Atlantis Astros Feted Today; Endeavour Crew Rehearse for STS-130

After a flawless mission to resupply the International Space Station, the STS-129 crew members now are back at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. They will be honored with a homecoming ceremony at nearby Ellington Field today.

Meanwhile, preparations for space shuttle Endeavour and its crew are ramping up for the STS-130 mission targeted to launch Feb. 4, 2010.

Endeavour is scheduled to roll over from the orbiter processing facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in late December. There, it will be lifted and attached to the waiting external tank and twin solid rocket boosters.

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Binge Drinking Not Just a Rite of the Young

Older alcoholics tend to drink heavily more often than younger people, study finds.

Older people who are problem drinkers consume more alcohol than their younger
coalcoholunterparts, a new report finds, possibly because they need more alcohol to achieve the same effect.

According to a study released this month, people dependent on alcohol who are older than 60 consume more than 40 drinks a week, on average. By contrast, younger alcoholics consume 25 to 35 drinks a week.

Older drinkers are also more likely to binge drink, a term that refers to drinking heavily in one sitting.

"A combination of high levels of drinking and the physiological effects of aging are particularly problematic for older adults," Linda Ginzer, co-author of the study and a doctoral student in social work at Ohio State University, said in a university news release.

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Uganda goes digital broadcasting

broadcastingIt is a pilot transmission powered by Next Generation Broadcasting, a Swedish DTT company in partnership with national broadcaster Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) TV, Itnewsafrica.com reports.

The Executive Director of Uganda Communications Commission Patrick Masambu said Uganda would finally switch from analogue signals by December 2012.

Few African countries are slowly shifting to digital TV with Ghana and some few others doing trials. The Swedish company is running similar trial in Ghana’s capital Accra (through GTV) with NET2, TV3, TV Africa, and Viasat 1.

Around the world 10 countries in 2009 completed the process of turning off analog terrestrial broadcasting. The first country to make a wholesale switch to digital over-the-air (terrestrial) broadcasting was Luxembourg, in 2006, followed by the Netherlands later in 2006, Finland, Andorra, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland in 2007, Belgium and Germany in 2008, and the United States in 2009.

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Melbourne train operators Metro cancel more than dozen services

melbourne-newtrainMelbourne's new train operator has cancelled more than a dozen services in its first morning in the job.

Hong Kong-based consortium Metro Trains Melbourne took over the troubled network from French-owned Connex Trains and Yarra Trams has been taken over by French-owned Keolis (KDR) at 3.01am.

Metro's chief executive Andrew Lezala admitted it was not a great start.

"We've had too many cancellations this morning," he said.

They are liability faults with rolling stock, so clearly we ve got a lot of work to do to address those and put some long-term fixes in place.

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Huntly coal miners end strike

huntly_powerFour hundred workers at Solid Energy's Huntly East and nearby Rotowaro coalmines have voted to accept an 8.5% pay increase after a month of industrial action.

They will return to work on Tuesday.

The offer was similar to one rejected last week but removed clawbacks which would have left workers worse off, said Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union spokesman Rob Egan.

The base pay rate for miners and maintenance staff would increase from $78,832 to $85,600.

About 730 workers at Solid Energy's West Coast mines at Stockton and Spring Creek were due to vote on a new offer on Monday night.

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Blatter - Ireland asked for 2010 spot

BlatterWorld governing body FIFA president Sepp Blatter has claimed the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) asked to be included in the World Cup finals as an extra team following the Republic of Ireland's controversial play-off exit to France.

Ireland lost to a play-off extra-time goal in Paris scored by William Gallas after Thierry Henry handled the ball in the build-up - and Blatter has admitted for the first time the World Cup play-off system must be examined as a result of Henry's handball and the argument which surrounded the match.

However, he ruled out Ireland being added to South Africa 2010 as the 33rd team.

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David Hasselhoff hospitalized

David-hasselhoffDavid Hasselhoff and his ex-wife Pamela Bach are having a troubled start to the holiday season - one landing in the hospital, the other in jail over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Hasselhoff was hospitalized for two days, People has confirmed, though his attorney Mel Goldsman would not disclose the nature of his illness.

"David is home now and he's fine," said Goldsman.

