The Supreme Court threw out death sentences for three Texas killers Wednesday because of problems with instructions given jurors who were deciding between life in prison and death.
In the case of LaRoyce Lathair Smith, the court set aside the death penalty for the second time. It also reversed death sentences for Brent Ray Brewer and Jalil Abdul-Kabir.
The cases all stem from jury instructions that Texas hasn't used since 1991. Under those rules, courts have found that jurors were not allowed to give sufficient weight to factors that might cause them to impose a life sentence instead of death.
The same sentencing problems applied to Brewer, convicted of fatally stabbing 66-year-old Robert Laminack, who was attacked in 1990 outside his Amarillo flooring business and robbed of $140. Brewer was abused as a child and suffered from mental illness, factors his jurors weren't allowed to consider, according to his petition.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had upheld the death penalty for Brewer and Abdul-Kabir.
Forty-seven inmates on Texas' death row were sentenced under the rules that the state abandoned in 1991.
The cases are Smith v. Texas, 05-11304, Brewer v. Quarterman, 05-11287, and Abdul-Kabir v. Quarterman, 05-11284.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Article #21 Hogs quarantined after eating tainted pet food
Salvaged pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical was sent to hog farms in as many as six states, federal health officials said Tuesday. It was not immediately clear if any hogs that ate the tainted feed then entered the food supply for humans.
Hogs at a farm in California ate the contaminated products, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service. And on Wednesday, a farm in western North Carolina was quarantined after melamine was found in its hogs, state officials said.
Officials were trying to determine whether hogs in New York, South Carolina, Utah and Ohio also may have eaten the tainted food, the FSIS said. Hogs at some of the farms — it wasn’t immediately clear which — have been quarantined.
The FSIS was trying to determine whether the hog farms in the states other than California actually fed the material to their animals, spokesman Steven Cohen said in a statement. Hogs that were confirmed to have eaten the tainted food were processed at a federally inspected facility in California, Cohen said.
“All of that meat is under control at the facility,” he said. “It is important to keep in mind this is a small number of farms that may have received this feed.”
However, the Food and Drug Administration said the urine of some hogs tested positive for the chemical, melamine, in North Carolina and South Carolina as well as California.
“At this point, I don’t have a definitive answer other than to say that the issue is being addressed,” Stephen Sundlof, the FDA’s chief veterinarian, told reporters when asked if any of the hogs had entered the human food supply. A poultry farm also may be involved, he added.
The California Agriculture Department said separately it was trying to contact 50 people who bought pork that may have come from pigs fed food containing melamine. The state’s health department recommended humans not consume the meat, but said any health risk was minimal.
There is little
Hogs at a farm in California ate the contaminated products, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service. And on Wednesday, a farm in western North Carolina was quarantined after melamine was found in its hogs, state officials said.
Officials were trying to determine whether hogs in New York, South Carolina, Utah and Ohio also may have eaten the tainted food, the FSIS said. Hogs at some of the farms — it wasn’t immediately clear which — have been quarantined.
The FSIS was trying to determine whether the hog farms in the states other than California actually fed the material to their animals, spokesman Steven Cohen said in a statement. Hogs that were confirmed to have eaten the tainted food were processed at a federally inspected facility in California, Cohen said.
“All of that meat is under control at the facility,” he said. “It is important to keep in mind this is a small number of farms that may have received this feed.”
However, the Food and Drug Administration said the urine of some hogs tested positive for the chemical, melamine, in North Carolina and South Carolina as well as California.
“At this point, I don’t have a definitive answer other than to say that the issue is being addressed,” Stephen Sundlof, the FDA’s chief veterinarian, told reporters when asked if any of the hogs had entered the human food supply. A poultry farm also may be involved, he added.
The California Agriculture Department said separately it was trying to contact 50 people who bought pork that may have come from pigs fed food containing melamine. The state’s health department recommended humans not consume the meat, but said any health risk was minimal.
There is little
ARTICLE #20 Drinking heavily in college may be bad for heart
A study presented at the American Heart Association’s 8th annual conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology underway in Chicago, shows that heavy drinking by college students increases levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
A team at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, led by undergraduate Elizabeth Donovan, surveyed 25 college students about behaviors that can affect CRP levels.
