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At least 43 dead as Helene pummels south-east US
Catagory:News
Author:
Posted Date:09/28/2024
Posted By:utopia online

At least 43 people have died and millions left without power on Friday as Hurricane Helene roared through the south-eastern US. Officials continued daring rescues with boats, helicopters and large vehicles to help those stranded in floodwaters - including about 50 workers and patients who crowded on the roof of a flooded Tennessee hospital. It was the most powerful storm on record to hit Florida's Big Bend and moved north into Georgia and the Carolinas after making landfall overnight on Thursday. Insurers and financial institutions say damage caused by the storm could run into the billions of dollars.Roads and houses were submerged on Friday, with one family describing to BBC News how they had to swim out of their home to safety. Although Helene has weakened significantly, forecasters warn that high winds, flooding and the threat of tornadoes could continue. Helene, which had been a category four storm, came ashore on Thursday night and remained a hurricane for six hours after it made landfall, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said a storm surge - heightened water levels mostly caused by high winds blowing water towards shore - reached more than 15ft (4.5m) above ground level across parts of the Florida coast. The NHC said the surge should subside before the weekend but the threat from high winds and flooding would persist, including possible landslides. Up to 20in (50cm) of rain is still possible in places. The hurricane is the 14th most powerful to hit the US since records began. At approximately 420 miles (675 km) wide, it is behind only two other hurricanes - Ida in 2017 and Opal in 1996, both of which were 460 miles wide. Because of its sheer size, the impact of strong winds and heavy rain have been widespread across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. At least eight people have died in Florida since Friday, including at least five people in the coastal Pinellas County, the county's sheriff, Bob Gualtieri said. The county includes the city of St Petersburg on Florida's Gulf Coast. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said one person died after a road sign fell on their car and another when a tree fell on a home. Hurricane Helene brings life-threatening conditions as it moves from Florida to GeorgiaAfter hitting Florida, the storm continued on a deadly path north into Georgia - leaving at least 15 dead - including a first responder, Governor Brian Kemp said. A suspected tornado that spurred in Wheeler County, in central Georgia, left two people dead when the twister picked up and overturned a mobile home, authorities said. Kemp ordered 1,000 National Guard troops to help with rescue efforts across the state. The Georgia governor said Friday that more than 150 roads have been closed, 1,300 traffic signals are out across the state and people are still trapped in buildings. In South Carolina, at least 17 people were killed, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner. Neighbouring North Carolina saw at least two fatalities in the storm, one due to a vehicle collision and another when a tree fell on a home in Charlotte, Governor Roy Cooper said. The state also saw two confirmed tornadoes, which damaged 11 buildings and injured 15 people, the National Service said. One person was also killed in Virginia, the state's governor, Glenn Youngkin, said at a news conference on Friday. Across the southeast, more than three million homes and businesses were without power late Friday, according to tracking site poweroutage.us. First responders have been tackling rescues, using helicopters, boats and large vehicles to help people stranded in flooded homes. In North Carolina alone, more than 100 rescues have taken place, Cooper said. In Tennessee, 58 patients and staff were left stranded on the roof of a hospital in the city of Erwin on Friday. Swift-moving water from the Nolichucky River prevented boats from being able to conduct rescue operations, and high winds prevented helicopter rescue. The group was later taken to safety after helicopters from the Tennessee National Guard and the Virginia State Police intervened. In Pasco County, north of Tampa on Florida's Gulf coast, 65 people were rescued. Guests at a Ramada Inn in Manatee County were also rescued as floodwaters rushed into the hotel. And in Suwannee County to the north, authorities reported "extreme destruction", with trees falling onto homes."My family and I all looked at one another," she said. "Then water just started pouring in." Ms Gagnier said she grabbed her pets, her wallet and some portable chargers and swam out of their home with her family. The water was up to their shoulders. “We also encourage all communities to please continue to listen to your local officials," FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik Hooks said on Friday. "Just because the storm has passed where you are doesn't necessarily mean that you're safe to leave your home.” Officials also reminded residents the effects of the storm are "not over yet" and urged residents to remain vigilant. Hurricanes need sea surface temperatures of more than 27C (80F) to fuel them. With exceptionally warm waters of the Gulf at 30-32C, the sea surface is about two degrees Celsius above normal for the time of year. Florida's 220-mile Big Bend coast is where Hurricane Idalia made landfall in 2023. The area was also battered by Hurricane Debby last month. There could be as many as 25 named storms in 2024, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned earlier this year. Between eight and 13 of those storms could develop into hurricanes and a handful already have including Helene. More storms could be on the horizon as the official end of hurricane season will not arrive until 30 November, officials warned.


