August 28, Monday, 2023

1. The Japanese government has outlined a plan to build underground shelters where people can evacuate in the event of emergencies. The draft was compiled while keeping in mind a possible contingency in Taiwan. The plan says each shelter would be a robust underground facility with a door that can withstand blasts, a ventilation system and an emergency power source. 2. The organizers of the Paris Olympics and Paralympics are taking steps to ensure that next year’s events will be the most eco-friendly Games ever. Monday marks one year until the opening of the Paris Paralympics. One project involves using water from the Seine River to air condition some competition venues, including badminton and wheelchair basketball courts. 3. A group of Japanese companies is working on developing plastic drink bottles that are not made from any petroleum-based materials. They say the commercialization of these bottles produced only from bio-based substances would be a world-first. A substance called “para-xylene” accounts for about 70 percent of the bottles.