Process likely to continue till early morning on Friday; with widespread rain and wind, Odisha government shifts 5.84 lakh people to cyclone shelters, storm may recurve once its enters land; in West Bengal, flights and trains have been suspended and schools closed, and 24x7 helplines set up

An IBG is a mix of artillery, infantry, air defence, tanks and logistics units.

The guy had to have known how this little social experiment would turn out. At least he used pennies. 

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People in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe are still recovering from Cyclone Idai. OM is responding to the needs in different communities in these countries.

OM's Riverboat will bring the gospel to six ports in three European countries over the course of three months, starting in December 2017.

People in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe are still recovering from Cyclone Idai. OM is responding to the needs in different communities in these countries.

People in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe are still recovering from Cyclone Idai. OM is responding to the needs in different communities in these countries.

People in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe are still recovering from Cyclone Idai. OM is responding to the needs in different communities in these countries.

Carmita from the city of Pedernales and Rosita from the community of La Estancia acknowledge God's work through the OM teams sent to their people affected by the earthquake.

People in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe are still recovering from Cyclone Idai. OM is responding to the needs in different communities in these countries.

People in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe are still recovering from Cyclone Idai. OM is responding to the needs in different communities in these countries.

Three members of the White House coronavirus task force, including Dr Anthony Fauci, placed themselves in quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19, another stark reminder that not even one of the nation’s most secure buildings is immune from the virus.Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leading member of the task force, has become nationally known for his simple and direct explanations to the public about the…

Ride-along and interview Nokia's Aaron Dannenbring

With picnics tolerated and even a pub doing takeaway drinks, it seems few in Hackney are obeying the stay-at-home rule

• Coronavirus – latest updates
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As the mounted police approached, the group leapt up from their picnic, clearly fearing the worst. They were wrong. Grinning, the officer encouraged them to enjoy the sun and suggested that if the park became too crowded they should consider leaving.

For people sunning themselves in London Fields, Hackney, the incident signified another unheralded shift in the UK’s coronavirus lockdown strategy. “Two days ago, police were confiscating beer from drinkers’ hands,” said media consultant Gavin Jamieson, 34. “Weeks before that, they were turning up in vans and telling people to leave the park.”

A large number of existing and proposed investments along the Tamilnadu coast are at risk from likely changes to sea level in the coming decades. Plans for the future must bear this risk in mind, writes Sujatha Byravan.

The cross-border shelling is going on but there is no report of any casualty on the Indian side so far, a spokesman said.

Honda is planning to sell the outgoing Honda City sedan alongside the new models at the same time. This news was confirmed according to a report by Autocar India. Moreover, the new Honda City is likely to get a suffix in

They have only minimum equipment for self protection

Alongshan virus (ALSV) is an emerging human pathogen that was identified in China and rapidly spread to the European continent in 2019, raising concerns about public health. ALSV belongs to the distinct Jingmenvirus group within the Flaviviridae family with segmented RNA genomes. While segments 2 and 4 of the ALSV genome encode the VP1–VP3 proteins of unknown origin, segments 1 and 3 encode the NS2b–NS3 and NS5 proteins, which are related to Flavivirus nonstructural proteins, suggesting an evolutionary link between segmented and unsegmented viruses within the Flaviviridae family. Here, the enzymatic activity of the ALSV NS3-like helicase (NS3-Hel) was characterized and its crystal structure was determined to 2.9 Å resolution. ALSV NS3-Hel exhibits an ATPase activity that is comparable to those measured for Flavivirus NS3 helicases. The structure of ALSV NS3-Hel exhibits an overall fold similar to those of Flavivirus NS3 helicases. Despite the limited amino-acid sequence identity between ALSV NS3-Hel and Flavivirus NS3 helicases, structural features at the ATPase active site and the RNA-binding groove remain conserved in ALSV NS3-Hel. These findings provide a structural framework for drug design and suggest the possibility of developing a broad-spectrum antiviral drug against both Flavivirus and Jingmenvirus.

A new DNA study of ancient corn kernels and cobs from archaeological sites across North America has settled a long debate as to exactly where […]

The post Corn entered Southwest U.S. first along highland route, DNA shows appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The post Conrad Labandiera, Smithsonian palentologist, studies fossils to learn how insects got along before flowering plants arrived appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Current plans to protect the Chesapeake Bay include planting trees along hundreds of miles of streams that empty into the Bay. This study provides realistic limits for how much these buffers might further reduce nitrate pollution, and it helps identify where buffer restoration can offer the greatest additional nitrate removal.

