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☆ Big oil lawsuits are riskier than quitting tobacco
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Robert Cyran | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Active pumpjacks from oil wells are pictured at the Inglewood Oil Field, the largest urban oil field in the United States, from the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in Culver City, California, U.S., March 10, 2022. REUTERS/Bing Guan Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Sept 18 (Reuters Breakingviews) - California has been a guidepost to America’s future, and the United States is litigious. Oil companies have thus far stalled litigation by seeking to move cases to federal courts, where national regulations on emissions provide some cover. In April, however, the Supreme Court turned down five appeals by oil companies and others to move cases out of the states. That’s too simple given climate’s differing hit to regions, but it indicates the magnitude of the potential problem in the United States alone.

Persons: Bing Guan, Jonathan Guilford, Sharon Lam Organizations: Inglewood Oil Field, Baldwin, REUTERS, Reuters, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, State, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips, American Petroleum Institute, Thomson Locations: Inglewood, United States, Culver City , California, U.S, California, Saudi Arabia, San Francisco

☆ U.S. endorses Utah's Winter Olympics bid with eye toward 2034
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An ice maker installs a sub-glacial Olympic logo ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Yanqing National Sliding Centre in Yanqing, China, January 28, 2022. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 14 (Reuters) - Leadership of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has endorsed Salt Lake City's bid to host another Winter Olympics, with a preference for 2034, officials said on Thursday. USOPC said 2034 is a more desirable date than 2030 due to the 2028 Summer Olympics being held in Los Angeles. Utah's scenic capital city previously hosted the Winter Games in 2002. "This is a significant milestone for us," Fraser Bullock, CEO of the Salt Lake City's bid committee, said on the call.

Persons: Edgar Su, USOPC, Gene Sykes, we've, Fraser Bullock, Bullock, Rory Carroll, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: REUTERS, United States Olympic, Paralympic, Salt Lake, Games, IOC, Olympic, Winter, Thomson Locations: Beijing, Yanqing, China, Salt, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City , Utah, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Mumbai

☆ Affordable Housing Crisis in US West: Why It's Hard to Build New Homes
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Kyle Paoletta | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

The solution to keep prices under control seems fairly simple: Just build more housing. For a time, sprawl boosted housing supply and accommodated newcomers to the West: Nearly 60 million more people live in the region now compared with the 1950s. Running out of landWhen the economy crashed in 2008, housing construction screeched to a halt. All this red tape has caused a serious slowdown in much-needed housing construction. Build, build, buildDespite the unique challenges of building in the paradoxically wide-open West, some cities have been able to break through.

Persons: Mike Segrest, Megan Lawson, Kyle Stevens, Carrier Johnson, “, Lawson, Land Management . Nevada Sen, Catherine Cortez Masto, Kyle Roerink, Hillary Schieve, Schieve, Howard Blackson, Kyle Paoletta's Organizations: Forest Service, Southern Ute, Marin Headlands, Bureau, Land Management ., Water Network, Biggest, Biggest Little City, Housing Administration, Harper's Magazine, New York Magazine, Oasis Locations: Colorado, Durango ., it's, Animas, San Juan Mountains, Durango, Las Vegas, Montana, Houston, Minneapolis, Rocky, Phoenix, Denver, Mississippi, San Diego, San Jose , California, Marin County, San Francisco, Santa Fe , New Mexico, Jackson , Wyoming, California, Land Management . Nevada, Vegas, Reno , Nevada, Reno, Cumulatively, Biggest Little, Summit, Washington

☆ Moroccans sleep in the streets for 3rd night following an earthquake that took more than 2,100 lives
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

While some foreign search-and-rescue teams arrived on Sunday as an aftershock rattled Moroccans already in mourning and shock, other aid teams poised to deploy grew frustrated waiting for the government to officially request assistance. Carl Court | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesThose areas were shaken anew Sunday by a magnitude 3.9 aftershock, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Aid offers poured in from around the world, and the U.N. said it had a team in Morocco coordinating international support. watch nowA Spanish search-and-rescue team arrived in Marrakech and headed to the rural Talat N'Yaaqoub, according to Spain's Emergency Military Unit. I was saved by my neighbors who cleared the rubble with their bare hands," said Fatna Bechar in Moulay Brahim.

