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☆ Maui wildfires: Firefighting crews make progress against wildfires that killed at least 80 people, but flare-ups continue
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Aya Elamroussi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

People in Kaanapali were evacuating Friday night after spotting a fire in the neighborhood, which is about 4 miles north of hard-hit Lahaina, Maui police said. The hall of the historic Waiola Church and the nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission are engulfed in flames in Lahaina, Hawaii, on Tuesday, August 8. 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: Dora, Kihei –, Rick Bowmer, Richard Bissen, Josh Green, ”, Deanne Criswell, It’s, Anne Lopez, ” Lopez, Matthew Thayer, Mike Blake, Justin Sullivan, Zoltan Balogh, Zeran Harris, Robert Gauthier, Mengshin Lin, Evelio Contreras, 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, it’s, ” Steve Dolan, “, anything’s, what’s Organizations: CNN — Firefighters, Hawaii Gov, CNN, “, FEMA, Maui Police, Hawaii News, Maui News, Hawaii Department of Land, Natural Resources, . Hawaii Department of Land, Reuters, Los Angeles Times, AP, Washington Post, Kahului, Technologies, AP Hawaii Army National Guard, Hawaii National Guard, Reuters Residents, ZUMA Passengers, Getty Locations: Maui, Lahaina, Hawaii, Kaanapali, Maui County, Kihei, Upcountry, Lahaina , Hawaii, Upper Kula, Church, Lahaina Hongwanji, Kula, Waiola, Wailuku, Kula , Hawaii, Maalaea, Kahului, California, Las Vegas, AFP

[1/5] 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. RAPID ADVANCEAuthorities began allowing residents back into west Maui on Friday, though the fire zone in Lahaina remained barricaded. "When I see Lahaina town itself, I cannot describe the feelings I get," said Lacuesta, who was headed to a church shelter next to continue his search. Subsequent updates were focused on the Kula fire, which had burned hundreds of acres and forced some local evacuations. But at around 3:30 p.m., according to the county's updates, the Lahaina fire flared up.

Persons: Anne Lopez, Josh Green, Dacruz, We'll, Lacuesta, a.m, Mike Blake, Marco Garcia, Joseph Ax, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Hawai'i Department of Land, Natural Resources, REUTERS, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, CNN, Facebook, Thomson Locations: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S, REUTERS KAHULUI, Kahului, Kula, Maui County, Honolulu , Hawaii

☆ The death toll rises to 80 in Maui wildfires as survivors begin returning to communities in ruins
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Maui residents John Rey Serrano and Lexie Lara look from a road above Lahaina Town in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii on August 11, 2023. Maui County raised the number of confirmed deaths to 80 in a 9 p.m. statement Friday. Cadaver-sniffing dogs were deployed to search for the dead, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said. Maui County's hazard mitigation plan updated in 2020 identified Lahaina and other West Maui communities as having frequent wildfires and several buildings at risk. The report also noted West Maui had the island's second-highest rate of households without a vehicle and the highest rate of non-English speakers.

Persons: John Rey Serrano, Lexie Lara, Anthony Garcia, Garcia, I'm, Josh Green, Green, Richard Bissen Jr, Anne Lopez, Lopez, Lynn Robinson, Kyle Scharnhorst, Gilles Gerling, Karen Clark, Bobby Lee, Andrew Whelton, Lana Vierra, Riley Curran, Curran, I've Organizations: roosters, Gov, Hawaii News, Associated Press, Iniki, Karen Clark & Company, Hawaii Firefighters Association, Purdue University Locations: Maui, Lahaina, Hawaii, Maui County, Kaanapali, West Maui, U.S, California, Paradise, Molokai, Kula

Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii told MSNBC. In a late evening statement, Maui County said that the death toll had risen to 80. [1/9]A view of damage cause by wildfires in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, U.S., in this undated picture posted on August 11, 2023. County officials began allowing Lahaina residents back to their homes on Friday, even though much of Maui's western side remained without power and water. "Hot spots still exist and wearing a mask and gloves is advised," Maui County said in a statement.

