DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Canadian wildfires could persist for rest of 'marathon' summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"This summer has turned into a challenging marathon," Canadian Forest Service official Michael Norton told a media briefing on Friday. "Our most recent projections indicate the potential for higher-than-normal fire activity remains across much of Canada in August and September," Norton said. The fires have also sent plumes of smoke across Canadian and U.S. skies, raising health alarms and concerning scientists about the impact on the atmosphere. The EU's Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service estimated last week that Canadian wildfires have released 290 million metric tons of carbon, over 25% of the global total for 2023 to date, and emissions are set to rise as hundreds of flames rage on. Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jesse Winter, Michael Norton, Norton, Ismail Shakil, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, OTTAWA, Forest Service, Atmospheric Monitoring Service, Thomson Locations: Canada, U.S, Washington, Osoyoos, British Columbia, Ottawa

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

Map: See Where the Hawaii Wildfires Spread in MauiKaanapali Hawaii Area of detail Approximate area of fires detected through Thursday MAUI Lahaina Launiupoko Hawaii Kaanapali Area of detail Lahaina MAUI Approximate area of fires detected through Thursday Launiupoko Source: New York Times analysis of NASA Fire Information for Resource Management System data Note: Darker areas indicate a higher confidence of fire activity. Wind-fueled wildfires that tore through the island of Maui in Hawaii on Tuesday and Wednesday have claimed at least 36 lives, forced the evacuation of thousands and decimated Lahaina, a historic tourist town. June 25 Aug. 9 Maxar TechnologiesTourists flock to Hawaii in large part for its tropical landscape and lush forests, but the state has also become increasingly vulnerable to wildfires. The area burned annually by wildfires in Hawaii has quadrupled in recent decades. Invasive grasses that are highly flammable have taken over native vegetation in some areas, and climate change has exacerbated dry and hot conditions that have allowed many wildfires to spread more quickly.

Organizations: New York Times, NASA, Resource Management, Maxar Technologies, U.S . Drought Locations: Hawaii, Maui Kaanapali Hawaii, Lahaina Launiupoko Hawaii Kaanapali, Lahaina MAUI, Maui, Lahaina, Maui County

The Biden administration is asking Congress to approve billions more in aid for Ukraine. In a letter addressed to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the White House requested more than $24 billion for assistance to Ukraine and other "international needs." It also asks Congress for $7.3 billion in economic, humanitarian, and security assistance to Ukraine and other countries impacted by Russia's invasion. The Biden administration also wants to replenish the coffers of FEMA, which is now contending with wildfires raging across the country. Despite the vocal misgivings of Trump and his allies in Congress, most members of Congress, from both parties, continue to support aid for Ukraine.

Persons: Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Donald Trump, Hunter, Trump, Matt Gaetz Organizations: Ukraine, Service, Republican, Kyiv, White House, FEMA, CNN, Florida Republican Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Russia, United States, Florida

☆ Biden wants to make sure Congress doesn't slash pay for firefighters tackling wildfires raging across the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Biden administration wants additional funding from Congress for Ukraine, extreme weather, and the border. Currently, wildfire firefighters are working under a temporary pay increase, which will expire by October. "The administration is committed to building a more robust and resilient wildland firefighter workforce and fairly compensate wildland firefighters' difficult and dangerous work that they do. "We've seen bipartisan understanding of the need to provide firefighter pay to prevent a cliff," the official said. On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, which would make pay increases for firefighters permanent.

Persons: Biden, Joe Biden's, Kevin McCarthy, We've, Josh Harder, weren't Organizations: Biden, Management, Service, Agriculture, FEMA, OMB, NBC News, National Federation of Federal Employees, National Forest Service Locations: Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Hawaii, Texas, California

☆ GOP Senate candidate plans to steer book sale money to a group that lobbies for his industry, teeing up potential conflict of interest
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Tim Sheehy is releasing a memoir in the middle of his campaign for US Senate in Montana. He plans to steer some of the revenue from the book to an industry lobbying group he helped found. It's the latest conflict-of-interest question for Sheehy, whose company relies on government contracts. But Sheehy's book release poses unique conflict-of-interest questions, given his apparent plans for the revenue. If Sheehy's campaign chooses to promote the book when it's released, that would mean using campaign resources to raise money for a lobbying organization that benefits Sheehy's bottom line.

