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☆ Canada shipwreck: A fierce storm uncovered a mysterious vessel, now another could destroy it
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The Cape Ray shipwreck is an example of a wider phenomenon, experts say, where climate change-fueled storms are uncovering the world’s underwater history — but also destroying it. Shawn Bath, of the Clean Harbours Initiative, works to secure the shipwreck in Cape Ray, Newfoundland, Canada. Courtesy Shawn Trevor/Clean Harbours InitiativeA section of shipwreck that washed ashore is seen in Cape Ray, Canada. Forecasts suggest wind gusts of 25 mph around Cape Ray with waves up to 20 feet. In Cape Ray, Croft and Bath are doing all they can to protect the mysterious wreck.

Persons: Shawn Bath, Trevor Croft, ” Croft, Fiona, Shawn Trevor, Croft, Lisa Briggs, ”, “, Briggs, ” Briggs, that’s Organizations: CNN, Cranfield University Locations: Newfoundland, Canada, Cape Ray, Coast, French, British, Bath, seabeds, ”

The U.S. National Hurricane Center discontinued a tropical storm warning for the coast of Maine, while Environment Canada ended its tropical storm warning in New Brunswick. Political Cartoons View All 1163 ImagesA tropical storm warning remained in effect for parts of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands. Lee flooded coastal roads in Nova Scotia and took ferries out of service while fanning anxiety in a region still reeling from wildfires and severe flooding this summer. In eastern Maine, winds died down enough by late afternoon Saturday for utility workers to begin using bucket trucks to make repairs. Central Maine Power and Versant Power had hundreds of workers, including out-of-state crews, assisting the effort.

Persons: Lee, Prince Edward Island, Pam Lovelace, “, Brian Lunt, Lunt, Power, ”, Sarah Thunberg, Billy Bob Faulkingham, Danny Mitchell, ” Mitchell, Betsy Follansbee, Fred, jogged, “ We’re, ” Follansbee, Maine’s, Ren Renton, Sandy, Hurricane Fiona, Jill Maepea, ___ Sharp, Robert Bumsted, Patrick Whittle, Michael Casey, Mark Thiessen, Rob Gillies, Kathy McCormack Organizations: BAR, Maritime, U.S, National Hurricane Center, Environment Canada, Canadian, Magdalen, Authorities, Halifax Stanfield International, New Brunswick, Police, Central Maine Power, National Weather Service, Republican, Maine Legislature, Winter Harbor Police, Associated Press Locations: Maine, New England, Maritime Canada, New Brunswick, Halifax , Nova Scotia, Eastport , Maine, Maine , New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, U.S, Bar Harbor , Maine, Acadia, Halifax, New, Searsport , Maine, Massachusetts, Portland , Maine, Bar Harbor, Higgins, Scarborough , Maine, Maine’s Bailey, of Maine, New York, New Jersey, Hurricane, Canada, Canadian, England, Cape Elizabeth , Maine, Boston, Rio, Las Vegas, Anchorage , Alaska, Toronto, Concord , New Hampshire

☆ Lee weakens to post-tropical cyclone, knocks out power as it nears Atlantic coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( John Morris | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A man walks near a large lawn chair that was tipped over, after Hurricane Lee was downgraded to a post-tropical storm and started to impact Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada, September 16, 2023. REUTERS/John Morris Acquire Licensing RightsSHELBURNE, NOVA SCOTIA Sept 16 (Reuters) - The Lee storm system weakened into a post-tropical cyclone as it closed in on New England and Atlantic Canada on Saturday, producing hurricane-force winds that knocked out power to more than 100,000 people. Strong winds, coastal flooding and heavy rains were already occurring in parts of New England and Atlantic Canada, it added. In the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, more than 100,000 people were without power early on Saturday after high winds brought down trees. Lee has been churning as a large hurricane over the Atlantic for more than a week, briefly threatening Bermuda but mostly harmless for anyone on land.

