dublin and a Master of Arts in the history of science, medicine and technology from the University of Oxford. ≤ Kimberly Schriever Edsenga, of Grand Rapids, is the senior counsel for Meijer, Inc. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan. ≤ Juan A. Escareno, Jr., of Detroit, is the director of government and community relations for the Midwest Independent Retailers Association. He previously served as executive vice president and recording secretary for the UFCW Local 876. ≤ Phillip B. Knight, Ph.D., of Fenton, is the executive director of the Food Bank Council of Michigan and the radio host of “Food for Thought” on WJR 760 AM. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Wesley College, a Master of Arts in counseling psychology from Liberty University, and a Ph.D. from Trinity University. The governor has designated. Knight to serve as chair of the council. ≤ Diana E. Marin, of Ann Arbor, is the supervising attorney for farmworkers and immigrant workers rights at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in urban studies and a Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University. ≤ Dawn S. Medley, of Lathrup Village, is the associate vice president of enrollment management and the chief enrollment officer at Wayne State University. She holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Missouri, a Master of Science in administration from Southeast Missouri State University, and an Education Specialist in Higher Education Leadership from Linwood University. ≤ Kenneth P. Nobis, of Saint Johns, is the co-owner and operator of Nobis Dairy Farms, a senior advisor and former president of the Michigan Milk Producers Association, and a current member of the Michigan Dairy Marketing Program Committee. He holds a Bachelor of Science in agriculture and biology from Western Michigan University. ≤ Delicia J. Pruitt, M.D., of Bay City, is the medical director of the Saginaw County Health Department. She holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Michigan and a Doctor of Medicine from the Wayne State University School of Medicine. ≤ Todd J. Regis, of Flat Rock, is the vice president and director of legislative and community affairs for United Food & Commercial Workers Local 951 and the director of its foundation. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Western Michigan University. ≤ Michelle M. Schulte, of Suttons Bay, is a program director for the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and teaching from Ferris State University and a Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction from Lake Superior State University. ≤ Laurie Solotorow, of Birmingham, is the director of the Michigan Health Endowment Fund Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles Program. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University. ≤ Wade Syers, of Muskegon, is a food safety educator for Michigan State University Extension. He holds a Bachelor of Science in biology from Grand Valley State University and a Master of Science in food safety from Michigan State University. ≤ Pam Yager, of Okemos, is the social mission manager for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Michigan. The council will also consist of four nonvoting members of the Legislature: Sens. Kevin Daley and Winnie Brinks and Reps. Pauline Wendzel and Angela Witwer. MDHHS director issues statement on testing for employees in farms, food processing Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon issued a statement regarding Michigan Farm Bureau opposition to the MDHHS order requiring testing of farm and food processing employees: “Amid a pandemic that has killed more than 6,000 Michiganders, the state of Michigan took action to save lives by requiring COVID-19 testing and support for farm and food processing employees. These employees live and work in close conditions that put them at particular risk for COVID-19, and have experienced dozens of outbreaks as a result,” Gordon said in the release. “The state is offering on-site testing at no cost to all workers covered by the order, as well as support for housing and basic needs of workers. It is unfortunate that the Michigan Farm Bureau is opposing these efforts to keep agricultural employees safe, and that some in the industry have even advised employers to cancel planned testing events, choosing instead to contemplate litigating workers’ protections. “We are confident in the legality of our order. It is not too late for the Farm Bureau to partner with the State of Michigan to support hard-working men and women, rather than promoting dangerous delays in much-needed COVID-19 testing.”
|
Organization Established
| null | null |
Brazil water survey heightens alarm over extreme drought
|
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The Brazilian scientists were skeptical. They ran different models to check calculations, but all returned the same startling result. The country with the most freshwater resources on the planet steadily lost 15% of its surface water since 1991. Gradual retreat in the Brazilian share of the Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland, left water covering just one-quarter the area it did 30 years ago. And the data only went through 2020 -- before this year’s drought that is Brazil’s worst in nine decades. “When we got the first results, we wondered if there was a problem in the equations,” said Cassio Bernardino, a project manager for environmental group WWF-Brazil, which took part in the survey along with Brazilian universities and local partners like the Amazon Environmental Research Institute, plus international collaborators including Google and The Nature Conservancy. They used artificial intelligence to parse some 150,000 satellite images measuring the surface of lakes, rivers, marshes and all surface water across Brazil. The figures checked out, and the MapBiomas data published this week has heightened an existing sense of alarm. The ongoing drought has already boosted energy costs and food prices, withered crops, rendered vast swaths of forest more susceptible to wildfire and prompted specialists to warn of possible electricity shortages. President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday said hydroelectric dam reservoirs are “at the limit of the limit.” “The prospects are not good; we’re losing natural capital, we’re losing water that feeds industries, energy generation and agribusiness,” Bernardino said. Brazil’s “society as a whole is losing this very precious resource, and losing it at a frighteningly fast rate.” The study accompanying MapBiomas’s data hasn’t been published yet. Two outside experts consulted by The Associated Press who reviewed the survey’s methodology said the approach appears robust, and its scale offers important insight into Brazilian water resources. They noted, however, use of artificial intelligence to analyze satellite images without on-the-ground verification could increase the margin of error. Evaporation is a part of the natural cycle that can diminish water resources, particularly in areas with shallower supplies like the Pantanal wetlands, which sprawl across up to 80,000 square miles in three countries. It is a persistent problem in places like Lake Mead and Lake Powell in the Colorado River basin. The MapBiomas study didn’t establish the extent to which Brazil’s retreating water resources resulted from natural causes. But experts have warned human activity is affecting global weather patterns, causing more frequent extreme events such as severe droughts and floods. The cutting and burning of forest, construction of large hydroelectric plants and dams or reservoirs for crop irrigation, all contribute to shifting natural patterns, said Mažeika Patricio Sulliván, an ecology professor at Ohio State University. “We’re altering the magnitude of those natural processes,” said Sulliván, a wetlands expert who has studied water systems in the U.S., South America, Eastern Europe, and the Caribbean. “This is not just happening in Brazil, it’s happening all over the world.” Sulliván said the MapBiomas data was “eye-popping,” though unsurprising; nearly 90% of South America’s wetland area is estimated to have vanished since 1900, and nearly 40% in North America, he said. Wetlands are essential to many species of wildlife and key to retaining water to be gradually released into rivers, which prevents flooding. In Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, water that evaporates then travels on air currents to provide rainfall far afield. But some climate experts argue that the Amazon is headed for a “tipping point” in 10 to 15 years: if too much forest is destroyed, the Amazon would begin an irreversible process of degradation into tropical savannah. There are more immediate sources of alarm, like possible power rationing this year. Hydroelectric reservoirs have been drained by a decade of lower-than-usual rainfall. Reservoirs in the Parana River basin, which powers the metropolis Sao Paulo and several states, have never before been so depleted, the grid operator said this month. The Parana River runs from Brazil into Argentina and along its course are the iconic Iguazu Falls at the border of the nations; the majestic cascades were unrecognizable for a few days in June, having dwindled to a trickle. The Parana waterway and its aquifers supply fresh water to some 40 million people, and a livelihood for fishing communities and farmers. Brazil’s energy minister Bento Albuquerque on Aug. 25 called a press conference to deny the possibility of rationing, while at the same time calling on companies and people to reduce power consumption. Some analysts have speculated dismissiveness is politically motivated ahead of an election year. “At the current rate, blackouts are likely to happen this year, especially during peak hours,” said Nivalde de Castro, coordinator of the electricity sector studies group at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Brazil’s declining water resources also risk exacerbating fires that people often set during the Southern Hemisphere’s winter to clear pasture, which then rage out of control. Last year, more than one-quarter of Brazil’s Pantanal went up in flames. It was by far the worst annual devastation since authorities started keeping records in 2003. The Pantanal has strong capacity to regenerate if given the opportunity to do so without repeated burning events. A surge of fires in the past week stirred concern among locals. “Once again, the specter of fires is back,” said Angelo Rabelo, president of a local environmental group that oversees a protected area of about 300,000 hectares. Last year, 90% of his land was damaged by blazes. Researchers at the State University of Mato Grosso found parts of the Pantanal in 2019 had 13% more days without any precipitation compared to the 1960s. Jibing with the MapBiomas study, their findings also showed the marshes were losing surface water. “The scenario is even worse this year: drier, and with less water,” Rabelo said from Corumba, a municipality in Mato Grosso do Sul state. For Rabelo and others, last year’s fires were a wake-up call. He formed a full-time private fire brigade of seven people — the Pantanal’s first. They are better trained and have so far been able to respond faster, before fires spiral out of control. But fresh challenges lie ahead. In areas without roads, navigation on smaller rivers can become problematic due to low water levels, Rabelo said. That means firefighters could soon have trouble reaching some blazes and, even if they can, less water available to extinguish them. “The integration of water loss and wildfires: that’s a big issue that we need to start thinking more about,” said Sulliván.
|
Droughts
| null | null |
2016 Colombia army helicopter crash
|
A Mil Mi-17 of the National Army of Colombia was reported missing after taking off from the city of Quibdó on 26 June 2016. The wreckage of the helicopter was found the following day in mountainous terrain in the department of Caldas, 180 km north-west of the capital city Bogotá. It was the third helicopter crash in Colombia in 2016, and with seventeen killed was the worst accident in eleven years for the Colombian military. On 26 June, the Colombian air force took part in an offensive against the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerilla group in the department of Chocó, in the west of the country. Following the operation, the helicopter with registration number EJC-3393, took off at 2 p.m. local time from Quibdó, the capital city of the Chocó department, bound for the Tolemaida Air Base in the department of Tolima Its final report was made from a position 35 miles north of the town of Mariquita before disappearing. [1]
Local people in the municipality of Pensilvania in the department of Caldas reported seeing the helicopter and hearing an explosion. The search team consisted of the 22 Infantry Battalion along with members of the civil defense corps, the police, the fire brigade, the Red Cross, and volunteer members of the public from Pensilvania. The wreckage was located on 27 June on a mountain side at an altitude of between 2300 and 2400 metres above sea level. Contrary to the locals' reports of an explosion, the army confirmed that no explosion appeared to have taken place, and that the helicopter appeared to have crashed directly into the mountain and broken apart on impact. All 17 people on board died in the accident. [1][2]
Preliminary investigations into the cause of the accident pinpointed bad weather as the most likely cause. The head of the Colombian army, General Alberto José Mejía Ferrero, said that the helicopter had hit the mountain almost head-on and blamed poor visibility. [3] However, he indicated that a full investigation would be carried out in order to determine the exact causes of the accident. [1]
The accident occurred less than a year after a similar incident that killed 16 military personnel, which may have been shot down. Earlier in 2016 two other helicopters had crashed in Colombia, one killing 4 and one killing 3. [4][5] Another recent crash also injured 4 people. [citation needed]
|
Air crash
| null | null |
Rays’ Randy Arozarena, Wander Franco finalists for top AL rookie award
|
Kevin Cash, who won last year, is a finalist for the BBWAA manager award, with winners to be named next week. Wander Franco, right, and Randy Arozarena both are up for the Rookie of the Year award. ST. PETERSBURG — Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena had arguably the most impressive full season of any American League rookie. Shortstop Wander Franco may have been the best during the limited time he played after a late June callup. Now they are two of the three finalists for the Baseball Writers’ Association of America AL Rookie of the Year award. “It’s deserved recognition for both of them,” Rays baseball operations president Erik Neander said Monday night. “Both dynamic talents, both talents that have the ability to win baseball games on both sides of the ball, and on the bases. Winning players, and we’ve certainly seen that. Going back to last year with Randy, and certainly with Wander the limited time that he had this year.” Rays manager Kevin Cash is also a finalist for a second straight top manager award. The top three finishers for each of the four major awards were announced Monday, with winners named next week. Award voting is based on regular-season performance, with votes from two BBWAA members in each league city cast before the start of the playoffs. Kevin Cash is a Manager of the Year finalist for the fourth straight season. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ] Arozarena, 26, retained rookie eligibility despite being the breakout star of the 2020 postseason and has been considered a favorite for this season’s rookie award. He hit .274 with 20 homers, 69 RBIs, 94 runs scored, 32 doubles, 20 steals, an .815 OPS and had a WAR rating of 4.2 (per baseball-reference.com ) while posting five assists and one error. He became the third player in Rays history with a 20-homer/20-steal season. Neander said Arozarena’s best attribute may be the “fearless” way he plays and rises to big moments, but ticked off some others: “It’s power, it’s speed, it’s a fun player to watch. He’s an entertaining player, he plays the game hard and plays the game right. And he’s immensely talented, too.” Franco, 20, is somewhat of a surprise top-three finisher as he played in only 70 games, missing 12 with a September hamstring injury. But he did quite well, hitting .288 with seven homers, 39 RBIs, an .810 OPS and a 3.5 WAR. Also, he reached base in 43 straight games, matching Frank Robinson’s 1956 mark for players 20 and under. Only one position player has won a rookie of the year award in either league playing fewer than 87 games over a full season, and that was in 1959 when the Giants’ Willie McCovey did after playing in 52 of 154. Astros outfielder/DH Yordan Alvarez won in 2019 playing in 87 games; Rays outfielder Wil Myers won in 2013 playing in 88. Franco was called up June 22, and after a smashing debut and a couple weeks of getting adjusted, went on a tear. From the All-Star break on, he led all AL rookies with a .314 average, 69 hits and 45 runs. “It took him a few weeks to really find his footing, but then once he did, he made up for lost time really quickly,” Neander said from the general managers meetings in Carlsbad, Calif. “Playing a premium position for the most part, shortstop, but what he did defensively, baserunning, and just the overall impact offensively, he certainly made up for lost time. And at least (in) my rough understanding of the rookie class, I think he merits placement being a finalist just based on what he contributed to the games he played.” The other finalist for the AL rookie award is Houston pitcher Luis Garcia, who went 11-8, 3.48 in 30 games (28 starts), striking out 167 in 155 1/3 innings for the AL West champs. Randy Arozarena, left, is thought to be a favorite for Rookie of the Year while Wander Franco was a bit of a surprise finalist. [ IVY CEBALLO | Times ] Three Rays have previously won BBWAA rookie honors: third baseman Evan Longoria (2008), pitcher Jeremy Hellickson (2011) and Myers. Cash, 43, is an AL Manager of the Year finalist for the fourth straight year, finishing third in 2018 and 2019. He led the Rays to an American League-best 100-62 record and a second straight AL East championship this season, though they were ousted in the Division Series by Boston. In seven seasons, Cash has led the Rays to a 554-478 record (.537) and three straight playoff berths. “I can’t imagine someone doing a better job than what he’s done here,” Neander said. “And that’s been a constant for several years now. Really just the leadership. The buy-in. Our players, they come to play, they come to get better. And that’s a reflection on him and his leadership and the staff as well. So just, we’re lucky to have him, and we really appreciate him. “It’s nice to see him receive that recognition. And it’s not ultimately why we do it. But it does speak well to just what an impact he’s had on our group and the games we’ve won.” Cash is competing with Dusty Baker, who led the Astros to the AL West title, and Scott Servais, who surprisingly steered the Mariners into postseason contention. The rookie awards for both leagues will be announced Nov. 15, the top managers on Nov. 16. The Cy Young award winners will be named Nov. 17 and the league MVPs Nov. 18.
