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Two injured in boat explosion at Port Macquarie marina
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Two people have been injured, one seriously, after an explosion on a 20-foot houseboat at Port Macquarie on the New South Wales Mid North Coast.
Emergency services were called to a marina on the Hastings River in Port Macquarie at about 8:00pm after reports of a loud explosion.
Police said a 54-year-old man suffered serious burns to his face and legs after a gas bottle exploded.
He was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to the hospital in a serious condition.
The man has since been airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney in a stable condition.
A 16-year-old boy who was also on board at the time and suffered minor injuries.
Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Luke Unsworth said it was likely one of three LPG cylinders on board the houseboat was leaking.
"We did some testing at the scene and suspect that one of them [the LPG cylinders] may have been leaking," he said.
"Typically, what'll happen if an LPG cylinder has a little leak in it, the gas will leak out and it collects in the lower areas of the boat.
"Once it gets to the right concentration and around that ignition source it'll immediately ignite and cause an explosion."
Police will be doing further investigation today to confirm a leaking gas cylinder caused the problem.
Superintendent Unsworth said there was "significant damage" to the vessel.
"We don't believe there was any other damage [to the surrounding area]," he said.
"But it was the middle of the night so we will check this morning, but at this stage it's just the houseboat itself."
Attempts are being made to salvage the boat, which Marine Rescue managed to capture.
"So, with the assistance of Marine Rescue, they actually managed to capture the boat and tow it over to the mooring and moored that vessel," Super Intendant Unsworth said.
Marine Rescue NSW unit commander Greg Davies said it was a mammoth effort.
"It was a long night last night, the boys have done really well," he said.
"The HAZMAT team did all the investigations. Really we just supported their operations."
Super Intendant Unsworth said it was a timely reminder to be vigilant when dealing with gas.
"Make sure that the stop cocks are turned off when not in use, that there's a good connection between the gas cylinder and the gas supply and if there is any suspected gas leak that people immediately evacuate the area and call emergency services," he said.
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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Gas explosion
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Black Action Movement
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The Black Action Movement was a series of protests by African American students against the policies and actions of the University of Michigan. The protests themselves took place on three occasions in 1970, 1975, and 1987 (BAM I, BAM II, BAM III). Many student organizations participated in the movement, which has been called one of the most challenging for administrators in the school's history. [1] Alan Glenn of the Ann Arbor Chronicle said of the 1970 protests that "the BAM strike became one of the few protests of that era in which the students could make a valid claim of victory. "[2]
After the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, students protested against the University of Michigan administration for lack of support for minorities on campus. The University agreed to certain concessions and to increase integration on campus. [2] The 1970 Black Action Movement protests first began in late 1969, when black student organizations began to chafe at the slow progress of this proposed integration. Following their decision to become more proactive, the Black Student Union, Black Law Student Alliance, Black Psychologist, and the Black Educational Caucus among others entered into talks with university administrators. [1] Accepting an invitation to dine and discuss with the university president in February 1970, the groups staged a demonstration on his lawn and demanded that by the beginning of the 1973-1974 school year, the balance of African American students and administrators proportionately reflect the 10% balance in the state at the time. [2][3] Other requests were for better support for minority students, including a recruiter for Chicano students and a Black Student Center, financial support by way of extra grants and scholarships, and the establishment of a Black studies program. [1]
The campaign closed the University of Michigan for 18 days[4] through strikes, protests, picketing, blocking of buildings and streets, and interruption and shutting down of classes. During the last week of the strike, attendance of classes in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) dropped by 75%. [2] The settlement reached on 1 April 1970 involved the University accepting the 10% figure as a goal. [2] In a speech later that month, U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew criticized university president Robben Fleming for his "surrender" to the students, calling the university's settlement a "callow retreat from reality. "[5]
The 1975 Black Action Movement protests were brought about for a few reasons. One of these was the lack of progress by the University in implementing the demands of the first movement. Another reason was the expulsion of a black nursing student, for preparing a patient's insulin shot, who was not allowed an expulsion hearing. [6] The final reason was the University's rejection of a Regent-approved candidate for deanship in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. [1] While almost 300 students occupied the central administration building for three days in February 1975, the protests were considered milder than those of 1970. [7] Led by a "coalition of Black, Chicano, Asian-American, and Native-American student group representatives," they presented six demands calling for representation of the Chicano, Asian American, and Native American communities as well as the reinstatement of the expelled Black nursing student. [8] The occupiers elected to leave voluntarily after receiving word, from University of Michigan President Robben W. Fleming, that discussions/negotiations would take place the following week. [9] Because the protesters were never asked to leave, allowing them freedom to protest, no one was arrested or received any penalty. While the administration building was being occupied, nearly 500 students from the Graduate Employers Organization (GEO) held rallies in support of the occupiers in the plaza outside of the Administration building. [8]
The 1987 Black Action Movement arose after several incidents, including racist jokes that were broadcast during a show at the student-run radio station WJJX; the response of the university and Ann Arbor police departments to a fight on campus; the university housing's efforts to address racist flyers dispersed on campus; and concerns of the African American faculty over the "racial climate on campus". [1]
In 1970, the University announced the goal of having 10 percent Black students to match that of the Black population of the state of Michigan. Black enrollment fluctuated between 4.9 and 7.7 percent before 1987, when percentage of Black students was 5.4. The University's Vice President for Student Services stated that too few high-school graduates from large cities were academically qualified for admission. [10] Additionally, the University provided the Black Student Union with an independent annual budget, created a position to monitor minority affairs at the University, and created an advisory committee including "representatives from Black faculty, student and administrators' organizations and members of the community" to monitor the progress made by the University. [11]
In 2013 members of the University of Michigan's Black Student Union revived the Black Action Movement. The revival was prompted specifically by a Theta Xi fraternity party, whose invitation described the party as "World Star Hip Hop presents: Hood Ratchet Thursday". Outrage over the party's racist theme and complaints led to the cancellation of the party. It also fueled student to want to bring attention to the decreasing numbers in black student enrollment at the University as well as awareness of the treatment of those students. On Tuesday November 19, 2013, UofM's Black Student Union started the Twitter hashtag #BBUM, (Being Black at the University of Michigan), encouraging students to share their stories about the treatment of blacks at the predominantly white school. They had over 1,000 student responses. Despite black people making up only 4.1%[12] of the freshman class at the time, the hashtag and stories garnered national attention. [13][14]
On January 20, 2014, leaders of the Black Student Union at the University of Michigan held a rally during which they delivered the seven demands that they had for the University. The Black Student Union treasurer told the crowd that what brought him there was "the unfinished business of the first three fights of the Black Action Movements. "[15] The problems fought for remain unsolved 44 years after the initial protest began. Included in the Black Student Union demands were a new Trotter Multicultural Center in a more accessible location on Central Campus, better representation on campus for blacks, and more affordable housing options. [15] The University President at the time, Mary Sue Coleman, responded to the demands by coming up with her own three-pronged approach, addressing some but not all of the demands raised. [15]
On April 22, 2014, the Supreme court upheld the Michigan law banning affirmative action. [16] With the shrinking percentages of black enrollment in Michigan University's' this ruling was seen by the University of Michigan Black Student Union and students across the state as a hindrance toward their goal of increasing Black enrollment. In 2014, 32% of Blacks living in Michigan were living in poverty. [17] Statistically people living in poverty are less likely to attend university. Attending university helps set people up with better jobs and is believed to result in a general betterment of life. It was thought that impact could be made on the large numbers of black poverty by giving a slight advantage to blacks, helping to change black communities as a whole. After the Supreme Court decision, the Black Student Union again met with some of the heads of University of Michigan in order to generate a plan to increase black student enrollment and outreach. The problem of low Black enrollment continues to be the hardest issue to solve. [18][19] The 2016 Freshman class profile showed that Blacks made up only 5% of the class, half of what the percentage the BAM fought for in the late 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. [20]
Despite many years, negotiations and actions taken, racism against Black students at the University of Michigan still occurs.
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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EXCLUSIVE Deal allowing Russian mercenaries into Mali is close - sources
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Malians hold a photograph with an image of Colonel Assimi Goita, leader of Mali's military junta, and Russia's flag during a pro-Malian Armed Forces (FAMA) demonstration in Bamako, Mali, May 28, 2021. REUTERS/ Amadou Keita/File Photo
PARIS, Sept 13 (Reuters) - A deal is close that would allow Russian mercenaries into Mali, extending Russian influence over security affairs in West Africa and triggering opposition from former colonial power France, seven diplomatic and security sources said.
Paris has begun a diplomatic drive to prevent the military junta in Mali enacting the deal, which would permit Russian private military contractors, the Wagner Group, to operate in the former French colony, the sources said.
A European source who tracks West Africa and a security source in the region said at least 1,000 mercenaries could be involved. Two other sources believed the number was lower, but did not provide figures.
Four sources said the Wagner Group would be paid about 6 billion CFA francs ($10.8 million) a month for its services. One security source working in the region said the mercenaries would train Malian military and provide protection for senior officials.
Reuters could not confirm independently how many mercenaries could be involved, how much they would be compensated, or establish the exact objective of any deal involving Russian mercenaries would be for Mali's military junta.
Reuters was unable to reach the Wagner Group for comment. Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, who media outlets including Reuters have linked to the Wagner Group, denies any connection to the firm.
His press service also says on its social networking site Vkontakte that Prigozhin has nothing to do with any private military company, has no business interests in Africa and is not involved in any activities there.
His press service did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment for this story.
POTENTIAL THREAT TO COUNTER-TERRORISM EFFORT
France's diplomatic offensive, the diplomatic sources said, includes enlisting the help of partners including the United States to persuade Mali's junta not to press ahead with the deal, and sending senior diplomats to Moscow and Mali for talks.
France is worried the arrival of Russian mercenaries would undermine its decade-old counter-terrorism operation against al Qaeda and Islamic State-linked insurgents in the Sahel region of West Africa at a time when it is seeking to draw down its 5,000-strong Barkhane mission to reshape it with more European partners, the diplomatic sources said.
The French foreign ministry also did not respond but a French diplomatic source criticised interventions by the Wagner Group in other countries.
"An intervention by this actor would therefore be incompatible with the efforts carried out by Mali’s Sahelian and international partners engaged in the Coalition for the Sahel for security and development of the region," the source said.
A spokesperson for the leader of Mali's junta, which took power in a military coup in August 2020, said he had no information about such a deal.
"These are rumours. Officials don't comment on rumours," said the spokesperson, Baba Cisse, who declined further comment.
Mali's defence ministry spokesperson said: "Public opinion in Mali is in favour of more cooperation with Russia given the ongoing security situation. But no decision (on the nature of that cooperation) has been made."
Russia's defence and foreign ministries did not respond to requests for comment, nor did the Kremlin or the French presidency.
The mercenaries' presence would jeopardise Mali's funding from the international partners and allied training missions that have helped rebuild Mali's army, four security and diplomatic sources said.
RIVALRY IN AFRICA
Having Russian mercenaries in Mali would strengthen Russia's push for global prestige and influence, and be part of a wider campaign to shake up long-standing power dynamics in Africa, the diplomatic sources said.
More than a dozen People with ties to the Wagner Group have previously told Reuters it has carried out clandestine combat missions on the Kremlin’s behalf in Ukraine, Libya and Syria. Russian authorities deny Wagner contractors carry out their orders.
Mali's military junta has said it will oversee a transition to democracy leading to elections in February 2022.
As relations with France have worsened, Mali's military junta has increased contacts with Russia, including Defence Minister Sadio Camara visiting Moscow and overseeing tank exercises on Sept. 4.
A senior Malian defence ministry source said the visit was in "the framework of cooperation and military assistance" and gave no further details. Russia's defence ministry said deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin had met Camara during an international military forum and "discussed defence cooperation projects in detail as well as regional security matters related to West Africa." No further details were released.
The French foreign ministry's top Africa diplomat, Christophe Bigot, was dispatched to Moscow for talks on Sept. 8 with Mikhail Bogdanov, Putin’s point person on the Middle East and Africa. Russia's foreign ministry confirmed the visit.
France's foreign ministry declined to comment on the visit. Bigot could not immediately be reached for comment. The Russian foreign ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment from Bogdanov.
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Diplomatic Visit
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Borneo oil spill: Police question bulk coal carrier crew after four people killed, water polluted
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Indonesian police are questioning the crew of a bulk coal carrier over an oil spill off the island of Borneo that killed four fishermen and continues to pollute local waters.
Police have taken fuel samples from the Panama-flagged MV Ever Judger, which remains in Balikpapan Bay.
The ship, which is crewed by Chinese nationals, had been due to take a load of Indonesian coal to Malaysia.
The spill continues to affect the bay, with aerial footage showing it has spread across a wide area.
The oil slick ignited on Friday morning, killing four fishermen and sending thick black smoke over the city of Balikpapan. Another man remains missing.
A police forensic team has taken fuel samples from the ship as well as from a nearby refinery operated by state-owned oil company Pertamina, East Kalimantan provincial police chief Inspector General Priyo Widyanto told ABC News.
Pertamina pipelines run across the bay.
"We're questioning some witnesses including the boat crew of MV Ever Judger, also the local residents, workers from Pertamina — and we're waiting for all the results," Inspector General Widyanto said.
Pertamina said it is not responsible for the oil leak.
It said its own testing showed the slick was diesel fuel oil, not crude oil from the refinery.
The noxious fumes from the leak continue to affect Balikpapan, which has a population of 700,000 people.
The fumes are causing health problems throughout the city, environmental group Jatam's Pradama Rupang said.
"This is dangerous for people who live around the cove," he said.
"It's also affecting the fishermen — let's say they used to be able to catch two to three kilograms of fish. Now they get nothing.
"It's a hit to the economy — all the cafes along the coast are losing their customers because of the smell."
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Environment Pollution
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Coronavirus updates | September 7, 2021
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A file photo of a health worker collecting swab samples for COVID-19 test in Pandu area of Guwahati. | Photo Credit: Getty Images India logged 31,222 fresh cases of coronavirus infection taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,30,58,843, while the active cases were recorded below four lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday. The death toll has climbed to 4,41,042 with 290 fresh fatalities, according to the data updated at 8:00 am. The active cases have declined to 3,92,864 comprising 1.19 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.48 per cent, the ministry said. The country has also administered 69,90,62,776 vaccine doses, according to the ministry's website. Amidst a third wave scare, many States and Union Territories have reopened educational institutions across the country. A study, however, has revealed that India is unlikely to witness a surge in cases in September. You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well. The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 70 crore, with the last 10 crore doses being given in just 13 days, the fastest so far, the Union health ministry said on Tuesday. The coronavirus has to be defeated and vaccination is the way to victory, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said. "Soaring higher on COVID-19 vaccination under PM (Prime Minister) @NarendraModi ji's leadership. 70,00,00,000 vaccine doses administered to date," he tweeted. - PTI British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has invited fellow parliamentarians of Conservative Party for a drinks reception at Downing Street on Tuesday evening, but with the condition that they carry along a so-called “COVID pass” — or proof of being vaccinated or a recent negative test. Some members of Parliament are not entirely happy about this requirement and plan to turn up without any such proof, even if it means being turned away. Mr. Johnson is said to be meeting with groups of Tory members of Parliament following the summer recess according to the years they were elected, with Tuesday’s party intended for parliamentarians elected before 2009.- PTI StateHealth Minister Ma. Subramanian has sought an additional allocation of one crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the Union Health Ministry for the mega vaccination camp planned to be held in Tamil Nadu from September 12. In a letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh L. Mandaviya, Mr. Subramanian requested additional doses of one crore COVID-19 vccines for Tamil Nadu along with an equal number of 0.5 ml Auto Disable (AD) syringes or one ml/two ml syringes for the proposed mega camp. This is in addition to the already-committed 1.04 crore vaccines for government COVID-19 vaccination centres, he said. China administered about 5.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines on September 6, bringing the total number of doses administered to 2.113 billion, data from the National Health Commission showed on Tuesday. -Reuters Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that some residents from China and the former Portuguese colony of Macau will be allowed to enter the city without undergoing quarantine from September 15, relaxing strict border restrictions to curb COVID-19. Speaking at her weekly press conference, Lam said the government would let up to a total of 2,000 residents from both places enter the financial hub each day, subject to certain requirements such as a negative COVID-19 test prior to arrival. Hong Kong has recorded around 12,000 coronavirus cases in total and 212 deaths. -REUTERS Seventy-eight people including Afghan nationals, who were evacuated from Afghanistan after Kabul fell to Taliban last month, were on Tuesday discharged from an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) facility in New Delhi after they completed a 14-day quarantine rule in place to check the spread of coronavirus infection. The group includes 53 people from Afghanistan (34 men, nine women and 10 children), and 25 Indians (18 men, five women and 12 children), ITBP spokesperson Vivek Kumar Pandey said. The Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which has become the dominant strain in India and many other countries, most likely spread through its ability to evade neutralising antibodies and increased infectivity, according to a study published in the Nature Journal on Tuesday. The B.1.617.2 or Delta variant was first observed in India in late 2020. It has since spread around the globe. "There's also evidence that neutralising antibodies produced as a result of previous infection or vaccination are less effective at stopping this variant," said Professor Ravindra Gupta from the University of Cambridge in the UK, and one of the study's senior authors. -PTI The Manipur government has extended the modified COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedure till September 21. The announcement was made in an order issued on Monday night by Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar who is also the chairman of the State Disaster Management Authority. Night curfew would remain in force from 7:00 pm to 4:00 am. Gymnasiums, fitness centres, hotels and shopping malls have been allowed to open now under some restrictions. However, restaurants cannot be opened as yet. Religious and other social functions can be conducted with a maximum number of 20 people. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar on Monday said since the university has students from across the country, and many of them might be living in areas where COVID-19 is still prevalent, it was not advisable to let a large number of people inside the campus. The university started a phased reopening of the campus from Monday, allowing on campus final-year PhD research scholars who have to submit their thesis by the end of this year. The scientists have discovered a new variant of coronavirus and it has already been detected in a few States, including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The variant is one of the 13 sub-types of Delta Plus or B.1.617.2 and is identified as AY 12. Across India about 178 cases have been detected, including the very first one that was detected in Pauri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand reportedly on August 31, said Principal of Andhra Medical College and District COVID Special Officer P.V. Sudhakar. Britain's government announced on Monday it would set aside a further £5.4 billion ($7.5 billion) to help the National Health Service (NHS) cover additional costs from the COVID-19 pandemic and to tackle the huge treatment backlog. "The NHS was there for us during the pandemic - but treating Covid patients has created huge backlogs," Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement. -Reuters Himachal Pradesh, the first state to administer the first dose of Covid vaccine to all eligible people, will achieve 100% second dose vaccination by November, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Monday. The second dose has already been administered to 17.92 lakh people, Mr. Thakur said on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the people of the state virtually on achieving the first dose target. Himachal Pradesh has administered the first jab to 88,000 more people than the target of 54.30 lakh, Mr. Thakur told the media. -PTI The State government has set an ambitious target of vaccinating the entire adult population by the end of November. Karnataka has already announced that it would vaccinate at least 5 lakh people every day and 10 lakh on every Wednesday under a special weekly drive. The November deadline was announced by Health and Family Welfare Minister K. Sudhakar at a press conference on Monday after holding video conference with DCs and ZP CEOs of 23 districts which are lagging behind in vaccination coverage. Cuba on Monday became the first country in the world to vaccinate children from the age of two against Covid-19, using home-grown jabs not recognized by the World Health Organization. The communist island of 11.2 million people aims to inoculate all its children before reopening schools that have been closed for the most part since March 2020. Having completed clinical trials on minors with its Abdala and Soberana vaccines, Cuba kicked off its inoculation campaign for children on Friday, starting with those 12 and older. On Monday, it started distributing jabs in the 2-11 age group in the central province of Cienfuegos. The stock of Coronavirus vaccine in the national capital will last for another eight days, according to a vaccination bulletin issued by the Delhi government on Monday. As of Monday morning, 1,61,450 doses of Covaxin and 12,46,420 doses of Covishield are left in stock. The bulletin noted that 5,43,550 doses of Covishield were added to the stock on Sunday. -PTI Chilean health authorities approved on Monday the use of the Sinovac vaccine against the coronavirus for 6-year-old children and older, the first Latin America's country to take that step. Catholic University of Chile is currently conducting a study with 4,000 children aged 3 and 17 to study the Sinovac effects on them. However, Heriberto García, director of Chile's Public Health Institute, said the experts at the Institute based their decision on a review of information given by the Sinovac laboratory and information published in medical journals.
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Disease Outbreaks
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2008 student protests in Chile
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The 2011–2013 Chilean protests – known as the Chilean Winter (in particular reference to the massive protests of August 2011) or the Chilean Education Conflict (as labelled in Chilean media) – were a series of student-led protests across Chile, demanding a new framework for education in the country, including more direct state participation in secondary education and an end to the existence of profit in higher education. Currently in Chile, only 45% of high school students study in traditional public schools and most universities are also private. No new public universities have been built since the end of the Chilean transition to democracy in 1990, even though the number of university students has swelled. Beyond the specific demands regarding education, there is a feeling that the protests reflect a "deep discontent" among some parts of society with Chile's high level of inequality. [2] Protests have included massive non-violent marches, but also a considerable amount of violence on the part of a side of protestors as well as riot police. The first clear government response to the protests was a proposal for a new education fund[3] and a cabinet shuffle which replaced Minister of Education Joaquín Lavín[4] and was seen as not fundamentally addressing student movement concerns. Other government proposals were also rejected. Student protestors have not achieved all their objectives, but they contributed to a dramatic fall in Piñera's approval rating, which was measured at 26–30% in August 2011 polls by respected Chilean pollsters and had not increased by January 2012. [5][6]
The onset of the 2011 Chilean protests have been attributed to several causes. The Economist explained the protests as being the result of "one of world’s lowest levels of public funding for higher education, some of the longest degrees and no comprehensive system of student grants or subsidized loans" and a flat job market as the detonant. [7] Historian Gabriel Salazar describes the student conflict as being the continuation of a long strife between popular citizen movements and civic and military dictatorships. [8] BBC have attributed "students' anger" to "a perception that Chile's education system is grossly unfair – that it gives rich students access to some of the best schooling in Latin America while dumping poor pupils in shabby, under-funded state schools. "[9]
Many newspapers and analysts have traced the protests back to the 2006 Penguin Revolution that occurred during the government of Michelle Bachelet, some claiming that these are the same secondary students who headed the 2006 movement that when in university are heading the 2011 student protests. [10] Bachelet has defended the legacy of her government and said that in the aftermath of the Penguin Revolution the right-wing opposition prevented them from eliminating for-profit activity in education. [11] Right-wing politician Cristián Monckeberg responded to this by saying that if Bachelet had solved the problem in 2006, the students would not be protesting now. [12] On June 5 it was noted in the Chilean TV discussion show Tolerancia Cero that the Chilean students protests followed a cyclic pattern with major protests every 5 or 7 years. Víctor Lobos, intendant of Biobío Region attributed the protests to the increasing number of children born outside matrimony claiming that this condition made them susceptible to "anarchism". [13]
University students are represented by CONFECH, the Confederation of Chilean Student Federations, a national body made up of student governments at Chilean universities and led by Camila Vallejo of the University of Chile and Giorgio Jackson of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. The CONFECH's proposal, known as the "Social Agreement for Chilean Education" (Acuerdo Social por la Educación Chilena), demands:
High school students are more loosely organized than the university students, with no national federation. However, their demands have also been included in CONFECH's proposal and include:
Additionally, some segments of the student movement have called for additional changes, such as a constitutional amendment guaranteeing quality education, an increase in the tax rate of higher earners (which is low in comparison to OECD countries),[18] higher taxes for foreign extractors of or renationalization of Chile's copper resources. The 2011 student protests in Chile began gradually in May, and can be traced to the so-called "penguin revolution", or 2006 student protests in Chile. It is also important to note that the student protests began on the heels of other national protests, over the HidroAysén dam project and gas prices in Magallanes Province. The protests are commonly portrayed as a new social movement loosely based on Spain's 15-M Movement or even the Arab Spring. The protests were triggered in part by the initiative of the then-Minister of Education Joaquín Lavín to increase government funding of non-traditional Universities. Although, officially nonprofit, some of these institutions were known to use legal loopholes to turn profits. Lavín had invested in several firms that render services to Universidad del Desarrollo. [19][20]
According to students cited by El Mercurio on June 13, there were 100 schools being occupied by students as a form of protest,[21] of which 80 were in the Santiago Metropolitan Region[22] Sources differ; Chilean police listed on June 13 only 50 schools as occupied. [22]
On June 30, there was a massive demonstration that mobilized between one hundred and two hundred thousand demonstrators. [16]
The student protests have included several creative acts which received foreign media attention, such as flash mobs[23] and kiss-ins. [24]
On July 5 Chilean President Sebastián Piñera announced in a televised speech educational reforms that his government planned to do in order to satisfy the student demands. The plans announced revolved mainly around a project labelled "GANE" (Spanish acronym for Grand National Accord of Education, forming the Spanish word for win), which would cost 4 billion dollars. [3] The project is to be, if implemented, financed from the Funds of Economical and Social Stabilization (Fondo de Estabilización Económica y Social or FEES) with which a fund named Fund for the Education (Fondo por la Educación) will be created from which the dividends and interest (under 300 million dollars) will be used annually to support public education. [25]
Piñera also announced the shaping of a new legal framework for universities which will allow higher education providers to legally engage in for-profit activity and rejected the public ownership of education proposed by students as a "serious mistake and something that damages deeply the quality as well as the freedom of education". [3]
The announcement was received with skepticism by students, some of whom criticized harshly the announcements. Camila Vallejo, one of the movement's spokespersons and the president of the University of Chile student federation said that the presidential discourse "was a great disappointment and a backward step" and emphasized that the proposal to legalize for-profit activity in education, which is currently illegal but widely practised in private institutions, goes against the Chilean state of law and that the government rejected categorically the main point presented by the secondary students which was to place public secondary and primary education under state management instead of being under municipalities. [26]
Additionally, some opposition senators from the center-left Concertación criticized the speech, signaling that the proposal was not "in tune with the student movement"[27] After the televised speech students of the University of Chile went out from the university to protest against the proposal blocking transit in Avenida Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins before confrontations with special forces of the police. [28]
Students marched on July 14 together with contractors from El Teniente mine that were on strike in one of the largest protests since the return to democracy in Chile two decades prior. [21] Although the protests were downplayed by the Chilean government, they were described as a complete success by the organizers. On July 18, Chilean Minister of Education Joaquín Lavín was replaced by Felipe Bulnes, as President Sebastián Piñera opted for a cabinet shuffle in response to the months of protest. [4] The change came two weeks without any clear movement on the issues, Lavín received a new ministerial role as Minister of Development and Planning. [4] Meanwhile, the Chilean student federation insists that it will continue its occupations and other mobilizations, as well as attempt to broaden the movement into other political areas. [29] On July 19, La Tercera reported that 148 high schools remained occupied, but some universities such as the Universidad Austral de Chile and the Universidad de Santiago de Chile were ending their occupations. [30]
On August 1, the government of Sebastian Piñera introduced a new 21-point proposal to reorganize Chilean education from pre-school to higher education and thus reach an agreement with the student movement. The proposal included many of the students' demands, such as:
However, student leaders did not accept the proposal and signalled that the student mobilizations would continue with a national strike and march on August 4 and an official written response on August 5. In interviews, they noted that the proposal did not criminalize profiteering in education, did not seek to provide free or equitable access to higher education, and was not specific. Using the same language that was used to describe the July proposal, the August proposal was called "a backward step" and "a band-aid solution. "[32]
The protests of August 4 were the most confrontational of the movement to date. 874 protestors were detained, and the center of Santiago was called a "state of siege" by University of Chile student federation president Camila Vallejo. Police cordoned off the streets and used tear gas. Protesters destroyed signs and set small fires in the street.
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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Cracked gas main blamed for house explosion that killed woman
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house explosion which killed a woman as she was on a video call to her partner is likely to have been caused by a cracked gas main, an inquest has heard.
Hazel Wilcock, 61, died when her terraced home was destroyed by the blast in the village of Summerseat in Ramsbottom, Bury just before 9.30pm on Wednesday February 17.
An inquest at Rochdale Coroner’s Court on Thursday heard Miss Wilcock, a bereavement counsellor for St Ann’s Hospice, had been on a Facetime call with her boyfriend Tony Dewes when he saw the screen go black at about 9.15pm.
Miss Wilcock’s brother Graham 70, said he heard the explosion from his apartment, about 100 metres away, and when he was unable to contact his sister he went out towards her house on East View.
He said: “It was flat.
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“There was nothing there, you could see straight through it.”
The hearing was told Ms Wilcock’s body was found on the sofa in the front room by search crews at about 3am on February 18.
Her cause of death was recorded as traumatic asphyxia.
Mr Wilcock, who thanked the emergency services for their response, said: “I just still can’t believe it has happened and I miss her, I miss her terribly.”
The inquest heard Miss Wilcock’s next door neighbour, who was taken to hospital along with her daughter after the blast, later told police she had smelt gas at about 9pm.
Engineer Steven Critchlow, from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), said the most likely cause of the explosion was a gas leak from a cast iron main pipe 35 metres away from the house, which had permeated through the soil and into the basement of Ms Wilcock’s home.
The coroner’s court heard the fuel was likely to have been ignited by a washing machine or chest freezer in the cellar.
Mr Critchlow said: “We have been able to rule out every cause other than a failed gas main at the bottom of the road.
“We know that gas was permeating through the soil from that failed gas main and we know that gas had got into the cellars of properties so my conclusion is that this is an incident caused by the failure of a cast iron main.”
HSE inspector Ian Redshaw said the fractured pipe, which had a crack about two thirds of the way round, was located by gas company Cadent after the explosion.
He said cast iron pipes in the gas network were being replaced as part of a 30-year programme across the country, which began in 2002, but the main in this case had not been scored as a high priority for replacement.
He said: “Cast iron is a very strong material but it is a brittle material as well and there have been and continue to be a number of failures of cast iron pipes within the gas networks.”
Detective Inspector Alison Witkiewicz told the inquest she had considered whether any criminal offences had been committed but there was nothing that met the threshold for a prosecution.
Senior coroner for Manchester North Joanne Kearsley recorded a conclusion of accidental death.
Addressing a number of Miss Wilcock’s friends and relatives who had attended the hearing, she said: “She sounds like, both professionally and personally, quite a remarkable lady.”
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Gas explosion
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Hyderabad: Teenmar Mallanna released from Chanchalguda jail
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Hyderabad: Noted YouTube channel anchor Chintapandu Naveen aka Teenmar Mallanna, who has been in jail for a long time, has finally got bail from Telangana High Court. Soon after getting bail he was released from Chanchalguda central prison. Huge crowd gathered at the jail and he was welcomed by his fans. The police have arrested him in connection with different cases filed against him across Telangana state. He spent more than two months in jail. He was arrested in a blackmailing case involving an astrologer in august this year. The police raided his Qnews office and seized some documents and hard disks. A total of 38 cases have been file against mallanna so far. Of this , 6 cases have been quashed by the HC. He got bail in the 31 of the 32 cases. The wife of mallanna recently met with union home minister Amit shah and lodged a complaint stating that her husband was being falsely framed by the state police. The national BC commission has also expressed its unhappiness over the cases against the journalist .
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Famous Person - Commit Crime - Release
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1958 Channel Airways de Havilland DH.104 Dove crash
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The 1958 Channel Airways de Havilland DH.104 Dove crash occurred on 15 January 1958,[1] when a de Havilland DH.104 Dove of Channel Airways crashed on approach to Ferryfield Airport, Lydd, Kent due to mismanagement of the aircraft's fuel system by the pilot. All seven people on board survived, but the aircraft was written off. The accident aircraft was a de Havilland DH.104 Dove 1, registered G-AOCE. The aircraft had been manufactured in August 1947 and was originally delivered to another airline, which sold it to Channel Airways in June 1955. At the time of the accident, it had reached a total of 8,680 flying hours in service. [2] This aircraft had operated the first flight by Channel Airways from Rotterdam to Southend. [3]
The aircraft was operating an international scheduled passenger flight from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom. The flight was scheduled to depart from Rotterdam's Zestienhoven Airport and land at Southend Airport in the county of Essex. The weather at Zestienhoven was foggy, and it was reported that the situation at Southend was the same. The flight was delayed departing from Zestienhoven. When it eventually departed, it was carrying two crew and five passengers. [2] Due to fog at Southend, it was decided to divert to Lydd Ferryfield, an airport in the county of Kent. [1][3]
Two attempts were made to land at Ferryfield, but a go-around was performed each time on instructions from the airport operator. On the third approach, the starboard engine spluttered and stopped, followed shortly after by the port engine. The aircraft crashed on the shingle beach at Dungeness, 1,200 yards (1,100 m) north of Dungeness Lighthouse. The nose of the aircraft was severely damaged and the starboard wing had been ripped off. All on board escaped, although the pilot suffered moderate injuries. The passengers were taken to the Ferryfield, where they were given a meal and interviewed by the Kent police before being provided with transport home. [2]
The accident was investigated by the Accidents Investigation Branch, which found that the port fuel tank had plenty of fuel, but the starboard tank was empty. The engines failed at a critical point of the approach to land, giving the pilot insufficient time to evaluate the situation. Mismanagement of the fuel system (leading to fuel starvation) was the cause of the accident. [2]
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Air crash
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Corporate Air Services HPF821 crash
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Corporate Air Services HPF821 was a transport aircraft delivering weapons via clandestine airdrop to the Nicaraguan Contras which was shot down over Nicaragua on 5 October 1986 by a surface-to-air missile. Two U.S. pilots, Wallace "Buzz" Sawyer and William Cooper, and the Nicaraguan nationalist radio operator Freddy Vilches died when the Fairchild C-123 Provider was shot down by a Sandinista soldier using an SA-7 shoulder-launched missile, while Eugene Hasenfus, the U.S. "kicker" responsible for pushing the cargo out of the aircraft, survived by parachuting to safety. The aircraft was carrying "60 collapsible AK-47 rifles, 50,000 AK-47 rifle cartridges, several dozen RPG-7 grenade launchers and 150 pairs of jungle boots". [1]
Hasenfus was captured within 24 hours. He was convicted of terrorism-related charges, sentenced to 30 years in prison, and pardoned a month later to return to his family in Wisconsin; at the request of Senator Chris Dodd and others, he was released in exchange for Sandinista soldiers captured by the Contras. [1] Hasenfus's comments about CIA backing for the flights were initially denied by the U.S. government,[2] but investigations of what became known as the Iran-Contra affair showed that the U.S. had organized this and other flights, and had funded the cargo using illegal weapons sales to Iran. HPF821 was operated by Corporate Air Services, a front for Southern Air Transport, the registered owner of the aircraft. [3] Some of the pilots and crew involved with the Contra supply flights, including Eugene Hasenfus, had been involved in the CIA's aerial supply activities during the Vietnam War, using Air America, Southern Air Transport, and other CIA proprietary airlines. Two Cuban-Americans involved in organising the flights were known to Hasenfus as "Max Gómez" (real name Félix Rodríguez) and "Ramón Medina" (real name Luis Posada Carriles). [3]
HPF821 departed from Ilopango International Airport, El Salvador, carrying a cargo of "60 collapsible AK-47 rifles, 50,000 AK-47 rifle cartridges, several dozen RPG-7 grenade launchers and 150 pairs of jungle boots". [1] The aircraft flew along the western coast of Nicaragua to Costa Rica, entering Costa Rica from the northwest. Here, it turned and headed for Nicaragua. [3] After entering Nicaraguan airspace near the border with Costa Rica, the aircraft was maneuvering down towards 2,500 feet in preparation for dropping off its cargo. The young Sandinista soldier named José Fernando Canales Alemán sighted the cargo plane. He fired a Russian-made shoulder mounted SAM-7 (9K32 Strela-2) surface-to-air missile. It crashed near San Carlos, Río San Juan, killing three of its four crew: William J. Cooper, Wallace "Buzz" Sawyer, and radio operator Freddy Vilches. The fourth, Eugene Hasenfus, parachuted to safety, but was captured within 24 hours. [4] Hasenfus was a former Marine who had previously flown CIA missions in Laos and Vietnam, in the CIA's infamous Air America program. Hasenfus was captured within 24 hours, and confessed to smuggling weapons. [5] He was sentenced by a Nicaraguan court to 30 years in prison. At the request of Senator Chris Dodd and others investigating the Iran-Contra affair, he was released in exchange for Sandinista soldiers captured by the Contras. [1] Hasenfus was pardoned and released on 17 December, and returned to the U.S. with Dodd, in what Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega described as a "gesture of peace by the people of Nicaragua". [5]
Logbooks retrieved from the wreckage of the aircraft listed various flights with Southern Air Transport personnel. [6]
Hasenfus' capture while delivering weapons and supplies to the right-wing Contra rebels gave the world its first glimpse of the Iran Contra scandal starting to unravel. First the CIA, Pentagon, State Department, and White House – denied any connection to him. The reason was that the US Congress had voted in the "Boland Amendment" to outlaw US-assistance to the Contras – including prohibiting all "funds available to the CIA and the Department of Defense from being used in Nicaragua for military purposes. "[7]
Cynthia Arnson, the director of the Latin American Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, wrote in Crossroads: Congress, the President, and Central America 1976-1993: "Disclosure of the administration's deception in carrying out Nicaragua policy invited Congress to take drastic measures to restore equilibrium between the two branches, if only to reassert the primacy of law in a constitutional government. "[8]
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Air crash
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2011 World Shotgun Championships
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The ISSF World Shooting Championships are governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation. World Shooting Championships began in 1897, after the successful 1896 Summer Olympics, and although the ISSF was not founded until 1907, these early competitions are still seen by the organization as the beginning of a continuous row of championships. By this logic, the 2006 competition in Zagreb was called the 49th ISSF World Shooting Championships. These championships, including all ISSF shooting events, are held every four years since 1954. For the shotgun events only, there is an additional World Championship competition in odd-numbered years. These extra competitions are not numbered. In running target, there will be World Championships in Olympic years. The World Championships were held each year from 1897 to 1931, with the exception of the years 1915–1920 (interruption by World War I) and 1926. From 1933 to 1949, they were held biennially, although the 1941–1945 competitions were canceled (again, because of world war). The current schedule, with large World Championships only every four years, was adapted in 1954. Originally, 300 metre rifle (in various positions) was the only discipline on the programme, despite many other events having been included in the Olympics. In 1900, 50 metre pistol was added. This programme was in use until 1929, the only change being the addition of 300 metre army rifle, with mandatory use of the host nation's army weapon, in 1911. The 1929 championships in Stockholm saw the addition of most of the remaining events from the Olympic programme: 100 metre running deer, 50 metre rifle and trap. 25 metre rapid fire pistol had to wait until 1933. Immediately after World War II, 300 metre standard rifle (with more strict rules than 300 metre rifle but less than 300 metre army rifle) was added along with 25 metre center-fire pistol and skeet. There was also briefly a combined 50 and 100 m rifle competition. Specific women's events began to be slowly added from 1958, although women had previously, and at times successfully, been allowed to compete alongside the men. The last remaining army rifle event and 100 metre running deer were dropped in 1966, the latter in favour of 50 metre running target. 50 metre standard rifle was also added for both men and women, but was soon dropped for the men due to the similarity to 50 metre rifle. The 1970 World Championships in Phoenix added airgun events, 25 metre standard pistol and the mixed running target competition. 10 metre running target was added in 1981. For the 1994 competitions in Milan, a number of profound changes were made. First, junior competitions were added (like the senior championships, these are only held every four years); they had previously been tested in the special shotgun and airgun championships. Second, there were no longer medals awarded in single positions in the 300 metre and 50 metre rifle matches (except for the prone position, which has its own match). Third, double trap had been introduced five years earlier in Montecatini Terme and now made its way into the large championships. With only minor additions, the 1994 programme is still in use. Special shotgun championships were first held in 1934, and since 1959 they are held biennially so that in these events, there are either Olympic Games or World Championships each year. The original event was trap; skeet was added in 1950 and double trap in 1989. It was in this kind of championship that the first woman won a World Championship medal in shooting: Carola Mandel (USA) in 1950. Women got their own competitions in 1967. Running target events have been sporadically included; the last time was 1983. As a compensation for the 2005 loss of Olympic status for 10 metre running target however, it has been decided to hold provisional World Championships in 10 metre running target and 50 metre running target in Olympic years, starting in 2008. 5 Edition (1961, 1967, 1973, 1975, 1983) of shotgun and running target was held simultaneously. From 1979 to 1991, there were seven special airgun championships, including 10 metre air rifle, 10 metre air pistol and sometimes also 10 metre running target. This kind of championship has been discontinued. This table was calculated for the senior current events only. Last updated after 2009 World Running Target Championships. This table was calculated for the senior events only, including both current and discontinued events. Last updated after 2019 World Shotgun Championships. [1]
In this list the multiple medalists only individual of all-time who has won at least 7 gold medal. [2]
In this list the multiple medalists (individual and team) of all-time. [3]
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Sports Competition
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Unified Command may use another Seacor liftboat at accident site
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Seacor Eagle moored in Houma, La., April 23, 2021. The crew and vessel were inspected by Coast Guard marine inspectors for readiness and approval to be used as an asset for the Seacor Power response. U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Nicole Groll photo The Coast Guard suspended its search one week ago Monday for the remaining missing Seacor Power liftboat crewmembers eight miles south of Port Fourchon. Earlier this week, a Unified Command was established, comprised of representatives from the Coast Guard and Seacor Marine, for the salvage and wreck removal of the liftboat, including the safe removal of fuel and oil. The command is comprised of Coast Guard Capt. Wade Russell and Joseph Ruiz, a general manger with Seacor. The 234' liftboat was carrying a max potential of 35,000 gals. of fuel, lube oil, hydraulic and waste oil. There are no reported impacts to wildlife, and responders will continue to assess as work progresses. Seacor Marine, the responsible party, activated its response plan. Coast Guard Marine Inspectors from Marine Safety Unit Houma and Lafayette inspected the Seacor Eagle liftboat for its ultimate use in the Seacor Power marine environmental response. Seacor Eagle was in drydock for repairs and the inspectors needed to go through the vessel top to bottom and ensure it was in safe and good condition. The inspection also included drills for the crew such as man overboard. Underground oil lines are not compromised and are being monitored. There is an approximate one-mile safety zone around the scene to include a Federal Aviation Administration temporary flight restriction, and a marine safety information bulletin is being broadcasted. The NTSB and Coast Guard are investigating the incident. Seacor Marine, owners of the ill-fated liftboat Seacor Power that capsized in the Gulf of Mexico on April 13, confirmed that the body of Quinon Pitre, 31, was most recently recovered. No additional bodies have been recovered for more than a week Pitre is the sixth victim of the deadly capsizing. The other five bodies recovered have been identified. They are Ernest Williams, 69, of Arnaudville, La.; Anthony Hartford, 53, of New Orleans; James "Tracy" Wallingsford, 55, Gilbert, La.; Capt. David Ledet, 63, Thibodaux, La.; and Lawrence Warren of Terrytown, La. Seacor Power capsized in heavy weather about eight miles off the Louisiana coast. Of the 19 people onboard the Seacor Power that left Port Fourchon on Tuesday afternoon April 13, six are now dead, six have been rescued, and seven are still missing. The liftboat was reported to have left port just after a strong line of thunderstorms passed through the area in the early afternoon. Why it did so when more bad weather was expected is not known at this time. Gellert said the decision to "go or no go is the captain's." Talos Energy, the company that the Seacor Power was working for at the time of the accident issued the following statement: "Seacor Power was in port for service and inspections for several days prior to its departure. The vessel was not at a Talos facility and was fully under the command of its captain and Seacor Marine, including when to depart the port." Coast Guard watchstanders received an emergency position indicating radio beacon notification at 4:30 p.m. on April 13 of the distressed commercial liftboat. The watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast, which multiple good Samaritan boatcrews responded to. The crew of the 154' fast response cutter Glenn Harris arrived on the scene within 30 minutes of getting the emergency notification and rescued one person from the capsized vessel. A 45' Response Boat-Medium boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Grand Isle rescued another person and good Samaritan vessels on scene rescued four other people from the water. A small but intense low pressure system, known to meterologists as a wake low, passed through the area, creating hurricane-force winds of 80-90 mph and seas offshore of 7' to 9'. Though bad weather had been forecasted, the intensity of the storm took everyone by surprise, The 265-class Seacor Power is a three-legged liftboat with a 49'x29'x5' working pad. It has a cargo deck capacity of 491 LT and a clear area of 11,000 sq. ft. It is outfitted with two cranes, port and starboard, each 185-ton capacity with 120' boom. The liftboat is powered by twin Caterpillar 3412 diesel engines, each producing 1,900 hp. The boat also has a bowthruster for added maneuverability. Ken Hocke has been the senior editor of WorkBoat since 1999. He was the associate editor of WorkBoat from 1997 to 1999. Prior to that, he was the editor of the Daily Shipping Guide, a transportation daily in New Orleans. He has written for other publications including The Times-Picayune. He graduated from Louisiana State University with an arts and sciences degree, with a concentration in English, in 1978.
