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Secret Service establishes 'Electronic Crimes Task Force' in Tampa Bay area
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TAMPA — Law enforcement agencies in the Tampa Bay area hope to get better at probing computer-based crimes thanks to the U.S. Secret Service. Federal officials on Friday announced the creation of an "Electronic Crimes Task Force" in the bay area. It includes members from the region's sheriff's offices, the Tampa and St. Petersburg police departments and dozens of smaller agencies. The aim is to improve communication between agencies about economic crimes, especially crimes that involve the use of technology. It is as much about spotting trends as it is about giving smaller agencies access to bigger investigative tools. "It brings everybody together," said John Seybold, assistant special agent in charge of the Secret Service in Tampa. "That's the big thing." The Tampa Bay task force is the 39th such task force created worldwide. The purpose of these task forces is to police crimes that affect the nation's financial and technological institutions. That could include major data breaches, like the high-profile 2013 data breach at Target Corp. in which hackers stole the financial information of more than 70 million customers. Or it could include crimes of a much smaller scale. Officials at Friday's meeting used the example of criminals placing skimming devices on retail credit card readers. That is a crime that has plagued the area in recent years. Thieves have been known to place the devices on card readers at gasoline pumps. When customers pay to fuel up, the device records their card information. Some devices can be equipped with wireless capabilities, allowing the thief to access the information remotely. The task force will meet four times a year to share information. The first Electronic Crimes Task Force began in New York City in 1995. After the 9/11 attacks, the USA Patriot Act in 2001 allowed the Secret Service to expand the program to other cities. The task force answered questions about privacy by saying that their only purpose is to share information about crimes and investigative techniques. "We're not just out on the Internet fishing for crime," said Pinellas sheriff's Maj. David Danzig. "We're trying to solve specific crimes." Aside from law enforcement agencies, security experts and representatives from the private sector will also take part. They include communications companies like Bright House and Verizon, banking institutions like Raymond James Financial and Regions Bank and retailers like Publix. The Florida Center for Cyber Security, a program based at the University of South Florida, will also provide support and training. "In the end, it's all about communication," Danzig said. "It's another way for us to communicate at the federal and local level."
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Organization Established
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2016 southern Taiwan earthquake
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At 03:57 local time on 6 February 2016, an earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.4 struck 28 km (17 mi) northeast of Pingtung City in southern Taiwan,[6] in the Meinong District of Kaohsiung. The earthquake struck at a depth of around 23 km (14 mi). Its comparatively shallow depth caused more intense reverberations on the surface. [7] The earthquake had a maximum intensity of VII (Very strong) on the Mercalli intensity scale, causing widespread damage and 116 deaths. Almost all of the deaths were caused by a collapsed residential building, named Weiguan Jinlong in Yongkang District, while two other people were killed in Gueiren District. [1][3] Sixty-eight aftershocks have occurred. [8] The earthquake was the deadliest earthquake in Taiwan since the 1999 Jiji earthquake. Taiwan is located on the Ring of Fire, making it prone to intense earthquakes. However, the February 2016 event was particularly destructive and deadly. [9]
Taiwan lies on the boundary between the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate, which are converging at 80 mm per year. [1] The island is the result of uplift caused by the collision between the northern end of the Luzon Arc and the continental margin of China. [10] The earthquake's focal mechanism indicates oblique thrust faulting in the mid to upper crust. [1]
The earthquake's epicenter was in the Meinong District in Kaohsiung City. The earthquake waves traveled northwest from the epicenter to Tainan City through the soft soil in the Chianan Plain. Due to the soft soil nature of Tainan, surface ground motion due to the traveling wave was strongly amplified, thus creating more devastating effects in Tainan. [11]
The worst affected city was Tainan, where numerous buildings reportedly collapsed,[12][13] including at least one 17-story residential building in Yongkang District,[3] with hundreds of people trapped in the collapsed buildings. 115 people died inside the Weiguan Jinlong building (zh) in Tainan City, including a six-month-old infant who died a few hours later in a hospital. [14][15] Officials reported that 397 people were rescued, with 104 of them taken to a hospital. More than 500 people in total were injured from a disaster that struck during the most important family holiday in the Chinese calendar — the Lunar New Year holiday. [16]
A total of 34 historical buildings around Taiwan were damaged, in which 23 of them are located in Tainan. [17] Public Work Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government discovered 314 broken bridges in the city and 5 of them deemed unusable anymore. [18]
Taiwan Power Company initially reported that 168,000 households experienced power outage after the quake, but since then has restored the electricity to most of the houses. [19] National Fire Agency reported that about 400,000 households were left without water supply. [20]
Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) cancelled all train services between Taichung Station and Zuoying Station starting Saturday due to damage to the train power systems and extensive damage to its tracks north of Tainan. [21][22] Later in the day, THSR made an announcement that the service between Taichung and Chiayi Station resumed after successful repair works. [23]
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company reported that the silicon wafers at its Tainan factory were damaged, although it did not affect much of its shipment. [24] United Microelectronics Corporation said that the earthquake triggered its plant safety measures to shut down the machines and that they would need recalibrating afterwards. [24]
The Ministry of the Interior immediately set up the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) shortly after 4 a.m. once the earthquake had occurred. From the CEOC, President Ma Ying-jeou coordinated the rescue efforts and is expected to head to Tainan. Tainan Mayor William Lai also set up emergency response minutes after the quake. Premier Chang San-cheng has cancelled his original itinerary and is expected to head to Tainan as well. [25] The Ministry of Health and Welfare had launched six regional emergency operation centers. [26] The last survivors, a woman and her niece, were found 60 hours after the earthquake. [27][28]
Ministry of National Defense confirmed that army units were dispatched for the rescue efforts consisting of 810 personnel, 11 medical teams, 24 search and rescue teams and 38 vehicles. [20] The Army Command Headquarters in Gueiren District sent two helicopters to survey the damaged areas. Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital dispatched 30 medical personnel to Tainan. Gen. Yen Teh-fa, Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff, was planned to be stationed at the joint military operations command center to oversee the rescue efforts. [29] A total of 1,200 beds in four locations were prepared by the military for people who lost their homes due to the earthquake. [30] Tainan Air Force Base had been turned into a temporary shelter that could accommodate up to 1,400 people left homeless by the quake. [26]
Rescue teams from Japan and People's Republic of China provided advice on the search and rescue efforts. [31] Rescuers used sensors to detect signs of life and avoided using heavy machinery for fear of further collapsing the rubble and potentially trapping any survivors. [32] On 13 February 2016, Tainan Mayor William Lai declared the search and rescue mission for the earthquake victims was over. [33]
Taipei 101 put on a lighting display on Saturday night to pay tribute to the earthquake victims. [34] Tennis athletes Chan Yung-jan and Chan Hao-ching dedicated their Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Group I victory to the earthquake victims. [35]
During her visit to Tainan, President-elect Tsai Ing-wen said that safety checks of old buildings and urban renewal will be the top priority of her administration, later stating that Taiwan has become a developed society that demands improved public infrastructure and better quality of life. [36] When meeting with the quake victims treated at hospital, Tsai promised that rescue efforts will continue and that rescue teams will not give up hope. [37]
To assist with post-earthquake relief and reconstruction efforts, Japan donated US$1 million, United States pledged US$500,000, and China donated 2 million yuan (approx. 289502.63 USD). [38]
Tsai Ing-wen donated NT$1 million to the earthquake relief efforts.
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Earthquakes
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WFP Sends First Humanitarian Passenger Flight into Tigray, as Famine Edges Closer in the Region
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The first United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) passenger flight, which is managed by the United Nations World Food Programme, has touched down at Tigray’s Alula Aba Nega International Airport in Mekelle today. It is the first passenger flight into the region since commercial flights were halted on 24 June and carried more than 30 employees from multiple humanitarian organisations working to deliver urgently needed assistance to conflict-affected communities across Tigray. “WFP and our fellow emergency responders on the ground in Mekelle are all enormously relieved to see this UNHAS flight arrive today, bringing in colleagues who are all essential in our collective efforts to scale up the humanitarian response and for WFP to reach 2.1 million people with life-saving food assistance,” said Michael Dunford, WFP’s Regional Director for Eastern Africa. From today, the UNHAS flights will operate twice a week, facilitating the regular movement of humanitarian personnel into and out of Tigray. However, the humanitarian response in the region continues to be challenged by a lack of sufficient food and other humanitarian supplies, limited communication services and no commercial supply chain. With conflict escalating in surrounding regions, including Afar, the safe and secure passage for convoys to move humanitarian supplies into Tigray remains a primary concern for WFP and the humanitarian community, particularly after a WFP convoy was attacked on the morning of July 18 while attempting to move essential humanitarian cargo into Tigray. Another WFP-led convoy of over 200 trucks containing food and other essential humanitarian supplies is currently on standby in Semera and expected to depart for Tigray as soon as security clearances are assured. “Famine is preventable and the power to avert it is in the hands of all parties concerned. WFP is calling for all parties to agree to a ceasefire so the humanitarian response can be rapidly scaled up and all routes can be used urgently to reach those most in need,” added Dunford.
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Famine
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2007–2008 Cork players strike
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The 2007–2008 Cork players' strike was a dispute in Republic of Ireland between the Cork County Board and its Gaelic footballers and hurlers. It led to the footballers and hurlers refusing to play for the Cork County Board. The cause of the strike was the issue of deciding who should pick the senior teams' selectors. [1] The players believed the manager should pick the selectors. However, the county board picked the selectors. With the appointment of Teddy Holland as manager, the players also refused to play under his tutorship since he accepted the job during their time of strike. [2]
The strike drew comment from the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern,[3] and was the first time in the history of the Gaelic Athletic Association that a strike caused inter county fixtures not to be played. [4]
The strike was the second strike by Cork players in five years. It began on 10 December 2007[5] and ended on 18 February 2008[4][6] – 97 days after the first threat of strike action[7] – and was declared over on 15 February 2008. [8] However Holland was not fired until 18 February. [9][10] Kieran Mulvey, chairman of the Labour Relations Commission, acted as arbitrator between the players and county board. On 10 December, the players officially went on strike. [19][20] The county board and the players held the first of a series of meetings to try resolve the strike ten days later. [21] On 9 January, the hurlers confirmed they would not play in the Waterford Crystal Cup and the county was forced to give a walkover to Limerick IT. [22]
Later in the month (23 January), Teddy Holland issued a press statement announcing he would not resign. [23] More than 100 club delegates voted unanimously in support of Holland at a county board meeting held on 30 January. [24] Three days earlier (27 January), in a bid to resolve their issues, the players and the county board had held 18 hours of talks, chaired by Kieran Mulvey, which ended in stalemate. [25] Mulvey had been asked to chair the talks by Nickey Brennan, the President of the Gaelic Athletic Association. [26]
In the week leading up to the National Football League game against Meath, the Cork county board were unable to guarantee a team would be available to play the game. Consequently, on 30 January the game was postponed. [27] The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, called on both sides to resolve the dispute[3] on 5 February and further talks between Kieran Mulvey and Paraic Duffy, the Director General of the GAA, were held. [28]
On 7 February the players refused a solution offered by the county board and it looked likely that Cork would be removed from both the National Hurling League and National Football League[29] and be relegated for the following season. It was claimed that under GAA rules that if a team was unable to take part in two league games that they should be disqualified from the league. [30][31][32] A second football match was to be played on 16 February[33] while the second hurling game was due on 17 February. [34]
On 8 February, the Cork players reacted negatively to what they thought was an attempt by the county board to split the footballers and hurlers[35] when a press release claimed the players would accept Holland as manager. [36] The following day Roy Keane compared the 2002 strike to the Saipan incident and warned about players becoming too powerful. [37] A poll showed that 56 percent of fans supported the strike and 70 percent believed the actions of the board damaged Cork's chance of winning All-Ireland championships that year. [38]
The Cork county board, on 12 February, voted 96–13 in favour of entering binding arbitration with the players in a bid to save the teams being disqualified from the leagues[39][40] and Nickey Brennan called for the dispute to end, "however it is achieved. "[41] On 14 February, the players met with Mulvey and agreed to accept the arbitration in an attempt to end the strike, then in its 95th day. [42]
The outcome of arbitration on 15 February was as follows:
Many newspapers[44][45][46] declared the strike over on 15 February after the players accepted the outcome of the arbitration and also declared that Teddy Holland had resigned. However, the GAA confirmed that the Cork-versus-Dublin football and Cork-versus-Waterford hurling games that were due to take place were to be called off. [46][47]
The county board called an emergency meeting to discuss the recommendations of the arbitration and especially the recommendation from Mulvey that Holland should resign. [48] By 16 February, uncertainty had emerged over the status of the strike. [49][50] While the county board and Holland met to discuss the issues,[51] an expected vote by the county board to remove Holland was never called. [52] Holland meanwhile issued a statement that didn't indicate if he had stepped down and stated that he was neutral saying: I am my own man and I am proud to be a Cork football man. Holland said the claim that six people had refused the job before him was false and there was no threat of strike when he took the job. [53] However, a statement in support of the strike had been issued by the Gaelic Players Association on 13 November 2007, a week before Holland took the job. On 17 February it was clear Holland had not resigned or been fired by the county board and that the strike continued. [9][52] The county board issued a statement saying that they would meet on Monday 18 February to end the strike. [54] The strike officially ended on 18 February – 97 days after the first threat of strike –[7] when, as expected,[55][56] the county board voted 89–19 to fire Teddy Holland and his selectors, who refused to step down. [4][15]
The seven-man panel appointed to help find the next manager began its search as soon as Holland had been removed, and included players Nicholas Murphy and Derek Kavanagh. [4][57] Conor Counihan was appointed Cork's new football manager[58] with the right to name his own selectors. [59] On 20 February, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín said that, had the strike carried on beyond 18 February, he and others would have resigned from inter-county hurling and football. [60] Cork Under 21 footballer, Sean Cahalane, claimed that the Under 21 panel would not have played in place of the seniors if they had been asked by the county board. [61]
On 19 February, the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) decided not to remove Cork from the football and hurling leagues, but instead awarded the points from the missed games to their opponents and fined the county board €400 for each game missed. [62] Kilkenny county board offered to play their hurling match with Cork and the Cork county board requested CCCC approve the game. [63][64][65] However the CCCC had already awarded Kilkenny the point and would not allow the game to take place. It emerged that Cork couldn't have been removed from the leagues as there was no such rule. [66]
Cork went on to win their first football and hurling matches after the strike, beating Dublin's hurlers 2–16 to 3–18[67][68] and Roscommon's footballers 0–15 to 1–14[69] However, the decision to award the teams that Cork did not play victory points had a knock-on effect for other teams in both leagues. Roscommon[70] and Wexford[71] both lodged unsuccessful appeals against the decision.
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Strike
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2002 Kalehe earthquake
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The 2002 Kalehe earthquake occurred on October 24 at 06:08 UTC. This earthquake had a magnitude Mw 6.2, and the epicenter was located in Democratic Republic of the Congo, near Lake Kivu. Eight people were reported dead. Building damage was reported in Goma, Lwiro, Kalehe, and Mugeri. [1][2] The seismicity, volcanism, and uplift in the basin of Lake Kivu delimits the rift of a tectonic plate. [3] Lake Kivu belongs to the western branch of the East African Rift System (EARS). The western branch is usually divided into several segments, and Lake Kivu belongs to the northern segment. [4]
Lake Kivu is formed in an active rift basin that is part of the western branch of the East African Rift System. The basin is a half-graben, with the main controlling fault on the western side. The other margin is mainly unfaulted and flexural in type. The active extension is WNW–ESE trending, perpendicular to the main border fault. [5] The displacement rate across this part of the EARS rift system is in the range 3–5 mm per year. Most earthquakes in the rift system are normal in type. [1]
The earthquake had a focal mechanism consistent with normal faulting and a hypocentral depth of 11.0 km. [1] These observations have been combined with the analysis of InSAR data and the known geology of the area to conclude that the earthquake was a result of movement on one of the east-dipping rift border faults. [6]
The earthquake was preceded by an eruption in the Nyiragongo volcanic area to the north of Lake Kivu, in January 2002. This is interpreted to be a diking event. Analysis of the effect of the diking on the stress field to the south suggests that faulting like that seen in the earthquake may have been promoted by this event. [6]
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Earthquakes
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EuroBasket 2005
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The 2005 FIBA European Championship, commonly called FIBA EuroBasket 2005, was the 34th FIBA EuroBasket regional basketball championship held by FIBA Europe. It also served as Europe qualifier for the 2006 FIBA World Championship, giving a berth to the top six teams in the final standings. It was held in Serbia and Montenegro between 16 September and 25 September 2005. Sixteen national teams entered the event under the auspices of FIBA Europe, the sport's regional governing body. The cities of Belgrade, Novi Sad, Podgorica and Vršac hosted the tournament. It was the third time that the championship was hosted by the city of Belgrade (previous times were in 1961 and 1975). Greece won its second FIBA European title by defeating Germany with a 78–62 score in the final. Germany's Dirk Nowitzki was voted the tournament's MVP. Belgrade, the capital of Serbia and Montenegro, was the main stage of the EuroBasket 2005 action. The Pionir Hall hosted Group C's six preliminary round games, while the Belgrade Arena hosted the competition following the preliminary round. This was the third time that championship was hosted by the city of Belgrade. Belgrade previously hosted the European basketball championships in 1961 and 1975. Podgorica's Morača Sports Center hosted Group B, where six games were played. Being in Montenegro, it is the farthest locale from the central venue. Novi Sad, nicknamed "The City of Sports", is the capital of province of Vojvodina and home to the Spens Sports Center. The six Group D games were played there. Vršac was home to Group A during the tournament, and also had a total of six games played in the 5,000-person capacity Millennium Center. Of the sixteen teams that participated in EuroBasket 2005, hosts Serbia and Montenegro the top four teams from EuroBasket 2003, Lithuania, Spain, Italy and Greece qualified directly. Greece took the place of the French team, which was the fourth-placed team in EuroBasket 2003. The other eleven teams earned their berths via a qualifying tournament. Germany
Italy
Russia
Ukraine
Bulgaria
Croatia
Lithuania
Turkey
Bosnia and Herzegovina
France
Greece
Slovenia
Israel
Latvia
Serbia and Montenegro
Spain
At the start of tournament, all 16 participating countries had 12 players on their roster. Points[3]
Rebounds[4]
Assists[5]
Steals[6]
Blocks[7]
Minutes[8]
Offensive PPG[9]
Rebounds[10]
Assists[11]
Steals[12]
Blocks[13]
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Sports Competition
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The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, before the beginning of a board of governors meeting, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna, Austria, March 1, 2021.
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The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, before the beginning of a board of governors meeting, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna, Austria, March 1, 2021. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo
DUBAI, April 19 (Reuters) - Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday that Tehran always welcomed dialogue with Saudi Arabia, but he did not confirm nor deny direct talks this month between the arch-rivals.
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Diplomatic Talks _ Diplomatic_Negotiation_ Summit Meeting
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1913 Great Strike
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The Great Strike refers to a near general strike that took place in New Zealand from October 1913 to mid-January 1914. It was the largest and most disruptive strike in New Zealand's history. At its height, it brought the economy of New Zealand almost to a halt. Between 14,000 and 16,000 workers went on strike, out of a population of just over one million. The dispute began with a coal miners' strike in Huntly and
on the Wellington waterfront, and quickly spread to other industries around the country. In 1909 militant trade unionists had formed the New Zealand Federation of Labour (the "Red Feds") an organisation opposed to the Liberal government's Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, which meant labour disputes had to be settled though conciliation boards and arbitration courts. Unions at first generally regarded the arbitration system as beneficial, while many employers saw it as limiting their powers. With no significant stoppages between 1894 and 1906, New Zealand became known internationally as ‘the country without strikes’. However, unionists had several complaints about the arbitration system; it failed to increase wages in line with the cost of living, didn't compel employers to pay for all hours of work, and the provisions for employers hiring workers at less than agreed rates were considered too loose. The growth in the number of unions in the early 1900s increased the arbitration courts' workload to the point that unions could wait up to a year before getting a hearing. [1] In 1905 an amendment to the act made strike action and lockouts illegal where there was an award covering employers and workers and another amendment in 1907 increased the penalties for striking illegally. Only unions registered under the Trade Union Act passed the following year could legally strike. With the forming of the federation, affiliated unions withdrew from the IC&A Act and registered under the Trade Union Act. By 1911 the organisations' membership had doubled to nearly 14,000 workers. In March 1913 a dispute began between Wellington shipwrights and the Union Steam Ship Company; the workers wanted the company to either pay them for travelling time or provide them with transport to new workshops at Evans Bay. In May the shipwrights cancelled their registration under the IC&A Act and joined the Federation-affiliated Wellington Waterside Workers' Union (WWWU). On October 6 Allison's Taupiri Coal Company sacked sixteen miners at Huntly, three of whom had recently been elected to the arbitration union's executive. The company refused another ballot and the directors declared that there was nothing to discuss with the union. Three days later the workers voted almost unanimously to strike until the sixteen men, and other miners not re-employed after a strike the previous year, were reinstated. After receiving congratulations from the UFL the miners asked the federation to take control of the dispute. Meanwhile, the Wellington shipwrights had added further grievances to their list, including demands for increased pay and holidays, and they began a strike on October 18. The wharfies held a stop work meeting at 8am on the 20th and decided to refer the dispute to the UFL and returned to work, only to find that scabs had been hired in their place. In defiance of their president another meeting was held and 1,500 workers decided "That no work shall be accepted until such time as the victimised men are re-instated". On November 5 strike supporters clashed with mounted special constables who were riding from their base at Buckle St to Lambton station. [2] Their mission was to escort racehorses from the station to the wharves so they could be shipped to Christchurch for the New Zealand Cup race meeting. The battle between the two parties began on Featherston Street, where specials charged strikers. Pro-strike tram drivers rammed specials on horseback, and metal spikes and detonators were thrown at horses’ feet. The specials later assumed control of the wharves. It was a decisive moment in the strike. The events in Wellington and Huntly received national attention over the next week and many Wobblies in Auckland and Wellington called for action. On October 24 the wharfies invaded several ships and stopped work, that same day the ship owners offered to reinstate the 1912 agreement if work was resumed, but the union rejected the proposal. In Huntly no miners or truckers went to work. The company claimed the union was breaking their agreement, though union leader Harry Holland stated that the 'agreement' had been drafted by the company and 'agreed to' when there was no union. Recalling the events later striker Banjo Hunter recalled "the strike fever spread like a huge epidemic wave"[3]
The conventional idea of the strike is that it was part of a global change in both the ideological beliefs and strategic methods of trade unionists worldwide as the ideas of syndicalism spread. [4] However most of the workers in the strike were 'ordinary people. '[5] it is often seen as an instance of class war; the workers of New Zealand fighting against the employers and their allies in the conservative Reform government that had come to power in 1912. Some historians have suggested that employers engineered the conflict, for example Michael King wrote that "In October of that year [1913]... employers fearing a continuation of 'revolutionary' union tactics, engineered a lockout on the Wellington wharves. "[6] and Richard Hill in his history of the police wrote "the federationists were the victims of a government determined to destroy its class enemies... Leading employers decided to strike at the heart of the union movement before the united federation had a chance to consolidate... with the government assisting in various ways ... the government was more interested in crushing the watersiders than getting the wharves going. "[7]
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Strike
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Northern Cape towns in grip of brown locust outbreak
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Residents of Northern Cape towns have been asked not to panic over clouds of brown locusts passing through the area. People are requested chase away the insects and to switch off outside lights. The towns most affected are Upington, Kimberley, De Aar, Prieska, Kuruman, Springbok and Kathu. The locusts tend to congregate around houses and sports fields. In one instance, locusts swarmed around a children's soccer game. ALSO READ | Minister Thoko Didiza announces locust outbreak in parts of South Africa Agriculture MEC Mase Manopole said the locusts are not harmful to humans, but can destroy vegetation. "The current strong winds are supporting the flight and spread of the locusts, especially into our dwellings," said Manopole. Control measures are underway - but, because of the type of chemicals used, homes cannot be treated. "However, we urge members of the public to chase the locusts away when they are spotted in their yards and also to switch off their outside lights at night." She also asked farmers and farming organisations to inform the department about which areas the locusts are, and to work with officials on the ground to curb the outbreak. The numbers are: Mulalo Matodzi on 083 326 7773, Vuyokazi Mpumlwana on 084 760 8176 and Ikalafeng Kgakatsi on 072 198 9882. WATCH: Home at last - 42 rescue flamingos returned to the Northern Cape Forty two rescue flamingos were recently returned home to the Northern Cape. The birds were part of a group of 500 chicks rescued in January after their natural habitat was threatened. They were treated in Cape Town. WATCH | Northern Cape farmers battle to survive catastrophic drought More than 100 000 farms across the Northern Cape are struggling to survive one of the worst ongoing droughts in the province. Most popular travel spots in SA Many people's holiday plans came to an abrupt halt with the announcement of tightened lockdown restrictions this week. But one of the quietest provinces, the Northern Cape, could benefit. It's the only province whose beaches are open, as it hasn'... WATCH: Rescued flamingos finally fly free After a long process of rehabilitation, yet another group of some 2134 flamingo chicks have been released and have taken to the skies at Kamfers Dam near Kimberley in the Northern Cape. WATCH | No end in sight for the Northern Cape's disastrous drought A ticking time bomb and a day zero awaits for farmers, young and old in the Northern Cape. Gift of the Givers rescues hundreds in Northern Cape Humanitarian group, the Gift of the Givers is deploying to the Northern Cape. A state of disaster has been declared in the province after devastating floods.
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Insect Disaster
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United Airlines Flight 297 crash
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United Airlines Flight 297 was a scheduled flight from Newark International Airport to Atlanta that crashed 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Baltimore on November 23, 1962, killing all 17 people on board. An investigation concluded that the aircraft, a Vickers Viscount 745D turboprop airliner, had struck at least two whistling swans, which caused severe damage to the plane, resulting in a loss of control. The accident resulted in a greater understanding of the amount of damage that can be caused by bird strikes during flight. As a result, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued new safety regulations that required newly certified aircraft to be able to better withstand in-flight impacts with birds without affecting the aircraft's ability to fly or land safely. The flight, flying as United Airlines Flight 297, was a scheduled passenger flight from Newark to Atlanta, with stops at Washington National Airport, Raleigh–Durham Airport, and Charlotte Municipal Airport. [1]:p2 It had 13 passengers and 4 crew members on board. [2] The first leg of the flight was scheduled to last one hour at a true airspeed of 260 knots (300 mph; 480 km/h). [1]:p2
The plane departed Newark at 11:39 a.m. local time and proceeded normally until 12:14 p.m., when it was cleared to descend from 10,000 to 6,000 feet. [1]:p2 At 12:19 p.m., air traffic controllers advised the flight that they had received numerous reports of large numbers of ducks and geese in the area, and the pilots acknowledged the report. [1]:p2 At 12:22 p.m., Washington Approach directed the flight to turn left to a heading of 200 degrees, which was also confirmed by the pilots. [1]:pp2–3 An additional course change was transmitted at 12:23 p.m., but was not acknowledged. At 12:24 p.m., controllers lost radar contact with the plane. [1]:p3
The aircraft struck two whistling swans with its stabilizers at 6,000 feet. One of the birds caused only superficial damage to the right stabilizer, approximately one foot long and an eighth of an inch deep, while the other crashed completely through the left stabilizer and came out the other side. [3][4] The impact caused the stabilizer to separate from the plane; it was found a quarter of a mile from the main wreckage. [3] Investigators estimated that the crash might not have occurred if the two birds had hit the aircraft just a few inches higher or lower. [3] The plane lost control, and in less than a minute, the aircraft's altitude dropped from approximately 6,000 feet to ground level, and its airspeed increased from 240 to 365 knots (280 to 420 mph; 440 to 680 km/h) indicated airspeed. [1]:p6 The plane crashed 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Baltimore and exploded, killing all of the occupants. [2]
The aircraft was a Vickers Viscount 745D, a British medium-range turboprop airliner, serial number 128. It was registered as tail number N7430 and manufactured on June 30, 1956. [1]:p15[5] At the time of the crash, it had a total of 18,809 logged flight hours. [5] It was powered by four Rolls-Royce Dart 510 turboprop engines. [1]:p15 United Airlines acquired the plane from Capital Airlines when the two companies merged in 1961. [2] It was one of 60 built, and had a capacity of 48 passengers. [6]
The pilot of the plane was Milton Balog, of Pennsylvania, who was 39 years old. He had served as a pilot in the United States Army Air Corps flying a bomber in the European theater of World War II and had received the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war, he took a job with Capital Airlines. [2] The copilot was Robert Lewis, who was 32 years old. He held an airline transport pilot licence that had lapsed because he was overdue for a physical, but he was qualified and licensed to fly as a copilot with his commercial pilot license. [1]:p14 Crew member Mary Key Klein had completed her company training and started work on June 21, 1962, and crew member Karen G. Brent had started work for the airline on August 16, 1962. [1]:p15
Of the thirteen passengers aboard the plane, six were off-duty employees of United Airlines. [2]
After the accident, a team of ten investigators from Washington arrived, headed by George A. Van Epps, the chief of safety investigation for the Civil Aeronautics Board. [2] The wreckage from the plane was spread over an area of 100 to 150 yards (90 to 140 m) in diameter, with the largest piece of debris only 15 feet (4.6 m) long. [2] A severe ground fire that broke out after the crash consumed most of the fuselage, right wing, and part of the left wing. [1]:p5 The fire removed potential evidence of additional bird strikes that may have occurred on other parts of the aircraft, but the investigators were able to recover the flight recorder. [1]:pp5–6[2] Investigators reassembled critical parts of the aircraft at Washington National Airport, where they concluded that the aircraft had struck at least two birds. [3]
A partial bird carcass as well as feathers, tissue, and blood was found 10 feet (3 m) from the separated section of the left stabilizer and was identified by the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland to be of bird origin. [1]:p6 Specimens of feathers and bones found at the site were taken to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, who identified them as belonging to whistling swans, birds that can attain weights in excess of 18 pounds (8 kg). [1]:p6 A pilot in the vicinity of the flight had reported seeing a flock of approximately fifty very large white birds flying in a trail at approximately 5,500 feet. [1]:p3 Other pilots in the area also said that air traffic controllers at Washington Center had reported radar contacts near them that the pilots identified as large flocks of birds. [1]:p4
The Civil Aeronautics Board released a final report of their investigation on March 22, 1963. [4] The investigators concluded that the probable cause of the accident was "a loss of control following separation of the left horizontal stabilizer which had been weakened by a collision with a whistling swan. "[1]:p1[4] The board recommended that additional research be undertaken to determine the risks to modern aircraft from bird strikes and to learn how to increase safety of aircraft in the event of bird strikes. [4][7]
Before the accident, aircraft had been designed with the understanding that critical control services of the aircraft were protected from bird strikes by the wings and the propellers of the aircraft. The design of the Viscount 745D created new vulnerabilities because the tailplane was mounted higher than the top of the propeller discs, and therefore was unprotected. The higher cruising speeds of newer aircraft also increased the amount of damage that could be caused by a bird, but nearly all of the prior research on the dangers of bird strikes had been conducted in the 1930s. [7] The only airworthiness regulation that had been in effect about bird strike safety was Civil Air Regulations (CAR) 4b, which required the windshield of an aircraft to be able to withstand an impact from a four-pound (two-kilogram) bird at cruising speed. [7][8]
As a result of the accident, the FAA reviewed data from other bird strike incidents and performed bird strike testing on several types of jet aircraft. [8][9] The investigators concluded that most types of aircraft were inherently bird resistant, but a few types, including the type that crashed, were vulnerable in the empennage area.
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Air crash
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City of Brentwood
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The Brentwood Tree Board is the winner of two Awards of Excellence, a program sponsored by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council, or TUFC and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry. According to TUFC, the Awards of Excellence are presented to those for outstanding leadership, education efforts or activities that have made a significant contribution to establishing and maintaining viable community forests in Tennessee. TUFC President Neil Letson presented the awards and said, “these are our highest honors to recognize a board or committee. In our twenty-eight-year program, this is the first time the Brentwood Tree Board has made the list and we want to congratulate you for this honor.”
The Brentwood Tree Board was selected as the 2021Tree Board recipient through the Awards of Excellence program for its long list of significant progress in meeting the goals of the local urban forestry program. Some of the highlights included in the award nomination included:
Recent Years’ Accomplishments:
Specific Accomplishments during the Pandemic:
• Established a virtual weeklong Arbor Day Celebration in 2021 themed: Stress Re-leaf – Go-See-a-Tree. Highlights of the celebration included:
Tree Board Chairperson, Lynn Tucker said, “throughout the pandemic, the Brentwood Tree Board used technology to its advantage and continued to meet virtually and in outdoor venues, with significant attendance of the full Board. I am very proud of this board and the major accomplishments of the past year.” Letson presented the 2021 Media Award of Excellence to the Brentwood Tree Board staff person and Brentwood Community Relations Director, Deanna Lambert. Letson said “we know our communication professionals have had an extremely difficult year managing the pandemic messages on top all the other regular communication duties. This award in the past has gone to a traditional television media entity but with the evolvement of the power of social media and the level of what Brentwood did during its virtual week, it only made sense to honor Deanna Lambert for her work.” Mayor Little said, “none of Brentwood’s virtual weeklong Arbor Day celebration would have happened without Deanna and her leadership. For this and all she does, we say thank you and congratulate Deanna on this well-deserved recognition!”
The 2021 Virtual Arbor Day celebration in Brentwood included three live video segments, 14 pre-recorded videos and more than a dozen social media posts. Topics such as how to identify an ash tree, Story-time with Ms. Pat at the Brentwood Library and one Brentwood homeowner’s story about how she battled the Emerald Ash Borer were all part of the week. We invite you to view the educational videos on the City of Brentwood YouTube Channel.
Members of the Brentwood Tree Board include Dane Anderson, Brian Evans, Scot Page, Chairperson Lynn Tucker, Cindy Harrison, Patty Schultz, John O’Brien, City Commission Ken Travis, Park Board Representative Kyra Richter, Planning Commissioner Representative John Vitucci and Brentwood Staff Members Erin Kiney of Parks and Deanna Lambert, Community Relations Director.
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Awards ceremony
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Lessons from the host defences of bats, a unique viral reservoir
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There have been several major outbreaks of emerging viral diseases, including Hendra, Nipah, Marburg and Ebola virus diseases, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)—as well as the current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Notably, all of these outbreaks have been linked to suspected zoonotic transmission of bat-borne viruses. Bats—the only flying mammal—display several additional features that are unique among mammals, such as a long lifespan relative to body size, a low rate of tumorigenesis and an exceptional ability to host viruses without presenting clinical disease. Here we discuss the mechanisms that underpin the host defence system and immune tolerance of bats, and their ramifications for human health and disease. Recent studies suggest that 64 million years of adaptive evolution have shaped the host defence system of bats to balance defence and tolerance, which has resulted in a unique ability to act as an ideal reservoir host for viruses. Lessons from the effective host defence of bats would help us to better understand viral evolution and to better predict, prevent and control future viral spillovers. Studying the mechanisms of immune tolerance in bats could lead to new approaches to improving human health. We strongly believe that it is time to focus on bats in research for the benefit of both bats and humankind. The current pandemic of COVID-19—caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)—has led to more than 75,704,857 cases and caused 1,690,061 deaths (as of 21 December 2020)1. Although the possibility of an intermediate host remains an open question, SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have an ancestral origin in bats2—with closest similarity to the bat coronavirus RaTG133. Conceptually, an outbreak caused by an emerging zoonotic bat virus has not only been predicted, but expected4,5,6. Continued human interference with natural ecosystems has resulted in many outbreaks in the past few decades6. Along with well-known bat-borne viruses such as rabies and Ebola virus7,8, there is a range of diverse coronaviruses in bats that have confirmed spillover potential for severe disease outbreaks—including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) (which emerged in 2003) and ongoing outbreaks associated with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) (since 2012). The ability of bats to harbour many viruses—and zoonotic coronaviruses in particular—may result from their ability to efficiently regulate host responses to infection, although species richness may also have a role9. Through ecological factors, biological traits or their underlying unique immune systems, bats can prevent excessive immune pathology in response to most viral pathogens. Examining these processes will unlock key lessons for human health, from understanding ageing to combating cancer and infectious diseases. Across mammalian orders, Chiroptera (bats) is a species-rich taxon that stands out as it is uniquely capable of powered flight; bats represent 1,423 of the more than 6,400 known species of mammal10,11 (Table 1). This diversity is matched by their wide geographical distribution, which spares only the polar regions, extreme desert climates and a few oceanic islands12. Bats are keystone species upon which other fauna and flora are highly dependent for fertilization, pollination, seed dispersal and control of insect populations13,14. Bats roost in foliage, rock crevices and caves, and hollowed trees, as well as human-made structures such as barns, houses and bridges15. Different species may be homo- or heterothermic, using hibernation or shorter, daily episodic torpor to conserve energy16. Bats are prone to low fecundity and use reproductive strategies such as the storage of sperm or prolonged pregnancies, with either seasonal or aseasonal reproductive cycles15. Furthermore, they consume a wide range of diets—including nectar, fruit, pollen, insects, fish and blood (as in the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)). Ever intriguing to humankind, bats possess the sensing powers of echolocation and magnetoreception (the ability to differentiate polar south from north), both of which are used primarily by microbats17,18,19. Differences in ecology, biology and physiology are important factors that must be considered in species-specific responses within bats and in the conduction of experimental studies. Despite the advantages and efficiency of aerial transport, flight is a metabolically costly mode of locomotion20: the metabolic rates of bats in flight can reach up to 2.5–3× those of similar-sized exercising terrestrial mammals21. This enormous energy demand results in the depletion of up to 50% of their stored energy in a day—nectarivorous bats catabolize their high-energy diet of simple sugars as rapidly as 8 min after consumption, and flying bats consume about 1,200 calories of energy per hour22,23,24. Bats possess several metabolic adaptations and optimized airflow patterns to circumvent high-energy expenditures that could otherwise lead to starvation and death25. A key adaptation is the marked alteration of heart rate, which increases by 4–5× during flight to a maximum of 1,066 beats per minute24. To compensate for high levels of cardiac stress, cyclic bradycardia is induced for 5–7 min several times per hour during rest, which may conserve up to 10% of available energy. Despite their high metabolic rates and small statures, bats live substantially longer than non-flying mammals of similar body mass26,27. When adjusted for body size, only 19 species of mammals are longer-lived than humans: 18 of these species are bats (the other is the naked mole-rat)28. On average, the maximum recorded lifespan of bats is 3.5× that of a non-flying placental mammal of a similar size29. As a mammalian model of antiageing, bats may offer vital clues in human attempts to delay mortality and enhance longevity. Bats have been associated with infectious diseases for centuries. Their role in the transmission of rabies virus led Metchnikov to investigate fruit bat macrophages and their immune responses in 190930. More recently, several new or re-emerging viral outbreaks associated with spillover from bat reservoirs have been documented, and a number of reports have highlighted the risk of future spillover events into human populations. Enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA coronaviruses are widespread in animals (54% of those known are associated with bats), and cause mild-to-severe respiratory or enteric disease in humans31. The association between coronaviruses and bats began to be recognized with the discovery of SARS-related coronaviruses in bats32,33,34,35. Since then, bats have been identified as the richest source of genetically diverse coronaviruses36, including the MERS-CoV-like viruses37 and a range of bat coronaviruses38,39,40. Several genome sequences of bat coronaviruses have recently been reported that show a high genetic similarity to SARS-CoV-23,41. The increasing number of spillover events of bat viruses—and of coronaviruses in particular—is believed to stem from the disruption of the natural ecosystems that host bats through climate change, increased urbanization pressure from humans, wildlife trade and animal markets34,42,43 (Fig. 1). Some large global initiatives have been funded to examine the risk factors for potential spillover events, but the funding of this area of research has been reduced in recent years44,45. Although an event such as COVID-19 has increasingly been anticipated, few scientists would have expected the magnitude and speed of spread of this current pandemic. Coronaviruses may transmit naturally (black arrows) among humans, bats and other wildlife (such as racoon dogs, hedgehogs, pangolins, palm civets, camels (as is known for MERS-CoV) and mink)158. Human interventions may amplify the spread (red arrow). Transmission cycles may be amplified in urban areas that are normally at a minimal risk of exposure, increasing transmission to humans and accelerating an outbreak scenario. (1) Natural zoonotic infection cycles from domestic animals or wildlife (including bats) to humans and vice versa; human populations at risk include bat guano farmers, or individuals living and working in areas that overlap with bat habitats. (2) Natural enzootic cycle between different species of wildlife (including bats), and domestic animals and wildlife. (3) Amplification and spread between overlapping bat populations—as, for example, seen among species in the Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae for SARS-related coronaviruses159. (4) Amplified zoonotic infections and spread to urban areas via human interventions, including wildlife trade and increased urbanization. (5) Anthropozoonotic infections from humans back to domestic animals or wildlife (for example, as in mink farming50). (6) Human migration patterns facilitate spread to urban areas (for example, during holiday seasons160). (7) Amplified viral spread among humans or animals and humans in dense urban settings. It should also be emphasized that bat-borne viruses cause devastating outbreaks not only in humans, but also in animals such as pigs and horses46,47,48,49. During a large-scale outbreak (as with the current COVID-19 pandemic), there is a risk of spillback or ‘reverse’ zoonotic (anthropozoonotic) transmission from human to animals, as has been demonstrated by COVID-19 outbreaks in minks on two farms in the Netherlands, followed by animal-to-human transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus50. Anthropozoonotic infections of SARS-CoV-2 have also been observed from pet owners to domestic cats and dogs51,52, and to tigers and lions housed in zoos53. There is a predicted risk of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to other free-ranging mammalian wildlife, including the great apes54 and bats in different geographical locations55, and this perceived threat has affected the wildlife tourism industry in many countries. Although intermediate hosts such as civets and pangolins have been implicated in SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks (respectively), these animals exhibited pulmonary oedema and inflammation in response to infection with SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses56,57,58, which suggests that they are not true reservoirs for these coronaviruses. By contrast, bats lack clinical signs of disease when infected with the majority of viruses, although there are some rare exceptions. High-titre infection with Tacaribe virus59 or infection with species-divergent strains of lyssavirus60 can cause severe symptoms and death. The filovirus Lloviu virus is associated with the death of bats in Spain61 and the fungal white-nose syndrome kills bats by affecting energy needs as bats awake from hibernation or torpor62. The unique status of bats as a viral reservoir is further confirmed by the fact that bats host more zoonotic pathogens than any other known mammalian species63,64,65. Previous reviews have discussed the biological traits of these flying mammals and how these traits may empower bats to act as exceptional reservoirs4,6,66,67,68. Some putative explanations for reservoir potential propose that immune variation during hibernation69 or the higher temperatures that bats experience during flight (in the ‘fever’ hypothesis70) decrease viral loads and therefore maintain their status as a viral reservoir. However, studies on bat cells grown at high temperatures do not show a decrease in viral titres compared to cells grown at 37 °C71. In addition, these hypotheses have lost traction recently as more studies indicate a tolerance of virus infection rather than an active reduction of viral load. Recent work on bat metabolism, mitochondrial dynamics, innate and adaptive immunity and links between metabolic and immune systems have provided insights into the potential dynamic responses in bats. What makes bats special might not be their antiviral ability, but rather their antidisease features72,73,74. Here we hypothesize that the unique balance between host defence and immune tolerance in bats may be responsible for the special relationship between bats and viruses (particularly coronaviruses). Homeostasis is the ultimate state of health for any living system, from cells to human bodies, and obtaining homeostasis requires the constant adjustment of biochemical and physiological pathways. For example, the maintenance of a constant blood pressure results from fine adjustments to and balancing of many coordinated functions that include hormonal, neuromuscular and cardiovascular systems. This is also true of an effective host defence system. Although an appropriate level of defence is required to combat pathogens and diseases, excessive or dysregulated responses lead to cellular damage and tissue pathology. Many emerging bat-borne viruses—including SARS-CoV and Ebola virus—are highly pathogenic in humans, which correlates with an aberrant innate immune activation with prolonged and/or stronger immune responses75,76,77,78. By contrast, infected bats show no or minimal signs of disease even when high viral titres are detected in tissues or sera, which suggests that they are tolerant of viral diseases79,80,81,82. Recent studies have provided insights into the mechanisms used by bats to fine-tune a balance between protective versus pathological responses, which may contribute to their extraordinarily long lifespans and low incidence of cancer (Fig. 2). Bats show an excellent balance between enhanced host defence responses and immune tolerance through several mechanisms. Examples of enhanced host defences include constitutive expression of IFNs and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), increased expression of heat-shock proteins (HSPs), a higher base level expression of the efflux pump ABCB1 and enhanced autophagy. On the other hand, dampened STING and suppressed inflammasome pathways—such as dampened NLRP3, loss of PYHIN and downstream IL-1β—contribute to immune tolerance in bats. The unique status of bats as a viral reservoir has triggered increasing interest and efforts to characterize the immune system of bats. Earlier efforts focused on genomic73,83 and transcriptomic analysis84,85,86, and particularly on interferon and antiviral activities87,88,89,90. Humans express minimal baseline levels of type I interferons (IFNs), and they are highly inducible upon stimulation91. By comparison, the black flying fox (Pteropus alecto) constitutively expresses some baseline IFNα, and many species of bats express several IFN-stimulated genes before stimulation84,89,92,93. This may be regulated by IFN regulatory factors (IRFs), as differential expression patterns of IRF794 and enhanced IRF3-mediated antiviral responses95 are observed in bats. The restricted induction of type I IFNs would minimize production of inflammatory cytokines93. The kinetics of the IFN response in bats also differs from those of other mammals, with a faster decline phase for some bat interferon-stimulated genes88. In addition, several antiviral genes—such as RNASEL88,90—are IFN-induced in bats but not in other mammals84,93 or have undergone selection pressure to potentially alter function, such as those encoding Mx proteins96 and APOBEC397. Antiviral immune activation in bats has also previously been reviewed98,99. Just as IFN signalling varies across mammals100, there is likewise variation in the IFN response across bat species. For instance, P. alecto shows a contraction of an IFN locus89, whereas the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) exhibits no constitutive IFN but has one markedly expanded IFN locus—especially for IFNω73. Several species suggest a restricted induction profile of IFNα and IFNβ compared to human or mouse84,92,93. Dysregulation of the IFN response has previously been implicated in autoimmune diseases101 and the pathogenesis of several bat-borne viruses, including Ebola virus76, SARS-CoV75,76,77 and SARS-CoV-2102,103. Together, these bat-specific changes in baseline expression, kinetics, induction or functions of antiviral genes in IFN signalling could help bats to efficiently control the numerous viruses that they host. In addition to the innate immune responses, recent studies have shed light on other mechanisms of bat host defence. Enhanced autophagy has a key role in the increased clearance of lyssavirus from bat cells104, and is known to regulate immunity and mediate pathogen clearance105. Bats express very high levels of heat-shock proteins, which confers upon bat cells the ability to survive at high temperature and high oxidative stress in vitro. Heat-shock proteins contribute to the rapid acceleration of viral evolution by chaperoning viral proteins and tolerating some viral mutations106. They also act as a viral receptor107, regulate inflammation108, block apoptosis109 and affect ageing110. Common to all bats yet examined, mitochondrial and nuclear oxidative phosphorylation genes show evidence of specific adaptive evolutionary changes that support the large metabolic demands associated with flight99,111. Bats also have a concentration of positively selected genes in the DNA-damage checkpoint pathways that are important for cell death, cancer and ageing, in addition to the innate immune pathways83. A recent study has demonstrated that efficient drug efflux through the ABCB1 transporter in bats blocked DNA damage induced by the chemotherapeutic drugs doxorubicin and etoposide, conferring resistance to genotoxic compounds, regulating cellular homeostasis and possibly lowering the incidence of cancer112. Bats have a reduced production of reactive oxygen species compared to similar-sized non-flying mammals, but retain intact activity of the important antioxidant superoxide dismutase113,114. These findings suggest either a more effective scavenging of reactive oxygen species or a lower production of reactive oxygen species by bat mitochondria: a recent study has confirmed decreased generation of reactive oxygen species in bats, without the age-dependent decline of antireactive oxygen species defence seen in mice115. Both naturally infected and experimentally infected bats indicate tolerance of viral infection, even during a transient phase of high viral titres79,80,81,82. For instance, the infection of bats with high doses of Ebola virus79 and MERS-CoV81 caused minimal or no clinical disease, although titres can reach as high as 107 fluorescent focus-forming units per millilitre of sera for Ebola virus and 107 median tissue-culture infectious dose (50% reduction) equivalents per gram of lung tissues for MERS-CoV. This supports an immunological tolerance to RNA viruses in bats, particularly during the acute response. These observations have triggered increasing efforts to study how bats limit excessive or aberrant innate immunue responses. From the initial characterization of two divergent bat genomes83 and through more recent genome additions73,116,117, a consistent trend for the evolution of immune-related genes—including those encoding the pattern recognition receptors—has been revealed. Pattern recognition receptors sense endogenous molecules from damaged cells and structurally conserved microbial structures, known as damage and pathogen-associated molecular patterns, respectively118. The recognition of viral invasion by these pattern recognition receptors and their downstream signalling are key first-line defences119. The first mechanistic study of immune tolerance in bats showed that the STING-dependent type I IFN response was dampened in several bat species, and that this results from a point mutation of a highly conserved residue of STING87. STING is an important pattern recognition receptor that mediates cytosolic-DNA-induced signalling and has a key role in infection, inflammation and cancer120. This mutation might be driven evolutionarily to tolerate the overactivation of STING by host DNA damage that is induced by flight.
