Browsing: News

About 100 homes were destroyed and thousands of residents were evacuated by a wildfire in rural Northern California, according to fire officials. At least two people were injured and thousands of homes were destroyed, officials said. We are heading into what is traditionally the most dangerous time of the year for fires in California due to a severe drought. In the last three decades, climate change has made the West warmer and drier, and wildfires will continue to be more destructive and frequent. The most destructive and largest fires in California’s history have taken place in the last five years.…

Angelica Bourgoin strokes Janus the tortoise’s shell, whispering to him quietly as he scuttles in his pen. She prepares to celebrate his 25th birthday with his two heads rubbing together. Reuters reports that Janus, who also possesses two hearts, two pairs of lungs, and two distinct personalities, could not resist predators long in the wild because his heads cannot retract into his shell. It’s at the Geneva Natural History Museum, where he hatched in 1997, that Bourgoin and her team of carers can take care of him – they consider him to be the oldest bicephalic tortoise in the world.…

New York authorities are posting signs declaring Times Square a Gun-Free Zone amid the bright lights and electronic billboards. As part of a sweeping change in state law coming into effect Thursday, scores of “sensitive” places, including parks, churches, and theaters, will be gun-free zones. The measure, passed after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June expanded gun rights, also sets stringent requirements for concealed carry permits. A half-dozen states have had key provisions of their gun laws invalidated by the high court due to the requirement that applicants have proper cause in order to obtain a firearm license as…

The Vice President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner managed to escape unharmed after a man fired a loaded gun inches from her head. Reports from Reuters state that the attack, which the economy minister called an assassination attempt, comes at a time when political and social tensions are acute in Argentina. Fernandez de Kirchner was stepping out of a car outside her Buenos Aires home when the incident occurred. It was shown on video footage that a man held a pistol near her head. There were five bullets in the gun, according to President Alberto Fernandez. “This is the…

In response to COVID-19, widening inequality and global conflicts, the World Economic Forum has released four reports on how cities can finance and deliver urban transformation projects using a systems approach. The reports provide case studies and toolkits to help city leaders manage digital projects and develop financing models in order to achieve climate-ready and equitable cities. With 45 sector experts from around the world, the Global Future Council on Cities of Tomorrow collaborated throughout the pandemic to help struggling cities build future-ready communities. Using digital technology for a green and just recovery in cities, accelerating urban inclusion to deliver…

A recently released IEA report says Indonesia has a realistic opportunity to achieve the goal of net zero emissions by 2060. This will result in more affordable and secure energy supplies for its citizens. As the world’s fourth most populous country enters a key phase of its economic development, key policy reforms and international support are crucial to the success of the clean energy transition. An IEA-led Energy Sector Roadmap to Net Zero Emissions in Indonesia, developed in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) at the request of the Indonesian Government, was launched at Bali’s…

The public service trade union said on Thursday that workers at Britain’s business and energy department will begin a strike next week. This will be on the day the country’s new prime minister is named. A group of workers at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), including cleaners, security guards, receptionists, and mail room staff, will walk out on September 5 and 6, according to Reuters. According to the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the action was a sign of things to come for the next prime minister. A new British leader is expected to be…

As the region nervously awaited the arrival of rainwater flowing from Pakistan’s north, emergency responders in the south of Pakistan have scrambled to evacuate millions of people from remote villages as a result of heavy rains that were expected on Friday. As reported by the German press agency (dpa), military helicopters and boats are supporting rescue efforts in Sindh, the region hardest hit by floods since mid-June. Provincial government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said that rescue efforts are underway. Wahab, who was overseeing the evacuation, said that it was a race against time. It has been reported that the Indus River,…

The German defense chief said that the country intends to increase its military presence in the Indo-Pacific by deploying more warships and participating in drills with its allies. Along with other Western nations, Germany is flexing its muscles in the region. At the risk of irking its top trade partner, Berlin sent its first warship to the disputed waters of the South China Sea last year. The country sent 13 aircraft to joint exercises in Australia this month. According to Reuters, General Eberhard Zorn, the head of the Bundeswehr, said that the army plans to send troops to participate in…

Jeju, a southern resort island, may be directly affected by a super-strong typhoon approaching the Korean Peninsula early next week, the state weather agency said Thursday. At 3 a.m. Friday, Typhoon Hinnamnor, the 11th tropical storm of this year, is expected to move southwest into the sea 610 km south-southwest of Japan’s Okinawa Island Friday before turning northward, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said, according to Yonhap News Agency. The KMA forecasts Hinnamnor will reach the sea 70 km south of Jeju’s southern port city of Seogwipo next Tuesday after moving quickly northward. With an atmospheric pressure of 915 hectopascals…