News roundup
--> World news: Lawyer for US hikers jailed in Iran for 2 years says, "The case is over. The court has ordered that they be freed on bail."
--> World news: President Barack Obama steps onto the world stage today seeking to head off a looming U.N. showdown over Palestinian statehood and pull his Middle East policy back from the brink of diplomatic disaster.
Grappling with economic woes and low poll numbers at home and growing doubts about his leadership abroad, Obama will address the U.N. General Assembly and meet Israel and Palestinian leaders at a critical juncture for his presidency and for America's credibility around the globe.
He faces the daunting challenge of reasserting Washington's influence in the Middle East by dissuading the Palestinians from going ahead with a push for statehood in the Security Council in defiance of Israeli objections and a U.S. veto threat.
The Obama administration and Israel both say that only direct peace talks can lead to peace with the Palestinians, who in turn say almost two decades of fruitless negotiation has left them no choice but to turn to the world body. More at Reuters.
--> Environmental news: A powerful typhoon was bearing down on Japan's tsunami-ravaged northeastern coast today, approaching a nuclear power plant crippled in that disaster and prompting calls for the evacuation of more than a million people.
Police and local media reported that six people were dead or missing after being swept away by rivers swollen with rains from Typhoon Roke. Nearly 260,000 households in central Japan were without electricity, and authorities called for more than a million people to be evacuated in central and eastern Japan.
The storm, packing sustained winds of up to 90 mph, made landfall in the afternoon near the city of Hamamatsu, about 125 miles west of Tokyo. The center of the fast-moving storm was passing just north of the capital early Wednesday evening and was expected to head toward the northeastern region of Tohoku devastated by the March 11 tsunami and earthquake. More at MSNBC.
--> Environmental news: Sparks from electric power lines likely started the blaze that became the most destructive wildfire in Texas history, fire officials said today.
The Sept. 4 blaze started near Bastrop about 25 miles east of Austin, destroying more than 1,500 homes and killing two people.
The Texas Forest Service would not elaborate on the cause Tuesday to The Associated Press. However, a copy of the report obtained by the Austin American-Statesman stated that the massive blaze started as two fires ignited about five miles apart around the same time.
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--> World news: President Barack Obama steps onto the world stage today seeking to head off a looming U.N. showdown over Palestinian statehood and pull his Middle East policy back from the brink of diplomatic disaster. Grappling with economic woes and low poll numbers at home and growing doubts about his leadership abroad, Obama will address the U.N. General Assembly and meet Israel and Palestinian leaders at a critical juncture for his presidency and for America's credibility around the globe.
He faces the daunting challenge of reasserting Washington's influence in the Middle East by dissuading the Palestinians from going ahead with a push for statehood in the Security Council in defiance of Israeli objections and a U.S. veto threat.
The Obama administration and Israel both say that only direct peace talks can lead to peace with the Palestinians, who in turn say almost two decades of fruitless negotiation has left them no choice but to turn to the world body. More at Reuters.
--> Environmental news: A powerful typhoon was bearing down on Japan's tsunami-ravaged northeastern coast today, approaching a nuclear power plant crippled in that disaster and prompting calls for the evacuation of more than a million people. Police and local media reported that six people were dead or missing after being swept away by rivers swollen with rains from Typhoon Roke. Nearly 260,000 households in central Japan were without electricity, and authorities called for more than a million people to be evacuated in central and eastern Japan.
The storm, packing sustained winds of up to 90 mph, made landfall in the afternoon near the city of Hamamatsu, about 125 miles west of Tokyo. The center of the fast-moving storm was passing just north of the capital early Wednesday evening and was expected to head toward the northeastern region of Tohoku devastated by the March 11 tsunami and earthquake. More at MSNBC.
--> Environmental news: Sparks from electric power lines likely started the blaze that became the most destructive wildfire in Texas history, fire officials said today.The Sept. 4 blaze started near Bastrop about 25 miles east of Austin, destroying more than 1,500 homes and killing two people.
The Texas Forest Service would not elaborate on the cause Tuesday to The Associated Press. However, a copy of the report obtained by the Austin American-Statesman stated that the massive blaze started as two fires ignited about five miles apart around the same time.
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