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☆ Qantas plane lands safely after mayday call over Pacific
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

A Qantas flight traveling from New Zealand to Sydney landed safely on a single engine after it issued a mayday call over the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday. Qantas Flight 144 with 145 passengers aboard landed at Sydney Airport from Auckland, New Zealand, after a 3.5-hour flight between the neighboring nations’ most populous cities. Passengers told reporters in Sydney that they were told when they left the plane that an engine had failed. Sydney Airport said emergency crews were put on standby as a precaution, including firefighters, ambulances and police. Neil Hanford, chairman of Strategic Aviation Solutions, a Sydney-based industry consultancy, said 737s can fly quickly and land safely on a single engine.

☆ China zero-Covid: Local governments reveal billions spent on fighting the pandemic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Last week, local governments across China began to convene for annual legislative sessions laying out their respective policy goals for the year. Economists estimated the entire year’s deficit could hit a record 10 trillion yuan ($1.4 trillion) in 2022. Beijing, the nation’s capital, said Sunday that it had spent nearly 30 billion yuan ($4.5 billion) last year on preventing and controlling Covid. The city didn’t reveal its 2021 Covid spending. During the past three years, the bills amounted to 30.5 billion yuan ($4.6 billion.)

☆ Lithuania-Latvia gas pipeline hit by explosion, operator says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Andrius Sytas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

VILNIUS, Jan 13 (Reuters) - A gas pipeline connecting Lithuania and Latvia was hit by an explosion on Friday, Lithuania gas transmission operator Amber Grid told Reuters. Video published by Lithuania's public broadcaster LRT showed a fire raging at the blast site in the Panevezys county in northern Lithuania. "We are investigating the cause of the explosion," the Amber Grid spokesperson said. Povilas Balciunas, the head of public administration in the nearby town of Pasvalys, told Reuters the flames were still burning at 1750 GMT. Reporting by Andrius Sytas, writing by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and David EvansOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Northern California braced for more downpours as southern and central regions of the state got a break Wednesday from torrential rains and prepared for another strong system just days away. At least 17 people have died since late last week in these California storms that show few signs of slowing up. Josh Edelson / AFP - Getty ImagesThe heaviest rains Wednesday were expected to fall on northern and coastal regions of the state. A major system is forecast to hit almost all of coastal California, from the Oregon border to Los Angeles late Friday afternoon or evening. Santa Cruz County has been told to brace for between 3 to 6 inches of rain Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to Hart.

☆ Fire rages at Illinois chemical plant, residents ordered to shelter
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Tyler Clifford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 11 (Reuters) - A chemical plant in northern Illinois went up in flames on Wednesday morning, sending up plumes of black smoke and prompting officials to advise nearby residents to shelter in place as emergency crews responded to the blaze. The fire broke out at the Carus Chemical Company complex in LaSalle, a city of less than 10,000 residents located about 100 miles southwest of Chicago. [1/4] Firefighters tackle a large blaze at the Carus Chemical Plant in LaSalle, Illinois, U.S. January 11, 2023 in a still image from video. A shelter order remained in place for residents north and west of the incident, Janick said. Reporting by Tyler Clifford; Editing by Leslie Adler and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ex-Flint, Michigan, fire chief sues mayor, saying he was fired for refusing to cover up house fire that killed 2 children
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Minyvonne Burke | Minyvonne Burke Is A Senior Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Sniegocki and Zlotek said they found no one in the burning home and gave the “all clear” to other firefighters on the scene, the lawsuit said. Minutes later the boys were foundSniegocki and Zlotek, who resigned, could not be reached at phone numbers listed for them. The firefighters union, Neeley’s office and a city attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. Sniegocki and Zlotek entered the house. Nine days after Neeley’s re-election on Nov. 8, the mayor fired him, according to the lawsuit.