Students were asked to complete a survey that included questions about their smoking habits, medication use, recent weight loss, alcohol consumption and other factors.
Six students did not drink and 10 were classified as moderate drinkers, defined as 2 to 5 drinks once or twice a week. Nine students were heavy drinkers, defined as 3 or more drinks at one sitting 3 or more times a week or 5 or more drinks at one sitting 2 or more days a week.
The average CRP level for the group as a whole was 0.9 milligrams per liter, which indicates an overall a low risk for heart disease. However, this increased rapidly, with moderate drinkers having CRP levels of 0.58 milligrams per liter and heavy drinkers having CRP levels of 1.25 milligrams per liter.
Male drinkers had higher average CRP levels than did female drinkers, although the difference was not statistically significant.
In an interview with Reuters Health, Donovan pointed out that the relationship between alcohol consumption and CRP levels was shaped as a J curve, with slightly lower-than-average CRP levels seen with small amounts of alcohol consumption, which then rose sharply as drinking became heavier.
A team at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, led by undergraduate Elizabeth Donovan, surveyed 25 college students about behaviors that can affect CRP levels.
Students were asked to complete a survey that included questions about their smoking habits, medication use, recent weight loss, alcohol consumption and other factors.
Six students did not drink and 10 were classified as moderate drinkers, defined as 2 to 5 drinks once or twice a week. Nine students were heavy drinkers, defined as 3 or more drinks at one sitting 3 or more times a week or 5 or more drinks at one sitting 2 or more days a week.
The average CRP level for the group as a whole was 0.9 milligrams per liter, which indicates an overall a low risk for heart disease. However, this increased rapidly, with moderate drinkers having CRP levels of 0.58 milligrams per liter and heavy drinkers having CRP levels of 1.25 milligrams per liter.
Male drinkers had higher average CRP levels than did female drinkers, although the difference was not statistically significant.
In an interview with Reuters Health, Donovan pointed out that the relationship between alcohol consumption and CRP levels was shaped as a J curve, with slightly lower-than-average CRP levels seen with small amounts of alcohol consumption, which then rose sharply as drinking became heavier.
Article #19
NBC News has learned that the commander of Camp Cropper, the massive U.S. Army detention center in Baghdad, has been charged with aiding the enemy.
The Army tells NBC News that military police arrested Lt. Col. William H. Steele several weeks ago and that he is being held at a detention facility in Kuwait. He now faces an Article 32 hearing, the military's equivalent of a grand jury investigation, to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute him.
An Army statement listed these charges against Steele: "One specification of a violation of Article 104, aiding the enemy; one specification of a violation of Article 134, retaining classified material; two specifications of violations of Article 133, conduct unbecoming an officer, for relationships involving an interpreter and another Iraqi female; five specifications of a violation of Article 92, failure to obey lawful orders for wrongfully storing classified materials, improperly marking classified materials, failing to obey an order from a superior officer, possession of pornography and dereliction of duty as an approving official for the expenditure of government funds."
The Army tells NBC News that military police arrested Lt. Col. William H. Steele several weeks ago and that he is being held at a detention facility in Kuwait. He now faces an Article 32 hearing, the military's equivalent of a grand jury investigation, to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to prosecute him.
An Army statement listed these charges against Steele: "One specification of a violation of Article 104, aiding the enemy; one specification of a violation of Article 134, retaining classified material; two specifications of violations of Article 133, conduct unbecoming an officer, for relationships involving an interpreter and another Iraqi female; five specifications of a violation of Article 92, failure to obey lawful orders for wrongfully storing classified materials, improperly marking classified materials, failing to obey an order from a superior officer, possession of pornography and dereliction of duty as an approving official for the expenditure of government funds."
Article #18 Marijuana sold in U.S. stronger than ever
The marijuana being sold across the United States is stronger than ever, which could explain a growing number of medical emergencies that involve the drug, government drug experts Wednesday.
Analysis of seized samples of marijuana and hashish showed that more of the cannabis on the market is of the strongest grade, the White House and National Institute for Drug Abuse said.
They cited data from the University of Mississippi’s Marijuana Potency Project showing the average levels of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in the products rose from 7 percent in 2003 to 8.5 percent in 2006.
The level had risen steadily from 3.5 percent in 1988.
