Archives: 16/10/2024

PA MediaSinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald says the "buck stops with her" over the party's handling of Brian Stanley's resignationAny criminal complaint brought to Sinn Féin about Brian Stanley would have been brought to gardaí (Irish police), Mary Lou McDonald has said.
The long-standing Laois TD (MP) resigned from Sinn Féin on Saturday night amid reports of complaints against him within the party.
Sinn Féin said the complaint and counterclaim have been referred to gardaí following the conclusion of an internal party process.
On Monday, the party's president said it is not for her to decide whether it goes further but said "the buck does stop" with her over Sinn Féin's handling of the issue as leader of the party.
In a statement, Sinn Féin said that Mr Stanley was advised to go to the gardaí when matters of concern were raised during a preliminary party inquiry into a complaint made against him.
However, a party spokesperson said Mr Stanley chose not to do this.
Speaking to Irish broadcaster RTÉ, McDonald said the initial complaint against Stanley was received on 2 August.
He was made aware on 3 August and rejected the allegation.
"Had the initial complaint been of a criminal nature, it would have gone straight to An Garda Síochána," said McDonald.
"In any event it was not, and in the course of the inquiries, a counter allegation was also made."
'Abundance of caution'"The initial process concluded; it was written up; it was sent to both parties for comment, for accuracy, and so on, as per good procedure," the Sinn Féin leader said.
"Both parties were to come back this morning on that matter; the report also went to the head of the disciplinary committee, and the Sinn Féin disciplinary process is supervised by a barrister, and it's at arm's length from the party itself."
McDonald said following Stanley's resignation, matters were handed to the party chair, and with an "abundance of caution", it was referred to police.
"I am not in a position to say whether or not the complaint or the counter allegation meet the standard for criminal investigation—that's not my job," McDonald added.
"But I am far happier that the complaint and counter allegation are now in the hands of the gardaí and they can do what they deem to be appropriate."
In a statement issued through his solicitor on Monday, Stanley said Sinn Féin should had referred a complaint to gardaí when he brought serious matters forward at a disciplinary panel on 11 September this year.
OireachtasBrian Stanley is set to be replaced as chair of the Public Affairs Committee on MondayIrish broadcaster RTÉ has reported that he said McDonald has "stated correctly" that the complaint made against him is not of a criminal nature.
But, he said claims from the party's leadership that his rights were protected throughout the process are "totally incorrect".
Stanley said the complaint against him was first made on 26 July, the first day of the nomination process for candidates seeking to run in the general election.
This differs from the date McDonald had given of 2 August.
"In my case this had the effect of preventing me of having any hope of contesting it as a Sinn Féin candidate for Laois," he said.
The Laois TD also said he had made McDonald aware of the complaint on 29 July, and claimed that she gave the "wrong information".
Procedures 'fair and robust'Stanley has previously said he was subjected to a process that resembled a "kangaroo court".
This was rejected by McDonald, who claimed his rights were protected and noted that he had a barrister and solicitor present at a disciplinary panel meeting.
The panel, who were overseeing the complaint, is headed by a barrister and two people who are long-standing party members as well as the party chair.
McDonald said this is standard procedure.
The party leader also confirmed that "at no stage" did she discuss the complaint with Stanley.
She added the party procedures are "fair and robust" as well as impartial.
"I am very conscious that, firstly, when a complaint is made, that it's taken seriously, that it's processed appropriately, that everybody's rights are respected and protected," McDonald added.
"Unfortunately, in this case, we find ourselves in a position where Deputy Stanley has walked away from the process."
Stanley is set to be replaced as the chair of the Oireachtas's (Irish parliament) Public Accounts Committee after his resignation from Sinn Féin.
'More questions than answers'Speaking to RTE on Monday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said: “Objectively today has resulted in more questions than answers.
"The latest statement by deputy Stanley clearly contradicts a number of things said by deputy Mcdonald.
“My position on this has been very clear, it is about the leader of Sinn Féin to honestly put all of the information out there because the issues are serious.
“It would be helpful if as much information as possible is put into the public domain," he added.
He highlighted the need to rule out “political point-scoring”.
Dáil debate on McMonagle referencesRegarding allegations that inappropriate text messages were sent by a party official to a 17 year-old in Northern Ireland, as first reported by the Independent, McDonald said it was referred to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), and there was no investigation and no charge.
Meanwhile, a debate on child protection sparked by Sinn Féin's actions will take place in the Dáil (lower house of Irish parliament) on Tuesday.
Time has been set aside for all parties to discuss matters relating to two Sinn Féin press officers who gave references for former colleague Michael McMonagle who was facing child sex allegations.
In September, McMonagle admitted to a series of offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
He is due to be sentenced in the coming weeks.
Both press officers, Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley, have since resigned.
On this, McDonald said she has instigated an overhaul of procedures in the party.
Sinn Féin have noted that members and representatives of other parties have given references for people accused of sex crimes, including the current Ceann Comhairle (Speaker) Seán Ó Fearghaíl.
"Mistakes were made, there was gross misconduct, behaviour fell beneath standards," McDonald added.
"Rules have been applied… I stand over the fact our rules apply to everybody.
"That's life. That's politics."

