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Major wildfires sweeping through forests in Greece force evacuations near Athens and the northeast

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Major wildfires burning for days in northeastern Greece and on the fringes of the country’s capital have incinerated more tracts of forest and forced additional evacuations Thursday as firefighters struggled against strong winds and arid conditions to bring the multiple fronts under control.The wildfires have left 20 people dead over the last week. Eighteen of those, including two boys aged between 10 and 15, are believed to be migrants who crossed the nearby border with Turkey. Their bodies were found by firefighters near a shack in a burnt forest area in northeastern Greece.Sixty firefighters have been injured battling the flames, fire department spokesman Ioannis Artopios said Thursday.Elsewhere in Europe, fires on Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, northwestern Turkey near the border with Greece, Portugal and Italy were being brought under control, officials said.In Greece, dozens of firefighting aircraft, including from other European countries, ass...

Maui wildfires renew tensions around water rights in a centuries-old conflict over sacred streams

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Shortly after the ignition of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, a developer of land around a threatened Maui community urgently asked state officials for permission to divert water from streams to fight the growing inferno.West Maui Land Company, Inc. said it eventually received approval from the Hawaii commission that oversees water management, but suggested the state body didn’t act quickly enough and first directed the company to talk with a downstream taro farmer who relies on stream water, according to letters by a company executive obtained by The Associated Press and other news outlets. Community members, including Native Hawaiian farmers, say the water the developer wanted for its reservoirs would not have made a difference in the fires. The reservoirs don’t supply Maui County’s fire hydrants, and firefighting helicopters — which could have dipped into the reservoirs for water — were grounded by high winds.The Aug. 8 fire that killed ...

Canadians unified on forest protection although wildfire cause divisive: poll

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

As Canada struggles through its worst fire season in recorded history, a new survey suggests protecting forests remains one issue that unites most Canadians no matter who they are or where they live. However, other parts of the survey done for Nature Canada and the Natural Resources Defense Council suggests the climate change debate is spilling over into the woods — especially in a season of unprecedented wildfires. “That is deeply concerning and it does reflect widespread disinformation on climate issues,” said Michael Polanyi of Nature Canada.The two environmental groups commissioned Ekos Research to conduct the survey of more than 1,000 Canadians between July 28 and Aug. 9 on a wide range of forestry and policy issues. The margin of error was three percentage points, 19 times out of 20. It found 81 per cent of respondents agreed the federal government should be doing more to protect Canada’s forests and wildlife. That figure changed little across the country. The lowe...

Isolated storms daily as temps top 100 degrees

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's not much... but it's something. Near-daily rain chances are in the forecast through the next week, but it won't help our temperatures much.Isolated storms will be possible each afternoon and evening today through the weekend. Although no area is expected to get rain every day, it'll be a good idea to keep an eye on the KXAN Weather app as these storms, although few and far between, could pop up quick.Heat alerts in effect 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. ThursdayDespite the low chance for a few spot storms, afternoon highs will have no problem climbing into the low 100s. Austin is likely to reach 105°-106° every day through Monday of next week.A weak cool front will approach us from the north next Tuesday, helping to kick off a few more storms while slightly dropping temperatures.Daily rain chances but no major accumulation expected Austin Interactive Weather Stats (2023) FIRST WARNING WEATHER: Stay up to date with your Central Texas forecast, sign up for our weather newsle...

60 displaced after fire burns North Austin apartment complex; no one hurt

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Sixty people, including children, were displaced after a fire at a complex in North Austin Thursday morning. According to an Austin Fire Department social media post at 4:49 a.m., three units of an apartment building on Sam Rayburn Drive suffered fire damage. Five units had smoke and water damage. All 16 units in the building could not be occupied, AFD said. The apartment complex is just north of Powell Lane, which is northeast of U.S. 183 and northwest of Interstate 35.Austin Fire Division Chief Eddie Martinez earlier said, "We are shutting off electricity. We are having electrical issues with the actual building. Austin Energy is on scene to disconnect power to the actual unit." KXAN asked AFD why crews had to shut off electricity to the building and will update this story when a response is received. AFD said no one was hurt, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

