US and Britain strike Houthi rebel targets in Yemen after surge in shipping attacks
American officials say the U.S. and Britain have struck 13 Houthi targets in several locations in Yemen in response to a recent surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Nearly 100 Croatian soccer fans face murder, gang-related charges in Greece after deadly violence
Nearly 100 Croatian soccer fans have appeared in an Athens court to face serious criminal charges that include murder and membership of a criminal organization, over their alleged involvement in deadly fan violence.
Polls open in Greece's first election since international bailout spending controls ended
Polls have opened in Greeceโs parliamentary election, the first since the countryโs economy ceased to be subject to strict supervision and control by international lenders who had provided bailout funds during its nearly decade-long financial crisis.
Tsitsipas, with Big Three missing, makes 4th round in Miami
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece returns to Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia during the Miami Open tennis tournament, Saturday, March 27, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)MIAMI โ For tennis up-and-comers like Stefanos Tsitsipas, the draw at the Miami Open began to look a lot less daunting even before the tournament began. โItโs a first test to see how it is playing without them,โ Tsitsipas said after his third-round victory Saturday. 2-seeded Tsitsipas is among those with the best chance to take advantage, and he looked the part against Damir Dzumhur, winning 6-1, 6-4. โI created a lot of opportunities with my serve โ I wasnโt rushing at all, finding the right angles and executing it perfectly,โ Tsitsipas said. In women's play, top-ranked Ash Barty and three-time champion Victoria Azarenka advanced to a round of 16 showdown.
WMO retires several hurricane names; says goodbye to Greek alphabet names
HOUSTON โ The World Meteorological Organizationโs (WMO) Hurricane Committee held its annual meeting from March 15 to 17. They cited several reasons for their decision:Often, there is more focus on the use of the Greek alphabet for names rather than the storm itself, which leads to less-than-optimal communication of important information. Greek alphabet names can be confusing when translating to different languages. The WMO will replace the Greek alphabet names with a supplemental list of names that start with A, B, C, D, and so on, all the way down the alphabet with the exception of Q, U, X, Y, and Z. AdThe supplemental list of names agreed upon for Atlantic hurricanes is:AdriaBraylenCaridadDeshawnEmeryFosterGemmaHeathIslaJacobusKenzieLucioMakaylaNolanOrlandaPaxRoninSophieTayshaunVivianaWillPacific storms will also have a supplemental list, which you can view here.
Bye Alpha, Eta: Greek alphabet ditched for hurricane names
(NOAA via AP)With named storms coming earlier and more often in warmer waters, the Atlantic hurricane season is going through some changes with meteorologists ditching the Greek alphabet during busy years. The Greek alphabet had only been used twice in 2005 and nine times last year in a record-shattering hurricane season. AdMeanwhile, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration is recalculating just what constitutes an average hurricane season. STARTING EARLIERMIT hurricane researcher Kerry Emanuel said โthis whole idea of hurricane season should be revisited." So a warming world means the new normal is busy hurricane seasons just like the last 30 years.
Israeli experts announce discovery of more Dead Sea scrolls
The Israel Antiquities Authority displays newly discovered Dead Sea Scroll fragments at the Dead Sea scrolls conservation lab in Jerusalem, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday announced the discovery of dozens of new Dead Sea Scroll fragments bearing a biblical text found in a desert cave and believed hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)JERUSALEM โ Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday announced the discovery of dozens of Dead Sea Scroll fragments bearing a biblical text found in a desert cave and believed hidden during a Jewish revolt against Rome nearly 1,900 years ago. The Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of Jewish texts found in desert caves in the West Bank near Qumran in the 1940s and 1950s, date from the third century B.C. There are slight differences and some of those differences are important,โ said Joe Uziel, head of the antiquities authority's Dead Sea Scrolls unit.
Greece says Turkey's 2-state model for Cyprus a non-starter
Raab pledged support in helping to โbreak the logjamโ that has blocked a peace deal for nearly a half-century, fueled tensions over offshore energy reserves and encumbered Turkeyโs relationship with the European Union. Greek Cypriots strongly reject any deal that would legitimize the east Mediterranean island nationโs ethnic partition. AdOnly Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence in the islandโs northern third where it keeps more than 35,000 troops. Although Cyprus is an EU member, only the Greek Cypriot southern part where the internationally recognized government is seated enjoys full membership benefits. The last push for a peace deal in July 2017 collapsed amid much acrimony.
