South-Carolina
SC leaders applaud Qatar deal for Boeing jets, question raised about $400M gifted plane
South Carolina leaders reacted to President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Qatar — where he finalized a deal to sell American jets to Qatar’s fleet and was offered a $400 million jet as a gift from the prime minister.
Trump returned to the United States on May 16 after a four-day visit to Middle Eastern countries. Part of the tour included a stop in Qatar, where Trump signed an agreement to create an economic exchange worth $1.2 trillion, according to the White House.
That agreement included a $96 billion agreement to sell hundreds of Boeing jets to Qatar Airways. Boeing will produce 210 777X and 787 Dreamliner jets, which are built in South Carolina, to join Qatar Airways’ fleet.
The White House issued a statement on the sale that claims the agreement is Boeing’s “largest-ever widebody order and largest-ever 787 order.”
Boeing built its first South Carolina 787 Dreamliner in April 2012. The North Charleston manufacturing facility became the only producer of the Dreamliner in the United States in 2021, when the company moved production from its Everett, Washington, facility.
Republican U.S. Rep. William Timmons (SC-4th District) said that trade negotiations between the U.S. and foreign nations are going well — and while there are a lot of difficult changes underway, those factors create a “perfect storm” that strengthens the U.S. economy.
“It’s just exciting,” Timmons said. “All the ingredients are getting right in the next few months.”
Boeing Commercial Airplane President Stephanie Pope said the company is honored that Qatar Airways has placed the record-breaking order.
“Our team is looking forward to building 787s and 777s for Qatar Airways into the next decade as they connect more people and businesses around the world with unmatched efficiency and comfort,” Pope said.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster addressed the deal on May 15 while he met with state leaders on storm preparedness for the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season.
“We’ve done a lot of business with Qatar,” McMaster said. “The work that he’s (Trump’s) done over there is just remarkable.”
Trump faced criticism from key Republican and Democratic lawmakers earlier this week when he posted on Truth Social that the Department of Defense was offered a Boeing 747 as a gift from Qatari leaders.
“The fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40-year-old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats,” the president said.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was among critics of the president’s potential acceptance of the jet. She also posted about the matter on social media and said that accepting gifts from foreign nations is never a good practice.
“Regardless of how beautiful the plane may be, it opens a door and implies the President and US can be bought,” Haley said. “If this were Biden, we would be furious.
Reporter Bella Carpentier covers the South Carolina legislature, state and Greenville County politics. Contact her at bcarpentier@gannett.com.
When Charleston residents and visitors opened their weather app over Fourth of July weekend, the first numbers they saw didn’t tell the whole story.
While meteorologists predicted a high of 94 degrees on Independence Day, the heat index, known as the “feels like” temperature, was projected to exceed 100. That’s what forecasters use to determine the actual heat risk and to issue advisories, watches and warnings.
The heat index is what stepping outside actually feels like to the human body when the temperature and humidity are combined. In Charleston, bouts of extreme heat indexes are hotter and longer than the region previously experienced.
Between 1979 and 2023, Charleston saw an increase of 19 days annually with a heat index over 80 degrees, according to Climate Central.
The National Weather Service office in Charleston uses the heat index to decide when to issue extreme heat warnings, watches and advisories. The determination is made from records maintained by the S.C. Department of Public Health, as well as the equivalent agency in Georgia, regarding EMS calls for heat-related emergencies.
The days with the highest number of calls were compared to conditions such as daily temperature and heat index. There were several cases where call volumes for heat-related illness were high, despite the heat index sitting below the advisory threshold at the time. Ultimately, the National Weather Service office lowered the requirements for a heat advisory to be issued.
Today, heat alerts fall into one of three categories:
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Heat Advisory: Issued when the heat index is between 108 and 112 degrees for at least two hours. During this time, people are encouraged to reschedule outdoor activities during the heat of the day. If being outside is necessary, people are encouraged to stay in the shade and drink lots of water.
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Extreme Heat Watch: Issued when the heat index is 113 degrees or higher for 24 to 72 hours. When this alert is issued, people should adjust their outdoor plans. In this case, the conditions for an extreme heat event are all there, but the timing and exact outcome are uncertain.
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Extreme Heat Warning: Issued when the heat index exceeds 113 degrees for at least two hours.
