Record-Breaking Texas Panhandle Wild Fire
Record-Breaking Texas Panhandle Wild Fire
By: Janice. L
April 1, 2024
Embedded Files
February 27, 2024, wildfire across Oklahoma and the Panhandle burns in the distance behind a home outside of Shattuck, Oklahoma. (Atlantic)
At the start of March, an extensive wildfire struck the Panhandle, Texas. Recorded to be the largest wildfire in Texas history, it demolished hundreds of constructions and has already killed two people. Powerful gusts of wind and blazing hot weather contribute to the fire's spread.
Eight million people across the Central Plains are under “red flag” warnings. Only 15% of the fire is contained. According to the National Weather Service, wind gusts of 59mph were measured near the fire area. As mentioned earlier, the critical weather conditions are adding to the factor of spreading wildfire. The blaze has reached Amarillo, where 85% of the state’s cattle is raised. People dwelling in Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland, and Odessa are also in danger. Approximately 20 million are at risk.
Aerial perspective of the wildfire in Texas, February 27, 2024 (Atlantic)
The Smokehouse Creek Fire has burnt 1 million acres in Texas alone and is still not controlled. It has already been blazing for over a week and this fire has destroyed electric lines as long as 120 miles. The Smokehouse Creek Fire itself has demolished 500 structures and killed two people. Cindy Owen, a truck driver was caught in the Smokehouse Creek Fire. 83-year-old Joyce Blankenship was also killed by this deadly inferno as she was unable to escape the burning house.
As the blaze continued to blow into Amarlio, it burned thousands of cattle and livestock. Irritated farmers could only watch their lifetime earnings burn away. 56-year-old cattle farmer Shane Pennigton expresses his irritation, “It just burned all the hair off them,” he said. “Their feet are coming off – their hooves, they’re bloody.” Pennington added, “Even if they survive it, more than likely they’re gonna get pneumonia, they’re gonna get sick, they’re gonna die.”
This pernicious wildfire demolished thousands of cattle, livestock, and homes. Two families have already lost their precious members. The lethal wildfire will continue to spread throughout Texas as long as it is fully contained.
2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Verstappen sails to victory, as Bearman scores points on debut
2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Verstappen sails to victory, as Bearman scores points on debut
By: Luis C.
March 15, 2024
Verstappen celebrating his victory in Parc Fermé, after cruising to yet another victory around the streets of Jeddah. Photo from Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
Max Verstappen continues his title defense in dominant style, crushing the opposition to win the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, as last minute substitution and Ferrari debutant Oliver Bearman finishes in seventh place to score points on his F1 debut.
Yet again, the flying Dutchman has proved to the rest of the grid and paddock that there are no cracks in his dominance over the field and the machine that Red Bull has given, even after the recent internal schisms among the Austrian team. Verstappen’s Saudi Arabian victory may even prove to be the decisive factor in the ongoing Red Bull power struggle.
Verstappen won another commanding victory from pole position, in a drive that felt too reminiscent to his stellar victories in Bahrain and those of the previous season. He beat his teammate, Sergio Perez, by a whopping gap of 13 seconds, securing yet another one-two finish for Red Bull, while the closest non-Red Bull contender, the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc, was 18 seconds adrift from the Red Bull duo.
Following the start of the race, Verstappen held his lead going into the first turn, as he had in Bahrain, and from that moment, there was no looking back for the Dutchman. He held the lead for 48 out of the 50 laps, the missing two laps as a result of a pit stop during a safety car on Lap 7 from Stroll’s crash. From there, there was no doubt on Verstappen’s victory.
For Verstappen, his Saudi Arabian trophy is yet another to add to his rapidly growing trophy cabinet, with his victory marking his 56th career win and crucially his 100th podium, whilst simultaneously being his second victory around the streets of Jeddah.
His sensational victory comes in the wake of the ongoing internal crisis regarding ownership of the Red Bull team, between the Austrian and Thai owners. However, Verstappen’s speed and control on the race track may be the deciding blow on which party gets their way in the intense power struggle.
