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Webb telescope captures iconic Ring Nebula in unprecedented detail

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:12:41 GMT

(CNN) — Astronomers have used the James Webb Space Telescope for a fresh perspective of an iconic celestial favorite called the Ring Nebula.The new image captures never-before-seen details within the colorful nebula, located in the Lyra constellation about 2,600 light-years from Earth.The structure of the Ring Nebula can be glimpsed through amateur telescopes and has been observed and studied for years.The planetary nebula, which despite its name has nothing to do with planets, is home to the remnants of a dying star as it releases the bulk of its mass.Planetary nebulae usually have a rounded structure and were so named because they initially resembled the disks from which planets form when French astronomer Charles Messier discovered the first one in 1764.“I first saw the Ring Nebula as a kid through just a small telescope. I would never have thought that one day, I would be part of the team that would use the most powerful space telescope ever built, to look at this object,” said ...

Chinese embassy slams Moscow over Russian border incident

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:12:41 GMT

The Chinese embassy in Moscow on Friday criticized “brutal and excessive law enforcement by Russia” after five Chinese citizens were denied entry into the country. In a post on Chinese social media platform WeChat, the embassy said the incident had “seriously damaged the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens.”On attempting to enter Russia on July 29, the group of Chinese citizens was “repeatedly” questioned for “up to 4 hours,” according to the statement. They had their tourist visas canceled and were refused entry, it said.The incident is “inconsistent with the overall situation of friendly Sino-Russian relations and the trend of increasingly close friendly exchanges of personnel between the two countries,” added the embassy. “The Russian side is required to immediately find out the cause of the incident, take active measures to eliminate the bad influence, and ensure that similar incidents will not rec...

Fantastic August weekend

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:12:41 GMT

Thumbs up for this weekend forecast! It’s dry with temperatures in the low 80s. Humidity will come down today, and it’ll feel much more comfortable tomorrow. Our morning started off in the 60s. We’ll rebound to the low 80s inland. The wind will be light enough out of the northwest that we get afternoon sea breezes. That’ll keep temperatures in the upper 70s/near 80 on the coast. We’ll see sunshine mixed with afternoon clouds.Mainly clear tonight. If you’re in central Mass, you might want to open the windows with temperatures falling into the 50s. Tomorrow, we’ll have some filtered sunshine and temperatures will be slightly warmer.Splendid baseball weather as the Sox continue their series against the Blue Jays!This weekend is dry. Monday will bring increasing clouds and humidity ahead of some late showers and scattered storms into Tuesday.-Meteorologist Melanie Black

More people go missing and thousands are evacuated as northeast China is hit by more floods

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:12:41 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Rain continued to pelt northeastern China in the wake of Typhoon Doksuri Saturday, as authorities reported more fatalities and missing people while evacuating thousands more.One person died and five went missing in the city of Shulan in Jilin province, which has seen five straight days of rainfall, according to state media.Over 14,300 people were evacuated from the city of more than 700,000, according to the local disaster relief agency. State news agency China News Service showed images of waterlogged streets around homes and factories. The average precipitation in the city had reached 111.7 mm (4.4 inches) by Friday afternoon.China is struggling with record-breaking rainfall in some areas while others suffer scorching summer heat and drought that threatens crops. The heavy rains – remnants of Typhoon Doksuri – have battered northern China since late July, disrupting the lives of millions. Flooding near Beijing and in neighboring Hebei province thi...

Ukrainian drones hit a Russian tanker near Crimea in the second sea attack in a day

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:12:41 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian drones hit a Russian tanker in the Black Sea near Crimea late Friday night, according to Russian officials and video circulating on social media.The strike was the second sea attack involving drones in one day, after Ukraine struck a major Russian port earlier on Friday. As Kyiv’s naval capabilities grow, the Black Sea is becoming an increasingly important battleground in the war.Three weeks ago, Moscow withdrew from a key export agreement that allowed Ukraine to ship millions of tons of grain across the Black Sea for sale on world markets. In the wake of that withdrawal, Russia carried out repeated strikes on Ukrainian ports, including Odesa.An official with Ukraine’s Security Service confirmed to The Associated Press that the service was behind the attack on the tanker, which was transporting fuel for Russian forces. A sea drone, filled with 450 kilograms (992 pounds) of TNT, was used for the attack, added the official, who spoke on condition of anon...

