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CNN —At least 15 people were killed after a fire broke out at a house that was being used as a factory in the Metro Manila area on Thursday, CNN affiliate CNN Philippines reported, citing local authorities. Marcelo Ragundiaz, fire brigade chief for Barangay Tandang Sora district, said the homeowner’s child, whose age was not specified, was among those who died in the blaze in Quezon City. CNN is unable to verify the details of the incident independently, as calls to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BNF), BFP NCR Fire District 5 Quezon City, and emails to the local authorities of Quezon City were not answered. The Quezon City government will investigate whether the homeowner violated building and fire codes, and if they had permits to use the property as a commercial building, CNN Philippines reported. It comes just days after 10 people suffered burns and cuts resulting from a fire in a residential area of Quezon City on Sunday, according to CNN Philippines.

Persons: Marcelo Ragundiaz, Ragundiaz Organizations: CNN, CNN Philippines, Tandang, of Fire Locations: Metro Manila, Tandang Sora, Quezon City, CNN Philippines

☆ Fact Check-In wake of Maui fires, here’s why some trees survive damage
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Some posts on social media in the wake of the fires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, however, suggested that the fact some trees had remained standing showed proof that the fires were somehow engineered or steered to intentionally burn homes and vehicles, leaving trees unscathed. Reuters photographs and satellite imagery of the Lahaina Banyan Court area produced by Maxar Technologies shows buildings, vehicles and trees damaged following the fires (shorturl.at/bpsTX), (here). Other trees were more heavily damaged, but remained standing, Reuters pictures show (here), (here). Regardless, the fact that some trees could remain standing or were less damaged than cars or buildings during a fire is not abnormal. Trees sometimes survive severe damage during fires due to factors including their water content and the ways a fire spreads.

Persons: Albert Simeoni, ”, Erica Fischer, Fischer, Christopher Baird, ” Baird, Katie Kamelamela, James Urban, Niamh Nic Daeid, Nic Daeid, Read Organizations: Reuters, Facebook, Maxar Technologies, Fire Protection Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Department of Wood Science, Engineering, Oregon State University, “, JB, University of Hawaii, West Texas, M University, Conservatory, Akaka Foundation, Tropical Forests, HOW, Fire Protection, Leverhulme Research, Forensic Science, University of Dundee Locations: Maui, Instagram, Lahaina Banyan, Oregon, Colorado, Manoa, Hawaii

☆ Fire Exposes Flaws in Hawaii’s Defenses Against Climate Shocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Christopher Flavelle | More About Christopher Flavelle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Part of the problem is the sheer diversity of threats. “Hawaii is a leader among states in its approach to adaptation planning, particularly as it relates to sea level rise, extreme storms and infrastructure,” said Mark Rupp, adaptation program director for the Georgetown Climate Center in Washington. Josh Green of Hawaii issued an order that stops the state from adopting new or updated building standards. The governor said the move was necessary to address a severe housing shortage. Attempts to block tougher building codes in the name of affordability are common nationwide, even if it sacrifices safety, said Michele Steinberg, wildfire division director for the National Fire Protection Association.

Persons: ”, Mark Rupp, “, Josh Green, Michele Steinberg Organizations: Georgetown Climate Center, International Code Council, National Fire Protection Association Locations: Hawaii, Washington, California

Many wildfires in the United States occur when poles owned by utilities or other structures carrying power lines are blown down, or when branches or other objects land on power lines and cause them to produce high-energy flashes of electricity that can start fires. Image Nearly a week after the wildfire tore through Lahaina, state and local officials have not determined a cause for the blaze. Like most other utilities, Hawaiian Electric operates under the scrutiny of public commissioners who have to approve its spending plans. Power lines have caused catastrophic wildfires in California in recent years, prompting lawsuits that have led to multibillion-dollar payouts by the state’s utilities. Hawaiian Electric in a regulatory filing last year detailed measures aimed at reducing the risk of its equipment causing fires.