UN chief to gauge next month possible Cyprus talks restart
Lute is meeting both leaders separately in order to prepare the ground for reunification talks. (Stavros Ioannides/Cyprus' Press and Information Office via AP)NICOSIA โ U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres intends to meet next month with ethnically split Cyprusโ rival Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders to gauge whether conditions are ripe to resume dormant peace talks, the Cypriot government spokesman said on Monday. Kyriakos Koushos didnโt provide a specific date for the informal February meeting that will also bring together top officials from Cyprusโ three "guarantors" โ Greece, Turkey and Britain. Koushos was speaking after U.N. envoy Jane Holl Lute met with Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades to prepare for the meeting thatโs seen as the linchpin to restarting negotiations. Turkeyโs research vessels โ escorted by warships โ continue to search for hydrocarbons in waters where Cyprus claims exclusive economic rights.
What happens if we run through the Greek alphabet?
Iโve had a number of viewers ask what happens if we go through the Greek alphabet for storm names. Or we could stick with the Greek idea -- Tropical Storm Chi Omega? The bottom line is, we have no fear of running through the Greek alphabet. Per the WMO, once the 21 names on the Atlantic list are exhausted, the Greek alphabet is used. There are 24 names on the Greek alphabet list.
Eta remains a strong tropical storm heading to Florida
HOUSTON โ The storm is expected to weaken just slightly down to a strong tropical storm before making landfall somewhere between Cedar Key and Clearwater, Florida by this evening. It will bring heavy rain, wind and up to a 2-3 foot storm surge during high tide across central and NW Florida coastline. Eta is approaching the central Florida coastline this eveningEta will move across Florida tonight and tomorrowWe might be nearing the end of hurricane season but the tropics are still very busy! Tropical Storm Theta is churning in the north Atlantic heading towards Spain and Portugal and we will likely be looking at โIotaโ over the next few days tracking in the Caribbean towards Central America. Busy TropicsTHETA marks the 29th named storm of the 2020 season breaking the record for the most named tropical systems in a hurricane season.
Officials: Blast at WWI ceremony in Saudi Arabia wounds 3
PARIS โ An explosion at a Saudi cemetery where American and European officials were commemorating the end of World War I wounded three people Wednesday, according to official statements. A Saudi security officer was also lightly wounded, Saudi state media quoted a local official as saying. France has urged its citizens in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-majority countries to be โon maximum alertโ amid the heightened tensions. Wednesday marked the 102nd anniversary of the armistice ending World War I and is commemorated in several European countries. In 1916, during World War I, Ottoman troops surrendered to the local troops backed by the British in Jiddah, a Red Sea port city.
Torlonia Collection of ancient marbles displayed in Rome
In this undated photo made available Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, ancient Greek and Roman marble statues are seen prior to going on display in the newly refurbished Villa Caffarelli, one of the Capitoline Museums exhibition spaces overlooking the ancient Roman Forum, in Rome. One of the most important private collections of ancient Greek and Roman marble sculptures is going on display Monday as part of the Eternal Citys 150th anniversary celebrations. (Fondazione Torlonia via AP)
Torlonia Collection of ancient marbles displayed in Rome
In this undated photo made available Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, ancient Greek and Roman marble statues are seen prior to going on display in the newly refurbished Villa Caffarelli, one of the Capitoline Museums exhibition spaces overlooking the ancient Roman Forum, in Rome. One of the most important private collections of ancient Greek and Roman marble sculptures is going on display Monday as part of the Eternal Citys 150th anniversary celebrations. (Fondazione Torlonia via AP)ROME โ One of the most important private collections of ancient Greek and Roman marble sculptures is going on display in Rome as part of the Eternal Cityโs 150th anniversary celebrations. The 90 works from the Torlonia Collection were opening Monday in the newly refurbished Villa Caffarelli, one of the Capitoline Museumโs exhibition spaces overlooking the ancient Roman Forum. The 620-piece Torlonia Collection is considered one of the greatest private collections of classical art, featuring marble busts, reliefs, sarcophagi and statues.
Can we retire a Greek hurricane name? Delta made us wonder.
Louisiana residents who are still recovering from the devastation of a powerful hurricane less than two months ago braced for another hit as Hurricane Delta steamed north through the Gulf on Thursday after swiping Mexicoโs Yucatan Peninsula, the Associated Press reported. โThey do not retire Greek alphabet storm names -- at least so far,โ Gross said. The last time we went through all the letters of the alphabet and moved on to the Greek alphabet was 2005. In 2005, a record-breaking year of devastating hurricanes, we made it through six Greek letters. The Committee also agreed that it was not practical to retire into hurricane history a letter in the Greek alphabet.
