AI technology coming to Arlington ahead of 2026 FIFA World CupRepublican U.S. Sen.-elect Tim Sheehy this week claimed a firework-ignited grass fire set near his campaign sign west of Livingston was a politically motivated arson. A Park County sheriff’s deputy on Dec. 21 notified dispatchers of a fire near Interstate 90 and West End Road. On social media, the sheriff’s office said winds that night were clocked at 50-to-60 mph and helped push the fire out to 26 acres. Image of the area west of Livingston burned by someone discharging fireworks into the grass on Dec. 21, 2024. (courtesy Park County Sheriff's Office) Authorities issued evacuations for the nearby residents and firefighters knocked the blaze down in roughly an hour and a half, according to the sheriff’s office post. The fire "definitely" started near a Sheehy campaign sign, the rural fire district chief . And while law enforcement has obtained video of the suspect's vehicle fleeing the area after starting the fire, it appeared Friday that no one had been charged yet. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy addresses supporters early Wednesday morning at the Kimpton Armory Hotel in Bozeman. On Tuesday Sheehy appeared near the scorched scene and issued a social media post of appreciation for the responders, which, , included neighbors to the threatened properties. He also posted a picture with two Montana Department of Transportation employees, whose facility was adjacent to the burned area, as well as a photo of a blackened building. Initial reports from the sheriff’s office did say the incident was being investigated as a criminal act but did not imply political motivations, although Sheehy appeared certain of it in a video posted to his social media. "We just visited with the Jensen family here, four beautiful young kids, it was actually their third daughter’s birthday the night that these arsonists started the fire to burn down our sign and started about a 30-acre wildfire, burned their grazing land, harmed their property and its just sad that would happen here," Sheehy said. "We can still disagree, we can still respect each other in this country. We don't have to do things like this." Grateful to the Montanans who helped respond to this fire on Saturday before it did even more damage. While the investigation remains underway, this type of dangerous, reckless violence has no place in Montana. Terrible way for these folks to start the Christmas week, but they... The Park County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook on Monday it had obtained video evidence of a person shooting a firework out of a moving vehicle and igniting the dry grass before heading west on I-90. "It was definitely someone setting off fireworks at the sign," Park County Rural Fire District Chief Dann Babcox , referencing law enforcement reports. A call to the sheriff's office on Friday seeking any update or arrest information was not immediately returned. "Very disappointing, really tough way for these families to enter the Christmas week," Sheehy continued in his video. "It's effected several families here, including some structures, its a tough way for these people to have to start the holiday season." Seaborn Larson has worked for the Montana State News Bureau since 2020. His past work includes local crime and courts reporting at the Missoulian and Great Falls Tribune, and daily news reporting at the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. State Bureau Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
In just a few months, floods devastated both northern and southern Thailand, revealing a troubling truth: the country's disaster response system is failing, and climate change is making it worse. Thailand's weak disaster management -- from poor warnings to inadequate rescues -- turns emergencies into preventable tragedies. As climate change worsens storms and floods, the damage will grow unless action is taken now to fix the broken system. The dangers are real. From 2000 to 2019, Thailand faced 146 natural disasters, killing an average of 138 people each year and costing $7.7 billion (277.2 billion baht) -- nearly 1% of the country's GDP. Floods are the most destructive. Over two decades, they killed more than 2,000 people and caused damage totalling $59 billion (2.124 trillion baht). The recent northern floods were the worst in 80 years, causing damage of up to 60 billion baht and ranking among Thailand's 10 costliest disasters. A month later, the South faced its worst flooding in decades, displacing thousands as waters continued to rise. These disasters keep happening because Thailand lacks effective preventive measures to stop weather emergencies from becoming full-blown crises. As southern Thailand struggles with catastrophic flooding, questions linger: Why does this keep occurring? Deep-rooted problems Thailand's flood problems stem from three main issues: centralised policies with poor coordination on the ground, outdated early warning systems, and insufficient funding with misplaced priorities. Water management in Thailand is split between 48 agencies across 13 ministries, but their roles often overlap. For instance, both the National Water Resources Committee and the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Committee deal with floods, yet they rarely work together. As a result of no clear leader in charge, inefficiency reigns during crises. Thailand's warning system is also unreliable. It lacks critical data on topography and land use, which are essential for flood prevention. Nearly half of the weather monitoring equipment fails to function consistently, and 96% has failed to fully report weather measurement results for at least one day. Flood forecasts are only 33% accurate a day in advance, leaving communities vulnerable and unprepared. In many areas, warnings fail to reach residents because the SMS alert system is underdeveloped, and nearly half of the communication equipment doesn't work. State investment in risk reduction is poorly directed. Even though early warning systems can deliver a return of nine times the investment, most of the 2023 flood management budget was spent on building dams and drainage systems. Very little was allocated to improving warning systems or using data to prevent floods. Lessons from Japan Japan provides valuable solutions for overcoming these challenges. The country's disaster management uses decentralised decision-making, inter-agency collaboration, integrated data systems, and a focus on prevention. Local governments manage smaller emergencies, while the central government handles national crises. Both work under the same framework to ensure smooth coordination. Apart from using cutting-edge digital technology such as virtual city models to assess and predict risks, Japan also has effective early warning systems like J-Alert that can notify the public in seconds through multiple channels, from loudspeakers, television, radio, email, and mobile phones. Comprehensive early warnings, especially when issued at least 24 hours in advance, can reduce disaster damage by 30%. It's a clear example of how proactive measures save lives and minimise losses. Public education on disaster preparedness is also a priority in Japan. Regular drills and school programmes, including online classes and special courses for children, teach citizens how to respond in emergencies because preparation saves lives. Thailand has its own example of effective flood management in the City of Hat Yai. Once a disaster hotspot, the city suffered devastating floods every decade. Today, it's a success story, thanks to a mix of science, teamwork, and preparation. Local success Hat Yai's Disaster Research Centre at Prince of Songkla University uses advanced models to assess