Persons: Tim Sheehy, Sheehy, Simon, Schuster, Matt Rosendale, Democratic Sen, Jon Tester, Tester, it's, Phil Hardy, Hardy, who's, Joe Biden's Organizations: US, Service, Navy SEAL, Bridger Aerospace, Caucus, Democratic, United Aerial Firefighters Association, Bloomberg, Department of Interior, US Forest Service, Senate, Boeing, Federal Aviation Administration Locations: Montana, Wall, Silicon, America, Washington, DC

☆ What We Know About the Wildfires in Hawaii
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Adeel Hassan | More About Adeel Hassan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A summer of ferocious weather across much of the United States reached the country’s most remote state on Wednesday, 2,500 miles off the West Coast, in Hawaii. What began at the start of the week as scattered brush fires on the state’s biggest islands, Hawaii and Maui, turned deadly by midweek. The rapid spread of the flames caught state officials and residents by surprise. Thousands of residents and tourists have been evacuated, and U.S. Army personnel were conducting search-and-recovery efforts on Thursday, Maui County officials said. There are still many road closures on Maui and the island of Hawaii.

Persons: Firefighters Organizations: U.S . Army Locations: United States, West Coast, Hawaii, Maui, California, Maui County

☆ 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

☆ Driverless Taxis Can Expand San Francisco Services, Regulators Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Yiwen Lu | More About Yiwen Lu | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The expansion plan was the first indication that driverless cars could be commercially viable after billions of dollars in investments by the tech and auto industries. “San Francisco would be a proof of concept” for the rest of the country, said Matt Wansley, a law professor at Cardozo School of Law in New York. Darcie Houck, a commissioner who voted for the expansion, said the companies had met requirements that the state set out. Cruise operates 300 vehicles in San Francisco during the night and 100 during the day, while Waymo operates 250 throughout the day. Waymo said its driverless fleet would “align” with rider demands, while Cruise said it would focus on expanding the market to new parts of the city, since it had offered paid rides only in northwest San Francisco.

Persons: Matt Wansley, Darcie, Waymo, Cruise Organizations: Cardozo School of Law, Cruise Locations: San Francisco, New York

US President Joe Biden speaks on how "Bidenomics" is helping clean energy and manufacturing, at Arcosa Wind Towers in Belen, New Mexico, on August 9, 2023. WASHINGTON — The White House unveiled a nearly $40 billion supplemental funding request on Thursday to provide additional aid to Ukraine and respond to natural disasters, including wildland firefighter pay and border management. The White House is seeking $12 billion for ongoing disaster relief, $60 million to cover pay increases for firefighters and $3.9 billion to address border and migration issues. President Joe Biden said FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell would be on Maui by Friday, but he warned the danger is "not over yet." Biden's request also seeks over $24 billion in additional funding for Ukraine's slow-moving defense against Russia's illegal invasion.

Persons: Joe Biden, WASHINGTON —, Deanne Organizations: WASHINGTON, FEMA, Kyiv's Locations: Belen , New Mexico, Ukraine, Hawaii, Maui, U.S

☆ These factors are making it hard to combat the deadly Maui wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Ray Sanchez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The wildfires in Maui spread swiftly and turned deadly, stunning local officials who were quickly overwhelmed. Fueled by a combination of strong winds and dry conditions – and complicated by the island’s geography – the fires have killed at least 36 people. Moderate drought covers more than one-third of Maui, with some areas experiencing severe drought, according to the US Drought Monitor. Dried-out land and vegetation can provide fuel for wildfires, which then can swiftly turn deadly if strong winds help fan the flames toward communities. “These strong winds coupled with low humidity levels are producing dangerous fire weather conditions” through Wednesday afternoon, the weather service said.

Persons: ” Jennifer Marlon, ”, Clay Trauernicht, ” Marlon, Derek Van Dam, Abby Frazier, ” Frazier, Hurricane Dora, Niño, Frazier, Trauernicht, ” Trauernicht, –, we’ve Organizations: CNN, Yale School of, University of Hawaii, US Drought Monitor, Fourth, National Weather Service, Clark University in, El Nino, Pacific Fire Exchange, of Forestry, Wildlife Locations: Maui, Hawaii, Manoa, Santa Ana, Southern California, Oahu, Clark University in Massachusetts, “, Hurricane, Pacific, ” Hawaii, West Maui

☆ Europe endures another year of droughts and wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Last year, heatwaves resulted in over 61,600 heat-related fatalities across 35 European countries and triggered devastating wildfires. Below is a list of the most recent blazes and heat-related warnings issued in Europe. Another broke out on Aug. 20 in the southern Hautes-Alpes region of France, burning at least 140 hectares. It was the biggest blaze the region has faced in the last 20 years, media reported. Portugal's authorities declared some 120 municipalities across Portugal at maximum risk of wildfires due to the heat.