Persons: Hurricane Dora, “, ”, James Frantz, Frantz, There’s, Max Whittaker, Shahriar Pourreza, Shelee Kimura, ” Ms, Kimura, Pourreza, Michael Wara, Philip Cheung, Bob Marshall, Jim Kelly, Ken Pimlott, Anne Lopez, Mr, Wara, Kellen Browning, John Keefe, Susan C, Beachy, Alain Delaquérière Organizations: Wildfire, National Weather Service, Frantz Law, Hawaiian Electric, The New York Times, Guggenheim Securities, Maui Electric, Pacific Gas, Pacific Gas and Electric, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Pacific Disaster Center, Stanford University, The New York Times Lightning, Western, NASA, Whisker Labs, Labs, California Department of Forestry, Stanford, U.S . Energy Information Administration Locations: Lahaina, West Maui, Maui, California, United States, Northern California, Paradise, Hawaii, Western United States, Maui County, Germantown, Md, San Francisco

☆ Cadaver dogs are in Maui to help find the deceased
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Zoe Sottile | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

As Maui officials continue searching through the wreckage for the many who are still missing after wildfires tore through the island, they have a new tool at hand: human remains detection dogs, often called cadaver dogs. Human remains detection dogs are one of several kinds of working dogs trained to detect scents, like bomb or drug detection dogs. Search dogs are often dogs with a working heritage, like border collies or German shepherds. Lynne Engelbert, a human remains detection dog handler and teacher, told CNN the job requires a specific canine personality. Lisa Briggs, a forensic criminologist who specializes in the use of human remains detection dogs, told CNN not all human remains detection dogs have the same skills – and the dogs in Maui would need to be imprinted specifically on burnt remains in order to search effectively.

Persons: Hurricane Dora, John Pelletier, “, Jason Purgason, Lynne Engelbert, that’s, ”, Purgason, it’s, Lisa Briggs, –, ” Briggs, Mary Cablk, ” Cablk, “ There’s, Briggs, ” Purgason, Hurricane Katrina, Engelbert, “ They’re Organizations: CNN, National Fire Protection Association, Officials, Federal Emergency Management, Maui Police, Highland Canine, Desert Research Institute, Hurricane, “ Locations: Maui, Hurricane

☆ Maui wildfires: What we know about the deadliest US fire in over a century
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Nouran Salahieh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

While firefighters have made progress against the three largest wildfires, the deadly fire in hard-hit Lahaina is still not fully under control, Maui County Fire Chief Brad Ventura said Saturday. Mike Blake/ReutersThe most destructive and deadly of the fires, the Lahaina wildfire, traveled at an extraordinary speed, the governor said in a video update Sunday afternoon. “When the winds rose up – winds gusting as high as 81 miles per hour – fires spread rapidly,” Green said. Lahaina is the hardest hit areaVideo Ad Feedback The Maui fires destroyed their homes. People are still missing and just 3% of area was searchedA caretaker photographs the site of a home destroyed by the Maui wildfires in Kula, Hawaii on Sunday.

Persons: CNN — Crews, what’s, Josh Green, “ It’s, Brad Ventura, Mike Blake, ” Green, “, Lori Moore, Merrell, Richard T, Bissen, Deanne Criswell, King Kamehameha III, Keith Hayashi, ” Hayashi, John Pelletier, Patrick T, Fallon, Pelletier, Mazie, Brittany Talley, Timm “ TK ” Williams, Williams, Talley, ” Talley, weren’t, we’ll, Anne Lopez, ”, Jim Kelly, ” Kelly Organizations: CNN, ”, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Maui County Fire, Maxar Technologies, FEMA, Sunday, Maui Police, National Fire Protection Association, People, Getty, Sen, Hawaiian Electric Industries, Hawaiian Electric Locations: Maui, ” Hawaii, Lahaina, Maui County, Kula, Hawaii, Lāhainā, Kula , Hawaii, AFP, Kaanapali