Israel arrests 2 settlers after deadly rampage on a village left one Palestinian dead

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:12:41 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police said Saturday that they arrested two Israeli settlers after they stormed a Palestinian village in the West Bank in a rampage that left one Palestinian dead. Armed settlers entered Burqa, a herding village east of the city of Ramallah, late Friday, shooting and killing 19-year-old Qusai Matan, Palestinian health officials said. Israeli media reported that one of the arrested settlers, who remained unnamed, used to work as an aide for a lawmaker of the far-right Israeli “Jewish Power” party which is in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition of ultranationalist and ultraorthodox parties in the Israeli parliament. It includes Itamar Ben-Gvir, a pro-settlement firebrand known for hardline positions against Palestinians. The party couldn’t be reached for comment.Police said they arrested two settlers after detaining five for questioning. The other settler who was arrested was hospitalized after sustaining injuries Friday night. Authoritie...

Skipper of boat in crash that killed US tourist off Italy faces manslaughter investigation

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:12:41 GMT

ROME (AP) — The skipper of a rented motorboat involved in a crash off the Amalfi Coast that killed a U.S. tourist is being investigated for suspected manslaughter, a prosecutor in southern Italy said Saturday.Salerno Chief Prosecutor Giuseppe Borrelli told a news conference in that port city that the skipper, an Italian who hasn’t publicly identified, is also being investigated on suspicion of causing a shipwreck. No charges have so far been filed against him, and the investigation is still ongoing.Adrienne Vaughan, 45, was killed and her husband and the skipper of the rented motorboat were injured in the accident Thursday afternoon off a stretch of coastline popular with tourists. The motorboat slammed into a chartered sailboat, where some 70 guests aboard were enjoying a wedding reception.Blood samples were taken from the skipper to determine alcohol and drug levels. But Borrelli indicated that for now the results were inconclusive.“The results are being evaluated by a consu...

Saturday forecast: Heavy rain, Flood Watch for South Chicagoland area

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:12:41 GMT

Saturday: Cloudy skies. Heavy rain at times (south), scattered showers/thunderstorms (north). Flood Watch for southern portions of Chicagoland for the duration of the day. ENE 5-10 mph. High 79, mid 70s by the lake. NWS Chicago says the highest flood threat area is along and south of the Kankakee River Valley. Saturday Night: Scattered showers/thunderstorms. ESE 10-20 mph. Low 70Sunday: Peeks of AM sun. scattered PM showers/thunderstorms become more numerous and widespread later in the day--some could be strong to severe. ENE 10-20 mph. High 84, coolerDamaging winds, hail and locally heavy rainfall are possible with severe weather coming Sunday evening. Chicago Area Radar | WGN TV Extended outlook calls for a chance of showers/t'storms on Monday with highs in the mid 80s. Drier weather on Tuesday with partly sunny skies and still a bit muggy. Highs in the mid 80s. Wednesday sees some filtered sunshine with building clouds. Highs in the mid 80s. Showers/thunderstorms return to t...

A hot weekend leads to more records

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:12:41 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The overall weather pattern will remain in place for at least the next seen days with a potential of four days between today and Friday where new high temperature records will be set. Two of those will be today and tomorrow.Today's record high is 106° set in 2011An Excessive Heat Warning will be in effect today from 12 to 9 p.m. for high temperatures as hot as 107° and heat index values up to 111°. Blanco and Gillespie Counties are under a Heat Advisory for high temperatures up to 108° and heat index values up to 112°.Saturday's heat alerts start at noonIn addition to the heat alerts there is also a Red Flag Warning for much of Central Texas for south winds gusting 20 to 25 mph and relative humidity readings below 30%. (Fayette, Lee, and Milam Counties are not under this warning.)Wildfire danger this weekendThe forecast for the next seven days has high temperatures in the 104° to 108° range, making this week one of the hottest weeks of this heat wave. There have bee...

“Wolverines really need Colorado”: Federal decision looms over another reintroduction plan

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:12:41 GMT

The mountain devil can cross hundreds of miles of rough alpine terrain, tear into an elk carcass frozen for weeks and fend off predators several times larger than its 40-pound frame.And the elusive species might be coming back to Colorado.Wolverines — also called “mountain devils” and “skunk bears” — could be the next large mammal reintroduced in Colorado after wildlife officials implement the voter-mandated reintroduction of wolves by the end of the year.How and when wolverines could be introduced here hinges on an upcoming decision from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on whether the species should be protected under the Endangered Species Act. A decision is expected in the next few months and, depending on the way that goes, efforts to begin bringing in wolverines could begin again. Plans to reintroduce the species in Colorado have existed for more than a decade, but uncertainty around the federal listing decision kept wildlife officials from...