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☆ Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop "war" on poultry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The United States, Britain, France and Japan are among countries that have suffered record losses of poultry over the past year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless. Poultry in the Northern Hemisphere were previously considered to be most at risk when wild birds are active during spring migration. Some experts suspect climate change may be contributing to the global spread by altering wild birds' habitats and migratory paths. Farmers are trying unusual tactics to protect poultry, with some using machines that make loud noises to scare off wild birds, experts said. Berkowitz said he is bracing for March and April when migration season will pose an even greater risk to poultry.

☆ Turkey's stock market soars as government steps in after earthquake
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

London (CNN) Turkey's stock market soared Wednesday on the first day of trading after a suspension triggered by a devastating earthquake. authorities intervened to boost stock buying: The government announced measures to encourage companies to buy back their shares and ordered pension funds to increase their allocation of stocks, according to a Reuters Shares on Istanbul's stock exchange rose 9.8% by mid-afternoon. Pension funds have also been instructed to increase the mandatory allocation of stocks from 10% to 30% in the government-sponsored part of their plans, according to Reuters. On Monday last week, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked parts of southern Turkey and northern Syria, claiming more than 41,200 lives so far. Two days later, trading on Istanbul's stock exchange was halted after the main index dropped 7% in early dealing, according to Turkey's Central Securities Depository.

☆ Amazon to donate supplies to Turkey’s earthquake victims
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Amazon (AMZN) has announced that it will help victims of the Turkey earthquake by donating food, medicine and equipment from its Istanbul warehouse. Amazon, which has almost 2,000 employees in Turkey, said it was preparing to donate relief items, including blankets, tents, food, baby food and medicines. “This immediate delivery is just the beginning of Amazon’s response,” Abe Diaz, head of Amazon’s disaster relief program, said in the statement. Another company that could help Turkey is Elon Musk’s SpaceX. On Monday, Musk responded to a tweet about SpaceX’s Starlink internet service, which said: “Hey @elonmusk a massive earthquake hit Turkey and neighboring countries.

[1/2] South Sudanese soldiers stand in line on the streets of Juba in a "show of force" ahead of Pope Francis' visit to the country this week in Juba, South Sudan February 2, 2023. War broke out in South Sudan in December 2013 two year after the country gained its independence from Sudan. The conflict was triggered by infighting within the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) following Kiir's decision that July to sack Machar as vice president. There are 2.2 million internally displaced people in South Sudan and another 2.3 million have fled the country as refugees, according to the United Nations. Famine was briefly declared in parts of South Sudan in 2017.

☆ This startup that connects conservation projects with funders just raised $8 million. Check out the 30-slide pitch deck Lemu used to secure the fresh capital.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A startup hoping to channel more cash into conservation via its app just raised $8 million. Chilean startup Lemu is developing a marketplace that ranks conservation projects on priority and impact. A Chilean startup connecting conservation projects with funders just raised $8 million. It plans to list and rank high-priority and high-impact conservation projects in the hope that the app's users will donate money, or "invest," in them. It will have two ranking features: LemiImpact, a local-level impact ranking based on potential project outcomes, and LemuRank, which is a global ranking of high-priority conservation efforts.