Randwick council started closing its beaches, including Coogee, on Tuesday and neighbouring Waverley council followed suit on Thursday ‘out of precaution’
Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastRafqa ToumaThu 17 Oct 2024 05.57 BSTFirst published on Thu 17 Oct 2024 03.45 BSTShareMysterious tar balls washing up in Sydney have forced the closure of seven beaches, including Bondi, but authorities are yet to identify where they are coming from.
Clovelly beach and the northern end of Maroubra were closed on Thursday when more tar balls were found after Gordons Bay and Coogee beaches were earlier closed by Randwick council. People have been warned not to touch or go near the debris.
Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte beaches were also closed “out of precaution”, neighbouring Waverley council said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.
Randwick council said on Wednesday evening that preliminary test results had identified the dark spheres as “tar balls” – which are formed when oil comes into contact with debris and water, usually as a result of oil spills or seepage.
The council testing showed the debris was a hydrocarbon-based pollutant – the chief component of petroleum-based products.
Council employees on jetskis spotted a suspected oil slick out at sea on Wednesday morning, the Randwick council mayor, Dylan Parker, said at the time.
However, the Port Authority of NSW said no oil spills had been reported by vessels.
“We don’t yet know what has happened to produce the debris washing up on our beaches,” Parker said in a statement on Thursday. “We will continue to work with relevant authorities to ensure the safety of the public and clean up our beaches.”
View image in fullscreenA suspected oil slick off Coogee beach alongside a ‘tar ball’ that washed up on the beach in Sydney’s east earlier this week. Composite: Supplied/Randwick City CouncilThe four Randwick beaches were closed until further notice.
Waverley council said it had closed its beaches after the environment watchdog formally notified it that “pea to marble-size balls of light grey-white colour were observed by EPA staff on Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama beaches”.
“As a precaution, all Waverley beaches will be closed until further investigation has been carried out by the EPA and relevant government bodies,” the council said.
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, said eastern suburbs beaches had been closed “out of an abundance of caution”.
He said the public would be kept updated on the investigations being led by the Environment Protection Authority.
Mysterious black balls have washed up on Sydney beaches. What are tar balls – and what’s the risk?Read more“We need to make sure that we’re fully investigating,” Minns said. “It’s an unusual occurrence on Sydney’s beaches. The EPA is leading those investigations. The council is responsible for closing down the beaches.”
The EPA said in a statement that balls had also been observed at Congwong, Frenchmans, Little Bay and Malabar beaches.
“At this stage, the origin and contents of the balls remains a mystery,” the watchdog said on Thursday.
“But the EPA is conducting extensive testing on a number of samples. While we understand initial Randwick city council testing suggests the presence of hydrocarbon, at this stage EPA tests cannot confirm the contents.”
Stephen Beaman, EPA’s executive director of regulatory practice and services, told reporters on Thursday that their test results were matching up with those of Randwick council.
He said the material was “fibrous” and “unusual”.
“We are actually seeing, as we move away from the Coogee area, the size of the balls are getting smaller,” Beaman said. “Probably getting a lot of wave action in the surf zone, breaking that material up.”
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0:36Coogee beach suspected oil slick: beachgoers warned after black balls wash ashore – videoThe EPA said until the clean-up was concluded “we advise against swimming and touching any balls that may have washed ashore in the identified areas”.
NSW Maritime took over coordination of the incident on Thursday. Its director, Darren Wood, said the organisation would be working with Randwick council, the EPA, the port authority and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa).
“We’ve had vessels out on our water. We can ensure that we can’t see any more sheen on that water,” Wood told reporters in Coogee on Thursday.
“We also can’t see any more balls that are drifting in towards the beaches of the city, which is a good sign at the moment.”
NSW Maritime was working with Amsa to find the source of the debris.
“They will do reverse modelling and drift modelling, taking into account the currents and wind, for us to be able to work out whether it comes from south, north or east of NSW, to try and give better information on the likely source,” Wood said.
Tar balls mapParker said Randwick council staff had been working with the EPA, port authority and Transport for NSW on the clean-up response.
“Our community is rightfully very protective of our natural environment and this has been a very concerning incident,” the mayor said on Wednesday.
“We have engaged an expert occupational hygienist and a specialist waste removal contractor who are currently systematically removing the debris from the beaches in accordance with an agreed safe work method statement developed with the NSW EPA.”
Louise Morris, the oil and gas campaign manager at the Australian Marine Conservation Society, has said tar balls are usually formed after an oil spill when petroleum is washed in waves and currents, making it condense and coagulate.
“The more it keeps gripping on to other substances, it solidifies and condenses,” Morris said. “Part of that process of washing through the ocean means that they form a spherical shape.”
Any oil spill can be harmful to marine life but Dr Sharon Hook, CSIRO’s principal research scientist, said Sydney’s beaches would be safe for people once the tar balls were collected and removed.
They “are filled with carcinogenic compounds so you wouldn’t want people to come in contact with them,” she told ABC radio.
“[But] as soon as it [the beach] is cleaned it will be safe because the chemicals and tar stick together. Oil and water don’t mix … so when the beach is reopened it will be fine.”
This article was amended on 17 October 2024 to correct Stephen Beaman’s name and title.

CNN report said North Carolina candidate for governor made explicit posts on website’s message board
Associated Press in RaleighTue 15 Oct 2024 11.28 EDTLast modified on Tue 15 Oct 2024 11.30 EDTShareMark Robinson, North Carolina’s lieutenant governor, announced a lawsuit Tuesday against CNN over its recent report alleging he made explicit racial and sexual posts on a pornography website’s message board, calling the reporting reckless and defamatory.
The lawsuit, filed in Wake county superior court, comes less than four weeks after a television report that led many fellow GOP elected officials and candidates, including Donald Trump, to distance themselves from Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign. Robinson announced the lawsuit at a news conference in Raleigh.
CNN “chose to publish despite knowing or recklessly disregarding that Robinson’s data – including his name, date of birth, passwords, and the email address supposedly associated with the NudeAfrica account – were previously compromised by multiple data breaches”, the lawsuit states.
CNN declined to comment, spokesperson Emily Kuhn said in an email.
Polls at the time of the CNN report already showed Democratic rival Josh Stein, the sitting attorney general, with a lead over Robinson. Early in-person voting begins Thursday statewide, and well over 50,000 completed absentee ballots have been received so far.
Peeping Toms and ‘black Nazis’ – what the Mark Robinson scandal tells us about the US election race | Arwa MahdawiRead moreThe CNN report said Robinson left statements over a decade ago on the message board in which, in part, he referred to himself as a “black NAZI”, said he enjoyed transgender pornography, said that he preferred Hitler to Barack Obama, and slammed the Rev Martin Luther King Jr as “worse than a maggot”.