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Disease Outbreaks
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American Eagle Flight 5452 crash
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American Eagle Flight 5452 was a commuter flight between Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Eugenio María de Hostos Airport in Mayagüez. The flight was operated by Executive Airlines, doing business as American Eagle, and was operated by a CASA C-212 Aviocar aircraft. Visual meteorological conditions were present as the plane made its final approach to runway 9 at Mayagüez on May 8, 1987. The plane crashed 600 feet short of the runway,[1] destroying the aircraft and killing both pilots, but leaving the four passengers with only minor injuries. [2]
Flight 5452 took off five minutes late, at 6:20 am, from San Juan with four passengers aboard. Half an hour later, as the flight was landing, witnesses reported hearing the engine make irregular sounds, and then observed the plane bank to the left and impact the ground. It was initially reported that the pilot lost control while landing. [1] The plane crashed short of the runway and slammed into the airport perimeter fence. After the crash, a fire broke out, which was contained within minutes by airport firefighters. [2]
The aircraft, a CASA C-212~C registered N432CA, was put into service with Executive Airlines in October 1986 after it was purchased from Prinair. As a result of the impact of the crash and subsequent fire, the aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft involved in the crash had prior maintenance troubles related to engine torque. In fact, just a day before the accident, issues with the propeller blade angle were addressed by Executive's maintenance department. The captain, Franklin Rivera Velez, 44, held an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate. He had 20 years of pilot experience, with about 10,000 hours of total flying time. He had accumulated about 5,000 hours of turbine engine airplane experience, 4,500 hours of which were in the deHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, and 473 hours of which were in the CASA C-212. The first officer, Reynold E. Santiaqo Cordero, 32, also held an ATP certificate. He had 10 years of pilot experience, with about 4,473 hours of total pilot time, 459 hours of which were in the CASA C-212. He was not type rated in the CASA C-212. Early similarities were drawn between Flight 5452 and that of Northwest Airlink Flight 2268, another CASA C-212 which crashed in Detroit earlier that year. [3] The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated. The investigation was hindered by the lack of flight data or voice recorders, which were not required on commuter aircraft at the time, and by lack of radar data, as the Mayagüez control tower had been shut down by the Federal Aviation Administration due to budgetary constraints. Airport facilities, however, were not a factor in the crash. [2]
The NTSB determined early on that the captain had flown an unstable approach, descending steeply and too close to the runway. As a result, the captain would not have had sufficient time to correct problems as they arose. Furthermore, the plane's flaps were found to be in the up position, which is improper procedure. The NTSB could only speculate that either the pilots forgot to set the flaps, or that they incorrectly retracted the flaps while attempting to go-around. The flap-setting error could have contributed to a stall. [2]
Ultimately, the cause of the crash was not blamed on pilot error, although that was a contributing factor, but rather on maintenance issues at Executive Airlines. Pilots on prior flights flying the accident aircraft had reported difficulties with the engine thrust, but few proper repairs were done. It seemed likely that one of the engines slipped to idle, causing asymmetrical thrust and a loss of speed. The NTSB concluded that Executive Airlines' scheduled maintenance and inspections of the airplane were not performed in conformance with its approved maintenance program, and that the manner in which required inspections of maintenance tasks were recorded and the subsequent approval of the airplane for return to service were not conducted in accordance with the proper maintenance practices. [2]
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Air crash
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Lagos Open (2000–present)
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Lagos Open is an International Tennis Federation accredited tournament that takes place annually at Lagos Lawn Tennis Club. The event is classified as a $25,000 ITF Women's and Men's Circuit tournament. It has been held in Lagos, Nigeria. Due to the West African Ebola virus epidemic, the 14th edition was competed only by African players and was made a non-point winning tournament by ITF. By 2015, the move has reversed, and the competition regained its international status. [1] In 2018, the competition was renamed from "Governor's Cup Lagos Tennis" to "Lagos Open", which was stated by the organizers as a procedure from ITF to increase the prestige of the competition from a Futures tournaments to a Challenger series. [2][3] The total prize money for the 2017 edition was $100,000. [4]
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Sports Competition
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Taxi driver charged over crash that injured five other people at Old Noarlunga, may lose accreditation
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Taxi driver charged over crash that injured five other people at Old Noarlunga, may lose accreditation An off-duty taxi driver has been charged over a crash that injured himself and five other people in Adelaide's south early this morning. The 20-year-old man has also been removed as a driver with Suburban Taxis. Emergency services were called to the corner of Seaford Road and Main South Road in Old Noarlunga about 2:00am, after the Toyota Camry sedan hit a brick wall of a business. One occupant was trapped and had to be cut from the vehicle, while two 16-year-old girls and an 18-year-old woman were taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital. A 14-year-old boy and 26-year-old man were taken to the Flinders Medical Centre All injuries are considered non-life-threatening at this time. The driver was also taken to the Flinders Medical Centre with minor injuries. He was later charged with four counts of causing harm by dangerous driving and refusing breath analysis. He was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court in November. In a statement, Suburban Taxis said the driver was not taking a fare or looking for one at the time of the crash. Chief executive Vince Mazzone said the man had been "removed from our platform while the investigation is underway" and would lose his accreditation for both taxi driving and ride share services if alcohol or drugs were found in his system. Taxi Council SA president John Trainer said the taxi was essentially another private vehicle since it was not on duty at the time of the crash. "We're as concerned as anybody else that people have been injured in this way, even though the taxi concerned was not actually a taxi at the time. It was not different to any private vehicle," he said. He said taxi drivers had to have a full driver's licence so it was rare for someone as young as 20 to be one. Main South Road reopened about 9:10am after being closed for several hours. SA Police are also investigating a serious crash at Davoren Park, in Adelaide's north, yesterday evening. It happened on Heytesbury Road near Studley Street, about 5:30pm, after a motorcycle and a sedan crashed. The rider, a 32-year-old man from Davoren Park, was taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital with life-threatening injuries, while the driver of the car, a 24-year-old man from Davoren Park and his female passenger, were uninjured. Meanwhile, a motorcyclist has died after a crash near Birdwood, in the Adelaide Hills. Crews were called to Torrens Valley Road, between Birdwood and Mount Pleasant, just after 11:30am. The 74-year-old man from Salisbury North died at the scene.
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Road Crash
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Authorities race to contain deadly Nipah virus outbreak in India
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New Delhi — Authorities in India's southern Kerala state are racing to contain an outbreak of the Nipah virus. The virus, which is not related to the coronavirus behind the current global pandemic and is far more deadly, killed a 12-year-old boy in Kerala over the weekend, prompting stepped-up efforts to trace his contacts. New infections have been confirmed. The boy was admitted to a hospital a week ago with high fever. As his condition worsened and doctors suspected inflammation of his brain (encephalitis), his blood samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology, where tests confirmed a Nipah infection. He died early on Sunday. Government authorities have stepped up contact tracing efforts, identifying, quarantining and testing people who may have come into contact with the young victim. According to the state's health minister, Veena George, 188 people who came into contact with the boy had been identified by Monday. Of them, 20 were considered high-risk primary contacts — primarily his family members, all of whom were being held under strict quarantine or hospitalized. Two healthcare workers who came into contact with the victim were already showing symptoms of Nipah infection by Monday. They were admitted to a hospital and their blood samples sent for testing. Authorities sealed off the area within about a two-mile radius of the boy's home, and they were screening people for symptoms in all adjoining districts of Kerala state. The neighboring state of Tamil Nadu was also on high alert for any suspect cases of fever. This is the second time in three years that a Nipah virus outbreak has been reported in Kerala, which is also reeling under a high rate of COVID-19 infections. The state reports about 68% of India's approximately 40,000 new cases every day. Like the coronavirus, Nipah is a zoonotic virus, or one that is transmitted from animals to humans. Transmission generally occurs when humans either come into direct contact with the animals, or through consumption of contaminated food. But a high number of human-to-human transmission cases of Nipah have also been reported. Fruit bats of the family Pteropodidae — commonly known as the "flying fox" — are the natural carriers of Nipah. They are known to transmit the virus to other animals including pigs, dogs, cats, goats, horses and sheep. An infected human typically shows symptoms including fever and headache for anywhere between three days and two weeks, followed by a cough, sore throat and respiratory issues. The condition later progresses swiftly to swelling in the brain cells, leading to drowsiness, confusion, and then possible coma and death. There is no cure or vaccine for Nipah yet, and patients are only given supportive medical care. According to the World Health Organization, up to 75% of Nipah infections prove fatal. The mortality rate for the coronavirus, by comparison, is believed to be about 2%. About 20% of survivors experience neurological symptoms that can persist, including seizures and personality changes. The Nipah virus was first discovered in Malaysia in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers. Since then, there have been multiple outbreaks — all of them in South and Southeast Asia. In all, it is known to have killed more than 260 people. A 2004 Bangladesh outbreak was traced back to humans consuming date palm sap that had been contaminated by infected fruit bats. The last outbreak in India, which hit Kerala in 2018, killed 17 of the 18 people who caught it. Those infections were all traced back to fruit bats found dead in the water of a family's well. Nipah is considered less contagious than the coronavirus, but its much higher mortality rate, a longer incubation period of up to 45 days, and its ability to infect a much wider variety of animals all make Nipah a cause of significant concern for epidemiologists trying to predict and prevent the next pandemic. Veasna Duong, head of virology at the Institut Pasteur research lab in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, has studied human-bat interactions in the region, and he told the BBC earlier this year that the close proximity that people and bats find themselves in at markets and other crowded places across Asia poses a serious risk. "This kind of exposure might allow the virus to mutate, which might cause a pandemic," Duong told the BBC's Future program, adding that in some circumstances, the virus could even find a host to carry it out of Asia. "We observe [fruit bats] here and in Thailand, in markets, worship areas, schools and tourist locations like Angkor Wat – there's a big roost of bats there," he told the BBC's Future program. "In a normal year, Angkor Wat hosts 2.6 million visitors. That's 2.6 million opportunities for Nipah virus to jump from bats to humans annually in just one location." Scientists warn that as the climate warms and humans destroy more natural habitat of species like the fruit bats in Asia, opportunities for new zoonotic variants to emerge increase. The WHO says in its note on the Nipah virus that, "the risk of international transmission via fruits or fruit products (such as raw date palm juice) contaminated with urine or saliva from infected fruit bats can be prevented by washing them thoroughly and peeling them before consumption. Fruit with signs of bat bites should be discarded."
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Disease Outbreaks
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One million UK job vacancies mean unemployed people have choices and the economy is recovering
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Hospitality businesses are most likely to be struggling to fill vacancies (Photo: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images) By Grant Fitzner September 20, 2021 2:04 pm(Updated 2:58 pm) This recession has been different in many ways. One particularly unexpected – but welcome – difference has been the remarkable performance of the UK labour market . At a time when one might have expected unemployment to be rising, it’s been falling. The unemployment rate now stands at 4.6 per cent of the labour force. That’s not that much higher than the 4.0 per cent rate we saw just before Covid-19 hit and substantially lower than the 8.4 per cent seen in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Likewise, job vacancies have been rising at a rapid clip. Our latest estimates put vacancies at just over one million in June to August 2021. This is the highest level since records began, up a quarter of a million from pre-coronavirus pandemic levels.
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Financial Crisis
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Three remain in hospital after Marshall gas explosion and fire
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MARSHALL - Three people, including a 2-year-old girl, remain in hospitals following a gas explosion and house fire more than a week ago.
Marshall Fire Chief Martin Erskine said Tuesday two adults, a man, 38, and woman, 27, are at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. The woman's daughter, 2, remains a patient at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo.
Two other people, a man, 38, and woman, 43, were released from Bronson Hospital last week. A man, 36, a woman, 35, and a boy, 10, were treated and released shortly after the incident.
Police Chief Josh Lankerd said Tuesday that names of the people injured are not being released pending notification of next of kin and as the investigation into the exact cause of the explosion and fire remain under investigation.
Marshall city firefighters assisted by firefighters from Marengo and Marshall townships were called to 532 Clinton St. at 1:42 a.m. and found the house engulfed in flames and eight people injured.
Erskine said Tuesday that the incident remains under investigation but that it was caused by a natural gas explosion and he said investigators don't suspect foul play.
The house was being renovated and there was a gas leak but investigators are unsure what triggered the explosion.
Local authorities are being assisted by the Michigan State Police Fire Investigation Department.
Erskine said contact information is being provided for anyone who would like to make donations to the families.
• Donations for the 38-year-old male at University of Michigan Hospital are being directed to Ashley Johnson at (269) 274-0802.
• Donations for the 27-year-old female at University of Michigan Hospital and her 2-year-old daughter a Bronson Hospital are being directed to Tiffany Brumbaugh at (269) 580-0482.
• Donations for the 36-year-old male and 35-year-old female, released shortly after the incident, are being directed to Joseph Kornmeyer at 269-234-8990.
• Donations for the 43-year-old female, 38-year-old male and his 10-year-old son are being directed to Kit Waterson at (269)-719-0419.
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Gas explosion
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Brexit: UK-EU trade deal could collapse over Northern Ireland row
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The UK's trade deal with the EU could collapse in a row over Northern Ireland, says a senior Irish minister.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has hinted the EU could terminate its trade deal with the UK if the latter triggers Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol. Photo: AFP or licensors
The UK is thought to be preparing to suspend parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney hinted the EU could terminate the Trade and Cooperation Agreement in response.
He said: "One is contingent on the other so that if one is being set aside there is a danger that the other will also be set aside by the EU."
Northern Ireland is covered by a special Brexit deal known as the Protocol.
It keeps Northern Ireland in the EU's single market for goods, which prevents a hard border with Ireland and allows free-flowing trade with the EU.
But it also creates a trade border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which is causing difficulties for some businesses.
Article 16 of the Protocol allows parts of the deal to be suspended if it is causing serious problems - the UK says that threshold has been reached.
The EU has proposed operational changes to the Protocol but the UK is demanding more far-reaching changes.
Coveney said that if the UK did suspend parts of the Northern Ireland deal it would be "deliberately forcing a breakdown in relationships and negotiation between the two sides".
He linked that to the wider UK-EU deal, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).
Either side can give 12 months notice that they intend to terminate the TCA.
On Sunday Coveney said the "messages" that he was getting from political parties in Northern Ireland, the European Commission and others was that London was preparing to trigger Article 16 after the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
He told Irish national broadcaster RTÉ that such a move would be a "significant act that would damage relationships between Britain and Ireland".
"I think all the evidence now suggests that the British government are laying the foundations to trigger Article 16," Coveney said.
"That is a worry - I think we need not to be naïve in terms of what's happening."
The minister said the UK was deliberately asking for "what they can't get".
Earlier, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said suspending parts of Northern Ireland's Brexit deal would not resolve the dispute between the UK and EU.
The Labour leader told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show he wanted to see "both sides sitting down and resolving this".
"There's a little bit of me, I am afraid, that can't help think that the prime minister is constantly trying to pick a fight on things like this so he hopes people don't look elsewhere in the forest, which are things like the Owen Paterson affair," Sir Keir said.
Asked if he would be prepared to renegotiate the Brexit deal to mitigate any impact on economic growth, Sir Keir said he would not rip up the deal but there were "sensible adjustments" that could be made to improve the arrangement.
"I think we need to make Brexit work ... in order to do that, we have got to deal with some of the gaps and weaknesses in the current arrangements."
The Labour leader said he would do "whatever I could to make it easier for British firms to trade across the world, but particularly with the EU".
"What I'm not talking about is re-joining the EU, what I'm not talking about is ripping up the current agreement and starting again - nobody wants to be in that place."
Former Conservative Prime Minister Sir John Major said on Saturday that triggering Article 16 and suspending parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol would be "colossally stupid".
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has warned the UK government that suspending parts of the protocol could endanger the wider Brexit withdrawal agreement with the EU.
On the prospect of the UK triggering Article 16, McDonald said: "It would demonstrate just again colossal bad faith and demonstrate again that Ireland, the north of Ireland in particular, is collateral damage in the Tory Brexit as they play games and play a game of chicken with the European institutions."
- BBC Copyright © 2021, Radio New Zealand
Europe hosts 'last chance' climate talks at G20 & COP26, Paris & London clash over post-Brexit fishing rights, the EU Parliament takes EU Commission to court and the Netherlands breaks record of… Audio
International analyst Geoffrey Miller explains why the free trade agreement between New Zealand and the United Kingdom is not just about building back butter.
The US president's comments come as he met Boris Johnson for talks in the White House.
Today was the second and final day of the leaders meeting at the UN COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.
Scott Morrison was accused by Emmanuel Macron of lying about plans to scrap a submarine deal.
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Tear Up Agreement
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405th AFSB to establish facilities for 4,200 more Afghan evacuees in Germany, Kosovo
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KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – Evacuees from Afghanistan began arriving in Kaiserslautern this week as part of Operation Allies Refuge. Initially, the Deployment Processing Center at Rhine Ordnance Barracks here – configured to accommodate just over 2,200 people – was activated to support the arriving Afghan evacuees, but thanks to the 405th Army Field Support Brigade’s contracting capabilities as part of its Logistics Civil Augmentation Program-Europe, ROB’s capability will increase by 3,000 more in the next few days to a total of more than 5,200. Additionally, LOGCAP-Europe has issued a contract to support 1,200 more individuals at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, at part of Operation Allies Refuge, which is also scheduled to be fully operational in the next few days. The 405th AFSB LOGCAP contracts will provide fest tents, containerized shower systems, containerized latrine systems, a laundry capability for individuals and for linens, a full-service dining capability, cots and everything else life support related, said Michael Johnson, LOGCAP-Europe senior planner for the 405th AFSB. Johnson said this no notice mission, from concept to execution, was completed in record time. “I’ve seen LOGCAP in the past operate super-fast,” said Johnson. “In weeks, we’ve supported exercises. In just 10 days, we supported a regionally aligned forces rotation of a thousand Soldiers, but what happened with Operation Allies Refuge – we were able to receive notice on Friday they might need something. By Saturday night we issued the contract to increase capacity by an additional 3,000. In four days, we had equipment arriving on site and in an additional four days, the site will be fully operational.” Although this is one of the first no notice requirements for LOGCAP, Johnson said all the exercises and training up until now – the Defender Europe, Saber Guardian and Saber Strike exercises – have definitely prepared the 405th AFSB for this. “I think the most amazing thing about this operation as a whole is – pretty much every military member I’ve talked to who has done a deployment to Afghanistan has had some sort of positive experience with the Afghan population,” said Johnson. “So I think the entire military community has made it a priority to make this happen. Because of that – from the senior leadership all the way down to the individuals on the ground – every single person is motivated. I think that is the number one reason this is happening so quickly and so efficiently.” The process was flattened as much as possible, and everything that is required to be done to get the contractor on the ground to execute has happened, said Johnson. Johnson said the 405th AFSB has also been tasked to increase capability at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, to support 1,200 more personnel – to include beds, tents, latrines, showers, food service and all life support needs. “The contractors are mobilizing now and are expecting to have the first 600 beds ready either tonight or tomorrow. The next 600 will be available about three days after that, and by the end of the week we’re going to have the capacity in place to support 1,200 individuals down at Camp Bondsteel,” Johnson said. Operation Allies Refuge is facilitating the quick, safe evacuation of U.S. citizens, Special Immigrant Visa applicants and other at-risk Afghans from Afghanistan. This initiative follows through on America’s commitment to Afghan citizens who have helped the United States, and provides them essential support at secure locations, where they and their families can complete the SIV process safely. The 405th AFSB is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging the U.S. Army Materiel Command materiel enterprise to support joint forces.
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Military Exercise
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Getting out of the World Health Organization might not be as easy as Trump thinks
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US funding has helped the World Health Organization tackle Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo. US President Donald Trump’s decision, announced on 29 May, to withdraw funding from the World Health Organization (WHO) was never in doubt. Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, the White House has been intensifying its charge that the WHO was slow to respond to the threat, and overly influenced by China. Undoubtedly, the agency has lessons to learn, and, at the World Health Assembly last month, WHO member states endorsed an independent evaluation. It is irresponsible and dangerous for the United States — the WHO’s largest donor — to bypass the agreed process and withhold roughly US$450 million in annual funding in the middle of one of the worst pandemics in recent history. This will undermine the world’s efforts to control the new coronavirus and will endanger more lives as COVID-19 continues on its destructive path. The chances that the US decision could be reversed at this stage are slim, but there is a small window of time, during which everything possible must be tried. There is too much at stake not to do so. What a US exit from the WHO means for COVID-19 and global health The United States was among the biggest champions for establishing an international agency to assist countries in rebuilding national health systems after the Second World War. Since then, the United States’ compulsory and voluntary financial contributions have enabled the WHO to carry out life-saving work in low- and middle-income countries and regions — for example, in treating Ebola, HIV and polio. And US public-health researchers and policymakers are embedded in the organization’s many research and policy-making bodies. US researchers are also members of many of the WHO’s scientific-advisory groups, including those on COVID-19. And US institutions, especially the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, work with the WHO by hosting what are called collaborating centres. One such centre, which has partners in Australia, China, Japan and the United Kingdom, monitors influenza and helps to design flu vaccines. The US presence in the WHO was important to the reform, in 2005, of the International Health Regulations, under which countries are obliged to accurately report outbreaks, cases and deaths. The regulations needed strengthening because under-reporting had been a feature of past disease outbreaks, resulting in lost lives. The authors of these regulations could not have imagined that a US president would promote and then justify collecting inaccurate data. Trump did so at a rally on 20 June, when he said he had asked officials to go slow on coronavirus testing — a clear breach of these regulations. Researchers are debating what form the US withdrawal will take, and how quickly it could happen. Funding that has been given cannot be taken back; nor can voluntary contributions that have been pledged in advance. And the WHO’s founding constitution lacks a provision for countries to withdraw. Under a resolution passed by both US houses of Congress in 1948, the United States must give one year’s notice and pay any outstanding funds if it wishes to leave. Whether the White House will be bound by this, and what powers Congress has to enforce its earlier decision, are a matter of debate. But, as far as the WHO constitution is concerned, countries that join remain members. Researchers: show world leaders how to behave in a crisis Those interviewed for this editorial — researchers in international law and public health, WHO advisers and members of other multilateral processes — agree that a member state cannot be compelled to stay. The Soviet Union famously led a walkout of Eastern bloc countries from the WHO in 1949 owing to concerns that the United States was too dominant, and these countries returned only after the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. But the absence of a formal withdrawal mechanism allowed the WHO’s first director-general, Canada’s Brock Chisholm, to classify the Soviet membership as ‘inactive’ rather than ‘withdrawn’. Something similar could happen now, creating a path for the eventual return of the United States should it leave. The United Nations did eventually create rules — the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and its 1986 extension — that cover how countries can exit a multilateral organization from which there is no provision to withdraw. But the United States is among those that have not ratified these agreements, a decision that the White House might come to regret. Trump’s decision to withdraw from the WHO seems to follow a pattern of behaviour that includes the 2017 decision to leave the UN’s science-cooperation agency UNESCO, and his ending of US involvement in the Iran nuclear deal. But this latest move is different in one important respect: some influential voices in Trump’s own Republican Party are urging him to reconsider. That represents an audience for researchers, research institutions, industry and health campaigners to work with, to highlight the dangers of a US exit. Lawmakers must be pressed to reverse this dangerous decision, or, at the very least, to ensure that any outstanding dues are paid and that the one-year period of notice before withdrawal is respected. If the United States wants to improve the WHO, it needs to back both the independent evaluation, as other WHO member states have done, and implementation of recommended changes — not turn its back entirely. If, as seems probable, the Trump administration does order a swift withdrawal, the WHO’s constitutional duty is to keep the country’s seat, so that the United States can quickly return when a future leader makes a wiser choice.
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Withdraw from an Organization
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1975 Women's European Volleyball Championship
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The 1975 Women's European Volleyball Championship was the ninth edition of the event, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball. It was hosted in several cities in Yugoslavia from 18 to 25 October 1975, with the final round held in Belgrade. The tournament was played in two different stages. In the first stage, the twelve participants were divided into three groups of four teams each. In the second stage, two groups were formed, one containing the winners and runners-up from all first stage groups (six teams in total) to contest the tournament title. A second group was formed by the remaining six teams which played for position places (7th to 12th). All groups in both stages played a single round-robin format.
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Sports Competition
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An economist explains what happens if there’s another financial crisis
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Record-setting rain, floods and wildfires are examples of the rising risks to the U.S. housing market from climate change. Mortgage lenders and investors are woefully unprepared not only to mitigate their risk but to even gauge that risk, according to a new report from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Research Institute for Housing America. “They are anxious to figure out what to do but not sure where to go to find out. They are unprepared but no longer unaware,” said Sean Becketti, author of the report and former chief economist at Freddie Mac. There are numerous stakeholders in housing finance, including consumers, landlords, homebuilders, appraisers, mortgage originators and servicers, insurance companies, mortgage investors, government agencies, and the government-sponsored enterprises that issue mortgages (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). That means climate change will send significant pressure down a long financial line. Not only is climate change putting more stress on the National Flood Insurance Program, it could increase mortgage default and prepayment risks, trigger adverse selection in the types of loans that are sold to the GSEs, increase the volatility of house prices, and produce significant climate migration, according to the report. For instance, lenders who securitize their loans with the GSEs could face additional costs for representation and warranty insurance, which covers breach of contracts or warranties in large financial transactions, and higher risk as the GSEs revise their requirements in response to climate change. More specifically, the GSEs might require lenders to perform additional due diligence to determine the need for flood insurance, and the lag in updating official flood maps may force lenders to incorporate additional sources of information on flood risk. As a result, the GSEs might not be allowed to buy loans on homes with higher flood risks. In addition, the National Flood Insurance Program is in the midst of a major overhaul, which will change pricing for homeowners. That will affect home values and consequently the values of the mortgages that back those homes. The biggest problem right now is uncertainty for mortgage stakeholders. “They’re wondering what to do next more than anything else. There haven’t been any rule changes that affect the firms in the mortgage market, but they’re being contemplated,” said Becketti. Today, the mortgage market relies heavily on the insurance industry to gauge its risk. But most mortgage industry risk models are focused on credit and operating risk. “In the case of modeling for risk, the mortgage industry still predominantly thinks of protection in terms of property and casualty risk, which is underwritten and priced by insurance companies,” said Sanjiv Das, CEO of Caliber Home Loans. “The industry doesn’t model climate risk as much and mostly relies on models from FEMA or insurance companies.” But the Federal Emergency Management Agency is already highly stressed due to the record volume of natural disasters in the past few years. If FEMA changes what it will back, mortgage lenders could be on the hook for losses. In addition, borrowers displaced by natural disasters could default on their home loans. Following Hurricane Harvey in Houston in 2017, mortgage industry leaders warned of a potential climate foreclosure crisis as the storm flooded close to 100,000 Houston-area homes. In Harvey’s federally declared disaster areas, 80% of the homes had no flood insurance because they weren’t normally prone to flooding. Serious mortgage delinquencies on damaged homes jumped more than 200%, according to CoreLogic. The costs of estimated defaults are the centerpiece for banks, lenders, investors and mortgage servicers to assess profitability, as well as loan loss reserves and economic capital. “If incremental defaults due to climate change turn out to be material for one or more of these stakeholders, regulators and investors are likely to require those stakeholders to quantify the impact of those incremental defaults and to gauge the sensitivity of those estimates to key assumptions,” Becketti said in the report. Finally, mortgage bond investors, who are already asking for more information from lenders about climate risk, could also pull back, leaving the mortgage market with less liquidity. This week, the Securities and Exchange Commission published a letter it has sent to public companies asking them to offer more information to investors about their climate risk. The letter details physical and financial risks from climate disasters, as well as risks from climate-related changes to regulations or business models. While it doesn’t name the specific companies receiving it, the banking industry is a likely recipient. The question is, how do we best measure such risk? While there is now a new cottage industry of companies measuring all facets of climate risk to corporate America, as well as the housing market, there is no standard risk measurement for investors. “Investors have built sophisticated risk models for default and severity but are novices when analyzing acts of God,” said Bill Dallas, president of Finance of America Mortgage. “Today investors avoid these potential risks by simply not buying loans. As fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and torrential floods become more commonplace, investors will have to act more as actuarial insurers than mortgage lenders in order to build risk models that contemplate acts of God,” he added.
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Financial Crisis
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Justin Theroux Accidentally Coined Another Celebrity Divorce Phrase
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Try as he might, Justin Theroux could not escape coining a celebrity divorce phrase when he finally spoke about his separation from Jennifer Aniston. In a recent New York Times profile, Theroux turned to the subject of the dissolution of their marriage, and said, somewhat heart-wrenchingly: “The good news is that was probably the most—I’m choosing my words really carefully—it was kind of the most gentle separation, in that there was no animosity. In a weird way, just sort of navigating the inevitable perception of it is the exhausting part.”
Despite Theroux’s sincere and careful word choice (not to mention obvious discomfort with this part of the fame equation), “gentle separation” sounds like a parody of Gwyneth Paltrow’s much-jeered “conscious uncoupling,” which she cited in her own divorce from Chris Martin. Though to be fair, they guy never had a chance—you try being famous and saying something normal about your highly public split from America’s favorite haircut!
He went on to explain that it was a “small event” because actors live the life of a “carny,” so breaking up doesn’t completely upend one’s life, as it may for non-carny folk. “But everything can feel like 10 on the Richter scale if you make the headline big enough and salacious enough,” he said, seemingly with the knowledge that these words, too, would reverberate in the press (and they did.
The actor maintains that he and Aniston are still friends, which is much easier to wrap one’s head around. “It was heartbreaking,” he said, “only in the sense that the friendship would not be the same, as far as just the day to day. But the friendship is shifting and changing, you know, so that part is something that we’re both very proud of.”
A publicist for the couple offered an equally self-conscious statement to the Associated Press when news of the split surfaced in February. “Normally we would do this privately, but given that the gossip industry cannot resist an opportunity to speculate and invent, we wanted to convey the truth directly,” it said. “Whatever else is printed about us that is not directly from us, is someone else’s fictional narrative. Above all, we are determined to maintain the deep respect and love that we have for one another.”
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Famous Person - Divorce
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Colorado Freeway Buried by Mudslides to Open Saturday
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Colorado Gov. Jared Polis says the state should be able to reopen a vital interstate highway corridor that was blocked by massive mud and debris slides in a wildfire burn scar area to limited traffic on Saturday. Polis made the announcement after touring repair work along Interstate 70 in the Glenwood Canyon area on Wednesday. The interstate, which winds through the narrow, 18-mile-long (29-kilometer-long) canyon, has been closed since July 29, when a series of mud and debris slides triggered by heavy rain buried parts of the highway. Polis said workers hope to open traffic on one lane in each direction by Saturday afternoon as repairs continue. State transportation workers have been removing thousands of tons of debris from the roadway, which connects Denver to the West Coast. Mudslides have become more frequent and intense since the Grizzly Creek Fire scorched about 50 square miles in the canyon last summer, making conditions ripe for debris flows in burn-scarred terrain. Scientists have long warned mudslides can follow wildfires made worse by climate change. Such slides have caused deaths and destruction in recent years in California and other parts of the U.S. West. The July 29 mudslides stranded more than 100 people in their vehicles overnight, capping several weeks of perilous conditions in the scenic canyon carved by the Colorado River. The 46-mile-long closure has forced commercial and personal vehicle traffic to make hours-long detours, and state transport officials even recommended long-haul commercial trucks take Interstate 80 to the north in Wyoming as an alternate route. “We are pushing to get this open as quickly as we can. But of course it has to be safe before we can do that,” Polis said after touring the area with Shoshana Lew, executive director of the state transportation department, and other transport and U.S. Forest Service officials, The Post-Independent reported. “At this point, we are confident it will be open Saturday afternoon with one lane each way.” Polis said both lanes in each direction will open, likely in November, with initial repairs to the road surface, though motorists should prepare for short-term closures as repair work continues. “There’s really only about a quarter-mile patch where it would go down to one lane,” he said. In one section, a 15-foot-deep hole pocks the eastbound lanes, and a barrier wall along the westbound lanes sustained significant damage. In several areas, crews had to remove 10 to 15 feet of debris in order to inspect damage underneath. The Federal Highway Administration has authorized an initial $11.6 million in funding for the work. Polis has requested $116 million in emergency federal aid. Scientists say special calculations are needed to determine how much global warming is to blame, if at all, for a single extreme weather event such as the debris flows. But a historic drought and recent heat waves tied to climate change have, no doubt, made wildfires harder to fight in the American West. Climate change has made the region much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and is expected to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive, which could lead to more mudslides as rain falls on burn scars.
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Mudslides
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2011 PDC World Darts Championship
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The 2011 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship was the 18th World Championship organised by the Professional Darts Corporation since it separated from the British Darts Organisation. The event took place at the Alexandra Palace, London from 16 December 2010 and 3 January 2011. A total of 72 players took part, 16 of whom began at the preliminary round stage, with the eight winners joining the remaining 56 players in the first round proper. Phil Taylor was the defending champion, having won the 2010 tournament. He was knocked out of the tournament at the quarter final stage by Mark Webster, who in turn was defeated by Adrian Lewis in the semi-finals. Lewis went on to win the tournament, beating Gary Anderson 7–5 in the final to become only the fifth different PDC World Champion and the first to have won it without having won the rival BDO World Championship. [1]
The final between Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson was notable for being the last match that Sid Waddell commentated on at the PDC World Darts Championship. It was also notable for the first ever nine-dart finish in a world championship final, hit by Lewis in the third leg of the match. 4-time PDC World Championship semi-finalist Wayne Mardle was a notable absentee, missing out on his first World Championship since 1999. The 3-time PDC World Championship finalist Peter Manley was also another notable absentee, having missed out since 1998. The televised stages featured 72 players from a minimum of 22 countries. The top 32 players in the PDC Order of Merit on 29 November 2010 were seeded for the tournament. [2] They were joined by the 16 highest non qualified players in the Players Championship Order of Merit from events played on the PDC Pro Tour. These 48 players were joined by two PDPA qualifiers (which were determined at a PDPA Qualifying event held in Derby on November 29, 2010), and 22 international players: the 4 highest names in the European Order of Merit not already qualified, the 2 highest names in the North American Order of Merit not already qualified and 16 further international qualifiers determined by the PDC and PDPA. Some of the international players, such as the 4 from the European Order of Merit, and the top American and Australian players were entered straight into the first round, while others, having won qualifying events in their countries, were entered into the preliminary round. Order of Merit
Pro Tour
European Order of MeritFirst Round Qualifiers
PDPA QualifiersFirst Round Qualifier
Preliminary Round Qualifier
International QualifiersFirst Round Qualifiers
Preliminary Round Qualifiers
The 2011 World Championship featured a prize fund of £1,000,000 – the same as in the previous year. The Third Place Playoff did not take place this year. The prize money is allocated as follows:[2]
The preliminary round were played from Dec 16 to Dec 23 with one match per day. The format was best of 7 legs. The winner of the eight Preliminary Round matches joined 56 other players in the First Round. The First Round draw took place on Tuesday 30 November live in the studio of Sky Sports News, and was conducted by 1983 World champion Keith Deller and Sky Sports darts' analyst and former World Matchplay champion, Rod Harrington. [4]
[5]
This table shows the number of players by country in the World Championship, the total number including the preliminary round. Sky Sports broadcast all 72 matches live in high-definition in the United Kingdom. Dave Clark presented the coverage with analysis from Rod Harrington and Eric Bristow. They also commentated on matches along with Sid Waddell, John Gwynne, Nigel Pearson, Rod Studd and Stuart Pyke. This was the first PDC World Championship where Dave Lanning wasn't commentating having retired prior to the tournament. Due to the ill health of Harrington, Wayne Mardle replaced him post-Christmas and featured both commentating and co-presenting alongside Clark. Former England cricketer Andrew Flintoff was also a guest commentator twice during tournament. Interviews were handled by either Clark, Bristow or Studd. In the Netherlands SBS6 broadcast all matches live through a live stream on the SBS6 website and Sport1 broadcast all the matches on television, both with commentary provided by Jacques Nieuwlaat and Leo Oldenburger. In Germany it was broadcast live on Sport1 with co-commentary provided by Roland Scholten, and in Australia it was broadcast live on Fox Sports.