|
Awards ceremony
| null | null |
2021 Baghdad hospital fire
|
On the night of 24 to 25 April 2021, a fire at the Ibn al-Khatib hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, left at least 82 people dead and 110 others injured. [1][2][3][4] The fire was started by the explosion of oxygen tanks designated for COVID-19 patients. A lack of fire detection and suppression systems contributed to the spread of the fire, and many died as a result of being taken off their ventilators to escape the fire. [5] The disaster led to calls for accountability, and the Minister for Health, Hassan al-Tamimi, was suspended by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi the following day. [4]
The COVID-19 pandemic put a large strain on Iraq. As of April 2021, more than a million cases had been recorded in the country, more than in any other Arab state. [3][4] The public was skeptical about COVID-19 vaccines, and many were reluctant to wear masks during the pandemic. [4]
Ibn al-Khatib was one of three hospitals in Baghdad that were designated at the beginning of the pandemic by the Iraqi Ministry of Health to treat COVID-19 patients. [6] The hospital served one of the poorer neighbourhoods of Baghdad, and a spokesperson for the health ministry stated that it was originally built in the 1950s and was renovated last year to treat coronavirus patients. [5]
Patients in intensive care at the hospital were given respirators to assist breathing, and would have been difficult to transport in the event of a fire. [7]
The European Commission released a report earlier in 2021 warning of the increased risk of hospital fires due to the use of supplemental oxygen in wards treating coronavirus patients. [5][8]
On the night of 24 April 2021, an accident occurred in the hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) that caused an oxygen tank to explode. [3] Medical sources told Agence France-Presse that the accident was caused by "a fault in the storage of oxygen cylinders". [4] A doctor reported that the staff had tried to shut down the hospital's central oxygen system, but the oxygen tanks had already started exploding. [5] The explosions set off a fire in the ICU that spread quickly to multiple floors during the night. [3][1][4] At the time of the fire, it was believed that at least 120 patients were in the hospital, a doctor disclosed. [9] Major General Khadhim Bohan, head of Iraq's Civil Defence, stated that the hospital had neither smoke detectors, nor a sprinkler system, nor fire hoses, and that flammable material used in the dropped ceiling of the ICU contributed to the speed at which the fire spread. [5]
The ICU, reserved for the most severe cases of the coronavirus, had about 30 patients, and dozens of their relatives were visiting at the time. [3][4] One witness, who was visiting his brother in the hospital, stated that he saw people jumping out of windows and doctors landing on cars to escape the fire. [1]
Iraq's Civil Defence stated that the fire was under control by the early morning hours of 25 April. [3]
More than 90 people died as a result of the fire. [10] The Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights reported that 28 of the fatalities were coronavirus patients being treated in wards at the ICU who had to be taken off their ventilators to escape the fire when it had reached their ward. [1][11][12] Others had died of smoke inhalation. [3] According to the pharmaceutical association of Iraq, at least one pharmacist was amongst the fatalities. [5] At least 110 other people were injured. [3][4] A reporter for Al Jazeera stated that the number of fatalities was likely to rise because many of those injured had suffered severe burns. [1]
With a health system already strained by poor infrastructure and the coronavirus pandemic, the fire, which was attributed to negligence often associated with widespread government corruption, sparked anger amongst the public and led to calls for accountability, including demands for the firing of Hassan al-Timini, the Minister of Health. [4][3] The governor of Baghdad, Mohammed Jaber, called for the health ministry to establish a commission to bring those responsible to justice. [4] Although several patients were relocated to other hospitals, many families decided to wait outside the hospital after the fire was extinguished, in an attempt to search for their loved ones. [13]
On 25 April, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi held an emergency meeting where he ascribed the fire to negligence, and ordered authorities to report the results of an investigation "within 24 hours". [1][4] Al Jazeera reported that the announcement of the investigation did not stop the wrath of those on social media, as Iraqis repeatedly hear of the government declaring investigations but rarely see anyone actually being held accountable for their actions or lack thereof. [1]
Al-Kadhimi also ordered the detention of the head of the hospital and the head of its department of engineering and maintenance, as well as the detention and questioning of the health director for the area of Baghdad where the hospital was located. [5] He also suspended the Baghdad governor as well as Health Minister Hassan al-Timini and planned to question them as well. [2][11] Kadhimi instructed that the investigation be concluded within a period of five days, as well as the submission of a report to the Council of Ministers, according to CNN. [11]
On the same day, al-Kadhimi declared a three-day national mourning period. [14] He also stated that the family members of each victim would receive 10,000,000 IQD (5,700 EUR in 2021). [11]
Several countries worldwide issued condolences to the people of Iraq. [a] Pope Francis also grieved for those killed in the Baghdad hospital fire, as he called on the faithful to dedicate prayers to the victims. [18]
Some medical staff, witnesses, and family members who lost their loved ones, said that the fire extinguishers were not functional. [19] They criticised the Iraqi healthcare system, which they believe had been subjected to mismanagement for years and has now led to the death of over 80 people. [20]
|
Fire
| null | null |
Lion Air Flight 583 crash
|
Lion Air Flight 538 (JT 538) was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Soekarno–Hatta International Airport, Jakarta, to Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, with a stopover at Adi Sumarmo Airport, Surakarta, Indonesia. On November 30, 2004, the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 overran the runway of Adi Sumarmo Airport, and crashed onto a cemetery on landing; 25 people on board were killed in the crash, including the captain. [1]
Investigation conducted by the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee concluded that the crash was caused by hydroplaning, which was aggravated by wind shear. [citation needed]
The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, with line number 1173 and manufacturer's serial number 49189, made its first flight on 13 November 1984, later delivered on 20 December 1984 and operated by Mexican carrier Aeroméxico as XA-AMP, and named Aguascalientes before being acquired by Lion Air in 2002 and registered as PK-LMN. Lion Air had sold the aircraft to another airline for delivery in January 2005. [2][3]
Flight 538 took off from Jakarta at around 5:00 pm, carrying a total of 146 passengers and seven crew members. Most of the passengers were members of the Nahdlatul Ulama, who were attending a national meeting held after the victorious result of the 2004 Indonesian Presidential Election. The flight was uneventful until its landing. [4]
The flight arrived at the airport during dusk, around 6:00 pm in heavy rain. A thunderstorm was reportedly present during the landing. [4]
Flight 538 was configured appropriately for landing, touched down "smoothly" according to most passengers, and the thrust reversers were deployed. The aircraft, however, failed to slow adequately, overran the runway, and slammed into an embankment. The impact caused the floor of the front portion of the plane to collapse, reportedly killing many of the passengers. The aircraft split into two sections, coming to rest in the end of the runway, and fuel began to leak. Passengers had difficulty locating emergency exits in the waning light. Some of the passengers self-evacuated through the opening in the fuselage. [5]
The airport was closed and emergency services were notified. Injured passengers were transported by police vehicles and ambulances to numerous hospitals across Solo. At least 14 of the dead were transported to the Pabelan Hospital. Six people, two dead and four injured, were transported to Panti Waluyo Hospital. Others were transported to Oen Kandangsapi, Brayat Minulya, Kasih Ibu, Oen Solo Baru, and PKU Muhammadiyah, as well as facilities in Boyolali and Karanganyar. Survivors with minor injuries were treated inside the airport VIP terminal. [4]
Twenty-five people were killed and 59 others were seriously injured. [4][6]
Most of the passengers were Indonesians, while airport officials confirmed that one Singaporean man was among the injured. The pilots at the control of the flight were Captain Dwi Mawastoro and First Officer Stephen Lesdek. Captain Dwi died in the crash, while First Officer Lesdek survived with serious injuries. [7]
The newly elected Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered an immediate investigation onto the cause of the crash of Flight 538 and stated that the investigation should be open to the public to prevent unwanted rumors in the aftermath of the crash. Minister of Transportation Hatta Rajasa stated that the Transportation Department would evaluate the Indonesian airline operations in response to the crash of Flight 538 in addition to two other similar incidents that occurred on the same day. [8]
The black box was subsequently found on December 1, 2004, and was transported to the Adi Sumarmo Emergency Operations Center. [9]
A witness to the crash claimed that lightning struck the plane during its landing phase. According to him, the landing light and the interior lighting were extinguished after the strike. [4]
Lion Air "claimed responsibility" for the crash and stated that they would pay the hospital bills of the survivors. [10] However, they denied that the crash was caused by the airline's misconduct, and stated that weather was the main factor. According to them, Flight 538 experienced a tailwind during its landing, which explained why the plane did not stop. Others claimed that the brakes or the thrust reversers malfunctioned. [11] The pilot did not put the throttle into flight idle, which caused the spoiler to retract, one of the reverse thrusts also was found to be faulty. The preliminary report was published in 2005. Investigators stated that the plane's braking system was not at its optimum level. This condition was aggravated by weather conditions during the accident. Investigators also identified a faulty thrust reverser as one of the causes of the crash; they subsequently issued several recommendations to Lion Air. [12]
|
Air crash
| null | null |
Coronavirus: Trump moves to pull US out of World Health Organization
|
President Donald Trump has formally moved to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization (WHO). The president had made his intentions clear in late May, accusing the WHO of being under China's control in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Despite calls from the EU and others, he said he would pull out of the UN agency and redirect funds elsewhere. He has now notified the UN and Congress of his intentions, although the process could take at least a year. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, confirmed the US had notified it of its withdrawal, effective as of 6 July 2021. Senator Robert Menendez, the leading Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, also wrote on Twitter: "Congress received notification that POTUS officially withdrew the US from the WHO in the midst of a pandemic. "It leaves Americans sick and America alone." A senior US administration official told CBS News that Washington had detailed the reforms that it wanted the WHO to make and engaged with it directly, but that the WHO had refused to act. "Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship," the official was quoted as saying. Joe Biden, who will challenge Donald Trump in the November presidential election, tweeted: "On my first day as President, I will rejoin the WHO and restore our leadership on the world stage." The US is the global health agency's largest single contributor, providing more than $400m (£324m; €360m) in 2019, around 15% of its total budget. Under a Congress resolution in 1948, the US can withdraw but must give a year's notice and should pay outstanding fees, although it is unclear where Mr Trump stands on that. Mr Dujarric stressed that those conditions should be met. The withdrawal will call into question the WHO's financial viability and the future of its many programmes promoting healthcare and tackling disease. He first announced in April that he was going to halt US funding for the WHO unless it undertook "substantive improvements" within 30 days. Then in late May he said: "We will be terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and directing those funds" to other global public health charities. "The world is now suffering as a result of the malfeasance of the Chinese government," he said, adding that China had "instigated a global pandemic". The president accused China of pressurising the WHO to "mislead the world" about the virus, without giving evidence for his allegations. "China has total control over the World Health Organization," the president said. Other countries, including Germany and the UK, have said they have no intention of withdrawing funding from the WHO, which is co-ordinating a global initiative to develop a vaccine against Covid-19
|
Withdraw from an Organization
| null | null |
1921: Deadly Chemical Works Explosion in Germany
|
(Special to the Herald.) MAINZ, Wednesday. — More than one thousand people were killed and several thousands injured yesterday as the result of an explosion that destroyed part of the great chemical works near Ludwigshafen, on the Rhine, which were so often attacked during the air raids in the war as being one of the principal sources of the “poison” gases used by the Germans. The catastrophe was of such an overwhelming nature that communication with Oppau, the locality where the disaster took place, was cut off, rendering it difficult to obtain full and accurate reports.
It was exactly half-past seven this morning when the terrific explosion occurred at Oppau in one of the numerous buildings of the famous Badische Anilin und Soda-Fabrik, which extend along the Rhine from Ludwigshafen for a distance of about two miles. At Oppau stood some of the new chemical works and laboratories, erected during the war.
On the spot where the disaster happened, the night shift was preparing to leave the works and the day workers were standing around ready to go in, so that, according to an estimate by one of the works’ engineers, there must have been 3,000 workpeople present at the time.
Vast Crater.
It is believed that the explosion was due to an excess of pressure in two gasometers, which stood side by side. That part of the works was literally pulverised. Where the gasometers stood is now a vast crater, more than a hundred yards across and thirty yards deep.
All round lie débris of all kinds, bricks and stones, shattered beams, twisted steel girders and rails. Not a fragmant of a wall is left standing within a radius of two hundred yards. But farther from the crater, the wreckage of the works continues to burn, while dense yellow fumes are given off, and much ammonia gas.
Rescue parties, firemen and French soldiers, equipped with gas masks, who were rushed to the scene of the disaster, are searching the wreckage and constantly extricating bodies. Few of these can be identified. Great numbers of the men inside the works were killed and comparatively few injured survivors have been found by the search parties. One report says that the explosion took place in Laboratory 53 and that of 800 men in the building not one escaped death. It is also stated that several soldiers of the Army of Occupation are among the victims of the disaster.
Town in Ruins.
The small town of Oppau, close to the works, presents a picture of desolation, about a third of the houses being destroyed. The roofs of the others have been stripped off, as though by a hurricane. In the town the death toll was heavy and there were many injured. Those unhurt are striving to save their furniture and valuables. There were distressing scenes in the cemetery, where hundreds of bodies were laid out on the grass.
The explosion was so tremendous that its effects were felt over a wide area, causing damage and loss of life in neighboring towns. At Ludwigshafen, roofs were torn off and many people killed and injured. Mannheim, which is several miles from Oppau, had all its windows shattered, one man being killed and more than fifty injured. Windows were also broken at Worms. The report of the explosion was heard as far away as Frankfort and the shock of the air displacement was distinctly felt at Mainz. Telephonic and telegraphic communication was cut off in the whole district around Oppau, making it difficult to obtain details of the disaster.
Other Explosions.
After the first great explosion, a number of others followed at intervals, and fire, fed by the inflammable chemical products, spread rapidly through the rest of the works. Fire brigades were immediately set to work and first-aid contingents were sent from Landau, Spire, Neustadt and Kaiserslautern. The French Army medical service also quickly gave effective aid.
As soon as the disaster became known, volunteer helpers hurried to Oppau from the neighboring villages. Public and private motor cars and vehicles of all kinds were requisitioned to transport the injured. The French sent a regiment of colonial infantry to maintain order and assist in the work of rescue.
A French Colonial infantry captain, who was an eye-witness of the disaster, says: “I was riding on horseback along the road from Ludwigshafen to Oppau about 7.30, and on nearing the chemical works I heard a heavy rumbling, the earth seemed to tremble, and a huge column of flames and fumes shot up a few hundred yards away. Then came an explosion and a tremendous displacement of air that threw me and my horse down.
“When I got up, in a dazed condition, a dense cloud of dust and smoke completely hid the part of the works near the gasometer. Stones, bricks and shattered material of all kinds began falling on the road. Hearing cries behind me, I looked round and saw that the town of Opau had been three-parts destroyed, as though by an earthquake. Soon afterwards the chemical works burst into a blaze and strong odors of ammonia filled the air.
“Men from the works and people from Oppau fled terror-stricken across the fields. Twenty minutes after the first explosion, a second, but less violent, report was heard. Help began to arrive within half an hour after the first explosion, but, owing to the fear of further explosions, the rescue parties were unable to get effectively to work before 9 o’clock.”
|
Gas explosion
| null | null |
Caeleb Dressel sets Olympic record in 100 free, wins first individual gold
|
Caeleb Dressel was as fast as advertised in the men's 100m freestyle and then some, winning his first individual Olympic gold medal with an Olympic record time of 47.02.
Dressel, the 13-time world champion and third-fastest man in history, got off to a lightning-quick start with a 0.60 reaction time and just managed to hold off Australia's Kyle Chalmers by 0.06.
"It was a really tough year, really hard," an emotional Dressel said. "To have the results, it really came together so I'm happy."
Chalmers took silver and Kliment Kolesnikov of the Russian Olympic Committee claimed bronze.
Billed as the fastest 100m final in history, it was fitting that Dressel broke the long-standing record of 47.05 that Australia's Eamon Sullivan set at Beijing 2008.
Following the race, Dressel, a native of small-town Green Cove Springs, Florida, exchanged an emotional Microsoft Teams call with family watching from Florida.
Dressel is now a two-time gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics after leading off the victorious U.S. men's 4x100m freestyle relay earlier in the week. He has a chance at four additional golds in the 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly, men's 4x100m medley relay and mixed 4x100m medley relay.
Only four athletes have ever won six gold medals at a single Olympics: Belarusian gymnast Vitaly Scherbo, German swimmer Kristin Otto, American swimmer Mark Spitz and American swimmer Michael Phelps, who accomplished the feat twice.
|
Break historical records
| null | null |
At least 48 migrants were killed when their boat sank off Tunisia’s coast and 67 others were rescued by the coast guard, officials said on Sunday, one of the worst migrant boat accidents in recent years.
|
TUNIS (Reuters) - At least 48 migrants were killed when their boat sank off Tunisia’s coast and 67 others were rescued by the coast guard, officials said on Sunday, one of the worst migrant boat accidents in recent years.
The boat went down near the southern island of Kerkenna, a tourist spot, in the night to Sunday, the defense ministry said in a statement. The victims were Tunisians and other nationalities, it said, without giving details.
The rescue operation was suspended late on Sunday but will resume on Monday morning, officials said.
Human traffickers increasingly use Tunisia as a launch pad for migrants heading to Europe as Libya’s coast guard, aided by armed groups, has tightened controls.
Security officials said the boat was packed with about 180 migrants, including 80 from other African countries.
A survivor said the captain had abandoned the boat after it started sinking to escape arrest by the coast guard.
“I survived by clinging to wood for nine hours,” he said at a hospital in the southern city of Sfax where dozens of people gathered to look for survivors and identify dead relatives.
Unemployed Tunisians and other Africans often try to depart in makeshift boats from Tunisia to Sicily in Italy.
The North African country is in the middle of a deep economic crisis since the toppling of autocrat Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011 threw Tunisia into turmoil with unemployment and inflation shooting up.
Separately, nine people including six children died on Sunday after a speedboat carrying 15 refugees sank off the coast of Turkey’s southern province of Antalya, the Turkish coast guard said in a statement.