During the post race interviews, Verstappen had the following to say about his victory:
“I think overall of course a fantastic weekend for the whole team, but also from my side, I felt really good with the car, and also basically was the same in the race,” he said.
“Of course the last stint was a bit longer than we would have liked, but with the Safety Car we had to go for it. So the last few laps, also with those backmarkers, with the cold tyres, it was a little bit slippery but we had good pace so we could manage it quite well. Overall, very, very pleased.”
In a season that has barely lasted two races, and with 22 more left to go, the future does not look bright for the Dutchman’s competition, as he leads the championship by 15 points ahead of Perez.
Verstappen driving his RB20 during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Photo from AP Photo/Darko Bandic.
Below the podium, the McLaren of Oscar Piastri finished in P4, 32 seconds away from Verstappen, whilst behind him were Fernando Alonso and George Russell. However, it was the rookie, Oliver Bearman in P7 who stole the attention of the paddock.
Earlier in the weekend, the second Ferrari of Carlos Sainz was ruled out of the grand prix after the Spanish driver was diagnosed with appendicitis. In a statement from the Scuderia, it was announced that the Formula 2 driver, Oliver Bearman would take his spot.
The Briton drove an extremely solid debut performance, going from P11 and making a series of overtakes and defensive stints to finish the race in a solid P7, outclassing and distinguishing himself as a rookie in a grid filled with seasoned and veteran drivers.
Bearman led a group of British drivers, with the second McLaren of Lando Norris and the other Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton finishing behind him in P8 and P9 respectively.
The teenager now sits at 10th in the drivers championship, with 6 points to him. Not only does his appearance mark him as the third youngest driver to ever compete in the Formula 1 World Championship, but marks him as one of the few rookies to have scored championship points on their first outing.
After the race, Bearman was “destroyed” according to his own words, where in the post race interviews, when asked about how he was feeling, he responded with:
“Destroyed. Physically it was a really difficult race! Especially in the end, when I had the two guys on soft behind me, I had to basically push flat out and it was a mentally difficult race as expected, and physically I was struggling too, but great fun out there.”
When asked if he would fill in again if the need arose, Bearman simply responded with: “You tell me. Did I do enough?”
Oliver Bearman driving his Ferrari during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Photo from AP Photo/Darko Bandic.
Fossil Found of Nightmare Sea Lizard
Fossil Found of Nightmare Sea Lizard
March 20, 2024
Alishba. S
An image reconstructed by scientists to show what the giant lizard possibly looked like. BBC.com
The scientist in the University of Bath, a leading UK university, discovered the fossil of a giant sea lizard species on March 6th. It inhabited the Atlantic, off the coast of Morocco-where the fossil was also found- 66 million years ago.
The discovery of this fossil is expanding how scientists think of past predators and their different traits. The fossil also showed how sea animals have adapted to their surroundings to have a better quality of life.
It was believed to live alongside the tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops. They also believe it was one of the many apex predators that lived in the Atlantic.
Scientists say the lizard was an estimated 26 ft long, about the size of a male orca. Dr Nick Longrich, the lead researcher of the study in the University of Bath, wrote that the "freakish" species had "a demon's face and teeth like knives."
Although it has a short face, its powerful jaws and sharp teeth allowed the lizard to hunt skillfully. BBC.com
“Its teeth and strong jaw gave the creature a nightmarish appearance and a terrible biting force,” the researchers from Bath said.
The sea lizard was named the Khinjaria acuta by Dr. Longrich. He explained his reasoning for the odd name. “The word khinjar being an Arabic word for "dagger", and acuta being Latin for "sharp", so literally, "sharp dagger" or "sharp knife."
The Khinjaria acuta was believed to be a member of the now extinct mosasaurs family, a giant lizard genus. Its closest relatives are the komodo dragon and anaconda.
"This is one of the most diverse marine faunas seen anywhere, at any time in history, and it existed just before the marine reptiles and the dinosaurs went extinct," Dr Longrich said.
