Nation Aug 27 Bare electrical wire, leaning utility poles seen as possible cause of deadly Maui fires In the first moments of the Maui fires, when high winds brought down power poles, slapping electrified wires to the dry grass below, there was a reason the flames erupted all at once in long, neat rows — those wires…
Politics Aug 18 Concerns over ‘climate gentrification’ rise after devastating fire in Maui “Climate gentrification” — the concept that changes in housing markets occur after extreme weather events — can result in new, expensive developments that make the area more tourist-friendly and can exclude local people.
Nation Aug 15 Videos of downed power lines before deadly Maui wildfire raise questions about how it started Hawaiian Electric Co. faces criticism for not shutting off the power amid high wind warnings and keeping it on even as dozens of poles began to topple.
Nation Aug 11 Maui wildfire burns 150-year-old banyan tree, threatening survival A giant 150-year-old banyan tree is among many landmarks in Lahaina which have been damaged. The sprawling tree that was the oceanside community's heart is now uncertain. The tree's limbs were scorched by a devastating fire that wiped away generations…
Nation Aug 11 How the Hawaii fires will take a toll on the state’s natural treasures Experts say the fires are likely to transform the landscape in unwanted ways including hastening erosion, sending sediment into waterways and degrading coral that is critically important to the islands, marine life and the humans who live nearby.
Nation Jun 23 In wake of Titan implosion, officials grapple with complex investigation into its causes On Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard said all of the agencies involved are trying to determine who has the authority to lead an inquiry, which is sure to be complex because of the international nature of the mission.
Politics Jun 14 How billions in COVID-19 pandemic relief aid was stolen or wasted Fraudsters used Social Security numbers of dead people to get unemployment checks. Cheaters collected benefits in multiple states. And federal loan applicants weren't cross-checked against a Treasury Department database that would have raised red flags about sketchy borrowers.
Politics May 29 UN begins talks in Paris on a treaty to end global plastic pollution The self-named "high ambition coalition" of countries, led by Norway and Rwanda, want limits on plastic production and restrictions on some of the chemicals used in plastics.
Science Dec 13 WATCH: Scientists announce fusion energy breakthrough, possible game-changer for climate Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California for the first time produced more energy in a fusion reaction than was used to ignite it, something called net energy gain, the Energy Department said.
Politics Sep 13 Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee narrowly wins Democratic primary Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee eked out a victory in his Democratic primary on Tuesday, beating back strong challenges from a pair of opponents as he seeks his first full term in office.