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Sports Competition
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Air Transport International Flight 805 crash
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Air Transport International Flight 805 was a regularly scheduled domestic cargo flight from Seattle to Toledo operated by Burlington Air Express. On February 15, 1992 the Douglas DC-8 operating the flight crashed during a second go-around attempt at Toledo Express Airport, killing all four people on board. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the accident was caused by pilot error due to the aircraft's control not being maintained. [1][2]
The aircraft involved was a Douglas DC-8-63F (registration N794AL), that had its maiden flight in 1968. It was initially a passenger aircraft and was delivered to Scandinavian Airlines on August 16 the same year. It then operated for Icelandair, Thai Airways, and TransOcean Airways, before being converted into a freighter and sold to Burlington Air Express. [3] The aircraft was powered by four Pratt & Whitney JT3D-7 turbofan engines. [1]:13–17[2][4]
On November 13, 1991, while operating a flight from Toledo to Los Angeles (for Flagship Express), the accident aircraft's cargo door opened after takeoff from Toledo. The aircraft (sustaining minor damage) was able to land safely, and the three crew members survived with no injuries. The failure of the cargo door had been caused by the flight engineer failing to verify that the door was closed properly. The flight crew was unaware of the improperly closed door as damaged wiring caused the door indicator light to go out despite the door itself not having been closed properly. In addition, the door had been improperly installed with weak locks. [5][6][1]:47
The captain was 59-year-old Harry Baker, who had 16,382 flight hours, including 2,382 hours on the DC-8. The first officer was 37-year-old Tim Hupp who had 5,082 flight hours, with 3,135 of them on the DC-8 (1,148 hours as a flight engineer and 1,992 hours as a first officer). The flight engineer was 57-year-old Jose Montalbo, who had 21,697 flight hours, including 7,697 hours on the DC-8. Ramon Papel, a pilot at Buffalo Airways, was also on board as a non-revenue passenger. [1]:11–13,62[7][8]
Flight 805 departed from Seattle on-time at 21:45 Eastern Standard Time (EST). First officer Hupp was the pilot flying. The flight was uneventful until it approached Toledo. [1]:1 Flight 805 was cleared for an ILS approach to runway 07 with the controller advising the crew about light to moderate precipitation. At 03:02, Flight 805 was cleared to land, and captain Baker acknowledged the transmission. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) then recorded the flight crew going over the landing checklist. After this however, captain Baker started complaining to first officer Hupp that he was flying too slow with the flaps not having been extended into the landing configuration. He even told him, "You're not even on the [expletive] localizer at all." In other words, the aircraft had failed to capture the localizer and was below the glide path, resulting in an unstable approach. Baker subsequently declared a go-around at 03:13. [1]:2
When the approach controller asked Flight 805 on why they initiated go-around, captain Baker responded, "We lost the localizer close in there...couldn't position ourselves on final...we had the glidepath, but not the localizer." The approach controller gave Flight 805 a 100 degree heading for another approach. [1]:2
During the second approach the aircraft managed to capture the localizer, with captain Baker advising first officer Hupp about the wind conditions. At 03:21, Flight 805 was again cleared to land on runway 07. However, the approach became destabilized again, with the ground proximity warning system (GPWS) sounding three "glideslope" warnings and three "sink rate" warnings. There were also three changes in power. At 03:24, Baker told Hupp that he was taking over control of the aircraft and initiated another go-around. [1]:3
At 03:25, first officer Hupp reported the go-around to the tower controller and were instructed to climb and maintain 3,000 feet (910 m) and then turn left onto a 300 degree heading. However the aircraft began to bank 80 degrees and pitch up 25 degrees. Captain Baker transferred control of the aircraft back to first officer Hupp and asked him if he had the control, to which he responded, "I got it." Hupp then attempted to raise the aircraft's nose and level the wings, but was unable to recover control. At 03:26 the aircraft crashed into the ground 3 miles (4.8 km; 2.6 nmi) away from runway 07. All four people on board were killed instantly, and the aircraft was destroyed. [1]:3 Parts of the aircraft landed in the backyard of a house. No one on the ground was killed, but thirteen people on the ground were injured; one person in the house that the debris landed near was injured by falling plaster caused by the force of the impact, and 12 firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation. [8]
During the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation both flight recorders were recovered. Investigators discovered that when captain Baker took control, he became spatially disoriented and accidentally caused the plane to enter an unrecoverable bank and attitude. The NTSB also focused on the aircraft's attitude indicators (ADI), human factors, the power changes by using the Flight Data Recorder (FDR), and the manner of first officer Hupp's approach. Because of the aircraft's previous cargo door incident, the NTSB considered the possibility that the aircraft had once again experienced a cargo door opening mid-flight. Seven door latches were found; one of which had lost its latch pins on impact. If the cargo door had opened in mid-flight the CVR would suddenly record a loud sound of rushing air. Flight 805's CVR did not record this, nor the flight crew did bring up any abnormal sounds. The crew also didn't bring up the door warning light. Thus, the NTSB concluded that the cargo door had been functioning normally, did not open in mid-flight, and was not a factor in the accident.
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Air crash
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Cornfield Bomber crash
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The "Cornfield Bomber" is the nickname given to a Convair F-106 Delta Dart, operated by the 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron of the United States Air Force. In 1970, during a training exercise, it made an unpiloted landing in a farmer's field in Montana, suffering only minor damage, after the pilot had ejected from the aircraft. The aircraft, recovered and repaired, was returned to service, and is currently on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The individual aircraft was manufactured by Convair in 1958 and received the tail number 58-0787. It served with 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron based at Malmstrom Air Force Base adjacent to Great Falls, Montana. During a routine training flight conducting aerial combat maneuvers on February 2, 1970, the aircraft entered a flat spin. The pilot, Captain Gary Faust,[2] attempted to recover, deploying the aircraft's drag chute as a last resort;[3] recovery proved to be impossible. Faust fired his ejection seat and escaped the stricken aircraft at an altitude of 15,000 feet (4,600 m). [4]
The reduction in weight and change in center of gravity caused by the removal of the pilot,[5] coupled with the blast force of his seat rocketing out of the plane pushing the nose of the aircraft down,[2] which had been trimmed by Faust for takeoff and idle throttle, caused the aircraft to recover from the spin. [5] One of the other pilots on the mission was reported to have radioed Faust during his descent by parachute that "you'd better get back in it!". [3] From his parachute, Faust watched incredulously as the now-pilotless aircraft descended and skidded to a halt in a farmer's field near Big Sandy, Montana. [5] Faust drifted into the nearby mountains. He was later rescued by local residents using snowmobiles. [3][4]
Shortly thereafter the local sheriff and local residents arrived at the scene of the crash. The thrust from the still-idling jet engine allowed the aircraft to slowly drift on its belly along a field. [2] The sheriff, having contacted the air base, was informed that he should simply allow the jet to run out of fuel, which occurred an hour and forty-five minutes later without further incident. [3] A recovery crew from McClellan Air Force Base arrived on the scene and began to dismantle the aircraft, removing its wings for transport aboard a railroad flat car. The damage to the aircraft was minimal; indeed, one officer on the recovery crew is reported to have stated that if there were any less damage he would have simply flown the aircraft out of the field. [3][4]
Following its misadventure, the "Cornfield Bomber" was repaired and returned to service, operating with the 49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, the final Air Force unit to operate the F-106. [3] Faust flew the aircraft again in 1979 while training at Tyndall Air Force Base. [6] Upon its retirement, it was presented to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in August 1986, where it remains on display. [1][5]
Coordinates: 48°10′40″N 110°06′53″W / 48.17778°N 110.11472°W / 48.17778; -110.11472
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Air crash
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European Union accuses Google of market abuse, launches antitrust investigation into Android
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The European Union accused Google of cheating competitors by distorting internet search results to favour its shopping service, and launched another antitrust investigation into its Android mobile operating system.
Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said the US tech giant, which dominates internet search engines worldwide, had been sent a Statement of Objections - effectively a charge sheet - to which it can respond. She also said other probes into Google's business practices would continue.
"I am concerned that the company has given an unfair advantage to its own comparison shopping service, in breach of EU antitrust rules," she said. "If the investigation confirmed our concerns, Google would have to face the legal consequences and change the way it does business in Europe."
The Commission, whose control of antitrust matters across the wealthy 28-nation bloc gives it a major say in the fate of global corporations, can fine firms up to 10 per cent of their annual sales, in Google's case up to $6.6 billion.
If it finds that companies are abusing a dominant market position, the EU regulator can also demand sweeping changes to their business practices, as it did with US software giant Microsoft in 2004 and chip-maker Intel in 2009. Its record antitrust fine was 1.09 billion euros on Intel.
Asked whether she was ready to go as far as fining Google, Ms Vestager told a news conference: "It is very important that every road is open - first when it comes to commitments but also when it comes to the other road, at the end of which is a fine."
Google now had an opportunity to explain itself, she said, and the case might be settled by the company making further commitments to change its products.
Of the formal investigation into Android, used on smartphones and tablets, Ms Vestager said: "I want to make sure the markets in this area can flourish without anticompetitive constraints imposed by any company."
In its first reaction, the California-based company said in a blog post that it strongly disagreed with the EU's statement of objections and would make the case that its products have fostered competition and benefited consumers.
"Android has been a key player in spurring this competition and choice, lowering prices and increasing choice for everyone (there are over 18,000 different devices available today)," it said of its free operating system for mobile devices.
Ms Vestager, a Danish liberal who took over the politically charged EU competition policy dossier in November, announced the moves on the eve of a high-profile visit to the United States. Her findings following nearly five years of investigation and abortive efforts by her Spanish predecessor, Joaquin Almunia, to strike a deal with Google.
The focus on the ranking of searches for shopping sites - Google has its own service called Google Shopping - did not address all complaints lodged with the Commission by competitors, large and small, in Europe and the United States, which say Google has hurt their business.
Ms Vestager stressed her antitrust staff would continue to investigate other areas of concern, including alleged "web scraping" to copy rivals' content, and restrictive practices on advertising.
She stressed the EU regulator did not seek to change Google's screen design nor the mathematical algorithms it uses.
Google initially has 10 weeks to respond to the charges and can demand a hearing. A final resolution - quite possibly involving court action if Google does not choose to settle - is likely to take many months and probably years. Reuters
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Organization Fine
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1934 Hillman's Airways de Havilland Dragon Rapide crash
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The 1934 Hillman's Airways de Havilland Dragon Rapide crash occurred on 2 October 1934 when a de Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide of Hillman's Airways crashed into the English Channel off Folkestone, Kent, killing all seven people on board. The aircraft was operating an international scheduled passenger flight from Abridge Aerodrome to Le Bourget Airport, Paris. The accident resulted in the first write-off of a Dragon Rapide. The accident aircraft was de Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide G-ACPM, c/n 6251. [1] This aircraft was the first production Dragon Rapide. [2] The aircraft had been entered in the 1934 King's Cup Race by Lord Wakefield but withdrew at Waddington following hail damage. It had been delivered to Hillman's Airways on 27 July. [3]
The flight had departed Abridge at 10 am. Cloudbase was 700 feet (210 m) and visibility was 2 miles (3 km) but decreased in rain within half an hour of the aircraft's departure. At 10.47, the aircraft was approaching the coast and the pilot asked Croydon for a radio bearing. The bearing received placed him north of Dover. The normal route in conditions of bad visibility was from Dungeness to Le Touquet. The pilot turned south to regain his course. At about 11:02, the aircraft dived into the sea and was destroyed, killing all seven people on board. [4]
The location of the accident was 4 miles (6.4 km) off Folkestone. [5] The crash was heard by the crew of the German SS Leander. A boat was lowered and some wreckage and two bodies were discovered within ten minutes. [4] Visibility at the time was poor in patchy rain with a cloudbase of 300 feet (91 m)[6] The British coaster SS Snowcrete joined the search. Its boat recovered a third body. The Southern Railway's cross-channel ferry SS Biarritz also joined the search. Two more bodies were recovered. The victims were transferred to Biarritz which took them to Folkestone before resuming her voyage to Boulogne. The Dover Lifeboat and a tug from Dover searched for the remaining two victims. [4] Wreckage from the aircraft was landed at Dover and Folkestone. [5] The accident resulted in the first write-off of a Dragon Rapide. [7]
The inquest into the deaths of the five people whose bodies had been recovered was opened by the Folkestone Coroner at Folkestone Town Hall on 4 October. [5] Evidence was given that the aircraft had probably crashed into the sea at high speed and all victims had died from multiple injuries. A verdict of "accidental death" was returned on all five victims. [6]
An Air Ministry investigation determined the cause of the accident to be pilot error due to the pilot's lack of experience in navigation and blind flying. Although conditions lower down were extremely poor, there was little cloud between 3,000 and 8,000 ft (910 and 2,440 m). The sea was calm and the pilot was unable to distinguish its surface. [8]
The nationalities of the victims were:[4]
Coordinates: 51°1′37″N 1°13′48″E / 51.02694°N 1.23000°E / 51.02694; 1.23000
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Air crash
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1999 Latakia protests
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Syrian Government
The 1999 Latakia protests (or 1999 Latakia incident)[1] were violent protests and armed clashes, which erupted in Latakia, Syria following 1998 People's Assembly's Elections. The violent events were an explosion of a long-running feud between Hafez al-Assad and his younger brother Rifaat. [1] Two people were killed in fire exchanges of Syrian police and Rifaat's supporters during police crack-down on Rifaat's port compound in Latakia. According to opposition sources, denied by the government, the protests left hundreds of dead or injured. [2]
Member State of the Arab League (Suspended)
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History portal
When Hafez al-Assad suffered from heart problems in 1983, he established a six-member committee to run the country. Rifaat was not included, whereas the council consisted entirely of Sunni Muslim loyalists close to Hafez. This caused unease in the Alawi-dominated officer corps, and several high-ranking officers began rallying around Rifaat, while others remained loyal to Hafez's instructions. Rifaat's troops, then numbering more than 55,000 with tanks, artillery, aircraft and helicopters, began asserting control over Damascus, with a clear attempt to succeed his brother. Tensions between forces loyal to Hafez and those loyal to Rifaat were extreme, but by early 1984, Hafez had recovered and assumed full control, at which point most officers rallied around him. In what at first seemed a compromise, Rifaat was made vice-president with responsibility for security affairs, but this proved a wholly nominal post. Rifaat was then sent abroad on "an open-ended working visit." Both his closest supporters and others who had failed to prove their loyalty to Hafez were purged from the army and Ba'ath Party in the years that followed. Rifaat was, thereafter, confined to exile in France and Spain. He nominally retained the post of vice president until 1998, when he was stripped even of the title. He had retained a large business empire both in Syria and abroad, partly through his son Sumer. Elections to the People's Assembly in Syria were held on 30 November and 1 December 1998, at which the NPF, led by the ruling Ba'ath party, won the majority of seats. [2] On 11 February 1999, a national referendum verified the Assembly's decision to nominate President Assad for a fifth term in office. It was also speculated that Bashar al-Assad to be promoted to vice-presidency, after already acquiring colonel army rank in January that year. In June, Syrian authorities undertook a campaign by Bashar to counter corruption in public office, which resulted in several officials and businessmen detained. In October, after a nine-month trial, former Syrian intelligence service director got a lengthy prison sentence for alleged corruption and embezzlement of public funds. [2]
In September, large scale arrests by security forces of some 1,000 people in Damascus and Latakia aimed on supporters and relatives of Rifaat al-Assad. [2]
In October, subsequent closures of Rifaat's interests provoked several days of violent clushes between Rifaat's supporters and security forces. The official version was that Rifaat had ignored a series of decrees from the Syrian Transport Ministry, ordering a demolition of his 'jetty' and an accompanying complex that had been established on 11,410 sq. meters of public land. [1]
When the police were sent to enforce the closure of the compound, they encountered small-arms fire and retreated. [1] The security forces then attacked and occupied the port, resulting in two people killed. [1] Opposition reports of those events, rejected by the Syrian Government, indicated that hundreds of people were killed of injured. [2]
After the events, the Information Minister, Muhammad Salman, warned that if Rifaat returns to Syria he would face criminal charges. It was never explained why the 'illegal' port of Rifaat had been tolerated for four years (1995–1999), before the crack-down. [1] The 1999 crackdown in Lattakia destroyed much of Rifaat's remaining business network in Syria; large numbers of Rifaat's supporters were arrested. This was seen as tied to the issue of succession, with Rifaat having begun to position himself to succeed the ailing Hafez, who in his turn sought to eliminate all potential competition for his designated successor, his son Bashar al-Assad. In France, Rifaat loudly protested the succession of Bashar al-Assad to the post of president, claiming that he himself embodies the "only constitutional legality" (as vice president, alleging his dismissal was unconstitutional). He made threatening remarks about planning to return to Syria at a time of his choosing to assume "his responsibilities and fulfill the will of the people." He also exclaimed that he will rule benevolently and democratically, which he will do so with "the power of the people and the army" behind him.
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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33 miners have been stuck in a tunnel 2,300ft (700m) below the ground for nearly a month after a rock fall.
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Scientists from the US space agency Nasa have advised the trapped Chilean miners to regulate their day and night sleep patterns.
A team of four visiting experts said the men should boost their Vitamin D intake and phase in an exercise program as their nutrition improves.
The 33 miners have been stuck in a tunnel 2,300ft (700m) below the ground for nearly a month after a rock fall.
They must now wait two to four months for engineers to drill an escape shaft.
Chile's government invited the Nasa team to the San Jose gold and copper mine to offer tips for helping the men keep physically and mentally healthy while they wait to be rescued.
"One of the things that's being recommended is that there be one place, a community area, which is always lighted," said Al Holland, a Nasa psychologist, speaking at a press conference outside the mine.
"And then you have a second area which is always dark for sleep, and then you have a third area which is work, doing the mining, and the shifts can migrate through these geographic locations within the mine and, in that way, regulate the daylight cycle of the shift."
The miners lost an estimated 22lbs (10kg) each during the 17 days before they were found alive. Since then, they have been receiving food, water and medicine through three bore-holes.
On Thursday, the men received their first hot meal - meatballs, chicken and rice. Previously they had received only glucose tablets and high-protein milk.
Michael Duncan, the Nasa team leader, said that authorities should add an exercise regime to the miners' schedules.
"Before our astronauts go into space, we put them on exercise programs and the miners, even though they're doing some work down there, we will want to phase in some exercise programs as their nutrition improves," he added.
The operation to drill a rescue shaft at the mine, near Copiapo, has penetrated more than 40m (130ft) deep since it began on Monday.
Meanwhile, two alternative rescue plans are in progress, according to Andres Sougarret, the engineer in charge of the rescue.
A second, faster drill that could aid the men's rescue arrived at the site on Friday and could begin work on Sunday, said Mr Sougarret.
The T-130 excavator will be deployed initially to enlarge the supply chute to allow larger objects to be sent down to the 33 men.
"What's more, we've got a third plan, called plan C, consisting of an oil drilling machine that will require a platform the size of a football pitch," said Mr Sougarret.
"It will be working before 18 September (Chile's Independence Day)."
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Mine Collapses
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Maharashtra reports 5,108 Covid-19 cases, 159 deaths
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Mumbai: Pedestrian crushed to death after truck's loose hook entangled into his bag and dragged below rear tyre Maharashtra's case recovery rate stands at 97.04 per cent while the fatality rate is 2.12 per cent. MUMBAI: Maharashtra reported 5,108 new coronavirus cases and 159 fatalities on Thursday taking the tally of infections to 64,42,788 and death toll to 1,36,730, a health department official said. As many as 4,736 patients were discharged from hospitals, taking the cumulative number of recovered patients to 62,52,150. The state has 2,93,147 people in home quarantine, 2,334 in institutional quarantine and 50,393 active patients. Maharashtra's case recovery rate stands at 97.04 per cent while the fatality rate is 2.12 per cent. The cumulative number of coronavirus tests conducted in the state climbed to 5,30,48,070 with 2,07,265 samples tested on Thursday. Seven districts -- Dhule, Jalgaon, Nandurbar, Jalna, Hingoli, Akola and Nagpur -- along with the cities of Chandrapur, Amravati, Akola, Nanded, Parbhani and Malegaon did not record any new coronavirus case during the day. Satara district reported the highest 821 new infections on Thursday, followed by Pune district with 658 new infections. Satara district also recorded the highest 32 deaths. Among eight regions of Maharashtra, Pune region reported the highest 2,450 new Covid-19 cases, followed by 851 cases in Mumbai region. Kolhapur region reported 827 new cases, Nashik region 744, Latur region 185, Nagpur region 18, Aurangabad region 17 and Akola region 16 . The highest 73 fatalities were reported from Pune region, followed by 31 fatalities from Kolhapur region. Significantly, Akola region did not report any fresh death, while Nashik region reported 21 fatalities, Mumbai 20, Latur 10 and Aurangabad and Nagpur regions two deaths each. Mumbai city witnessed 398 new Covid-19 cases and seven deaths, while Pune city reported 316 new cases and 13 fresh fatalities. Of 50,393 active patients in the state, Pune district accounts for the highest 13,085. Coronavirus figures ofMaharashtra are as follows: Total cases 64,42,788, New cases 5,108, Total deaths 1,36,730, New deaths: 159, Total recoveries- 62,52,150, Active cases 50,393, New tests 2,07,265.
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Disease Outbreaks
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Ronaldo breaks all-time men's international scoring record with brace for Portugal in Republic of Ireland clash
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The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who returned to Manchester United from Juventus in the summer transfer window, has made more history for his country
Cristiano Ronaldo broke the all-time men's international scoring record by netting Portugal's opener in their World Cup qualifying clash with the Republic of Ireland.
Ronaldo showed off his fabled scoring instincts as he netted in the 89th minute to tie the score at 1-1 at Estadio Algarve, making history in the process. He would add a stoppage-time winner for good measure as Portugal defeated the visitors 2-1.
The 36-year-old has now scored 111 international goals, becoming the most prolific player to ever grace men's international football.
Ronaldo's big moment came in the 89th minute, with the Portugal star already squandering a chance earlier in the game.
The newly signed Manchester United star had a chance to seal the record from the spot in the first half, but was denied by 19-year-old goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu.
His big moment couldn't be held off forever, though, as Ronaldo scored a header from a Goncalo Guedes assist in the 89th minute.
Then, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, Ronaldo added a winner with another header, sealing a 2-1 win for Portugal in the process.
THERE IT IS!?Ronaldo is now the all-time international scorer in men's football with 110 goals ?pic.twitter.com/lZSEBwGalq
Ronaldo equalled Ali Daei's record of 109 international goals after scoring twice in Portugal's 2-2 draw against France in the Euro 2020 group stages earlier this summer, and has now surpassed the Iran legend.
The Juventus superstar moved two ahead of German great Miroslav Klose as the highest-scoring player in European Championship and World Cup competition (21) after netting that brace, and recorded his 110th and 111th strikes against the Republic of Ireland in his 180th game for his country.
Ronaldo is also the outright top scorer in Euros history on 14, and he is the only player to ever play and score in five consecutive appearances at the tournament.
Ronaldo's staggering exploits in the final third for Portugal have helped cement his standing as one of the greatest players of his generation.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has also won two trophies with his country, including Euro 2016, but his achievements at club level are arguably even more impressive.
Ronaldo has scored 674 goals in 894 games across spells at Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, and has yet to show any signs of slowing down despite advancing towards his late 30s.
The Portuguese striker has lifted 30 club trophies, including seven league titles and five Champions League crowns, with a Suppercoppa Italiana and Coppa Italia double capping off his last campaign in Italy with the Bianconeri.
He shocked the football world by sealing a surprise return to United on deadline day, bringing to an end his three-year stay at Juve, and will be expected to continue to deliver the goods in the final third at Old Trafford over the course of his two-year contract.
Ronaldo delighted after sealing Man Utd return
'Fernandes will give up penalties to Ronaldo but not free-kicks'
The former Reds captain has returned to the Premier League after being drafted in to replace Dean Smith at Villa Park
The 21-year-old has been one of the standout performers in this season's Premier League, but he faces stiff competition to reach the next level
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Break historical records
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Great Pyramid artefact found in Aberdeen
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from inside the Great Pyramid in Giza – the other two being a stone ball and a hook. These three items are collectively known as the Dixon Relics, after the engineer Waynman Dixon who discovered them inside the pyramid’s Queen’s Chamber in 1872. While the ball and hook went to the British Museum, the cedar was donated to the University of Aberdeen in 1946 by the daughter of James Grant, a physician from Methlick, Aberdeenshire, who assisted Dixon with his exploration of the pyramid. After its donation, the wood’s location was forgotten until Abeer Eladany, a curatorial assistant at the University of Aberdeen, found it while conducting a review of the university’s Asia collection. The wood had been placed in an old cigar tin with the Egyptian flag emblazoned across it, so Abeer, who is originally from Egypt herself, knew at once that this item was unlikely to be Asian in origin. Commenting on her discovery, Abeer said: ‘Once I looked into the numbers in our Egypt records, I instantly knew what it was, and it had effectively been hidden in plain sight in the wrong collection. 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!’ Soon after the discovery was made, a sample of the wood was sent for radiocarbon dating, but due to COVID-19 the analysis was delayed. The results have just recently come in, though, and show that the wood probably dates to 3341-3094 BC – more than 500 years earlier than the presumed date of the Great Pyramid’s construction. The reason for this discrepancy is not immediately apparent, but it could be that the wood was from the centre of a particularly long-lived tree. Alternatively, as wood was fairly scarce in ancient Egypt, it may have been treasured and reused over many decades. Further analysis will hopefully provide some more clues. This news article appears in issue 372 of Current Archaeology. To find out more about subscribing to the magazine, click here.
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New archeological discoveries
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2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
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The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami (also known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake) occurred at 07:58:53 in local time (UTC+7) on 26 December, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. It was an undersea megathrust earthquake that registered a magnitude of 9.1–9.3 Mw, reaching a Mercalli intensity up to IX in certain areas. The earthquake was caused by a rupture along the fault between the Burma Plate and the Indian Plate. A series of massive tsunami waves grew up to 30 m (100 ft) high once heading inland, after being created by the underwater seismic activity offshore. Communities along the surrounding coasts of the Indian Ocean were devastated, and the tsunamis killed an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. The direct results caused major disruptions to living conditions and commerce in coastal provinces of surrounded countries, including Aceh (Indonesia), Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu (India) and Khao Lak (Thailand). Banda Aceh reported the largest number of deaths. The earthquake was the third-largest ever recorded, the largest in the 21st century and had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, between eight and ten minutes. [12] It caused the planet to vibrate as much as 10 mm (0.4 in),[13] and also remotely triggered earthquakes as far away as Alaska. [14] Its epicentre was between Simeulue and mainland Sumatra. [15] The plight of the affected people and countries prompted a worldwide humanitarian response, with donations totalling more than US$14 billion. [16]
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was initially documented as having a moment magnitude of 8.8. In February 2005, scientists revised the estimate of the magnitude to 9.0. [17] Although the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has accepted these new numbers, the United States Geological Survey has so far not changed its estimate of 9.1. A 2006 study estimated a magnitude of Mw 9.1–9.3; Hiroo Kanamori of the California Institute of Technology estimates that Mw 9.2 is representative of the earthquake's size. [18]
The hypocentre of the main earthquake was approximately 160 km (100 mi) off the western coast of northern Sumatra, in the Indian Ocean just north of Simeulue island at a depth of 30 km (19 mi) below mean sea level (initially reported as 10 km or 6.2 mi). The northern section of the Sunda megathrust ruptured over a length of 1,300 km (810 mi). [15] The earthquake (followed by the tsunami) was felt in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. [19] Splay faults, or secondary "pop up faults", caused long, narrow parts of the seafloor to pop up in seconds. This quickly elevated the height and increased the speed of waves, destroying the nearby Indonesian town of Lhoknga. [20]
Indonesia lies between the Pacific Ring of Fire along the north-eastern islands adjacent to New Guinea, and the Alpide belt that runs along the south and west from Sumatra, Java, Bali, Flores to Timor. The 2002 Sumatra earthquake is believed to have been a foreshock, preceding the main event by over two years. [21]
Great earthquakes, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, are associated with megathrust events in subduction zones. Their seismic moments can account for a significant fraction of the global seismic moment across century-scale periods. Of all the moment released by earthquakes in the 100 years from 1906 through 2005, roughly one eighth was due to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. This quake, together with the Great Alaskan earthquake (1964) and the Great Chilean earthquake (1960), account for almost half of the total moment. [citation needed]
Since 1900, the only earthquakes recorded with a greater magnitude were the 1960 Valdivia earthquake (magnitude 9.5) and the 1964 Alaska earthquake in Prince William Sound (magnitude 9.2). The only other recorded earthquakes of magnitude 9.0 or greater were off Kamchatka, Russia, on 4 November 1952 (magnitude 9.0) and Tōhoku, Japan (magnitude 9.1) in March 2011. Each of these megathrust earthquakes also spawned tsunamis in the Pacific Ocean. In comparison to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, the death toll from these earthquakes was significantly lower, primarily because of the lower population density along the coasts near affected areas, the much greater distances to more populated coasts, and the superior infrastructure and warning systems in MEDCs (More Economically Developed Countries) such as Japan. [citation needed]
Other huge megathrust earthquakes occurred in 1868 (Peru, Nazca Plate and South American Plate); 1827 (Colombia, Nazca Plate and South American Plate); 1812 (Venezuela, Caribbean Plate and South American Plate) and 1700 (western North America, Juan de Fuca Plate and North American Plate). All of them are believed to be greater than magnitude 9, but no accurate measurements were available at the time. [citation needed]
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was unusually large in geographical and geological extent. An estimated 1,600 km (1,000 mi) of fault surface slipped (or ruptured) about 15 m (50 ft) along the subduction zone where the Indian Plate slides (or subducts) under the overriding Burma Plate. The slip did not happen instantaneously but took place in two phases over several minutes:
Seismographic and acoustic data indicate that the first phase involved a rupture about 400 km (250 mi) long and 100 km (60 mi) wide, 30 km (19 mi) beneath the sea bed—the largest rupture ever known to have been caused by an earthquake. The rupture proceeded at about 2.8 km/s (1.7 mi/s; 10,000 km/h; 6,300 mph), beginning off the coast of Aceh and proceeding north-westerly over about 100 seconds. After a pause of about another 100 seconds, the rupture continued northwards towards the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The northern rupture occurred more slowly than in the south, at about 2.1 km/s (1.3 mi/s; 7,600 km/h; 4,700 mph), continuing north for another five minutes to a plate boundary where the fault type changes from subduction to strike-slip (the two plates slide past one another in opposite directions). The Indian Plate is part of the great Indo-Australian Plate, which underlies the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, and is moving north-east at an average of 60 mm/a (0.075 in/Ms). The India Plate meets the Burma Plate (which is considered a portion of the great Eurasian Plate) at the Sunda Trench. At this point, the India Plate subducts beneath the Burma Plate, which carries the Nicobar Islands, the Andaman Islands, and northern Sumatra. The India Plate sinks deeper and deeper beneath the Burma Plate until the increasing temperature and pressure drive volatiles out of the subducting plate. These volatiles rise into the overlying plate, causing partial melting and the formation of magma. The rising magma intrudes into the crust above and exits the Earth's crust through volcanoes in the form of a volcanic arc. The volcanic activity that results as the Indo-Australian Plate subducts the Eurasian Plate has created the Sunda Arc. As well as the sideways movement between the plates, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake resulted in a rise of the seafloor by several metres, displacing an estimated 30 km3 (7.2 cu mi) of water and triggering devastating tsunami waves. The waves radiated outwards along the entire 1,600 km (1,000 mi) length of the rupture (acting as a line source). This greatly increased the geographical area over which the waves were observed, reaching as far as Mexico, Chile, and the Arctic. The raising of the seafloor significantly reduced the capacity of the Indian Ocean, producing a permanent rise in the global sea level by an estimated 0.1 mm (0.004 in). [22]
Numerous aftershocks were reported off the Andaman Islands, the Nicobar Islands and the region of the original epicentre in the hours and days that followed.
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Earthquakes
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Chile landslides pollute rivers, leaving three million Santiago residents without water
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Three million residents in the Chilean capital Santiago have been left without clean water after landslides caused by heavy rains polluted the rivers supplying the city.
The national emergency response agency declared a red alert in the city, home to more than 7 million people.
"Unfortunately the weather system over the metropolitan region brought rain that caused increased sediment in the Maipo River," Santiago Mayor Claudio Orrego told reporters.
He said that meant "a water cut for the population affecting about 3 million people".
The corporate manager of a local water supplier said production was down to 35 per cent of normal levels.
Heavy rains in the Andean foothills since Friday triggered landslides into the Maipo and Mapocho rivers.
Municipal authorities activated an emergency plan that includes tapping into 45 backup water sources and mobilizing more than 60 water trucks.
Images shared on social media showed bare shelves at supermarkets, where thousands flocked to stock up on bottled water.
In the O'Higgins region 90 kilometres south of Santiago, the swollen Tinguiririca River left one person missing and about 100 homes damaged. Four municipalities in the region were also on red alert with rain expected to continue throughout the weekend.
AFP
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Environment Pollution
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Brazil Arrests 5 In Dam Collapse As Death Toll Rises To 65
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Brazil has arrested five people after a dam collapse that killed at least 65 people. The arrests included workers with Vale SA, an iron ore producer that owns the dam in southeastern Brazil, and consultants with a German company that certified the dam for safety. The three Vale employees had been involved in getting the mining project licensed, Bloomberg reports. Police have seized documents and mobile phones as part of the investigation. Vale says it is fully cooperating with authorities and will support the investigations. Also arrested were two contractors working for TUEV SUED, a German consulting firm that had carried out studies that concluded the dam was safe, Germany's Handelsblatt reports. Vale's CEO, Fabio Schvartsman, has blamed the German inspectors for the dam's collapse, according to Handelsblatt. As recently as December, the paper reports, Brazil's Ibama environmental protection agency warned of a risk of a dam break and chain reaction. That prediction proved correct when the dam collapsed Friday, releasing a flood of brown, muddy mine waste that engulfed part of a town and covered trees, buildings and ponds in muck. Fears of a second dam breaking forced a new evacuation and stalled search and rescue efforts Sunday, NPR's Bill Chappell reported. The broken dam has unleashed an environmental catastrophe. Dead fish were spotted floating downstream in the Paraopeba River 11 miles south of the dam, according to The Associated Press. Local indigenous people told the news service they relied on the river for bathing, food and irrigation but had been warned by Brazilian authorities to avoid its waters following the collapse. Hundreds of people are still missing and rescue workers continue to search for bodies. More than 130 relief workers arrived from Israel to help search for victims, Catherine Osborn reports for NPR. Their arrival was brokered by Brazil's newly inaugurated president, Jair Bolsonaro, who has cultivated a close friendship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This is Vale's second big dam disaster in about three years. HSBC estimates Vale's total liability for the accident will be $3.5 billion, Bloomberg reports. Ibama fined Vale the equivalent of $67 million for environmental damages Saturday. Judges in Brazil have frozen close to $3 billion of Vale's accounts to preserve money for compensating victims and mitigating damages. Bloomberg reports a government crisis committee has ordered federal regulators to audit hundreds of tailings dams in Brazil to assess their safety in light of the collapsed dam in Brumadinho.
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Mine Collapses
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Shek Kip Mei fire
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The Shek Kip Mei Fire (Chinese: 石硤尾大火) took place in Hong Kong on 25 December 1953. It destroyed the Shek Kip Mei shantytown of immigrants from Mainland China who had fled to Hong Kong, leaving over 53,000 people homeless. [1]
The area that was destroyed by the fire is bounded by Boundary St. and Tai Po Rd. [2]
After the fire, the governor Alexander Grantham launched a public housing programme to introduce the idea of "multi storey building" for the immigrant population living there. The standardised new structures offered fire- and flood-resistant construction to previously vulnerable hut dwellers. The programme involved demolishing the rest of the makeshift houses left untouched by the fire, and the construction of the Shek Kip Mei Low-cost Housing Estate in their stead. [3] Alongside a huge volunteer effort, the council spent nearly HK$ 16 million in relief work. [1]
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Fire
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Farmers in the Omusati region are battling to protect their crops against vast, dark clouds of ravenous insects and have been urged to burn tyres to keep them away from their land
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Farmers in the Omusati region are battling to protect their crops against vast, dark clouds of ravenous insects and have been urged to burn tyres to keep them away from their land. Local councillor Immanuel Shikongo said the invasion of the orange-brown locusts began earlier this week. I would like to urge our people to yell and burn tyres when they see locusts in their mahangu fields Immanuel Shikongo Mr Shikongo told The Namibian newspaper: “Residents there chased the insects, and it flew to villages such as Oshitukafitu and Ombandjele. Many crops have been destroyed." He said the insects were a threat to crops and to grazing areas as they devour both crops and grass. Mr Shikongo said local police tried to scare the insects away with their sirens. He said: “I would like to urge our people to yell and burn tyres when they see locusts in their mahangu fields. "They need to stay at home so that if the swarm comes, they can be able to chase it. Our people should work as a team." Farmer Kosmas Moongela said the swarm looks like a dark cloud as it moves through the sky. Ministry of Agriculture spokesman Magreth Kalo said officials were aware of the situation and had sent a team to assess and spray the area with insecticide. Ohangwena regional governor Walde Ndevashiya urged farmers to remain calm. He said: “I received a video clip of the invasion of locusts from our consulate in Angola, but a few hours later the councillor of Ongenga called me and informed me that the locusts had crossed the border and were moving into the region. “We were on the ground early on Sunday morning. Quite a huge area was affected, but the agriculture team killed some of them." READ MORE: New locust swarms in East Africa spark global food catastrophe panic Aid organisation fear the locust swarms which have been plaguing parts of Africa since last year could spark a global food crisis. A state of emergency was declared in Somalia in February as the country struggled to contain the locust swarms of biblical proportion. Kenya bore the brunt of the locust invasions last month and farmers fear another wave of insects could wipe out their maize and tea harvest. Mary Mwatha, a local official in Kenya, said: "The moment these locusts come in, you find that they are consuming everything, everything that is green that they find. "I am actually very afraid, and I am pleading for any assistance." The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) issued a warning over a new wave of locust swarms returning to Africa at the start of the year. Officials suggested favourable weather conditions and widespread seasonal rains had led to a jump in locust breeding in eastern Ethiopia and Somalia, an effect even made worse by Cyclone Gati. DON'T MISSSecond biblical locust invasion threatens to wipe out Africa 2021 food[SPOTLIGHT]Locust swarm panic: Alert issued over risk of biblical disaster[FOCUS]Locust PLAGUE threatens Africa: UN warns 7 million people are at risk[INSIGHT] In a statement, the UN body warned that "rains and winds are two of the most favourable conditions for desert locusts to multiply rapidly and spread to areas where they had been under control". Dominique Burgeon, the FAO's director of emergencies and resilience, warned that the 2021 swarms could be even deadlier than the 2020 swarms. Countries such as Somalia are already facing a humanitarian crisis following a COVID-19 outbreak and floods. Other East African countries including Uganda, South Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti are also at risk of devastation from locust invasions. The locusts could also impact the food security of millions from the Horn of Africa to Yemen. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive.
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Insect Disaster
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3 Popular Department Stores Closing in New York, Hudson Valley
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The final Kmart in all of the Hudson Valley will soon close its doors. The Kmart located on Tarrytown Road in White Plains is closing, according to a store closing list released by SB60 Capital Partners. The Westchester County Kmart is the final Kmart in the Hudson Valley, according to Kmart's website. In 2018, the final Kmart in Dutchess County closed. In 2017, the Kmart in Vails Gate also closed. In 2016, Kmart closed its doors on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie.
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Organization Closed
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Busia CAO, RDC, other senior officials admitted after food poisoning
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Busia district officials are admitted in various health facilities battling stomach pain from suspected food poisoning.
Busia, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Joseph Balisanyuka, the Busia Chief Administrative Officer, John Rex Aachila, the Resident District Commissioner are among several officials and dignitaries who have been admitted after eating suspected poisonous food.
The others casualties are Stephen Mugeni Wasike, the Busia district LC V chairman, Jimmy Ngolobe, the district environmental officer, Feibe Mayende, the secretary for education, Ronald Musisi, the agriculture officer in-charge of NUSAF, Godfrey Cheyune, the district councilor for Buyanga sub-county among others.
They are admitted in different health facilities. While the CAO is in Mbale regional hospital, the RDC and several others are in Masafu general hospital, yet others are in private health facilities.
It’s alleged that they fed on suspected poisonous food during the independence prayer breakfast held on Friday at the district headquarters. The food was supplied by one of the top hotels in Busia town.
Reports indicate that the prayer function had over 180 people and more than 100 were affected by the suspected poisoning.
Moses Mangeni, the Busia district communication officer says that the health of the district leaders is still worrying because the cause of the multiple casualties is not yet established as they are yet to establish weather it was poison or not.
They are still waiting for a medical report since samples picked from the RDC and other people experiencing the same challenge were taken to Masafu general hospital laboratory for testing.
Mangeni says that currently, only few have shown any signs of recovering towards a normal state.
Ronald Musisi, the Busia district agriculture officer in-charge NUSAF says that he has had stomach pain for the last two days after eating food on the function.
He is still feeling stomach pain and is getting treatment in a private health facility.
Godfrey Okumu, the Busia district production office attendant who was another victim says that he started feeling stomach pain on Friday evening and diarrhea for the last two days. He has not fully recovered up to date.
Jimmy Ngolobe, the Busia district environmental officer who is still admitted at Masafu general hospital says that he is still worried for his life because he has not got any change of stomach pain, diarrhea and body weakness.
Mathew Tusubira, the Busia deputy resident district commissioner says that they have tasked police to probe the cause of the stomach complications on the district leaders and other guests who were in the meeting.
Tusubira says that police has opened up a general inquiry file where they want organizers, food supplier, waiter and waitresses to make a statement as the first step of police investigation. If one is found culpable, they will be arrested and charged with attempted murder.
Dr. Mathias Panyako, the Busia district health officer says that they can’t rule out anything until they get a report from laboratory on diarrhea tools picked from the patients.
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Mass Poisoning
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Yemen joins World Trade Organisation
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Yemen joined the World Trade Organization on Tuesday, vowing to use its membership and strategic location to overcome years of strife and transform itself into a hub for maritime commerce.
Saadaldeen Ali Salim Talib, trade minister of the Arabian Peninsula nation, formally handed over Yemen’s entry treaty in a ceremony with WTO chief Roberto Azevedo.
"We have easy access to three continents, Africa, Asia and Europe. Our location is on the highway of trade. Our port in Aden is three hours away from the highway," Talib told reporters.
"We want to be on the value chain with the rest of the economies of the world," he added, saying it would revive an age-old trading history that saw Yemeni seafarer communities take root in places as far apart as Wales and Indonesia.
Yemen’s WTO admission will take the Geneva-based organisation's membership to 160 when it comes into force officially on 26 June.
Existing members had given a green light at a WTO summit in Bali last December, but Yemen then had to ratify its entry deal.
WTO accession negotiations can be tortuous – Yemen began in 2000 - as would-be members first strike deals with countries already in the trade body. Those accords are then folded together into a single accession treaty setting out the give and take involved in joining the club.
"It's been a hard process," said Talib, underlining that Yemen was also trying to break with years of instability, enacting political and economic reforms hand in hand.
"We hope that the new Yemen will have a bigger role in the international scene, especially in trade and industry and getting connected with the rest of the world," he told reporters.
WTO membership is seen as a key step in the global economy because it gives countries easier access to other countries' markets under a set of agreed rules, as well as a forum to deal with trade disputes.
It is also considered a badge of confidence.
