THE CHICAGO 'BUST' after all these corrupt and corruptable years. What took so long? Paul "The Indian" Schiro, 67, of Phoenix is aleady in federal custody. At least these men are alive the ones dead are Nicholas D'Andrea was killed Sept. 13, 1981, in Chicago Heights. Vincent Moretti was killed Jan. 31, 1978, in Cicero, Emil Vaci was killed June 7, 1986, in Phoenix, John Mendell was killed Jan 16, 1978, in Chicago, Henry Cosentino was killed March 15, 1977, Tony Spilotro, the mob's top man in Las Vegas, was the target of a mob "hit," authorities say. His body and that of his brother, Michael, were found buried in an Indiana cornfield, and Michael Spilotro (pictured) and his brother Tony were slain and buried in an Indiana cornfield, according to the nine-count indictment. 

This is a new look for Bush. 

Described in "The Saudi News" as "Hand in Hand." Crown Prince Abdullah walks hand-in-hand with President George W. Bush in Crawford, Texas on Monday. (Reuters) 

Morning Papers - concluded

The Arab News

Campaign to Stamp Out Terrorism Will Continue: Fahd
P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News

JEDDAH, 26 April 2005 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd yesterday applauded Saudi security forces for their efforts to foil terrorist attacks in the holy city of Makkah and said the government would continue its efforts to stamp out terrorism.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=62757&d=26&m=4&y=2005

HOW MUCH MORE ADVANCED DO THEY GET????

Abdullah, Bush Advance Relations
Khaled Almaeen
Crown Prince Abdullah walks hand-in-hand with President George W. Bush in Crawford, Texas on Monday. (Reuters)

DALLAS, Texas, 26 April 2005 — Despite a light drizzle and cool temperatures, the meeting between Crown Prince Abdullah and US President George W. Bush yesterday at his Texas ranch radiated with the warmth of a reunion between two peoples who vowed to renew their ties with one another.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=62767&d=26&m=4&y=2005

Abbas Orders Commanders to End Chaos
Hisham Abu Taha, Arab News

RAMALLAH, 26 April 2005 — In an attempt to stamp his authority, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ordered new security chiefs yesterday to halt growing chaos two days after he pushed aside top officers in the old guard, officials said.
The security shake-up brought Abbas closer to meeting Israeli and US demands for reforming security forces, also criticized by ordinary Palestinians for failing to maintain law and order.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=62769&d=26&m=4&y=2005

Veteran Journalist Jafarkhan Dies at 57

JEDDAH, 26 April 2005 — K.K. Jafarkhan, a veteran journalist and senior editor at Arab News, died of cardiac arrest here yesterday. He was 57.
Kamalalayam Kesavan Jafarkhan, who was at his desk editing and rewriting stories until late Sunday night, died peacefully in the afternoon in his post-lunch siesta. Jafarkhan, a postgraduate in engineering, is survived by his wife and two sons.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=62758&d=26&m=4&y=2005

The Jordan Times

Iraqi government delayed again
BAGHDAD (AP) — Sunni Muslim politicians dropped their demand Monday to include former members of Saddam Hussein's party in Iraq's new Cabinet in a bid to get more ministries. Iraq's Sunni minority is believed to be the backbone of the insurgency and many here blame the months-long impasse in forming a new government for a resurgence in violence.
As leaders of Iraq's main Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish factors continued their backroom wheeling and dealing, prime minister-designate Ibrahim Jaafari again put off his long-promised Cabinet announcement.

http://www.jordantimes.com/tue/news/news1.htm

King says national guidelines need timetable

AMMAN (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday said the anticipated guidelines by the Steering Committee for the National Agenda should be "workable and in line with a fixed timetable."
King Abdullah told the committee at a Royal Court meeting that its recommendations, expected in September, should be in accordance with citizens' needs and aspirations.