risks and predict floods. Meanwhile, its disaster response working group manages early warnings, risk plans, and coordination with state agencies and local communities. Reporting directly to the governor, the working group acts as an effective decision support system, which enables timely and accurate responses to flood risks. This collaborative approach, supported by committed volunteers and strong leadership, has saved lives and reduced damages. Hat Yai proves that preparation works. Despite its success, even Hat Yai's model has limits. Without consistent long-term funding, the research centre struggles with inadequate equipment and outdated data. Frequent staff turnover due to limited career opportunities also threatens the continuity of the working group, as does the regular transfer of governors. Expanding this approach across the country will need more resources and long-term support from the government. Breaking the cycle To break the cycle of flooding disasters, Thailand must shift its focus from reacting to crises to preventing them. This means improving coordination between national and local agencies and stopping unregulated land use in high-risk areas, which worsens the problem. Following the Hat Yai model, flood-prone areas should work with local universities to establish disaster research centres. These centres can collect land use and topography data, analyse risks, and use advanced tools like virtual city models to plan preventive strategies. Learning from past mistakes will also help improve preparedness for future disasters. Meanwhile, disaster response centres should take charge of risk plans, organise regular drills, invest in critical infrastructure, involve communities, implement effective warning systems, and manage evacuation, rescue, and recovery efforts. At the national level, inter-agency coordination is lacking. Committees for water management and disaster prevention don't work full-time or collaborate effectively, and no operational centre enforces their mandates. The government, therefore, must create full-time professional teams to oversee river basin management and support universities in setting up disaster research centres. International partnerships can also help improve warning systems and forecasts. Passing laws to empower governors is equally important. Currently, governors lack the authority to coordinate all state agencies in their provinces, making disaster prevention and response difficult. Upgrading governors to "super CEOs" with greater authority and power would ensure more effective leadership. The government must also address land use in flood-prone areas by regulating new developments, limiting existing ones, and removing structures with fair compensation. Proper zoning and planning can significantly reduce vulnerabilities. "We cannot eliminate disasters, but we can mitigate risk. We can reduce damage. We can save more lives," said Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General. This is true for Thailand, which has seen the devastating impact of floods -- lives lost, homes destroyed, and billions wasted. Yet, examples like Hat Yai and Japan show that preparation and coordination save lives and reduce losses. Floods are inevitable, but their destruction doesn't have to be. Thailand must act decisively to end its cycle of inefficiency and prepare for the next storm. The question is, will it be ready? Saowaruj Rattanakhamfu, PhD, is research director and Nuthasid Rukkiatwong is senior researcher at the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI). This article is adapted from the authors' presentation on "Disaster Preparedness: Managing Natural Disaster Crises" at the 2024 TDRI Annual Public Conference on October 30, 2024. Policy analyses from the TDRI appear in the 'Bangkok Post' on alternate Wednesdays.
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By ERIC TUCKER WASHINGTON (AP) — A ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans, a top White House official said Friday. Biden administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies , as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, told reporters Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. The update from Neuberger is the latest development in a massive hacking operation that has alarmed national security officials, exposed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the private sector and laid bare China’s hacking sophistication. The hackers compromised the networks of telecommunications companies to obtain customer call records and gain access to the private communications of “a limited number of individuals.” Though the FBI has not publicly identified any of the victims, officials believe senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures are among those whose whose communications were accessed. Related Articles National News | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National News | US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people National News | Most Americans blame insurance profits and denials alongside the killer in UHC CEO death, poll finds National News | Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion. Is this the new normal? National News | Man indicted in burning death of woman inside a New York City subway train, prosecutors say Neuberger said officials did not yet have a precise sense how many Americans overall were affected by Salt Typhoon, in part because the Chinese were careful about their techniques, but a “large number” were in the Washington-Virginia area. Officials believe the goal of the hackers was to identify who owned the phones and, if they were “government targets of interest,” spy on their texts and phone calls, she said. The FBI said most of the people targeted by the hackers are “primarily involved in government or political activity.” Neuberger said the episode highlighted the need for required cybersecurity practices in the telecommunications industry, something the Federal Communications Commission is to take up at a meeting next month. “We know that voluntary cyber security practices are inadequate to protect against China, Russia and Iran hacking of our critical infrastructure,” she said. The Chinese government has denied responsibility for the hacking.
Just two days after their Week 16 game in Buffalo, the New England Patriots were back at practice on Tuesday. Among the players spotted during the media portion of the in-stadium session was rookie linebacker Curtis Jacobs. Jacobs has officially been designated to return from injured reserve, opening the 21-day window for him to return to the active roster. Given that there are only two games left on the Patriots’ schedule, however, that timeline is effectively irrelevant. The team can bring Jacobs back to its 53-man roster at any time between now and its season finale on the weekend of January 4. Jacobs, 22, arrived in New England as a waiver wire pickup in late August. The Penn State product, who had entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs , went on to carve out a regular role on special teams. In total, he was on the field for 136 kicking game snaps plus 23 more on defense until sustaining a head injury in Week 11. That injury eventually prompted the Patriots to send him to IR in mid-November. Now, Jacobs is back on the practice fields — a positive sign for his recovery, if nothing else. The Patriots will host the Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff for the standalone game is set for 1 p.m. ET.
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Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 17.12.2024Texans WR Tank Dell reportedly tore LCL, MCL and damaged meniscus in addition to ACL tear, dislocation of injured left knee