Today, on our segment “New Developments in Deep Reform and Opening Up,” we continue to focus on the construction of a Beautiful China. The decisions made at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party’s Third Plenary Session outlined a series of measures aimed at deepening ecological civilization reforms. Key areas of focus include improving the ecological and environmental governance system and establishing integrated protection and systematic management mechanisms for rivers, mountains, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands, and deserts. We seek to understand how we can better protect and manage our ecological environments in a more systematic way, fostering a harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. Let’s take a closer look at the Dongting Lake watershed in Hunan.

Datuo Lake, the largest inland freshwater lake in Hunan, spans over 80 square kilometers. In autumn, the shimmering waters of Datuo Lake are beautiful, with lush aquatic plants nearby. However, rewind ten years, and the scene was very different. Due to over-fishing in the lake and extensive reclamation of surrounding wetlands, along with continuous wastewater discharge, the water quality of Datuo Lake deteriorated sharply. At the same time, agricultural non-point source pollution and rural domestic waste began to encroach upon the surrounding rural living environments.

Datuo Lake is a lake within a lake formed after several changes to the Dongting Lake watershed, interconnected with Dongting Lake itself. It plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and protecting biodiversity. Unfortunately, by 2015, monitoring revealed that Datuo Lake’s water quality had dropped to a level deemed extremely poor, with aquatic plants virtually vanished, leading to severe ecosystem degradation. In response, local authorities initiated restoration efforts aimed first and foremost at improving water quality.

Wang Xinyu, Secretary of the Datuo Lake District Committee in Yiyang, Hunan, shared, “At first, our approach was simplistic—just changing out the water and reducing some feed to address the restoration issues. This, however, yielded no significant improvements in overall water quality.”

Focusing solely on water treatment proved ineffective, leading to a shift into a second phase of management. A leadership group for water environment restoration was formed, with district leaders taking the helm. This time, restoration efforts extended beyond environmental departments, involving multiple government sectors.

Wang Xinyu explained, “The provincial government proposed a multidimensional strategy that included retiring fish farming, mitigating pollution, dredging, increasing vegetation, and ensuring water circulation. This required the involvement of various departments—from water resources and forestry to agriculture and municipal construction—addressing control of agricultural runoff, reducing fertilizers, and managing household wastewater. Thus, we began a process of collaborative governance.”

In recent years, China has been advancing integrated protection and restoration projects for mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands, and deserts—collectively known as “Shanshui projects.” The shift from single-factor to systematic management in Datuo Lake’s restoration embodies a significant aspect of the country’s ecological governance reform.

Professor Bai Zhongke from China University of Geosciences in Beijing stated, “The decisions made during the Third Plenary Session of the 20th National Congress build upon previous work, further focusing on the construction of a Beautiful China and enhancing the ecological governance system. This encourages multi-department collaboration to implement specific engineering measures while considering the overall ecosystem.”

Ecological environments are interconnected wholes, yet departmental responsibilities are distinctly defined. Transitioning from fragmented management to collaborative and systematic governance is an unprecedented exploration for many regions’ ecological management.

To ensure cohesive efforts, Datuo Lake District established a command center led by district leaders, coordinating with various project management departments for dual oversight of project implementations. This led to improved workflows and, subsequently, visible progress in restoration. The water quality in Datuo Lake has steadily improved, with the local flora and fauna increasing year by year.

In the context of broader national goals, the decisions outlined during the Third Plenary Session stress the necessity of “enhancing the ecological governance system,” particularly the importance of an integrated management mechanism for mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands, and deserts.

Zhong Chongjun, Deputy Director of the Land Rehabilitation Center at the Ministry of Natural Resources, emphasized, “The decisions from the Third Plenary Session set new demands based on previous efforts, requiring the coordination of various resources and elements. For instance, in river basins, we need to consider both upstream and downstream, as well as the natural geography, breaking down administrative barriers and departmental constraints.”

This autumn, early risers at the Old Sanyun Canal leading to Datuo Lake have already begun their work at 6 AM, planting over ten acres of water lilies and bulrushes. With the initiation of the ecological restoration project, experts were invited to assess the water and sediment conditions of the lake, guiding the integration of aquatic plant cultivation into the ecological restoration process.

The scientific cultivation of aquatic plants has significantly sped up the purification of water quality, but purchasing these plants each year incurs substantial costs. To achieve sustainability, local stakeholders adopted market-oriented approaches to cultivate and raise aquatic plants. Over the years, related businesses have expanded their scale of aquatic plant cultivation, leading to increasingly evident ecological benefits. To further incentivize participation, subsidies have attracted former fishers, previously retired due to over-fishing, to engage in cultivating aquatic plants. Experts also crafted a model that combines aquatic plant farming with commercial crab cultivation, yielding good sales results.

Now, many former fishers around Datuo Lake have shifted to ecological farming ventures involving combinations like aquatic plants with crabs and lobsters, while local cooperatives have been established. New investments have also drawn in additional enterprises focused on ecological farming.

Wang Xinyu reported, “In the last three years, around 947 million yuan has been invested in Datuo Lake’s protection and restoration, with over 50% of this coming from private and market-based investments.”

Shifting from reliance on fiscal inputs to attracting diverse investments has emerged as a significant task outlined in the decisions from the Third Plenary Session.

Zhong Chongjun reiterated, “The current session clearly encourages and incentivizes social capital to enter the ecological protection and restoration sectors. This encompasses various forms of incentives—property rights, resource utilization, financial measures, and taxation. Whether from businesses or individuals, there must be a revenue component to support ecological restoration funding.”