The Latest: Kilmarnock squad has to isolate, match postponed
The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The entire Kilmarnock squad was told to self-isolate for 14 days following six positive virus cases, and its Scottish Premiership match on Friday against Motherwell was postponed. Kilmarnock reported three cases on Wednesday and three more positive tests on Thursday, and local officials advised all of the playing squad to self-isolate. The classic marathon route has grown in popularity since the 1970s and the event now includes 10-kilometer and 5-kilometer races. The federation says participants will be contacted and offered a refund or to transfer their participation to 2021. It says it will organize a virtual race in November that will be open to all.
Itโs still hurricane season
Itโs easy to forget that hurricane season lasts through Nov. 30 (sometimes longer) and, after all, the Greek hurricane names are in use. The National Hurricane Center is watching the Caribbean now (still plenty warm down there) for possible development. The orange area below has a 60% chance to develop in the next five days (10% the next two days). NHC forecastOur question, of course, is where would it go from there (if it even develops). Enjoy the fall weather through the weekend into next week and let me worry about the tropics for you!
Running out of storm names, Atlantic season goes Greek
This Aqua satellite image taken Friday, Sept. 18, 2020 and provided by NASA, shows subtropical storm Alpha in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean near Portugal's coast. The Atlantics record-breaking crazy hurricane season got a bizarre European remake Friday as forecasters ran out of traditional names and trotted out the Greek alphabet for subtropical storm Alpha. (NASA via AP)The Atlanticโs record-breaking โcrazyโ hurricane season got a bizarre European remake Friday as forecasters ran out of traditional names and trotted out the Greek alphabet for subtropical storm Alpha. The busy Atlantic is beta testing the Greek alphabet as Beta formed late Friday afternoon. With at least another month of the heart of the busiest part of hurricane season to go, one weather-watcher on Twitter talked of โHurricane Pi on Thanksgiving.โ
What to know about slow moving Tropical Storms
HOUSTON โ Well, that was fast....Wilfred has formed in the far eastern Atlantic and Alpha formed off the coast of Portugal late this morning! Our Tropical Depression 22 will get the name BETA. If thereโs one thing that is not Greek to me, itโs that this will be a slow mover and slow movers drop a lot of rain. And weโve had our share of storms that get โstuckโ between competing high-pressure systems. Effectively, the storm gets stuck, meanders, and eventually gets pushed one way or the other.
What Happens when we run out of Hurricane Names?
Tropical Storm Teddy's track forecast and looks like it will make Cat 3 strengthAnd the truth is, weโre almost out of names! Theyโve chosen not to use five letters--Q, U, X, Y and Z-- because, apparently, those letters are hard to find names for. Hereโs the 2020 list: Arthur Bertha Cristobal Dolly Edouard Fay Gonzalo Hanna Isaias Josephine Kyle Laura Marco Nana Omar Paulette Rene Sally Teddy Vicky WilfredWe ran out of names in 2005 (the Katrina/Rita year) when the National Hurricane Center named 27 storms--six of them got Greek alphabet names. What happens if we have a Greek alphabet storm that causes catastrophic damage or death and the name needs to be retired? I reached out to Dennis Feltgen, Communications & Public Affairs Officer at the National Hurricane Center, and asked him exactly what would happen.
Texas universities blame off-campus parties for rising COVID-19 cases, but few are disciplining students
Students sit outside the Peter T. Flawn Academic Center at the University of Texas at Austin. As Texas college towns see rising COVID-19 cases with the return of hundreds of thousands of students to campus, a small but increasing number of universities are disciplining students who attend or host house parties or Greek rush events. But while reports of those crackdowns are beginning to increase, most Texas universities arent penalizing individual students for partying that takes place off-site. Many of the Greek events have since been halted, he said, but the off-campus parties continue. Penalize organizations, not peoplePerhaps the most power that Texas universities can wield over off-campus student behavior comes through its recognized organizations, from sororities to student government and beyond.
Takeout Shoutout: Niko Nikoโs, a long-lasting Greek restaurant in Montrose
HOUSTON โ At Niko Nikoโs in Montrose, owner Demetri Fetokakis loves to sing the praises of his famous gyros sandwiches. Niko Nikoโs was opened in 1977 and features a legendary list of Greek favorites. The restaurant also boasts several awards from the Houston Press, including โBest Pork Chopโ, โBest Chickenโ and โBest Family Owned Restaurant." Niko Nikoโs offers a blast of flavor that seems to ooze from every dish on the menu, which is derived from traditional Greek family recipes. Niko Nikoโs Greek and American CafรฉAddress: 2520 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, 77006Phone: 713-528-4976