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Front Page: Southern California Fires Rage On

LibertySugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Three major fires in Southern California continue to blaze, but the powerful Santa Ana winds have subsided for now. As firefighters battle the massive flames, agencies are helping displaced families. — Los Angeles Times
Citigroup plans to cut about 53,000 jobs soon, in addition to 22,000 already announced. The company will discus the decision, originally posted on the its website, with employees at a company-wide townhall meeting in New York. — AP

The lawsuit brought against CBS by ex anchor Dan Rather has uncovered evidence of GOP influence at the network. Documents suggest that CBS began an investigation of Rather, and his 2004 segment about President Bush's National guard service, was intended to appease Republican critics of the network. — New York Times
A National Health Service Doctor in England has admitted to being a terrorist. The 29-year-old doctor allegedly attempted car bombings in London and at Glasgow Airport. — BBC News

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Front Page: US Invests $250 Billion in Banks, Wildfires Rip Through Southern CA, McCain's Economic Proposal

CitizenSugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:59:16 -0700

$250 Billion Bank Investment:
President Bush announced this morning that the government plans to invest $250 billion into banks, a move that he says is essential to stabilize the financial system. In exchange for the money the government will get an equity stake in the banks. It's the plan promoted by economists in the excellent This American Life episode explaining the crisis. Henry Paulson also delivered remarks on the plan today.

Wildfires Rip Through Southern CA:
Over 1,000 firefighters are battling blazes near Los Angeles. The fires have claimed two lives and thousands more have been evacuated. With flames fanned by the Santa Ana winds, Gov. Schwarzenegger says, "Winds are causing fire conditions to change by the hour, which is why it is so important that residents in the areas surrounding these wildfires heed warnings from public safety officials to evacuate."
McCain to Announce Economic Proposal:
John McCain will be revealing $52.5 billion in new economic proposals today, specifically aimed at helping seniors, workers, and the unemployed — those the campaign has said have been hurt worst by the crisis. In addition to the plan, three new tax measures, including a 50 percent reduction on the capital gains tax on stock profits will be announced. McCain's plan comes a day after Obama announced his own.

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Front Page: Hurricane Ike Tonight, English Channel Fire Burns, Zimbabwe Rivals Strike Power Agreement

CitizenSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:00:51 -0700

Hurricane Ike Tonight:
Hurricane Ike is expected to make landfall with a direct hit to Galveston and Houston, with a population of 5.6 million. The National Hurricane center was crystal clear with their warning for evacuation: "Persons not heeding evacuation orders in single family one- or two-story homes will face certain death." Forecasters expect water 22 feet above sea level.

English Channel Fire Burns:
Firefighters are still putting out small fires after a blaze shut down undersea traffic in the tunnel between England and France. The tunnel remains closed to train traffic after a fire broke out yesterday afternoon in a truck aboard a 30-car shuttle train. The fire is the most serious incident since the tunnel opened in 1994.

Zimbabwe Rivals Strike Power Agreement:
President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai have agreed to a power-sharing deal after more than a month of discussion. Though specific details of the deal have not been released, the fact that Mugabe has released any authority signals a loosening of his grip over Zimbabwe. Worry remains that the deal has too much crossover power to grant the country the stability it needs.

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Islamic Group Threatens Forest Fire Jihad in Australia

CitizenSugar — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:00:36 -0700

The war on terror might be about to get much, much hotter. Dwindling resources and diminishing weaponry are causing Muslim extremists to call upon their numbers to start a “forest jihad” in Australia. According to one website extremists have to “start forest fires," claiming “scholars have justified chopping down and burning infidels’ forests when they do the same to our lands.” The website continues, "Imagine if, after all the losses caused by such an event, a jihadist organization were to claim responsibility for the forest fires. You can hardly begin to imagine the level of fear that would take hold of people in the United States, in Europe, in Russia and in Australia."

Anyone who has been watching the news this summer or lives in California understands the potential damage these fires can cause untold economic and ecological damage. This summer nearly 1,300 homes were destroyed and almost 500,000 acres burned. Australia, which is heading into their fire season, is on alert.

To see what they're doing,

Hot Scam? Firefighting Helicopter Drops Are a Political Show

CitizenSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:00:58 -0700

When Rep. Duncan Hunter sidestepped the chain of command to get firefighting planes for California, earlier this month he was matter-of-fact: "California was on fire, I got 'em the planes. That's my job." But then there's the matter of this fact: firefighters say they're often pressured to press planes into service even when they won't do any good on major fires — they call the political air shows, "CNN drops."

Precisely because they look good on TV, these aerial aquatic shows are a highly visible way for politicians to look like they're pulling out all the stops to keep constituents safe, even when it's not necessary or useful. The Oregon fire aviation chief says, "A lot of people do a lot of things for publicity and for politics that don't need to be done."

The sentiment is nice, but it's driving up the cost of fighting fires significantly. To see how significantly,

Front Page: New Offensive in Iraq, Fire Consumes UK Landmark, Oprah School Abuse Trial Begins

CitizenSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 07:00:05 -0700

New Offensive in Iraq:
Iraqi forces with support from American troops just launched a new major operation against insurgents in the Iraqi province of Diyala, one of the last pockets of al-Qaeda militants in the country. The commander of the Iraqi ground forces says the operation's goal is ''to clear al-Qaeda in Diyala. We have a list of wanted persons that the troops will arrest during the operations.'' The offensive comes after deadly attacks in Baghdad and Kirkuk.