☆ Japan tightens Russia sanctions after deadly missile strikes in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Japan tightened sanctions against Russia on Friday following its latest wave of missile attacks in Ukraine, adding goods to an export ban list and freezing the assets of Russian officials and entities. The decision comes after Russia launched missile attacks in Ukraine killing at least 11 people on Thursday following a pledge by Germany and the United States to supply tanks that could help Ukraine counter any new Russian offensive. Among the new sanctions, Japan will prohibit shipments of items to 49 organizations in Russia from Feb. 3 that could be used to enhance its military capability. Those will include products ranging from water cannons, gas exploration equipment and semiconductor equipment to vaccines, X-ray inspection equipment, explosives and robots, the ministry said. Reporting by Kantaro Komiya and Tim Kelly Editing by Chang-Ran Kim, Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Scientists unearth megaraptors, feathered dinosaur fossils in Chile's Patagonia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Marion Giraldo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 16 (Reuters) - Scientists in Chile's Patagonia region are unearthing the southernmost dinosaur fossils recorded outside Antarctica, including remains of megaraptors that would have dominated the area's food chain before their mass extinction. The specimens, according to University of Chile researcher Jared Amudeo, had some characteristics not present in Argentine or Brazilian counterparts. "The enormous variation we are seeing, the biological diversity, was also responding to very powerful environmental stimuli," Leppe said. "This world was already in crisis before (the meteorite) and this is evidenced in the rocks of the Rio de las Chinas Valley," he said. Reporting by Marion Giraldo; Writing by Sarah Morland, Editing by Alistair BellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Winter storm threatens heavy snow in US Midwest, tornadoes in South
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 3 (Reuters) - More than a foot of snow could fall on the U.S. Northern Plains and Upper Midwest over the next day, forecasters said on Tuesday, and the same storm threatened tornadoes and severe thunderstorms over parts of the South. After dropping around a foot (30 cm) of snow on parts of Nebraska and South Dakota, a powerful winter storm was moving eastward and could leave parts of southern South Dakota and Minnesota with another 12-18 inches (30-45 cm), according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The same system was causing heavy rain and a chance of tornadoes along the Central Gulf Coast. The heavy snowfall is occurring on the west to northern side of the storm...and then the rainfall and severe weather is across the south," NWS meteorologist Allison Santorelli said. Meanwhile, in California, the northern coast was hit by heavy rain over the weekend and might see flooding when another heavy rain storm arrives on Wednesday and Thursday.

☆ Syria says Israel attacks areas around southern Damascus city
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AMMAN, Jan 2 (Reuters) - The Syrian army said on Monday that Israel struck parts of southern Damascus in the latest string of strikes that regional intelligence sources say target Iran-linked assets. Israel has repeatedly bombed Iranian backed militia targets in Syria, saying its goal was to erode Tehran’s military presence which Western intelligence sources say has expanded in recent year in the war-torn country. Two regional intelligence sources say the strikes hit an outpost by Iran’s Quds Force and militias it backs, whose presence has spread in Syria in recent years. They say the Iranians have a strong presence in the Sayeda Zainab neighbourhood of southern Damascus where Iranian backed militias have a string of underground bases. Iran’s proxy militias led by Lebanon’s Hezbollah now hold sway in vast areas in eastern and southern Syria and northwest as well as several suburbs around the capital.

☆ Eight bodies found in ruins of Cambodia casino fire
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Kwang Jiraporn Kuhakan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] A general view of the Grand Diamond City hotel-casino where a fire broke out, in Poipet near Thailand border, Cambodia, December 30, 2022. REUTERS/Athit PerawongmethaPOIPET, Cambodia, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Cambodian rescue teams recovered eight bodies on Friday from the charred rooms of a casino-hotel where a fire killed at least 27 people a day earlier, with more than 20 people still missing. Safety standards in Cambodia and other parts of Southeast Asia can be well below international standards and poorly enforced. Rescue teams said they had to move slowly through the smouldering remains of the building in case it collapsed. Those in Poipet are hugely popular with short-term Thai visitors as gambling is illegal across the border and unlicensed casinos operate underground there.

☆ New York prepares for possible flooding from snowmelt while the West girds for heavy rain and snow
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kathryn-Prociv.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Kathy Hochul on Wednesday directed state agencies to prepare to respond to flooding caused by the snowmelt. And the Buffalo Airport — where nearly 52 inches of snow fell during the storm, according to the weather service — reopened Wednesday. Moderate to heavy snow could also fall across northern Nevada by Friday night, the agency said. On New Year’s Eve, heavy rain will fall in the Southeast up to the Ohio Valley during the day and the mid-Atlantic into the Northeast during the evening, while the West will face a flood risk and continued heavy mountain snow. On New Year's Day, lingering rain showers are expected in New England, above-average temperatures are set for the South and rain and snow are expected in the Southwest.

☆ A map shows the most popular Christmas dishes around the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

To see who's eating what this weekend, the culinary website Chef's Pencil created a map showing what it says are the most popular Christmas dishes around the world. Those headed to parts of South America can too — the map shows turkey is a top Christmas food in Brazil, Chile and Peru. Source: Chef's PencilItalians traditionally eat veal, while Rwandans grill both beef and goat for Christmas, the map shows. Carp, a freshwater fish, is popular in Central and Eastern Europe, while saltwater cod tops holiday menus in Italy and Portugal, the map shows. In a post about Christmas in Portugal, the travel website Portuguese for a Day states, "Christmas is not Christmas without codfish on the table!"