National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow fears the problem is not being taken seriously because many adults remember the marijuana of their youth as harmless.
“It’s really not the same type of marijuana,” Volkow said in a telephone interview.
“This could explain why there has been an increase in the number of medical emergencies involving marijuana.”
The pharmacy department at Mississippi has compiled data on 59,369 samples of cannabis, 1,225 hashish samples, and 443 hash oil samples confiscated since 1975. “The highest concentration of (THC) found in a cannabis (marijuana) sample is 33.12 percent from Oregon State Police,” the report reads.
Analysis of seized samples of marijuana and hashish showed that more of the cannabis on the market is of the strongest grade, the White House and National Institute for Drug Abuse said.
They cited data from the University of Mississippi’s Marijuana Potency Project showing the average levels of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in the products rose from 7 percent in 2003 to 8.5 percent in 2006.
The level had risen steadily from 3.5 percent in 1988.
National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow fears the problem is not being taken seriously because many adults remember the marijuana of their youth as harmless.
“It’s really not the same type of marijuana,” Volkow said in a telephone interview.
“This could explain why there has been an increase in the number of medical emergencies involving marijuana.”
The pharmacy department at Mississippi has compiled data on 59,369 samples of cannabis, 1,225 hashish samples, and 443 hash oil samples confiscated since 1975. “The highest concentration of (THC) found in a cannabis (marijuana) sample is 33.12 percent from Oregon State Police,” the report reads.
Article #17 More health foods recommended for U.S. school children
Regular colas, candy and salty snacks should not be the choice of children during school hours, and should be replaced by whole-grain crackers, low-fat yogurt, fruit and water, recommended the U.S. Institute of Medicine on Wednesday.
The institute gave new standards for school snacks and foods that would sharply limit calories, fat and sugar while encouraging more nutritious eating. The standards would not apply to bag lunches that students bring from home.
The institute is a branch of the National Academy of Sciences, an independent organization chartered by Congress to advise the government on scientific matters.
Concerned about the rise of obesity in young people, Congress asked the institute to develop the standards.
The report now goes to Congress for consideration. Copies will also go to the Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services and Education and will be available for state and local school boards and administrators and the food and beverage industry. Putting the recommendations into practice would involve federal, state or local laws and setting school standards and policies.
"Making sure that all foods and drinks available in schools meet nutrition standards is one more way schools can help children establish lifelong healthy eating habits," said Virginia A. Stallings, head of the committee that prepared the report.
Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said: "For the first time, we have gold-standard recommendations for school nutrition standards from one of America's most distinguished scientific bodies. And as it turns out, they are also just common sense -- promoting fruit and vegetable consumption, and also seeking to reduce things like calories, fat, and sodium."
However, the Center for Consumer Freedom worried that the report could lead to a government "no child with a fat behind" program.
The growing rate of obesity is caused by lack of physical activity rather than overeating, argued the group, which describes itself as representing restaurants, food companies and individuals.
"These decrees may seem surreal, but many schools have already implemented similar measures. Birthday celebrations are a thing of the past with cupcakes banned in classrooms across the nation. Many schools forbid parents from bringing their kids fast food," the Center said in a statement.
The report of the Institute of Medicine lists two example tiers of food. The first tier would be allowed at all grade levels during the school day and during after-school activities, and includes whole fruit, raisins, carrot sticks, whole-grain low-sugar cereals, some multigrain tortilla chips, some granola bars and nonfat yogurt with no more than 30 grams of added sugars. Drinks would be limited to plain water, skim or 1 percent milk, soy beverages and 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice.
A second tier of foods would be available only to high school students and only after school hours. These foods would be limited in calories, salt, sugar and fat; drinks could have just have five or fewer calories per portion and no caffeine.
Sports drinks would be available to students engaged in an hour or more of vigorous athletic activity, at the discretion of coaches. Fortified water should not be available in either tier.
The institute gave new standards for school snacks and foods that would sharply limit calories, fat and sugar while encouraging more nutritious eating. The standards would not apply to bag lunches that students bring from home.
The institute is a branch of the National Academy of Sciences, an independent organization chartered by Congress to advise the government on scientific matters.
Concerned about the rise of obesity in young people, Congress asked the institute to develop the standards.
