Category: News
Removing Fukushima’s melted nuclear fuel will be harder than the release of plant’s wastewater
OKUMA, Japan — At a small section of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant’s central control room, the treated water transfer switch is on. A graph on a computer monitor nearby shows a steady decrease of water levels as treated radioactive wastewater is diluted and released into the Pacific Ocean. In the coastal area of the plant, two seawater pumps are in action, gushing torrents of…
China won’t require COVID-19 tests for incoming travelers in a milestone in its reopening
TAIPEI, Taiwan — China will no longer require a negative COVID-19 test result for incoming travelers starting Wednesday, a milestone in its reopening to the rest of the world after a three-year isolation that began with the country’s borders closing in March 2020. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced the change at a briefing in Beijing on Monday. China in January ended quarantine requirements for…
Stock market today: Global shares mostly rise after Fed chief’s speech
NEW YORK — Stocks rose broadly on Wall Street Monday as markets shift their attention from the Federal Reserve to more corporate and economic reports. The gains extended the market’s winning streak after it notched its first weekly gain since July. The S&P 500 rose 27.60 points, or 0.6%, to 4,433.31. The benchmark index is still on track to close out August with a loss….
UK air controllers say flight data sparked glitch that snarled hundreds of flights
Authorities say a technical failure that saw hundreds of flights delayed and canceled across the U.K. was caused by problems in some flight data received by Britain’s national air traffic controllers and was not a cyberattack BySYLVIA HUI Associated Press Passengers are seen at Belfast International Airport, in Belfast, Ireland, Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. Britain’s air traffic control system says it is experiencing a “technical…
US consumer confidence wanes with prices still high and signs of a cooling job market
Americans are feeling less confident financially as summer comes to a close and high prices and interest rates weigh on their willingness to spend. There were also signs Tuesday of cooling in what has been a very resilient U.S. jobs market. The Conference Board, a business research group, said its consumer confidence index tumbled to 106.1 in August from a revised 114 in July. Analysts…
A judge told Kansas authorities to destroy electronic copies of newspaper’s files taken during raid
Kansas authorities must destroy all electronic copies they made of a small newspaper’s files when police raided its office this month, a judge ordered Tuesday, nearly two weeks after computers and cellphones seized in the search were returned. The Aug. 11 searches of the Marion County Record’s office and the homes of its publisher and a City Council member have been sharply criticized, putting Marion,…
EPA head says he’s ‘proud” of decision to block Alaska mine and protect salmon-rich Bristol Bay
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The nation’s top environmental official said he fully supports his agency’s decision to block a proposed gold and copper mine in Alaska’s salmon-rich Bristol Bay, even as the state of Alaska has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn that action. “Let me be clear, we are very proud of our decision to really evaluate the Pebble Mine project and do what…
Memphis plant that uses potentially hazardous chemical will close, company says
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A medical equipment sterilizing plant that uses a chemical whose emissions could lead to cancer and other health risks says it plans to close its Tennessee location by next spring, according to a letter sent by the company to U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen. In the July letter, lawyers for Sterilization Services of Tennessee told the congressman that the company has dealt with…
10 drugs targeted for Medicare price negotiations as Biden pitches cost reductions
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden touted the potential cost savings of Medicare’s first-ever price negotiations for widely used prescription drugs on Tuesday as he struggles to convince Americans that he’s improved their lives as he runs for reelection. The drugs include the blood thinner Eliquis, diabetes treatment Jardiance and eight other medications. The negotiation process was authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act, which Biden signed…
Tesla is allowing no-hands driving with Autopilot for longer periods. US regulators have questions
DETROIT — Tesla is allowing some drivers to use its Autopilot driver-assist system for extended periods without making them put their hands on the steering wheel, a development that has drawn concern from U.S. safety regulators. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has ordered Tesla to tell the agency how many vehicles have received a software update making that possible and it’s seeking more information…