Type:Social
👁 :
Bowen: Huge Beirut strike leaves West powerless as Israel chases victory
Catagory:News
Author:
Posted Date:09/28/2024
Posted By:utopia online

It is time to stop talking about the Middle East being on the brink of a much more serious war. After the devastating Israeli attack on what it said was the Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut it feels as if they’re tumbling over it. It was a huge series of blasts, according to people who were in Beirut. A friend of mine in the city said it was the most powerful she had heard in any of Lebanon’s wars. In the hours after the attack Israeli media reported that the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was the target. Social media channels and TV stations were full of speculation about whether he had been in the building that was targeted and whether he had survived. As rescue workers searched for survivors in the rubble, Hezbollah’s silence on the matter redoubled the speculation.It was not the end of Israeli air force’s bombing missions for the day. The Israeli military announced that it was continuing to attack Hezbollah targets. Earlier in the day there were hopes, admittedly faint ones, that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was at least prepared to discuss a proposal for a 21-day ceasefire. It came from the US and France and was backed by Israel’s most significant Western allies. But in a typically defiant and at times aggressive speech to the UN General Assembly in New York, Netanyahu did not talk about diplomacy. Israel, he said, had no choice but to fight savage enemies who sought its annihilation. Hezbollah would be defeated – and there would be total victory over Hamas in Gaza, which would ensure the return of Israeli hostages. Far from being lambs led to the slaughter – a phrase sometimes used in Israel to refer to the Nazi Holocaust – Israel, he said, was winning.The huge attack in Beirut that occurred as he finished his speech was an even more emphatic sign that a truce in Lebanon was not on Israel’s agenda. It seemed more than feasible that the attack was timed to follow up Mr Netanyahu’s threats that Israel could, and would, hit its enemies, wherever they were. The Pentagon, the US defence department, said it had no advance warning from Israel about the raid. A photo released by the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem showed him at a bank of communications equipment in what looked like his hotel in New York City. The image’s caption said it showed the moment that he authorised the raid.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended the policy he has worked on for months. He said there was still room for negotiation. That assertion is looking hollow. The Americans have very few levers to use against any side. They cannot, by law, talk to Hezbollah and Hamas as they are classified as foreign terrorist organisations. With the US elections only weeks away, they are even less likely to put pressure on Israel than they have been in the last year. Powerful voices in the Israeli government and military wanted to attack Hezbollah in the days after the Hamas attacks last October. They argued that they could deal their enemies in Lebanon a decisive blow. The Americans persuaded them not to do it, arguing that the trouble it might set off across the region offset any potential security benefit for Israel. But in the course of the last year Netanyahu has made a habit of defying President Joe Biden’s wishes about the way Israel is fighting. Despite providing Israel with the aircraft and bombs used in the raid on Beirut, President Biden and team were spectators. His policy for the last year, as a lifelong supporter of Israel, was to try to influence Netanyahu by showing solidarity and support, delivering weapons and diplomatic protection. Biden believed that he could persuade Netanyahu not just to change the way Israel fights – the president has said repeatedly that it is imposing too much suffering and killing too many Palestinian civilians – but to accept an American plan for the day after that rested on creating an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Netanyahu rejected the idea out of hand and has ignored Joe Biden’s advice. After the attack on Beirut, Blinken repeated his view that a combination of deterrence and diplomacy had staved off a wider war in the Middle East. But as events spiral out of US control, he is not sounding convincing. Big decisions lie ahead. First of all, with or without Nasrallah, Hezbollah is going to have to decide how to use its remaining arsenal. Do they use try to mount a much heavier attack on Israel? If they don’t use their remaining rockets and missiles in storage, they might decide Israel will get around to destroying even more of them. The Israelis also face highly consequential decisions. They have already talked about a ground operation against Lebanon, and while they haven’t yet mobilised all the reserves they might need, an invasion is on their agenda. Some in Lebanon believe that in a ground war Hezbollah could negate some of Israel’s military strengths. Western diplomats, among them Israel’s staunchest allies, were hoping to calm matters, urging Israel to accept a diplomatic solution. They will now be looking at events with dismay and also a sense of powerlessness.


Type:Social
👁 :
የሚያሸንፍ ፍቅር
Catagory:tireka
Author:
Posted Date:09/28/2024
Posted By:utopia online

