24/7 News Coverage
August 19, 2023
SHAKE AND BLOW
Major hurricane heads toward northwest Mexico, California



Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (AFP) Aug 19, 2023
Mexico prepared Friday for a powerful Pacific hurricane that triggered a warning of "potentially catastrophic" flooding in a northwestern tourist region and the neighboring US state of California. Hurricane Hilary threatened to bring strong winds, flash floods and "life-threatening" surf and rip current conditions, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. "We've already had to live through similar experiences. We know what can happen to us. We must be prepared with food, canned goods and can ... read more

FIRE STORM
Wildfires threaten western Canada city as far north evacuated
Kelowna, Canada (AFP) Aug 19, 2023
Wildfires bore down on two Canadian cities Friday, with firefighters in the west bracing for another "scary" night as stunned refugees from the far north began arriving at shelters after their entire city was evacuated. ... more
FIRE STORM
Looming heat and wind threaten to stoke Spain's island wildfires
Madrid (AFP) Aug 19, 2023
Spanish firefighters were set to deploy extra aircraft in their battle against raging Tenerife wildfires on Saturday, as renewed heat and wind threatened recent progress in bringing the blaze under control. ... more
FIRE STORM
Hawaii wildfires stoke climate denial, conspiracy theories
Washington (AFP) Aug 19, 2023
Climate change-denying social media accounts are exploiting the deadly wildfires in Hawaii to push conspiracy theories that high-energy lasers were used to spark the flames. ... more
DEMOCRACY
EU deplores democracy 'erosion' in Hong Kong
Brussels (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
The EU warned Friday that democracy and rights in Hong Kong declined further in 2022, casting doubt on China's vow to maintain "one country, two systems". ... more
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DEMOCRACY


Taiwan's election not for 'bully next door' China to decide: FM

WEATHER REPORT
French government holds crisis meeting as heatwave mounts
Paris (AFP) Aug 17, 2023
France's government held a crisis meeting Thursday to discuss measures to tackle a heatwave in which temperatures could climb beyond 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) this weekend. ... more
WEATHER REPORT
Japanese turn to wearable tech to beat the heat
Tokyo (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
Selling jackets with built-in fans, neck coolers and T-shirts that feel cold, Japanese firms are tapping into a growing market for products to help people handle the summer heat. ... more
FIRE STORM
Firefighters battle wildfire in Spain's Tenerife island
Madrid (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
Firefighters made progress Friday in their fight against a huge wildfire on the Spanish holiday island of Tenerife that has forced the evacuation of thousands of people. ... more
FIRE STORM
Invasive firestarter: How non-native grasses turned Hawaii into a tinderbox
Washington (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
After a catastrophic wildfire that killed more than 100 people in Hawaii, eyes have turned toward an unexpected culprit: invasive grass species that have spread massively over the archipelago for decades, serving as the perfect fuel. ... more
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Daily challenge for Venezuelans: Obtain water, power, cooking fuel
Caracas (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
Yusmary spends as much as half her weekly wage for water. Isora must go to the black market to get gas cylinders so she can cook. Rodrigo, weary of blackouts, bought portable generators for his home and business. ... more

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT


North Korea's Kim visits typhoon-hit farms amid food shortages

SHAKE AND BLOW
Strong quake rattles Colombian capital
Bogota (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
A strong earthquake followed by dozens of aftershocks rattled central Colombia and the capital Bogota on Thursday, setting off sirens and sparking panic, authorities said. ... more
AFRICA NEWS
China says Xi to pay state visit to S. Africa, attend BRICS summit next week
Beijing (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
Chinese leader Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to South Africa next week, the foreign ministry said Friday, while confirming the president will attend the BRICS summit in Johannesburg. ... more
FIRE STORM
Thousands flee wildfires in Canada's far north
Ottawa (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
Thousands were fleeing wildfires advancing on one of the largest cities in Canada's far north on Thursday, as convoys snaked south to safety on the only open highway and evacuation flights took off from the airport. ... more
SINO DAILY
Ballgowns, surveillance and cloning for sale at China pet fair
Shanghai (AFP) Aug 17, 2023
A shimmering, 1.5-metre-long golden ballgown stood pride of place in a Shanghai exhibition hall Thursday - and for the cool price of $13,700, your dog could be the lucky animal to leave Pet Fair Asia wearing it. ... more
DEMOCRACY
The lawyer, the sniper and the stand-in: Ecuador's presidential candidates
Quito (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
Ecuador's election race has been thrown wide open after the assassination of serious contender Fernando Villavicencio, whose last-minute replacement, a journalist, will face off against a leftist lawyer and a right-wing former sniper nicknamed "Rambo." ... more
ROBO SPACE