☆ California storm forces thousands to flee homes and leaves 1 dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Chantal Da Silva | Chantal Da Silva Is A Breaking News Editor For Nbc News Digital Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The heavy rains are expected to worsen ongoing flooding and prolong the risk of flash flooding and mudslides across the state. Firefighters block the CA 192 Foothill road while the Arroyo Paredon Creek overflows due to heavy rainfall in Carpinteria on Monday. Heavy rainfall in the area, which is home to 10,000 people, had already flooded roads and creeks, he said. The flooding came five years to the day after heavy rains hammered a Montecito “burn scar,” killing nearly two dozen people. The severe weather also forced the Santa Barbara Airport to close due to flooding, the airport announced in a tweet Monday.

☆ 12-year-old girl in custody after fatally stabbing 9-year-old brother, police say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dennis-Romero-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Dennis Romero | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A 12-year-old girl was in custody at a juvenile facility after she fatally stabbed her 9-year-old brother, police said. The stabbing was reported just before midnight on Thursday at a residence in the St. Thomas Square community south of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, Tulsa police said in a statement released Friday. "Officers learned the children's parent was upstairs asleep when the 12-year-old daughter woke the parent up and said that she had stabbed her 9-year-old brother," the Tulsa Police Department said. The girl was taken into custody at Tulsa's Family Center for Juvenile Justice and remained there at least through Friday, according to police statements. Under Oklahoma law, she may be held for five work days pending filing of a petition that outlines potential allegations.

☆ Europe had second-warmest year on record in 2022, EU scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Stephane MaheBRUSSELS, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Europe experienced its second-warmest year on record in 2022, European Union scientists said on Tuesday, as climate change unleashed record-breaking weather extremes that slashed crop yields, dried up rivers and led to thousands of deaths. The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said 2022 was also the world's fifth-warmest year, by a small margin. The last eight years were the world's eight hottest on record, C3S said. Britain experienced its hottest year on record in 2022, its national weather service said on Wednesday. The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service shares its findings on the global climate for 2022 The annual global average temperature in 2022 was 0.3 degrees Celsius above the reference period of 1991-2020.

☆ California storm forces thousands to flee their homes and leaves 1 dead in 'endless onslaught'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Chantal Da Silva | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

As of early Tuesday, more than 63,000 utility customers were without power across California, according to PowerOutage.us . The heavy rains are expected to worsen ongoing flooding and prolong the risk of flash flooding and mudslides across the state. The flooding came five years to the day after heavy rains hammered a Montecito "burn scar," killing nearly two dozen people. The severe weather also forced the Santa Barbara Airport to close due to flooding, the airport announced in a tweet Monday. The recent severe weather prompted Gov.

☆ After New Year's Eve violence, German police union calls for action
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Germany’s biggest police union called Tuesday for concerted action to prevent a repeat of the violent excesses seen in Berlin and other cities during the New Year’s celebrations, in which officers, firefighters and medical personnel were attacked with fireworks. Police in the capital recorded dozens of attacks and said 41 officers were injured. Online videos showing people firing rockets and throwing firecrackers at police cars and rescue vehicles drew widespread condemnation from German authorities. Some conservative and far-right politicians have noted that some of the attacks took place in areas of Berlin with large immigrant communities. Experts say the absence of such a ban may have contributed to the scale of violence and large number of fireworks injuries — including at least one death — seen this year.

☆ Tesla driver who plunged his family off California cliff did so on purpose, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Phil-Helsel-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Phil Helsel | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A California man intentionally drove a Tesla off a 250-foot cliff in an attempt to kill himself and his family, officials said Tuesday. The driver and his wife and children survived and were rescued Monday at Devil's Slide in San Mateo County, the California Highway Patrol said. Four people were rescued after a Tesla plunged over a cliff in Calif., on Monday. Brian Pottenger, incident commander for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said that witnesses called 911 after the crash around 10:50 a.m. The car was traveling south on State Route 1 when it went over the cliff at Devil’s Slide, south of the Tom Lantos Tunnels, and landed near the water’s edge, the fire department said.