Persons: heatwaves, BRGM, Fernando Clavijo, Dina Kartit, Gaëlle Sheehan, Piotr Lipiński, Ed Osmond Organizations: Spanish National Research Council, ITALY, Thomson Locations: Europe, Sicily, France, Perpignan, Alpes, GREECE, Alexandroupolis, Spain, Greece, Rhodes, Corfu, Italy, Sardinia, Rome, Lazio, PORTUGAL, Portugal, SPAIN Tenerife, Canary, La Palma

Paris CNN —At least nine people were killed and two are missing after a fire broke out at a vacation home in eastern France early Wednesday morning, authorities said. Christophe Marot, a senior official in Haut Rhin, told CNN affiliate BFMTV that those inside the building could not escape from the blaze. “It’s very tragic.”The 500 square-meter (5,400 square-foot) house had been hosting people with disabilities during the summer holidays. Authorities do not have any leads on what caused the blaze, but an investigation has been opened, Hauwiller said. Sebastien Bozon/AFP/Getty ImagesOne official said that those inside the building could not escape from the blaze.

Persons: Firefighters, Philippe Hauwiller, Hauwiller, hadn’t, Christophe Marot, ” Marot, “, Leroy, Sebastien Bozon, Gerald Darmanin, Emmanuel Macron, Elisabeth Borne, ” Organizations: Paris CNN —, Authorities, CNN, BFMTV, Getty, Getty Images, Solidarity Locations: France, Wintzenheim, Paris, Haut Rhin, Nancy, AFP

☆ Video captures mushroom cloud towering over a town near Moscow after a massive explosion rocked a Russian factory
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An explosion erupted at a warehouse near the Russian capital of Moscow on Wednesday. The blast at the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant left dozens of people injured, reports said. The governor of the Moscow region said the warehouse was being used to store fireworks. Dramatic videos that circulated on social media captured the moments immediately after the blast at the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant in Sergiev Posad and showed a massive mushroom cloud looming over the area. According to The Moscow Times, the factory has produced things like night-vision devices and binoculars for the Russian security forces.

Persons: Posad, Andrei Vorobyov, Piro Ross Organizations: Wednesday, Plant, Service, Moscow Times, TASS, Associated Press, Russia's, Firefighters, Russian Emergencies Ministry, REUTERS Locations: Moscow, Wall, Silicon, Sergiev Posad, Moscow Region, Russia, Sergiev

☆ Why cell phone service is down in Maui — and when it could be restored
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Cell service is down. Although strong winds can sometimes threaten cell towers, most are strong enough to handle the worst that even a Category 5 hurricane can bring. The smoke and flames can also attenuate signals because of the particulate density in the air.”If a tower collapses, cell networks could take months to restore. This means satellite phones, which often feature large antennas, can help provide voice, SMS, and data services anywhere on Earth, even without cell service. Although it’s unclear how long cell phone service could be down in affected regions, companies have been able to bring connectivity to disaster regions in the past.

Persons: Gov, Sylvia Luke, ”, Glenn O’Donnell, Forrester, “, O’Donnell, Dimitris Mavrakis, ” Mavrakis, Apple, Hurricane Maria, Hawaii’s Organizations: CNN, Wireless, ABI Research, Mobile, Emergency Management Team, FEMA, Verizon, Motorola, Huawei, Apple Watch, Google Locations: Maui, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Hurricane

ODEMIRA, Portugal, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Hundreds of firefighters scrambled on Tuesday to put out a blaze raging in southern Portugal that has scorched thousands of hectares of land and forced the precautionary evacuation of around 1,400 people. High temperatures and strong winds are complicating efforts to combat the flames, which have destroyed around 6,700 hectares of land. A total of 19 tiny villages, four tourist accommodations and a camping site have been evacuated out of precaution. [1/5]People watch a wildfire in Aljesur, Portugal, August 7, 2023. REUTERS/Pedro NunesSouthern European countries such as Portugal have been grappling with record-breaking temperatures during the peak summer tourist season, prompting authorities to warn of health risks.

