As 2025 draws to a close, the departure of the beleaguered acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, David Richardson, caps a tumultuous year for FEMA. In January, President Donald Trump took office and vowed to abolish the department.

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The Hong Kong high-rise fire, which spread across multiple buildings in a large residential complex, has killed dozens, with hundreds reported missing.

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“We couldn’t paint the robot blue like a traditional Smurf. It had to be painted with three reflective coats of yellow paint so that it’s clearly visible,” says Jan Sramota.

Sramota is a researcher at SINTEF and part of the team behind the rescue robot. The robot’s job is to move in after earthquakes, landslides, floods and other natural disasters. The rescue teams can unleash the yellow Smurfs when the situation becomes too unsafe for the human rescuers or there are too many places  to handle at once.

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