Non-IT News Thread
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Some scary stuff happening in Mallacoota
The coastal town of Mallacoota is surrounded by fire. The 4000 residents have evacuated to the beach, and thrown their gas cylinders into the water.
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Alabama police apologise for 'insensitive' homeless quilt photo
A US police chief has apologised for an "insensitive" Facebook post in which two officers held up a "homeless quilt" made up of signs used for begging.
The officers in Mobile, Alabama, said it was a Christmas message. The chief of the police force said it did not condone panhandling - a US term for begging. But he said the Mobile police department did not intend to "make light of those who find themselves in a homeless state". In the photo, two officers held up various cardboard signs taped together that showed messages such as "Homeless. Need help," and "Trying to make it. Anything helps. God bless you." -
Yeah we’re stuffed.
As if the ember attacks weren’t bad enough, now the fires are creating their own weather patterns:
https://www.insider.com/australia-bushfires-generate-pyrocumulonimbus-thunderstorm-clouds-2019-12 -
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Volkswagen in 'dieselgate' talks with motorists
Volkswagen has said it is in talks with a group of German drivers who are suing the car giant over excessive emissions from its diesel cars.
The motorists say they were affected when VW "cheated" emissions rules by installing unlawful "defeat devices" in its diesel cars. The carmaker and the Federal Association of Consumers (VZBV) said the talks were at an early stage. There was "no guarantee" of a settlement, they said. "The common goal of VZBV and Volkswagen is a pragmatic solution for the benefit of the customer," they declared, adding that they had agreed to keep the talks confidential. The class action case is among the first of its kind in Germany. Because of a new draft law in 2018, consumer rights groups became able to represent customers taking companies to court - and to bear their costs. -
BBC News - US politician drives drunk after warning people not to drive drunk
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-50977380 -
BBC News - Man who threw 'lucky' coins into plane engine fined
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50979485 -
@scottalanmiller said in Non-IT News Thread:
BBC News - Man who threw 'lucky' coins into plane engine fined
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50979485wtf are people thinking?
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@Obsolesce said in Non-IT News Thread:
@scottalanmiller said in Non-IT News Thread:
BBC News - Man who threw 'lucky' coins into plane engine fined
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50979485wtf are people thinking?
But... Lucky!
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Paris stabbing: Man 'neutralised' by police in Villejuif
French police have shot dead a man who stabbed a number of people in a park near Paris, local media report.
The knife attack happened in the town of Villejuif, 7km (4 miles) south of the French capital.
Four people are reported to have been stabbed and one person is believed to have been seriously injured. The attacker was chased by police and then shot nearby. Some reports suggest he was wearing an explosive vest. Police have advised people to avoid the area near to the Hautes-Bruyères State Park. -
Soleimani: Huge crowds pack Tehran for commander's funeral
Huge crowds have packed the streets of the Iranian capital Tehran for the funeral of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.
Soleimani was assassinated in a US drone strike in Iraq on Friday on the orders of President Donald Trump. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei led prayers and at one point was seen weeping. Iran has vowed "severe revenge" for the death of Soleimani and on Sunday pulled back from the 2015 nuclear accord. Soleimani, 62, headed Iran's elite Quds Force, and was tasked with protecting and boosting Iran's influence in the Middle East. -
Iran attack: US troops targeted with ballistic missiles
Iran has carried out a ballistic missile attack on air bases housing US forces in Iraq, in retaliation for the US killing of General Qasem Soleimani.
More than a dozen missiles launched from Iran struck two air bases in Irbil and Al Asad, west of Baghdad. It is unclear if there have been any casualties. The initial response from Washington has been muted. President Trump tweeted that all was well and said casualties and damage were being assessed. Two Iraqi bases housing US and coalition troops were targeted, one at Al Asad and one in Irbil, at about 02:00 local time on Wednesday (22:30 GMT on Tuesday). It came just hours after the burial of Soleimani, who controlled Iran's proxy forces across the Middle East. -
UK ban on US chlorinated chicken 'to continue after Brexit'1
Chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-treated beef will be kept out of the UK under any trade deal with the US, the environment secretary has promised.
Theresa Villiers told the BBC the current European Union ban on the two foods will be carried over into UK legislation after Brexit. Until now the UK has been wavering on the issue. But she told BBC Countryfile: “There are legal barriers to the imports and those are going to stay in place.” Ms Villiers has previously talked of imposing tariffs on any future imports of US chicken and beef. But she’s been under great pressure from Britain’s farmers. In the exclusive interview with the Countryfile programme, she said: “We will defend our national interests and our values, including our high standards of animal welfare." -
Man and child arrested for BWI. Banking while Indian.
BBC News - Indigenous man and girl handcuffed for opening bank account
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51054120 -
Boeing 737 Max: Worker said plane 'designed by clowns'
The release of a batch of internal messages has raised more questions about the safety of Boeing's 737 Max.
In one of the communications, an employee said the plane was "designed by clowns". The planemaker described the communications as "completely unacceptable". The 737 Max was grounded in March 2019 after two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, which killed almost 350 people in total. Boeing said it had released the hundreds of redacted messages as part of its commitment to transparency. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and US Congress were given unredacted versions of the communications last month. -
@mlnews said in Non-IT News Thread:
Boeing 737 Max: Worker said plane 'designed by clowns'
Now that is an interesting headline!
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Coming of age day was today in Japan.
http://mainichi.jp/english/graphs/20200113/hpe/00m/0na/001000g/1
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@JaredBusch said in Non-IT News Thread:
Coming of age day was today in Japan.
http://mainichi.jp/english/graphs/20200113/hpe/00m/0na/001000g/1
Without knowing the tradition, aren't people "coming of age" ( I assume consent etc ) all the time in Japan, like literally every day?
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US reverses China 'currency manipulator' label
The US has reversed its decision to brand China a currency manipulator as the two countries prepare to wind down their trade war.
The US said it made the change because China had agreed to refrain from devaluing its currency to make its own goods cheaper for foreign buyers. Washington and Beijing are expected to sign that "phase one" pact this week. The deal is aimed at de-escalating the tit-for-tat tariff war the two countries have engaged in since 2018."China has made enforceable commitments to refrain from competitive devaluation, while promoting transparency and accountability," US Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, said. President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused China of allowing the value of the yuan to fall, making Chinese goods cheaper. -
BBC News - Facebook: Star Wars' Mark Hamill deletes account over political ads
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51090918