Persons: Davide Bonaldo, Arnaud Fraisse, Salah Ancheu, Ancheu, —, Carl Court, King Mohammed VI, Talat, José Manuel Albares, Jana Cernochova, Fatna Organizations: Getty, People, United Nations, United, Moroccan, Interior Ministry, Rescuers, Carl, . Geological Survey, Aid, Unit . Foreign, Czech Locations: el, Morocco, Marrakech, United States, France, Spain, Qatar, Britain, United Arab Emirates, Paris, Amizmiz, Moulay Brahim, Al Haouz, Turkey, Germany, Cologne, Bonn, Nice, Czech Republic, Moroccan, Ighil, Al Haouz Province, Moulay

“We felt a huge shake like it was doomsday,” Moulay Brahim resident Ayoub Toudite said. “Ten seconds and everything was gone.”Flags were lowered across Morocco, as King Mohammed VI ordered three days of national mourning starting Sunday. People in Moulay Brahim, a poor rural community of less than 3,000 people, live in homes made of clay brick and cinder block. I was saved by my neighbors who cleared the rubble with their bare hands," said Fatna Bechar in Moulay Brahim. “This is the first time I experienced an earthquake," British tourist Grahame Stuart said in Moulay Brahim.

Persons: “, Ayoub Toudite, King Mohammed VI, —, Al Haouz, Fatna, ” Hamid Idsalah, Grahame Stuart, Mohamed Messi, Al Hoceima, Angela Charlton, Ahmed Hatem, Brian Melley Organizations: —, ”, Aid, Moroccan, UNESCO, Police, Geological Survey, Portuguese Institute for, Civil Defense, Associated Press Locations: MARRAKECH, Morocco, — Morocco, Marrakech, Mountain, Ighil, Al Haouz Province, Al, Moulay Brahim, Turkey, Moulay, ”, U.S, Moroccan, Agadir, Portugal, Algeria, Paris, Cairo, London

☆ Flowers and Fake Marble: How TV Production Designers Create the Past
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Alexis Soloski | More About Alexis Soloski | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“I always say that if there were a marble Olympics, our team would definitely take the gold,” Bob Shaw bragged. The scenic artists of “The Gilded Age” can paint a half-dozen distinct marble varieties. To pause at nearly any frame of the show is to marvel at the meticulous mix of authentic materials and brilliant fakes. Look closely at the candelabras, for example: They are fitted with fire-safe LEDs hooked to wavering filaments that substitute for open flame. Though production design is often seen as a mere backdrop to the action, the scenery, furnishings, finishes and props have their own stories to tell.

Persons: “, Bob Shaw, Shaw, ”, Amy Maguire, Cat Smith, Drew Boughton, John Wick Organizations: HBO, New York Times, Buccaneers Locations: “

The annual Best Countries rankings from U.S. News may inspire hopeful chants of "USA!" The Best Countries survey gathered perceptions about 87 nations across 73 descriptive attributes, and Americans did view the U.S. as No. For instance, the world viewed the U.S. as No. A lower self-image was observed in several dozen other attributes as well, with the U.S. falling in rank when assessed by its residents compared with the full set of global respondents. Agreement elsewhere was more polarized, however, including on statements that assessed whether some of the most powerful countries are threats to the world.

Persons: – Organizations: U.S ., United States, U.S Locations: United, U.S, United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Switzerland, Myanmar, Ukraine, Bahrain, Jordan, Russia, China

From a survey data perspective, the countries’ moves up the Best Countries list come as they gained in some of the project’s 10 subrankings. In the Best Countries rankings, Neelam points to Australia performing well on an assessment of whether a country is perceived as corrupt. While she announced her resignation in January – before the Best Countries survey was fielded – Neelam says he “wouldn’t discount the Ardern factor” in New Zealand’s rankings rise. New Zealand does have other things going for it that mirror Australia in some ways. Murray, of Karamea, says the country – considered the most scenic among respondents to the Best Countries survey, with Australia at No.

