The northern plains of the USA are largely shutting down ahead of a major winter storm that could dump up to 2 feet of snow in some areas. This storm will be accompanied by strong winds and dangerously cold temperatures. There were many school closures for Wednesday, ahead of the storm, across the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In addition to offices closing, the Minnesota Legislature will not reconvene until Monday, according to AP. The snow and fierce winds have caused emergency management officials to warn people that they might experience a “whiteout.” Later this week, the storm will make its…
Author: Editor
After talks with industry representatives, Economics Minister Robert Habeck said in Berlin that Germany should increase state support for wind turbines and solar plants. “We have to strengthen the production capacities for renewable energies and electricity grids in Germany and Europe,” said Habeck, who is a member of the country’s main environmental party, the Greens, dpa reported. In order to achieve climate goals and become less dependent on fossil fuels, the government plans to increase renewable energies in the coming years. Nevertheless, solar plant production has increasingly shifted to China, while the German solar industry has declined. The strategy also…
Government data showed Wednesday that South Korea’s external debt increased by $32.1 billion from a year earlier. According to the Bank of Korea (BOK) and the finance ministry, Korea’s external liabilities reached $664.5 billion by the end of 2022, up from $632.4 billion in the previous year. There was an increase of $2 billion in short-term debt maturing in a year, with long-term debt increasing by $30 billion over the period to reach $497.8 billion. The ratio of short-term debt to foreign reserves moved up 3.8 percentage points on-year to reach 39.4% at end-2022. A higher ratio means weaker debt-serving…
Actress and activist Jane Fonda is calling for a treaty to protect marine creatures hunted for food like sharks, swordfish, octopus, and tuna, saying they feel joy and sadness when they lose their offspring and are “our brethren in the ocean.” On the day that talks resumed at the United Nations, in a news conference at the headquarters to help forge an elusive treaty aimed at safeguarding marine biodiversity, the 85-year-old Oscar winner said “these marine creatures play with us and they feel emotions, and how dare we be so lacking in humility that we will have to kill them…
The South Korean defense ministry said Tuesday it is seeking to release an overarching national defense strategy next month to chart a mid- and long-term direction for the country’s security policy. Similar to the United States’ National Defense Strategy, the document will replace the existing National Defense Policy. In it, the ministry outlines a 15-year policy direction that will be published every five years. “The ministry is aiming to publish the national defense strategy in early March,” the ministry said in a press release. “It is an overarching document of the defense ministry designed to put forward a clear mid-…
Scientists and environmental groups fear Italy could be faced with another drought following last summer’s emergency, as the Alps have received less than half of their normal snowfall. Venice, where flooding is normally a major concern, is experiencing unusually low tides that make navigating some of its famous canals impossible for gondolas, water taxis, and ambulances. Venetian problems are being blamed on high pressure, a full moon, and sea currents. Italian rivers and lakes are suffering a severe water shortage, according to Legambiente. Italy’s longest river, the Po, which runs from the Alps in the northwest to the Adriatic, has…
It was mere minutes from a fourth consecutive loss when Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi averted a major crisis at Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday. The French league leaders lost a two-goal lead to Lille in the 86th minute before Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi turned a fiasco into a 4-3 victory. The Paris Saint-Germain team appeared on the verge of losing its fourth consecutive match in all competitions when Mbappe snatched a late equalizer at Parc des Princes. In added time, Messi scored the decisive winning goal with a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner of the goal, reports…
In an effort to help content creators grow and build communities, Meta Platforms is testing a monthly subscription service, called Meta Verified. This service lets users verify their accounts with a government ID and get a blue badge. It will cost $11.99 per month on the web or $14.99 per month on Apple’s iOS system or Android, according to Reuters, and includes extra protection against impersonation. The launch of Meta Verified will begin in Australia and New Zealand this week, followed by gradual launches in other countries. This is Meta’s first foray into subscription services, following Twitter’s announcement last month…
A key requirement for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an increase of $500 billion in extra funding from the world’s most developed nations each year according to the United Nations (UN). As of now, the global financial system has failed to adequately cushion the effects of current crises impacting the Global South the most: the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis in Ukraine, and the ongoing climate emergency. “Polycrises are compounding shocks for developing countries today – in large part because of an unfair global financial system that is short-term, crisis-prone, and further exacerbates inequalities,” warned UN Secretary-General Antonio…
EDGE today unveiled 11 new innovative unmanned and autonomous solutions with enhanced capabilities for application across the air, land, and maritime domains on the opening day of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2023). These achievements reinforce EDGE’s position as one of the world’s leading defence groups, and as an emerging leader in the development of technologically advanced autonomous systems. With its substantial payload, extended range, and ability to operate at high speeds, JENIAH provides a high-tech and autonomous means of carrying out military operations. The Ground Control Station, which monitors and controls the UCAV, is displayed alongside it.…