አንድ ሰርግ ውስጥ አንድ ሽማግሌ ሙሽሮቹን ሊመርቁ ቆሙና «አጣልቶ የሚያፋቅር፣ አጋጭቶ የሚያጣብቅ ፍቅር ይስጣችሁ» ብለው ሲመርቁ ሰማሁ፡፡ እስካሁን ብዙ ሠርግ ተገኝቼ ምርቃት ሰምቻለሁ እንዲህ ያለ ምርቃት ሰምቼ አላውቅም፡፡ ምን ማለታቸው ይሆን? እያልኩ በኅሊናዬ ሳብሰለስለው ቆየሁ፡፡ «አጣልቶ የሚያፋቅር፣ አጋጭቶ የሚያጣብቅ ፍቅር? ደጋግሜ አሰብኩት፡፡ ይህንን ሳወጣ እና ሳወርድ እንዳጋጣሚ ሽማግሌው ምርቃታቸውን ፈጽመው እኔ የነበርኩበት ጠረጲዛ ጋ መጡና ተቀመጡ፡፡ መጠየቅ አለብኝ አልኩና አንገቴን በጠረጲዛው ላይ ሰገግ አድርጌ «ደኅና ዋሉ አባቴ» አልኳቸው፡፡ «ይመስገነው ደኅና ነኝ» አሉኝ፡፡ «ቅድም የመረቁት ምርቃት ሰምቼው ስለማላውቅ ገረመኝ» አልኩ ወሬ ለመወጠን ብዬ፡፡ «አንተ ብቻ አይደለህም ብዙዎች ይገርማቸዋል» አሉ ፈገግ ብለው፡፡ «ምን ማለትዎ ነው ግን» «መጀመርያ አንድ ታሪክ ልንገርህ» አሉኝ ጃኖአቸውን ወደ ቀኝ መለስ እያደረጉ፡፡ እኔም ወንበር ቀየርኩና አጠገባቸው ተደላድዬ ተቀመጥኩ፡፡ «አንድ ጊዜ አንዲት እኅት ምክር ልትጠይቀኝ መጣች፡፡ እናም እንዲህ ስትል አጫወተችኝ፡፡ እኔ እና ባለቤቴ ከተጋባን ስምንት ዓመታችን ነው ሁለት ልጆችንም ወልደናል፡፡ የራሳችን ቤት እና መኪና አለን፡፡ ሁለታችንም የየራሳችን በቂ ደመወዝ የሚገኝበት ሥራ አለን፡፡ ይህንን ያህል ዓመት በትዳር ስንኖር ተጋጭተን ወይንም ተጣልተን አናውቅም፡፡ እንኳን ለመጣላት ለመፋቀረም ጊዜ አልነበረንም፡፡ ጭቅጨቅ፣ ንዝንዝ፣ በዚህ ወጣ፣ በዚህ ወረደ የሚባል ነገር በቤታችን ታይቶም ተሰምቶም አያውቅም፡፡ ጎረቤቶቻችን እና የሚያውቁን ሁሉ በኛ ይቀናሉ፡፡ እርሱን ምን የመሰለች ሚስት አለችህ ይሉታል፤ እኔንም ምን የመሰለ ባል አለሽ ይሉኛል፡፡ አንድ ጊዜ ጓደኛዬን ለማየት እና በዚያውም ለመዝናናት ብዬ ናይሮቢ ሄድኩ፡፡ ባለቤቴ ሥራ ስለነበረው አልሄደም፡፡ ጓደኛዬ ትዳር ከያዘች አምስት ዓመቷ ነው፡፡ ባለቤቷ በተባበሩት መንግሥታት ድርጅት ውስጥ ስለሚሠራ ነው ኬንያ የሄዱት፡፡ እነርሱ ቤት አንድ ሳምንት ተቀመጥኩ፡፡ ያን ጊዜ ታድያ የኔን ትዳር ትዳር መሆኑን ተጠራጠርኩት፡፡ ጓደኛዬ ባለቤቷን በስሙ አትጠራውም፤ እርሱም እንዲሁ፡፡ ደክሞት ከመጣ እግሩን ታጥባላች፣ እርሱም እንዲሁ፡፡ ምግብ ሲበሉ እንደተጎራረሱ ነው የሚጨርሱት፡፡ ልጆቹን፣ ቤቱን ሌላውንም አብረው ነው የሚያደርጉት፡፡ አንዳንድ ጊዜ በኃይል ይከራከራሉ፤ ሊደባደቡ ነው ብዬ ስፈራ ለጥቂት ጊዜ ይኳረፉና ግን መልሰው ይፋቀራሉ፡፡ አንድ ቀን ታድያ ጓደኛዬን «ለመሆኑ ተጣልታችሁ ታውቃላችሁ?» ስል ጠየቅኳት፡፡ «በጣም እንጂ እኛ መጣላትንም መፋቀርንም እናውቅበታለን፡፡ ተጣልተን ተጣልተን ወጥቶልናል፡፡ ከጠብ በኋላ የሚኖረን ፍቅር ሁልጊዜ ምነው በተጣላን ያሰኘኛል» አለችኝ፡፡ ከዚያም ወደራሴ ተመልሼ አሰብኩ፡፡ እኔ እና ባለቤቴ ተጣልተን አናውቅም፡፡ አያድርሰውና አንድ ቀን ብንጣላ እንዴት እንደምንታረቅ የምናውቅበት አይመስለኝም፡፡ ክፉን አርቅ አልኩ ለራሴ፡፡ ግን እኛ ተጠባብቀን ነው ወይስ ተፈቃቅረን ነው የምንኖረው ብዬም ራሴን ጠይቄዋለሁ፡፡ ሳስበው ግን በመጠባበቅ እንጂ በመነፋፈቅ የምንኖር አይመስለኝም፡፡ እናም ትዳሬን ጠላሁት» አለችኝ፡፡ ችግሯ ገብቶኛል፡፡ አንድ ጥያቄ ጠየቅኳት፡፡ «ላንቺ ፍቅር ማለት የጠብ አለመኖር ነው? ወይስ ጠብን ማሸነፍ? አልኳት፡፡ ቀና ብላ አየችኝ፡፡ አልመለሰችልኝም፡፡ ዝም ብላ አሰበች፡፡ «ለመሆኑ ለምን እንደማትጣሉ ታውቂያለሽ?» አልኳት፡፡ «ለምን ይመስልዎታል?» ብላ እኔኑ መልሳ ጠየቀችኝ፡፡ «የማትጣሉት ስለማትገናኙ ይመስለኛል፡፡ የት ተገናኝታችሁ፣ የት ተነጋግራችሁ፣ የት ተከራክራችሁ፣ የት ተቀራርባችሁ ትጣላላችሁ፡፡ መጋጨትኮ ከመቀራረብ የሚመጣ ነው፡፡ እናንተ ጠብን አይደለም ያሸነፋችሁት፤ ጠብን ነው የሸሻችሁት፡፡ አለመሞት እና ሞትን ማሸነፍ ይለያያል፡፡ አለመጣላትና ጠብን ማሸነፍም እንዲሁ፡፡ «ሐኪሞች ለምን ክትባት እንደሚወጉን ታውቂያለሽ አይደል፡፡ ክትባቱ የሚሠራው ከሞተ ቫይረስ ነው፡፡ ለምን? ያ የተዳከመ ቫይረስ ወደ ሰውነታችን ሲገባ ሰውነታችን ጦርነት ተከፈተብኝ ብሎ ራሱን ያዘጋጃል፡፡ መድኃኒት ያመረታል፡፡ ራሱን በሽታ ለመከላከል ዝግጁ ያደርጋል ማለት ነው፡፡ ልምድ አዳበረ፤ በሽታውን እንዴት እንደሚያሸንፍ ኃይል እና ዐቅም ገንዘብ አደረገ ማለት ነው፡፡ ትዳርም ይኼ ክትባት ያስፈልገዋል፡፡ ወደፊት ከባዱ የትዳር ቫይረስ መጥቶ በበሽታ እናንተን ጠራርጎ ከመውሰዱ በፊት ደካማውን ቫይረስ መከተብ ያስፈልጋችኋል፡፡ ኃይል እና ዐቅም መፍጠር