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Shipwreck
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Former stock trader Ross McCarty jailed for robbing banks after 'getting boozed' during lunchbreak
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A former stock trader who drunkenly robbed Sydney banks more than four decades ago has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail. Ross McCarty, now 71, admitted to police he had a double life in which he would "get boozed at lunch time" for the hold ups in 1977 and 1978. Using a water pistol and disguises including fake moustaches and sunglasses, McCarty wrote his demands for cash on withdrawal slips handed to tellers. He wasn't arrested until 2018 when the case was reopened and fingerprint analysis on the notes turned up a match in the police database. District Court Judge Sarah Huggett on Friday said McCarty committed the crimes as an "intelligent and educated" man in his late 20s, with both planning and purpose. "They were deliberate, intended and motivated by financial gain." She sentenced McCarty to a total term of three-and-a-half years with a non-parole period of one year and nine months. McCarty pleaded guilty to four robberies and another four hold ups were taken into account for the sentence. His targets included ANZ, Commercial, the Bank of NSW, National Bank and the Rural Bank, and he would usually get away with $1,000 or $2,000 at a time. Last week, McCarty read a letter addressed to the victims during a sentence hearing, apologising for the "terror inflicted" on them. "My circumstances at the time made it easy to delude myself into thinking my appalling actions were justified," he said. "I wrongly thought that being polite and using words like 'please' and 'thank you' would let you know that I didn't mean harm." McCarty owed significant debts to illegal gambling clubs in Sydney at the time and when he failed to pay up, thugs visited his office, threatened him with violence and warned him they knew where his wife lived. "While his gambling may well explain his offending, his moral culpability is not reduced to any quantifiable extent by his gambling or alcohol use," Judge Huggett said. The court heard McCarty's gambling went hand in hand with alcoholism, but he had not had a drink or placed a bet in over 30 years. McCarty was diagnosed with adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at the age of 60. "The effect of medication was immediate and transformative, it stops the madness and activity, and enables some focus," he said last week. McCarty also told the court that his wife of five decades knew nothing of his offending until he was charged and that she was "another victim". "My greatest concern about returning to prison is the situation with my wife and her physical and mental wellbeing, as she doesn't have a huge support network," he said. McCarty currently works as a project manager and his boss has offered to re-hire him after any jail term. Court documents revealed McCarty told police his AA sponsor had been the only other person aware of his offending — and that person took it with them to the grave. McCarty will be eligible for parole in March 2022.
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Bank Robbery
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Family Dies Of Suspected Carbon Monoxide Poisoning In Haryana: Police
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A couple and their five-year-old son died in Haryana's Faridabad due to suspected carbon monoxide poisoning after they went to sleep in a room kept warm by burning coal.
The victims were residents of Bihar and living in a rented accommodation in Faridabad, police said.
"The man and the woman, aged around 24 years, and their minor child, inhaled some poisonous gas in their sleep last night from the burning coal kept in a container," Station House Officer, Sector 58, Anil Kumar said.
They lived in a small room that had no window, he said, adding that the man worked at a nearby factory.
"The burning coal had been kept in the room by the family to keep themselves warm, but they did not realise that the room was without ventilation and would be filled by poisonous gases. The three died in their sleep," Mr Kumar said.
Their landlord got suspicious when no one from the family came out of the house. He with the help of some of his neighbours broke open the door and found the three lying motionless, the SHO said.
Mr Kumar said that after being informed, a police team reached the site. The couple's family members have been informed, he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Mass Poisoning
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WFP warns 3 million more now ‘teetering on edge of famine’
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The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Monday that the number of people teetering on the edge of famine in 43 countries, has risen to 45 million – up by three million this year – as acute hunger spikes around the world. This number has risen from 42 million earlier in the year, and 27 million in 2019, the agency said, in a news release. The increase is based on those who desparately living within the official hunger classification of IPC4 and above, in Afghanistan, alongside other increases in Ethiopia, Haiti, Somalia, Angola, Kenya, and Burundi. “Tens of millions of people are staring into an abyss. We’ve got conflict, climate change and COVID-19 driving up the numbers of the acutely hungry, and the latest data show there are now more than 45 million people marching towards the brink of starvation,” said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. He was speaking following a fact-finding mission to Afghanistan, where WFP is ramping up its support to assist almost 23 million people in need there “Fuel costs are up, food prices are soaring, fertilizer is more expensive, and all of this feeds into new crises like the one unfolding now in Afghanistan, as well as long-standing emergencies like Yemen and Syria,” he added. WFP said that together with humanitarian partners in hunger hotspots across the world, they are doing everything possible to increase aid for millions who risk starvation. However, available resources are unable to keep pace with demand, at a time when traditional funding streams are under huge strain. WFP estimates that the cost of averting famine globally now stands at $ 7 billion, up from some 6.6 billion, earlier in the year. “As the cost of humanitarian assistance rises exponentially, we need more funds to reach families across the globe who have already exhausted their capacity to cope with extreme hunger,” added the WFP chief. The agency said families facing acute food insecurity, are being forced to make “devastating choices to cope with the rising hunger.” A vulnerability analysis across the 43 countries surveyed, shows families being forced to eat less, or skip meals entirely. Sometimes children are being fed, while parents sacrifice meals, and are forced to go hungry. In Madagascar, where pockets of famine are already a reality, some are being forced to eat locusts, wild leaves, or cactus to survive.
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Famine
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Archaeologists Make Dramatic Discovery: A Prehistoric Human Type Previously Unknown to Science
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Researchers from Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have identified a new type of early human at the Nesher Ramla site, dated to 140,000 to 120,000 years ago. According to the researchers, the morphology of the Nesher Ramla humans shares features with both Neanderthals (especially the teeth and jaws) and archaic Homo (specifically the skull). At the same time, this type of Homo is very unlike modern humans — displaying a completely different skull structure, no chin, and very large teeth. Following the study’s findings, researchers believe that the Nesher Ramla Homo type is the ‘source’ population from which most humans of the Middle Pleistocene developed. In addition, they suggest that this group is the so-called ‘missing’ population that mated with Homo sapiens who arrived in the region around 200,000 years ago — about whom we know from a recent study on fossils found in the Misliya cave. Two teams of researchers took part in the dramatic discovery, published in the prestigious Science journal: an anthropology team from Tel Aviv University headed by Prof. Israel Hershkovitz, Dr. Hila May and Dr. Rachel Sarig from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Dan David Center for Human Evolution and Biohistory Research and the Shmunis Family Anthropology Institute, situated in the Steinhardt Museum at Tel Aviv University; and an archaeological team headed by Dr. Yossi Zaidner from the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Timeline: The Nesher Ramla Homo type was an ancestor of both the Neanderthals in Europe and the archaic Homo populations of Asia. Prof. Israel Hershkovitz: “The discovery of a new type of Homo” is of great scientific importance. It enables us to make new sense of previously found human fossils, add another piece to the puzzle of human evolution, and understand the migrations of humans in the old world. Even though they lived so long ago, in the late middle Pleistocene (474,000-130,000 years ago), the Nesher Ramla people can tell us a fascinating tale, revealing a great deal about their descendants’ evolution and way of life.” Fossil remains of skull and jaw. Credit: Tel Aviv University The important human fossil was found by Dr. Zaidner of the Hebrew University during salvage excavations at the Nesher Ramla prehistoric site, in the mining area of the Nesher cement plant (owned by Len Blavatnik) near the city of Ramla. Digging down about 8 meters, the excavators found large quantities of animal bones, including horses, fallow deer and aurochs, as well as stone tools and human bones. An international team led by the researchers from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem identified the morphology of the bones as belonging to a new type of Homo, previously unknown to science. This is the first type of Homo to be defined in Israel, and according to common practice, it was named after the site where it was discovered — the Nesher Ramla Homo type. Dr. Yossi Zaidner: “This is an extraordinary discovery. We had never imagined that alongside Homo sapiens, archaic Homo roamed the area so late in human history. The archaeological finds associated with human fossils show that “Nesher Ramla Homo” possessed advanced stone-tool production technologies and most likely interacted with the local Homo sapiens.” The culture, way of life, and behavior of the Nesher Ramla Homo are discussed in a companion paper also published in Science journal today (June 24, 2021). Prof. Hershkovitz adds that the discovery of the Nesher Ramla Homo type challenges the prevailing hypothesis that the Neanderthals originated in Europe. “Before these new findings,” he says, “most researchers believed the Neanderthals to be a ‘European story’, in which small groups of Neanderthals were forced to migrate southwards to escape the spreading glaciers, with some arriving in the Land of Israel about 70,000 years ago. The Nesher Ramla fossils make us question this theory, suggesting that the ancestors of European Neanderthals lived in the Levant as early as 400,000 years ago, repeatedly migrating westward to Europe and eastward to Asia. In fact, our findings imply that the famous Neanderthals of Western Europe are only the remnants of a much larger population that lived here in the Levant — and not the other way around.” (Left to Right): Israel Hershkovitz, Marion Prevost, Hila May, Rachel Sarig and Yossi Zaidner. Credit: Tel Aviv University According to Dr. Hila May, despite the absence of DNA in these fossils, the findings from Nesher Ramla offer a solution to a great mystery in the evolution of Homo: How did genes of Homo sapiens penetrate the Neanderthal population that presumably lived in Europe long before the arrival of Homo sapiens? Geneticists who studied the DNA of European Neanderthals have previously suggested the existence of a Neanderthal-like population which they called the ‘missing population’ or the ‘X population’ that had mated with Homo sapiens more than 200,000 years ago. In the anthropological paper now published in Science, the researchers suggest that the Nesher Ramla Homo type might represent this population, heretofore missing from the record of human fossils. Moreover, the researchers propose that the humans from Nesher Ramla are not the only ones of their kind discovered in the region, and that some human fossils found previously in Israel, which have baffled anthropologists for years — like the fossils from the Tabun cave (160,000 years ago), Zuttiyeh cave (250,000), and Qesem cave (400,000) — belong to the same new human group now called the Nesher Ramla Homo type. “People think in paradigms,” says Dr. Rachel Sarig. “That’s why efforts have been made to ascribe these fossils to known human groups like Homo sapiens, Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, or the Neanderthals. But now we say: No. This is a group in itself, with distinct features and characteristics. At a later stage small groups of the Nesher Ramla Homo type migrated to Europe — where they evolved into the ‘classic’ Neanderthals that we are familiar with, and also to Asia, where they became archaic populations with Neanderthal-like features. As a crossroads between Africa, Europe, and Asia, the Land of Israel served as a melting pot where different human populations mixed with one another, to later spread throughout the Old World. The discovery from the Nesher Ramla site writes a new and fascinating chapter in the story of humankind.” Prof. Gerhard Weber, an associate from Vienna University, argues that the story of Neanderthal evolution will be told differently after this discovery: “Europe was not the exclusive refugium of Neanderthals from where they occasionally diffused into West Asia. We think that there was much more lateral exchange in Eurasia, and that the Levant is geographically a crucial starting point, or at a least bridgehead, for this process.” … Only the God knows what happened along the way to the Human kind… You mean scientists these days don’t know everything???!!! No, scientists don’t know everything, but to believe in revealed truth, i.e.religion, is to embrace ignorance. What is revealed truth? You comment makes no sense. Now if you are saying Science is BS… I will agree More bs for the dumbed down masses to ponder on. Nice fairytale.Man was created fully formed.No evolution needed. Why are all these anti science tards on this site commenting lmao. It’s like a Democrat listening to Rush Limbaugh just to be mad about it. Luckily they can’t anymore ? The fact that you make a joke about a man’s passing is horrible. It proves that you have no connection to humanity. You may possibly be a sociopath and are in need of some mental health evaluations. The loss of any human is tragic and should be mourned. Rush was a son a husband a human, the fact that you make folly of his passing proves only that you are subhuman. What god? Whose god? There has been a god of some sort or another since man invented them. Only man thinks the image of God is his. To be omnipotent is to carry many faces. Science and church has been a handhold agreement to God’s reasoning and his outcome…. and upon the lord of Israel did he bless unto young Solomon wisdom, for the lord was displeased of ignorance. In the end, I believe we will find that true science and true religion will compliment each other. And in the end it doesn’t really matter when the God AI Quantum computer is created, built, up and running, it’ll make all the decisions for human kind and the not so kind ones, ? lol ? Interesting that all you scientist or religious people are refusing to see that quantum physics has proved that religion is right we are all one. “The word of man is flawed” -the bible: written, re-written, re-interpreted, and translated by MAN. “But god indpired those changes” really? So, the word of God was wrong, but now it’s been updated by those men who tell us they were inspired by god. Yes, they couldn’t possibly lie about that. NOW the Bible is correct. Not the original version, which was 100% oral for over 100 years. The message, though it has changed many times is always correct. Genesis 1:26, “Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness…vs 27 And God went on to create man the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; ale and female he created them. male and female he created them. My error. I couldn’t help it, you killed it with the Rush comment! Well played! To make folly of a man’s passing is horrible. It proves that you yourself are subhuman. The loss of life is tragic, shame on you and your parents for having raised such a subhuman sociopath. You need mental help. queue hitler comparison in 3…2…1… What did they find? 2 fragments and they can determine all this based on those fragments. Also remember wrong assumptions lead to wrong conclusions. Facts please. We create gods like ourselves no human is even capable of thinking up a God like the one true living creator of all things. That is why he had to tell us about him. It’s amazing to me to see people who fully believe that everything just happened. Also refuse to see the evidence of creative design. Chances of universe just came to be from nothing is like drop airplane parts in a tornado and it coming out fully assembled. Why is it scientists usually only find parts and pieces of “human” ancestors and then extrapolate to say they were “pre-human”? These are nothing more than dead gorilla bones. Evolution only happens in artistic renderings and cartoons. Bs science bet it’s another monkey or ape Why do we have to argue? If you want to believe that you came from a monkey go ahead if that makes you ok with your life. If you choose to do so do not mock another for believing in God.We will all find out one day if you want to take the stance to not believe then you are the one who will end up in a terrible eternity. At least if I am wrong I have nothing to lose,but if I am right I get to spend my life with hopes, dreams, faith and comfort knowing I am part of something much bigger and better than my own selfish desires as well as leaving the world a better place. The Anunnaki created human beings in their image. These scientists need to read the apocrypha. All anomalies are clearly explained in the removed scriptures-removed from our bibles in the late 1800s. About same time these people started dishing out this fantasy of evolution. When the fallen angels came down and mated with women they bore “monsters” and no two of them were alike. Then these monsters interbred and made the giants. And the naphaliym slew the Nephil, and the Nephil slew the Enjo, and the Enjo slew mankind. And they sinned against birds and beasts, and reptiles until all of creation was corrupted. But Noah was perfect in all his generations so God saved him from the flood that was made to destroy the seed of the watchers in the earth. Pretty simple. And it was approximately 5000 years ago. The reasons the bones test old? Because angels are eternal, and these creatures are half angel. “Pretty simple” – I’ll say. Well as an atheist and a classic liberal I can tell you that all these science papers coming out at such a fast pace these days all smell like BS to me. This group of peool found fossils of a jaw and a piece of skull and have created an entire fantasy world around them, a “revealed truth’s that all you “pro-science” people just blindly believe and have absolutely no chance of independently verifying before you do. Half of you now think what you read here is true and historical fact yet there is no way to verify it. Blind faith much. Did you know 2/3rd of all results from peer reviewed science experiments can not be recreated by the peers? Lol. I’m not anti-science. I’m just anti-idiot. Most “pro-science” idiots are actually just religious zealots if a different creed. Enjoy. Look, every intellectual knows that science isn’t perfect, it’s how we get to the FACTS. And we also realize, anyone who believes in ANY religion has some disconnect with their intellect, and isn’t worth your time if your trying to actually have an educated conversation. Sorry religious folk, but you believe in that which isn’t real. You have very little credibility at that point!!!! So if 10 modern humans were left on a planet with nothing, naked and they came in contact with nederlander type of woman would they mate with them I say they would and change the future people completely. Such anger !? Chill No gods. Just science. Science can make proofs and theories based on facts.
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New archeological discoveries
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Here are the top public and private colleges with the most generous financial aid packages
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This year, because of the pandemic, the price of higher education is an even bigger consideration among students and parents. However, at the same time, the cost a four-year college or university has never been higher. Tuition and fees, alone, reached $10,560 for in-state students at four-year public colleges in the 2020-21 academic year, and $37,650 for students at four-year private institutions, according to the College Board, which tracks trends in college pricing and student aid. More from Personal Finance:College can cost as much as $70,000 a yearHere’s what to do if you are waitlistedUnder Biden, free college could become a reality “This year, due to Covid, students are making changes in the way they think about their college applications,” said Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief. “They are much more sensitive around cost and staying closer to home.” To that end, The Princeton Review ranked colleges by how much financial aid is awarded and how satisfied students are with their packages. After nearly 20 years, the college admissions company also changed its criteria to include more in-state public schools. The report is based on data from its surveys of administrators at 650 colleges in 2019 and 2020, as well as students attending the schools. “Never cross an expensive school off your list based on sticker price alone,” Franek said. “Financial aid is available and can make many, many schools so affordable.” For example, at the private colleges at the very top of Princeton Review’s 2021 list, the average scholarship award is just over $50,000, which brings the total out-of-pocket cost down to less than $20,000. At public schools, the out-of-pocket costs are even less. “These schools are smoking deals for students and their families once you factor in need-based scholarships,” Franek said. 1. University of VirginiaLocation: Charlottesville, VirginiaSticker price (in-state): $29.983Average need-based scholarship: $24,776Total out-of-pocket cost: $5,207 2. University of North Carolina at Chapel HillLocation: Chapel Hill, North CarolinaSticker price (in-state): $20,515Average need-based scholarship: $18,410Total out-of-pocket cost: $2,105 3. Florida State UniversityLocation: Tallahassee, FloridaSticker price (in-state): $16,986Average need-based scholarship: $13,033Total out-of-pocket cost: $3,953 4. University of Michigan — Ann ArborLocation: Ann Arbor, MichiganSticker price (in-state): $27,984Average need-based scholarship: $21,665Total out-of-pocket cost: $6,319 5. City University of New York — Hunter College Location: Manhattan, New YorkSticker price (in-state): $21,098Average need-based scholarship: $8,142Total out-of-pocket cost: $12,956
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Financial Aid
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NASA to Hold Lucy Launch Preview Briefing
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NASA will hold a virtual media briefing at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Sept. 28, to preview the launch of the agency’s first spacecraft to study Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. The Trojan asteroids are remnants of the early solar system clustered in two “swarms” leading and following Jupiter in its path around the Sun. Over its 12-year primary mission, Lucy will explore a record number of asteroids in separate orbits around the Sun. The spacecraft will fly by one asteroid in the solar system’s main belt, located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, followed by seven Trojans. In addition, Lucy’s path will circle back to Earth three times for gravity assists, making it the first spacecraft ever to travel out to the distance of Jupiter and return to the vicinity of Earth. The Lucy mission is named after the fossilized skeleton of an early hominin (pre-human ancestor) discovered in Ethiopia in 1974 and named “Lucy” by the team of paleoanthropologists who discovered it. Just as the Lucy fossil provided unique insights into humanity’s evolution, the Lucy mission promises to revolutionize our knowledge of planetary origins and the formation of the solar system. Lucy is scheduled to launch no earlier than Saturday, Oct. 16, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. Southwest Research Institute is the home institution of the principal investigator. NASA Goddard Space provides overall mission management, systems engineering, plus safety and mission assurance. Lockheed Martin Space built the spacecraft. Lucy is the 13th mission in NASA’s Discovery Program. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Discovery Program for the Science Mission Directorate. The launch is managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program based at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
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New achievements in aerospace
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India Covid-19 updates: Total cases reach 3.30 crore, death toll at 4.41 lakh
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India logged 37,875 fresh cases of coronavirus infection taking the total tally of coronavirus cases to 3,30,96,718 on Wednesday, according to the Union Health Ministry data. The active cases were recorded 3,91,256--below four lakh for two consecutive days. While the death toll has climbed to 4,41,411 with 369 fresh fatalities. The case fatality rate was recorded at 1.33%. The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 70 crore. The active cases saw a decline of 1,608 in a day. It comprises 1.18% of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.48%, the ministry said. The weekly positivity rate stood at 2.49%--less than 3% for the last 75 days. Whereas the daily positivity rate reported was at 2.16%--less than 3% for the last nine days. Meanwhile, the country's southern-most state Kerala has started to witness a decline in its daily coronavirus cases. After recording 30,000 or more daily cases for several days, Kerala is seeing a gradual decrease in the fresh number of cases. The state reported 25,772 fresh Covid-19 cases pushing the caseload to 42,53,298. The test positivity rate (TPR) has also declined after it reached nearly 20% several days ago. On Tuesday, the TPR was found to be 15.87% after testing 1,62,428 samples in the last 24 hours. As a result, the Kerala government has decided to withdraw night curfews and stringent curbs on Sundays. Besides, the classes for the final year, undergraduate and postgraduate students in higher educational institutions will begin from 4 October. On the other hand, Delhi on Tuesday first Covid-related death in September, and 50 fresh cases of the infection. With the new cases, the overall infection tally of the city has climbed to 14,38,041. Of this, over 14.12 lakh patients have recovered from the disease. Maharashtra reported 3,898 new coronavirus infections and 86 fatalities on Tuesday. The number of daily cases and fatalities witnessed a slight uptick compared to Monday when the state had reported 3,626 new COVID-19 cases and 37 fatalities. In Maharashtra, there are 3,06,524 people in-home quarantine, 2,021 in institutional quarantine and 47,926 active patients. In its capital Mumbai, the city reported 353 new COVID-19 cases and two fresh fatalities in 24 hours. This year, Mumbai reported the highest daily cases at 11,163 on April 4, while most deaths at 90 were registered on May 1 during the second wave of the pandemic. Yesterday, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had already arrived. Later, her office issued a press statement saying what she meant was that the third wave of Covid-19 was on the "threshold of Mumbai".
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Disease Outbreaks
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Russia is going back to the moon this year
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Russia is revisiting its Soviet space heritage for a new series of missions that will take the nation back to the m o on . The first of those missions, dubbed Luna 25, is scheduled to launch this October, ending a 45-year drought of Russian moon landings with the nation's first arrival at the south pole, where, like everyone else targeting the moon, Russian scientists want to study water locked below the surface in permanent ice. "The moon is the center of our program for the next decade," Lev Zelenyi, scientific advisor for the Russian Space Research Institute, said during a virtual presentation on March 23 hosted by the National Academy of Sciences. Lunar timeline: Humanity's explorations of the moon Russia has plenty of company in sketching out ambitious lunar exploration programs. The United States is targeting human exploration with its Artemis program , which also incorporates plenty of robotic moon missions. In December, China ferried the first fresh lunar samples to Earth in decades in a still-unfolding series of missions dubbed Chang'e. India and Israel have both promised successor spacecraft after their lunar landers — dubbed Chandrayaan-2 and Beresheet, respectively — crash-landed on the moon in 2019. But only the U.S. can match Russia's lunar heritage, which Russia is consciously tapping into by picking up the Luna series name and enumeration from where they left off in 1976 . "We want to show some consistencies," Zelenyi said. Hence, Luna 25. The lander that will launch in October is designed to study ice permanently frozen below the moon's surface, which would-be explorers hope to tap into as a resource, and to evaluate the dangers posed by sharp fragments of lunar dust . As it lands, the spacecraft will use a European-built camera to advance the European Space Agency's future lunar missions. But Luna 25 is only the beginning, Zelenyi emphasized, walking through a total of five lunar missions in various planning stages. In 2023 or 2024, Russia plans to launch Luna 26, this time an orbiter that would look for magnetic and gravitational anomalies in the moon and capture high-precision images of potential landing sites. An artist's depiction of Luna 25 approaching the lunar surface for a soft landing near the moon's south pole. (Image credit: Roscosmos) Then, in 2025, it would be back to the surface with Luna 27, which Zelenyi called "I think the most important." Like the lander arriving this year, Luna 27 will target the moon's south pole and carry European landing software. But also on the robot courtesy of the European Space Agency would be a first: a drill that can gather south-pole lunar rock without melting compounds like water ice found in the material. In addition, the lander will carry a suite of instruments designed to study how the solar wind , a constant stream of charged particles flowing out of the sun and across the solar system, affects the lunar surface. The final two missions in the Luna series as described by Zelenyi don't yet have launch dates. But Luna 28, also known as Luna-Grunt, would build directly on its predecessor by bringing back to Earth cryogenically stored samples from the lunar south pole that would retain water ice and other so-called volatile compounds. "It's sample return, but a different sample return than has been done earlier," Zelenyi said. "It will be ... not just regolith [lunar dirt] but all volatiles and cryogenic inclusions to it, which is technically challenging." Finally, Luna 29 would carry a new Lunokhod rover, harkening back again to Soviet missions. Lunokhod-1 became the first successful rover on another world in 1970 and spent 10 months exploring the region dubbed Mare Imbrium, or the Sea of Rains.
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New achievements in aerospace
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These are the space missions to watch in 2021
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An artist's depiction of NASA's Mars 2020 rover, Perseverance, storing samples of Martian rocks in tubes for a later rover to fetch and carry to Earth. While 2020 was a challenging year for the space industry (and everyone else) amid the coronavirus pandemic, a bunch of exciting missions that will launch or arrive at their destination in 2021 continued to move forward. From Mars to asteroids, robots, humans and much more, we'll see space exploration continue to expand across the solar system. We'll also see some new rockets take flight from companies like Firefly Aerospace and Relativity Space. Here's what we're looking forward to: 1) Three countries arrive at Mars The space industry is rapidly expanding and the Red Planet is the hottest destination for missions, it seems. NASA will continue its long-running search for life with the Perseverance rover , which will cache Martian samples for eventual analysis on Earth and test out the first-ever Mars helicopter, called Ingenuity . China's ambitious Tianwen-1 mission, the first Mars mission for the country, will see an orbiter, lander and rover all explore the Red Planet. The United Arab Emirates also sent its first mission, the Hope orbiter , to Mars to inspire the "next generation." 2) Starliner's second uncrewed test mission Boeing had a number of issues when its commercial crew Starliner Orbital Test Flight-1 (OFT-1) launched into space in 2019 — it didn't reach the International Space Station as planned and both NASA and the company investigated and implemented some lessons learned for another try in 2021. Boeing hopes to launch a second attempt on March 29, 2021 after addressing the software issues that prevented Starliner from reaching its destination the first time. If Boeing succeeds, this will make Starliner the second commercial crew spacecraft certified to bring astronauts to orbit, after SpaceX's Crew Dragon. 3) Starliner crew test flight Assuming that Starliner passes its uncrewed flight test, Boeing plans to send up three astronauts to the International Space Station no earlier than June 2021. NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Nicole Mann and Barry "Butch" Wilmore will fly with Boeing's first crewed test flight. Boeing astronaut Chris Ferguson was originally assigned to command the mission, but stepped down from the oft-delayed flight for personal reasons in October 2020 . 4) Japanese rover rides ULA's 1st Vulcan rocket (Image credit: Sierra Nevada Corp.) Japan's first moon rover, called Yaoki, will take flight aboard the rookie mission for United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan Centaur rocket in 2021. The new booster will phase out the Russian-made engines that powered ULA's long-running Atlas line, replacing them with Blue Origin-made engines. Yaoki will fly to the moon along with the Pittsburgh-based company Astrobotic's Peregrine lander on a mission sponsored by NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. If the mission goes to plan, the cremated remains of noted science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke will be deposited on the moon. 5) Debut of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket (Image credit: Blue Origin) Washington state-based company Blue Origin will send its first orbital rocket aloft in 2021 , if all goes to plan. Named New Glenn after the NASA Mercury astronaut John Glenn, the rocket can send up to 14 tons (13 metric tons) to geostationary orbit and 50 tons (45 metric tons) to low Earth orbit. NASA and Blue Origin recently announced the rocket will be added to NASA's fleet of commercial launch vehicles ; NASA already has used Blue Origin's suborbital rocket New Shepard (named after NASA Mercury astronaut Al Shepard.) 6) James Webb Space Telescope launches on Oct. 31 NASA's ambitious James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which scientists hope will reveal more about exoplanet atmospheres and the early universe, has already been delayed many years from its original launch date in 2007. But, despite these delays, the telescope is almost ready now and final testing is being readied on some of its more complex parts, such as its sunshield. July 2020, the pandemic forced JWST to delay seven months further into 2021, from March to October.. However, while the telescope may make this possible date, NASA wants to get the telescope right and will take the time it needs, the agency says. 7) NASA's Lucy mission launch to eight asteroids An ambitious new NASA mission called Lucy should launch in October or November to study eight space rocks over nearly a decade. The spacecraft will be the first from NASA to visit Jupiter's Trojan asteroids , which orbit the sun in two clusters; one group is behind Jupiter and one is ahead of it. Lucy will also pass by a main-belt asteroid on its way to the huge gas giant planet. 8) NASA's SLS megarocket launches 1st moon mission If NASA's ambitious Space Launch System megarocket can clear its testing hurdles this year and construction is completed on time, the agency's Artemis I mission will fly around the moon after a launch in November 2021. This will be the first launch for SLS and the second for NASA's Orion spacecraft, which first had an uncrewed space mission back in 2014 . Artemis I is key to NASA's plans to land humans on the moon, as the agency plans a crewed orbital moon mission in 2023 and then a crewed landing in 2024. Meeting the landing deadline, however, may also be contingent on NASA receiving more money for its human landing system, administrator Jim Bridenstine has warned Congress . 9) Russia lunar landing mission at south pole (Image credit: NPO Lavochkin) The Russian lander Luna-25 may be the first Russian craft to reach the moon's surface since it was part of the Soviet Union. Russia plans to launch the moon mission in 2021 with nine instruments on board. Luna-25 will touch down at the moon's south pole to research the lunar regolith and exosphere (atmosphere). This region is under consideration for crewed moon missions by NASA and other space agencies in the future. The Soviet Union sent several uncrewed missions to the moon between the 1950s and 1970s, including the first spacecraft to hit the surface (Luna 2 in 1959), the first spacecraft to soft-land (Luna 9 in 1966) and the first robotic lunar rover (Luna 17/Lunokhod 1 in 1970), among other milestones. 10) Astroscale space junk cleanup test (Image credit: Astroscale) The End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-demonstration (ELSA-d) mission is set to launch in March 2021 on a Russian Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan in a bid to deal with the growing problem of space junk in orbit . The dual spacecraft mission includes a 385-lb. (175 kilograms) "servicer" and a 37-lb. (17 kg) "client" that will use rendezvous technology and a magnetic capture mechanism in orbit. Orbital debris is expected to increase in the coming years as more companies send tiny spacecraft into low Earth orbit. 11) Private astronauts fly to International Space Station SpaceX plans to send astronauts with Houston-based company Axiom Space into space in 2021 for a mission to the International Space Station. The trip will likely feature eight days at the station and two days of travel time. While tourists have visited the space station before, Axiom notes this will be "the first-ever fully private" trip to the station. NASA hopes to open up the space station for even more commercial opportunities in the future, although Congress has not given the agency as much money as desired in fiscal 2021 for these plans. 12) Moon landing by Houston's Intuitive Machines Houston-based company Intuitive Machines plans to fly the robotic Nova-C lander on a NASA-sponsored flight in 2021 , launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The lander will send five NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) payloads to the surface and will send data to our planet for 13.5 Earth days. Other customer payloads will fly aboard Nova-C as the lander still has capacity for the mission. "Our partnership with Intuitive Machines is a great example of two private companies working together with NASA to advance space exploration," SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said in a statement . 13) SpaceX's 1st commercial Starship launch to space After several ambitious tests in 2020, SpaceX may send its first commercial payload aloft on a Starship spacecraft in 2021. Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX's vice president of commercial sales, said back in June 2019 that the company was talking with several telecom companies for that launch opportunity . Even if SpaceX doesn't make that tentative date, however, it is moving forward quickly with Starship development, including an ambitious maneuvering test in December 2020 . The company plans to eventually use Starship for crewed Mars missions. 14) New rockets take flight The United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and SpaceX aren't the only companies planning to launch new rockets in 2021. Several small-satellite launch companies also hope to reach orbit in the coming year, including Firefly Aerospace, Relativity Space and Virgin Orbit. Texas-based Firefly Aerospace initially hoped to launch its first Alpha rocket, a two-stage booster for smallsat launches, in 2020 but is now aiming for multiple missions in 2021. In addition to the Alpha rocket's debut launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Firefly plans to launch at least two more missions in 2021 under a new launch agreement with Adaptive Launch Services. Relativity Space is a startup in Los Angeles, California building the Terran 1 rocket, a completely 3D-printed booster that will launch small satellites from pads at both Cape Canaveral, Florida and Vandenberg. The company is expected to launch its first flight in 2021 and recently received its second launch contract from NASA among other commercial agreements. Virgin Orbit is a small-satellite launch company founded by British billionaire Sir Richard Branson that spun out of the entrepreneur's Virgin Galactic space tourism company. Virgin Orbit is building LauncherOne, an air-launched rocket for smallsat launches, and has already launched one test flight that did not reach space. The company had hoped to launch a second test flight of LauncherOne in December 2020, but the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has delayed the flight.
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New achievements in aerospace
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Hayman Fire
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The Hayman Fire was a forest fire started on June 8, 2002, 35 miles (56 km) northwest of Colorado Springs, Colorado and 22 miles (35 km) southwest of Denver, Colorado and was, for 18 years, the largest wildfire in the state's recorded history at over 138,114 acres. During the 2020 wildfire season, the Pine Gulch Fire became the largest wildfire in state history. However, just 7 weeks later, the Cameron Peak Fire became the largest wildifire in Colorado history. [2]
Hundreds of firefighters fought the fast-moving fire, which caused nearly $40 million in firefighting costs, burned 133 homes, 138,114 acres, and forced the evacuation of 5,340 people. Smoke could be seen and smelled across the state from Vail, 55 miles (89 km) northwest, to Burlington, 188 miles (303 km) east, and from Broomfield, 50 miles (80 km) north, to Walsenburg, 130 miles (210 km) south. The Hayman Fire burned from June 8, 2002, until it was classified as contained on July 18, 2002. [3] The cause of the wildfire was found to be arson. [4]
When then-Governor Bill Owens responded to a reporter's question following an aerial tour of the fires ("What does it look like up there? "), Owens said "It looks as if all of Colorado is burning today. "[5] Many western slope residents blamed Owens for driving away tourists with the press' truncated version of the quote ("All of Colorado is burning. ")[6] The Hayman Fire was named for a mining ghost town near Tappan Gulch. [7]
The fire resulted directly in the death of one civilian, and five firefighters were killed en route to the fire. Costs included $39.1 million in suppression costs and total private property losses valued at $40.4 million,[8] and indirectly led to the death of five firefighters. [9] Overall, 600 structures were burned in the fire including 133 homes, 1 commercial building and 466 outbuildings. While the fire burned, record amounts of particulate matter were measured in the air. [10]
As a result of the fire, flooding in the burn area increased. Consequently, many roads and bridges in the area were washed out. This included State Highway 67, the main highway that runs through the area. Other indirect destruction included sediment runoff into a reservoir that is used as a water source for Denver. The removal of this sediment cost $25 million. [10]
Most of the burn area is inside of the Pike National Forest. The fire caused the closure of a large part of the national forest land as well as nearby Eleven Mile State Park and Spinney State Park. Tourism saw a sharp decline in the area and it is estimated that local businesses lost 50% of their seasonal revenues as a result of the fire-induced closures. [10]
Ann Dow, 50, suffered a fatal asthma attack on the evening of June 10, 2002, when heavy smoke from the fire drifted over the Dows' home south of Florissant. She quickly lapsed into unconsciousness and paramedics could not revive her. Her death certificate lists the cause as "acute asthma attack due to or as a consequence of smoke inhalation." Five firefighters died from injuries sustained from a June 21, 2002, traffic accident en route to the Hayman fire from Oregon: Zach Zigich, Retha Shirley, Jacob Martindale, Danial Rama, and Bart Bailey. They are listed in the memorial to fallen firefighters on the Wildland Firefighter Foundation's website. A forestry technician with the U.S. Forest Service, Terry Barton, set the fire in a campfire ring during a total burn ban triggered by a National Weather Service red flag warning. Barton's claim that she was attempting to burn a letter from her estranged husband was disputed by one of her teenage daughters who testified that a psychology teacher had told Ms. Barton to write her feelings in a letter and burn it. [11] Many locals believe she set the fire on purpose so she could stay home and fight a local Colorado fire instead of being called to fight fires in other states, such as Arizona or California. This would enable her to be with her kids that summer. According to radio talk show host Glenn Sacks, investigators also speculated that Barton started the fire so she could be a hero for putting it out and saving the forest. [12] The fire quickly spread out of the campfire ring and eventually torched over 138,000 acres (560 km2) and burned across four different counties. A federal grand jury indicted Barton on four felony counts of arson. [13]
Barton pleaded guilty to two charges: setting fire to federal forest land and lying to investigators[14] and was given a six-year sentence in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch refused, however, to impose the $14 million restitution asked for by prosecutors, saying he would not sentence her to a "life of poverty." Additionally, the State of Colorado sentenced Barton to 12 years in prison to run concurrently with the 6-year federal sentence. The state sentence was overturned on appeal, however, on grounds that the presiding judge had "the appearance of prejudice" because smoke from the fire had motivated him to voluntarily leave his home for one night. [15] In March 2008, Barton was re-sentenced by a different judge to 15 years of probation and 1,000 hours community service. [16]
Several insurance companies filed a $7 million suit against the government in the fall of 2008, claiming that Barton was negligent in her duties. In November, Judge Wiley Daniel ruled that the government was not responsible for Barton's actions because she was acting as an angry spouse and not as a government worker. [17]
In August 2018, Barton's sentence was extended another 15 years in the form of unsupervised probation (the unsupervised probation was ordered to save legal fees that would then be redirected towards restitution). Judge William Brian ordered that Barton continue to make payments toward the $14.5 million in restitution she owed as of the 2018 re-sentencing. The judge also ordered that Barton get a full-time job. [18]
Fire damage as seen looking towards Turkey Rock
Complete burn as seen from roadway
The damage to areas in the burn area varied greatly, as shown in this photo. The farthest hill burned completely, the middle hill was substantially burned, and the close hill relatively unburned. In many areas the fire burned so hot that it reduced ground cover to bare soil
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Fire
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Animated Map: U.S. Droughts Over the Last 20 Years
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The Western U.S. is experiencing one of the worst recorded droughts in the last 20 years. Temperatures from California to the Dakotas are currently hovering around 9-12°F above average—but how bad is the situation compared to past years? This animated map by reddit user /NothingAbnormalHere provides a historical look at droughts in the U.S. since 1999, using data and graphics from the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM). Over the last two decades, the USDM has been tracking, measuring, and comparing droughts across America. While droughts can be difficult to classify and standardize, there are various factors that can be used to gauge when a region is experiencing drought. These include measurements of snowpack levels, soil moisture, and recent precipitation. To track these conditions (and make sense of them), the USDM synthesizes data from a plethora of meteorological sources, including the Palmer Drought Severity Index and the Standardized Precipitation Index. From there, conditions are broken down into categories, ranging from D0 (abnormally dry) to D4 (Exceptional Drought). A map is released each week that shows which states are experiencing drought, and to what degree. According to a map created by climatologist Becky Bolinger (which is published on Drought.gov), Arizona and Nevada are the most historically drought-prone states—the two have experienced drought more than 50% of the time tracked by the USDM. California is high on the list as well, with the state experiencing drought at least 40% of the time. As the historical data shows, the West is no stranger to droughts. However, this year’s drought has become particularly worrisome because of its intensity and breadth. Right now, more than a quarter of the West is experiencing a D4 level drought—a new record. To help put things into perspective, here’s a look at how much overall land area in the West has been in drought, since 2000: When a region is experiencing a D4 drought, possible impacts include: This record-breaking drought is wreaking havoc across the West. In California, reservoirs have about half as much water as they usually do, and crop failures are happening across Colorado. The worst part? Some experts believe that this could be the new normal if human-driven climate change continues to increase average temperatures across the globe.