Persons: Hurricane Lee, John Morris, Lee, Crews, Matt Drover, Joe Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, Fiona, David Ljunggren, Idrees Ali, Daniel Trotta, Brendan O'Brien, Kim Coghill, Mike Harrison, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, NOVA, Atlantic Canada, The U.S, National Hurricane Center, Nova, Canadian Hurricane Center, U.S, Thomson Locations: Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada, New England, Atlantic, The, Halifax Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada, Canadian, of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Halifax, Fundy, Maine, Massachusetts, Bermuda, Ottawa, Washington, Carlsbad , California, Chicago

BAR HARBOR, Maine (AP) — Millions of people were under storm watches and warnings Saturday as Hurricane Lee churned toward shore, bearing down on New England and eastern Canada with heavy winds, high seas and rain. Train, who is also a firefighter, was going to wait out the storm on the island in Casco Bay. The Great New England Hurricane of 1938 brought gusts as high as 186 mph (300 kph) and sustained winds of 121 mph (195 kph) at Massachusetts’ Blue Hill Observatory. The region learned the hard way with Hurricane Irene in 2011 that damage isn’t always confined to the coast. Downgraded to a tropical storm, Irene still caused more than $800 million in damage in Vermont.

Persons: Lee, Louise Fode, New Englanders, There’s, Bruce Young, it’s, Steve Train, Ian Hubbard, Lee won’t, Hurricane Fiona, Kyle Leavitt, Hurricane Irene, Irene, ___ Sharp, Whittle, Rob Gillies Organizations: BAR, National Hurricane Center, U.S ., National Weather Service, Canadian Hurricane Centre, New, New Brunswick Emergency Management Organization, Portland . Associated Press Locations: Maine, New England, Canada, Portland , Maine, Bar Harbor, Tennessee, Lee, England, Canadian, of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Massachusetts, U.S, U.S . Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Bermuda, New, Long, Casco Bay, Hurricane, Vermont, Portland, Toronto

☆ Storm Lee makes landfall in Canada, downing trees and knocking out power
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( John Morris | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/15] A tree on the ground is pictured after taking down the power lines and shutting off access to this road in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada, September 16, 2023. The still-powerful weather system packed maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher gusts, forecasters said. In the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, around 120,000 people were without power on Saturday as winds knocked down trees and felled power lines. "The intensity of the storm is strong," said Paul Mason, the executive director of the Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office. It marks the second year in a row that such a powerful storm has reached Canada after Hurricane Fiona ripped into eastern Canada a year ago.

Persons: John Morris, Lee, Crews, Matt Drover, PowerOutages.us, Paul Mason, Joe Biden's, Fiona, David Ljunggren, Idrees Ali, Maria Caspani, Daniel Trotta, Brendan O'Brien, Kim Coghill, Mike Harrison, Diane Craft, Daniel Wallis, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, National Hurricane Center, Nova, Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office, NHC, Canadian Hurricane Centre, Thomson Locations: Liverpool , Nova Scotia, Canada, Nova Scotia, Canada's Nova Scotia, Atlantic, U.S ., Maine, Halifax, Eastport , Maine, Atlantic Canada, Canadian, of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Massachusetts, Bermuda, Ottawa, Washington, New York, Carlsbad , California, Chicago

CNN —Three months’ worth of rain over the course of one day has flooded the Canadian province of Nova Scotia since Friday night, inundating streets, forcing evacuations and leaving at least four people missing – including two children. “We have had biblical proportions of rain over the night and into the day,” Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said Saturday. A man wearing chest waders walks past cars abandoned in floodwaters in a mall parking lot in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday. Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press/APNorthern and eastern Nova Scotia are expected to see more rain Saturday night, while the forecast predicts rain in the central, western and southern areas will ease, officials said. “It came fast and it came furious.”Much of central Nova Scotia has seen severe flooding that deluged roads, forced water rescues and left “significant” property damage Saturday, Houston said.

