TresSugar

Front Page: Anthrax Scientist Commits Suicide, Dorm Collapse Kills 16, US Unemployment 4-Year High, Darfur Peace Mission

CitizenSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 06:56:30 -0700

Anthrax Scientist Suicide:
A top US biodefense researcher, who was of high interest to the FBI in connection with the spate of anthrax mailings following 9/11, has committed suicide. The Justice Department was seriously considering charges against the 62-year-old. The lab where he worked for 18 years was at the center of the FBI investigation into the anthrax attacks that killed five people.

Dorm Collapse Kills 16:
A three-story girls' dorm at a school in Turkey collapsed after a large gas canister exploded, killing at least 16 and injuring dozens. Most of the girls, aged 8 to 16 were asleep at the time. They were at the school to attend Koran classes during Summer vacation.

US Unemployment Four-Year High:
The US unemployment rate hit 5.7 percent in July, its highest level in more than four years. The economy lost 51,000 non-farm jobs, the seventh straight month of losses. Areas showing job growth: government, hospitality, education, and health services.
Darfur Peace Mission:
The UN Security Council renewed the mandate for peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur region for another year. The decision came two hours before the mandate was set to expire, complicated by the ICC's move to indict Sudan's president for genocide. The United States abstained from voting over language added to the resolution would send the wrong signal to the Sudanese president. The Darfur conflict has left 300,000 dead.

Source

Front Page: Strike Explodes in Lebanon, India Fires Missile, Medvedev Sworn In, Chile Volcano

CitizenSugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:53:35 -0700

Strike Explodes in Lebanon: Explosions and gunfire heralded protests in the Lebanese capital of Beirut as opposition supporters held a one-day general strike for higher pay. Unions protested demanding the government triple the minimum monthly wage - currently $200. Tensions were fanned yesterday after the government announced it would shut down Hezbollah's private telecommunications network. Lebanon is in the midst of its biggest political crisis since the civil war, and it's been without a head of state for five months following a power struggle between the Western backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition, which is supported by Syria and Iran.

India Fires Missile: India has just test-fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile, Agni-III. The long-range missile is capable of hitting targets as far away as Beijing, or almost 2,000 miles, and it's capable of carrying a 1.5 ton nuclear payload. Agni means "fire" in Hindi and Sanskrit.
Medvedev Sworn In: Dmitry Medvedev was just sworn in as Russia's new president. He has promised to extend Russia's civil and economic freedoms, saying at his inauguration, "human rights and freedoms . . . are deemed of the highest value for our society." Medvedev follows Vladimir Putin's administration, becoming Russia's third leader since the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Almost immediately after the ceremony, Medvedev nominated Putin to be prime minister.
Chile Volcano: The Chaitén volcano in southern Chile erupted ash and lava a dozen miles into the air yesterday. The government has ordered the immediate and complete evacuation of everyone living within a 30-mile radius of the volcano, which began trembling last Friday. President Michelle Bachelet has visited the area and is announcing subsidies and other aid for affected families.

Someone's Having a Bad Day

GiggleSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:43:05 -0700

A security camera caught the following scene of some woman trying to get herself a drink at a restaurant. Little does she know, the machine has had one too many of its buttons pressed and its about ready to blow. As if dining in soiled clothing isn't uncomfortable and embarrassing enough, the woman hits the ground running - literally. Forget soda, someone deserves a stiff drink!

A Majority of Iraqis Are Optimistic, Says Poll

CitizenSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:02:24 -0700

According to a recent poll of more than 2,000 Iraqis, more than 50 percent think their lives are good, better than any time in the last three years. The findings also suggest that a majority believe that security in their area has improved since 2007.

While most Iraqis still believe US troops are making things worse, the number who want the Americans to pull out immediately has fallen, with strong division among Iraq's main ethnic groups.

Fifty-five percent of all Iraqis believe that their lives are good, but only 33 percent of Sunnis are happy with their lives, compared with 62 percent of Shias and 73 percent of Kurds, showing that the Sunni population still remains alienated. However, 62 percent of all those polled say security in their own area is good, up from 43 percent last year.