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Droughts
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USF softball player diagnosed with brain cancer
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/ Updated:
Nov 11, 2021 / 04:11 PM EST
USF
TAMPA (WFLA) – USF softball player Alexis Buchman has been diagnosed with brain cancer following surgery for a brain tumor in September.
According to USF , Buchman, 20, started noticing numbness and tingling sensations in her left arm in July and sought treatment soon after for the symptoms.
Following visits to The Stroke Center and Moffitt Cancer Center, to seek diagnosis, she underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor on Sept. 16.
The Tampa native and Alonso High School alumnus is undergoing chemotherapy treatments and other prescribed therapies.
Members of the department and other athletic teams will join the softball team in participating in the Miles for Moffitt event on Saturday, Nov. 20 at Amalie Arena in support of Alexis and the Buchman family. Those wishing to join the team in supporting Alexis by participating or donating to Miles for Moffitt can do so here.
“Knowing how positive and what a fighter Alexis is, it’s easy to join her with vigor as we help her through this Bulls’ Family challenge,” USF softball head coach Ken Eriksen said. “It has been so great to see her outlook every week when she is around us. The support she has been getting from all the teams and coaches here at USF shows how we take care of US!”
A GoFundMe has also been created to support the Buchman family during her treatment. Fans wishing to donate to the family can do so here .
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Famous Person - Sick
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Stardust fire
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The Stardust fire was a fatal fire which took place at the Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin, Ireland in the early hours of 14 February (Valentine's Day) 1981. Some 800 people had attended a disco there, of whom 48 died and 214 were injured as a result of the fire. The club was located where Butterly Business Park now lies, opposite Artane Castle Shopping Centre. The building which housed the Stardust was built in 1948. It was initially a food factory, operated by Scott's Foods Ltd. In 1978, the owners of Scott's, the Butterly family, converted the premises into an amenity centre, consisting of a bar, The Silver Swan, a function room, The Lantern Rooms, and a nightclub, The Stardust. The club premises consisted of a dance floor, a stage, two bars and two seating alcoves, the North Alcove and the West Alcove. There were also tables and chairs on the dance floor area. The West Alcove area had enough seats for at least 280 patrons. The fire occurred on 14 February 1981 around 1.30 am, with multiple patrons noticing the fire in different locations and times within the nightclub. [2] There were 841 patrons gathered in the night club for the St.Valentines eve disco event, and the owners had been given a Special Exemption Order to serve alcohol between 11 pm and 2 am. In order for the exemption to be given the event was billed as a "dinner dance". [3]
The fire outbreak is believed to have derived from an electrical fault in the room beside the roof space. This non-planning-permission-compliant first-floor storage room contained dangerously flammable materials, including 45 five-gallon (23 l) drums of cooking oil. Staff observed a small fire outbreak on a seat in an alcove behind a curtain and they attempted to extinguish it but failed. The blaze apparently started after fire on the roof from the storeroom came through the roof tiles and emerged into the nightclub's West Alcove banked seating area, falling onto the backrest and the top of a seating bench covered in PVC-coated polyester fabric. The West Alcove area had enough seats to fit at least 280 patrons. The fire was observed by a lady who was sitting in front of the West Alcove. She noticed an increase in temperature but did not smell smoke. [verification needed]
The fire then spread to tables and chairs, and patrons noticed smoke and smelled burning. The fire was very small when first seen in the Ballroom. By 1.45 am,[3] a ferocious burst of heat and thick black smoke started quickly coming from the ceiling, causing the material in the ceiling to melt and drip on top of patrons and other highly flammable materials, including the seats and carpet tiles on the walls. The fire flashover enveloped the club and the lights failed. This caused mass panic as patrons began desperately looking for an escape. The DJ announced that there was a small fire and requested a calm evacuation. [2]
The attendees at a trade union function taking place in the same building escaped, but the escape of the Stardust patrons was hampered by a number of obstructions. Of the five emergency exit doors, most were either locked by padlock or chains or blocked by tables or vehicles outside in order to prevent individuals sneaking in. The windows were sealed with metal grilles and steel plates, which were unable to be removed by sledgehammers, axes, and even tow-ropes from individuals outside attempting to aid. [3] Firemen attempted to pull off the metal bars using a chain attached to a fire engine, but were unsuccessful. The failure of the lighting in the club led to widespread panic, causing mass trampling as many of the patrons instinctively ran for the main entrance. Many people mistook the entrance to the men's toilets for the main entrance doors, with responding firemen locating between 25–30 of those trapped in the front toilets. A survivor recounted later that in the panic he watched people run in different directions in the pandemonium, and that after evacuating the building he returned and helped others evacuate before tripping and being trampled. [4]
The fire was first spotted by numerous external witnesses as well as a woman 200 metres away from the Stardust, who quickly called the fire brigade. Within minutes of her call, two other calls were made from the Stardust building to inform the fire brigade of a small fire six inches (150 mm) high on a seat in the ballroom in the west section of the building. A man was making a phone call to the Gardaí at Dublin Castle at 1.42 am The call was terminated by the man hanging up as the first alarm of fire was given to the people in the foyer. The call is as follows:[5]
Gardaí: Hello, yes, hello. O'Toole: I'm at the Stardust disco. Can you hear me? Gardaí: Yes. O'Toole: And my girlfriend's handbag was robbed. Gardaí: Your girlfriend's handbag was robbed? O'Toole: She's the manageress in the shoe shop in Northside Shopping Centre. Gardaí: Wait now would you....Stardust? O'Toole: Yes, I'm in the Stardust disco, discotheque, and my girlfriend's bag went missing, someone's after taking it. Can you hear me? Gardaí: Yes. O'Toole: Can you hear me? Gardaí: And where were you.... where were.... the guards, where will you meet the guards? O'Toole: Pardon? Gardaí: What's your name... what is your name?
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Fire
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organization closed by different reasons in 2020
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Strategic agility is the ability to improve performance — not just survive but thrive — amid disruption. Companies that successfully navigated the Covid-19 crisis identified when to deviate from their strategic plan and adapt to the changing environment. The authors identified three distinct ways they did this: First, they were nimble enough to avoid the worst impacts; second, when they were hit, they were robust enough to absorb a lot of the damage; and third, they were resilient enough to accelerate forward faster and more effectively than their peers. They offer six principles to help companies boost their strategic agility in these three areas. Ler em português In early 2020, Airbnb was headed for a banner year — bookings were up, expansion plans were in place, and an IPO was set for the spring. Then Covid hit, and more than $1B of bookings disappeared , expansion plans were postponed, and one-quarter of the workforce was cut. However, by the end of the year, revenues had recovered, and the company completed one of the most successful tech IPOs in history . California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is well known for its innovative offerings. It was one of the first pizza chains to offer gluten-free crusts, “take and bake” home pizzas, and iron-chef-style innovation competitions for its cooks. During the Covid crisis, it moved quickly to offer curb-side delivery and upped its online capabilities. Yet, despite its reputation for innovation and forward thinking, the company filed for bankruptcy protection in July 2020. Why was one able to thrive while the other floundered? Ultimately AirBNB and other companies that successfully navigated the crisis identified were able to deviate from their strategic plan and adapt to the changing environment. Our research identified three distinct ways they did this: First, they were nimble enough to avoid the worst impacts; second, when they were hit, they were robust enough to absorb a lot of the damage; and third, they were resilient enough to accelerate forward faster and more effectively than their peers. We refer to this combination of capabilities as the Triple As of strategic agility. As soon as it became clear that Covid-19 travel restrictions would be inevitable, Airbnb took steps to avoid impact to its business. It implemented strict disinfectant protocols for its properties and added a mandatory free night between stays to allow additional time for cleaning. It also relaxed guest cancellation policies and put measures in place to compensate hosts for lost revenue. Of course, the company couldn’t entirely avoid the effects of the pandemic, so it raised capital to bolster its ability to absorb the impact of reduced bookings and cancellations. Even before the business was stabilized, the company began to accelerate into areas that were less affected, such as in-country travel and stays at rural locations. It also started to promote longer “quarantine” stays and added details such as internet speed to its listings. California Pizza Kitchen, by contrast, was unable to shift its core dine-in business to delivery fast enough after stay-at-home orders were issued, and thus was unable to avoid a direct revenue hit. Furthermore, years of mismanagement had left the company with a high debt load, inhibiting its ability to raise additional capital to cover its costs. With its locations either closed or operating at limited capacity, cash started to dwindle. The company entered bankruptcy protection in June 2020. After a few months of restructuring, it emerged in November 2020 owned mostly by its debt holders, who had swapped their loans for equity. The company is now trying to make up for lost time by focusing on “Cali-health” menu items like non-meat proteins (BBQ Don’t Call Me Chicken Pizza), expanding its global franchise footprint, and investing in marketing and digital channels. The Six Principles Behind a Triple A Rating Strategic agility is the ability to improve performance — not just survive but thrive — amid disruption. Our multi-year research project, based on studying qualitative and quantitative data from hundreds of organizations, suggests that strategic agility can be further broken down into six principles. These principles are not definitions, rules, laws, tools, or frameworks, but guidelines to help organizations leverage disruption proactively to their advantage. Avoiding shocks: Speed and Flexibility Side-stepping shocks is linked to sensing risks in the environment, being able to position yourself to avoid dangers, and moving quickly to dodge impacts. Principle 1: Prioritize speed over perfection Opportunities come and go quickly during a crisis, so organizations need to be ready and willing to act quickly, even if they sacrifice quality and predictability in the process. During the multi-day celebration of Chinese New Year, movie theaters are typically full of families. However, in January 2020, due to the spread of Covid-19, most theaters were empty, and many had closed their doors. The Huanxi Media Group (Huanxi) stood to lose millions on its New Year-themed movie Lost in Russia. While most of its peers decided to postpone their releases, Huanxi approached Bytedance, the Chinese company behind the blockbuster app TikTok. Bytedance was not an obvious distribution partner, as its properties mostly stream short-form, user-generated content. TikTok, for instance, caps videos at 15 seconds — and Lost in Russia clocked in at over 2 hours. In just two days, Lost in Russia racked up 600 million views on Bytedance platforms. Not only did the movie gain a huge following, it also led to a flood of goodwill from Chinese citizens who were frustrated about not being able to leave their homes during the outbreak. By waiting, other studios missed out on a major opportunity to build market share and capitalize on a limited-term opportunity. Principle 2: Prioritize flexibility over planning Strategy is often taught in business schools as a cascade of choices around where to play and how to win. These choices are typically built into strategic plans that are devised and approved over a period of several months, and then executed over three or five years, before the cycle repeats. However, in a crisis, a strategic plan can easily become an anchor that locks an organization onto a path that is no longer relevant. Faced with a massive drop in revenue during the pandemic, Qantas abandoned its five-year strategic plan and dusted off an old idea from the 1980s to offer “flights to nowhere.” These excursions included fly-bys of some of Australia’s main tourist destinations, such as the Great Barrier Reef and Uluhu. The entire stock of seats sold out in 10 minutes , making it the fastest-selling promotion in Qantas’ history. Qantas was not only quick off the mark, it was flexible in how it operated. The airline recognized the public’s latent desire to travel, even if they couldn’t leave the country, and it quickly adapted its services to meet this need. It then built upon its initial success, next offering viewing flights to Antarctica . Absorbing shocks: Empowerment and Diversification When it’s impossible to avoid a shock, like the Covid-19 pandemic, the next best thing is to minimize the damage. This step is often misunderstood by managers. Some of the hallmarks of strong shock absorption — scale, inefficiency, or centralization — are seen as impediments to effective competition in volatile environments. Yet, when set up in the right way, these elements can enhance the ability of organizations to withstand shocks without inhibiting performance. Principle 3: Prioritize diversification and “efficient slack” over optimization Many organizations struggled — and some failed — during the pandemic not because they weren’t nimble or innovative, but because they were felled by a single devastating blow. The root of this problem, in many cases, was either a lack of diversification or an overemphasis on efficiency and optimization. The principles of diversification and slack have fallen out of favor recently. The share price of diversified organizations is often hit with a “conglomerate discount,” and markets and activist investors are quick to penalize any sign of slack. Yet, these are both powerful hedges against the impact of shocks. Pain in one area can be compensated by gain elsewhere. During the pandemic, when sales in P&G’s personal care brands dropped, the company was able to make up the difference in increased revenue of its cleaning and disinfectant brands. By contrast, Gold’s Gym, Avianca Airlines, and Brooks Brothers suffered from a lack of diversification and ultimately went bankrupt. Swiggy, one of India’s largest food-delivery startups built a platform that included more than 160,000 restaurants in 500 cities. During the Covid lockdown, restaurant activity, including deliveries, fell by more than 50%. Swiggy realized that its overdependence on fixed location, traditional “sit-down” restaurants as delivery partners was a severe vulnerability. In response, it started a program to add street food vendors to its platform, ultimately adding more than 36,000 of these vendors. While servicing these vendors was less profitable, they provided valuable “slack” during the crisis, while also delivering a societal benefit. As a consequence, the company rebounded to about 90% of its pre-Covid food delivery volumes. Principle 4: Prioritize empowerment over hierarchy Systems are most vulnerable at their weakest points. A hierarchy, for example, is most vulnerable at the top. Empowered teams, by contrast, are inherently robust. Since they’re decentralized, no single strike or crisis can take them all out. The key is to maintain open and regular information flows so that they are working from the same page. Zoetis, a leading global-health company for animals, adopted this approach during the pandemic, which arrived just as they were about to launch their largest ever new product, a medication for dogs. A number of challenges, including supply-chain disruptions, marketing delays, and reduced opening hours at testing enters and laboratories, threatened to scupper the launch. In response, Zoetis’ CEO decided to allow local leaders across 45 global markets autonomy to conduct the launch in the most appropriate way. For example, social distancing regulations varied massively by location, as did requirements to wear protective clothing. The empowerment extended to field-based employees, managers and teams who were encouraged to “run it like you own it.” To further enable these employees, a priority was placed on data-driven decision-making, and dashboards containing up-to-the-minute information on the pandemic were made available to everyone in the organization. Accelerating away from shocks: Learning and modularity Bouncing back from shocks is partially operational (being able to redeploy and reconfigure resources) and partially cultural (fostering a tolerance for failure and implementing an environment that encourages risk taking and rewards learning). The application of the acceleration principles has a major impact on performance in highly uncertain environments. Principle 5: Prioritize learning over blaming It has been well established that organizational cultures that reward risk taking and tolerate failure move more quickly that those that don’t. If people are criticized for failing, they are less likely to take risks; in a crisis, this can be fatal. Evalueserve is a mid-sized global IT services firm with offices in India. When the country declared a strict lockdown with six hours notice, it had no choice but to shift almost all of its 3,000 employees to work-from-home. This move created an increased risk to employee wellbeing and morale, as home environments were often stressful and not conducive for working. In response, the company instituted several changes to promote a “no blame” culture. It added mental health and wellbeing initiatives such as “no agenda check-in calls” to maintain motivation, as chairperson Timo Vättö and co-founder Marc Vollenweider explained to us in an interview. The company also adjusted its incentives to reward employees for learning and adaptability. As a result, Evalueserve faced negligible attrition of both employees and clients during the period of the lockdown. Principle 6: Prioritize resource modularity and mobility over resource lock-in Since it is difficult to predict how the future will unfold in a crisis, it is hard to effectively plan the allocation of resources. Thus, it important to build resources that are modular and/or mobile so they can be reconfigured or moved as needed. An example of resource modularity comes from the “Paranoid Fan” app, which allowed NFL fans to order food to be delivered to their seats in sports stadiums. But with live events curtailed by the pandemic, the app lost its users. Seeing long queues outside food banks in New York City, founder Agustin Gonzalez recognized an opportunity to reconfigure the app’s mapping and delivery technology . The company launched a new app, named Nepjun, that allowed food banks to set menus and create delivery protocols, while also allowing users to find operational food banks in their neighborhood. Putting Strategic Agility into Action 2020 was an extremely disruptive year for the media and entertainment sector. Streaming companies like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video experienced strong growth, while organizations involved in live events and cinematic releases suffered massive drops in revenue. The Walt Disney Company was caught in the middle. In early 2020 , media and broadcasting operations accounted for about a third of its revenue, 17% was earned from direct-to-consumer brands, and the remaining 50% came from movie studios, theme parks, and product sales. Gains in broadcasting revenues failed to offset heavy losses from the closure of movie theaters, theme parks, and retail stores. Disney’s share price began 2020 at $146, but by March 20 it had dropped to $86 a share as the global scale of pandemic became apparent. The company managed to avoid the worst impacts of the pandemic for as long as it could by keeping its theme parks open in a limited capacity and adding strong safety protocols for all facilities, staff, and guests. It saved money by laying off employees across its portfolio of stores, parks, and cruise ships, and worked with local governments where possible to supplement its income. A strong balance sheet allowed it to absorb the drop in revenue. Meanwhile, the company reallocated resources and people to its Disney+ streaming service that had been launched in November 2019. The company worked hard to accelerate enhancements to the offering, adding new content throughout the year . For example, the live-action cinematic release Mulan was offered through the service as a special paid feature. By the end of the year, the company had attracted more than 90 million paying subscribers to the Disney+ service, significantly outperforming competitors such as HBO Max and Peacock, and far exceeding a goal it had hoped to meet by 2024 . When conditions improved, Disney was quick to take advantage. It reopened its theme parks in Shanghai in May and Tokyo in July. Most importantly, it continued to heavily invest in Disney+, building it into one of the world’s largest video subscription services just a year after launch. It empowered local managers to make decisions as situations shifted across the world, and it moved people and resources around to focus on growing areas. Its story shows that even large companies that are in the firing line of shocks like Covid-19 can respond effectively as long as they leverage the Triple As of strategic agility. While we will eventually see the end of the Covid crisis, there is no doubt that organizations will continue to face other challenging situations in the future. Under these circumstances, incorporating avoidance, absorption and acceleration can be the difference between survival and collapse.
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Organization Closed
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2019 Sindh HIV outbreak
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2019 Sindh HIV outbreak refers to a Grade II Emergency as declared by the World Health Organization in the Ratodero area of Larkana District, Sindh, Pakistan. [1] It was the first of many outbreaks of HIV in Pakistan in which the majority of those infected were children. [2]
By 13 June 2019, at least 798 people including more than 650 children had tested positive for HIV out of the 27,000 people who volunteered for screening. [3] By October 2019, approximately 1,100 people including almost 900 children under 12 had tested positive although the majority of the population still had not been screened at the many temporary testing centers that had been established. [2] By 19 November 2019, there were 895 confirmed cases with 754 being children out of the 37,272 people to have been screened for the virus. [4]
The causes of the outbreak were identified by health officials as "unhygienic practices" including re-use without sterilization of medical syringes and needles in doctors' clinics and blood banks, barbers' razors, tattoo needles, nose- and ear-piercing tools, circumcision blades, and dental instruments. Transmission from mother to child was also cited as a possible cause. [1][2]
Between 2010 and 2017 Pakistan registered a 45% increase in overall HIV cases. National AIDS Control Programme assumed there ~165 000 people in Pakistan who had contracted HIV, with only 15% of the number being aware of their condition, and only 17149 patients were receiving antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. [5]
In April 2019, 15 children with persistent fevers were sent for HIV testing at a government facility. Blood tests returned positive tests, while perinatal transmission in these children was ruled out. HIV screening of 4100 of the area's residents revealed 157 additional HIV positive patients, 30 of the positive cases were adults and 127 were children. An inquiry by MoNHSRC found that the cause of the outbreak could be traced back to contaminated disposable syringes, which were likely used by someone posing as a doctor. [5]
The Sindh AIDS Control Programme carried out a massive testing campaign which encompassed more than 26 000 people. By June 2019, more than 750 people were diagnosed with HIV, with children making up 80% of the number. In order to ensure an immediate access to antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, a specialized clinic was established in Larkana. In cooperation with the United Nations, Pakistan began with the implementation of the "Sindh HIV Outbreak Response Plan, May 2019-Apr 2020, which included both short-term and long-term steps to identify the causes of the outbreak, to address them, and prevent further infections. [6]
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Disease Outbreaks
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Radical War
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The Radical War, also known as the Scottish Insurrection of 1820, was a week of strikes and unrest in Scotland, a culmination of Radical demands for reform in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland which had become prominent in the early years of the French Revolution, but had then been repressed during the long Napoleonic Wars. An economic downturn after the wars ended brought increasing unrest. Artisan workers, particularly weavers in Scotland, sought action to reform an uncaring government. Gentry fearing revolutionary horrors recruited militia and the government deployed an apparatus of spies, informers and agents provocateurs to stamp out the movement. A Committee of Organisation for Forming a Provisional Government put placards around the streets of Glasgow late on Saturday 1 April, calling for an immediate national strike. On Monday 3 April work stopped in a wide area of central Scotland and in a swirl of disorderly events a small group marched towards the Carron Company ironworks to seize weapons, but while stopped at Bonnymuir they were attacked by Hussars. Another small group from Strathaven marched to meet a rumoured larger force, but were warned of an ambush and dispersed. Militia taking prisoners to Greenock jail were attacked by local people and the prisoners released. James Wilson of Strathaven was singled out as a leader of the march there, and at Glasgow was executed by hanging, then decapitated. Of those seized by the British Army at Bonnymuir, John Baird and Andrew Hardie were similarly executed at Stirling after making short defiant speeches. Twenty other Radicals were sentenced to penal transportation. It became evident that government agents had actively fomented the unrest to bring radicals into the open. The insurrection was largely forgotten as attention focussed on better publicised Radical events in England. Two years later, enthusiasm for the visit of King George IV to Scotland successfully boosted loyalist sentiment, ushering in a new-found Scottish national identity. [1]
In the 18th century, artisans such as handloom weavers, shoemakers, smiths and wrights worked to commission and so could set their own hours of work which often left them time to read, and debate what they had read with friends. The national Presbyterian Church of Scotland was founded on egalitarian attitudes and rights of the individual to make principled judgements, and so encouraged disputatious habits and preoccupation with "rights" as well as continuing the Scottish education tradition which achieved more widespread literacy at that time than other countries. In Scotland only 1 in 250 people had the right to vote and these artisans were ready to join the Radical movement in welcoming the American Revolution and the French Revolution, and be influenced by Thomas Paine's The Rights of Man. The Scottish Society of the Friends of the People held a series of "Conventions" in 1792 and 1793. The government reacted harshly, sentencing successive leaders to penal transportation, and in 1793 Dundee Unitarian minister Thomas Fysshe Palmer was also given 7 years transportation for helping to prepare and distribute reform tracts. Dissent went underground with the United Scotsmen whose activities were curbed with the trial of George Mealmaker in 1798. Between 1800 and 1808 the earnings of weavers were halved, and in 1812 they petitioned for an increase which was granted by the magistrates, but the employers refused to pay and so the weavers called a strike which lasted for nine weeks with the support of a "National Committee of Scottish Union Societies", organised in a similar way to the United Scotsmen ("Unions" being area related, not Trade Unions). The authorities were further alarmed and set up spies and informers to forestall any further reformist activity. Between then and 1815 Major John Cartwright made visits to establish radical Hampden Clubs across Scotland. The end of the Napoleonic Wars brought economic depression. In 1816 some 40,000 people attended a meeting on Glasgow Green to demand more representative government and an end to the Corn Laws which kept food prices high. The industrial revolution affected handloom weavers in particular, and unrest grew despite attempts by the authorities to employ the workless and open relief centres to relieve hardship. Government agents brought conspiracy trials to court in 1816 and 1817. The Peterloo Massacre of August 1819 sparked protest demonstrations across Britain. In Scotland, a memorial rally in Paisley on 11 September led to a week of rioting and cavalry were used to control around 5,000 "Radicals". Protest meetings were held in Stirling, Airdrie, Renfrewshire, Ayrshire and Fife, mainly in weaving areas. On 13 December the "Radical Laird" Kinloch was arrested for addressing a mass meeting on Magdalen Green in Dundee, but he escaped and fled abroad. The gentry feared that the kind of revolutionary turmoil that had been seen in France and Ireland could take place in Britain, and there was a great recruiting of volunteer regiments through the Scottish lowlands and Scottish Borders. Walter Scott urged his Borders neighbours to "appeal at this crisis to the good sense and loyalty of the lower orders... All you have to do is sound the men, and mark down those who seem zealous. They will perhaps have to fight with the pitmen and colliers of Northumbria for defence of their firesides, for those literal blackguards are got beyond the management of their own people." As 1820 began the government, frightened by the "Cato Street Conspiracy" in London, acted to suppress reform agitation and drew on its apparatus of spies and agents provocateurs in Scotland. A 28-man Radical Committee for organising a Provisional Government elected by delegates of local "unions" elected officers and decided to arrange military training for its supporters, giving some responsibility for the training programme to a Condorrat weaver with army experience, John Baird. On 18 March Mitchell of the Glasgow police notified the Home Secretary that "a meeting of the organising committee of the rabble.. . is due in this vicinity in a few days hence." On 21 March the Committee met in a Glasgow tavern. The weaver John King left the meeting early, shortly before a raid in which the Committee was secretly arrested. Mitchell reported on 25 March that those arrested had "confessed their audacious plot to sever the Kingdom of Scotland from that of England and restore the ancient Scottish Parliament... If some plan were conceived by which the disaffected could be lured out of their lairs - being made to think that the day of "liberty" had come - we could catch them abroad and undefended... few know of the apprehension of the leaders. . . so no suspicion would attach itself to the plan at all. Our informants have infiltrated the disaffected's committees and organisation, and in a few days you shall judge the results. "[citation needed] King, Craig, Turner and Lees would now be repeatedly involved in organising agitation. At a meeting on 22 March the 15 to 20 people present included the weavers John King and John Craig, the tin-smith Duncan Turner, and "an Englishman" called Lees. John King told them that a rising was imminent and all present should hold themselves in enthusiastic readiness for the call to arms. The next day some of them met on Glasgow Green then moved on to Rutherglen where Turner revealed plans to establish a Provisional Government, got those present to resolve to "act accordingly", then gave over a copy of a draft Proclamation to be delivered to a printer.
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Strike
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ISRO Chandrayaan-2 Detects Presence Of Water Ice On Moon’s Polar Regions
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ISRO scientists revealed that its Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft that recently completed its second anniversary has picked up traces of water ice in the Permanently Shadowed Regions of the Moon. ISRO Also Read: ISRO Confirms Chandrayaan-3 Will Launch In 2020, Govt Says It Will Cost Less Than Chandrayaan-2 This was revealed in a two-day online lunar science workshop organised by ISRO from September 6 to 7. To the uninitiated, Permanently Shadowed Regions are essentially the northern and southern poles of the moon that get zero sunlight, making them the coldest regions on the lunar surface. ISRO Chief, K Sivan revealed that Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft is loaded with Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar that maps surfaces using measurements of electrical properties of materials and can differentiate between the lunar and the ice surface. ISRO Also Read: Why India's Chandrayaan 2 Mission Is Still A Success, And We Are All Proud Of Everyone At ISRO The radar was one of the eight payloads that were sent to lunar orbit. Other payloads include a Terrain Mapping Camera, Orbiter High-Resolution Camera, a Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer, Solar X-Ray Monitor, Imaging Infrared Spectrometer, Atmospheric Composition Explorer and Dual-Frequency Radio Science Experiment. BCCL K Sivan highlighted that it is also the world’s first full polarimetric radar that has gone ahead for a planetary mission. Also Read: Chandrayaan-3: What ISRO Needs To Perfect As It Plans To Land On Moon Again Next Year Anup Das, one of the members of the DFSAR team called this discovery could give us a better idea on the kind of impacts Moon has experienced in the past. The data and photos sent via the orbiter's high-resolution camera would undergo further analysis to study the massive craters. Are you excited about this ISRO and Chandrayaan-2's milestone in finding traces of liquid water and ice on the moon? Let us know in the comments below, and keep reading Indiatimes.com for all your latest technology news and science insights.
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New achievements in aerospace
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Gloucester Rugby star Ben Morgan set for knee operation
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The former England number eight has been a star of the resurgent Cherry and Whites side in 2021/22 Sport Ben Morgan of Gloucester Ruggby goes away from Kieran Wilkinson of Sale Sharks Former England number eight Ben Morgan will have minor surgery on a knee injury, Gloucester Rugby head coach George Skivington has confirmed. The backrower limped off late in the day in the victory over Bristol Bears two weeks ago in his eighth appearance of the season having come out of pre-season looking like the devastating ball carrier who won 31 international caps between 2012 and 2015. Skivington said: "Morgs has got to have a little procedure on his knee, it is not as serious as it could have been but he has had to have a procedure and it will be a decent amount of time recovering. "I am not sure exactly what the time frame is but he won’t be featuring for a few weeks certainly." Morgan’s injury comes as a blow to the Cherry and Whites not just because of the rich vein of form the 32-year-old has been in, scoring four tries already this campaign in the Premiership and a hat-trick in the Premiership Rugby Cup thrashing of Gloucester, but because star number eight Jake Polledri remains sidelined from the knee injury he suffered on international duty with Italy 13 months ago. The good news is Skivington has powerhouse Ruan Ackermann in fine form and will likely move the South African over from blindside to the back of the scrum in Morgan's absence, with flanker Jordy Reid now fit again to bolster the backrow. Seb Nagle-Taylor provides another dynamic backrow option as well as the impressive Jack Clement. Skivington said: “We have got competition and that is a good thing but I felt this year Morgs really came to the party.” Morgan missed all of 2020 with a series of frustrating injuries, making him feel like a new signing to Skivington who only arrived at Kingsholm in July 2020. “He turned up to pre-season in really good shape,” Skivington added. “He was building nicely doing some really nice things on the field and starting to look like the Ben Morgan of old. “I think he has enjoyed being on the back of the mauls scoring the tries, he is one of the top scorers in the league, but he was having some great moments around the field and really enjoying his rugby.
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Famous Person - Recovered
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Pope Benedict XVI is welcomed by Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife Margarita Zavala upon his arrival at Silao's international airport in Guanajuato, Mexico on March 23, 2012.
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Pope Benedict XVI is welcomed by Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife Margarita Zavala upon his arrival at Silao's international airport in Guanajuato, Mexico on March 23, 2012.
If you were Mexico’s ruling party, and your presidential candidate was down by double digits in the polls three months before the election, you’d be looking for some divine help too. So President Felipe Calderón’s conservative National Action Party (PAN) is hoping the visit from Pope Benedict XVI, who arrives in Mexico today, March 23, will help resurrect the chances of its prez contender, Josefina Vázquez. The PAN is the Roman Catholic standard-bearer of Mexican politics, and the Pope’s three-day itinerary is confined to one of Mexico’s most Catholic and PAN-ista states, Guanajuato.
But the PAN shouldn’t expect any papal miracles from this visit – and in fact, instead of getting the lift it’s looking for, the party could experience some letdown. It’s no secret that the 84-year-old Benedict is an aloof theologian compared to his charismatic late predecessor, John Paul II, who wowed Mexico with five visits between 1979 and 2002. Beyond the personality issues, in the past decade the Catholic church has taken a steep fall from p.r. grace in Mexico, which has the world’s second largest Catholic population. The most serious sin has been a relentless series of revelations about the powerful clerical order known as the Legionaries of Christ, founded in Mexico by the late Rev. Marcial Maciel. Before he died in disgrace in 2008, Maciel faced increasing charges that he had sexually abused numerous young seminarians and children – including two sons he sired with a mistress.
At about the same time the Pope touches down in the city of León northwest of Mexico City, a new book will go on sale in Mexico – co-authored by some of Maciel’s past victims – that purports to add a new and troubling layer to the scandal. Titled La Voluntad de No Saber (The Will Not to Know) the book claims to expose documents that prove the Vatican knew about the Maciel problem as early as the 1940s but did nothing about it. Maciel, in fact, would go on to be a favorite of John Paul II – one of whose right-hand men was then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI. He eventually had to force Maciel to resign as head of the Legionaries in 2005 and then from priestly ministry in 2006 as the abuse allegations mounted.
(MORE: “Maciel Scandal Puts Focus On a Secretive Church Order”)
The Maciel ugliness helps explain why the Catholic church in Mexico – which for most of the 20th century chafed under the anti-clerical policies of the Mexican government, which didn’t re-establish ties with the Vatican until 1992 – has lost up to a fifth of its followers in the past two decades, as my colleague Tim Johnson of McClatchy News Service reports this week. Much of that flight has gone to Protestant Evangelical sects, which is why Benedict is expected to make Catholic “reconversion” in Mexico a central theme of his homilies there.
Johnson also points out that many Mexicans are irked at the church, led in Mexico by the conservative Cardinal Norberto Rivera, archbishop of Mexico City, because of what they call its less than passionate concern about the country’s nightmarish drug war, which has seen more than 50,000 people murdered or missing since Calderón took office in 2006. They’re most distressed by reports that a number of Catholic priests and parishes have embraced donations from drug trafficking bosses – including Heriberto Lazcano, aka El Verdugo or The Executioner, head of the bloodthirsty Zetas gang, who funded the construction of a chapel in his home state of Hidalgo, near Guanajuato, complete with a plaque bearing his name.
There are, of course, a number of Mexican priests and bishops who are pushing the church to take a harder stand against the narco-violence – and some, like the Rev. Genaro García in Mexico state, who was murdered by narco-extortionists in January inside his church, have been victims. Church spokespersons tell TIME’s Dolly Mascarenas that getting the Mexican hierarchy more committed to the “effort of peace,” especially by supporting emerging victims groups lobbying the government for deeper police and judicial reforms, is high on Benedict’s agenda this weekend. (Some narcos have promised not to kill anyone during His Holiness’ stay in Mexico. Which of course just mean they’re giving themselves three days to reload. Memo: you’re still monsters.)
But even that can work against the PAN. If the Pope does make Mexico’s violence a prominent theme of his visit, it may only serve to remind Mexican voters why so many have moved away from Calderón and his party in the first place: the President’s bold but ill conceived military crusade against the drug cartels, which critics say has simply worsened the bloodshed. Other aspects of Benedict’s visit may also have the potential to alienate, including the fact that he won’t be stopping in Mexico City. The Vatican insists it’s because the metropolis’ altitude would be hard on the aging pontiff; but many speculate it’s because he’s displeased with the lead the city’s government, run for the past decade by the center-left Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), has taken in promoting reforms like gay marriage that defy church doctrine.
Either way, it’s a toss-up whether the Pope’s visit will help the PAN chip away at the lead of Enrique Peña Nieto, the presidential candidate of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which ruled Mexico as a one-party dictatorship for 71 years until the PAN toppled it in the 2000 election. In the latest Mexican poll, Peña scored 33% compared to 22% for the PAN’s Vázquez and 14% for the PRD’s Andrés Manuel López Obrador. All three plan to attend the Pope’s Sunday mass in the city Silao – but it’s Vázquez whose campaign will be praying hardest that Benedict’s Mexico sojourn confers political blessing instead of backlash.
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Diplomatic Visit
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1996–1997 Macedonian protests
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4
Unrest in Gostivar and Tetovo[1] took place on July 9, 1997 in Macedonia. [2]
A new law on local elections was issued in 1996. The Democratic Party of Albanians won candidates in several municipalities in the western of the country. The mayor of Gostivar, Rufi Osmani, and mayor of Tetovo, Alajdin Demiri, displayed the Albanian national flag on municipality buildings despite that it was forbidden according to the Constitution. This led to controversy, and debate in the Macedonian public over whether the government should intervene and take down the Albanian flags. Since June there had been a debate in the parliament about the use of the Albanian flag, some MPs supporting that it be allowed to be hoisted on public holidays and other festivities. The announcement of Macedonian parties that they would take down the flags caused a heated atmosphere in the Albanian community. Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski decided to conduct a police operation to remove the flags. Police raids in Gostivar started at late night, 8 July, when firstly the electricity was turned off, and then the police raided several night bars. The next day, at approximately noon, several thousand people held protests on the Gostivar Square, waving Albanian flags. Mayor Rufi Osmani spoke before the crowd, which chanted various slogans, including "Albania, Albania." The reason for this protest, it was said, was the decision of the Constitutional Court against the use of the Albanian flag in public places in Macedonia. At 15:00, special police units arrived at the municipal building in Gostivar and began removing the flags. Suddenly, there was automatic gunfire throughout the town, forcing the police to respond; four Albanians were killed and mass arrests and chases ensued, leading to chaos. Following the arrests and raids on several houses at the end of the day, the Albanian flag had been taken down, while the Macedonian one had been destroyed by the crowd. The mayors of Gostivar and Tetovo were arrested, and the following days a curfew was in effect in the cities. On 10 July violent demonstrations continued, with gunfire from both ethnic parts in Gostivar, which resulted in the wounding of 70 people, including three policemen. In July, the two main Albanian parties, Party for Democratic Prosperity and National Democratic Party, held a joint assembly in Tetovo, to reinforce the Albanian request. The assembly decided that the Albanians establish their own paramilitary police in black uniforms reminiscent of the Albanian Fascist Militia in World War II. Both mayors, Rufi Osmani and Alajdin Demiri, were sentenced to 13 years in prison for crime against the Constitution. They were later pardoned under the coalition government of VMRO-DPMNE and DPA. Osmani filed a lawsuit against the state at the European Court of Human Rights, which was rejected. Macedonians interpreted this as a function of state law while Albanians have used it as an argument that the government violates their human rights, and that they are oppressed and discriminated against.
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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One of England's most important shipwrecks to be brought back to life in Essex
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Watch a report by ITV News Anglia's Charlie Frost. One of England's most important 17th-century shipwrecks, The London, is being brought back to life by experts. 'The London', is a 17th-century wooden warship, which was once one of the most important vessels in the Commonwealth Navy, sank just off Southend Pier in 1665. Buried at the bottom of the Thames Estuary for 350 years, state-of-the-art technology is being used to digitally map it in a hope that some of the history can be saved. The diving project is funded by Historic England, working with MSDS Marine and Licensee Steve Ellis from the London Shipwreck Trust. It aims to accurately map the layout of the wreck which has been lying in two parts on the seabed. It is one of only three wooden warships of its kind built in 17th century, once was part of the convoy carrying King Charles the second as he returned to reclaim the throne following the death of Oliver Cromwell. But in 1665 when it was on its way to take part in the Second Anglo-Dutch war it accidentally blew up, the gunpowder onboard catching fire, the explosion splitting the ship in two, with 300 lives lost as it sunk to bottom of Thames Estuary. Forgotten for more than 300 years, in 2012 it was re-discovered by Leigh on Sea diving couple Steven and Carol Ellis. Amazing, really amazing. It's a truly different type of dive. We've dived all over the world but this is something else. But even though Steven and Carol know The London like the back of their hands, they jumped at the chance to work with Historic England to digitally map the ship, with the hope the state-of-the-art technology can provide an accurate record before it erodes beyond recognition. The last big excavation of the site seven years ago pulled up many treasures, including a bronze sundial, shoes, and impressively a gun carriage and on their weekly dives Steven and Carol keep making discoveries as the estaury bed begins to expose more of the wreck. That one, the really big one, that container ship will be passing the site soon. How many metres? 150 metres from the site? And you've got another one, another big container ship, outbound, that'll be passing the ship very shortly. So it's the wash and the wake of these ships that's having an effect on the site. Not known for its clear blue waters, the Thames can be a murky dive, 50 centimetre visibility is considered a good day by Steven and Carol. That's why this new tech is even more important, it works like a sat nav tracking the divers. What we need to do is get a better understanding of how the site itself is eroding, which bits are most at risk and therefore how we should be targetting our resources. As every shipping container passes the risk to The London increases, but the hope is, that this new technology can help save, or at the very least record, a special piece of the past, for the future. Inspectors had to intervene after two patients began to deteriorate during their visits to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow.