Persons: Paul Murray, I’ve, he’s, ., –, Austin Billimack, he’d, “ Oz ”, ” Billimack, Zealand’s, Murray, Ryan Neelam, it’s, “, ”, Allan Behm, “ We're, Anthony Albanese, Scott Morrison, Albanese, Behm, Morrison, Morrison . New, Jacinda Ardern, – Neelam, Barack, Obama, Eric Crampton, Crampton, Ardern’s, Karamea Organizations: ” Global, U.S . News, FIFA, Australia, New Zealand, Lowy Institute, The Australia Institute, Labor Party, Best, New Zealand Initiative, Zealand Locations: Karamea, New, New Zealand, . Murray, Auckland, Wellington, Australia, Melbourne, Wisconsin, Australia’s, Oceania, Sydney, Australian, Canberra, Nauru, Morrison ., Christchurch , New Zealand, –, Canada

☆ The top 10 countries for a comfortable retirement
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Switzerland ranked at the top of U.S. News & World Report's Best Countries ranking both overall and for a comfortable retirement. Switzerland also topped last year's Best Countries ranking, which analyzes 87 countries on attributes including entrepreneurship and quality of life. The United States ranked 30th on the comfortable retirement list, while seven of the top 10 are in Europe. The US ranked higher on the best countries to start a career, coming in third behind Germany and Canada. Here are the top 10 countries in the world for a comfortable retirement, according to the U.S. News & World Report ranking:

Persons: Devon Haynie Organizations: U.S . News, Service, New Zealand, United States, US Locations: Switzerland, U.S, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Wall, Silicon, headquartering, Europe, Finland, New, Germany, Canada, India, Thailand, China, Mexico

Litigation over the approval of the Willow project is pending. Many of those same voices pressed Biden to approve the Willow project for the same reason. “Once again, the Arctic Refuge is free of oil leases. Haaland later in 2021 ordered a new environmental review after concluding there were “multiple legal deficiencies” underlying the Trump-era leasing program. Major oil companies sat out the sale, held after prominent banks had announced they would not finance Arctic oil and gas projects.

Persons: Biden, Willow, “, Biden's, Deb Haaland, —, ”, Mary Peltola, Jamie Williams, Sen, Dan Sullivan, Haaland, Bernadette Demientieff, ___, Bernadette Demientieff's, Daly Organizations: Republicans, Wildlife Refuge, Trump, National Petroleum Reserve, The, ConocoPhillips, Democratic, Wildlife, U.S, Rep, Willow, Wednesday, Wilderness Society, Alaska Republican, Alaska Industrial Development, Export Authority Locations: JUNEAU, Alaska, ConocoPhillips Alaska, ANWR, America, Alaska Republican U.S, Washington ,

[1/6] A view shows model TO3 of Leapmotor, a Chinese automobile manufacturer, displayed during an event a day ahead of the official opening of the 2023 Munich Auto Show IAA Mobility, in Munich, Germany, September 4, 2023. Chinese EV makers, including BYD (002594.SZ), Nio (9866.HK) and Xpeng (9868.HK) are all targeting Europe's EV market, where sales soared nearly 55% to about 820,000 vehicles in the first seven months of 2023, making up about 13% of all car sales. The arrival of Chinese EV makers in Europe has raised concerns they could dominate EV sales. Xpeng President Brian Gu said while European carmakers currently lag behind China, they have made a "huge commitment" to EVs with partnerships and large investments in technology. "I would never discount the large (carmakers) trying really hard to come back and focus on this important transition," Gu said.

Persons: Leonhard Simon, Luca de Meo, De Meo, Hildegard Mueller, Oliver Zipse, Oliver Blume, Brian Gu, Gu, Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, Dudenhoeffer, Nick Carey, Victoria Waldersee, Gilles Gillaume Christina Amann, Zoey Zhang, Jan Schwartz, Friederike Heine, Clarence Fernandez, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, China EV, Renault, Reuters, HK, Europe's EV, Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology, EV, German Association of, Automotive Industry, Jato Dynamics, BMW, Benz, Klasse, Volkswagen, Auto, Thomson Locations: Munich, Germany, China, MUNICH, BYD, Zhejiang, Europe, Asia

