Global Breaking News - Sunday, December 22, 2024
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[Misc] (HL-20200809~20200815) Weekly Headlines Review
최고관리자 | 20-08-07 10:43
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!!! A state-by-state breakdown of US coronavirus cases !!!
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(Mon) A parking garage becomes a dining venue in LA
식당으로 변신한 로스앤젤레스의 한 주차장
With the shopping center closed, and no way for restaurants to serve customers in the food court, the upscale Glendale Galleria mall near Los Angeles came up with a solution. Parking lot dining. General Manager of the Glendale Galleria, Steven Sayers: "I mean, I never thought I'd be putting seating in a parking garage, that's for sure. You know, we do have some work to make a little bit better, I'm sure but the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.” After collecting their packaged food order from a designated pick up area outside of the mall, diners can take it to tables set up in the parking lot, which is still open to vehicles, or a separate outdoor patio area to eat. Norma and Robert Talamantes had been craving their favorite Middle Eastern cuisine from Massis Kabob and after hearing about the parking lot dining area on the radio, they drove from their home in the San Fernando Valley to satisfy their craving and support the local business. “It's LA. It's surrounded by cars every day, everywhere. So I mean, it's no big deal . It's not going to be forever." Others were a little less excited about the idea: "It feels weird, because it feels like, oh we're eating in the parking lot and it doesn't feel like a restaurant, you know." While not ideal, Sayers said the parking lot dining area provides a little bit of normality for the mall's regular visitors: "We're all human beings and sometimes we're creatures of habit. And there are certainly people that their regular routine is to come to the mall at a certain time with friends, enjoy the meal. And that's what this space is for. It's for those people that enjoy coming here and still want to keep some semblance of their normal life going."
(Tue) Plans laid out for Boeing 737 MAX return
미 연방항공청, 보잉 737 맥스 운항재개 계획 수립
Regulators laid out plans on Monday that could get the troubled Boeing 737 MAX back in the skies. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said it is proposing requiring four key design and operating changes to the aircraft. It would address safety issues seen in two fatal crashes that led to the plane's grounding in March 2019. The agency's proposed changes include updated flight-control software. A revised display-processing software to generate alerts. A revision of certain flight-crew operating procedures. It also put forward updates in the routing of some wiring bundles. There are still hurdles, however, before the MAX can fly again. That includes collecting public comments on the changes for 45 days, and finalizing a new set of pilot-training procedures. Other regulators in Canada and Europe also have their own concerns. Given the work required, it is unclear whether U.S. flights will resume before the end of the year. The crisis over the once top-selling 737 MAX has cost the U.S. planemaker more than $19 billion. Criminal and congressional investigations are also still ongoing.
(Wed) Musk 'prayed for this' SpaceX splashdown
머스크, 스페이스X 무사귀환 위해 기도했다
"I'm not very religious , but I prayed for this one." Elon Musk's SpaceX saw the successful landing of its Crew Dragon capsule on Sunday after a two-month voyage. It was NASA's first crewed mission from home soil in nine years. Speaking at a homecoming event in Houston, Texas Sunday, astronaut Doug Hurley said he was proud to be part of the experience. "You know, this has been a quite an odyssey the last five, six, seven, eight years, five years since Bob and I started working on this program. And to be where we are now, the first crewed flight of Dragon is just unbelievable." Hurley and fellow astronaut Bob Behnken flew aboard the capsule to the International Space Station and spent 64 days in space before splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico. Their homecoming was the first crewed splashdown in an American capsule in 45 years. The successful splashdown was also a final key test of whether SpaceX could transport humans to and from orbit - a feat no private company has accomplished before. And Musk said he hoped the news would bring some much-needed light to dark times. "You know, I think this is something that the whole world can take some pleasure in and can really look at this as an achievement of humanity. These are difficult times when, you know, there's not that much good news. And I think this is one of those things that is universally good no matter where you are on planet Earth. This is a good thing." The landmark mission, which took off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on May 31, marked the first time the U.S. space agency launched humans from American soil since its shuttle program retired in 2011.