Reducing the flow of migrants into Italy is one of the aims of the anti-immigrant League party in Italy and its leader Matteo Salvini who was sworn in as the country’s new interior minister on Friday.
Salvini and his party have promised to block the arrival of boat migrants from Africa and to deport up to 100,000 illegal immigrants per year.
“The objective is to save lives. And this is done by preventing the departures of the boats of death that are a business for some and a disgrace for the rest of the world,” Salvini said in a statement, commenting on both the incidents.
“I will work to ensure that all the international organizations commit to stop departures, landings and deaths.”
As of May 30, 32,080 people had reached Europe by sea so far this year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on its website. Some 660 had died attempting the crossing, it said.
|
Shipwreck
| null | null |
Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad beat previous women's 400m hurdles world record to win gold and silver
|
Updated on: August 4, 2021 / 7:49 PM
/ CBS News
U.S. track star Sydney McLaughlin broke her own world record to win gold in the women's 400-meter hurdles at the Tokyo Olympics, with teammate Dalilah Muhammad coming in a close second and also breaking the previous record. McLaughlin set the previous record of 51.90 in June during Olympic Trials.
McLaughlin earned gold and a new world record with a 51.46 second finish while Muhammad won silver with a 51.58 second finish.
Muhammad is no stranger to making and breaking records, having set the world record twice in 2019. She also won the world championship gold medal that year. Her path to the Tokyo Games was not an easy one however, as injuries and a bout with COVID-19 threatened her training.
This is McLaughlin's first Olympic gold medal win. The 21-year-old was also the youngest athlete in Wednesday's race and the youngest person ever to medal in the event. She and Muhammad made their Olympics debut in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
|
Break historical records
| null | null |
2009 NK Široki Brijeg–FK Sarajevo football riots
|
The NK Široki Brijeg–FK Sarajevo football riot refers to the riot involving the football clubs NK Široki Brijeg (supported mostly by Herzegovian Croat fans[1]) and FK Sarajevo (supported mostly by Bosniak fans[citation needed]) during a leg of the 2009 Bosnian-Herzegovian Premier League in the Herzegovian town of Široki Brijeg. During the riot members of Horde Zla ("Legions of Evil", a FK Sarajevo supporters group) and Škripari (a NK Široki Brijeg supporters group) confronted each other in altercations which subsequently spilled out to the majority of the town. Horde Zla burned cars and demolished shops while Škripari and residents of Široki Brijeg stoned Horde Zla buses and shot at supporters. Horde Zla also claim multiple counts of severe police brutality which led to the death of Horde Zla member Vedran Puljić from gunshot wounds. [2][3]
[4]
There are conflicting reports about who started the violence. Horde Zla accused local residents and police for their mistreatment on their way to the match, saying that the incident was planned by local politicians and that their buses were separated and parked too far from the stadium which left them open to stoning and attacks. They also claim that initially there were only 30 local policemen present, and they did nothing to prevent the violence. [5] Local police and residents said Horde Zla fans were the first to attack. [6] According to local police officials, most of the regional police had earlier been sent to the nearby city of Mostar to prevent possible violence during the match between the rival Zrinjski and Velež clubs scheduled for the same day thus leaving the match in Široki Brijeg relatively ill secured. [5]
Some 500 fans of the Sarajevo football club were present during the match in Široki Brijeg[5][7] as well as between 150 and 200 members of the Red Army (supporters of FK Velež closely aligned with Horde Zla). [8] According to Croatian media, members of Horde Zla have a history of starting riots in nearby Posušje[9][10]
and that Horde Zla were involved in similar riots before. In September 1990 they had a conflict in Belgrade and they stabbed 2 members of Grobari (supporters of FK Partizan). [11] While Škripari have been accused by Bosnian media of harboring far-right Ustaše sympathies including displaying the Nazi swastika in their stands on multiple occasions. 31 people were injured in the riots, 6 of them severely. [citation needed] One member of Horde, named Vedran Puljić (a Sarajevo Croat),[12] was shot and subsequently died. [13] According to Zlatko Galić, the chief of West Herzegovina Canton police, Vedran Puljić had a record for multiple violations related to hooliganism. [14] Police arrested Oliver Knezović as a suspect of shooting Vedran Puljić. Knezović is believed to be a former member of Kažnjenička Bojna unit of HVO. He reportedly fired at the FK Sarajevo supporters using a Kalashnikov automatic rifle. [15] Knezović escaped from prison only hours after he was apprehended. [15][16] Eight Široki Brijeg policemen were detained for allowing the escape of Oliver Knezović. [17]
Oliver Knezović fled to Zagreb, Croatia, where he would not be extradited to the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as there is no agreement on this issue between the two countries. He gave an interview for a local TV network, asserting his innocence. [18] After the interview Knezović surrendered to a Zagreb police station with his lawyer. [19] An autopsy revealed that Puljić was killed by a bullet from a police pistol. [20] Knezović reportedly had been shooting from an AK 47. [21][22]
Citing unnamed police sources, some media reported that Knezović took the pistol from an officer before shooting Puljić. [23][24] Knezović said that he had taken the pistol but returned it to the policeman before the shooting. He later came to the police station, but escaped after claiming that the police were looking to arrest him for not only shooting at members of Horde Zla (which he does not dispute he did) but also for the murder of Vedran Puljić (which he claims was committed by someone else. [19] The policeman Dragan Vujović was also taken into custody in relation to the murder of Puljić. Citing unnamed police sources, some media reports claimed Vujović is being investigated as an accomplice to murder. [24] Other media reports said that Vujović's hands tested positive for gunpowder residue, which he purportedly claimed was due to his coming into contact with the large quantities of fireworks used that day. Some reports say that the policeman has failed a polygraph test in relation to the event. [24]
Some members of Horde zla were arrested and put in custody. But after Horde Zla spokespeople claimed they had reports that those members were being mistreated in prison the Federal Minister Of Justice Mirsad Kebo had them transferred to Sarajevo and released. [10] This move was met with disapproval by citizens of Široki Brijeg. [25]
During the following days many citizens had gathered in front of the West Herzegovina county headquarters. They blamed the violence on Horde Zla. Miro Kraljević, the mayor, addressed the audience giving them his support. The official representative of Škripari read a list of requests to the authorities of West Herzegovina county. The protesters left after a speech by Stanko Škorba, the president of the Union of handicapped people from the Homeland war. Škorba told them that the ministry of internal affairs has accepted to look into their requests. Although, he said, that does not mean that the Ministry necessarily sees these complaints as valid. The council of Široki Brijeg also held an extraordinary meeting. The counselors made a declaration denouncing the violence that occurred. [26]
The protests were repeated the same week. There were between 13,000 and 15,000[27] protesters. Besides citizens of Široki Brijeg the fans of Croat dominated clubs from Mostar, Tomislavgrad, Livno, Žepče, Kiseljak, Posavina and a number of people from Croatia attended. Representatives of Škripari demanded the resignation of Mirsad Kebo and Zvonimir Jukić. In Sarajevo, members of Horde Zla also organized citywide demonstrations.
|
Riot
| null | null |
1936 Syrian general strike
|
The 1936 Syrian general strike (Arabic: الإضراب الستيني) was a 50-day strike that was organized as a response to the policies of the French occupation of Syria and Lebanon. The strike action paralyzed the country for two months and forced France to negotiate the Franco-Syrian Treaty of Independence with the National Bloc. On 11 January 1936, the National Bloc held a commemoration for one of its leaders, Ibrahim Hananu, who had died in November 1935. The meeting featured several speeches that lamented and attacked the French occupation. [1] Soon thereafter the French mandate authorities closed the office of the National Bloc in Damascus, and arrested two prominent nationalist leaders from the party, Fakhri al-Baroudi and Sayf al-Din al-Ma'mun. In response, the Bloc called for strike action against the French occupation policies. The strike, which started on 20 January with work stoppages and student protests in Damascus, Homs, Hama and Aleppo, soon spread to all major towns. [2]
Leaders from the National Bloc, including Nasib al-Bakri, Jamil Mardam Bey, Lutfi al-Haffar and Faris al-Khoury actively participated and organized demonstrations against the French occupation and the French-appointed president, Taj al-Din al-Hasani,[3] and demanded the reinstatement of the 1930 constitution that was suspended in 1933. The League of National Action supported the strike and participated in organizing marches and protests in Damascus. [4] The civil disobedience action paralyzed the economy and quickly brought the country to the "verge of a complete shutdown. "[2]
The French High Commissioner, Damien de Martel, was urgently recalled from Beirut to Damascus to handle the situation,[2] and General Charles Huntziger, commander of the Army of the Levant was tasked with restoring calm. Several Bloc leaders including Nasib al-Bakri and Mardam Bey were exiled, and more than 3,000 people were arrested. [1]
In an effort to disperse the demonstrations, French troops opened fire on the protesting crowds, leaving dozens dead. [2] However, the measures failed to quell the uprising which garnered support from other Arab countries as people protested on the streets of Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan in solidarity with the Syrian people. The French government also came under severe pressure inside France from the leftist media and the emerging Popular Front which called for a complete re-haul of its policy in Syria and Lebanon. [1]
On 2 March the French authorities relented and agreed to start negotiations with the National Bloc. They also granted a general amnesty for those arrested or exiled during the crisis. The Bloc called off the strike on 6 March after the release of its arrested leaders. Later that year, a delegation from the National Bloc travelled to Paris and signed the Franco-Syrian Treaty of Independence. [1]
|
Strike
| null | null |
Michigan house explosion sends 8 people to hospitals
|
MARSHALL, Mich. (AP) — An explosion possibly leaked to natural gas destroyed a house in southern Michigan on Monday and injured eight people, authorities said.
All were taken to hospitals, though three were released. The explosion and fire occurred overnight in Marshall, 15 miles east of Battle Creek. There were at least two children in the house.
“I’ve got to be honest: It was miraculous that all of them were able to get out,” Fire Chief Martin Esrkine said.
The preliminary cause appeared to be a gas leak, he said. The house was being renovated.
A neighbor, Patti Bischoff, said loud noises caused her to believe that something had crashed through her window.
“It was like looking into a dollhouse,” Bischoff said. “It was opened right up. ... It was like an inferno. Like a tinder box.”
|
Gas explosion
| null | null |
2011 Moremi Air Cessna 208 crash
|
On 14 October 2011, a Cessna 208 Caravan turboprop passenger aircraft operated by Moremi Air on a domestic flight from Xakanaka camp to Maun, Botswana, crashed and caught fire shortly after take-off, killing eight of the twelve people on board. [1]
The following investigation concluded that the aircraft suffered a catastrophic engine failure on take-off, compounded by environmental hazards at Xakanaka, which led to the plane hitting trees and crashing to the ground. [2]
The aircraft had departed from Maun Airport on the morning of 14 October for a series of flight sectors in the Okavango Delta that took it first to Kasane Airport. After refuelling there, at 11:50 eleven passengers boarded the aircraft. The next sector would have taken the Cessna to Pom Pom Camp, but it was decided to stop at Xakanaxa first to drop two passengers. No flight plan was filed for the diversion to Xakanaxa, nor was the airline's base informed. [2]
At Xakanaxa, the pilot was informed that he was required to pick up another two passengers bound for Maun. After some hesitation, the pilot agreed to take the passengers, departing from Xakanaxa with eleven passengers, despite company procedures restricting the maximum number of passengers for operations from that airfield to ten. [2]
The Grand Caravan took off from Xakanaka airstrip at 13:55. Almost immediately after take-off, the engine lost power and the aircraft collided with trees. It then crashed nose first approximately 600 metres from the airfield, with an intense fire quickly engulfing the wreckage, burning beyond recognition the bodies of six passengers and the pilot. A rescue team was flown in and found the wreckage still ablaze. An eighth occupant was taken to hospital but later died. Identification of the victims was only possible through DNA testing. [2][3]
The airplane involved was a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, a single-engine turboprop utility aircraft capable of carrying thirteen passengers plus crew. It was fitted with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A turboprop engine. It held Botswanan registration A2-AKD, and had been manufactured in 1996. [4]
The Grand Caravan was crewed by a single pilot and was carrying eleven passengers. The passengers were mainly French and Swiss tourists heading for a safari lodge, but included also two Botswanan officials from the country's Department of Road Transport, who both survived. Some of the Swiss passengers were initially misidentified as Swedish. [5] The pilot was Moremi Air’s general manager, and was described as the company's "most seasoned pilot" with over 12,000 flight hours. [6]
The investigation into the crash was carried out by the Directorate of Accident Investigation (DAI) of the Botswanan Ministry of Transport and Communications. Its results were published in June 2013. [7][2]
The main cause of the accident was found to be "engine failure resulting from the failure of the Compressor Turbine Blades. "[note 1] Turbine blades were found to be affected by "sulphidation corrosion", although it could not be established whether that was the root cause of the failure, leaving open the possibility that material failure or inappropriate engine operation may have played a role. [2]
The report was also very critical of Moremi Air's management style and training practices, concluding that the company's safety culture "had eroded to the extent that safety was being compromised." Other contributing factors cited were the presence of tall trees in the vicinity of the runway at Xakanaxa, the decision to embark more passengers than the maximum allowed for operations at that airfield, poor supervision of operators and airfields by the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB), and the engine manufacturer's failure to disseminate "critical maintenance information" among operators. [2]
The DAI made several safety recommendations to the CAAB calling for stricter supervision of airline and airfield operators, and to Cessna, the aircraft manufacturer, to ensure that the aircraft data acquisition system (ADAS) is made to resist to fire damage. [2]
|
Air crash
| null | null |
Drought conditions still causing concern for Fargo area
|
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Fargo city officials are having strong concerns as dry conditions continue in the area. “Our average annual precipitation, right now, would be about eight inches. We’re only at about two,” said Fargo City Administrator Bruce Grubb. The city has shifted to a Phase III drought warning level. As a result, residents of the City of Fargo can only water their lawns one day a week, to help preserve resources. Data has shown there have been many changes in stream flows for both the Red and Sheyenne Rivers. “There’s a dramatic drop in flow down to 81 cubic feet, which is right around the 10th percentile. I haven’t seen that in my career with the city of Fargo,” said Grubb. Both Fargo and Moorhead use the Red River as a water resource. The Otter Tail River is the main watershed that feeds the Red River, but recently the lack of rain has caused some of the Otter Tail River to dry up. Even the recent rainfall could not reverse the drought conditions. “All the lakes are down and the groundwater that is connected is down. Really what that rain goes to is, it fell in the right spot, but it’s really going to replace that deficit verses turning into stream flows,” said Troy Hall, the water utility director for the City of Fargo. City officials say, at this rate, there is consideration of taking water from Lake Ashtabula. which would provide about one year’s worth of water.