Hasselhoff's troubles began at home on Friday. Though authorities did not identify the name of the patient or the owner of the home, a fire department spokesman did confirm that paramedics responded to a call for medical aid at 11:51 a.m. at a home in Encino, and the patient was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. People learned that the address of the home matches the one owned by Hasselhoff.

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'Pulp Fiction' Oscar winner appears to be tweeting from jail

oscarwinner-rogerAn inmate wrestles with his fear, boredom and remorse.

He is subjected to random strip-searches as a fellow inmate espouses conspiracy theories about the jailhouse food and another is busted with a hidden ball of black-tar heroin.

The alternately bleak, wry and amusing scenes, described in a series of journal-like entries, would fit comfortably in the work of Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director Roger Avary.

But they may be based on fact, not fiction. These 140-character snippets have been popping up for more than a month on what friends acknowledge as the Twitter account of Avary, who is serving a year in a California jail for vehicular manslaughter.

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Government will not open Bhopal plant as memorial

methyl-isocyanateIt was to be a somber memorial, a remembrance of those who perished in a lethal milky fog.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the world's worst industrial disaster, authorities planned to open up the now-dilapidated shell of the Union Carbide fertilizer plant, where in the wee hours of December 3, 1984, 40 tons of methyl isocyanate gas oozed out onto the sleeping city of Bhopal, India.

About 4,000 people died instantly in the toxic leak, an event that came to be marked each year with disputes over victims' rights and government responsibility.

On this year's milestone anniversary, a new controversy has stirred.

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Demjanjuk 'was victim,' Nazi atrocity trial told

john-demjanjukAlleged Nazi camp guard John Demjanjuk had no choice but to bring Jews to their deaths in extermination camps, Demjanjuk's defense argued Monday as his long-awaited trial got under way.

Demjanjuk, 89, faces charges of being an accessory to about 27,900 murders during World War II.

But his protection attorney, Ulrich Busch, said Monday the court was imposing a "moral and judicial double standard."

The retired auto worker from Cleveland, Ohio - a native Ukrainian - was a prisoner of war during the conflict, and would have been killed had he not done what the Nazis ordered, the defense team argued.

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As a hobby, he counts the war dead

Michael-whiteFall leaves blanket Michael White's deck at his suburban Atlanta, Georgia, home. In the cluttered attic study, the software engineer slouches over his Hewlett-Packard laptop.

A full-length floor lamp stands on top of his desk - the overhead light went out a while back. Next to him is his 1960s Stratocaster, a reminder of the rock-star career that never blossomed.

Jillian, his Vivaldi-loving, violin-playing 10-year-old, has gone off to school. Wife Ashley is at work. The house is quiet except for the occasional mew from Izzy, the atypically friendly Tonkinese cat.

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NASA Managers Congratulate the STS-129 Mission Crew

During a post-landing press conference held at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations said, "This has just been an amazing mission. On-time launch, on-time landing .. just a phenomenal team effort across the board."

Gerstenmaier also gave special thanks to the production workers who prepared the hardware for this flight, especially those who have taken voluntary retirement and have been laid off as part of the staff reduction requirements.

"There's still a lot of activity in front us .. still a very busy time," continued Gerstenmaier. "The teams are focused - we're moving forward and doing great things."

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More Foot Power, Less Car Pollution Best for Health

walkingEncouraging city dwellers to walk and bicycle instead of using cars would offer much greater public health benefits than increased used of low-emission vehicles, U.K. researchers have found.

The study compared the projected health effects in 2030 of alternative urban land transport scenarios for London, England, and Delhi, India: business-as-usual (no greenhouse gas reduction policies); motor vehicles with lower carbon emissions; increased walking and cycling (active travel) plus less motor vehicle traffic; and a combination of increased walking/cycling and low-emission vehicles.

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Somalia: Rebels seize key border town

africa-townAfricaNews reporter said several civilians fled from the town to seek refuge elsewhere. Local residents said heavily armed Al-shabaab militia is patrolling the key border town.

Earlier on Tuesday, Al-shabaab fighters in custody the control of Qoqani village near the Kenya border, after Hizbul Islam militia left it without any clashes.

Reports say that fleeing Hizbul Islam officials ran into Kenyan security forces at the border where a top Hizbul Islam commander, Isse Kamboni was reportedly nabbed and is currently held in Kenya.

