10 things you need to know today: August 11, 2014
- 1. Israelis and Palestinians agree to new, 72-hour cease-fire
- 2. Kurdish forces retake two towns from ISIS
- 3. New report says Keystone XL pipeline would be worse for the environment than previously thought
- 4. Erdogan wins Turkey's presidential election
- 5. Hawaii governor loses in a historic primary race
- 6. McIlroy wins PGA Championship
- 7. Researchers find new, massive penguin fossils in Antarctica
- 8. Plane crash in Iran kills 39
- 9. Lightening strikes worsen California wildfire
- 10. 'Candid Camera' returns to the air tonight
1. Israelis and Palestinians agree to new, 72-hour cease-fire
A new 72-hour cease-fire went into effect at 12:01 Monday morning after Egypt worked with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to end the hostilities yet again. Both sides agreed to continue working on a long-term peace agreement, but it's not clear whether any progress has been made. The last cease-fire expired on Friday, opening the door for Hamas to launch dozens of rockets at Israel. Israel responded with airstrikes.
2. Kurdish forces retake two towns from ISIS
After days of intense fighting, Kurdish fighters said they have reclaimed two areas from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria as U.S. warplanes continued airstrikes against the militant group for the third day. The Makhmur District, just north of Kirkuk, and the town of Gwair are now said to be under Kurdish control.
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3. New report says Keystone XL pipeline would be worse for the environment than previously thought
A new study has revealed that constructing the Keystone XL pipeline would create four times the carbon dioxide than the government originally estimated. Designed to move tar sands oil from Canada to Texas, the pipeline would increase carbon output by 121 million tons a year, according to a report published in Nature Climate Change. The State Department had estimated the pipeline would increase carbon emission by 30 million tons worldwide.
4. Erdogan wins Turkey's presidential election
The Turkish news media has declared former Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan the winner of the country's first presidential election. Though the official results won't be reported for several days, Erdogan took 52 percent of the vote and vowed in his victory speech to bring "societal reconciliation" to the country of 77 million. Erdogan had been barred by party regulations from running for a fourth term for prime minister.
5. Hawaii governor loses in a historic primary race
In a historic loss, Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie lost the Democratic primary to challenger David Ige. Abercrombie, the first sitting governor to lose a primary in the Aloha State, lost by more than 30 points. Ige, a state senator, will face Republican Duke Aiona, a former lieutenant governor, and Mufi Hannemann, a former Democrat who is running as a third party candidate.
6. McIlroy wins PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy won the PGA Championship, beating out Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler in the last nine holes of the tournament. With the win, McIlroy became only the fourth player to win four major titles before turning 26. That esteemed list includes Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Bobby Jones.
7. Researchers find new, massive penguin fossils in Antarctica
New penguin fossils have been found on Antarctica's Seymour Island. The species, Palaeeudyptes klekowskii, lived about 40 million years ago, weighed 250 pounds, and were 6-feet, 7-inches tall, according to researchers. That makes them potentially the biggest penguins ever to roam the Earth.
8. Plane crash in Iran kills 39
Thirty-nine people were killed and nine were injured when a regional passenger jet crashed shortly after taking off from from Mehrabad airport in Tehran. The plane, a twin-engine turbo prop, reportedly had engine trouble before going down in a residential neighborhood.
9. Lightening strikes worsen California wildfire
California officials are warning that lightening strikes could exacerbate a wildfire in Mendocino County that has already subsumed 8,500 acres and forced the evacuation of 60 homes. The fire, which began on July 31, is only one of 10 blazes wreaking havoc on northern California. Two thousand firefighters have been combating the fire but the steep and rocky terrain has made it difficult to contain.
10. 'Candid Camera' returns to the air tonight
Sixty-six years after it first debuted, "Candid Camera" is coming back to television for a 10-episode run. The show, which is set to air on the TV Land channel, will be hosted by Mayim Bialik who currently stars in "The Big Bang Theory" and Peter Funt. Funt's dad, Allen Funt, was the original creator and host of the show.
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Laura Colarusso is a freelance journalist based in Boston. She has previously written for Newsweek, The Boston Globe, the Washington Monthly and The Daily Beast.
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