“What’s remarkable here is the sheer diversity of top predators. We have multiple species growing larger than a great white shark, and they’re top predators, but they all have different teeth, suggesting they’re hunting in different ways.”
The mosasaurs genus went extinct during the Late Cretaceous period. They were the top predators in the Atlantic, so their extinction led to an increase in the populations of whales, seals and fish.
"This incredible diversity of top predators in the Late Cretaceous is unusual, and we don't see that in modern marine communities,” Dr. Longrich remarked.
The Khinjaria acuta’s discovery is fueling our understanding of the natural world, and scientists will continue to discover the mystery of the forgotten world.
The Flour Massacre On Al-Rashid Street:
The Flour Massacre On Al-Rashid Street:
By Anais.W
Date: 4/03/2024
Last Thursday on the 29th of February, food aid trucks were sent onto Al-Rashid Street, filled with flour and other necessities. The trucks and the surrounding area were soon attacked by the Israeli soldiers overseeing the proceedings.
The Israeli government justified the attack by claiming the Palestinians were displaying violent and aggressive behavior towards the soldiers present. They then went on to say most of the crowd died because of the chaos caused by the warning shots that were fired.
A picture from Washington Post written by Ishaan Tharoor of the Palestinians grabbing flour from the aid trucks on Al-Rashid Street
As the aid trucks started to trickle onto Al-Rashid Street, citizens began swarming towards the trucks in the hope of getting the resources they required for themselves and their families. A few minutes later, shots were fired by the Israeli military, causing immediate panic and fear. Many were run over by the Israeli soldiers manning the trucks. By the end, 118 people were dead and 760 injured. The mass killing was named the Flour Massacre because of the flour found around the bodies.
Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, explained the effect of this event on the Palestinians. He said, ‘People want to take your hand… saying ‘we are starving, we are dying here’.
The food aid trucks were sent to Gaza in an attempt to assist people within the borders. The ongoing war between the two countries has left citizens without food, and clean water, among various other necessities. It has also impacted healthcare, education, and overall well-being.
For four months Gaza has experienced brutality and violence. Nearly 31,000 people have been lost. Everyone is wondering how long this is going to last if it's ever going to end.
Luka Doncic stuns the NBA setting a new record
Luka Doncic stuns the NBA setting a new record
By: Lucas Y.
March 8, 2024
Yesterday Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks set a new record of consecutive 30 point Triple Doubles. The record breaking game was against the Detroit pistons
The streak started on March 3 with a game against the Philadelphia 76ers scoring 38 points, catching 11 rebounds and getting 10 assists. The streak continued against the Indiana Pacers where he scored one more point, caught one less rebound, and got one more assist compared to the previous game.
In his 5th game he scored 35 points, caught 11 rebounds and got 11 assist tying him with the previous record which was set by Rssell Westbrook from March 26 to April 2 of 2017.
During this 6 game streak the Dallas Maverick more commonly known as the “Mavs'' have gone 5-1 and now they are 8th in the western conference. This has brought attention to Luka, who people say Could be the greatest European player ever. This is due to the fact that he broke this record at the young age of 25. This has put him in the top 4 candidates for the NBA MVP.
Hours before the game Doncic was named Western conference player of the week for the week of March 4-10. The coach of the Mavericks hall of famer, Jason Kidd states that . “The level that he’s at to be able to score and also to be able to find his teammates and then lastly being able to rebound the ball for us to help us on the defensive end.”
Singaporean Government criticized for making an exclusive deal with Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour.
Singaporean Government criticized for making an exclusive deal with Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour.
Zari S.
Apr 1, 2024
In June 2023, Taylor Swift announced the schedule for the 2024 Europe, Asia & Australia leg of the tour, from Feb 7 to Aug 17. Her international date destinations include Japan, Singapore, Australia, France, and the UK, among others. Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | Singapore is produced by Taylor Swift Touring, and supported by Marina Bay Sands and The Singapore Tourism Board, UOB the official bank and pre-sale partner, and experience partner Klook. Also promoted by AEG Asia.