Islamist group of Al-shabaab who controls large part of southern Somalia captured Afmadow town near Kenya border four days ago.

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Swine flu epidemic 'escaped from lab'

flu"It could have happened in a lab where somebody became affected and then travelled with it," virologist Dr Adrian Gibbs said yesterday.

Conjuring up a vision of Frankenstein's fictional monster fleeing the laboratory, he added: "Things do get out of labs and this has to be explored. There needs to be more research done in this area.

"At the moment there is no way of distinguishing where swine flu has come from."

The research, published in the Virology Journal on Tuesday, was compiled by two former researchers at the Australian National University - Dr Gibbs and programmer John S. Armstrong.

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Police investigate Bay of Plenty death

police_emergencyA Bay of Plenty house has been cordoned off as police investigate the death of a female there on Friday.

The house in Kaingaroa, 50km southeast of Rotorua, was cordoned off on Friday evening and a scene examination continued overnight.

Police would not specify the age of the dead person, nor the time they were found.

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Del Potro stuns Federer to qualify

Del-Potro.jpgJuan Martin del Potro ended Andy Murray's hopes of progressing to the semifinals of the ATP World Tour Finals with a 6-2 6-7 6-3 victory over Roger Federer at the O2 Arena in London.

Following the British number one's victory over Fernando Verdasco, the only scenario that could see Murray miss out was a Del Potro win in three sets.

That would then see the three players tied on match wins and sets won and lost, with the semifinalists decided on percentage of games won.

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Donny Osmond's turkey with a side of win

Donny-osmond_kym-johnsonThe dining table at the Osmond family Thanksgiving feast will have all the fixings - turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and a mirrored disco ball trophy.

"It will be a nice little centerpiece," Donny Osmond, 51, joked Wednesday, just 24 hours after he and partner Kym Johnson won season nine of "Dancing with the Stars."

Though it had been a busy few days for the oldest contestant to win the mirrored trophy, it was business as usual Wednesday in Las Vegas at his show, "Donny and Marie."

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Atlantis crew returns home safely

atlantis-touchdownThe space shuttle Atlantis glided to a picture-perfect landing Friday morning under bright, sunny skies at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The seven-person crew returned after an 11-day mission to deliver key spare parts to prolong the life of the international space station.

The original six-member crew, with flight engineer Nicole Stott - who launched in August - returned amid sunny, clear Florida weather

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100 suspects sought for Philippines massacre

Escorted-militaryOne hundred more suspects - including police officers - could face arrest over massacre in the Philippines, a government official said Friday after authorities charged the alleged architect of the killings.

At least 57 unarmed civilians were slain Monday in Maguindanao, in the southern Philippines. Andal Ampatuan Jr. - mayor of Datu Unsay and son of the provincial governor of Maguindanao - faces seven counts of murder.

Justice officials said they have collected sworn statements from witnesses and expect to file more charges as the investigation unfolds.

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2nd German official quits over Afghan airstrike

Franz-josef-jungFormer German Defense Minister and current Labor Minister Franz Josef Jung has resigned over a fatal Afghan airstrike ordered by German forces, the Labor Ministry said Friday.

It comes the day after the head of the German army stepped down over the same event.

The resignation of Gen. Wolfgang Schneiderhan, the army's chief of staff, came after Germany's Bild newspaper reported he knew civilians could be killed when the Sept. 4 airstrike was ordered.

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Black Friday crowds eager to spend

regional-mallAlthough Black Friday seems to be missing the usual mayhem associated with it, the good news for merchants is that shoppers are eagerly spending money on juicy discounts on toys, cashmere sweaters, Snuggie blankets and gadgets.

"What I've noticed so far is that (consumer) traffic is on par with last year, but people are buying more," said Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst with market research firm NPD Group.

"They are going into stores with the pure intention of spending money. They have their stores, products and prices all picked out," he said.

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Crew Performs Flight Control System Checkout

The Atlantis crew has performed the Flight Control System checkout and the Reaction Control System hot-fire test. Landing is scheduled for Friday at 9:44 a.m. EDT at Kennedy Space Center.
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Loving Relationships May Help Block Pain

elderlycoupleThinking about a loved one might help reduce physical pain, according to U.S. researchers, who said their findings show the importance of social relationships and of staying emotionally connected.