The report now goes to Congress for consideration. Copies will also go to the Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services and Education and will be available for state and local school boards and administrators and the food and beverage industry. Putting the recommendations into practice would involve federal, state or local laws and setting school standards and policies.
"Making sure that all foods and drinks available in schools meet nutrition standards is one more way schools can help children establish lifelong healthy eating habits," said Virginia A. Stallings, head of the committee that prepared the report.
Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said: "For the first time, we have gold-standard recommendations for school nutrition standards from one of America's most distinguished scientific bodies. And as it turns out, they are also just common sense -- promoting fruit and vegetable consumption, and also seeking to reduce things like calories, fat, and sodium."
However, the Center for Consumer Freedom worried that the report could lead to a government "no child with a fat behind" program.
The growing rate of obesity is caused by lack of physical activity rather than overeating, argued the group, which describes itself as representing restaurants, food companies and individuals.
"These decrees may seem surreal, but many schools have already implemented similar measures. Birthday celebrations are a thing of the past with cupcakes banned in classrooms across the nation. Many schools forbid parents from bringing their kids fast food," the Center said in a statement.
The report of the Institute of Medicine lists two example tiers of food. The first tier would be allowed at all grade levels during the school day and during after-school activities, and includes whole fruit, raisins, carrot sticks, whole-grain low-sugar cereals, some multigrain tortilla chips, some granola bars and nonfat yogurt with no more than 30 grams of added sugars. Drinks would be limited to plain water, skim or 1 percent milk, soy beverages and 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice.
A second tier of foods would be available only to high school students and only after school hours. These foods would be limited in calories, salt, sugar and fat; drinks could have just have five or fewer calories per portion and no caffeine.
Sports drinks would be available to students engaged in an hour or more of vigorous athletic activity, at the discretion of coaches. Fortified water should not be available in either tier.
Article #16 Gore, Bloomberg wink at 2008 rumors
NEW YORK Former Vice President Al Gore and Mayor Michael Bloomberg kiddingly nudged each other toward the 2008 presidential race during a joint Manhattan appearance today.They were together to help open the Tribeca Film Festival, which has several environmentally themed films. Global warming is Gore's pet cause _ resulting in an Oscar win for his documentary on the subject _ and is becoming a Bloomberg priority.
The mayor noted that Gore's recent success has even prompted some talk that he might again try for the White House and asked Gore "don't you just hate those rumors about running for president?"
Neither one has entered next year's crowded contest for the White House, but speculation persists for both.
Moments later, Gore was asked whether he believes the presidential candidates are doing enough to discuss global warming on the campaign trail. Gore deadpanned "Well, I think Mike is." The mayor turned red and laughed.
The mayor noted that Gore's recent success has even prompted some talk that he might again try for the White House and asked Gore "don't you just hate those rumors about running for president?"
Neither one has entered next year's crowded contest for the White House, but speculation persists for both.
Moments later, Gore was asked whether he believes the presidential candidates are doing enough to discuss global warming on the campaign trail. Gore deadpanned "Well, I think Mike is." The mayor turned red and laughed.
Article #15 Bin Laden overseeing Iraq, Afghanistan ops: Taliban
Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden is orchestrating militants' operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, a senior Taliban commander said in remarks broadcast on Wednesday.
Bin Laden has not made any video statements for many months raising speculation that he might have died.
"He is drawing plans in Iraq and Afghanistan ... Praise God he is alive," Mullah Dadullah told Al Jazeera television.
In September, a French newspaper quoted French foreign intelligence service as saying the Saudi intelligence were convinced bin Laden had died of typhoid in Pakistan in August.
Bin Laden has not made any video statements for many months raising speculation that he might have died.
"He is drawing plans in Iraq and Afghanistan ... Praise God he is alive," Mullah Dadullah told Al Jazeera television.
In September, a French newspaper quoted French foreign intelligence service as saying the Saudi intelligence were convinced bin Laden had died of typhoid in Pakistan in August.
Dadullah said bin Laden ordered the attack on February 27 at the U.S. Bagram base during a visit by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney to Afghanistan.
"Do you remember the martyrdom operation inside the Bagram base which targeted a senior American official ... this operation was the result of blessed plans put by him," Dadullah said. Jazeera said the U.S. official Dadullah was referring to was Cheney.