Now, large-scale engineering projects surrounding Datuo Lake have concluded, and the entire lake area is entering a stage of natural recovery. However, monitoring of all environmental indicators remains ongoing. Daily, the water flowing into Datuo Lake undergoes preliminary treatment, with 38 inflow points equipped with mini-monitoring stations. Water quality must meet established standards as verified by these mini-stations before release into Datuo Lake.

Beyond the monitoring stations, surveillance cameras are also in place to track local ecological protection and restoration efforts in real-time. This data links to the Dongting Lake Shanshui project monitoring platform. Hunan has established a command center for the Dongting Lake Shanshui project, led by provincial leaders, to coordinate efforts across departments statewide and promote integrated protection and restoration of Dongting Lake.

To fundamentally improve the ecological environment of Dongting Lake and include Datuo Lake’s protection and restoration, the project encompasses 50 sub-projects designed with four ecological barriers in mind. These barriers comprise core areas for biodiversity protection, buffer zones along the lakeshore, agricultural function enhancement areas, and surrounding mountainous forest range barriers.

Dong Zhenya, Director of the Ecological Restoration Department at the Hunan Natural Resources Department, noted, “We approach the protection of the entire Dongting Lake Plain and surrounding hilly areas as a complete natural geographical unit, emphasizing problem-solving while enhancing collaboration between the mountains and water.”

In recent years, China has completed the national ecological protection red line delineation and officially issued the “National Land Spatial Planning Outline (2021-2035).” Implementing a management system for the ecological protection red line is a critical task set forth by the Third Plenary Session to drive comprehensive integrated protection and governance efforts.

Around 120 kilometers upstream from Dongting Lake, in Taoyuan County, Hunan, an ecological restoration project at a historically mined site is entering its final stages. This area, known for its anthracite resources, suffered from chaotic mining practices in the 1990s, leaving significant scars on the landscape spanning hundreds of acres.

Qin Bin, Deputy County Mayor of Taoyuan, explained, “Due to inadequate systematic management of the mined rocks and tailings, there are dangers of debris flows and other geological hazards. Additionally, stagnant water in the mineshafts may contain heavy metals, which could overflow during rainy seasons, impacting local agricultural activities downstream.”

In 2022, this site became part of the ecological restoration project for historical mining sites along the Yuanjiang River, integrated within the Dongting Lake Shanshui project. Through wastewater treatment, backfilling of mining pits, and vegetation planting, these once scarred lands have begun to rejuvenate.

Finding a balance between resource extraction and ecological protection is critical. In recent years, local regulations have required that when auctioning mineral rights, potential miners present ecological restoration plans, which must be fulfilled before mine closures. Meanwhile, in Linli County, about 100 kilometers away from this restoration area, a limestone mine has committed to restoring the environment while developing resources since its commencement in 2019.

Li Jie, Deputy Director and party member of the Natural Resources and Planning Bureau in Changde, remarked, “We now mandate that companies coordinate their planning, design, construction, and operational management. They must meet green mining standards and develop ecological restoration plans, including depositing ecological restoration funds and guarantees.”

Shifting from end-of-pipe management to comprehensive chain management—achieving a balance between resource development and ecological preservation—represents a crucial aspect of implementing the Third Plenary Session’s directives to enhance the ecological governance system.

Zhong Chongjun added, “Moving forward, a key focus remains on systemically addressing ecological protection and restoration throughout the entire lifecycle of resource development—from planning to execution, integrating protection and restoration duties into every stage.”

Professor Bai Zhongke argues, “There must be a dual push for technical and managerial innovation, which both need to be integrated into the institutional framework to facilitate harmony between humanity and nature, realizing the vision of a Beautiful China.”

Currently, China’s socioeconomic development is moving towards accelerated green and low-carbon quality growth. However, challenges remain in the construction of ecological civilization. As visible in the explorations from various regions, a coordinated approach to high-quality development and stringent ecological protection is essential. Creating a robust, integrated management mechanism will strengthen natural ecological barriers and ensure a harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

Channel Islands Air SearchThe search crew used thermal image cameras to capture the entire rescue operationThe body of a woman who died after falling from a cruise ship was located "very quickly", according to the head of the air search service.
John Fitzgerald, accountable manager at Channel Islands Air Search, said its plane located her within 30 minutes of taking off in the early hours of Saturday.
He told the BBC that tides flowed quickly in the area, west of Alderney, and search efforts typically took several hours or required multiple searches.
However, conditions were good during the search mission and the team used thermal cameras to help locate the body, which was recovered by a French helicopter, he said.
The alarm was raised after the woman in her 20s went overboard north of Les Casquets rocks.
Mr Fitzgerald said the service received a call from French authorities at about 01:20 BST and the service's five-seater plane was airborne "about 30 to 35 minutes later".
The French search and rescue service said the casualty from the MSC Virtuosa was winched from the sea by a helicopter crew and later pronounced dead by doctors.
John Fitzgerald heads up Channel Islands Air Search which is called out when people's lives are in dangerFollow BBC Guernsey on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Follow BBC Jersey on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [email protected].