The University of California, Los Angeles, study included 25 young women who'd been in a good relationship with a boyfriend for more than six months. Moderately painful heat was applied to the women's forearms as they looked at photos of their boyfriend, a stranger and a chair.

"When the women were just looking at pictures of their partner, they actually reported less pain to heat stimuli than when they were looking at pictures of an object or pictures of a stranger," study co-author Naomi Eisenberger, an assistant professor of psychology and director of UCLA's Social and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, said in a news release from the Association for Psychological Science. "Thus, the mere reminder of one's partner through a simple photograph was capable of reducing pain."

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Gambia: Coup plotter detained

yahya-jammehThe government remained tight-lipped over the issue and has announced the demotion and dismissal of a infamous army colonel who is an ally of President Yahya Jammeh. Also, the deputy Inspector General of the Gambia Police Force has been axed.

An announcement on the Gambia Radio and Television services fell short of confirming reports of detention of the dismissed men. General Tamba’s sack came alongside the arrest and detention of key figures within the security apparatus of the country and some members of the business community.

Sources say the shake up follows an intercepted letter published in the government owned newspaper, Daily Observer, purportedly written by a Gambian dissident, Kokoi Samba Sanyang, seeking support from the president of neighbouring Senegal, Abdoulie Wade, to oust the Yahya Jammeh regime.

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Train driver excused from inquest

Hayden Duncan, 10 and his brother Glen Duncan, eight, of Mount Gravatt East, and their nine-year-old cousin Reggie Fisher, of Carole Park, died instantly when they were struck by a passenger train between Goodna and Redbank stations in Brisbane's west on March 11, 2006.

Coroner Michael Barnes today ruled that Dennis Smith, the driver of the 10M1 Brisbane-bound special service train transporting fans to a football match, would not have to give evidence.

Trauma specialist Dr Patrick Wong told the court it was possible Mr Smith could take his own life if he had to give evidence.

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Evacuations as Nelson scrub fire threatens

wildfire_scrubResidents are being evacuated from a rural area surrounding a major scrub fire at Tapawera, near Nelson.

Sixty hectares are ablaze and there are six helicopters and 30 forestry appliances on the scene.

Three structures are under threat from the fire which started around 4:15pm on Thursday.

The blaze is burning along an 800 metre front, and strong southerly winds are fanning the flames.

A Fire Service spokesman says the smoke is so thick they have had multiple calls from people saying it's blocking the sun.

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Fit-again Ronaldo ready for 'El Clasico'

Christiano-ronaldoCristiano Ronaldo hopes to continue his comeback from injury in Real Madrid's "El Clasico" clash with Spanish rivals Barcelona on Sunday.

The world's most expensive player returned in Wednesday night's 1-0 Champions League win over FC Zurich, coming on as a second-half substitute after two months out with ankle problems.

The $130 million signing from Manchester United played the final 20 minutes as Real edged closer to qualification for the knockout stages thanks to Gonzalo Higuain's winner.

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'New Moon' stars tweet thanks to fans

new-moonRobert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner have taken to Twitter to thank fans for the "New Moon" mania sweeping the country.

The eagerly awaited Twilight sequel took top box office honors last weekend, pulling in a whopping $140 million - which could make it the top-grossing film of 2009.

Pattinson, 23, who plays sexy vampire Edward Cullen, gave a shout out to fans on Twilight's Twitter page, writing, "Thank you for making NEW MOON #1," It's very exciting to be a part of something embraced by so many people."

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Jet-powered Ford guns for 300 mph

fire-upJoe Wilkins knew there was only one way to give his supercharged, alcohol-injected Hemi-engined hot rod more power: Put a jet engine in the trunk.

"It started as a hobby and turned into a monster," said Joe Wilkins, the motor madman behind what might be the wildest 1939 Ford ever built. He's an inventor and defense department contractor, and the idea of goosing the Ford's ability to turn heads and shred tires came when he bought a used gas turbine engine.

"I got hooked on the simplicity and power that this thing produced, and I decided one day I want to put it in a car."