"He (bin Laden) guided us through it," he said, adding that no Afghan would have been able to penetrate the base if it was not for the world's most wanted militant.
"Do you remember the martyrdom operation inside the Bagram base which targeted a senior American official ... this operation was the result of blessed plans put by him," Dadullah said. Jazeera said the U.S. official Dadullah was referring to was Cheney.
"He (bin Laden) guided us through it," he said, adding that no Afghan would have been able to penetrate the base if it was not for the world's most wanted militant.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Article #14 Lockheed profit up on tech systems, one-time gains
Lockheed Martin Corp. said on Tuesday that first-quarter profit rose a greater-than expected 17 percent as the world's largest defense contractor posted higher sales of information systems for government customers and had a number of one-time gains.
Lockheed, maker of F-16 fighter jets, Patriot missiles and an array of systems for the U.S. government, reported quarterly profit of $690 million, or $1.60 per share, compared with $591 million, or $1.34 per share, a year earlier.
That beat Wall Street's average forecast of $1.37 per share, according to Reuters Estimates.
Lockheed, maker of F-16 fighter jets, Patriot missiles and an array of systems for the U.S. government, reported quarterly profit of $690 million, or $1.60 per share, compared with $591 million, or $1.34 per share, a year earlier.
That beat Wall Street's average forecast of $1.37 per share, according to Reuters Estimates.
Sales rose 1 percent to $9.3 billion as higher information and electronic system revenues offset lower sales at the company's satellite equipment and aircraft manufacturing units. Analysts were expecting sales of $9.56 billion.
Lockheed's quarterly profit was boosted by one-time gains related to the sale of land and reversing some legal reserves after settling litigation. It also had lower pension costs.
Lockheed's quarterly profit was boosted by one-time gains related to the sale of land and reversing some legal reserves after settling litigation. It also had lower pension costs.
Article #13 Expedition 14 Back on Earth
The Soyuz capsule carrying Simonyi, 58, and two crew members from the International Space Station, Mikhail Tyurin of Russia and American Miguel Lopez-Alegria, touched down as planned in the steppes of Kazakhstan, a spokesman for Russia's space centre said. Television pictures showed Simonyi smiling and looking relaxed as he lay on the grass of the steppe, his space helmet off, enjoying the sunshine. "It was terrific," he told the Vesti 24 channel in English. "It's good to be back on Earth." The former Microsoft whizz kid who made his fortune helping develop the company's Word and Excel software broke the record for space tourists by spending 14 days in space. The lift-off on April 7 from the Baikonur launchpad drew more than the usual attention as he received a cosmic bon voyage from US homemaking queen Martha Stewart, fuelling the rampant romantic gossip about the couple.
Stewart was not in Kazakhstan for the landing back on Earth, a spokesman in Moscow for Space Adventures, which organises the multi-million-dollar excursions.
Simonyi, who left his native Hungary at the age of 17 for the United States, was the fifth tourist to travel to the ISS, following Dennis Tito (2001) and Greg Olsen (2005) of the United States, South Africa's Mark Shuttleworth (2002) and an American of Iranian origin, Anousheh Ansari (2006). Space Adventures plans to expand its offerings next year to include a 100-million-dollar orbit of the moon and a 100,000-dollar budget option: five minutes of sub-orbital space flight. Eric Andersen, boss of Space Adventures, said when Simonyi took off that the company had another client for a flight this year who would go public within a few months.
Article #12 Russian manned spaceship heads back home
A Russian Soyuz spaceship carrying two astronauts and the fifth civilian space traveler unlocked from the International Space Station (ISS) and started trip home on Saturday, ending a 13-day mission.
The Soyuz capsule, which separated with the ISS at 13:10 Moscow time (0710 GMT), will carry back to the Earth the 14th ISS crew, Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin and NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, who had worked there for 215 days.
The Soyuz spaceship blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on April 7. Russian cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov on board will stay in the station as the 15th crew.
The U.S. software tycoon Charles Simonyi will also conclude his paid visit to the station, one day more than the slated 12 days in orbit due to a landing delay caused by weather conditions at the planned landing site in Kazakhstan.
The spacecraft is scheduled to land at a planned site in Kazakhstan at 16:30 Moscow time (1230 GMT), the Itar-Tass news agency said, citing Mission Control Center's spokesman Valery Lyndin.
