Myanmar’s Biggest City Still Paralyzed, Days After Storm
Five days after the powerful cyclone struck, this city, Myanmar’s commercial capital and until Saturday a verdant oasis of wide avenues, was far from back to normal on Thursday.
North Korea Opens Documents On Its Nuclear Programs
North Korea has turned over to the United States 18,000 pages of documents related to its plutonium program dating from 1990, in an effort to resolve remaining differences in a pending agreement meant to begin the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, Bush administration officials said Thursday.
Shorts (right)
A team of climbers on a mission from China carried the Olympic torch to the summit of Mt. Everest on Thursday, fulfilling a long-held goal of Chinese government to have the Olympic flame lit atop the world’s highest mountain.
Volcano Eruption in South America
Volcanic eruptions are natural phenomena ever present in the Earth’s history, although not in our minds most of the time. However, they are critical to the history and evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere. The atmosphere of the Earth before life had a similar composition to modern volcanic outgassing (mainly CO2, water and nitrogen), and all the water present in the oceans as well as most of the atmosphere is thought to have a volcanic origin. Volcanoes can influence climate in shorter time scales by injecting reflective sulfate aerosols and can also modify the chemical composition of the stratosphere influencing ozone depletion. The most spectacular case of volcanic eruption during the past century was the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, that is believed to have cooled the planet by about 0.5 C, an amount similar in magnitude to the accumulated trend in warming during the last 100 years.
Tensions Rise in Lebanon As Telecom Network is Shut Down
The decision by the Lebanese government to shut down a private telephone network operated by the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah was an act of war and Hezbollah would defend itself, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, said Thursday.
Death Toll in Myanmar Storm Could Exceed 10,000
Myanmar struggled Monday to recover from a cyclone that killed more than 3,900 people and perhaps as many as 10,000, while its military leaders proceeded with a constitutional referendum on Saturday that would cement their grip on power.
Kuwaitis, Seeing a Slowing Economy, Question Democracy
In a vast, high-ceilinged tent, Ali al-Rashed sounded an anguished note as he delivered the first speech of his campaign for Parliament.
Shorts (right)
For decades, this gambling center seemed nearly immune to the economic swings of the rest of the country. But these days, the city built on excess is seeing a troubling sign: moderation.
State Legislatures Face Increasing Pressure Over High Fuel Taxes
Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida has been fighting to cut 10 cents from the state’s gasoline tax for two weeks in July. Lawmakers in Missouri, New York and Texas have also proposed a summer break from state gas taxes, while candidates for governor in Indiana and North Carolina are sparring over relief ideas of their own.
Shorts (left)
Microsoft and Yahoo were pushed to the brink of a multibillion-dollar marriage and then to a sudden break-up this weekend by the same player.
Concerns Arise That Mortgage Financing Agencies Are at Risk
As home prices continue their free fall and banks shy away from lending, Washington officials have increasingly relied on two giant mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — to keep the housing market afloat.
Super Tuesday
Whether you are an Obama or Clinton fan (or even a McCain supporter), there should be at least one thing everybody can agree on today: weather-wise, it’s a super Tuesday. Today features sunny skies, seasonably warm temperatures, and a light wind. If there were to be a vote for the best weather condition, I would argue today’s weather (OK, maybe a wee-bit warmer) would appease the largest number of people on campus. Slightly hotter would likely make anyone participating in an outdoor activity too sweaty and uncomfortable. If slightly cooler, some pedestrians may find the air has some bite.
U.S. Airstrike Kills Militia Chief Linked to Al-Qaida
A U.S. missile strike in Somalia apparently killed one of al-Qaida’s top operatives in East Africa on Thursday, but while administration officials claimed success they also acknowledged facing an uphill battle to score lasting blows in their final months against the terrorist group around the world.
Double Bombings in Iraqi Town Kill At Least 35, Wound 62
Two thunderous blasts set off by suicide bombers ripped through a crowded shopping street in the town of Balad Ruz in Diyala province on Thursday, killing at least 35 people and wounding at least 62 others, many of them seriously.
Investors Disappointed by Exxon’s Near-Record Quarterly Profits
Exxon Mobil reported the second-best quarterly profit in its history on Thursday — and investors could barely hide their disappointment.
Bush Proposes U.S. Spend More On Food Aid Programs for Poor Nations
President Bush on Thursday proposed spending an additional $770 million in emergency food assistance for poor countries, responding to rising food prices that have resulted in social unrest in several nations.
Shorts (left)
President Bush’s $1 billion-a-year initiative to teach reading to low-income children has not improved their reading comprehension, according to a Department of Education report released on Thursday.
Shorts (right)
Beijing airport’s new Terminal 3 — twice the size of the Pentagon — is the largest building in the world.
Congress Clears Bill to Prevent Genetic Screenings by Insurers
A bill that would prohibit discrimination by health insurers and employers based on the information that people carry in their genes won final approval in Congress on Thursday by an overwhelming vote.
Temperature Extremes
We are still in that time of the year when the diurnal, or daily, temperature range can be rather large. Clear skies and light winds are ideal conditions to make this happen, with abundant sunlight to warm the surface during the day, and good radiational cooling at night lowering temperatures. For instance, Bedford (10 miles to the northwest of Boston) reported a temperature of 26 degrees yesterday morning, while Martha’s Vineyard was even colder — an amazing 22 degrees Fahrenheit! Meanwhile in Boston, the ocean’s influence kept temperatures near 40. Within two hours of sunrise, all three locations were nearly the same temperature — about 50°F. So within the next few weeks, if the sun is setting upon clear skies and light winds, there’s a good chance it’ll be cold before sunrise.