KAHULUI, Hawaii, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Hawaii Governor Josh Green on Sunday called a part of the island of Maui that was devastated by wildfires a "war zone," as the death toll reached 93 and was expected to keep climbing. "We're at 93 (victims) now ... it's a war zone, but the help is incredible." The death toll made the blaze Hawaii's worst natural disaster, surpassing a tsunami that killed 61 people in 1960, a year after Hawaii became a U.S. state. [1/2]The shells of burned houses and buildings are left after wildfires driven by high winds burned across most of the town in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S. August 11, 2023. Reuters Graphics'TOO GRIM'Authorities began allowing residents back into west Maui on Friday, although the fire zone in Lahaina remained barricaded.

Persons: Josh Green, Green, We'll, Joe Biden, Deanne Criswell, we've, a.m, Mike Blake, Marco Garcia, David Ljunggren, Jorge Garcia, Sandra Stojanovic, Maria Caspani, Joseph Ax, Daniel Wallis, Raju Gopalakrishnan, William Mallard, Paul Simao Organizations: MSNBC, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Sunday, National Fire Protection Association, Officials, Hawai'i Department of Land, Natural Resources, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Reuters Graphics, Authorities, Facebook, Thomson Locations: KAHULUI, Hawaii, Maui, Lahaina, obliterating, it's, U.S, Paradise , California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maui County, Kula, Kahului, Honolulu , Hawaii

☆ Maui wildfires: Crews still working to identify 93 victims found so far in deadliest US fire in over a century
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Nouran Salahieh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Matthew Thayer/The Maui News/AP Volunteers unload supplies from trucks before loading them onto boats for people in need at Kihei Ramp in Maui, Hawaii, on Saturday, August 12. Rick Bowmer/AP Grace Hurt, right, embraces someone while loading supplies for those in need at Kihei Ramp in Maui, Hawaii, on Saturday. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources/AP Burnt boats sit in waters off of Lahaina, Hawaii, on Friday. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images In an aerial view, search and rescue crews walk through a neighborhood, continuing to search for missing people in Lahaina, Hawaii, on Friday. Phonoxaylinkham, his wife, and their five children were caught in the Lahaina wildfires and survived by exiting their car and spending four hours in the ocean as the west Maui wildfires raged around them.

Persons: Josh Green, “ It’s, Dora, We’ve, ” Green, ”, John Pelletier, Deanne Criswell, Green, Brad Ventura, Kihei –, •, Anne Lopez, ” Lopez, Matthew Thayer, Evelio Contreras, Rick Bowmer, Grace Hurt, Hurt, Justin Sullivan, Mike Blake, Zoltan Balogh, Zeran Harris, Robert Gauthier, Mengshin Lin, CNN Vixay Phonxaylinkham, Lana, Phonoxaylinkham, Marco Garcia, Claire Rush, Myrna Ah Hee, Sui, Ty O'Neil, Ku'u Kauanoe, ZUMA, Patrick T, Fallon, Dustin Johnson, “, who’ve, Ilihia Gionson, Gionson, –, Steven, Giulietta Daiker, ” Steven, ” Giulietta, “ We’re, Richard Bissen Jr Organizations: CNN, National Fire Protection Association, ”, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Maui Police, FEMA, Maui County Fire, • Cell, Maui News, AP Volunteers, Hawaii Department of Land, Natural Resources, Reuters, . Hawaii Department of Land, Los Angeles Times, AP, Washington Post, Fire Department, Kahului, Technologies, AP Hawaii Army National Guard, Hawaii National Guard, Reuters Residents, ZUMA Passengers, Getty, National Guard, Department of Health, Human Services, Pacific Whale Foundation, Ritz, Carlton, Hawaii Department, Transportation, Saturday, Volunteers, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Lahaina Residents Locations: Maui, ” Hawaii, Maui County, Lahaina, Kihei, Upcountry, Hawaii, Church, Lahaina Hongwanji, Lahaina , Hawaii, Wailuku, Kula, Waiola, Kula , Hawaii, Maalaea, Kahului, California, Las Vegas, AFP, Kapalua, Lahaina –, Hawaiian