Persons: Nobody, Brian Schatz, Josh Green, Green, Fire Chief Bradford Ventura, Hawaii Josh Green, Richard Bissen, NBC's, Andrew Rumbach, Marco Garcia, Mike Blake, Brendan O'Brien, Jonathan Allen, Rich McKay, Andrew Hay, Daniel Trotta, Dan Whitcomb, Doyinsola, Joseph Ax, Frank McGurty, Jonathan Oatis, Sandra Maler, Frances Kerry Organizations: Hawaii, U.S, MSNBC, CNN, Fire Chief, REUTERS, Facebook, Urban Institute, University of Hawaii, Police, Thomson Locations: MAALAEA, Hawaii, Maui, Lahaina, United States, Maui County, U.S, Kula, Washington

☆ Hawaii wildfires: How did the Maui blazes start and what we know about the damage to Lahaina
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Jonathan Oatis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

An aerial view shows smoke as wildfires ravage the island in Maui, Hawaii, August 9, 2023. WHAT'S DRIVING THE HAWAII WILDFIRES? Winds from Hurricane Dora, hundreds of miles southwest of the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean, have fanned the flames across the U.S. state, officials say. It is made up of eight main islands, including Hawaii, known as the Big Island. The island of Maui sits to the east of the island of Hawaii.

Persons: Dora, Jonathan Oatis, Andrew Hay, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, National Weather Service, Islands, U.S . Forest Service, Maui ., Honolulu Star, U.S . Civil Air Patrol, Maui Fire Department, Reuters Graphics, Thomson Locations: Maui, Hawaii, County, Handout, Big, Lahaina, U.S, Europe, Canada, HAWAII, Hurricane Dora, Japan, Guinea, Kihei, South Maui, Kula

☆ Hawaii wildfires raze resort city on Maui island, killing dozens
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Marco Garcia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke said late on Wednesday that officials were still assessing the damage. The cause of the Maui wildfires had yet to be determined, but the National Weather Service said a mix of dry vegetation, strong winds, and low humidity fueled the fast-moving conflagration. THREE SEPARATE BLAZESFirefighters were battling three separate blazes on the island, officials said late on Wednesday night, without providing further details. An aerial view shows damage along the coast of Lahaina in the aftermath of wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, U.S. August 9, 2023 this screen grab obtained from social media video. More than 11,000 travelers were evacuated from Maui, Ed Sniffen of the Hawaii Department of Transportation said late on Wednesday.

Persons: Dustin Kaleiopu, Kaleiopu, Sylvia Luke, Thomas Smith, Richard Bissen, Richard Olsten, Kamehameha III's, flyovers, Julius Limbaga, Limbaga, Ed Sniffen, Rich McKay, Brendan O'Brien, Frank McGurty, Angus MacSwan, Alex Richardson, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Hawaiian Kingdom, NBC, National Weather Service, London School of Economics, Political, Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics Maui, Air Maui Helicopters, REUTERS, Honolulu Star, U.S . Civil Air Patrol, Maui Fire Department, Coast Guard, U.S . Coast Guard, Hawaii Department of Transportation, Kahului, Thomson Locations: Maui, Europe, Canada, Hawaii, Lahaina, Hawaiian, U.S, Lahaina ., Kula, South Maui, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Hurricane Dora, Oahu, West Maui, Atlanta, Chicago

☆ Wildfires burn historic Maui town of Lahaina, prompt evacuations across Hawaii
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A wildfire burns on the island of Maui near an intersection in Lahaina, Hawaii, August 9, 2023. Wildfires burned across Hawaii on Wednesday after strong winds from Hurricane Dora and dry conditions ignited blazes and prompted evacuations across the state. The Coast Guard rescued people from the ocean near Lahaina, Maui, as they went into the water to escape a fast-moving fire, NBC News reported, and the historic downtown area surrounding Front Street was partly destroyed, according to Hawaii News Now and other reports. Sylvia Luke issued an emergency proclamation Tuesday that said the fires had burned "hundreds" of acres and forced a number of schools and roads to close. The emergency proclamation said evacuations were underway in the Kohala Ranch, Kula, and Lahaina areas, as the fires threaten to affect the health and welfare of "a substantial number of persons."

Persons: Sylvia Luke, Luke, Josh Green, Green, Governor Luke, Hurricane Dora Organizations: Coast Guard, NBC News, Hawaii News, Hawaii National Guard, Gov, Hurricane Locations: Maui, Lahaina , Hawaii, Hawaii, Hurricane Dora, Lahaina, Kula

The American Red Cross opened an evacuation center in Maui High School, the county said. Six people had been confirmed killed by the fires, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said at a press conference. Despite the high winds, they went on a tour to a different part of the island. Hawaii County encompasses the Big Island, which lies south of Maui. Gale warnings remained in effect for all of the Hawaiian islands, with high winds of 45 mph with gusts of 60 mph possible.

