NASA image of the Day, July 22nd ..[ 1512 ]

The latest NASA "Image of the Day" image.

Lulin

NASA's Swift satellite views Comet Lulin as it made it closest approach to Earth in February 2009. Lulin, like all comets, is a clump of frozen gases mixed with dust. 

These "dirty snowballs" cast off gas and dust whenever they venture near the sun. 

Comet Lulin, which is formally known as C/2007 N3, was discovered in 2008 by astronomers at Taiwan's Lulin Observatory. Lulin passed closest to Earth -- 38 million miles, or about 160 times farther than the moon -- late on the evening of Feb. 23, 2009, for North America. 

Image Credit: NASA, Swift, Univ. Leicester, DSS (STScI/AURUA), Dennis Bodewits, et al.

Πέμπτη, 22 Ιούλιος 2010 7:00:00 πμ

Chavez brakes ties with Colombia. ..[ 1511 ]

Venezuela breaks relations with Colombia

Venezuela President Hugo Chavez said his Colombian counterpart, Alvaro Uribe, is "crazed."

By the CNN Wire Staff

July 22, 2010 -- Updated 2340 GMT (0740 HKT)

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Thursday that he is breaking off relations with Colombia. His decision comes as the Organization of American States meets to discuss Colombian claims that Venezuela is protecting FARC and ELN rebels in its territory.

The move is the biggest escalation in a year of simmering tensions between the two countries and their presidents.

Chavez said that under President Alvaro Uribe, Colombia has isolated itself and become "aggressive and violent."

He called Uribe "crazed" and accused the United States of using Uribe as a puppet.

Uribe is in the final month of a presidency that has had many tensions with neighboring Venezuela, mostly over accusations that rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (also known as FARC) and National Liberation Army (ELN) have camps in Venezuela.

Chavez said he hoped for better relations with Colombian President-elect Juan Manuel Santos, who was Uribe's defense minister and whose election was viewed as an affirmation of Uribe's policies.

The Venezuelan leader spoke from his presidential palace, where he was holding a news conference with Argentine soccer coach Diego Maradona. Maradona's visit was unrelated to the spat with Colombia.

Venezuela recalled its ambassador to Colombia on Friday in reaction to the accusations of protecting rebels.

Uribe is a two-term president who has received high approval ratings for his tough stand against FARC guerrillas, who have been waging war against the government for decades.

Colombia has accused Chavez of supporting the rebels, and Chavez has said Colombian officials and right-wing paramilitary units have plotted his assassination.

Security analysts say FARC guerrillas operate mostly in Colombia but have carried out extortion, kidnappings and other activities in Venezuela, Panama and Ecuador.

FARC is said to traffic in cocaine to finance its insurgency.

Colombia has also accused another neighbor, Ecuador, of giving refuge to rebels. In 2008, Colombia carried out a raid in Ecuadorian territory that resulted in the killing of a top FARC leader.

Thursday was not the first time Chavez cut off diplomatic ties with Colombia.

A year ago, Chavez "froze" the nations' relationship over Colombian accusations that Venezuelan weapons had made it into the hands of rebels.

Colombia said it had evidence that shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons recovered from FARC guerrillas were of Venezuelan origin. Venezuela denied the allegations and said the rebels may have stolen the weapons from a Venezuelan base.

Flooding fears in China coast..[ 1510 ]

Flooding fears intensify as tropical storm churns toward China coast

By the CNN Wire Staff

July 22, 2010 -- Updated 0934 GMT (1734 HKT)

(CNN) -- Tropical Storm Chanthu has slowed, but it's edging ominously closer to an area of southern China already deluged with rain and deadly floods.

"The situation is grave," said China's State Council, or cabinet, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. The council is urging local governments to step up flood control efforts.

Xinhua, quoting newly released government figures, said torrential rains and floods this year already have been the worst in a decade, claiming the lives of 701 people and leaving 347 missing,

Now, Chanthu could drench some already rain-swollen areas with another 20 inches, or half meter, of rain, according to CNN Weather Anchor Jenny Harrison.