☆ Maui wildfires: What are the deadliest wildfires in US history?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The causes of the Hawaii wildfires, which started on Tuesday night, have not yet been determined. Hawaii Governor Josh Green on Sunday called a part of the island of Maui that was devastated by wildfires a "war zone". Reuters GraphicsHOW MANY DIED IN THE CLOQUET AND GREAT HINCKLEY FIRES? Since 2018, wildfires in the United States have destroyed nearly 63,000 structures, the majority of which were homes. In 2022, there were 66,255 wildfires in the United States, compared with 18,229 in 1983, when record keeping began, per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Persons: Josh Green, Peshtigo, Partridge, Hinckley, Stephen Culp, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: National Fire Protection Association, Historical Society, Reuters, HINCKLEY, Library of Congress, NFPA, Federal Emergency Management Association, FEMA, Environmental Protection Agency, Interagency Fire Center, Fire, Hinckley, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Thomson Locations: Maui, Hawaii, Lahaina, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Hinckley, Mission, Miller, United States, California

☆ Disney District, Now Under DeSantis’s Control, Ends Its D.E.I. Programs
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Anna Betts | More About Anna Betts | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Fentrice Driskell, the Democratic leader in the Florida House of Representatives, said she was not surprised that the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District had followed suit. The State Legislature instead stripped the company of its power to appoint the five members of the district’s oversight board and gave it to Mr. DeSantis. In April, the newly appointed board voted to nullify two agreements that gave Disney control over expansion of the resort. What’s NextThe feud between Disney and Mr. DeSantis appears set to continue, with the two lawsuits still winding their way through the courts. Mr. DeSantis, who is running for the Republican nomination for president, has highlighted both his “anti-woke” and “anti-corporate” agenda on the campaign trail.

Persons: DeSantis, Glenton Gilzean, DeSantis’s, Fentrice Driskell, “, ”, Bob Chapek, nonbinary, Disney, Donald J, Trump Organizations: Central, Disney, “, Democratic, Legislature, Florida Department of Economic, Republican Locations: Central Florida, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, Orange, Osceola, Orlando

☆ DeSantis-controlled Disney World district abolishes diversity, equity initiatives
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Diversity, equity and inclusion programs were abolished Tuesday from Walt Disney World's governing district, now controlled by appointees of Gov. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District said in a statement that its diversity, equity and inclusion committee would be eliminated, as would any job duties connected to it. Also axed were initiatives left over from when the district was controlled by Disney supporters, which awarded contracts based on goals of achieving racial or gender parity. The district was controlled by Disney supporters for more than five decades. Before the new board came in, Disney made agreements with previous oversight board members who were Disney supporters that stripped the new supervisors of their authority over design and development.

Persons: Walt, Ron DeSantis, Glenton Gilzean, Gilzean, DeSantis Organizations: Walt Disney, Gov, Central, Disney, Central Florida Urban League, James Madison Institute, American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network, Improvement, Republican Locations: Orlando , Florida, U.S, Florida, Central Florida, American, Orlando

The market for e-bike delivery has grown dramatically in the past few years. Here's how startups, delivery companies, and city governments are improving safety. The explosion of delivery startups and e-bikes in the past few years has led to a new type of boom: increasing battery fires. "E-bike batteries are made up of a bunch of small batteries stacked together," Charlie Welch, ZapBatt's cofounder and CEO, said. JOCOOther startups, such as Popwheels, are engineering safe batteries that are compatible with the e-bikes delivery drivers already own.

