In Eastern Europe two villages once separated by nothing but a thin line on a map
have now been cut in two by a new iron wall. Only this time the division is not communism and capitalism, but belonging or not — membership in the EU versus non-membership.
Belarus is ruled by President Alexander Lukashenko, who appears to regard economic and political reform as the kryptonite to his power.
A new study claims that clean air may actually be
worsening the drought in the Amazon rainforest — a region whose well being impacts the entire world's climate.
The scientists found that sun-reflective sulfate aerosols, released by coal-burning power plants, bounce light back to the sun, preventing it from hitting the Earth. Add a bunch of scientific mumbo-jumbo, and eventually the buffering impact of a concentrated amount of sulfates from the 1970s and 80s led to more rain in the Amazon.
The European Commission recently ruled that
cell phones could be used on airplanes flying over Europe. Meanwhile, back on the ground, countries and cities are
creating no cell phone zones, otherwise known as "Zen Zones."
Passengers on France's high speed railway enjoy cell phone free travel.
Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence, which means nothing unless recognized, has
split the international community. The United States, Australia, and some of Europe's major powers — Britain, France, Germany, and Italy — have offered their support to the country, despite warnings from other influential countries and EU members.
Russia, China, and at least five EU states oppose the unilateral assertion of independence.
