Italy warns tourists to avoid sun from 10am until 6pm as heatwave expected
Italian authorities have warned people to stay out of the sun from 10am until 6pm as temperatures reach over 40C. A red alert has been issued for 17 cities amid the third punishing heatwave in just two months and temperatures are it is expected to start on Wednesday. This is the most severe warning meaning that even the young, fit and healthy are at risk of adverse effects from the intense heat. Several of Italy's biggest cities such as Rome and Florence saw temperatures reach 38C today and the mercury is expected to reach 40C on Thursday. This has prompted authorities to warn people to avoid the sun, europe/italy-issues-red-alert-for-17-cities-as-another-heat-wave-expected-from-wednesday/2972888">Anadolu Ajansi reported. While Britain has been hit with torrential rain and stormy conditions for most of the summer, Europe has been hit with record-breaking heatwaves with the mercury reaching 48C in southern Italy. The heat was so intense that several cities last month were hit by power cuts due to heat damage to underground cables. Between 200,000 and 300,000 people were left without power or running water around the city of Catania. Italy and other parts of southern Europe have also had to contend with wildfires. Major wildfires were burning in Greece and in Spain's Canary Islands on Monday, with hot, dry and windy conditions hampering the efforts of hundreds of firefighters battling the blazes. Two of the fires have been burning for several days. European Union officials have blamed climate change for the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in Europe, noting that 2022 was the second-worst year for wildfire damage on record after 2017. In Greece, authorities said the body of a man was recovered from a sheep pen in an area in the central Viotia region under evacuation as a wildfire approached. Local media reported the man apparently died of smoke inhalation while trying to save his livestock. Last month, a wildfire on the resort island of Rhodes forced the evacuation of some 20,000 tourists. Days later, two air force pilots were killed when their water-dropping plane crashed while diving low to tackle a blaze on Evia. Another three wildfire-related deaths have been recorded this summer. In Spain's Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa, a wildfire that police say was started deliberately last Tuesday in Tenerife continued to burn out of control. More than 12,000 people have been evacuated and about 13,400 hectares (33,000 acres) of pine forest and scrubland have burned. European forecast High pressure dubbed a “heat dome” has moved in across mainland Europe and has extended down to the Mediterranean and is expected to push through on Thursday when temperatures are expected to reach their highest. Parts of the Iberian peninsula could reach close to 45C while southern France and northern Italy will see highs of 30s to low 40s. In France, weather warnings are also in place this week where temperatures in the south and east have already reached highs of 40C. Also, there are warnings for high temperatures in Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Hungary Austria and Lithuania. Spain announced a heatwave Sunday and expected to last until at least Thursday. But Spain and France should avoid some of the worst heat by the weekend. Read More Mapped: Where are the wildfires in Tenerife as blaze forces thousands to flee The five charts alarming scientists about the climate crisis ‘Out of control’ wildfire on Spanish island of Tenerife leads to evacuation of villages Why do heatwaves in the UK feel hotter than abroad? The startling and grim discoveries unearthed by the climate crisis Earth’s CO2 hits highest recorded level in human history
2023-08-22 04:23
Trump’s Effort to Delay US Election Trial Blasted by Special Counsel
Special Counsel Jack Smith blasted efforts by former President Donald Trump to delay until 2026 his federal trial
2023-08-22 04:20
Former Missouri respiratory therapist sentenced to 18 years in prison over 2002 patient deaths