ያስፈልጋችኋል፡፡ ያልተከተበ ልጅ እና የተከተበ ልጅ ልዩነታቸው የሚታወቀው በሰላሙ ጊዜ አይደለም፡፡ ወረርሽኙ ሲገባ ነው፡፡ ያን ጊዜ ማን መቋቋም እንደሚችል ይታያል፡፡ ሁለታችሁም በየፊናችሁ ትውላላችሁ፡፡ ከዚያ ወደቤት ትገባላችሁ፡፡ ራት ትበላላችሁ፡፡ ይቀጥላል፡፡ ቤትም ውስጥ ብትሆኑ አንቺ ጓዳ ነሽ፤ እርሱም ቴሌቭዥን እያየ ነው፡፡ ልቅሶ ስትሄዱ እርሱ ከወንዶች ጋር ነው አንቺ ከሴቶች ጋር ነሽ፡፡ ዓመት በዓል ሲመጣ እርሱ በግ ይገዛል፣ አንቺ ዶሮ ትገዣለሽ፡፡ እርሱ በቱታ ጎምለል ጎምለል ይላል፤ አንቺ በሐበሻ ቀሚስ ጉድጉድ ትያለሽ፡፡ ይቀርባል ትበላላችሁ፡፡ በቃ፡፡ ወዳጄ የማይፈስ ውኃ ከድንጋይ ጋር አይጋጭም፡፡ የረጋ ውኃ ይሻግታል እንጂ ግጭት የለበትም፡፡ ወንዝ ሆኖ ሲወርድ ግን አረኹ ገደሉ፣ ዐለቱ ቋጥኙ ይላተመዋል፡፡ ለመላተም አይሄድም፡፡ ሲሄድ ግን ይላተማል፡፡ ከመኖር ብዛት ታድያ ፈለግ ይሠራል፡፡ ከዚህ ብኋላ ኩልል ብሎ መፍሰስ ነው፡፡ እዚያ ደረጃ ለመድረስ ግን ስንት ትግል፣ ስንት ልትሚያ፣ ስንት ውጣ ውረድ አለ፡፡ ይኼ ሁሉ ወንዝ ማን ቦይ ቀድዶለት መሰለሽ የሚፈስሰው፡፡ በዘመናት እየታገለ በጠረገው መንገድ እኮ ነው እንዲህ አምሮ ሲፈስስ የምታይው፡፡ ትዳርም እንዲሁ ነው፡፡ እድገት ካለው፡፡ ሕይወት ካለው ይፈስሳል፡፡ ሲፈስስ ታድያ መላተም፣ መጋጨት ያጋጥማል፡፡ ይህ ግን እየተፈታ ይሄድና በኋላ የትዳር ፈለግ ይሠራል፡፡ ከዚያ በኋላ ኩልል እያለ መውረድ ነው፡፡ ፏፏቴ ይኖረዋል፡፡ ዳግላስ የሚወርድ ውኃ ይኖረዋል፡፡ ከዐለቱ ጋር ሲጋጭ ሕመም መሆኑ ቀርቶ ውበት ይሆነዋል፡፡ አንዳንዶቹኮ ከተጋቡ በኋላ ወንድም እና እኅት ብቻ ሆነዋል፡፡ አንዳንዶቹ ደግሞ አብሮ •¶ ¼room mate/ÝÝ ሌሎቹም አብሮ ሠሪ «ባለ አክሲዮን»፡፡ አንዳንዱ ባል ገንዘብ መስጠት አይቸግረውም፤ ሃሳብ መስጠት ግን አይሆንለትም፡፡ አንዳንዷ ሚስት ቤቷን ማስተዳደር አያቅታትም፤ ባሏን ማስተዳደር ግን አይሆንላትም፡፡ ብዙዎቹ «እኛኮ አንድ ነን» ብለው የሚፎክሩት ልዩነቶቻቸውን የሚያዩበት አጋጣሚ ስለሌላቸው ነው፡፡ መች ተወያይተው፣ መች ተከራክረው፣ መች ተገዳድረው ያውቃሉ፡፡ ሦስት ዓይነት ባል እና ሚስት አሉ፡፡ የሚገጥሙ፣ የሚገጥሙ የሚመስላቸው ግን የማይገጥሙ፤ ፈጽመው የማይገጥሙ፡፡ የሚገጥሙ ባል እና ሚስት እየተገዳደሩ፣ እየተጋጩ፣ እየተስማሙ፤ እየተቸገሩ፣ ችግር እየፈቱ፤ በሃሳብ እየተለያዩ፣ እየተቀራረቡ፤ እየተዋወቁ ሄደው በሂደት አንድ የሚሆኑ ናቸው፡፡ የሚገጥሙ የሚመስላቸው የማይገጥሙ የሚባሉት ደግሞ ሲታዩ የተስማሙ፣ የተፋቀሩ፣ አንድ የሆኑ፣ ጠብ እና ልዩነት የሌለባቸው የሚመስሉ፤ በውስጥ ግን የተከደኑ፣ በጊዜ የሚፈነዱ፣ ያልተዳሰሱ ቁስሎች ያሉባቸው ናቸው፡፡ እነዚህ በአማርኛ «ይጠጌ አይነኬ» ይባላሉ፡፡ በሂሳብ asymptote የሚባሉት ናቸው፡፡ የሚገጥሙ የሚመስላቸው፤ ሰውም ሲያያቸው የሚገጥሙ የሚመስሉ፤ በእውነታው ግን መቼም የማይገጥሙ ናቸው፡፡ ሦስተኛዎቹ ጎን ለጎን የሚሄዱ ናቸው፡፡ parallelÝÝ ምናቸውም የማይገጥም፡፡ አለመግጠማቸውም የሚታወቅ፡፡ ያልተፋቱት ለልጆቻቸው፣ ለሕግ ጉዳዮች፣ ለቤተሰቦቻቸው ሲሉ እንጂ በጋብቻ ውስጥ በፍቺ የሚኖሩ ናቸው፡፡ አሁን ልጄ ራሳችሁን እዩ፡፡ መጣላት ለጋብቻ አስፈላጊ ነው እያልኩሽ አይደለም፡፡ በትዳር ውስጥ መጋጨት ብቻውን የመጠላላት ምልክት እንዳልሆነ ሁሉ፣ አለመጋጨት ብቻውንም ግን የፍቅር ምልክት አይደለም ነው የምልሽ፡፡ ለመሆኑ ለመጣላት ጊዜ አላችሁ? አንድ ወንበር ላይ መቀመጥና አብሮ መቀመጥ፤ አንድ አልጋ ላይ መተኛትና አብሮ መተኛት፤ አንድ ቤት ውስጥ መኖርና አብሮ መኖርኮ ይለያያሉ፡፡» ከዚህ ውይይታችን በኋላ ወደ ባልዋ ሄዳ ለትዳር ጊዜ ስለመስጠት፤ በልዩ ልዩ ጉዳዮች ላይ ስለመነጋገር፤ የቤት ሥራን ለሥራነቱ ብቻ ሳይሆን ለደስታ መፍጠርያነቱ አብሮ ስለመሥራት ማንሣት ስትጀምር ነገር መጣ፡፡ ጭቅጭቅ ጀመርሽ ይላት ጀመር፡፡ የማይስማሙባቸው ነገሮች እየታወቁ መጡ፡፡ ይገርምሃል፡፡ በልቶ የማያውቅ ሰው ሲበላ እንደሚያመው ሁሉ፣ ተጋጭቶ የማያውቅ ሰው ሲጋጭ አያድርስብህ፡፡ አንድ ጋሪ ጠጠር በየቅንጣቱ ቢወረወር ከሚጎዳህ በላይ ጋሪውን እንደሞላ ቢደፋብህ የሚጎዳህ ይበልጣል፡፡ «ተጋጭተን አናውቅም» የሚሉ ሰዎችም ሲጋጩ እንደዚያው ነው፡፡ ለዚህ ነው «አጣልቶ የሚያፋቅር፣ አጋጭቶ የሚያጣብቅ ፍቅር ይስጣችሁ» ብዬ መመረቅ የጀመርኩት፡፡ ጠብን የሚያሸንፍ ፍቅር፣ ጦርነትን የሚያሸንፍ ሰላም፣ ጨለማን የሚያሸንፍ ብርሃን ነው የሚያስፈልገን ብዬ፡፡ ጉልበት ስሜ ተነሣሁ፡፡ BY DANIEL KIBRET