In Singapore alone, there were 6 concerts scheduled. Originally, she had planned for only 3 dates, but due to 22 million people around Asia signing up for the presale, she added 3 more dates. Her Singapore concerts were scheduled for March 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9, all to be held in Singapore’s National Stadium.
Asian Swifties noticed that there were only 2 destinations in Asia and only one in Southeast Asia. Filipino fans were devastated when they found out that the Philippines was not one of her stops in the eras tour, after being part of her red tour back in 2014.
Because of tourism and money, being made by Singapore from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, other Southeast Asian countries were upset that they wouldn’t be getting the same opportunity to earn from fans’ plane tickets, accommodation, tours, souvenirs, and other purchases.
Festivals, concerts, and sporting events bring great economic benefits due to tourists spending for their trip. Sarah Wan of Klook said that their data shows that a tourist attending an event typically can spend 5x more than the price of the ticket. Klook expects a typical traveler to spend $800 more on hotels, restaurants, and other travel experiences.
The Eras tour broke world records when it passed $1 billion last year. Her movie rapidly took No. 1 at the box office and quickly became the highest-earning concert film today. After the pandemic, the demand for live concerts and entertainment has gone up, which has raised the prices. Economists call this “Swiftlation”.
70% of the 300,000 fans who attended Taylor Swift’s 6 sold out shows in Singapore, came from overseas and spent over $370 million in total in the city. This is estimated by an economist at Maybank. From March 1-9, the week of the concert, the flights to Singapore went up 186%. According to Edmund Ong of Trip.com, accommodation bookings almost quintupled.
The frustration of these Asian countries is towards the Singaporean government rather than Taylor Swift herself, because of the exclusive deal they struck with the concert organizers to make Singapore the only stop.
First, Thailand’s Prime minister claimed that Singapore made a deal to make sure Swift couldn't take her tour to other Southeast Asian countries like Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam. He claimed that the Singapore government offered 2-3 million dollars for each show to make Singapore the only country in Southeast Asia where her concerts would be held. “If I had known this, I would have brought the shows to Thailand.” Prime Minister Srettha Thravisin said in a keynote speech at a forum, held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. “Concerts can generate added value to the economy.”
Second, a Philippine lawmaker Joey Salceda criticized the exclusivity that Singapore supposedly made with Taylor Swift. He said that "isn't what good neighbors do," and that "our countries are good friends. That's why actions like that hurt." He called on the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs to go against the deal. "It was at the expense of neighboring countries, which could not attract their own foreign concertgoers, and whose fans had to go to Singapore." He added that the Philippines should not "just let things like these pass."
Singapore is a member of the 10-nation group known as ASEAN or Association of Southeast Asian Nations. During a 3-day summit in Australia, Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister of Singapore was expected to be asked about Myanmar’s crisis and conflicts in the South China Sea. He was instead asked about Taylor Swift and the deal of exclusivity the government made with her to only perform in Singapore.
The Prime Minister confirmed that Swift was given “certain incentives” in return for keeping Singapore as her only Southeast Asian stop for her Eras Tour. However, the cost of the deal was never revealed, though it was paid for by a government fund meant for rebuilding tourism after COVID-19. The Prime Minister did not comment when he was asked if he and other leaders experienced “bad blood” due to the deal. He suggested that a neighboring country could have struck the deal if Singapore didn’t do it first.
Lee Hsien Loong stated that “Agencies negotiated an arrangement with her to come to Singapore and perform and to make Singapore her only stop in Southeast Asia. Certain incentives were provided to her, and a deal was reached. It has turned out to be a very successful arrangement. I don’t see that as being unfriendly.” The Prime Minister added, “If we had not made such an arrangement, would she have come to more places in Southeast Asia? Maybe, maybe not?”
So far, Taylor Swift has been the only female artist to perform six shows in the Singapore National Stadium. There were over 368,000 people who watched the Eras Tour in Singapore.