|
Droughts
| null | null |
1977 Pakistan uprising
|
The 1977 Pakistan uprising, also known as the Pakistani Revolution of 1977, was a long act of growing street protests and a long series of countrywide demonstrations against the results of the 1977 Pakistani general election and against prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Pakistan. The protests first erupted against prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the results of the 1977 Pakistani general election. After a wave of popular uprisings and massive demonstrations, the government ordered tanks and the military to be deployed to crack down on demonstrators. Violent anti-Bhutto protests continued for 2 months without any violence until June, when 50 were killed in clashes and intense violence at protests. The increasingly violent street demonstrations were characterised by riots and street protests while police clashed and ordered a crackdown on the demonstrators, using Live ammunition, Pellet (air gun) and Rubber bullets to disperse protesters while protests consisted of Looting, Arson attacks and Violence. 100+ protesters were killed in Strike actions and massive labour unrest during the bloody crisis and the uprising ultimately led to the Operation Fair Play. [1][2][3]
|
Protest_Online Condemnation
| null | null |
The lacklustre take-up, so far, of Europe’s multi-billion rescue fund
|
The EU's Recovery and Resilience facility is meant to help European economies recover from the Covid-19 crisis. The fund will serve more as a medium-term boost to growth than a crisis-fighting tool. That said, digitalisation and the greening of mobility, energy and real estate stand to gain significant investment so boosting overall GDP growth It's the facility that's meant to help European countries recover from the Covid-19 crisis. €672.5bn of grants and loans are available and countries have been submitting their plans. But that take-up, at least so far is modest at best. Only 14 out of a possible 27 proposals have come in. Like you would do when hosting an unsuccessful party, you extend the deadline for applications a bit to make sure you fill the room. That’s what the Commission has done as it has made the deadline flexible. Some countries have already announced they will not participate for now, while others struggle to make proposals up to the Commission’s standards. For now, let’s take a look at what has already come in. And we're limiting ourselves to the investments and will leave the reform proposals for another time. It's obvious that Italy has gone big and bold with its proposal It's important to say that the countries which haven't put proposals in so far have smaller maximum grants to receive from the fund. About 84% of the available grants have been applied for because the countries that stand to gain the most from the fund have already applied. The only country that is set to receive more than €10bn that hasn’t submitted a proposal so far is Romania. For the eurozone economy, the biggest one not tapping funds for the moment is the Netherlands at €6bn. Still, with very few countries opting for loans, the total amount of proposals comes in at ‘just’ €433bn, well shy of the total of €672.5bn in the facility. As you can see from the chart below, it's obvious that Italy has gone big and bold with its proposal. Not only have they applied for the maximum amount of grants available to them, but they have also gone for an even larger amount in loans and add their own contribution to the plans on top (mind you, the proposal also includes a small amount coming from the recovery funds smaller cousin REACT-EU). That makes the amount for Italy - if approved – about 44% of the total money demanded so far. But don’t count out Spain’s fiscal efforts either. While Italy’s plans spread out over the total period of 2021-2026, Spain’s plans are set to take effect in the first three years only, making the impact on GDP in the first recovery phase large. The impact of the plan is definitely sizeable, although the amount applied for is well shy of the total available in the facility. At €433bn, it has to be said that the impact will spread out over the full period 2021-2026 for almost all countries. That makes the fiscal impact of the programme for the initial recovery phase somewhat underwhelming. Looking at the additional fiscal spending that countries have done or promised to do in response to Covid-19, the US stands out with a whopping 25.5% of GDP. This includes the approved proposal for the American Rescue Plan, but not the new proposals put forward by President Biden which have yet to find approval in Congress. The eurozone comes in at just 12.4% of GDP when adding the Recovery and Resilience Proposal to national fiscal spending to fight the pandemic. This might even overstate the total amount as there may be some double-counting in projects originally planned to be nationally financed that are now included in the national RRP. Of course, it is more relevant to look at the fiscal impulse for individual countries as the facility was designed to help the states most in need. Given the sizeable loans that countries like Greece and Italy have taken out, these countries do move to the global frontrunners in terms of fiscal spending in response to Covid-19. Greece even surpasses the US at 32.1% of GDP, but the impact could be significantly smaller as the lending part of the Greek proposal is reserved for the partial funding of private investment so the takeup is non guaranteed. Italy stands at 21.9% of GDP, also very high on the list. Overall it is important to keep the possible double counting caveat in mind (RRF funding for originally nationally-funded proposals) for the exact number though, view this as an upper estimate. It is also important to keep in mind the time span, as US support agreed on so far has a far larger immediate impact than the Italian and Greek Recovery and Resilience Proposals. Spain and Portugal also rank high thanks to the recovery fund proposals but do remain well below countries such as the UK, Australia and Japan. The big wins are for the medium term As Spain and Portugal have weak automatic stabilisers, this is of concern from a crisis response perspective. That shows that while the project helps significantly in terms of fiscal support, it is still unlikely to cause the harder hit eurozone economies to recover quicker than their northern eurozone partners as we have extensively written about here. The big wins are for the medium term as investment and reforms have the potential to improve trend growth, which has been a clear eurozone problem since the global financial crisis. The Commission has put a strong directive on how to invest the funds in the rules around the Recovery and Resilience Facility: Most countries have indicated spending more than 40% of their funds on climate investments and reforms with Belgium and France spending over half. To get a sense of the focus of the larger countries we look at the six largest eurozone RRPs, which come from Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Germany and Portugal. Those are the only ones over 15bn euro and represent 95% of the total eurozone proposals. Comparisons are tough given different classifications and reporting of projects between countries, but we have drafted some rough categories to see where most spending will be done. As we've just mentioned, climate spending takes the crown in the project with €16bn earmarked for investment under green transition-related projects. Even though Italy has a rather balanced proposal, its total size still makes it contribute to more than half of the specific climate-related proposals. Digital is most important in Germany, with a majority of investments going to digitalisation. Greece and Portugal have very balanced programmes with a lot of spending on other types of projects. Greece also heavily banks on human capital related investment, about 17% of the total as skills and employment have been key factors in which Greece has lagged since the Global Financial Crisis. When looking at specific factors, a few things stand out. The climate projects are mainly driven around the themes of green energy, real estate and mobility. The greening of real estate has been a focal point of the green transition for quite some time and this marks a large investment effort of no less than €41.5bn for the six countries examined. Greener transportation also ranks very high with about €45bn in investments planned. Think of investments in cleaner public transportation but also in electric car charge points. Within the clean energy theme, investments in hydrogen as a clean energy source are interesting to note, with investments amounting to around €10bn set to be done. Other projects that stand out are investments in digital modernisation, which leads to sizeable 5G rollout investments that add up to over €10bn. Spain and Italy, in particular, tend to invest significantly in 5G projects, which makes sense given the generally weaker digital infrastructure compared to some of the larger northern eurozone economies. Finally, health care is also important to mention and directly related to the Covid-19 crisis. All countries have devoted RRF investments to the sector, amounting to €36bn in total. A few key things are on the agenda at the moment. First of all, the Commission still eagerly awaits other countries to still join the party. When other proposals can be expected to come in remains unclear, but we do expect some to trickle in over the coming weeks. The EC will then review the proposals within two months of receipt. One month after the Commission agreement, the Council will have to approve the plans as well. When agreed, the countries will receive 13% as an early payout to get projects going, which should be the case in July. That means that money can start flowing in the third quarter of this year. Without the approvals, the recovery fund is in jeopardy Before that can happen though, countries will still need to ratify the Own Resources Decision. This establishes how the EU budget and RRF is funded, so without those approvals, the recovery fund is in jeopardy. This has not been done by all countries as of yet; mainly northern and eastern European countries still have to ratify. While this is a hotly contested decision in some countries like Germany and Finland, it does look like all countries are moving towards ratification before the end of June. That means that we don’t expect major hiccups in the process for the RRF at this point and that the historical project can kick off later in the summer.
|
Financial Crisis
| null | null |
Grue Church fire
|
On 26 May 1822, during the Pentecost service, the church at Grue, Norway, caught fire and at least 113 people were killed. It is the deadliest fire disaster in the history of Norway. The old Grue Church was located close to Skulstad, north-west of Kirkenær in Solør. [1] It was close to the bank of the River Glomma, and because of the likelihood that it would be undercut by erosion, a decision had been taken in 1794 to rebuild it further from the river, but this had not yet been done. [2] An old woman had prophesied that the church would be destroyed on a Pentecost, either by water or by fire. [3][4]
The church was made entirely of wood. The oldest section was believed to date to the 13th century and was built using the stave method. It had been rebuilt around 1600 with the addition of two transepts built with round, hand-worked logs and a tall central tower. [4] Above the nave and the two transepts were wide galleries, allowing the church to accommodate up to 700 people. [4] Both nave and transepts had entrance doors which swung inwards. [2] The windows were placed high up on the wall. The exterior of the building was covered with waterproofing pine tar; subsequent calculations estimated that 17 tons of tar had been applied over the two hundred years before the fire. [4]
On 26 May 1822, a bright, hot day in early summer, 500–600 people were in the church for the Pentecost service, including mothers with babies to be baptised. [3] As the vicar, Iver Hesselberg, was coming to the end of his sermon on weather and fire as images of the Holy Spirit,[4] there was a loud noise as fire broke through the wooden wall. The church was completely destroyed in the ensuing blaze. [3]
The three doors all opened inward, and the main, south door was soon blocked by fire. Panic broke out as the pressure of those trying to escape hindered keeping the doors open, and the north door itself blocked the exit for people descending from the north gallery. Some fell in front of the doors and others climbed over them. [3] People jumped from the galleries onto those below, and some bodies were found crowded together in standing position. At least 113 people were killed;[2] a total of 116 is also mentioned. [1] The dead included 69 women and 36 children under the age of 15, but only eight or ten men. Unmarried young people and women traditionally sat separated from the men, who were closer to the south door and were able to escape through it before it became blocked, while other men, including the vicar, managed to save themselves by climbing out of the windows, although badly burnt by the melting stained glass. [3][4] Many bodies were unidentifiable; Vogt Dines Guldberg Høegh, who had tried in vain to save lives by calming the crowd, was recognised by his sabre. [3] The sabre is today on display in the sacristy of the new church. [4]
On 1 June the victims were buried in five coffins (Høegh in a separate coffin) in a common grave dug where the altar of the destroyed church had been. [4]
The cause of the fire was never discovered. One theory is that a spark from a fire vessel in which the church servant brought embers to light the altar candles could have set fire to the wall. [3][4] Another theory was that someone had experimented with a burning-glass outside the church. [4]
The new church, which is located in the center of Kirkenær, was completed in 1828. A standing stone was erected in front of it in 1922 in remembrance of the victims. [1] In the spring of 2005 a historical marker with photos and a map was erected at Skulstad to the south of the location of the old church, which was covered by the river 40 years after the fire. [4]
One consequence of the Grue Church fire was a law which was passed the following year prescribing that all doors of public buildings must swing outwards. [1][3]
Peter Wessel Zapffe's novel Lyksalig pinsefest fire samtaler med Jørgen (Blissful Pentecost: Four Dialogues with Jørgen) is based on the disaster,[2] treating it as an instance of the problem of evil. [4]
|
Fire
| null | null |
BBC Richard Osman's House Of Games: Dara O Briain's famous best friend who was best man at his wedding
|
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Thank you for subscribingWe have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Richard Osman's House of Games is perfect for anyone who loves a riddle. The quirky game show on BBC has had us hooked with its tricky quiz questions, making us glad we're not in the hot seat. Anyone who watches the show will know it’s the ultimate test of knowledge and skill where you can watch some of your favourite faces tackle some trivia or face off against each other in the iconic Answer Smash. READ MORE: Alexander Armstrong's life off camera including net worth, marriage and 4 sons Tonight’s episode will feature Ed Gamble, Sian Gibson, Sindhu Vee, and Dara O Briain. Dara O Briain is a famous face who’s been on just about every panel show you can think of - but he’s best known for being the host of legendary BBC comedy show Mock The Week. But off-screen the 49-year-old has had quite the life. He is actually best friends with fellow comedian Ed Byrne, and was best man at Ed's wedding in 2008 after Byrne had previously been Ó Briain's best man. Dara is an atheist but also describes himself as being “ethnically Catholic". He said: "I'm staunchly atheist, I simply don't believe in God, even if he believes in me. But I'm still Catholic, of course. "Catholicism has a much broader reach than just the religion. I'm technically Catholic, it's the box you have to tick on the census form: 'Don't believe in God, but I do still hate Rangers.'"
|
Famous Person - Marriage
| null | null |
3 Injured, Gas Leak Reported After Berwyn Explosion, Officials Say
|
An investigation continues after an explosion in Berwyn badly damaged an abandoned building and left three people with minor injuries. NBC 5’s Alex Maragos has the story.
Residents in suburban Berwyn are being asked to stay away from the area near 33rd Street and Oak Park Avenue after an explosion occurred, injuring at least three people. According to a social media post from Berwyn officials, first responders are at the scene after what authorities are calling an "accidental" explosion in the 3300 block of Oak Park Avenue. Berwyn firefighters are being joined by other departments in responding to the scene, according to officials. Firefighters are working to extinguish the flames and to contain an active gas leak. Nicor is on the scene, and has shut down gas in the area due to the ongoing leaks. ComEd is also on scene and has cut off power to part of the city as a precaution. It is unclear when the utilities will be restored. At least three people were hurt in the explosion, according to Fire Chief Tom Hayes. All three individuals walked to a nearby hospital with minor injuries, and at least two have already been released. A third is expected to be released Tuesday evening. The building was vacant at the time of the explosion, officials said. The structure has been deemed a total loss, and will need to be demolished, according to officials. Residents are being asked to “stay clear of the area" as crews continue to work the scene. According to Total Traffic, Oak Park Avenue is closed in both directions between 35th Street and 32nd Street because of the incident.
|
Gas explosion
| null | null |
Enterprise Financial Services Corp to Acquire First Choice Bancorp
|
ST. LOUIS & CERRITOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Enterprise Financial Services Corp (Nasdaq: EFSC) (the “Company,” “EFSC,” or “Enterprise”), the holding company of Enterprise Bank & Trust (“EB&T”), and First Choice Bancorp (Nasdaq: FCBP) (“FCBP”), the holding company of First Choice Bank (“First Choice”), announced today that EFSC, EB&T, FCBP and First Choice have entered into a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which EFSC will acquire, in an all-stock merger, FCBP. Under the terms of the merger agreement, FCBP will merge with and into EFSC, and First Choice will subsequently merge with and into EB&T (with Enterprise and EB&T as the surviving entities) in a transaction valued at approximately $397.7 million, or $33.40 per FCBP share, based on the closing price of EFSC’s common stock on April 23, 2021. On a pro forma consolidated basis, the combined company would have approximately $12.7 billion in consolidated total assets as of March 31, 2021. “I am thrilled to announce the transaction and our continued expansion into the California market” The transaction is expected to be approximately 8% accretive to Enterprise’s 2022 earnings per share (excluding the impact of one-time transaction expenses) after giving effect to estimated fully phased-in transaction synergies. Estimated tangible book value per share dilution to EFSC is expected to be earned back in less than three years under the crossover method including CECL “Day Two” accounting treatment. The acquisition is expected to generate an internal rate of return of approximately 21% for Enterprise. Headquartered in Cerritos, California, FCBP had approximately $2.5 billion in total assets, $2.0 billion in loans, and $1.9 billion in deposits as of March 31, 2021. First Choice is a community-based financial institution that serves primarily commercial and consumer clients in diverse communities and specializes in loans to small- to medium-sized businesses and private banking clients, commercial and industrial loans, and commercial real estate loans. First Choice is a Preferred Small Business Administration (SBA) Lender. First Choice conducts business through eight full-service branches and two loan production offices located in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties. “I am thrilled to announce the transaction and our continued expansion into the California market,” stated Jim Lally, President and Chief Executive Officer of EFSC. “The acquisition of First Choice strengthens our commercial banking foundation in the largest economy in the country. I have tremendous respect for the associates of First Choice and the company they have built since its founding in 2005. They have successfully created a commercially-focused community bank with a demonstrated ability to generate organic growth. I am pleased to welcome the diverse and experienced First Choice team to our organization.” Robert M. Franko, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of FCBP added, “We are extremely excited to join forces with Enterprise. We believe that pairing our team’s in-depth knowledge of our local markets and communities with the more robust financial capabilities of Enterprise will enhance our lending capacity, products, and services. Enterprise’s stated mission of ‘Guiding people to a lifetime of financial success’ will continue the motto of First Choice of ‘First in speed, service and solutions.’ With the synergies of the combined organizations, we believe this transaction will deliver significant value to both of our shareholders, associates and the communities we serve.” Under and subject to the terms of the definitive agreement, upon consummation of the transaction, each holder of FCBP common stock will receive 0.6603 shares of EFSC common stock for each FCBP common share held and cash in lieu of fractional shares. The transaction is intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganization for U.S. federal income tax purposes and FCBP shareholders are not expected to recognize gain or loss to the extent of the stock consideration received. Existing Enterprise shareholders will own approximately 80% of the outstanding shares of the combined company, and FCBP shareholders are expected to own approximately 20%. The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of the Company, EB&T, FCBP, and First Choice, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals and approval of EFSC’s and FCBP’s shareholders. Upon closing of the transaction, FCBP Founder and Chairman of the Board, Peter Hui, will join the Enterprise board of directors. FCBP’s directors have entered into agreements with the Company pursuant to which they have committed to vote their shares, which represent approximately 16% of FCBP’s issued and outstanding common stock, in favor of the acquisition. For additional information about the proposed acquisition, shareholders are encouraged to carefully read the definitive agreement that will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) today. Advisors to the Transaction Boenning & Scattergood, Inc. served as financial advisor to EFSC and Holland & Knight LLP served as legal counsel. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, served as financial advisor to FCBP and Duane Morris LLP served as legal counsel. Conference Call and Investor Presentation The Company will host a conference call and webcast at 10:00 a.m. Central Time on April 27, 2021 to discuss the transaction and related matters. This press release as well as a related slide presentation will be accessible on the Company’s website at enterprisebank.com under “Investor Relations” beginning prior to the scheduled broadcast of the conference call. The call can be accessed via this same website page, or via telephone at 1-800-353-6461 (Conference ID #2910583). A recorded replay of the conference call will be available approximately two hours after the call completion. Go to http://bit.ly/EFSC1Q2021earnings and register to hear a replay of the call. The replay will be available for approximately two weeks following the conference call. About Enterprise Financial Services Corp Enterprise Financial Services Corp (Nasdaq: EFSC), with approximately $10.2 billion in assets, is a financial holding company headquartered in Clayton, Missouri. Enterprise Bank & Trust, a Missouri state-chartered trust company with banking powers and a wholly-owned subsidiary of EFSC, operates 39 branch offices in Arizona, California, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada and New Mexico, and SBA loan and deposit production offices in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. Enterprise Bank & Trust offers a range of business and personal banking services and wealth management services. Enterprise Trust, a division of Enterprise Bank & Trust, provides financial planning, estate planning, investment management and trust services to businesses, individuals, institutions, retirement plans and non-profit organizations. For more information, please visit enterprisebank.com. Enterprise Financial Services Corp’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “EFSC”. Please visit our website at www.enterprisebank.com to see our regularly posted material information. About First Choice Bancorp First Choice Bancorp, headquartered in Cerritos, California, is the bank holding company for First Choice Bank. First Choice Bank is a community-based financial institution that serves primarily commercial and consumer clients in diverse communities and specializes in loans to small- to medium-sized businesses and private banking clients, commercial and industrial loans, and commercial real estate loans. First Choice Bank is a Preferred Small Business Administration (SBA) Lender. First Choice Bank conducts business through eight full-service branches and two loan production offices located in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties. For more information, please visit www.FirstChoiceBankCA.com.
