
G20 to discuss international debt architecture, more loans to developing nations
By Shivangi Acharya and Sarita Chaganti Singh NEW DELHI Global finance chiefs will meet in India next week
2023-07-13 15:39

Diversity study finds percentage of Black MLB players at another record low
An annual study reviewing diversity hiring for Major League Baseball reported a record low of Black players on opening day rosters for the second straight year
2023-06-16 02:26

How long will the wildfires last in Greece?
Evacuations are set to continue in Greece as Corfu and Evia have become the latest Islands to issue orders while the country grapples with the devastating wildfires. The Greek fire service has said around 2,500 people have evacuated from Corfu so far. Thousands of people have also been forced to leave their homes and hotels - with those in Santa, Megoula, Porta, Palia Perithia and Sinies being told to evacuate to Kassiopi. A spokesperson from the Met Office told The Independent: “Temperatures on Rhodes are likely to peak on Wednesday, and could be close to 39C in some spots. Temperatures are then expected to move back towards average for the time of year later in the week, likely around 30C. “However, windy conditions could impact efforts this week. There are some northwesterly winds today, with these likely to ease on Tuesday and Wednesday. “However, a return of windy weather is possible later in the week, albeit accompanied by that drop in temperatures,” the Met Office added. What will the weather be like this week in Greece? According to the Met Office website, the temperature in Rhodes will be as follows: Monday 24 July - Highest temperature: 36C and Lowest: 31C Tuesday 25 July - Highest: 37C and Lowest: 28C Wednesday 26 July - Highest: 39C and Lowest: 27C Thursday 27 July - Highest: 36C and Lowest: 23C Friday 28 July - Highest: 34C and Lowest: 24C Saturday 29 July - Highest: 32C and Lowest: 22C Sunday 30 July- Highest: 33C and Lowest: 24C How long will the wildfires last? The climate crisis is increasing the risk of larger, more intense and erratic wildfires around the world due to hotter and drier conditions. Other factors also play a role including soil moisture levels, and the presence of vegetation which acts as fuel for fires. “It’s important to note that these wildfires are happening in environments that are naturally prone to fire during hot and dry summers, with vegetation that is highly adapted to live with fire”, Dr Matthew Jones, NERC Independent Research Fellow, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, School of Environmental Sciences, UEA, said in a statement. Dr Jones added that under climate change and frequent changes to weather conditions across the globe, fires are more likely to break out and “also burn so intensely and synchronously across the Mediterranean.” “The Mediterranean has seen a dramatic increase in the frequency of the hot-dry conditions that were considered extreme at the end of the last century, and these increases are expected to accelerate for each added degree of warming in future,” he noted. According to the Joint Research Centre, last year was the second-worst wildfire season in Europe. In 2022, damages exceeded those of 2021, as per data from the EFFIS - an advanced report on Forest Fires in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The EFFIS looked at fires in 45 countries and found that these places suffered from 16,941 fires that burnt 1,624,381 hectares. Looking at just European countries, July 2022 was the month when the most significant proportion of damage occurred in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece. According to Safer Scotland’s Wildfire Operational Guidance, a wildfire can burn for a “period of time” and this is heavily dependent on the landscape, which contributes to how fast the fire might move. The “behaviour” of the wildfire depends on the following factors: the area, its combustibility and arrangement, the arrangement of the area, the weather and time. Dependent on stable or unstable weather conditions the Wildfire Operational Guidance said time “can have a positive or negative effect on fire development throughout the day and this will bring both advantage and disadvantage to firefighting operations.” Space is another important factor as the area in which the fire is burning brings changes to the shape of the fire, altering the fire’s alignment. For example, as fire changes its location and moves across the area “topographical and climactic conditions will work for and against the first altering its intensity and speed.” What impacts does fuel have on wildfires? When a wildfire occurs, the main source of fuel is vegetation. This type of fuel, its size and the way the vegetation is arranged across the landscape will affect the way the fire burns. The Wildfire Operational Guidance has said the size and shape of the fuel are important especially “in regard to their ease of ignition. Smaller fuels, referred to as ‘fine fuels’, are more receptive to fire, while larger or more coarse fuel types generally rely on their interaction with fires in finer fuels before they will ignite.” Fine fuels are considered to be those with a diameter of up to 6mm, this includes grass, small stems and the leaves of low-lying shrubs. These fine fuels can also be found in large quantities in plants - such as needles on conifer trees. “Fuels that are over 6mm in diameter are described as ‘coarse fuel’ and include twigs, branches, and tree trunks,” the guidance has said. Fine fuels can affect the intensity of the fire, the rate and motion of the fire, the flame length, the fire activity and increased ignitions caused by spot fires. When asked about how long the wildfires might last in Greece, Jim Dale, founder and senior Meteorlogical Consultant at the British Weather Services told The Independent: “For as long as there is ‘fuel’ as in combustible brush. The wind is the enemy as far as people and infrastructure are concerned; there is no sign of rain. “The two main fire zones of Rhodes and Corfu will almost certainly be added to as the Mediterranean basin continues to bake with record and near-record temperatures.” Read More Greek fires ‘big warning’ for tourists to Mediterranean, says climate expert Greece fires – live: Corfu evacuations begin as tourists fleeing Rhodes inferno spend second night in airport Greece wildfires: Rhodes tourists sleep on airport floor awaiting evacuation
2023-07-25 16:39

