Power failures amplify calls for utility to rethink gas
A federal utilityโs decision to resort to rolling blackouts after coal and natural gas units went offline during dangerously cold conditions has intensified questions about the Tennessee Valley Authorityโs recent decision to double down on fossil fuels.
โFreedom Convoyโ forces Ambassador Bridge to shut down
The protests started about 10 days ago in Ottawa, with truckers calling themselves the โFreedom Convoy.โ The group opposes a recent mandate requiring drivers entering Canada to be fully vaccinated or face testing and quarantine requirements.
Biden delays Trump rule that weakened wild bird protections
The migratory bird rule was among dozens of Trump-era environmental policies that Biden ordered to be reconsidered on his first day in office. โThe Trump administration sought to overturn decades of bipartisan and international precedent in order to protect corporate polluters.โA federal judge in August had blocked a prior attempt by the Trump administration to change how the bird treaty was enforced. AdA Trump administration analysis of the rule change didn't put a number on how many more birds could die. They want the administration to set up a permitting system instead, so that wildlife officials can more closely regulate bird deaths. Industry groups that supported the Trump rule declined to say if they will fight to keep it.
Northern Lights could be visible this week in Michigan: Hereโs why and when
Second chance for Northern Lights Thursday night in Michigan: Hereโs the updateA massive solar flare on the Sun erupted in the direction of Earth. If you see green or red in the sky, then you know youโre looking at the Northern Lights. Thursday morning update:It appears that the Northern Lights didnโt get this far south Wednesday night to be visible in southern Michigan. Translation: There wasnโt enough โoomphโ to push that ring of Northern Lights down to southern Michigan. What are the Northern Lights?
Barack Obama memoir off to record-setting start in sales
โWe are thrilled with the first day sales,โ said David Drake, publisher of the Penguin Random House imprint Crown. As of midday Wednesday, โA Promised Landโ was No. โSo far it has been neck and neck with Michelle Obama's book,โ he said. The New York Times' Jennifer Szalai wrote that the โmost audacious thing" about โA Promised Landโ is โthe beaming portrait" of Obama on the cover. Obama's book is the highlight of publishing's holiday season and for some independent bookstores, the potential difference between remaining in business or closing.
UN weather agency: Moderate to strong La Niรฑa this year
BERLIN โ The La Niรฑa climate phenomenon has developed and is expected to last into next year, affecting temperatures, precipitation and storm patterns across the world, the U.N. weather agency said Thursday. A La Niรฑa usually means a more active Atlantic hurricane season, with more and perhaps stronger storms. The World Meteorological Organization in Geneva said La Niรฑa, characterized by abnormally cold sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean, is โexpected to be moderate to strongโ this year. The global declaration of a La Niรฑa event is used by governments to help plan responses in vulnerable sectors like agriculture, health, water resources and disaster management, the WMO said. This yearโs La Niรฑa is expected to bring drier than usual conditions to East Africa during the planting season, which the U.N. weather agency called โa further worrying development which may add to the food security challenges in the region.โIn North America, La Niรฑa typically brings more rain to the north of the continent and less to the south.
Liam Neesonโs โHonest Thiefโ notches No. 1 at box office
LOS ANGELES โ Liam Neesonโs thriller โHonest Thiefโ stole the top spot at the box office in yet another quiet weekend of moviegoing. The Open Roads Films movie brought in $3.7 million in North America the weekend of its U.S. debut. The film, starring Neeson as a notorious bank robber who turns himself in but was double crossed by two FBI agents, opened in Canada last week. Despite coming in second, the comedy starring Robert De Niro earned $2.5 million. The action-thriller starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson has totaled $50.6 million in the U.S.
White House doctor: Trump received experimental antibody cocktail, remains โfatiguedโ after COVID-19 diagnosis
White House doctor: Trump received experimental antibody cocktail, remains โfatiguedโ after COVID-19 diagnosisPublished: October 2, 2020, 4:36 pmWASHINGTON โ White House doctor: Trump received experimental antibody cocktail, remains โfatiguedโ after COVID-19 diagnosis. Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Ford recalls over 700K vehicles; backup cameras can go dark
DETROIT โ Ford is recalling more than 700,000 vehicles in North America because the backup cameras can show distorted images or suddenly go dark. The recall covers most 2020 versions of Ford's F-Series trucks, as well as the 2020 Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge. F-Series trucks are the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. The company says in documents posted Wednesday by the U.S. government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that a poor electrical connection is causing the problem. Ford says it doesnโt know of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem.
Honda, General Motors sign deal to work on vehicles together
DETROIT General Motors and Honda say they have signed a deal to explore sharing vehicle underpinnings and propulsion systems in North America. The companies say planning discussions on jointly-designed vehicles will start immediately and include vehicles powered by both electricity and internal combustion engines. Honda and GM say in a statement Thursday that they'll also cooperate on purchasing, research and connected services. In April the companies announced they would jointly develop two electric vehicles for Honda based on GM's global electric vehicle platform. The alliance would be governed by a joint committee of senior executives from both companies, the statement said.
Leslie Science and Nature Center to host virtual Monarch Migration Festival
Mich. The Leslie Science and Nature Center will be moving the annual Monarch Migration Festival virtual this year, but thats no reason to skip the celebration. The event celebrates the yearly migration of the monarch butterfly across North America, which has recently been threatened by deforestation and the use of herbicides. The event centers around a live broadcast of the butterfly release in the Leslie Science and Nature Centers pollinator garden, and participants will also have access to educational games, videos, and other at-home activities. Registration is $7 for individual admission, or you can opt for the $22 pollinator pack which comes with additional info and seeds to start a pollinator garden at home. For more information and to register for the event, visit Leslie Science and Nature Centers website here.