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Shipwreck
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Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: 'Bullying' couple 'poisoned' boy, 6, with salt
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A "bullying" father and stepmother "poisoned" a six-year-old boy with salt and exposed him to months of "cruel" abuse, a court has heard.
Thomas Hughes and his girlfriend Emma Tustin are jointly accused of murdering Arthur Labinjo-Hughes at her home in Shirley, Solihull, on 17 June 2020.
Prosecutors said his head was "banged repeatedly against a hard surface" causing an "unsurvivable brain injury".
The couple are also accused of multiple counts of child cruelty.
It is alleged Ms Tustin, 32, of Cranmore Road, carried out the fatal assault while in sole care of Arthur and fetched her mobile phone immediately afterwards to take a photograph of the youngster as he lay dying in the hallway.
Prosecutors said despite having her phone, she took 12 minutes to call 999, telling medics Arthur "fell and banged his head and while on the floor banged his head another five times".
Jonas Hankin QC, for the prosecution, told jurors at Coventry Crown Court that Ms Tustin's account included the suggestion "Arthur had headbutted her during the incident" and had treated the couple badly.
Mr Hughes, 29, of Stroud Road, and Ms Tustin allegedly forced Arthur to endure "systematic, cruel behaviour", both "physical and psychological" in the weeks before he died.
One witness said the previously happy and healthy boy looked "as though he were broken" on the day of his death.
The same witness said that when Arthur "secretly" asked him for a drink of water, while Mr Hughes and Ms Tustin were out of the room, "he had to hold [the glass] to Arthur's mouth" because he was "too weak to hold it himself".
Opening the case on Thursday, Mr Hankin said: "His clothes looked dirty, his lips cracked, he could barely open his mouth to speak, his hair was dirty, his nails were dirty and he looked malnourished, gaunt and worn-out."
Arthur was "segregated and isolated" for "up to 14 hours a day", the court was told, often made to stay on the step next to the hallway by the front door, and prevented from having food and drink.
Mr Hankin said the evidence indicated Arthur was isolated and "physically and verbally abused", while access to food and drink were "controlled or restricted".
He told the jury "Arthur was made to sleep on the living room floor" at Ms Tustin's home in Solihull and after his death, "a duvet was found in a cupboard under the stairs".
The jury was told medical evidence revealed the boy died from "head trauma inflicted on him by an adult" and the most likely cause was that he had been "vigorously shaken and his head banged repeatedly against a hard surface".
Notes from hospital doctors who treated him after his collapse revealed he had also been "poisoned with salt" and had suffered extensive bruising.
Ms Tustin took pictures and recorded audio clips and videos of Arthur being punished, sending them to Mr Hughes, jurors were told.
On 6 May 2020, Mr Hughes texted Ms Tustin, telling her: "Tell him not to move a muscle - put him by the fridge, put him outside or wherever, give him away.
"Put him out with the rubbish."
The prosecutor said Ms Tustin recorded more than 200 audio files of Arthur in "various stages of distress".
In some of the recordings he was heard saying: "Please help me, help me uncle, they're not feeding me, I need some food and a drink."
The court was told that in June last year, Mr Hughes told a neighbour: "If you hear anyone saying 'don't kill me', ignore it, I'm not hurting him."
Mr Hankin said emergency services were called to reports Arthur had "sustained a self-inflicted head injury at his stepmother's home address", with paramedics noting a "large bruise" on his forehead.
He suffered a cardiac arrest, but medics got his heart beating and rushed him to Birmingham Children's Hospital.
His head injuries were said to be unsurvivable and Arthur died shortly before 01:00 BST on 17 June.
The jury was told that Arthur had been in the sole care of his father after his natural mother, Olivia Labinjo, was convicted of a killing in February 2019.
On the first day of the trial, Ms Tustin admitted child cruelty by ill-treating, while Mr Hughes denies a similar charge. They each deny murder.
The pair also face an allegation of child cruelty by administering salt to Arthur between 1 and 17 June last year.
Both are also accused of two counts of child cruelty by assault on multiple occasions and also by withholding food and/or drink.
The trial continues.
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk Couple deny six-year-old boy's murder
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Mass Poisoning
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2017 BWF World Championships
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The 2017 BWF World Championships of badminton were held from 21 to 27 August at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland. [1][2][3]
The event was held in Glasgow's Emirates Arena, which can hold 6,000 spectators. [3] When Glasgow hosted the event in 1997 it was held at the Scotstoun Centre. Glasgow originally submitted a bid for the 2017 Sudirman Cup but lost to Gold Coast. The Badminton World Federation awarded the World Championships to Glasgow after the event did not receive appropriate bids. [1]
All times are local (UTC+1). * Host nation (Scotland)
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Sports Competition
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2016 West Virginia flood
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On June 23, 2016, a flood hit areas of the U.S. state of West Virginia and nearby parts of Virginia, resulting in 23 deaths. The flooding was the result of 8 to 10 inches (200 to 250 mm) of rain falling over a period of 12 hours, resulting in a flood that was among the deadliest in West Virginia history. [2] It is also the deadliest flash flood event in the United States since the 2010 Tennessee floods. [3]
On June 23, 2016, thunderstorms brought torrential rain to much of West Virginia, resulting in accumulations of up to 10 in (250 mm) in 12–24 hours. According to meteorologists at the National Weather Service, this rainfall qualifies as a 1,000 year event for parts of Kanawha, Fayette, Nicholas, Summers and Greenbrier counties[citation needed]. Rainfall totals included 9.37 in (238 mm) in Maxwelton and 7.53 in (191 mm) in Rainelle. [4] Two-day accumulations in White Sulphur Springs reached 9.17 in (233 mm). [5] In addition to the torrential rain, the storms produced an EF1 tornado near Kenna in Jackson County. The brief tornado lifted and rolled a single-wide trailer, injuring its two occupants; minor damage occurred elsewhere along its path. [6]
The tremendous rainfall produced widespread and destructive flash floods in the state. The Elk River rose to an all-time high of 33.37 ft (10.17 m), surpassing the previous record of 32 ft (9.8 m) set in 1888. [7] Greenbrier County was the hardest-hit, with at least 15 deaths confirmed. [1] Greenbrier County Sheriff Jan Cahill described the county as "complete chaos". [7] Flooding in White Sulphur Springs destroyed many homes and swept some clean off their foundations. [8] One home was videotaped floating down Howard's Creek while engulfed in flames. [7] The town of Rainelle was especially hard hit, and was described as looking like "a war zone". [9][10]
Many people lost everything, and some people lost their lives.... We’re going to need some real help. This is our Katrina. In Kanawha County, heavy rains washed out a bridge leading to a shopping center near Interstate 79 in Elkview, stranding approximately 500 people for nearly 24 hours. [12] A 47-year-old woman drowned near Clendenin when rising waters from Wills Creek overcame her car. Despite numerous attempts, emergency responders were unable to reach her before her vehicle was swept away. Three other deaths took place near Clendenin, including a hospice patient who drowned after rescuers could not reach her home. [5] At least six people died in Kanawha County. [13]
A 4-year-old boy drowned in Ravenswood, Jackson County, after he was swept away by a swollen creek;[8] the creek, normally only ankle-deep, had risen to 6 ft (1.8 m) due to the rain. [14] An 8-year-old boy drowned in Big Wheeling Creek in Ohio County. [15]
About 500 homes were severely damaged or destroyed in Roane County. [16] In Clay County, the communities of Procious, Camp Creek and others were left in ruins. [17]
At least 60 roads were shut down, many of them swept away. Multiple bridges across the state were destroyed. In Nicholas County, the Cherry River flooded much of Richwood, forcing the evacuation of a nursing home. [4][7] Homes in low-lying areas of the county were flooded up to the roof. [11] Electric utilities reported at one point that 500,000 customers were left without power from the floods. [8]
Record-high and near-record-high waters were reported along the Greenbrier River at Hilldale (25.9 ft (7.9 m) over flood stage) and Ronceverte (23.3 ft (7.1 m) over flood stage), as well as along the New River at Thurmond (19.3 ft (5.9 m) over flood stage). Summersville Lake increased by 43.5 billion gallons between 8 am June 23 and noon June 24. [18]
On June 27, it was announced that two people on a camping trip in Greenbrier County, who were thought to have been swept away in a camper and presumed dead in the flooding, had been found alive. [19]
In the wake of the floods, West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin declared a state of emergency for 44 of the state's 55 counties. [7] He also ordered the deployment of 400 members of the West Virginia National Guard. Search and rescue teams were deployed across the state to assist stranded residents. [13] Numerous swift water and rooftop rescues were conducted. [8] A volunteer firefighter and other residents of White Sulphur Springs used front-end loaders and other heavy machinery to move through debris-laden floodwaters during the overnight of June 23–24 to save 60 people. [14] On June 25, President Barack Obama declared West Virginia a major disaster area, ordering aid to assist victims of the floods in Kanawha, Greenbrier and Nicholas counties. [13] On June 28, Tomblin requested the disaster area be expanded to include Clay, Fayette, Monroe, Pocahontas, Roane, Summers and Webster counties. [20] Five of those counties — Clay, Fayette, Monroe, Roane and Summers — were granted the request. [21]
As a precautionary measure, natural gas service was suspended for White Sulphur Springs in Greenbrier County. [8]
In Fayette County, where there were reports of looters, the sheriff warned would-be thieves that citizens were legally armed and ready to protect what they had left. [22] Law enforcement officials in the county later clarified that such actions were "not sanctioned by the sheriff's department. "[23]
In unaffected parts of the state including Morgantown[24] and Martinsburg,[25] residents collected items to donate to the flood-ravaged areas. The 2016 Greenbrier Classic golf tournament, scheduled to start on July 7, was canceled due to the floods. The Greenbrier Resort, where the tournament is played, was closed indefinitely,[13][26] though available rooms were offered free-of-charge to flood victims in need of shelter. [27] By June 28, about 200 people displaced by the flood were staying at the resort.
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Floods
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West Springfield police charge woman in connection with 2 bank robberies
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WEST SPRINGFIELD — A woman who had been staying at a hotel on Riverdale Street was arrested Monday and charged with robbing two banks in a span of four days, police said. Wendi R. Young is charged with two counts of armed robbery while masked. She was arrested Monday at the Bel-Air Motel, 387 Riverdale St. Police said she had recently been staying at the motel. The charges are related to a robbery Friday at Freedom Credit Union on 58 Union St., and another robbery on Monday at the TD Bank branch at 969 Riverdale St. In each robbery, a masked woman entered the bank, handed a note to a teller in which she claimed to have a gun and demanded cash. In each, the robber made off with an undisclosed amount of cash. No gun was ever shown and no weapon was recovered. Young was taken into custody when police found the car used in the TD Bank robbery parked at the motel. She was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Springfield District Court.
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Bank Robbery
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UNESCO, UNICEF say closed Afghan girls' schools violates fundamental right to education
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Published: 20th September 2021 Both UNESCO and UNICEF said that Afghanistan has made significant gains in education, especially in girls' education, and they should be preserved Representative Image The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) said that closing Afghan girls' schools violates the fundamental right to education. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a statement that if the girls' schools continue to remain closed, it would constitute a significant violation of the fundamental right to education for girls and women. "UNESCO warns about the irreversible consequences if girls are not allowed to return to school at all levels of education swiftly. In particular, the delayed return of girls to secondary school may risk them being left behind in education and ultimately, in life. It increases the risk of dropping out from education altogether and exposes them to negative coping mechanisms such as child marriage. It may further widen the learning disparities between boys and girls, and ultimately hinder girls' access to higher education and life opportunities," Azoulay said. Both UNESCO and UNICEF said that Afghanistan has made significant gains in education, especially in girls' education, and they should be preserved. Azoulay said educated boys and girls will shape the future of Afghanistan and they should equally benefit from the rights to an education. "The future of Afghanistan depends on educated girls and boys. We, therefore, call upon all relevant actors in Afghanistan to ensure that all children have unhindered access to education in the framework of the announced gradual reopening of schools. The right to education for all learners, especially girls, must be upheld at this critical time," she said. In the meantime, UNICEF has also voiced its concerns over the unclear fate of Afghan girls and their education. While welcoming the gradual reopening of schools, UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore said in a statement that "we are deeply worried that many girls may not be allowed back at this time." Fore said the girls must not be left behind and she called on relevant actors to address the problem. "Girls cannot, and must not, be left behind," Fore said. The statement comes as boys' secondary schools reopened on Saturday, but the fate of girls' schools remains unclear. The Taliban education ministry of the caretaker cabinet on Friday announced that male students and teachers should appear in schools but did not mention anything about girls and female teachers. According to UNESCO, Afghanistan has made important gains in the education sector in the past two decades. Since 2001, the female literacy rate has almost doubled from 17 per cent to 30 per cent, and the number of girls in primary school has increased from almost zero in 2001 to 2.5 million in 2018. The number of girls in higher education institutions has increased from 5,000 in 2001 to around 90,000 in 2018.
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Organization Closed
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Highway 125 closes again due to mudslides
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Aerial drone photos shows a mudslide along Colorado Highway 125 between Cabin Creek and Buffalo Creek in Grand County on Wednesday. Multiple mudslides on the burn scar shut the road down overnight. Courtesy Grand County Sheriff’s Office 4:15 p.m. update: After temporarily reopening Thursday, Colorado Highway 125 has shut down again between Trail Creek and County Road 54 (Willowcreek Pass) due to more mudslides in the area. A flash flood warning for part of the East Trouble burn scar was issued Thursday through 5:30 p.m. There is also a flash flood warning through 6:15 p.m. for the Williams Fork burn area. Flash flood warnings mean flooding is imminent or occurring. If you find yourself in a flash flood, head to higher ground immediately. Do not walk or drive through floodwaters. See the most recent updates on road closures at cotrip.org. 12:50 p.m. update: All lanes of Colorado Highway 125 have opened following Wednesday’s mudslides. Original: Multiple mudslides shut down Colorado Highway 125 overnight Wednesday. According to the Grand County Sheriff’s Office, a number of mudslides occurred along Highway 125 that left some motorists stranded between slides for a few hours on Wednesday. The slides occurred between Cabin Creek and Buffalo Creek in Grand County. As of Thursday morning, the road had not yet reopened as crews continue to clear Highway 125. There is no estimated time for reopening, due in part to water that is still draining onto the highway, which may cause additional delays. At least three mudslides were reported, and the prolonged rainstorms over the burn scar Wednesday led to a second significant slide in the same area. Crews worked to clear the highway Wednesday night, but the Colorado Department of Transportation kept the road closed overnight and planned to continue work removing mud and debris Thursday. The motorists that were stopped in between slides were able to clear out. The East Troublesome burn scar and surrounding areas, including Grand Lake, were under a flash flood warning for multiple hours Wednesday night. A warning means that a flash flood is imminent or occurring. Those in a flash flood warning area are advised to move to higher ground immediately. Avoid walking or driving through floodwaters. Burn scars face elevated risk of flooding and mudslides. This is the second time this summer a mudslide has closed Highway 125 overnight. Grand County remains for flash flooding through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. County officials said they will be monitoring monitoring weather patterns for the next few days, which show additional rain in the afternoons. CDOT officials warn that as an ongoing monsoon weather pattern increases flooding and mudslide risks throughout Colorado, travelers need to plan ahead and double-check weather warnings and COtrip.org before hitting the road. Wednesday’s rain closed a number of roads in Colorado and are likely to do so again in the coming days. Weather forecasts from the National Weather Service show the monsoon season will be in full effect during the next 7-10 days. Slow moving storms are anticipated with the ability to drop a significant amount of precipitation. ”These natural disasters are fast-moving and come with force,“ Colorado State Patrol chief Mattew Packard said in a statement. ”Advance preparation can make a big difference in your safety and survival. Pay attention to the weather forecast and stay alert by looking for the landslide signs like unusual sounds, including rocks knocking together or trees cracking.”
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Mudslides
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Three die in mine collapse in Zvimba
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THREE artisanal miners from Newlands in Zvimba district died on Friday when a mine shaft they were working gave in and collapsed. The three were operating from an unregistered shaft under one Mr Mapiki’s plot, some 10km from Chinhoyi towards Banket. Two of the bodies were retrieved on Friday while the last one was retrieved on Sunday night. Mines and Mining Development Deputy Minister, Polite Kambamura confirmed the sad development, adding the death was unfortunate. “As Government, we urged artisanal miners to exercise due diligence in their operations to avoid loss of life as the nation seeks to achieve a US$12 billion mining industry by 2023 in which the artisanal and small scale miners are part of. They should also follow the right procedure including registering the mines,” he said. Another official from the Mines and Mining Development Ministry provincial offices said in terms of mining titles, the area falls within an Exclusive Prospecting Orders (EPO) application number 7of 2019 which is pending processing before the Mining Affairs Board. The Ministry has since ordered the farmer to close all shafts and rehabilitate the whole area.
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Mine Collapses
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2010–2013 Southern United States and Mexico drought
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The 2010–2013 Southern United States and Mexico drought was a severe to extreme drought that plagued the Southern United States, including parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and Oklahoma; the Southwestern States, including Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona; as well as large parts of Mexico, in a three-year pattern from 2010 to 2013. The worst effects were in Texas, which experienced the brunt of the drought and its driest August–July (12-month) period on record from 2010-11. The dry spell in May 2011 was also said to be the worst period of drought in Texas since 1895. [1] The U.S. Drought Monitor reported that Lubbock, Texas has experienced the nation's worst average level of drought since the beginning of 2011. McAllen, Harlingen, Brownsville and Corpus Christi also ranked among the nine U.S. cities most affected by extreme drought. [2] The drought in Texas caused an estimated $7.62 billion in crop and livestock losses, surpassing the previous record loss of $4.1 billion set in 2006. [3]
The drought began due to a strong La Niña developing by the summer of 2010 which brings below average rainfall to the southern United States. The effects of the La Niña could be noticed immediately as much of the south receives important rainfall during the summer, and this was the driest summer for Texas and Georgia in the 21st century thus far, and much of the south received record low rainfall. Throughout 2011, the drought was confined to the Deep South as the mid-south received flooding due to severe weather and tornadoes. However, the drought continued and intensified in the Deep South as Texas saw 2011 become its second-driest year on record, Oklahoma saw its fourth-driest, and Georgia saw its seventh-driest year on record. The winter of 2011–12 was one of the driest winters on record for the eastern and central United States. In the spring of 2012, the drought made a massive expansion from the Deep South to the Midwest, Mid-south, Great Plains, and Ohio valley. At its peak in August 2012 the drought covered approximately 81% of the United States. Throughout the winter of 2012–13, heavy rain and snow brought relief to the drought in the southern and eastern United States, even causing severe flooding. By March 2013, the eastern United States was drought-free, effectively ending the 2010–13 southern U.S. drought. Drought continued on the Great Plains until 2014. However, drought developed in the western United States in 2013 and still exists today in some areas. The drought caused severe lack of water in the southern plains and Rocky Mountains as well as numerous wildfires,[4] in particular the 2011 Texas wildfires, the Wallow Fire and Horseshoe 2 Fire in Arizona, the Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire and Little Bear Fire in New Mexico, and the 2012 Colorado wildfires in Colorado. [citation needed] Mexico also saw serious impact from the drought which decimated crops, killed over a million cattle, and stressed local water and food supplies. The drought has been described as the worst seen in the country in 70 years. [5][6]
By the end of August 2011, a ban on outdoor burning was in effect for 251 of the 254 Texas counties. Lake levels in Texas had declined vastly, some by as much as 50 feet; E.V. Spence Reservoir was[when?] only 1% full. This revealed various previously submerged items, ranging from a Native American's skull to a Space Shuttle Columbia tank. [7] On August 30, several homes in Oklahoma City were destroyed along with 1,500 wooded acres. Hundreds of homes had to be evacuated. [8]
The drought had a detrimental effect on Texas and Oklahoma cattle ranches, who deeply culled their herds and helped cut the national cattle population to the lowest level in decades. [9]
2012 spring rainfall improved conditions in many parts of Texas and by April 12, 2012 only 14% of the state was in "exceptional" drought, compared to 88% at the drought's peak. [10]
In spring and summer of 2012, the drought expanded and formed the 2012 North American drought, affecting more than 80% of the contiguous United States. [11]
In late summer of 2012, the drought eased in portions of the southern US, but continued to intensify in the central US. [citation needed]
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a joint effort of the National Drought Mitigation Center, the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as of late November 2012, about 4 percent of Texas remained in “extreme” or “exceptional” drought, the two most severe categories. [12]
The drought caused billions of dollars in losses throughout the state economy. Farmers and ranchers were among those hardest hit. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service estimates that Texas agricultural producers lost nearly $7.6 billion due to the drought. [12]
Drought and unprecedented heat made 2011 the worst year for wildfires in Texas history. From Nov. 15, 2010 through Sept. 29, 2011, Texas saw 23,835 fires that burned more than 3.8 million acres and destroyed 2,763 Texas homes. [13] Timber lost to drought and wildfire could have produced $1.6 billion worth of products, resulting in a $3.4 billion economic impact in East Texas. [12]
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Droughts
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Man faces multiple charges in relation to afternoon bank robberies
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CALGARY -- A man faces multiple charges in relation to a pair of bank robberies that took place in Calgary on Monday. The first one took place at the TD Bank at 3630 Brentwood Road N.W. Monday at 12:30 p.m., when a man entered the bank wearing sunglasses and a bandana. Once inside, he approached a teller and asked for money, then presented a note demanding money and claiming to be armed. The man left with an undisclosed amount of cash. On Monday afternoon, police believe the same man entered the Bank of Montreal at 6550 Macleod Trail S.W. and demanded money from a teller, while claiming to be armed. A second bank employee overheard the exchange and tried to diffuse it. The suspect then jumped over the bank counter, started yelling for money and assaulted two bank employees. Calgary police officers arrived on scene and were able to arrest the man and take him into custody. Brien David Brooks, 32, faces one count of robbery and one count of disguise while committing an indictable offense in relation to the TD robbery. He also faces three counts of robbery, one count of assault, and one count of possession of weapons dangerous to the public peace in relation to the Bank of Montreal robbery.
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Bank Robbery
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SpaceX's Inspiration4 all-civilian spaceflight: Here's what to know
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Inspiration4 is the third spaceflight by a billionaire in 2021. The other two — both suborbital missions — were the flight of Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson and company employees aboard the Unity 22 mission on July 11, and the flight of Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos and three other passengers (including noted aviator Wally Funk) flew aboard a New Shepard spacecraft on July 20. Like these other two flights, Inspiration4 is largely made up of civilians with no professional space experience, although the crew has undergone basic training to get a sense of what to expect. But this time, the crew will spend three days orbiting the Earth, as opposed to the brief suborbital flights of Bezos and Branson. Learn more about the flight below. What time did SpaceX launch Inspiration4? Inspiration4 lifted off at the start of a five-hour launch window that opened on Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 8:02 p.m. EDT (0002 Sept. 16 GMT). A backup launch window was available on Sept. 16 at 8:05 p.m. EDT (0005 Sept. 17 GMT), but ultimately not needed. SpaceX offered a live launch webcast starting at 3:45 p.m. EDT (1945 GMT) and covering the final four hours before liftoff. You can watch a replay webcast live here , as well as at the top of this page and the Space.com homepage courtesy of SpaceX. Netflix also hosted a special "Countdown to Launch" event hosted by astronauts and celebrities. You can see a replay of that webcast on Netflix's YouTube page . The Inspiration4 crew pose with their Crew Dragon spacecraft. "Teams selected the five-hour launch window based upon weather forecasts for the launch site, along the ascent corridor, and possible landing locations off the coasts of Florida for a safe return of the crew and splashdown a few days later," Inspiration4 mission officials wrote in an update posted Sept. 12. Typically, launch times are subject to things such as space traffic and the weather at both the launching site and any emergency sites nearby. Like other Crew Dragon launches, Inspiration4 will go to space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket . But while other Crew Dragons have flown to the International Space Station, the Inspiration4 mission will not rendezvous with another spacecraft on this orbital mission. In the end, weather conditions were pristine for launch, increasing from a 70% chance of good weather to 90% by launch time. Where did SpaceX launch Inspiration4 from? The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon that will launch the private orbital spaceflight dubbed Inspiration4, as seen during launch preparations. The launch took place from NASA's historic Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 14. SpaceX leases Launch Complex 39A from NASA and has modified the pad for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches. Pad 39A's most famous launch was the Apollo 11 debut moon-landing effort of July 1969, but it also was used throughout the Apollo and space shuttle programs for crewed missions. The space shuttle program retired in 2011, and SpaceX signed a 20-year lease for the pad in April 2014. Spectators wishing to view the launch at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex had to purchase tickets online in advance. For a list of other good places nearby to watch future launches for free, check out NASA's launch viewing tips here . Who is SpaceX flying on Inspiration4? Each of the four crewmembers of Inspiration4 was selected to represent one of the "pillars" of support for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: leadership, hope, generosity and prosperity. The four crew members of Inspiration4 are: Jared Isaacman ("Leadership"), 37, Shift4 Payments founder and CEO. Isaacman also has roughly 6,000 hours accumulated as a private pilot. Isaacman had a lifelong dream of going to space and in media interviews, said he wanted to do so while donating other seats to deserving people. He will serve as the flight's commander. Hayley Arceneaux ("Hope"), 29, a St. Jude physician's assistant and childhood bone cancer survivor from Louisiana (who was also treated at St. Jude as a child). She was selected to represent the charity for which Isaacman plans to raise money. She will be the first person to fly in space with a prosthetic limb. Isaacman personally invited Arcenaux to join the mission as its chief medical officer. Chris Sembroski ("Generosity"), 42, a data engineer for Lockheed Martin from North Carolina. Sembroski is a long-time space enthusiast with amateur experience as an astronomer and a rocketeer. He is a former camp counselor at Space Camp and like many astronauts, is a veteran of the United States Air Force. Sembroski is the winner of a sweepstakes held by Isaacman to raise money for St. Jude. He will serve as a mission specialist. Sian Proctor ("Prosperity"), 51, a geoscientist and science communication specialist who has participated in four space analog missions. Proctor was chosen as the winner of the Shift4Shop competition from Isaacman, which asked entrants to set up an e-commerce site and record a video about their business. Proctor's "Space2Inspire" shop offered postcards and prints of her AfronautSpace art, to spark conversations about women of color in the space industry. Proctor will be the first person from Guam to fly in space, and she will serve as the mission pilot. What is the main Inspiration4 mission for SpaceX? The four civilian astronauts of SpaceX's Inspiration4 mission pose for a group portrait during a dress rehearsal of their planned launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A on Sept. 15, 2021. (Image credit: SpaceX)
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New achievements in aerospace
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Flamengo training ground fire
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The Flamengo training ground fire was a fatal fire incident that occurred at the training grounds of the Brazilian football team Flamengo in the early morning hours of February 8, 2019, killing ten youth players and leaving three injured. [1] The event is also known as Ninho do Urubu fire, as it occurred at the George Helal Training Center, also known as Ninho do Urubu ("Vulture's Nest", in Portuguese), located in the neighborhood of Vargem Grande, in the West Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On the morning of 8 February, a fire erupted at the Ninho do Urubu youth training ground of Flamengo. [2][3] The initial cause of the fire was suspected to be a malfunctioning air-conditioning unit that caught fire in the room of one of the victims close to 5:00. The location of the fire was the temporary living quarters in a newly expanded section of the campus. The fire resulted in the deaths of ten academy players between the ages of 14 and 17 training with the club. Three others were injured. The victims of the fire were Athila Paixão (14), Arthur Vinícius de Barros Silva Freitas (14), Bernardo Pisetta (14), Christian Esmério (15), Jorge Eduardo Santos (15), Pablo Henrique da Silva Matos (14), Vitor Isaías (15), Samuel Thomas Rosa (15), Gerdson Santos (14), and Ryckelmo de Souza Viana (17). Kauan Emanuel Nunes (14 years old), Francisco Diogo Alves (15), and Jhonathan Cruz Ventura (15) were hospitalized with injuries; Jhonathan's condition was the most severe. [4]
Club president Rodolfo Landim described it as "the worst tragedy the club has ever experienced in its 123 years. "[5] The governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro declared a three-day period of mourning following the tragedy. [6] The Campeonato Carioca (Rio de Janeiro state football league) matches scheduled for the following days, including Flamengo's match against rival Fluminense, were postponed. According to the Rio de Janeiro city government, the buildings that the fire occurred in did not have the required permits, and the location is on file as a parking lot. [7]
The state Labor Ministry launched a task force to determine if any preventative actions could have been taken, and to ensure that the families of the victims would be accommodated. [8]
In March, the training ground was reopened. As of March 2021, Flamengo have paid compensations to 9 of 10 fatal victims.
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Fire
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Officials Issue Red Alert for U.S. Volcano Due to Impending Explosions
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The sight of the new, disastrous La Palma volcanic eruption in the Canary Islands is capturing the attention of viewers from all over the world, while this is going on, a volcano closer to the residential area in the U.S. is erupting with new activity, forcing officials to raise a RED alert level. As per the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), ash emanating from the eruption at Semisopochnoi which is still in progress has boosted in both frequency and intensity. Also, satellite imagery reveals an ash cloud at an altitude of approximately 15,000 feet above sea level stretching about 60 miles to the southeast through 05:00. The AVO warns: "Explosions have been observed throughout the day and increased sulfur dioxide gas emissions have been observed in satellite data this afternoon. These observations represent an increase in eruptive activity and Aviation Color Code and Volcano Alert level are being increased to RED/WARNING." On the basis of its position on the globe at 179°46′ East, Semisopochnoi is the land location that is more to the east in North America and the United States, situated about 9.7 miles west of Alaska's 180th Meridian. Semisopochnoi is among the Aleutian Islands, a connection of about 14 great volcanic islands and smaller islands which is about 55 in number. These islands together with their 57 volcanoes form the northernmost portion of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Also Read: Even Minor Volcanic Eruptions Could 'Lead to Global Catastrophe,' New Research Says An area around the rim of the Pacific Ocean where most volcanic eruptions and earthquakes take place is referred to as the Ring of Fire. This occurrence is usually prompted by plate tectonics. Lithospheric plates below and the surrounding of Pacific Ocean propels, collide, and are damaged, bringing about the seismic activity which the Ring of Fire is known for. The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) monitors volcanoes in this parts of the Ring of Fire. AVO is a joint program of the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAFGI), the State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys (ADGGS), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The AVO is almost the same as the Hawaii Volcano Observatory (HVO) who is responsible for monitoring the three active volcanoes in Hawaii: Mauna Loa, Kilauea, and Hualalai. It is also the responsibility of AVO to issue Volcanic Activity Alert Levels and Aviation Codes. Yellow, orange, green, and red are the Aviation Codes. It is simply "unassigned" anytime ground-based instrumentation is not sufficient to decide that a volcano is at a normal background level of activity. While green means normal activity connected with a non-eruptive state, when a volcano is showing signs of increased unrest above known background levels the code becomes yellow. When a volcano shows heightened or rapidly increasing unrest with high possibility of an eruption, it jumps to orange. Lastly, the code becomes red when an eruption is imminent with a remarkable discharge of volcanic ash anticipated in the atmosphere or an eruption is in progress with a significant release of volcanic ash into the atmosphere. Related Article: Experts Warn of 'Explosions and Toxic Gases' if Lava From Volcanic Eruption in Canary Islands Reach Atlantic Ocean
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Volcano Eruption
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1972 Chicago–O'Hare runway collision crash
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On December 20, 1972, North Central Airlines Flight 575 and Delta Air Lines Flight 954 collided on a runway at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. [4][5] Ten people died – all on the North Central aircraft – and 17 were injured in the accident. [1]:1[6] This was the second major airliner accident to happen in Chicago in December 1972; the other was United Airlines Flight 553, which crashed twelve days earlier on approach to Midway Airport. Delta Air Lines Flight 954 was a regularly scheduled flight from Tampa, Florida, to O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois. The crew consisted of Captain Robert E. McDowell (36), First Officer Harry D. Greenberg (31), and Flight Engineer Claude F. Fletcher (29), as well as four flight attendants. Operating Convair CV-880 N8807E, it departed Tampa at 3:41 p.m. EST on December 20, 1972, and made a routine flight to Chicago, where it landed on Runway 14L at O'Hare International Airport at 5:55 or 5:56 p.m. CST. During their approach, the flight crew was informed that Runways 14L and 14R were being used for departures, but were never told that Runway 27L also was being used for departures. [1]:3,15–16
Conditions at the airport were foggy, with a visibility of about one-quarter mile (0.4 km). Upon clearing Runway 14L, Flight 954 began taxiing southwest and south toward the terminal, leaving Runway 14L by way of the Bridge Route taxiway. It had already crossed the north–south bridge that carries the taxiway from Runway 14L to the terminal by the time the first officer contacted O'Hare ground control and reported that the aircraft was "inside [i.e., south of] the bridge", had not yet received a gate assignment, and needed to wait in a holding area until receiving an assignment. The ground controller did not hear the words "inside the bridge," and, assuming Flight 954 had just left the end of Runway 14L and was still well north of the bridge, ambiguously instructed it to hold in the "thirty-two box", meaning in the controller's mind the 32R run-up pad at the southeast end of Runway 14L, where he assumed the plane to be. To reach the 32R run-up pad, Flight 954 would have had to turn around and return to the end of Runway 14L, where it had just landed, taxiing against the flow of traffic; instead, Flight 954's captain and first officer both assumed that the ground controller understood that they were "inside the bridge" and was referring to the 32L run-up pad, which was located at the southeast end of Runway 14R, on the other side of the terminal from the 32R run-up pad. [7] Assuming that they were cleared to taxi to the 32L pad, they proceeded toward it using the Bridge, Outer Circular, and North–South taxiways, via a route that intersected with Runway 27L. [1]:2–3,16
There was no further communication between Flight 954 and the ground controller. This left the ground controller with the assumption that Flight 954 was holding at the 32R run-up pad and in no danger of conflicting with other traffic and the flight crew with the assumption that they were cleared to taxi to the 32L run-up pad and could cross Runway 27L without danger of a collision with aircraft using that runway. Moreover, Flight 954's flight crew had never received word that Runway 27L was an active runway, and had no reason to anticipate encountering other aircraft while taxiing across it. [1]:2–3
North Central Airlines Flight 575 was a regularly scheduled flight originating at O'Hare International Airport and stopping at Madison, Wisconsin, before terminating at Duluth, Minnesota. It was flown by Captain Ordell T. Nordseth (49) and First Officer Gerald Dale Adamson (32). Operating McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 N954N, the flight received clearance from O'Hare ground control at 5:50 p.m. CST to taxi to Runway 27L for departure. At 5:58:52.3 p.m. CST the O'Hare local controller cleared Flight 575 into takeoff position on the runway and at 5:59:18 p.m. CST cleared it for takeoff. At 5:59:24.3 p.m. CST, the captain reported that he was beginning his takeoff roll. [1]:3
As the North Central DC-9 rolled down the runway, visibility was about 1⁄4 mile (400 m). It had reached a speed of about 140 knots (160 mph; 260 km/h) when its captain, peering ahead into the fog just after 6:00:03 p.m. CST, spotted Delta Flight 954 on the runway about 1,600 feet (500 m) ahead. At 6:00:07.2 p.m. CST, Flight 575's captain gave the order "Pull 'er up!" and he and the first officer pulled back on their control columns in an attempt to lift their DC-9 over the Delta CV-880. [1]:3,15 Although the DC-9 lifted into the air, it was too late to avoid contact with the CV-880, and the two aircraft collided at 6:00:08.3 p.m. CST. [1]:3,7[8]
The DC-9 tore off substantial portions of the CV-880's left wing and vertical stabilizer and caused three major compressions in the aft portion of its fuselage. The DC-9's right main landing gear detached during the collision, as did a flap from its right wing. [1]:8
After the collision, the captain of Flight 575 determined that his DC-9 could not remain airborne, and attempted to land back on the runway. When he did, the plane's two remaining landing gear collapsed rearward, and the DC-9 skidded on its belly off Runway 27L, across a grassy area, and onto Runway 32L, where it came to rest. It immediately burst into flames. [1]:3,8–9
The crew of Flight 954 apparently were unaware of the approaching DC-9 until hearing it strike their CV-880, and did not see the DC-9 until the first officer observed it crashing on the runway beyond them. [1]:8
The North Central aircraft involved, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 N954N, had been completed on December 27, 1967. It was destroyed in the collision. [1]:28[9]
The Delta aircraft involved, Convair CV-880 N8807E, had been completed on July 25, 1960. It was substantially damaged. [1]:28[10]
Immediately after the collision, the captain of Flight 954 received reports of a fire aboard the CV-880; he shut down the engines and ordered an immediate emergency evacuation. The crew opened the four emergency doors and deployed the emergency slides, and all aboard the plane were successfully evacuated in about five minutes without further incident. [1]:8
After the DC-9 came to rest on Runway 32L, a fire broke out in the aft part of the plane, the cabin rapidly filled with smoke, and interior illumination in the passenger cabin was poor. The captain pulled the fire extinguisher handles and ordered an emergency evacuation. One passenger opened the right overwing door and escaped that way. One flight attendant opened the left overwing exit, exited the aircraft, and called on passengers to follow her; four passengers escaped via this door. The other flight attendant opened the main entry door and deployed the emergency slide, which did not inflate; she then was pushed out the door, but assisted passengers off the plane from outside the doorway. The captain entered the passenger cabin from the cockpit, calling passengers to come forward, then exited the plane via the main entry door and helped them to the ground before reboarding to assist more passengers off through the main door. The first officer escaped through a cockpit window and assisted passengers out of the aircraft from outside the plane at the main entry door. A total of 27 passengers exited via the main entry door. [1]:11
Due to the foggy conditions and limited visibility at the airport, it took controllers nearly two minutes to determine that something had happened to North Central Flight 575. Once they did, they alerted the Chicago Fire Department, which arrived at the scene on Runway 32L about a minute later, three minutes after the crash. [1]:19–20 Employing 11 crash and fire vehicles and two ambulances, the fire department extinguished the fire in about 16 minutes at around 6:19 p.m.
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Air crash
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Christina Ricci Marries Mark Hampton After Announcing Pregnancy: See Wedding Photos
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They went to the chapel! Christina Ricci revealed she married Mark Hampton less than two months after announcing they were expecting a child together. Ricci, 41, announced their marriage on Saturday, October 9, when she shared wedding photos of herself and the hairstylist, 37, via Instagram. “Mr. and Mrs. ?❤️??,” she captioned the first photo. The wedding photos were selfies taken under an arch of roses. Hampton wore a button-down shirt with no tie or jacket, and Ricci donned a similar collared top. The Now and Then star finished off her wedding day look with teardrop earrings and a sleek low ponytail with sideswept bangs. She similarly captioned the second snap, “Also Mr. and Mrs. ?♥️?♥️?.” For his part, Hampton tagged the location as Los Angeles and captioned his Instagram wedding photo , “#justmarried.” Their friends immediately started sending their well wishes in the comments section. “Congratulations!” Kelly Ripa wrote. “What fantastic news! ???.” Christina Ricci and Mark Hampton. Courtesy of Christina Ricci/Instagram Wandavision star Kat Dennings , who got engaged to Andrew WK earlier this year, added, “Oh my god yay!!!!!!!!!” Helena Christensen also sent her congratulations with a series of heart and clapping emojis. Designer Christian Siriano , stylist Brad Goreski , Lucifer star and fellow newlywed Inbar Lavi and Big Sky actress Anja Savcic also sent their best to the bride and groom. The wedding comes less than two months after Ricci revealed she was pregnant . The Sleepy Hollow actress revealed the baby news with ultrasound photos. Read article “Life keeps getting better,” the actress captioned the snaps via Instagram. At Awesome Con in late August, Ricci told the Washington, D.C. audience that she was enjoying her pregnancy, despite some irritating side effects. “I feel good. I have really terrible acid reflux right now. My ankles are the size of my neck. But other than that, I’ve been pretty good,” she said during a Q&A session . “I”m still doing lots of stuff. I run every day.” This is her second child and her first child with Hampton. She shares son Freddie, 7, with ex-husband James Heerdegen . She married the film producer in 2013 before filing for divorce in July 2020 . Ricci was granted sole custody of Freddie while Heerdegen received visitation rights. Ricci added during her convention appearance that her second pregnancy had some noticeable differences from the first. “Last time, I had a very different pregnancy,” she explained. “I gained about a hundred pounds because it was the polar vortex and I just stayed inside and ate. Also, I was, like, a 34-year-old actress who hadn’t seen a carb in 5 years, so you know, I got really excited. A little too excited.”