Harrison said Chanthu has slowed over the last 24 hours and now is expected to make landfall Thursday evening, local time. It's moving north-northwest at five miles an hour and is expected to come ashore between Guangdong's coastal city of Yangjiang and Hainan's Qionghai City. But Hong Kong, to the east, also is expected to feel the storm's fury, as well as northern Vietnam.

Chanthu already has been pounding Hainan Island, off the coast, with sustained winds of 68 miles an hour and gusts reaching 87 miles an hour.

But as the storm moves inland, an area of particular concern is the region along the Yangtze River, which already has experienced the worst flooding in 30 years. Floodgates on the Three Gorges Dam have been opened to control the flow, and pictures from the scene show huge volumes of water pouring from it.

Throughout the country, floods have hit 27 provinces and municipalities, affecting 110 million people, according to Xinhua. It said more than 8 million people have been relocated.

About 287,000 military personnel have been mobilized in anti-flood operations, and schools are being advised to do what they can to ensure students' safety.

Xinhua also said the Qiongzhou Strait between the Chinese mainland and Hainan island was closed Wednesday as Chanthu headed toward south China. People in the affected areas are being advised to shut doors and windows and avoid outdoor activities.

Russia's fighter jet exports..[ 1509 ]

Russia to keep 2nd place in fighter jet exports until 2013

 

Russia will most likely continue holding a second place on the global market of new multirole fighter jets until at least 2013, a Russian arms trade expert said, RIA Novosti.

TREND ////22.07.2010 09:33

"We are expecting a significant growth of this [fighter jet] market segment both in terms of quantity [68%] and revenues [91%] until 2013 compared to the previous four years [2006-2009]," Igor Korotchenko, head of a Moscow-based think tank on the international arms trade, told reporters on Wednesday.

"According to our estimates, Russia will keep a solid second place during the upcoming four-year period," the expert said.

According to the Russian think tank, at least 1,589 multirole fighters worth over $82.5 billion will be sold on the global market in 2006-2013.

A total of 476 new fighters worth $27.7 billion were sold in 2006-2009. This figure will almost double in the next four years with the demand rising from 119 to 200 planes annually.

The United States tops the list with 472 new fighters worth over $19 bln, which were sold in the past four years and have been ordered for the next four.

Russia currently maintains a second place with 377 new fighters worth over $16.3 bln, trailed by China, the U.K., Sweden and France.

According to Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, the country could sign its first contract for the export of Su-35 Flanker-E fighter jets by the end of this year.

The Su-35 Flanker-E, a modification of the Su-27, is a heavy class, long-range, multirole fighter, whose technical characteristics can be compared with those of fifth-generation jets.

Blasts at Kabardino-Balkaria hydro plant..[ 1508 ]

Blasts at Kabardino-Balkaria hydro plant equivalent to over 20 lbs

Topic: Attack on Baksan hydropower plant

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Blasts at Kabardino-Balkaria hydro plant

09:22 22/07/2010

© Photo Press-service GU of the Ministry of Emergency Measures on the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic

MOSCOW, July 22 (RIA Novosti)

The blasts at the hydropower plant in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria were equivalent to more than 10 kg of TNT (22 lbs) altogether, a source from the local law enforcement authorities said on Thursday.

The attack saw a group of up to four gunmen burst into Kabardino-Balkaria's Baksan Hydropower Plant early on Wednesday and shoot dead two security guards. Then they detonated four explosive devices. The resulting blaze covered an area of 250 sq meters.

The attackers were apparently well-trained militants, the source said. The Russian Federal Security Service has said the gang's leader had been identified.

The head of RusHydro's plant in the North Caucasus, Ali Sattaev, said two hydro units were damaged as a result of the blasts. However, a RusHydro spokesman said energy supplies to Kabardino-Balkaria would not be affected by the attack.

Some experts say the attack may be a "rehearsal" that could be followed by other similar attacks.