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Heavy Snow Storms and Freezing Temperatures in Western US and Canada

27Dec

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Canada, News, US

Heavy Snow Storms and Freezing Temperatures in Western US and Canada

While ours is abnormally warm for this time of year, the western US is groaning under a cold snap and masses of snow. As a result, some regions are cut off from the outside world. Thousands of people were without power in the western United States last weekend due to the heavy snow showers. In some places in northern California, up to 76 centimetres of snow fell in 24 hours, making many roads inaccessible. And it is also freezing in western Canada. Avalanche warnings have been in effect in Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Colorado and California since Sunday. The heavy snow showers have left large regions with unstable snow, the BBC's public broadcaster reported Monday. For example, in Washington and Oregon, there were power outages due to the bad weather. Northern California was t...

British Court Overturns Blockade of Assange’s Extradition to US

10Dec

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, UK, US

British Court Overturns Blockade of Assange’s Extradition to US

The United States is one step closer to extraditing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from the United Kingdom. The British court ruled against the extradition in January because of the risk that Assange would commit suicide, but that verdict was overturned on appeal. The Americans appealed because they believed that Assange was mentally capable of standing trial in the US. It has also been promised that Assange will not end up in a maximum-security prison and that he will be allowed to serve a prison sentence in his home country Australia. The extradition request must be re-examined by the court, but Assange's lawyers can still challenge the ruling. The latter will happen "as soon as possible", according to Stella Moris, Assange's fiancé. She speaks of a "gigantic blunder". Report...

Justice US Closes Investigation into Murder of Black Boy Emmett Till

7Dec

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, US

Justice US Closes Investigation into Murder of Black Boy Emmett Till

The US Department of Justice has closed its investigation into the racist murder of Emmett Till (14). The black boy was murdered 66 years ago in Mississippi because a white woman said he touched her and made sexual innuendo. His death gave impetus to the American civil rights movement. The woman, Carolyn Bryant Donham, said in an interview for a book that her statement was partly a lie. Because of those statements, the investigation into the murder was reopened in 2018, but justice has not proven the lies. The murder took place after Bryant Donham accused till of whistling at her. Later, the woman also said that Till grabbed her by the waist and made sexual comments. Her husband Roy Bryant and his half-brother J.W. Milam kidnapped the boy. After beating and shooting him, they du...

US Congress can Avert Government Shutdown Just Before Deadline

3Dec

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, US

US Congress can Avert Government Shutdown Just Before Deadline

The US Congress has avoided a government shutdown one day before the deadline. The US Senate on Thursday (69-28) voted in favour of a proposal to continue financing the federal government until at least February 18. The proposal had already been approved by the US House of Representatives (221-212) earlier in the day. In October, the House of Representatives had approved an increase in the debt ceiling until December 3. Without an extension, a shutdown was threatened. As a result, the US government is close to limiting the total amount it can borrow. If the ceiling is not raised in time, the country will no longer be able to meet all its financial obligations. Then specific government departments would have to close.

Major Polluters China and United States to Cooperate More Closely to Combat Climate Change

11Nov

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

China, News, US

Major Polluters China and United States to Cooperate More Closely to Combat Climate Change

China and the United States, the largest two emitters of CO₂, will cooperate more closely over the next decade to combat climate change. They announced this yesterday at the Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. By 2030, they want to reduce methane emissions faster and phase out coal more quickly, although no concrete targets were mentioned. Last night at the COP26, the Climate Change Conference in Glasgow was a bit of a surprise. Suddenly there were the press conferences of the Chinese climate negotiator Xie Zhenhua and his American colleague John Kerry. Each separately, but with a common message. The two countries announced that they would work more closely together to combat climate change and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. They commit to a faster reduction of m...

After 19 Miscarriages, Cary Gives Birth to A Baby of 6.4 Kilos

22Oct

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, US

After 19 Miscarriages, Cary Gives Birth to A Baby of 6.4 Kilos

Fox News reports that an American woman gave birth to a baby weighing no less than 6.4 kilograms earlier this month. "Finnley had a lot of attention in the hospital," said the mother, who had to process nineteen miscarriages in the past. Flemish boys weigh on average about 3.45 kilos at birth. Finnley Patonai, a boy from Glendale, Arizona, weighed almost 3 pounds more. "My water broke when I stood on the scale with the gynaecologist," says mother Cary Patonai. "That's why my planned cesarean section was brought forward by a day. It was estimated that he would weigh 6.25 kilos." But that apparently wasn't enough for Finnley because his final birth weight would be 150 grams more: 6.4 kilos. It also measures no less than 60 centimetres. "He was already that big, and I also had almos...

6Oct

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, US

US Fighter Jet Crashes in Death Valley

A US Navy fighter plane crashed in Death Valley National Park on Monday, the Navy reports. The pilot was able to jump out of the plane and suffered minor injuries. It concerns an F/1-18F Superhornet, which crashed on Monday. The pilot was treated at a Las Vegas hospital and released from the hospital Monday night. The plane crashed in a remote area of the park. No one else was injured. The Navy will help clear the crash site.

US Economy Grew Slightly Faster Than Previously Thought

30Sep

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, News, US

US Economy Grew Slightly Faster Than Previously Thought

The United States economy grew slightly faster in the second quarter than previously thought. The world's largest economy grew by 6.7 percent, according to a new government estimate. A plus of 6.6 percent was previously reported here. The figures on growth or contraction in the US are published based on a so-called annualized calculation. Thus, the quarterly performance is imaginarily extended over a whole year. Quarter-on-quarter growth was 1.6 percent. In the first quarter of this year, annualized growth was 6.3 percent. Economists expect economic growth to have weakened in the third quarter due to the advance of the Delta variant of the coronavirus in the US and supply problems for many US companies, and shortages of raw materials.

Tens of Thousands of Afghans Still Stranded on US Military Bases

16Sep

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Afghanistan, News, US

Tens of Thousands of Afghans Still Stranded on US Military Bases

Tens of thousands of Afghans are still waiting on American army bases after the chaotic flight from their homeland until they are accommodated somewhere. Unfortunately, that is being delayed by the medical and security screenings that refugees have to undergo, writes The New York Times. Last month, the US and other countries carried out a massive air evacuation in the Afghan capital, Kabul. This happened after the extremist Taliban reached the city after a lightning strike. Western countries evacuated civilians and former Afghan employees who were at risk on a large scale. There are still about 49,000 evacuees at eight army bases on American soil, the newspaper quotes from internal government documents. Another 18,000 people are housed on US bases abroad. Some people stay there f...

US Airline United Airlines Puts Unvaccinated Employees on Unpaid Leave

10Sep

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, News, US

US Airline United Airlines Puts Unvaccinated Employees on Unpaid Leave

Beginning October 2, United Airlines will put its unvaccinated staff on unpaid leave. The major American airline announced this on Thursday. In August, she announced that she would require her employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Employees could request an exception for compulsory vaccination on a medical or religious basis, but now they will also have to take unpaid leave. Those who have not been vaccinated for medical reasons will be put on temporary sick leave. It is not clear how long that leave will last. Employees who contact passengers, such as pilots, flight attendants and customer service representatives, were told they could return to work “once the pandemic has significantly receded”. However, staff who have no contact with passengers must take a corona test we...