Stormy weather deflated the big bang that was expected at Day 1 of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida. Much of what was planned for Monday was scale-backed to a shorter week of activities. However, despite the weather, politicians, GOP supporters, and protesters still turned out for the opening of the convention.
More
Tropical Storm Isaac took aim at Louisiana and other U.S. Gulf states Monday, GOP prepares for Republican National Convention in Tampa, a “Robot Restaurant” opens in Kabukicho, one of Tokyo’s best known red light districts, and more in today’s daily brief.
More
Ahead of the 2012 Grand Prix of Baltimore Aug. 21-Sept. 4, here’s a look at the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, Calif. from Sunday where Ryan Briscoe took the win. Drivers Will Power placed second and Franchitti placed third.
More
An Indonesian community spiffs up their dead relatives, birds on a wire, young victims in the Middle East and more in today’s daily brief.
More
Wild fires continue to blaze in a number of western states. In Northern California the Rush Fire near Ravendale and the Ponderosa fire near Red Bluff have caused thousands of evacuations. The massive fires threatened more than 3,000 homes. Firefighters also are battling the Chips fire near Greenville, California. California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in three Northern California counties after the fire advanced with 75-foot flames on a tiny community at the doorstep of a national park. The fire has forced evacuations and burned over 47,000 acres in Northern California. In Southern Idaho the U.S. Forest Service battles a number of fires such as the Springs Fire and the Trinity Ridge Fire in Boise National Forest near Featherville.
More
Mexican authorities shoot it out with criminals, a mother panda cuddles with her cub in Vienna, mourners gather for miners slain in South Africa and more in today’s daily brief.
More
Since NASA’s Curiosity landed on Mars on August 5, 2012, public excitement and speculation about what the rover will encounter continues to mount. To feed the appetite of the masses, we’ll continue to update our Curiosity gallery with NASA’s latest photos of the red planet, including panorama, composite and computer-generated images.
The next phase of the $2.5 billion mission, and by far the most daunting for Curiosity, will be reaching Mount Sharp. At a height of 3.4 miles, the highest peak of Mount Sharp is taller than Mt. Whitney in California. On its way, the rover will encounter dark dunes, degraded impact craters and other geologic features on the Martian surface of the planet. For updates follow @MarsCuriosity on Twitter.
More
Zookeepers measure and weigh London’s zoo animals, Muslims around the world celebrate the Eid festival which marks the end of the month of Ramadan, Campus Party 2012 brings out the techies in Berlin and more in today’s daily brief.
More
Getty photographer Matt Cardy photographed a fin whale that was stranded on a beach off the St Austell coast in England on August 13.
He says it was the first time for him photographing a distressed whale and a first time for most of the rescuers to have dealt with such a large mammal at 20 meters (65 ft). Fin whales are the second largest animal on the planet and an endangered species.
According to Cardy, he was listening to the 7 p.m. BBC headlines in his car when the broadcast reported news of the whale. A quick check of his satellite navigation, revealed that he was less than an hour away, so he headed to the beach – a random chance that he was so close that evening.
Below, he describes the surreal scene.
On the western side of Seneca Lake, one of the Finger Lakes in upstate New York, about 200 acres of land becomes the home for hundreds of kids and young adults each summer — Camp Seneca Lake.
An old stomping ground for my brother and sister who attended the camp when they were young and are now part of the staff, I spent time there this month documenting the camp’s annual climactic event ‘Color War.’
More
The art of glass making
Great Baltimore Fire of 1904
120 Pearls to film: Q&A with Kaitlin Newman
Time lapse video: Ravens fans in Federal Hill
Rough Cut: Ravens Super Bowl win over 49ers
Left behind at Sparrows Point
Matt ‘Fan Man’ Andrews: The Godfather of Ravens fans
The Silent Guardians: Cemeteries of Baltimore City
Remembering former Orioles manager Earl Weaver
Instagrammer feature with @rockinbrock
Courage and strength: Living with stage IV breast cancer
Baltimore, City of Murals
Ray Lewis retrospective: 1996-2013
Year in review: Official White House photos from 2012
Bare Hills, A Contrast in Time
Double Exposure series