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Quartz crystals detected swirling in an exoplanet’s atmosphere

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:38 GMT

(CNN) — Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have for the first time detected tiny quartz crystals containing silica — a common mineral on Earth — within the atmosphere of a blazing hot exoplanet.It’s likely that the nanoparticles of silica, which on Earth appears in beach sands and is used to produce glass, swirl from the clouds of the exoplanet, known as WASP-17b, according to the researchers.First discovered in 2009, WASP-17b is a gas giant planet located 1,300 light-years from Earth. It has a volume more than seven times that of Jupiter, making it one of the largest exoplanets known to astronomers.The researchers detected the the quartz nanoparticles in high-altitude clouds using Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument, according to new research published Monday in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.“We were thrilled,” said lead study author David Grant, a researcher at the University of Bristol, in a statement. “We knew from Hubble observations that there must be ae...

Germany’s Scholz demands probe into Gaza hospital strike

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:38 GMT

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday that an explosion at a Gaza hospital must be investigated “very thoroughly,” after competing claims from Israel and Hamas about who blew up the site, killings hundreds, on Tuesday night.At least 500 people were killed at the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza after a massive blast, according to local health authorities linked to the Hamas militant group. Hamas blamed an Israeli air strike, while the Israeli military said a rocket misfired by other Palestinian militants had caused the explosion. Speaking in Cairo on Wednesday, Scholz cautioned that “we still do not know exactly what happened,” and stressed: “It is important that this incident is investigated very thoroughly.”Scholz expressed his condolences to the victims and their families, and said: “Yet this incident also makes it clear: Hamas brought terrible suffering to the citizens of Israel with its horrific terrorist attack on October 7, and as a result, much s...

EU troops storm the beaches as bloc aims to be military player

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:38 GMT

ABOARD THE FRENCH HELICOPTER CARRIER TONNERRE — It’s not yet a European army, but it’s getting close. This week in the south of Spain, the European Union is holding its first live military exercise — an effort to show the world it’s a serious security and defense player that can operate without NATO. Air, land and maritime armed forces from nine EU countries will land on a beach to rescue a fictitious European ally called Seglia that’s asking for help to deal with a rapidly deteriorating security situation caused by a violent extremist group. Spanish troops will play the enemy forces. Until Sunday, armies that don’t speak the same language and don’t use the same military equipment need to work together. About 2,800 personnel are taking part — 1,800 from Spain, 600 from France and 200 from Portugal — as well as 25 aircraft, such as Spain’s Eurofighter Typhoons, and six vessels including assault ships and a French mine hunter. “France was keen to be the...

Firefighters working to contain massive blaze at RI vehicle recycling facility

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:38 GMT

Fire crews are working to extinguish a large fire that is raging at a vehicle recycling facility in Tiverton, Rhode Island.Witnesses said they could hear explosions and popping sounds coming from the area.Video from the scene showed firefighters using a ladder truck to douse the flames.The cause of the fire remains under investigation.No additional information was immediately available.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Bit Milder Today, Terrific Thursday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:38 GMT

While we’ve had a few spotty showers from time to time the last couple of days, we’ve also had many dry hours in the mix. Temps have also been fairly seasonable, running in the lower 60s. Overall, through 17 days in October, rainfall has been well below average for the month in Boston and Worcester with Boston only recorded .01″ or more on two days. Certainly the last couple of weeks have been a welcomed change in the pattern. Today, we’ll have a similar theme as yesterday with highs just a touch milder, low to mid 60s, and just a few isolated showers bubbling up. Overall, it’ll be a fairly quiet day. Tomorrow looks great, mostly sunny skies with temps in the mid to upper 60s as we’re dry from start to finish. Enjoy! Rain chances go up late Friday, Friday night and into Saturday as moisture rides in ahead of an area of low pressure. As that low crosses New England, it’ll strengthen and on the back side of it, provide us with gusty winds Sund...