Persons: “, Mike Savage, Premier Tim Houston, Houston, ” Houston, Darren Calabrese, ”, Kelly Ash, Savage, Fiona, Justin Trudeau, ” Trudeau, Nova, Nova Scotians Organizations: CNN, Halifax, Canadian Press, AP, CNN Canadian, CBC, Twitter, Houston, Nova Scotians Locations: Canadian, of Nova Scotia, Halifax, East Hants, West Hants, Lunenburg, Queens, Premier, Halifax , Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia, Houston

☆ Nova Scotia: Why are wildfires raging in Canada's eastern province?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Smoke rises from a wildfire in Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, Canada, May 28, 2023 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. HOW UNUSUAL ARE WILDFIRES IN NOVA SCOTIA? Atlantic Canada received low snowfall this winter, followed by an exceptionally dry spring. Weather forecasts show a period of cooler, wetter air is moving into Atlantic Canada on Friday, providing much-needed relief. The Weather Network's longer-term forecast expects Nova Scotia temperatures to be slightly warmer than normal for the rest of the summer.

Persons: Bill Blair, Michael Carter, Ellen Whitman, Whitman, Nia Williams, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Public Safety, Atlantic Canada, Halifax, Weather Network, Canadian Forest Service, Atlantic, Thomson Locations: Hammonds Plains , Nova Scotia, Canada, Nova Scotia, Nova, Acadian, Nova Scotia's, Halifax, Hurricane, Atlantic Canada, North America

☆ Explainer: Why are wildfires raging in Canada's eastern Nova Scotia province?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

☆ Puerto Rico solar switch a life and death matter -US energy chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Timothy Gardner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/4] Cars drive under a downed power pole in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico September 21, 2022. Puerto Rico has not typically been a large focus of U.S. energy chiefs. Colon covets the solar power Granholm offered, as it could also lower electricity bills, typically twice those on the mainland. Granholm said some 400,000 homes need rooftop solar but the $1 billion is only enough for up to 50,000 homes. Puerto Rico only generates about 3% of its electricity from renewables and the rest from fossil fuels.

☆ U.N. weather agency retires Fiona, Ian as hurricane names after 2022 devastation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] An aerial view of damaged boats and property after Hurricane Ian caused widespread destruction in Fort Myers, Florida, U.S., September 30, 2022. REUTERS/Shannon StapletonMarch 30 (Reuters) - Fiona and Ian have been retired as hurricane names by the World Meteorological Organization after devastating storms with those names killed dozens of people and inflicted billions of dollars in damage in 2022. The names are typically recycled every six years, and a total of 96 names have been retired. Going forward the name Fiona will be replaced in the rotation by Farrah and Ian by Idris, the U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization said on Wednesday. Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico in September 2022, knocking out power to the entire island before slamming into eastern Canada, killing at least 31 people and becoming one of that Canada's costliest recent natural disasters.

☆ Fact Check-Image does not show Joe Biden’s pants on backwards
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Pictures of Joe Biden’s visit to Puerto Rico in October 2022 show the president was wearing his pants correctly, despite posts on social media claiming otherwise. A search through Reuters Pictures returned a similar image to the one used in the meme, in which Biden is also wearing a blue shirt, beige pants and dark glasses. This higher definition photograph shows he was wearing his pants correctly, as a belt buckle and zip can be seen (bit.ly/3RVpdLy). President Joe Biden walks with First Lady Jill Biden and Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi at Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, October 3, 2022.”A photograph from the same day shared by the White House (here) also shows Biden was wearing his clothes properly. Joe Biden did not wear his pants backwards during a visit to Puerto Rico.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A new private company will take over power generation units owned by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, the public corporation currently in charge of generating energy on the U.S. territory. The power generation equipment in Puerto Rico, plagued by ongoing blackouts and decaying infrastructure, is on average about 45 years old — twice the age of those on the U.S. mainland. The company and the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) are currently undergoing a transition process set to last 100 days. Officials in Puerto Rico have been taking steps toward privatizing power generation for some time. Power customers in Puerto Rico have seen seven electric rate increases last year, even though people in Puerto Rico already pay about twice as much as mainland U.S. customers for unreliable service.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The governing board of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, the public corporation currently in charge of energy generation on the island, approved a contract that brings the U.S. territory one step closer to privatizing power generation. Less than 4% of Puerto Rico’s power generation currently comes from renewable energy. Power generation units in Puerto Rico are on average about 45 years old, twice those of the U.S. mainland. As part of the ongoing privatization process, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority relinquished the island’s power transmission and distribution system to Luma Energy. It’s unclear whether privatizing power generation would have any impact on such efforts.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The government of Puerto Rico is a step closer to privatizing power generation on the island despite widespread skepticism among consumers, who crave a reliable source of electricity after decades of random power outages. The contract needs to be approved by the governing board of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and signed by Gov. Power generation units in Puerto Rico are on average about 45 years old, twice those of the U.S. mainland. The system was previously managed by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The privatization process follows ongoing issues around Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority's bankruptcy.