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Famous Person - Marriage
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Natural gas lines purged at site of Dunwoody apartment explosion
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Atlanta Gas Light crews returned to the Arrive Perimeter apartment complex Tuesday, more than two weeks after an explosion damaged a building and displaced dozens of Dunwoody residents.
Utility crews and DeKalb County firefighters purged any remaining natural gas from the lines leading to the complex, an Atlanta Gas Light spokeswoman said. Attorneys representing more than six dozen tenants were also on scene, fearful the owners of the complex would demolish the damaged building before their own investigation into the explosion is complete.
Atlanta attorney Chris Stewart said his law firm hopes to bring in independent contractors to examine ongoing complaints of gas leaks in the weeks and months leading up to the Sept. 12 blast. The explosion injured at least four people and resulted in evacuation orders for the entire complex.
“There was something filed by them, but the building wasn’t demolished today,” Stewart said. “We have not had a chance to have our experts come out, and we’re very concerned that it was not going to be a fair and impartial investigation ... We want to get experts out there to see the original condition of the building.”
A Dunwoody city spokeswoman confirmed that plans have been submitted for a partial demolition of the damaged building. It’s unclear, however, how long that process could take. Dunwoody officials are awaiting approval from both the DeKalb County Fire Marshals Office and the complex’s insurance company before signing off on the demolition permit, a process that could take several days, according to Jennifer Boettcher, the city’s communications director.
“I believe they just intend to demolish the units that were damaged,” she said.
Stewart said his law firm has been in touch with Arrive Perimeter’s attorneys and is trying to get approval to bring in their own investigators before any units are demolished.
“We’re working that out now,” he said Tuesday afternoon, adding that a request for an emergency injunction to halt any demolition was filed Tuesday morning after attorneys learned the building could be torn down.
The explosion blew apart the front side of one of the complex’s three buildings and damaged surrounding buildings. Of the four residents injured in the blast, one had a severe burn and one suffered a broken leg, DeKalb fire officials said. Two others were treated for relatively minor injuries.
Several residents complained of smelling gas in the hallway and parking garage for weeks leading up to the explosion, but attorneys for some of the tenants say the complex didn’t take those complaints seriously. An Atlanta Gas Light technician was en route to the apartment complex when the explosion occurred, officials said.
At least one resident submitted a maintenance request about the smell earlier that day, according to screenshots obtained Tuesday by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The request was made about 10:30 a.m., approximately three hours before the blast.
“Gas in the hallway really bad,” the tenant wrote in his service request. “Smells like if you lit a match the building would go up.”
Gas was shut off to the entire complex following the explosion after Atlanta Gas Light inspectors discovered “appliance and fuel line issues within the buildings.” Some residents were given temporary hotel rooms until the issues could be fixed, but the 400-plus tenants were told Friday they had until Oct. 31 to pack their belongings and find a new place to live.
“It has become apparent that we will not be able to quickly return gas service to our residents,” the letter read. “We, unfortunately, cannot commit to a reasonable timeline to restore hot water, heat or functional gas ranges, and without a clear date of that return of gas service, we feel that the prudent action is to vacate the property.”
Arrive Perimeter said it is limiting move-outs to just 15 per day ahead of the Halloween deadline, according to the letter. None of the remaining residents are being charged rent, and any fees associated with breaking a lease have been waived. The complex said it will continue to put up some of the displaced residents in nearby hotel rooms, but only through the end of September.
Officials from the gas company said all parties are “doing their best to restore service as quickly as is safely possible,” but that the gas won’t be reconnected until each unit is inspected and deemed safe by the city of Dunwoody.
“We are saddened by the events of this past week as both our residents and staff were directly impacted,” the complex wrote in Friday’s letter to residents. “You will not be charged rent for the balance of your tenure at Arrive Perimeter and we hope we can fully open and safely serve our community within the coming months.”
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Gas explosion
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UPDATE: 1 dead after carbon monoxide poisoning in Lubbock home, FMO investigating
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by: Staff | newsweb@everythinglubbock.com LUBBOCK, Texas– One person is dead and another was transported to the hospital after reports of carbon monoxide poisoning in a Lubbock home on Thursday.
At approximately 9:00 a.m., Lubbock Fire Rescue responded to the incident in the 3100 block of 3rd Street. Police and EMS also responded. According to LFR, someone came to the home and found both parents unresponsive. One of the parents was able to wake up and was taken to a hospital. LFR later confirmed that the other parent was dead, and there were no other updates on the parent taken to the hospital.
The cause of death will be determined by the Medical Examiner, according to LFR.
The residents were using a wall heater unit and also had their gas stove burners lit. LFR said there were high levels of carbon monoxide found inside the home, and the house did not have a carbon monoxide detector. Family members of the couple in the house told reporters that when they went to check on them, they could immediately smell smoke, which got stronger as they went further into the home.
The case remained under investigation Wednesday by the Fire Marshal’s Office. LFR and Atmos Energy said they see gas leaks and carbon monoxide cases increase every year during the winter season and urged people to refrain from using stoves, as well as appliances like outdoor grills, to warm homes. Instead, they suggested using space heaters or electrical heaters, and they asked everyone to get their heating appliances checked regularly as well as install carbon monoxide detectors. The call initially was reported as a gas leak. After officials responded and learned more information, they determined it was a situation with carbon monoxide.
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Mass Poisoning
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Northeast Airlines Flight 946 crash
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Northeast Airlines Flight 946 was a domestic U.S. flight from Boston, Massachusetts, to Montpelier, Vermont, with a scheduled stop in Lebanon, New Hampshire, operated by Northeast Airlines. On October 25, 1968, some time during the evening, the Fairchild Hiller FH-227 aircraft crashed on Moose Mountain while descending on approach. The crash killed 32 of 42 passengers and crew. Of the fatalities, four were employees from the National Life Insurance Company who were returning from a business trip. The fatalities also included a reporter for the Barre Daily Times and six social workers of the Vermont Head Start Supplementary Training Program on a conference trip. Ten passengers survived the crash with minor or moderate injuries. After the crash, Northeast Airlines continued flight service until its merger with Delta Air Lines in the early 1970s. The crew of Flight 946 consisted of a crew of three, including a pilot, copilot and flight attendant. [1] Captain John A. Rapsis, 52, had been a pilot for Northeast Airlines since 1957 and had over 15,000 hours of flight experience. The copilot, John C. O'Neil, 29, was hired in 1967 and was less experienced. [2] The flight attendant, Betty Frail, survived the crash. [3]
At 5:42 p.m. EST, Northeast Airlines Flight 946 left Logan International Airport towards its first stop in Lebanon, New Hampshire. [1] Upon being cleared for the instrument approach, the flight crew Flight Service Station at Lebanon advised the crew that the weather was "an estimated ceiling of 2,000 feet overcast; visibility was 10 miles; there were breaks in the overcast. "[1] The National Transportation Safety Board stated in its report that the flight was "routine" until the plane approached Lebanon Municipal Airport, which is located in a valley, surrounded by nearby hills. At 6:11 p.m. EST, the pilots radioed the control tower that they were executing a standard approach maneuver before preparing to land. Air Traffic Control replied and gave the crew weather, visibility and other information regarding conditions at the airport. [2] Moments after that transmission, the plane crashed into the side of Moose Mountain and disintegrated. The impact killed 30 of the 39 passengers and two of the crew members (31 on impact, one later). Emergency personnel arrived at the crash scene about 90 minutes afterwards. [4] [5]
Ten survivors were taken to the Mary Hitchcock Hospital, at least one in critical condition, and the hospital authorities said that no more injured were expected. The injured were lifted from the crash scene by helicopters and taken to the green in the center of the Dartmouth College campus, where fire engines and other vehicles lighted the grassy area for an emergency landing pad. The plane carried 39 passengers and three crew members, Northeast said. The military authorities participating in the rescue operation said that bad weather had complicated matters. It was raining at the crash scene, with snow at higher altitudes, and freezing temperatures were expected. Persons at the scene said that the plane had crashed on the north side of the mountain about 60 feet (20 m) from the top. Heavy woods and ledges forced rescue workers to hike to the wreckage. Helicopters not only brought out the injured, but also ferried in doctors while a bulldozer struggled to clear a path to the plane. Newsmen attempting to reach the scene of the crash on Moose Mountain were blocked at the base by the New Hampshire State Police. Only the police, firemen and other rescue workers were allowed up the mountain. [3]
The passengers who survived the crash were at the rear of the plane and were able to escape the wreckage through the rear emergency exit or through the fractures in the fuselage. [2]
During its investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board reported that the plane was flying 600 feet (180 m) below its required altitude. It is unclear why the pilots made the decision to fly at the low altitude, because both the black box[specify] and the flight data recorder were badly damaged in the crash. However, the NTSB suggested in its finding in 1970 that the pilots misjudged their altitude position during approach and there were no navigational aids in the aircraft or near the airport. [2]
Officials at the New Hampshire Aeronautics Commission charged that the FAA had ignored repeated warnings about installing an ILS navigational approach at Lebanon Municipal Airport and that installing such system might have prevented the crash. [6]
The crash affected the struggling Northeast Airlines, as it was the fifth airline crash in its 25-year history. At the time of the crash, the airline had lost four planes and 38 passengers and crew. The airline would continue to operate independently until its merger with Delta Air Lines in the 1970s. [7]
The president of National Life held a memorial for its employees who died in the crash. [2]
Coordinates: 43°43.3′N 72°8.8′W / 43.7217°N 72.1467°W / 43.7217; -72.1467
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Air crash
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'Many will starve': locusts devour crops and livelihoods in Pakistan
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Farmers faced with worst plague in recent history say they have been left to fend for themselves Mir Gul Muhammad, a farmer in Balochistan province, was blunt. “The worst that we have ever seen, ever, in our whole life,” he said of the swarms of locusts that descended on his village of Gharok. “I cultivated around 50 acres of cotton crops and all of them have been eaten and destroyed by locusts,” he said. “Besides cotton, my other crops – onion, chilli and tomato – have been affected badly too. It is a loss of around 10m rupees [£51,000]. As a farmer, it will take years to recover from this loss.” Farmers across Pakistan are suffering the worst plague of locusts in recent history, which has caused billions of dollars in damage and led to fears of long-term food shortages. The Pakistani government declared a national emergency this year after the locusts began to decimate winter crops. The first swarm came from the United Arab Emirates in mid-2019, and in the next few weeks time a new infestation is expected to arrive from Iran. Muhammad said he had no means of dealing with locusts and that the government was in “deep slumber” about farmers’ plight. “The government is not doing anything. It’s a helpless situation,” he said. One of the worst hit provinces is Sindh, where Moti Lal said his livelihood was destroyed last week in one fell swoop. “All my green crops, such as wheat and mustard, were attacked and ruined by locusts,” he said. “We had borrowed 40,000 rupees [£400] through micro-financing schemes to invest in farming. Now, all that amount is gone.” Pakistan will incur losses of about £2bn in winter crops, such as wheat, and a further £2.3bn in the summer crops being planted now, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This will be economically devastating for a country where agriculture accounts for 20% of GDP and 65% of the population live and work in agricultural areas. Pakistan is already suffering from crippling inflation, which is now at a 12-year high, and the unprecedented economic burden imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. The cost of flour and vegetables had already risen 15% this year, and the locust infestation could make even basic food staples unaffordable. Ismail Rahoo, state minister of agriculture for Sindh, described the plague as a “dangerous and catastrophic threat to the economy, agriculture and food security in Pakistan”. “This year it will be ten times worse than last year. They are attacking from three sides,” he said. “The locusts and their eggs have now covered 50,000 square kilometres of farmland. We are expecting them to infest more than 5m hectares. And they are not just attacking Sindh province, but also the agricultural areas of Punjab and Balochistan.” Heavy rains on the Arabian peninsula in 2019 triggered explosive growth in the locust population, and they began causing problems in India, Pakistan and a number of African countries last year. The second generation is 20 times bigger. Locusts move in swarms of up to 50 million, can travel 90 miles a day, and lay as many as 1,000 eggs per square metre of land. Rahoo said the federal government had ignored various requests to spray pesticide from the air, something he said the Sindh state government did not have the resources to do. Muhammad Akram Dashti, a senator from Balochistan, gave a speech in parliament in May 2019 urging the federal government to start preparing for the locust plague that had just emerged in his province. “It could have been prevented,” he said. “I raised this issue when it was confined to a division of Balochistan province. It’s the responsibility of federal government to help farmers against such destruction, but the federal government didn’t take it seriously. I requested for spraying of crops times and again. Nothing happened.”
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Insect Disaster
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SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant causes twice the hospitalisations of Alpha
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In the most extensive investigation of its kind, researchers at Public Health England and the MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, examined over 40,000 COVID-19 cases, identifying that the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant causes twice the estimated risk of hospitalisations of the Alpha variant. The study included both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. The team confirmed this harrowing statistic through virus genome sequencing, adjusting for differences in cases such as sex, age, ethnicity, deprivation, region of residence, date of a positive test, and vaccination status. Furthermore, when widening the scope to assess the risk of hospital admission or the requirement of emergency care, the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was 1.45 times higher than the Alpha. The study is published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases For their investigation, the team compiled 43,338 SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Alpha cases from people who tested positive for COVID-19 between March 29 and May 23, 2021. Furthermore, it is notable that the majority of the study subjects were either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, with 74% being unvaccinated, 24% partially vaccinated, and 2% fully vaccinated. This means that the study’s findings illustrate the potential risk of hospital admission for those who are only partially vaccinated or unvaccinated. Due to the minimal number of hospitalised vaccinated cases, it is impossible to accurately calculate the difference in hospitalisation rates between the SARS-CoV-2 Delta and alpha variants. In multiple higher-income and lower-income countries around the globe, the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant is the most common of COVID-19, equating to 99% of new cases in England. This indicates just how dire the consequences of future Delta variant outbreaks could be for healthcare services, meaning that advances in healthcare practice, planning, and response will need to be made. The study signifies that these effects will be felt most significantly in unvaccinated or partially vaccinated populations. According to prior studies, Delta and Alpha spread much more rapidly than other variants. This means that the combined effects of their quick dissemination and high risk of hospitalisation in severe cases in unvaccinated populations will place an immense burden on healthcare services during outbreaks. Nevertheless, further investigations have demonstrated that widely available COVID-19 vaccines are proficient in combatting symptomatic infections against both variants, especially for those with a full vaccination cycle of two doses, protecting those who are infected from hospitalisation. Dr Anne Presanis, the Senior Statistician at the MRC Biostatistics Unit, said: “Our analysis highlights that in the absence of vaccination, any Delta outbreaks will impose a greater burden on healthcare than an Alpha epidemic. Getting fully vaccinated is crucial for reducing an individual’s risk of symptomatic infection with Delta in the first place, and, importantly, of reducing a Delta patient’s risk of severe illness and hospital admission.” Dr Gavin Dabrera, a Consultant Epidemiologist at Public Health England, said: “This study confirms previous findings that people infected with Delta are significantly more likely to require hospitalisation than those with Alpha, although most cases included in the analysis were unvaccinated. “We already know that vaccination offers excellent protection against Delta, and as this variant accounts for over 99% of COVID-19 cases in the UK, it is vital that those who have not received two doses of vaccine do so as soon as possible. It is still important that if you have COVID-19 symptoms, stay home and get a PCR test as soon as possible.”
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Disease Outbreaks
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COVID-19: Patients with mild symptoms may hesitate to see a doctor; experts urge public to be vigilant
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SINGAPORE: Many who fall sick with milder respiratory symptoms may hesitate to see a doctor immediately because they are not sure if they are really ill, said doctors and experts.
“It's quite common for someone in the early phase of symptom onset to be unsure whether it’s the start of a cold or whether it’s just, say, a dry throat from being a bit dehydrated,” said vice-dean of research at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Associate Professor Alex Cook.
“What would trigger me to check it out would be if I had multiple symptoms, so it’s probably an infection and not fatigue or something, or if the symptom persisted longer than a day or two. In that case, it’s important to go get it checked out.”
This comes after it was revealed that several cases linked to the police para-veterinarian at the K-9 unit, or the Case 59280 cluster, had developed possible COVID-19 symptoms but had not sought medical treatment.
On Sunday (Jan 17), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that Case 59365, a 44-year-old male Singaporean, an administrative officer who works at the same location as the police para-vet developed a dry throat on Jan 7 but had not sought medical treatment.
A 44-year-old female Singaporean who is a family member of the administrative officer also developed a fever and chills on Jan 9, and subsequently loss of smell and taste on Jan 13, but had also not sought medical treatment.
Another two cases related to the cluster announced on Monday - the spouse and another family member of the administrative officer - had also developed symptoms, including a loss of taste, respiratory symptoms and diarrhoea, but did not seek medical treatment.
On Tuesday, MOH reported an 8-year-old male Singaporean - the child of the administrative officer and his spouse - tested positive for COVID-19, after developing a fever while in quarantine. The primary school student is the seventh person linked to the K-9 unit cluster.
Two cases reported on Wednesday had continued to go to work despite being ill with symptoms like sore throat, difficulty breathing and loss of smell and taste. They were part of a new workplace cluster involving four colleagues.
"We strongly urge everyone to do their part to reduce the risk of transmission. Those who are unwell, including those showing early/mild symptoms, should be socially responsible and seek medical attention immediately," said MOH on Tuesday.
READ: What we know so far about the COVID-19 cluster linked to the police para-vet
SOME PATIENTS STILL FEEL WELL
Doctors and experts CNA spoke to said that many patients with mild symptoms may not want to see a doctor just yet because they still feel well and do not want to be exposed to sick people at the clinic.
“It takes effort to make an appointment, travel there and wait. Another reason is lack of awareness, some may think that people with COVID-19 should have fever with cough at least,” said Dr Ling Li Min, an infectious diseases physician at the Rophi Clinic.
In general, patients with mild acute respiratory infection symptoms often do not visit the doctor immediately, said Dr John Cheng, head of primary care at Healthway Medical Group.
“Even in pre-pandemic times, many prefer to monitor their conditions at home first before heading to the clinic,” he said.
“Right now, there are various reasons as to why some patients may delay seeking medical help. Some reasons include the fear of taking a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test, the inconvenience posed by the five-day MC, or even simply to avoid going to the clinic for minor illnesses to reduce the risk of exposure.”
But there are also patients who visit clinics immediately when they feel ill as they would rather not risk developing a more severe infection or infect their loved ones, said Dr Cheng.
NUS's Assoc Prof Cook told CNA: “Outside of the pandemic, it’s not unusual to ‘tahan’ mild colds or flus, to use folk remedies or over-the-counter medication, and wait for it to resolve by itself, which most respiratory infections do.”
Making masks mandatory and symptom screening at companies reduces the risk from people who are asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic - exhibiting a few symptoms - but continue their day to day lives, he added.
“Obviously it’s better to reduce your activity if you know you have a symptom of cold or flu but haven’t yet gone to the doctor," said Assoc Prof Cook.
The symptoms may also be similar to regular allergies or other non-infectious causes of cough, sore throat or running nose, said president of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Paul Tambyah.
"That is why it is best to go to the same GP or have a regular doc who will know if you are someone with a tendency for allergic rhinitis or some other cause for the symptoms."
Medical leave entitlements are also a worry for patients with mild symptoms, said Dr Lim Kim Show, a family physician at Life Family Clinic.
"Some of them would not want to get extended medical leave because that may actually affect the medical leave entitlement for the year,” he added.
Noting that for patients who present with mild acute respiratory infection symptoms and are asked to take the swab test, Dr Lim said doctors will issue medical leave of three to five days to ensure the patients get enough rest and to wait for the results of the swab test.
“So that three to five days of medical leave actually do affect the decision of some patients not to come forward at the first instinct of having any respiratory symptoms,” he added.
READ: COVID-19: Pilot to reopen nightclubs, karaoke outlets delayed amid rise in community cases
STAY VIGILANT AND SEE A DOCTOR
While many with mild symptoms might hesitate to visit a doctor, experts and doctors urged individuals to stay vigilant and go for a check-up if symptoms do arise.
“I’m quite sure that, right now, most people with mild cold or flu symptoms do not actually have COVID-19, but some other infection,” said Assoc Prof Cook.
“However, the risk is there, as in the police admin officer’s case, and while most mild COVID-19 infections will resolve on their own, there’s a real and substantial risk that it might spread to someone vulnerable who could be much more seriously ill.”
It can be "tricky" to decide when to see a doctor when the patient has non-specific symptoms, said Dr Tambyah.
For example, if the patient has any links to or is working in a high-risk profession in contact with travellers, they should take minor symptoms a bit more seriously and see their regular general practitioner who can make an assessment based on examination and the patient's history, he added.
"I think that the best approach is to rest for a day and if not better the following day, see a doctor. Of course, if one works for a company which requires an MC for even a day of rest, then there is no choice but to see the doctor on the first day and potentially get a swab and a three-day SHN (stay-home notice)."
“I would urge people even with mild symptoms to be tested straight away. We clearly have a problem and now is the time to stamp it out,” said Professor Dale Fisher, senior consultant at NUH and Chair of the WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.
If an individual tests positive, this gives contact tracers a chance to find any other cases, he said, adding that unlinked community cases are “very dangerous” and need to be found quickly.
“Of course most people aren’t very sick so it’s easy just to rest. But in the interests of not allowing COVID-19 to pick up again in Singapore, then being diagnosed is crucial,” said Prof Fisher.
“I know most of us would not like the isolation if found to be positive but it really is for the community good. I think it’s a critical point at the moment.”
Individuals should look out for symptoms including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, pains, loss of taste or smell, runny nose, said Dr Ling. They may also have nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea.
“The message is any acute respiratory symptom with or without fever, regardless of severity, (they should) see a doctor,” he added.
A loss of taste and smell are “characteristic symptoms” of COVID-19, since these do not usually occur with other viruses, said Assoc Prof Cook.
“But it’s important to remember you don’t have to have one of those hallmark symptoms for it to be COVID-19: The symptom profile overlaps a lot with that of influenza or common cold viruses, so the only way to be sure is through a test.”
Additional reporting by Soon Wei Lin.
Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
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Famous Person - Sick
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Ash Wednesday bushfires
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3700 homes and buildings lost
The Ash Wednesday bushfires, known in South Australia as Ash Wednesday II,[3] were a series of bushfires that occurred in south-eastern Australia on 16 February 1983, which was Ash Wednesday. Within twelve hours, more than 180 fires fanned by winds of up to 110 km/h (68 mph) caused widespread destruction across the states of Victoria and South Australia. [4] Years of severe drought and extreme weather combined to create one of Australia's worst fire days in a century. [5] The fires became the deadliest bushfire in Australian history until the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009. In Victoria, 47 people died. There were 28 deaths in South Australia. This included 14 CFA and 3 CFS volunteer fire-fighters who died across both states that day. [6][7] Many fatalities were as a result of firestorm conditions caused by a sudden and violent wind change in the evening which rapidly changed the direction and size of the fire front. [8][9] The speed and ferocity of the flames, aided by abundant fuels and a landscape immersed in smoke, made fire suppression and containment impossible. [10] In many cases, residents fended for themselves as fires broke communications, cut off escape routes and severed electricity and water supplies. [11] Up to 8,000 people were evacuated in Victoria at the height of the crisis and a state of disaster was declared for the first time in South Australia's history. [6][8] More than 35 townhouses were burned in a small town in Victoria. Ash Wednesday was one of Australia's worst fires
. [12] More than 3,700 buildings were destroyed or damaged and 2,545 individuals and families lost their homes. Livestock losses were very high, with more than 340,000 sheep, 18,000 cattle and numerous native animals either dead or later destroyed. [13] A total of 4,540 insurance claims were paid totalling A$176 million with a total estimated cost of well over $400 million (1983 values) for both states or $1.3 billion in adjusted terms (2007). [1][14]
The emergency saw the largest number of volunteers called to duty from across Australia at the same time—an estimated 130,000 firefighters, defence force personnel, relief workers and support crews. [15]
On Ash Wednesday in 1980 during a virtually rainless summer after a very wet spring in 1979, bushfires swept through the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, destroying 51 houses. [16] These fires were referred to as "Ash Wednesday" until the 1983 fires, which became notorious nationwide. As 1982 came to a close, large areas of eastern Australia lay devastated by a prolonged drought thought to be caused by the El Niño climatic cycle. In many places, rainfall over winter and spring had been as little as half the previous record low[17] in a record dating back to the 1870s[18] and severe water restrictions were imposed in Melbourne in November. On 24 November, the earliest Total Fire Ban in forty years was proclaimed in Victoria. By February 1983, summer rainfall for Victoria was up to 75% less than in previous years. The first week of February was punctuated by intense heat, with record high temperatures experienced on 1 and 8 February. This combination further destabilised an already volatile fire situation in the forested upland areas surrounding the Victorian and South Australian capitals of Melbourne and Adelaide. Victorian Government firefighting agencies employed extra staff and organised for extra equipment and aircraft to be ready for firefighting over the summer. The first big bushfire occurred on 25 November 1982 and was followed by large fires on 3 and 13 December 1982. Even before 16 February, fires were already causing destruction in Victoria. An ongoing fire near Cann River in the state's east had been burning uncontrolled for almost a month. Prior to that, a major bushfire on 8 January had taken hold north of Bacchus Marsh in the Wombat State Forest where two Forest Commission workers lost their lives defending Greendale. On 1 February 1983, a fire burnt the north face of Mount Macedon and areas of state forest. [19] Fifty houses were destroyed. These fires were already creating a strain on firefighting resources. In the 1982/83 season, 3500 fires were reported to the CFA in Victoria alone. [9]
An ominous sign of things to come occurred on the afternoon of 8 February, when Melbourne was enveloped by a giant dust storm. The dust cloud was over 300 metres high and 500 kilometres long and was composed of an estimated 50,000 tonnes of topsoil from the drought-ravaged Wimmera and Mallee areas of north-west Victoria. Leading a dry cool change and preceded by record temperatures, the dust storm cut visibility in Melbourne to 100 metres, creating near darkness for almost an hour. [20]
There was also a dust storm in Adelaide on the day of the bushfires. [21]
Wednesday 16 February dawned as another unrelentingly hot, dry day. The weather early on Ash Wednesday was complex and did not signify how the day would develop. A front separated hot, dry air coming in from the interior to the north, from cooler air moving eastwards from the Southern Ocean. Ahead of the front were hot, turbulent, gale force northerly winds. Temperatures around Melbourne and Adelaide quickly rose above 43 °C, with winds gusting up to 100 km/h and relative humidity plunging to as low as 6 per cent. From mid-morning, McArthur's fire danger index was in excess of 100 in several places in Victoria and South Australia. [22] It would be one of the worst fire weather days in south-east Australia since the disastrous Black Friday bushfires in 1939. [23]
The first fire was reported at 11:30 am at McLaren Flat, south of Adelaide. Within hours, multiple reports of breaking fires quickly began to deluge Victoria's and South Australia's emergency services. In Victoria alone, 180 fires were reported, eight of which became major fires. At one stage, the entire Melbourne metropolitan area was encircled by an arc of fire. Property loss began early in the afternoon, particularly in the Adelaide Hills, east of Adelaide and the Dandenong Ranges, east of Melbourne.
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Fire
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2008 Chatsworth train collision
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The Chatsworth train collision occurred at 4:22:23 p.m. PDT (23:22:23 UTC) on Friday, September 12, 2008, when a Union Pacific freight train and a Metrolink commuter train collided head-on in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The scene of the accident was a curved section of single track on the Metrolink Ventura County Line just east of Stoney Point. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which investigated the cause of the collision, the Metrolink train ran through a red signal before entering a section of single track where the opposing freight train had been given the right of way by the train dispatcher. The NTSB blamed the Metrolink train's engineer, 46-year-old Robert M. Sanchez, for the collision, concluding that he was distracted by text messages he was sending while on duty. This mass casualty event brought a massive emergency response by both the city and county of Los Angeles, but the nature and extent of physical trauma taxed the available resources. First responding officer Tom Gustofson described the wreck as “beyond human description”. Response included CEMP (California Emergency Mobile Patrol Search and Rescue) as a first responding unit requested by Los Angeles Police Department. With 25 deaths, this became the deadliest accident in Metrolink's history. Many survivors remained hospitalized for an extended period. Lawyers quickly began filing claims against Metrolink, and in total, they are expected to exceed a US$200 million liability limit set in 1997, portending the first legal challenges to that law. Issues surrounding this accident have also initiated and reinvigorated public debate on a range of topics including public relations, safety, and emergency management, which has also resulted in regulatory and legislative actions, including the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. Metrolink commuter train 111, consisting of a 250,000-pound (110 t) EMD F59PH locomotive (SCAX 855) pulling three Bombardier BiLevel Coaches, departed Union Station in downtown Los Angeles at 3:35 p.m. PDT (22:35 UTC)[2] heading westbound to Moorpark in suburban Ventura County. Approximately 40 minutes later, it departed the Chatsworth station with 222 people aboard, and had traveled approximately 1.25 miles (2 km) when it collided head-on with an eastbound Union Pacific local freight train. [3] The freight train was led by two EMD SD70ACe locomotives, #8485 and 8491, and was pulling 17 freight cars. [4] The Metrolink locomotive telescoped rearward into the passenger compartment of the first passenger car and caught fire. [5] All three locomotives, the leading Metrolink passenger car, and ten freight cars were derailed, and both lead locomotives and the passenger car fell over. [4][6]
The collision occurred after the Metrolink passenger train engineer, 46-year-old Robert M. Sanchez, failed to obey a red stop signal that indicated it was not safe to proceed into the single track section. [7] The train dispatcher's computer at a remote control center in Pomona did not display a warning prior to the accident according to the NTSB. [8] Metrolink initially reported that the dispatcher tried in vain to contact the train crew to warn them;[9] but the NTSB contradicted this report, saying the dispatcher noticed a problem only after the accident, and was notified by the passenger train's conductor first. [10]
Both trains were moving toward each other at the time of the collision. At least one passenger on the Metrolink train reported seeing the freight train moments before impact, coming around the curve. [11] The conductor of the passenger train, who was in the rear car and was injured in the accident, estimated that his train was traveling at 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) before it suddenly came to a dead stop after the collision. [11] The NTSB reported that it was traveling at 42 miles per hour (68 km/h). [10] The freight train was traveling at approximately the same speed after its engineer triggered the emergency air brake only two seconds before impact, while the Metrolink engineer never applied the brakes on his train. [12]
The accident occurred after the freight train emerged from the 500-foot-long (150-meter-long) tunnel #28, just south of California State Route 118 (Ronald Reagan Freeway) near the intersection of Heather Lee Lane and Andora Avenue near Chatsworth Hills Academy. The accident was in Chatsworth, a neighborhood of Los Angeles located at the northwestern edge of the San Fernando Valley. [13] The trains collided on the Metrolink Ventura County Line, part of the Montalvo Cutoff, opened by the Southern Pacific Company on March 20, 1904, to improve the alignment of its Coast Line. [14] Metrolink has operated the line since purchasing it in the 1990s from Southern Pacific (now owned by Union Pacific), which retained trackage rights for freight service. Both trains were on the same section of single track that runs between the Chatsworth station (which is double tracked) through the Santa Susana Pass. The line returns to double track again as it enters the Simi Valley. [15] Three tunnels under the pass are only wide enough to support a single track, and it would be very costly to widen them. [15] This single-track section carries 24 passenger trains and 12 freight trains each day. [16]
The line's railway signaling system is designed to ensure that trains wait on the double-track section while a train is proceeding in the other direction on the single track. The signal system was upgraded in the 1990s to support Metrolink commuter rail services, and Richard Stanger, the executive director of Metrolink in its early years of 1991 to 1998, said the system had functioned without trouble in the past. [15] The Metrolink train would normally wait in the Chatsworth[17] station for the daily Union Pacific freight train to pass before proceeding,[18][19] unless the freight train was already waiting for it at Chatsworth. [20] The location was not protected by catch points. The events on September 12, 2008 leading up to the collision (all times local):[22][23]
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) originally dispatched a single engine company with a four-person crew for a "possible physical rescue" at a residential address near the scene in response to a 9-1-1 emergency call from the home. [24] The crew arrived at the address four minutes later, just before 4:30 p.m. PDT and accessed the scene by cutting through the backyard fence. [24] Upon arrival, the captain on the scene immediately called for an additional five ambulances, then 30 fire engines, and after reaching the wreck he called for every heavy search and rescue unit in the city. [24] Hundreds of emergency workers were eventually involved in the rescue and recovery efforts,[24] including 250 firefighters. [25] Two Los Angeles city firefighters received medals for risking their lives to enter a confined space with smokey and potentially toxic air, without their air bottles, to rescue one of the freight train crew members. LAPD Devonshire Division, Patrol Officers arrived on scene shortly after the first LAFD Engine Company. As firefighters were putting out the flames of the burning diesel fuel that had spilled out of the freight engine, Patrol Officers entered the damaged, smoke-filled train cars to rescue/administer first aid to several passengers who were stranded on the upper decks due to their critical injuries. Two Officers received medals, and two received commendations and were credited with potentially saving the lives of several injured passengers. The event was operationally identified as the "Chatsworth Incident" and was reclassified as a "mass casualty incident". All six of LAFD's air ambulances were mobilized, along with six additional helicopters from the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The helicopters were requested under a mutual aid arrangement. [26]
A review of the emergency response and the on-site and hospital care was initiated by Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe immediately after the event, and was expected to take 90 days to complete. [27]
A total of 25 people died in the collision,[16] including engineer Sanchez and two victims who died at hospitals in the days following the crash. [28][29] This event is the deadliest railway accident in Metrolink's history, and the worst in the United States since the Big Bayou Canot train disaster in 1993.
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Train collisions
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2001 Harehills riot
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The Harehills riot took place in the multi-ethnic Leeds district of Harehills (West Yorkshire, England) in 2001. The riot occurred after the alleged wrongful arrest of an Asian man by the West Yorkshire Police which was alleged to have been heavy-handed. More than 100 Asian, White, and Black youths were together involved in the six-hour-long rioting against the police.] The West Yorkshire Police later stated that any attempt to legitimise criminal behaviour by saying it is connected with racial tension or the style of policing is just an excuse for young males committing crime on the streets. It was the first rioting in Leeds since the Hyde Park riots of 1995. The Police Officer involved in the alleged wrongful arrest was questioned, and later cleared of any wrongdoing.
The wrongful arrest allegations involved Hossein Miah, who was arrested over a suspicious tax disc. Miah alleged that the arresting officer pulled him from his vehicle causing him injury. The Police Complaints Authority cleared the officer of any charges relating to the incident, but expressed regret for "any distress which has been caused to either Mr Miah or his family. "
Sporadic unrest had already begun in the area when a hoax 999 call was made at 20:25 saying a police officer had been hit by a petrol bomb. The police could not locate this, however the call lured them into Banstead Park, where they were met by a barricade of burning washing machines and furniture, looted from a nearby second hand shop. It was in Banstead Park where most of the confrontation took place, although the disturbances spread onto Roundhay Road, Roseville Road and smaller residential streets towards the south side of Harehills. By the time darkness had fallen the rioting had begun, and continued into the early hours of the following morning. After over 200 participants spent over seven hours rioting, the police managed to make enough arrests to quell the size of the crowd to a point where it dispersed and the police could regain control. Over the course of the rioting 26 cars were burnt out, two police officers and two journalists were severely injured, and a shop was set alight. Both police officers and members of the public were pelted with bottles and bricks.
Many arrests took place following the rioting, local shops were advised only to secure their premises and not to reglaze, as the police feared more rioting would take place, however the riot seemed to be an isolated incident and the violence did not continue beyond 6 June 2001. On 7 March 2002, nine months after the riots, 25 men were imprisoned after being found guilty of their involvement in the riot.
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Riot
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37 people in hospital over suspected food poisoning in Cape Town
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The patients were treated at the scene and later transported to nearby clinics for urgent care.
37 people in hospital over suspected food poisoning in Cape Town. Picture - iStock.
A suspected food poisoning incident in Seawinds, Western Cape, has led to the hospitalisation of 37 people on Wednesday night.
When emergency services arrived at St Patrick Avenue at around 10pm, they found several adults and children crowded around two homes.
It is believed that dozens of people had eaten from a community-cooked batch of food before they began experiencing stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.
Medics assessed the patients and found that 37 people, including several children, had been affected.
The patients were treated at the scene and later transported to nearby clinics for urgent care.
Authorities are investigating.