As a testament to the strength of their optimism in the face of adversity, this picture shows Iraqi security forces today, gathered around the wreckage of a car bomb explosion in central Baghdad's Nidal Street. Two people were killed and eight others were wounded in the blast.

What do you think of these findings? Do you think Iraqis are optimistic because of US efforts there or in spite of them?

Source

Front Page: Explosion, Chemical Ali, Turkey Withdraws

CitizenSugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:56:53 -0800

A huge explosion in a retail center near Chicago injured eight people, including two who were trapped in the rubble and were rescued by firefighters. The explosion happened around noon, and fire officials are now speculating the cause of the explosion was a gas leak, though nothing is conclusive due to the severe damage of the building. Nearby Tuxedo World, Cleopatra’s Unisex Hair Salon and a Cellular Concepts store were also severely damaged.
Chemical Ali, Saddam Hussein's cousin - whose real name is Hassan al-Majid - has had his execution approved by the Iraqi president. He was sentenced to death last June for his role in the 1988 Anfal Campaign, a genocide which killed 100,000 people, mostly Kurds in northern Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki said of the timing for his execution, "it will be a matter of days."
Turkey says it has withdrawn its troops from northern Iraq, after a ground offensive against Kurdish rebels proved controversial. The Turkish army said the goals of their operation "had been reached and the units have returned to their bases." The decision to withdraw comes just one day after President Bush and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates urged Turkey to wrap up their mission and respect Iraqi sovereignty. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said, "we think this is the right thing for Turkey to do."

Headline: Blast Rocks Texas Oil Refinery

CitizenSugar — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 09:30:47 -0800

A huge explosion tore through an oil refinery in Big Spring, Texas, about midway between Dallas and El Paso. The blast rocked surrounding houses for miles, and the subsequent fire is still burning. One worker was injured and all employees are accounted for. No word yet on the cause of the explosion. The photo is courtesy of CNN's iReport program, and taken by viewer Larry Bates.

Source

Headline: 62 Burned, 6 Missing Following Georgia Refinery Blast

CitizenSugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:07:51 -0800

An explosion in a sugar refinery last night sent 62 people to the hospital, some severely burned. The refinery is located in Port Wentworth, Ga. Lt. Alan Baker of the Port Wentworth Police Department, said, "There was an explosion into the air with debris and a fireball that was probably five or six times as tall as the tallest trees here. It's the biggest explosion I've ever seen in my life." Six people are still missing, as fire crews work to get the fire under control.

Update - CNN is now reporting that six bodies have been found. Rescue efforts are still under way to find any survivors.

Headline: Explosion in Beirut Targets US Embassy

CitizenSugar — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:02:24 -0800

An explosion targeting a US Embassy vehicle rocked the Doura suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, this morning. Four Lebanese bystanders were killed in the blast that also injured twenty. Though no US diplomats or citizens were in the car at the time, a Lebanese driver employed by the embassy was injured. The explosion sent dark, thick smoke billowing over the mainly Christian region.

Bordered by both Syria and Israel, this explosion comes on the heels of a tense political climate in Lebanon. Former pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud resigned in November and a parliamentary vote to find his successor has been postponed 11 times. Additionally, the July War, a 33-day conflict in Lebanon and northern Israel between Hezbollah forces and the Israeli military displaced nearly 1 million Lebanese and 500,000 Israelis, and severely damaged the Lebanese infrastructure in 2006.

Gettin' Steamy With Richard Simmons

GiggleSugar — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 16:00:00 -0800

Watch Richard Simmons get hot and bothered on Letterman while trying to promote his new "Steam Heat" steamer. Even with Letterman firing away questions at him, the fitness guru stands behind his product...that is, until standing behind the product places him in the direct line of an explosive electrical fire. The source? The Richard Simmons "Steam Heat" steamer.

Rock-afire Explosion Is at It Again

GiggleSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Rock-afire Explosion is proving to be an enduring musical act. This creepy animatronic robot cover band, including a dog and a gorilla, originally played at Showbiz Pizza in the '80s. Their creators, Creative Engineering, now have a fan bidding contest where you can request to have your favorite song performed by them. Here's someone's winning bid: Arcade Fire's "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" lip synced by Rock-afire Explosion. Love it!