The post Study backs restoring green buffers along streams to reduce Chesapeake Bay pollution appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

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A new study shows that the West Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing some of the most rapid climate change on Earth, featuring dramatic increases in temperatures, retreats in glaciers and declines in sea ice. The Southern Ocean absorbs nearly half of the carbon dioxide -- the key greenhouse gas linked to climate change -- that is absorbed by all the world's oceans. The study tapped an unprecedented 25 years of oceanographic measurements in the Southern Ocean and highlights the need for more monitoring in the region. The research revealed that carbon dioxide absorption by surface waters off the West Antarctic Peninsula is linked to the stability of the upper ocean, along with the amount and type of algae present. A stable upper ocean provides algae with ideal growing conditions. During photosynthesis, algae remove carbon dioxide from the surface ocean, which in turn draws carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. From 1993 to 2017, changes in sea ice dynamics off the West Antarctic Peninsula stabilized the upper ocean, resulting in greater algal concentrations and a shift in the mix of algal species. That's led to a nearly five-fold increase in carbon dioxide absorption during the summertime. The research also found a strong north-south difference in the trend of carbon dioxide absorption. The southern portion of the peninsula, which to date has been less impacted by climate change, experienced the most dramatic increase in carbon dioxide absorption, demonstrating the poleward progression of climate change in the region.

Image credit: Drew Spacht/The Ohio State University

Biotechnology has the potential to be a part of the solution in protecting forest trees against destructive pest and disease outbreaks

US President Barack Obama and Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney debate on October 16, 2012 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. Undecided voters asked questions during a town hall format.; Credit: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images

There continue to be questions about how moderators approach Presidential debates and about whether the extra time President Obama has received in the first two debates indicates moderator bias in his favor. 

I had chalked up the concerns to Republican hyper-partisanship, such as we saw with many Democrats criticizing Jim Lehrer for his moderating — as though Obama would’ve won the first debate if only Lehrer had asserted himself more.   However, even CNN has been doing significant follow-up on its own Candy Crowley’s performance in debate number two. 

Maybe it’s not just hardcore GOP loyalists who are questioning Crowley’s decision-making on when to cut in and when to allow the candidates to take more time. I thought she did pretty well, but there are plenty of critics.

As someone who has moderated hundreds of debates, I thought I’d share my thoughts on what we’ve seen so far in this election. Though I’ve never moderated a Presidential debate, with its incredible level of attention, concern about rules, and demands by campaigns, there are certain fundamentals regardless of the office or issue at stake.

Time Doesn't Matter...Too Much
First, as strange as this may sound, the time taken by each candidate has little to do with who has an advantage.   Yes, it’s always possible for a candidate to use another minute to fire off the defining line of the night. However, the well-practiced zingers or essential policy explainers are not left to the end of a candidate’s statement, as the clock is running out. 

I’m sure Mitt Romney wasn’t thinking after the last debate, “If only I would’ve had that extra 90-seconds, and Obama hadn’t gotten 90 more than he deserved.”  Both men front-loaded their major talking points and were going to get them in. Neither man could legitimately say he didn’t have a chance to make his strongest points. At some point, a time advantage could make a difference in who wins or loses, but an extra 90-seconds in a debate longer than 90-minutes isn’t going to do it.

Serving The Audience
As a moderator, you also have to think about what best serves your audience. I never guarantee candidates equal time, as it’s my job to serve the listeners, not their campaigns. I strive to get close to equal time, but can’t make any guarantee. Some speakers get to the point succinctly and have their points well put together. Others are messier in their arguments and eat up time just building up any head of steam. 

If the moderator holds to a strict time limit, you run the risk of frustrating listeners by cutting off the rambler just as the candidate is getting to the point. There are methods a moderator can use to help guide the speaker toward being more succinct, but there’s no guarantee the person will be able to comply.

Isn’t this inherently unfair to the succinct speaker? No. The purpose of the debate is to allow the ideas to compete.  It’s not a boxing match that’s about landing punches in a given time. The succinct debater has a big advantage, regardless of how much time the candidate has. That’s why Mitt Romney’s victory in the first debate was so lopsided — he won on the conciseness and clarity of his answers, coupled with Obama’s inability to get to his central points.  Obviously, there are those who thought Obama’s arguments were still more compelling than Romney’s, and that Romney lacked essential details.  However, for most viewers of the first debate, it was stylistically no contest.

Equal Time Is Not A Guarantee
When candidates are allowed to talk to each other directly, it’s very difficult to assure equal time. Even CNN’s clock that registers elapsed time for each candidate is subject to squishiness. Unless a debate is extremely formal, with carefully controlled time limits and a ban on candidates following-up with each other, you’re only going to have an approximation of time balance. I thought Crowley did pretty well to land the second debate with the balance she did. I’m not sure I could get it that close for a debate of that length. She had the added challenge of trying to determine when to cut in on President Obama’s lengthier answers. Also, Romney’s speaking rhythm allows more space for interruption. It’s tougher to break in on Obama.

Moderating Is A Balancing Act
Moderators are always trying to balance a need to move on to the next topic with allowing a candidate to answer an opponent’s charge. Sometimes, you open that door for a candidate, only to regret it later when the politician starts into a monologue, instead of confining the response to the previous challenge. Sometimes moderators, having gotten burned, will become less tolerant of such expansive rebuttals, as the debate goes on. Moderators are always juggling competing goals, and it’s a difficult job (at least for me).

Unfortunately, there are those who think debate moderators attempt to influence the outcome of the debate and the performances of the candidates. Maybe I’m naïve, but I can’t imagine any journalist who’s worked hard enough to get to the position of Presidential debate moderator subordinating his or her career in an effort to getting someone elected. Mainstream political journalism is like national sports reporting. You really don’t care who wins the Super Bowl, you want great story lines to explore with your audience. Yes, sports reporters have affinities for the hometown teams of their youth, but that can’t compete with the professional goal of covering great stories. 