TXST plans to open new dormitory halls next 2 years

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) -- Texas State University welcomed its biggest freshman class in school history this year with almost 8,000 students arriving to San Marcos for their first semester. The growth is expected to continue in the future, and the university is making moves to ensure there is enough on-campus housing for first-year students. University officials said on-campus housing is currently at 107% capacity with a total of 7,244 students checked into their spaces. The school faced a similar issue last year and had to make last-minute changes to the dorms, turning single rooms into doubles and double rooms into triples. This year, the school made that change earlier so there were no surprises for students arriving to school expecting a single room. Almost 2,000 new beds coming to campusThe heart of campus is busy with construction as crews continue building the newest dormitory hall, Hilltop Halls. It is on schedule to open in the fall of 2024 and will have 1,006 beds strictl...

Michelle Goldberg: The right-winger calling for social democracy

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

NEW YORK — For the New York City launch of his new book last Friday, Sohrab Ahmari, best known as a pugilistic voice of the Trumpist new right, held a dialogue with Bhaskar Sunkara, founder of the socialist journal Jacobin and president of the left-wing magazine The Nation. The talk took place at a packed, sweltering event space on the Lower East Side, before an audience heavy on Twitter (now X) personalities and writers for small magazines. Introducing the discussion, Sunkara said that when Ahmari invited him to participate, he was skeptical. But then he read Ahmari’s book, “Tyranny, Inc.: How Private Power Crushed American Liberty — and What to Do About It,” and found, as he explained, “surprisingly very little to criticize.”Sohrab Ahmari in New York on Friday, March 18, 2022. (Victor Llorente/The New York Times)The book surprised me as well. It was only a few years ago that Ahmari, in an attack on my Times colleague David French, called on conservatives to “fight the culture war ...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: Is driving barefoot in the summer okay?

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's social dilemma came from Shannon. I've done this before, but don't like it. What about you? This is her email:  Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Hi Jaime. I have a dilemma I'd love if you could use it. I have two daughters, 19 and 21. They are both living here at home right now before they head back to college. It's been great having them home, and we love it. But there's one thing they do that drives me crazy. They both drive barefoot in the summer. I think it's dangerous and that you should always wear shoes...not even flip flops because they can get stuck under the pedal. I think it might even be against the law. They say no one knows if they have shoes on or not and I'm being too much of a "mom," and I need to relax. I just don't think it's safe in anyway. What do you think? I hope you'll use my question. Thanks so much.ShannonWell, I would never do it now, but I did do it when I was younger,...

Ask Amy: A mom ponders her quiet daughter

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

Dear Amy: We have a 15-year-old daughter who is very introverted. She is happiest being home alone.She has a group of friends she has known for about nine years, and the eight of them often do things together.As they have grown up the other girls have branched out into sports and other time-intensive hobbies, while my daughter prefers to spend time drawing and painting.She will go in on group activities, but usually only if her one best friend is there with her.Otherwise, she prefers to stay home.My husband has a similar introverted and loner personality.I, on the other hand, like to see friends and family a few times a week.I can’t help but feel anxious about her not having friends because it reminds me of feeling left out in my teen and young adult years.She truly seems not to seek others out.How can I relax and be sure that she isn’t me and that she is content with being more alone?— Concerned MomRelated ArticlesAsk Amy | Ask Amy: How do I avoid my creepy uncle? ...

Commission clears creation of a joint venture by Samskip Holding, Duisburg Hafen and TX Logistik

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 10:58:00 GMT

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the creation of a joint venture by Samskip Holding B.V. (‘Samskip') of the Netherlands, Duisburg Hafen AG (‘Duisport') and TX Logistik AG (‘TX LogistiK'), both of Germany.The joint venture will operate the bi-modal rail/road terminal located in Krefeld-Uerdingen, Duisburg (‘Ziel Terminal'). Samskip is a global logistics company offering transport and related services by land, sea, rail and air. Duisport is the owner of the Ziel Terminal and it currently manages the port of Duisburg and other terminals located within a radius of 200 km of Ziel Terminal. TX Logistik is a rail logistics company operating in Europe.The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, because of its limited impact on the market. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.More information is available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case registe...