Before each concert, there were activities outside the venue like bracelet-making and merchandise shopping. After the concert, there was also a live DJ playing music and keeping the people entertained while they walked towards the MRT. Each show was about 3 and a half hours of non-stop dancing and singing. Singapore Sports Hub was also able to manage and control the huge crowds, which is why Singapore was chosen by Taylor Swift to be her main stop in Asia.
21 Sailors and 8 Workers: About the People Involved during the Crash
Uono Lacson | April 3, 2024
An aerial shot of the ruins of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland | Image from Ida Vock, BBC News
On March 26, 2024, at 1:28am, the cargo ship Dali collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland. According to the BBC, “The 1.5 mile (2.4km) long bridge fell upon impact, plunging eight construction workers into the water. Two were rescued on the day, the bodies of another two were recovered on Wednesday and the search continues for the other four, all presumed dead.”
On the ship were 21 sailors, 20 of them were Indian and 1 was Sri Lankan. According to an Indian Official, all of the sailors were in good health, and only one had a minor injury. Meanwhile, they are more “rattled” according to the BBC, which means that their mental health affected them more than their injuries on the outside.
According to Joshua Messick, the executive director of the Baltimore International Seafarers' Center, a non-profit organization that works to protect the rights of sailors, who talked with the BBC, said that "They're not saying much at all to anyone who has been in touch with them."
"They didn't have WiFi until Saturday and they didn't really know what the perception of the rest of the world was. They weren't sure if they were being blamed, or demonized. They just didn't know what to expect," he adds.
He also explained, "They are also in a very sensitive situation. What they can say can reflect on the company. I would imagine that they've been advised to keep a low profile for the time being."
About 8 workers were also working at the time. According to CNN, “Among the victims were…two bodies – those of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, from Mexico and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, from Guatemala… Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, 38, moved from Santa Bárbara in Honduras to the US 18 years ago for a better life… Miguel Luna was a husband and father of three from El Salvador who lived in Maryland for over 19 years… Dorlian Castillo Cabrera came to the US from Guatemala to pursue his dream and help his mother… (and) Carlos Hernández, a 24-year-old construction worker from Mexico, sent his girlfriend a voice memo from the bridge minutes before the collapse.”
5 workers who were on the bridge. Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, Miguel Luna, and Carlos Hernández were among them. Photo from Holly Yan, Maria Santana, Melissa Alonso and Allison Gordon, CNN
When he talked to CNN, “We know our people are involved,” Rafael Laveaga, chief of the Mexican Embassy in Washington’s consular section, said. “It was a crew who was repairing parts of the potholes on the bridge, and they’re the ones who are going to build the bridge again – the Latinos.”
Additionally, agency Chair Jennifer Homendy said, “I just want to extend our deepest, deepest condolences. You are in our thoughts and prayers as the days, months, years ahead go forward,"
"Our aim is to prevent this from reoccurring and we are so, so very sorry for all that you are going through.”
Authorities reassure worried and unsettled families that they will continue searching for the bodies after clearing the dangerous debris.
The grief has also destroyed the mental health of the workers, as they are receiving comments and accusations with technically no base. While hazardous substances have been discovered on board, no one really knows where they came from, according also to CNN.
Citations:
Gordon, Holly Yan, Maria Santana, Melissa Alonso, Allison. “An International Tragedy: A Father of 3 and a Budding Entrepreneur Are among 6 Victims of the Baltimore Bridge Collapse.” CNN, 27 Mar. 2024, edition.cnn.com/2024/03/27/us/baltimore-key-bridge-collapse-victims/index.html. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Vock, Ida. “Where Baltimore Bridge Investigation Goes Now.” Www.bbc.com, 27 Mar. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/68680442.
Abou-Ghazala, Holly Yan, Yahya. “What We Know about the Baltimore Bridge Collapse.” CNN, 26 Mar. 2024, edition.cnn.com/2024/03/26/us/baltimore-bridge-collapse-what-we-know/index.html. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Page updated
Report abuse