Powerful Solar Flare Causes Radio Blackout and Sends CME Toward Earth
Video Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories - Duration: 01:31s - Published
Powerful Solar Flare Causes Radio Blackout and Sends CME Toward Earth
Powerful Solar Flare , Causes Radio Blackout and Sends , CME Toward Earth.
'Newsweek' reports that a massive plume of solar plasma
is headed toward Earth following the largest solar
flare in the sun's current 11-year cycle to date.
The December 14 solar flare was recorded as an
X2.8-class flare, making it the most powerful
to occur since September of 2017.
The resulting coronal mass ejection (CME) is expected to hit Earth's
atmosphere on December 17 and has already caused
a shortwave radio blackout across both North and South America.
The impact may lead to further power issues, satellite
problems, radio blackouts and even the possibility of
auroras being visible as far south as Oregon and Illinois.
The impact may lead to further power issues, satellite
problems, radio blackouts and even the possibility of
auroras being visible as far south as Oregon and Illinois.
'Newsweek' reports that the CME headed
toward Earth is believed to be traveling at
approximately 4.7 million miles per hour.
.
The impact could cause geomagnetic storms as powerful
as category G2 (moderate) or G3 (strong), which can lead to
a number of problems for power grids, radio waves and satellites.
The amount of energy in an X class
flare can sound scary, but the true
impact for us on Earth depends very
much on a number of factors.
, Alan Woodward, a professor of computer science and space
weather expert at the University of Surrey, England, via 'Newsweek'.
Some give comparisons of the
'Carrington Event' in 1859, which is
thought to have released more power
than millions of the largest nuclear
bomb ever exploded on Earth.
, Alan Woodward, a professor of computer science and space
weather expert at the University of Surrey, England, via 'Newsweek'.
However, the chances of a flare
affecting the Earth are lessened
because the flares pop out in
all directions, decreasing the
chance of them hitting Earth, Alan Woodward, a professor of computer science and space
weather expert at the University of Surrey, England, via 'Newsweek'.
'Newsweek' reports that the next
solar maximum is set to occur sometime
between January and October of 2024
Walmart Reverses Course, , Closes Down Its , Walmart Health Division.
NBC reports that Walmart has announced
it will close all 52 of the doctor-staffed
health clinics the company operates.
The announcement comes as
part of the company's decision to
shut down its Walmart Health Initiative.
Clinics that will close down are located in
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois and Texas. .
On April 30, the company also said it would
begin winding down its virtual care service.
The decision to end the Walmart Health Initiative
will not reportedly impact Walmart
pharmacies and vision centers.
Walmart said that it will work to direct current patients
to other providers covered by their insurance
networks to ensure they continue to receive care.
NBC reports that the news comes as a swift
reversal of Walmart's plan to expand its number
of doctor-staffed clinics to 70 by the end of 2024.
Through our experience managing
Walmart Health centers and
Walmart Health Virtual Care,
we determined there is
not a sustainable business
model for us to continue, Walmart statement, via NBC.
Other nontraditional health care
providers have also been forced to
reconsider their plans in recent years. .
Last month, Walgreens announced that it would
close 140 of the company's primary care clinics,
along with plans to shut down 20 more.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Deadly Storms , Forecast to Cross , 1,000 Miles of the US.
'Newsweek' reports meteorologists have warned
that a life-threatening storm could impact millions of
people across the central United States this week.
On April 23, AccuWeather issued a warning regarding , "one of the most widespread severe
weather events so far in 2024.".
According to AccuWeather, the incoming storm , "will unleash tornadoes, hard-hitting hail
and damaging winds across a dozen states.".
On April 25, the first storm of the system is set
to arrive, closely followed by subsequent storms
expected to last throughout the weekend.
AccuWeather warned the storms are expected to pose a , "significant risk to lives and property.".
All modes of severe weather
are likely with the multiple-day
event in the central U.S, Bernie Rayno, AccuWeather Chief
On-Air Meteorologist, via 'Newsweek'.
Two storms, off the Pacific
coast on Tuesday, will swing
across the West and cause
moisture to surge northward from
the Gulf of Mexico while, at the
same time, temperatures surge, Bernie Rayno, AccuWeather Chief
On-Air Meteorologist, via 'Newsweek'.
'Newsweek' reports that the
states at greatest risk are:, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas,
Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee,
Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.
According to AccuWeather, the storm is expected to cross
an estimated 1,000 miles on April 26, passing into
central Texas all the way from southern Minnesota. .
In addition to dangerous storm conditions,
the National Weather Service has warned
that critical fire weather conditions, "will also be present across parts of the
Southwest into the southern High Plains."
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Missy Elliott Announces , First-Ever Headlining Tour.
The legendary rapper's first headlining tour was announced on April 8, 'People' reports.
"Out of This World — The Missy Elliott Experience" will visit 24 cities in North America.
Supporting acts include
Ciara, Busta Rhymes and Timbaland. .
Supporting acts include
Ciara, Busta Rhymes and Timbaland. .
Supporting acts include
Ciara, Busta Rhymes and Timbaland. .
This is an incredible time in
my life as I am experiencing
so many milestone ‘firsts.’ , Missy Elliott, via statement.
Being the FIRST female Hip Hop
artist to be inducted into the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and now
going out on my FIRST headline tour, Missy Elliott, via statement.