(Thu) TikTok's owner offers to forego stake
틱톡의 모회사 바이트댄스, 지분 매각 제안
As relations between the U.S. and China deteriorate, the short-video app TikTok has emerged as a flashpoint in the dispute between the world's two largest economies. Now, the Chinese owner of the app, ByteDance has agreed to divest the U.S. operations of TikTok completely, in a bid to save a deal with the White House. The latest developments are according to two people familiar with the matter. It comes after President Trump said on Friday he had decided to ban the popular video app. U.S. officials have said TikTok under its Chinese parent, poses a national risk because of the personal data it handles. ByteDance's concession would test whether Trump's threat to ban TikTok is a negotiating tactic... or whether he's intent on cracking down on the app. TikTok boasts it has 100 million users in the U.S. ByteDance was previously seeking to keep a minority stake in the U.S. business of TikTok, which the White House rejected. Under the new proposed deal, sources said ByteDance would exit completely and Microsoft would take over TikTok in the United States. They added that some ByteDance investors that are based in the U.S. may be given the opportunity to take minority stakes in the business. About 70% of ByteDance's outside investors come from the U.S. ByteDance in Beijing and Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment.
(Fri) Anti-Amazon campaigners in France say ‘non’ to firm's expansion
프랑스의 반아마존 세력, 아마존 확장 반대
Gilles Renevier leads a group of local volunteers trying to battle Amazon's expansion plans in France. The group's succeeded in a legal challenge to suspend construction at a site they say is earmarked to become a logistics hub for the world's largest online retailer. In France, disparate anti-Amazon forces, including local activists and environmentalists, are trying to stop the e-commerce giant expanding, arguing it destroys retail jobs, exploits workers and harms the environment - all claims Amazon rejects. "How are we going to reduce the pollution when you have a big operation like this, with so many vehicles that are going to be circling around it?" Renevier says. Amazon declined to comment on whether the firm was connected to the Lyon site. But said the company was good for the environment because its distribution model was more efficient than traditional retail, so it involved fewer miles travelled and less pollution. Adding that the company's business model complements, rather than destroys, bricks and mortar retail and works closely with small French firms who use Amazon's logistics network. Amazon's opponents in France scored a victory in April when a French court ruled the firm wasn't adequately protecting its employees from COVID-19. Amazon disputed the findings, saying its operations are safe, and responded by closing its French warehouses and distribution centers for 35 days. For Amazon, France offers the potential for growth. The company has an estimated 19 percent share of the French business-to-consumer e-commerce market, significantly lower than its 42 percent share in Germany.
** Other Latest Headlines **
* Gov't vows to keep hospitals running during doctors' strike
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo vowed Thursday to maintain basic medical services as the nation's intern and resident doctors are scheduled to go on strike on Friday. "The government is working to maintain basic medical services so that people will not suffer any damage as a result of the strike," Park said. Friday's strike is expected to affect patients in big medical centers and Emergency Rooms. It will be followed by another strike on Aug. 14, held by other doctors, including those in local clinics. Later Thursday, the minister pleaded for the doctors to understand the situation and cooperate with the government's move to increase the number of doctors. "Dear doctors, the government's decision to increase the quota was inevitable for the public and the country. We still have many details to work on, and the government will work on them with open communication with doctors," said Park during an address. Korea is feeling the shortage of doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 23, the government announced plans to train 4,000 more doctors in the next 10 years by increasing the medical student quota by 400 every year from 2022 ― currently, almost 3,000 students start medical training every year. Together with that, the government is planning to open a medical school to train doctors who would mainly serve people in rural and remote areas of Korea where there is a shortage of doctors. The minister's message was immediately met with backlash from doctors who claimed the government's proposals failed to assess the situation correctly and demanded the plan be scrapped. The doctors' have been opposing the government's plan since it was announced last month. "Increasing the number of doctors won't solve any problems. The real problem is public health policy that failed to lay solid medical infrastructure," the Korean Medical Association (KMA) replied. The doctors insisted remote areas will be attractive to doctors if the basic fee, controlled by the government, rises. Under the current system, a doctor in a local clinic earns an average of 15,000 won per patient. Doctors want this to be tripled for MDs working in remote areas.