Type:Social
👁 :
Telegram will now provide some user data to authorities
Catagory:News
Author:
Posted Date:09/24/2024
Posted By:utopia online

The messaging app Telegram has said it will hand over users' IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities who have search warrants or other valid legal requests. The change to its terms of service and privacy policy "should discourage criminals", CEO Pavel Durov said in a Telegram post on Monday. “While 99.999% of Telegram users have nothing to do with crime, the 0.001% involved in illicit activities create a bad image for the entire platform, putting the interests of our almost billion users at risk,” he continued. The announcement marks a significant reversal for Mr Durov, the platform’s Russian-born co-founder who was detained by French authorities last month at an airport just north of Paris. Days later, prosecutors there charged him with enabling criminal activity on the platform. Allegations against him include complicity in spreading child abuse images and trafficking of drugs. He was also charged with failing to comply with law enforcement. Mr Durov, who has denied the charges, lashed out at authorities shortly after his arrest, saying that holding him responsible for crimes committed by third parties on the platform was both "surprising" and "misguided." Critics say Telegram has become a hotbed of misinformation, child pornography, and terror-related content partly because of a feature that allows groups to have up to 200,000 members. Meta-owned WhatsApp, by contrast, limits the size of groups to 1,000. Telegram was scrutinised last month for hosting far-right channels that contributed to violence in English cities. Earlier this week, Ukraine banned the app on state-issued devices in a bid to minimise threats posed by Russia. The arrest of the 39-year old chief executive has sparked debate about the future of free-speech protections on the internet. After Mr Durov's detention, many people began to question whether Telegram was actually a safe place for political dissidents, according to John Scott-Railton, senior researcher at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab. He says this latest policy change is already being greeted with even more alarm in many communities. "Telegram’s marketing as a platform that would resist government demands attracted people that wanted to feel safe sharing their political views in places like Russia, Belarus, and the Middle East," Mr Scott-Railton said. "Many are now scrutinizing Telegram's announcement with a basic question in mind: does this mean the platform will start cooperating with authorities in repressive regimes?" Telegram has not given much clarity on how the company will handle the demands from leaders of such regimes in the future, he added. Cybersecurity experts say that while Telegram has removed some groups in the past, it has a far weaker system of moderating extremist and illegal content than competing social media companies and messenger apps. Before the recent policy expansion, Telegram would only supply information on terror suspects, according to 404 Media. On Monday Mr Durov said the app was now using “a dedicated team of moderators" who were leveraging artificial intelligence to conceal problematic content in search results. But making that type of material harder to find likely won’t be enough to fulfill requirements under French or European law, according to Daphne Keller at Stanford University’s Center for Internet and Society. “Anything that Telegram employees look at and can recognize with reasonable certainty is illegal, they should be removing entirely,” Ms Keller said. In some countries, they also need to notify authorities about particular kinds of seriously illegal content such as child sexual abuse material, she added. Ms Keller questioned whether the company's changes would be enough to satisfy authorities seeking information about targets of investigations, including who they are communicating with and the content of those messages. "It sounds like a commitment that is likely less than what law enforcement wants," Ms Keller said.