Residents told to flee as firefighters battle blaze, with two homes burned and several others damaged
Associated PressFri 18 Oct 2024 21.47 EDTFirst published on Fri 18 Oct 2024 19.39 EDTShareA fast-moving fire fed by strong winds burned two homes on Friday and damaged several others in a hillside neighborhood in the city of Oakland, where roughly 500 people were ordered to evacuate, officials said.
Damon Covington, the city’s fire chief, said that at about 1.30pm, calls had come in reporting a fire in front of a home in the Oakland hills. Crews arrived as the inferno quickly grew with winds ranging from calm breezes to 40mph (64km/h) gusts during red-flag conditions.
“Wind was whipping,” Covington said.
Michael Hunt, a spokesperson for the fire department, said one of the homes had been significantly burnt while the second had minor damage from the flames. Fewer than 10 other homes had smoke and water damage. Early reports had conflicting numbers of affected structures.
<p lang=\"qht\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/oakland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#oakland</a> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/oaklandfire?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#oaklandfire</a> <a href=\"https://t.co/X9PhTK0HpH\">https://t.co/X9PhTK0HpH</a></p>&mdash; Oakland Firefighters (@OaklandFireLive) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/OaklandFireLive/status/1847412409335763365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 18, 2024</a></blockquote>"}}”>#oakland #oaklandfire https://t.co/X9PhTK0HpH
— Oakland Firefighters (@OaklandFireLive) October 18, 2024The fire was near the 580 Freeway, which connects the San Francisco Bay Area to central California, causing traffic jams as people tried to leave the area and smoke wafted over the city of 440,000.
The blaze charred through eucalyptus trees, which spread the fire as flames jumped across sides of the roadway, Covington said. Within three hours, it grew to to 13 acres (about 5 hectares). By about 4pm, crews were able to stop it from advancing, though scores of firefighters continued to battle.
“We have less than 10 homes that have been damaged, and we had hundreds of homes, structures, that were threatened,” the chief said.
The fire was burning in the Oakland hills where a 1991 fire destroyed nearly 3,000 homes and killed 25 people.
It comes as forecasters issued red-flag warnings for fire danger until Saturday from the central coast through the San Francisco Bay Area and into northern Shasta county, not far from the Oregon border.
About 16,000 customers were without electricity Friday after Pacific Gas and Electric shut off power in 19 counties in the northern and central parts of the state. A major “diablo wind” – notorious in the autumn for its hot, dry gusts – was forecast to cause sustained winds reaching 35mph in many areas, raising the risk of power lines sparking a wildfire. The gusts could top 65mph (104 km/h) along mountaintops, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The strong winds are expected to last through part of the weekend.
The fire began as a vegetation fire near the freeway and grew uphill, Hunt said. At least eight structures have already been damaged.
He said “hundreds of residents” were being evacuated, but did not have an exact number.
“It’s a large, probably three-mile area that’s probably potentially evacuated,” he said.
A nearby elementary school was getting set up to serve as a temporary shelter for the evacuees.
A total of about 20,000 customers could lose power temporarily in the next couple of days, PG&E said in a statement Friday.
“The duration and extent of power outages will depend on the weather in each area, and not all customers will be affected for the entire period,” the utility said.
It was not immediately clear what caused the Oakland blaze. The fire department ordered people to evacuate Friday on two streets, Campus Drive and Crystal Ridge Court.
“This could end up being the most significant wind event for this year so far,” said meteorologist Brayden Murdock with the NWS’s Bay Area office. “We want to tell people to be cautious.”
Targeted power shutoffs were also possible in southern California, where another notorious weather phenomenon, the Santa Ana winds, are expected Friday and Saturday.
Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty north-east winds that blow from the interior of southern California toward the coast and offshore, moving in the opposite direction of the normal onshore flow that carries moist air from the Pacific into the region.
The National Weather Service issued red-flag warnings for the valleys and mountains of Los Angeles county, portions of the Inland Empire, and the San Bernardino mountains.
Winds around greater Los Angeles won’t be as powerful as up north, with gusts from 25-40mph (40-64 km/h) possible in mountains and foothills, said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the NWS’s Los Angeles-area office.
The strongest winds were being recorded in the Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains, where Friday there were gusts from 45-55mph (72-88 km/h) with isolated gusts up to 60mph (96km/h), he said.
“Humidities are drying out and we have the winds. If we had a fire spark, it could really spread quickly because of the current conditions,” Wofford said.