The United States experienced 18 extreme weather events last year that each caused at least $1 billion in damages, according to a report released Tuesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Weather and climate disasters across the country resulted in more than $165 billion in damages in 2022, making it the third-costliest year on record, NOAA officials said. Despite a slow start to last year's hurricane season, three storms resulted in at least $1 billion in damages: Hurricane Fiona, Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole. Hurricane Ian, which slammed into southwestern Florida in late September and caused widespread destruction, resulted in nearly $113 billion in damages, the report found. NOAA’s findings offer a glimpse of the major toll that extreme weather events are already having and the country’s vulnerability to climate disasters in the future.

☆ Roberto Clemente remains Latino legend 50 years after death
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

When Puerto Ricans belt the name Roberto Clemente in song, they want the world to understand their pride, unity and culture. “We are Roberto Clemente, so you know who we are. Half a century after he played, many of today’s Latino baseball players credit him for paving the way. “The name Roberto Clemente is something that fills us with passion and admiration,” said Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara, who was born in the Dominican Republic. The Roberto Clemente Award is given each year to a player for charitable work in the community.

Luma Energy secured an extension on its temporary contract Wednesday following a 4-1 vote by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s board. Government officials promised Luma Energy and the partial privatization of the power grid would improve electric services. On other occasions, Luma Energy blamed outages on bad weather and sargassum, a type of seaweed. Still unresolved is the bankruptcy proceeding for the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, which owes nearly $9 billion, the largest debt of any government agency. As soon as a federal judge approves a debt restructuring plan for the power authority, Luma Energy's contract will become permanent for 15 years.

☆ After a slow start, the 2022 hurricane season roared in with memorable and destructive storms
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Jennifer Gray | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —As the hurricane season closes, a handful of blockbuster storms made history after an eerily quiet first half of the season gave false hope. In fact, we didn’t have any named storms from July 3 to August 31, the first time that’s occurred since 1941. One of those storms was Hurricane Ian, which hit land in late September and will go down as the most memorable storm of the 2022 season. “Tropical storms have formed in every month outside of hurricane season, and there have been a few hurricanes, too,” NOAA said. Historically, we’ve seen at least 15 named storms form in the month of December, even all the way up to December 30.

☆ Canada to invest C$1.6 bln in first national climate adaptation strategy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

near Fintry, Canada, August 24, 2021. REUTERS/Artur Gajda/File PhotoNov 24 (Reuters) - Canada published its first ever national climate adaptation strategy on Thursday, including C$1.6 billion ($1.2 billion) in new federal funding commitments to help protect communities against the increasing impacts of global warming. The goal of the adaptation strategy is to help reduce those losses with federal policy and investment. "The fight against climate change has reached our doorstep. Ottawa has so far earmarked C$8 billion in federal funding for adaptation and disaster resilience, the statement said.