http://www.jordantimes.com/tue/homenews/homenews1.htm

Abbas expects Hamas to disarm

GAZA CITY (AP) — Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Monday he expects Hamas to hand in its weapons after Palestinian elections this summer, but he stopped short of threatening to disarm the Islamic fighters by force.
A Hamas official dismissed the call, saying Abbas should first disarm his own Fateh movement.
In violence Monday, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian taxi driver after his vehicle ran over and killed an Israeli at a roadblock near the West Bank city of Hebron, rescue workers said. Israeli security officials said it appeared to be a deliberate attempt to hit the Israeli. Palestinians said the driver had no political ties, and the roadblock was not a permanent fixture, indicating that the hit-and-run was an accident.

http://www.jordantimes.com/tue/news/news8.htm

The Chicago Tribune

`Clown' missing from mob
Lombardo vanishes from regular haunts
By Ray Gibson
Tribune staff reporter
Published April 26, 2005
For more than 50 years, Joseph Lombardo has called the West Town neighborhood his home--at least, whenever he wasn't in prison.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0504260181apr26,1,5394374.story?coll=chi-news-hed

Haaretz

Nation's leaders bid emotional farewell to Ezer Weizman
By Jonathan Lis and Gideon Alon, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies
Israel's leaders paid emotional tribute to former president Ezer Weizman on Tuesday afternoon, as they gathered for his funeral in the town of Or Akiva.
President Moshe Katsav called Weizman a "man of vision," who was "one of the most influential figures in Israel."
"Weizman will be remembered as a great patriot," said Katsav. He "fought for the principles in which he believed."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/569192.html

Syria informs UN withdrawal of forces from Lebanon is complete
By Haaretz Service and Agencies
Syria informed the United Nations on Tuesday that it had completed the withdrawal of its forces from Lebanon in line with Security Council resolution 1559.
Syria "would like to officially inform you that the Syrian Arab forces stationed in Lebanon, at the request of Lebanon and under an Arab mandate, have fully withdrawn all their military, security apparatus and assets to their positions in Syria on the 26th of April, 2005," Syria's Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara said in a letter to the world body.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/569191.html

Russian defense minister: Moscow will provide Strelets missiles to Syria
By The Associated Press
MOSCOW - On the eve of Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip to Israel, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Tuesday that Moscow would go ahead with its sale of Strelets missile systems to Syria.
"This will not harm the balance of forces in the region," the Interfax news agency quoted Ivanov as saying. "In our estimation, Israel significantly surpasses Syria in military terms."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/569310.html

The New Zealand Herald

First couples sign up for civil unions
John Joliff, left, and Des Smith lodge their application for a Civil Union licence in Wellington today. Picture / Fotopress
26.04.05 1.00pm

The first couples have applied to have their relationships recognised by a civil union after a change in the law came into effect today.
The Civil Unions Bill allows same-sex and heterosexual couples legal standing on a par with marriage.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10122375

MPs will not have to reveal finances
26.04.05 4.00pm

A law that would have forced MPs to disclose financial interests has been shelved.
The proposed bill has been postponed until August 14 - after Parliament rises before the election.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10122407

Serial arsonist suspected as Kaitaia hit again
26.04.05 2.00pm

A arsonist suspected of more than 20 fires in Kaitaia is believed to be behind an attack which police say was lucky not to have destroyed a council building at the weekend.
Detective Steve Harris, of Kaitaia CIB, said a sack of sticks was placed against the Far North District Council service centre building and lit overnight Sunday.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10122391

Former Philippines ambassador murdered
26.04.05 3.00pm

Foreign Minister Phil Goff has paid tribute to the former Philippines ambassador to New Zealand, Alicia Ramos, who was murdered in Manila on Sunday.
Mr Goff said Ms Ramos was ambassador for six years, from 1996 to 2002.
"She was a warm, pleasant and likeable person with many good friends in New Zealand," he said in a statement.
"All of us who knew her are devastated by her loss and the circumstances of her death."
Mr Goff said Ms Ramos, 64, was murdered by intruders who broke into her home in Makati, Manila.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10122387