Assessing Israel's overnight raid of the Gaza Strip
Israel's manoeuvre has been described as "a tactical operation", meaning it was limited in scope.
2023-10-26 20:46

South Africa's Power Blackouts Are Crippling Its 300-Year Old Wine Industry
In a picturesque valley two hours’ drive southeast of Cape Town, Berene Sauls is running way behind schedule.
2023-07-28 13:00

Save $100 on this iPad refurb
TL;DR: As of October 27, get this refurbished iPad 6 for only $149 — that's
2023-10-27 17:00

British boxer Benn says he has been cleared over positive drugs tests
Conor Benn says he is free to resume his boxing career, announcing he has been cleared by a UK Anti-Doping investigation into the two failed drugs tests that forced the cancellation...
2023-07-28 23:54

Baltimore's Kyle Bradish starting Game 1 of ALDS against Texas, Grayson Rodriguez set for Game 2
The Baltimore Orioles are starting Kyle Bradish in Game 1 of the AL Division Series against Texas on Saturday
2023-10-07 01:23

Marco Silva says it should be ‘impossible’ to allow controversial Man City goal
Fulham manager Marco Silva claims it should have been “impossible” to allow Manchester City’s controversial second goal to stand in his side’s 5-1 loss to the champions. The Cottagers had been holding their own against the treble winners at the Etihad Stadium when City went 2-1 ahead on the stroke of half-time with a Nathan Ake header. Fulham argued long and hard that City defender Manuel Akanji, stood in an offside position, had played at the ball and impacted goalkeeper Bernd Leno. Everyone that plays football, everyone that has played football, everyone that has some knowledge about football – I'm 100 per cent sure – has to disallow that goal. Fulham boss Marco Silva Despite a VAR review and further lengthy protests, the goal was given and City went on to win comfortably with a second-half hat-trick from the prolific Erling Haaland. Silva said: “The second half was not at the level that it should be. I tried to tell the players not to lose focus from things that we cannot control but, of course, that moment made a huge impact on them. “Even all the explanations that we listened to during that period didn’t make sense at all. “What I can say? Everyone that plays football, everyone that has played football, everyone that has some knowledge about football – I’m 100 per cent sure – has to disallow that goal. “Everyone has to be furious if a goal like that comes against you. For the linesman I believe that it can be difficult but, for the VAR, it is impossible not to disallow that goal. It is a clear offside.” Silva admitted Joao Palhinha had not been in the right frame of mind to play after his proposed deadline day move to Bayern Munich collapsed. Silva said: “It was a tough day for him, definitely, probably one of the toughest days of his life. “He loves Fulham, he loves football, he loves to be with us. He had the fantastic season last season and he’s always a player that gives 100 per cent for the shirt but he had a big chance to go to one of the biggest clubs in the world and he was really close. “You can imagine the impact that has on a football player when these type of things happen.” City were not at their best in the first half and saw their opening goal from Julian Alvarez quickly cancelled out by Tim Ream. Yet after the stormy end to the first half, they moved through the gears after the break with Haaland, scorer of 52 goals last season, coming to the fore. Assistant boss Juanma Lillo, who has won both of his matches in charge since manager Pep Guardiola underwent back surgery, said of the Norway striker: “This guy was born scoring goals and he’ll go through his whole life scoring goals, so it’ll be no surprise if he manages to get those same figures as last time. “But it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t as he’s great at providing play for the players. Today he made one assist and also put a ball through to another player. I’d always look at his intelligence as well as his goalscoring stats.” City midfielder Jack Grealish missed the game with a thigh injury and is now doubtful for England’s upcoming internationals against Ukraine and Scotland. Lillo said: “It would be difficult to be able to make it for the national team but I am not a doctor and it would be difficult for me to explain.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Heather Knight defends team selection after heavy defeat for England Women England expect to be fully fit for World Cup opener after Courtney Lawes fears Steve Cooper: Forest were spurred on at Chelsea by Old Trafford frustration
2023-09-03 02:30

Vondrousova wins final five games to reach Wimbledon semifinals by beating Pegula
Marketa Vondrousova won five straight games in the final set to beat fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 and reach the semifinals at Wimbledon
2023-07-11 22:52

Who is Evan Klink? New York man on drugs arrested for car crash that killed his sister, niece, 6, and a teenager
Evan Klink faces multitude of charges, including vehicular manslaughter and driving while ability impaired by drugs
2023-09-23 04:34

Roundup: Sydney Sweeney Gets Rave Reviews For 'Reality'; Caleb Love Commits to Arizona; Colorado Talks to Big 12
Sydney Sweeney is garnering rave reviews for "Reality", Caleb Love transfers to Arizona, Colorado is in talks with the Big 12 and more in the Roundup.
2023-05-31 19:00
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