A former Missouri respiratory therapist has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty in connection with the deaths of two patients over 20 years ago. Jennifer Hall, who was arrested in May 2022, was sentenced on Friday to a state prison and will have the possibility of parole, according to KCTV. Hall was initially charged with two counts of first-degree murder, but in April this year she pleaded guilty to reduced first-degree involuntary manslaughter counts in connection with the deaths of Fern Franco, 75, and David Wesley Harper, 37. Hall also pleaded guilty to one count of attempted second-degree assault, according to the outlet. In 2002, nine patients — including Franco and Harper — died at Hedrick Medical Center in Chillicothe over a several month period. Charging documents described this series of events as “medically suspicious.” Hall started working at the hospital, which is in the north-central part of the state, in December 2001 until she was placed on administrative leave five months later, the publication noted. During that time the facility experienced 18 “code blue” incidents, a notable hike from the average the year before. Nine of those patients died, according to USA Today. In 2017, morphine and a muscle relaxant called succinylcholine were found in tissue samples taken from Franco, despite the fact that neither drug was prescribed by her doctors, according to reports. The discovery caused the case to resurface. “Because of Hall’s singular proximity to stricken patients, her access to pharmaceuticals which are deadly if misused, and her discovery and method of notifying staff of every patient’s cardiac emergency, nursing staff believed Hall was responsible for the patient deaths,” said Chillicothe Police Officer Brian Schmidt in a probable cause statement. “The substance Hall used to brutally take Fern Franco’s life, succinylcholin, paralyzes the victim’s muscles, including the diaphragm, causing the victim to suffer a ghastly death from suffocation while still maintaining full consciousness and awareness that they are unable to breathe,” the officer continued. Matt O’Connor, Hall’s lawyer, maintained his client’s innocence, saying that as a respiratory therapist, she didn’t have access to succinylcholine, morphine or any other drugs. He said he believed Hall was accused of being involved in the deaths because of an arson conviction, which she was cleared of in 2005. Aprille Franco, a granddaughter, told KCTV: “My dad wanted answers so we could finally put flowers on her grave knowing someone is responsible for this. “I didn’t know my grandma,” she added, “but given the chance I may have known her ... I’m focused on getting answers and helping other families get the answers they deserve.” “A sentence 20 years in the making,” said Livingston County prosecutor Adam Warren, who launched an investigation 10 years ago. “The sentence was for 18 years,” he said in a statement. “Jennifer Hall will be able to parole someday. But for now, we all sleep better knowing she is behind bars.” Mr Warren did not reveal a possible motive, but the case bears haunting similarities to one in the UK, where nurse Lucy Letby was sentenced to life in prison on Monday after being found guilty of murdering children who were in her care. Letby, the most prolific child serial killer in modern British history, was found guilty on Friday of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder six others when she was working on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016. Read More Lucy Letby jailed for life: Nurse refuses to face court in ‘final act of wickedness’ An empty dock and a final act of cowardice: inside the Lucy Letby sentencing Baby murderer Lucy Letby to spend rest of her life in jail for ‘evil’ crimes
2023-08-22 03:54
American woman missing after stay at Mexico hotel
An investigation has been launched after an American woman went missing while staying at a resort in Mexico. Officials say that Nekendra Karen Kingston was a guest at the Barcelo Hotel in Playa del Carmen, reported ABC News. Ms Kingston, 49, has not been heard from since 9 August, and her family filed a complaint on 19 August.
2023-08-22 03:24
What we know about the gunman who shot Laura Carleton over a Pride flag?