When this alert is issued, people should avoid outdoor activities during the heat of the day and stay in air conditioned spaces as much as possible.
In South Carolina, heat-related emergency room visits tend to peak during July. The most-recent data available from the state Department of Public Health indicates that Charleston County saw 713 emergency department visits for heat-related illness in July 2024.
Those most at risk, according to the state, are construction workers and landscapers, followed by postal carriers, recreation workers, farmers and lifeguards, among others.
Meteorologists expect a hot summer this year, as an “extremely strong” El Niño has formed in the Pacific Ocean. The global weather phenomenon is known to cause wetter conditions and a less-active hurricane season in the Southeast, as well as higher temperatures.
Climate scientists fear that the El Niño could thrust the world over the 1.5 degree Celsius, or 2.7 degree Fahrenheit, threshold of increased global surface temperatures above pre-industrial levels. Numerous scientific and political documents use that threshold when considering the turning point for climate change’s most intense and potentially irreversible impacts.
HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) – Horry County Fire Rescue crews contained three separate fires totaling roughly 13 acres overnight and into early morning, capping a busy Fourth of July for firefighters across the county.
Silvercrest Drive
Horry County Fire Rescue responded to the first fire at 10:32 p.m. Saturday at Silvercrest Drive in the Carolina Forest community.
The grass fire, estimated at one acre, threatened nearby structures, but crews contained it and protected the structures.
Smoke may still linger in the area Sunday.
Sunny Heights Road
Shortly after, around 11:10 p.m., firefighters responded to Sunny Heights Road in the Longs community for a woods fire.
The slow-moving fire grew to roughly 10 acres. No structures were threatened. The South Carolina Forestry Commission assisted crews on scene.
People in the area will continue to see smoke and possible flare-ups for an extended period. The fire was contained around 1:15 a.m.
Hardwick Road
At 3:32 a.m., Horry County Fire Rescue responded to the 10000 block of Hardwick Road in Nichols for a brush fire estimated at two acres.
The fire threatened nearby structures, but crews announced at 6:05 a.m. that the fire was contained and all structures were protected. The South Carolina Forestry Commission also assisted at this scene.
People in the area may continue to see smoke and possible flare-ups. Crews will continue to monitor the area.
Fireworks and Drought
In addition to the fires, Horry County Fire Rescue said crews kept busy throughout the evening with multiple calls, including outside fires reportedly started by the discharging of fireworks.
Ahead of the holiday weekend, HCFR had advised the community to skip personal-use fireworks and leave holiday shows to the professionals, citing dangerous dry conditions across the county.
Nearly all of Horry County, 99.3%, is currently under an extreme drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor data. Our First Alert Weather team has more on the expanding drought conditions here.
It is unclear if any of the three fires above were caused by fireworks.
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South Carolina made a late entrance into Jayden Broadie‘s recruitment, but the Gamecocks made every moment count.
The three-star EDGE from Rolesville (N.C.) announced his commitment to Shane Beamer and South Carolina on July 4, choosing the Gamecocks after a recruitment that remained fluid until the final weeks.
Broadie originally planned to commit this summer before considering delaying his decision into the season. Everything changed after South Carolina offered following a standout camp performance.
His first trip to Columbia was when the offer was earned, and it immediately left an impression.
“After camp they took me on a tour and talked to me about everything,” Broadie told Rivals. “All the coaches showed me love and made me feel like I belonged there. They made me feel wanted.”
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Defensive ends coach Deion Barnes quickly became a major factor.
Barnes worked with Broadie throughout camp, spent extra one-on-one time with him before drills began and showed the type of investment the North Carolina standout wanted to see.
“He definitely pushed me hard,” Broadie said. “He pointed out what I could improve, but he also told me what I did well. I really liked how Coach Barnes really invested his time in me before camp even started. That showed his character.”
Broadie also connected with Beamer.
“I love Coach Beamer’s energy,” he said. “After they offered, he called me a few times and was fired up about me. I love how he carries himself.”
Those relationships ultimately separated South Carolina from the rest of the field.
“They made me feel like a priority,” Broadie said. “Coach Barnes was very invested in me. He told me I would have an opportunity to compete and play early. He made me feel like I could come in and make a difference on the defense.”
Playing in the SEC also appealed to Broadie.
“It is the best of the best,” he said. “You get to compete against the best competition and really see how good you are. That’s what excites me the most.”
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