Persons: —, Uber, Ravindra Kempaiah, Michael Pecht, Brian O'Connor, O'Connor, Charlie Welch, ZapBatt's, Welch, Jonathan Cohen, Grubhub, Jonathan A, Cohen, David Hammer, Hammer, Baruch Herzfeld, they've, We've Organizations: Bloomberg, Zen Electronics, University of Maryland, Fire Protection Association, UL Solutions, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, UL Locations: New York City, New York, Halifax , Nova Scotia, China, Carlsbad , California, Brooklyn , New York

☆ Opinion: ‘Dear Canada…’ an American firefighter’s heartfelt letter to north of the border
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Opinion Clare Frank | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

This means agencies creating the wildland-urban interface or WUI — where human settlements meet the natural environment — are not ultimately responsible for protecting it. By my fifth year in firefighting, I’d seen plenty of wildfires and structure fires, and wildfires threatening structures. As we convoyed in, a battalion chief instructed each engine company, “If it’s not savable, leapfrog to the next house. Smoke rises from the Texas Creek wildfire south of Lillooet, British Columbia, Canada, on July 9. In this banner year, some are crying for Canada to form a national fire department.

Persons: Clare Frank, Read, Cynthia Smalley, nature’s, partiers, leapfrog, Luis Ascui, they’d, ember, Smokey Bear, “, it’s, Canada’s Organizations: CNN, CNN —, Del, Getty, Australia, Service, Reuters, Twitter, Facebook Locations: California’s, United States, Pebble Beach , California, Del Monte Forest, Kinglake, Victoria, Australia, Canada, Texas, Lillooet, British Columbia, California, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France

☆ Fireworks cause $59 million of property damage a year. Your insurance policy may cover it
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Renphoto | E+ | Getty ImagesWhat homeowners and renters insurance likely coverThe typical homeowners insurance policy has two coverage areas. The second is for liability; this covers you if you're liable for injury or property damage to another person, perhaps a friend or neighbor harmed by an errant firework. Fireworks caused $59 million in direct property damage in 2021, according to the most recent data from the National Fire Protection Association. Homeowners policies generally cover fire damage, whether to the house, patio furniture or other property, Passmore said. Insurance policies generally carry exclusions.

Persons: Robert Passmore, Passmore, they're, Kochenburger, Peter Kochenburger Organizations: National Fire Protection Association, American, Casualty Insurance Association, NFPA, University of Connecticut Locations: U.S

[1/4] Liquified petroleum gas vessel Zita Schulte is seen docked at the port of Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S., May 15, 2023. A hydrogen hub would require access to millions of gallons of water – a challenge in Corpus Christi which is experiencing a multi-year drought. Peter Zanoni, the city manager for Corpus Christi, said the hydrogen project, if approved, all but requires the adoption of seawater desalination. And seawater desalination plants are energy intensive and expensive to build and maintain, energy experts say. Corpus Christi first proposed seawater desalination in 2017 to supply its rapidly growing energy and petrochemicals industries.

Persons: Zita Schulte, Joe Biden's, Read, Jennifer Granholm, Biden, Minh Khoi, Radhika Fox, Peter Zanoni, Zanoni, Paul Montagna, Christi, Errol Summerlin, Brandon Marks, Marks, Charles Zahn, Valerie Volcovici, Richard Valdmanis, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Investment, Jobs, Biden, Coastal Alliance, Corpus, U.S . Energy, Reuters, Rystad Energy, Department of Energy, DOE, Environmental, Corpus Christi, ExxonMobil, Saudi Arabia's Basic Industries Corporation, M University, Harte Research, Gulf of, Gulf of Mexico Studies, EPA, Texas Commission, Texas Campaign, Thomson Locations: Corpus Christi , Texas, U.S, Gulf, Christi , Texas, Corpus Christi, Southern California , Colorado , Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Corpus, United States, Gulf of Mexico, San Diego , California, Hillcrest, San Antonio

☆ As Canada's wildfires intensify, recruiting firefighters is tougher
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

That's roughly 2,500 firefighters short of what is needed, said Mike Flannigan, a professor at Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia and wildfire specialist. "It's hard work, it's hot work, it's smoky work, and there are real issues with health impacts longer-term," Flannigan said. Applications were down in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, and Alberta had to do several rounds of recruitment to fill its ranks, officials said. As more wildfires threaten communities, provincial agencies are also increasingly leaning on structural firefighters to help protect homes. Since 2009, Canada has been spending more on fighting and suppressing wildfires than on maintaining its firefighting personnel and program.