A Renault wallbox charging station is used by a Renault Captur hybrid car at a dealership in Les Sorinieres, near Nantes, France, October 23, 2020. Chinese EV makers, including BYD (002594.SZ), Nio (9866.HK) and Xpeng (9868.HK) are all targeting Europe's EV market, where sales soared nearly 55% to about 820,000 vehicles in the first seven months of 2023, making up about 13% of all car sales. The arrival of Chinese EV makers in Europe has raised concerns they will undercut local carmakers and dominate EV sales. Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) will present its CLA compact class and BMW (BMWG.DE) its Neue Klasse, both of which target higher range and efficiency, while halving production costs. Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) CEO Oliver Blume told reporters that through its partnerships in China, the carmaker aims to cut battery cell costs by 50%.

Persons: Stephane Mahe, Luca de Meo, De Meo, Fabian Brandt, Oliver Wyman, Gilles Le Borgne, Oliver Blume, " Blume, Nick Carey, Victoria Waldersee, Gilles Gillaume, Christina Amann, Friederike Heine, Clarence Fernandez, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Renault, REUTERS, China EV, Reuters, HK, Europe's EV, EV, Jato Dynamics, Benz, BMW, Klasse, Volkswagen, Greenpeace, Protesters, Thomson Locations: Les Sorinieres, Nantes, France, China, MUNICH, BYD, Europe, Munich, Asia

☆ Renault CEO: China very competitive on electric vehicles, Europe needs to catch up
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Renault logo on the Renault Scenic Vision concept-car is seen at its exhibition space, at the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France June 16, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Renault's (RENA.PA) chief executive Luca de Meo said on Monday that China was 'very competitive' in terms of the electric vehicle market, as Renault also prepared to unveil its new Scenic electric vehicle car model. "China is very competitive when it comes to the supply chain of electric vehicles....we need to catch up fast," De Meo told RTL Radio, speaking from the IAA Munich car show. De Meo added that Renault would unveil the prices for its new Scenic minivan later in the year, with a launch planned in the first quarter of 2024. The Scenic will be within the price range for many customers, similar to a hybrid model of the same size and category, he said.

Persons: Porte, Benoit Tessier, Luca de Meo, De Meo, Tassilo Hummel, Sudip Kar Organizations: Renault, Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Rights, RTL Radio, IAA, Gupta, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, China, IAA Munich

☆ Biden spent August trying to escape Washington. But fall realities await him
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Heading home from Lake Tahoe on Saturday, President Joe Biden exchanged a week of waterfront seclusion for the more workaday realities of running the country from Washington. Like many presidents, Biden spent a good portion of August away from the White House, trading the capital’s stifling heat for the beach or the mountains. Of the first 26 days in August, Biden spent only one day entirely at the White House. He also held events at the White House marking his legislative accomplishments. The White House did detail some of the presidential tasks Biden undertook.

Persons: Sunshine, Joe Biden, Biden, ” Biden, Jill Biden, Hunter, Ashley, Jake Sullivan, Volodymyr Zelensky, Tom Steyer, Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Biden couldn’t, Jim Watson, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, “, Putin, ”, “ I’ve, Evan Vucci, Trump, Hunter –, wasn’t, Obama Organizations: White House, White, Camp David, Democratic, Secret Service, Wagner Group, Ukraine Locations: Lake Tahoe, Washington, Maui, West Coast, Russian, Ukraine, Jacksonville , Florida, Hawaii, Camp, Delaware, Wilmington, Rehoboth Beach, Tahoe, Glenbrook, New Jersey, Rehoboth Beach , Delaware, AFP, United States, Russia, South Lake Tahoe , California, Fulton County

☆ I used TikTok to plan my vacation. Here’s how that went
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Amarachi Orie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

I put a stint of endless scrolling to good use by using the app to decide the itinerary for my latest vacation. So, like TikTok users said, early morning is probably the best time for a tourist to first experience the amusement park. Amarachi Orie/CNNWith a name meaning “Yellow Beach,” this place was an aesthetic wonder, which explains why it came up on TikTok. Amarachi Orie/CNNThis beach club on the Veronica Strip was recommended by TikTok users as the place to be to enjoy the island’s nightlife. I would recommend every place TikTok took me to, especially the aesthetic masterpieces: the yellow beach, Fiore and Masca.

