world news: 2018-07-22

Saturday 28 July 2018

Lunar eclipse: How stargazers will be able to see Mars, Jupiter and the International Space Station too

Stargazers watching Friday's spectacular lunar eclipse, when the Moon could turn a deep burgundy red, may also catch a glimpse of the International Space Station, Mars and Jupiter all in one evening. The eclipse will be the longest of the 21st century, lasting from 8.49pm to 10.13pm in London on Friday evening, and the Moon will stay close to the horizon, giving the illusion that it is far larger than usual. The ‘blood moon’ is caused by sunlight being filtered through the Earth's atmosphere so that red colours predominate when it reaches the lunar surface. But to make the phenomenon even more spectacular, Mars will be at its closest point to Earth since 2003, meaning the Red Planet is close to maximum brightness. As if that was not enough, sky-watchers should be able to see Jupiter in the south-west and have a chance of catching the International Space Station (ISS) sailing overhead. Jupiter will also be visible on Friday evening Robin Scagell, vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, said: "A total lunar eclipse, Mars, Jupiter and the International Space Station. What more could you want?" He pointed out that the moon's appearance greatly depended on atmospheric conditions around the Earth at the time of the eclipse. But dust thrown into the atmosphere by recent volcanic eruptions in Hawaii and Guatemala was likely to paint the moon a deeper red. "You may see this very eerie-looking deep-red moon rising," said Mr Scagell. "We've all caught on to this lovely word 'blood-moon'. It certainly will look very strange. "In early days experiencing a total lunar eclipse would have felt like the end of the world. It's not surprising people were terrified by it." The Moon can turn yellow, orange, red of even black during an eclipse Credit: Eddie Mulholland You will have to stay up later to catch a glimpse of the ISS as it moves quickly across the sky from west to east. Looking like a bright star, it will appear just after 11pm before fading from sight a few minutes later. "It's the brightest thing in the sky apart from aircraft," said Mr Scagell. "It's a bright white star-like object but it doesn't twinkle and it's really unmistakable." Unlike a solar eclipse, both the eclipsed moon and Mars can be viewed safely without eye protection. The lunar eclipse will be visible just above the horizon on Friday evening from Britain Credit: Toby Melville Dr Emily Brunsden, Director of the University of York's Astrocampus, said although the Moon will appear larger than usual, it is officially a ‘micro Moon’ because it is at its furtherst point fron Earth: “We will get the chance to see a micro blood moon. Blood moon, lunar eclipse explainer "This is a total eclipse of the Moon at a time in its orbit when it is close to being the farthest from earth, or at apogee. “Hence the Moon is fractionally smaller than usual, a micro moon. "There is something mystically beautiful and dramatic about being able to see the motion of the Moon in real time.”

Disneyland Resort proposes to raise minimum wage for California park workers

The agreement with Master Services Council, provides for a minimum wage rate increase of 40 percent within two years of the deal, making it one of the highest minimum wages in the country, Disneyland Resort said. Subsequently, hourly wages will increase to $15 in January and rise further to $15.45 in mid-June 2020, Disneyland said. Disneyland Resort, which features two theme parks – Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, said the agreement also includes at least 3 percent increases to wage rates for each year of the contract term for those near or above the minimum rates.

Arson Suspect Arrested as Wildfire Burns 4,700 Acres in Southern California

Thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes on Wednesday

What would the world be like without Roe v. Wade?

A reversal of Roe v. Wade would make abortions harder to obtain in many states. But it wouldn’t mean a return to the pre-1973 status quo. Medical technology and the world have changed since then.

Blasts, gunshots reported in eastern Afghan city

A number of explosions were reported in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad and gunshots could be heard in the area of the blasts, local officials said on Saturday.

from Reuters: World News https://ift.tt/2NTBcHx

California 'Tasmanian devil' fire kills 2 firefighters, thousands flee

By Fred Greaves REDDING, Calif. (Reuters) - A fast-growing northern California wildfire killed a second firefighter on Friday after high winds drove it into the city of Redding, prompting mass evacuations, destroying scores of homes and threatening some 5,000 other dwellings and businesses, officials said. Flames raging in California's scenic Shasta-Trinity area erupted late Thursday into a firestorm that jumped across the Sacramento River and swept into the western side of Redding, home to about 90,000 people, forcing residents to flee for their lives. Firefighters and police "went into life-safety mode," hustling door to door to usher civilians out of harm's way, said Scott McLean, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire).