[SEAWINDS] – Numerous hospitalised following alleged food poisoning. https://t.co/WD9PihfcEt #realhelprealfast — ER24 EMS (Pty) Ltd. (@ER24EMS) October 14, 2021
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Mass Poisoning
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M40 minibus crash
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On Thursday 18 November 1993, just after midnight, a minibus was involved in a fatal collision with a maintenance vehicle on the M40 motorway near Warwick, England. The minibus was transporting 14 children home to Worcestershire from a school trip to The Royal Albert Hall in London when it veered into the rear of the motorway maintenance lorry which was stationary on the hard shoulder. Twelve of the 14 children and the driver of the minibus, their teacher, were killed in the crash, one of the worst on the British road network. The two survivors sustained minor injuries as well as the occupants of the motorway maintenance lorry. The driver of the minibus, 35-year-old teacher Eleanor Fry, had driven the 14 children to London during the afternoon of the previous day (Wednesday 17 November), then watched a concert of young musicians with them at the Royal Albert Hall, and was driving back afterward. Fry had driven the 1982 Ford Transit, which had passed its MOT test two weeks earlier, several times before both in the United Kingdom and abroad, and was described as a competent and experienced driver by the education officer for Hereford and Worcester. [1]
Shortly after midnight, the vehicle struck a 12.5-ton Bedford motorway maintenance truck parked on the hard shoulder of an unlit stretch of the M40 near junction 15. The truck's safety lights were flashing. The minibus, which was estimated to be travelling at 73 to 84 mph at the time of the collision, exploded shortly after the crash and the bodies of several victims remained trapped in the wreckage. Some of the injured and dead were pulled from the wreckage by passing motorists who stopped to assist. A pathologist later found evidence that the driver was either taking off or putting on her spectacles at the time of the crash. [2]
Fry and ten of the children died at the scene. Two other children died later in hospital from their injuries and two who survived the crash recovered from relatively minor injuries. The two occupants of the lorry also suffered minor injuries. Three men who were in the maintenance lorry were unhurt and pulled seven of the minibus occupants clear of the wreckage. All of the children involved were aged between 12 and 13 and were pupils at Hagley RC High School in Hagley, near Birmingham. A second minibus carrying another group of pupils from Hagley RC High School who had also attended the London concert passed the crash scene and made it home safely to Worcestershire. Its driver Bernard Tedd, another teacher at the school, later told how he had a "feeling of dread" that the crashed vehicle on the hard shoulder was the other minibus, but had decided to continue driving as the emergency services were already there and he did not want to worry the pupils travelling in his minibus. [3] A Warwickshire Fire Brigade public relations officer said Tedd had "saved those children from witnessing the worst accident any of us has ever seen. "[1]
The day after the crash, journalists gathered outside the school in Hagley, documenting the reaction of staff and pupils. The news media were managed by the authorities, with journalists corralled off from the school, in exchange for being provided with human interest information for their stories. Most national newspapers carried a photograph of two grieving schoolgirls, who were clearly identifiable from the picture; readers complained in writing that they considered this to be insensitive and an invasion of the girls' privacy. [4]
Some newspapers were criticised for sensationalism and invasion of privacy, but the BBC was criticised by journalists for the opposite: the BBC's evening news programme on the day, the Nine O'Clock News carried the story about the crash as its third item. [5]
Several memorials were unveiled at Hagley RC High School, including a stained-glass window (commissioned from Art of Glass, a stained-glass painting company in Solihull, shortly after the crash) and a music suite (constructed by Thomas Vale, in a new school building that was later built). The stained-glass window on the school's stairway measures 14 ft by 3 ft, and includes an inscription listing the victims and a musical score and instruments. [6][7]
A public memorial was also erected by the district council in Brinton Park, Kidderminster. Senses Garden was constructed, free of charge, by local builders, landscape architects, and plant experts. A memorial plaque in the garden, a wood carving by local artist Catherine O'Kell, commemorates those who died in the crash. A charity record was issued in 1994, to commemorate the victims of the crash. The song Perpetual Light was performed by ELO Part II member Eric Troyer and the Hagley R.C. High School Choir. [8]
It was reported that Fry had fallen asleep at the wheel moments before it crashed into the lorry on the hard shoulder. [9] An inquest into the crash in June 1994 recorded a verdict of accidental death on each of the victims. The inquest's most significant findings were that the minibus was not fitted with seatbelts, as legislation did not require minibuses or coaches to be at the time. The law was changed in 1997 to make seat-belts standard equipment on all minibuses and coaches as well as outlawing the "crew bus" – a minibus in which two opposing benches face towards each other – and promoting the forward facing coach. [10]
After the crash a bus safety training package called Belt Up School Kids (BUSK) for pupils and teachers was established. It comprised safety training, in-class training for pupils, teachers, parents, voluntary personnel, and governors, and driver training, as well as advice to drivers on how to progress towards passenger-carrying vehicle (PCV) driving standards. Several charities were formed in the wake of the collision. [6][11] One was Brambles Trust, offering support to bereaved children, which was set up by the parents of Claire Fitzgerald, one of the victims. By 2002, four years after the charity was founded, it had helped 129 families across Worcestershire and the Black Country. That year it was awarded £75,000 by Children in Need and £270,000 from the Community Fund. On 20 May 2001, the central carved panel of the plaque in the memorial garden in Kidderminster was stolen by thieves who cut through steel bands that had secured the carving to a steel spike fixed to the ground. O'Kell stated that it was irreplaceable because of the age of the wood. [12][13]
Coordinates: 52°15′51″N 1°37′39″W / 52.2643°N 1.6276°W / 52.2643; -1.6276
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Road Crash
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1997 Asian financial crisis
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The Asian financial crisis was a period of financial crisis that gripped much of East Asia and Southeast Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown due to financial contagion. However the recovery in 1998-1999 was rapid. The crisis started in Thailand (known in Thailand as the Tom Yam Kung crisis; Thai: วิกฤตต้มยำกุ้ง) on 2 July, with the financial collapse of the Thai baht after the Thai government was forced to float the baht due to lack of foreign currency to support its currency peg to the U.S. dollar. Capital flight ensued almost immediately, beginning an international chain reaction. At the time, Thailand had acquired a burden of foreign debt. [1] As the crisis spread, most of Southeast Asia and Japan saw slumping currencies,[2] devalued stock markets and other asset prices, and a precipitous rise in private debt. [3]
Indonesia, South Korea, and Thailand were the countries most affected by the crisis. Hong Kong, Laos, Malaysia and the Philippines were also hurt by the slump. Brunei, mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam were less affected, although all suffered from a loss of demand and confidence throughout the region. Japan was also affected, though less significantly. Foreign debt-to-GDP ratios rose from 100% to 167% in the four large Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economies in 1993–96, then shot up beyond 180% during the worst of the crisis. In South Korea, the ratios rose from 13% to 21% and then as high as 40%, while the other northern newly industrialized countries fared much better. Only in Thailand and South Korea did debt service-to-exports ratios rise. [4]
Although most of the governments of Asia had seemingly sound fiscal policies, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stepped in to initiate a $40 billion program to stabilize the currencies of South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia, economies particularly hard hit by the crisis. The efforts to stem a global economic crisis did little to stabilize the domestic situation in Indonesia, however. After 30 years in power, Indonesian President Suharto was forced to step down on 21 May 1998 in the wake of widespread rioting that followed sharp price increases caused by a drastic devaluation of the rupiah. The effects of the crisis lingered through 1998. In 1998, growth in the Philippines dropped to virtually zero. Only Singapore and Taiwan proved relatively insulated from the shock, but both suffered serious hits in passing, the former due to its size and geographical location between Malaysia and Indonesia. By 1999, however, analysts saw signs that the economies of Asia were beginning to recover. [5] After the crisis, economies in the region worked toward financial stability and better financial supervision. [6]
Until 1999, Asia attracted almost half of the total capital inflow into developing countries. The economies of Southeast Asia in particular maintained high interest rates attractive to foreign investors looking for a high rate of return. As a result, the region's economies received a large inflow of money and experienced a dramatic run-up in asset prices. At the same time, the regional economies of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea experienced high growth rates, of 8–12% GDP, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This achievement was widely acclaimed by financial institutions including IMF and World Bank, and was known as part of the "Asian economic miracle". The causes of the debacle are many and disputed. Thailand's economy developed into an economic bubble fueled by hot money. More and more was required as the size of the bubble grew. The same type of situation happened in Malaysia and Indonesia, which had the added complication of what was called "crony capitalism". [7] The short-term capital flow was expensive and often highly conditioned for quick profit. Development money went in a largely uncontrolled manner to certain people only – not necessarily the best suited or most efficient, but those closest to the centers of power. [8]
In the mid-1990s, Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea had large private current account deficits, and the maintenance of fixed exchange rates encouraged external borrowing and led to excessive exposure to foreign exchange risk in both the financial and corporate sectors. In the mid-1990s, a series of external shocks began to change the economic environment. The devaluation of the Chinese renminbi, and the Japanese yen due to the Plaza Accord of 1985, the raising of U.S. interest rates which led to a strong U.S. dollar, and the sharp decline in semiconductor prices, all adversely affected their growth. [9] As the U.S. economy recovered from a recession in the early 1990s, the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank under Alan Greenspan began to raise U.S. interest rates to head off inflation. This made the United States a more attractive investment destination relative to Southeast Asia, which had been attracting hot money flows through high short-term interest rates, and raised the value of the U.S. dollar. For the Southeast Asian nations which had currencies pegged to the U.S. dollar, the higher U.S. dollar caused their own exports to become more expensive and less competitive in the global markets. At the same time, Southeast Asia's export growth slowed dramatically in the spring of 1996, deteriorating their current account position. Some economists have advanced the growing exports of China as a factor contributing to ASEAN nations' export growth slowdown, though these economists maintain the main cause of their crises was excessive real estate speculation. [10] China had begun to compete effectively with other Asian exporters particularly in the 1990s after the implementation of a number of export-oriented reforms. Other economists dispute China's impact, noting that both ASEAN and China experienced simultaneous rapid export growth in the early 1990s. [11]
Many economists believe that the Asian crisis was created not by market psychology or technology, but by policies that distorted incentives within the lender–borrower relationship. The resulting large quantities of credit that became available generated a highly leveraged economic climate, and pushed up asset prices to an unsustainable level. [12] These asset prices eventually began to collapse, causing individuals and companies to default on debt obligations. The resulting panic among lenders led to a large withdrawal of credit from the crisis countries, causing a credit crunch and further bankruptcies. In addition, as foreign investors attempted to withdraw their money, the exchange market was flooded with the currencies of the crisis countries, putting depreciative pressure on their exchange rates. To prevent currency values collapsing, these countries' governments raised domestic interest rates to exceedingly high levels (to help diminish flight of capital by making lending more attractive to investors) and intervened in the exchange market, buying up any excess domestic currency at the fixed exchange rate with foreign reserves. Neither of these policy responses could be sustained for long. [citation needed]
Very high interest rates, which can be extremely damaging to a healthy economy, wreaked further havoc on economies in an already fragile state, while the central banks were hemorrhaging foreign reserves, of which they had finite amounts.
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Financial Crisis
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‘Beyond Reckless’: Atlanta Attorneys Plan To Sue Arrive Perimeter Apts. After Explosion
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DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. (CW69 News at 10) — Attorneys representing victims of an apartment explosion at the Arrive Perimeter Apartments in Dunwoody announced plans to file a lawsuit.
Thirty-year-old Jasmine Johnson had lived in Building 2 at the complex since February. She never could have imagined what happened Sunday afternoon. “There was a huge explosion, and I was thrown into the wall,” Johnson said. “I was so scared, and I’m thankful to my dog for waking me up.”
The explosion left 4 people injured and displaced several others. Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys represents Johnson and several other residents, and they plan to sue the property. “The complex and its management company Trinity played Russian Roulette with the lives of countless individuals, countless minority individuals,” said L. Chris Stewart, one of the attorneys. “Ms. Johnson’s going back and forth to the hospital. Surgery is in the future for her shoulder,” he said.
The attorneys say residents complained about a gas odor long before the explosion. “I had been smelling gas for two to three days. I thought it was coming from my parking garage, so to find out it was caused by something else is really disheartening,” said Johnson. “Clearly they have been ignoring these people. We’re gonna find out if it’s because they were minorities,” Steward said. “We find it really, really disturbing to know that they knew about this, failed to do anything to prevent it and then this explosion occurred,” said Madeleine Simmons, another attorney.
The City of Dunwoody shut the gas off on Monday, after finding two leaks that were not associated with this incident. They issued a statement Thursday night indicating, “All parties are doing their best to restore service as quickly as is safely possible.” “The fact that an apartment complex and their management company would not come out there and fix complaints of gas, which you know can lead to an explosion, is beyond reckless,” said Stewart. A lot of people need jobs right now. If you’re understaffed, hire someone, but this is not gonna keep happening here. You could have killed somebody,” he said.
DeKalb County Fire and Rescue says it’s not investigating the explosion, since there was no fire. They say it’s up to the property’s insurance company to confirm if a gas leak officially caused it. The attorneys also referenced other maintenance issues residents have complained about that the property has allegedly not addressed, including dirty air ducts.
CW69 reached out a second time to the Arrive Perimeter leasing office and Trinity, the property management company, and there was no immediate response.
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Gas explosion
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Former England captain Allan Lamb reveals prostate cancer diagnosis
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Former England cricket captain Allan Lamb has revealed on Twitter he has been undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.
The South-African born batter urged people to get tested after being recently diagnosed himself.
Lamb made his Test debut for England in 1982 and went on to represent the country at three World Cups. He scored 4,656 runs in 79 Tests and enjoyed a 22-year first-class career from 1973 to 1995.
I urge all men to go and get their PSA levels checked as prostate cancer so often goes undiagnosed. Having recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer, I have just completed a month of treatment. Put your egos aside-don’t be ignorant about your health @Vitality_UK @ProstateUK
— Allan Lamb (@AllanLamb294) October 31, 2021
On Twitter, Lamb said: “I urge all men to go and get their PSA levels checked as prostate cancer so often goes undiagnosed.
“Having recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer, I have just completed a month of treatment.
“Put your egos aside-don’t be ignorant about your health.”
Sorry to read this, Lamby. Wish you a full and speedy recovery. Important message too. https://t.co/04JAzNWVHL
— Gary Lineker ? (@GaryLineker) October 31, 2021
He has received support from the sporting world including Gary Lineker, who tweeted: “Sorry to read this, Lamby. Wish you a full and speedy recovery. Important message too.”
Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Many prostate cancers grow slowly and are confined to the prostate gland, where they may not cause serious harm.
However, while some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and may need minimal or even no treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly.
Prostate cancer that’s detected early — when it’s still confined to the prostate gland — has the best chance for successful treatment.
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Famous Person - Sick
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Prized trout streams shrink as heat, drought grip US West
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SARATOGA, Wyo. (AP) — The North Platte River in southern Wyoming has been so low in places lately that a toddler could easily wade across and thick mats of olive-green algae grow in the lazy current. Just over two years ago, workers stacked sandbags to protect homes and fishing cabins from raging brown floodwaters, the highest on record. Neither scene resembles the proper picture of a renowned trout fishing destination, one where anglers glide downstream in drift boats, flinging fly lures in hope of landing big brown and rainbow trout in the shadow of the Medicine Bow Mountains. But both torrent and trickle have afflicted storied trout streams in the American West in recent years amid the havoc of climate change, which has made the region hotter and drier and fueled severe weather events. Blistering heat waves and extended drought have raised water temperatures and imperiled fish species in several states. In the Rocky Mountains, the attention is on trout fishing, a big part of both the United States’ $1-billion-a-year fly fishing industry and the region’s over $100-billion-a-year outdoor recreation industry. “It seems the extremes are more extreme,” said Tom Wiersema, who’s fished the upper North Platte as a guide and trout enthusiast for almost half a century. Some years, Wiersema has been able to put in and float a section of river about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of the Colorado line all summer. This year, Wiersema hasn’t bothered to float that stretch since late June, lest he have to drag a boat over wet, algae-covered rocks. “That’s what the river is at that point. Round, slippery bowling balls,” he said. In nearby Saratoga, population 1,600, leaping trout adorn light posts and the sign for Town Hall. The North Platte gurgles past a public hot spring called the Hobo Pool, and trout fishing, along with the fall elk hunt, are big business. Phil McGrath, owner of Hack’s Tackle & Outfitters on the river, said low flows haven’t hurt his business of guided fishing trips on drift boats, which launch from deeper water in town. The fishing has been excellent, he said. “You want to go easy on the little guys in the afternoon,” he urged a recent group of customers who asked where they could wet a line before a guided trip the next morning. It’s basic trout fishing ethics when temperatures get as high as they were that day, 85 degrees (29 Celsius), and water temperatures aren’t far enough behind. The problem: Water above 68 degrees (20 C) can be rough on trout caught not for dinner but sport — and release to fight another day. Low water warms up quickly in hot weather, and warm water carries less oxygen, stressing fish and making them less likely to survive catch-and-release fishing, especially when anglers don’t take several minutes to release fish gently. As air temperatures soared into the mid 80s and beyond this summer, Yellowstone National Park shut down stream and river fishing from 2 p.m. until sunrise for a month. Montana imposed similar “hoot owl” restrictions — so called because owls can be active early in the morning — on fabled trout rivers including the Madison flowing out of Yellowstone. Low, warm water prompted Colorado for a time to impose voluntary fishing restrictions on the Colorado River’s upper reaches — even as spasms of flash floods and mudslides choked the river and closed Interstate 70. In rivers like the upper North Platte, which flows north out of Colorado, low water runs not only warm but slow and clear, cultivating algae. Mats of algae can collect insects while offering trout shade and cover from predators, but they’re also a symptom of warm and stressful conditions, said Jeff Streeter, who guided on the upper North Platte before becoming a local representative for the fishing-oriented conservation group Trout Unlimited. “Where that threshold is, I’m not sure. I worry about it a little bit,” he said. Like Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming didn’t order anglers to stop fishing. Such an order was unlikely to have much benefit, Idaho officials decided. Wyoming’s rivers would be difficult to monitor for enforcing closures because temperatures fluctuate widely throughout the day and from riffle to hole, said David Zafft, fish management coordinator for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Drought and heat — beneath skies smudged by wildfire smoke — also have varying effects from one big Western river to the next. Many are dammed, including the North Platte as it begins a 100-mile-wide (160-kilometer-wide), 180-degree loop through a series of reservoirs that serve farmers and ranchers in Wyoming and Nebraska. The largely predictable, cold flows out of Seminoe Reservoir make the North Platte’s “Miracle Mile” section just upstream of Pathfinder Reservoir a trout fishing paradise. Upstream of Seminoe, however, the river is more subject to the vagaries of nature. For trout fishing, mountain snows are at least as important as rain patterns in warmer months but expectations based on decades of snowpack records have come under doubt. “Things have changed too much and too rapidly,” said Zafft. “We are in the midst of figuring out how this climate is going to impact our snow, our runoff and temperatures. I don’t think we can really answer those questions yet.” Records going back to 1904 back up Wiersema’s suspicions about extremes on the upper North Platte. In 2011, high flows smashed all previous monthly averages for June and July. The 2019 flood was the worst by a more than 20% margin over the 1923 runner-up. Yet since 2000, the river has had eight of its lowest-flowing Augusts on record. They included the sixth-lowest in 2012, 12th lowest in 2018, and third-lowest in 2020. August 2021 verges on the 10 lowest on average. Mountain snow last winter and spring was about normal, but the ground was so dry from last year that much of this year’s melt soaked in without contributing to the flow. The pattern is becoming more common in the West, said David Gochis, a hydrometeorologist with the Boulder, Colorado-based National Center for Atmospheric Research. “A greater fraction of the snowpack, even if it’s an average snowpack year, is just going into replenishing the water in the landscape — in the shallow aquifer, in the soils — versus that water fully filling up the soils and then filling up the streams,” Gochis said. Yet no heavy rain might not be all bad for the river’s trout, given a massive 2020 wildfire that charred a vast area just east of the upper North Platte, in Medicine Bow National Forest. In July, a mudslide in a burn area just 50 miles (80 kilometers) away in Colorado killed three people and clogged the Cache la Poudre River with silt. That hasn’t happened on the North Platte, but the West’s ever-hotter wildfire seasons are a threat to trout populations, said Helen Neville, senior scientist with Trout Unlimited. “Fire is of course a natural process and something to which Western trout and salmon are well-adapted to, but the scale and intensity of recent fires may be pushing beyond their natural resilience in some cases,” Neville said by email. Climate change is especially worrisome for cutthroat trout, which unlike brown, rainbow and brook trout are native to the Rockies, according to Neville. What’s in store for the North Platte will depend on future rain, snow and melt patterns, not to mention ever-growing human demand for water. McGrath, the fly-fishing guide and tackle store owner, didn’t doubt climate change is at work and that it’s human caused. But he didn’t seem to be losing sleep over it. “If the world continues to get warmer, is trout fishing going to get worse? Yeah, of course. Trout is a cold-water animal, right?” said McGrath. “But is this going to happen tomorrow? No.”
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Droughts
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Police confirm cash found from Belfast bank robbery
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It has been confirmed that 50,000 pounds ($A120,000) discovered at a police sports centre in Belfast came from a spectacular bank heist in the city last December. The Irish Government has accused the Irish Republican Army of being linked to the Northern Bank robbery and subsequent attempts to launder the cash. Police said they uncovered five packages, each containing 10,000 pounds, in the toilets of the New Forge police recreational club, situated in an exclusive part of south Belfast after receiving a tip off from an anonymous caller. When the notes were found a police spokesman had said, that the money "could be an elaborate prank aimed at directing attention away from the events elsewhere over the last few days." He was referring to a number of arrests in the Irish republic earlier in the week. Officials in both Belfast and Dublin blame the IRA for stealing 26.5 million pounds ($A63 million) from the Northern Bank in Belfast on December 20. The IRA's political wing Sinn Fein strongly denies the allegation, which has thrown efforts towards restoring power-sharing government in the British province into disarray. Of eight people arrested since Wednesday, one man, Don Bullman, has been charged with membership of a clandestine organisation. Bullman, a cook, is suspected of money-laundering for the IRA. Another man arrested near Cork Friday was still in custody on Saturday suspected of having burned a quantity of sterling banknotes in his fireplace. Six others have been released.
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Bank Robbery
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Rallies ahead of Capitol riot were planned by established Washington insiders
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The two days of rallies were staged not by white nationalists and other extremists, but by well-funded nonprofit groups and individuals that figure prominently in the machinery of conservative activism in Washington. The Post obtained hours of video footage, some exclusively, and placed it within a digital 3-D model of the building. (TWP) In recent days, as federal authorities rounded up those involved in the Capitol riot, promoters and participants of the rallies have denounced the violence and sought to distance their events from the events that followed. “I support the right of Americans to peacefully protest,” wrote Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, chairman of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), “but the violence and destruction we are seeing at the U.S. Capitol is unacceptable and un-American.” Organizing warm-up events is not the same thing as plotting to invade the Capitol. But before the rallies, some used extreme rhetoric, including references to the American Revolution, and made false claims about the election to rouse supporters to challenge President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. Unless Congress responds to the protests, “everyone can guess what me and 500,000 others will do to that building,” tweeted Ali Alexander, a former CNP fellow who organized the “Stop the Steal” movement. “1776 is *always* an option.” On Jan. 5, at Freedom Plaza in D.C., Alexander led protesters in a chant of “Victory or death.” Alexander did not respond to a request for comment for this story. He previously told The Washington Post that he had “remained peaceful” during the riot and said his earlier speeches “mentioned peace” and were being misrepresented. “Conflating our legally, peaceful permitted events with the breach of the US Capitol building is defamatory and false,” he said in an email to The Post. “People are being misled and then those same people are fomenting violence against me and my team.” In the days and hours before the riots, Alexander and his allies attracted tens of thousands of protesters from around the country — a crowd that included white supremacists, Christian activists and even local police officers. Story continues below advertisement Events included a “Patriot Caravan” of buses to Washington, a “Save the Republic” rally on Jan. 5 and a “Freedom Rally” on the morning of Jan. 6. A little-known nonprofit called Women for America First, a group run by Trump supporters and former tea party activists, got approval to use space on the Ellipse for what they called a “March for Trump,” according to the “public gathering permit” issued on Jan. 5. Advertisement Nearly a dozen political activists — including former White House, congressional and Trump campaign staffers — served as on-site rally coordinators and stage managers, the permit said. A spokesperson for Women for America First did not respond to requests for comment. The Post’s Devlin Barrett outlines the potential charges President Trump and his legal team may face for inciting a mob to breach the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. (The Washington Post) Scheduled speakers included Roger Stone, Rudolph W. Giuliani and Simone Gold, founder of America’s Frontline Doctors, a start-up group that condemned government shutdowns to contain the coronavirus . Gold was among the protesters who entered the Capitol, according to an FBI flier with her photo. Story continues below advertisement Gold told The Post she went into the Capitol but thought it was legal to do so. “I do regret being there,” she said. On Jan. 5, the attorneys general group, which is based in Washington, used an affiliated nonprofit called the Rule of Law Defense Fund to pay for a robocall that urged supporters to march on the Capitol at 1 p.m. on Jan. 6 to “call on Congress to stop the steal.” A recording of the robocall was first obtained by Documented , a left-leaning watchdog group. Advertisement “We are hoping patriots like you will join us to continue the fight,” a recording of the call says. On Monday, as criticism of the robocall mounted, RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper resigned. He did not respond to a request for comment. Story continues below advertisement Tea Party Patriots leader Jenny Beth Martin also condemned the violence and said in a statement to The Post that her group provided no financial support for the rally. “We are shocked, outraged, and saddened at the turn of events Wednesday afternoon,” Martin’s statement said. “We are heartbroken.” Martin, also an executive committee member at CNP, was listed in promotional material as a rally speaker, though she did not ultimately speak. The Tea Party Patriots were listed as a “coalition partner” with Alexander’s Stop the Steal, RAGA and other groups. “The rally was peaceful. You cannot blame what happened inside the Capitol on the promotion,” said Jason Jones, a CNP member and rally participant, who said he was there to speak about oppressed people around the world. He called the violence “sorrowful and tragic” but said it represented “a failure of policing and preparation.” Advertisement Story continues below advertisement CNP Executive Director Bob McEwen said his group, a registered charity, does not get involved in political activity and had no role in the Jan. 6 events. He said CNP members and associates act independently. “What they do on their own time — I won’t say I don’t care — we have no interest or capacity to monitor,” McEwen said. Charlie Kirk, the leader of Turning Point USA , an organizer of conservative students, and Turning Point Action, its activist arm, also condemned the violence and called Jan. 6 “a really sad day for America,” according to a spokesman. Before the rally, Kirk — a featured speaker at CNP meetings over the past two years and at the Republican National Convention in August — offered to pay for buses and hotel rooms for protesters. Story continues below advertisement “This historic event will likely be one of the largest and most consequential in American history,” he wrote in a tweet. “The team at @TrumpStudents & Turning Point Action are honored to help make this happen, sending 80+ buses full of patriots to DC to fight for this president.” That tweet has been deleted. A spokesman said that Kirk eventually sent a half-dozen buses and that the student protesters had nothing to do with the violence. In a video posted in late December, Alexander claimed he worked with three lawmakers — Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) and Paul A. Gosar (R-Ariz.) — on an unspecified plan to disrupt election ratification deliberations at the Capitol. Advertisement Story continues below advertisement “We four schemed up of putting maximum pressure on Congress while they were voting,” Alexander said in a since-deleted video on Periscope highlighted by the Project on Government Oversight, an investigative nonprofit. In a statement, Biggs denied meeting Alexander. Gosar did not respond to requests for comment from The Post. Brooks’s office said in a statement that he “has no recollection of ever communicating in any way with whoever Ali Alexander is.” Brooks, first elected to Congress a decade ago, has been among the most vocal of lawmakers in condemning the election. In a podcast interview last month with Sebastian Gorka, a former strategist in the Trump White House, Brooks said he was working to delay certification of the electoral college tally as part of “an organic movement.” “The question is really simple. Are you as an American citizen going to surrender in the face of unparalleled, massive voter fraud and election theft?” he said. “Or are you going to do what your ancestors did and fight for your country, your republic?” Advertisement The election results have been certified in all 50 states, and courts across the nation have rejected challenges brought by the president’s campaign and his allies. Shortly after the vote, a senior cybersecurity official in the Trump administration described it as “the most secure election in American history.” In a statement Tuesday, Brooks said he is the victim of a “smear campaign.” He said that a White House official asked him to appear at the Jan. 6 rally. “I was not encouraging anyone to engage in violence,” the statement said. Other establishment conservatives who condoned the protests include Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and listed last year as a CNP Action board member, who praised rallygoers in tweets. “LOVE MAGA people!!!!” she tweeted early in the morning on Jan. 6. “GOD BLESS EACH OF YOU STANDING UP or PRAYING.” Advertisement Ginni Thomas did not respond to requests for comment. Since the early 1980s, CNP has served as a bridge between Washington’s establishment conservatives and scores of Christian and right-wing groups across the nation. It convenes closed-door meetings for members and wealthy donors at least twice a year. CNP officials and their allies met weekly with White House officials under President Trump, in part to coordinate public messaging about the administration’s agenda, internal videos show. Trump spoke to the group in August. Vice President Pence praised the group in a letter obtained by The Post, saying last year that “I just wanted to thank you and the Council for National Policy for your support and for consistently amplifying the agenda of President Trump.” McEwen told The Post his group serves only as a venue for conservative speakers and does not coordinate the activity of members. In one meeting last summer, a CNP member warned that a “civil war ” would result if Trump lost the election to predicted fraud, according to internal videos obtained by The Post. In websites promoting the rallies, Alexander’s Stop the Steal coalition urged protesters to “take to” the Capitol steps “to make sure that Congress does not certify the botched Electoral College,” according to webpages that have been removed. Another coalition webpage featured a 36-page election analysis by Trump adviser Peter Navarro, a speaker at CNP in May 2019. It claimed that Trump’s loss was a statistical impossibility and was due to a “whitewash” by journalists and politicians. Navarro warned about “putting into power an illegitimate and illegal president.” He did not respond to requests for comment. One of those behind the rallies was Arina Grossu, an antiabortion activist listed as a contract outreach coordinator for a religious freedom office at the Department of Health and Human Services, according to HHS promotional material and an agency directory . Grossu was co-founder of Jericho March, one of the coalition partners that organized the Jan. 6 rallies. In December, her group described some protesters against the election as a “prayer army” that would take the case before “the Courts of heaven, the Supreme Court, and the court of public opinion seeking truth and justice in this election.” “The blatant fraud and corruption in this election is overwhelming and it cries out to God for justice. We the People demand answers and accountability,” she said in a posting online that has since been removed. “We serve a mighty God who can restore truth and justice in our land.” Grossu did not respond to requests for comment. An HHS spokeswoman declined to provide Grossu’s employment status. In a statement after the riot, her group said that it “never will condone violence or destruction” and that its mission is “peace and prayer.”
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Organization Established
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2013 Euroleague Final Four
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The 2013 Euroleague Final Four was the concluding Final Four tournament of the 2012–13 Euroleague season. It was held from 10 May till 12 May 2013, at The O2 Arena in London. The Greek League club Olympiacos, successfully defended their EuroLeague title from the previous season, after defeating CSKA Moscow in the Final. Vassilis Spanoulis won his second consecutive Final Four MVP, and the third of his career. [2] Spanoulis joined Toni Kukoč, as the only player to have ever won the award three times. [2]
On May 12, 2012, it was announced that the Final Four would be hosted at The O2 Arena in London, England. [3] The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena that is located in the centre of The O2 entertainment complex, on the Greenwich Peninsula, in south-east London. It is named after its primary sponsor, the telecommunications company O2. The O2 Arena is the world's largest building as measured by floor space, and has the second-highest seating capacity of any indoor venue in the United Kingdom, behind the Manchester Arena, but it took the crown of the world's busiest music arena from New York City's Madison Square Garden in 2008. [4] The closest underground station to the venue is the North Greenwich station, on the Jubilee line. After the end of the opening quarter, Madrid led Olympiacos by 17 points. However, the Reds managed to get back in the game, and the game was tied by the end of the third quarter. Behind Spanoulis, Olympiacos pulled away in the fourth quarter. [5]
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Sports Competition
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The Looming Bank Collapse
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The U.S. financial system could be on the cusp of calamity. This time, we might not be able to save it. After months of living with the coronavirus pandemic, American citizens are well aware of the toll it has taken on the economy: broken supply chains, record unemployment, failing small businesses. All of these factors are serious and could mire the United States in a deep, prolonged recession. But there’s another threat to the economy, too. It lurks on the balance sheets of the big banks, and it could be cataclysmic. Imagine if, in addition to all the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, you woke up one morning to find that the financial sector had collapsed. You may think that such a crisis is unlikely, with memories of the 2008 crash still so fresh. But banks learned few lessons from that calamity, and new laws intended to keep them from taking on too much risk have failed to do so. As a result, we could be on the precipice of another crash, one different from 2008 less in kind than in degree. This one could be worse. John Lawrence: Inside the 2008 financial crash The financial crisis of 2008 was about home mortgages. Hundreds of billions of dollars in loans to home buyers were repackaged into securities called collateralized debt obligations, known as CDOs. In theory, CDOs were intended to shift risk away from banks, which lend money to home buyers. In practice, the same banks that issued home loans also bet heavily on CDOs, often using complex techniques hidden from investors and regulators. When the housing market took a hit, these banks were doubly affected. In late 2007, banks began disclosing tens of billions of dollars of subprime-CDO losses. The next year, Lehman Brothers went under, taking the economy with it. The federal government stepped in to rescue the other big banks and forestall a panic. The intervention worked—though its success did not seem assured at the time—and the system righted itself. Of course, many Americans suffered as a result of the crash, losing homes, jobs, and wealth. An already troubling gap between America’s haves and have-nots grew wider still. Yet by March 2009, the economy was on the upswing, and the longest bull market in history had begun. To prevent the next crisis, Congress in 2010 passed the Dodd-Frank Act. Under the new rules, banks were supposed to borrow less, make fewer long-shot bets, and be more transparent about their holdings. The Federal Reserve began conducting “stress tests” to keep the banks in line. Congress also tried to reform the credit-rating agencies, which were widely blamed for enabling the meltdown by giving high marks to dubious CDOs, many of which were larded with subprime loans given to unqualified borrowers. Over the course of the crisis, more than 13,000 CDO investments that were rated AAA—the highest possible rating—defaulted. The reforms were well intentioned, but, as we’ll see, they haven’t kept the banks from falling back into old, bad habits. After the housing crisis, subprime CDOs naturally fell out of favor. Demand shifted to a similar—and similarly risky—instrument, one that even has a similar name: the CLO, or collateralized loan obligation. A CLO walks and talks like a CDO, but in place of loans made to home buyers are loans made to businesses—specifically, troubled businesses. CLOs bundle together so-called leveraged loans, the subprime mortgages of the corporate world. These are loans made to companies that have maxed out their borrowing and can no longer sell bonds directly to investors or qualify for a traditional bank loan. There are more than $1 trillion worth of leveraged loans currently outstanding. The majority are held in CLOs. I was part of the group that structured and sold CDOs and CLOs at Morgan Stanley in the 1990s. The two securities are remarkably alike. Like a CDO, a CLO has multiple layers, which are sold separately. The bottom layer is the riskiest, the top the safest. If just a few of the loans in a CLO default, the bottom layer will suffer a loss and the other layers will remain safe. If the defaults increase, the bottom layer will lose even more, and the pain will start to work its way up the layers. The top layer, however, remains protected: It loses money only after the lower layers have been wiped out. Annie Lowrey: The small-business die-off is here Unless you work in finance, you probably haven’t heard of CLOs, but according to many estimates, the CLO market is bigger than the subprime-mortgage CDO market was in its heyday. The Bank for International Settlements, which helps central banks pursue financial stability, has estimated the overall size of the CDO market in 2007 at $640 billion; it estimated the overall size of the CLO market in 2018 at $750 billion. More than $130 billion worth of CLOs have been created since then, some even in recent months. Just as easy mortgages fueled economic growth in the 2000s, cheap corporate debt has done so in the past decade, and many companies have binged on it. Check out the full table of contents and find your next story to read. Despite their obvious resemblance to the villain of the last crash, CLOs have been praised by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for moving the risk of leveraged loans outside the banking system. Like former Fed Chair Alan Greenspan, who downplayed the risks posed by subprime mortgages, Powell and Mnuchin have downplayed any trouble CLOs could pose for banks, arguing that the risk is contained within the CLOs themselves. These sanguine views are hard to square with reality. The Bank for International Settlements estimates that, across the globe, banks held at least $250 billion worth of CLOs at the end of 2018. Last July, one month after Powell declared in a press conference that “the risk isn’t in the banks,” two economists from the Federal Reserve reported that U.S. depository institutions and their holding companies owned more than $110 billion worth of CLOs issued out of the Cayman Islands alone. A more complete picture is hard to come by, in part because banks have been inconsistent about reporting their CLO holdings. The Financial Stability Board, which monitors the global financial system, warned in December that 14 percent of CLOs—more than $100 billion worth—are unaccounted for. From the September 2017 issue: Frank Partnoy on how index funds might be bad for the economy I have a checking account and a home mortgage with Wells Fargo; I decided to see how heavily invested my bank is in CLOs. I had to dig deep into the footnotes of the bank’s most recent annual report, all the way to page 144. Listed there are its “available for sale” accounts. These are investments a bank plans to sell at some point, though not necessarily right away. The list contains the categories of safe assets you might expect: U.S. Treasury bonds, municipal bonds, and so on. Nestled among them is an item called “collateralized loan and other obligations”—CLOs. I ran my finger across the page to see the total for these investments, investments that Powell and Mnuchin have asserted are “outside the banking system.” The total is $29.7 billion. It is a massive number. And it is inside the bank. Since 2008, banks have kept more capital on hand to protect against a downturn, and their balance sheets are less leveraged now than they were in 2007. And not every bank has loaded up on CLOs. But in December, the Financial Stability Board estimated that, for the 30 “global systemically important banks,” the average exposure to leveraged loans and CLOs was roughly 60 percent of capital on hand. Citigroup reported $20 billion worth of CLOs as of March 31; JPMorgan Chase reported $35 billion (along with an unrealized loss on CLOs of $2 billion). A couple of midsize banks—Banc of California, Stifel Financial—have CLOs totaling more than 100 percent of their capital. If the leveraged-loan market imploded, their liabilities could quickly become greater than their assets. Read: The pandemic’s economic lessons How can these banks justify gambling so much money on what looks like such a risky bet? Defenders of CLOs say they aren’t, in fact, a gamble—on the contrary, they are as sure a thing as you can hope for. That’s because the banks mostly own the least risky, top layer of CLOs. Since the mid-1990s, the highest annual default rate on leveraged loans was about 10 percent, during the previous financial crisis. If 10 percent of a CLO’s loans default, the bottom layers will suffer, but if you own the top layer, you might not even notice. Three times as many loans could default and you’d still be protected, because the lower layers would bear the loss. The securities are structured such that investors with a high tolerance for risk, like hedge funds and private-equity firms, buy the bottom layers hoping to win the lottery. The big banks settle for smaller returns and the security of the top layer. As of this writing, no AAA‑rated layer of a CLO has ever lost principal. But that AAA rating is deceiving. The credit-rating agencies grade CLOs and their underlying debt separately. You might assume that a CLO must contain AAA debt if its top layer is rated AAA. Far from it. Remember: CLOs are made up of loans to businesses that are already in trouble. So what sort of debt do you find in a CLO? Fitch Ratings has estimated that as of April, more than 67 percent of the 1,745 borrowers in its leveraged-loan database had a B rating. That might not sound bad, but B-rated debt is lousy debt. According to the rating agencies’ definitions, a B-rated borrower’s ability to repay a loan is likely to be impaired in adverse business or economic conditions. In other words, two-thirds of those leveraged loans are likely to lose money in economic conditions like the ones we’re presently experiencing. According to Fitch, 15 percent of companies with leveraged loans are rated lower still, at CCC or below. These borrowers are on the cusp of default. So while the banks restrict their CLO investments mostly to AAA‑rated layers, what they really own is exposure to tens of billions of dollars of high-risk debt. In those highly rated CLOs, you won’t find a single loan rated AAA, AA, or even A. How can the credit-rating agencies get away with this? The answer is “default correlation,” a measure of the likelihood of loans defaulting at the same time. The main reason CLOs have been so safe is the same reason CDOs seemed safe before 2008. Back then, the underlying loans were risky too, and everyone knew that some of them would default. But it seemed unlikely that many of them would default at the same time. The loans were spread across the entire country and among many lenders. Real-estate markets were thought to be local, not national, and the factors that typically lead people to default on their home loans—job loss, divorce, poor health—don’t all move in the same direction at the same time. Then housing prices fell 30 percent across the board and defaults skyrocketed. From the January/February 2013 issue: Frank Partnoy and Jesse Eisinger on not knowing what’s inside America’s banks For CLOs, the rating agencies determine the grades of the various layers by assessing both the risks of the leveraged loans and their default correlation. Even during a recession, different sectors of the economy, such as entertainment, health care, and retail, don’t necessarily move in lockstep. In theory, CLOs are constructed in such a way as to minimize the chances that all of the loans will be affected by a single event or chain of events. The rating agencies award high ratings to those layers that seem sufficiently diversified across industry and geography. Banks do not publicly report which CLOs they hold, so we can’t know precisely which leveraged loans a given institution might be exposed to. But all you have to do is look at a list of leveraged borrowers to see the potential for trouble. Among the dozens of companies Fitch added to its list of “loans of concern” in April were AMC Entertainment, Bob’s Discount Furniture, California Pizza Kitchen, the Container Store, Lands’ End, Men’s Wearhouse, and Party City. These are all companies hard hit by the sort of belt-tightening that accompanies a conventional downturn. We are not in the midst of a conventional downturn. The two companies with the largest amount of outstanding debt on Fitch’s April list were Envision Healthcare, a medical-staffing company that, among other things, helps hospitals administer emergency-room care, and Intelsat, which provides satellite broadband access. Also added to the list was Hoffmaster, which makes products used by restaurants to package food for takeout. Companies you might have expected to weather the present economic storm are among those suffering most acutely as consumers not only tighten their belts, but also redefine what they consider necessary. Even before the pandemic struck, the credit-rating agencies may have been underestimating how vulnerable unrelated industries could be to the same economic forces. A 2017 article by John Griffin, of the University of Texas, and Jordan Nickerson, of Boston College, demonstrated that the default-correlation assumptions used to create a group of 136 CLOs should have been three to four times higher than they were, and the miscalculations resulted in much higher ratings than were warranted. “I’ve been concerned about AAA CLOs failing in the next crisis for several years,” Griffin told me in May. “This crisis is more horrifying than I anticipated.” Under current conditions, the outlook for leveraged loans in a range of industries is truly grim. Companies such as AMC (nearly $2 billion of debt spread across 224 CLOs) and Party City ($719 million of debt in 183 CLOs) were in dire straits before social distancing. Now moviegoing and party-throwing are paused indefinitely—and may never come back to their pre-pandemic levels. The prices of AAA-rated CLO layers tumbled in March, before the Federal Reserve announced that its additional $2.3 trillion of lending would include loans to CLOs.
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Financial Crisis
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Aeroflot Flight 3843 crash
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Aeroflot Flight 3843 was a Soviet Union commercial flight that crashed on January 13, 1977, after a left engine fire near Almaty Airport. All 90 people on board perished in the crash. [2]
The aircraft involved in the accident was a Tupolev Tu-104B, registered CCCP-42369 to Aeroflot. The aircraft was delivered to Aeroflot on October 31, 1958. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated 27,189 flight hours and 12,819 landings in service. [3]
The flight crew consisted of a captain, a first officer, two navigators and a flight engineer; three flight attendants were stationed in the cabin. [3]
Flight 3843 was a service from Khabarovsk to Almaty via Novosibirsk. The aircraft departed for the second leg of its flight from Novosibirsk at 17:13 on January 13, 1977. [4] At 40 kilometres (25 mi; 22 nmi) from Almaty airport the aircraft was at an altitude of 2,100 metres (6,890 ft). Witnesses noticed the left engine of the aircraft on fire about 15 kilometres (9 mi; 8 nmi) from the airport. With the wing still on fire, it then climbed from about 180 metres (600 ft) to 300 metres (1,000 ft) before diving and exploding in a snow-covered field. [4] The sky above the airport at the time was clear, although due to the haze visibility was at 1,850 metres (2,023 yd). The aircraft hit the ground at an angle of 28° with a roll, at a speed of 150–190 kilometres per hour (93–118 mph) and rotated 200-210° with respect to the runway axis. The fuselage broke in two; the front part of the fuselage sank into the ground 2 metres (10 ft). The rear of the fuselage with the tail assembly was pushed back 18 metres (60 ft) and not burned in the fire. Forensic examinations showed that the passengers were exposed to carbon monoxide during the flight. [4]
The accident board found the aircraft's left engine had been subjected to fire for 10–15 minutes. The fire increased upon slowing down to land due to a decrease in the air flow, damaging the controls. The aircraft stalled and crashed three kilometers short of the airport. [4]
Other sources claim the pilots continued to fly around in order to burn up fuel, but the fire reached the fuel tank, causing an explosion. [2]
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Air crash
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Aeroflot Flight 8381 crash
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Aeroflot Flight 8381 was a scheduled flight of a twin-engine Tupolev Tu-134 that departed Tallinn Airport in Estonian SSR, Soviet Union, at 10:38 am on 3 May 1985, for Chişinău in Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union making a stopover at Lviv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union. While descending to Lviv in overcast weather, it collided at 12:13 with a Soviet Air Force Antonov An-26 (callsign SSSR-26492, Russian: СССР-26492) that had just taken off from Lviv. The collision occurred at an altitude of 13,000 feet (4,000 m) (flight level 130). Both aircraft lost their right wings and tails, went out of control and crashed about one or two minutes later near the village of Zolochiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union, killing all 94 people on both aircraft. [1][2]
Civil and military air traffic controllers mislocated both aircraft involved, leading to violations of air traffic control rules. Among the victims of the disaster were graphics artist Alexander Aksinin, the young Estonian table-tennis player Alari Lindmäe (born 15 September 1967) and two generals of the Soviet Army. The captain of the Aeroflot aircraft, Nikolai Dmitrijev (born 18 October 1931), was a Hero of Socialist Labor and one of the Soviet Union's most decorated civil airline pilots. [3]
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Air crash
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China fines Canada Goose over parka claims; Salad kits recalled: CBC's Marketplace Cheat Sheet
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Canada Goose is in trouble with China for allegedly overstating the quality of down used in it's winter-apparel. The country's regulator, the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System, has fined the company 450,000 yuan, or about $88,202 Cdn. China's complaint centres on the company's claim it uses "Hutterite down," the warmest down available. It alleges the company uses other kinds of down in most of its products. In an emailed response to CBC News, the company said a technical error on a partner website was behind the confusion. The parka-maker said it uses both goose and duck down, depending on the construction of the garment. Read more
If you're used to saving a pretty penny each week by heading out to your local pub on wing night, you might be surprised to learn that the price of chicken wings has been steadily going up over the past year. Higher prices for poultry, chicken feed and canola oil are partly to blame, but an increased demand for wings as a pandemic comfort food is also a culprit. "I have been predicting or expecting that wing prices would be declining for about the last … six to 12 months, and they keep on going higher," said livestock market analyst Kevin Grier. "They have defied gravity." As restaurants have reopened, a tight market has developed for wings, and that has some businesses hustling to make sure they can get all the supply they need. "Can you imagine what a wing night on Tuesday is going to be like with no wings?" said Rob Dobrowolski, owner of Bonzzini's Brew Pub in Regina. Read more
A variety of chopped salad kits that may have been sold across the country have been recalled because of possible listeria contamination. The kits, sold under the brand name Eat Smart, were sold in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and possibly in other parts of Canada. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued a recall warning about some of the salad kits on Aug. 26, but after further investigation, the agency expanded the recall earlier this week to include other products and provinces. For the full list of recalled products: Read more Earlier this year, Marketplace investigated why leafy green recalls are on the rise.