Police seeking clients of murdered prostitute
26.04.05 1.00pm

Christchurch police investigating the murder of prostitute Susie Sutherland want to speak to clients she saw in the two days before she met her death.
Detective Senior Sergeant David Harvey said the inquiry had "developed a very good idea" of Ms Sutherland's movements from Friday, April 15 until the early hours of April 16, when her naked body was found on an empty section in Peterborough St.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10122380

The weather in Antarctica (Crystal Ice Chime) is:

Scott Base

Some cloud

-24.0°

Updated Tuesday 26 Apr 8:59PM



The weather at Glacier Bay National Park (Crystal Ice Chime) is:


37 °F / 3 °C
Clear

Humidity:
87%

Dew Point:
34 °F / 1 °C

Wind:
Calm

Pressure:
30.26 in / 1025 hPa

Visibility:
10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers

UV:
0 out of 16

Clouds (AGL):
Clear -

end

This blog has been posting weather conditions at Scott Base, Antarctica from The New Zealand Herald for some time now. The conditions sometimes look poor but most of the time look favorable. Note kindly that even though temperatures are subzero C, that does not preclude sublimination of the ice. Antarctica is entering into winter. This temperature is from today. It isn't as cold as it needs to be and where it is one needs to realize this is the bottom of Earth. There are some of the 3 mile thick Blue Ice that rarely is exposed to solar radiation regardless the time of year. Even then where the very bottom of Earth is below -90 C; there can still be sublimination if warm winds circle it. By every measure Antarctica is WARM.  

April 25, 2005 in Wyandotte, Michigan. 

April 24, 2005 in Brunswick, Ohio. 

Snow covered daffodils on April 24, 2005 in Canton, Ohio. 

April 24, 2005 in the Netherlands. 

April 24, 2005 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

April 24, 2005, Arbington, Virginia. 

Ironic symbol. Auto in Dayton, Ohio on April 24, 2005. 

April 24, 2005 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. 

April 24, 2005 in Toledo, Ohio. 

April 24, 2005 in Columbus, Ohio. 

The Europe-Africa Satellite, April 25, 2005. THE CARBON SINKS. South America and Africa. Also noted is the movement of a heat transfer system to the Arctic Circle over the Middle East. There are also peripheral reaches of the Antarctica Vortex carrying heat into the ice continent from the Carbon Sinks where the heat congregates under a denser layer of Carbon Dioxide. We remain vigilant. 

The Western Hemisphere, April 25, 2005 gmt. This is also a different pattern of heat. It is actually a triangle of distribution over three continents. South America, Africa and Antarctica. The heat here is due to the densely biotic areas of both South America and Africa. It is 'normal' as these are high concentrations of carbon dioxide being soaked up by the flora.  

The heat is actually buiding west of Sumatra. it's an unusual pattern. It is still primarily cooler than usual. This is the Indian Ocean on April 25, 2005 gmt. 

This is the visual picture of Australia. Noted the building heat over Sumatra. The Antarctic Vortex is noted at the lower globe. The thing to remember is that clouds that don't carry heat to the poles act to dissipate the heat while providing 'shade' to Earth and reflecting the solar radiation out to space again before it enters the troposphere to increase the 'heat index' under the Greenhouse Gases. Clouds can be but aren't always beneficial. This is still an improved picture. No guarantees it will stay that way but it is hopeful. The heat over Sumatra is known to be a worrisome event. 

This is the April 25, 2005 satellite of the West Pacific Ocean. Noted the increased heat in the western margin of the satellite. However, ther overall picture is still much better than before. The heat decending into the ice continent is less intense and it completely relieved north of Australia at the equator. That has not been the case for over a year. This area is normally very active and this is an improved picture. The cyclone is noted north of Indonesia and will probably move into the North Pacific Vortex.