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The British government has ordered more than 100 schools to keep some or all of their buildings closed when the new academic year begins next week because of concern that crumbling concrete threatens the safety of children and staff LONDON -- The British government has ordered more than 100 schools to keep some or all of their buildings closed when the new academic year begins next week because of concern that crumbling concrete threatens the safety of children and staff. The announcement late Thursday sent school administrators scrambling to find ways to accommodate pupils, with some expected to return to the online instruction used during the COVID-19 pandemic. The timing of the decision, just days before the start of classes, raised questions from parents and school officials about why the government didn’t act sooner. Schools Minister Nick Gibb told the BBC that a beam collapse over the summer sparked an urgent reconsideration of whether buildings constructed with reinforced auto...

A powerful earthquake has struck Morocco, damaging buildings in major cities and sending panicked people pouring into streets and alleyways from Rabat to Marrakech RABAT, Morocco -- A powerful earthquake struck Morocco late Friday, damaging buildings in major cities and sending panicked people pouring into streets and alleyways from Rabat to Marrakech. There was no immediate word on any casualties, nor any reports from government officials on the tremor's impact. Moroccans posted videos showing some buildings turned to rubble. Tourists and others posted videos of people evacuating restaurants in Marrakech as throbbing club music played. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 when it hit at 11:11 p.m. Morocco's National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network measured it at 7 on the Richter scale. Variations in early measurements are common, although either reading would be Morocco's strongest in years. Though earthquakes are relati...

South African authorities say big ocean waves caused by a phenomenon known as “spring tide” crashed into coastal parts of the country over the weekend, leaving two people dead and injuring several CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- Big ocean waves caused by a phenomenon known as “spring tide” crashed into coastal parts of South Africa over the weekend, leaving two people dead and injuring several, authorities said Monday. The weather service said that waves as high as 9.5 meters were recorded, with some damaging seaside buildings and sweeping cars through parking lots. The South African Weather Service said that 50% of the country's coastline was hit by the sea surges. Two people died and at least seven were injured, it said. One of the two who died was a 93-year-old woman who was injured when water swept through a parking lot in the Wilderness area on the south coast, although the National Sea Rescue Institute said her death might have been from natural causes after she was taken to...