|
Organization Merge
| null | null |
Panic in Lebanon as desert locust swarms hit farmland
|
Videos showing the insects flying over farmland in the towns of Ersal and Ras Baalbek in Bekaa circulated on social media, with the hashtag #locust trending in Lebanon The Lebanese military said that helicopters had begun spraying pesticides over Baalbek and Ras Baalbek to “fight and eradicate” the desert locusts Updated 23 April 2021 BEIRUT: The arrival of locust swarms in Lebanon has caused panic among the country’s farmers. Videos showing the insects flying over farmland in the towns of Ersal and Ras Baalbek in Bekaa circulated on social media, with the hashtag #locust trending in Lebanon on Friday as people made sarcastic comments about the latest crisis to hit the beleaguered country. The Lebanese military said that helicopters had begun spraying pesticides over Baalbek and Ras Baalbek to “fight and eradicate” the desert locusts. Ersal Mayor Bassel Al-Hujairi recounted seeing “millions” of locusts flying and attacking cherry trees and crops. “Locusts have invaded one-third of Ersal,” he told Arab News. “As we rushed to find out the size of the disaster, locust swarms had already gone across the town, which means that in the early hours of Friday locusts were able to cross 15 km, heading from barren areas toward Ersal. If these swarms multiply, they can cover the sun.” Ersal was home to more than two million cherry, apple and apricot trees that were located on the town’s southern and eastern sides, said the mayor, and locusts were still on the northern side of the town. “I hope wind will not take them to other directions,” he added. The swarms arrived in Lebanon after invading Syria, Iraq and Jordan. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said the appearance of desert locusts in Syria and Jordan was an “unusual and rare” event caused by several days of strong southerly winds and high temperatures that brought the adult groups to these areas. It added that while the swarms did not represent a “large-scale invasion” and could be controlled, it feared that some of the mature adults may lay eggs and reproduce. The ministries of agriculture and defense have mobilized to address the problem as Lebanon is a member of the FAO’s Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region. Agriculture Minister Abbas Mortada inspected Ersal and said that ministry teams had witnessed “locust waves” and were able to define their approximate scope. “But we still have fears that these locusts may reproduce and invade fields and farms. People are filming the locust swarms, but they are still relatively far.” Ras Baalbek Mayor Menhem Mhanna reported “huge numbers” of locusts over the town’s barren areas and expressed his fears about these swarms reaching inhabited areas. “Locusts will not find anything in Lebanon since the politicians have devoured everything,” said one person on social media, while another said: “Lebanon’s politicians are more dangerous than these swarms.” “Locusts are the cherry on the top to be added to Lebanon’s economic collapse, political gridlock and starvation,” read another comment. The crisis has brought the Lebanese back to the beginning of the 20th century, when swarms stripped the country of almost all its vegetation. At that time Lebanon was already grappling with economic hardship and a double blockade by both the Ottoman Empire and the Allied Forces, resulting in a famine that led to more than a third of the population dying. In 2013, historians and researchers Dr. Christian Taoutel and Father Pierre Wittouck released a book compiling the previously unpublished French chronicles of Jesuit priests during the famine called “The Lebanese people in the turmoil of the Great War of 1914-1918.” According to the book, “famine started with a hungry swarm of locusts that devoured everything, where the Lebanese called the year of 1915 ‘The Year of Locusts’ which were impossible to control.”
|
Insect Disaster
| null | null |
Rutgers brings in ex-N.J. comptroller to probe allegations of ‘ghost surgeries’ tied to top neurosurgeon
|
Updated: Dec. 15, 2021, 12:58 p.m. |
Published: Dec. 15, 2021, 8:30 a.m.
Dr. Anil Nanda, head of the Department of Neurosurgery at Rutgers University’s two medical schools, who was put on administrative leave last month in the wake of allegations in connection with so-called “ghost surgeries” at RWJ University Hospital in New Brunswick.John Jones | For NJ Advance Media / Photo of Anil Nanda courtesy of Rutgers University
By Ted Sherman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Rutgers University has retained the law firm of former state comptroller Matthew Boxer to investigate allegations of “ghost surgeries” involving the head of its neuroscience program.
Dr. Anil Nanda has been on administrative leave since claims surfaced that he may have not been “fully present” in the operating room at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick during portions of procedures he had scheduled, according to a letter sent last month to the hospital’s board of trustees.
Rutgers officials would not comment on the status of that investigation, other than to confirm that it was ongoing.
“The university placed Dr. Nanda on paid administrative leave in November and he remains in that status while an investigation is being conducted by Lowenstein Sandler and led by Matthew Boxer ,” said Rutgers spokeswoman Dory Devlin.
Boxer, a former federal prosecutor, most recently headed up an investigation for the governor’s office into the state’s troubled women’s prison.
His review at Rutgers is likely to focus not only on the allegations over surgical procedures, but also on a faculty complaints regarding Nanda’s oversight since he took charge of the university’s neuroscience programs.
Earlier this year, a clinical assistant professor and co-director of pediatric neurological surgery claimed she had been a victim of a “toxic work environment” orchestrated directly by Nanda.
Catherine Mazzola, who joined the faculty at University Hospital and New Jersey Medical School as a clinical assistant professor in July of 2017, accused Nanda of “gender discrimination, bullying and public humiliation.” The contract of another senior neurosurgery facility member was not renewed after filing a grievance charging retaliation by chairman.
Meanwhile, RWJ University Hospital officials said nothing has changed regarding Nanda’s status since an emergency executive session of the hospital’s Medical Executive Committee was convened on Nov. 11.
“He is not seeing patients at this time. The RWJUH Board is engaged with this matter and the evaluation of all privileging issues,” said spokeswoman Wendy Gottsegen, in reference to questions regarding Nanda’s hospital privileges. “RWJUH has a robust governance structure in place to safeguard the patients who entrust us with their care.”
Attorney Michael Critchley, who represents Nanda, declined comment.
Nanda, whose $2.2 million salary makes him one of the highest paid employees on the Rutgers payroll, was recruited three years ago to become chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. He also serves as senior vice president for neurosurgical services at RWJBarnabas Health.
Last month, some details regarding his placement on leave were offered in a letter to members of the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Board of Directors from Bill Arnold, president and CEO of the hospital, who said that clinical and administrative leaders from both RWJUH and Rutgers had begun an immediate fact-finding process in the wake of allegations that Nanda “may not have been fully present” during certain surgical cases under his direction.
“Dr. Nanda was interviewed as part of the initial review,” said the letter, which was obtained by NJ Advance Media. “Like all teaching institutions, RWJUH has guidelines for the duties which can be delegated from attending physicians to residents/fellows during surgical cases.”
After the hospital’s Medical Executive Committee met in November, it was decided to seek “additional input” from physicians and employees.
“At the conclusion of this preliminary review, Dr. Nanda voluntarily offered to cease all of his clinical and administrative duties until a full inquiry could be completed by the hospital and university,” the trustees were told. The next day, a decision was made that “the best course of action for all concerned was to place Dr. Nanda on paid administrative leave until a complete review of the events could be completed.”
Similar charges against Nanda surfaced years earlier before he came to Rutgers in 2018, when he headed the Department of Neurosurgery at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, La.
LSU paid out more than $700,000 in fines and restitution , according to KTBS-TV, an ABC affiliate in Shreveport.
Citing documents from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the report said the department’s inspector general found instances where LSU Health had improperly billed Medicare for three concurrent surgeries at Shreveport in some instances where Nanda was not present in the operating room, but the government had been charged as if he had cared for patients directly.
__
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com .
Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com . Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL .
Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.
|
Famous Person - Commit Crime - Investigate
| null | null |
Cuesta Fire
|
The Cuesta fire was a wildfire that started on 16 August 2015 near U.S. Route 101 and the Cuesta Grade, in the Santa Lucia Range just north of San Luis Obispo in San Luis Obispo County, California. [1] The fire was contained on 28 August, and had burned 2,446 acres, some within the Los Padres National Forest. Mandatory evacuations were declared for the area of California State Route 58 south of the Railroad Track area of Santa Margarita and the area of Miller Flat. As of 20 August 2015[update], evacuations orders were lifted. The evacuation center was at Santa Rosa Academy in Atascadero. As of 20 August 2015[update], 1,600 firefighters were fighting the fire. [1]
A vehicle is blamed with starting the fire, which started three additional fires nearby, all of which were extinguished. [2]
Within 24 hours the fire had grown from 100 acres[2] to 500 acres. [1]
|
Fire
| null | null |
Korean Air Flight 1533 crash
|
Korean Air Flight 1533 was a domestic passenger flight from Gimpo International Airport to Pohang Airport. On March 15, 1999 the McDonnell Douglas MD-83 operating the flight overshot runway 10 during landing at Pohang Airport. All 156 people on board survived, but the aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft, carrying 156 passengers and crew, departed Gimpo International Airport. During landing at Pohang Airport, the aircraft had to initiate a go-around due to rain and thick clouds. During the second landing, the aircraft landed 1,500 feet (460 m) past the threshold of runway 10. For unknown reasons, the flight crew activated the thrust reversers 27 seconds after touchdown, resulting in the aircraft being unable to stop in time. The aircraft overshot the runway, striking 10 antennas and a barbed wire fence in the process, and then crashed into an embankment, with the fuselage breaking into two pieces. There were no fatalities, but 76 passengers were injured. There were heavy winds at the time of the accident. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and was declared a hull loss, making the accident the 11th hull loss of an McDonnell Douglas MD-80. [1]
The Ministry of Construction and Transportation, and the Republic of Korea Navy both investigated the accident. [2] The cause of the accident was determined to be pilot error due to the flight crew's delayed activation of the thrust reversers, the late touch down, and failing to initiate a second go-around. [3]
|
Air crash
| null | null |
Indonesia’s Merapi volcano spews hot clouds, 500 evacuate
|
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano spewed avalanches of hot clouds Thursday morning as hundreds more residents were evacuated from its fertile slopes. Authorities evacuated more than 500 people living on the mountain in Magelang district on Java Island. Thousands of people already have had to leave their homes and farmland because of the dangers on Merapi, Indonesia’s most active volcano. Light eruptions continued during the day — one sending a column of hot clouds rising 200 meters (yards) into the air. The initial eruption was obscured by fog, but using seismic and other data, the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center estimated the hot clouds spread less than 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from the crater. “Until now, the potential danger is not more than 5 kilometers (3 miles),” chief of Yogyakarta’s Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center, Hanik Humaida, said in a statement. The geological authority had raised the alert level of Mount Merapi to the second-highest level in November after sensors picked up increasing activity. Tourism and mining activities were halted. Some evacuees had returned to the slopes after the activity subsided but had to leave again Thursday. The 2,968-meter (9,737-foot) mountain is about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Yogyakarta city center. About a quarter million people live within 10 kilometers (6 miles) of the volcano, according to authorities in surrounding districts. Merapi spewed ash and hot gas in a column as high as 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) into the sky in June, but no casualties were reported. Its last major eruption in 2010 killed 347 people and caused the evacuation of 20,000 villagers. Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 250 million people, sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Government seismologists monitor more than 120 active volcanoes.
|
Volcano Eruption
| null | null |
The best cruises of 2022, according to U.S. News & World Report
|
U.S. News & World Report on Tuesday published its ranking of the “best” cruise lines of 2022.
The publication evaluated 17 cruise lines through a combination of expert evaluations (30%), traveler reviews (50%) and health ratings published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vessel Sanitation Program (20%).
Scores were then analyzed by category to determine winners, ranked highest to lowest, in six areas.
The 2022 rankings for best valued cruises are:
Here, average daily rates accounted for 60% of scores, while expert, traveler and health ratings accounted for the other 40%. Cruise lines with average daily rates of $300 or more did not qualify for this category.
Celebrity Cruises was named the best cruise for the money. It’s part of the Royal Caribbean Group, which also operates Royal Caribbean International, which took home a “Silver Award” in this category.
Wi-Fi, tips and drinks — like cocktails, wine and specialty coffees — are included in most Celebrity cruise bookings, however the cheapest rates can be purchased without them. Right now, a four-day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas is around $440 per person, including taxes, for an inside state room.
Also on the list: Princess Cruises (No. 6), Costa Cruises (No. 7) and MSC Cruises (No. 8).
Smaller cruise lines — with ships that fit hundreds rather than thousands of guests — dominated U.S. News’ luxury rankings list.
Viking, a cruise line based in Basel, Switzerland, is no stranger to accolades. It topped U.S. News’ luxury list last year too — despite Chairman Torstein Hagen indicating he isn’t a fan of the word.
“I have outlawed the use of the word ‘luxury’ … I think we are elegant, we are … understated and hopefully timeless,” he said at a naming celebration for seven new river boats in March 2019, according to cruising website QuirkyCruise.com.
Also on the list: Silversea Cruises (No. 6) and Oceania Cruises (No. 7).
Awards for the best cruises for those traveling in twos are:
Viking dominates this category due to its “adult-focused environment and luxurious and romantic amenities, such as fireplaces in each ship’s common area and private verandas in every stateroom,” according to a U.S. News & World Report’s press release.
To qualify for this category, at least 62% of a cruise line’s online traveler reviews must be made by couples.
Most luxury cruise lines allow kids, though they often don’t cater to them the way the larger lines do. Viking, however, doesn’t allow children at all.
The company previously welcomed kids aged 12 and older to cruise, but as of 2018, all guests must be 18 or older to board.
Also on the list: Celebrity Cruises (No. 6), Oceania Cruises (No. 7), Silversea Cruises (No. 8), Cunard Line (No. 9) and Holland America Line (No. 10).
The top-ranking cruises for families for 2022 are:
Disney dominates the family cruise category, as it has every year since U.S. News started ranking cruises in 2013.
The company has five ships: Magic, Wonder, Dream, Fantasy and its latest, Disney Wish, which is scheduled to launch in summer 2022. The ship is also set to introduce Disney’s first “attraction at sea” — 760 feet of water slide tubes with Mickey Mouse-themed music, lighting and special effects.
Also on the list: Costa Cruises (No. 6).
It’s a clean sweep for Disney in this category too. Disney has been named the top cruise line in the Caribbean for the past eight years, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Living up to its name, the Miami-based Celebrity Cruises partners with well-known names in the arts and entertainment industry. It’s newest ship, Celebrity Beyond, has Gwyneth Paltrow as its “wellbeing advisor” and a restaurant created by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud, according to its website.
Also on this list: Regent Seven Seas Cruises (No. 6), Holland America Line (No. 7), Carnival Cruise Line (No. 8), Norwegian Cruise Line (No. 9), Oceania Cruises (No. 10), Princess Cruises (No. 11) and MSC Cruises (No. 12).
With another win, Viking tops three of U.S. News’ six categories, this time for its presence in the Mediterranean. In every instance, it is followed by Seattle-based Seabourn Cruise Line, Carnival Corporation’s ultra-luxury brand.
Seabourn has five ships, which hold between 450-600 passengers and cruise to more than 400 destinations. As part of a multi-year agreement, the cruise line has contributed more than $1.5 million to support UNESCO, which grants its guests “unique access” to more than 170 World Heritage Sites, according to its website.
Also on the list: Oceania Cruises (No. 6), Crystal Cruises (No. 7), Costa Cruises (No. 8), MSC Cruises (No. 9), Silversea Cruises (No. 10), Holland America Line (No. 11), Norwegian Cruise Line (No. 12), Princess Cruises (No. 12), Royal Caribbean International (No. 13) and Cunard Line (No. 14).
Though mass Covid-19 outbreaks early in the pandemic exposed health concerns surrounding cruising, a new survey indicates travelers may not abandon ship travel after all.
