Teacher strike tests Hamas governance
Thousands of unpaid teachers went on strike Saturday, shutting down schools across the Palestinian territories on the first day of school – a backlash that is testing the Hamas-led government’s ability to survive.
The government, crippled by international sanctions, has so far enjoyed public support as it weathers the six-month-old crisis. But that may change if people conclude that Hamas’ anti-Israel ideology is jeopardizing their children’s education.
Hamas has rejected international calls to renounce violence and recognize Israel’s right to exist, despite sanctions by Israel and Western donors that have bankrupted the government.
In a sign of Hamas’ growing frustration, hundreds of gunmen deployed around schools in Gaza, Hamas’ stronghold, unsuccessfully trying to persuade teachers and students to hold lessons on Saturday.
MEXICO CITY
Candidate threatens to block swearing in
Mexico’s leftist presidential candidate threatened to disrupt the swearing in of his ruling party rival Saturday, a day after lawmakers blocked the outgoing president from delivering his state-of-the-nation speech to Congress in an escalating crisis over the July 2 election.
Leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said he will never recognize a victory by ruling-party candidate Felipe Calderon and says he will declare himself as the alternative president.
Lopez Obrador’s campaign spokesman Jesus Ortega said Saturday the candidate’s supporters will stop Calderon from being sworn in on Dec. 1. The Federal Electoral Tribunal is likely to declare Calderon president-elect this week.
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico
John downgraded to tropical storm
John weakened to a tropical storm Saturday hours after it hit land as a hurricane in the southern part of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, ripping the roofs from shacks, knocking out power and sending billboards flying.
John was a Category 2 storm with 100 mph winds when it struck land near isolated hamlets northeast of Los Cabos on Friday night, but it had slipped to Category 1 status with winds near 85 mph by Saturday morning. By Saturday afternoon it weakened to a tropical storm.
John hit northwest of La Paz, knocking out electricity, and downing trees in the city of more than 150,000 people.
DARMSTADT, Germany
European craft makes lunar impact
Europe’s first spacecraft to the moon ended its three-year mission today by crashing into the lunar surface in a volcanic plane called the Lake of Excellence, to a round of applause in the mission control room in Germany.
The impact of the SMART-1 spacecraft was expected to leave a 3-yard-by-10-yard crater and send dust miles above the surface. Scientists hoped the dust cloud would provide clues to the geologic composition of the site.
The spacecraft’s instruments have gathered information that could increase understanding of how the moon’s surface evolved and help test a theory that the moon originated when another astronomical body slammed into the Earth.