simon kolawole
Breaking News: The World Bank has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic policy, suggesting that Nigeria must maintain its current reforms for the next 10 to 15 years in order to be able to transform its economy. Dr. Indermit Gill, the chief economist and senior vice-president of the World Bank Group, said and I quote: “If these reforms are sustained, Nigeria will transform its economy and become an engine of growth in sub-Saharan Africa. It is very difficult to implement such reforms, but the rewards are massive.” He was speaking in Abuja at the 30th Nigerian Economic Summit with the theme: “Collaborative Action for Growth, Competitiveness, and Stability.”
Me: Thank you very much, Dr. Gill, but how many Nigerians will still be alive in the long run at this rate? With the massively falling naira, growing foodflation, explosive fuel costs, and shocking electricity tariffs, how many Nigerians will make it to the Promised Land? Nigerians have been experiencing the pains of various economic reforms for decades but it has been eons since they have had to endure this rate of price increases all coming within one year. As they are struggling to process one development, another one comes. They are asking: when will there be a respite? Petrol price alone has jumped from roughly N185/litre to around N1,000. This was previously unthinkable.
When President Olusegun Obasanjo was about to be inaugurated in 1999, Channels TV did a vox-pop of people on the streets, asking them their expectations of the new government. “I want Obasanjo to bring the economy down,” one market woman yelled into the microphone. Don’t laugh. As far as she was concerned, the “economy” means prices of goods and services. You know everything about the macro-economic and micro-economic theories, GDP, M1, M2, M3, balance of payments, capital flows and fiscal consolidation — but the market woman knows something about the price of garri theory. No matter the imperative of reform, therefore, there is a human element that cannot be ignored.
Economic reforms are mostly presented as a technical activity. You want to attract foreign investments? Remove the artificial peg of the naira, lift barriers to free trade and don’t place a lid on capital repatriation. You want more funds for education, healthcare and to build critical infrastructure? Get rid of subsidies. You want more revenue? Increase your tax/GDP ratio — your rates are too low and enforcement too weak. You want to curb inflation? Reduce money supply by raising interest rates. On paper, these policies are no-brainers. There is just one problem: at the receiving end are human beings — and the poorest of them are always disproportionately affected.
Across the country today, Nigerians are groaning over the impact of the reform being embarked upon by Tinubu, who has been nicknamed “T-Pain”. The reform has seen to the total or partial removal of three subsidies: petrol, FX and electricity. The “technical” results are what the World Bank is celebrating: debt service as percentage of revenue is falling, meaning there will be more money to fund the budget; FX reserves are growing, meaning we can now meet our international trading obligations better than before; and federation account is getting fatter partly because of the removal of the implicit FX subsidy. But here is the ultimate test: what is the “is equal to” on the price of garri?
On the upside, the removal of petrol subsidy will end the scam that has been enriching a few. We were to spend about N5.4 trillion on subsidy in 2024, having already doled out N4.2 trillion from January to July. No such claims can be made again and there should, thus, be more money going into the treasury. On the downside, though, petrol price has been rising and making life miserable for Nigerians. It is complicated by the fact that we are not used to buying petrol at a market-determined price, so it is a culture shock. When prices were increased in the past, they usually stayed on the same spot for years no matter the ex-depot cost. This brought some stability to consumer prices.
Until recently, we were importing petrol at N1,200/litre and selling at N600. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd started owing suppliers and was, in no time, struggling to keep importing. Word went round that Dangote Refinery, being home-based, would soon start selling petrol for N200, but that was not to be. After all, the refinery also has to buy crude at the market price (whether in naira or dollars) — like any other refinery — before it can produce petrol. We have now entered an era where petrol, like diesel, will be priced like any other commodity as it is done in most countries around the world. The new order, unfortunately, means more pains for Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the removal of FX subsidy has brought hardship — in fact, it is the root of the biggest sufferings Nigerians have had to bear, including the hike in fuel prices and electricity tariffs. FX is the baseline for virtually everything in Nigeria, directly and indirectly. The official exchange rate was around N460/$ when Tinubu became president. It is now about N1,600/$. In the parallel market, it was N750/$ and now N1,700. We held on to the artificial/official peg for so long that the gap kept widening. Only those with “long legs” could buy FX at the official rate. The most pronounced consequences were the diversion of FX into parallel market and the backlog of unmet demands.
By allowing the naira to depreciate, Tinubu can claim to have achieved a few things. One, the incentive for arbitrage — buying at official rate and selling in the parallel market — has reduced. Some of our celebrated billionaires were milking the country dry through arbitrage: getting FX from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at N460/$ via fake transactions and roundtripping to sell at N750/$ in the parallel market. The margin was mad. The margin is thin now, making arbitrage less attractive. Two, Tinubu can also say that our dollar reserves are growing again, partly because FX inflow is now going through official sources. Now we are settling our FX obligations faster, compared to the past.
But the downside is devastating. We import most of the essential things we consume in Nigeria, including fuels, clothing, medication and intermediate goods. Any slight upward adjustment in the exchange rate will cause a ripple effect on general prices. In fact, it was when the exchange rate went gaga that it finally dawned on me that it is far more impactful on the poor than the price of petrol. Actually, the fuel prices are largely dependent on the exchange rate. In turn, the cost of transportation is determined by fuel prices. And the pricing of foodstuff, particularly in the southern part of Nigeria, is largely affected by transportation cost. It is like everything happened to us at once.
Tinubu also partially removed electricity subsidy. According to reports, the subsidy bill was estimated at N2 trillion for 2024. But through the creation of the “Band A” nomenclature and the shifting of most of the subsidy burden there, Tinubu cut the bill by half. The general economic argument is that where there is no subsidy, there is no subsidy scam. Agreed. But the impact has been equally devastating. By the time the tripled tariff landed on businesses and schools (tertiary institutions in particular), it was all tears. In sum, the removal of the three subsidies — despite all the highlighted benefits — has taken the cost of living skywards and eroded the purchasing power of Nigerians.
Where do I stand? To be sure, I am not against reform. The economic hardship is global. Our economy was racing towards the abyss. We were spending most of our revenue on servicing debts, printing money to pay salaries and failing to meet our FX obligations. We were living on borrowed time. We were getting to a stage when our letters of credit would no longer be honoured — meaning we would not be able to import basic stuffs again. It has happened before: in 1983, the Shehu Shagari administration had to set up a task force to import rice. In 1984, we were queueing to buy “essential commodities” as they were not available in the open market because of FX scarcity.
In one word, we did not have many options when Tinubu came on board. In fact, the reform should have started as far back as 2014. We did not want Nigerians to suffer, so we delayed and dilly-dallied. We started borrowing and also rationing FX to paper over the cracks. Some of the measures actually held down consumer prices for a while and I was partially in support because I believe reform has to be paced. But when the problems became overwhelming, we delayed action on many fronts. It is like a man with kidney failure dilly-dallying on dialysis until he now has to do a transplant. Nigeria is now undergoing a transplant because of its failure to do the painful but necessary dialysis for years.
Having said that, however, I still do not have nice words for the Tinubu administration. For one, it is clear that the reform was poorly conceived and harshly implemented. You can devalue the naira, yes, but no country floats its currency recklessly as we did. It was a kamikaze. Above all, the measures to cushion the pains are mostly audio. Ages ago, the Tinubu administration announced a planned suspension of tariffs on food items. Maybe it will start implementation this morning. You can see the unseriousness. No sense of urgency. Yet, the government was eager to award the N15 trillion Lagos-Calabar road contract — of all the problems in Nigeria. Construction started instantly. Priorities.
That, in a nutshell, is why reform is difficult to sell to Nigerians. The people are wondering: are we all in this thing together? There is nothing to show that the message of sacrifice is for all. Leadership is best delivered by example. It is more urgent to buy a presidential jet than to reduce tariffs on food items and medication that will benefit millions of Nigerians. How many people really benefit from all these palliatives? All said, it would be more disastrous to reverse the reform. The task is how to keep it on track and minimisethepains. I have said this again and again: Nigerians are not impossible to lead. They want to see that their leaders really and truly care — not just in words but also in deed.
AND FOUR OTHER THINGS…
KILLING EFCC
There is a big campaign to castrate the EFCC by limiting its powers to only federal officials. Sixteen states are at the Supreme Court seeking a definitive pronouncement on the powers of the EFCC. I am not a lawyer (at least, not yet), but my sense is that the EFCC deals with financial crimes that go through the banking system. Item No. 6 on the exclusive legislative list in the 1999 Constitution places “banks and banking” under federal jurisdiction. Therefore, the best way governors can plunder our resources and escape the EFCC is to avoid passing their loot through the financial system. Alternatively, they can get the lawmakers to delete Item 6 from the exclusive list. Simple.
TANKER TRAGEDY
Over 100 people were burnt to death in an explosion in Majia, Jigawa state, on Tuesday night when a petrol-laden tanker had an accident. Most of the victims were reportedly scooping petrol when the explosion occurred. It happens all the time. The most memorable for me was the 1998 Jesse pipeline disaster in Delta state — over 1,000 were burnt to death. There have been similar incidents in Cross River and Lagos states. We all know the dangers, but when you are so poor, your sense of adventure can be reckless. You are only thinking of the gain of “free petrol” if you succeed in scooping it. We obviously need to take tanker safety seriously and citizen education even more seriously. Horrific.
LAWLESS LIBYA
Ahead of the now-postponed Afcon qualifier in Libya, the Super Eagles of Nigeria were treated shabbily by their petulantly hostile hosts. Their flight was diverted to a distant airport — where they were held hostage without water, food or internet access for 15 hours. However, the Libyans said we meted out a similar treatment to them a few days earlier when they played in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. In other words, this was their revenge. In football, retaliation is a straight red card. It contradicts their claim that the flight was not diverted deliberately. Nigeria has denied the allegations. Why didn’t the Libyans report the Uyo “maltreatment” to CAF? That would have been far more civil. Self-help.
NO COMMENT
The consultative assembly of the Southeast Electricity Consumers Association (SEECA) says residents in the geo-political zone will go on an “indefinite strike” from November 1 over a plan to move customers to Band A where electricity tariffs are the highest. Before you laugh, they have a point: faulty infrastructure is yet to be fixed and the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has not complied with an order by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to refund N11.86 billion to consumers overbilled between January and September 2023. But what will a strike look like if EEDC does not stop supply? Switch off the lights? Resort to using diesel generators? Wonderful.