☆ Aromatherapy spray that killed two people in a multistate outbreak also killed pet raccoon
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Mirna-Alsharif-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Mirna Alsharif | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A lavender and chamomile-scented aromatherapy spray contaminated with deadly bacteria that killed two people has also killed one of the victim's pet raccoon, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The spray was linked to a multistate outbreak that killed a 5-year-old boy in Georgia and a 53-year-old woman in Kansas. The aromatherapy spray was also the source of the illness of a 53-year-old man in Minnesota and a 4-year-old girl in Texas. According to the CDC, the Texas patient's previously healthy pet raccoon broke a bottle of the spray and walked through the liquid. The bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei are rarely found in the United States and are generally found in contaminated soil or water in parts of South and Southeast Asia.

☆ At least 5 tornadoes confirmed in Texas as storms roll through southwestern US and blizzard conditions mount in the northern Plains
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Amir Vera Jason Hanna Monica Garrett | Amir Vera | Jason Hanna | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

More than 18 million people from Texas to Mississippi are under threat of severe storms Tuesday, including tornadoes. In Mississippi, the Meridian Public School District – which serves over 4,900 students – announced they will be closed Wednesday due to the threat of severe weather. The Lawrence County and McComb School Districts also announced they were closing Wednesday due to the threat of severe weather. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency also noted the severe weather expected in the state and asked residents to prepare. “With severe weather expected throughout Mississippi tonight and tomorrow, please review your severe weather preparedness checklist to make sure you are ready for the storms,” the agency said in a message on Twitter.

As many as 11 million people from California to Wisconsin are under winter weather advisories Monday due to a massive storm that has already dumped up to 4 feet of snow across the Sierra Nevada. The storm, expected to bring both snow and severe weather, is making its way into the Rockies and the northern Plains on Monday, where blizzard-like conditions are expected. Up to a foot of snow is expected to hit the Rockies, with winds gusting up to 50 mph. The risk for severe weather Monday is centered around southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma panhandle, where damaging winds up to 60 mph, large hail and a few tornadoes are possible. By Wednesday, the threat will shift east, where residents of New Orleans to the Florida panhandle are at risk for damaging winds, large hail and a few tornadoes.

Work is finally underway on the world’s largest radio astronomy observatory. Known as the Square Kilometre Array, the mega telescope consists of huge clusters of dishes and antennas spread across remote parts of South Africa and Western Australia. The Square Kilometre Array has been called one of the biggest scientific projects of the 21st century. A journey to deliver the world’s largest scientific instrument,” she said in a statement. The South African component will consist of nearly 200 dishes, expanded from the 64-dish MeerKAT telescope that already exists on the site.

☆ China's sophisticated censorship engine is being pushed to 'its max' as it struggles to keep protest videos off the internet, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China is struggling to censor videos of protests against the country's zero-COVID policy, experts say. The country's censorship apparatus has been overwhelmed by the high volume of protest content. Experts told the Times that the high volume of videos has overwhelmed China's censorship software and teams of human censors. Protesters in Chengdu were seen shouting "Step down, Xi Jinping"and "Opposition to dictatorship," according to videos reviewed by CNN. Some internet users are reportedly evading content censorship by flipping videos on their side, adding filters, and recording videos of videos to confuse the censorship algorithms, reported the Times.

☆ Tornadoes reported as storms cause flooding, damage across the South
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The National Weather Service confirmed that tornadoes hit the ground in Mississippi on Tuesday evening and Alabama was in the forecast path of the storms during the overnight hours. The national Storm Prediction Center said in its storm outlook that affected cities could include New Orleans; Memphis and Nashville in Tennessee; and Birmingham, Alabama. Additional reports of property damage near Columbus were received by the Weather Service, according to Lance Perrilloux, a forecaster with the agency. Craig Ceecee, a meteorologist at Mississippi State University, peered out at “incredibly black” skies through the door of a tornado shelter in Starkville. The National Weather Service reported nearly 4 inches of snow on the ground at the airport by noon.

☆ Severe Storms, Tornadoes Predicted for Parts of South
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Jennifer Calfas | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The weather could affect more than 40 million residents across the South and Midwest Tuesday afternoon and overnight. Severe storms could bring hail, tornadoes and damaging winds to communities across the southern U.S., prompting local officials to warn residents to heed safety precautions. The weather could affect more than 40 million residents across the South and Midwest Tuesday afternoon and overnight, with central Mississippi and northeast Louisiana expected to experience the most severe storms.

