Multnomah County has announced a countywide burn ban effective immediately, echoing similar recent announcements from other Portland-area counties and fire districts. The bans come as the Portland region heads into a significant heat wave expected to last most of the week. The ban includes recreational campfires, fire pits, yard debris and agricultural burning. It does not include outdoor barbecuing, but residents are urged to exercise extreme caution when using grills. READ MORE.
Russia will pull out of the International Space Station after 2024 and focus on building its own orbiting outpost, the country's new space chief said earlier today amid high tensions between Moscow and the West over the fighting in Ukraine. READ MORE.
A massive chunk of Chinese space debris could crash land somewhere on Earth. Over the weekend, China launched a rocket carrying a big piece of its new orbital Tiangong Space Station. The delivery was a success, but astronomers say the launch left the rocket orbit. The rocket weighs at least 23-tons and it's possible that not all of it will burn up on re-entry and they say it could make an uncontrolled re-entry at an unpredictable location. READ MORE.
Ticketmaster is defending itself following outcry over the “dynamic pricing” of Bruce Springsteen tickets. Last week we found out that they were charging up to $5k for tickets in certain markets. Ticketmaster claims the number of controversial variable-price “platinum” tickets that are selling for 5k apiece represented just 11.2% of all tickets sold. They said most tickets sold at fixed prices that ranged from $60 to $399 before the service fees, and that the average price of all tickets sold so far is $262. READ MORE.
A new-and-improved "Game of Thrones" is coming to HBO Max. All eight seasons will be upgraded with 4K Ultra HD, along with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos sound. An exact date for the enhanced version of the show has not been released, but it will be available only to customers who use the ad-free tier of the streaming service. READ MORE.
I’ve got sad news. After nearly 40 years… Klondike has discontinued the Chaco Taco. A rep says it was discontinued earlier this month due to an unprecedented spike in demand for different Klondike products over the past two years. READ MORE.