Before the pandemic, 2% of prior cruisers said they wouldn’t cruise again, while as of August 2021, 4% said the same, according to an ongoing survey conducted by U.S. News & Report.
The pandemic hasn’t scared off non-cruisers either. Pre-pandemic, 62% of people who had never cruised indicated they wanted to try it. Now, 61% of people say the same.
Sentiments may be softening with time too. Before the pandemic, about 10% of people that had never cruised said they “never” would. According to the survey, this number rose to 17% in June 2021, but fell to 14% by August.
|
Awards ceremony
| null | null |
Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo announce US withdrawal from UN Human Rights Council
|
The Trump administration on Tuesday announced it is pulling the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council, one day after the body’s leader condemned the president’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy that has resulted in the separation of families at the border. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the move Tuesday, calling the UNHRC a “protector of human rights abusers and a cesspool of political bias.” “This step is not a retreat from human rights commitments,” Haley announced Tuesday. “On the contrary, we take this step because our commitment does not allow us to remain apart of a hypocritical and self-serving organization that makes a mockery of human rights.” The U.S. had long been believed to be preparing to leave the UNHRC over what administration officials say is unfair treatment of Israel, but the announcement came a day after its chief called the Trump administration’s family separation policy “unconscionable.” “In the United States, I am deeply concerned by recently adopted policies which punish children for their parents’ actions,” Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein said at the beginning of the council’s session Monday. “The thought that any state would seek to deter parents by inflicting such abuse on children is unconscionable.” The so-called “zero tolerance” policy — which Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced in April — has been met with growing outrage in recent days, particularly after ProPublica on Monday released wrenching audio of children crying after being separated from their parents. President Donald Trump has lied about the origins of the policy, repeatedly claiming that the family separations are the Democrats’ fault — even as he defends the draconian approach as necessary for national security. The UNHRC was established in 2006 after the disbanding of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, which had been criticized for inefficiency and for allowing nations with poor human rights records to be members. The UNHRC, now the U.N.’s main body dedicated to protecting human rights, has since faced similar criticism, including from Pompeo. “We have no doubt that there was once a noble vision for this council,” Pompeo said Tuesday. “But today, we need to be honest: The Human Rights Council is a poor defender of human rights.” The UNHRC’s current three-week session began Monday in Geneva. According to Stephen Miles, director of the progressive national security advocacy group Win Without War, the timing of the withdrawal doesn’t seem to be a coincidence — and it underscores the administration’s apparent indifference toward human rights issues. “The administration has abandoned America’s leadership on the global stage on human rights,” Miles said in a phone interview. “[The withdrawal] is indicative of this administration’s complete disregard of human rights abuses.”
|
Withdraw from an Organization
| null | null |
CORRECTING and REPLACING Ancestry® Signs Agreement to Acquire French Genealogy Leader Geneanet
|
LEHI, Utah & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the fifth paragraph, second sentence, the name of the Founder and CEO of Geneanet should be Jacques Le Marois (instead of Jacques La Marois).
“Ancestry is committed to continued investment in Geneanet’s free tree-building platform and the volunteer spirit of its community.”
The updated release reads:
ANCESTRY® SIGNS AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE FRENCH GENEALOGY LEADER GENEANET
Ancestry®, the global leader in family history, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Geneanet, a leading French genealogy company. With over 30 billion records from more than 80 countries, Ancestry helps customers discover new details about their family story and ancestors. The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
With a large and growing European community of more than 4 million members, Geneanet is available in ten languages and more than 25 countries. Combining Geneanet's free family tree platform and engaged community with Ancestry’s global subscriber base and unparalleled historical records will enable family history discoveries and connections for even more people around the world.
Ancestry, which already offers the largest collection of European records, is also investing in digitizing and indexing a national collection of French historical records, including the complete French census and birth, marriage and death records which will be available soon, accelerating family history discoveries and connections between people in France and those around the world with French heritage.
“We are thrilled to welcome Geneanet to the Ancestry family and look forward to working together to grow our global community so that more people can easily discover, craft and connect around their family story,” said Deb Liu, Ancestry President and CEO. “Ancestry is committed to continued investment in Geneanet’s free tree-building platform and the volunteer spirit of its community.”
“This is an exciting next step for Geneanet and for our community. We will preserve our business model and continue to focus on what we do well, building a highly-engaged community of passionate users. Our members will greatly benefit from Ancestry’s vast record collections and global network as they build their family trees and connect with new relatives and share their family stories,” said Jacques Le Marois, Founder and CEO of Geneanet. “I am delighted to build the next chapter together and look forward to the opportunity to play an active role in the company’s future.”
Upon closing, Geneanet will operate as an independent business in the Ancestry portfolio of companies. Jacques Le Marois, Founder and CEO of Geneanet, will remain in his role as the head of the Geneanet website and community.
About Ancestry
Ancestry®, the global leader in family history and consumer genomics, empowers journeys of personal discovery to enrich lives. With our unparalleled collection of more than 30 billion records and over 20 million people in our growing consumer DNA network, customers can discover their family story and gain a new level of understanding about their lives. For over 30 years, we’ve built trusted relationships with millions of people who have chosen us as the platform for discovering, preserving and sharing the most important information about themselves and their families.
|
Sign Agreement
| null | null |
The 20 Biggest Stores That Closed for Good In 2020
|
It was a difficult year for everyone, and it’s no secret that many retailers — and, sadly, their employees — took a huge financial hit in 2020. The ease of online shopping (and movement away from shopping malls) has affected brick-and-mortar stores for at least a decade, and the pandemic and shutdowns caused even more major stores to shutter. While some companies downsized and closed only the worst-performing stores, others closed all stores forever. A few companies decided to reimagine themselves solely as online retailers, though not all have managed to achieve that goal just yet. Unfortunately, no matter what 2021 year brings, retail analysts say that the closure trend will likely continue as people stay home, malls continue to disappear and consumers stick to online shopping to fulfill their retail needs. In the meantime, here are some of the beloved retailers who have been forced to shut their doors forever. Founded in 1935 in Pittsburgh by David Shakarian, GNC grew through the decades as more Americans began to embrace the idea of good nutrition. After several years of financial pressure, the pandemic crushed its refinancing plans. In June 2020, GNC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, planning to close at least 800 to 1200 stores. Pier 1 Imports began as a single store in San Mateo, California in 1962. They sold the requisite 60s home decor including bean bag chairs and incense. The company expanded rapidly across the country, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012. But by April 2019, pressured by online sales of home goods retailers, Pier 1 already was in financial trouble and said it would close up to 15 percent of its almost 1000 stores. In February 2020, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It continued to close its remaining stores, transitioning to an online presence only by year's end. Founded in 1977, the company became the largest lingerie retailer in the U.S. for decades. The iconic fashion shows and "Angels" attracted a generation of devoted shoppers. RELATED: 11 Best Wireless Bras for Every Cup Size Perhaps more at home time meant fewer women wanted lacy underthings and push up bras? Sales declined by 37 percent in the first quarter of 2020. By May, the company announced it would close approximately 250 stores out of its more than 1000 in the U.S., and it said it expected to close more through 2021 and 2022. Owned by the same parent corporation as Victoria's Secret, Bed Bath & Beyond already had been battling the shift in consumer spending from brick-and-mortar stores to online shopping. Even their famous coupons couldn't help. The company's sales plummeted 49 percent in the first quarter, though online sales increase by 82 percent. Still, it wasn't enough to save the approximately 1,000 stores in the chain, and, in July 2020, the company announced that about 200 stores would close over the next two years. The company dates back to 1908, when the Stein family opened its first retail store in Greenville, Mississippi. The first Stein Mart opened in 1964, featuring mill closeouts and irregulars at big discounts. The company grew rapidly into the 1990s. Stein Mart already was struggling against much larger off-price competitors such as TJ Maxx. By August 2020, they announced they would be closing all 279 stores across 30 states permanently. Founded by James Cash Penney in 1902 in Kemmerer, Wyoming, this venerable old company has seen plenty of internal struggles with multiple CEOs in the past decade. Once a popular middle-class destination for families, especially in the 80s, the chain had lost money in eight of the last nine years, totaling $4.5 billion. By May 2020, the chain announced it was filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closing about 200 of its 850 stores permanently. By year's end, the company had emerged from bankruptcy as a private company. The world's largest retailer of diamond jewelry, Signet Jewelry, is the parent company of Kay Jewelers, Zales and Jared The Galleria of Jewelry. The company operates more than 3,000 stores nationwide. But it had already reduced its number of stores in the last few years and continued to pull out of malls. Plans to continue closing underperforming stores were accelerated during the pandemic. About 150 stores across the company's various brands were not re-opened after the mid-March closures, and at least 150 more stores were slated to close by February 2021. But a little good news: Signet focused on building its online shopping, which helped them increase online sales during the holidays by 60 percent. Men's Wearhouse, part of the Tailored Brands, Inc. group, has been in business for 45 years, helping guys pick suits for interviews or tuxes for formal events. You're not the only one who's spent plenty of time in your athleisure this year. The company already was facing a more relaxed dress code in most business environments. But the work-from-home pandemic put additional financial pressure on the parent company, which also owns men's retailer Jos. A. Banks, which was founded in 1905. By August, Tailored Brands files bankruptcy and announced plans to close up to 500 of its almost 1500 retail stores permanently. The video game retailer GameStop has a strong following, but sales have slumped as more gamers prefer digital downloads, not trips to the store. It alsos was affected because many shoppers held off on purchases because a new generation of gaming consoles was scheduled to be introduced in late 2020. The company has closed almost 800 stores since the beginning of 2019. But the pandemic pushed closure of another 100 stores. In good news, the company experienced strong sales over the holidays and its stock skyrocketed in January 2021. But it's too early to tell the outcome. This popular off-price retailer was founded in 1974 by Lloyd Ross, who came up with the idea of selling left-over inventory from the big brands. He hosted a huge garage sale in a Dallas warehouse on a Tuesday morning, and the ideas was born. The store grew to 700 locations by 2020. With the shutdown, Tuesday Morning was hit particularly hard--mainly because they have no e-commerce business. The company filed for bankruptcy in May 2020, closing approximately 230 stores. Founded in 1969, Gap and its other brand, Banana Republic, already had been shifting toward moving stores out of malls. In October 2020, Gap announced it would be closing about 220 stores by 2023 and decreasing its existing presence in malls. Its sister company, Banana Republic, said it would close around 130 stores. But it wasn't all bad news for the company: Its other brands, Old Navy and Athleta, announced plans for opening more stores. Founded in 1983 as a boutique selling folk art on Sanibel Island, Florida, the company specialized in bright, bold colors and styles. It grew to 600 stores across the country. Chico's already had started scaling back traditional retail operations in 2019, announcing the closure of 250 stores out of 1,400 during the next three years. In light of the financial strains during 2020, the company said any other underperforming stores would be re-evaluated as well. Lord & Taylor, founded in the 1820s in New York City, has long been associated with style and quality. The iconic chain became a favorite among middle-class women in the 1950s, who loved their affordable, fashionable dresses. The 21st century wasn't kind to the company, and it suffered several changes in ownership as well as a partnership with WalMart, which many analysts said was, in a word, nuts. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and planned to reopen some of its stores, then said it would close the remaining 38 stores. Supposedly, they will announce an online-only shopping experience soon, but the website wasn't yet online in early 2021. Once an icon of American retailing, Sears had a long, slow decline over the past decade. During its heyday, the company had 3,900 stores. The company filed bankruptcy in 2018, closed hundreds of stores and tried to re-invent itself. But 2020 brought even more woes as the stores were forced to close during the shutdown. Some reopened but further closures of an undisclosed number were announced. Kmart was founded in 1897 and originally called Kresge's, changing its name to Kmart in 1977. There were more than 2,000 stores nationwide at one point. But troubles began as far back as the 90s when 200 stores were closed in 1995. Declining sales pushed the company into bankruptcy in 2002, the largest retailer ever to do so. Kmart acquired Sears in 2005, which didn't help things. Another company acquired both Sears and Kmart in 2019, but it also wasn't able to turn things around. New closures were announced to begin in December 2020. Only about 30 Kmarts remain.
|
Organization Closed
| null | null |
Highway 1 near Lytton reopened after mudslide cleared
|
The mudslide occurred after heavy rains hit the area overnight. The province had pre-emptively closed the highway Friday afternoon after slopes in the area had been weakened by this summer's forest fires. Photos from the Ministry of Transportation show excavators clearing the mudslide, which appears to have reached the Thompson River. The Ministry has asked drivers in the area to drive with care. ORIGINAL: 9 a.m. Following a pre-emptive closure of the highway between Lytton and Spences Bridge Friday afternoon, due to the threat of a debris slide amid heavy rains, a mudslide did occur in the area. Highway 1 remains closed Saturday morning after a mudslide hit the area during Friday evening's heavy rains. It's unclear where exactly the slide hit, or how significant the damage is, but DriveBC says a geotechnical investigation is underway. The slopes in the area were weakened and left more susceptible to slides after wildfires ravaged the region this summer, all but destroying the village of Lytton in late June. Slides also occurred north of Lytton last month. It's unclear how long the highway will remain closed, but DriveBC says it will provide an update by 2 p.m. Saturday. Northbound traffic can detour around the closure using Highway 3 and 5, while southbound traffic can detour through Cache Creek.
|
Mudslides
| null | null |
Italy to set up cybersecurity agency ahead of national cloud plan - draft
|
Optical fibre cables are seen in a telephone exchange in Rome, Italy December 20, 2013. ROME, June 9 (Reuters) - Italy is set to create a national agency responsible for fighting cyber attacks, a draft decree showed, as it presses ahead with plans to create a unified cloud infrastructure to increase security for public administration data storage. Italy is among numerous European nations boosting their efforts to counter cyber risks, seen as a threat to their security and competitiveness in an increasingly networked world. The decree, seen by Reuters, unifies under the prime minister's authority many aspects of digital security which are currently dispersed among several ministers and state bodies. The general director and his deputy will be appointed for four years, the draft says. Their mandate can be renewed once. The agency includes six departments and will initially be staffed with 300 people, growing to around 800 by 2027. Italy's cabinet is expected to approve the decree this week, a political source said. Italy's 2,500-page Recovery Plan sent to the European Commission in April envisaged new cloud technology for the public administration to increase security. The plan, which sets out investments to be funded by Brussels, earmarked around 900 million euros ($1.10 billion) for the project, which Innovation Minister Vittorio Colao said last month would involve overseas tech companies. U.S. tech companies Google (GOOGL.O), Microsoft (MSFT.O) and Amazon (AMZN.O) dominate the data storage industry, fuelling concerns in Europe over the risk of U.S. surveillance in the wake of the adoption of the U.S. CLOUD Act of 2018. The government plans to set up the new cloud infrastructure through a public-private partnership (PPP), to be implemented by a European tender, Italy's Recovery Plan said. ($1 = 0.8190 euros) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Facebook advertisers promoted false and misleading claims about climate change on the platform in recent weeks, just as the COP26 conference was getting under way. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays.
