Day: August 24, 2022

Beijing– Tropical Storm Ma-on was gaining strength as it headed for Hong Kong and other parts of southeastern China on Wednesday after displacing thousands in the Philippines, the Associated Press reported.

Several cities in Guangdong province suspended high-speed rail and ferry service and evacuated workers on offshore projects. The airport in Shenzhen, a Chinese tech center that borders Hong Kong, canceled all flights from 3 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday.

The Hong Kong Observatory warned of flooding in low-lying areas and advised people to stay away from the shoreline, though Ma-on is not forecast to make a direct impact on the southern Chinese financial hub with its population of 7.4 million.

The storm is expected to make landfall around noon Thursday on the coast of Guangdong, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) southwest of Hong Kong, and weaken as it moves inland toward the Guangxi region, Yunnan province and northern Vietnam, China’s National Meteorological Center said on its website.

The storm’s arrival comes as many parts of central and western China are facing severe drought brought on by temperatures that broke records for August, withering crops and endangering drinking water supplies.

Ma-on weakened slightly after barreling across mountainous northern provinces in the Philippines, where at least three people were left injured by trees knocked down by the high winds. Classes were suspended and government offices closed in the capital Manila.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Bissau– King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) handed over here yesterday the gift of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, which contained 25 tons of dates.

The gift was delivered by the KSrelief’s team, in the presence of a number of senior officials in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

It comes within the relief and humanitarian programs provided by the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for a number of brotherly and friendly countries, to help the most needy families in different parts of the world.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Tokyo– Japan is considering constructing next-generation nuclear power plants to support its goals of reducing carbon emissions and providing a stable supply of electricity, Kyodo quoted sources close to the matter as saying Wednesday.

A step marking a major shift in the Japanese government’s no new nuclear energy policy. The plan, which will also consider extending the maximum service period for the country’s existing nuclear reactors beyond 60 years, will be announced at a conference on industrial transformation and decarbonization later in the day.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has been studying the development of next-generation nuclear power plants, and previously released the envisioned development process of upgrading to reactors with enhanced safety features in the 2030s.

The government, which may adopt this plan, is also expected to consider effectively extending the operational life of nuclear power plants by not including the periods in which they were shut down while under review by the Nuclear Regulation Authority.

But such an extension could spur concerns about the safety of aging reactors that are more prone to accidents.

Following the 2011 Fukushima disaster triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami, Japan introduced stricter safety standards limiting the operation of nuclear reactors to 40 years in principle.

But operation for an additional 20 years is possible if safety upgrades are made and a reactor passes screening by regulators.

Japan has set a target for nuclear power generation to account for 20 to 22 percent of its electricity supply in fiscal 2030.

Of the 17 nuclear power plants that have already passed screening, 10 have been restarted. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said last month the aim is to restart up to nine reactors to prepare for an expected electricity shortage this winter.

Source: Saudi Press Agency