Pakistan parties demand new elections as Khan wins vote

Pakistan's main parties rejected the outcome of elections won by cricket star Imran Khan and announced protests demanding new polls Friday, after foreign observers criticised the pivotal vote over rigging allegations. The announcement by the All Parties Conference (APC), including the outgoing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), is a fresh obstacle to power for Khan on a day when delayed results finally showed he had won an emphatic victory -- though he will need to seek a coalition to form a government. The nationwide election held Wednesday has been criticised by the United States, the European Union and other observers after widespread claims that the powerful military was trying to fix the playing field in Khan's favour.

BRICS bloc signs declaration reaffirming multilateral trade as per WTO rules

Leaders of the BRICS bloc signed a declaration supporting an open and inclusive multilateral trading system as envisaged by the World Trade Organisation at a summit on Thursday in South Africa. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have found a collective voice championing global trade at the three-day summit, vowing to fight unilateralism and protectionism in the wake of tariff threats by U.S. President Donald Trump. "We recognise that the multilateral trading system is facing unprecedented challenges.

Slaying at scenic mountain inn rattles seasonal workers

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A woman working a summer job at a North Carolina mountain lodge was out hiking when, authorities say, a co-worker attacked her and left her lifeless body steps from a famed scenic highway.

California TV Anchors Forced to Evacuate Studio as They Reported on Approaching Wildfire

The station had to go off air after the studio was evacuated

2 killed, hundreds of structures destroyed as massive Carr Fire blazes into Redding, California

The deadly Carr Fire burning in Northern California continues to threaten thousands of homes in Redding, California, after tripling in size on Thursday night.

Trump denies advance knowledge of Trump Tower meeting with Russian lawyer

President Trump on Friday disputed reported claims by his long-time lawyer Michael Cohen that then-candidate Trump knew in advance about the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer who was thought to have political dirt on Hillary Clinton.

CBS investigating CEO Leslie Moonves over allegations of sexual mi

American television broadcast company CBS says that it has begun investigating sexual misconduct allegations raised against CEO Leslie Moonves after reports of an upcoming expose to be published in The New Yorker magazine. The investigation was announced by the company’s independent board, which issued a statement saying that it takes allegations of misconduct seriously. The statement comes ahead of an anticipated report in The New Yorker that accuses Mr Moonves of unwanted kissing and touching.

Thousands flee wildfire burning near California mountain towns

By Dan Whitcomb LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A fast-moving Southern California wildfire believed set by a serial arsonist forced more than 3,000 residents of mountain resort communities to flee their homes on Thursday as crews fought to save homes in the path of the flames. The Cranston Fire was one of several wildland blazes that erupted on Wednesday in Riverside County, east of the city of Hemet, that authorities said appeared to have been ignited by the same suspect. Brandon McGlover, 32, was taken into custody in Hemet on Wednesday and booked on five counts of arson, the U.S. Forest Service said in a statement on the Inciweb fire tracking website.

Einstein was right: astronomers confirm key theory

A consortium of astronomers said Thursday they had for the first time confirmed a prediction of Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity by observing the gravitational effects of a supermassive black hole on a star zipping by it. The German-born theoretical physicist had posited that large gravitational forces could stretch light, much like the compression and stretching of sound waves we perceive with the change of pitch of a passing train. Researchers from the GRAVITY consortium led by the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics realised that they had a "perfect laboratory" to test Einstein's theory with the Sagittarius A* black hole in the centre of the Milky Way.