The spacecraft engine will start working to brake 50 minutes before landing. The parachute will be deployed at the altitude of some 10 kilometers, Lyndin said.
Russian search and rescue teams, including helicopters, planes, search and communication vehicles as well as more than 150 civilian and military specialists have been ready for the landing, he said.
The main crews and cargoes to the ISS will be delivered by Russian spaceships till 2011, including the manned Soyuz spaceships and cargo spacecraft of the Progress type, according to a Russian-U.S. space agencies contract inked earlier this month.
NASA was forced to pay for places aboard Soyuz crafts and Russian ferries after the Columbia disaster in 2003 and subsequent suspension of shuttle flights.
The Soyuz capsule, which separated with the ISS at 13:10 Moscow time (0710 GMT), will carry back to the Earth the 14th ISS crew, Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin and NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, who had worked there for 215 days.
The Soyuz spaceship blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on April 7. Russian cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov on board will stay in the station as the 15th crew.
The U.S. software tycoon Charles Simonyi will also conclude his paid visit to the station, one day more than the slated 12 days in orbit due to a landing delay caused by weather conditions at the planned landing site in Kazakhstan.
The spacecraft is scheduled to land at a planned site in Kazakhstan at 16:30 Moscow time (1230 GMT), the Itar-Tass news agency said, citing Mission Control Center's spokesman Valery Lyndin.
The spacecraft engine will start working to brake 50 minutes before landing. The parachute will be deployed at the altitude of some 10 kilometers, Lyndin said.
Russian search and rescue teams, including helicopters, planes, search and communication vehicles as well as more than 150 civilian and military specialists have been ready for the landing, he said.
The main crews and cargoes to the ISS will be delivered by Russian spaceships till 2011, including the manned Soyuz spaceships and cargo spacecraft of the Progress type, according to a Russian-U.S. space agencies contract inked earlier this month.
NASA was forced to pay for places aboard Soyuz crafts and Russian ferries after the Columbia disaster in 2003 and subsequent suspension of shuttle flights.
Article #11 Countdown in India for first commercial satellite launch
Indian space scientists were counting down the final hours Monday before a home-built rocket launches an Italian satellite into space in the country's first commercial space mission.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is scheduled to blast off at 3:30 pm (1000 GMT) from Sriharikota spaceport, 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Chennai in southern India, space agency officials said.
"The countdown, which involves a series of precisely timed operations, is going on," a spokesman for the Bangalore-based Indian Space Research Organisation said. "The PSLV has been mated with its payload and the fully integrated vehicle is standing on the launchpad."
The 15-storey-high rocket is being pumped with liquid propellant and undergoing pre-launch tests, said the spokesman.
It will launch the 352-kilogram (774-pound) Italian astronomical satellite Agile that will be used to gather information about the origins of the universe.
"The payload will be separated from the vehicle in its orbit 23 minutes after the takeoff," the spokesman said.
The 48-hour countdown began on Saturday, setting the stage for a launch that India hopes will win it membership of an exclusive club of nations to successfully put their space programmes to commercial use.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is scheduled to blast off at 3:30 pm (1000 GMT) from Sriharikota spaceport, 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Chennai in southern India, space agency officials said.
"The countdown, which involves a series of precisely timed operations, is going on," a spokesman for the Bangalore-based Indian Space Research Organisation said. "The PSLV has been mated with its payload and the fully integrated vehicle is standing on the launchpad."
The 15-storey-high rocket is being pumped with liquid propellant and undergoing pre-launch tests, said the spokesman.
It will launch the 352-kilogram (774-pound) Italian astronomical satellite Agile that will be used to gather information about the origins of the universe.
"The payload will be separated from the vehicle in its orbit 23 minutes after the takeoff," the spokesman said.
The 48-hour countdown began on Saturday, setting the stage for a launch that India hopes will win it membership of an exclusive club of nations to successfully put their space programmes to commercial use.
India wants to compete with the United States, Russia, China, the Ukraine and the European Space Agency in offering commercial satellite launch services, a market worth up to 2.5 billion dollars a year.
The PSLV that will carry the Italian payload into space has carried out nine successful launches since 1994 -- including eight remote-sensing and one amateur radio satellite -- and is known as the workhorse of the Indian space programme.