|
Organization Established
| null | null |
The climate crisis will wipe out millions of jobs long before the feared robots do
|
NEW YORK ( Project Syndicate )— The climate crisis will wipe out millions of jobs long before the feared robots do. It is estimated that heat stress alone will eliminate the equivalent of 80 million full-time jobs by 2030, not counting those lost as a result of wildfires, floods, storms, and other extreme weather events. These will come on the heels of the historically unprecedented 255 million job losses globally in 2020. With recent developments having thrown predictive climate models off their scale , the odds are that expected climate-related employment losses have also been underestimated. “A job guarantee is a public-employment policy that ensures a decent job at a family-sustaining wage, with benefits, to any person who needs one, and it performs this function in a way that tempers inflationary pressures.” This year’s brutal summer should have made it clear that no place, person, or job is safe from the ravages of climate change. Yet, economists in the United States have been fretting over an “overheating” economy, deliberating whether policy makers should tighten credit conditions and clip the pace of employment and income growth in order to fight price increases stemming from supply-chain bottlenecks and sectoral disruptions. Two crises for working families Working families thus face the threat of not one but two “heat waves”: the bankrupt orthodox view that inflation must be fought with unemployment, and the looming job losses from global warming. A job guarantee is an antidote to both. It is a public-employment policy that ensures a decent job at a family-sustaining wage, with benefits, to any person who needs one, and it performs this function in a way that tempers inflationary pressures. It is also the clearest answer to the international consensus, enshrined in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, that any climate action must uphold a commitment to “the imperatives of a just transition of the workforce, and the creation of decent work and quality jobs in accordance with nationally defined development priorities.” Senate Democrats’ $3.5 trillion jobs and infrastructure plan is a sprawling piece of legislation. WSJ's Gerald F. Seib gives a rundown of the handful of provisions that figure to be the most popular, and the ones seen as most controversial. Photo illustration: Todd Johnson “Whether governments understand it or not, the cost of inaction or delayed action in tackling the climate crisis is already baked into every country’s budget. Misplaced fiscal rectitude cannot be allowed to cripple a bold policy agenda.” Hence, when the U.S. Congress drafted the Green New Deal (GND) resolution, informed observers singled out its proposal for a federal job guarantee as the crucial element. Likewise, the 2020 “democratizing work” manifesto , which appeared in 43 newspapers in 27 languages around the world, identified the right to employment as a core demand and a critical component in decarbonizing the economy. The International Labour Organization also has formally recognized the idea as the best means for shaping “a fair, inclusive and secure future of work with full, productive, and freely chosen employment and decent work for all.” Decent work for all If “decent work for all” is to become an actionable policy benchmark, access to a living-wage job must be guaranteed to everyone—not merely implied in the text of stimulus packages and other policies. The GND’s federal job guarantee would provide the missing jobs that conventional market mechanisms fail to supply, spearheading projects that serve a public purpose, including tackling the most urgent climate-related challenges. As I explain in my book, “The Case for a Job Guarantee ,” the benefits of such a program are manifold. From Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency to the GND resolution, a job guarantee has always been a “ green ” idea aimed at preserving both people and the planet. It ensures a transitional job offer to all working families, including those whose homes, businesses, and livelihoods are being washed away by floods and incinerated by fires. It is the bridge to decent jobs for fossil-fuel workers once the green transition brings an end to these extractive industries. It provides the very employment needed to rebuild communities and mend the planet, and opens up the shortest path to a post-pandemic recovery . Beyond its function as an employment safety net, the job guarantee is a critical mechanism for heading off economic instability, whether this stems from structural shifts in globalization, technological change, or garden-variety recessions. The program would swell in times of greatest need, when prices, incomes, and private employment are declining. But it would also be self-limiting, shrinking when other parts of the economy furnish their share of well-paying jobs. Thus, much like other automatic stabilizers that have long been preferred to generalized stimulus policies, the job guarantee would fluctuate. The difference is that, unlike other stabilizers, it has the potential to help remake the economy . With a job guarantee in place, economists could no longer justify unemployment as a “natural tribute” in the fight against inflation. But in its absence, “decent work for all” will remain an empty slogan, and unemployment a perennial threat. We cannot speak earnestly of inclusion if people of color, caregivers, those with disabilities, and youth are systematically excluded from good jobs. Job guarantee is popular Job-guarantee proposals are extremely popular, and not just with leading climate organizations like the Sunrise Movement, which has been organizing around it. Coal-mining communities in West Virginia and Kentucky are beginning to see its transformative potential. From New England and Appalachia to California , a growing coalition of individuals, organizations, and civil-rights leaders in the U.S. is making the policy a central demand. A job guarantee enjoys the kind of bipartisan support that few other programs can claim. In a 2020 poll in the U.S., 79% of respondents spanning “demographic, partisan, and gender lines” backed the idea, as did 72% of respondents in a U.K. poll taken around the same time. In France, 79% of voters support a federal job guarantee, and the policy has been endorsed by the mayors of Paris and Lille. More recently, a stunning 93% of U.S. respondents supported a national employment and training initiative that creates paid work for the unemployed, as a component of COVID-19 recovery efforts. Moreover, the COVID-19 crisis has shown that finance is not scarce. Country after country has passed large budgets to fight the pandemic. It is no accident that the biggest spending increases were in monetarily sovereign countries that issue and control their currencies, and where government finance is provided by central banks and finance ministries. The size of stimulus efforts in 2020 ranged from 18.7% of gross domestic product in Canada to 21.8% in Japan and 26.9% in the U.S. Countries that lack monetary sovereignty had much less fiscal space available to respond to the pandemic—a challenge that will surely hinder their climate responses, too. But whether governments understand it or not, the cost of inaction or delayed action in tackling the climate crisis is already baked into every country’s budget. Misplaced fiscal rectitude cannot be allowed to cripple a bold policy agenda. As House Budget Committee Chair John Yarmuth recently pointed out , monetarily sovereign countries might face resource and inflation constraints, but they cannot run out of funding. And as the biggest polluters, they have a moral obligation to launch a global Green Marshall Plan. The planet is not a paying customer. We don’t have the luxury of time to structure the “correct” commercial return on climate-related investments, or to nudge the right private actors or incentivize markets to tackle the problem. For a challenge of planetary proportions that offers no obvious financial return, governments must act boldly, directly, and in concert to craft a just transition for all. Climate justice As climate scientists have long warned, even the most sophisticated models do not fully account for potential tipping points, feedback loops, and hidden heating sources. The same is true for economic models. Problems such as mass unemployment, extreme inequality, and the absence of good, stable jobs create their own feedback dynamics and tipping points. Historically, these have included the rise of authoritarianism, jingoism, xenophobia, prejudice, racial and ethnic tension, democratic breakdown, and social, economic, and political instability. The precise content of climate justice will remain contested terrain, as claims range from more modest demands for good jobs to more radical visions of ending extractive capitalism and economic imperialism. There are myriad ways to arrange human economic affairs. The job guarantee is the basic foundation from which to build solutions to the economic challenges in front of us. Pavlina R. Tcherneva, associate professor of economics at Bard College, is a research scholar at the Levy Economics Institute and author of “The Case for a Job Guarantee.” This commentary was published with permission of Project Syndicate — A Just Transition Needs a Job Guarantee
|
Financial Crisis
| null | null |
In one year, 12 trillion locusts devastated the Great Plains ...
|
In one year, 12 trillion locusts devastated the Great Plains—and then they went extinct
They ate ‘everything but the mortgage’
Feb 16, 2017 · 6 min read
Locust plagues are a natural disaster of truly biblical proportions. (Keystone/Getty Images)
The American West is a land of booms and busts. But there was perhaps no bust quite as biblical as the great Rocky Mountain locust swarms of the 1870s.
The insects descended by the trillions on the Great Plains, spreading over a vast portion of land from Montana across to Minnesota and down to Texas. Ravaging farmland, the locusts devoured not only crops but gnawed on nearly any organic material, including sawdust, leather, and the very clothes on people’s backs. Swarming in numbers perhaps unseen in history, they brought staggering economic ruin to rural communities, and in extreme cases, even death.
Beginning in late June, 1874, wide blue skies all over the American prairie suddenly went dark. Some likened it to a snowstorm, others to the coming of night. The pinkie finger-sized insects ate a panoply of crops, including wheat, corn, melons, tobacco, barley, strawberries, potatoes, beans, and fruit trees. The weight of all the bugs in the swarm was estimated to be in excess of 27 million tons.
There was the occasional item that did not appeal to the locusts’ encompassing tastes — peas, as a rare example, failed to interest them — but in most cases a visit from a swarm meant utter loss. “One farmer south of this city,” wrote a contemporary historian in St. Louis, Missouri, “had fifteen acres of corn eaten by them yesterday in three hours. They mowed it down close to the ground just as if a mowing machine had cut it.”
The locusts “looked like a great, white glistening cloud,” wrote one pioneer, “for their wings caught the sunshine on them and made them look like a cloud of white vapor.” Confronted with a sudden invasion, farmers rushed to cover their wells and scrambled to save what crops they could. Some farmers covered their gardens with blankets and textiles, but the insects’ numbers were too great, their maws too tireless. They simply chewed through the fabric.
In many cases, word was able to spread faster than the swarms, but fair warning did not much level the playing field. One defense strategy entailed keeping a barrier of fires around one’s land, the more smoke produced the better, to deter their approach and descent. Still, locusts would land upon the burning pits in numbers significant enough to snuff them out. “Think of it,” reflected Kansan Lillie Marcks, who was a child at the time of the plague, “grasshoppers putting out a fire.”
For her novel On the Banks of Plum Creek, Laura Ingalls Wilder drew on memories of her family’s hardship during the locust plague. “You could hear the millions of jaws biting and chewing,” she wrote. Later, Wilder described the scene as family members come back inside after a brief excursion: “Grasshoppers went into the house with them. Their clothes were full of grasshoppers. Some jumped into the hot stove where Mary was starting supper. Ma covered the food till they had chased and smashed every grasshopper. She swept them up and shoveled them into the stove.”
Specimens of the now extinct Rocky Mountain Locust, photographed in the 1870s. (Wikimedia)
The reach of the locusts knew no bounds. They infiltrated every nook, and residents even had to pat down their bedding before retiring. “They beat against the houses, swarm in at the windows, cover the passing trains,” wrote a New York Times correspondent. “They work as if sent to destroy.”
The retiring insects huddled on train tracks for rest and for warmth. Being sluggish in the cool morning air, they were trampled by the horde under the wheels of passing trains. They gathered “so numerously,” noted a government report, “that the oil from their crushed bodies reduced the traction so as to actually stop the train, especially on an up-grade.”
Befuddled farmers and families leapt to action, wielding all sorts of tactical fires — for smokescreens, for traps, for killing. More futile acts of desperation—like shotgun blasts, stomping, and blows with a stick—were also tried. Some clever devices came into use, such as the “hopperdozer,” a horse-drawn tool that trawled fields, using a steel plate covered in sticky coal tar to scoop and trap locusts from the ground. An entomologist named Charles Valentine Riley even went full Jonathan Swift, except this time in earnest. In his 1877 book about the plague, Riley celebrated how the locusts, when “boiled and afterward stewed with a few vegetables and a little butter, pepper, salt, and vinegar, made an excellent fricassee.”
But the problem remained: there were still too many locusts to make extermination (or cooking) a real strategy. Families needed money and food to survive, government agencies needed to organize, and communities needed to plan ahead for the coming harvest.
In 1877, Congress established the U.S. Entomological Commission for the specific purpose of confronting this ongoing pest; two years prior, it had allocated $30,000 to supply seed to devastated areas. Riley compared the national response to the charity and generosity provoked by the Great Chicago Fire just years before, as spared counties and states sent food and financial aid to those afflicted.
In Missouri the government required the able-bodied to dedicate one or two days per week to plowing and killing locust eggs and larvae. In Minnesota, Nicollet County paid its citizens $25,053 for delivering 25,053 bushels of slaughtered locusts. On the individual level, citizens earned extra income wherever possible, and many took to selling buffalo bones and horns at railroad hubs, which could sell at market for as much as $8 per ton.
Unfortunately, not everyone survived. A contemporary report in the St. Louis Republican painted this grim portrait of the times:
We have seen within the past week families which had not a meal of victuals in their house; families that had nothing to eat save what their neighbors gave them, and what game could be caught in a trap, since last fall. In one case a family of six died within six days of each other from the want of food to keep body and soul together.…From present indications the future four months will make many graves, marked with a simple piece of wood with the inscription STARVED TO DEATH painted on it.
Luckily, no other year proved as severe or ruinous as that of 1874–75, though the Rocky Mountain locust continued campaigns of crop destruction throughout the 1870s and thereafter.
And then, the Rocky Mountain locust suddenly, and staggeringly, went extinct.
Locust swarms, like the Jerusalem plague of 1915, cause massive destruction to crops and vegetation. (Lewis Larsson/American Colony/Library of Congress)
But how did this erstwhile abundant, colossal insect suddenly die off? An insect, after all, whose swarms were once so great that they covered an area equal to the landmass of California?
It remains a mystery, and decades of hypotheses have produced a few answers, but they are mostly unsatisfying. Some have suggested their existence was tied to the waning populations of western buffalo. Or maybe, somewhere along the line, they were punished for some narrowness in genetic diversity.
In recent years, scientists like Jeffrey Lockwood have proposed that the locust’s migratory patterns behaved much like the monarch butterfly’s — traveling over and covering great ranges of land, then retreating back to sanctuary pockets to recuperate.
His research suggests that the locusts populated the valleys in Montana and Wyoming for this very purpose. When westward expansion continued, these areas were deforested, irrigated, plowed, and replanted, turning their habitats and breeding grounds into farmland.
If this leading theory is correct, it means that the extermination of the Rocky Mountain locust—perhaps the first time a widespread agricultural pest has ever been annihilated — came, for all our best efforts, by accident.
|
Insect Disaster
| null | null |
Suspect arrested, charged in College Station bank robberies
|
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - College Station police have released the identity of the suspect involved in Tuesday’s bank robberies. Waseem Khalil, 21, of Houston has been arrested and charged with two counts of robbery and evading in a vehicle. College Station police say the bank robberies happened at two Wells Fargo banks. One bank is located at Southwest Parkway and Texas Avenue, the other at Rock Prairie Road and Longmire Drive, said authorities. According to authorities, Khalil passed employees a note at both locations demanding money. He reportedly admitted to having a handgun in his pocket during both incidents. Police say no one was injured in either of the robberies or during the pursuit. CSPD officers were seen pursuing a vehicle south on Highway 6 where they arrested Khalil on the side of the highway near Navasota.
|
Bank Robbery
| null | null |
Karnataka reports 783 new Covid-19 cases, 16 deaths
|
BENGALURU: Karnataka on Sunday clocked 783 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the caseload to 29.67 lakh, while 16 deaths pushed the toll to 37,603. The day also saw 1,139 people being discharged, taking the total number of recoveries to 29.15 lakh. Active cases stood at 15,383, a health department bulletin said. Bengaluru Urban accounted for the maximum number of 267 cases and seven fatalities, it said. Dakshina Kannada district bordering Kerala remained a major Covid-19 hotspot with 97 fresh infections and one death. Other districts too reported fresh cases with Udupi logging 82, followed by Mysuru (69), Kodagu (41), Chikkamagaluru (36) and Hassan (34). Bagalakote, Koppal, Raichur, Ramanagara and Yadgir reported zero infections and zero deaths. Twenty-five districts reported zero fatalities, the bulletin said. A total of 1,29,874 samples were tested in the state on Sunday, taking the cumulative number of specimens examined so far to 4.63 crore. The number of vaccinations done so far in the state rose to 5.20 crore, with 58,509 people being inoculated on Sunday, it said.
|
Disease Outbreaks
| null | null |
Days after Dunwoody apartment explosion, residents told to move out
|
Days after an explosion rocked a Dunwoody apartment building, more than 400 tenants of the Arrive Perimeter complex were told to find a new place to live.
An email sent to residents Friday informed them they would have until Halloween to pack their belongings and move out.
One of the three buildings at the complex exploded and partially collapsed Sunday afternoon, injuring at least four people and displacing dozens more, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. The complex’s leasing office was also damaged in the blast.
Several residents complained of smelling gas in the hallways and parking garage for months leading up to Sunday’s explosion, and an Atlanta Gas Light technician was en route to investigate a complaint when the blast occurred.
Gas service was later shut off to the entire complex after officials discovered “appliance and fuel line issues within the buildings” during an initial inspection.
Some residents were given temporary hotel rooms nearby, but others stayed behind because they were unable to find rooms that would accommodate their pets, according to Atlanta attorney Chris Stewart, who is representing at least six of the residents.
“What happened never should have occurred,” he said. “The complex and its management company played Russian roulette with the lives of countless individuals.”
Jasmine Johnson, 30, had just gotten out of bed when the blast shook her building, ripping the screen door off her balcony and sending her flying into the wall of her second-story unit, she said Thursday.
Johnson moved into the complex in February, but began noticing the rotten egg-scented chemical added to natural gas as early as May, she said. The smell got worse in the days leading up to the explosion, and became so strong that she complained about the odor to her roommate.
“I’ve been smelling that smell around the apartment for weeks, months,” she said. “But it was so strong three days prior to the incident.”
Of the four residents injured in the explosion, one had a severe burn and one suffered a broken leg, DeKalb County fire officials said. Two others were treated for minor injuries.
Following the weekend blast, utilities to the complex were shut off indefinitely so property management could inspect each unit and make the necessary repairs. By Friday, however, all 400-plus residents were told they would have to move permanently, Dunwoody city spokeswoman Jennifer Boettcher said, calling it “a full-on move out.”
A copy of the email was obtained through an open records request.
“It has become apparent that we will not be able to quickly return gas service to our residents,” the letter read. “We, unfortunately, cannot commit to a reasonable timeline to restore hot water, heat or functional gas ranges, and without a clear date of that return of gas service, we feel that the prudent action is to vacate the property.”
City officials said because the repairs could take so long, property management didn’t want anyone living there without heat as the weather starts to cool.
Because it’s such a large complex, Arrive Perimeter said it is limiting move-outs to just 15 per day ahead of the Oct. 31 deadline, according to the letter. None of the remaining residents are being charged rent, and any fees associated with breaking a lease have been waived. Residents may receive their security deposits back pending a walk-through following move-out, they were told.
Arrive Perimeter will continue to offer hotels in the immediate area until the end of September.
