Emergency responders plan nuclear plant drill
Emergency responders from federal, state and local agencies will join Tennessee Valley Authority personnel Wednesday and Thursday in an emergency preparedness graded exercise at and around the Sequoyah nuclear plant near Soddy Daisy, Tennessee.
The exercise is part of an ongoing series of training drills and exercises required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to help protect the health and safety of the public in the unlikely event of an emergency at Sequoyah. Such graded exercises are required by FEMA every two years at nuclear plant sites.
Results of the Sequoyah emergency response exercise will be shared at a public meeting on Friday at 3 p.m. in Ballrooms 1 & 2 of the Chattanoogan Hotel, located at 1201 Broad St., in downtown Chattanooga.
Gates says aid alone won’t solve hunger
Bill Gates says the global hunger crisis is so immense that food aid cannot fully address the problem.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation released a report Tuesday documenting major setbacks toward shared global development goals, including food insecurity. In an interview with The Associated Press, Gates argues that innovations in farming technology, in particular, what he calls “magic” crop seeds are needed to reverse the crisis.
The seeds are engineered to adapt to climate change and resist agricultural pests. Some scientists say that reliance on the seeds conflicts with worldwide efforts to protect the environment because they generally require fossil fuel-based fertilizers and pesticides to grow.
Ukraine food exports up but Russia fertilizer down
The U.N. says food exports from Ukraine and Russia have increased since a July 22 grain deal, but critically needed fertilizer exports from Russia are still down despite the agreement. Insurance, financing and shipping remain issues.
U.N. trade chief Rebeca Grynspan, said Tuesday that Russia reported a 12% increase in food exports from June to July. But she said while there has been “important progress,” the U.N. is concerned about fertilizer exports needed by October-November for the northern hemisphere planting season. She warned of a “catastrophic crisis” if fertilizer remains unaffordable for many.
Union, GE reach deal on worker pay raises
LYNN, Mass. — The largest union representing General Electric Co. workers says it’s reached a tentative deal with the company to speed up pay raises for workers at a Massachusetts aviation plant.
Under the agreement, workers at GE’s facility in Lynn would be eligible for raises sooner and could reach the top pay rate after six years, instead of up to 10 under the old system. GE has already implemented an accelerated raise schedule at plants in New Hampshire and Vermont.
IUE-CWA Local 201, the union that negotiated the deal, called it a “massive win” for workers.
— Compiled by Dave Flessner