☆ Two children and two adults survive after Tesla plunges 250 feet off California cliff
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Two adults and two children were rescued from a Tesla that plunged 250 feet off a cliff Monday morning in San Mateo County, California, officials said. The car flipped and landed on its wheels in the fall, CAL FIRE/Coastside Fire Incident Commander Brian Pottenger said. As they waited, firefighters rappelled to the scene and rescued the two children. The California Highway Patrol shared video on social media showing helicopters lower first responders to the scene to extricate and rescue two adults inside. The San Mateo Sheriff's Office said the two adults suffered non-life-threatening injuries and the two children were unharmed.

☆ Brigham Young University offensive lineman dies in construction accident
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

HONOLULU — Brigham Young University offensive lineman Sione Veikoso was killed in a construction accident in his hometown in Hawaii, family members said. Veikoso, 22, died Friday after a retaining wall he was helping repair during holiday break from school collapsed, his family confirmed. He was reliable and caring,” Veikoso’s cousin Joshua Kava said in a written statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Rescuers called them off because of the wall’s instability and manually removed rocks to free two of the men in about 15 minutes. After high school, Veikoso spent two years as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Manaus, Brazil, before enrolling in college.

☆ Casino blaze at Cambodia-Thailand border kills 7, dozens hospitalised
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 29 (Reuters) - An overnight fire at a casino complex in a Cambodian border town has killed at least seven people, and left 53 injured and eight missing, authorities in neighbouring Thailand said on Thursday. The fire broke out at about midnight on Wednesday at Grand Diamond City, a casino and hotel in the town of Poipet, according to Cambodian police. Poipet's casinos are hugely popular with short-term visitors from Thailand, where gambling is illegal and unlicensed casinos operate underground. At least 32 people were being treated in hospitals in Sa Kaeo province across the border, Thailand's health ministry said. Cambodia has casino complexes in Phnom Penh and along its borders with Vietnam and Thailand.

Residents of Mississippi's largest city are "tired of apologies" but have no choice but to endure ongoing water stoppages in the wake of extreme weather, officials said Tuesday. "I have spoken to residents who are tired of apologies," Mayor Antar Lumumba told reporters Tuesday, saying there's no telling when this current stoppage will end. This past weekend's winter freeze led to broken pipes, leaving thousands of residents of Mississippi's biggest city and state capital without safe, running water. “There is no way to prevent what is happening to our water treatment facility. "They continue to work at the water treatment facility, they continue to be a part of the coordinated effort to repair breaks where they have taken place," the mayor said.

☆ How Ukraine's Zelenskyy went from comedian to wartime hero
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kherson, Ukraine, on Nov. 14, 2022. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the cover of Time Magazine's 2022 "Person of the Year" edition. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Zelenskyy enjoys high approval ratings among Ukrainians for rallying both the country's forces and public on a daily basis. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Kherson, Ukraine, on Nov. 14, 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kherson, Ukraine, on Nov. 14, 2022.

☆ After a blizzard left a family of 6 stranded and powerless in New York, firefighters let them stay at the firehouse — and gave them Christmas presents
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A family of 6 in Buffalo was left without power and stranded on the road before Christmas. Firefighters came to rescue them and other motorists, and the family stayed at the firehouse. The oldest child got a firefighter uniform, and firefighters scrambled to get them presents. Since the family was going to spend Christmas Eve to Christmas morning at the firehouse, it was crucial that Santa was able to find them. The experience of deadly snowstorm-turned-nontraditional Christmas celebration left its mark on both the firefighters and family.