Pakistan election results: Imran Khan wins but rivals reject the vote

Imran Khan has been officially crowned winner of Pakistan’s general election, as defeated rivals announced protests demanding new elections following allegations of widespread vote rigging. The former cricketer had a commanding lead in the national assembly and had been expected to form a coalition easily over the coming days, although the protests could throw obstacles in his path to power. "We will run a movement for holding of elections again. There will be protests," said Maulana Fazalur Rehman from the All Parties Conference, which included the outgoing ruling party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Shahbaz Sharif, leader of the PML-N since his brother Nawaz was ousted and jailed, announced his support for the "movement" but said he still needed to consult his party to see if they would boycott taking oaths that would swear them into parliament as well. Khan declared that he had been given a mandate to rule despite the contested results Credit: AAMIR QURESHI/ AFP "I fully agree with it. The worst kind of irregularities have been committed, which are unprecedented," he added. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which has won the third largest number of seats in the vote, was notably absent from the APC. In a later press conference, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said his party also rejected the election results, but vowed it would try to convince the other parties to participate in the parliamentary process. The vote was meant to be a rare democratic transition in the Muslim country, which has been ruled by the powerful army for roughly half its history. Supporters of Pakistan's cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan, and head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice) party, celebrating in Karachi on Thursday after the election Credit: AFP But it was marred by violence and allegations of military interference in the months leading up to the vote, with Khan seen as the beneficiary. The EU Election Observation Mission to Pakistan's chief Michael Gahler told reporters in Islamabad that "a number of violent attacks, targeting political parties, party leaders, candidates and election officials, severely affected the campaign environment". "Many of our interlocutors acknowledged a systematic effort to undermine the former ruling party through cases of corruption, contempt of court and terrorist charges against its leaders and candidates," he continued. The Election Commission (ECP) said Friday that with only a handful of seats left to count, Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will be the biggest party in parliament. But the count indicates PTI will not achieve the 137 seats needed in the National Assembly to form a majority government. Analysts had long predicted that if Khan took power it would have to be via coalition - but the size of his lead still took many by surprise. Analyst Ayesha Siddiqa said observers may have underestimated the depth of feeling among Pakistan's growing middle class. "Remember they grew up on this narrative of a corrupt Pakistan being damaged and needing a new leadership... In all this hue and cry, we didn't notice there is another Pakistan there that wanted this change," she told AFP. Khan campaigned on promises to end widespread graftwhile building an "Islamic welfare state". Now the former World Cup cricket champion will have to partner with independents and smaller parties, a task analysts said should be straightforward. Imran Khan has had to be very flexible indeed on his long climb to power in Pakistan Khan claimed victory in a wide-ranging address to the nation on Thursday. He vowed to tackle corruption and touched on promises to balance relations with the US, while saying he was open to discussions with arch-rival India including over the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir. Khan will face myriad challenges including militant extremism, an economic crisis with speculation that Pakistan will have to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund, water shortages, and a booming population, among others. He will also have to contend with the same issue as many of his predecessors: how to maintain a balance of power in civil-military relations. In the West, Khan is typically seen through the prism of his celebrity and high-profile romances, but at home he cuts a more conservative persona as a devout Muslim who believes feminism has degraded motherhood. Known in Pakistan as "Taliban Khan" for his calls to hold talks with insurgents, he increasingly catered to religious hardliners during the campaign, spurring fears his leadership could embolden extremists.

Trump Denies He Knew Of His Son's Trump Tower Meeting With Russians

President Donald Trump on Friday denied reports that his longtime personal

Five Are Dead in Killings Tied to Texas Nursing Home Shooting

By SARAH MERVOSH and JULIA JACOBS from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2LWaJs9

‘What Does a Trucker Look Like?’ It’s Changing, Amid a Big Shortage

By CATIE EDMONDSON from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2OlOD3Q

What’s on TV Saturday: ‘Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol’ and ‘The Breadwinner’

By GABE COHN from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/2OoEfbC

What the ‘Blood Moon’ Lunar Eclipse Looked Like

By ROBIN LINDSAY from NYT Science https://ift.tt/2AgnpZw

Prime Minister’s Eating Habits Scandalize Australians: It’s Piegate

By MEGAN SPECIA from NYT World https://ift.tt/2LRC7r5

The Biggest Stories in American Politics This Week

By EMILY COCHRANE from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2vcyvJg

Russian Hackers Appear to Shift Focus to U.S. Power Grid

By DAVID E. SANGER from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2LEFXXM

Missed Connection: Donald Trump Jr. and Robert Mueller Cross Paths at Washington Airport

By EMILY COCHRANE from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2NRfpjC

Trump Says He’ll Stump for Vulnerable Republicans ‘Six or Seven Days a Week’

By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2mMbyJ3

‘Why Did You Leave Me?’ The Migrant Children Left Behind as Parents Are Deported

By MIRIAM JORDAN from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2LrRiLv

Five Lawmakers Call on U.S. to Investigate Florida ‘Stand Your Ground’ Case

By JULIA JACOBS from NYT U.S. https://ift.tt/2vcoUSK

Mets Trade Asdrubal Cabrera to Phillies for Pitching Prospect

By JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports https://ift.tt/2LW1Wq7

Corrections: July 28, 2018

By Unknown Author from NYT Corrections https://ift.tt/2mNzPhZ

CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves Accused Of Sexual Harassment

Leslie Moonves, chairman and CEO of the CBS Corporation, has been accused of

California wildfires: One dead as fire crews battle to contain blaze

Late on Thursday, firefighters found the body of a bulldozer operator who was hired privately to clear vegetation in the blaze's path, CalFire spokesman Scott McLean said. Three firefighters and an unknown number of civilians suffered burns during the fire, but information on the extent of their injuries was not immediately known. Governor Jerry Brown declared states of emergency for the three largest fires, which will authorise the state to rally resources to local governments.

Ethiopian Nile dam manager found shot dead in his car

By Aaron Maasho ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - The project manager of a $4 billion Ethiopian dam was found shot dead in his car on Thursday, police said. "We have confirmed that engineer Simegnew Bekele was shot dead," Zeinu Jemal, head of Ethiopia's Federal Police Commission, told reporters. Asked if the gun belonged to the victim, he said: "That has not been confirmed." Simegnew project-managed the Grand Renaissance Dam that is being built along the Nile river.

