August 9, 2017

This morning, a Delta Air Lines plane blew out two tires while taking off. No injuries were reported.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports:

Flight No. 5508 was headed to Tulsa at the time of the incident, officials told the news station. Passengers were safely removed from the flight and a bus took them back to the terminal. No injuries have been reported at this time. No other details were released.

WSB-TV Atlanta featured Delta’s statement on the incident:

Delta released a statement to Channel 2 Action News:

“ExpressJet flight 5508, operating as Delta Connection from Atlanta to Tulsa, aborted takeoff at approximately 9:22 a.m. ET at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after two tires deflated. Passengers were safely deplaned through the main cabin door and transported back to the terminal on buses as maintenance crews work to tow the plane off the runway. Passengers have been accommodated on another aircraft that will continue on to the original destination.”

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August 4, 2017

Health warnings have been issued across Europe due to excessive heat. Temperatures, in some countries, are exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

This map identifies the warnings:

Red = The weather is very dangerous.

Orange = The weather is dangerous.

Yellow = The weather is potentially dangerous.

According to the UK’s Guardian:

Eleven southern and central European countries have issued extreme heat warnings amid a brutal heatwave nicknamed Lucifer, with residents and tourists urged to take precautions and scientists warning worse could be to come.

Authorities in countries including Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia are on red alert, the European forecasters’ network Meteoalarm said, with swathes of southern Spain and France on amber.

The highest temperature on Thursday was 42C (107 degrees Fahrenheit) in Cordoba, Spain and Catania, Sicily. Split in Croatia also hit 42.3C on Wednesday. The spell is forecast to peak at the weekend with temperatures of 46C (114 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher in Italy and parts of the Balkans.

Italian authorities have placed 26 cities on the maximum extreme heat alert, including Venice and Rome where many fountains have been turned off as the country suffers its worst drought in 60 years. Rome only narrowly averted drastic water rationing last week.

In Florence, the Uffizi art galleries had to temporarily closed on Friday when the air conditioning system broke down. In Hungary, keepers at Budapest zoo had to coold down two overheating polar bears with huge ice blocks.

Temperatures along parts of Croatia’s Adriatic coast, including Dubrovnik, were expected to hit 42C during the day, while in the Serbian capital of Belgrade there were reports of people fainting from heat exhaustion.

Highs in Spain, including in popular holiday resorts on the Costa del Sol and Majorca, are set to reach 43C this weekend, with extreme conditions also forecast in Seville, Malaga and Granada. Ibiza and Mallorca could hit 42C, Spain’s Aemet meteorological service warned.

The BBC reports:

Parts of Europe are experiencing their most extreme heat in more than a decade as temperatures soar as high as 42C (107 degrees Fahrenheit).

Several countries have issued health warnings as this week’s record-breaking weather conditions continue to affect swathes of the continent.

Sweltering temperatures in Italy have sparked wildfires, and dozens of towns and cities are on the health ministry’s maximum heat alert.

Tourists and locals have been cooling off in cities across southern Europe by dousing themselves in water from public fountains and walking the streets under the shade of parasols.

High temperatures are expected in parts of central Europe and the Balkans in the coming days, according to Meteoalarm.

The heatwave is expected to last until at least Monday, with health warnings issued in 26 European cities.

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August 3, 2017

In addition to the longstanding Travel Warning for North Korea, the U.S. State Department has issued a special alert concerning travel to North Korea.

Americans will be required to apply for a “special passport validation” if they wish to travel to North Korea, and those will be granted under “very limited circumstances.” In addition, anyone currently in North Korea, with a U.S. passport, should leave the country prior to September 1.

The Secretary of State published a Notice on Wednesday, August 2, 2017 that will restrict the use of U.S. passports to travel into, in, or through North Korea/the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), effective Friday, September 1, 2017.