“We are saddened by the events of this past week as both our residents and staff were directly impacted,” the apartment complex’s letter said. “You will not be charged rent for the balance of your tenure at Arrive Perimeter and we hope we can fully open and safely serve our community within the coming months.”
|
Gas explosion
| null | null |
PFAS contamination: Katherine mango farmer seeks compensation from Defence
|
A Northern Territory mango farmer is one of hundreds of Australians seeking compensation from the Defence Department after learning chemical contamination in his water supply is almost 66 times over the deemed safe limit for drinking water.
Patrick Fordham's small mango farm just outside the town of Katherine has been his livelihood for the past 20 years.
It is near RAAF Base Tindal, which once used firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals which have now seeped into Katherine's bores and drinking supply.
Katherine is one of several PFAS-affected sites around the country, with Defence admitting it should have warned the public years earlier about the contamination.
Defence has said the cost to clean up the problem will cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and hundreds of people, including Mr Fordham, are seeking compensation.
Mr Fordham said he has been speaking with a Defence representative.
"I asked about the mangoes, and he said, 'that's OK, as long as you don't eat too many of them'.
"I said, 'hang on, I do this for a living', and he said, 'well, you can go online and fill in a compensation claim if you like'."
Mr Fordham thought the tests done by Defence showed the levels of PFAS chemicals in his water supply, including his bore which irrigates his mangoes, were up to 0.4 micrograms per litre, about six times over the accepted limit for drinking water.
"He didn't seem to think there was a problem," Mr Fordham said.
It was not until he went through his paperwork from Defence that Mr Fordham realised how bad the contamination of his property was.
The documents show his home tank has a PFAS level of 4.6 micrograms a litre — nearly 66 times the deemed safe limit for drinking water.
The bore that irrigates his mangoes is not far behind, with a reading of 4.2.
"Of course I'm worried. I thought it was only 0.4, or 0.3 [that] came out of the tap and 0.4 out of the bore," Mr Fordham said.
Katherine is just one affected site in a major ongoing Australian public health issue.
PFAS can bioaccumulate in plants, but there's currently no specific regulatory limit for the chemicals in food, with authorities saying there is not enough information about levels found in the general food supply.
Mr Fordham has now applied for compensation and hired a lawyer.
Defence has taken samples of his soil and mango plants, but he has not yet received the results.
He has also spoken to the Department of Primary Industry and Resources, which recommended that people "should not source all of their dietary requirements from impacted areas to limit the potential for elevated accumulation".
"As fruit enters the market, the potential for a subsequent individual to be exposed to levels exceeding the TDI [recommended limit] becomes negligible, which is why controls have not been required," the Department said.
Mr Fordham has been trying to sell his property for some time but now with PFAS in his water system, he is afraid he will never be able to.
"The market is flat, I understand that, but this doesn't help — this PFAS, you know — people coming here buying a property that the water's been poisoned and contaminated."
Jan de Beer, who owns a property a few minutes' drive away from Mr Fordham, said Defence had also been testing on his property, taking blood samples from his cows and the goats he eats.
"So far as I know, I'm the only one where they have done it," Mr de Beer said, adding that Defence did not say why they were taking the samples, and he does not know the results.
But while animals are being tested for PFAS, humans in Katherine are not, unlike those in affected areas in NSW and Queensland.
The town's drinking supply — a mix of river and contaminated bore water — is currently being kept within accepted limits with water restrictions.
Katherine Community Radio host Bill Daw, who has lived in the town for 30 years, is so concerned about the quantity of PFAS chemicals he may have consumed over the years that he is trying to get a blood test done himself.
"It's going to cost in excess of $500 for me to personally get a blood test to see what my PFAS levels are in my system," he said.
"I probably won't be able to afford that."
The Defence Department has told the ABC its voluntary blood testing program is being conducted in conjunction with an epidemiological study.
It said it was focused on other PFAS-affected communities in Williamtown in NSW and Oakey in Queensland because the extent of contamination and exposure pathways in those regions were well understood, while the extent of contamination at other sites — including Katherine — was still being determined.
It is yet to respond to further questions from the ABC.
)
|
Environment Pollution
| null | null |
Brexit day: end of an era as United Kingdom leaves EU – as it happened
|
At 11pm GMT on 31 January, Britain officially left the EU after 47 years of membership. Downing Street marked the moment by beaming a virtual Big Ben on to No 10 to chime. Nearby, in Parliament Square, Nigel Farage led a rendition of God Save the Queen Here’s some of Westminster’s reaction to the confirmation that the UK has left the EU: So the die is cast. The time for argument and division is behind us. Our shared imperative now is to bring the whole country together to carve out the very best future for our United Kingdom as we enter an exciting new chapter in our great nation's history. We'll be back! And there it is. A government that Scotland didn’t vote for decided to have a referendum on EU membership. Scotland voted to remain in the EU in that referendum and Article 50 was invoked anyway. I am (still) European. Auf weidesehen, pet. Tonight we have left the EU and will start a bright new chapter in the UK's history. We haven’t become more British tonight. We haven’t gained anything from this. I am Geordie, English (a bit Irish), British & European. It’s how I was born, & how I will always be - but with fewer rights for the moment. It’s the future we build now that counts. An exciting new chapter opens in our country’s history - a refreshed opportunity to enhance our bonds and partnerships with nations across the world, advancing British values globally The EU’s foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, has said: The United Kingdom will remain a key partner for the European Union. I look forward to what I hope will be a very close cooperation with our British friends on our common challenges at the regional and global level. There were huge cheers in Parliament Square as a simulated Big Ben chimed 11pm GMT to mark the UK’s official exit from the EU. Nigel Farage spoke to a roaring crowd of thousands of Brexit supporters as he hailed the “point of no return” and the victory of “the people beating the establishment”. After Farage led the countdown, the crowd joined in a rendition of the national anthem, many waving Union flags. The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has said: I am pleased the UK and EU have agreed on a Brexit deal that honours the will of the British people. We will continue building upon our strong, productive, and prosperous relationship with the UK as they enter this next chapter. While Downing Street has been counting down to Brexit this evening, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has been focusing on protecting the city’s reputation for openness: How does a nation say goodbye to its neighbours? With a lump in its throat and a poignant song of farewell – or with cheers and a raised middle finger of defiant good riddance? The answer that Britain gave at 11pm on Friday 31 January 2020 was: both. The UK broke from the European Union on a late winter’s night with both jubilation and regret, as divided on the day of leaving as it had been in deciding to leave. For some Britons, this was Independence Day. For others, it was a national bereavement. As the UK takes the unprecedented step of leaving the EU, prominent voices from each remaining member state say goodbye: The United Kingdom has left the European Union. As the clock struck 11pm GMT, the nation officially enacted the biggest constitutional change in living memory and, in doing so, became the first member state ever to leave the EU. The momentous shift follows more than three years of political wrangling that has seen off two prime ministers and brought about radical change within the two main political parties. The UK now enters a transition period that is due to run until the end of the year and during which the government is charged with the task of redrawing the country’s relationship with its closest neighbours. Nigel Farage has taken to the stage at the Brexit celebration rally in central London. The Brexit party leader has said: In just 14 minutes’ time something truly remarkable is going to happen. Something that I fought for for 27 years and something many thousands of you have given your time and money for. In 13 minutes’ time we will leave the European Union. We did it. We transformed the landscape of our country. There are some that say we shouldn’t celebrate tonight, but we are going to celebrate tonight. There is one thing above all we must celebrate tonight and it is this: The reason we are here tonight is because Westminster became detached from the people in this country. The people have beaten the establishment. The real winner tonight is democracy. And I am someone who believes we should be pro-Europe, but not the European Union. A crowd of pro-Brexit supporters have gathered at the gates of Stormont, the seat of Northern Ireland’s devolved government, in east Belfast to count down to 11pm GMT when the UK officially leaves the EU. Many are holding Union flags and are ready to toast the moment Brexit becomes official. A Lambeg drum was played and Chinese lanterns were set to be released at 11pm. The DUP’s Jim Wells is among the crowd. The gathering, described as a thanksgiving, started with a prayer. Boris Johnson has praised Steve Barclay for his work as Brexit secretary, a role that ceases once the UK leaves the EU. The government has already confirmed that the Department for Exiting the European Union will no longer exist. The prime minister said of Barclay: On the day that the United Kingdom leaves the EU, you can take particular pride that we are delivering on our promise to the British people to get Brexit done. Your work, and that of your department, has been absolutely crucial in ensuring that we are leaving the EU with a great new deal and that we are in such a strong position going into the negotiations about our future relationship. Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion. So this Brexit thing ends today, right? (so we were told. )No more talk of negotiations or whatever, right? We are so rich now that you lot up north will stop complaining about the North-South divide, right? With our new found riches...We can afford "No deal", right? Who cares?Don't you know they voted for it? ----------------------------------------------------HELP:In search of an eyewitness account of anyone up north(aka "we voted Brexit) who has found the "jobs EU foreigners allegedly took away from you".Kindly let us know if anything has changed for you today? I share your frustration!!!! Still clinging to the notion that Brexit is driven by poor northerners.How sweet, and naive you are. Well, it was their vote in the FPTP general election. They've been sold a pup though. BOLLOCKS TO BREXIT ! Well said Spot on. I will never forgive the politicians that took us down this road and the turkeys who voted for it. except that the LDs precipitated it ... A sad day. For everyone on the UK We all lost - even the so-called “winners”. That’s the point. If you voted Brexit, you lost. If you voted Tory, you lost. Even if you’re rich, you lost. Because everyone else did. And because being rich never means real winning except in Thatcherite terms. Being fair and open-minded, compassionate, considerate and embracing of others is winning. I see some but not all of those qualities in the people I know who voted Brexit. I do see all of them in people who voted Remain. Source: personal observation of hundreds of people including friends, family, neighbours and colleagues over last five years. Yep, it’s an opinion. Didn’t say it was anything else. A great day in fact for those who respect referendums and elections. Today the Turkeys get what they want. Let’s hope it’s everything they deserve. The damage that Brexit will create will damage us all. The Brexiters won the referendum, but all of us will be losers Yep. Guardian front page should be “Small island for small minds”. how can you bear to live in this terrible country. you are free to leave, millions are risking their lives to get here. Project Get Brexit Done is nearly finished, project Keep Stiff Upper Lip will begin shortly! As someone from the EU.... I wish the ones who voted remain well and hope you will be back at some point... ...and I hope the other half gets hit by every downside that Brexit will bring with it! It's a sad day... I understand the point you wish to make, unfortunately the effects of Brexit (positive/negative) will affect everyone in the UK regardless of how they voted. I know, and it is frustrating. But if a company needs to downsize because business slows down due to Brexit, i want the one who voted for Brexit loosing their job, not the ones who voted for remain.Its frustrating to even think something like that, but thats where we are now... Positives will be for tory donors only. Brexit, how could a country be so stupid. Leaving a group of equals to become a poodle for Trump. You should take a long hard look at the laws governing your media and their ownership. They were fundamental in producing that stupidity. Will Of The People ™ Doesn’t make it any less stupid. More and more people telling Remainers they no longer exist. Remainer is a political identity and we’re going nowhere so you had better get used to us. Politicians and commentators are scared because Britain is becoming ungovernable. Remainers have been airbrushed out of the story since 23rd June 2016. The answer is to acknowledge us more, not less. The strength of Remainers and the numbers will be increased by the Brexited UK... Until now it was: your views vs ours... But from now on it will be: Your facts vs ours! The arguments will not subside. There are still plenty of decisions and negotiations with the EU trade deal, so anyone thinking Brexit is done is seriously misguided. The decision to leave will continue to be a talking point for years to come. Any suggestion that the country is going to come back together is laughable. The same problems that encouraged people to reject the current political system still exist. Brexit is a red herring, The real problems for the UK are UK-made and without starting to deal with them, nothing will change and Brexit will have achieved nothing except economic hardship, weakness and loss of leverage. We are the majority.
|
Withdraw from an Organization
| null | null |
2005 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship
|
The 2005 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship was the 7th edition of the women's field hockey championship organised by the European Hockey Federation. It was held from the 14th until the 20th of August 2005 in Dublin, Ireland. [1]
The eight teams were be split into two groups of four teams. The top two teams advanced to the semifinals in order to determine the winner in a knockout system. The bottom two teams played in a new group with the teams they did not play against in the group stage. The last two teams were relegated to the EuroHockey Nations Challenge. All times were local (UTC+0). Points obtained in the preliminary round are carried over into Pool C.
|
Sports Competition
| null | null |
Former Lynn Haven mayor asserts her innocence in motion to dismiss federal charges
|
The original indictment: Lynn Haven mayor and city attorney each charged with more than 60 federal crimes
The motion also alleges that the government withheld from her counsel evidence rebutting some or all of the charges Anderson faces by redacting it from discovery material turned over to her defense team.
"She lost her job, had to relocate to a new community and endured stress-related health conditions. Her name and reputation are ruined," the motion states. "Then she had to fight the government for almost a year to get information proving her innocence that should have been provided by the government without request as a matter of constitutional right."
Anderson was still serving as mayor when she was originally indicted Aug. 18, 2020, along with then City Attorney Adam Albritton, on more than 60 federal charges. Those included conspiring to defraud, numerous counts of wire fraud and embezzlement of federal funds. She also faced counts of depriving the city of Lynn Haven and its residents of their right to honest services and lying to federal agents.
The Anderson and Albritton indictments came nine months after five others, including former Lynn Haven City Manager Michael White , had been charged with federal crimes. Those charges stemmed from a scheme in which two businesses worked with White to falsify invoices that allowed them to steal millions in FEMA debris removal funding assistance coming to the city following Hurricane Michael in October of 2018.
The primary business involved in the scheme was Erosion Control Specialist, owned by David White, who is not related to Michael White.
The Anderson and Albritton indictment alleged that following Hurricane Michael, Albritton drafted and Anderson signed off on an agreement that extended the ECS debris removal deadline indefinitely and that both requested and received work done at their homes by the company.
Later, James Finch, owner of Phoenix Construction, would also be indicted and Anderson was further charged with conspiring with Finch to steer construction projects to his company in exchange for gifts of travel and in one instance, a motor home. Some of the illegally procured projects indirectly involved Hurricane Michael debris removal and others, the original indictment said, occurred well before the storm.
While seven of the alleged co-conspirators have now pleaded guilty to the crimes filed against them and await sentencing, Anderson and Finch have vigorously fought the charges they face.
In her motion to dismiss, Anderson states she "was the whistleblower that brought the suspicious ECS payments to law enforcement."
Like Anderson, Finch has filed a motion to dismiss the charges he faces with prejudice, which would allow them to collect attorneys fees. Finch claims prosecutorial misconduct and violations of his Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights.
The Fifth Amendment protects defendants from self-incrimination and prevents a person from being tried more than once for the same crime. The Sixth Amendment provides for a speedy trial before an impartial jury.
In August, District Court Judge Mark Walker sided with the attorneys for Finch and Anderson and tossed out a conspiracy charge the government had built its case around.
He wrote in his ruling that while he saw clear intent to conspire in three of five "projects" he looked at to determine whether conspiracy allegations held up, in two others he did not and due to that he could find no alternative but to toss the entire charge.
In November, the government filed another indictment alleging conspiracy. This is the one Anderson and Finch are now contesting.
Anderson's motion to dismiss claims that her lawyers have provided documentation showing that "every contract executed by Anderson in favor of Phoenix Construction, every contract change order/addendum/task order executed by Anderson in favor of Phoenix Construction, every municipal bond executed by Anderson to finance a Phoenix Construction project and every promissory note executed by Anderson in favor of James Finch, were presented to the (Lynn Haven) City Commission, recommended by City staff and received unanimous approval by the City Commission."
It also states Anderson's defense team has provided a survey to prosecutors showing that hurricane clean up work the government claims Anderson had ECS do at her residence and that of her mother and neighbor, was actually work done at a city easement property.
It likewise claims to have provided proof that allegations Anderson received insurance coverage at no charge are false.
The motion also questions the government's release of information gathered through testimony from those who have already pleaded guilty — what is known as Brady or Giglio material. And it claims the grand jury that indicted Finch and Anderson in November was not given all the information it needed to objectively make its decision before deciding to indict.
"The Government has a track record of skewing innocent facts to imply nefarious conduct. It has demonstrated a propensity for presenting inaccurate facts to the grand jury, for isolating select facts in a manner that is deceptive and misleading and for standing steadfast by a flawed narrative," the motion states.
Prosecutors have been given until Dec. 22 to respond to the Anderson and Finch motions to dismiss. Counsel for the two defendants will then have until Jan. 7 to reply.
|
Famous Person - Commit Crime - Investigate
| null | null |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.