DARPA taps RTX to attune AI decisions to human values

TECTONICS
Groundbreaking study reveals inner core dynamics and viscosity
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Aug 11, 2023
The inner mechanics of Earth's core have always been a topic of immense scientific interest, yet a full understanding has often eluded researchers due to the intricate and multifaceted dynamics at p ... more
WATER WORLD
Ireland's fishermen fear species migration as sea temperatures soar
Killybegs, Ireland (AFP) Aug 17, 2023
When he finished school Daragh McGuinness knew he wanted to join a fishing crew but now, at 23, he fears climate change may kill off the industry that has sustained his family for generations. ... more
FROTH AND BUBBLE
US hits Lebanese environmental group with sanctions
Washington (AFP) Aug 16, 2023
The United States announced sanctions Wednesday on the Lebanese environmental group Green Without Borders, charging that it acts as a "cover" for Hezbollah's security operations near the border with Israel. ... more
WEATHER REPORT
'In a sauna': Hong Kong's labourers swelter as temperatures rise
Hong Kong (AFP) Aug 17, 2023
Dressed in a full-body protective suit, an elderly pest control worker could last no more than 15 minutes spraying pesticide along a Hong Kong pavement before the summer heat became too much. ... more
ROBO SPACE
AI models are powerful, but are they biologically plausible?
Boston MA (SPX) Aug 17, 2023
Artificial neural networks, ubiquitous machine-learning models that can be trained to complete many tasks, are so called because their architecture is inspired by the way biological neurons process ... more
ABOUT US
Just 5000 steps can save your life
Sophia Antipolis, France (SPX) Aug 11, 2023
The number of steps you should walk every day to start seeing benefits to your health is lower than previously thought, according to the largest analysis to investigate this. The study, publis ... more
WATER WORLD
Parched Egypt struggles to contain water loss
Cairo (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
At the foot of an 800-year-old Cairo mausoleum, weeds rise from a murky green pool - a sign of massive loss of clean water that often goes to waste instead of reaching Egyptian consumers. ... more
WATER WORLD
Greenpeace slams Poland's new river protection law
Warsaw (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
Environmentalists on Friday slammed the passing of a controversial law in Poland on the revitalisation of the Oder river, which was hit by toxic algae growth last year that caused mass fish deaths. ... more
FROTH AND BUBBLE
London police probe vandalism of vehicle pollution cameras
London (AFP) Aug 18, 2023
London police revealed Friday that officers are investigating nearly 300 incidents of vandalism against cameras used in the city's Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), ahead of its contentious expansion later this month. ... more
FARM NEWS
US sets up panel in trade spat with Mexico over GMO corn
Washington (AFP) Aug 17, 2023
The United States announced Thursday the establishment of a dispute settlement panel in a row with Mexico over its plans to ban certain genetically engineered agricultural products. ... more
FARM NEWS
Wine grape disease spotted from skies above California
Pasadena CA (JPL) Aug 11, 2023
In a case study, scientists detected the costly infection in cabernet sauvignon grapevines before they showed symptoms visible to the human eye. Withering molds, root-rotting bacteria, viruses, and ... more
ICE WORLD
2023 set to be another bad year for Swiss glaciers: researcher
Geneva (AFP) Aug 16, 2023
A leading Swiss glaciologist warned Wednesday that 2023 was looking "not good" for the country's glaciers, a year after they suffered a record melt. ... more
ICE WORLD
Rocket Lab to launch NASA Arctic ice caps satellites
Long Beach CA (SPX) Aug 15, 2023
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has signed a double-launch deal with NASA to deliver the Agency's climate change research-focused mission, PREFIRE, to low Earth orbit in 2024. The two dedi ... more
EARTH OBSERVATION
What role do dust storms play in the world's climate?
Leeds UK (SPX) Aug 17, 2023
Giant dust storms in the Gulf of Alaska can last for many days and send tonnes of fine sediment or silt into the atmosphere, and it is having an impact on the global climate system, say scientists. ... more
WATER WORLD
'Silent threat': Bahrain to build walls against rising sea
Manama (AFP) Aug 17, 2023
Already battling extreme heat, Bahrain is scrambling to ward off another environmental threat: rising seas that could swallow parts of its coast, the island nation's oil and environment minister told AFP. ... more
CARBON WORLDS
"Planting" rocks in farms, along with emissions reductions, could help meet key IPCC goal
Washington DC (SPX) Aug 15, 2023
Farmers around the world could help the planet reach a key carbon removal goal set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by mixing crushed volcanic rocks into their fields, a new s ... more
SHAKE AND BLOW
Closure of Sicily's Catania airport extended over Mount Etna eruption
Rome (AFP) Aug 14, 2023
A closure of Sicily's Catania airport due to an eruption at the nearby Mount Etna volcano was extended for a second time on Monday, the operator said. ... more
SHAKE AND BLOW
Tropical Storm Hilary joins 2 other Pacific Ocean weather systems
Washington DC (UPI) Aug 16, 2021
Tropical Storm Hilary continues to gain strength in the Pacific, and forecasters Wednesday said they expect it to become a hurricane within a day. ... more
SHAKE AND BLOW
Volcanic eruption in southwest Iceland ends: met office
Reykjavik (AFP) Aug 16, 2023
Iceland's meteorological office on Wednesday declared that the volcanic eruption near the country's capital Reykjavik was officially over as no activity had been observed for 10 days. ... more
WEATHER REPORT
Where summer heat hits hard: Mideast and North Africa
Baghdad (AFP) Aug 17, 2023
Climate change has impacted the Middle East and North Africa where summer is already very hot. Many in Iraq, Syria, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia still labour in the heat. ... more
AFRICA NEWS
West African nations deploy standby force after Niger's junta fails to heed ultimatum
Washington DC (UPI) Aug 11, 2021
After Niger's junta failed to heed its demand to restore the country's democratic government, the leaders of West Africa's intergovernmental union have ordered the deployment of their standby military force to restore constitutional order. ... more
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