☆ Seventh body found in river after bus accident in Spain
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID, Dec 26 (Reuters) - A seventh body was found in northwestern Spain after a passenger bus careened off a bridge and plunged into an overflowing river, bringing the accident's final toll up to seven dead and two injured, regional authorities said on Monday. The remains were recovered downstream after being spotted by a rescue helicopter, the Spanish government's representative in the Galicia region, Jose Miñones, told reporters. Earlier on Monday, search-and-rescue efforts resumed following a missing person report filed by the victim's son two days after the accident. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Twitter he was "appalled at the tragic accident", expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery. Reporting by David Latona; Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Paris shooting suspect expressed 'hatred of foreigners', says prosecutor
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/PARIS, Dec 25 (Reuters) - The suspect detained over the killing of three Kurdish people in Paris told investigators of his "hatred of foreigners", the Paris prosecutor said on Sunday. The 69-year-old man was arrested on Friday after shooting dead two men and a woman at a Kurdish cultural centre and nearby Kurdish cafe in the 10th district of Paris. The suspect said during questioning that a burglary at his home in 2016 had triggered a "hatred of foreigners that became totally pathological", prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement. The suspect remained in a psychiatric unit on Sunday after his questioning was halted on Saturday on medical grounds, the prosecutor said. The prosecutor had previously said that the suspect had been freed from detention recently while awaiting trial for a sabre attack on a migrant camp in Paris a year ago.

☆ Six dead after bus plunges off bridge into river in Spain
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MADRID, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Six people died and two were injured after a passenger bus careened off a bridge and plunged into an overflowing river in northwestern Spain, emergency services said on Sunday. Two survivors - the vehicle's 63-year-old driver and a female passenger - were pulled out of the river by firefighters with rope and taken to nearby hospitals with varying degrees of injury. The spokesperson added that the search-and-rescue operation around the bridge had now concluded, while engineers attempted to find a way to safely recover the wreckage from the river Lerez. Shortly afterwards, they received a second call from inside the bus as it was filling up with water. The river remained above its overflow threshold throughout the night, forcing emergency rescue workers to suspend the operation for nearly two hours before resuming in the morning.

☆ Fire at Russian Private Shelter Kills 22
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Russian firefighters at the scene in Kemerovo, Siberia, on Saturday. MOSCOW—A fire Saturday at a private shelter in the Siberian city of Kemerovo that was operating illegally killed 22 people, Russian officials said. Initial reports described the wooden building in the city 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) east of Moscow as a nursing home, but the country’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, later said it was a “temporary residence for persons in a difficult life situation.”

At least two children were killed and multiple others were injured in a house fire Friday morning in New York City's Staten Island borough, officials said. Firefighters received a call about a blaze in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island at about 10:18 a.m. A 5-year-old girl was pronounced dead on the scene, while a 6-year-old died at the hospital, according to the New York Police Department. At least two other children were injured in the fire, authorities said. It was unclear what the relationship was between the victims, but Long said authorities believe they were all from one family.

☆ Oil tank in Colombia's Barranquilla explodes into flames, one dead
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Black smoke rises during a fire in a hydrocarbon storage area of the Bravo Petroleum company in Barranquilla, Colombia December 21, 2022. Barranquilla City Hall Press Office/Handout via REUTERSBOGOTA, Dec 21 (Reuters) - A fuel tank exploded into flames in Colombia's Caribbean city of Barranquilla early on Wednesday, killing a firefighter who fell during the explosion, local authorities said. "Right now the fire is being controlled and allowed to burn out at the tank, which is on fire," Pumarejo told journalists, adding that the area around the tank was being evacuated. Operations to control the fire could take between three and four days as firefighters wait for the blaze to consume all the fuel, authorities said. Operations at Barranquilla's port were suspended until the fire is fully controlled, authorities added.

☆ Why California’s 2022 Wildfire Season Was Unexpectedly Quiet
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Elena Shao | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

Maps of California show the perimeters of wildfire burns for every year between 2018 and 2022 (desktop version) or 2017 and 2022 (mobile version). The extent of acreage burned in 2022 is far less than what burned in 2021 and 2022, and looks more similar to what burned in 2019. 2018 2017 Camp fire 2022 2021 2020 McKinney fire 2020 was the state’s worst fire year on record. Wildfires have burned about 362,000 acres this year, compared to 2.5 million acres last year and a historic 4.3 million acres in 2020. Acres Burned by Wildfires in California A bar chart showing the total acres burned by California wildfires since 1987.

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