Persons: Mike Flannigan, Flannigan, Scott Tingley, Rob Schweitzer, Ken McMullen, David Ljunggren, Ismail Shakil, Denny Thomas, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Reuters, Thompson Rivers University, Nova, Wildfire, BC Wildfire Service, Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, Emergency Preparedness, Thomson Locations: BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada, Yukon, British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Alberta, Canada's, Manitoba, Lithuania, Quebec, Ottawa

CNN —At least 20 people were injured and one person has died in a shooting overnight, according to police, in what witnesses say was a Juneteenth celebration turned deadly. Some of the injured were transported to hospitals by ambulance and others walked in, DuPage County Deputy Sheriff Eric Swanson told reporters Sunday. Witnesses say the shooting took place around 12:30 a.m. in a parking lot in Willowbrook, about 21 miles west of Chicago. The motive behind the shooting is unclear and it is still an active investigation, Swanson said. The incident is now one of 310 mass shootings in the US this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Persons: Eric Swanson, Joe Ostrander, Ostrander, Swanson Organizations: CNN, Tri -, Fire Protection, NBA Locations: DuPage County, Willowbrook, Chicago, Virginia, Colorado, California

☆ Thousands are living in RVs on Los Angeles’ streets. Leaders want to shrink the number, but the solution is elusive
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Nick Watt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Los Angeles CNN —Early one recent Friday morning, sanitation workers, homeless-outreach workers and LAPD officers arrived on a little street in the west of Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, you are allowed to sleep in a vehicle on some streets. She was elected last year on a platform dripping with intent to handle the various homelessness issues plaguing Los Angeles. “We have not resolved the RV issue yet,” Mayor Karen Bass told The Los Angeles Times in March. And for now, for thousands of people, an RV’s roof over their heads is all they can afford in Los Angeles.

Persons: Anderson Cooper, Jasmine, ’ ”, LaTonya Smith, Traci Park, Joseph, ”, Smith, “ I’m, “ vanlords, “, ” Park’s, “ It’s, Dmitry Korikov, ” Korikov, Karen Bass, Bass, Joseph Center, ” Bass, RVs, ” Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, ” Smith Organizations: Los, Los Angeles CNN, LAPD, Catholic Church, Joseph Center, “, CNN, “ Staff, Angeles County, American National Standards Institute, Fire Protection Association, ” CNN, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Homeless Services Locations: Los Angeles, Jasmine, RVs, Los Angeles County, St, Angeles, City, California, Russia, Ukraine, Venice

☆ A remote-working employee of the world's biggest nuclear power plant left important documents on the roof of his car before driving off. It could delay a Tepco plant restart.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Tepco nuclear plant employee in Japan left work documents on the roof of his car before driving off. The incident could thwart efforts to restart the world's largest nuclear plant on Japan's west coast. But the incident could thwart efforts to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, which had been offline since 2012 amid strict nuclear energy regulations and safety lapses following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, per Bloomberg. The Fukushima disaster was the second worst nuclear accident in the history of nuclear power generation after Chernobyl in the former Soviet Union in 1986. Just last week, Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority decided to keep a de facto ban on the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa facility, according to various media reports, including broadcaster NHK.