Type:Social
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S Korean man admits to burying partner in cement
Catagory:News
Author:
Posted Date:09/24/2024
Posted By:utopia online

A man in South Korea has confessed to murdering his girlfriend and hiding her body in cement - 16 years after she was reported as missing. The man, who is in his 50s, told local police he hit the woman with a blunt object during an argument at his apartment in the southern city of Geoje. He then placed her dead body into a suitcase, which he buried under a layer of bricks and cement on his balcony. It remained there unnoticed until last month, when a maintenance worker discovered it while drilling, local media reported. The body - which had been partially preserved by the suitcase - was identified as the missing woman's through fingerprint analysis. An autopsy revealed that she had died from blunt force trauma to the head. The man, who police are calling Mr A, was not living in the apartment when the body was discovered but was quickly found and arrested. He told police that he had been living with the woman for about five years in the studio apartment in Geoje, before an argument in October 2008 culminating in him hitting her with a blunt object. He then buried the suitcase containing her body under a layer of bricks and cement on a small third-floor balcony, which could only be accessed from one of the bedrooms.Police say he carried on living in the apartment for another eight years, before he was arrested on drugs charges in 2016. Since then, the landlord of the apartment had left it empty, using it as storage space. The woman - who was in her 30s at the time - was not reported missing by her family until three years after her death, the authorities said. They had reportedly lost touch with their daughter and - when they came to look for her in Geoje - were told she had broken up with Mr A and left the city. It was only this year when the owner of the building ordered some waterproofing work that the 16-year mystery could be solved. Police say they are continuing with their investigations and are expected to charge the man with murder.