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Politician charged over Philippines massacre

philippines-massacre-presserAuthorities have filed murder charges against a politician over the massacre of 57 unarmed civilians in the Philippines, state-run media reported Thursday.

Andal Ampatuan Jr, who is the mayor of the town of Datu Unsayalso and the son of a Philippines provincial governor, had voluntarily turned himself in for questioning Thursday.

It was not immediately clear how many murder charges Ampatuan would face in Monday's massacre in Maguindanao province, in the southern Philippines.

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German army chief quits over airstrike claims

schneiderhahnThe head of the German army has resigned after a news report that he knew civilians could be killed in a September airstrike in Afghanistan, Germany's defense minister told Parliament Thursday.

Gen. Wolfgang Schneiderhan, the army's chief of staff, asked to be reassured of his duties following the report in Germany's Bild newspaper, said German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg.

The Sept. 4 NATO airstrike in the northern province of Kunduz killed at least 90 people. The German commander in the area called in the strike after Afghans tried to siphon fuel from two tankers hijacked by the Taliban a day earlier.

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Feds: Couple crashed Obama's state dinner

Tareq-joebidenTwo people without invitations crashed President Obama's first White House state dinner, the U.S. Secret Service said Wednesday.

The Secret Service confirmed a Washington Post report that the couple who crashed Tuesday night's dinner were Tareq and Michaele Salahi. The Post described the couple as polo-playing socialites from northern Virginia.

A Secret Service checkpoint "did not follow proper procedures" to determine if the two were on the guest list for the dinner, said Edwin M. Donovan, a Secret Service special agent, in a statement.

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Waste Water Dump Flow Reduction Not Expected to be Issue

During a purge of the space shuttle waste water tank Wednesday morning, Mission Control noticed a reduction in the flow from the nozzle that vents the waste water into space. This has occurred on past shuttle missions and is not expected to be an issue. Capsule Communicator Stan Love told Atlantis Commander Charles Hobaugh it is likely no further waste dumps will be necessary before Friday’s planned landing.

As a precaution, to determine if there is ice on the outside of the nozzle, a robotic arm camera may be used to view the nozzle during a planned pause in the “late inspection” survey. There are heaters at the waste water dump nozzle to prevent water from freezing and flight controllers believe ice formation is unlikely, due to the nozzle temperatures they are measuring.

The waste water system stores waste from the crew cabin humidity separator and from the crew. The tank is located below the crew compartment middeck floor, and the dump nozzle is on the left side of the shuttle.

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Salt Really Does Boost Health Risks

SaltIt's known that eating a lot of salt puts people at greater risk of high blood pressure. Now there's confirmation of a corollary: High salt intake also translates to significantly greater risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

A review published in the Nov. 25 online edition of BMJ found that a difference of just 5 grams of regular daily salt intake spells a 23 percent difference in the rate of stroke and a 17 percent difference in the rate of cardiovascular disease.

According to the review, the World Health Organization recommends that people consume only 5 grams - about a teaspoon - of salt each day. But people in the West typically eat around 10 grams a day, and those in Eastern Europe consume even more.

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Benin: Pirates kill Ukrainian

piratesThe Benin Naval forces Commander Fernand Maxime Ahoyo confirmed the killing of the chief engineer of the vessel and another member of the crew who continued wounds, This Day newspaper reported.

Ahoyo according to the report said the rest of the crew on the Monrovia-flagged vessel has been rescued safely among them Filipinos, Lithuanians and Ukranians.

AfricaNews reporter said piracy has become a thriving business in East Africa for mostly unemployed youths. The war torn nation of Somalia in particular has the world highest piracy records in recent times. The attackers are specialized in hostage taking and demanding of huge ransom.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said they have recorded over 100 incidents in the last one year alone in West Africa and the act is in the increase.

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Self-harm a factor in youth car crashes

Road crashes involving young Australians have an often overlooked cause - the important number of teenagers who deliberately harm themselves.

A major NSW-based study has found those young people who admit to self-harming behaviour were also at a much higher risk of being involved in a serious car crash.

"Self-harm is a significant issue for young people in Australia," said Dr Alexandra Martiniuk who led the study at The George Institute for International Health.

"We know that this also impacts significantly on young driver safety, as we found those drivers who engaged in self-harm were at a 40 per cent increased risk of a crash."

