News
Hurricane Norma Takes Aim At Mexico’s Los Cabos Resorts, As Tammy Threatens Islands In The Atlantic
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico— Residents of the resorts in Los Cabos, Mexico, hurried to make preparations as Hurricane Norma approached the southernmost point of the Baja California Peninsula in anticipation of making landfall. On Saturday, Hurricane Tammy was in the Atlantic and threatened to inundate the Lesser Antilles.
Following Norma’s resurgence and reclassification as a significant storm on Friday, government personnel erected banners cautioning individuals against attempting to traverse gullies and stream beds, while businesses in Cabo San Lucas nailed plywood sheets over their windows.
Norma had diminished by early Saturday and was downgraded to Category 1 on the hurricane wind scale. The storm, which had winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and was moving north at 8 mph, was just offshore 25 miles west of Cabo San Lucas, as the U.S. National Hurricane Centre reported.
It was anticipated that the hurricane would maintain its course until the evening, at which point it would shift northeastward and decelerate until Monday. As a tropical storm, a weakened Norma would approach the mainland of Mexico along the western Pacific coast of Mexico, according to the forecast trajectory.
Its sluggish velocity increased the likelihood of catastrophic inundation. Six to twelve inches of precipitation, with a maximum of eighteen inches, was anticipated from Norma in southern Baja California and a large portion of Sinaloa state.
Saturday morning, approximately 1,500 individuals were sheltered in shelters in Baja California, as the National Civil Protection Agency reported.
The Los Cabos Civil Defence agency advised inhabitants to remain indoors throughout the day due to the increasing gusts and precipitation. Assembled personnel hurriedly evacuated individuals from low-lying regions and transferred them to shelters.
Hurricane Norma Takes Aim At Mexico’s Los Cabos Resorts, As Tammy Threatens Islands In The Atlantic
Early Saturday morning, police in San Jose del Cabo rescued two individuals from their vehicle after a swift-moving stream swept it away. Some informal settlements, situated away from tourist-serving hotels, had already become cut off by the rising water. Some communities experienced power outages and internet outages.
By late morning, except for sporadic military patrols, the area’s streets were essentially deserted and covered in palm fronds and other detritus. Forceful winds caused trees, traffic signs, and power lines to sway.
The National Hurricane Centre of the United States reported that hurricane conditions had already developed in the southern portions of the peninsula.
The hotels in Los Cabos, predominantly visited by international tourists, remained approximately 75% full, according to Maribel Collins, the state tourism minister of Baja California Sur. There were no significant efforts by visitors to depart en masse.
Saturday, airports were closed by the local civil defense office, so there was no way out.
On Friday, the local hotel association estimated that Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo were home to around 40,000 visitors.
While at the marina in Cabo San Lucas, José Ceseña was removing the vessel from the water that he typically employs to transport travelers on his tours. As the port was inaccessible to vessels and a hurricane approached, he stated that jeopardizing his vessel was not worthwhile.
The state commander of the National Guard, Homero Blanco, stated that orders had been issued to close the beaches at the resort and that Guard personnel had been dispatched to clear the shoreline of individuals.
To assist with storm preparations, the federal government deployed 500 marines to the resort, and municipal officials stated that 39 emergency shelters could be opened if necessary.
The U.S. National Hurricane Centre reported that Hurricane Tammy had winds of 85 mph (140 kph) in the Atlantic. The islands of Guadeloupe, Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis were all issued hurricane watches. Tammy was travelling at 8 mph (13 km/h) northwest.
Hurricane Tammy was situated in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 40 kilometres north-northeast of Guadeloupe and 50 kilometres southeast of Antigua, a Caribbean island.
As it approached the Lesser Antilles on Saturday, Tammy was anticipated to maintain hurricane intensity and possibly intensify slightly before passing by Guadeloupe, Antigua, and Barbuda. Guadeloupe and Martinique are both overseas departments of France.
According to a dispatch from the hurricane center, a substantial portion of the Lesser Antilles is likely to experience heavy rainfall and flooding.
Localities anticipated Tammy’s approach two weeks after Tropical Storm Phillippe passed through Antigua and Barbuda, dumping six to eight inches of precipitation and plunging both islands into darkness. It was predicted that the gradual system would deposit as much as 12 inches of precipitation over a twin-island nation still reeling from the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and the recent wind damage and inundation from Philippe.
“Therefore, this indicates that the earth remains somewhat saturated, and further precipitation increases the likelihood of flooding,” stated Prime Minister Gaston Browne in a Friday afternoon nationwide broadcast. Residents were encouraged to take every precaution to safeguard their lives and property.
To enable employees to prepare, government offices, banks, and most non-retail businesses closed early on Friday. The desperation of St. John’s residents to stock up on essentials caused gridlock in the vicinity of well-known retail centers and supermarkets.
Authorities in charge of disaster management at the local level predicted the opening of forty shelters in communities across the nation.
SOURCE – (AP)
The new head of the Army has stated that Britain must be prepared to fight a war within three years.
Gen Sir Roland Walker has issued a warning about a variety of risks in what he calls a “increasingly volatile” environment.
However, he stated that war was not inevitable and that the Army had “just enough time” to prepare to prevent conflict.
He stated that the Army’s fighting capacity would be doubled by 2027 and tripled by the end of the decade.
Gen Walker warned that the Britain was under threat from a “axis of upheaval” in his first speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Among the primary concerns confronting the Britain in the next years, as noted by the general in a briefing, is an enraged Russia, which may seek vengeance on the West for helping Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.
He stated: “It doesn’t matter how it finishes. I believe Russia will emerge from it weaker objectively – or completely – but still very, very dangerous and seeking some form of retaliation for what we have done to assist Ukraine.”
Britain’s Government Defence Review and Military Challenges
He also warned that China was determined to retake Taiwan, and Iran was likely to seek nuclear weapons.
He stated that the threats they posed may become particularly acute in the next three years, and that these countries had formed a “mutual transactional relationship” since the war in Ukraine, sharing weaponry and technology.
However, he stated that the path to conflict was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land troops to assist its deterrent strategy for avoiding war.
In his speech, he described his force of slightly over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army” and made no direct call for additional resources or men.
However, he pushed the British Army to adapt swiftly, focussing on technology such as artificial intelligence and weaponry rather than numbers.
His ultimate goal is for the Army to be capable of destroying an opponent three times its size.
This would entail firing quicker and farther, he said, aided by lessons learnt from the Ukraine war.
The general’s speech at the Royal United Services Institute land warfare conference comes only one week after the government began a “root and branch” defence review to “take a fresh look” at the challenges facing the armed services.
Defence Secretary John Healey launched the assessment, describing the existing status of the armed forces as “hollowed-out” and stating that “procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue”.
According to the most recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) numbers from April 2024, the Britain’s regular Army forces total 75,325 troops (excluding Gurkhas and volunteers).
That figure has been declining in recent years, as recruiting has failed to match retention. The previous Conservative administration lowered the planned headcount from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
Members of the NATO military alliance have agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence by 2024, but several countries are unlikely to fulfil this goal.
The Britain presently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that the defence review will include a “roadmap” for increasing this to 2.5%, however he has yet to provide a date for this promise.
Source: BBC
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
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