Organizations: Service, Electric Power, Tepco, Bloomberg, Soviet Union, Authority, NHK Locations: Japan, Wall, Silicon, Niigata

☆ A 30-ton shipment of explosive chemicals traveling from Wyoming to California by rail disappeared en route, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A 30-ton shipment of ammonium nitrate disappeared from a railcar, KQED reported. Officials are investigating the disappearance of a 30-ton shipment of ammonium nitrate, a chemical used to make both fertilizer and explosives, PBS affiliate KQED reported. A Federal Railroad Administration representative, however, told KQED that its own investigation suggested that one of the hopper car gates wasn't properly closed. Union Pacific, which transported the railcar, and the California Public Utilities Commission told KQED that they were also investigating. Dyno Nobel told KQED that it had "limited control" over the railcar while it was in transit and that it was being moved back to Wyoming for inspection.

☆ Philippines: Inferno tears through Manila's historic Central Post Office
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Hong Kong CNN —A massive fire broke out at the historic Manila Central Post Office in the Philippine capital late Sunday, with teams of fire fighters battling for more than seven hours through the night before it was finally brought under control. The building sits within the historic old Manila town near other tourist landmarks along the Pasig River that flows through the capital. The post office was first built in 1926 and designed by Filipino architects Juan M. Arellano and Tomás Mapúa. Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)/FacebookIt was declared an “important cultural property” in 2018, meaning the country’s oldest post office was of “exceptional cultural, artistic, and historical significance to the Philippines,” according to CNN affiliate CNN Philippines. Mark Laurente, chief of staff of the postmaster general, said that national identification cards were spared from the fire as those were stored in another city, CNN Philippines reported Monday morning.

☆ Exclusive: Staff at top U.S. farm research center file complaint alleging unsafe work conditions
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Leah Douglas | Thomson Reuters | Washington-Based Award-Winning Journalist Covering Agriculture | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +11 min

The Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) near Washington D.C. is the largest research facility owned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and has long been the flagship of U.S. farm research. “Our employees’ health and well-being is our top priority," a spokesperson at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), which oversees BARC, told Reuters. STAFF CUTSFounded in 1910, the BARC facility spans nearly 7,000 acres in Prince George’s County, Maryland, near the nation’s capital. The unreliable conditions are affecting research outcomes, making it at times impossible to complete experiments or replicate their findings, said two research employees. On February 22, several BARC employees met with Thomas Shanower, the director of USDA’s Northeast Area, a division that oversees 15 research centers, including BARC.

Kidde-Fenwal filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware bankruptcy court. Kidde-Fenwal sold AFFF foam products from 2007 to 2013, according to court documents. Kidde-Fenwal does not make AFFF products, but it previously sold AFFF products through a subsidiary called National Foam. 3M, a central defendant in the AFFF lawsuits, has said it would stop producing PFAS by 2025. The case is In re Kidde-Fenwal Inc, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, No.

☆ California's fire season under way weeks after heavy rain and snow
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, April 28 (Reuters) - Barely five weeks after the last bout of heavy rain and snow in California's historically wet winter, firefighters on Friday battled the state's first large wildfire of the year in rugged foothills east of Los Angeles. The blaze posed no immediate threat to populated areas as it burned steep terrain deep in the forest, agency spokesperson Lyn Sieliet said. Still, it marked the first blaze of the 2023 season measuring 100 acres or more, signaling the potential for extreme wildfire activity this summer and fall. Forecasters said a warming trend hastened a spring thaw following a spate of Pacific storms that pummeled California with torrential rains and mountain snow from late December until late March. Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

It will not work,” said Martin Garcia, chairman of the DeSantis-picked Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board of supervisors. Wednesday’s moves are the latest escalation in the fight between DeSantis and Disney as DeSantis moves toward a 2024 presidential bid. Disney responded by suing DeSantis, the board and Florida Department of Economic Opportunity acting secretary Meredith Ivey, seeking to block the board’s moves. But the special district also freed Disney from bureaucratic red tape and made it cheaper to borrow to finance infrastructure projects around its theme parks, among other significant advantages. DeSantis then targeted Disney’s special governing powers.

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