New to post-secondary studies? Listen up. College life is often fun and illuminating, but it's not always cheap, and a good financial plan is a smart way to make sure your spending stays on track. As a new school year begins, John Eisner, president and CEO of Credit Counselling Services of Atlantic Canada, says the most important things a student can do is plan ahead and keep track of spending. "Budgeting is boring. Nobody likes to do a budget," he said. "But there's one thing about a budget or 'Money 101': It won't lie to you. The numbers won't lie to you." Read more
Study estimates how much coal, oil must be left in the ground to curb climate change 'Production needs to peak now,' says lead author Dan Welsby at University College London.
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Organization Fine
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Menindee locals living with 'disgusting', 'filthy' tap water that smells like 'a sewer'
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If your tap water was the colour of mud, would you drink it?
Some of the locals in Menindee locals in far-west New South Wales say that is what they are being forced to endure.
"This is the disgusting water coming out of our tap today," Taya Biggs wrote in the Menindee Region Community Group on the Darling River Facebook group.
"They expect us to wash, drink, cook and wash our clothes in the filthy water."
Another person wrote: "My bathroom water is green. Spewed in the shower again from the stench."
The town has been in the headlines this week after a million fish were found dead along a 40-kilometre stretch of the Darling River at Menindee, near Broken Hill, as a result of a toxic algal bloom.
Ms Biggs's post has been shared almost 3,000 times.
Her mother Daphne Biggs said while they "don't have any choice" but to shower in town water, they rely on rainwater for everything else, although she expects that will only last another two months.
"The smell [of the tap water] is absolutely disgusting," she said.
Ms Biggs said that no-one in her house had drunk the water for two years.
Lifelong Menindee local Dorothy Stephens said the water — supplied by Essential Water — has made her sick.
"Right up until Christmas I was still boiling that water and drinking it and then I worked out I was getting diarrhoea from it, so we stopped," she said.
Ms Stephens is not alone — Ngiyampaa elder Beryl Carmichael has lived in Menindee for 84 years.
"I drink rain water, otherwise I'd be running to the toilet," she said.
Menindee Tourism Association president Rob Gregory said the water coming out of the taps was "pretty brown".
"Prior to the first fish kill, our water had a smell to it which was sort of like a dammy, old, muddy smell that wasn't too bad," he said.
"But then straight after the first kill, it started to smell like sewer."
He said he was "disappointed" with Essential Water.
"Even after the first kill, [they] didn't even put a media release out to say that the water's OK," Mr Gregory said.
"We're paying top dollar for that water and what are we getting? Second-grade, third-grade quality; it's not good enough."
Despite locals' concerns, Essential Water is defending the quality of water being supplied to the town.
"We've received only two water complaints of coloured water at Menindee," head of operations John Coffey said.
He said both visits resulted in "minor flushing" and said water samples taken at the sites "complied with the requirements of the Australian Drinking Water guidelines".
"So it was certainly an isolated incident," Mr Coffey said.
"Water discolouration can be due to a lot of things — rusty pipes, sediment," he said.
"If the water coming from the treatment plant was that colour it would be the same in the whole town."
He said Essential Water sourced water from the Darling River, Lake Copi Hollow, and the Menindee common bore.
Mr Coffey refused to say what triggered Essential Water's water source switch from the Darling River to Lake Copi Hollow in December.
"The choice of raw water supply to the Menindee Treatment Plant is based on raw water quality at the time," he said.
He said anyone with complaints of poor water quality should contact Essential Water on 13 23 91.
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Environment Pollution
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Lost Decade (Peru)
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The Lost Decade or the Crisis of the 80s (La crisis de los 80) was a period of economic stagnation in Peru throughout the 1980s which was exacerbated to a severe macroeconomic crisis by the end of the decade. [1] Foreign debt accumulation throughout Latin America, a series of natural disasters, mass public expenditures, nationalizations of banks and financial institutions, and the shutting of Peru out of international credit markets led to a decade of macroeconomic decline. The financial crisis soon became adopted into the public sphere through hyperinflation in commodities, food shortages, and mass unemployment. By the end of the decade, Peru's gross domestic product (GDP) contracted over 20%, and poverty rose to 55%. [2]
The 1980s is often deemed as "The Lost Decade" in Peru, as the result of its social and economic crises. As a result of the crisis, large waves of Peruvians immigrated to countries such as the United States, Spain, Italy, Chile, Venezuela and Argentina. The financial crisis was ultimately subdued during the first year of the presidency of Alberto Fujimori, after a series of economic reforms that attempted resolve the foreign debt crisis and hyperinflation. [3]
Another part of the economic problems faced was due to the Peruvian government’s fight on terrorist groups, specifically the Shining Path, and rebuilding the damage of bombings from the group (which were usually including bridges, rail lines, and power installations). [4]
In the first half of the 1980s, the values copper and silver, Peru's two largest exports, had declined in price to a 40-year low. [5] From 1980 to 1982, the price of copper collapsed from nearly $3000 per tonne to $1300 per tonne. By 1987, the price of copper had only increased to $1380 per tonne. [6] Additionally, El Niño devastated Peru's fishing economy and led to destructive flooding and droughts in the region of Lima. As Peru's exports value began to decline, President Fernando Belaundé began to limit Peru's payments on its international debts in the first years of his administration. Belaúnde continued to increase Peru's investment into massive infrastructure projects, including interstate highways, railroads, and airports, increased spending in flood and drought aid, thus substantially increasing Peru's federal spending. Belaúnde was faced by a series of strict austerity measures recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after the buildup of foreign debt in Peru and throughout South America. Such measures aimed to lower the Peruvian government's deficit through less public spending and increasing government revenue. Belaúnde gave the impression that his administration was following the austerity measures recommended by the IMF, while in reality Belaúnde would downplay the debt crisis as terrorism began to grow in Peru's highlands by the Shining Path. As a result, as economic stagflation began to occur and inflation grew to 60%. By 1983, Peru accumulated $13.5 billion (77.8% of GDP) in foreign debt and its gross domestic product had collapsed by 20%. Belaúnde argued that the military regimes preceding his presidency, particularly the military regimes of Juan Velasco Alvarado and Francisco Morales Bermudez, had been convinced by foreign banks to borrow billions of dollars. Facing growing pressure, Belaúnde visited Washington, D.C. in 1984 in a last effort to beg President Ronald Reagan for help in his bankrupt administration. A White House aide commented that 'President Reagan only gave him half an hour,'' and suggested Belaúnde follow austerity programs outlined by banks and the IMF. Populism began to grow and the International Monetary Fund became a scapegoat for Peru's debt crisis. [7][8][9]
A surge in populism due to the crisis favored presidential candidate Alan García's economic proposals that would cut Peru's lines with international investors and banks. Following his election, García ordered the closing of the International Monetary Fund's office in Lima and ordered the nationalization of banks and other financial institutions in Peru. Viewed as a virtual default, investors soon pulled completely out of Peru and the Lima Stock Exchange suffered a significant drop. Peru's had switched its currency twice from 1985 to 1990. In 1985, President Alan Garcia introduced the Peruvian inti, a short-lived currency that valued 1000 Peruvian soles. Banknotes were initially printed in values of 10, 50, and 100 intis, however banknotes subsequently were printed in larger quantities due to continued hyperinflation. Peruvian intis were printed in values of 50,000, 100,000 and up to banknotes of 5,000,000 intis by the end of its circulation. Despite Garcia's attempts to encourage Peruvians to circulate and trust the Peruvian inti, the public turned towards exchanging and relying on United States dollars, leading to foreign exchange controls and the usage of the dollar MUC, a separate currency instituted by the Peruvian government worth identically to the United States dollar, until keeping up with inflation bankrupted the Central Bank of Peru. In 1990, Peru's currency was switched again from the Peruvian inti to the Peruvian nuevo sol as inflation began to decrease. A government initiative offered to exchange nuevo soles with Peruvians intis at the exchange rate of 1,000,000 Peruvian intis. Inflation continued to decline which contributed favorably to the new currency's circulation and reliability with the general public. Peruvian intis and the original Peruvian sol were ousted out of circulation in 1991. As of 2020, the Peruvian nuevo sol remains Peru's national currency. In 1988, the Peruvian government reported consumer prices rising 1,722%, or on average 143.5% per month. [9] The Garcia administration's policy of a self-sustainable economy caused imported goods to significantly increase in price. Pharmaceutical products increased nearly 600% and the price of petroleum quadrupled. In September 1988, economists declared that the inflation became hyperinflation. The middle and lower classes soon began to feel the subsequent effects of the protectionist policies. Peru experienced a shortage of raw materials and food, and long strikes in the mining industry led to falling exports, leading the trade deficit even further and increased unemployment. [10]
Source:[11]
Peru's fiscal policy in the late 1980s cut Peru off from the international market. As demand for manufactured goods in exports declined, the manufacturing industry began to lay off workers. Wages declined a reportedly 50% or more during the period. Unemployment had reached a threshold over 6% in the late 1980s, both in the country's formal and informal business sectors. [12][13]
Peru's gross domestic product at the start of the decade (in constant 2010 USD) was $64.7 billion. By 1990, Peru's gross domestic product had devalued to $58.5 billion. It would take until 1996 for the country's GDP to reach levels higher than those in the 1980s. [14] GDP growth averaged -0.72% annually from 1980 to 1990, although growth was mostly erratic in value.
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Financial Crisis
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Pest control company pleads guilty after chemical poisoning leaves man in coma
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A pest control company’s worker ended up in an induced coma after he was poisoned in a factory housing chemicals that can be used to make the pesticide 1080.
The man was hospitalised for more than two weeks in May 2019 after being exposed to a poisonous substance at a unit in Bromley, Christchurch, leased by Pest Control Research.
According to court documents, released to Stuff on Monday, the company pleaded guilty to four of the six charges originally laid by WorkSafe. The other two charges were withdrawn.
The company admitted it failed to ensure a site plan was available for inspection at a location where hazardous substances, including 91 kilograms of ethanol and 400 litres of ethyl fluoroacetate, were kept. READ MORE: * Pest control company charged after chemical poisoning leaves man in coma * Five people treated after inhaling fumes in Christchurch chemical spill * Charges laid over chemical poisoning that left man in coma Sodium hydroxide, ethyl fluroacetate and ethanol combine to make sodium fluoroacetate – or 1080.
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Pest Control Research also failed to ensure the location had a current compliance certificate as required by health and safety regulations, and failed to ensure a current safety data sheet for the hazardous substances was readily accessible to any emergency service worker or anyone else likely to be exposed to the substance.
The company also pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the health and safety of workers by exposing them to a risk of death or serious illness from exposure to hazardous substances. The charge carries a maximum penalty of a $1.5 million fine.
The charging document details reasonable steps Pest Control Research should have taken to protect workers’ health and safety, including ensuring there were safe ventilation arrangements.
Pest Control Research previously said it was not manufacturing 1080 at the Bromley warehouse, but was storing the chemicals that could be used to make it.
Manufacturing 1080 is not permitted in New Zealand but some companies, including Pest Control Research, have permission to make cereal bait from imported 1080.
At the time of the incident, chief executive Matthew O'Brien said the worker had been processing chemicals that were going to be delivered to its main office in Rolleston, near Christchurch.
A colleague rushed him to a medical centre before he was taken to Christchurch Hospital with serious injuries.
The injured worker has since fully recovered and returned to work.
Pest Control Research is scheduled to be sentenced in the Christchurch District Court next week.
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Mass Poisoning
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Paninternational Flight 112 crash
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Paninternational Flight 112 was a BAC One-Eleven operated by German airline Paninternational that crashed in Hamburg on 6 September 1971 while attempting to land on an autobahn following the failure of both engines. The accident killed 22 passengers and crew out of 121 on board. The aircraft, registered as D-ALAR, had its first flight the year before the accident. [1]
Paninternational Flight 112 took off from Hamburg Airport in Hamburg, Germany, on a flight to Málaga Airport in Málaga, Spain, with 115 passengers and six crew on board. [1] After the take-off, both engines failed and the pilots decided to make an emergency landing on a highway – Bundesautobahn 7 (also part of European route E45)[2] – about 4.5 km (3 mi; 2 nmi) from Hamburg Airport. [1] During the landing the aircraft deflected to the left and collided with an overpass and multiple concrete pillars, causing the right wing, cockpit, and T-tail to shear off. The rest of the fuselage broke up and skidded to a halt; subsequently catching fire. [1] The accident killed twenty-one passengers and one crew member. [1]
Subsequent investigation showed that the tank for the water-injection engine thrust-augmentation system (used during take-off) had inadvertently been filled with jet fuel instead of water. Spraying this additional jet fuel into the engines during take-off significantly increased the engine rpm and quickly caused both engines to overheat and fail, resulting in the crash.
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Air crash
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Covid-19 deaths during the fifth wave of the pandemic in Spain slowly begin to fall
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The worst of the fifth wave of Covid-19 in Spain is now over. According to the latest report released by the Health Ministry on Friday, the 14-day cumulative number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 inhabitants has now fallen below 200, something that has not been seen since July 4. The fall in the curve of infections, which began at the end of that month, arrived two weeks later in hospitals. But an improvement was still to be seen in the number of fatalities, which until now had continued to rise. The data supplied by the ministry is now showing a small fall in Covid-19 deaths, albeit with a daily total that is still above 100 (on Friday there were 155 fatalities reported). Since the fifth wave began, at the beginning of June, there have been 3,800 people who died after a positive coronavirus test, most of them seniors: the average age is 80. The exact number of deaths is a statistic that’s impossible to measure in real time. The notifications are subject to reporting delays that preclude taking a true snapshot until two or three weeks have passed. But the data that are supplied daily by the ministry are an approximate measure of what is happening. Every day, the ministry adds the number of new Covid-19 deaths reported by the regions – which are in charge of their healthcare systems – to its reports, even though many of them have a date of death that is from days or even weeks ago. The ministry assigns each death to the day that it took place as well as offering a daily number of how many fatalities were confirmed in the previous week. Both of these statistics are slowly falling. This past week, a total of 795 Covid-19 fatalities were reported, which is 69 fewer than the previous week. And the average of daily deaths (with confirmed dates) is 48, compared to 50 the week before. These latter data points will rise as more deaths are reported and assigned to their corresponding day. Delays to reporting mean that the lines of these graphs oscillate constantly and there are no clear trends, in contrast to what usually happens with the cumulative incidence and hospitalizations. Several weeks will have to pass for these data to be consolidated and an accurate analysis of when and how these fatalities began to fall. What is clear is that the death rate during this fifth wave has been much lower than that of the others. As the health minister, Carolina Darias, pointed out on Wednesday, it was 0.2% – that means that for every 1,000 positive cases, two people have died. Since the pandemic hit, that figure has been 1.7%, which is more than eight times higher. This statistic is also tainted by the first wave, when a very small proportion of actual infections were officially recorded. If the last wave is compared with those that came after the spring of 2020, it can be seen that Covid-19 has killed seven times fewer people. That said, in absolute numbers, the fifth wave has left many deaths behind – many more than the majority of experts had predicted. This is, according to the epidemiologists consulted, because the explosion of cases at the start of the summer was so huge that, while in relative terms the proportion of patients who succumbed to the virus was low, the raw number shot up. This summer so far, more than 1.1 million cases have been detected; meanwhile, in the fourth wave, around 600,000 infections were registered, leading to around 9,000 deaths. This was more than double than the fifth wave (these are approximate data – fatalities cannot always be clearly assigned to a specific wave, given that some people suffer an infection for a long time before they succumb). Salvador Peiró, a doctor specializing in public health, adds a detail with this data. “We count among the deaths anyone who has tested positive for the coronavirus, which does not necessarily mean that this is what has killed them.” Fernando Rodríguez Artalejo, a professor in public health at Madrid’s Autonomous University, adds that for many vulnerable older people the infection “unbalances many previous pathologies and they end up succumbing.” The average age of the victims in this wave has fallen to 80, which is six years lower than a year ago, according to the data supplied by the Health Ministry. However, it has not specified which percentage of these were already fully vaccinated. Also, this does not mean that there is a higher death rate among young people than previously, but rather that fewer seniors have died. According to the latest report from the Carlos III Institute in Madrid, and based on provisional data from the fifth wave, 80% of the victims continue to be over the age of 70 in Spain, while two out of every three were over 80. By age range, it is highly possible that a good percentage were already vaccinated and they are among the rare cases where death is the outcome, as Artalejo refers to. “The risk of dying for a vaccinated person in their 80s is becoming the same as for an unvaccinated 30-year-old,” he explains. “It’s starting to become rare, but with so much transmission, it does happen.” For seniors, however, the chance of dying from the coronavirus is also much lower now. Between the second and the fourth wave (there is no trustworthy data from the first) 22% of the over-90s who got infected passed away, a figure that has now fallen to 9.7%. Before, 14% of octogenarians died, a figure that has now gone down to 5.5%. Previously, 5% of those who were aged between 70 and 79 died, a figure that has fallen to 1.7%, according to the preliminary data from the Carlos III institute. What’s more, Peiró points out, the treatment of serious cases of Covid-19 has improved along with the handling of such patients, meaning that some of the deaths that are being reported now are the result of infections that took place more than six weeks ago. At that time, a good proportion of 60- 69-year-olds were still awaiting their second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca, which was being administered in Spain with a considerable gap between shots. Spain’s vaccination campaign last week hit the target of inoculating 70% of the population. This allows for some hope in the face of future waves. Based on what has been seen up until now, the death rate should be even lower: nine out of every 10 residents aged over 40 are now fully vaccinated, and the process is progressing for minors. While the vaccines are starting to show a certain weakness when it comes to avoiding infection months after they are administered, they are still robust when it comes to avoiding serious illness and death. For those who are vulnerable due to weakened immune systems, a third dose will soon be administered. Specialists believe that if the curve of infections starts to rise again, hospital admissions will have to be closely monitored. If, at any time, the vaccine starts to lose its effect among seniors and the death rate rises, the possibility of a third vaccine jab for this group will also have to be considered.
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Disease Outbreaks
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Weightlifting-China’s Shi breaks world record to win gold in 73kg category
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TOKYO, July 28 (Reuters) – China’s Shi Zhiyong broke his personal world report to win the lads’s 73kg weightlifting occasion on the Olympics on Wednesday and declare a gold medal for the second Video games in a row.
The 27-year-old lifted a mixed 364 kg to raised his personal world report of 363 kg, set on the 2019 world championships.
Venezuela’s Julio Ruben Mayora Pernia gained a silver with a carry of 346 kg.
In a shock flip, Indonesia’s Rahmat Erwin Abdullah, who competed in a division with decrease weight entries, gained a bronze by lifting 342 kg in complete. read more
Shi remained robust all through the competitors, breaking the Olympic report within the snatch along with his second carry and once more along with his third.
“My goal was to interrupt the world report, not solely to win the gold medal,” Shi informed reporters.
“I’d have regretted not breaking the world report. I got here right here to do that, I waited 5 years to do that. I used to be certain I’d break my very own report.”
Shi, gold medallist on the 2016 Olympics within the 69 kg class, additionally broke the Olympic report for the clear and jerk on his first try.
Shi challenged the choice on his second try at a 192 kg clear and jerk, however the choice stood. He then lifted 198 kg on his third carry to match his world report.
Mayora Pernia tried to carry 199 kg on his third clear and jerk however failed.
Indonesia’s Abdullah mentioned his father and coach advisable him to compete on the decrease weight division as a result of he could be “extra snug and relaxed” that means.
“I’m so completely happy, the plan labored,” he mentioned, including that his father was not capable of compete on the Olympics in 2004 resulting from accidents.
“At this time I’ve gained the medal for each of us, I dedicate this to him.”
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Break historical records
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2019 Copa América Final
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The 2019 Copa América Final was a final match of the 46th edition of Copa América tournament that took place on 7 July 2019 at the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to determine the winner of the 2019 Copa América. [2]
The match featured Brazil, the tournament hosts and Peru, in which Brazil won the match 3–1 to clinch their ninth Copa América title and their first since 2007. [3][4]
This edition was the fifth Copa América tournament hosted by the Brazil. [5] This final was the third of Peru in which they had been emerged as champions two times in their history. Their last championship (including worldwide tournaments) was won in 1975. [6][7] Meanwhile, it was Brazil's nineteenth final in Copa América in which they had emerged as champions eight times. [8] For the last time Brazil was crowned champions were in the 2007 Copa América which was hosted in Venezuela, after defeating Argentina by 3 goals to 0. [9][10][11]
These two sides had met each other before the final on their respective group stage match where Brazil defeated Perú on a big margin of 5-0. [12]
Everton opened the score sheet for Brazil after 15 minutes from the kick-off with a low right footed volley from eight yards out after a Gabriel Jesus cross from the right. Peru were awarded a penalty after 44 minutes when the ball struck the hand of Thiago Silva, with Paolo Guerrero scoring with a low shot to the right corner of the net. Brazil went back in front a minute later with a shot to the left corner of the net from inside the penalty area from Gabriel Jesus. Gabriel Jesus was shown a red card after 70 minutes after picking up a second yellow for jumping into the back of Carlos Zambrano. Substitute Richarlison made it 3–1 in the 90th minute with a penalty, shooting low to the left corner after Everton was fouled by Carlos Zambrano. [13][14]
Man of the Match:
Everton (Brazil)[1]
Assistant referees:[15]
Christian Schiemann (Chile)
Claudio Ríos (Chile)
Fourth official:
Alexis Herrera (Venezuela)
Video assistant referee:
Julio Bascuñán (Chile)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Nicolás Gallo (Colombia)
Alexander Guzmán (Colombia)
Match rules[16]
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Sports Competition
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Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo Volcano Erupts, Sending Thousands Fleeing
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The Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo erupted Saturday night (May 22), sending thousands of people fleeing across the border into Rwanda and filling the skies with orange-red smoke. By Sunday morning, the lava flow had slowed, stopping just short of the area’s major transit hub Goma, and so far no directly related injuries or deaths have been reported. The 11,385-foot-tall (3,470 meters) volcano is topped with a giant lava-filled crater measuring some 1.3 miles (2 kilometers) wide and 820 feet (250 m) high, Britannica reports. The last time this volcano erupted, in January 2002, lava covered nearby Goma—the capital of North Kivu province and home to about 2 million people—and left possibly 250 individuals dead and more than 100,000 without homes, according to news reports. Before that, in 1977 the volcano blew its top, sending lava across Goma and killing 2,000 people, according to Britannica. During Saturday’s eruption, “the lava halted near Buhene on the outskirts of Goma … the city was spared,” said General Constant Ndima, as reported by Al Jazeera. Even so, some 3,500 Congolese people fled across the border into Rwanda, the Ministry in charge of emergency management wrote on Twitter. “Panic spread as we were in contact with the residents of the north of the city who from their roofs could see the path of the lava as it made its way to the airport,” said Patient Iraguha, a resident of Rwanda who works in Goma, as reported by The Washington Post. Though one of the world’s most active volcanoes, Mount Nyiragongo may not have been properly monitored, according to news reports.The World Bank recently cut funding to Goma Volcano Observatory due to allegations of corruption, BBC News reported. In fact, on May 10, the observatory issued a report of increased seismic activity around the volcano; and last year, observatory director Katcho Karume told BBC the crater lake on Mount Nyiragongo had been filling up quickly and upping the chances of an eruption, BBC News reported.
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Volcano Eruption
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Crypto Kid Fraudster Gets 7 1/2-Years for Ponzi Scheme
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Stefan Qin’s investors thought they’d found a sure thing -- a hedge fund that was generating 500% returns by exploiting the price gaps between cryptocurrencies on 40 exchanges throughout the world. Instead, the 24-year-old self-proclaimed math whiz used their money on a lavish lifestyle, including a $23,000-a-month Manhattan penthouse apartment, and failed investments in initial coin offerings and real estate. Federal prosecutors said Qin defrauded more than 100 people out of about $90 million. After some of his victims said Qin should spend as long as possible behind bars for securities fraud, U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni sentenced him Wednesday to seven and a half years and called him “a potentially very dangerous person.” Qin “deliberately and consciously chose a path” to rip off investors, including fake account statements and lying to clients about how he was using their money, Caproni said. “This kind of white collar crime is just as devastating to victims as other types of crime, and it will be punished severely.” The judge also said the sentence was intended to discourage others from similar crimes and to protect the public from Qin, who had no trouble lying to his investors. “Virgil had a stated market strategy of ‘market neutral,’ safe investments,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a statement. “Qin’s investors soon discovered that his strategies weren’t much more than a disguised means for him to embezzle and make unauthorized investments with client funds.” More than a dozen investors had written letters to the judge, including several who said they had lost their life savings to Qin, an Australian national who dropped out of college to found Virgil Sigma Fund LP in 2017. One woman said she was left “homeless and destitute.” Qin told the judge he “felt absolutely heartbroken” to read the letters, many of whom were family, friends or business associates. “I feel ashamed to look them in the eye and tell them I’m sorry, but I must,” he said. Qin had claimed he developed a special trading algorithm called Tenjin that could earn profits by buying a cryptocurrency on one exchange and selling it at a higher price on another. Shortly after starting Virgil, he bragged the fund produced an annual return of 500% in 2017. The Wall Street Journal wrote a profile of him in 2018, when he managed $23.5 million. By 2020, he’d raised more than $90 million. He said he started the hedge fund in his first year of college using an algorithm he thought was an “amazing money making machine.” But “things started to go south, people started to become suspicious of my promises,” Qin told the judge. “Instead of coming clean I did the worst thing and doubled down on my lies,” Qin said. “I thought I was the main protagonist and life was a video game and I had just found the cheat code to beat it. As we know life is not a video game.” Near the end of last year, as losses mounted, investors started to demand their money back. To make those payments, Qin tried to raid another fund he had started, the VQR Multistrategy Fund LP, according to prosecutors. But the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in December got cryptocurrency exchanges to put a freeze on VQR’s assets. After that, Qin flew back to the U.S. from South Korea, surrendered to authorities in February and pleaded guilty the same day. While Qin faced as much as 20 years in prison, federal sentencing guidelines call for 151 to 188 months. Probation officials recommended 96 months, based on his lack of a criminal record and his voluntary return from overseas to face charges. Prosecutors had urged “substantial” prison time given the “brazen nature” of Qin’s crime and the need to stop discourage others from doing the same thing. “Qin used that hedge fund as his own piggy bank, stealing investor money to live a lavish lifestyle and repeatedly lying to investors about what he was doing with their money,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Tracer said in a sentencing memo. Defense lawyers asked for a sentence of 24 months, noting Qin took responsibility for his actions and helped authorities to recover some of the lost money. One investor told the judge in a letter not to be swayed by Qin’s personal charm, a characteristic that helped him defraud so many. “Mr. Qin did not steal food from a grocery to feed his family,” said the investor, Steve Reich. “He stole over $90 million from ordinary people and has shown no genuine remorse.” The case is U.S. v. Qin, 21-cr-00075, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan)
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Famous Person - Commit Crime - Sentence
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Demonstrators flying banners of immigration reform marched in cities across the nation yesterday to demand citizenship and a share of the American dream for millions of illegal immigrants who have run a gantlet of closed borders, broken families, snake-eyed smugglers and economic exploitation.
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Demonstrators flying banners of immigration reform marched in cities across the nation yesterday to demand citizenship and a share of the American dream for millions of illegal immigrants who have run a gantlet of closed borders, broken families, snake-eyed smugglers and economic exploitation.
Singing, chanting and waving placards and American flags, a sea of demonstrators -- police estimates ran as high as 500,000 -- marched in downtown Dallas in the largest of the protests. Some 20,000 rallied in San Diego, 7,000 in Miami, and 4,000 each in Birmingham, Ala., and Boise, Idaho.
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Protest_Online Condemnation
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Airlink Flight 8911 crash
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Airlink Flight 8911 was a positioning flight from Durban International Airport to Pietermaritzburg Airport, South Africa, that crashed into the grounds of Merebank Secondary School, Durban shortly after take-off on 24 September 2009, injuring the three occupants of the aircraft and one on the ground. The captain of the flight subsequently died of his injuries on 7 October 2009. The first on scene was Brian Govindsamy, who is a local resident. He allegedly tried to rescue the crew by breaking down the plane door. It is, however, still not certain how many of the crew he managed to save. The flight was a positioning flight (ferry flight) from Durban to Pietermaritzburg, carrying no passengers. [1] The three crew members consisted of captain Allister Freeman, first officer Sonja Bierman, and a flight attendant. [1]
The aircraft, a BAe Jetstream 41 with registration ZS-NRM, had only flown 50 hours since its last service. [2] The aircraft had been diverted to Durban from Pietermaritzburg the previous evening by bad weather. [3]
At around 8:00 a.m. local time (06:00 UTC) on 24 September 2009, the flight departed Durban International Airport. Shortly after takeoff, the crew reported loss of engine power and smoke from the rear of the aircraft, and declared an emergency. [4] Witnesses reported the aircraft flying at an unusually low altitude, and that the pilot was attempting to ditch the aircraft in vacant land surrounding Merebank Secondary School approximately 400 metres (440 yd) from the threshold of Runway 24 at Durban International Airport. [1][5][6] The school was closed on the day of the accident because it was Heritage Day, a public holiday. The pilot ditched the aircraft on the sports field of the school, avoiding hitting nearby residential properties;[5] the aircraft broke into three pieces on impact. [1][4]
Rescue workers arrived on the scene shortly after the crash and cut the three crew members out of the wreckage using hydraulic rescue tools. The captain was airlifted to St. Augustine's Hospital at 11:00 a.m. local time (09:00 UTC) in a critical condition; the critically injured first officer and seriously injured flight attendant were taken to other nearby hospitals. A street cleaner on the school's perimeter was struck by the plane and was taken to hospital. [1][4][6] The captain died of his injuries on 7 October 2009. [7]
Investigators from the South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) were dispatched to the crash scene; the CAA conducted an on-site investigation to determine the possible cause of the crash. [1][4] The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were retrieved and used in the investigation. [1] British Aerospace, the manufacturer of the aircraft, dispatched a team of technical experts to assist in the investigation should they have been required by the CAA. [1]
On 9 October 2009, the CAA issued a press release requesting the public's assistance in finding a bearing cap from one of the engines. The cap, which possibly separated from the engine during takeoff, could not be found at the crash site or at the airport. [8]
On 23 December 2009, the CAA issued the following press release : "In the case of the FADN (Merebank) accident the initial cause appears to be that of an engine failure during take-off which finally resulted in an accident when the human factor involvement resulted in the wrong engine being shut down. This type of engine failure has occurred previously and the cause is known to the manufacturer. "[9]
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Air crash
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1957 Abant earthquake
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The 1957 Abant earthquake occurred at 8:33am on 26 May, in Turkey. The earthquake had an estimated surface wave magnitude of 7.1 and a maximum felt intensity of IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale, causing 52 fatalities and 101 injuries. 5,000 houses were damaged as a result of the earthquake.
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Earthquakes
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Queensland and NSW drinking water hit by floods and fire but authorities say most areas are safe
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Queensland and NSW drinking water hit by floods and fire but authorities say most areas are safe
There is plenty to celebrate about the historic rainfall bringing a dramatic end to Australia's unprecedented bushfire crisis.
It has brought welcome relief for firefighters and hope for farmers, but the record rainfall brings its own problems. Queensland is grappling with overflowing dams while water authorities in New South Wales — who have also seen a major dam overflow — are dealing with the ash and debris from recent fires flowing into a number of critical water supplies. So what does it mean for our water?
Yes. Most likely. In the wake of the NSW bushfires, WaterNSW implemented additional water filters to reduce the impact of ash and fire-related debris in the dams.
And according to WaterNSW — and water experts — the volume of rain in NSW means debris from flood waters, ash, and other contaminants is impacting the quality of water supply in some areas. "If you look at the upper reaches of Sydney's drinking water supply, along the Coxs River, we see a lot of mud and a lot of sediment and a lot of ash from those bushfires is now sitting in that waterway," said Professor Stuart Khan, an environmental engineer from the University of NSW. "That can contain organic carbon [such as mud and sediment], and if there is organic carbon in the waterways, then bacteria that are naturally present will start to biodegrade."
It's an issue WaterNSW is monitoring closely, particularly in areas near the Green Wattle Creek fire, which was adjacent to the Warragamba Dam. "Some debris, including residual ash, has washed into Lake Burragorang [in the Warragamba Dam area]," a WaterNSW spokesman said. "WaterNSW and Sydney Water are keeping a close watch on any changes to water quality." They are also able to prioritise the cleanest water in the dam to enter the filtration plant. Victoria's Thomson Catchment Complex faced a similar threat following fires earlier this month. And although authorities are still monitoring the situation, a Melbourne Water spokesman said the bushfires around Victoria had not impacted Melbourne's water supply catchments or assets. Dr Khan said when big rain events happened in some areas, the water quality was impacted so much it was not easy, or sometimes even possible, to produce clean drinking water. This the case in the Bega Valley, in south-east NSW. Water is being trucked in at a cost of around $30,000 a day, according to the Bega Valley Shire Council, despite the Brogo dam currently being at 110 per cent capacity. That's because the turbidity — or the mud and debris in the water — is too thick for its water filtration system to cope. "[It means] the Brogo River supply has been isolated and emergency measures put in place," Bega Valley Shire Council water and sewer manager Chris Best said. "Brogo Dam rose from 10 per cent to overflowing in just one day — the water flowing into the dam is full of sediment, ash, soot and debris." Brisbane faced a similar water quality crisis in January 2013. Major flooding created a drinking water shortage because the water filtration system couldn't keep up with the volume of water, meaning Brisbane almost ran out of drinking water during a flood.
Mike Foster from Seqwater said taps in the city's outer suburbs that year very nearly ran dry. "We were getting close to almost a matter of hours," he said. "It got pretty tight." Largely yes, but it depends where you are. WaterNSW said some deterioration in water quality was expected after significant rainfall and acted to manage it following the state's bushfire crisis. That included the installation of three booms and dam curtains in the gorge at Warragamba Dam as a precautionary measure. A dam curtain works a bit like a shark net, but instead of blocking deadly marine life, it prevents potentially harmful sediment from reaching the dam walls where our water begins the journey through filtration processes. "They're anchored on either side of the reservoir and they have a curtain that drops down two or three metres below the water surface," Dr Khan said. "The idea there is that the sediment is mostly floating on the surface so they will try and hold back that sediment, or the top one or two metres of water, rather than letting it flow down to the dam wall." Above the water line, there's a different strategy. "(Authorities) can put in place erosion barriers which in many cases look a bit like fencing with a mesh material to just try and hold back some of the soil and sticks and everything else that might get washed down into waterways" he said. In Sydney, multiple river and dam systems mean authorities can find other sources of water to draw on in the event of an emergency, but in regional areas where there is only one waterway, other actions are likely to be taken, such as trucking in water or turning to another water source.
"At the moment we're not seeing any impacts to Sydney's drinking water supply and we probably won't," Dr Khan said. "There are some systems that are much more protected and much more resilient than others."
In south-east Queensland, the dams have seen as much as a 25 per cent increase in the past week and they're expecting more rainfall this weekend as a result of cyclone Uesi. Lake Macdonald on the Sunshine Coast is at 104.5 per cent capacity, while Gold Creek, one of the smaller dams in the south-east Queensland network, is at 146 per cent, causing them to overflow. But south-east Queensland is prepared for the wet season, according to Seqwater.
"We were sort of getting most of our large events on the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast," Mr Foster said. "While a number of our dams across the region will hit capacity and [are] spilling, we've come through to date unscathed and the water supply is continuing unabated." )
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Environment Pollution
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1979 Mississauga train derailment
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The Mississauga train derailment of 1979, also known as the Mississauga Miracle occurred on Saturday, November 10, 1979, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, when a 106-car CP Rail freight train carrying chemicals and explosives including styrene, toluene, propane, caustic soda, and chlorine from Windsor, Ontario derailed near the intersection of Mavis Road and Dundas Street in Mississauga, Ontario. As a result of the derailment, more than 200,000 people were evacuated in what was the largest peacetime evacuation in North America until the New Orleans evacuations during Hurricane Katrina. There were no deaths resulting from the incident. This was the last major explosion in the Greater Toronto Area until the Sunrise Propane blast in 2008. On the 33rd car, heat began to build up in an improperly-lubricated journal bearing on one of the wheels, one of the few still in use at that time as most had long since been replaced with roller bearings, resulting in the condition known among train workers as a "hot box". Residents living beside the tracks reported smoke and sparks coming from the car, and those who were close to Mississauga thought the train was afire. The friction eventually burned through the axle and bearing, and as the train was passing the Mavis Road level crossing, a wheelset (one axle and pair of wheels) fell off completely. At 11:53 p.m., at the Mavis Road crossing, the damaged bogie (undercarriage) left the track, causing the remaining parts of the train to derail. The impact caused several tank cars filled with propane to burst into flames. The derailment also ruptured several other tankers, spilling styrene, toluene, propane, caustic soda, and chlorine onto the tracks and into the air. A huge explosion resulted, sending a fireball 1,500 m (5,000 ft) into the sky which could be seen from 100 km (60 mi) away. As the flames were erupting, the train's brakeman, Larry Krupa, 27, at the suggestion of the engineer (also his father-in-law),[1] managed to close an air brake angle spigot at the west end of the undamaged 32nd car, allowing the engineer to release the air brakes between the locomotives and the derailed cars and move the front part of the train eastward along the tracks, away from danger. This prevented those cars from becoming involved in the fire, important as many of them also contained dangerous goods. Krupa was later recommended for the Order of Canada for his bravery,[2] which a later writer has described as "bordering on lunacy. "[1]
After more explosions, firefighters concentrated on cooling cars, allowing the fire to burn itself out, but a ruptured chlorine tank became a cause for concern. With the possibility of a deadly cloud of chlorine gas spreading through suburban Mississauga, more than 200,000 people were evacuated. A number of residents (mostly the extreme west and north of Mississauga) allowed evacuees to stay with them until the crisis abated. Some of these people were later moved again as their hosts were also evacuated. The evacuation was managed by various officials including the mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion, the Peel Regional Police and other governmental authorities. McCallion sprained her ankle early during the crisis, but continued to hobble to press conferences. Within a few days Mississauga was practically deserted, until the contamination had been cleared, the danger neutralized and residents were allowed to return to their homes. The city was finally reopened on the evening of November 16. The chlorine tank was emptied on November 19. It was the largest peacetime evacuation in North American history until the evacuation of New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and remained the second-largest until Hurricane Irma in 2017. Due to the speed and efficiency with which it was conducted, many cities later studied and modelled their own emergency plans after Mississauga's. As a result of the accident, rail regulators in both the U.S. and Canada required that any line used to carry hazardous materials into or through a populated area have hotbox detectors. [3]
Larry Krupa was inducted into the North America Railway Hall of Fame for his contribution to the railway industry. He was recognized in the "National" division of the "Railway Workers & Builders" category. [4]
The city of Mississauga sued CP in hopes of holding the railroad responsible for the massive emergency services bill. However, the city dropped its suit after CP dropped its longstanding opposition to passenger service on its trackage near Mississauga. This cleared the way for GO Transit to open the Milton line two years later. [5]
Hazel McCallion, in her first term as mayor at the time of the accident, was continuously re-elected until her retirement in 2014 at age 93. The song Trainwreck 1979 by Canadian band Death From Above 1979 is about the derailment:
It ran off the track, 11-79
While the immigrants slept, there wasn't much time
The mayor came calling and got 'em outta bed
They packed up their families and headed upwind
A poison cloud, a flaming sky, 200,000 people and no one died
And all before the pocket dial, yeah!
