Topic: Pacific Rim

GSA administrator behind Las Vegas conference no longer with agency

Officials confirmed that Jeffrey Neely is no longer an employee of the General Services Administration.

GSA scandal: Does agency have culture of waste, fraud, and abuse?

Critics of the huge federal bureaucracy have a history of missteps to cite, from well before the latest GSA scandal, in which Jeffrey Neeley authorized $823,000 for a conference in Las Vegas. 

Congress to investigate General Services overspending this week

US House and Senate committee hearings are scheduled this week to look into a spending scandal at the General Services Administration, the real estate arm of the federal government.

Samoa to skip Friday, lose December 30th 2011 forever

As China’s influence in the Pacific rises, Samoa is planning to cancel Friday, going directly from Thursday to Saturday, to synchronize trade with China.

Rare score for Taiwan as local star wins LPGA tournament – at home

Taiwan's golfer Yani Tseng won the first ever Ladies Professional Golf Association tournament on home turf, a big event for Taiwanese, who see few visits by international stars or international events.

Three earthquakes in three days. More than coincidence?

First came an earthquake in Colorado. Then Virginia's quake shook the US from South Carolina to New England. Finally, San Francisco had a rattler as well. Are they connected?

On China, by Henry Kissinger

Kissinger is convinced that China must be dealt with through compromise.

Peru's new highway to the future

The Interoceanic Highway, which will connect Peru's Pacific coast to the shores of the Atlantic in Brazil, could revolutionize the region much as the transcontinental railroad did in the US in 1869.

New Zealand earthquake rocks Christchurch rebuilding hopes

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said this week's tremors have hit the same parts of the city that were devastated by the Feb. 22 earthquakes. He hinted that parts of the city may have to be permanently abandoned.

Former Secretary of State Warren Christopher passes at 85

Christopher served as Secretary of State during Bill Clinton's first term and was an architect of the 1995 Bosnian peace accords.

Libya should be Europe's problem – not America's

European powers can no longer act as casual bystanders expecting the US to resolve strategic challenges in Libya and the Middle East. Washington should tell Europe to put its own money – and troops, if necessary – where its own strategic interests lie.

Five of Asia's most devastating earthquakes

The Pacific Rim, the body of land surrounding the Pacific Ocean from the west coasts of North and South America to the east coasts of China and Japan, is one of the most volatile regions in the world for earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Since 1975, several stunning earthquakes around the Pacific Rim have resulted in tremendous devastation and loss of life – some smaller, but some much greater, than the unfolding crisis in Japan from the March 11 temblor.

Source: US Geological Survey historical data

Japan's nuclear crisis and Chernobyl: key differences

Japan's nuclear crisis is spawning concerns about 'another Chernobyl,' but a number of American and European scientists are cautiously taking the edge off the worst fears.

What unleashed Japan's massive 8.9 earthquake?

Like the other 14 biggest earthquakes since 1900, the magnitude 8.9 event – that shook Japan and triggered tsunamis that swept the Pacific – was created by a piece of the Earth's crust shoving down into the planet's interior.

Japan earthquake: Eyewitness accounts capture Japan's tsunami after earthquake

Japan earthquake: A tsunami hit northeast Japan on Friday, reaching as much as three miles inland. Hundreds are believed to be dead, though the disaster appears nowhere near the scale of Indonesia's 2004 tsunami.

Japan earthquake Thursday follows Wednesday's 7.3 magnitude quake

Japan earthquake early Thursday off the eastern coast was a magnitude 6.3. It's the second Japan earthquake in the past two days.

New Zealand earthquake: Authorities scramble after temblor leaves at least 65 dead

Prime Minister John Key said Tuesday's 6.3 New Zealand earthquake has killed at least 65 people in what 'may well be New Zealand's darkest day.' Authorities are still trying to glean information to mobilize rescue efforts.

Do pre-winter snowstorms signal a harsh winter?

Tuesday marks the first day of winter, but many people in the United States and Europe have already seen a preview. Can we expect a snowy winter?

Researchers puzzle over how long Iceland volcano will erupt

Ash from Eyjafjallajokull, the Iceland volcano that erupted this week, has caused airlines to cancel thousands of flights. Scientists say the chemical makeup and shape of the ash cloud's dust particles will tell them more.

Iceland volcano blast sparks concerns of larger volcano eruption

Scientists say history has proven that when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupts the Katla volcano erupts too.

Classic review: The Joy Luck Club

The story of a Chinese-American "bridge" club.

Hawaii tsunami a no-show. Tsunami warning lifted for Hawaii

The Hawaii tsunami turned out to be more bark than bite as the tsunami warning for Hawaii has been lifted.

Hawaii tsunami warning: Hawaii begins evacuation on coasts

Evacuation efforts have begun in Hawaii because of a tsunami warning that was issued following a massive earthquake in Chile.

Chile earthquake: Chileans dig out after 8.8-magnitude earthquake

Chile's earthquake was much stronger than the recent one in Haiti. Damage is extensive, residents and officials report. But so far, the death toll is much lower.

Hawaii under tsunami warning after massive Chile earthquake

Hawaii is under a tsunami warning following an earthquake in Chile Saturday morning.