Capable of placing 1,500-kilogramme satellites into orbit, the rocket has been modified to launch the much smaller Agile, together with which it will carry a space module to test avionic systems like mission computers and navigation systems.
Capable of placing 1,500-kilogramme satellites into orbit, the rocket has been modified to launch the much smaller Agile, together with which it will carry a space module to test avionic systems like mission computers and navigation systems.
Article #10 Man gets 5,000 calls for YouTube posting
Ryan Fitzgerald is unemployed, lives with his father and has a little bit of time on his hands.
So, he decided to offer his ear, to anyone who wants to call. After posting a video with his cell phone number on YouTube on Friday, the 20-year-old told The Boston Globe he has received more than 5,000 calls and text messages.
Fitzgerald said he wanted to "be there," for anyone who needed to talk. "I never met you, but I do care," a spiky-haired Fitzgerald said into the camera on his YouTube posting.
He planned to take and return as many calls he could, but on Monday at 5 a.m., his T-Mobile cell phone payment will begin charging him for his generosity when he is no longer eligible for free weekend minutes.
"I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do about it," he said. "Come Monday, no way I'm going to just hang up on people and say, 'I don't have the minutes.'"
Fitzgerald, who said people consider him "easy to talk to," was inspired by Juan Mann. YouTube video clips of Mann offering "Free Hugs" to strangers became wildly popular on the user-controlled Internet site.
"Some people's own mothers won't take the time to sit down and talk with them and have a conversation," Fitzgerald said. "But some stranger on YouTube will. After six seconds, you're not a stranger anymore, you're a new kid I just met."
So, he decided to offer his ear, to anyone who wants to call. After posting a video with his cell phone number on YouTube on Friday, the 20-year-old told The Boston Globe he has received more than 5,000 calls and text messages.
Fitzgerald said he wanted to "be there," for anyone who needed to talk. "I never met you, but I do care," a spiky-haired Fitzgerald said into the camera on his YouTube posting.
He planned to take and return as many calls he could, but on Monday at 5 a.m., his T-Mobile cell phone payment will begin charging him for his generosity when he is no longer eligible for free weekend minutes.
"I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do about it," he said. "Come Monday, no way I'm going to just hang up on people and say, 'I don't have the minutes.'"
Fitzgerald, who said people consider him "easy to talk to," was inspired by Juan Mann. YouTube video clips of Mann offering "Free Hugs" to strangers became wildly popular on the user-controlled Internet site.
"Some people's own mothers won't take the time to sit down and talk with them and have a conversation," Fitzgerald said. "But some stranger on YouTube will. After six seconds, you're not a stranger anymore, you're a new kid I just met."
Article# 9 NASA astronomers create first 3-D images of Sun
Using the agency’s twin Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft, NASA astronomers have created the first three-dimensional images of the Sun.
The new view, they say, will greatly aid scientists' ability to understand solar physics and thereby improve space weather forecasting.
"The improvement with STEREO's 3D view is like going from a regular X-ray to a 3D CAT scan in the medical field," said Dr. Michael Kaiser, STEREO Project Scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, US.
The STEREO spacecraft were launched October 25, 2006. On January 21 they completed a series of complex manoeuvres, including flying by the moon, to position the spacecraft in their mission orbits.
The new view, they say, will greatly aid scientists' ability to understand solar physics and thereby improve space weather forecasting.
"The improvement with STEREO's 3D view is like going from a regular X-ray to a 3D CAT scan in the medical field," said Dr. Michael Kaiser, STEREO Project Scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, US.
The STEREO spacecraft were launched October 25, 2006. On January 21 they completed a series of complex manoeuvres, including flying by the moon, to position the spacecraft in their mission orbits.
The two observatories are now orbiting the Sun, one slightly ahead of Earth and one slightly behind, separating from each other by approximately 45 degrees per year.
Researchers say just as the slight offset between a person’s eyes provides depth perception, the separation of spacecraft allow 3-D images of the Sun.
"In the solar atmosphere, there are no clues to help us judge distance. Everything appears flat in the 2D plane of the sky. Having a stereo perspective just makes it so much easier," said Dr. Russell Howard of the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, the Principal Investigator for the SECCHI (Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation) suite of telescopes on the spacecraft.