The Secretary has authorized the restriction due to the serious and mounting risk of arrest and long-term detention of U.S. citizens under North Korea’s system of law enforcement, per 22 C.F.R. 51.63. Persons who wish to travel to North Korea on a U.S. passport must obtain a special passport validation under 22 C.F.R. 51.64, and such validations will be granted only under very limited circumstances. The Department of State will publish information on how to apply for a passport with a special validation on travel.state.gov when OMB approval is effective. Since OMB issues the approval, the Department cannot provide any further information as to timing. More information on how to apply for the special validation is available on the Federal Register notice published here.

Persons currently in North Korea on a U.S. passport should depart North Korea before the travel restriction enters into effect on Friday, September 1, 2017. Persons, including those currently in North Korea, who believe they meet the criteria for a limited-validity passport and special passport validation under 22 C.F.R. 51.64 should apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate.

For further information about the dangers of traveling to North Korea, please see the current Travel Warning for the DRPK.

The criteria for a special passport validation includes:

(a) A U.S. national may apply to the Department for a special validation of his or passport to permit its use for travel to, or use in, a restricted country or area.

application must be accompanied by evidence that the applicant falls within one of the categories in paragraph (c) of this section.

(b) The Department may grant a special validation if it determines that the validation is in the national interest of the United States.

(c) A special validation may be determined to be in the national interest if:

(1) The applicant is a professional reporter or journalist, the purpose of whose trip is to obtain, and make available to the public, information about the restricted area; or

(2) The applicant is a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross or the American Red Cross traveling pursuant to an officially-sponsored Red Cross mission; or

(3) The applicant’s trip is justified by compelling humanitarian considerations; or

(4) The applicant’s request is otherwise in the national interest.

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July 30, 2017

Authorities in Australia arrested multiple individuals allegedly plotting to bomb a commercial airplane. Security has been tightened at all airports across Australia.

According to Reuters:

Police foiled “Islamic-inspired” plans for a bomb attack on an aircraft during counter-terrorism raids in which four men were arrested, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said on Sunday.

The increased security presence caused minor delays for some air transport operators on Sunday and authorities warned travelers to prepare for potentially more significant disruptions as traffic picked up during the week.

An AFP spokesman told Reuters the four men, who were arrested on Saturday, had not been charged as of Sunday afternoon.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said advice from Australian security and intelligence agencies had led to increased security measures at Sydney airport on Thursday with tighter security implemented at the country’s other domestic and international airports on Saturday.

AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin said travelers could expect an increased police and security agency presence at airports.

“You can expect longer delays to make sure that more screening is being done on baggage, both hold luggage as well as hand luggage,” adding that travelers should allow more time to get through security.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports:

In a significant departure from the low-tech lone actor attacks that Islamic State has inspired in Australia, the group of mostly middle-aged men were allegedly working on an “elaborate” plot to build an improvised explosive device that could take down a plane.

The operation has forced authorities to implement emergency security arrangements at all major Australian airports.

The measures, including extra screening and additional checks of cabin and checked baggage, are expected to lead to longer queues and check-in times at Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Cairns, Gold Coast and Hobart airports.

“We have taken this threat very seriously,” Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin said on Sunday. “You should infer we think this was credible and there was an intention and quite possibly a capability as well.”

“The primary threat to Australia still remains lone actors but events overnight remind us there is still the ability to have sophisticated plots,” Justice Minister Michael Keenan said.

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July 27, 2017

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced new rules for electronics in carryon bags.

According to the TSA’s news release about this issue:

Due to an increased threat to aviation security, DHS Secretary John Kelly announced in late June new security requirements for nearly 280 airports in more than 100 countries. In an effort to raise the baseline for aviation security worldwide, TSA continues to work closely with airports and airlines to enhance security measures and stay ahead of the evolving threat.

As new procedures are phased in, TSA officers will begin to ask travelers to remove electronics larger than a cell phone from their carry-on bags and place them in a bin with nothing on top or below, similar to how laptops have been screened for years. This simple step helps TSA officers obtain a clearer X-ray image.

Travel + Leisure reports:

The new regulations were tested in several airports earlier this year and will now apply to passengers traveling to, from, and within the U.S., according to a press release. TSA pre-check members will not need to comply with this new rule.