A man who gunned down a beloved store owner in California during a dispute over a Pride flag, was killed during “a lethal force encounter” with police. The identity of the gunman has not been released, with the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office only stating that he was a male adult. The man shot and killed Laura Ann Carleton, 66, at her clothing store “Mag Pi” after he made “several disparaging remarks about a rainbow flag that stood outside the store,” officials said. The shooting happened around 5pm on Friday at the store on Hook Creek Road in in Cedar Glen, near Lake Arrowhead. When deputies responded to the store, they found Carleton with a gunshot wound. The mother of nine was pronounced dead at the scene. The gunman fled the area, but was later located near Torrey Road and Rause Rancho Road and was armed with a handgun when he was confronted by the authorities. He was killed during “a lethal force encounter” with deputies, who did not sustain injuries. “Through further investigation, detectives learned the suspect made several disparaging remarks about a rainbow flag that stood outside the store before shooting Carleton,” officials said. It was unclear whether the shooting was being investigated as a hate crime. The 66-year-old mother-of-nine had remained defiant as a prominent ally to the LGBT+ community. When people first ripped down the Pride flag hanging outside her store, Carleton simply got another and hung it straight back up. Friends say this happened multiple times in the two years since she opened the California store as a second outpost to her first location in Studio City. Hollywood director Paul Feig, whose works include Bridesmaids and The Heat, posted a tribute saying that Carleton, who he called his “wonderful friend,” had been killed by a young man. “Her alleged murderer was later shot and killed by the San Bernardino police and so no longer poses a threat to the community,” Feig continued. “But this intolerance has to end. Anyone using hateful language against the LGBTQ+ community has to realize their words matter, that their words can inspire violence against innocent loving people. Let’s all keep moving forward with tolerance and love. Let’s not let Lauri’s tragic death be in vain.” The Lake Arrowhead LGBTQ+ described her as a “remarkable figure”, whose "unwavering support" for the community and “dedication to creating a safe and inclusive space within her shop touched the lives of many”. The shooting comes about one month after the Anti-Defamation League and the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD released a report indicating a recent rise in anti-LGBTQ harassment, vandalism or assault in the United States. “This is absolutely horrific. This disgusting hate has no place in CA,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote in a social media post on Saturday. Read More Laura Carleton shooting – latest: Mag.Pi store owner and ‘true LGBTQ ally’ killed in row over Pride flag California store owner, 66, shot dead after argument about Pride flag outside her shop Paul Feig leads celebrity reactions to ‘horrific’ shooting of California store owner over Pride flag
2023-08-22 01:28
Italy Faces Wider Budget Deficits on Meloni’s Tax-Cut Plans
Italy may slow down its deficit-reduction plans after the economy unexpectedly shrank, a move that would give the
2023-08-22 00:57
JPMorgan Isn’t Taking Any Chances With New EU ESG Rule
The asset management unit of JPMorgan Chase & Co. is breaking away from a number of its peers
2023-08-22 00:49
Rachel Morin update: Family raises $50k on GoFundMe but suspect remains at large four days after video released
Rachel Morin was remembered over the weekend as hundreds of community members took part in a tribute walk along the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland, where the mother-of-five was murdered. The 5km walk, called “Rachel’s last steps”, was organised by Morin’s sister Rebekah and took place on Saturday. Community members came out to pay tribute to the 37-year-old on the walk before then heading to the Flavor Cupcakery Bakery and Cafe, where 20 percent of its sales were donated to support Morin’s five children. Morin was found dead on the trail on 6 August, after heading to the trail for a walk the evening before. More than two weeks on, the killer remains at large. Last week, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office announced a major break in the case, revealing that DNA found at the scene of Morin’s murder had been matched to the DNA left at a home where an unknown man broke into a home in Los Angeles and violently attacked a young girl back in March. The suspect, a Hispanic male aged 20-30, was caught on a home security camera leaving the LA home. Read More Maryland police have DNA matching Rachel Morin murder suspect and video images but no identity Rachel Morin’s mother breaks silence on daughter’s killing Maryland sheriff calls out ‘heinous coward’ who killed mother-of-five Rachel Morin Rachel Morin’s boyfriend speaks out after police name man wanted over sex assault as suspect in murder
2023-08-22 00:15
Treasury Yields Hit Highest Since 2007 on Elevated Rate Fears
The US bond-market selloff resumed Monday, driving 10-year yields to a 16-year high, as the persistently resilient economy
2023-08-21 23:58
UK’s Cleverly Prepares to Visit China in Last Week of August
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is set to visit China in the last week of August for talks
2023-08-21 22:50
Turkish Banks Warn of Risks in Plan to Curb Lira Protection Tool
Turkish lenders are complaining that tough targets imposed by authorities to curb a tool designed to support the
2023-08-21 22:47
Steinhoff Europe’s Ex-CFO Faces Jail Over Accounting Scandal
Steinhoff International Holdings NV’s former European finance chief, Dirk Schreiber, was handed a 3 1/2 year jail sentence
2023-08-21 22:24