Persons: Costa Adeje, Amarachi Orie, TikTokers, I’m, Orie, TikTok, I’d, Fiore, I’ll, don’t, CNN TikTok, Madonna, Harley Davidson, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Idol, Stevie Nicks, Veronica, Papagayo, Teide, Masca, it’s Organizations: CNN, TikTok, Costa Adeje TikTok, Costa Adeje, Port Colon, Workers, Papagayo Beach Club Spanish Locations: West Africa, Tenerife, Canary Islands, TikTok, tenerife, Costa, Siam, Spanish, Los Cristianos, Amarilla, Luuma, Playa de Las, Playa, Las, British, Santiago del Teide, Fiore

☆ The Iten killings: Deaths of elite athletes casts spotlight on domestic violence
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Faith Karimi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Iten, Kenya (CNN) Martin Tirop pumps his fists in the air as Faith Kipyegon wins her third 1,500-meter gold medal at the World Athletics Championships on Tuesday in Budapest. Instead, on October 13, 2021, Martin Tirop made a gruesome discovery inside his sister's three-bedroom bungalow in Kenya's capital of distance running. In October 2021, Martin Tirop found the body of his sister, Agnes Tirop. In fact, their March 2016 marriage had been a secret, with Agnes' family only finding out after her death at 25. "Agnes Tirop.

Persons: Martin Tirop, Kipyegon, Agnes, Agnes Tirop, she'd, Martin, gurney, Jurkenaite, David Blood, Iten, Joan Chelimo, they're, Weeks, Eliud Kipchoge, She'd, Irungu Houghton, Njeri Migwi, Martin Tirop's, Ibrahim Rotich, Rotich, Tirop, Richard Warigi, Ngigi Mbugua, Mutua, CNN's, Houghton, Joan Chelimo's, Agnes Tirop's, Chelimo, Dinah, Vincent Tirop, Dinah Tirop Organizations: CNN, Adidas, Tokyo, Toyota, David Blood Investigators, crowing roosters, Boston Marathon, New, New York City Marathon's, Amnesty International, Kenyan, Criminal Investigations, Bahraini, Investigations, Investigators, Amnesty, Tirop's, Tirop's Angels, UN Locations: Iten, Kenya, Budapest, Kenya's, Switzerland, Germany, Nairobi, It's, Kaptagat, New York, Amnesty International Kenya, Mombasa, Ethiopia, Nandi County

☆ How Jackson Hole Became an Economic Obsession
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Jeanna Smialek | More About Jeanna Smialek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Economists? They have Jackson Hole. The world’s most exclusive economic get-together takes place this week in the valley at the base of the Teton mountains, in a lodge that is a scenic 34 miles from Jackson, Wyo. But even more critically, Jackson Hole tends to generate big news. Jerome H. Powell, the current Fed head, has made headlines with each and every one of his Jackson Hole speeches, which has investors waiting anxiously for this year’s.

Persons: Jackson, Rockefeller, Jerome H, Powell Organizations: Cannes, Wall Street, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas Locations: Davos, Jackson, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

☆ 8 of the world’s best new theme parks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Kate Springer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Peppa Pig Theme Park, FloridaFlorida's Peppa Pig Theme Park opened in 2022. Peppa Pig Theme ParkThe world’s first Peppa Pig Theme Park opened last year in Winter Haven, Florida, and has been delighting children with wholesome fun ever since. Look out for another Peppa Pig Theme Park, opening in Dallas, Texas, next year. Peppa Pig Theme Park. Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park, MalaysiaMalaysia's Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park offers 26 attractions across nine themed areas.