☆ Factbox: Highlights from Canada government's fall economic statement
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Below are some of the key proposals and takeaways from the annual fall economic statement unveiled by Canada's Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday. LOWER CREDIT CARD TRANSACTION FEES FOR SMALL BUSINESSTo lower credit card transaction fees for small businesses by negotiating with payment card networks, financial institutions, payment processors, and businesses. To introduce legislation in 2023 to regulate credit card transaction fees if an agreement is not reached with the industry. SUPPORT FOR LOW-EARNERSTo provide C$4 billion over six years starting 2022-23 tolow-income earners by way of advance payment. SUPPORT FOR HURRICANE FIONA-IMPACTED PROVINCESTo set aside C$1 billion in 2022-23 to help provinces hit by Hurricane Fiona under the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements.

☆ Five years after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico's power grid is still costly and unreliable
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( Fred Imbert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The state of Puerto Rico's power grid has been a sore spot for many island businesses and residents, leading to backlash against Luma Energy — the company brought in to operate and improve the grid after Hurricane Maria. Many businesses were forced to shut down for weeks after Hurricane Fiona hit. Luma Energy officially took over control of the island's power grid in June 2021 for the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, or PREPA. In July, about two months before Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico, hundreds of residents marched to Gov. The company also said Oct. 10 that power had been restored to 99% of clients affected by Hurricane Fiona.

☆ U.S. lawmakers criticize Biden administration Puerto Rico fuel waiver
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 21 (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of House of Representatives lawmakers criticized the Biden administration decision on Friday to waive U.S. shipping rules in September for the delivery of fuel to Puerto Rico. The Sept. 28 Jones Act waiver allowed for the delivery of diesel sourced from the mainland United States by British Petroleum (BP.L) Products North America. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair Peter DeFazio, a Democrat, and top committee Republican Sam Graves expressed "concerns and disappointment" over the waiver. DHS issued a waiver of the Jones Act, a century-old law that requires goods moved between U.S. ports to be carried by U.S.-flagged ships. Last month, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi asked the White House for a waiver to increase the availability of fuel after the storm.

☆ Amazon appears to be polling Americans on how they think it treats warehouse workers amid labor uprisings
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A poll to Americans asked about their perception of pay, safety, and benefits at Amazon warehouses. The bulk of the poll focuses on how respondents perceive Amazon's efforts to improve conditions for its warehouse employees. Market research company Survey 160, a consulting firm co-founded by Obama digital strategy alum Nate Lubin, is conducting the survey, according to a text message to a survey participant seen by Insider. Since then, Amazon has expanded a new workplace safety program, raised wages, and boosted upskilling opportunities for frontline workers. Warehouse activists have in the past two years stepped up complaints over Amazon's grueling productivity expectations, safety risks, and attitude toward organized labor.

☆ U.S. approves LNG shipping waiver for Puerto Rico after hurricane
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Shipping Corp FollowWASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) - The Biden administration late on Sunday approved a waiver of U.S. shipping rules to address Puerto Rico's urgent need for liquefied natural gas (LNG) after Hurricane Fiona. In late September, the DHS approved a Jones Act waiver to ensure Puerto Rico had "sufficient diesel to run generators needed for electricity and the functioning of critical facilities." Last month, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi asked the White House for a waiver to increase the availability of fuel after the storm. A group of eight House lawmakers had asked Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for "a one-year waiver from the Jones Act for Puerto Rico" which faces "an unprecedented uphill battle to rebuild its homes, businesses, and communities." All other waivers, DHS said, "must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis."

☆ Soaring rent, food costs keep U.S. inflation on front burner; labor market tight
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Food prices increased 0.8%, with the cost of food at home advancing 0.7% amid rises in all six major grocery store food groups. The war in Ukraine also poses an upside risk to food prices. In the 12 months through September, the CPI increased 8.2% after rising 8.3% in August, decelerating for a third straight month. The so-called core CPI is being largely driven by the higher costs for rental accommodation. The core CPI jumped 6.6% in the 12 months through September, the most since August 1982, after rising 6.3% in August.

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