Persons: Helder Guerreiro, Jose Ribeiro, Pedro Nunes, Patricia Gaspar, Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira, Leslie Adler Organizations: Civil, REUTERS, Pedro Nunes Southern, Authorities, Thomson Locations: ODEMIRA, Portugal, Odemira, Alentejo, Algarve, Aljesur, Portuguese, Lisbon, Portugal's, Castelo Branco

☆ 'Nature fights back': Slovenia's worst floods kill six
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Fedja Grulovic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A view of a damaged building in a flooded area, following heavy rains, in Prevalje, Slovenia August 6, 2023. REUTERS/Fedja Grulovic/File photoPREVALJE, Slovenia, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Slovenia's worst floods on record have killed at least six people, swept away homes and clogged villages with debris, authorities and media said on Monday. "You know, nature fights back against everything (we do). The Slovenian Environment Agency said floods were starting to recede on Monday, but some areas were still cut off. Residents of villages along the river Mura had to be evacuated on Sunday night after part of the levee collapsed.

Persons: Fedja, Drago Hudofisk, Fedja Grulovic, Daria Sito, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: REUTERS, Slovenian Environment Agency, Authorities, European Union, NATO, Thomson Locations: Prevalje, Slovenia, Austria, Kranj, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Hungary, Germany, Sucic, Sarajevo

☆ Heatwave caused higher than normal death rate in southern Italy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A homeless woman who did not want to give her name takes shade from the sun with an umbrella as she sits near Termini train station during a heatwave across Italy in Rome, Italy July 21, 2023. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File photoROME, Aug 7 (Reuters) - The central and southern regions of Italy recorded 7% more deaths than normal in July after a baking heatwave, health ministry data showed, while firefighters on Monday battled fires on Sardinia and hailstones and floods battered the northeast. In its latest monthly data, Italy's ministry of health noted the effects of extreme temperatures on the country's mortality rate in July compared to the average rate recorded in the same period from 2015 to 2019. The increased mortality rate was particularly evident in southern cities such as Bari, Catania, and Reggio Calabria. On the contrary, the mortality rate in cities in the north of the country, which was less exposed to the heatwave, was lower than expected, down 14% on the past trend.

Persons: Guglielmo Mangiapane, Federica, Keith Weir, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Monday, Friuli Venezia Giulia, hailstones, Sunday, Firefighters, Thomson Locations: Italy, Rome, ROME, Sardinia, hailstones, Europe, Bari, Catania, Reggio Calabria, Nuoro, Cagliari, Friuli, Slovenia

☆ A dog hit the pedal on a golf cart and ran over a 4-year-old, who was uninjured
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Kara Nelson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —A fire crew’s dog jumped on the pedal of a golf cart which then struck a 4-year-old Michigan girl, leaving her with no visible injuries, firefighters said. Bella, an arson dog, jumped down from the seat of a golf cart and landed on the accelerator pedal, sending the cart toward people attending a Friday night festival, the Westland Fire and Rescue Department said in news release. Before they were able to control the vehicle it struck a 4-year-old girl, running over her left leg, the fire department said. Paramedics assessed the child and found no visible injuries. Ten minutes after the accident, the 4-year-old girl resumed eating her popcorn and jumping in a bounce house, the news release said.

Persons: Bella, Firefighters Organizations: CNN, Westland, and Rescue Department, American Academy of Pediatrics Locations: Michigan

☆ U.K. Moves First Group of Asylum Seekers Onto Barge
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Stephen Castle | More About Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Thousands of migrants travel to Britain every year on small boats, risking their lives to cross the English Channel and hoping to claim asylum when they reach dry land. Fifteen asylum seekers between the ages of 18 and 65 were transferred onto the 222-room Bibby Stockholm on Monday, with more set to arrive in the coming days. Plans to make the barge operational were delayed several weeks by fire safety concerns. On Monday Downing Street said that checks were complete and the 47-year-old vessel was safe, though campaigners and some other groups disagreed. The Fire Brigades Union, which represents rank and file firefighters, said that barges housing asylum seekers were “a potential deathtrap,” describing the policy as “cruel and reckless.”

Persons: Bibby Organizations: Conservative Party, Monday Downing, Fire Brigades Union Locations: Britain, Bibby Stockholm

The first group of migrants has arrived on board the boat, named Bibby Stockholm, which is docked in Portland, on the Dorset coast of southwest England, PA Media news agency reported. Medical practitioners flagged safety concerns over the Bibby Stockholm, after it was called a “death trap” by the UK’s Fire Brigades Union (FBU) on Wednesday. Campaigners flagged safety concerns over the UK government's plans to house 500 asylum-seekers on the boat. Finnbarr Webster/Getty ImagesPublic health experts warned that the cramped living conditions of the barge increase the risk of respiratory infections spreading. Housing any human on a ‘floating prison’ like the Bibby Stockholm is unacceptable.

