We are entering the fifth day of the heat wave, which National Weather Service says could set a record high. The situation is so dire that many public schools around the country have even closed. But since we’re all adults and have lives to carry on, we may not be able to avoid the outdoors. So it’s important to keep safe and keep inside as much as possible. Meanwhile, here’s the news you need to know to get you through this sweltering Thursday.
- NASA’s space shuttle era officially came to an end at 6 AM Eastern time today, as space shuttle Atlantis landed at Kennedy Space Center for the last time. Many believe the ending of the program is a good thing, arguing that it is now time to put the minds at NASA to use on other programs. Private companies are already talking about private flights, with tickets currently going for $200,000 with deposits starting at $20,000. (Washington Post)
- Serbia’s last Balkan war crimes criminal, Goran Hadzic, was arrested yesterday, after seven years on the run. Hadzic was the last of the 161 criminals. He rose to political power as leader of the Croatian Serbs, at the time that Croatia broke away from Yugoslavia in the 90s. He helped commit some of the most horrific crimes in a war that cost more than 10,000 lives. (BBC)
- MTV announced the nominations for the 2011 Video Music Awards last night, and to no surprise, Katy Perry led the pack with nine nominations for her “Teenage Dream” album. Adele came in a close second, with seven noms. Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Eminem were the other multiple nominees. (CBS)
- With the clock ticking until the Aug. 2 deadline, there are essentially three tracks to resolve the debt-ceiling standoff. One track would be for Senate Majority Leader McConell and Senate Minority Leader Reid to pass a “failsafe” debt ceiling increase without majorities of Congress having to approve it. The second would be for President Obama and House Republicans John Boehner and Eric Cantor to revive a “grand bargain.” The final resolution would be a second grand-bargain-style deal by six people in teh Senate. (MSNBC)
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average opened at 12,567.07 this morning, and is currently up 151.25 points. (MSN Money)
Katy Perry Photo: Elle US, March 2011