Type:Social
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'It seems like a simple thing, but it means a lot': How autism-certified destinations are changing travel
Catagory:Reading
Author:
Posted Date:09/24/2024
Posted By:utopia online

Travelling can be uncomfortable for neurodivergent people, including those on the autism spectrum. Increasingly, hotels, restaurants and cities are working to welcome these visitors. From long security lines and delayed flights to packed trains and bumper-to-bumper traffic, travelling can be an uncomfortable ordeal. But for some people, the stresses of travel can be even more acute. Crowded noisy spaces, complicated social interactions and sudden changes in routine are particularly trying for neurodivergent travellers, including those on the autism spectrum. Autism is a complex condition marked by differences in communication, social interactions and sensory input. According to the World Health Organization, it affects approximately 1% of children worldwide. The range and severity of symptoms vary, which means the specific accommodations needed by travellers need can also differ. Travel can also be very rewarding for autistic people, especially when their needs and sensitivities are taken into consideration. "I think one of the greatest advantages of travelling is it gives us the opportunity to expand on the idea of what autistic people are capable of," said Kerry Magro, a best-selling author and speaker who was diagnosed as autistic at the age of four. "[It can help with] social abilities, communication, adaptability and also just self-awareness of who they are as individuals and what they like to do." Some basic knowledge and simple accommodations can make all the difference in autistic people's travel experiences, and destinations are increasingly working to provide these to their visitors. For more than 20 years, the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) has been providing training to hotels, travel professionals and visitor bureaus across the globe who are interested in becoming more welcoming to autistic and other neurodivergent visitors. Currently more than 300 businesses are listed as Autism-Certified Centres, as well as three fully certified destinations, though there are a few more currently in the process of becoming certified, including Dubai and the Greater Palm Springs area in the US."We incorporate best practices from experts in the field, as well as autistic and neurodivergent individuals themselves [in our trainings]," Meredith Tekin, president of IBCCES,"So, you'll see individuals sharing their lived experience and sharing their recommendations in the trainings." IBCCES offers trainings focused on sensory awareness and general sensitivity towards autistic people. They also occasionally conduct on-site visits to hotels and partnering cities to help identify additional opportunities to accommodate autistic travellers. The organisation's goal is to help destinations become more autism-friendly and help employees in the travel space to better understand accessibility needs. Once the trainings are completed, the organisation offers certification and lists businesses on the site Autism Travel, which compiles destinations and attractions that IBCCES deems are "autism certified". IBCCES offers autism certifications for restaurants, shops and attractions (called "Autism Certified Centers"), as well as destinations and cities. "Certified Autism Destinations" are places where most tourism-related organisations in the area have received training, whereas "Autism Certified Cities" are given to places where organisations and businesses across the city have been certified. The most recent destination to receive certification is Traverse City, Michigan, which earned certification in August 2024. Traverse City is known for its beautiful natural landscape and proximity to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. According to Whitney Waara, chief operating officer of Traverse City Tourism, the impetus for becoming an autism-certified destination was simply the wish to have more people able to enjoy the city. "We were really working on trying to make sure that our destination is welcoming to all," said Waara. "Making sure that we're ready to meet all the travellers that are coming with whatever needs that they have [has] been an important priority for us for the last several years."The initiative was a particularly exciting project for Craig Hadley, executive director of Traverse City's Dennos Museum, whose son is on the spectrum and appears in the city's promotional video highlighting its recent certification. "It seems like a simple thing, but as a parent, it means a lot knowing that the person that you're speaking to understands kind of where you're coming from and why that resource is important for that family," Hadley told the BBC. The museum participated in the certification process, training employees and implementing autism-friendly amenities like quiet spaces, sensory maps and several sets of noise-cancelling headphones available for visitors who are particularly sensitive to sound, as many autistic people can be. The Dennos Museum has also planned a few autism-friendly events, such as its sensory-friendly Halloween For All. Traverse City took inspiration from Mesa, Arizona, which became the US's first autism-friendly city in 2019 when it was certified by IBCCES. What began as an initiative by the city's tourism board, started by the CEO's experience as the parent of an autistic child, quickly grew to a citywide movement when the mayor got wind of the plans. More like this: • The world's most accessible cities • The school that created a city for the blind • The big potential of the disabled traveller market"We spearheaded it and obviously shared it with the mayor and the city officials, and it just organically grew," said Alison Brooks, vice president of destination experience and advocacy at Visit Mesa. "I think it was just one of those things that was like the perfect timing. A lot of people [are] affected by autism in some way. So, of course, we knew this [was] the right thing to do." In order to get the entire city certified, Mesa was required to have at least three businesses and organisations in several sectors – specifically tourism, education and healthcare – go through the process. However, many more businesses across the city signed up – so many, in fact, that Mesa now offers a "Live Life Limitless" passport that lists all the city's certified centres, including hotels, restaurants and attractions. The Autism Travel page on Visit Mesa's website also offers free sensory guides to seven of the city's most popular destinations that can be downloaded and viewed online before visitors leave home."Almost every day I run into somebody that didn't know that [the city] was certified," said Brooks. "But whenever I speak with a resident… it's just this sense of pride that they get." For Magro, seeing the increasing willingness of cities and destinations to educate themselves about autism and become more accommodating to neurodivergent travellers is a positive sign. "I really hope this is not a fad," he said, "but a [new] reality that more of our community will be embraced with open arms." sorce:BBC


