Disasters Of State

Hundreds of Bangladesh textile plants shut indefinitely

"The textile industry’s main trade body said all operations at the nearby Ashulia industrial zone on the outskirts of Dhaka were being suspended until further notice. Shahidullah Azim, of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said the decision was made 'to ensure the security of our factories'. Most of Bangladesh’s top garment factories are based at Ashulia and there has been 'virtually no work' there since the April 24 Rana Plaza tragedy, Azim said. Ashulia is home to around 500 factories which make clothing for a string of major Western retailers including Walmart, H&M, Tesco and Carrefour." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHundreds of Bangladesh textile plants shut indefinitely

Prague sends aid package to Texas blast town in honor of shared Czech heritage

"Prague said Wednesday it will send thousands of dollars in funds to West, the small Texan town levelled last week by a factory explosion and whose residents are largely of Czech origin. The government has approved assistance of four million koruna (150,000 euros, $200,000), on the suggestion of Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg. Last week’s massive explosion at a fertiliser plant in the town of 2,800 residents killed at least 14 people, injured around 200 others and destroyed dozens of homes. Around three quarters of the town’s residents have Czech roots, making it one of the state’s main immigration hubs from the Central European country." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPrague sends aid package to Texas blast town in honor of shared Czech heritage

Czechs unrelated to Chechens, diplomats remark after Boston blast

"Make no mistake: the Czech Republic is not Chechnya. That's a distinction the Czech ambassador to the United States wants to make crystal clear after news emerged that the two suspects in Boston Marathon bombing had Chechen origins. 'The Czech Republic and Chechnya are two very different entities - the Czech Republic is a Central European country; Chechnya is a part of the Russian Federation,' Petr Gandalovic, the Czech ambassador, wrote on the embassy's website on Friday. The unusual statement followed a series of Twitter messages from people who apparently struggled to distinguish the two places with similar names." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCzechs unrelated to Chechens, diplomats remark after Boston blast

Why You Hear Nothing About The West, Texas Firefighters

"Why do you hear nothing about the fire fighters killed in the Texas fertilizer plant explosion? Because they were volunteers. You can't be a hero unless you're living off taxes. You can't be a hero if you die serving your neighbors while doing work that is supposed to be a government monopoly. To government, these men were 'scabs.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhy You Hear Nothing About The West, Texas Firefighters

Death toll in Texas fertilizer plant explosion rises to 14

"The tiny Texas town of West continues to struggle to come to terms with the Wednesday fire and explosion at a local fertilizer plant. According to the Associated Press, recovery workers have now pulled 14 bodies from the wreckage, ten of whom were first responders who had rushed to the scene of the fire. Donations of clothing and household items are piling up at local hotels and other donor centers. Texas politicians Gov. Rick Perry (R) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R) have both called upon the federal government to rush aid to the area in spite of both men’s avowed devotion to the idea of 'small government.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDeath toll in Texas fertilizer plant explosion rises to 14

Sun Storm Forecast: Tiny Chance of Havoc

"It was the biggest geomagnetic storm in recorded history. The Sun hurled billions of tons of electrons and protons whizzing toward Earth, and when those particles slammed into the planet’s magnetic field they created spectacular auroras of red, green and purple in the night skies — along with powerful currents of electricity that flowed out of the ground into the wires, overloading the circuits. Scientists say it is impossible to predict when the next monster solar storm will erupt and whether Earth will lie in its path. What they do know is that with more sunspots come more storms, and this fall the Sun is set to reach the crest of its 11-year sunspot cycle." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSun Storm Forecast: Tiny Chance of Havoc

Massachusetts bans vehicles at 4 p.m.; offenders face fine up to $500, 1 year in jail

"Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has declared a state of emergency for blizzard that could bring near 3 feet of snow. Patrick signed an executive order banning all vehicles from roadways starting at 4 p.m. today. Ban applies to all roadways, including highways and secondary roads. Any one caught driving after 4 p.m. faces up to one year in jail and $500 fine." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMassachusetts bans vehicles at 4 p.m.; offenders face fine up to $500, 1 year in jail

U.S. fines Transocean $1.4 billion over Gulf oil spill disaster

"The United States hit drilling rig operator Transocean with $1.4 billion in criminal and civil fines Thursday for its role in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Nearly two months after oil giant BP was fined $4.5 billion for its leading role in the disaster, Transocean agreed to plead guilty to violating the Clean Water Act and pay the fines, the Justice Department said. The firm was ordered to pay $400 million to resolve criminal charges and another $1 billion in civil penalties, partly to fund spill prevention and environmental restoration in the five states hit by the three-month-long spill." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. fines Transocean $1.4 billion over Gulf oil spill disaster

HUD director tapped to lead Sandy recovery

"President Obama appointed the director of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Shaun Donovan, to lead the government’s efforts to help states in the wake of Hurricane Sandy’s havoc. Donovan will be in charge of recovery plans for states hit by the storm and direct federal assistance. The storm is expected to cost about $50 billion. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he expects the federal government to provide the estimated $33 billion in damages and losses suffered in the state." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHUD director tapped to lead Sandy recovery