* Senior presidential aides offer to resign
Collective departure criticized as move to keep houses over jobs
Presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min and five other senior presidential aides have offered to resign, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday. The surprise announcement follows negative public sentiment toward the Moon Jae-in administration over mismanagement of a range of primary policies affecting people's livelihoods. In particular, more people are abandoning their support for the Moon administration due to its failure to contain soaring housing prices in Seoul and nearby areas. "The chief of staff and five senior secretaries expressed their intention to resign to the President this morning," presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok said in a briefing. Those offering their resignations are Kang Gi-jung, senior secretary for political affairs; Kim Jo-won, senior secretary for civil affairs; Yoon Do-han, senior secretary for public communication; Kim Oe-sook, senior secretary for personnel affairs; and Kim Geo-sung, senior secretary for civic and social affairs. Most of them have been working for the President since early last year, and there had been rumors that some senior aides would be replaced in the coming weeks. But a mass resignation at Cheong Wa Dae, the first since Moon took office in May 2017, was unexpected. It was not immediately known whether or when the President will accept their resignations, a senior presidential aide told reporters. "The reason for the resignations is to take responsibility for the recent situation," the aide said, without elaborating. "We cannot say for sure when the President will make a final decision." If Moon decides to accept their departures, the presidential office will undergo another reshuffle only weeks after one performed July 24, when Moon replaced four secretaries who owned multiple houses. Most of the aides who offered to resign have been mired in controversies over their ownership of several homes, which goes against the Moon administration's policy objective of containing speculative buying and stabilizing housing prices. The main opposition United Future Party (UFP) criticized the resignations, saying the aides chose their houses over their posts.
* Typhoon Jangmi to hit Korea with more heavy rain
Korea, which has already suffered continued torrential downpours since Aug. 1 resulting in the deaths of dozens of people, will receive more rain at least until Tuesday, as another typhoon is approaching the country, the state-run weather agency said Sunday. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) warned of additional loss of life and property damage, noting that the central parts of the nation are expected to experience more than 500 millimeters of rainfall. Typhoon Jangmi, which took shape 600 kilometers southeast of Okinawa at 3 a.m. Sunday, was moving northward, according to the weather agency. The maximum wind speed of the fifth typhoon of the season near its center was 65 kilometers per hour, with a wind radius of 200 kilometers. The typhoon is expected to make landfall on the southern coast Monday morning after skirting the eastern coast of Jeju Island, bringing heavy rain and strong winds.
* Forcibly discharged transgender soldier files lawsuit against Army decision
A former South Korean solider, who was forcibly discharged after a sex reassignment surgery, on Tuesday filed an administrative suit against the Army's decision, saying it was unconstitutional. Byun Hee-soo, 22, who had the rank of staff sergeant, underwent the operation in Thailand last year and expressed desire to serve in the female corps. The Army, however, kicked her out in January, citing the Military Personnel Management Act. It said the case "constitutes a reason for being unable to continue service" due to mental and physical disabilities. It officially dismissed Byun's petition in July. Byun and a supporting civic group announced the launch of a formal legal battle during a press conference in Seoul. The group argued that there were "no grounds" for Byun to quit her military service under the current legislation. South Korea's Constitution does not allow any type of discrimination, such as depriving anybody of public status, due to "personal identity," it added. As Byun has lodged the complaint with the Daejeon District Court in the city located 160 kilometers south of Seoul, the group expressed hope that "the injustice of the measure will be corrected by the judiciary." It said the Open Society Foundations, an international civil support network launched by the well-known investor George Soros, would throw its weight behind Byun's legal fight. Kim Borami, a lawyer of Byun, said at issue in this case is whether it is right to construe a sex reassignment operation as a "physical disability."