Persons: Bibby Stockholm, Jenny Harries, Harries, Bibby, Finnbarr Webster, Andrew Matthews, Ben Selby, ” Selby, Oliver Dowden, Dowden, Steve Smith, ” Organizations: CNN, Media, Bibby, UK’s Fire Brigades, UK Health Security Agency, BBC Radio, Portland Port, Sunday, Getty, Public, Andrew Matthews / Press, AP, Sky News, Conservative Locations: England, Portland, Dorset, Britain, Bibby Stockholm, France

CNN —Days of heavy rain have caused severe flooding in China’s leading grain-producing region in the northeast, killing 14 people and raising concerns about food security as floodwater inundated farmlands. As the storm moved further north, another 14 deaths were reported Sunday in the city of Shulan in Jilin province. Firefighters operate a drainage machine near a village in the city of Mudanjiang in northeastern China's Heilongjiang province on August 5. A cornfield is submerged by floodwater in a village in Hebi city, Henan province on August 5. A flooded farm in Xinxiang city, Henan province on August 5.

Persons: Doksuri, Zhang Tao, floodwater, Typhoon Khanun, Xi Jinping Organizations: CNN, Xinhua, Firefighters, China’s Ministry of Water Resources, Communist Party, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Affairs, National Bureau of Statistics, China Meteorological Administration, Qiushi, Communist Locations: China, Beijing, Hebei, Shulan, Jilin province, Heilongjiang, Mudanjiang, China's Heilongjiang, Jilin, Harbin, Shangzhi, Wuchang, Liaoning, Hebi city, Henan province, Henan, Xinxiang city

☆ Poland finds leak on one part of Druzhba oil pipeline from Russia to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A view shows a leak detected in Druzhba oil pipeline as reported by Polish pipeline operator PERN, in Chodecz, Poland August 5, 2023, in this picture obtained from social media. The leak was detected near Chodecz, central Poland, on one of the two lines of the western section of the Druzhba through which crude oil reaches Germany, PERN said. Germany stopped buying Russian oil in January, but German media have reported that Kazakh oil was being imported through the line. The Druzhba oil pipeline is one of the world's largest and can carry 2 million barrels per day. Flows through the Druzhba pipeline have dropped sharply since Russia's invasion of Ukraine and pipeline infrastructure has been hit several times since in attacks that Moscow has blamed on Ukraine.

Persons: Anna Trzeciakowska, Grzegorz Jankowski, Vera Eckhert, Pavel Polityuk, Frances Kerry, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS Companies, Firefighters, State Fire Services, TVN24, German Economy Ministry, Thomson Locations: Chodecz, Poland, WARSAW, Russia, Europe, Moscow, Ukraine, Germany, Wloclawek, Eastern, Central Europe, Belarus, Nord, Baltic

☆ Portugal wildfire rages as strong winds and heat fan flames
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LISBON, Aug 5 (Reuters) - More than 1,100 firefighters and 14 water-carrying aircraft battled a wildfire in central Portugal's Castelo Branco area on Saturday as civil protection authorities said hot, windy conditions meant it could take days to put out. Smoke from the blaze, which has destroyed some 60 square km (23 square miles) of forest and undergrowth, reached the Fatima Sanctuary about 100 km (60 miles) away where hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered to see Pope Francis on Saturday. The Portuguese state weather agency forecast temperatures to reach 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on Sunday in Castelo Branco, up from 38C on Saturday. August is usually the hottest month of the year in Portugal. Reporting by Andrei Khalip Editing by Helen PopperOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pope Francis, Jody Rato, Andrei Khalip, Helen Popper Our Organizations: Saturday, Authorities, Civil, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portugal's Castelo Branco, Fatima, Castelo Branco, Lisbon, Portugal, China, United States, Europe

☆ Russia official blames Ukraine cluster shells for Donetsk fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Firefighters extinguish a fire in the university building following a reported shelling in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, August 5, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander ErmochenkoKYIV, Aug 5 (Reuters) - A university building in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine was in flames late on Saturday following Ukrainian shelling, the Russian-installed mayor of the city said. "As a result of the latest attack on Donetsk, the first building of the university of economics and trade is on fire," Alexei Kulemzin, the Russian-installed mayor, said on Telegram. He said preliminary information indicated the cause of the fire was an attack by Ukrainian forces using cluster munitions. Ukraine, which received supplies of cluster munitions from the United States last month, has vowed to use them only to dislodge concentrations of enemy soldiers.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko KYIV, Alexei Kulemzin, Nick Starkov, Elaine Monaghan, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Firefighters, REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Donetsk, Russian, Ukrainian, United States, Kyiv, Washington

Search resuls for: "Firefighters"

25 mentions found