On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, celebrated as the Double Ninth Festival on October 11, the Chinese community in New York held a grand autumn ritual at the Mazu Temple in Flushing. This event commemorated the 1037th anniversary of Mazu’s ascension to immortality. Organized by the American Mazu Foundation, the event also announced that the second Global Mazu Culture Forum will take place at the United Nations on October 18, celebrating the 15th anniversary of Mazu customs being listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Since 2015, the American Mazu Temple has hosted annual spring and autumn festivals to unite its followers and promote the spirit of “virtue, kindness, and great love” embodied by Mazu. This year, the autumn festival was officiated by Zhu Rongbin, chairman of the American Mazu Foundation, in a solemn ceremony. Co-founder Huang Shengfa and current chairwoman Huang Mingping participated alongside community representatives to conduct the ritual, praying for favorable weather, world peace, and the well-being of all people. Community leaders expressed their belief that the universal spirit of Mazu’s love could help mend US-China relations for the benefit of both nations.

Huang Mingping highlighted that Mazu is one of the three major deities of the Chinese nation and is revered as the ancient sea goddess. With Mazu customs successfully recognized, the culture has evolved into an academic discipline, contributing significantly to human spiritual and material wealth. She emphasized that the upcoming Global Mazu Culture Forum represents a milestone event that revitalizes Mazu culture while enhancing its international impact. This initiative not only boosts the visibility and reputation of Mazu culture but also promotes the transmission of these customs, instilling a sense of duty to protect and preserve the world’s intangible cultural heritage.

A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Shina Peller, has charged teachers across the country to mold characters and raise a more responsible generation of leaders by instilling values of accountability, empathy and vision in their students right from the classrooms.
Peller made the call in reaction to the Exemplary Leadership and Humanitarian Service Award conferred on him in Ibadan by the Oyo State Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) during the 2024 World Teachers’ Day Celebration.
He said despite the nation’s wealth in natural and human resources, shortcomings in leadership have hindered progress.
Peller added that by focusing on character building within the educational framework, teachers can lay a solid foundation for young individuals who will one day lead their communities, states, and country.
While thanking the teachers for finding him worthy of the honour, Peller reminded them that their influence extend beyond textbooks, adding that they possess the power to inspire young minds and shape them into effective, responsible and selfless leaders tomorrow.
Peller said: “I’m deeply humbled to receive the Exemplary Leadership and Humanitarian Service Award from the Oyo State Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) during the 2024 World Teachers’ Day Celebration in Ibadan.
“This recognition serves as a call to action, reminding us that our country’s leadership deficits hinder progress despite abundant natural and human capital resources. It’s time to change how we view education and its potential to nurture desirable leaders.
“As educators, you possess the power to shape the future. With 150 million youthful minds eager to learn, our nation’s potential is immense. Let’s raise a generation of leaders with integrity, instilling values of accountability, empathy, and vision. Empower them to think critically, solve problems, and serve selflessly.”
“The event was graced by the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, and other dignitaries such as the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin, as well as the Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu who were also awarded alongside myself.
“During this memorable ceremony, Governor Makinde also commissioned a newly built block of 10 classrooms at the NUT Model School in Ibadan. This is a testament to the Oyo State Government’s commitment to improved educational facilities.
“As a society, let’s advocate for better welfare and working conditions for teachers. Thank you, NUT, for this honor. Together, let’s shape a brighter future.”