"The reform process has not always been easy. But in becoming a member of the WTO, Yemen has sent a very clear signal to traders and investors that the country is open for business," Azevedo told reporters.
"It brings our organisation closer to universal membership. It is a sign of the relevance and vibrancy of the global trading system," he said.
The WTO is a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements and settle trade disputes, through a system of trade rules. The bulk of the WTO’s current work comes from the 1986–94 negotiations called the Uruguay Round and earlier negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The organisation is run by its member governments, where all major decisions are made by the membership as a whole.
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Join in an Organization
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Federal government rips up Victoria's controversial Belt and Road agreements with China
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Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne during Senate Estimates at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: AAP
The federal government has stepped in and torn up four agreements made by the Victorian government with foreign powers, including two linked to China's Belt and Road initiative.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the contentious memorandum of understanding and framework agreement Victoria signed with China in relation to the initiative had been cancelled under new Commonwealth veto laws.
The other two agreements torn up related to deals struck with Iran and Syria.
"I consider these four arrangements to be inconsistent with Australia’s foreign policy or adverse to our foreign relations," Senator Payne said.
It is the first time the federal government has used the new veto powers, which permits it to cancel agreements states and territories strike with other countries.
The Belt and Road deals tied Victoria to Chinese President Xi Jinping's major infrastructure project.
Agreed areas of cooperation included increasing participation of Chinese infrastructure companies in Victoria's infrastructure construction program and promoting cooperation of Victorian businesses in China.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews late last year said scrapping the agreements would be risky and they could bring jobs and investment to the state during its coronavirus recovery.
China has in the past 12 months launched a series of damaging trade strikes against Australia after Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an independent inquiry into the origins of the pandemic.
The Chinese government also remains furious with Australia over foreign interference and investment laws and the decision to ban Huawei from the country's 5G rollout.
Senator Payne said on Wednesday she would continue to monitor arrangements made with foreign nations, and she expected "the overwhelming majority of them to remain unaffected".
She said she had also approved a proposed memorandum of understanding between the West Australian government and Indonesia in regards to a minerals project.
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Tear Up Agreement
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Somalia famine killed nearly 260,000 people, half of them children – reports UN
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More than a quarter of a million people died in the famine in Somalia between October 2010 and April 2012, in part because the international community did not act quickly enough, the top United Nations humanitarian official in the country said today. “The suffering played out like a drama without witnesses,” said Philippe Lazzarini, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, reacting to the findings in a new report funded and commissioned by the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). Some 133,000 of the Somalis who perished – about half – were children under five, according to FAO’s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit for Somalia (FSNAU), which carried out the study along with the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). Calling the magnitude of the mortality figures “unsettling”, Mr. Lazzarini said the report confirms “that we could have done more before famine was declared on 20 July 2011” and that it will help ensure “that Somalia never goes through another famine again.” He added that “warnings that began as far back as the drought in 2010 did not trigger sufficient early action. In the worst affected areas, access to people in need was tremendously difficult. At the peak of the crises, between May and August 2011, about 30,000 excess people died per month, according to the study. “An estimated 4.6 per cent of the total population and 10 per cent of children under 5 died in Southern and Central Somalia,” FAO reported. “Lower Shabelle, Mogadishu, and Bay were hardest hit.” A massive mobilization of the humanitarian community helped mitigate the worst effects of the crisis, once famine was declared, the Humanitarian Coordinator continued. “We reached previously inaccessible areas through innovative programming and by strengthening local partnerships.” Since then, the UN community and its partners have changed the way it operates, Mr. Lazzarini said, “With 2.7 million people still in need of life-saving assistance and support to build up their livelihoods, we are redoubling efforts to invest in Somalia’s people and communities to break the cycle of crisis and response.” “We are seeking ways to bridge humanitarian and development work which will be crucial to consolidating the resilience of Somalia’s people and communities,” he added. The top United Nations relief official in Somalia today announced that the number of people in crisis in the Horn of Africa country was halved in the past six months, but cautioned that the situation remains fragile and that the gains could reverse without continued support to meet people’s basic needs.
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Famine
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Economic relief and stimulus: Good progress but more work to do
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This brief is part of the Brookings Blueprints for American Renewal & Prosperity project. This piece was updated on January 22, 2021 to include new legislation and proposals from the Biden administration. The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated the sharpest and deepest economic contraction since the Great Depression. Although the economy has recovered somewhat since the spring of 2020, millions of Americans who lost their jobs remain unemployed, the economy is operating far below its capacity and the recovery appears to be stalling. The coronavirus continues to spread uncontrollably, exhausting public health and health care resources. Slow vaccine distribution leaves people vulnerable to the virus and delays economic reopening. The pandemic has had particularly severe effects on certain economic sectors, low-income workers, women, and racial and ethnic minorities. Thus, even when the “headline” statistics eventually improve, the prospect of a K-shaped recovery is real; while the overall economy and those already faring well recover, many Americans may be left further behind in an already unequal economy. In the face of these concerns, some Republicans have argued that high current and projected federal deficits should curtail any new economic stimulus. To be clear, the U.S. does in fact face a long-term fiscal problem. But the depth, breadth, and persistence of the economic decline and the remarkably low interest rates that exist today mean that concerns about the long-term federal budget should not stand in the way of policies that could help people and the economy now. The $920 billion relief bill that Congress enacted, and President Trump signed in December was a move in the right direction, but more needs to be done. The key policy priorities currently are as follows. First, contain the virus. COVID policy is economic policy right now. It will be impossible to develop a strong economy until the virus is contained. Second, help state and local governments – this will both help the macroeconomy and preserve benefits for tens of millions of needy households. Third, expand the generosity and time frame for targeted relief – including unemployment insurance and rental assistance. President Biden’s newly released proposals contain these features and many others. Congress should move quickly to fight the virus and provide economic relief that will support households until the virus is contained. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on the U.S. economy. From February to April, the unemployment rate rose from 3.5 percent to 14.7 and the employment-to-population ratio fell from 61.1 percent to 51.3 percent. Both measures have rebounded somewhat since then—in November, the unemployment rate had fallen to 6.7 percent, and the employment-to-population ratio had increased to 57.3 percent—but both measures remain substantially worse than their pre-COVID rates and in December both figures remained at their November levels, indicating the recovery has lost momentum. The pandemic’s effects have varied across industries and population groups. Sectors that require in-person interactions or travel have been hit particularly hard, including service industries in general and education, childcare, health care, social services, restaurants, and airlines in particular. As a result, increases in unemployment rates have been higher for workers who are less educated (who could less easily shift to working at home), young (reflecting lower levels of education and high representation in service industries), female (because women comprise the majority of the labor force in many industries most affected by the pandemic and because they have borne the majority of child care responsibilities when schools have been closed), and Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian American workers. Certain regions, both Republican- and Democrat-leaning, remain vulnerable, too. Tourism hot spots like Orlando, Florida and manufacturing and energy hubs like Corpus Christi, Texas continue to have relatively high job losses and unemployment rates. Analysis shows that certain metro areas have faced various degrees of impact from the COVID recession and are on unequal recovery trajectories. Concerns about the weak economy are compounded by concerns about the long-term federal fiscal outlook. Even before the pandemic, debt as a share of GDP was projected to rise continually and far exceed previous highs. The projected rise in debt can be attributed to two sources. First, an aging population and rising health care costs will raise federal spending on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, while revenues are projected to rise very slowly. The mismatch between projected rising spending and projected flat revenues creates a systematic bias toward deficits in future budgets. But this does not make the rising debt a “spending” problem, any more than one side of the scissors does the cutting. Second, as debt rises as a share of GDP, net interest payments will generally tend to rise relative to the economy as well. This tendency has not held in recent years because of the substantial decline in interest rates over the past 20 years. The pandemic has driven interest rates even lower, and these lower rates are projected to last several years, making the new debt accumulated during this period of crisis relatively cheap. However, rates are slated to rise steadily toward the end of the decade, in which case government interest payments would grow dramatically. Back to top ⇑ Congress responded rapidly to the emerging COVID pandemic. In March and April 2020, Congress enacted a series of bills to support businesses, individuals, and public health efforts. These include the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. Combined, the various pieces of legislation cost $2.4 trillion. These bills appropriately largely provided relief, rather than stimulus. The distinction between relief and stimulus is important. Relief provides support for people while they are observing public health guidelines that require them to stay home and lose employment. The goal of relief is to reduce economic activity and encourage people to act in ways that lessen the spread of the virus. As many commentators have noted, the goal was to put the economy in a temporary coma so that public health efforts could have a better chance of containing the virus. In contrast, stimulus provides incentives for people increase spending or work effort and businesses to increase hiring and investment. The goal of stimulus is to raise economic activity. The key insight is that until the virus is sufficiently contained, relief will be needed, and stimulus will be ineffective. The COVID response measures established the paycheck protection program (PPP); provided a direct payment to most households; expanded eligibility for—and the level and duration of—unemployment insurance; increased SNAP benefits; provided funds for health care providers, vaccine development, and health institutions; funded loans and direct support for state, local, and tribal governments; and established pandemic-related health care rights for workers. Although the policies were implemented imperfectly—social services agencies and the Internal Revenue Service struggled to meet heightened demands placed on them and agencies had to quickly issue rules related to the new policies—the policies did support household income and preserve jobs as people observed social distancing guidelines. Though these policies were a good start, they were inadequate in addressing the pandemic, for a variety of reasons. First, automatic stabilizers in the federal budget—changes in taxes and spending programs that are triggered by changes in economic conditions—are weak, relative to those in other countries. Second, several of the policies were not meant to provide relief for a year-long pandemic. Some measures, like the Paycheck Protection Program and Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, expired. The Economic Impact Payment (or “stimulus check”) reached most households over the summer but was a one-time benefit. Third, the benefits of additional policies would be substantial. Funds targeted to state and local governments help mitigate the recession and retain vital human services. States face balanced budget rules and thus would otherwise have to cut spending as their revenues decline, deepening the downturn. Funds provided to firms would help preserve jobs and potentially stimulate new employment. Expanded unemployment insurance help the millions of people currently out of work through no fault of their own. Increasing resources for the rest of the safety net—including the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, SNAP, WIC, housing assistance, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, TANF, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicaid—would also provide needed support. Investments in the social safety net not only help people in the short-term, but often provide long-term benefits back to the economy that exceed the initial costs. [1] Federal investments in infrastructure and research and development, which can generate high returns, have fallen short for decades now and should be raised. Aid to businesses protect jobs, helping to speed up the recovery when people can safely return to work. And, of course, increasing resources devoted to fighting the virus—including testing, tracing, research, vaccine distribution, and so on—is necessary and economically productive. Sheiner and Edelberg (2020) estimated – before the package Congress enacted in December – that implementing five policies (rebates to households, additional unemployment insurance, aid to state and local governments, support for businesses, and other aid to public health and highly impacted industries) at a total cost of $2 trillion would let GDP regain its pre-pandemic path by mid-2021, much sooner than it would under current law projection, according to CBO. Fourth, helping the economy now is relatively inexpensive, thanks to low interest rates, and could help the long-term economy. Adjusted for projected inflation, interest rates on government debt are negative over most horizons. Indeed, there may not be any net costs at all if additional stimulus enables the economy to effectively outgrow deficits. In any case, not all debt is bad. What distinguishes good and bad debt is how it is used. Bad debt is unproductive. Good debt serves genuine national investments. New debt issued today to fight an unprecedented viral pandemic, cushion the effects of the pandemic on those most harmed by it, restart the economy, and invest in physical and human capital would pay proceeds now and in the future. The U.S. public debt is not going to trigger a crisis like the one Greece faced in the wake of the 2008 recession. The U.S. borrows in its own currency and can pay its debts for decades to come. And interest rates as low as ours signal that government bonds remain in demand. Even in 2008, when the U.S. literally exported a financial crisis, the rest of the world responded by sending funds here because we were a safe place to invest. Because interest rates are so low and because COVID policies enacted to date are temporary in nature, the COVID bills have only moderately affect the long-term budget projections. The spring bills raised the 2050 debt GDP ratio by about 15 percentage points—basically the size of the intervention as a share of the economy at that time. The bill that Congress enacted and President Trump signed in December will raise the long-term debt-to-GDP ratio by another 5 percentage points or so. Fifth, history indicates that policymakers have a knee-jerk tendency to cut off stimulus too quickly after a recession. Short-term austerity will likely only worsen the long-term economic outlook. During the Great Depression, in the 1990s in Japan, and in the past decade—in the U.S. but especially in the U.K. and continental Europe—law makers’ premature moves to austerity held back recoveries and, in some cases, created new recessions. In this crisis, the risks of doing too little far outweigh the risks of doing too much. Despite all these concerns, no new relief measures were signed into law between May and December. In mid-May, the House passed the HEROES Act, a $3.4 trillion deal. The HEROES Act would have provided more than $1 trillion to state and local governments, nearly $500 billion to both safety net and direct payments to households, and nearly another trillion to related to health care, tax expenditures, and small businesses. The Senate never voted on this version of the HEROES Act. The House passed a revised $2.2 trillion HEROES Act on October 1. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell publicly regarded this version as “unserious.” Without any action from the Senate, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin continued to lead stimulus talks. The administration started negotiations from the Senate’s $1.1 trillion HEALS Act proposal. Relief talks fell apart before the August summer recess. In the fall, the administration offered $1.6 trillion deal, but by mid-October had a new $1.8 trillion proposal. President Trump’s position on additional relief and stimulus was inconsistent. In September Trump called for Congress send out more stimulus payments, counter to the Republican position against another large relief deal. In October, he stopped negotiations only to reverse course three days later and again support negotiations for a large deal. The negotiations between Pelosi and Mnuchin appeared to break down by the end of October (over twitter). In the summer and fall, McConnell was seen as a major cause of stalemate on the issue of relief. After refusing to bring either version of the HEROES Act to the Senate for a vote, McConnell instructed congressional Republicans to not pursue a deal with Democrats to pass more relief and stimulus. At the time, the Senate was in the process of confirming Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. On October 21, the Senate failed to pass a $500 billion relief package that was opposed by Democrats for being too small (the White House had already offered a $1.8 trillion package). McConnell would not bring a more expensive aid deal to a vote. Following months of stalemate, the proposal that eventually led to a deal was put forward by centrists in the Senate after the Presidential election. On December 21, Congress passed the $920 billion bipartisan package, an eleventh-hour deal as 14 million people were set to lose unemployment benefits just after Christmas. After claiming he would not sign it because the direct payments to individuals were too small, President Trump reversed course and signed the bill on December 27. Already, politicized revisions of history have shifted the blame for a late response. After directing Republicans not to support a bill until after the presidential election, Senator McConnell recently claimed that “for months Senate Republicans have been calling for another targeted package.” The Senate Majority Leader also expressed regret that the deal could not have been passed sooner. The delays in passing a second round of relief allowed more business to fail, more people to fall behind on rent, more people to be food insecure. Though late, the year-end deal was better than the alternative of no deal. The omnibus package, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, includes not only COVID-related relief but also extensions of temporary tax provisions (“the extenders”), limits to surprise medical billings, and surprisingly strong climate change provisions, and it ensures that the government will continue to operate for the rest of the fiscal year. The COVID relief is large relative to past relief and stimulus efforts, but small relative to ongoing economic problems. Overall, the COVID-related measures are complex with some attractive features and some problematic choices. First, the UI extension provides an extra $300 a week for unemployment recipients for 11 weeks (Trump’s delay in signing led worry about a week-long gap in coverage, but the Department of Labor‘s interpretation of the bill did not leave a gap). The year-end package extends the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) programs authorized by the CARES Act. Second, as in the CARES Act, millions of Americans are eligible for direct payments. The benefit level and eligibility criteria have been updated, including slightly fewer people in this round of direct payments (158 million compared to 160 million).
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Financial Crisis
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Childhood respiratory disease outbreak reported
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Updated: November 10, 2021 @ 10:52 pm While 2027 may sound like the distant future, members of the… With hospitals strained nearly to capacity across the state,… San Miguel County’s COVID-19 dashboard as of Friday, Sept. 10. In addition to 24 new COVID-19 cases, the county public health department announced eight related cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) among six infants and two toddlers in the last week. (Courtesy photo) San Miguel County Public Health has identified eight related cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) among six infants and two toddlers in the last week. Two infants were hospitalized over the weekend and all symptomatic children have been treated and directed to isolate with their families. The outbreak occurred at a local childcare facility, which is working diligently to disinfect the respective classrooms. The facility will re-open Monday. Additionally, in a rare case, a middle school student tested positive for RSV this week. “COVID cases amongst unvaccinated people continue to overwhelm our healthcare system making it increasingly difficult for people with illnesses like RSV to receive the urgent care they need,” said Public Health Director Grace Franklin. “The recent COVID surge is deeply affecting our local frontline resources and capacity at regional hospitals.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), RSV, while treatable, can be dangerous for some infants and young children. Each year in the United States, an estimated 58,000 children younger than 5 years old are hospitalized due to RSV infection. Those at greatest risk for severe illness from RSV include: Premature infants; Very young infants, especially those 6 months and younger; Children younger than 2 years old with chronic lung disease or congenital (present from birth) heart disease; Children with weakened immune systems; Children who have neuromuscular disorders, including those who have difficulty swallowing or clearing mucus secretions; People infected with RSV are usually contagious for 3 to 8 days. RSV can spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Virus droplets from a cough or sneeze can enter the eyes, nose, or mouth. Touching infected surfaces that has the virus on it, like a doorknob, and then touching theface before washing hands can also transmit the virus. And direct contact can result in infection, such as kissing the face of a child with RSV. “RSV cases are presenting with potentially more severe illness outside of the typical RSV season (Oct-May). We are recommending that all symptomatic children and infants remain out of childcare settings until completely symptom free,” said Influenza and RSV Surveillance Supervisor Elizabeth Austin, MPH, of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “We recommend that parents have a low threshold for deciding when to bring their child to a healthcare provider and to follow provider testing recommendations for SARS CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens. A negative test for SARS CoV-2 doesn't necessarily rule out a positive test for RSV, while a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 should not be used to rule out co-infection with other respiratory viruses.” People infected with RSV usually show symptoms within four to six days after getting infected. Symptoms of RSV infection usually include a runny nose, decrease in appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing. These symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once. In very young infants with RSV, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties. If you or somebody you know has symptoms of RSV, please stay home and contact your primary care physician right away. Public Health has confirmed 24 new positive cases of COVID-19 from test results received from Sept. 3-9. Of these cases, six are nonresidents, 15 are confirmed as east end residents while three are confirmed as west end residents. As of release time today, there are 13 active cases, all actively contagious cases are currently in isolation. To-date, there have been 1,062 total COVID cases among residents including 76 breakthrough cases and three COVID-related deaths.
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Disease Outbreaks
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2021 Touques Airbus AS350B helicopter crash
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On 7 March 2021, a Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil helicopter crashed in the Touques, Calvados, Normandy, France. French politician and billionaire Olivier Dassault and the pilot were killed. [1][2][3][4]
The helicopter involved in the accident was a Airbus AS350B, while registration F-GIBM. [5]
France's national air crash investigation agency, the BEA, said that the crash had occurred shortly after take-off from "private grounds". [citation needed]
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Air crash
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African locust plague swarms north | News | Al Jazeera
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News
African locust plague swarms north
Swarms of desert locusts which have ravaged crops across impoverished West Africa are expected to move north over the coming weeks, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said.
Each locust is small enough to perch on the end of a finger
Published On 5 Oct 20045 Oct 2004
But the prospect of a respite is little consolation for farmers in the Senegalese village of Ndande who, like many others in the region, have seen their fields of groundnuts (peanuts) and millet wiped out before they could harvest them.
“We cultivate for three months to feed our families for nine months,” said villager Mamousse Boulibe, standing next to an almost bare field which was full of knee-high groundnut plants until clouds of pink locusts descended on it a few days ago.
“There are people who lost more than this – people who lost 300kg, 500kg, even up to 700kg of groundnuts,” he said. “They’ll have to do other things to feed the family, go to the towns and work.”
Infestation
Villagers said the infestation was even worse than the last big upsurge to hit West Africa more than a decade ago.
The locusts, small enough to perch on the end of a finger but able to form swarms of up to 80 million, were still speckling the sky on Monday around the village some 170km north of the Senegalese capital Dakar.
But experts believe the insects will leave the semi-desert Sahel region in October as vegetation dries up with the end of the rainy season, and head for countries such as Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, while continuing to cause problems in Mauritania.
“They move to greener pastures,” said Keith Cressman, a locust forecasting officer at the Rome-based FAO.
Caution
But he cautioned the locusts could “dine and dash” – devour more crops in West Africa before they fly away.
Tiny locusts can form swarms of up to 80 million
Tiny locusts can form swarms of
up to 80 million
An invasion of southwest Libya by several swarms over the past week heralded further trouble, he said.
“It probably is the first sign of this shift in population,” Cressman said on Tuesday.
Locusts also invaded Mauritania‘s capital Nouakchott at the weekend for the third time in as many months, munching their way through what remained of the city’s greenery.
Mauritania has been hit particularly hard by the crisis and Cressman said he expected the locusts to remain a problem in the northwest of the country, where rain fell recently.
Mali, Niger and Senegal are the other countries worst affected by the locust swarms, which have caused damage over thousands of kilometres in the past two months, from the Atlantic coast to central Africa.
Source: Reuters
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Insect Disaster
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2020 Peruvian protests
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The 2020 Peruvian protests were a series of demonstrations sparked after the removal of President Martín Vizcarra, beginning on 9 November 2020. [5]
The controversial removal of Vizcarra was recognized as a coup d'état by many Peruvians,[6][7] political analysts[8] and media outlets in the country. [9][10][11][12][13] Protests were registered in several cities of the country, to show their outrage at the president's vacancy and reject the inauguration of the president of Congress, Manuel Merino. [14] Upon taking office, Merino formed a far-right government. [15][16][17]
The protests have been described as the largest demonstrations in Peru in the past two decades and are organized by grassroots groups of young Peruvians on social media. [1][18] The disproportional response by authorities has been condemned by various human rights organizations, including United Nations Peru, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and Amnesty International. [19][20][21]
After reports that 2 protesters were killed by authorities on 14 November, the majority of ministers from Merino's government resigned from office[22] while Merino resigned the following day; he was president for five days. [23] Along with the aftermath of 2 dead, hundreds were left injured and over 40 citizens were reported as missing and authorities have refused to investigate further. [24] On 16 November, the Congress of Peru elected Francisco Sagasti as the president of the legislature, automatically elevating him to the Peruvian presidency under the constitution. [25]
Martín Vizcarra was elected as First Vice President of Peru in a 2016 general election, running with Pedro Pablo Kuczynski of the Peruanos Por el Kambio party. On 23 March 2018, Vizcarra was sworn into office as president of Peru following the resignation of President Kuczynski. [26][27] Upon being sworn into office, Vizcarra stated "we've had enough", vowing to combat corruption as president. [28]
Throughout Vizcarra's tenure, he faced opposition from the Congress of Peru. [29] He initially faced opposition from the Fujimorist congress when pushing for the constitutional referendum in 2018, an election that resulted with laws prohibiting the private funding of political campaigns and a ban on reelecting lawmakers. [30][31][32] Into 2019, the Fujimorist congress continued to delay Vizcarra's reforms, with Vizcarra later dissolving the congress after instituting a motion of no confidence, saying it was "clear the democracy of our nation is at risk". [33][34]
A legislative election was held later on 26 January 2020 which replaced the dissolved congress, with centrist parties replacing the Fujimorist majority in congress. [35] Analysts Diego Pereira and Lucila Barbeito of JPMorgan Chase & Co described the new congress as being "even more antagonistic to the [Vizcarra] government than the previous one"[36] while Americas Quarterly wrote that the four main right-wing parties of congress – Alliance for Progress, Podemos Perú, Popular Action and Union for Peru – feared Vizcarra's anti-corruption measures on campaign financing, political transparency and the participation of convicted persons in government. [37]
As Peru's economy declined due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru, Vizcarra faced increased political pressure from the newly inaugurated congress presided by Manuel Merino, with the majority of the legislative body being controlled by those opposing Vizcarra. [36] Finally on 5 July 2020, Vizcarra proposed a referendum to be held during the 2021 Peruvian general election to remove parliamentary immunity,[38] though congress quickly responded by assembling that same night to pass their own immunity bill that contained proposals to remove immunity from the president, constitutional court and the human rights ombudsman while also strengthening some instances of parliamentary immunity. [39]
In early 2020, investigations began surrounding a contract for a little-known singer by the name of Richard Cisneros to perform speeches for the Ministry of Culture. [40] The first impeachment process was led by the imprisoned Antauro Humala and his Union for Peru (UPP) party, according to reports in Peru. [41] Humala was sentenced to 19 years in prison following his Andahuaylazo uprising against President Alejandro Toledo that resulted in the deaths of police. [41] From his cell, Humala reportedly orchestrated the impeachment process with members of congress and his UPP supporters. [41] Edgar Alarcón, a UPP congressman and a close supporter of Humala, took charge of the impeachment process against Vizcarra. [41] Alarcón himself, according to Vice News, was protected from criminal charges of embezzlement and illicit monetary gains due to parliamentary immunity, charges that could have resulted with seventeen years in prison. [41]
It was alleged that an inexperienced Cisneros was able to receive payments totaling US$50,000 due to contacts in the Government Palace. [40] Investigators searched offices in the Government Palace on 1 June 2020 regarding the alleged irregularities. [40] Vizcarra responded to the release of the recordings stating "I am not going to resign. I am not running away" and that the "audios have been edited and maliciously manipulated; as you can see, they purposely seek to turn a job-related claim into a criminal or political act, wanting to take words out of context and intend to accuse me of non-existent situations. Nothing is further from reality". [42]
Peru's democracy is, unfortunately, sinking further and further into crisis, ... The removal of the president is a really big deal, and it requires serious deliberation, public debate and investigation. There has been none. President of Congress Manuel Merino was criticized by critics regarding how he hastily pushed for impeachment proceedings against Vizcarra. [44] If Vizcarra were to be removed from office, Merino would assume the presidential office given his position in congress and due to the absence of vice presidents for Vizcarra. [a][44] On 12 September 2020, renowned reporter Gustavo Gorriti wrote that Merino had contacted the Commanding General of the Peruvian Navy, Fernando Cerdán, notifying him that he was going to attempt to impeach Vizcarra and was hoping to assume the presidency. [51] Minister of Defense Jorge Chávez confirmed that Merino had tried to establish support with the Peruvian military. [51] A second report was later released that Merino had contacted officials throughout Peru's government while preparing to create a transitional cabinet. [44][52] Following the release of these reports, support for impeaching Vizcarra decreased among members of congress,[44] with congress voting not to remove Vizcarra from the presidency. [53][54]
After the first attempt failed, the Union for Peru bench raised a new vacancy request in October 2020, based on the alleged acts of corruption committed by Vizcarra when he was regional Governor of Moquegua, which includes the testimony of an applicant to an effective collaborator in the "Construction Club Case" who stated that the Obrainsa company paid him 1 million soles and three other aspiring effective collaborators also point out that he received 1.3 million soles from the Ingenieros Civiles y Contractors Generales SA consortium (ICCGSA), and Incot for the tender of the project for the construction of the Regional Hospital of Moquegua in 2013. [55] On 2 November, impeachment was initiated by the Congress of Peru with 60 votes in favor, 40 against and 18 abstentions. Vizcarra attended the plenary session in Congress on 9 November to defend himself against the accusations. [56]
On 9 November 2020, a total of 105 members of Congress voted to remove Vizcarra from office, exceeding the 87 votes (out of 130) that were still needed to impeach him. Merino, who succeeded him as president the following day, with a mandate to serve as president until July 2021. [57] Vizcarra called the accusations baseless and false, but still accepted the vote by Congress and promised not to take any other legal action. [58]
President Martín Vizcarra was summoned to testify and present his defense to Congress at 10 AM PET. After hours of parliamentary debate, the Congress of Peru voted to convict the President with 105 votes in favor, surpassing the 87 vote threshold for conviction. [59] Following the vote, crowds began to gather at Plaza San Martín in protest. [60] An incident occurred in Plaza Bolívar, outside of Congress, in which congressman Ricardo Burga was assaulted by a protestor when giving a press conference regarding the impeachment vote. [61] Demonstrations spawned in other parts of the country and continued well into midnight, past the 11 p.m. curfew imposed by the government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru.
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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Four people taken to hospital due to explosion, fire at North End home
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Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Copy Url
Four people were taken to the hospital on Wednesday night after an explosion and fire at a home in Winnipeg’s North End.
Crews with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to the incident in the 600 block of Redwood at 11:25 p.m. When they got to the scene, firefighters found both a fire and signs that an explosion had taken place.
Crews attacked the fire from inside the home and had it under control just before 12:10 a.m. on Thursday.
Everyone inside the house got out before crews arrived. Paramedics assessed four people, who were then taken to the hospital. Three of these individuals were in stable condition and one was in critical condition.
The incident is being investigated, but the initial investigation shows it may have started due to the ignition of a gas leak.
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Gas explosion
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Unprecedented locust plague in Kenya and Horn of Africa threatening food security
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Government negotiators from nearly 200 countries have adopted a new deal on climate action at the COP26 meeting in Glasgow The most serious outbreak of locusts in 25 years is spreading across East Africa and posing an unprecedented threat to food security in some of the world's most vulnerable countries, authorities say. The "extremely dangerous increase" in locust swarm activity has been reported in Kenya, with one swarm in the country's northeast measuring 60 kilometres long by 40 kilometres wide. In a statement, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) said a typical desert locust swarm could contain up to 150 million locusts per square kilometre. "Swarms migrate with the wind and can cover 100 to 150 kilometres in a day," the IGAD said. "An average swarm can destroy as much food crops in a day as is sufficient to feed 2,500 people." The outbreak of desert locusts, considered the most dangerous locust species, has also affected parts of Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea, and IGAD warned that parts of South Sudan and Uganda could be next. Breeding is continuing on both sides of the Red Sea, in Sudan and Eritrea and in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO) warned the outbreak could worsen the region's poor food security situation, with hundreds of thousands of hectares of crops destroyed. "These infestations represent a major threat to food security in Kenya and across the entire Horn of Africa, which is already reeling from floods and droughts," said Bukar Tijani, UNFAO's Assistant Director General, calling the swarms "vast and unprecedented". Already millions of people cope with the constant risk of drought or flooding, as well as deadly unrest in Ethiopia, extremist attacks in Somalia and lingering fighting in South Sudan as it emerges from civil war. The further increase in locust swarms could last until June as favourable breeding conditions continue, IGAD said, helped along by unusually heavy flooding in parts of the region in recent weeks. Major locust outbreaks can be devastating: a major one between 2003 and 2005 cost more than $US500 million ($727 million) to control across 20 countries in northern Africa, the UNFAO has said, with more than $US2.5 billion ($3.6 billion) in harvest losses. To help prevent and control outbreaks, authorities analyse satellite images, stockpile pesticides and conduct aerial spraying. In Ethiopia, officials said they had deployed four small planes to help fight the invasion. Kenyan media showed police shooting bullets and teargas at an oncoming swarm as residents banged on buckets and hooted car horns to try to frighten the insects. A farmers' association in Kenya's northern Laikipia area said it was planning aerial spraying of pesticides. "These things are in their millions and will eat all the vegetation here," said Peter Learpanai, a herdsman in the northern Samburu region who was flapping his jacket at a cloud of the insects that had descended on his grazing land. "Our animals will not have anything to feed on. "The government needs to get serious about fighting them." AP/Reuters We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
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Insect Disaster
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The Straits Times
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SINGAPORE - For over a decade now, Madam Kong Ching Mei, 71, has been the sole caregiver of her daughter, who has bipolar disorder; her younger sister, who has schizophrenia; and her husband, who is recovering from cancer.
Yet, she still finds time to volunteer with mental health advocacy organisation Silver Ribbon Singapore.
On Saturday (Nov 13), Madam Kong was one of 15 volunteers who were recognised for their long service with Silver Ribbon in a virtual ceremony.
Madam Kong stays resilient with her strong faith and is tenacious in learning more about her loved ones' mental health conditions so that she can empathise with them and identify warning signs.
In 2013, Madam Kong first realised that something was amiss when her only child, now 44, started to throw jewellery and wads of cash out of the window one day.
That was one of her daughter's episodes of mania and she was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder, after Madam Kong sought help from Silver Ribbon.
After each of her daughter's counselling sessions with the charity's executive director, Ms Porsche Poh, Madam Kong would have long discussions with Ms Poh to find out more about her daughter's condition.
"Madam Kong will come with a list of questions and ask me: 'How can I support my daughter? Why does my daughter behave this way? Why did she relapse this time?' She's a very good student and scribbles notes," said Ms Poh, 50.
Madam Kong's daughter tends to enter into episodes of mania in the night. When this happens, she would go out drinking, visit karaoke bars and spend money excessively.
Engaging in risky behaviour, such as spending cash excessively, during manic episodes is a key symptom of a person with bipolar disorder. She will also go through periods of depression.
To keep an eye on her daughter during these periods, Madam Kong would stay up at night. But on one such night a few years ago, she drifted off, jolting awake to a ruckus in the kitchen.
Her daughter was brewing green bean soup in a large pot and cooking porridge in another. She had also ordered 1,000 pastries from a bakery over the phone.
"I asked her why she cooked so much and she could always give her reasons. When this happens, I know her illness has relapsed and won't ask further," said Madam Kong in Mandarin.
The next morning, Ms Poh took Madam Kong's daughter to the Institute of Mental Health, where she was warded.
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Famous Person - Sick
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Windsor law firm preparing class action lawsuit over Wheatley gas explosion
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The plate is going to get fuller for officials dealing with the aftermath of the explosion in Wheatley.
A Windsor-based law firm, Strosberg Sasso Sutts LLP, intends to file a class action lawsuit on behalf of the people who were affected by the Aug. 26 blast that levelled two buildings in Wheatley’s downtown and caused multiple injuries.
Lawyer Harvey Strosberg said he visited Wheatley on Friday after being contacted by some of the Chatham-Kent town’s property owners and residents.
“The authorities should have turned off the gas and the hydro” to the building at 15 Erie St. N., which was the site of two previous gas leaks, Strosberg said.
If these utilities had been turned off, it wouldn’t have enabled a pilot light or an electrical switch to spark the explosion that destroyed the buildings, the lawyer claimed.
A notice of the class action posted on the law firm’s website states the intention is to name the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, the Chatham-Kent Police Service and the provincial government, represented by the minister of northern development, mines, natural resources and forestry, as defendants.
“In the proposed action, we will seek compensation for damages that were suffered as a result of the explosion, including general damages, lost use of office or residential space, lost income, expenses incurred for alternate accommodation, office space, replacement or cleaning of damaged items, physical and emotional injury, damage to property, relocation and other expenses,” the notice stated.
Dave Taylor, Chatham-Kent’s director of legal services, indicated the municipality had received notice of “that intended class action lawsuit” on Friday afternoon.
“That’s the first we had heard about that,” Taylor said.
At this point, he added, the municipality was not able to make any further comment on the lawsuit.
The law firm is advising those affected by the explosion to keep track of all out-of-pocket expense and keep those receipts in a secure location for later use.
Strosberg has previously been involved with other high-profile cases involving explosions, including serving as lead counsel in a class action lawsuit stemming from a series of explosions at the Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases propane facility that rocked a large section on North York on Aug. 10, 2008.
He also won a case against the former Union Gas company in connection to a massive explosion in downtown Essex on Feb. 14, 1980.
“We’re just getting started,” Strosberg said about the timeline of the case.
If the case goes to trial instead of being settled, it could take three to four years, he added.
On Aug. 26, a hydrogen sulphide leak in Wheatley’s downtown was followed by an explosion that levelled two buildings and caused multiple injuries. Because of gas-monitoring devices placed at the scene in the wake of two previous leaks this summer, first responders already had evacuated the buildings closest to the alarm and were in the midst of evacuating a wider area when the explosion occurred.
Wheatley, a town of about 3,000 along Lake Erie, is located southwest of Chatham in an area of Southwestern Ontario where plentiful natural gas deposits support a drilling industry, both on land and in the lake.
eshreve@postmedia.com
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Gas explosion
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January 2001 El Salvador earthquake
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The January 2001 El Salvador earthquake struck El Salvador on January 13, 2001 at 17:33:34 UTC. The 7.6 (later estimated to be 7.7 or 7.9)[1] quake struck with the epicenter 60 miles (100 km) SW of San Miguel, El Salvador (13.04°N 88.66°W) at a depth of 60 km. At least 944 people were killed, 5,565 injured, 108,261 houses destroyed – with another 169,692 houses damaged – and more than 150,000 buildings were damaged in El Salvador. [4][5] About 585 of the deaths were caused by large landslides in Santa Tecla and Comasagua. As is often the case after earthquakes in El Salvador, landslides wreaked significant damage. Estimation of the number of slides is difficult because individual scarps conjoin. The total has been reported as high as 16,000, though it is unclear how this figure was arrived at. [6] Damage and injuries occurred in every department of El Salvador, particularly the departments of La Libertad and Usulután. Eight people were killed in Guatemala. The tremor was felt from Mexico City to Colombia. [2] An aftershock measuring 5.7 magnitude was felt on January 15, an event not widely reported outside the country until after another earthquake on February 13, which initially was assessed by the USGS at 5.7 magnitude as well. [7]
As of February 2, 2001, more than 2,500 aftershocks had hit El Salvador, leading to additional damage and terrorizing the inhabitants. Clean water and sanitation became a matter of grave concern in many areas due to the earthquake's destruction of some $7 million to municipal drinking water systems, and tens of thousands of people were living outdoors in spite of the approaching rainy season (Invierno). [8] Government and public health organizations warned of the possible spread of disease as desperate people began to scavenge debris piles – some containing severed human limbs – looking for items they could pawn to purchase needed food and other commodities. [9]
El Salvador lies above the convergent boundary where oceanic crust of the Cocos Plate is being subducted beneath the Caribbean Plate at rate of about 72 mm per year along the Middle America Trench. This boundary is associated with earthquakes resulting from movement on the plate interface itself, such as the Mw 7.7 1992 Nicaragua earthquake, and from faulting within both the overriding Caribbean Plate and the subducting Cocos Plate, such as the 1982 El Salvador earthquake. [10][11]
The January 13 earthquake was a result of normal faulting within the subducting Cocos Plate as shown by the hypocentral depth and published focal mechanisms. Of the two possible fault planes indicated, analysis of observed seismic waves supports the solution with a fault plane dipping moderately to the northeast. [10][11] It was followed by a series of aftershocks, including 70 greater than M 4 of which 10 were greater than M 5 in the period up to February 2, 2020. The largest aftershock was an M 5.8 event at 12:20 on January 15. [12]
Exactly one month after the mainshock there was another destructive earthquake, which occurred on an entirely different fault within the overriding Caribbean Plate, leading to a further 315 deaths. [11]
In the days and weeks following the earthquakes, Salvadoran and foreign agencies analysed the factors that had facilitated the destruction the disasters had caused. While Salvadoran government representatives were quick to point out that the destruction had been far less than that of the 1986 earthquakes,[13] outside researchers critiqued shortcomings in preparedness and in policies toward land development that had permitted massive deforestation in the Santa Tecla area. Mexican seismologists invited by the Salvadoran government summarized their observations this way:
The construction equipment of the Ministry of Public Works was thinly stretched over hundreds of earth slumps and seemed inadequate to the task. ... The many homeless were not much in evidence; in the countryside they had been housed in temporary huts under the supervision of the armed forces, or with relatives. No homeless people were seen in the streets of San Salvador, presumably because the middle class had sustained the brunt of the damage. There was a palpable desire in the capital to forget the earthquake drama as quickly as possible. This may be the wrong time to forget. ...According to some press reports, the developers at Las Colinas had been authorized to proceed in spite of existing zoning regulations designed to prevent residential developments on the slopes. The location was a desirable one because the Santa Tecla area was relatively safe from guerrilla operations. After pacification the pressure from developers subsided as there seems to be plenty of available land in the valley; but there is a definite need for setting up enforceable zoning regulations in order to protect the hillsides from future deforestation and encroachment by developers. ... The 2001 earthquake did not approach the level of severity of some previous earthquakes, yet it wiped out the equivalent of half the annual gross national income. A small investment in preparedness would pay off handsomely. The government's response to the earthquakes was critiqued from different sides, with some criticizing the legislature for not approving the full amount of emergency funding urged by President Flores,[9] and others condemning what they saw as the ARENA government's contributions to the devastation. The Nicaragua-based magazine Envío argued that the conservative government's pro-business stance had fostered aggressive levels of land development, coupled with high poverty rates that forced poor rural residents to make do with inadequate but cheap building materials, asserting: "Totaling up these factors makes it clear that the consequences of a natural phenomenon like an earthquake cannot be described as 'natural' ... Describing the January 13 earthquake as a 'natural disaster' is not only irresponsible, but also a declaration of future impotence. It assumes fatalistic acceptance that no natural phenomena can be prevented and that all one can do is respond to emergencies as they arise and try to rehabilitate and reconstruct what has been destroyed." The magazine further critiqued the government's optimism about economic recovery in the aftermath of the first quake as an "insulting" minimization of the tragedy caused across the country and as an attempt to shore up the dollarization campaign that had been the focus of political attention up until the quakes. [15]
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Earthquakes
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MCO 3.0+: Eateries, malls to close at 8pm [NSTTV]
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KUALA LUMPUR: Eateries and shopping malls will only be allowed to open until 8pm under a stricter movement control order (MCO) 3.0. This new ruling will come into effect May 25 for the Peninsular and Labuan. Opening hours would be at 8am, affecting business premises that were previously allowed to operate from 6am to 10pm. This was announced by Senior Minister (security cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a press conference today. Business activities and business premises affected by the new operating hours are restaurants, food stalls and kiosks, food trucks as well as take-away and drive-through services. The same applies to grocery stores, convenience stores and pet food stores, petrol stations (except those located along highways) and launderettes. Night markets previously allowed to open from 4pm to 10pm will also be subjected to the 8pm closure order. The operation hours for pharmacies however remain unchanged and they can open until 10pm. "The new operation hours and additional restrictions are to reduce movement of the people and subsequently help the government to reduce the spread of Covid-19," he said.