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July 25, 2017

Early this morning, Miami Beach’s Deauville Beach Resort evacuated guests due to a fire. No injuries or fatalities were reported.

According to the Miami Herald:

Miami Beach Fire and police officers were called to the oceanfront hotel at 6701 Collins Ave around 2:20 a.m., after malfunctioning wiring in a temporary unit brought in to supplement the building’s AC caught fire, said Miami Beach Fire spokesman Capt. Jorge Linares.

The fire activated a sprinkler in the electrical room, and only the wiring and the electrical room were damaged, Linares said. No smoke or fire got into the guest areas or rooms.

But about 150 people in the building were told to leave after the fire, and Linares said a firefighter was stationed on each floor “to make sure nobody stays.”

Florida Power and Light crews were also at the hotel, which remained without power Tuesday morning. FPL account supervisor Irene Delgado said that crews had found a problem with the customer’s equipment at the address and that it was not an FPL malfunction. Red Cross volunteers also headed to the hotel Tuesday morning to provide canteen services for affected guests, the organization’s South Florida chapter said.

It was unclear Tuesday morning how extensive repairs to the electrical system would be, or when the hotel, best known for hosting the Beatles in 1964, would reopen.

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July 21, 2017

The Guest House at Graceland, a hotel at the popular tourist attraction in Memphis, has had an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease among its guests.

CNN reports:

The Guest House at Graceland, a hotel adjacent to Elvis Presley’s Memphis home, is the source of a Legionnaires disease outbreak, according to a statement Wednesday from the Shelby County Health Department. There have been nine confirmed cases of the illness.

The hotel’s hot tub and swimming pool both tested positive for the bacteria, said Alisa Haushalter, director of the health department. The aquatic facility was reopened Wednesday after it was determined that Legionella bacteria were no longer present.

Visitors contracted the illness while staying at the hotel between May 12 and June 26, according to the statement.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

Legionella [the bacteria that causes Legionnaires Disease] is a type of bacterium found naturally in freshwater environments, like lakes and streams. It can become a health concern when it grows and spreads in human-made water systems.

After Legionella grows and multiplies in a building water system, that contaminated water then has to spread in droplets small enough for people to breathe in. People can get Legionnaires’ disease when they breathe in small droplets of water in the air that contain the bacteria.

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July 21, 2017

A 6.7 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks have rocked the Greek island of Kos, as well as the Turkish resort area of Bodrum. There are reports of building damage, as well as injuries and two confirmed deaths.

According to Reuters:

A powerful earthquake killed two people on the Greek holiday island of Kos in the early hours of Friday, also causing disruption in the Turkish tourist hub of Bodrum.

Around 200 people were injured, including tourists of various nationalities. Many of Kos’s tourists spent the night in the open as a precaution, hotel owners said.

The U.S. Geological Survey put the quake at magnitude 6.7 and located the epicenter 10 km (6 miles) SSE of the Turkish summer tourist hub of Bodrum, and about 16 km ENE of Kos’s main port.

Data from Turkey’s disaster and emergency management authority, AFAD, which put the quake at magnitude 6.3, showed that more than 40 aftershocks were felt in Turkey and Greece, in the immediate aftermath of the quake, with some up to magnitude 4.6.

“There are about 200,000 tourists on the island, we are at the peak season. Our first reaction was to calm the tourists, following basic rules and evacuating hotel buildings,” Svynou said, adding that there had been no injuries at the hotel.

Kos’s airport remained operational and Greek Deputy Shipping Minister Nektarios Santorinios flew there. But he said the port was out of action.

“Passengers on ferries have been rerouted to the islands of Nisyros and Kalymnos,” he told Greek SKAI

The UK’s Guardian is reporting:

Two people were killed and five seriously injured on the Greek island of Kos after an earthquake hit tourist destinations around the Aegean sea in the early hours of Friday.

The epicentre was just 6 miles south of the Turkish resort of Bodrum and 10 miles from Kos.