* 4 rivers projects back in spotlight amid flood
The controversial Four Major Rivers Restoration Project, which saw 16 barrages built along Korea's four major rivers, has returned to the spotlight as heavy rainfall continues to ravage the country. The 16 barrages ― ranging from four to 17 meters high ― were built on the Nakdong, Han, Youngsan and Geum rivers under Lee Myung-bak's 2008-13 administration. Due to recent rainstorms, banks on the Nakdong and Seomjin rivers burst open, damaging nearby crops and homes. Current vocal supporters of the four rivers project, mostly politicians of the conservative United Future Party (UFP), claimed the recent weather conditions proved the project's success. Rep. Chung Jin-suk of the UFP told a local media outlet "My constituents have been asking me 'What would have happened without a barrage?' I can't deny the project's effectiveness in preventing floods. But this administration has vowed to destroy them and I want to ask if its members have common sense." Rep. Chung, represents Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, and had worked in Cheong Wa Dae with former President Lee Myung-bak. Rep. Chung didn't mention the situation around the Nakdong River. The supporters even said flooding of the Seomjin River could have been averted if it had been included in the controversial refurbishment scheme. There are no barrages installed along the Seomjin River. However, critics of the project, mostly environmental advocates and scholars, renewed their criticism against former President Lee, saying the floods proved the project a total failure. "Because of the barrage, the water in the river couldn't move as fast which caused pressure and led the bank to burst," said Lee Joon-ku, an honorary professor from Seoul National University, referring to the incident in the Nakdong River. Only 250 meters down from the site was a barrage. The restoration project was undertaken between 2009 and 2011 by former President Lee, and cost 22 trillion won in total. The project had two goals: to prevent floods and secure water resources, which it aimed to achieve in part by removing sand from the riverbeds.
* South Korea installs anti-virus bus shelters with temperature sensors and UV lamps
South Korea has opened a high-tech new front in the battle against coronavirus, fortifying bus shelters in the capital with temperature-checking doors and ultraviolet disinfection lamps. To enter, passengers must stand in front of an automated thermal-imaging camera, and the door will slide open only if their temperature is below 37.5C. A separate camera is installed lower down to test children. Inside the glass-walled booths – which cost about 100m won ($84,000) each – the air-conditioning systems have ultraviolet lamps installed to kill viruses at the same time as cooling the air. Free wifi is also included. A dispenser provides hand sanitiser, and users are advised to wear face masks at all times, while keeping at least one metre apart from others. Ten advanced facilities have been installed in a north-eastern district of Seoul, offering protection from monsoon rains and summer heat as well as Covid-19.
* 'Incheon airport, Haeundae Beach will be underwater by 2030'
Haeundae Beach in Busan and Incheon International Airport could disappear underwater before 2030 not if but when hit by a big rainstorm or typhoon, as a consequence of the rising sea levels caused by climate change, according to Greenpeace Korea, Thursday. The international environmental group said flooding of that magnitude will occur once in the 2030s, but by 2050, if no action is taken, it could take place every summer. "The region most affected by flooding will be Gyeonggi Province where 1.3 million will suffer from it," Justin Jeong, a Greenpeace campaigner, told The Korea Times. "If this flooding becomes more frequent, the nation's infrastructure will stop functioning, costing Korea a huge amount of money in repairs. This is why we need to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050." Greenpeace Korea reached the conclusion through a simulation based on data obtained from a research paper, titled "New elevation data triple estimates of global vulnerability to sea-level rise and coastal flooding," published last November in the Nature Communications magazine. Following Gyeonggi Province, Incheon will be the second-hardest-hit with an estimated 750,000 victims. Seoul will follow Incheon with 340,000 victims, and North Jeolla Province with 310,000 and South Chungcheong Province with 220,000 victims. In Seoul, Gangseo-gu is likely to be the most affected with 117,000 victims, followed by Yangcheon-gu with 35,000 and Songpa-gu with 34,000 victims. In total, 5.86 percent of land in Korea will be submerged.
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