Yes, most journalists in mainstream media probably have a stronger cultural and political affinity for Obama, as he’s more like them. However, it doesn’t mean a journalist is going to sacrifice the better story to intentionally provide a benefit to the President.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Full Text:

A new study shows that the West Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing some of the most rapid climate change on Earth, featuring dramatic increases in temperatures, retreats in glaciers and declines in sea ice. The Southern Ocean absorbs nearly half of the carbon dioxide -- the key greenhouse gas linked to climate change -- that is absorbed by all the world's oceans. The study tapped an unprecedented 25 years of oceanographic measurements in the Southern Ocean and highlights the need for more monitoring in the region. The research revealed that carbon dioxide absorption by surface waters off the West Antarctic Peninsula is linked to the stability of the upper ocean, along with the amount and type of algae present. A stable upper ocean provides algae with ideal growing conditions. During photosynthesis, algae remove carbon dioxide from the surface ocean, which in turn draws carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. From 1993 to 2017, changes in sea ice dynamics off the West Antarctic Peninsula stabilized the upper ocean, resulting in greater algal concentrations and a shift in the mix of algal species. That's led to a nearly five-fold increase in carbon dioxide absorption during the summertime. The research also found a strong north-south difference in the trend of carbon dioxide absorption. The southern portion of the peninsula, which to date has been less impacted by climate change, experienced the most dramatic increase in carbon dioxide absorption, demonstrating the poleward progression of climate change in the region.

Image credit: Drew Spacht/The Ohio State University

Hypoxia (low levels of oxygen) is widespread in the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea, according to recently published research. The trend of increasing hypoxia since the 1950 is alarming, although improvements can be seen in some areas as a result of measures to reduce inputs of organic material.

A recent study from Finland on the carbon footprint of food can help producers and consumers make choices that lower the food chain’s impact on climate change, by highlighting hotspots in the food chain for improvement and revealing food’s overall impact.

SPRINGFIELD, Va. – Drivers along the Franconia-Springfield Parkway (Route 289) bridge over Accotink Creek now have better protection from oncoming...

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With groundwater pumping and the evaporation of heavy weights of water, Earth's crust rebounds. This movement affects the fault, causing earthquakes.

You can fly! New thrill attraction at London's Archbishop's Park caters to urban adventurers with Peter Pan aspirations.

The apiarian artery is the buzziest infrastructure project in Scandinavia.

In a place where the streets flood with sewage after it rains, salvation may come in the form of a park.

A street dog named Mera tagged along with a expedition and climbed 23,389-foot Baruntse, a mountain in Nepal.

How exactly does turning a pillow into a big fluffy gadget help us disconnect from the world?

Your dutiful blogger has been evacuated from his home. However, it didn't stop me from taking a stroll along with banks of an infamously filthy canal in Brookly

Finding water ice could change everything we thought we knew about the red planet, and make colonization feasible.

A giant floating sphere built from discarded umbrellas will next set sail on one of the country's most notorious Superfund sites: The Gowanus Canal.

Passing someone a sexually transmitted infection is viewed as worse than giving them the flu — even if the flu turns out to be fatal, a new study finds.

The Mesothelioma Compensation Center is urging a boiler maker or plumber with mesothelioma or their family members to call them anytime at 800-714-0303 for direct access to attorney Erik Karst of Karst von Oiste to ensure better compensation.

The Mesothelioma Victims Center is appealing to a Navy Veteran with mesothelioma anywhere in the nation or their family to call for direct access to attorney Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste to ensure the best compensation results.

GBK Productions Curated 2 Events in Honor of the AMA's in Hollywood Over the Weekend – a Daytime Luxury Gifting Lounge with an Evening Celebration Co-Hosted by Angeleno Magazine - Both at the Kimpton La Peer Hotel

Henry Halladay's new podcast series, Learn Learn Learn, has already established itself as a force to be reckoned with in both the communications and technology fields. Episode Two reminds us why this show matters so much in a sea of similar content.

In response to queries on inauguration of road on 8th May in Pithoragarh district Uttarakhand, MEA Spokesperson stated, “We have seen the Press Release dated 9th May 2020 issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal pertaining to the inauguration of a road in India.”

Sand colic in horses occurs when sand accumulates in the large colon. Occurring around the world, sand colic is often treated by a veterinarian, but preventative measures are available, including adding psyllium to the horse's feed. A bulk-forming laxative that absorbs water, psyllium can pass through the digestive system without being completely dissolved. Magnesium sulphate, […]

The post Move Along: Psyllium And Epsom Salt Clear Sand From Equine Intestines appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

test https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/grca-archeol-exhibit-open.htm

On Thursday, February 13th, Grand Canyon Railway, in consultation with the National Park Service (NPS), will be applying herbicide along their railroad tracks including those within Grand Canyon National Park. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/herbicide-to-be-applied-along-railway-within-grand-canyon-national-park.htm