Cairo Zoo Denies Its Zebras Are Really Donkeys With Painted Stripes

A zoo in Cairo is allegedly showing its true stripes by passing off painted

California wildfires: TV station forced to evacuate live on air

The hosts of a local news programme were live on air when they announced they were being evacuated because a wildfire was approaching their studio. Allison Woods and Tamara Damante were providing live coverage of the blaze for KRCR-TV as it tore through Northern California, reaching the city of Redding where it destroyed dozens of homes and forced thousands to flee. As the flames drew near their studio, Ms Woods announced: "We've been here live and right now we are being evacuated.

Blood Moon dazzles star gazers in longest lunar eclipse of 21st century

By Baz Ratner and Cecilie Kallestrup NAIROBI (Reuters) - A blood-red moon dazzled star gazers across much of the world on Friday when it moved into Earth's shadow for the longest lunar eclipse of the 21st Century. The total eclipse lasted 1 hour, 42 minutes and 57 seconds, though a partial eclipse preceded and follows, meaning the moon will spend a total of nearly 4 hours in the Earth's umbral shadow, according to NASA. The eclipse will not be visible from North America or most of the Pacific.

California fire 'tornado' kills two firefighters, thousands flee

By Alexandria Sage REDDING, Calif. (Reuters) - A fast-growing northern California wildfire killed a second firefighter on Friday after high winds drove it into the city of Redding, prompting mass evacuations, destroying 500 structures and threatening thousands of other dwellings and businesses, officials said. Flames raging in California's scenic Shasta-Trinity area erupted into a firestorm that jumped across the Sacramento River and swept into the western side of Redding, home to about 90,000 people, forcing residents to flee. Firefighters and police "went into life-safety mode," hustling door to door to usher civilians out of harm's way, said Scott McLean, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire).

Some Syrian refugees oppose Russian repatriation push

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Even as Russia pushes to repatriate Syrians who fled their country amid civil war, many of the refugees in Jordan said Thursday they will not return before the war has ended and their safety is assured.

Elon Musk Finally Deletes "Hannah Montana" Tweet About Montana Skeptic

The internet is weird and gross.

Trump Has Changed His Mind A Lot On What He Knew About The Trump Tower Meeting

President Donald Trump on Friday denied having prior knowledge of his son's

2 killed, hundreds of structures destroyed as massive Carr Fire blazes into Redding, California

The deadly Carr Fire burning in Northern California continues to threaten thousands of homes in Redding, California, after tripling in size on Thursday night.

World gazes at total lunar eclipse, longest of this century

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Curiosity and awe have greeted a complete lunar eclipse, the longest one of this century and visible in much of the world.

Gun Safety Groups Race To Stop Company From Unleashing 'The Age Of The Downloadable Gun'

The nation's leading gun safety groups are asking a judge to block an online

Orca mother keeps her dead calf afloat in extraordinary display of grief

Her calf is dead but an orca mother has been spotted in a heartbreaking exhibition of maternal care - or grief - gently trying to keep her offspring afloat. As the carcase sinks in the water she has been gently using her forehead to prop it out of the water and nudge it onwards in choppy seas for the past two days, according to researchers who say the population of whales along the British Columbia coastline is struggling to reproduce. Ken Balcomb of the Centre for Whale Research, said food shortages - including the endangered Chinook salmon - meant females were unable to deliver healthy offspring. The calf only survived for about 45 minutes and was the first born to the pod off the West Coast in the past three years, he told ABC News. “They should be having nine babies a year -- anywhere from six to nine babies a year,” he said. Grieving mothers can keep their dead calf afloat for up to a week Credit: David Ellifrit/Centre for Whale Research via AP However, this cow had not given birth in the past three years after previously having several each year. “It’s very sad,” he said. “We know that it’s food.” The newborn calf was born to J35, as the mother is known, while the pod passed along the shore of Victoria. But by the time researchers scrambled to photograph and document the new arrival it had died. Since its death, the population has travelled several miles towards the US territory of San Juan Island. 10 of the best whale watching destinations A resident told the Centre for Whale Research, that five or six females appeared to move in a tight-knit circle, rotating for almost two hours.pod engaged in what appeared to be a moonlit ceremony. “As the light dimmed, I was able to watch them continue what seemed to be a ritual or ceremony," they said. "They stayed directly centered in the moonbeam, even as it moved. The lighting was too dim to see if the baby was still being kept afloat. It was both sad and special to witness this behaviour." Scientists have document previous examples of whales mourning dead calves, sometimes keeping them afloat on the heads or in their mouths. The orca population of the Pacific North West has reached a 30-year low of 75.