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Air NZ slams Pero Erebus flight plan

flight-planThere is a major stoush brewing as New Zealand gets ready to honor the 30th anniversary of the country's worst air disaster.

Air New Zealand has released a scathing statement after learning of plans by mortgage broker Mike Pero, to charter a flight to Mt Erebus .

Pero announced on Wednesday that he would charter a Boeing 747 in January for 307 people who wished to travel to Antarctica to pay their respects.

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Liverpool declare Benitez's job safe

rafa-gerrardLiverpool chief executive Christian Purslow has confirmed Rafael Benitez's job as "under no threat" despite the club's European Champions League exit on Tuesday night.

The English Premier League side failed to progress to the competition's knock-out stage for the first time since 2002-03 season after Fiorentina's defeat of Lyon left the side unable to qualify from their group.

Purslow, speaking to the media after the game, insisted the nature of the five-time European champion's exit would not prompt a change in management.

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Donny Osmond is new 'Dancing' champ

kymjohnson-donnyosmondDonny Osmond's family dinner table may have a unique centerpiece this Thanksgiving holiday: a sparkly, much-perspired-over mirror ball trophy.

Osmond was named champion of this season's edition of "Dancing With the Stars" on Tuesday night, beating out singer Mya, who took second place, and Kelly Osbourne, who finished third.

"You are born to perform," the judges told Osmond earlier during the two-hour season finale of the hit series.

The entertainer beamed as he held up the trophy with his professional dancing partner Kym Johnson, then ran into the spectators and brought his sister Marie onto the dance floor to celebrate.

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Is your date a 'stud or dud?' Ask your phone

iphoneusersIf that dreamy blind date seems too good to be true, or the guy at the bar with a martini and a pencil-thin moustache looks a little sketchy, the truth about them - or at least some of it - could be found on your phone.

Designers at a pair of companies say their new applications for smartphones can tell you in real time whether someone is married or divorced, has a criminal record, has filed for bankruptcy or has any number of potential red flags in their past.

Using Google to search for information on a prospective romantic partner is standard practice for many single people in the digital age. But these new apps, combined with the growth of smartphones and wireless networks, now allow for quick background checks on the go, potentially before a date is even over.

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Death toll rises to 57 in Philippines

philippinesAuthorities have disbanded a paramilitary force in the southern Philippines alleged of having a role in the massacre of at least 57 unarmed civilians, the country's state-run media reported Wednesday.

The death toll grew Wednesday after 11 more bodies were recovered from a rural area of Mindanao, where the remains were hurriedly buried. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has declared Wednesday a national day of mourning.

The Philippine government is under intense pressure to find the culprits responsible for planning and carrying out Monday's abduction and killings of politicians, lawyers, journalists and reportedly some bystanders. Suspicion has fallen on the Ampatuan family, a key ally of the Arroyo administration in the Maguindanao region of the southern Mindanao province.

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Do online moms grasp the key to next British election?

cybermomsAs Britain heads for its tightest election battle in years, politicians chasing the votes that could tip the balance are zeroing in on a new group of power brokers - online moms.

While politics is no stranger to the maternal voter - "soccer moms" were seen as a key pillar of U.S. President Bill Clinton's 1996 re-election - the next UK vote, slated for early 2010, is being pinned by some exclusively on mothers who log on to one Web site: Mumsnet.

The site, a forceful blend of childcare tips, social networking and spleen venting, now boasts a million-strong audience of educated and opinionated moms, precisely the demographic that some say could prove crucial to securing election victory.

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Missing boy spent 11 days wandering New York subways

subway-boyA 13-year-old teenager with Asperger's syndrome spent 11 days in October wandering New York's vast subway system until a police officer recognized him from a missing persons' poster, according to police and the youth's mother.

Francisco Hernandez Jr., who has Asperger's, a developmental disorder that affects the ability to socialize and communicate, disappeared on October 15, after he thought he was in problem at school, according to his mother, Marsiela Garcia of Brooklyn.

Garcia told CNN that she contacted police when her son went missing, but received little help.

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Spacewalkers Install High Pressure Gas Tank

The high pressure gas tank has been installed on the outside of the Quest airlock and activated. The tank will be used to replenish Quest air that is lost when spacewalkers exit and enter Quest.