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Organization Closed
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1968 movement in Italy
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Incidents
The 1968 movement in Italy or Sessantotto was inspired by distaste for traditional Italian society and international protests. In May 1968 all universities, except Bocconi, were occupied. In the same month a hundred artists, including Gio Pomodoro, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Ernesto Treccani and Gianni Dova occupied for 15 days the Palazzo della Triennale. [1]
The background of the movement came from the newly transformed economy of Italy. The country had recently increased industrialization and a new modern culture began to develop. The movement has its roots in the strikes and university occupations of the 1960s, along with international headlines about socialist political triumphs in the Cold War. [2]
Students of working or peasant backgrounds mainly drove the movement in an effort to change traditional capitalist and patriarchal society. The new education system allowed for a large populace to be educated and with such an education, question societal functions. [3] The unrest began with student protests which were initially underestimated by politicians and the press, this soon turned into "the struggle of workers". [4]
In the first moments of the student protest, the right-wing in the universities were among the movement's leaders. The Battle of Valle Giulia at Rome University on 1 March 1968 was the last action in which students left and right-wing were together, because on 16 March following the assault on the University La Sapienza, there was a gap between "movementists" and reactionaries. [5] The left came to dominate the movement and the right-wing debates on what actions should be used to further the movement. [6]
The counter-cultural attitudes of the movement end up creating conflicts within the Italian Left. [7] The movement did bring a form of solidarity among the youth and a new politicized generation was created. [8] There is debate about when and how a new political generation formed. [9]
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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Kim and Kanye: Tales of an uber celeb marriage gone wrong
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NEW YORK (AP) — Holograms and Twitter rants, roving gospel gatherings and billion-dollar business ventures. If there’s one word that defines the lives of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West, it’s BIG. As their nearly seven-year marriage comes to an end, here’s a look back on the uber celebrity coupling of the rapper, Yeezy king and failed presidential candidate with the sex tape survivor turned reality star who has a head for business and a passion for prison reform. THE LEAD-UP The two became pals after meeting in 2003, when Kim was an assistant to the pop star-actor Brandy and Kanye was around to record a song. Brandy, FYI, is the sister of Ray J, the guy who Kim had sex with in the leaked video that vaulted her from C-lister to one of the hugest celebrities of her generation. Kim and Kanye publicly came out as dating in 2012. The oldest of their four children, North, was born in June 2013, not long after Kim’s divorce from Kris Humphries (her second husband) was finalized. The over-the-top Tuscan wedding of Kim and Kanye, her third and his first, unfolded on May 24, 2014. But before the wedding — which included pre-parties in Paris — there was the surprise proposal. Kanye rented out the San Francisco Giants’ oceanfront stadium and presented Kim with a 15-carat Lorraine Schwartz sparkler (not the one later stolen during Kim’s infamous armed robbery in Paris). THE CEREMONY They sealed the deal at Belvedere Fort in Florence, Italy, the city where North was conceived. They paid $410,000 to rent the place built in 1590, a spokeswoman for the Florence mayor’s office told The Associated Press. Kim walked down the aisle on the arm of step-parent Caitlyn Jenner as Andrea Bocelli sang to their 200 guests, including John Legend, Jaden Smith and Steve McQueen, the director of Kanye’s 2016 video for his single “All Day.” There was a wall of flowers as a backdrop, a seven-tier cake and a 224-foot marble table hoisted in by crane and put on a platform so all could see the stunning Florence skyline. Kim wore a long-sleeve, lacy Givenchy gown designed by friend Riccardo Tisci for the ceremony. SOCIAL MEDIA & THE WESTS Social media doesn’t always go well for Kanye. He has ranted. A lot. He used it to announce his presidential bid last year, with another run announced on Election Day 2020 for 2024. For Kim, it’s the place where she sells stuff. A lot. Most recently, it’s been the Skims shapewear and leisure line she launched last year. That’s the brand she originally called Kimono. Kim changed the name after outrage over cultural appropriation of the traditional Japanese robe. She has used social media in defense of Kanye when he goes off the rails. And she reaches out with family photos, happy birthdays to friends and in support of her work to free prison inmates, including Alice Marie Johnson. It was Johnson’s case that took Kim to the White House in 2018 for a meeting arranged by Jared Kushner to persuade then-President Donald Trump to commute Johnson’s drug conspiracy sentence. He did. After donning a red MAGA hat, Kanye also made an appearance at the White House soon after Kim that year, meeting with Trump and dropping an F-bomb during a hyper monologue that, for a change, left Trump fairly speechless. Also in 2018: Kanye stopped by TMZ headquarters to declare 400 years of slavery was a choice. It wasn’t until last year that Kim addressed her husband’s erratic behavior and struggles with mental illness. “I understand Kanye is subject to criticism because he is a public figure and his actions at times can cause strong opinions and emotions,” she said on Instagram. “He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bipolar disorder. Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words sometimes do not align with his intentions.” YE AND GOD Kanye’s been talking about faith since his debut album, “The College Dropout,” in 2004. On the album’s breakout single, “Jesus Walks,” he raps: “They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus/That means guns, sex, lies, videotape/But if I talk about God my record won’t get played huh.” Fast forward to 2019 and the birth of his born-again status and Sunday Service, gospel gatherings he has held at home in Los Angeles and around the world. They’ve been well attended by celebrities from DMX to Kenny G. Kim and her family have been right there in the mix. Kanye’s spiritual reset culminated in his ninth studio album, “Jesus is King.” His faith has led him in other directions, too, like his tearful disclosure that he considered aborting North rather than going through with her birth. It was Kim, he said, who fought for their child. THE GIFTING He has showered his wife with jewels, a hand-painted Birkin bag, stock in blue chip companies and a stake in his own Yeezy brand. But one gift stands out: a hologram of her late father, Robert Kardashian, during her 40th birthday bash on an undisclosed island in the middle of the pandemic last October. As Kim, family members and close friends partied beachside, hologram dad in a tan suit against a sparkly background of black and midnight blue spoke of being proud of the woman and mother she has become, particularly her studies to become a lawyer like himself, along with her support of his native Armenia. There was also a plug for Kanye from the great beyond: “You married the most, most, most, most, most genius man in the whole world, Kanye West.” THE STAKES Yes, they were a power couple, but Kanye was successful in music before Kim came along and the two have made truckloads of money separately. Together, Forbes estimates, their combined net worth is in the $2.1 billion range. Some crunch the numbers in his favor. Forbes said their biggest assets are independently owned and operated businesses. Kanye has made it big in shoes, and Kim rolls out beauty and attire on a regular basis. She also earned millions through the reality show that launched the family, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” It’s a show he reportedly wanted little to do with. Kim’s sale of a 20% stake in KKW Beauty to giant Coty for $200 million was completed this year. There’s also real estate and the mansion the two lavishly labored to trick out in Calabasas, California, along with their two Wyoming ranches.
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Famous Person - Marriage
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Mauritana locust infestation spreading to Morocco: UN
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October 16, 2009
Mauritana locust infestation spreading to Morocco: UN
A desert locust. An invasion of crickets in Mauritania has spread to Morocco and the western Sahara, and could worsen if there is strong rainfall in coming weeks, the United Nations warned Friday.
An invasion of crickets in Mauritania has spread to Morocco and the western Sahara, and could worsen if there is strong rainfall in coming weeks, the United Nations warned Friday.
"The larvae and locusts are gathering in a worrying fashion to the west of Mauritania," said Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
"If the outbreak is not controlled and if unusually heavy and widespread rains were to fall in the next two months, then the situation will deteriorate further and there is an extremely high risk that it could lead to the early stages of an upsurge in the region."
"The south of Morocco and western Sahara have started to be contaminated... We must be extremely cautious and to sound the alarm before the situation deteriorates," she added.
In 2004, Mauritania was hit by a locust invasion that ravaged a vast quantity of crops and threatened nearly a million people with starvation.
Mauritania's Desert Locust Centre said Tuesday it was sending special teams to the infested areas to fight a possible new devastating locust invasion in the vast desert country.
(c) 2009 AFP
Locust breeding expected to rise
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Insect Disaster
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Fort Lawton riot
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The Fort Lawton riot refers to a series of events in August 1944 starting with a violent conflict between U.S. soldiers and Italian prisoners of war at Fort Lawton in Seattle, Washington during World War II. [1] After the riot, prisoner Guglielmo Olivotto was found dead. [nb 1] This led to the court-martial of 43 soldiers, all of them African Americans. In 2005, the book On American Soil helped to convince the U.S. Army Board for Correction of Military Records that prosecutor Leon Jaworski had committed "egregious error," and that all convictions should be reversed. President George W. Bush signed legislation allowing the Army to disburse back pay to the defendants or their survivors. The night of August 14, 1944, an African-American port company at Fort Lawton, Seattle was under orders to ship out to the war zone the next morning. Just after 11 p.m, an intoxicated Black soldier and his three companions crossed paths with three Italian prisoners of war. Words were exchanged, the Black soldier rushed forward, and with one punch, an Italian knocked the American out cold. The Italians retreated to adjacent barracks, but the call went out about the confrontation. A number of Black soldiers, including Pvt. Samuel Snow, ran after the Italians, wielding boards from a fence that they broke down. The Italians, who were in their bunks for the night, heard rocks and bricks being thrown against their windows in their dark quarters. Believing they were under attack, the Italians began running, with some jumping out of windows. In the melee, both Italians and United States soldiers were injured. Hearing the commotion, and responding to a 'whistle' calling them to defend their fellow soldiers, dozens of Black soldiers came out of their barracks. A false rumor began that one American was dead. Dozens of Black soldiers headed into the Italian area, armed with rocks, fence posts, and a couple of knives. [citation needed]
Private Clyde Lomax, a white member of the Military Police Corps, was responsible for patrolling the area known as the "Colored Area," and was on the scene almost immediately. He loaded the most severely injured American into his jeep, but delayed transporting him to the hospital. Lomax failed to request back up from fellow MPs or to notify the chain of command of the severity of the situation. [citation needed]
More than forty minutes passed before a contingent of MPs arrived. By then, dozens of men were injured. The most seriously injured were all Italian prisoners-of-war; they were transported to hospitals for treatment. One Italian spent 16 months recovering from his injuries. [citation needed]
The military policemen restored order without taking anyone into custody. Later, they claimed it had been too dark to identify any of the participants in the riot. The next morning, Lomax, accompanied by a Black MP, discovered the body of prisoner Guglielmo Olivotto, hanging from a noose on the obstacle course. [citation needed]
By sunset on the day Olivotto's body was discovered, Colonel Harry Branson, Fort Lawton's commanding officer, had ordered all evidence destroyed. No fingerprints were secured, no footprints saved, no weapons properly catalogued. When Branson tried to ship the black soldiers to San Francisco that same day, he was countermanded after a subordinate reported his actions to the Pentagon. The riot and lynching was front page news in Seattle, and became a major story across the United States. The United States Army sent a young prosecutor, Leon Jaworski of Houston, to conduct a two-month investigation. During weeks of interrogations, Jaworski's investigators offered immunity to several soldiers who would agree to testify. Most refused, including Samuel Snow and Roy Montgomery. Five black soldiers agreed, however, to testify for the prosecution in exchange for immunity. Six decades later, all five were said to have had unrelated grudges against many of the men they accused. Most Italian prisoners-of-war were unable to identify a single black soldier, citing the darkness and confusion. Two, however, offered confident identifications of dozens of the Americans, and Jaworski used those two as his main witnesses. Decades later, a review of the case found that both had been previously identified as unreliable security risks by officers of the Military Intelligence Corps. As reports of the riot and lynching reached the Pentagon, General Elliot Cooke was sent to Seattle, charged with determining who, if anyone, had failed to prevent the riot and lynching. Cooke conducted an investigation before Jaworski had arrived. Cooke was not responsible for helping Jaworski with the criminal investigation, but Jaworski was given access to all of Cooke's interrogations and conclusions. In a classified report to Virgil L. Peterson, the Inspector General, Cooke concluded that the Fort Lawton commander had botched the initial criminal investigation, recommended Branson's demotion and/or reassignment, and ordered that Private Lomax be court-martialed for abandoning his post during the riot and lynching. After weeks of investigation, Jaworski decided to charge 43 soldiers with rioting; all the suspects were African American and charged with a crime with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Three of the men – Luther Larkin (1921–1948), Arthur Hurks (1921–1991) and William Jones (1924–1992) – were also charged with first-degree murder. They faced a possible death sentence. This was the largest number of defendants in a single United States Army trial during World War II. The defendants were provided two lawyers to represent them, and they were given 10 days to prepare their cases. William T. Beeks, the lead defense attorney, later was appointed as a federal judge. He was assisted by Howard Noyd, a former football player from Iowa.
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Riot
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Australia lacks credibility with veto of BRI deal
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With the federal government of Australia tearing up Victoria State's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) agreements with China, Australia has shown no respect for the spirit of contract or any sincerity toward improving bilateral ties.
On Wednesday, Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne announced her decision in a statement to scrap the memorandum of understanding on BRI cooperation and the framework agreement, which were signed in 2018 and 2019 respectively, between the government of Victoria and the Chinese side.
The statement, calling those deals "inconsistent with Australia's foreign policy or adverse to our foreign relations," was made under Australia's Foreign Arrangements Scheme that came into effect last December.
It is reportedly the first time that the Australian government has used its new power tool to cancel agreements between local governments and other countries.
The stark disregard for the spirit of contract has put Australia's credibility into question. It seems risky now to strike deals with the country because of such unpredictable behavior.
Cooperation with Australia has become erratic. Blame the government's capricious behavior, something China knows all too well.
Since 2018, a dozen Chinese investment projects in infrastructure and agriculture have been turned down by Australia on so-called national security concerns.
Chinese dairy company Mengniu gave up its proposed acquisition of Lion Dairy and Drinks last August, after Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said that the Chinese company's investment was "contrary to the national interest." Months later, Australia blocked a Chinese construction company from buying out a domestic builder, citing national security concerns.
The BRI deals with Australia have also long been in the crosshairs due to a cold-war mentality and ideological bias present among some politicians. The cancellation of the two BRI agreements, in spite of all tangible benefits and without explicit reasons given, raises concerns over the Australia's selective and discriminatory approach.
The BRI was initiated by China in 2013 to promote trade and economic cooperation among economies along the ancient Silk Road, and to further open up markets in a mutually beneficial manner.
As of January this year, a total of 171 countries and international organizations including Australia have signed 205 cooperation agreements with China in the joint construction of the Belt and Road.
With the memorandum of understanding signed in 2018, Victoria was the first Australian state to sign a Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China.
With two-way trade between the state and China soaring to over 18.3 billion US dollars annually at that time, Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews told Xinhua in 2019 that the partnership with China is important to his government, and "very important to Victorian economic prosperity, jobs and investment."
"There is no conflict of fundamental interest between us, and no major historical irritants to be healed," said Minister Wang Xining of the Chinese Embassy in Australia in his address to the National Press Club on Wednesday, a few hours before Payne announced the cancellation.
It is hoped that Australia will take an objective and rational view of the BRI and cooperation with China. Australia must behave in a way that bolsters mutual trust between the two counties. The country's own credibility is at stake.
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Tear Up Agreement
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1996 Lijiang earthquake
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The 1996 Lijiang earthquake occurred at 19:14 on 3 February near Lijiang City, Yunnan in southwestern China. The shock measured 6.6 on the moment magnitude scale and had a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). According to authorities, up to 322 people died and more than 17,000 were injured. [3] About 358,000 buildings were destroyed, and 320,000 people were made homeless. [1]
The earthquake destroyed many structures and buildings in the region; property damage was estimated at 506 million US dollars. [3] In addition to damage to structures, it triggered more than 200 landslides in a 12,000 km2 area. Many further landslides occurred in the months afterwards, as monsoon rains swept away debris already loosened, and as late as 1999, scientists warned that widespread ground fracturing throughout much of the area might lead to further landsliding in the event of heavy rain. [4]
One hundred and eighty-four aftershocks occurred in the first 26 hours, including 18 which measured between 4.0 and 4.8 on the Richter scale. [5]
Many high-rise buildings in the area were torn down and traditional single-family dwellings were constructed in their place. Reconstruction assistance from the provincial government and the World Bank was used to restore traditional streets, bridges, and canals. These efforts played a major role in Lijiang's efforts to achieve the World Heritage Site designation by UNESCO. [6]
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Earthquakes
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Climate Change Brings the Worst Locust Attack in Decades to ...
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Agriculture
Climate Change Brings the Worst Locust Attack in Decades to India
The attack is a highly irregular one, say experts. Farmers on the field feel that the measures taken were too little and too late.
Swarms of locusts in the walled city of Jaipur, Rajasthan, Monday, May 25, 2020. More than half of Rajasthan’s 33 districts are affected by invasion by these crop-munching insects. Photo: PTI
Environment
26/May/2020
New Delhi/Jaipur: Large swarms of desert locusts have entered areas in India where they had not been seen since 1993 and have already caused damage to crops in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, parts of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
The migratory pest has made several incursions into Rajasthan in the last two decades – including a significant one last year. But this time, the swarms have spread to parts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and even Maharashtra.
Locusts last swarmed Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in 1993 and have not been seen since 1974 in Maharashtra.
A swarm reached the city of Jaipur on Monday, as urban residents commented on Twitter that 2020 might be the “last year for humankind”.
The real damage, however, is being caused and will be caused in rural India where farmers already bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 induced lockdown and the low prices they have fetched in the last few years, stare at massive crop damage that the locust swarms are capable of inflicting.
According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation ( FAO ) of the United Nations, a swarm of locusts spread across an area of one square kilometre can eat as much food as 35,000 people in one day. Their appetite is voracious and one locust can consume food equal to its own weight – about two grams – on a daily basis. And since a square kilometre swarm would contain about 40 million locusts, it can cause a significant amount of damage in a short period of time.
‘Too late’
Sooraj Pandey, a farmer in Mhow near Indore in Madhya Pradesh, witnessed this damage first-hand.
The remains of a pumpkin plant after a locust attack in Mhow. Photo: By special arrangement
He told us over the phone that he was in his house when the tiddi dal (locust swarm) attacked his farm on May 23. A worker on his farm called him and said that ‘insects’ had spread across the farm.
“I knew these weren’t normal insects. I ran. As soon as I reached, I realised that this is the tiddi dal. We quickly took out our tractor to drive them away. We tried banging utensils to scare them with the sound,” he said.
But it was too little and too late. The locusts had polished off about half the pumpkin that was growing on his 4-acre field. “They ate like they hadn’t eaten for months. Everything was gone, only shoots were left,” said Pandey.
More than 500 kilometres from Mhow, a locust swarm also attacked Akhilesh Litoria’s farm in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. “It looked like someone had placed a huge white sheet on top of the entire field,” he told us over the phone. According to Litoria, the swarm of locusts that attacked fields in Jhansi on May 24 was spread over an area of one square kilometre.
“They finished the entire crop in the area. We had planted moong and they ate all of it. They did not even spare leaves on trees. Some of them sat on trees and ate all the leaves,” said Litoria.
The moong crop was also damaged 500 kilometres south of Jhansi, in Harda. Anand Patel has around 10 acres of land and about half his moong crop was eaten by a locust swarm. “They are not scared of anything. We tried banging utensils, rode motorcycles without silencers. But they remained there and finished off the crop,” Patel said.
Remains of a pumpkin field in Mhow after a locust attack. Photo: By special arrangement
According to a report in Times of India, locust swarms have reached as far as Vidarbha in Maharashtra and caused crop damage. This, according to the report, has not happened since 1974.
All three farmers quoted here and a few others we spoke to said that they haven’t seen a locust attack such as this one in their lives. “Even my father, who is 86, said he hasn’t ever seen anything like this. Only heard about this in folk tales,” said Pandey, who is 64.
‘Irregular’
According to the government of India’s Locust Warning Organisation (LWO), the attack this year is highly irregular as it has come earlier than usual and reached farther. “This time the locusts have come in May. That almost never happens. Maybe they got more fertile breeding ground this season,” said K.L. Gurjar, deputy director at the directorate of plant protection, quarantine and storage.
Favourable conditions for desert locusts to breed consists of moist sand and green vegetation in arid areas. These favourable conditions were made available to the locusts in the desert region of Africa and Arabian Peninsula due to heavy rainfall that the region witnessed in 2019. They then migrated to India via Iran and Pakistan.
Also read: India Suggests Pakistan, Iran Launch Coordinated Response to Contain Desert Locust Threat
According to Roxy Mathew Koll, climate scientist at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the heavy rainfall was caused by unusually warm waters in the western Indian Ocean in late 2019. And the unusually warm waters were caused by climate change or global warming.
“These warm waters were caused by the phenomenon called the Indian Ocean Dipole — with warmer than usual waters to its west, and cooler waters to its east. Rising temperatures due to global warming amplified the dipole and made the western Indian Ocean particularly warm,” Koll explained over email.
A desert locust is seen feeding on a plantation in a grazing land on the outskirt of Dusamareb in Galmudug region, Somalia December 22, 2019. Photo: Reuters/Feisal Omar/File Photo
In addition to the creation of a fertile breeding ground in parts of Africa and the Arabian peninsula, the locust swarms may have also been encouraged into India due to the heavy pre monsoon rain that we have witnessed this season.
Usually, locust swarms would be expected to enter the arid area of Rajasthan in India from Pakistan around the onset of monsoon. But this year, locusts had been reported as early as April, in parts of Rajasthan and Punjab.
This early migration of locusts could be a consequence of excessive pre-monsoon rain in about 70 % of India, according to Koll. “Heavy rain triggers the growth of vegetation in arid areas where desert locusts can then grow and breed. These locusts which migrated to India early this year might have found greener pastures as the pre-monsoon rains during March-May were in excess over north India this year,” he said.
Western disturbances
The increased pre-monsoon rains have in turn been caused by another unusual weather pattern. The excess pre monsoon rains have, in large part, been caused by the increased frequency of western disturbances (WD) – which are low pressure systems that originate in the Mediterranean Sea or mid-west Atlantic Ocean, move eastwards and are the cause of most of north western India’s pre monsoon rain.
Locusts attacking a tree in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. Photo: By special arrangement
“Every year during December to March-April, an average of 4–6 western disturbances (WD) per month reach India. This year we had a larger than usual number of WDs active over India. So, this might have partially contributed to the excess pre-monsoon rains,” Koll said.
Secretary of the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, M. Rajeevan, told Gaon Connection recently that the WDs this season even extended beyond north India into central and southern India.
Scientists have also said that the increased WD activity this season could have a polar connection and be linked to the polar vortex – a low pressure system of extremely cold swirling air in the north and south poles.
“The large-scale cyclonic activity associated with the polar vortex can trigger different circulation patterns towards the lower latitudes. Storms in the UK this winter have also been linked to the polar vortex,” R.K. Jenamani, senior scientist at National Weather Forecasting Centre told Jayshree Nandi of the Hindustan Times in March.
D.S. Pai, senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department, concurred and told the English daily that the polar vortex can impact mid-latitude westerlies and be a cause for increased WDs in India.
However, it has not yet been conclusively established whether the increased incidence of WDs is a long-term change in climate and if yes, then whether that change has been brought about by global warming. This is something that all the scientists mentioned here are working on.
Keith Cressman, Senior Locust Forecasting Officer at the FAO, also sees a longer term trend of increasing cyclone activity in the Indian Ocean leading to heavy rains in Arabian peninsula and parts of Africa, and that is, in turn, leading to more desert locust upsurges.
“There were eight cyclones in 2019 when in most years there are only one or two. Three cyclones in 2018 and two in 2019 have contributed to the current desert locust upsurge in the Horn of Africa where large and numerous swarms are present in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya,” he said. Cressman also said that if the trend continues more desert locust outbreaks can be expected.
Also read: India Suffers Biggest Locust Attack in 25 Years, Not Fully Controlled Yet
Axel Hochkirch, a biodiversity scientist at the University of Trier, Germany, agrees that such locust swarms could occur more frequently in the future given the changing rainfall patterns.
“Climate change may well play a role here, mainly because, according to forecasts by international climate researchers, precipitation will increase in the southern Arabian Peninsula and northern East Africa,” he said.
“This means that there will be more frequent ‘very humid’ phases, such as we have had since 2018, and it is therefore possible that such swarms will simply occur more frequently.”
The current outbreak, it is clear, has its roots in the unseasonal heavy rains – caused by climate change in the case of the rains in parts of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, as Koll said – which have played the most crucial role in the worst locust attack that India has witnessed in decades.
“Despite control operations, recent heavy rains have created ideal conditions for the pest’s reproduction in several countries,” said FAO director-general Qu Dongyu.
A man chases away a swarm of desert locusts in the bush near Enziu, Kitui County, some 200km east of the capital Nairobi, Kenya.
Photo: Dai Kurokawa/EPA/The Conversation
Worse effects
Qu had also warned that things will only get worse. “Young juveniles will become voracious adults in June just as farmers begin to harvest compounding an already bleak food security situation. There is increased risk along both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border, where outbreaks in Iran and Pakistan are still ongoing.” Qu said on May 22.
Locusts, which are the among the most damage causing pests, also multiply rapidly and can grow three fold in three months. They could, potentially, jeopardise India’s food security at a time when millions are already vulnerable to hunger owing to the impacts of the COVID-19 induced lockdown.
Locusts attacking a plant in Jhansi. Photo: By special arrangement
“Yes, it could impact the kharif crop. For one, it could destroy the early kharif crop now and then in June and July. It could also have another impact which is that farmers who are worried about the loss due to locusts, might not sow or might sow less than what they usually would. So, the total production could reduce because of both these factors. That is why it is essential to control these swarms right now,” said an official at the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, on the condition of anonymity.
The LWO has said that it has the situation under control. As of now, it has identified four large swarms of locusts in the country which are between two and three square kilometres in size. Two of these are in Madhya Pradesh, one in Rajasthan and another close to Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. While one swarm smaller than one square kilometre in size attacked Vidarbha on Monday.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and have it well under control. We are spraying pesticides wherever they sit in order to kill them. We are killing thousands of them every day and soon we will have them completely under control,” said Gurjar.
Minimising damage
Minimising the damage in India would also need cross border co-operation with Pakistan as locusts are not known for their appreciation of borders and locusts breeding in Pakistan can easily come to India.
Officials from both Indian and Pakistan hold weekly Skype meetings to take stock of the situation. Gurjar represents India in those meetings. “They [Pakistan] have told us that they are taking measures to control the locust spread though aerial sprayers. Regular details of covering the spread in the infected area are also shared from their side,” he told The Wire.
Also read: Historic Rivals India and Pakistan Team Up To Fight Locusts
India’s response so far to the locust invasion has been restricted to spraying of pesticides through vehicle-mounted sprayers, states notifying locust invasion as “mid-season adversity” under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and announcing disaster relief packages.
Experts have said that measures such as using tractors to spray malathion – a type of pesticide – are not very effective. “In remote desert areas, tractors can’t move across sand dunes or reach out to the height of certain trees, rendering the spraying ineffective. The government must use drones or aircraft carriers to spray Malathion over locusts swarms for effective results,” Anil Kumar Chhangani, head of department of environmental science at the Maharaja Ganga Singh University in Bikaner told The Wire.
The government has now permitted the use of drones, or remotely piloted aircraft systems to observe swarms and spray pesticides.
Measures
According to the Union Ministry for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Rajasthan is currently the worst affected state in to the locust attack. The state has decided to provide farmers who are insured under the PMFBY with advance payment of 25% of their likely claims. This will be implemented in six districts – Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Jalore, Bikaner and Sirohi.
The advanced claim will be based on a joint survey conducted by the concerned insurance company and representatives of the state government. The rest of the claims will be disbursed only after crop cutting experiments (CCE) are conducted.
However, the CCE process has been criticised as it calculates damages at a village level based on random selection of any four fields growing the crop for which the CCE is being conducted.
Farmers point out that locusts don’t damage fields in a village uniformly.
“The locusts do not swarm necessarily the entire village. However, for the CCE, only four plots/fields are randomly selected. So, if these fields haven’t suffered locust attacks, all the insured farmers of that patwar circle wouldn’t receive any compensation under the PMFBY,” Dalip Bhamboo, a farmer associated with the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) in Hanumangarh district told The Wire.
Ajayvir Jakhar, chairman, Bharat Krishak Samaj, has said that the central government needs to do more. “India’s central government has to go beyond giving alerts and advisories on managing the locust outbreak, and immediately arrange for aerial sprays of pesticides to control the rapidly escalating situation. The states do not have the wherewithal to manage the scale of the outbreak this year,” he said.
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Insect Disaster
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What Trump’s JCPOA withdrawal means for India
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Guidance for the Brookings community and the public on our response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) »
Learn more from Brookings scholars about the global response to coronavirus (COVID-19) »
Over the last few years, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has sought to deepen its relationships in the Middle East (or what Delhi calls West Asia). It has continued its predecessors’ approach of maintaining links with Israel, the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (both the Qatar and Saudi/UAE wings), and Iran. Arguably, the latter is the least significant of the three for India—and definitely less crucial than India’s partnership with the United States for Indian interests. Nonetheless, for Delhi, Iran is important because of a) India’s energy interests, and b) connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Both could be affected by the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the JCPOA, which Modi in an India-Iran joint statement two years ago said represented a “triumph of diplomacy and sagacity.” In its response today, New Delhi was careful not to condemn the U.S. action—but it will not welcome the step, particularly as it comes at a time of global and regional flux and uncertainty.
Iran is India’s third-largest supplier of crude oil after Saudi Arabia and Iraq. It has recovered some of its market share in India after sanctions caused it to fall from second place in 2008-09 (accounting for 17 percent of Indian oil imports) to seventh place in 2013-14 (accounting for 6 percent of Indian oil imports).
India, which is the third-largest global oil consumer and imports three-quarters of its oil, will be assessing how the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran might affect this supply. Delhi will want to find a way to maintain as much of this supply as it can—including by seeking exemptions if possible. But, if it has to comply with sanctions, the system is better prepared, having done so before. Indian officials will even try to see if this development could represent an opportunity. Iran, for whom India is the second-largest market, might offer it better terms to try to maintain its market share. Delhi could take this up to an extent if, as it has done in the past, it can pay in rupees. Or it could ask Saudi Arabia or the UAE or Kuwait to make a competing offer. In reducing imports last year to force a much-delayed Iranian decision to give an Indian company the development rights to a gas field, Delhi has shown that it is willing to use its leverage.
Indian private- and public-sector companies that are engaged in importing oil or subsidizing downstream companies—or are involved in the Iranian sector—will also be assessing the impact on their operations and their bottom lines. Many of these companies have interests in the United States that they will also need to factor in to their next steps.
Beyond the bilateral energy questions, the Indian government will be closely watching the impact of this step on oil prices, since that has implications for the Indian economy. And with a general election due in the next year (not to mention some crucial state elections in the meantime), Modi will also be concerned about the political implications of any oil price increase.
The country and the Modi government have benefited from lower oil prices over the last few years. When Modi took office, the price for the Indian crude basket was $108.05 per barrel; just before the Iran deal, it was $57.19 per barrel; and by the end of 2015, it was $33.36 per barrel. This gave India’s economic policymakers more fiscal space and Modi more political space—both of which will be hurt by much higher prices. Oil prices have already crossed $70 per barrel.
My colleague Samantha Gross has indicated that energy markets have already priced in a U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and that there is sufficient spare capacity to absorb the expected loss of Iranian oil. Much will depend, according to her, on whether Riyadh, Moscow, and others decide to increase production (they might have little incentive to do so at the moment); whether American producers can do so given certain infrastructure constraints; and the state of affairs in producers like Venezuela and Iraq (if Tehran retaliates there, for example, that could affect its production levels and global prices).
Delhi will also be concerned about the impact on its regional connectivity plans that have been driven by both geopolitical and geoeconomic interests. In the absence of a corridor through Pakistan, India has seen Iran as a potentially crucial transit route to Afghanistan and Central Asia (and eventually via the International North South Transport Corridor even further). This objective—and China’s base in Djibouti and its role in developing the Pakistani port of Gwadar—has shaped India’s desire to invest in upgrading the Iranian port of Chabahar. Arguably more than energy trade, this has led to increased bilateral engagement, including Modi’s May 2016 visit to Iran and President Hassan Rouhani’s February 2018 visit to India.
While the Chabahar initiative was in the works for years, the JCPOA (and potential Chinese competition) gave it new momentum. In 2016, Modi committed to spending $500 million on the project. Since then, ministers have exchanged visits, and there have been two related Afghanistan-India-Iran ministerials, as well as a trilateral transit agreement and Indian wheat shipments to Afghanistan via the port. Nonetheless, the project has continued to suffer delays—in identifying a private sector partner, for instance. There have also been reports that Tehran has expressed interest in Chinese investment in the port (though this might be negotiating tactic). And Trump’s latest move will only further complicate India’s plans.
It is worth keeping in mind that the India-Afghanistan airfreight corridors have made this transit route via Iran less indispensable, and Taliban gains might have made it less feasible anyway.
The exact impact on Indian energy and connectivity interests will depend on the fine print of the sanctions re-imposition, on whether India can get exemptions (the U.S. response when India shipped wheat to Afghanistan through Chabahar, for example, was relatively measured reflecting a greater understanding of India’s position and its role in Afghanistan), on the alternate oil supply picture, and on the feasibility of alternative payment mechanisms that Delhi and Tehran have tried to put in place.
The Trump administration’s withdrawal from JCPOA would not have come as a surprise to the Indian government. Delhi knew it was a possibility when President Trump was elected. It is likely that Modi indeed discussed this scenario in recent conversations with French President Macron, British Prime Minister May, and German Chancellor Merkel, as well as fellow oil importers in Asia (Japan and China).
But there’s a difference between knowing that Trump twists might be around the corner and having to deal with them (or like them). Washington’s JCPOA withdrawal is not an unmanageable problem for India, but it creates complications that will require it to expend time and resources that are already in short supply. For Delhi, it will also add another difficult item to the U.S.-India agenda. Officials on both sides are already grappling with economic frictions, and trying to minimize the impact of congressional sanctions on Russia on India’s ability to pay for its defense purchases from that country and on American defense companies’ ability to sell to India.
The JCPOA withdrawal will also reinforce concerns about U.S. reliability. And it will have broader implications for the Middle East, a critical region for India. Moreover, Delhi will worry about it creating more space for China in Iran and the region more broadly. Finally, the Modi government will see the U.S. withdrawal as adding to the global uncertainty that has been affecting its geopolitical, economic, and political options.
Despite these Indian concerns, don’t expect public wrangling with the United States. Delhi has other strategic interests at stake with Washington, and will see private discussions with U.S. counterparts as a more effective way of safeguarding its Iran-related interests. It might even use its willingness to comply with sanctions as leverage with the United States to secure more crucial objectives. In addition, Delhi will engage with Tehran to try to mitigate the impact of the American step. It will, moreover, continue its interactions with other key oil producers, including Iraq, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, as well as discussions with fellow consumers. And Delhi will engage with Berlin, London, Paris, and other European partners to manage the fallout, giving added impetus to the Modi government’s stepped-up outreach to Europe.
Order from Chaos
A how-to guide for managing the end of the post-Cold War era. Read all the Order from Chaos content »
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Tear Up Agreement
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Lasha Talakhadze sweeps world weightlifting records
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The last weightlifting event of the Tokyo Olympics, the category for giant men over 109kg, had two bits of suspense.
First, who would take silver and bronze? The answers were Ali Davoudi, the junior world record holder, and Syria's Man Asaad.
Second, how much weight would Georgia's Lasha Talakhadze lift to defend his Olympic title? The answer: a lot.
Talakhadze closed out Tokyo's weightlifting competitions in style, setting a world record with a 223kg lift in the snatch, setting another world record with a 265kg lift in the clean and jerk, and, as math dictates, an overall world record of 488kg.
The big Georgian left little doubt with each lift. And by using his first attempt in each phase to lift a higher weight than anyone else attempted at all, he was simply in a class by himself.
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Break historical records
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Preparing for Zoonotic Outbreaks: Scientific Forum Opens
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The IAEA 2021 Scientific Forum on Preparing for Zoonotic Outbreaks: The Role of Nuclear Science commenced today. (Photo: F.Llukmani/IAEA) The obvious lesson from the pandemic is the lack of global preparedness to respond early to the outbreak of zoonotic diseases. The IAEA dedicated its Scientific Forum to investigate the future and how nuclear science can further help the world to prepare for future zoonotic outbreaks. “We are under a pandemic as we speak and it is not an abstract problem,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi at the opening of the 2021 Scientific Forum. “We want this Forum to be a space to exchange views with a robust scientific content, but most importantly we want to address what needs to be done now, and what is needed to put this [pandemic] behind us and to prevent such a thing from happening again.” Introducing the other opening speakers, Director Generals Qu Dongyu of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Tedros Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Monique Eloit of the World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE), Mr Grossi added: “We will bring together the best we can do with a one health approach.” The one health approach recognises that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. With technological and scientific progress in the use of nuclear and related techniques in detecting zoonotic diseases – diseases transmitted from animals to people – this year’s Scientific Forum examines how these techniques play a role in helping countries detect, mitigate and prevent the outbreak of zoonotic diseases. The Forum is taking place in Vienna along with the IAEA’s 65th General Conference over the next two days. Senior officials and leading experts discuss the latest developments in the preparation and mitigation of global zoonotic outbreaks. The event features five sessions. For the full programme, click here. The live streaming of the Scientific Forum is available here. During lockdowns caused by COVID-19 that began in March 2020, the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture guided countries on the detection of the virus causing COVID-19, through its Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Network (VETLAB). VETLAB has helped over 60 countries detect and control animal and zoonotic diseases, including COVID-19. This progress will continue with IAEA’s Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action (ZODIAC) initiative, launched last year. Mr Dongyu, noted that the “FAO has been working closely with the IAEA since 1964 to contribute to sustainable food security and safety by using nuclear techniques and biotechnology. Through our joint multi-disciplinary laboratories, and close collaboration with other organisations such as the OIE, we have been collaborating to develop technologies and applications in animal disease diagnosis.” The IAEA, as a member of the United Nations Crisis Management Team for COVID-19 and in coordination with WHO, provided assistance to 129 countries through the provision of equipment to detect COVID-19 and support training—the largest Agency technical cooperation project ever. Mr Ghebreyesus added that the “WHO recognises the contribution of the IAEA in improving global veterinary lab capacity to strengthening health systems and pandemic preparedness and response globally. This complements the frameworks and mechanisms put in place by WHO as well as our partners.” Ms Eloit of OIE noted that “as the world’s population continues to grow and compete for diminishing resources, we are reminded more than ever that the health of humans, animals and other organisms is of importance. Collectively we need to be more intelligent and adapt system syncing in our work. One Health describes a multisectoral approach to health of animals, humans and other organisms.” A leading expert in infectious diseases, Director of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Christian Happi, discussed the case of Ebola in Nigeria, where they could overcome the disease in record time and show how the world can learn lessons from this. “By the time we detect and categorise an emerging pathogen, it’s often too late. But we’re in a cusp of a new era, we can change it. We heard the IAEA Director General talking about ZODIAC, it is one of those initiatives, building on knowledge, technology, capacity building, training with which we can overcome threats.” Keynote speaker and UN Messenger of Peace, Jane Goodall, explained how zoonotic diseases occur through the human treatment of animals and the movement of their pathogens: “If one of these pathogens such as a bacteria or virus jumps into a human, then it may cause one of these new zoonotic diseases.” She continued to state: “It’s become very clear that human health and well-being is closely linked with the health of the environment which in turn, depends on the health of the animals and plants that make up the biodiversity of an area and ecosystem. We’ve got a window of time where we can try and turn things around, but I don’t think it’s a very big window and it’s closing…we must take action, together, and we must take action, now.” “In the context of recurring health emergencies, almost always linked to infectious diseases, often of zoonotic origin, it is important to begin to examine and raise awareness of the role that can be played by science in general, and nuclear science in particular, in preparing for and responding to these public health threats,” said Khalid Ait Taleb, Minister of Health of Morocco. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Albania, Ermira Gjeci, shared her country’s experience: “Nuclear and similar technologies have played an important role in animal health, especially in relation to the diagnosis of diseases and the characterisation of pathogenic organisms. In Albania, from May 1 to August 15, 2021, we had outbreaks of bird flu in domestic birds and wild birds.” She added that the use of molecular biology methods made obtaining the results in 24 hours possible in order to ensure that we take immediate measures. Honduras, too, has suffered from animal and zoonotic diseases and has successfully applied nuclear techniques to control them, said Karen Najarro, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Honduras. “In recent years, our country has suffered from various zoonotic diseases, such as dengue, Zika and Chikungunya, transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. We believe the international community must be able to tackle such emergencies. The IAEA has been a strategic partner in this fight. This pandemic has shown that lower middle-income countries like Honduras need international assistance to face these challenges. ZODIAC, through its five pillars, will clearly be central to helping Member States improve and implement new diagnostic methods.” Amadou Alpha Sall, Director of the Dakar Pasteur Institute in Senegal summed up the need for three steps in tackling zoonotic disease outbreaks: The discussion continues in five sessions during the two-day programme. Session 1: Techniques for Detecting Pathogens and Monitoring Zoonoses The first session will focus on the tools used to mine the interface of animals, people and the environment to solve problems that globally impact health and conservation. This will be followed by a discussion about the role of research for the early detection of novel pathogens and their progress towards disease. Session 2: Understanding the Emergence of Infectious Diseases at the Animal-Human Interface It is important to identify emerging and re-emerging zoonoses and understand when and how to react to a zoonotic disease outbreak. This session will acknowledge this, alongside learnings from the past which will consider the contribution and roles of the ecosystem, animals and humans in a true one-health response to zoonotic outbreaks. Session 3: The Role of Radiation Techniques in Dealing with the Impact of Zoonoses on Human Health The role of medical imaging and radiomics in the management of zoonotic diseases will be explained. The use of new technological enablers for early and effective response, namely, artificial intelligence and machine learning will be brought to the forefront. Session 4: From Avian Flu to COVID-19 – the IAEA’s Support to Countries The IAEA uses nuclear technology to help countries prevent and tackle zoonotic disease outbreaks. Responses to the Avian Flu in Azerbaijan, the Respiratory Sydrome-MERS in the Middle East, Ebola in Cameroon and COVID-19 in Botswana will be presented by experts in each field. The session will be rounded up with acknowledgment on combatting COVID-19 through detection, diagnosis and management. Session 5 and Closing: Enhancing Global Preparedness to Control Zoonotic Diseases: ZODIAC The final session of the forum will review the main conclusions and discuss enhancing global prepared in controlling zoonotic diseases with the IAEA’s recently launched action plan – ZODIAC.
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Disease Outbreaks
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Home recovery from Covid-19
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Although people are allowed to leave their home after the 10-day home recovery period, they are advised by MOH to minimise contact with others for another seven days. SINGAPORE - As a self-employed professional, Mr Lau cannot afford to miss work for too long. But the 40-year-old, who declined to have his full name published, has been stuck at home since Sept 19, when he tested positive for Covid-19 after undergoing a polymerase chain reaction test. Mr Lau experienced flu-like symptoms, and also lost his sense of taste and smell. But he received only a formal isolation order - in the form of a sheet of paper delivered to his doorstep - on the fourth day of his illness. Because he had tested positive, he was to be isolated at home, where he lives alone, until Sept 27. He said he never got the care pack, which includes items such as surgical masks, hand sanitiser and an oximeter to measure blood oxygen levels. The Ministry of Health (MOH) had earlier said that people on the home recovery scheme could ask for them, but then it updated its website last Friday saying that the packs are delivered to only people without oximeters at home. Mr Lau does not have an oximeter at home. He has symptoms, such as a runny nose, but tested negative using an antigen rapid test (ART) kit. Although he has completed his home recovery stint, Mr Lau is unsure of what to do next. He has been frustrated at how difficult it has been to contact MOH for clear instructions, with phone operators telling him that they would escalate his case to the relevant departments. Nobody called him back, he said. "I need to meet people to make things happen," said Mr Lau, who works in project management. "During this period, I lost a lot of customers. They could not wait for me, and I myself didn't know what my timing would be like." With Covid-19 cases rising sharply, it was announced that home recovery would be the default for all patients with mild symptoms. Here are some tips for getting through home recovery.
