Blinken's call: "Respect democracy"
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calls on the parties in Venezuela to "respect their previous commitments and the democratic process" during today's election. That's what AP writes.
Several countries have expressed concern about the legitimacy of the election after President Nicolás Maduro's government earlier this week suspended several international election observers at short notice.
Maduro, who has ruled the country for 12 years, has previously warned of a "bloodbath" if he loses the election. The opinion polls indicate victory for the challenger Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.
- The international community will follow this very closely, says Blinken.
The wildfires in California
Wildfires in California are growing - hope for milder weather
Thousands of firefighters are battling the Park Fire forest fire in California, whose size has more than doubled in 24 hours, Reuters reports. The fire is so far the largest among the active fires in the country.
The fire — which is raging north of Sacramento — is burning more than 141,640 acres, according to state firefighters.
Authorities are hoping that milder temperatures and more humid air will help limit the fire's spread.
On Tuesday, a person was arrested on suspicion of having started the fire by pushing a burning car into a ravine the day before.
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The new space race
Leopard-patterned rock may show that there is life on Mars
Nasa has discovered a space rock whose pattern may indicate that there is or has been life on Mars, several media reports.
- The most puzzling, complex and potentially important stone that has been investigated so far, comments researcher Ken Farley according to The Guardian.
In an interview with SR Ekot, astrobiologist Sandra Siljeström, one of 15 experts worldwide who analyzed the findings, says that the pattern is "unique". The stone has white dots and black stripes, which Siljeström calls "leopard dots".
- Usually when you find them on Earth, then microbes have been involved, meaning life has been involved. Life needs energy, and it is a residue of life acquiring energy.
In order to determine that it is life, the stone must be examined with instruments on Earth. It is at least ten years away, Siljeström reckons.
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