Spacewalkers Robert Satcher Jr. and Randy Bresnik are about 30 minutes ahead of schedule as the elapsed time passed the three hour mark.


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Genetic Variant Slows AIDS Progression

HIVScientists report that a genetic variation appears to play a major role in slowing disease progression in HIV-infected patients.

In fact, those with the variation appear to take years longer to develop AIDS and die of complications of the disease.

"We're honing in on factors that vary across individuals that make a person more or less susceptible to HIV, in terms of how rapidly someone develops the disease," said study co-author Mary Carrington, a senior principal investigator at the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

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Release my son in Guantanamo

Adar, 62, said her son - Guled Hassan Duran is innocent. She told AfricaNews: "If my son is a terrorist, why isn't he charged accordingly in a court of law.”

She said the decision of the Washington government is upsetting the son’s family of four young kids and the wife. “I am calling on the Somali government and human rights groups to look at my son’s case.”

Hassan is one of the 200 prisoners held at the US-managed Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. He is being accused of being a terrorist who trained in Afghanistan and a member of the Al-Ittihad Al-Islami.

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Startled roo tries to drown man, dog

Injured-manA Victorian man was almost drowned by a kangaroo after he dived into his farm dam to save his pet dog.

Chris Rickard, 49, of Arthurs Creek, is being assessed by Austin Hospital surgeons after being mauled by the 1.5m roo at 9am (AEDT).

He only managed to end the attack when he elbowed the kangaroo in the throat as it tried to hold him under water..

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Drownings cause serious concern

swimmingThere are concerns that the rise in drownings in New Zealand is linked to schools closing their pools.

New Zealand has one of the highest drowning rates in the world.

Last weekend a man in his 50s lost his life at sea as part the Ocean Swim Series. He's not the first, similar tragedies marked the event in 2005, 2007 and 2008.

Water Safety New Zealand says it's because children are not being taught to swim anymore.

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Southland jolted by quake

Southland was rocked by a 5.3 magnitude earthquake early on Tuesday.

The quake was centred 190km west of Tuatapere, was 12km deep and hit at 12.53am, GNS Science reported.

The jolt was possibly felt in Southland and Fiordland

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Henry: I nearly quit Les Bleus

HenryFrance captain Thierry Henry says he considered quitting international football over the handball argument as Les Bleus qualified for the World Cup finals at the expense of Ireland last week.

Henry told the French sports paper L'Equipe that he felt "truly alone" as the row raged over his blatant handball to assist William Gallas for the winning goal in the playoff match with the Irish at the Stade de France.

The Barcelona striker faced a barrage of criticism at home and abroad and admits he questioned his future in French colors.

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Koreans make plastics without fossil fuel chemicals

Bioengineered_plasticsA team of South Korean scientists have produced the polymers used for everyday plastics through bioengineering, rather than through the use of fossil fuel-based chemicals.

It is believed that the technique may now allow for the production of environmentally-friendly plastic that is biodegradable and low in toxicity.

The research focused on Polylactic Acid (PLA), a bio-based polymer which holds the key to producing plastics through natural and renewable resources. Polymers are molecules found in everyday life in the form of plastics and rubbers.

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Administration blamed in China mine blast that kills 104

rescuersChinese officials blamed poor management and inadequate precautions for a bang at a mine that killed 104 people, state-run media said Monday.

In addition to those killed, 60 miners remained hospitalized from Saturday's morning blast at the Xinxing coal mine in northeastern Heilongjiang province.

Most were being treated for injuries such as carbon monoxide poisoning and burns, CCTV reported. Six were in dangerous condition with severe burns.

Four other workers were still trapped underground in the mine shaft, the Xinhua news agency said.

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UK police settle over de Menezes shooting

Charles-De-MenezesLondon's Metropolitan Police have reached a settlement with the family of Jean Charles de Menezes, whom police shot dead in 2005, mistaking him for a suicide bomber, the police announced Monday.

The police offered "a further unreserved apology" for the death of de Menezes in 2005, plus an undisclosed recompense package, the police and the de Menezes family said in a joint statement released by the police.

"All litigation between them arising out of the tragic death of Jean Charles de Menezes has been resolved," the statement said.

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