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Famous Person - Recovered
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Mentor On Tap & Uncorked Is Canceled This Year
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MENTOR, OH — The popular Mentor On Top & Uncorked event has been canceled this year due to staffing challenges. The event will not be rescheduled. Originally slated for Oct. 2, city officials said a combination of too few workers and logistical hurdles made putting on the event impossible this year. "This is a fun and popular event but unfortunately, the effects of the pandemic are still with us," said Ante Logarusic, community relations administrator. "It has been difficult obtaining and maintaining commitments from brewers, food vendors, and other suppliers due to staffing shortages." Mentor On Top & Uncorked usually attracts 600 attendees per year. The event was canceled due to COVID-19 in 2020 and was then rescheduled twice in 2021, before being canceled this year as well. "We appreciate the continued support of our attendees, as well as our sponsors who help present events such as these to the public; and look forward to resuming our full event schedule next year," Logarusic said.
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Organization Closed
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Helgoland Island air disaster crash
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The Helgoland Island air disaster occurred on 9 September 1913 after the airship Zeppelin LZ 14 had been transferred to the Imperial German Navy on 7 October 1912. As the first airship owned by the Navy, it was given the serial number L-1. Ordered to participate in manoeuvers, it departed the mainland in bad weather. With 20 people on board, L-1 flew into a gale, and, while 18 miles from its destination, the cold rain caused its gas to contract, causing it to settle 32 km; 17 nmi (20 mi) north of Heligoland into the North Sea, breaking in two. The control car sank, drowning 13 of its occupants. Seven were rescued by motor torpedo boats.
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Air crash
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United Nations Humanitarian Air Service in Ethiopia
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WFP established its United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) in 2007 to facilitate access for humanitarian staff to reach remote and vulnerable areas of Ethiopia. Classified as one of the world’s most underdeveloped countries, nearly 10 percent of Ethiopia’s population of 85 million is vulnerable to food insecurity and depends on national safety-net programmes.1 As of June 2014, an estimated 2.7 million people2 require humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs for survival. Since July 2011, humanitarian activities in south-eastern Ethiopia, and in particular Dolo Ado, have increased due to the influx of refugees escaping civil unrest, violence, and drought in south-central Somalia. In August 2014, Ethiopia became the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, with more than 650,000 refugees from Somalia, Eritrea and South Sudan. UNHAS plays a vital role in the overall humanitarian response by ensuring reliable access to key project implementation sites. The Special Operation (SO) 200711 will be managed by the WFP Ethiopia Country Office for the period 1 January 2015 - 31 December 2015 at a budgeted cost of US$8,978,222. The interests of the humanitarian community will continue to be represented by the UNHAS User Group Committee (UGC) composed of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), United Nations (UN) agencies and donor representatives. The UGC meets regularly and handles administrative matters, provides feedback on service quality and identifies destinations to be served. The budget requirementswill be raised through donor contributions (approx. 85%) and a partial cost-recovery (approx. 15%) in the form of ticket sales. The fleet will be composed of three aircrafts serving seven regular destinations. Fleet composition and operational routes have been determined after needs assessments and consultations with relevant stakeholders. The project will be implemented through standard WFP management structures and support systems and regularly reviewed in accordance with standard procedures in order to minimize risks and ensure operational efficiency.
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Famine
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Uneven Global Vaccination Threatens Economic Rebound, O.E.C.D. Warns
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The group forecast that the worldwide economy would grow 5.7 percent in 2021, slightly lower than its previous estimate. A vaccination clinic in New Delhi. Inoculation rates remain varied, and many low-income countries and emerging markets except China are still far behind, the O.E.C.D. said.Credit...Adnan Abidi/Reuters By Liz Alderman Published Sept. 21, 2021Updated Oct. 19, 2021 PARIS — A global recovery from the pandemic is finally taking hold as rising vaccination rates in advanced economies allow governments to keep businesses open and people to resume leading largely normal lives, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Tuesday. But the spread of the Delta variant of the coronavirus has blunted some of the momentum, leading the organization to inch back its forecast for worldwide growth and warn of a greater economic fracturing between wealthy nations and the developing world, driven by starkly unequal access to vaccines. Countries that have had the financial firepower to secure vaccines and immunize citizens are bouncing back much faster than those that are still struggling to obtain shots, the organization said, raising a host of related economic problems that are affecting global supply chains and pose a risk for the future. “The global shock that pushed the world to the worst recession in a century is now fading, and we’re now projecting the recovery will bring growth back to its precrisis trend,” Laurence Boone, the organization’s chief economist, said in a news briefing. But “a failure to vaccinate globally puts all of us at risk,” she said. The global economy has managed to build on a recovery that started this year as governments ramped up immunization campaigns in a bid to avoid debilitating new shutdowns even as the Delta variant spread. Huge fiscal programs, including an enormous stimulus package in the United States and a parallel effort in Europe, have unleashed pent-up business activity, while consumers who saved during lockdowns started spending again. But the spread of the Delta variant still blunted activity in a variety of ways around the world, including by gumming up supply chains in countries where new lockdowns were unavoidable because of a relative lack of vaccine, the O.E.C.D. said. As a result, the organization, which is based in Paris, trimmed its 2021 outlook for global growth to 5.7 percent from a 5.8 percent forecast in May. The O.E.C.D. also edged down forecasts for the U.S. economy and emerging markets, but raised its outlook for Europe. The United States, the world’s largest economy, has helped usher along the global recovery, the organization said, aided by a $2 trillion infrastructure package that sped a postpandemic rebound. But the recovery remains far from normal, as some businesses thrive and others lag behind. And a jump in inflation unleashed since spring — tied to a resurgence of consumer demand, sharp surges in oil prices and an explosion in the cost of shipping goods to businesses and consumers worldwide — is expected to weigh on growth, the organization said. U.S. economic output will expand 6 percent this year, less than a breakneck 6.9 percent pace forecast in May but still well above that of most other countries except China and India, the organization said. Closing arguments are set to begin in the trial of Elizabeth Holmes. Investors are worried that the Federal Reserve may soon begin cutting back its huge purchases of government bonds, which have helped fuel the recovery that has driven Wall Street to record highs since the pandemic hit. The Fed winds up a two-day policy meeting on Wednesday, and investors will look for signs of any shift. The Fed chair, Jerome H. Powell, has said that he expects higher-than-normal inflation to be temporary, and that it is probably linked to pandemic-related quirks . The O.E.C.D. joined most economists in agreeing that prices will probably rise more slowly through the end of the year and eventually wane, but said it was unclear how much and how fast the increases would fall away. “We expect the effects to fade eventually, but the extent of price pressures differs widely across countries, pointing to the fact that this is no ordinary global recovery,” Ms. Boone said. Central banks should keep monetary policy loose, but offer clearer guidance about how much they can tolerate the increase in inflation, she added. The eurozone, by contrast, was on track to perform better than expected, with growth forecast at 5.3 percent, up from a previous 4.3 percent estimate. Growth in Germany, Europe’s largest economy, is cooling, the organization said, but the impact is expected to be offset by faster-than-expected rebounds in France, Italy and Spain, where governments spent hundreds of billions of euros shielding businesses and citizens from the worst effects of the pandemic. Growth across most countries is likely to taper off next year after an extraordinary rebound from the recession, with the global economy expected to expand at a 4.5 percent pace and the United States growing at 3.9 percent. Europe’s economy will also cool, to a forecast of 4.6 percent. China, the world’s second-biggest economy, was forecast to grow 8.5 percent this year, before slowing to a 5.8 percent pace in 2022. Asked about the impact from the potential collapse of the debt-riddled property giant Evergrande , Ms. Boone said the agency expected China to cope with any fallout. And despite a terrible outbreak of the Delta variant in India this year, the economy is expected to remain largely on track with 9.7 percent growth, before cooling to 7.9 percent next year. By contrast, countries with lower vaccination rates sharply lagged others, the organization said. In Indonesia, which has vaccinated just 16 percent of the population, the economy is expected to grow 3.7 percent, one of the slowest rates among O.E.C.D. countries. Russia, with immunization rates around 30 percent, will grow at a slower-than-expected 2.7 percent pace. But the robust numbers within the richest economies masked lingering troubles, with the recovery benefiting people unevenly. Growth in the United States returned to prepandemic levels, but employment remains lower than before the economic restrictions. In Europe, which deployed billions to shield its businesses and workers from mass unemployment and bankruptcies at the height of the crisis, employment has been largely preserved. And the virus and lagging vaccination rates continue to throw a wrench into the smooth functioning of the global economy, snarling supply chains, the O.E.C.D. said. “There are some parts that haven’t left factories in countries with virus outbreaks,” Ms. Boone said. As a result, numerous companies are running out of inventory and slowing production, which in turn is pushing prices higher for a range of goods, but the surge should fade once supply chain bottlenecks fade. Inflation will ease quicker from the current alarming levels if vaccination programs speed up. “If we continue to vaccinate and adapt better to living with the virus, supply will begin to normalize and this pressure will fade,” Ms. Boone said. “But for that, we have to vaccinate more people.”
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Financial Crisis
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Directors' duties to prevent insolvent trading in a crisis: Responses to COVID-19 in Australia and lessons from Germany
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Graffiti made during a protest in May, in Minnesota, calling for an end to housing evictions during the pandemic. Photographer: Michael Sulik/Universal Images Group/Getty Images The dream of owning a home is increasingly out of reach. Democratic and authoritarian governments alike are struggling with the consequences. Soaring property prices are forcing people all over the world to abandon all hope of owning a home. The fallout is shaking governments of all political persuasions. It’s a phenomenon given wings by the pandemic. And it’s not just buyers — rents are also soaring in many cities. The upshot is the perennial issue of housing costs has become one of acute housing inequality, and an entire generation is at risk of being left behind. “We’re witnessing sections of society being shut out of parts of our city because they can no longer afford apartments,” Berlin Mayor Michael Mueller says. “That’s the case in London, in Paris, in Rome, and now unfortunately increasingly in Berlin.” That exclusion is rapidly making housing a new fault line in politics, one with unpredictable repercussions. The leader of Germany’s Ver.di union called rent the 21st century equivalent of the bread price, the historic trigger for social unrest. Politicians are throwing all sorts of ideas at the problem, from rent caps to special taxes on landlords, nationalizing private property, or turning vacant offices into housing. Nowhere is there evidence of an easy or sustainable fix. In South Korea, President Moon Jae-in’s party took a drubbing in mayoral elections this year after failing to tackle a 90% rise in the average price of an apartment in Seoul since he took office in May 2017. The leading opposition candidate for next year’s presidential vote has warned of a potential housing market collapse as interest rates rise. China has stepped up restrictions on the real-estate sector this year and speculation is mounting of a property tax to bring down prices. The cost of an apartment in Shenzhen, China’s answer to Silicon Valley, was equal to 43.5 times a resident’s average salary as of July, a disparity that helps explain President Xi Jinping’s drive for “common prosperity.” In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised a two-year ban on foreign buyers if re-elected. The pandemic has stoked the global housing market to fresh records over the past 18 months through a confluence of ultra-low interest rates, a dearth of house production, shifts in family spending, and fewer homes being put up for sale. While that’s a boon for existing owners, prospective buyers are finding it ever harder to gain entry. What we’re witnessing is “a major event that should not be shrugged off or ignored,” Don Layton, the former CEO of U.S. mortgage giant Freddie Mac, wrote in a commentary for the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. In the U.S., where nominal home prices are more than 30% above their previous peaks in the mid-2000s, government policies aimed at improving affordability and promoting home ownership risk stoking prices, leaving first-time buyers further adrift, Layton said. In many OECD countries, the price to income ratio has risen dramatically since 1995 Source: OECD house price to income ratio, percentage change from 1995 to 2020 The result, in America as elsewhere, is a widening generational gap between Baby Boomers, who are statistically more likely to own a home, and Millennials and Gen Z — who are watching their dreams of buying one go up in smoke. Existing housing debt may be sowing the seeds of the next economic crunch if borrowing costs start to rise. Niraj Shah of Bloomberg Economics compiled a dashboard of countries most at threat of a real-estate bubble, and says risk gauges are “flashing warnings” at an intensity not seen since the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis. See Bloomberg Economics’ analysis of housing bubble risks In the search for solutions, governments must try and avoid penalizing either renters or homeowners. It’s an unenviable task. Sweden’s government collapsed in June after it proposed changes that would have abandoned traditional controls and allowed more rents to be set by the market. In Berlin, an attempt to tame rent increases was overturned by a court. Campaigners have collected enough signatures to force a referendum on seizing property from large private landlords. The motion goes to a vote on Sept. 26. The city government on Friday announced it'd buy nearly 15,000 apartments from two large corporate landlords for 2.46 billion euros ($2.9 billion) to expand supply. Anthony Breach at the Centre for Cities think tank has even made the case for a link between housing and Britain’s 2016 vote to quit the European Union. Housing inequality, he concluded, is “scrambling our politics.” As these stories from around the world show, that’s a recipe for upheaval. With annual inflation running around 50%, Argentines are no strangers to price increases. But for Buenos Aires residents like Lucia Cholakian, rent hikes are adding economic pressure, and with that political disaffection. Like many during the pandemic, the 28-year-old writer and college professor moved with her partner from a downtown apartment to a residential neighborhood in search of more space. In the year since, her rent has more than tripled; together with bills it chews through about 40% of her income. That rules out saving for a home. “We’re not going to be able to plan for the future like our parents did, with the dream of your own house,” she says. The upshot is “renting, buying and property in general” is becoming “much more present for our generation politically.” Legislation passed by President Alberto Fernandez’s coalition aims to give greater rights to tenants like Cholakian. Under the new rules, contracts that were traditionally two years are now extended to three. And rather than landlords setting prices, the central bank created an index that determines how much rent goes up in the second and third year. It’s proved hugely controversial, with evidence of some property owners raising prices excessively early on to counter the uncertainty of regulated increases later. Others are simply taking properties off the market. A government-decreed pandemic rent freeze exacerbated the squeeze. Rental apartment listings in Buenos Aires city are down 12% this year compared to the average in 2019, and in the surrounding metro area they’re down 36%, according to real estate website ZonaProp. Rents in Buenos Aires are rising much faster than prices or wages Source: ZonaProp, INDEC NOTE: Wage data through June The law “had good intentions but worsened the issue, as much for property owners as for tenants,” said Maria Eugenia Vidal, the former governor of Buenos Aires province and one of the main opposition figures in the city. She is contesting the November midterm elections on a ticket with economist Martin Tetaz with a pledge to repeal the legislation. “Argentina is a country of uncertainty,” Tetaz said by phone, but with the housing rules it’s “even more uncertain now than before.” Cholakian, who voted for Fernandez in 2019, acknowledges the rental reform is flawed, but also supports handing more power to tenants after an extended recession that wiped out incomes. If anything, she says greater regulation is needed to strike a balance between reassuring landlords and making rent affordable. “If they don’t do something to control this in the city of Buenos Aires, only the rich will be left,” she says. —Patrick Gillespie As the son of first-generation migrants from Romania, Alex Fagarasan should be living the Australian dream. Instead, he’s questioning his long-term prospects. Fagarasan, a 28-year-old junior doctor at a major metropolitan hospital, would prefer to stay in Melbourne, close to his parents. But he’s being priced out of his city. He’s now facing the reality that he’ll have to move to a regional town to get a foothold in the property market. Then, all going well, in another eight years he’ll be a specialist and able to buy a house in Melbourne. Even so, he knows he’s one of the lucky ones. His friends who aren’t doctors “have no chance” of ever owning a home. “My generation will be the first one in Australia that will be renting for the rest of their lives,” he says. He currently rents a modern two-bedroom townhouse with two others in the inner suburb of Northcote — a study nook has been turned into a make-shift bedroom to keep down costs. About 30% of his salary is spent on rent; he calls it “exorbitant.” Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s conservative government announced a “comprehensive housing affordability plan” as part of the 2017-2018 budget, including A$1 billion ($728 million) to boost supply. It hasn’t tamed prices. The opposition Labour Party hasn’t fared much better. It proposed closing a lucrative tax loophole for residential investment at the last election in 2019, a policy that would likely have brought down home prices. But it sparked an exodus back to the ruling Liberals of voters who owned their home, and probably contributed to Labor’s election loss. The political lessons have been learned: Fagarasan doesn’t see much help on housing coming from whoever wins next year’s federal election. After all, Labor already rules the state of Victoria whose capital is Melbourne. “I feel like neither of the main parties represents the voice of the younger generation,” he says. It’s a sentiment shared by Ben Matthews, a 33-year-old project manager at a university in Sydney. He’s moving back in with his parents after the landlord of the house he shared with three others ordered them out, an experience he says he found disappointing and stressful, especially during the pandemic. Staying with his parents will at least help him save for a deposit on a one-bedroom flat. But even that’s a downgrade from his original plan of a two-bedroom house so he could rent the other room out. The increases, he says, are “just insane.” “It might not be until something breaks that we’ll get the political impetus to make changes,” he says. —Jason Scott Days after calling an election, Justin Trudeau announced plans for a two-year ban on foreigners buying houses. If it was meant as a dramatic intervention to blind-side his rivals, it failed: they broadly agree. The prime minister thought he was going to fight the Sept. 20 vote on the back of his handling of the pandemic, but instead housing costs are a dominant theme for all parties. Trudeau’s Liberals are promising a review of “escalating” prices in markets including Vancouver and Toronto to clamp down on speculation; Conservative challenger Erin O’Toole pledges to build a million homes in three years to tackle the “housing crisis”; New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh wants a 20% tax on foreign buyers to combat a crisis he calls “out of hand.” Facing a surprisingly tight race, Trudeau needs to attract young urban voters if he is to have any chance of regaining his majority. He chose Hamilton, outside Toronto, to launch his housing policy. Once considered an affordable place in the Greater Toronto Area, it’s faced rising pressure as people leave Canada’s biggest city in search of cheaper homes. The average single family home cost C$932,700 ($730,700) in June, a 30% increase from a year earlier, according to the Realtors Association of Hamilton and Burlington. The City of Hamilton cites housing affordability among its priorities for the federal election, but that’s little comfort to Sarah Wardroper, a 32-year-old single mother of two young girls, who works part time and rents in the downtown east side. Hamilton, she says, represents “one of the worst housing crises in Canada.” While she applauds promises to make it harder for foreigners to buy investment properties she’s skeptical of measures that might discourage homeowners from renting out their properties. That includes Trudeau’s bid to tax those who sell within 12 months of a house purchase. Neither is she convinced by plans for more affordable housing, seeing them as worthy but essentially a short-term fix when the real issue is “the economy is just so out of control the cost of living in general has skyrocketed.” Wardroper says her traditionally lower-income community has become a luxury Toronto neighborhood. “I don’t have the kind of job to buy a house, but I have the ambition and the drive to do that,” she says. “I want to build a future for my kids. I want them to be able to buy homes, but the way things are going right now, I don’t think that’s going to be possible.” —Kait Bolongaro Back in 2011, a public uproar over the city-state’s surging home prices contributed to what was at the time the ruling party’s worst parliamentary election result in more than five decades in power. While the People’s Action Party retained the vast majority of the seats in parliament, it was a wake-up call — and there are signs the pressure is building again. Private home prices have risen the most in two years, and in the first half of 2021 buyers including ultra-rich foreigners splurged S$32.9 billion ($24 billion), according to Singapore-based ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd. That’s double the amount recorded in Manhattan over the same period. However, close to 80% of Singapore’s citizens live in public housing, which the government has long promoted as an asset they can sell to move up in life. It’s a model that has attracted attention from countries including China, but one that is under pressure amid a frenzy in the resale market. Singapore’s government-built homes bear little resemblance to low-income urban concentrations elsewhere: In the first five months of the year, a record 87 public apartments were resold for at least S$1 million. That’s stirring concerns about affordability even among the relatively affluent. Junior banker Alex Ting, 25, is forgoing newly built public housing as it typically means a three-to-four-year wait. And under government rules for singles, Ting can only buy a public apartment when he turns 35 anyway. His dream home is a resale flat near his parents. But even there a mismatch between supply and demand could push his dream out of reach. While the government has imposed curbs on second-home owners and foreign buyers, younger people like Ting have grown resigned to the limits of what can be done. Most Singaporeans aspire to own their own property, and the housing scarcity and surge in prices presents another hurdle to them realizing their goal, says Nydia Ngiow, Singapore-based senior director at BowerGroupAsia, a strategic policy advisory firm. If unaddressed, that challenge “may in turn build long-term resentment towards the ruling party,” she warns. A frenzy in Singapore public housing market raises affordability concerns Source: Housing and Development Board That’s an uncomfortable prospect for the PAP, even as the opposition faces barriers to winning parliamentary seats. The ruling party is already under scrutiny for a disrupted leadership succession plan, and housing costs may add to the pressure. Younger voters may express their discontent by moving away from the PAP, according to Ting. “In Singapore, the only form of protest we can do is to vote for the opposition,” he says. —Faris Mokhtar Claire Kerrane is open about the role of housing in her winning a seat in Ireland’s parliament, the Dail. Kerrane, 29, was one of a slew of Sinn Fein lawmakers to enter the Dail last year after the party unexpectedly won the largest number of first preference votes at the expense of Ireland’s dominant political forces, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. While the two main parties went on to form a coalition government, the outcome was a political earthquake. Sinn Fein was formerly the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, yet it’s been winning followers more for its housing policy than its push for a united Ireland. “Housing was definitely a key issue in the election and I think our policies and ambition for housing played a role in our election success,” says Kerrane, who represents the parliamentary district of Roscommon-Galway. Ireland still bears the scars of a crash triggered by a housing bubble that burst during the financial crisis. A shortage of affordable homes means prices are again marching higher. Sinn Fein has proposed building 100,000 social and affordable homes, the reintroduction of a pandemic ban on evictions and rent increases, and legislation to limit the rate banks can charge for mortgages. Those policies have struck a chord. The most recent Irish Times Ipsos MRBI poll, in June, showed Sinn Fein leading all other parties, with 21% of respondents citing house prices as the issue most likely to influence their vote in the next general election, the same proportion that cited the economy. Only health care trumped housing as a concern. Other parties are taking note. On Sept. 2, the coalition launched a housing plan as the pillar of its agenda for this parliamentary term, committing over 4 billion euros ($4.7 billion) a year to increase supply, the highest-ever level of government investment in social and affordable housing. Read more on the backlash against big-money buyers in Ireland Whether it’s enough to blunt Sinn Fein’s popularity remains to be seen. North of the border, meanwhile, Sinn Fein holds a consistent poll lead ahead of elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly due by May, putting it on course to nominate the region’s First Minister for the first time since the legislature was established as part of the Good Friday peace agreement of 1998.
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Financial Crisis
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Asia, Americas look to the skies for ‘Super Flower Blood Moon’
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Phenomenon occurs when a total lunar eclipse coincides with the moon being at its closest point to Earth. A photo taken on May 25, 2021 shows a Super Moon rising behind the trees over the Mediterranean Sea. People in the Asia Pacific and the Americas will be able to observe a Super Flower Blood Moon on Wednesday Stargazers across the Asia Pacific and the Americas will have a rare chance on Wednesday to observe a “Super Flower Blood Moon” – an enormous orange-red moon – that astronomers say will be a once-in-a-decade show. The super moon is the result of the first total lunar eclipse in more than two years taking place at the same time as the moon is closest to Earth. The eclipse is due to start from 08:47 GMT and the moon is expected to be entirely in the earth’s shadow between 11:11 and 11:26 GMT – evening in the Asia Pacific and before dawn in the Americas. The moon will darken and turn red – the result of sunlight refracting through the Earth’s atmosphere. Experts say the colour varies with each eclipse and the more dust or clouds in Earth’s atmosphere the redder the moon will appear. Unlike a solar eclipse, the phenomenon will be safely visible to the naked eye. During a Super Moon, the moon is closest to Earth, at a distance of just 360,000 kilometres (225,000 miles). At that point, it can appear 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than at its farthest point – a difference of approximately 50,000km (30,000 miles). ??? Supermoon + total lunar eclipse? It’s showtime. Tomorrow in the pre-dawn hours, the Moon will pass through Earth’s shadow. If you live in Southeast Asia, Polynesia, the western U.S., or Central and South America, set your alarms. May’s full moon is known as the Flower Moon since it occurs when spring flowers are in bloom. “Interest has been high,” Andrew Jacobs, a curator of astronomy at Sydney Observatory, told the AFP news agency. Jacobs is hosting a COVID-19 safe viewing event with telescopes and expert speakers. “I’m expecting a clear night.” The event will also be live-streamed and 20,000 users have already registered. For those wanting to see the event in person, Jacobs predicted the best view will be in “Australia, New Zealand, and large parts of the Pacific. New Guinea also gets a good view.” “The Americas see it in the early morning, but they don’t necessarily see all parts of the eclipse,” he said. According to NASA’s Bill Cooke: “Folks in Hawaii and the Aleutian Islands will get to see the entirety of this eclipse – it will be quite a show for them.” The next Super Blood Moon is expected to take place in 2033.
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New wonders in nature
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Address risky human activities now or face new pandemics, scientists warn
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The new, highly-contagious Delta variant — spread with the ease of chickenpox — is causing COVID-19 cases to skyrocket across the globe as health officials respond with alarm. “The war has changed,” said a recent internal U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) document. Globally, numerous infectious diseases are being transmitted between wildlife, livestock and humans at escalating rates, including outbreaks of COVID-19, Ebola, dengue, HIV and others, as the threat of new emergent zoonotic diseases grows ever greater. The cost is huge in lives lost and ruined economies. The driver: human activities, particularly intrusion into wild landscapes and eating and trading wild animals. Bringing people, domestic and wild animals into unnatural proximity exposes all to pathogens for which they lack immunity. International travel and a booming global wildlife trade quickly spread viruses. Experts say that a “One Health” approach is urgently needed to prevent future pandemics — simultaneously addressing human, animal and ecosystem health, protecting humanity and nature, and incorporating disease risk into decision-making. In early 2020, as a novel coronavirus swept the globe, a little-known word entered dinner table conversation. COVID-19 was “zoonotic”: a disease that originated in animals, then evolved, breached the Darwinian divide, and jumped to humans. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic . Now, with another wave surging worldwide — and more than 600,000 new cases being diagnosed daily — a new fear-evoking word has entered the lexicon: “variant.” “ The war has changed ,” according to an internal document from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The new highly contagious Delta variant has evolved to spread with the ease of chickenpox and causes more serious disease. Now, infections near 200 million globally, with a staggering death toll: more than 4.2 million lives lost. Experts say the true numbers are far higher : A new study estimates deaths in India at 10 times the official figure. The pandemic has also sparked a global recession, thrusting more than 95 million people into extreme poverty . With this new Delta variant, and the very likely possibility of more variants to come, the crisis is far from over. As the world reels, experts are raising a bright red warning flag: This is not just a once-in-a-century event. “Pandemics are [happening] more like once every 10 years right now,” said zoologist Peter Daszak, president of the nonprofit EcoHealth Alliance in New York City. Meanwhile, there is little discussion on why the COVID-19 pandemic happened or the urgent action needed to prevent the next global disease outbreak, he said. This graphic illustration, created at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which continue evolving to bypass disease defenses of human hosts. Image courtesy of CDC . Emerging zoonotic disease Viruses need a host organism to replicate and then spread into new hosts, so survival requires that they constantly evolve to evade a species’ immune system. That evolution has allowed viruses to move back and forth between animals and humans for millennia. Today, up to 75% of all new infectious human diseases are zoonotic , and most originate in the tropics. There’s a vast pool of unknown viruses out there, Daszak said, possibly more than 1.6 million . Of those, 600,000 to 800,000 could potentially infect humans. “Most of the risky viruses we see out there come from mammals; a few come from birds,” he added. Some are carried by intermediate hosts or by parasites, particularly mosquitoes and ticks. Many are fatal. They generally have no cure. The lifecycle of Ixodes scapularis ticks that spread Lyme disease. Image courtesy of CDC . Modern examples are numerous: The AIDS crisis, caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV , originated in Central Africa, where it crossed to people from primates , possibly in the late 1800s, and was probably contracted when a person consumed infected chimp meat. One of the deadliest, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, first appeared in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. It kills about half of its victims. It, too, is thought to be transmitted via the butchering and eating of infected chimps, and possibly fruit bats and infected forest antelope. In 1998, the Nipah virus jumped from flying foxes to pigs to humans on a Malaysian farm carved into the rainforest. In 2009, the H1N1 swine flu appeared in Mexico, a hybrid of bird and pig viruses. Few people around the globe who contract West Nile virus via a mosquito bite ever connect it to birds living near the source of the Nile River in Uganda. Mosquitoes transmit multiple diseases, including yellow fever , Zika virus and dengue . Ticks transmit Lyme and other bacterial and viral diseases. The list goes on. Spillover The rate of spillover — diseases moving between species — has surged in tandem with rapidly escalating human impacts on the planet. COVID-19 is just one of about 500 new zoonotic diseases detected since the 1950s. For decades, epidemiologists, conservationists, veterinarians and public health experts have issued dire warnings regarding spillover: Aggressive encroachment into intact ecosystems and altering the planet’s natural systems is creating dangerous health risks. These incursions have brought people, their domestic animals and wildlife into unnatural proximity. In close contact, they swap germs, pathogens that can then mutate and jump into new, vulnerable hosts that lack immunity to them. Diseases can pass in any direction between wildlife, livestock and people — and back again. Cages of various animal species piled up at a market in Hanoi, Vietnam. Stacking allows animals to defecate and urinate from above, a means of spreading disease. Image © E. Bennett/WCS. Scientists are still debating the source of COVID-19, whether it came from wildlife sold for food at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China; was somehow transmitted through horseshoe bats , a reservoir species; or accidentally escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology biotech lab, which studies coronaviruses. Most scientists lean toward a wildlife spillover, but regardless of its origin, this pandemic was human-caused. “It was preventable; it was not a surprise, and it was predicted,” said Steve Osofsky, director of the Cornell Wildlife Health Center in Ithaca, New York. Two coronavirus outbreaks preceded COVID-19: The 2003 SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), which likely moved from bats to people by way of civets sold in Chinese wildlife markets, and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), which appeared in Saudi Arabia in 2012, carried by dromedary camels. There are seven known coronaviruses that infect people. Veterinarian Hasan Alkaf, takes samples from a camel during the first reported Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) case in Haramout, Yemen in April 2014. The investigation was led by Yemen FETP medical residents. Image courtesy of Awadh Mohammed Ba Saleh/CDC. A human-created crisis There are really only a few ways we invite pathogens into humanity’s living room, Osofsky said: by eating the body parts of wild animals; by capturing and mixing wild species together in markets; and by razing tropical forests and destroying what’s left of wild nature — which he said we’re doing “at a dizzying pace.” A recent study published in the journal Science noted that “the tree of life is being pruned by human activities at an unprecedented rate.” Biodiversity has been called the immune system of the planet; its devastation puts us at great risk. Growing research shows that when we disrupt natural systems, zoonotic disease threats rise exponentially. While some species disappear, others proliferate unchecked, including rodents and many known to carry pathogens that infect humans . It’s really a numbers game. “When we erode biodiversity, we favor species that are more likely to be zoonotic hosts ,” said Rick Ostfeld, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York. “The next pandemic disease is far more likely to come from a rat than a rhino. We inadvertently make life golden for the rats of the world by replacing native habitat with strip malls, mega-dams and soybean fields,” he explained. Osofsky added this caveat: “It’s important not to let fear of diseases create a backlash against wild creatures. We need wildlife and wild places.” Healthy ecosystems guard us against the next pandemic. A pangolin stares out from the cage it was locked in by illegal traffickers as an Indonesian law enforcer looks on. The pangolin is the most heavily traded mammal in the illegal wildlife trade. It may have been part of the pathway by which COVID-19 achieved spillover. Image by Paul Hilton for WCS. A Malayan porcupine in a wildlife farm in Dong Nai province, Vietnam. The vast global legal and illegal trade in wildlife makes it very challenging to determine where the next pandemic may originate and flow from. Image courtesy of WCS Vietnam. Zoonotic disease source: Altered landscapes Numerous studies show that human-altered landscapes are red-flag zoonotic risk zones. Deforestation increases disease outbreaks. These most frequently occur in tropical countries where primary forest is opened up for plantations and ranches, often to produce commodities at industrial scale: beef, soy, and palm oil. Mining, logging and urban sprawl also clear huge tracts. While outbreaks can occur anywhere, human incursion affects all living things, disrupting deeply interwoven, interconnected natural systems that have evolved in synchrony over millions of years. Incursion into pristine West African forest offers a vivid example of the pandemic domino effect. First, logging roads opened forests to bushmeat hunters. Then villages appeared, and with them came larger roads, with more forest felled for farms. That brought thousands of people into close contact with bats and other animals believed to harbor Ebola virus. There have been about 32 Ebola outbreaks since 1976. “Those sectors never had to — and certainly never did — consider health consequences,” said Christian Walzer, a veterinarian and executive director for health at the Wildlife Conservation Society. Dr. Alain Ondzie leading educational outreach on Ebola at a village in northern Republic of Congo. Education is vital to preventing spillover. Image courtesy of Sarah Olson/WCS. The National Public Health Laboratory in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, tests carcass samples for the presence of Ebola virus. Image courtesy of Eeva Kuisma/WCS. Livestock and other domestic animals living in close proximity to wildlife also serve as intermediary hosts for spillover into humans. For example, in Malaysia, farms carved into the forest brought fruit bats into villages, drawn there by planted mango trees. Once there, Nipah virus moved from bats to pigs to people. While attention is frequently given to livestock health, those concerns are mostly geared towards “farm-to-fork” food safety issues — not spillover, said Waltzer. It’s important to note that disease can flow in either direction: Domestic animals can also infect wildlife. Zoonotic disease pathway: Wildlife trade The massive global wild animal trade has ignited numerous disease outbreaks. Each year, hundreds of millions of animals are shipped worldwide , legally and illegally, live, dead and in parts. It’s an extremely lucrative business driven by consumer demand for traditional medicines, bushmeat, trophies, exotic pets, food, clothing and home décor. Trafficking and wildlife markets are “dangerous breeding grounds for the next pandemic,” said Chris Shepherd, executive director of Monitor, a nonprofit focusing on the wildlife trade. In African, South American and Asian markets, wild species are jammed together, cheek by jowl, in filthy, cramped cages where feces, urine and blood mix, and where humans shop. Wildlife is often kept beside domestic animals. Many of these animals are weak, in poor health after traumatic capture and transport, and all are exposed to a plethora of new pathogens. A live animal market was the likely source of the H5N1 bird flu outbreak in Asia, allowing the spread of avian flu from wild birds to chickens and turkeys to people. Despite the current pandemic and its likely zoonotic origin, commercial trade in wild animals hasn’t significantly slowed, Shepherd said, or even been addressed. Common palm civet in a wildlife farm in Dong Nai province in Vietnam. The 2003 SARS outbreak likely moved from wild bats to people by way of civets sold in Chinese wildlife markets. Image © WCS Vietnam. A woman slaughters a rat in Dong Thap province in Vietnam. The exposure to various bodily fluids provides an easy pathway for disease. Image © WCS Vietnam. Wild turtles at a food market in Guangzhou, China. Image © E. Bennett/WCS. A slow loris at a market in Hanoi, Vietnam. Traded animals are stressed by capture, transport, and sale, weakening their immune systems making them more prone to disease. The majority of diseases that have spilled over to humans originated in birds and mammals.
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Disease Outbreaks
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2020 Sweden riots
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On 29 August 2020, riots broke out in the Swedish cities of Malmö and Ronneby. After Swedish police prevented Rasmus Paludan, a Danish extremist politician, from entering the country, far-right anti-immigration activists held protests and burned the Quran.In response, a mob of 300 people gathered in counter-protest, burned tires, threw rocks and chunks of concrete at the police, and smashed bus shelters, and witnesses heard shouts of "Allāhu ʾakbar" and "La ilaha ilallah".
On 26 August 2020, police in Malmö denied Rasmus Paludan, a Danish far-right politician and the leader of Denmark's extremist Hard Line party, permission to hold a meeting named "Islamization in the Nordic countries". On 28 August, he was deported and banned from entering Sweden.Swedish police suspected he would break the law. His supporters nonetheless went ahead with the event, and burned a copy of the Qur'an in Rosengard, a predominantly immigrant neighborhood. In a separate event, Paludan's supporters kicked a copy of the Qur'an around Malmö's main square like a football,[6] for which three people were arrested on suspicion of inciting hatred. A prominent Malmö imam responded "Those who are acting in this way have nothing to do with Islam".
At around 7 PM, about 300 people gathered in Malmö's Amiralsgatan street, south of the Rosengård Centrum Shopping Centre for a demonstration against the Qur'an burning,which soon turned violent. Rioters threw chunks of concrete and stones at the police, smashed bus shelters, overturned lampposts, and burned objects. Antisemitic chants were also raised in the gatherings. The riots continued till about 3 in the morning.
The police in Malmö received reinforcements from Gothenburg and police began using drones for aerial surveillance of the Rosengård district.
The unrest continued the following day, there were multiple incidents with arson in the Rosengård, Bellevuegården, Rådmansvången and Solbacken city districts. The Gullviskolan school was severely damaged by suspected arson.Three people were arrested with bottles containing flammable liquid suspected for preparing attacks on police or rescue services.
The riots gradually came to an end by 31 August after residents, police and religious leaders took to the streets to promote calm.
The rioters caused damage worth about a million crowns (about 100 thousand euro). Most of the costs were due to replacing and repairing street lights, traffic lights, bus shelters and cleaning up the area. This sum does not include costs for police actions.
The riots spread to Ronneby the following day when about 20 persons were involved in public violence in Ronneby, where they set fire to tires, threw rocks at police, emergency services and buildings. A policeman was wounded when he was struck by a rock. Arriving police were at first outmatched and had to retreat and wait for reinforcements. Three people were arrested and six were detained, suspected of violent rioting. The rioters protested against the burning of a Quran in front of a community building which was used by the Arab culture association for Friday prayers. According to an eyewitness, the rioters attempted to set fire to a church in Ronneby but a bystander put out the fire with his jacket, whereupon the rioters attacked him and he was wounded. The riot got extensive exposure in social media.
About 15 people were arrested, and several police officers were injured. Most of the suspects of the Ronneby riots were men aged 18-30 and previously known to police for trading narcotics, vandalism and theft. All spokesmen interviewed by public service broadcaster SVT agreed that the rioters weren't "true Muslims".
On 31 August, the police started investigating reports of antisemitic hate speech from the rioters.
In November 2020, prosecutors declared that burning the Qu'ran does not constitute hate speech against a minority and therefore halted the investigation.
On 29 August, clashes broke out at an anti-Islam rally Oslo, Norway, after a protester desecrated the Qur'an at the rally. [29]
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Riot
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1909 World Allround Speed Skating Championships
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The 1909 World Allround Speed Skating Championships took place at 27 and 28 February 1909 at the ice rink Gamle Frogner in Kristiania, Norway. Oscar Mathisen was defending champion and succeeded in prolonging his title. He had the lowest number of points awarded, and no one won three distances. This was the first time that a World champion was declared without winning at least three distances. Source: SpeedSkatingStats.com[1]
Four distances have to be skated:
The ranking was made by award ranking points. The points were awarded to the skaters who had skated all the distances. The final ranking was then decided by ordering the skaters by lowest point totals. One could win the World Championships also by winning at least three of the four distances, so the ranking could be affected by this. Silver and bronze medals were awarded.