Persons: we’re, Katmandu, Kilgore Goode, Kyle Grillot, Peach’s, Mount Beanpole, Mario, Bowser, Bowser Jr, Tomohiro Ohsumi, Miyazaki’s, There’s, LEGOLAND, gil, Aquaverse, there’s, Chang, Potato’s, Grandad, Wynter, ” Organizations: CNN, Northern, Columbia Pictures, Super Nintendo, California Mario Kart, Universal Studios Hollywood, Bloomberg, Universal Studios Japan, Mushroom Kingdom, Toadstool, Nintendo, Universal City Plaza, Universal, Ghibli, Ghibli Park, South Korea LEGOLAND, LEGOLAND, Thailand Columbia Pictures, Columbia, Lotte, Adventure, South Korea Lotte, Adventure Busan Lotte, Tinker, Potato’s Showtime, Genting, Andromeda Base, Plaza, Genting SkyWorlds Locations: Japan, Thailand, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean, Nepal, Av, Alemania, California, Bowser’s, Mount, Universal City , CA, Nagoya, Nagakute, Aichi, Korea, South Korea, York, Legoland, LEGOLAND Korea, Chuncheon, Seoul, Gangwon, Asia, Pattaya, Bangkok, Transylvania, Chon, Adventure Busan, Tinker Falls, “ Queen, “, Busan, Florida, Winter Haven , Florida, Dallas , Texas, Wynter Haven , Florida, Malaysia, Resorts, Kuala Lumpur, Rio, Liberty Lane, Central Park, Genting, Genting Highlands, Pahang

☆ World’s longest tunnel closes to train passengers after derailment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Barry Neild | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

But the reduced capacity will mean re-routing passenger trains via a scenic railway that takes up to two hours longer until early 2024. It also completes a freight rail corridor between Rotterdam in the Netherlands and the Mediterranean Italian port of Genoa. Swiss rail investigators are currently trying to establish the cause of the accident in which no one was injured. “The Gotthard Base Tunnel is one of the safest in the world,” SBB CEO Vincent Ducrot told reporters on Wednesday. The teams deployed are doing everything they can to ensure that safe rail traffic through the Gotthard Base tunnel is possible again as quickly as possible.”

Persons: “, Vincent Ducrot Organizations: CNN, Rail, SBB, ” SBB Locations: Swiss, “, Europe, Erstfeld, Zurich, Milan, Italy, Rotterdam, Netherlands, Genoa, Gotthard

☆ World’s longest, deepest rail tunnel to close for months after freight derailment in the Swiss Alps
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

An Italian train makes its way at the north entrance of the new Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world's longest train tunnel, on the eve of its opening ceremony on May 31, 2016 in Erstfeld. Swiss rail authorities said repairs to the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world's deepest traffic tunnel and longest of its kind, will take several months after the extent of the damage from a recent freight service derailment was found to be "significantly greater" than initially estimated. The operator currently assumes that both tunnel tubes will be available again for all rail traffic "to a limited extent" at the beginning of next year, while the undamaged east tunnel tube should be able to operate from Aug. 23 for freight traffic. It means that rail passengers traveling between north and southernmost Switzerland will be forced to take a more scenic route over the coming months. The Gotthard Base Tunnel is a high-speed railway route through the Swiss Alps.

Organizations: SBB Locations: Italian, Erstfeld ., Gotthard, Switzerland, Swiss

☆ 4 Americans moved to New Zealand for safety, scenic hikes, and the small-town feel. "I just felt this calm, like, 'I'm home,'" one said.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

He moved back to his home base of Irvine, California, in 2003 but always hoped to return to New Zealand. Four Americans who moved to New Zealand told Insider their reasons for departing the US. A Los Angeles resident visited for 20 years before making his move more permanentJon Kroll lived in Los Angeles for 35 years and visited New Zealand on and off for 20 years as a break from the congestion of Los Angeles. He downsized from his four-bedroom home in Los Angeles. Wellington, New Zealand, provides the small-town feel his family was looking forNative Wyomingite Ryan Rogers departed for New Zealand more than a decade ago for work.