Persons: Richard Bissen, Dustin Johnson, Jolie Campbell, Conner Campbell, Alan Dickar, what's, Sylvia Luke, Mahina Martin, Hurricane Dora, Gale, Ian Martin, Marco Garcia, Rich McKay, Brendan O'Brien, Julia Harte, Aurora Ellis Organizations: U.S . Coast Guard, Cross, Maui High School, Lahaina, Reuters, Kahului, Honolulu Star, Reuters Graphics Reuters, National Weather Service, University of Hawaii, National Hurricane Center, NWS, Thomson Locations: KAHULUI, Hawaii, Maui County, Maui, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Europe, San Diego, West, Lahaina, Cincinnati, Dickar, Maui Counties, Kula, Lahaina . West Maui, South Maui, Hurricane, Honolulu

☆ How Saudi Arabia and UAE learned to stop worrying and love Turkey's Bayraktar drones
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have signed multibillion-dollar deals for Turkish drones in recent months. Azeri Ministry of DefenseSaudi Arabia previously showed interest in procuring Turkish drones and securing rights for local production. Bakir told Insider that Turkish drones have gained "global recognition" due to their "affordability, efficiency, and lethal capabilities" and documented successes over modern battlefields. "Moreover, Saudi Arabia could use such capabilities to balance Iran's drone technology in the long run," Ozeren said. Ozeren said the Saudi deal could help Baykar "monopolize" drone technology in Turkey but noted that crucial details about the agreement remain unknown.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Baykar, Abu Dhabi's, Loong, Loongs, Abu Dhabi, Abu, Ali Bakir, Erdogan, Mohammed bin Salman, Murat Kula, Bakir, Suleyman Ozeren, It's, Ozeren, Ali Atmaca, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Murat Centinmuhurdar, Bashar Assad, Paul Iddon Organizations: UAE, Service, United, United Arab Emirates, Turkey's Baykar Defense, Ministry of Defense, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Dassault Rafales, Ibn Khaldon, NATO, European Union, American University, Orion Policy Institute, Ataturk Airport, Security Initiative, Atlantic Council Locations: Saudi Arabia, Wall, Silicon, United Arab, Turkish, Riyadh, East, North Africa, South Caucasus, Ukraine, Armenian, Ministry of Defense Saudi Arabia, Republic of Turkey, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi, Istanbul, Yemen, Libya, Abu, Turkey, China, France, Qatar, Jeddah, Anadolu, Nahyan, Abu Dhabi

The US began ramping up ammunition production last year when it became clear that the war would drag on far longer than anticipated. But the ammunition will still take “years” to mass produce to acceptable levels, National Security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN Sunday. Ukrainian troops now typically fire between 2,000 and 3,000 artillery shells per day at Russian forces, a US defense official told CNN. It was necessary, though, because of how low US stockpiles are, Sullivan told CNN Sunday. “All of us have had to struggle stimulating our supply chains, some of which went to sleep,” he told CNN.

Persons: Ben Wallace, that’s, Jake Sullivan, haven’t, –, Defense Lloyd Austin, John Kirchhofer, Mark Milley, Joe Biden, Sullivan, Biden, “, ”, ” Sullivan, ” Nebraska Republican Sen, Deb Fischer, Lockheed Martin, Fischer, ” Fischer, I’m, ‘, Ellen Lovett, ” Lovett, ” Wallace, ” Said, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Rishi Sunak, Murat Kula, Charles Q, Brown, Jr Organizations: Washington CNN, NATO, CNN, US, National, CNN Sunday, Pentagon, The Defense Department, EyePress, Reuters, Defense, Defense Intelligence Agency’s, Joint Chiefs, Staff, National Press Club, ” Nebraska Republican, Senate’s Armed Services, Lockheed, “, Britain's, Anadolu Agency, Getty, European Union, EU, DoD, US Air Force, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Defense Industrial Base Locations: Europe, Ukraine, Russia, Berlin, Swiss, Germany, Switzerland, Ukrainian, Kreminna, Luhansk, “, United States, Vilnius

