Kuala Lumpur (AFP) Dec 18, 2021 Thousands of people in Malaysia have been displaced by floods caused by two days of heavy rain, officials said Saturday, promising swift efforts to evacuate those in need. Flash floods appeared in many parts of the country as continuous heavy rain since early Friday swamped urban areas and cut off access to major highways. The tropical Southeast Asian nation … Continue reading Floods displace thousands in Malaysia

Arbil, Iraq (AFP) Dec 17, 2021 Twelve people including three foreigners died Friday in flash floods which swept through northern Iraq after torrential rains in Arbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region, an official said. In a country dealing with severe drought, many were caught by surprise as powerful storm waters started surging into their homes in the city’s eastern suburbs before dawn. Provincial governorhttp://dlvr.it/SFfdyf Continue reading Foreigners among 12 killed in Iraqi Kurdistan floods

Cebu, Philippines (AFP) Dec 17, 2021 At least 12 people have died in the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, the disaster agency said Friday, after the storm swept across the archipelago uprooting trees, toppling power poles and flooding villages. More than 300,000 people fled their homes and beachfront resorts as Typhoon Rai pummelled the southern and central regions of the country, knocking … Continue reading 12 dead as powerful typhoon batters the Philippines

Washington DC (SPX) Dec 15, 2021 The mystery of knowing where the proverbial message in a bottle thrown overboard in the open sea will eventually wash ashore has not been solved. But DARPA’s recent Forecasting Floats in Turbulence (FFT) challenge took an exploratory first step toward trying to understand the turbulent convergence of wind, waves, and currents on the surface of the ocean – and … Continue reading DARPA Announces Forecasting Floats in Turbulence Challenge Winners

Mangilao, Guam (SPX) Dec 10, 2021 The University of Guam Drone Corps program has produced its first 12 Federal Aviation Administration-certified drone pilots with more to come. The 12 students passed the FAA exam this semester and are now earning flight hours through internships, simulator trainings, and missions assisting local researchers and agencies. Launched in April 2021, the Drone Corps is a combined effort from … Continue reading University of Guam Drone Corps produces first batch of FAA-certified drone pilots

Dresden, United States (AFP) Dec 17, 2021 Jerry Rachels was “drop-jawed” at the destructive power of a tornado that barreled through Dresden, Tennessee and reduced his hardware store to a concrete slab, but he expressed equal amazement at the pace of cleanup following the powerful storm. “It’s devastated the town” in the rural northeast pocket of Tennessee, the 68-year-old said. And while there have been … Continue reading In Tennessee town, spirited cleanup follows tornado’s rage

Jakarta (AFP) Dec 16, 2021 Indonesia’s mount Semeru erupted twice Thursday, belching a massive column of ash into the sky followed by a flow of lava that sent hundreds of rescuers fleeing in panic. The highest mountain on the island of Java erupted earlier this month, killing at least 48 and leaving a dozen people missing. Rescuers were digging through the mud and volcanic debris … Continue reading Indonesian volcano erupts again, spewing ash cloud

Washington (AFP) Dec 15, 2021 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday warned Mali’s military rulers not to accept Russia’s Wagner mercenaries, saying a deal would divert needed funds and further destabilize the African country. Two days after the European Union joined the United States in imposing sanctions on the Wagner Group, Blinken voiced disappointment that Mali has rejected an offer of additional UN … Continue reading US warns Mali on accepting Russia’s Wagner mercenaries

Dawson Springs, United States (AFP) Dec 16, 2021 Severe storms battered the American Midwest Wednesday evening, hours after President Joe Biden pledged increased federal assistance to Kentucky, where scores were killed and towns leveled by recent tornadoes. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of an “extremely strong” and “potentially record-breaking” storm system producing “a plethora of weather hazards” throughout several states inhttp://dlvr.it/SFT9zW Continue reading More extreme weather hits US as Biden promises aid to tornado-hit Kentucky

Baghdad (AFP) Dec 15, 2021 Half of the families living in drought-affected areas of Iraq need humanitarian food aid, the Norwegian Refugee Council said in a study released on Thursday. Experts have warned that record low rainfall, compounded by climate change, are threatening social and economic disaster in war-scarred Iraq. The NRC said its research shows that “one in two families in drought-affected regions requhttp://dlvr.it/SFT9zT Continue reading Bleak outlook for drought-hit Iraqis: study