Persons: Garvey Daniels, Daniels, Daniels —, —, they've, Garvey Daniels Daniels, he's, Jon Kroll, Kroll, WellingtonNZ Kroll, who's, I've, Heather Gadonniex, Gadonniex, Heather Gadonniex Matakana, she's, Wyomingite Ryan Rogers, Rogers, WellingtonNZ Rogers Organizations: Service, New Zealand, Stats NZ, New, NZ, Los, Auckland —, Zealand, CoreLogic NZ, Kiwis, San, San Francisco Bay Area Locations: New Zealand, LA, Wall, Silicon, Auckland , New Zealand, Irvine , California, California, New, Australia, Colorado, Los Angeles, Wellington, Auckland, Zealand, San Francisco Bay, Northern California, Matakana , New Zealand, Oakland, Bay, San Francisco, Wellington , New Zealand, London, Vancouver, Wyoming

CNN —At least 21 people are dead and six others missing after a flash flood and landslide following torrential rains in the outskirts of northwestern China’s Xi’an city, local authorities said Sunday. Parts of China have seen record high temperatures and deadly flooding in recent weeks, with experts linking extreme weather around the world to climate change. Flooding killed at least 29 people in Hebei province and 33 in the capital Beijing, according to local authorities. Another 14 people were reported dead in the city of Shulan in Jilin province, as the rains moved northward, inundating farmlands in the country’s grain-producing area. Seven people were taking shelter from heavy rains at the house when it collapsed, according to China National Radio.

Persons: ” Organizations: CNN, Emergency Management, Xinhua, Restaurants, Authorities, China National Radio Locations: China’s Xi’an, Xi’an, China, Weiziping, Hebei province, Beijing, Shulan, Jilin province, Hebei, Hunan province, Leyu, Hengnan county

☆ Taiwan reports second large-scale China air force incursion this week
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoTAIPEI, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Ten Chinese air force aircraft entered Taiwan's air defence zone on Wednesday accompanying five Chinese warships engaged in "combat readiness" patrols, the island's defence ministry said, the second such incursion this week. Those aircraft were acting in coordination with five Chinese warships engaging in "combat readiness" patrols, it said. China staged war games around Taiwan in April after President Tsai Ing-wen returned home from a visit to the United States where she met U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Taiwan Vice President William Lai leaves for the United States this week on his way to Paraguay on what is officially only a transit but which has angered China. It was China's "priority" to stop Lai from visiting the United States, Beijing's ambassador to the U.S. said last month.

Persons: Aly, Tsai Ing, Kevin McCarthy, Nancy Pelosi, William Lai, Lai, Taiwan's, Ben Blanchard Organizations: Liberation Army, PLA, REUTERS, U.S, Taiwan, Thomson Locations: China's, Taiwan, Pingtan, Fujian province, China, TAIPEI, Beijing, Taiwan Strait, United States, Taipei, Paraguay

Large wildfires burning across the islands of Maui and Hawaii, fueled by intense winds, turned scenic beach destinations into smoky, catastrophic scenes on Wednesday. The fires are most intense along the western coast of Maui, according to local news reports, with the historic town center of Lahaina severely damaged. Here’s what travelers need to know. According to the local news outlet Hawaii News Now, at least three wildfires are burning on Maui, including one in Lahaina, a major tourist destination on Maui, and the upcountry section of the island. There are at least three blazes on the Big Island, in North Kohala and South Kohala, which includes the Mauna Kea beach area, according to Big Island Now.

Locations: Maui, Hawaii, Lahaina, West Maui, North Kohala, South Kohala, Kea

☆ This 24-year-old left her corporate job to live and work in Yosemite—her rent is $88 a month
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Instead of despairing over the loss of her job, Beatty viewed it as a chance to realize a childhood dream of living and working in the wilderness. Quitting the 9-to-5 grind for 'something simpler'Beatty started looking for seasonal jobs in October 2022 on Vail Resorts' careers website at the recommendation of a friend. Olsen, who is also a freelance photographer, landed a job as a ski instructor at the same resort. Paying $88 per month to live in YosemiteAt the end of March, she and Olsen moved into a small, one-bedroom cabin in the park, which costs them $88 per month, each. Sharing those intimate spaces with her co-workers was "a bit of a shock at first," Beatty says, and has been the most challenging adjustment to seasonal work.

Persons: Hanna Beatty, Beatty, Beatty didn't, Justin Olsen, you've, Olsen, Justin Reed Olsen, It's Organizations: Yosemite National, Vail Resorts, Aramark, Yosemite Locations: Redding , California, Lake Tahoe, U.S, California, Redding, Yosemite, Philadelphia, Tahoe, South

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