☆ India downplays SCO Summit but Putin and Xi may not be complaining
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Hong Kong CNN —Last year, the world watched closely as China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi of India and other world leaders within a Moscow-friendly group gathered in the Uzbek city of Samarkand for a high-profile, two-day summit. World leaders pose for a photo during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on September 16, 2022. It remains unknown how tight a grip Putin now has on power in Moscow, and although he attended last year’s SCO summit, he has rarely left Russia since his invasion of Ukraine. Face-to-face meetings, however, can also provide opportunity for world leaders to talk out sensitive issues or push on points of contention that may be handled less delicately in a virtual setting. Given their respective ties with Moscow, both China and India have received pressure from the West to limit their relations or even push Putin toward peace.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Xi, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, Putin –, Putin, Modi –, –, Modi, ”, Manoj Joshi, India didn’t, Murat Kula, what’s, Wagner, Steve Tsang, It’s, “, Moritz Rudolf, Paul Tsai, Tsang, Putin “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SCO, “, Observer Research, Anadolu Agency, Getty, SOAS China Institute, University of London, Moscow, Paul Tsai China Center of, Yale Law School, Central, Soviet, Ukraine Locations: Hong Kong, India, Moscow, Uzbek, Samarkand, Ukraine, Eurasia, Russia, China, New Delhi, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, –, Iran, Washington, ”, Europe, Beijing, Belarus, Central Asia, Soviet Union

☆ Putin expected to meet Xi and Modi at SCO Summit following Wagner insurrection
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —All eyes will be on Vladimir Putin this week, with the Russian president expected to make his first appearance on the world stage since the Wagner insurrection threatened his steel grip on power. In the brief, chaotic insurrection, Wagner – a private mercenary group led by warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin – took control of key military facilities in two Russian cities. Participants of the 22nd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) leaders' summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on September 16, 2022. By contrast, Putin managed to end the Wagner insurrection before it reached the capital, without bloodshed. Modi made headlines at last year’s in-person SCO summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, when he told Putin that now is not the time for war, appearing to directly rebuff the invasion.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Putin, Wagner –, Yevgeny Prigozhin –, Prigozhin, Xi, India’s Narendra Modi –, –, they’re, ”, Derek Grossman, Grossman, ” Grossman, Murat Kula, “, Yasuhiro Matsuda, Matsuda, ” Matsuda, “ Xi Jinping, Alexander Korolev, That’s, won’t, Korolev, India’s Modi, Modi, Joe Biden, RAND’s Grossman, India’s Organizations: CNN, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SCO, Kremlin, RAND Corporation, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Russia, NATO, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Tokyo, “ Russia, China –, Kazakhstan, University of New Locations: Russian, Beijing, Moscow, Belarus, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, US, Russia, China, Samarkand, Central Asia, Iran, Ukraine, Europe, Asia, University of New South Wales, Australia, India, Washington, Indian, Goa, Delhi

☆ Black Sea grain deal: A crucial pact aimed at averting a global food crisis has been extended
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —A crucial deal aimed at averting a global food crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been extended for two months. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday an agreement has been reached with Russia and Ukraine to extend the Black Sea grain deal. Murat Kula/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesWhat is the Black Sea grain deal and why is it important? The Black Sea grain deal was first reached in July 2022. The Black Sea grain deal was an agreement made between Russia and Ukraine – however, it was not a direct agreement.

For decades, searching for such hard-to-reach plants and collecting samples was carried out by intrepid botanists who rappelled by rope down dangerous cliffs to hunt for what was lost. Now, we may have a little more time before extinction.”DIRE SITUATIONToday, two in five plant species globally are threatened with extinction. Kauai has 250 plant species that can be found only on the island. To protect species in the long run, botanists need to collect samples — seeds and genetic material — which they can cultivate in greenhouse nurseries. They might even use drones to bomb down collected seeds, packing them into sticky fertilizer balls that can adhere to steep cliffs.

Redeeming credit card rewards for a stay in the Maldives can save you thousands of dollars. I'll no longer use points for Maldives resorts after an all-inclusive stay that was a much better value. As COVID-19 was sweeping the globe, speculative bookings to faraway places like the Maldives plummeted amid the uncertainty in future travel restrictions. In order to generate revenue, many hotels in the Maldives started offering great deals on fully refundable all-inclusive package deals. Here's how seven days at The Standard Huravalhi Maldives permanently changed my booking approach to one of my favorite destinations.

Persons: —, I'd, Marriott, Ethan Steinberg, we'd, It's, I'm, Shak, Ethan Steinberg Gudaguda, I've, they're, they'll, who's, Zinah, Ethan Steinberg We'd Organizations: Service, Marriott, Malé Locations: Maldives, Malé, Maldivian, KULA, Regis

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