NPR
4 Wounded In Shooting Outside D.C. Stadium During Nationals-Padres Game
At least four people were wounded in a shooting outside of Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. during a home game against the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.
About 15 minutes after D.C. police tweeted that two people had been shot, the department said that "two additional victims associated with this incident walked into area hospitals for treatment of gunshot wounds."
Some fans reported what sounded like fireworks during the sixth inning, followed by crowds running to safety. Crowds started to get up to leave, before an announcement came over the loudspeaker instructing fans to remain in the park. Minutes later, people were told it was safe to exit.
NPR
In A Belgian City Ravaged By Flooding, The Signs Of Disaster Are Everywhere
LIÈGE, Belgium — Street pavements burst open, houses flattened, and entire villages were destroyed in what's being described as one of the worst flooding disasters to hit Western Europe in more than two centuries.
More than 165 people have been confirmed dead, while dozens of others remain missing after a record rainfall caused dams to burst and rivers to overflow into towns and streets across western Germany, Belgium, as well as parts of the Netherlands, Switzerland and northern France.
In Liège, Belgium's third-largest city, water from the Meuse river overflowed Thursday evening into parts of the city center, prompting city officials to call for residents to evacuate the area or seek higher ground. By the weekend, fears that a dam could burst were calmed, as the water levels in the swollen river began to go down. But multiple pieces of debris flowing through the river from nearby villages — including parts of homes, street signs and car tires — served as a reminder that it would take weeks and months to fix the damage in the surrounding villages.
The Guardian (This article covers most currant fires in detail)
Huge Oregon blaze grows as wildfires burn across western US
The largest wildfire in the US torched more dry forest landscape in Oregon on Sunday, one of dozens of major blazes burning across the west as critically dangerous fire weather loomed in the coming days.
The destructive Bootleg Fire just north of the California border grew to more than 476 sq miles (1,210 sq km), an area about the size of Los Angeles.
It is one of at least 70 large wildfires are burning across the US west and nearby states.
Erratic winds fed the Bootleg Fire, creating dangerous conditions for firefighters, said Sarah Gracey, a spokeswoman for the firefighting operation. “We’re still facing a lot of weather issues,” she said Sunday. “The winds have been ... hampering our efforts most of the time.”
Authorities expanded evacuations that now affect some 2,000 residents of a largely rural area of lakes and wildlife refuges. The blaze, which is 22% contained, has burned at least 67 homes and 100 outbuildings while threatening thousands more.
At the other end of the state, a fire in the mountains of north-east Oregon grew to more than 17 sq miles (44 sq km) by Saturday night.
Fire and rain.
The Guardian
New Zealand west coast hit by heavy floods after month of rain falls in one weekend
New Zealand’s west coast has been hit by severe flooding, with a local state of emergency declared and thousands evacuated from their homes.
The latest floods arrived in the aftermath of heavy rains and storms over the past two months that prompted states of emergency in Canterbury and Wellington. In parts of the west coast, around 300mm of rain fell over a single weekend – around a month’s average rainfall concentrated into two days. The heavy rain caused slips, rivers to break their banks, and more than 2,000 residents to be evacuated. While no single flooding event can be directly attributed to the climate crisis, scientists have long warned that global heating would increase the number and likelihood of extreme weather events, including flooding, wildfires and heatwaves.
Reuters
U.S. appeals court blocks ruling that would have suspended CDC cruise ship rules
WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court late Saturday in a 2-1 ruling put on hold a lower-court decision that said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) could not enforce its coronavirus cruise ship rules in the state.
Last month, U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday in siding with Republican-led Florida found the state was "highly likely" to show the CDC exceeded its authority in adopting rules governing the resumption of cruise ship sailing.
The brief order from the 11th Circuit panel came about 10 minutes before Merryday's ruling was to take effect on Sunday, which would have made the CDC rules a non-binding recommendation rather than mandatory.
The CDC in May began approving some cruise operations after lengthy talks with the industry about health and safety protocols.
Raw Story
Navy christens USNS John Lewis to honor the ‘warrior for peace and justice’ on first anniversary of his death
The U.S. Navy christened the USNS John Lewis on Saturday, honoring the late congressman on the one-year anniversary of his death.
Family and friends of the civil rights icon joined senior lawmakers for the christening ceremony in San Diego.
“It’s fitting that we honor John Lewis with this formidable ship, because John Lewis was a warrior. One of the mottos of the Navy is ‘Semper Fortis’ — ‘Always Courageous’ — and John Lewis was indeed always courageous,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., said at the event.
“This ship will be a beacon to the world reminding all who see it of the persistence and courage of John Lewis,” she added.
Actress and activist Alfre Woodard, the ship’s sponsor, christened the John Lewis with champagne saying, “May God bless this ship and all who sail in her.”
“We miss him on this platform but we will never be without him. I am honored. I am fortunate. I am eternally grateful to have lived in the time of John Lewis,” she said.
Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., who was also at the ceremony, later tweeted that, “John was a warrior for peace and justice, and today reminded us that he passed the baton to us in our fight for liberty and justice for all in his honor,” she wrote. “I miss him deeply.”
Deutsche Welle
Russia: Wildfires in Siberia prompt smoke warning
Smoke from wildfires raging in Siberia covered the city of Yakutsk on Sunday, prompting the mayor to warn all residents to stay indoors with windows closed and the suspension of operations at the local airport.
Emergency officials said 187 fires were burning in the Sakha-Yakutia region of northeastern Siberia, enveloping 51 towns and settlements in smoke.
Flights in and out of Yakutsk were suspended on Sunday due to the smoke, according to the Interfax news agency.
Russian authorities have blamed the widespread blazes on unusually high temperatures and the neglect of fire safety rules. Last week, the Kremlin said climate change was also a factor.
In previous years, Russian authorities often choose to ignore wildfires in remote and sparsely populated areas of Siberia, where there is usually very little danger for human life. However, with summers getting hotter and making forests more susceptible to flames, wildfires are now drawing more attention.
New York Times
Wary and Weary, Los Angeles Largely Accepts Restored Mask Mandate
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — As the sun began to burn through the morning marine layer, patrons of the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Calif., were still adjusting to the new normal, which was pretty much the old normal — an order from Los Angeles County to wear masks indoors in businesses and public places.
Most customers dutifully took their masks on and off at the entrance of shops, where signs were posted to remind them of the policy and where, in some cases, complimentary masks were offered. It was not what people expected when the previous mandate was lifted a month ago, but for the most part people in Los Angeles seemed to react with resigned acceptance, sometimes even weary approval, figuring that rising Covid-19 rates made the policy tolerable, if not welcome. The decision was greeted cautiously by some store and restaurant employees, wary of going back to having to enforce the policies with mask-resistant customers. Still, some seemed prepared to do it.
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