Type:Science
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China unveils raft of measures to boost economy
Catagory:News
Author:
Posted Date:09/24/2024
Posted By:utopia online

China's central bank has unveiled a major package of measures aimed at Speaking at a rare news conference alongside officials from two other financial regulators, Mr Pan said the central bank would cut the amount of cash banks have to hold in reserve - known as reserve requirement ratios (RRR). The RRR will initially be cut by half a percentage point, in a move expected to free up about 1 trillion yuan ($142bn; £106bn). Mr Pan added that another cut may be made later in the year. Further measures aimed to boost China's crisis-hit property market include cutting interest rates for existing mortgages and lowering minimum down payments on all types of homes to 15%. The country's real estate industry has been struggling with a sharp downturn since 2021. Several developers have collapsed, leaving large numbers of unsold homes and unfinished building projects. The PBOC's new economic stimulus measures come just days after the US Federal Reserve lowered interest rates for the first time in more than four years with a bigger than usual cut. In Asia afternoon trading hours, major stock indexes in Shanghai and Hong Kong were more than 3% higher.reviving the country's flagging economy. People's Bank of China (PBOC) Governor Pan Gongsheng announced plans to lower borrowing costs and allow banks to increase their lending. The move comes after a series of disappointing data has increased expectations in recent months that the world's second largest economy will miss its own 5% growth target this year. Stock markets in Asia jumped after Mr Pan's announcement.


Type:Social
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'We just had to flee': Fear and tension in Lebanon under deadly Israeli bombardment
Catagory:News
Author:
Posted Date:09/24/2024
Posted By:utopia online

Across southern Lebanon, families scrambled together belongings and headed north in cars and trucks and on motorcycles as the Israeli military struck targets it said were linked to the Lebanese Shia armed group Hezbollah. Some residents reported receiving warnings in the form of text messages and voice recordings from the Israeli military to leave areas near the Iran-backed group’s positions. Zahra Sawli, a student in the southern town of Nabatieh told the BBC's Newshour programme the bombardment was intense. "I woke up at 6am to the sound of bombing. By noon it started to get really intense and I saw a lot of strikes in my area." "I heard a lot of glass shattering." Unlike many, she and those she was with did not leave the house - they didn't dare, she said. "Where are we supposed to go? A lot of people are still stuck on the streets. A lot of my friends are still stuck in traffic because a lot of people are trying to flee," she said. Live coverage Bowen: Israel believes it has weakened Hezbollah but escalation still risky Cold military logic takes over in Israel-Hezbollah conflict Get in touch By the middle of the day roads north towards Beirut were clogged with traffic, with vehicles heading towards the capital on both sides of a six-lane coastal highway. Other images showed people walking along the beach in the southern city of Tyre as smoke rose from air strikes in the countryside inland. The BBC spoke to one family of five who had arrived in Beirut on a single motorbike. From a village in the south, they were heading to Tripoli in the north. They were exhausted. "What do you want us to say? We just had to flee," the father said.By Monday evening the Lebanese health ministry reported that 492 people had been killed and more than 1,600 injured in the bombardment. It said at least 35 children were among those killed. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had carried out 1,100 strikes over the previous 24 hours. That included an air strike in southern Beirut that the IDF said had targeted a senior Hezbollah commander. In Beirut too there was widespread anxiety. As people from the south arrived in the capital in cars with suitcases strapped to the top, some of the city's residents were themselves leaving. Israel has warned people to evacuate areas where it says Hezbollah is storing weapons - but it also sent recorded warnings to people in Beirut districts not considered Hezbollah strongholds including Hamra, an area home to government ministries, banks and universities. Parents rushed to pick up their children from school after receiving more warnings to leave the area. One father, Issa, took his son out of school, telling Reuters news agency: "[We're here] because of the phone calls. "They’re calling everyone and threatening people by phone. So we’re here to take my boy from school. The situation is not reassuring," he said.Mohammed, a Palestinian man on the road with his wife, spoke to the BBC on the way out of Beirut. When asked if he would stay in the capital he said: "In Lebanon nowhere is safe, Israel is saying they are going to bombard everywhere. Now they threatened this neighbourhood, so where should we go?" "It’s scary, I don’t know what to do - work, go home, no idea what to do." Meanwhile as a BBC crew set up on one side of the road, a taxi driver called out asking if they knew of a fuel crisis unfolding. “Too many people are coming to Beirut,” he said. Schools have been hastily converted into shelters for the streams of evacuees coming from the south. On a government order, schools in Beirut and Tripoli as well as eastern Lebanon were established as shelters.The was at a classroom at a public school in Bir Hasan, west Beirut on Monday which was being prepared for people coming from the Bekaa Valley - a Hezbollah stronghold in north-eastern Lebanon which Israel said it was targeting too. The classrooms were stacked with mattresses but would be fully occupied by the end of the day, workers said.


Type:Social
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