Fire crews rescue trapped driver after fiery crash involving tanker truck in East Boston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:38 GMT

Fire crews worked quickly to free a trapped driver who was hospitalized following a fiery crash with a tanker truck on Route 1 in East Boston, officials said.A section of Route 1 northbound was temporarily shut down as crews worked to extinguish the flames, which were threatening to ignite the 8,000 gallons of diesel fuel that were inside the tanker, fire officials said. The fire appeared to have been sparked by a pipe underneath the truck.The woman was taken to the hospital with burn injuries.“It was burning while she was in it, so one company went right to her and focused on getting her out of the car, and the other started with the truck because obviously we had to get that fire out quick,” Boston District Fire Chief Mark Raymond said.The cause of the fire remains under investigation.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Boston Herald Weekly divisional football rankings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:38 GMT

 Here are the weekly Eastern Mass. rankings for each of the eight divisions as well as the ISL. DIVISION 11. St. John’s Prep (6-0)2. Xaverian (4-2)3. Lincoln-Sudbury (5-1)4. Everett (5-1)5. Needham (5-1)6. Methuen (4-2)7. Andover (5-1)8. BC High (4-2) DIVISION 21. Catholic Memorial (4-1)2. King Philip (6-0)3. Marshfield (4-2)4. Peabody (6-0)5. Bishop Feehan (5-1)6. Barnstable (5-1)7. North Andover (4-1)8. Winchester (5-1) DIVISION 31. Billerica (6-0)2. Milford (6-0)3. Mansfield (3-3)4. Milton (5-1)5. Dartmouth (6-0)6. Woburn (5-1)7. Walpole (3-3)8. Lynn Classical (4-2) DIVISION 41. Duxbury (4-1)2. Tewksbury (5-1)3. Norwood (5-1)4. Somerset Berkley (5-1)5. Scituate (3-3)6. Burlington (4-2)7. Wakefield (4-2)8. Bedford (4-2) DIVISION 51. Hanover (6-0)2. Shawsheen (6-0)3. Bishop Fenwick (5-1)4. Foxboro (5-1)5. Newburyport (5-1)6. Danvers (4-2)7. Wilmington (4-2)8. Archbishop Williams (3-3) DIVISION 61. Salem (6-0)2. Norwell (5-1)3. Abington (5-1)...

Tuesday’s high school roundup/scores: Kayla Scannell nets hat trick, leads Masconomet to dominant win

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:38 GMT

Kayla Scannell (three goals, assist), Amanda Schneider (two goals) and Lauren Boughner (goal, two assists) paced things offensively as Masconomet cruised to a 7-0 Northeastern Conference girls soccer win over Winthrop.In Mayflower League action, Kathleen Murphy recorded a hat trick and a pair of assists from Jenna Lehane to boost Blue Hills (12-0-2) to a 4-1 victory over Bristol-Plymouth.Ella Arntsen supplied an assist and scored a goal for Manchester Essex in a 3-1 Cape Ann League win over Rockport. … Anya Zub and Kelly O’Connor buried two goals apiece as Franklin beat Taunton 4-0 in Hockomock League action. … Carly Devine and Maddie Fernandes had a goal and an assist each for Mansfield in a 3-1 win over Oliver Ames.Emily Sandelli led the way with a hat trick for Greater Lowell (9-2-1) in a 3-1 Commonwealth Athletic Conference victory over Mystic Valley. … Emily Lincoln notched the lone goal for Bridgewater-Raynham in a 1-0 Southeast Conference win over Brockton.Tatiana...

Couple killed along with their local guide in an attack near a Ugandan national park were newlyweds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:38 GMT

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — The two tourists killed, along with their tour guide, in an attack near a Ugandan national park were a newlywed couple, the country’s president said in a statement Wednesday.The honeymooners — a South African woman and a British man — died when unknown assailants set ablaze their tour vehicle along a road by Queen Elizabeth National Park. Their local guide was also killed.President President Yoweri Museveni described the attack as a “cowardly act on the part of the terrorists attacking innocent civilians and tragic for the couple who were newlyweds and visiting Uganda on their honeymoon.” He said the terrorists “will pay with their own wretched lives.”Attacks within and around national parks are rare in Uganda, with specialist police units deployed there. Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of the country’s most popular conservation areas, is located in a remote area of southwestern Uganda near the Congo border. Ugandan police blamed the attack on t...

Ex-Treasury Secretary Lew, Biden’s pick for ambassador to Israel, will face senators at a hearing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:38 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is moving quickly to confirm Jacob Lew as ambassador to Israel, holding a hearing on his nomination Wednesday as President Joe Biden visits the region to reinforce U.S. support for Israel and try to ease tensions in its new war with Hamas. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing comes as the White House has told lawmakers that it is considering a request of between $90 billion and $100 billion for the wars in Israel and Ukraine and for Taiwan as it faces threats from China, according to four people familiar with the conversations. The request to Congress would cover a year, according to another person familiar with the Biden administration’s expected request. Lew, a Treasury Secretary under President Barack Obama, was nominated by Biden last month after Ambassador Tom Nides left the post in July. Democrats say Lew’s wealth of government experience — he also served as a White House chief of staff and director of the Office of Management and Budget ...