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Sports Competition
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In Photos: Second-Shortest ‘Blood Moon’ Of The Century Dazzles World And Sets Up ‘Ring Of Fire’ Eclipse Of The Sun
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A full moon is seen framed with a US flag during totality of a total lunar eclipse as the moon ... [+] enters Earth's shadow for a "Super Blood Moon" on May 26, 2021 in Chico, California. - Stargazers across the Pacific Rim will cast their eyes skyward on Wednesday night to witness a rare "Super Blood Moon", as the heavens align to bring an extra-spectacular lunar eclipse. The first total lunar eclipse in two years will happen at the same time as the Moon is closest to Earth, in what astronomers say will be a once-in-a-decade show. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) Did you see the “Blood Moon?” From Hawaii and Australia to the west coast of the U.S. the full Moon was turned a dark reddish color by Earth’s shadow on May 26, 2021 as a total lunar eclipse struck. So when is the next lunar eclipse? Although totality—those precious moments when the full “Flower Moon” was inside Earth’s penumbral (inner) shadow—lasted just 15 minutes, our satellite turned a deliciously photogenic reddish-brownish copper colour. Images are now coming in from across the night-side of the world on May 26, 2021, including those taken close to moonrise and moonset as the “Super Flower Blood Moon” stunned onlookers half a world away from each other. Here’s a selection of the best photos from this special celestial event—as well as details of how, when and where you can see a “ring of fire” solar eclipse in exactly two weeks ... and then another “Blood Moon” total lunar eclipse later this year. The full moon is seen during the partial eclipse in Sydney on May 26, 2021 as stargazers across the ... [+] Pacific are casting their eyes skyward to witness a rare "Super Blood Moon". (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP) (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images) A total lunar eclipse is a global event that can be seen by the entire night-side of Earth. On May 26, 2021 the full Moon turned a reddish color during a brief 15-minute totality that was best seen from the Pacific Rim. Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand were among the best places to view the lunar totality, which was easily observed high in the sky late at night in mostly clear skies. In North America the “Super Flower Blood Moon” was most easily seen on the west coast of the U.S. which saw totality low in the southwestern sky just before the full Moon set (though sadly cloud affected the view of many in the Los Angeles area). Residents watch the lunar eclipse at Sanur beach in Bali, Indonesia on Wednesday, May 26, 2021. The ... [+] total lunar eclipse, also known as a super blood moon, is the first in two years with the reddish-orange color the result of all the sunrises and sunsets in Earth's atmosphere projected onto the surface of the eclipsed moon. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati) The east coast of Asia also got to see totality low in the eastern sky just after the full Moon rose at dusk. Eastern U.S. states and the Midwest glimpsed some of the earlier phases, but since the full Moon was also a big, bright “supermoon” almost the entire country saw something spectacular—or odd-looking as Earth’s shadow was cast across the full Moon. The lunar eclipse progresses is seen over Santa Monica Beach in Santa Monica, Calif., Wednesday, May ... [+] 26, 2021. The first total lunar eclipse in more than two years is coinciding with a supermoon for quite a cosmic show. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) The “Super Flower Blood Moon” appeared to be about 7% larger than an average full Moon and around 15% brighter. It was also the closest full Moon to Earth during all of 2021. The Moon orbits the Earth every 27 days in a slightly elliptical path. The Partial Eclipse of the moon begins on May 26, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the first ... [+] total lunar eclipse in more than two years, which coincides with a supermoon. A super moon is a name given to a full (or new) moon that occurs when the moon is in perigee - or closest to the earth - and it is the moon's proximity to earth that results in its brighter and bigger appearance. It therefore has a closest point (perigee) and a farthest point (apogee) each month. The Moon’s perigee this month almost coincided with its “full” phase, occurring just nine hours beforehand. Cue a “supermoon!” Earth always casts two shadows in space opposite the Sun; one fuzzy outer shadow (its penumbra) and one dark inner shadow (its umbra). It extends to around 870,000 miles/1.4 million km. The full moon is seen during the partial eclipse in Sydney on May 26, 2021 as stargazers across the ... [+] Pacific are casting their eyes skyward to witness a rare "Super Blood Moon". (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP) When a full Moon enters Earth’s penumbra—as it did last night—the full Moon’s brightness is dramatically reduced and it’s possible to see Earth’s shadow across the Moon—as in the image above. Only when it began to enter Earth’s umbral shadow does it turn a reddish copper colour. A lunar eclipse is observed during dawn in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, May 26, 2021. Wednesday’s ... [+] eclipse is the first in more than two years and coincides with a supermoon. During this partial lunar eclipse phase onlookers watched as the full Moon began to turn reddish. But why is a “Blood Moon” red? During a total lunar eclipse the only light that is able to reach the moon’s surface has first been filtered by the Earth’s atmosphere, and the molecules within it. A full blood moon is seen during a partial eclipse in Taipei on May 26, 2021 as stargazers across ... [+] the Pacific are casting their eyes skyward to witness a rare "Super Blood Moon". (Photo by Sam Yeh / AFP) (Photo by SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images) As sunlight filters through those molecules its light is split. Blue light has a relatively short wavelength so hits lots of molecules and scatters. Red light has a longer wavelength so more of it passes through the atmosphere without striking molecules, so scatters less. That’s why red dominates on the light reaching the Moon’s surface during totality. What happened on May 26, 2021 was the first of two lunar eclipses in 2021, but the only total lunar eclipse. On November 19, 2021, a full Moon close to its apogee—so relatively small in the night sky (a “micromoon?”)—will mostly, but not completely enter Earth’s umbral shadow. People watch the "Super Flower Blood Moon" rises over the Pacific Ocean at Bondi Beach in Sydney, ... [+] Australia on May 26, 2021. The "Super" moon observed in May is often defined as "flower moon" as well, mainly due to association with flowers blooming at this time of year. During the eclipse, the moon turns into a deep blood-red color, known as "blood moon." This celestial incident -- known as "Super Flower Blood Moon" -- is the only full lunar eclipse of this year. (Photo by Steven Saphore/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) However, though only 97% of the full Moon on November 19, 2021 will enter Earth’s umbral shadow, it’s still expected to turn a reddish color. People set up their cameras and telecopes as they prepare to capture the "Super Blood Moon" in ... [+] Singapore on May 26, 2021, ahead of a total lunar eclipse as stargazers across the Pacific cast their eyes skyward. The term “Blood Moon” is a relatively recent term to describe a total lunar eclipse. Not only does the full Moon turn a reddish color and rarely appear blood-red, but “Blood Moon” was originally used only to describe four totally eclipsed full Moons in a row—something known as a lunar tetrad. The full moon is seen during the partial eclipse in Sydney on May 26, 2021 as stargazers across the ... [+] Pacific are casting their eyes skyward to witness a rare "Super Blood Moon". Thanks to this total lunar eclipse just gone our Moon is now positioned at one of the two eclipse nodes on its orbital path. Which means that in precisely half-an-orbit’s time it will arrive at the next eclipse node and eclipse the Sun! A yacht sails past as the moon rises in Sydney Wednesday, May 26, 2021. A total lunar eclipse, also ... [+] known as a Super Blood Moon will take place later tonight as the moon appears slightly reddish-orange in color. On June 10, 2021 an annular eclipse of the Sun will be visible from parts of Canada, Greenland and Russia. Much of the northeast U.S. will see a big partial eclipse just after sunrise, with the extra-special sight of a “horned sunrise” on offer to those who get themselves a clear view very low to the eastern horizon. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes. I'm an experienced science, technology and travel journalist and stargazer writing about exploring the night sky, solar and lunar eclipses, moon-gazing, astro-travel,... Read More I'm an experienced science, technology and travel journalist and stargazer writing about exploring the night sky, solar and lunar eclipses, moon-gazing, astro-travel,
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New wonders in nature
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Take notice of news about African famine
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Did you know that there is a severe famine in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria? I did not know that either until I read a column by Jackson Diehl in this morning's Washington Post. We likely have not heard about this growing human tragedy because that news has been overshadowed by the incessant coverage of Donald Trump. As Diehl puts it, "The continuing Trump circus sucks up so much media oxygen that issues that otherwise would be urgent — such as millions of people starving — are asphyxiated." And according to Nadifa Mohamed in the June 12 New York Times, "Six million people are at risk of starvation in Somalia, and another fourteen million in South Sudan, Nigeria, and Yemen. It is the gravest emergency since the Second World War, according to the United Nations." Much of this is due to climate change. What looks to us like a slight rise in temperature can have devastating effects in an already hot, tropical climate. Mohamed reports that "Temperatures have risen in already arid parts of the continent, by one Celsius in Kenya and 1.3 Celsius in Ethiopia between 1960-2006. Communities across the region report droughts occurring every one to two years rather than the previous every six to eight years." These, of course, are average temperatures, not just reports of a hot afternoon somewhere. Trump administration officials who still refuse to believe in climate change might not just study this data, but visit the region and "feel the heat." Most important, it is critical that the U.S. government support United Nations efforts to bring relief to the starving people of that region. Many groups are reaching out to help, including UNICEF, Save the Children, World Vision and Catholic Relief Services.
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Famine
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Kenya Airways Flight 507 crash
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Kenya Airways Flight 507 was a scheduled Abidjan–Douala–Nairobi passenger service, operated with a Boeing 737-800, that crashed in the initial stage of its second leg on 5 May 2007, immediately after takeoff from Douala International Airport in Cameroon. [1][2][3]
The plane broke up into small pieces and came to rest mostly submerged in a mangrove swamp, 5.4 kilometres (3.4 mi; 2.9 nmi) to the south (176°) of the end of Douala International Airport's runway 12. [4][5] There were no survivors. [4][6][7] The investigation by the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority determined that the pilots failed to notice and correct excessive bank following takeoff. This led to the loss of control and crash of the aircraft. [8]
The aircraft involved in the accident, registration 5Y-KYA (serial number 35069), was a Boeing 737-8AL that was equipped with twin CFMI CFM56-7B26 powerplants. [9]:21 The airframe first flew on 9 October 2006, and was delivered to Kenya Airways on 27 October. [10] The aircraft was six months old at the time of the accident. [11][12] It was one of three Boeing 737-800s Kenya Airways had recently acquired from Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise. [4][13]
Flight 507 was one of three scheduled to depart from Douala Airport around midnight that day, with two other flights operated by Cameroon Airlines and Royal Air Maroc. [14][15][16] The aircrew of the Cameroonian and the Moroccan companies elected to wait for the weather to improve, while the Kenya Airways crew decided to depart, as they had already been delayed over an hour and the pilot felt that the weather had improved enough for departure. [14][17] The pilot in command nonetheless failed to seek takeoff clearance from the Airport Control Tower and the aircraft departed Douala at 00:06 local time on 5 May (23:06 UTC on 4 May);[9]:8,11[17] the flight was due to arrive in Nairobi at 06:15 local time (03:15 UTC). [4][18][19]
Once airborne, the plane had a tendency to bank right, which the captain countered by using his control wheel. [9]:12 Twenty-four seconds after take-off, at an altitude of 1000 ft, the captain let go of the control wheel,[9]:12 and eighteen seconds later called out "Ok, command",[20][9]:13 indicating to the first officer to engage the autopilot. This command was not read back by the first officer indicating that he had not acknowledged the command and neither was there audio confirmation in the cockpit indicating that the autopilot had been engaged. In the 55 seconds that followed, the aircraft was being piloted by neither pilot nor the autopilot. This led to it gradually increasing its banking angle from less than 1°, at the time the captain let go of the control wheel, to 34° when the bank angle warning came on. The captain may have panicked at the sound of the banking angle warning, as he made a series of movements on the control wheel which only aggravated the situation. He moved the control wheel first left, then 40° right, then 11° to the left. With the plane banking at 50°, a belated attempt was made to engage the autopilot. The captain then tried to bring the plane under control by using the right rudder, causing it to bank further to the right. [21] The first officer gave the control wheel near opposite commands to what the captain had done. [9]:48 The captain, on noticing this, engaged the autopilot, but by then the plane was banked at nearly 115° to the right at 2290 ft altitude and was in an unrecoverable situation. It crashed into a mangrove swamp less than two minutes after take off. [9]:12–15
There were no communications between the aircraft and the ground after take-off. [9][12] Kenya Airways set up a crisis management center at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. [12][22]
The wreckage was discovered on 6 May in a swamp, some 20 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Douala, submerged under mud and water. [23][24] There were no survivors. [25][9]:15 Furthermore, Kenya Airways Group managing director Titus Naikuni said in Nairobi that local people had led rescuers to the crash site. [19] Cameroon's Minister of State for Territorial Administration Hamidou Yaya Marafa told a news conference that day, "All I can say for now is that the wreckage of the plane has been located in the small village of Mbanga Pongo, in the Douala III subdivision. We are putting in place rescue measures. "[26] Kenya Airways reported that 29 bodies had been recovered from the crash site, while reports from Cameroon claimed that over 40 had been recovered. Workers reported that the bodies were "badly disfigured" and that identification would be difficult. Heavy rains in the area continued to hamper all efforts. [27]
Kenya Airways disclosed a passenger list indicating that the 105 passengers on board were citizens of 26 different countries; thirty-seven were from Cameroon;[28] nine of the occupants were Kenyan. [19][29] Seventeen passengers boarded in Abidjan, while the rest did so in Douala. [4][29]
The six flight crew members were all Kenyan. An accompanying engineer and a deadheading flight attendant were among the passengers. [9][30]
Captain Francis Mbatia Wamwea (aged 52)—who had logged 8,500 hours on jetliners—and first officer Andrew Wanyoike Kiuru (aged 23) had joined the airline 20 years and one year, respectively, before the accident. [9][14][31][32][33]
Among the passengers on board was Anthony Mitchell, an Associated Press reporter based in Kenya. [34]
The Cameroonian government established a technical commission of inquiry to investigate the accident. [9] The National Transportation Safety Board of the United States sent a "Go-team" to assist with the investigation. [35]
Early attention as to the cause of the crash centred on the possibility of dual engine flameout during heavy weather. Several clues pointed in this direction, including the time the plane was in the air, the distress call issued by the aircraft (both later disputed), the meteorological conditions at the time of the crash, and the nose-down position of the wreckage. The investigators theorised that this would be consistent with the plane losing power in both engines, attempting to glide back to the airport, and stalling during the attempt. [36][37]
The flight data recorder (FDR) was recovered on 7 May,[9]:30[38] and the cockpit voice recorder on 15 June. [9]:30[39][40] Both were sent to the Transportation Safety Board in Canada where they were read out. [9]:30[41][42][43]
The Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA) released its final report on the crash on 28 April 2010. [8] The investigation found that the aircraft departed without receiving clearance from air traffic control. The captain, who was the flying pilot, corrected a right bank several times after takeoff.
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Air crash
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1985 Luton riot
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The 1985 Luton riot occurred before, during and after a 1984–85 FA Cup sixth-round football match between Luton Town and Millwall on 13 March 1985 at Luton Town's Kenilworth Road ground in Luton, Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom. It was one of the worst incidents of football hooliganism during the 1980s, and led to a ban on away supporters by Luton Town which lasted for four seasons. This itself led to Luton's expulsion from the Football League Cup during the 1986–87 season. The club also began to enforce a membership card scheme, which Margaret Thatcher's government attempted to have adopted at grounds across England. Kenilworth Road was damaged, along with the surrounding area, and a year later was converted to an all-seater stadium. Millwall's association with football hooliganism became strongly apparent with their rise in the English game during the 1980s. Millwall's Bushwackers were already one of the most notorious hooligan firms in the country by 1985,[1] while Luton Town had their own fringe of hooligans in the MIGs. [2][3] The Den, home of Millwall, had been the scene of a riot seven years earlier, when during another FA Cup sixth-round match against Ipswich Town, Millwall-aligned hooligans had injured dozens of their own club's supporters. [4] Following the incident, the opinion of Ipswich manager Bobby Robson was that "[the police] should have turned the flamethrowers on them". [5]
When George Graham had been appointed manager halfway through the 1982–83 season, Millwall had been bottom of the then third-tier Third Division and battling relegation to the Fourth Division; however, by the time of this FA Cup sixth-round match at First Division Luton Town's Kenilworth Road ground on 13 March 1985, they were challenging for promotion to the second tier. Luton had beaten their arch-rivals Watford in the previous round without incident, while Millwall had upset the odds with a 2–0 home victory over top-flight Leicester City. [6] On the day of the match, Luton were second from bottom of the top division,[7] while Millwall were third in the third tier. [8]
Although Luton were asked by Millwall to make the Wednesday night match all-ticket, the warning was not heeded. [5] A disproportionately large away following, twice the size of Millwall's average home gate, arrived on the day of the game, and by 5.00 p.m. pubs and newsagents around the town were having windows smashed as the police struggled to cope. The Kenilworth Stand, at that time still a vast terrace, was reserved for the away supporters that night. It was overflowing by 7.00 p.m. – 45 minutes before kick-off – with spectators even perched on the scoreboard supports after the turnstiles had been broken down. Ten minutes later, officers of the Bedfordshire Police were helpless as hundreds of visitors scaled the fences in front of the stand to rush down the pitch towards Luton's supporters in the packed Oak Road End. A hail of bottles, cans, nails and coins saw the home supporters fleeing up the terraces, but their numbers, still growing as fans entered the stand, meant that there was little they could do to avoid the missiles. [9]
The players came out to warm up, and almost immediately vanished back up the tunnel. The rioters then set upon the Bobbers Stand, ripping out seats and brandishing them as weapons. A message appeared on the stadium's electronic scoreboard, stating that the match would not start until they returned to their allocated area, but this was ignored; an appeal from Graham over the ground's loudspeaker also had no effect. It was only when Graham appeared on the sideline that the spectators finally returned to the Kenilworth Stand. Even after this some managed to find their way into the Main Stand, where isolated fights broke out and more seats were removed. The arrival of police dogs helped to clear the pitch; the match began on time, with many watching from atop the Bobbers Stand after climbing the floodlight pylons. [9]
Luton started the match, kicking towards the Millwall supporters. After only fourteen minutes, the match was halted as the visiting fans began to riot again. The referee took both teams off for twenty-five minutes, before bringing them back on to complete the match. Brian Stein put Luton ahead on thirty-one minutes, and the home side led by this score at half-time; when Luton continued to lead the match as it entered its final stages, the fear became that the pitch may be invaded once more in order to have the match abandoned and therefore prevent a Millwall defeat. Fans attempted to disrupt the match, but extra police managed to keep control. Some seats were removed, and one of these was thrown and hit a match steward in the head. Luton goalkeeper Les Sealey, who had to stand in front of the Millwall fans during the second half, received a missile to the head, and a knife was also found in the goalmouth after the game. [9]
Following the final whistle, and a 1–0 victory for Luton, the visiting fans invaded the pitch. Both Luton and Millwall players sprinted for the dressing room as fast as they could – one hooligan rushed towards Luton coach Trevor Hartley, and tried to grab him, but Hartley managed to wriggle free and race towards the tunnel after the players. The hooligans made for the Bobbers Stand once more, and started to tear seats out as the fences at the front of the stand were forced down. [2][9] The seats ripped from the stand were hurled onto the pitch towards the police, who started to fall back, before regrouping and charging in waves, batons drawn. Gradually the police started to win the battle, at which point the hooligans started to take seats from the Main Stand and throw them like "makeshift plastic spears". The police were not without casualties – of the 81 people injured, almost half of them were policemen. Sergeant Colin Cooke was caught in the centre circle and stricken on the head with a concrete block. He stopped breathing, but PC Phil Evans resuscitated him while being punched, kicked and hit himself by the concrete. [4]
As a life-long Millwall supporter I could stand in disbelief as I watched the riots and I felt like crying. Children around me clung to their parents in fear; women and pensioners vowed never to go to a football match again… The scenes before me were ones of open bloody warfare… I was reminded of the Brixton riots. As a true Millwall fan it was impossible not to feel shame, not to feel sorrow for the game of football. And not to despair at how low life had sunk; for these were not fans, they were not people, they were animals. The carnage continued through the town, as a battle between the mob and the police developed, leaving smashed cars, shops and homes in its wake. When the situation was brought back under control, thirty-one men were arrested and taken to Luton Magistrates' Court the following morning. The majority of the thirty-one identified themselves as supporters of teams other than Millwall, most notably Chelsea and West Ham United. [4][5]
Despite having reached an FA Cup semi-final, Luton manager David Pleat was left "feeling empty". [4] Luton were defeated by Everton 2–1 at Villa Park after extra-time following a 1–1 stalemate. [10] However, their league form improved so much that they finished 13th in the First Division. [11] Eventually finishing second in the third tier, Millwall won promotion to the Second Division only six weeks later.
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Riot
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Belarus Shuts Down More NGOs Amid Continued Crackdown
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Belarus has forced the closure of 15 more nongovernmental organizations as strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka's crackdown against pro-democracy activists, the independent media, and civil rights groups continues to intensify. The groups ordered to close on July 23 include the Human Constanta human rights center, the Names charity organization, the BelSetka Anti-AIDS group, an organization that assists disabled people, and an animal rights group. The latest round of closures come a day after Lukashenka threatened to "cleanse" the country of NGOs -- which he called "bandits and foreign agents" -- and a week after security forces raided the homes of dozens of journalists and rights activists. In all, 51 NGOs are facing closure, including the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the biggest and most-respected media organization in the country, and the Belarusian PEN Center, an association of writers led by Svetlana Alexievich, the winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature. "Nobody is telling us why we are being liquidated," Human Constanta, an organization campaigning for refugee rights in the western city of Brest, said in a statement. "Pressure on civil society in Belarus is intensifying," it added. Read our ongoing coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka ramps up pressure on NGOs and independent media as part of a brutal crackdown against protesters and the opposition following an August 2020 election widely considered fraudulent. Belarusian authorities have arrested tens of thousands of people, forcibly expelled or jailed opposition leaders, and refused accreditation to or forced out journalists since a crackdown on massive street protests began after Lukashenka claimed to have won a sixth presidential term last year. His reelection claim has not been recognized by the opposition and the West, which has slapped multiple rounds of sanctions to pressure the strongman to ease the crackdown, talk with the opposition, and ensure a fresh, independent election. The independent Regionalnaya Gazeta newspaper said July 23 that it was forced to halt publication following the raid of its office in Maladzyechna, 80 kilometers northeast of Minsk, and the arrest of several of its journalists earlier this month. Another journalist, photographer Kseniya Halubovich, was arrested on July 23 while she was taking pictures at a children's hospital in Minsk. Rights groups have called on the international community to defend Belarus’s leading journalists’ association, while the UN's rights chief has condemned the crackdown on rights groups in Belarus as "completely unacceptable." Authorities have also relentlessly pursued the country's top human rights watchdogs, Vyasna and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee. WATCH: 'It's Safe Here': Belarusians Adjust To Exile In Latvia No media source currently available Vyasna said that more than 200 raids of offices and apartments of activists and journalists have taken place so far this month. "This campaign is obviously aimed at the complete demolition of the country’s third sector, the total destruction of any civic activity, and the suppression of any initiative," Vyasna said in a joint statement with the PEN Center, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, and several other local groups. "Such actions are a flagrant violation of the international obligations of the Republic of Belarus in the field of freedom of association and expression. We demand to put an end to the campaign aimed to destroy Belarusian civil society, to intimidate and persecute activists, and to suppress freedom of expression," it added. RFE/RL's Belarus Service is one of the leading providers of news and analysis to Belarusian audiences in their own language. It is a bulwark against pervasive Russian propaganda and defies the government’s virtual monopoly on domestic broadcast media.
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Organization Closed
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Léopoldville riots
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Congolese:
The Léopoldville riots were an outbreak of civil disorder in Léopoldville (modern-day Kinshasa) in the Belgian Congo which took place in January 1959 and which were an important moment for the Congolese independence movement. The rioting occurred when members of the Alliance des Bakongo (ABAKO) political party were not allowed to assemble for a protest and colonial authorities reacted harshly. The exact death toll is not known, but at least 49 people were killed and total casualties may have been as high as 500. The Congo received its independence on 30 June 1960, becoming the Republic of the Congo. Colonial rule in the Congo began in the late 19th century. King Leopold II of Belgium, frustrated by Belgium's lack of international power and prestige, attempted to persuade the Belgian government to support colonial expansion around the largely unexplored Congo Basin. The Belgian government's ambivalence about the idea led Leopold to eventually create the colony on his own account. With support from a number of Western countries, who viewed Leopold as a useful buffer between rival colonial powers, Leopold achieved international recognition for a personal colony, the Congo Free State, in 1885.By the turn of the century, however, the violence of Free State officials against indigenous Congolese and the ruthless system of economic extraction had led to intense diplomatic pressure on Belgium to take official control of the country, which it did in 1908, creating the Belgian Congo.
During the latter stages of World War II a new social stratum emerged in the Congo, known as the évolués. Forming an African middle class in the colony, they held skilled positions (such as clerks and nurses) made available by the economic boom. While there were no universal criteria for determining évolué status, it was generally accepted that one would have "a good knowledge of French, adhere to Christianity, and have some form of post-primary education. " Up into the 1950s most évolués were concerned only with social inequalities and their treatment by the Belgians.Nationalism grew in 1958 as more évolués began interacting with others outside of their own locales and started discussing the future structures of a post-colonial Congolese state.A slew of new political parties competed for popular support, including the Alliance des Bakongo (ABAKO), led by Joseph Kasa-Vubu and the Mouvement National Congolais (MNC), led by Patrice Lumumba. The Belgian colonial administration attempted to put in motion a plan for decolonization but wanted more time to build up a Congolese administration and prepare for their exit, so they attempted to isolate the country from Africa and Europe and suppress political organization.This became increasingly difficult as Congolese nationalism became more popular, so in July 1958 the Belgian government established a study group to consider new reforms in the colony. In response to the study group's findings, the colonial administration decided it would announce constitutional changes in the Congo on 13 January 1959.
On 28 December 1958, Lumumba organized a major MNC rally in Léopoldville where he reported on his attendance of the All-African Peoples' Conference in Accra, Ghana earlier that month. Noting the success of the rally, Kasa-Vubu decided to organize his own event one week later, on Sunday January 4, 1959[6] to discuss African nationalism. ABAKO requested permission to hold the meeting at Léopoldville's YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) building,[9] but the municipal government, having been given short notice, communicated that only a "private meeting" would be authorised. [10] Belgian officials also warned that if the event became political, ABAKO leaders would be held responsible.
Interpreting the administration's warnings as a prohibition of the meeting, ABAKO leadership attempted on 3 January to postpone their event, but on Sunday, 4 January, a large crowd gathered at the YMCA anyway. Kasa-Vubu and other ABAKO officials arrived to send the protesters home. They were unable to calm the crowd, and the violence began following the protesters' refusal to disperse.
The crowd began throwing rocks at police and attacking white motorists. The initial group of protesters were soon joined by 20,000 Congolese leaving a nearby soccer stadium. At the time press accounts estimated that 35,000 Africans were involved in the violence, which quickly spread as the rioters attempted to enter the European section of the capital. Rioters allegedly smashed and looted storefronts, burned Catholic missions and beat Catholic priests. Many demonstrators chanted "indépendance immédiate".
Order was restored with the use of African police officers in the employ of the colonial government and with armored cars under the direction of General Émile Janssens. Colonial authorities arrested as many as 300 Congolese, including Kasa-Vubu, who would later become the newly independent Congo's first president, Simon Mzezaand ABAKO vice-president Daniel Kanza and charged them with inciting the riot.
Estimates of the riot's final death toll vary, but estimates of total casualties range to as high as 500. The official casualties were tallied as 49 Africans killed and 241 wounded.Many Africans did not seek treatment at hospitals and many of those that died were inconspicuously buried. [18] The January riots marked a turning point in the Congolese liberation movement, forcing colonial and Belgian authorities to acknowledge that serious issues existed in the colony. [19] Unlike earlier expressions of discontent, the grievances were conveyed primarily by uneducated urban residents, not évolués. Many évolués, like the Europeans, were perturbed by the destruction.
In the immediate aftermath, Belgian authorities laid blame on unemployed Africans, but claimed the majority of the city's 250,000 African residents were not involved. The Belgian Parliament established a commission of inquiry to investigate the cause of the riots. The commission found the disturbances to be the culmination of discontent with racial discrimination, overcrowding, and unemployment. It also concluded that external political events, such as France's decision to grant self-governance to the neighboring French Congo, to be a contributing factor, and criticized the colonial administration's response to the riot. On 13 January the administration went forward with its scheduled announcement of reforms, including new local elections in December, the institution of a new civil service statue that made no racial distinctions, and the appointment of more Africans to advisory bodies. The Belgian King, Baudouin, also declared for the first time that independence would be granted to the Congo in the future. International media assumed that the reforms were made in response to the riots. There is no evidence to support this, though it is possible that Baudouin's declaration was made to temper Congolese opinion.
4 January is now celebrated as a public holiday in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as Day of the Martyrs. The events marked the radicalization of the independence movement and are often considered to be the "death knell" for Belgian control of the Congo. This radicalization occurred on both sides, with a Congolese group signalling a willingness to use violence to achieve independence for the first time[18] as well as many in the white community also becoming increasingly prepared for violence. Some whites planned to attempt a coup d'état if a black majority government took power.
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Riot
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2009 California wildfires
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The Station Fire was the largest wildfire of the 2009 California wildfire season, as well as the largest wildfire in the history of Los Angeles County, that burned in the Angeles National Forest, igniting on August 26, 2009 near the U.S. Forest Service ranger station on the Angeles Crest Highway. [4][5] Two firefighters, Captain Tedmund Hall and Firefighter Specialist Arnie Quinones, died on August 30, when their fire truck plunged off a cliff during an attempt to set backfires to slow the blaze. [6] The blaze threatened 12,000 structures in the National Forest and the nearby communities of La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, Glendale, Acton, La Crescenta, Juniper Hills, Littlerock and Altadena, as well as the Sunland and Tujunga neighborhoods of the City of Los Angeles. [7] Many of these areas faced mandatory evacuations as the flames drew near, but as of September 6, all evacuation orders were lifted. [8] The Station Fire burned on the slopes of Mount Wilson, threatening numerous television, radio and cellular telephone antennas on the summit, as well as the Mount Wilson Observatory, which includes several historically significant telescopes and multimillion-dollar astronomical facilities operated by UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley and Georgia State University. [9][10] A 40-mile (64-kilometer) stretch of the Angeles Crest Highway was closed until 2010, due to guardrail and sign damage, although the pavement remained largely intact. [11]
On September 3, officials announced that the Station Fire was caused by arson and that a homicide investigation had been initiated because of the deaths of the firefighters involved. Investigators discovered a substance at the fire's point of origin which they believe may have accelerated the flames. [12] The two firefighters, supervisors of inmate fire crews (jointly operated by the Los Angeles County Fire Department and California Department of Corrections[13]), had been conducting ignition operations in order to protect personnel and Mt Gleason Camp 16 from the advancing fire front. [14] On September 15, $93.8 million (2009 USD) had been spent fighting the fire, and the fire was 91% contained, with full containment expected by September 19. [3] However, the Station Fire continued to persist into the month of October. The Station Fire was 100% contained at 7:00 pm PST on Friday, October 16, 2009, due to moderate rainfall from a powerful storm system passing through. At 160,557 acres (649.75 km2), the Station Fire is the 15th largest in modern California history,[5][15] and the largest wildfire in the modern history of Los Angeles County, surpassing the 105,000-acre (164 sq mi; 425 km2) Clampitt Fire of September 1970. The U.S. Forest Service had banned night flights in wildfires after the death of a helicopter pilot in 1977. [16] But as a result of the Station Fire, several California lawmakers led by Representative Adam Schiff successfully lobbied the U.S. Forest Service to end the ban on night flights, which they did in 2012. [17]
The Station Fire burning as seen from Arcadia, California. Progression of the Station Fire through September 4, 2009. Note the huge expansion on August 29. Map courtesy of the United States Forest Service. This near infra-red image shows the extent of the burned area from the Station Fire. Smoke from fires as seen from the desert to the north.
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Fire
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Ridgeline wins first 4A volleyball title for teammate diagnosed with leukemia
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(Alex Vejar | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ridgeline junior setter Nia Damuni, center, holds the 4A volleyball trophy as she celebrates winning the school's first 4A championship on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, at the UCCU Center in Utah Valley University.
| Oct. 29, 2021, 2:52 a.m.
| Updated: 3:30 a.m.
Orem • A stuffed swan made its way to the center of the Ridgeline High School volleyball team’s celebration photo.
The Riverhawks were minutes removed from sweeping Desert Hills (25-12, 26-24, 25-18) in the 4A championship game, a match that saw them overcome a deficit in the third set to win the school’s first-ever title in volleyball.
But the game wasn’t really on anyone’s minds. What filled eyes with tears more than anything else was who the stuffed swan represented — Riverhawks freshman Adeline Swanton, who in September was diagnosed with leukemia.
Coach Jaicee Roden bought the swan shortly after Swanton was diagnosed. The toy followed the team around for the remainder of the season, a constant reminder of who the team was now playing for.
As the Riverhawks embraced each other and celebrated with family and friends, Swanton was making the rounds via video call. Roden screamed in jubilation when she saw Swanton’s face on the phone while she talked with media. Junior Mira Smullin had a short conversation with her as well.
“She’s so proud of us,” Smullin said, adding that the team’s message to her was “we always support her even though the season’s over.”
Here’s the moment Ridgeline HS won its first-ever 4A volleyball title. pic.twitter.com/i0BJjBFk5M
— Alex Vejar (@AlexVReporting) October 29, 2021
The team felt devastated when it became aware of Swanton’s diagnosis, Smullin said.
“All of a sudden, our focus really started to shift,” Roden said. “We had a bigger purpose to play and to fight and to do something for her. And that was really, really exciting. Really rewarding.”
Swanton’s prognosis is good, and Roden said the freshman is responding well to chemotherapy. Swanton is currently hospitalized at Primary Children’s Hospital.
Roden said the team started to see that “life is bigger than a game” after Swanton’s diagnosis and rallied around that idea for the rest of the season.
Ridgeline players wore T-shirts honoring Swanton that read “Swan Of Us.” Junior setter Nia Damuni, with tears in her eyes, said the school’s state title was won for Swanton.
“That was our purpose to play this season,” Damuni said.
(Alex Vejar | The Salt Lake Tribune) (Alex Vejar | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Ridgeline High School volleyball team celebrates winning the school's first 4A championship on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, at the UCCU Center in Utah Valley University.
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Famous Person - Sick
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1888 North Canterbury earthquake
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The 1888 North Canterbury earthquake occurred at 4:10 am on 1 September following a sequence of foreshocks that started the previous evening, and whose epicentre was in the North Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. The epicentre was approximately 35 kilometres (22 mi) west of Hanmer. In Christchurch, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of the epicentre, shaking lasted for 40 to 50 seconds. The magnitude of the earthquake is estimated to be in the range 7.0–7.3. Severe damage to farm buildings in the epicentral region was reported and the top 7.8 metres (26 ft) of the spire of ChristChurch Cathedral collapsed. It was the first earthquake observed to be associated with mainly horizontal fault displacement. [2]
New Zealand lies along the boundary between the Australian and Pacific plates. The earthquake occurred on the Hope Fault, one of the group of dextral strike-slip structures known as the Marlborough Fault System that transfer displacement between the mainly transform and convergent type plate boundaries in a complex zone at the northern end of South Island. [4] Alexander McKay, a geologist working for the geological survey, observed horizontal offsets in farm fences between 1.5 and 2.6 metres (4.9 and 8.5 ft) along the fault. He was the first to associate a strike-slip displacement with an earthquake. In the North Canterbury region many buildings were severely damaged, particularly in the Hope Valley and Hanmer areas. Landslides occurred in unconsolidated sediment and fissures up to 30 centimetres (12 in) wide were observed. In Christchurch, the top 7.8 metres (26 ft) of the Cathedral spire fell down and minor damage, such as broken chimneys, affected many houses. The Durham Street Methodist Church, Christchurch's first church build with permanent materials, suffered some damage to its stonework. Another building affected was the Christchurch Normal School, where chimneys fell down and ceilings were cracked. [5]
Damage was greatest in the northern and northwestern suburbs, probably due to the peaty sub-soil. [5]
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Earthquakes
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MAN ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF MURDER IN YARMOUTH RELEASED WITH NO FURTHER ACTION
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A man in his 60s who was arrested on suspicion of murdering 70-year-old Pia Massey has been released without charge. Police have been investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Pia Massey – also known as Pia Taylor – from Yarmouth. It comes after emergency services were called to an address on Yarmouth High Street on 22nd September this year. Concerns had been raised for Pia, who had fallen seriously ill. She was taken to hospital where she subsequently died. An investigation into Pia’s death was launched and the circumstances surrounding her passing were thoroughly examined. On 11th October, detectives moved in to arrest a man in his 60s on suspicion of murder, as exclusively reported by Island Echo the next day. He was later bailed until today’s date. On the basis of all evidence obtained from Police enquiries, the death is no longer being treated as suspicious and the man has been released with no further action. A file will be prepared for the Coroner and officers will continue to make enquiries to assist the Coroner in determining the circumstances of Pia’s death.
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Famous Person - Commit Crime - Release
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JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon delivers Ohio State commencement address
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Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, delivered the commencement address today to thousands of graduates of The Ohio State University.
His message was broadcast during both ceremonies at Ohio Stadium.
The following is the full text of Dimon’s address:
Thank you, President Johnson, for the invitation to speak today. Thank you as well to the Board of Trustees and Chairman Gary Heminger.
To the graduating students, congratulations. You should be very proud of what you have achieved.
And a very special congratulations to the parents. It probably seems like yesterday that you were holding your child in your arms for the first time. That child has now become a young adult with a college degree and is ready to face the world. All of the family members here today who provided the love and support over the last 20 years should also feel extremely proud of what they helped accomplished.
Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan ChaseI wish I could join you in person … because in the Zoom world, it’s impossible to replicate the joys of being physically together.
Over the past 20 years, I’ve had the pleasure of making multiple trips to Columbus.
The city is always fun to visit and is one of JPMorgan Chase’s most important markets.
It is home to the Chase Innovations Center, where we develop our new and nimble mobile and digital products. We also have an office that’s housed in the McCoy Center on Polaris Parkway. It’s bigger than our headquarters in New York. In fact, it’s one of the largest offices anywhere in the world.
And here is one other fun fact about Polaris campus: During the pandemic, we used the time, with little to no cars in the parking lot, to install solar panels. In July, when it is complete, it will furnish about 75% of the power needs of the entire complex.
We employ close to 20,000 people in Columbus – making us one of the top private sector employers in the area. And we’re still hiring, so if you don’t have a job yet – or even if you do – go to our website and explore the opportunities. We’re always happy to have more Buckeyes on our team.
When JPMorgan Chase enters any community, we take great pride in being a responsible citizen at the local level. We serve large corporations and we lend to and support local businesses, like Schmidt’s restaurant, where I hope some of you will be going for a celebratory meal later today.
Your celebration comes after a year that was extraordinary by any measure. We’ve been through a global pandemic, a global recession, unprecedented government actions, turbulent elections, and deeply felt social and racial injustice.
It’s been a time when each of us has faced difficult personal challenges, and a number of us lost loved ones. In our country at large, those among us with less were disproportionately hurt by joblessness and poverty.
All of you have been affected by COVID-19 in different ways. Your future is bright, but as you grow older it’s inevitable that you will face tough times and failure – both personally and professionally. We all do. How you deal with failure may be the most important thing in whether you succeed.
Your graduation here today shows that you had resilience to persevere though a difficult period.
It’s important for all of you to understand this world you’re entering. Today, the United States and other countries are grappling with an array of critical issues. To name just a few: capitalism versus other economic systems; access to health care; immigration policy; the role of business in our society; and how, or even whether, the United States intends to exercise global leadership.
While it is important to acknowledge the issues we face, we also need to recognize the exceptional strengths of our country.
These gifts have led to the most dynamic economy the world has ever seen, nurturing vibrant businesses large and small, exceptional universities, and a welcoming environment for innovation, science, and technology.
America has been and will continue to be a beacon of hope for the world and a magnet for the world’s best and brightest.
We should celebrate America’s exceptionalism, while also acknowledging our country’s flaws. You are all lucky to be graduating with a powerful education from a great university, but that’s not the case for everyone in our country today.
While the average American high school graduates approximately 85% of its students, many of our inner-city schools don’t graduate half of their students and often don’t give our children an education that leads to a livelihood. No one can claim that the promise of equal opportunity is being offered to all Americans through our education systems.
We also need to make our nation’s health care system work better for everyone. U.S. life expectancy has actually declined in recent years, which is a product of the health challenges facing this country. And obesity, which is a main driver of diabetes, cancer, stroke, heart disease and depression, afflicts 42% of American adults as well as nearly 20% of children. This demands far more attention.
We also face significant sustainability challenges. Climate change is a critical issue of our time. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions requires collective ambition and cooperation across the public and private sectors. We have an opportunity to make the world a better place for ourselves, for our children and grandchildren, and for all the living things that share this planet with us.
One of the keys to meeting these challenges and others will be harnessing the power of new technologies. And we should remember that technological progress, while it has some downsides that need to be appropriately managed, is fundamental to human progress. Technology has been the driving factor in changing society for the better for hundreds of years: boosting living standards and fostering communication and convenience for people throughout the world.
The role young people can play …
You’re graduating at a moment when there’s great uncertainty in the economy, politics, and the world at large. But remember, that’s always been true – for your parents, grandparents and all prior generations.
It’s natural to be a bit intimidated by the uncertainty you do face. But I would urge you to see this as a moment of great opportunity.
Take inspiration from Neil Armstrong, an Ohio native who was the first person to walk on the Moon. Fifty years ago, he spoke at Ohio State’s commencement and delivered a timeless truth: “Few rewards are as gratifying as discovery.”
As you move into the next stage of your life, you’ve probably been warned that college is not like real life. I would agree with that. I’m always hesitant to give advice because it sounds like I did everything right. And I can assure you that I did not. That said, let me offer you some advice based on about 40 years in the workplace.
Learning is a lifelong pursuit. It’s your job to constantly learn and it doesn’t end now that you’re college graduates. Regardless of what you do in life, to be successful you need continuous learning and endless intellectual curiosity. I still spend about 50% of my time reading and learning. Reading history is fascinating. Shakespeare teaches us about human nature and the morning newspapers keep you informed of current events and the globality of the world.
Reading provides not just knowledge, but it teaches empathy, how organizations work, and how to work with people. And it’s even more important in today’s increasingly complex and rapidly moving world.
The other way to learn and the only other way to learn, which gets overlooked these days, is by talking to other people – ideally face-to-face. You can learn more from speaking to someone in 15 minutes than if you spend your life doing something. It can be explained to you, and you can learn from watching very good people and how they operate in difficult circumstances. I learned a lot of things about what to do – and what not to do – by watching other people.
We all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. Humility is the realization that those who came before you paved the way. Never fool yourself into thinking that your success is just your own.
Your success is the result of your parents and family who sacrificed to give you a better life, your professors and administrators who helped you through your time here at Ohio State, your friends and neighbors who looked out for you and encouraged you.
In fact, this wonderful country whose bounties we benefit from was built by so many people who made endless and often the ultimate sacrifices … before we were even born. It’s important to respect what they have done and to be grateful for it.
As graduates of this world-class university, you each have what it takes to lead meaningful lives and to contribute to the lives of others. Doing that requires a grace and generosity of spirit … it requires compassion and treating everyone with respect … from CEOs to clerks … and it requires giving back.
In the words of the poem that I love by Rudyard Kipling:
If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch…yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it.
This is an exciting moment to be a young person armed with a first-class college education. The world is full of opportunity. And you are going to enrich this nation, and other nations, in many ways. One hundred years ago, Ohio State’s president, William Oxley Thompson, addressed the graduating seniors and told them something that still rings true today.
College graduates, he said, are who “this country must turn to for a citizenship that is tolerant but not indifferent; loyal but not bigoted; aggressive but not conceited; alert but not alarmed.”
As you go about your life, remember your country. And regardless of what you do and what you achieve in life … try to leave everything and everyone that you touch a bit better than they are today.
And you’ll not only have the kind of life you wish to deserve – you will also do your part to make this country and the world a better place for generations yet to come.