The two dead on Kos were identified as Turkish and Swedish nationals and were killed when the ceiling of a bar in the centre of Kos town collapsed. Five other people in the bar – two Swedes, two Greeks and one Norwegian – were seriously injured and flown to Crete for medical treatment. One is reported to have suffered extensive leg injuries.

Kos, in the Dodecanese archipelago, and the Turkish towns of Bodrum and Datça are all tourist destinations.

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July 20, 2017

Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) removed the “electronics ban” for all flights to the United States.

According to the Los Angeles Times:

New security measures added at international airports now allow laptop computers, tablets and other large electronic devices in the cabins of flights to the United States, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday.

The federal agency that oversees airline security declined to detail the new security measures but confirmed that the precautions came in response to threats that terrorists were working on ways to hide explosives in laptops or other electronic devices.

“This quick and decisive action taken by airlines, nations and stakeholders are a testament to our shared commitment to raising the bar on global aviation security,” Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said in a statement.

… as of Thursday morning, the Homeland Security Department announced, all 180 airlines and 280-plus airports with direct flights to the U.S. have adopted enhanced security measures instead of having to implement a laptop ban.

NPR is reporting:

The United States has ended the ban on large electronics in the cabins of airlines that it announced in March.

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was the last airport to be taken off the Department of Homeland Security’s ban list, which originally affected ten airports and nine airlines, mostly Middle Eastern carriers.

DHS Spokesman David Lapan tweeted Wednesday evening that the restrictions on large electronics had been lifted. “With enhanced security measures in place, all restrictions on large PEDs announced in March for 10 airports/9 airlines have been lifted,” he wrote.

… the U.S. has issued a new directive to airlines on additional security measures they must take, including increased security and screening protocols, affecting direct flights to the U.S. from about 280 airports around the world.

Lapan, the DHS spokesman, tweeted Thursday that “all 180 airlines” have implemented the first phase of the security measures.

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July 20, 2017

In the aftermath of last week’s attack that killed two police officers outside of the compound known as the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, there have been “nightly confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli police.”

The U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv issued a Special Message due to the “potential for violence and unrest in and around Old City Jerusalem”:

Based on continued tensions and the potential for clashes in the Old City, the restriction on U.S. government employees and their family members from entering the Old City is extended until Monday, July 24 at 9:00 am, without prior approval from the U.S. Consulate General.

This restriction includes the immediate vicinity of the Old City gates. We recommend that private U.S. citizens take into consideration these restrictions and the additional guidance contained in the Department of State’s travel warning for Israel, Jerusalem and the West Bank when making decisions regarding their travel in the Old City and in Jerusalem.

The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) also issued a security message:

The FCO advise against all travel to the Old City of Jerusalem from 21 July to sunrise on 22 July 2017; two Israeli police officers were fatally shot in a terrorist attack at Haram al Sharif/Temple Mount on 14 July; following this the site was closed for two days and reopened with additional security measures; there have been a number of protests and demonstrations in Jerusalem and the West Bank this week, with calls for further protests over the coming days; you should avoid any demonstrations and follow instructions of local authorities.

According to Reuters:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is weighing whether to remove metal detectors at a Jerusalem holy site whose installation after a deadly attack last week has stoked Palestinian protests, an Israeli cabinet minister said on Thursday.

There have been nightly confrontations between Palestinians hurling rocks and Israeli police using stun grenades in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem since the devices were placed on Sunday at entrances to the Temple Mount-Noble Sanctuary compound.

Tensions remain high ahead of Friday prayers when thousands of Muslims usually flock to al-Aqsa mosque, Islam’s third holiest shrine, in the compound above Judaism’s sacred Western Wall.

The Israeli army said it had put five battalions on standby to reinforce troops in the occupied West Bank if required.

Muslim religious authorities, who say the metal detectors violate a delicate agreement on worship and security arrangements at the Jerusalem site, have been urging Palestinians not to pass through, and prayers have been held near an entrance to the complex.

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