Fire Consumes UK Landmark:
The historic seaside pier, the Grand at Weston-super-Mare, was consumed by fire yesterday. Stretching a quarter of a mile into the water, the two-story wooden structure was reduced to ash in a couple of hours. The fire broke out in a kitchen on the pier, though no one was hurt. A spokesman for the pier, Nigel Heath, says, “it is a tragedy. It epitomized the English seaside resort.”

Oprah School Abuse Trial Begins:
The trial of the former matron at Oprah Winfrey's school in South Africa has begun with the defendant pleading not guilty. The six alleged victims will testify in private, amid reports that they're "very scared". The defendant, 28, was arrested at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy near Johannesburg last year. The $40 million school opened in 2007.

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Sound the Alarm! California's Prisoners Help Fight Wild Fires

LibertySugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:00:57 -0700

California has called on a plentiful resource — prisoners — to save the state's natural resources from devastating fires. About 2,500 prisoners are fighting the thousands of wild fires engulfing California. The convicted helping hands are not amateurs; California has maintained a prisoner firefighter training program for 60 years.

Serving fellow citizens during an emergency provides an unfamiliar role for former criminals, giving them an opportunity to help society rather than burden it. Taking their jobs seriously, few convicts have escaped during the course of the program. Those driving by pull over to say thank you, and one prisoner said: "Even though I have to wear these colors, I still feel important."

Firefighter training seems like a great way to pass on work skills to inmates, while giving them a tie to the community and a chance for respect — the lack of these things might have caused the crimes in the first place.

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Front Page: Heat Wave to Hit Fires, Bombing in Kabul Kills 40, Injuries in Running of the Bulls

CitizenSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:55:19 -0700

Heat Wave to Hit Fires:
Firefighters in California brace for an impending heat wave set to make containing one of the 1,700 fires sparked since June 21, much harder. Cooler, damper weekend temperatures had helped firefighters working to bring the Santa Barbara fires under control are set to end, while 2,600 homes are still evacuated. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said yesterday the fires had burnt over half a million acres and killed one firefighter. Drought conditions combined with human encroachment into forest areas — bringing with them, carelessness, has stretched the fire season from four to six or seven months. Officials are having to prepare for the longer more intense season.

Bombing in Kabul Kills 40:
In what's thought to be the deadliest attack in Kabul yet, a suicide bomber has killed at least 40 people and injured 140 today at the gates of the Indian Embassy in the capital of Afghanistan. The attacker plowed a car into two Indian diplomatic vehicles as they entered the gates of the embassy before detonating. Witness say the blast wrecked several other cars and flung body parts and bloodstained pieces of clothing among the wreckage.
Injuries in Running of the Bulls:
At least nine have been injured and one killed during the running of the bulls festival in Pamplona, Spain. Four of the injured were foreign tourists. The nine-day festival that's been held since 1591, began yesterday and the run itself lasted four minutes. It's thought that 13 people have been killed during the controversial tradition since record keeping began in 1924.

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Schwarzenegger Says "No Fireworks" for 4th, Fires Rage On

CitizenSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:00:22 -0700

With more than 1,400 fires engulfing the forests of California, President George W. Bush has designated areas from Nevada to the Pacific Ocean an official federal disaster area, allowing FEMA to dispatch equipment and financial relief to the counties that have been devastated by the blazes. So far more than 17,000 firefighters from more than 35 states are currently battling the fires with nearly 1,200 fire engines and 85 helicopters.

Given the unprecedented amount of fires raging throughout the state, the air in Northern California has been reduced to an unhealthy smog of ash causing the cancellation of athletic activities and other outdoor events. Some regions are registering the worst air quality on record with smoke from the fires ascending to the ground levels like a fog. Air quality departments are concerned about small-particle pollution in which tiny particles can penetrate the immunity system and burrow deep into the lungs and blood stream. Health officials have reported an increase in eye and throat irritation and have warned that the poor air can cause asthma attacks and bronchitis.

The raging fires are putting a damper on Independence Day celebrations as well. To see how,

Universal Studios: "It's Like Backdraft, But Real"

CitizenSugar — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:55:21 -0700

Fire at Universal Studios: "It's Like Backdraft, But Real" A fire broke out at Hollywood's Universal Studios around 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Nobody was seriously hurt, though the fire destroyed some set pieces and soundstages. Today officials are saying the fire took over 12 hours to extinguish due to low water pressure and because "the sprinkler system on the outdoor sets was nearly useless." The cause of the fire is still unknown. Buzz has the details on how the fire affects the flicks.

Florida Wildfires: Suspected Arsonist Arrested

CitizenSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:10:05 -0700

Florida Wildfires: Suspected Arsonist Arrested Authorities along Florida's Atlantic coast, where wildfires have gutted dozens of homes and scorched thousands of acres, arrested a man Wednesday who they said threw a glass bottle containing an accelerant into the woods. Officials were waiting to question Brian Crowder, 31, about the wildfires that have found ample fuel in developments in the region, where the state has not held controlled burns to cut back vegetation.