Shorts (left)
In a blow to Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick’s tenuous grip on his job, Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm of Michigan announced on Tuesday that she will hold proceedings next week that could result in the Detroit mayor’s removal.
Shorts (right)
Home sales have begun to stabilize as sharply reduced prices lured buyers back into the market in July, according to a pair of reports issued this week. And prices, once plummeting at a breakneck pace, fell in June at a more moderate clip.
Martian Weather Report
You may have heard in the news about the Mars Phoenix Lander, currently taking soil samples near the Martian north pole. A somewhat less publicized fact is the temperature data being taken by its weather sensor. At the lander site, yesterday’s high temperature was -17°F (-27°C) while the low temperature was -117°F (-83°C). And this is in the middle of summer! It is estimated that the record maximum temperature on Mars, say, on the hottest summer day at the equator, would be around 70°F (21°C). The coldest day at the winter pole can only fall to the carbon dioxide frost temperature of -190°F (-123°C), since then Mars’ carbon dioxide atmosphere begins to sublimate. No equivalent exists on Earth, since it never gets cold enough for our predominately nitrogen atmosphere to freeze out. At least there’s no rain, but you might get stuck in a dust storm that can last for several months!
Kennedy Provides Early Spark as Democrats Convene
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, struggling with terminal brain cancer, arrived on Monday night at the Democratic National Convention in a triumphant appearance that provided an emotional start for the event as the party turned to a new era and gathered to nominate Sen. Barack Obama for president.
Pakistan’s Civilian Government Collapses After Party Leaves
Pakistan’s fledgling civilian government collapsed on Monday, as the leaders of the main two coalition parties turned their sights on each other, only a week after banding together to force the resignation of Pervez Musharraf.
Iraq’s al-Maliki Pushes for U.S. Troop Withdrawal Date
Days after top Iraqi and U.S. officials suggested that a draft of the security pact between the countries was close, Prime Minister Nouri Kamal al-Maliki toughened his language, reiterating earlier Iraqi demands for a fixed date for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Shorts (left)
Jubilant opposition legislators in Zimbabwe’s parliament broke into song and dance on Monday after their candidate won the powerful position of speaker of parliament, defeating a nominee backed by President Robert Mugabe’s party, ZANU-PF.
In Separatist Area of Georgia, Residents Cheer Russian Support
The last time South Ossetia declared independence from Georgia — the last three times, actually — hardly anyone noticed. Even Russia, its great friend to the north, declined to take up the cause.
Shorts (right)
Dozens of people were killed and more than 100 were injured Monday in a government assault on a huge camp for displaced people in Darfur, the conflict-riddled region in western Sudan, according to witnesses and leaders at the camp.
As Democrats Take the Stage, GOP Prepares to Respond
In a modern production studio about a mile from where the Democrats were opening their convention here Monday, a SWAT team of Republican operatives dispatched to crash Sen. Barack Obama’s party was reveling in its accomplishments.
Shorts (left)
In mid-2005, Dick Ebersol, the chairman of NBC Sports, had secured the support of the International Olympic Committee for the critical move of the finals of the key television sports of swimming and gymnastics to morning hours in China so they could be shown live in prime time in the United States. But he had one more person he needed to consult: Michael Phelps.
Shorts (right)
Russia’s guided missile cruiser Moskva appeared suddenly on the horizon, dark and imposing like a fortress in the twilight, and steamed on Saturday into this Black Sea port, where its sailors were given a hero’s welcome.
Georgian President Vows To Rebuild Army, Unite Enclaves
President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia said Sunday that he planned to rebuild his country’s shattered army, and that even after its decisive defeat in the war for control of one of Georgia’s two separatist enclaves he would continue to pursue a policy of uniting both enclaves under the Georgian flag.
After Glow of Olympic Games, China Faces Uncertain Future
The elaborate closing ceremony that ended the Beijing games on Sunday also ended nearly a decade in which the ruling Communist Party had made the Olympics an organizing principle in national life. Almost nothing has superseded the Olympics as a political priority in China.
Democrats Convene in Denver To Plan Election Strategies
Democrats gathering here for their nominating convention are significantly more nervous about Sen. Barack Obama’s prospects this fall than they were a month ago, and are urging him to use the next four days to address weaknesses in his candidacy and lingering party divisions from the bitter primary fight.
Biden’s Son Drew Consulting Fees While Senator Pushed for Bill
During the years that Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. was helping the credit card industry win passage of a law making it harder for consumers to file for bankruptcy protection, his son received more than ($400,000 ) in consulting fees from one of the largest companies pushing for the changes, aides to Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign acknowledged Sunday.
At U.S. Prodding, Switzerland Destroyed Kahn Network Data
The president of Switzerland stepped to a podium in Bern in May and read a statement confirming rumors that had swirled through the capital for months. The government, he acknowledged, had indeed destroyed a huge trove of computer files and other material documenting the business dealings of a family of Swiss engineers suspected of helping smuggle nuclear technology to Libya and Iran.
Thunderstorm Today, But Sunny Stretch to Continue
Welcome Class of 2012! From moving into to your dorm to outdoor events, the weather (so far) has shown its sunny side. The weather machine (the dome ball atop the Green Building) has provided five straight virtually cloud-free days. However, this afternoon will mark a short disruption to this pattern (a reboot), in the form of a cold front.
Coalition Moves to Impeach Musharraf, Raising Fears of Crisis
A move by Pakistan’s usually fractious governing coalition on Thursday to impeach President Pervez Musharraf left the country on the brink of a political crisis that threatened to paralyze the government at a critical moment when the United States is demanding greater action against militants based here.
Separatist Fighting Worsens in Georgia Border Region
Fighting in the border region between the former Soviet republic of Georgia and a breakaway Georgian enclave has reached its highest level in years, with Georgia saying that up to 10 civilians and soldiers had been killed in violence that erupted overnight on Wednesday and lasted throughout the day on Thursday.