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Famous Person - Give a speech
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2013 World Women's Handball Championship
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The 2013 World Women's Handball Championship, the 21st event hosted by the International Handball Federation, was held in Serbia on 6–22 December 2013. [1]
Brazil defeated Serbia 22–20 in the final to capture their first title and thus becoming the first nation from the Americas and only the second non-European country (after South Korea) to win the title. [2]
Five venues in four cities had been selected to host the matches:[1]
South Korea was the other applicant for the championship. [citation needed] The decision to select Serbia as the host was announced on 2 October 2010. [citation needed]
The draw was held on 15 June 2013 at 11:30 local time. [3][4]
All times are local (UTC+1). [5]
Twenty-four participating teams were placed in the following four groups. After playing a round-robin, the top four teams in each group advanced to the Knockout stage. The last two teams in each group played placement matches. If two or more teams have finished tied on an equal number of points, the finishing positions were set to be determined by the following tie-breaking criteria in the following order
FT: 18–18 Pen: 5–3
FT: 26–26 ET: 3–3, 4–2
The final was played at the Kombank Arena between Brazil and the host Serbia and was attended by 19,467 spectators. [8][9] Referees of the match were Spain's Andreu Marín and Ignacio García. It was the first final ever for both teams with Brazil's previous best result being fifth place at the 2011 World Championship and third place for Serbia at the 2001 World Championship (then as FR Yugoslavia). Both teams advanced to the final after playing in Group B of the group stage with Brazil winning their match in the third round 25–23. On the way to the final in the knockout stage Brazil defeated the Netherlands, Hungary and Denmark, while Serbia won its matches against South Korea, Norway and Poland. The game started with an early 3–1 lead for the Brazilians, but Serbia came from behind to level the result and took control of the match with an 8–6 lead. Serbian players had the last lead in the match at 10–9 before Brazil went on with a 4–0 run to take a three-goals lead 13–10. The Serbian team scored before halftime to make it 13–11 at the break. In the second half, Brazil started furiously scoring three goals in a row to extend the lead to a margin of five making the result 16–11 in their favour. The Serbians did not give up and managed to cut their opponent's comfortable lead to only one goal with a 4–0 series. One of the driving forces for the comeback was the goalkeeper Katarina Tomašević who saved two penalties in one minute. [9] The final entered with a tied result at 19–19 in the last four minutes. Brazil scored to take the lead, which was answered with an equaliser brought by Andrea Lekić to make it 20–20. However, the Brazilian team took the lead once again and after Dragana Cvijić missed to score for her team, Ana Paula Rodrigues scored to finish the match and set the final result 22–20. [8][9] Alexandra do Nascimento with six and Cvijić with five goals were the best scorers for the both finalists. Brazil became the first South American country to win the World Women's Handball Championship and only the second non-European (after South Korea) to do so. [10]
According to the IHF. [11]
BrazilFirst title
Team roster: Fabiana Diniz, Alexandra do Nascimento, Samira Rocha, Daniela Piedade, Amanda de Andrade, Fernanda da Silva, Ana Paula Rodrigues, Bárbara Arenhart, Elaine Gomes, Mayssa Pessoa, Karoline de Souza, Eduarda Amorim, Deborah Nunes, Mariana Costa, Mayara Moura, Deonise Cavaleiro.Head Coach: Morten Soubak. Chosen by team officials and IHF experts: IHF.info
Source: IHF.info
Source: IHF.info
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Sports Competition
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'That's not leadership': Andrews warns cutting Belt and Road will hurt Australian business
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Premier Daniel Andrews says any federal government decision to tear up Victoria's Belt and Road agreement with China would further aggravate the relationship between the countries and adversely affect businesses that are already struggling. Speaking the day after federal legislation allowing the Commonwealth to cancel agreements between states and foreign governments was passed in Canberra, Mr Andrews on Wednesday called for a "sophisticated, nuanced" approach to China that distinguishes trade relations from diplomatic tensions. "If you rip up agreements, you don't reset things": Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews The Commonwealth intends to immediately scrutinise the Belt and Road deal, but Mr Andrews warned Prime Minister Scott Morrison's government to tread carefully after weeks of escalating trade tariffs and diplomatic barbs. "I don't think ripping up agreements resets anything. I think it might make a very challenging set of circumstances for farmers, for workers, for businesses, for every Victorian much, much harder," he said. "There's no getting around it – whether you like it or not, this is our biggest customer." Mr Andrews said a poor relationship with China would require a shift to new markets, which could take years and cost jobs in the meantime. "At this time, right now at the end of the year like no other, all of us, every one of us, regardless of what party we're from and what views we have, should all be focused on getting more people into work [and] more product exported overseas, not less. That's not leadership," he said. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday. His government could veto Victoria's agreement with China. The legislation passed on Tuesday allows the federal government to cancel or proactively block agreements reached by states, territories, local governments and public universities with foreign governments if they are deemed to compromise Australia's foreign interests or break from its foreign policy. China has hit half a dozen Australian industries with trade restrictions in recent weeks, affecting up to $20 billion of trade across sectors such as seafood, wine, resources and timber, with new lamb restrictions imposed on Wednesday. Mr Andrews defended the Belt and Road memorandum of understanding, signed in 2018, as a symbol of goodwill on infrastructure and exports. He said Victorian exporters, particularly farmers, had conveyed "palpable" concern in his discussions with them. "They are very concerned that this relationship is not in a good place and they want a reset, they want a strategy to find a better way," he said. "Unless we can find a way, in a sophisticated, nuanced fashion, to have a trading relationship and a diplomatic relationship and find the points of common interest in and common benefit, then this relationship will get worse and worse and that will cost all of us. All of us." Premiers and chief ministers will meet with the Prime Minister in Canberra on Friday. Every premier and chief minister will meet with Mr Morrison at the first in-person national cabinet since March in Canberra on Friday, and Mr Andrews said it was possible Australia's relationship with China would be raised. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said this week the Foreign Relations Bill would "ensure stronger connection between the Commonwealth and states and territories on matters of foreign policy and foreign relations". Australia winemakers in particular have suffered from China imposing tariffs of up to 212 per cent. Tony Battaglene, chief executive of peak body Australian Grape and Wine Incorporated, said he broadly agreed with Mr Andrews' assessment that scrapping agreements such as Belt and Road could further harm the sector. "We have always seen the deal as an opportunity more than a risk," said Mr Battaglene, whose industry exported $1.2 billion of goods, or 35 per cent of its total exports, to China last year. "Who knows what the result of the federal legislation will be, but China has made it clear that anything acting against their interest, they would treat negatively . I don't think you'd get a positive outcome from it. But equally I haven't seen what benefits Victoria has got from the agreement." Federal Trade Minister Simon Birmingham on Wednesday criticised Beijing's unwillingness to engage in regular meetings in recent years. Mr Battaglene said winemakers were preparing to move out of the Chinese market for four to five years. On a more positive note, International Education Association of Australia chief executive Phil Honeywood said Victoria's No.1 export, university and high school education, would not be affected by any state deals scrapped by the federal government. "Victoria hasn't seen any additional benefit from Belt and Road for Chinese student recruitment since 2018," Mr Honeywood said. "The people-to-people and institution links have been far away the greatest linkage." NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has, by comparison, indicated a keenness for one-third of international arrivals to be students from January. United States ambassador to Australia Arthur Culvahouse jnr said any move to cancel Victoria’s Belt and Road agreement was an "internal decision for Australia" He said the US recommended that any country considering signing up do "some due diligence before they go forward". "What we have said is that any and all partners to Belt and Road ought to take a look at them, that often it collapses at the end of the day – there’s debt-trap diplomacy or pay-day loan diplomacy, and local content, local hiring and local training is not there," he said.
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Tear Up Agreement
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2 men and child die from possible carbon monoxide poisoning on boat off Cleveland coast
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CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Two adults and a child are dead after Coast Guard found them on a boat about two miles away from the Cleveland shore early Wednesday evening, according to Cleveland EMS.
The Coast Guard said Station Cleveland Harbor responded to a boat circling around 6 p.m.
A witness told 19 News he called it in after he saw the boat circling with the engines running.
Coast Guard said their crew saw the three unresponsive people aboard, broke a window, put the boat in neutral, and that’s when the point alarm system on the Coast Guard’s boat for dangerous gasses went off.
The crew started towing the boat back to Station Cleveland Harbor while a Coast Guard helicopter and second Coast Guard boat responded from the station with further assistance from local emergency responders, according to the Coast Guard.
EMS was waiting at the pier to treat the boaters when the Coast Guard brought them over.
According to Cleveland EMS, the 80-year-old man and the 45-year-old man were pronounced dead on arrival while paramedics performed CPR and took the 10-year-old boy to MetroHealth Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Officials suspect carbon monoxide poisoning at this point in the investigation, which is being led by Cleveland Police.
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Mass Poisoning
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Crews cleaning up mudslide on State Highway 38 near Red River
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Updated: November 16, 2021 @ 3:23 pm ATV's can be seen crossing the road after bulldozers cleared most of the mud. Bulldozers try to removed mud from the roadway on State Road 38 near Red River on Friday afternoon (July 30). Bulldozers push mud off the roadway. Mud can be seen all over the road and down into a campground off of State Road 38 near Red River. A map showing the area of State Road 38 that has been affected by the area. Cars were backed up along State Road 38 near Red River because of the mudslide. The mudslide occurred right near the Red River town limits. Bulldozers dump mud on the side of the road. Cars are now being allowed through intermittently after a mudslide blocked traffic on State Highway 38 in Red River between milepost 10 and 12, Red River Central Dispatch confirmed Friday (July 30). Mud is being cleared by bulldozers until it is shallow and safe enough for cars to be allowed through, but then traffic is being halted again to clear more oncoming mud. Multiple departments have been on scene, including Red River Public Works Department, the Red River Fire Department, Taos County Sheriff’s Office, Taos County Public Works and the New Mexico Department of Transportation. "During monsoon season, the ground is so saturated, I'm surprised it hasn't happened before today," said Deke Willis, chief of the Red River Fire Department. He said there are three locations along State Road 38 that are prone to mudslides and are watched. Employees at the 4K River Ranch have been using chainsaws and shovels to clear trees and mud so the water doesn't back up into the RV campground.
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Mudslides
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Maryland parents dread quarantine notifications as first weeks of classes see school shut down, dances canceled
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With more than two weeks of school under their belts, Baltimore-area school districts are beginning to see COVID-19 cases emerge in larger numbers — forcing hundreds of students into quarantine and prompting systems to alter plans and cancel events. Parents have been forced to rearrange their schedules to care for kids at home. Those who haven’t say they are dreading a call they feel is inevitable. And what if their child needs to quarantine more than once? So far, schools here have not reached the level of cases experienced in districts across the country that began the school year earlier. Across the South, dozens of school systems have halted in-person classes, according to data gathered by online event tracking firm Burbio. And some districts, such as one north of Charlotte, North Carolina, have reported more than 10% of students quarantined at a single time. While COVID cases are starting to filter through soccer teams and history classes, cafeterias and school buses, parents and students in Maryland say they’re overjoyed to be returning to full schools for the first time in months, despite the storm cloud overhead. Stephanie Brown is among the parents who have already had to make adjustments. When she heard that her sixth and eighth graders would have to stay home from Northwest Middle School in Carroll County after a spike in cases, she was hardly surprised. ”It really wasn’t frustration and it definitely wasn’t shock,” the Westminster mom said. But she said she thought school district officials “could have handled this better” by requiring students to wear masks or offering the option of online classes. Masks were mandated in schools statewide last week; while other districts required them earlier, Carroll didn’t follow suit until the state mandate. The Taneytown middle school that Brown’s children attend closed Tuesday and Wednesday after 18 people tested positive. For each of those positive tests, another 15 to 20 close contacts typically have to quarantine, as well, said county health officer Ed Singer. In Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Howard counties, the percentage of students quarantining due to a positive test or exposure hovered between 1% and 2%, or between 900 and 1,500 students, according to the most recent data, posted online Friday. Baltimore City’s rate was lower, with 423 students quarantining, or 0.5% of the student population, as of Wednesday, the latest date for which the city provided data. The highest rates in the Baltimore area Friday were in Carroll and Harford counties, with about 5% and 3.8%, respectively. That’s about 1,200 to 1,400 students quarantined in each district. Enacting stringent quarantine protocols is a critical step, but officials in districts with increasing rates must ask themselves what they’re doing to support those students, said Brian Castrucci, an epidemiologist and president and CEO of the Bethesda-based de Beaumont Foundation, a charitable organization focused on public health. Castrucci said getting students safely through the rest of the academic year will require a “Swiss cheese” approach, especially around the holidays when some families travel to areas with lower vaccination rates. ”If you have a single slice of Swiss cheese, you can see the holes. But if you stack 10 pieces on top of the other, you can’t see through the holes.” “It’s a layered approach — strong quarantine protocols, mask-wearing, requirements for teachers to be vaccinated — they work together to make sure kids stay safe.” Initially, no Baltimore-area districts offered live lessons this fall for quarantined students, although some provided tutoring for students stuck at home. But Thursday, Anne Arundel schools announced expanded plans due to the growing number of such students. Starting Oct. 4, virtual teachers will give their own lessons and directly assign students work, rather than helping students get and complete assignments from their regular teacher. The climbing caseload has also pushed officials in Anne Arundel County and Baltimore County to cancel all homecoming dances — at least for the time being. That was disappointing news for Stacey Montagne, who had begun planning with her son, a freshman at Arundel High School in Gambrills, for the mid-October dance. Luckily, they hadn’t spent any money on an outfit, but some parents had. “He’s bummed out,” she said. “He does want to participate in all the school activities.” Now, Montagne says she might plan a “faux-coming” dance for her son and his friends, maybe featuring a platter of Chick-fil-A nuggets and a speaker blasting dance music in a backyard. She wonders if the school might be able to plan an outdoor dance or festival to make up for the traditional, indoor event. “I definitely think it’s a double standard,” she said. “You’ve got kids in football stadiums — yes, it’s outside — but they’re playing soccer games. They’re doing all of those things. They’re going to school, they’re in classrooms with 30 of their closest friends. They’re not socially distancing. Let’s be real.” Experts say lunchtime, when students remove masks, and dismissal times, when students may cluster in groups to chat, are among the trickiest parts of the school day — and the most difficult to track. The uncertainties surrounding such contacts have left some parents wondering just how likely they are to learn their child was exposed at school. With younger students, the difficulties multiply. Virginia Ryan, a paraeducator at Wolfe Street Academy in Baltimore, said it is sometimes difficult to keep pre-K students from roaming the classroom to play with friends or grab a toy. Educators do the best they can to keep students from getting too close to each other, and keep track of where they sit using a chart. They battle to keep students’ masks effective. “A lot of them, they bring it down and put it in their mouth. So, sometimes we replace the masks because they’re too wet,” she said. For Allison Ciborowski, a Carroll County mother of two, news that she’ll have to quarantine her first and third grader feels inevitable. “That call is going to come. Every day I’m like: ‘OK, this could be the day that I need to completely change my work schedule,’” she said. “It’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of when.” Ciborowski, a single mom, knows she’ll have to coach her first grader through online lessons, which won’t involve a live instructor. At some unexpected moment, she’ll have to reschedule work meetings and cancel others. “There’s no dashboard where you can go to say, ‘OK, what’s the chance that my kid’s going to have to quarantine this week?’” she said. It’s frustrating that Carroll County didn’t initially require masks, Ciborowski said. Before the state requirement went into effect, she told her children to wear theirs, but they became confused when staff members told them masks were optional. Ciborowski said she’s also concerned that Carroll County isn’t conducting any randomized COVID-19 testing for students. There’s only one permanent COVID-19 testing center at a Carroll County school, at Westminster High. Baltimore City is the only district in the area conducting surveillance testing for students so far to pick up on cases without symptoms. Others have said they’re considering it. For some students, the return to the school building is something of a godsend. Baltimore City College ninth grader Serena Marie Bostic said it’s allowed her to consider a swath of new extracurricular activities. She’s interested in learning American Sign Language, joining the debate team and participating in cheerleading, volleyball and softball. She’s discovered a love of math in geometry and algebra classes, now that they aren’t conducted through a computer screen. “It’s crazy because for so many years, I was like, ‘Man, that’s like the hardest class,’” she said. “But now, suddenly, it became my favorite class.” The 14-year-old said she hasn’t been vaccinated but is warming up to the idea, and would need to be to participate in winter and spring sports under a Baltimore City Schools mandate for athletes. She said her mind is at ease about possible transmission because students are conscious about wearing their masks indoors and eating lunch in a courtyard. ‘It’s always a risk. It’s always scary, especially with the variant,” she said. “But I’m not too worried because I see my peers and we all take the mask thing pretty serious.”
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Organization Closed
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Saved by the bankers
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In October auto wholesales fall 25% and PVs by 27%: SIAM4 hrs ago India on right track for Skoda, being considered for next investment cycle: Chairman Skoda Auto Thomas Schäfer21 hrs ago Rising From Uncertainties Fool Proofing the Growth Momentum Rising From Uncertainties Bringing Continuity in Crisis 27 May 2020 The Transport Minister, Road Transport Corporations (RTC) Chairman and other higher officials requested the Chief Minister to help RTC to come out of its financial crisis in the high-level review meeting held on Tuesday. The eight-lane expressway will cover Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. It noted the notification has clearly said that fitment of crash guards or bull bars was in violation of Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which prevents alterations in vehicles in variation to specifications mentioned in the registration certificate. Recommended by Colombia 225000+ Industry Leaders read it everyday Grappling with semiconductor shortage, October was a mixed bag for the passenger vehicle industry. Alto emerged as the bestselling car capitalising on Swift's decline but Tata was the big draw with two cars including the recently launched micro SUV Punch in the top 10.
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Financial Crisis
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Somalia's Khadar Ahmed wins top prize at Fespaco film festival
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Somali film-maker Khadar Ahmed won the top prize at the Fespaco film festival in Burkina Faso Saturday for "The Gravedigger's Wife", which he wrote and directed. The 40-year-old was not at the ceremony to receive the Golden Stallion award, but his work beat 16 other African films to the top prize. The films in competition were made by directors from 15 different African countries. This year's international jury was led by Mauritanian producer Abderrahmane Sissako, who won France's coveted Cesar in 2015 for "Timbuktu". The Golden Stallion, said Sissako, was "for any African film-maker, the best prize you can have, a source of great pride". The film received its world premier earlier this year at the Cannes film festival, though not as part of the main competition. It is Ahmed's first full-length feature. Ahmed grew up in Somalia before moving to Finland, and his film received Finnish, French and German funding. The festival, first staged in 1969, is held every two years in the Burkinabe capital Ouagadougou. The event is closely followed by the US and European movie industries, which scout the event for new films, talent and ideas. Its top prize is named after the Golden Stallion of Yennenga -- a mythical beast in Burkinabe mythology. The event was originally set for February 27-March 6 but was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Awards ceremony
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Mornings
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On July 30 a tanker was travelling along the Great Northern Highway just south of Mt Magnet when it had an accident.
This road train had 33,000 litres of waste oil on board and most of that spilled out and found its way onto Kirkalocka Station.
The environmental damage, according to the owners, is devastating and they are concerned that the clean up effort is not adequate.
Blair Ridley is the co owner of Kirkalocka Station and spoke to Nadia Mitsopoulos.
Listen online, on the ABC listen app, on channel 25 on your television, via DAB+ Digital Radio or On Air on:
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Environment Pollution
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Trump Withdraws from the Iran Nuclear Agreement: What Comes Next
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After reluctantly implementing the Iran nuclear agreement—also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—for over a year, President Trump announced today that he is pulling the United States out. He described the agreement as “a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never, ever been made” and signed a presidential memorandum directing federal agencies to “re-impose all United States sanctions lifted or waived in connection with the JCPOA” within 180 days. Trump stated that the United States “will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction” against Iran. The announcement came just days before the first of several statutory deadlines that would have required the president to extend waivers in order to continue suspending nuclear sanctions lifted as part of the implementation of the JCPOA. This post offers some preliminary thoughts on what to watch for next from a legal perspective. How We Got Here Under the JCPOA, the United States committed to lifting a range of economic sanctions imposed over Iran’s nuclear program. The Obama administration implemented that commitment on Jan. 16, 2016 (“implementation day”). President Obama exercised statutory waiver authorities granted to the president by a number of statutes that imposed sanctions on Iran: sections 212-213 of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act; sections 1244-1247 of the Iran Freedom and Counter Proliferation Act; section 1245(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2012, also known as the Kirk-Menendez Amendment; and section 4(c)(1)(A) of the Iran Sanctions Act (as amended). Those waivers have to be renewed every 120-180 days, depending on the statute. In addition to exercising statutory waivers, Obama rescinded a number of executive orders that imposed nuclear sanctions against Iran—specifically, Executive Orders 13574, 13590, 13622, and 13645, as well as sections 5–7 and 15 of Executive Order 13628. The administration also de-listed a large number of persons and entities designated as Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) and Foreign Sanctions Evaders, as well as other persons and entities that appeared on the Non-SDN Iran Sanctions Act List. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) maintains all of these lists. SDN designations also trigger secondary sanctions, such as those provided for in the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (CISADA) and the Iran Freedom and Counterproliferation Act (IFCA). The Congressional Research Service has succinctly described these secondary sanctions as “largely clos[ing] the U.S. economy to third-country entities that conduct transactions with Iran-related SDNs.”
The Obama administration maintained that the JCPOA was a non-legally binding political commitment, notwithstanding the agreement’s endorsement by U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231. Therefore, Obama could conclude the agreement on his own without Senate approval. Criticizing the legislative branch’s exclusion from the process of concluding the JCPOA, Congress enacted the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA), which required the president to submit any nuclear agreement with Iran for congressional review and created a mechanism for congressional oversight over the implementation of the agreement.
Additionally, INARA requires the president to certify every 90 days that Iran is in compliance with the JCPOA and that it remains in the U.S. interest to suspend sanctions as part of the implementation of any agreement. If the president does not provide the required certification, Congress can (but is not required to) re-impose sanctions under expedited procedures provided for in INARA within 60 calendar days of the certification deadline. Such expedited procedures are also available if the president reports that Iran has materially breached the agreement. On Oct. 13, 2017, while rolling out a new Iran strategy, Trump announced that he would not provide the required certification under INARA. That announcement, however, did not immediately impact the implementation of the JCPOA, as the president renewed the statutory sanctions waivers shortly thereafter. Nor did the administration re-issue the rescinded executive orders or re-designate de-listed persons and entities. And Congress did not move to re-impose nuclear sanctions either.
In Jan. 2018, when the time came to renew the statutory waivers once again, President Trump indicated that this would be the last time. He posed an ultimatum to the other parties to the JCPOA, demanding that the agreement be “fixed” as a condition of continued U.S. participation. Specifically, he wanted a revamped JCPOA that would apply greater pressure on Iran for its ballistic missile activity and its various other activities in the Middle East and elsewhere. Trump also demanded the removal of the agreement’s sunset clause, which provides that limitations on Iran’s nuclear program would be lifted after 15 years of successful implementation (i.e., in 2030). It is noteworthy that the agreement as written clearly states that, even after those limitations are lifted, Iran must never purse nuclear weapons. Despite their strong support for the JCPOA in its current form, the European parties to the agreement have made an effort over the past several months to address Trump’s demands. They have also attempted to dissuade Trump from following through on his pledge. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced support for the JCPOA in their recent visits to Washington, D.C. and the United Kingdom has also stressed the importance of maintaining the agreement. Today’s announcement clearly indicates that these efforts to reach a compromise failed. By contrast, Israel led the charge against the agreement, complete with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s theatrical presentation of material that Israeli agents obtained pertaining to Iran’s nuclear weapons program, which President Trump referenced the presentation and the materials in his statement. Many commentators dismissed this material as a rehashing of widely known facts, though it is difficult to tell without actually reviewing it in detail.
What’s Next?
The multiple deadline-induced crises created by the Trump administration have produced volumes of commentary about the motivation behind Trump’s insistence on pulling out of the JCPOA and the political and strategic wisdom of doing so. I will not address these questions here. Instead, I will focus on the immediate legal implications of Trump’s announcement and what we should be looking out for over the coming days and weeks. There are three potential legal components of the implementation of the U.S. withdrawal: the bilateral component, the process for terminating the JCPOA under its own terms, and the U.N. Security Council component.
1. The Bilateral Component Trump’s decision not to extend the statutory sanctions waivers will result in those sanctions being gradually re-imposed beginning on May 12. If Congress is interested in protecting the JCPOA, legislators may theoretically be able to push through legislation that would lift those statutory sanctions, but there is scant evidence that this is a politically viable option. As previously mentioned, in order to restore Iran sanctions to their pre-JCPOA state (and potentially add more sanctions), the Trump administration will need to take additional measures, including re-issuing executive orders and re-designating de-listed persons in entities. Section 3 of the presidential memorandum signed today by Trump instructs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury to do just that as soon as possible and “in no case later than 180 days from the date of this memorandum.” Separately, the Treasury Department issued a guidance describing the pace at which it will be reinstating various sanctions over the 180 days.
The direct effect of such re-designations will probably be limited, because Iranian persons and entities have likely already removed their assets from the jurisdiction of the United States. But the indirect effect of the re-designations could be significant, as they may trigger secondary sanctions that penalize third parties for doing business with Iranian nationals by restricting their access to the U.S. market (more on this below). 2. Termination Under the JCPOA
The JCPOA itself contains provisions on dispute resolution (paragraphs 36-37 of the main text of the agreement, annexed to the text of resolution 2231). Any party can—but is not required to—raise a compliance issue through that dispute resolution mechanism, which includes a Joint Commission, ministerial-level consideration, and consideration by an Advisory Board created by the JCPOA (something akin to an arbitration). However, paragraph 36 of the JCPOA states that: If the issue still has not been resolved to the satisfaction of the complaining participant, and if the complaining participant deems the issue to constitute significant non-performance, then that participant could treat the unresolved issue as grounds to cease performing its commitments under this JCPOA in whole or in part and/or notify the UN Security Council that it believes the issue constitutes significant non-performance.
Whether it chooses to first raise the issue of U.S. non-compliance through this mechanism or not, Iran would be well within its rights to stop implementing its own JCPOA obligations once the United States re-imposes nuclear sanctions. But Iran might also choose to continue implementing the agreement together with the other parties without the United States. Immediately after Trump’s announcement, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany issued a joint statement making clear their intention to continue implementing the agreement. Russia and China have indicated that they intend to stay in the JCPOA as well. And Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has indicated that Iran will enter into negotiations with these other parties on remaining in the JCPOA. This leaves the United States in a precarious position: isolated from the other parties to the agreement, whose nationals will continue doing business with Iran while U.S. nationals will be barred from doing so.
A key source of friction will likely be the re-activation of U.S. secondary sanctions, which would target European and other companies and intuitions that do business with Iran. European officials are reportedly already examining options to protect European companies and individuals from U.S. sanctions. One such option is a so-called EU “blocking regulation,” which would prohibit compliance with U.S. secondary Iran sanctions. The EU has introduced a blocking measure in the past to counter U.S. extraterritorial sanctions against Cuba and Iran. 3. The U.N. Security Council Component
U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the JCPOA, also terminated all the previous resolutions concerning Iran’s nuclear program: resolutions 1696 (2006), 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008), 1835 (2008), 1929 (2010), and 2224 (2015). At the same time, however, operative paragraphs 11-12 of Resolution 2231 created what became known as a “snap-back” mechanism. The mechanism allows a single party to the JCPOA to trigger a process to re-impose Security Council sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program. Operative paragraph 11 further provides (emphasis added):
[The U.N. Security Council] [d]ecides, acting under Article 41 of the Charter of the United Nations, that, within 30 days of receiving a notification by a JCPOA participant State of an issue that the JCPOA participant State believes constitutes significant non-performance of commitments under the JCPOA, it shall vote on a draft resolution to continue in effect the terminations in paragraph 7 (a) of this resolution [which lists the resolutions to be terminated under the JCPOA] . . . .
In other words, if a party to the JCPOA notifies the U.N. Security Council that “significant non-performance of commitments under the JCPOA” have occurred, the council is required to vote on a resolution to continue the suspension of Security Council sanctions. Operative paragraph 12 then provides:
[The Security Council] [d]ecides, acting under Article 41 of the Charter of the United Nations, that, if the Security Council does not adopt a resolution under paragraph 11 to continue in effect the terminations in paragraph 7 (a), then effective midnight Greenwich Mean Time after the thirtieth day after the notification to the Security Council . . . all of the provisions of resolutions 1696 (2006), 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008), 1835 (2008), and 1929 (2010) that have been terminated pursuant to paragraph 7 (a) shall apply in the same manner as they applied before the adoption of this resolution . . . .
Thus, if the Security Council does not vote to continue suspending sanctions concerning Iran’s nuclear program, those sanctions will automatically resume within 30 days of the notification. It is not clear that the U.S. has a basis for notifying the Security Council that Iran is in “significant non-performance” of the JCPOA. While the presidential memorandum mentions two instances of Iranian non-compliance, the IAEA and the other parties to the agreement have repeatedly emphasized that Iran is generally in compliance with its obligations. The U.K., France and Germany reiterated that Iran is in compliance with the JCPOA in their statement today. If the U.S. does attempt to trigger this “snap-back” mechanism, however, it appears that there is little the other members of the Council can do to prevent Security Council sanctions being re-imposed. Even if the notification of non-performance were completely baseless, the U.S. veto power would likely block any attempt by the other members of the Council to pass a resolution that would continue the suspension of relevant U.N. sanctions. In their statement, the U.K., France and Germany seemed to plead with the U.S. not to activate the snap-back mechanism at the Security Council. “We call on the US”, they said, “to do everything possible to preserve the gains for nuclear non-proliferation brought about by the JCPoA, by allowing for a continued enforcement of its main elements.” If the U.S. only re-imposes bilateral sanctions, the JCPOA might survive without it. But if U.N. sanctions are re-imposed, it is doubtful that the agreement would survive. Trump’s memorandum does not explicitly mention triggering the “snap-back” mechanism. Finally, there is the question of whether United States itself violated its international legal obligations by pulling out of the JCPOA (as opposed to its political commitments to Iran and the other parties). Other parties to the JCPOA have argued that the agreement is legally binding by virtue of its endorsement by the U.N. Security Council. As previously mentioned, however, that was not the position of the Obama administration and commentators have doubted whether resolution 2231 in fact transformed the commitments included in the JCPOA into binding international law. The fact that the part of the JCPOA that outlines those commitments is entitled “Iran and E3/EU+3 will take the following voluntary measures within the timeframe as detailed in this JCPOA and its Annexes” (emphasis added) supports this latter position. Conclusion Trump’s move today was a long time coming. Its immediate consequences will be the gradual re-application of statutory sanctions over the coming months. Additional measures to impose sanctions by executive order may take up to six months, according to today’s presidential memorandum. One of the main questions now is whether the JCPOA can survive the U.S. withdrawal. Whether the United States decides to move to re-impose U.N. Security Council sanctions will no doubt be critical in this regard. If Security Council sanctions remain suspended, the other parties may be able to continue implementing the agreement if they so choose. But it will be incredibly difficult to keep the agreement alive if the full scope of the comprehensive sanctions regime that existed prior to the JCPOA is reinstated. Another major question is how the other parties to the agreement might respond to U.S. secondary sanctions. What is clear is that all the other parties to the JCPOA intend to stay in the agreement notwithstanding the U.S. withdrawal. And it is doubtful that Trump’s move will encourage any international cooperation on increasing pressure on Iran and addressing all the negative aspects of its behavior. If anything, it may undermine such cooperation. © 2021 The Lawfare Institute
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Tear Up Agreement
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1972 European Super Cup
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The 1972 European Super Cup was a football match played over two legs between the winner of the 1971–72 European Cup and the winner of the 1971–72 European Cup Winners' Cup. The match was proposed by Anton Witkamp of De Telegraaf to decide who was the best club in Europe. [1]
In 1972, Witkamp proposed the idea to Jaap van Praag, the then president of Ajax, who were holders of the European Cup at that time. The idea was then taken to UEFA to seek official endorsement; however Artemio Franchi, the president of UEFA at that time, rejected the idea as the reigning European Cup Winners' Cup champions—Rangers—were serving a one-year ban at the time imposed by UEFA for the alleged misbehaviour of their fans. [1]
The match went ahead, but unofficially as a celebration of the Centenary of Rangers F.C.. The first leg was played on 16 January 1973 and the second on 24 January 1973. Ajax won the tie 6–3 on aggregate, beating Rangers both at home and away, 3–1 in Glasgow and 3–2 in the second leg in Amsterdam. Despite not being officially recognised by UEFA it is often regarded as the first ever European Super Cup match.
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Sports Competition
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SA de Transport Aérien Flight 730 crash
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SA de Transport Aérien Flight 730 was a Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle 10R aircraft, registered as HB-ICK, that crashed on approach to Funchal Airport, Madeira, on December 18, 1977. The flight crew consisted of two captains. The pilot in command had never previously landed at Funchal and was being trained to operate from the notoriously difficult airport by the other, more experienced captain, who was acting as co-pilot. The training was intended to take place during daytime, but due to a delay the aircraft reached its destination after dark. The non-scheduled flight departed from Zurich, making its first stop at Geneva Cointrin International Airport at 14:30 UTC. While at Geneva, the aircraft's departure to Funchal was delayed due to a hydraulic pump failure, and it finally took off at 16:26. At 19:38, the crew contacted Madeira control tower when they were at the ROSE reporting point at 33,000 feet (10,000 m), and were cleared to descend to 5,000 ft (1,500 m). At 19:55, the crew reported overflying Porto Santo island at 8,500 ft (2,600 m) and were instructed to continue their descent to 5000 ft and then to contact Funchal approach control. At 19:57, Funchal cleared the crew to descend to 3,500 ft (1,100 m) and informed them that the QNH was 1014.0 hpa. After being cleared for the approach the crew descended below the 720 ft (220 m) permitted during circling, even though they had lost sight of the runway. The aircraft had its landing gear down and the flaps were extended to 20 degrees when it crashed into the water. Thirty-five passengers and one hostess lost their lives, many becoming trapped inside the sinking fuselage. The remaining passengers and crew, including both pilots, were rescued by local fisherman and rescue teams, or swam to the nearby shore. The cause of the accident was attributed to pilot error, due to lack of coordination between the pilots, and to sensorial illusion. It was the second fatal air crash in a month at Funchal. On November 19, TAP Portugal Flight 425 had crashed at the airport, killing 131 people. Coordinates: 32°41′52″N 16°46′28″W / 32.69778°N 16.77444°W / 32.69778; -16.77444
In October 2011 the wreckage of the Caravelle was found by a team of Portuguese divers at a depth of 110 m (360 ft). The aircraft had reportedly broken into two sections. [1]
[2]
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Air crash
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India, U.S. Navies Hold Complex Air and Sea Drills in the Indian Ocean, Kicking Off Several Summer Exercises
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Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and Indian air force aircraft fly in formation over the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) on June 23, 2021, US Navy Photo KUALA LUMPUR – The U.S. Navy carried out a high-tempo exercise this week in the Indian Ocean involving the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group along with the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. The drills come at the start of the 27th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series with CARAT Sri Lanka on June 24, which will include USS Charleston (LCS-18) and the first official participation of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyer JS Yugiri (DD-153). USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), Carrier Air Wing 5 and its escorts carried out the two-day exercise with the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force on June 23 and 24. The drills went beyond the basic exercises at sea between the U.S. and Indian navies and included, “ advanced air defense exercises, cross deck helicopter operations and anti-submarine exercises,” according to the Indian Ministry of Defence. The Indian Air Force stated that the U.S would fly F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and E-2 Hawkeyes during the exercise. The Indian Navy deployed the destroyer INS Kochi (D64) and the frigate INS Tej (F45) and its MiG-29K fighters, P-8I Maritime Patrol and Dornier 228 maritime surveillance aircraft. The Indian Air Force deployed Su-30MKI fighters and Jaguar attack aircraft, in addition to NETRA Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft and IL-78 tankers for the exercise. Earlier this week, the Reagan Strike Group conducted an exercise in the Indian Ocean with the JMSDF training ships JS Kashima (TV3508) and JS Setoyuki (TV3518). CARAT is an ongoing annual series of bilateral and multilateral exercises conducted by the U.S Navy in various South and Southeast Asian countries, though the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced many of the interactions and Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) events to virtual conferences. CARAT Sri Lanka is the first of this year’s iteration. “The CARAT exercise series creates an opportunity to sharpen our skills, learn from one another and allows us to work towards our shared goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Rear Adm. Christopher Engdahl, the Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7 commander, said in a news release. “When we have a better understanding of the environments in which we operate, we can focus on upholding international rules-based order in the maritime environment.” Charleston and a P-8A Poseidon aircraft as “will join with ships and aircraft from Sri Lanka and Japan for partnered training, focused on building interoperability and strengthening relationships,” read a statement from U.S. 7th Fleet. Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and Indian air force aircraft fly in formation over the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) on June 23, 2021. US Navy Photo For the first time, U.S., Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lankan Air Force nation’s helicopters will hold deck landing qualifications (DLQs) and vertical replenishment (VERTREP) drills on each other’s warships. DESRON 7 confirmed to USNI that these helicopter drills will be contactless and not involve personnel interactions. “CARAT Sri Lanka perfectly reflects the excellent cooperation between our two navies, and emphasizes our partnership and respect for Sri Lankan sovereignty,” Capt. Tom Ogden, the Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 commander, said in the news release. “This will be exemplified when we meet our Sri Lankan and Japan partners at sea, focusing on key areas to grow our maritime integration training. From the integration of Navy Seabees aboard USS Charleston to the P-8 and participating commands using IORIS information sharing, the training value of CARAT Sri Lanka 2021 is on track to be invaluable building on previous iterations between our nations.” USS Charleston (LCS 18) arrives in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, for a contactless port visit ahead of Cooperation Afloat and Readiness at Sea Training (CARAT) Sri Lanka on June 23, 2021. US Navy Photo Yugiri is en-route to the Gulf Of Aden, having departed Yokosuka Naval Base on June 5 and undergoing a two-week at-sea quarantine in Japanese waters, as the 39th Deployment Surface Force for Counter-Piracy Enforcement (DSPE) mission. The destroyer will relieve its sister ship, JS Setogiri (DD156), which is conducting the 38th DSPE mission. Since 2009, Japan has routinely deployed one to two destroyers, along with two JMSDF P-3C Orions staging from Djibouti, on counter-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden and Somalia. In Guam, the U.S Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) began the bilateral exercise Pacific Griffin 2021 on June 21, a two-week exercise that will end on July 7. The exercise is the third in the series “and will involve events both ashore and at sea, such as maritime special operations and maritime counter-terrorism training, anti-air defense exercises, anti-submarine warfare operations, and replenishments at sea serials,” according to 7th Fleet. U.S. forces will include USS Benfold (DDG 65), a fast-attack submarine, a P-8A Poseidon. , Coastal Riverine Group, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Detachments while Singapore will bring RSS Tenacious (71) and RSS Stalwart (72), littoral mission vessel RSS Fearless (22), training ship MV Avatar, and naval divers. Fighters from the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s detachment in Guam are also taking part in the exercise. The RSAF deployed F-16 fighters, F-15SG fighters and a G550 Airborne Early Warning aircraft to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on May 24 for a two-month training mission. West of Guam, the JMSDF destroyer JS Makinami conducted a bilateral exercise with U.S Navy Mk VI patrol crafts on June 23. Meanwhile, further south, the French Air Force Heifara-Wakea mission consisting of 3 Rafale fighters, 2 A330 Phoenix tankers and 2 A400M transport aircraft arrived in Tahiti, French Polynesia on June 22 following a 40 hour non-stop flight from France. Heifara-Wakea is meant to demonstrate the French Air Force’s power projection ability in ensuring security in French Polynesia. The air group will subsequently visit Hawaii on June 27 and conduct exercises with U.S. Air Force F-22s based there.
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Military Exercise
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2020 Central Vietnam floods
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The 2020 Central Vietnam floods were a series of floods in Central Vietnam which also affected some areas in Cambodia and Laos in October and early November 2020. The floods focus heavily in several provinces including Thừa Thiên Huế, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, and Quảng Ngãi. The floods were mainly caused by the seasonal monsoon, though enhanced by numerous tropical cyclones. Beginning in 7 October during a seasonal monsoon and tropical depressions over the Khánh Hòa province, several multitude of tropical cyclones during the 2020 Pacific typhoon season, such as Linfa, Nangka, Ofel, Saudel, and Molave, struck the northern and central regions of Vietnam, especially in areas of Laos and Cambodia, bringing high winds and excessive rainfall in these affected provinces, with accumulations peaked at 3,245 mm (127.75 in) in Hướng Linh, Hướng Hóa District, Quảng Trị around 20 October. This subsequent flooding was the first time Vietnam issued IV category disaster alert for heavy rainfall, as III category is the highest alert level. [9]
On 5 November, weakening Typhoon Goni entered the South China Sea and made landfall in Central Vietnam two days later as a tropical depression. Etau made landfall in Central Vietnam as a tropical storm three days later. On 12 November, Typhoon Vamco approached Vietnam as it gradually strengthened into Category 4-equivalent status after exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility. As of 15 November 2020, the floods has resulted in over 233 fatalities and 66 people missing; 44 out of 233 were from Cambodia, and resulted in damages almost đ35.2 trillion (US$1.52 billion). On 7 October, a tropical depression made landfall in the Khánh Hòa province. [10] Enhanced by the seasonal northeast monsoon, many provinces nearby suffered heavy rainfall with average accumulations of 200–300 mm. In Sa Huỳnh (Quảng Ngãi), rainfall peaked at 14.17 in (360 mm). By 11 October (before Linfa made landfall), heavy floods killed 9 people. [11]
On 9 October, a tropical depression formed in east Luzon. It was upgraded to a tropical storm, named Linfa on the next day. On 11 October Linfa struck the central Vietnamese coast in the province of Quảng Ngãi,[12] the area that was already flooded by previous seasonal monsoon events from 6–9 October. Linfa released historic amounts of precipitation to Central Vietnam, peaking at 90.16 inches (2,290 mm) in A Lưới (Huế)[13] making Linfa the twelfth wettest tropical cyclone on record, 59.842 inches (1,520 mm) in Hướng Linh (Quảng Trị). [14] The storm destroyed a total of 382 houses and flooded 109,034 others. In addition, the storm damaged 165.1 km of national highways and 140.1 km of provincial highways. The disaster caused big losses to agricultural production by destroying 2,141 hectares (5,290 acres) of rice crops and vegetable crops, and 2,141 hectares (5,290 acres) of aquaculture, whilst killing about 685,225 cattle and poultry. [15] In total, the storm left 174 people dead and 20 missing in Vietnam and Cambodia. On the night of 11 October, heavy rainfall attributed from typhoon Linfa resulted in landslide at the Rào Trăng 3 Hydropower Plant in Phong Điền District of Thua Thien Hue province, leaving 17 construction workers missing. On 12 October 2020, a military rescue team to the missing workers was hit by another landslide, killing Major General Nguyễn Văn Man and 12 other soldiers. [16] On 15 October 2020, their bodies were found by rescuers. [17]
In preparation for Nangka more than 150,000 people in Vietnam were evacuated from their homes. Some Vietnamese provinces banned vessels from heading out to sea during the storm Vinh Airport in Nghe An Province and Tho Xuan Airport in Thanh Hoa Province were closed on 14 October. Vietnam Airlines and Pacific Airlines announced that eight flights were cancelled to the two airports
On 11 October, a tropical depression formed in the west of Luzon. It was upgraded to a tropical storm, named Nangka on the next day. On 13 October, Nangka crossed the Gulf of Tonkin, and it made landfall in Ninh Bình on the next day. Wind gusts up to 120 km/h (75 mph) were reported in Nam Định. [18] Some areas in Northern Vietnam received heavy rainfall, such as 16.18 in (411 mm) in Yên Bái, 14.76 in (375 mm) in Quảng Ninh on 16 October. [19][20] The storm caused 2 deaths and 1 missing in Northern Vietnam. [21]
Ofel made landfall after entering the South China Sea then dissipated in Central Vietnam on 16 October. [22] 10 people reported dead on 21 October, likely caused by Ofel's remnant and the northeast monsoon. [23] By 20 October, rainfall had reduced significantly. [24]
On 18 October, a sudden landslide buried barracks an army economic division in Hướng Phùng Commune, Hướng Hoá District of Quảng Trị province, killing 22 soldiers. [25] Another landslide in Hướng Hóa District also killed 6 people in a family and one rescuer. As Saudel approached Vietnam, it began to rapidly weaken due to high vertical wind shear and was downgraded to a tropical storm on 24 October 2020. The next day, it was downgraded to a remnant low as its center became mostly devoid of any deep convection. [26] Although weakened, Saudel still brought heavy rainfall to Central Vietnam. The storm also caused strong winds and rough seas over waters off the Malaysian state of Sabah where the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) had issued a tropical storm advisory with the distance between the storm and nearest town is about 1,315 kilometers northwest of Kudat. [27]
Nearly 1.3 million people were evacuated in Vietnam, as Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered boats onshore and advised preparations for the security force and resident in the area. The prime minister also compared Molave to Typhoon Damrey of 2017. [28] Hundreds of flights were cancelled and schools were forced to close. The federal government mobilised about 250,000 troops and 2,300 vehicles to be used for search and rescue missions. [29] Members of the Vietnamese military helped load elderly people onto evacuation buses and helped direct boats onshore. Some also helped residents put sandbags on their roof. [30] On 27 October, Da Nang People's Committee had requested people to not leave their houses starting from 8:00 pm (local time) that night and urged all officials and workers to not come into work on the next day, among other measures in preparation for the typhoon. [31]
On 27 October, the typhoon caused two Vietnamese fishing boats to sink. [32] Authorities deployed search boats to search for 26 missing fishermen that were on the boats.
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Floods
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