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Gas explosion
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2005 IIHF World Championship Division II
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The 2005 IIHF World Championship Division II was an international ice hockey tournament run by the International Ice Hockey Federation. The tournament was contested from April 4 to April 16, 2005. Participants in this tournament were separated into two separate tournament groups. The Group A tournament was contested in Zagreb, Croatia. Group B's games were played in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro. Croatia and Israel finished atop of Group A and Group B respectively, gaining promotion to Division I for 2006. While Turkey finished last in Group A and Iceland last in Group B and were relegated to Division III for 2006. [1][2]
All times local. List shows the top ten skaters sorted by points, then goals. Source: IIHF.com
Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage, who have played 40% of their team's minutes are included in this list. Source: IIHF.com
All times local. List shows the top ten skaters sorted by points, then goals. Source: IIHF.com
Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage, who have played 40% of their team's minutes are included in this list. Source: IIHF.com
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Sports Competition
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Coast Guard to halt search for missing from capsized commercial boat off Louisiana
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April 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday was set to call off a week-long search for the remaining eight people missing after a commercial lift boat used to service oil rigs capsized in hurricane force winds south of Louisiana's Port Fourchon. The search will end at sunset on Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard announced at a midday news briefing. A total of 19 people were on board when the 129-foot (39-m) commercial vessel, Seacor Power, went over in rough seas in the Gulf of Mexico, eight miles (13 km) off Port Fourchon about 4:30 p.m. (2130 GMT) last Tuesday, April 13. Six people had been rescued, five bodies were recovered and a search for the remaining eight will continue on Monday until sunset, the Coast Guard said. At the time of the accident, winds were about 80 miles per hour (129 km per hour) to 90 mph in 7- to 9-foot (2.74 m) seas. Of the survivors, two people were rescued by the Coast Guard and four others were pulled from the water by other vessels. For nearly a week, rescuers in Coast Guard cutters, aircraft and volunteer civilian boats have been hunting for the missing people. A lift boat, also called a "jack barge," has extendable 250-foot (76.2 m) legs that can reach the sea bottom. The vessel is often used by energy companies for offshore construction projects or to service oil rigs. The vessel is owned by Seacor Marine, a transportation company based in Houston.
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Shipwreck
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No end in sight to lead contamination at Perth Children's Hospital
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Contractors building Perth's new $1.2 billion children's hospital appear no closer to solving the problem of high lead levels in the facility's water supply.
The contamination emerged in September and has so far defied all attempts to clear it from the system, further delaying the completion of the hospital, which is already a year behind schedule.
After flushing the pipes with millions of litres of water, contractor John Holland then proposed to do the same with ice.
But Health Minister John Day said the idea had now been shelved.
"My understanding is that they are now not considering using ice flushing," he said.
"They are looking at taking other measures that are probably regarded as being more effective, and this is on the basis of all the professional advice that has been ongoing from different sources over the last two or three months."
With the hospital still technically a construction site oversight of the project rests with the Department of Treasury.
Just two weeks ago, Treasurer Mike Nahan was upbeat in his assessment of the proposed ice-flushing technique.
"We've flushed gently. We've flushed with pressure. Now we're going to flush with ice," he said at the time.
But today, the Health Minister confirmed the technique had been sidelined as the contractor searched for other options.
"They weren't clear initially on exactly what the cause was and how to solve it. That's an issue for the contractors. This is not of the Government's doing," Mr Day said.
"It's disappointing its taken as long as it has. We're still not there with a final solution at this point but hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel."
The State Opposition seized on the Minister's comments as further evidence the project was out of control.
"It is clear the minister has no idea about what is going on with this project. It is clear the Barnett Government has lost control of this project," Opposition health spokesman Roger Cook said.
Mr Cook said the Barnett Government was still unable to identify the source of the lead, or say when the problem would be fixed.
"Last week, the Minister said they were going put ice through the pipes to flush the lead out. Today, he admits that's not even an option," Mr Cook said.
"It is clear the government has no idea what's going on."
)
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Environment Pollution
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Canary Islands: Lava from erupting volcano destroys homes
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A volcano eruption on La Palma in the Spanish Canary Islands has destroyed houses and forced about 5,500 residents to evacuate. Lava from the Cumbre Vieja volcano has been pouring downhill since Sunday's eruption, devastating everything in its path. Local officials said about 100 houses have been destroyed so far. The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez flew to La Palma on Sunday to oversee rescue efforts. Mr Sanchez said authorities are closely monitoring fires that may start from the burning lava. The military and civil guard has been deployed to help. "The lava left absolutely nothing in its path," local mayor Sergio Rodriguez told Spanish broadcaster TVE, adding that residents would not be returning home for a while. No casualties have so far been reported. There were mandatory evacuation orders for four villages and temporary shelters were set up. Further evacuations are unlikely to be necessary, Canary Islands President Angel Victor Torres said on Monday. Regional airline Binter was forced to cancel four flights on Sunday due to the eruption but Spain's civil aviation authority has emphasised that the airspace above the islands remains open. Around 500 tourists have also been evacuated by authorities. Regional leader Ángel Víctor Torres said the volcano is expected to be active for the next few days, and the lava flow is predicted to reach the coast at around 20:00 local time (19:00 GMT). Spain's Tourism Minister, Reyes Maroto, faced criticism after telling Canal Sur radio that the eruption was an opportunity to attract visitors to the island. "The island is open. If your hotel is affected, we will find you another one," she said. "We can make the most of this opportunity. For the many tourists who want to enjoy what nature has brought to La Palma, they can do so in the coming weeks and months." The volcano last erupted 50 years ago. It lies in the south of La Palma island, which is home to around 80,000 people. The eruption started around 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Sunday and sent lava flowing down the hillside toward villages. Jonas Perez, a local tour guide, said he could still feel tremors from the eruption. "But now the most amazing thing, which I've never experienced, is that the noise coming from the volcano, it sounds like... 20 fighter jets taking off and it's extremely loud, it's amazing," he added. The prime minister delayed his departure for the UN General Assembly in New York to meet the Canary Islands' president to discuss the emergency services' response to the eruption. "Everything is going according to plan, and therefore the priority is to guarantee the safety of the citizens of La Palma who could be affected as a consequence of this eruption," Mr Sánchez said on Sunday. La Palma had been on high alert after more than 22,000 tremors were recorded in one week around the volcano. The Canaries, an archipelago of seven islands off north-west Africa, last recorded a volcanic eruption in 2011, undersea off El Hierro island. Cumbre Vieja last erupted in 1971 and in 1949. Residents on the island have expressed shock at the sudden eruption. "When the volcano erupted today, I was scared. For journalists it is something spectacular, for us it is a tragedy. I think the lava has reached some relatives' houses," Isabel Fuentes told the broadcaster TVE. "It's exciting," Monica, a teacher on the island, told the newspaper El País. "But at the same time it's worrying, because there are many houses threatened by lava." Sergio Sarti told the BBC's Newsday programme that he was hiking on La Palma when the volcano started to erupt. "I fear further big eruption of the volcano," he said. "It's like 200 metres altitude of fire, and then a big river of lava that is going closer and closer to the coast. I saw how many houses were covered by lava, and families crying. We didn't expect this to happen now. I was walking near the volcano when it explode[d]. I didn't expect it. This is amazing."
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Volcano Eruption
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2017 Scottish Open Grand Prix
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The 2017 Scottish Open Grand Prix was a badminton tournament which took place at Emirates Arena in Glasgow in the Scotland from 22 to 26 November 2017 and had a total purse of $65,000. The 2017 Scottish Open Grand Prix was the seventeenth Grand Prix's badminton tournament of the 2017 BWF Grand Prix Gold and Grand Prix and also part of the Scottish Open championships. This tournament organized by the Badminton Scotland, with sanction from the BWF. [1]
This international tournament was held at Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland. [1]
Below is the table with the point distribution for each phase of the tournament based on the BWF points system for the Grand Prix event. [2]
The total prize money for this year tournament is US$65,000. Distribution of prize money will be in accordance with BWF regulations. [1]
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Sports Competition
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Dam at Vale SA’s Corrego do Feijao mine caused serious casualties and losses
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BRUMADINHO, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazilian rescuers searched into the night on Sunday for hundreds of people missing after a burst mining dam triggered a deadly mudslide, as the death toll rose to 58 and was expected to keep climbing more than two days after the disaster. Rescuers worked past sunset to search a bus thought to have bodies inside and a home where three bodies were already found, state fire department spokesman Pedro Aihara told reporters. The collapsed dam at Vale SA’s Corrego do Feijao mine buried mining facilities and nearby homes in the town of Brumadinho, killing dozens and leaving the community in shock. “Until the last body is found, the fire department is acting on the possibility there could be people alive,” Aihara told reporters. “Obviously, given the nature of the accident, as time passes, this chance will go down.” After announcing the latest number of confirmed dead, state civil defense agency spokesman Flavio Godinho told reporters he expected the death toll to continue rising. Just over 300 people were still missing, with the list of those unaccounted for being constantly updated, Godinho said. Most of the missing are presumed dead, officials said. The cause of the dam burst remained unclear. Recent inspections did not indicate any problems, according to the German firm that conducted the inspection. Avimar de Melo Barcelos, the mayor of Brumadinho, blasted Vale for being “careless and incompetent,” and blamed the mining company for the tragedy and the state of Minas Gerais for poor oversight. He vowed to fine the miner 100 million reais ($26.5 million). Vale Chief Executive Officer Fabio Schvartsman said in a television interview on Sunday the disaster happened even after the company followed experts’ safety recommendations. “I’m not a mining technician. I followed the technicians’ advice and you see what happened. It didn’t work,” Schvartsman said. “We are 100 percent within all the standards, and that didn’t do it.” The CEO promised “to go above and beyond any national or international standards. ... We will create a cushion of safety far superior to what we have today to guarantee this never happens again.”
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Mine Collapses
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Australia scraps state's Belt and Road deal with China, Beijing rails at 'provocative' move
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© 2021 Copyright France 24 - All rights reserved. France 24 is not responsible for the content of external websites. Audience ratings certified by ACPM/OJD.
Issued on: 21/04/2021 - 18:20Modified: 21/04/2021 - 18:18
Sydney (AFP) – Australia said Wednesday it would revoke a state government's deal to join China's Belt and Road Initiative because it was inconsistent with the nation's foreign policy -- prompting an angry response from Beijing. Canberra last year introduced new laws widely seen as targeting China that allow it to scrap any agreements between state authorities and foreign countries deemed to threaten the national interest.
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Tear Up Agreement
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Vancouver general strike
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The 1918 Vancouver General Strike was the first general strike in Canadian history[1] and took place on 2 August 1918. There had been talks of organizing a general strike for quite some time due to federal conscription, censorship of socialist publications, and workers' demands for higher wages. [2] War-time inflation reduced real income profoundly and throughout the First World War Vancouver shipbuilders experienced a labor shortage. Numerous government policies had suppressed the work of labour activists such as strikes, lockouts and certain presses being banned. [3] Workers were also inspired by factors such as the Bolshevik Revolution the previous year and the rising cost of living. [3] The strike was eventually organized as a one-day political protest after the killing of draft evader and labour activist Albert "Ginger" Goodwin on July 27th. He had previously called for a general strike in the event that any worker was drafted against their will. [4]
The strike was met with violence from returned soldiers who had been mobilized and supplied with vehicles to storm the Labour Temple at 411 Dunsmuir Street[5] (the present-day 411 Seniors Centre). Some opposition claimed the strike was a product of a Bolshevik conspiracy. [5] Three hundred men ransacked the offices of the Vancouver Trades and Labour Council (VTLC). After attempting to throw VTLC secretary Victor Midgely out of a window, the soldiers forced him and a longshoreman to kiss the Union Jack. [5] A woman working in the office was also badly bruised when she prevented Midgely from being thrown out the window. Prominent suffragette and member of the Vancouver Trades and Labour Council Helena Gutteridge was also at the scene. [2]
Strike leaders could point to the vote by VTLC delegates that supported the strike 117 to 1. [5] After the strike, in response to opposition from the business and middle class, all the strike leaders resigned. Nearly all were re-elected in the ensuing election, demonstrating widespread support for the general strike among organized workers. Although the strike call was province-wide, it was only in the city of Vancouver that it took general strike proportions. Numerous other strikes took place in the city that year, and the general strike was as much a show of labour strength as it was a political protest over Goodwin's death. At the time the strike was controversial, some saw Goodwin as a martyr for the labour movement while others saw the strike as a betrayal to Canadian ideals. [6] Although only one day in duration, the 1918 strike was an important marker in the Canadian labour revolt that peaked with the Winnipeg General Strike the following year. A 1919 Vancouver strike in sympathy with Winnipeg would be the longest general strike in Canadian history. [3]
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Strike
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A dam in southeastern Brazil collapsed
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BRUMADINHO, Brazil (AP) — The death toll from the collapse of a dam holding back mine waste in southeastern Brazil rose to 40 on Saturday as searchers flying in helicopters and rescuers laboring in deep mud uncovered more bodies. An estimated 300 people were still missing and authorities expected the death toll to increase during a search made more challenging by intermittent rains. Scores of families in the city desperately awaited word on their loved ones, and Romeu Zema, governor of Minas Gerais state, promised that those responsible “would be punished.” Employees of the mining complex owned and operated by Brazilian mining company Vale were eating lunch Friday afternoon when the dam gave way, unleashing a sea of reddish-brown mud that knocked over and buried several structures of the company and surrounding areas. The level of devastation quickly led President Jair Bolsonaro and other officials to describe it as a “tragedy.” The flow of waste reached the nearby community of Vila Ferteco and an occupied Vale administrative office. On Saturday, rooftops poked above an extensive field of the mud, which also cut off roads. After the dam collapse, some were evacuated from Brumadinho. Other residents of the affected areas barely escaped with their lives. “I saw all the mud coming down the hill, snapping the trees as it descended. It was a tremendous noise,” said a tearful Simone Pedrosa, from the neighborhood of Parque Cachoeira, about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from where the dam collapsed. Pedrosa, 45, and her parents dashed to their car and drove to the highest point in the neighborhood. “If we had gone down the other direction, we would have died,” Pedrosa said, adding that she had a feeling “that this was the end of my life.” “I cannot get that noise out of my head,” she said. “It’s a trauma ... I’ll never forget.” In addition to the 40 bodies recovered as of Saturday afternoon, 23 people were hospitalized, said authorities with the Minas Gerais fire department. There had been some signs of hope earlier Saturday when authorities found 43 more people alive. Company officials also had said that 100 workers were accounted for. But the company said in a statement Saturday afternoon that more than 200 workers were still missing, while fire officials at one point estimated the total number at close to 300. Vale CEO Fabio Schvartsman said he did not know what caused the collapse. About 300 employees were working when it happened. A structure lays in ruins after a dam collapsed near Brumadinho, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 25, 2019. (Leo Drumond/Nitro via AP) Emergency workers suspended their search shortly after nightfall. They planned to resume at first light Sunday morning. For many, hope was fading to anguish. “I don’t think he is alive,” said Joao Bosco, speaking of his cousin, Jorge Luis Ferreira, who worked for Vale. “Right now I can only hope for a miracle of God.” Vanilza Sueli Oliveira described the wait for news of her nephew as “distressing, maddening.” “Time is passing,” she said. “It’s been 24 hours already. ... I just don’t want to think that he is under the mud.” The rivers of mining waste also raised fears of widespread contamination. According to Vale’s website, the waste, often called tailings, is composed mostly of sand and is non-toxic. However, a U.N. report found that the waste from a similar disaster in 2015 “contained high levels of toxic heavy metals.” On Friday, Minas Gerais state court blocked $260 million from Vale for state emergency services and told the company to present a report about how they would help victims. On Saturday, the state’s justice ministry ordered an additional $1.3 billion blocked. Brazil’s Attorney General, Raquel Dodge promised to investigate, saying “someone is definitely at fault.” Dodge noted there are 600 mines in the state of Minas Gerais alone that are classified as being at risk of rupture. Another dam administered by Vale and Australian mining company BHP Billiton collapsed in 2015 in the city of Mariana in Minas Gerais state, resulting in 19 deaths and forcing hundreds from their homes. Considered the worst environmental disaster in Brazilian history, it left 250,000 people without drinking water and killed thousands of fish. An estimated 60 million cubic meters of waste flooded rivers and eventually flowed into the Atlantic Ocean. Schvartsman said what happened Friday was “a human tragedy much larger than the tragedy of Mariana, but probably the environmental damage will be less.” Sueli de Oliveira Costa, who hadn’t heard from her husband since Friday, had harsh words for the mining company. “Vale destroyed Mariana and now they’ve destroyed Brumadinho,” she said. Daily Folha de S.Paulo reported Saturday that the dam’s mining complex was issued an expedited license to expand in December due to “decreased risk.” Preservation groups in the area alleged that the approval was unlawful. On Twitter, President Bolsonaro said his government would do everything it could to “prevent more tragedies” like Mariana and now Brumadinho. The far-right leader campaigned on promises to jump-start Brazil’s economy, in part by deregulating mining and other industries. Environmental groups and activists said the latest spill underscored a lack of regulation, and many promised to fight any further deregulation by Bolsonaro in Latin America’s largest nation. “History repeats itself,” tweeted Marina Silva, a former environmental minister and three-time presidential candidate. “It’s unacceptable that government and mining companies haven’t learned anything.”
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Mine Collapses
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Alas Chiricanas Flight 901 crash
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Alas Chiricanas Flight 00901, registered HP-1202AC, was an Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante aircraft flying en route from Colón city to Panama City which exploded shortly after departing Enrique Adolfo Jiménez Airport, on the night of July 19, 1994. All 21 on board, including 12 Jews, were killed in the bombing. [1] Both Panamanian and American authorities consider the bombing an unsolved crime and an act of terrorism. The wreckage of the Bandeirante was strewn about the Santa Rita Mountains near Colón. Panamanian investigators quickly determined that the explosion had been caused by a bomb, probably detonated by a suicide bomber aboard the aircraft. Only one body was not claimed by relatives; this body is believed to be that of a man named Jamal Lya. [2] Officials suspected that the incident was an act of terrorism by Hezbollah directed against Jews in part because it took place one day after the AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires, and due to an expression of support by "Ansar Allah", a Hezbollah affiliate in South America. [3][4]
In 2018, the President of Panama Juan Carlos Varela said "recent evidence" and intelligence reports "clearly show it was a terrorist attack," and that he would ask local and international authorities to reopen the investigation. The FBI have in its investigations identified the perpetrator to have been a passenger named Ali Hawa Jamal. [5]
]
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Air crash
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Obama Comments on Iranian Nuclear Deal By Michael R. Gordon and David E. Sanger
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Obama Comments on Iranian Nuclear Deal By Michael R. Gordon and David E. Sanger
VIENNA — Iran and a group of six nations led by the United States reached a historic accord on Tuesday to significantly limit Tehran’s nuclear ability for more than a decade in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions.
The deal culminates 20 months of negotiations on an agreement that President Obama had long sought as the biggest diplomatic achievement of his presidency. Whether it portends a new relationship between the United States and Iran — after decades of coups, hostage-taking, terrorism and sanctions — remains a bigger question.
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Sign Agreement
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What's behind the push for a fourth stimulus check
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The IRS has issued more than 169 million payments in the third round of direct stimulus aid, with more than 2 million people in July receiving the $1,400 checks. But some lawmakers are pushing for a fourth round of stimulus aid that would effectively send recurring payments until the pandemic ends. So far, the federal response to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has paid out $3,200 to eligible adults: $1,200 under the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act in March 2020; $600 in a December relief measure; and $1,400 under the American Rescue Plan signed in March by President Joe Biden. Despite that financial assistance, millions of Americans remain in financial distress, and the spread of the Delta variant is creating new economic headwinds. Almost one-quarter of Americans struggled to pay their household expenses in the previous week, according to new Census survey data that polled people during the last two weeks of August. The unemployment rate stands at 5.2%, still higher than its pre-pandemic level of 3.5%. And while businesses are hiring, there are still about 5.3 million fewer people are on payrolls today than before the pandemic. Economists are signaling alarm over the spread of the Delta variant, with Oxford Economics recently cutting its forecast for 2021's global economic growth to 5.9% from 6.4%. "Uncertainty and hesitancy may ultimately lead to a more slow-burning recovery from here than our baseline assumes," wrote Ben May, director of global macro research at Oxford Economics, in the report. At the same time, 9.1 million people lost enhanced unemployment benefits on Labor Day, when the federal benefits expired. That will wipe out about $5 billion in weekly benefits that had been flowing to unemployed workers — aid that had supported those workers in paying for groceries, rent and other essentials. For many people, in short, the latest round of $1,400 checks is long gone even as other pandemic stimulus is coming to an end — an issue that is on the minds of many Americans who continue to struggle with joblessness and a weak labor market. Indeed, more than 2.8 million people have signed a Change.org petition started last year that calls on lawmakers to pass legislation for recurring $2,000 monthly payments. Some lawmakers have picked up the idea. Twenty-one senators — all Democrats — signed a March 30 letter to Mr. Biden in support of recurring stimulus payments, pointing out that the $1,400 payment being distributed by the IRS won't tide people over for long. "Almost 6 in 10 people say the $1,400 payments set to be included in the rescue package will last them less than three months," the senators wrote in the letter. Meanwhile, some states are creating their own form of stimulus checks. About two-thirds of California residents are likely to qualify for a "Golden State Stimulus" check via a new effort from Governor Gavin Newsom. That effort will provide $600 for low- and middle-income residents who have filed their 2020 tax returns. Florida and parts of Texas have authorized bonuses for teachers to help offset the impact of the pandemic. The letter from the U.S. senators doesn't specify how large are the payments they are seeking, but a separate effort from Democratic lawmakers in January pushed for $2,000 monthly checks until the pandemic ends. Instead, the American Rescue Plan authorized $1,400 for each eligible adult and dependent. Some families received another form of stimulus aid on July 15 when the IRS deposited the first of six monthly cash payments into bank accounts of parents who qualify for the Child Tax Credit (CTC). Families on average received $423 in their first CTC payment, according to an analysis of Census data from the left-leaning advocacy group Economic Security Project. Eligible families will receive up to $1,800 in cash through December, with the money parceled out in equal installments over the six months from July through December. The aid is due to the expanded CTC, which is part of President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan. Families who qualify will receive $300 per month for each child under 6 and $250 for children between 6 to 17 years old. Several families that spoke to CBS MoneyWatch said the extra money would go toward child care, back-to-school supplies and other essentials. Families may enjoy more of a tax break in coming years, if Mr. Biden's American Families Plan moves forward. Under that plan, the Child Tax Credit's expansion would last through 2025, giving families an additional four years of bigger tax breaks for children. So far, people who have received the three rounds of stimulus payments said they're using most of the funds to pay down debt or sock away the money in savings, according to a recent analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That could indicate that people are using the money to whittle down debt they incurred during the pandemic as well as to build up an emergency fund in case of another shock. Almost 7 in 10 Americans who have received, or believed they would soon get, a third payment said it's important for their near-term finances, Bankrate.com said in April. That's down from about 8 in 10 people in March 2020, when the pandemic caused widespread unemployment, but overall the share of people who need additional support remains elevated more than a year later, according to the personal finance firm. About 1 in 3 people said the stimulus aid would help support them for less than one month, the survey found. Millions of Americans were spared hardship due to the three rounds of stimulus payments, researchers have found. But when stimulus has faltered, such as last fall when Congress was deadlocked on another round of aid, hardship increased "markedly" in November and December, according to a May analysis of Census data from the University of Michigan. Some top economists have called for more direct aid to Americans. More than 150 economists, including former Obama administration economist Jason Furman, signed a letter last year that argued for "recurring direct stimulus payments, lasting until the economy recovers." Although the economy is improving, millions of people continue to suffer from reduced income and have not been able to tap government aid programs, Nasif said. Only 4 in 10 jobless workers actually received unemployment aid, according to a March study from economist Eliza Forsythe. Many people never applied for unemployment benefits because they didn't think they were eligible, while others may have given up due to long waits and other issues. "You'll see reports about how the economy is starting to grow, but there are a lot of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, and for a lot of them the government relief programs haven't been able to help," said Greg Nasif, political director of Humanity Forward. Don't hold your breath, according to Wall Street analysts. "I think it's unlikely at this time," Raymond James analyst Ed Mills told CNBC. One reason is that the Biden administration is focused on advancing its infrastructure plan, which would reshape the economy by rebuilding aging schools, roads and airports, as well as investing in projects ranging from affordable housing to broadband. The proposal, which the White House says would be funded by boosting the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%, will likely consume lawmakers this fall, said Stifel's Brian Gardner in an August 11 research note. "The fall is shaping up to be a busy time in Washington as Congress tries to finish two infrastructure bills (one which includes tax hikes), approve the annual spending bills, and raise the debt ceiling," he noted. At the same time, the economic rebound is facing headwinds as the Delta variant spreads through the nation. Some states with low vaccination rates are experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases that could dissuade people from taking service jobs in restaurants and other jobs that involve exposure to the public. Texas' failure to stem the COVID-19 surge in its state has led to nearly 72,000 job losses and an annualized decline in output of more than $13 billion, a recent study found. Fear of contracting COVID-19 is also leading to job losses in Texas as workers opt to stay home or must stay home to care for family members with the illness, the study noted. Meanwhile, federal pandemic unemployment benefits expired on September 6, marking the end of innovative programs that had extended jobless aid to gig workers, part-time workers and others that typically don't qualify for unemployment benefits. That could increase hardship for many households, experts say. "This cliff threatens the economic recovery progress we have made by draining the economy of consumer spending, and will put millions of workers at risk of lasting hardship," said Century Foundation senior fellow Andrew Stettner in a statement.
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Financial Aid
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SA surgeon performs new robotic surgery on testicular cancer patients, allowing faster recovery
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SAN ANTONIO - – Testicular cancer is most common in younger men, ages 15-30 years old. In more complicated cases where the disease has spread, the only option used to be a serious open surgery, but a robot is now changing that, getting these young patients back on their feet faster. Antonio Flores is only 21 and in his prime, so it was a shock in February when he found out he had testicular cancer. “They told me, ‘Yeah we have to remove the testicle.’ I was like, ‘Okay, go ahead.’ I’d rather lose a testicle than my life,” he said. However, that was just the beginning. He then went through weeks of chemotherapy only to find out he was one of the rare patients whose lymph nodes in the back of his abdomen were still infected. “It’s quite complex and quite rare because these lymph nodes are right next to the major vessels,” said Dr. Ahmed Mansour, associate professor of urology at UT Health San Antonio and a surgeon with Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Mansour said typically the only procedure available is a complicated open surgery, which is only available at a few centers in the nation and takes months of recovery. “The traditional surgery involves a large incision, which extends from the chest bone all the way across the abdomen,” he said. Mansour hated seeing young patients held back from their lives for so long as they recovered, so he helped utilize a massive surgical robot to more effectively remove these lymph nodes in patients like Flores. The surgeon sits in the corner of the operating room controlling instruments attached to long robot arms, inserted through small incisions in the patient’s belly. “The advantages are less blood loss, faster recovery, and less pain after the surgery,” Mansour said. The Mays Cancer Center took the robotic procedure done only a few times around the nation, and modified the technique further. “This procedure has been done in the past but only for patients who did not get chemotherapy, because chemotherapy makes these masses stuck to the vessels and it becomes quite hard for them to be taken out. In the past, it was also performed to take the lymph nodes from only one side of the belly,” Mansour said. Ad The robotic surgery allows surgeons like Mansour to operate on both sides of the abdomen on testicular cancer patients like Flores who have had chemo. In May, Flores was the first patient to undergo that procedure here in San Antonio, and became one of just a handful of patients across the country. Since Flores’ surgery, Mansour has done the procedure once more. “He got amazed at how fast I’ve been recovering. Since the surgery, I would say three weeks… not even,” Flores said. He’s back to working as an auto mechanic and is proud to be cancer-free. “The fastest I can get recovered to get back to work the better because honestly I got a lot of bills to pay,” Flores said. That’s the very reason Mansour and his colleagues are continuing their quest to perfect the robotic procedure until it’s used more regularly nationwide. UT Health San Antonio is now promoting the new technique to other centers and creating a multi-center study evaluating this approach to the traditional open surgery. Ad While Mansour works on that, he also is promoting prevention, saying the best way to keep patients safe is through self-examination. “Usually testicular cancer comes without any symptoms, but they feel a mass or a lump on their testes. Usually discovered during showering or self-examination,” he said. He urges men to do regular self exams and go to the doctor if they believe they feel something abnormal.
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Famous Person - Recovered
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COVID-19 | Shopping complexes, malls to open in Chennai, while cinema halls and gaming centres remains close
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Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday announced several relaxations even while extending the COVID-19 lockdown till 6 a.m. of July 5. Shopping complexes and malls will reopen in Chennai and surrounding districts (category 3) and intra- and inter-district bus transport will resume in 23 districts (category 2) from Monday. Additional relaxations have been offered in 11 districts in western and central Tamil Nadu, where a stricter lockdown is in force because of a higher infection rate. In Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts, private offices can function with 100% workers, and shopping complexes and malls can function between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Clothing and jewellery shops will be allowed to function without air-conditioning and with 50% of customer capacity between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Eateries and shopping complexes and malls will be allowed to offer only takeaways. No permission has been granted for cinema halls and gaming centres. All places of worship in these four districts, including temples, mosques, churches and dargahs, will be allowed to open, in compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure. However, special prayers (‘archanai’), functions and consecration will not be allowed. Sports academies and training centres will be allowed to function on open grounds, but without any audience, between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. All shops and establishments already opened in these districts have been allowed till 7 p.m. In 23 districts under category-II, intra and inter-district bus transport with 50% of seating and without air-conditioning will be allowed in compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure. All private offices will be allowed to function with 50% of their staff. Offices of construction companies will be allowed with 50% of their staff. Roadside eateries will be allowed for takeaways between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Shops offering servicing and sales of mobile phones, computer hardware and software and spare parts of electronic appliances will be allowed between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. In all except 11 districts (Coimbatore, Erode, Karur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Namakkal, Salem, Thanjavur, the Nilgiris, Tiruppur and Tiruvarur identified as category-I districts), the following relaxations have been allowed. All government offices, other industries, banks and ATM services and insurance companies will be allowed to function with 100% of their staff. IT and ITES companies will be allowed only with 50% of their staff. Gymnasiums and yoga centres will be allowed to open during their regular business hours with 50% of their capacity but without air-conditioning. Entry into museums and protected monuments will be allowed between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Housekeeping and security services will be allowed without e-registration. In category-I districts, tea shops will be allowed but only for takeaways between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. In the case of eateries, restaurants, bakeries and e-commerce services, the timing will be between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Beauty parlours and salons will be allowed without air-conditioning between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. but only with 50% of customers at a time. All essential government departments and sub-registrar offices will function with 100% of their workers, while other departments will function with 50% of their staff. Schools, colleges, universities and training centres will be allowed to undertake admission activities. Government parks and those under the control of the local bodies and sports grounds will be allowed for training between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Stationery, electrical, footwear, hardware and fancy shops and those offering video, photography and photocopy services will be allowed between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sweet and savoury shops will be allowed between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. E-Seva centres will function as usual. Service centres for home appliances such as mixies, grinders and televisions and those servicing vehicles and selling spares, sales and service of mobile phones, computer hardware, spares of electronic alliances will be allowed between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Roadside eateries and establishments selling construction materials in these 11 districts will be allowed between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. All essential government departments will be allowed with 100% workers, while other departments will be allowed with only 50% staff. All private offices and establishments, banks and ATM services and insurance companies will be allowed to function with 50% staff in these 11 districts. “Companies involved in exports and manufacture of inputs for essential commodities will be allowed to function with 100% of the staff in compliance with the Standard Operating Procedure,” the order said. IT and ITES companies in these 11 districts will be allowed only with 20% staff. Offices of construction companies will be allowed only with 33% staff. “All kinds of construction activities will be allowed,” the order said. Shooting for films and television serials will be allowed after RT-PCR tests but only with a maximum of 100 artists. Post-shooting work will be allowed and maintenance work at cinema halls will be undertaken with permission from the Tahsildars.
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Organization Closed
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Brexit: UK wants to redraw Northern Ireland Protocol
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The UK has unveiled a new set of demands to redraw the post-Brexit trading arrangements it agreed with the EU for Northern Ireland.
The government said border checks on goods from Great Britain it signed up to in the 2019 Brexit divorce deal had proved unsustainable. Brexit Minister Lord Frost said they risked harming business, and were damaging the "fabric" of the UK.
The EU said it would not agree to renegotiate the terms of the 2019 deal. The checks are included in the Northern Ireland Protocol, a section of the Brexit deal designed to avoid border checks on the island of Ireland.
Lord Frost called on the EU to look on the UK's proposals with "fresh eyes," adding: "We cannot go on as we are."
However, he announced the UK would not be triggering Article 16 of the protocol - which would allow it to suspend parts of the Brexit deal - before talks with Brussels. He added that the government believed using it was justifiable, but said: "Nevertheless, we have concluded that it is not the right moment to do so."
Lord Frost told the House of Lords there was a "growing sense in Northern Ireland we have not found the right balance, seen in an ongoing febrile political climate, protests and regrettable instances of occasional disorder".
He also called on the EU to agree a "standstill period" to prevent a ban on sending chilled meat products such as sausages from Great Britain coming into force in September, when the full terms of the deal kick in.
He later told reporters it was "perfectly normal to change treaties in the light of experience, and it happens all the time".
In a 28-page document, the UK government suggested changes to:
The protocol was agreed to prevent the return of a hard border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland, as both the UK and EU want to prevent any return to the Troubles, which lasted 30 years and cost more than 3,500 lives.
Under its terms, Northern Ireland effectively remains part of the EU's single market for goods, meaning it complies with standards set by Brussels.
The biggest practical difficulty, in trade terms, concerns the movement of food from Britain to Northern Ireland, which could then be transported into the EU via the Irish land border.
The prime minister's former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, has told BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg that the protocol had been a "fudge".
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Tear Up Agreement
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Jorge Chávez crash
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Jorge Antonio Chávez Dartnell (January 13, 1887 – September 27, 1910), also known as Géo Chávez, was a Peruvian aviator. At a young age, he achieved fame for his aeronautical feats. He died in 1910 after a heavy wind broke the wings of his fragile airplane Bleriot XI, falling from a twenty meter height upon landing, after achieving the first air crossing of the Alps. Jorge Chávez Dartnell was born in Paris, France to Peruvian parents Manuel Chávez Moreyra and María Rosa Dartnell y Guisse. He studied at the Violet School from where he graduated with an engineer's degree in 1908. [1]
Chávez attended the school of aviation established by Henry and Maurice Farman where he got his pilot license and undertook his first flight in Reims on February 28, 1910. [2] Afterwards he participated in several aviation competitions throughout France and other European countries. On August 8 of the same year he took a Blériot monoplane to Blackpool, England where he achieved fame after attaining an altitude of 1,647 meters (5,405 ft). [3] He improved his mark by flying at 2,700 meters (8,700 ft) over the city of Issy, France on September 6. [4]
After this successful series, Chávez decided to undertake the first air crossing of the Alps. This attempt was made in response to a prize of $20,000 offered by the aero club of Italy for the first aviator to make the trip alive. [5] After several delays due to bad weather, he took off from Ried-Brig, Switzerland on September 23, 1910, and made his way through the Simplon Pass. Before departing he said, "Whatever happens, I shall be found on the other side of the Alps". [6] Fifty-one minutes later he arrived at his destination, the city of Domodossola, Italy, but his plane crashed upon landing. It is believed that the airplane had been damaged previously and inadequately repaired, which caused the aircraft to break under the heavy winds of the mountains. [7] Heavily injured but conscious, Chávez was taken to San Biaggio Hospital of Domodossola, where he was officially declared winner of the competition and received telegrams from all over the world congratulating him for his achievement. He also received the visit of the president of the Aero Club of Italy and gave one last interview to his friend the journalist Luigi Barzini, telling all the details of his flight. [8] He died four days later of massive blood loss. [9] His last words were, "Higher. Always higher." according to the testimony of his friend and fellow aviator Juan Bielovucic. [10]
The death of Jorge Chávez caused great commotion in the aviation world. Brig and Domodossola, the start and end points of his last flight, dedicated monuments to the lost aviator. In Peru, Chávez became an icon for aviation related institutions such as the Air Force. His remains were initially buried in France but repatriated to Peru in 1957, where they currently rest at the Officer's School of the Peruvian Air Force at Las Palmas. [11] The International Airport of Lima, inaugurated in 1960, is named after him. A life-sized replica of Chávez famous Blériot XI monoplane is still on display at the air terminal. As Chavez did most of his flying career in France with French made aeroplanes and Chavez was very popular in France at the time, the city of Paris named a street after him in the 20th Borough (20° arrondissement) of Paris. He appears as a character in scenes drawing upon his real-life tragic flight over the Alps in John Berger's novel G. (1972), awarded the Booker Prize in 1972. Monument to Jorge Chávez in Lima, Perú
Memorial to Jorge Chávez in the market square of Brig
Monument to Jorge Chávez in Domodossola
Monument to Jorge Chávez in Brig
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Air crash
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2006 Falk Corporation explosion
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The Falk Corporation explosion refers to a large and fatal propane gas explosion at a Falk Corporation building in the industrial Menomonee River Valley neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, on December 6, 2006. Three people were killed and forty-seven others injured. Cars were reportedly flipped through the air and debris scattered over several blocks. [1] An investigation of the cause of the disaster uncovered leaks in a pipe running below the building, which supplied propane to the heating system for the complex. Several parties involved in the explosion have launched legal action in connection to the accident. The Falk Corporation manufactures large industrial gears, couplings, chains, bearings and other industrial components and equipment. [2] Located in the Menomonee River Valley in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, it is owned by Rexnord. The complex is more than 61 acres (250,000 m2), and has 1,500,000 square feet (140,000 m2) of buildings. [1] 600 people were inside the complex at the time of the explosion. [1] The building that exploded was located in one corner of the complex. The building that housed the propane tanks was two separate structures joined together. One of the buildings was used as a warehouse for storing components used in the manufacturing process, and was called the Annex. The other building, called the 2-2 building, was a maintenance facility. [1] The two buildings between them housed six propane tanks[3] and covered 50,000 square feet (5,000 m2). [4]
The company was founded in 1856 as a brewery and the original plant was destroyed by fire. [5] Three years later, the replacement brew house, grain elevator, malt house and refrigerator building were destroyed by a second fire. [5] The remains of the business were sold, but one of the family's youngest sons rented part of the complex back and began a manufacturing business, and by 1900 the current compound had been constructed. [5] In 1917 the Menomonee River overflowed its banks, filling the plant with at least 18 inches (460 mm) of muddy water. Cleanup operations took several weeks. [5] During another flood in 1960 waters rose so fast that 75 workers were stranded and required rescue. Recovery operations took several weeks. [5] The Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated four complaints in the ten years prior to the explosion, but none involved the propane systems. [6]
Before the explosion, most of the workers had evacuated the building. Police Chief Nannette Hegerty stated that an evacuation had begun 10 to 14 minutes before the explosion. According to reports by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a Falk spokeswoman stated that the evacuation was limited to the area near a propane leak. The Journal's report also stated that a man said that he smelled gas about thirty minutes before the explosion occurred. Another worker reported a propane leak, and shut off the tank and issued a warning, but could still smell the gas. [7] The Journal interviewed six employees who said they were never formally evacuated because it would have led them through the Annex building. [7]
At 8:07 A.M. Central time the entirety of the dual building exploded. The explosion happened while workers were performing a test to switch to a back-up system heating system which used propane instead of gas to heat the facility. [8]
The explosion killed three people and injured 47. [3] It was later discovered that the people who were killed were attempting to repair the leak. [9] Debris landed several blocks away from the site of the explosion and cars were hurled through the air by the force of the blast. The explosion caused widespread damage to an area approximately the size of two football fields. [1] The Department of Neighborhood Services later carried out an inspection of the site; they discovered that buildings within a radius of approximately 500 feet (150 m) had sustained heavy damage, such as torn-off roofs and collapsed walls. [8] Roughly thirty separate vehicles were destroyed in the blast. [6]
The nearest fire station was just six blocks away. Firefighters were initially alerted by the force of the explosion buckling the fire station door. Originally it was thought that a car had struck the fire station, but when firefighters went outside, they quickly realized this was not the case. [1] One of the drivers soon spotted smoke and a fire engine and a paramedic unit were dispatched to go to this smoke. These vehicles were the first rescuers on the scene and arrived just three minutes, forty seconds after the initial explosion. They immediately sent for the department's heavy urban rescue team. Ultimately, 125 firefighters in 34 vehicles, 52 police officers, multiple private ambulances and the American Red Cross all helped at the scene, which was classed by the fire service as a five-alarm emergency. [1]
A full investigation was launched into the accident by several government agencies, as well as legal representatives for the families of the deceased. [7][10] The investigation determined that the leak was initially discovered by employees of the contractor J.M. Brennan Inc., who helped maintain plumbing, heating, air conditioning and ventilation equipment at the plant. These four employees noticed propane gas pooling as Falk employees started the propane system, which the factory uses as a backup fuel supply when natural gas is shut down during peak demand. These employees alerted other workers to the problem. [7][11] There had been testing conducted on the system for a full 40 minutes prior to the explosion. [11] It is also thought the leak came from an underground pipe that ran from propane tanks to the propane/air mixers, which convert the liquid propane into gaseous form, so that it is in a form usable by the boilers.
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Gas explosion
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