Russia will not ratify the Kyoto Protocol, announced a senior Kremlin official Tuesday. The protocol requires cuts in gas emissions that contribute to global warming, according to The New York Times.
With the Bush administration previously rejecting the treaty, its survival depended on Russia's consent to sign. Now the treaty and worldwide cooperation to combat global warming are on uncertain terms.
Russia did not want to sign the treaty because officials, including President Vladimir Putin voiced concerns over the economic impact of reducing dangerous emissions and questioned whether human activities caused global warming.
UW-Madison senior Frank Harris announced his candidacy for the District 1 seat on the Dane County Board Tuesday.
There are currently no UW-Madison students serving on the board. Harris is the current chair of the UW-Madison College Republicans. He ran unsuccessfully in 2003 for the District 8 seat on the City Council last spring, losing to UW-Madison senior Austin King.
The county board election primary is Feb. 17 and the general election is April 6.
UW Police, The Madison Fire Department and Madison Gas and Electric were called to investigate possible natural gas leaks at 12:13 p.m. Tuesday in Moore Hall and the biochemistry building. The caller said there was a natural gas odor in the buildings and both buildings were evacuated.
MG&E investigators said the buildings were safe and let students back in. However, they continued to investigate to determine the source of the odor.
A new UW-Madison lab in Engineering Hall's basement will allow students to connect with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and work with simulations of real-time traffic conditions.
Working with realistic traffic patterns will help students to assess how people react to different traffic situations.
The new lab caters to civil and environmental engineering students who study transportation and will encourage increased research in the classroom.