☆ Al-Shabaab terror attack targets Mogadishu hotel
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Omar Nor | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Mogadishu CNN —The al Qaeda linked terror group al-Shabaab has carried out a suicide attack and stormed a central Mogadishu hotel frequented by Somalia’s ministers and members of parliament, Somali police said Sunday. Al-Shabaab stormed the Villa Rose hotel near Somalia’s presidential palace following a suicide bombing at the gate at 8 p.m. local time (noon ET), according to police. Bishar Ahmed confirmed to CNN that a major attack occurred at the hotel, which lies in a heavily protected zone in downtown Mogadishu, where the state house, ministries and a high-security intelligence prison are also located. In May, US President Joe Biden decided to redeploy troops to Somalia in support of the local government and to counter al-Shabaab. The move reversed a decision by former President Donald Trump to withdraw all US troops from the country.

☆ Australians rescued from rooftops as torrential rain ravages rural towns
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Emergency crews deployed more than a dozen helicopters to rescue trapped people from rooftops in the worst-hit towns in New South Wales (NSW) state, officials said. More than 200 flood rescue operations were conducted in the state over the past 24 hours to Tuesday morning, while 24 emergency warnings remained. A damaged road is seen following flooding in the town of Canowindra, in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, November 15, 2022. Heavy rain smashed parts of southwest New South Wales and northeast Victoria over the weekend. Flooded highways near several inland towns are hampering rescue operations as emergency services said they were undertaking what would be the biggest flood rescue operations in New South Wales' history.

NASA has delayed the launch of its next-generation megarocket and space capsule to the moon as Florida braces for an approaching storm. Tropical Storm Nicole, which is expected to strengthen into a hurricane Wednesday, is projected to batter Florida's eastern coast, forcing the space agency to reschedule its planned launch on Nov. 14. NASA is now aiming to launch its uncrewed Space Launch System rocket Nov. 16, during a two-hour window that opens at 1:04 a.m. The rocket is sitting at launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA said the SLS booster is designed to withstand 85 mph winds and will remain at the launch pad during the storm.

☆ Hurricane warning is issued for parts of Florida's east coast as Tropical Storm Nicole expected to strengthen
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Mirna Alsharif | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kathryn-Prociv.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Nicole on Tuesday was upgraded to a tropical storm and is expected to strengthen, prompting a hurricane warning for parts of east central Florida and the southeast coast, according to the National Hurricane Center. Hurricane conditions including strong winds, rainfall and storm surge are expected in the northwestern Bahamas and along Florida's east coast on Wednesday, with tropical storm conditions possible in Georgia along the east coast as well. "Dangerous storm surge" anywhere from 3 to 5 feet is also expected along Florida and Georgia's east coast from North Palm Beach to the Altamaha Sound including. The northwest Bahamas can also expect storm surge of 4 to 6 feet above normal tide along the coast. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency on Monday for 34 counties in the path of the storm, including Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Orange and Sarasota counties.

☆ Florida’s East Coast Braces for Possible Hurricane by Midweek
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Jon Kamp | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ron DeSantis told Floridians to be prepared for the possibility of a tropical storm or hurricane later this week. A weather system brewing in the Atlantic Ocean north of Puerto Rico may hit Florida’s east coast as a tropical storm or hurricane later this week, the National Hurricane Center said Sunday. The low-pressure area could become a tropical or subtropical storm by Sunday night or early Monday, the hurricane center said. The system is forecast to approach parts of the Bahamas and coastal Florida at or near hurricane strength on Wednesday and Thursday, about six weeks after Hurricane Ian made landfall and devastated parts of southwest Florida.

Skywatchers on four continents will have the chance next week to catch the last total lunar eclipse for three years. The eclipse will occur Tuesday, with the moon set to turn blood red as it slips into Earth’s shadow. Lunar eclipses occur when the moon, Earth and sun are aligned and the moon passes into Earth’s shadow. After Tuesday's eclipse, the next total lunar eclipse will not occur again until March 14, 2025, according to NASA. While the next total lunar eclipse won’t happen until March 2025, a so-called penumbral lunar eclipse — when Earth’s faint outer shadow falls on the moon’s face — will occur next year in May, followed by a partial lunar eclipse in October 2023.

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