•Complete Dasin Hausa Dam to absorb excess water from Lagdo Dam, House urges FG
•MSF expresses worry over increasing malnutrition cases in northern Nigeria
Francis Sardauna in Katsina, Juliet Akoje in Abuja and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State, Tuesday, said the state government had received N3 billion support from the federal government to tackle the devastating effect of flooding in the state.
Radda, who announced the provision while flagging off financial assistance to flood victims in the state, said the widespread flood had ravaged several local government areas.
He said homes, farmlands, roads, and public utilities had been severely damaged by the devastating effect of the natural disaster, leaving thousands of residents homeless with worsening environmental degradation.
Relatedly, the House of Representatives urged the federal government to expedite the completion of the Dasin Hausa Dam in Adamawa State to help absorb excess water released from the Lagdo Dam. The House also sought the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure in flood-prone areas in the country
The lower chamber mandated the Nigerian/Cameroon Friendship Group to investigate the Nigerian/Cameroon agreement on the Lagdo Dam and mitigation measures, and advise the House within two weeks for further legislative action.
Meanwhile, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said following the devastating flood in some parts of northern Nigeria, especially Borno and other north-eastern states, there had been an increase in child malnutrition cases across healthcare centres where its officials were rendering services.
MSF also lamented that despite the harvest season across the sub-region, the number of malnourished patients being admitted in hospitals was increasing.
Responding to the flood disaster in his state, Radda said, “Recognising the calamity of the situation, the federal government has stepped in to provide more needed assistance as part of the federal government’s intervention of about N3 billion to the state government. This funding is aimed at providing relief to the victims and helping them rebuild their lives.”
He explained that after a careful verification process by the technical committee inaugurated by the state government to ascertain the effect of the flood, it was established that 1,067 persons were seriously affected by the natural disaster.
Radda stated that out of the 1,067 victims, 439, whose homes were completely smashed by the flood, would each receive N600,000 each, while 628 victims, whose homes had significant damage, would receive N300,000 each.
He added that the state government had procured N200 million worth of building materials to be distributed to 1,772 victims, whose houses were partially damaged, to build their homes and restore their livelihoods.
Radda stated, “The total financial support allocated to these victims stands at N451,800,000. In addition to monetary aid, the Katsina State government is equally committed to ensuring that those affected receive comprehensive support.”
He said his administration had earmarked N2.9 billion for emergency flood and erosion control projects across several locations in the state.
On their part, the federal lawmakers directed the Federal Ministry of Environment to undertake a comprehensive study of the impact of climate change and Lagdo Dam’s annual release on Nigeria’s riverine communities and develop an actionable flood management plan to protect lives and properties.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance on the need to investigate the recurrent flooding due to the opening of the Lagdo Dam, moved by Hon. O. K. Chinda at plenary on Tuesday.
While presenting the motion, Chinda stressed that the Lagdo Dam located on the Benue River in northern Cameroon, was built in 1982 primarily for irrigation and electricity generation.
He stated that every year, during the rainy season, the dam operators in Cameroon released excess water to prevent overflow, which inevitably flowed downstream into Nigeria, causing significant flooding in states along the river, including Borno, Adamawa, Benue, Taraba, Kogi, and beyond.
The lawmaker expressed worry over the recurrent loss of lives, displacement of communities, destruction of farmlands, livestock, and homes, and damage to critical infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, schools, and healthcare facilities, as a result of the flooding.
“Mindful that despite early warnings by the Nigerian authorities about the release of water from the Lagdo Dam, many communities remain unprepared and are left vulnerable to the devastating impacts of the floods,” the legislator noted.
He recalled that while the construction of a buffer dam, the proposed Dasin Hausa Dam in Adamawa State, was agreed upon in principle between Nigeria and Cameroon to help contain the excess water from Lagdo Dam, the project had remained stalled for years due to funding and bureaucratic delays.
Recognising the urgent need for the federal government to develop long-term solutions to mitigate the effect of the annual flooding and protect vulnerable communities along the River Benue and Niger basins, Chinda urged swift actions to engage relevant stakeholders, both within and outside Nigeria, to mitigate the annual disasters and to provide lasting solutions for affected communities.
Without such actions, he said the situation will persist annually with each year worse than the former, thus, diminishing the confidence of the people in the leaders.
The House, in its resolution, urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) in the affected states, to henceforth enhance early warning systems and improve evacuation and relief efforts for communities in flood-prone areas prior to the flood.
A signed press statement made available to journalists yesterday by MSF International President, Dr. Christos Christou, said, “But this year, at a time when the peak is supposed to be over, the number of patients admitted to the hospital is not going down. Worse, the condition in which they arrive is even more severe than usual.”
MSF stated, “Very often, people don’t have access even to basic medical care where they live, and do not have enough money or available transport. As a result, they reach to us too late.”
Christou explained that, presently, many organisations, which were providing support in Maiduguri and other parts of the north, had had to reduce their budgets or even stop their operations.
He said for the past few years, MSF had seen significant increase in the number of admissions for malnutrition, adding that the numbers in 2022 and 2023 are already critically high.
“But between January to August this year, we have seen a 51 per cent increase in admissions of children with severe malnutrition, compared to the same period last year,” the MSF international president pointed out.
He said over the first eight months of this year, MSF treated 52,725 children with severe malnutrition, a life-threatening condition, across northern Nigeria.
He said aside that, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, one of the leading causes of death of children, were recurrent in Nigeria.
“Between January-August this year alone, we had already treated over 12,500 cases of measles. That’s nearly double the same period last year,” MSF said.
It stated that outbreaks of infectious diseases significantly increased mortality risks for children under the age of five, while unvaccinated children in this age group were particularly vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, which elevated the risk of acute malnutrition.