Fans have been asking me to tour
forever, but I wanted to wait until I felt
the time was right because I knew if I
was ever going to do it, I had to do it
big, and I had to do it with family!, Missy Elliott, via statement.
So get ready to be taken OUT OF THIS
WORLD with me, Busta Rhymes, Ciara,
and Timbaland! We can’t wait to share
this experience with the fans!, Missy Elliott, via statement.
The tour is set to kick off at
Rogers Arena in Vancouver on July 4.
It will end August 22 at
Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.
A Verizon presale will take place April 9 at
10 a.m. through April 11 at 10 p.m. local time.
Other tickets will be available
beginning April 12 at 10 a.m. local time.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Supreme Court Considers Letting Cities , Punish Homeless for Sleeping Outside.
On April 22, the Supreme Court will hear a case out of Grants Pass, Oregon, which has a population of less than 40,000, NPR reports. .
'Grants Pass v. Johnson' seeks to challenge two
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rulings which found fining or jailing the unhoused to be cruel and unusual punishment when they have no other alternative.
'Grants Pass v. Johnson' seeks to challenge two
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rulings which found fining or jailing the unhoused to be cruel and unusual punishment when they have no other alternative.
But Grants Pass argues that public health and safety are dependent on camping restrictions that are commonly found across America. .
The city contends that homeless encampments pose a danger to those living
in them, as well as to families and children.
This is because the encampments
are often filled with people who need
mental health and drug addiction resources.
Advocates for the unhoused say that criminalizing sleeping outside is counterproductive. .
Punishing someone for doing
something they have no control
over, no ability to not do, is not
going to end that status. In fact,
not only does criminalization not
work, it makes matters worse. , Ed Johnson of the Oregon Law Center, via NPR.
A criminal record and debt from fines would make it even more difficult for a homeless person to find housing, says Ed Johnson of the Oregon Law Center.
But many cities don't have
enough permanent housing to offer.
Grants pass could use about 4,000 more housing units, while the national
"deficit is in the millions," NPR reports.
The shortage has caused rents to skyrocket, which is a main driver of homelessness
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
This Day in History:, The Great San Francisco Earthquake.
April 18, 1906.
At 5:13 a.m., an earthquake
struck offshore of San Fransisco,
a city with a population of 400,000 at the time.
The quake was felt from
southern Oregon to Los Angeles,
and ruptured 296 miles of the San Andreas fault.
Destroying San Francisco's water mains,
the quake ignited massive, devastating
fires all over the city that could not be combated.
The fires burned for days,
resulting in the deaths of more than
3,000 people and destroying more than 28,000 buildings.
More than half of the city was
left homeless by the disaster.
Damages were estimated to close to $15 billion in
today's dollars. The recovery and rebuild allowed city
planners to make great improvements to San Francisco
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 00:57Published
Biden Administration to Invest $8.5 Billion , in Intel’s Computer Chip Plants.
Biden Administration to Invest $8.5 Billion , in Intel’s Computer Chip Plants.
In addition to $8.5 billion in direct funding, $11 billion will be provided in loans.
The money will come from
the CHIPS and Science Act.
The funds will go toward "computer chip
plants in Arizona, Ohio, New Mexico
and Oregon," CBS News reports. .
According to Intel, the new funding and other investments will create a total of 30,000 jobs in manufacturing and construction.
According to Intel, the new funding and other investments will create a total of 30,000 jobs in manufacturing and construction.
The deal will help the U.S. to produce 20%
of the most advanced computer chips
in the world by 2030, according to
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
Failure is not an option — leading-edge
chips are the core of our innovation
system, especially when it comes
to advances in artificial intelligence
and our military systems, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, on a call with reporters.
We can't just design chips.
We have to make them in America, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, on a call with reporters.
Biden's funding announcement comes
amid a heated presidential campaign.
Administration officials want to get chip technology funding
"out the door as quickly as possible so that the Biden campaign can point to concrete progress on one of the
White House's signature programs," analysts say.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger called the
CHIPS Act "the most critical industrial
policy legislation since World War II.".
We think of this as a defining
moment for the United States, the
semiconductor industry and for Intel, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, via statement
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
The diplomatic rift between Mexico and Ecuador intensified dramatically following a dramatic incident where Ecuadorian authorities forcefully entered Mexico's embassy in Quito to apprehend Jorge Glas, the former vice president of Ecuador. Glas, who was arrested late Friday, had previously been convicted of bribery and corruption charges and is still under investigation for other alleged offences. The arrest sparked widespread condemnation from leaders across the Americas, leading Mexico's president to declare the severance of diplomatic relations with Ecuador. Glas had sought asylum in Mexico and had been residing in the embassy since December, with Mexico granting asylum only on Friday.
#Mexico #Ecuador #MexicoEcuadorDiplomaticTies #DiplomaticRelations #VicePresident #JorgeGlas #Arrest #PoliticalTensions #InternationalLaw #Sovereignty #Embassy
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"It doesn’t have to be your normal life" - Euronews Culture reports from the epic SXM Festival on the French-Dutch Caribbean island of Saint Martin. The dance music extravaganza's main attraction is it brings elements of the European club scene to a paradisiacal location in the Americas.
Credit: euronews (in English) Duration: 03:02Published
The sun recently had a huge burst of energy, known as a solar flare, which is the strongest one since 2017. This burst happened in an area on the sun called Sunspot 3514, and NASA's Solar Dynamics..