"With STEREO's 3D imagery, we'll be able to discern where matter and energy flows in the solar atmosphere much more precisely than with the 2D views available before. This will really help us understand the complex physics going on," he said.
Dr. Howard said STEREO's depth perception would also help improve space weather forecasts.
Of particular concern is a destructive type of solar eruption called a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), which are eruptions of electrically charged gas, called plasma, from the Sun's atmosphere.
Researchers say just as the slight offset between a person’s eyes provides depth perception, the separation of spacecraft allow 3-D images of the Sun.
"In the solar atmosphere, there are no clues to help us judge distance. Everything appears flat in the 2D plane of the sky. Having a stereo perspective just makes it so much easier," said Dr. Russell Howard of the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, the Principal Investigator for the SECCHI (Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation) suite of telescopes on the spacecraft.
"With STEREO's 3D imagery, we'll be able to discern where matter and energy flows in the solar atmosphere much more precisely than with the 2D views available before. This will really help us understand the complex physics going on," he said.
Dr. Howard said STEREO's depth perception would also help improve space weather forecasts.
Of particular concern is a destructive type of solar eruption called a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), which are eruptions of electrically charged gas, called plasma, from the Sun's atmosphere.
“To do this, forecasters need to know the location of the front of the CME cloud. STEREO will allow scientists to accurately locate the CME cloud front. Knowing where the front of the CME cloud is will improve estimates of the arrival time from within a day or so to just a few hours. STEREO also will help forecasters estimate how severe the resulting magnetic storm will be,” said Dr. Howard.
“In addition to the STEREO perspective of solar features, for the first time STEREO will allow imaging of the solar disturbances the entire way from the Sun to the Earth. Presently, scientists are only able to model this region in the dark, from only one picture of solar disturbances leaving the Sun and reaching only a fraction of the Sun-Earth distance,” added Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta, STEREO Program Scientist, NASA Headquarters. Washington. (ANI)
“In addition to the STEREO perspective of solar features, for the first time STEREO will allow imaging of the solar disturbances the entire way from the Sun to the Earth. Presently, scientists are only able to model this region in the dark, from only one picture of solar disturbances leaving the Sun and reaching only a fraction of the Sun-Earth distance,” added Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta, STEREO Program Scientist, NASA Headquarters. Washington. (ANI)
Article #8 Sunnis complain about new Baghdad barrier
A wall U.S. troops are building around a Sunni enclave in Baghdad came under increasing criticism on Saturday, with residents calling it "collective punishment" and a local leader saying construction began without the neighborhood council's approval.
The U.S. military says the wall in Baghdad is meant to secure the minority Sunni community of Azamiyah, which "has been trapped in a spiral of sectarian violence and retaliation." The area, located on the eastern side of the Tigris River, would be completely gated, with entrances and exits manned by Iraqi soldiers, the U.S. military said earlier this week.
But some residents of the neighborhood, which is surrounded by Shiite areas, complained that they had not been consulted in advance about the barrier.
"This will make the whole district a prison. This is collective punishment on the residents of Azamiyah," said Ahmed al-Dulaimi, a 41-year-old engineer who lives in the area. "They are going to punish all of us because of a few terrorists here and there."
The U.S. military says the wall in Baghdad is meant to secure the minority Sunni community of Azamiyah, which "has been trapped in a spiral of sectarian violence and retaliation." The area, located on the eastern side of the Tigris River, would be completely gated, with entrances and exits manned by Iraqi soldiers, the U.S. military said earlier this week.
But some residents of the neighborhood, which is surrounded by Shiite areas, complained that they had not been consulted in advance about the barrier.
"This will make the whole district a prison. This is collective punishment on the residents of Azamiyah," said Ahmed al-Dulaimi, a 41-year-old engineer who lives in the area. "They are going to punish all of us because of a few terrorists here and there."
The U.S. military says it began building the barrier April 10. AP Television News footage from the site on Saturday showed small concrete blocks, piles of dirt and coils of barbed wire on a main street. Eventually, the military said, the wall will be nearly five kilometres and include sections as tall as 3.5 metres.
Al-Maliki and Nelson met at the prime minister's office in the capital's heavily fortified Green Zone, and al-Maliki "underlined that Iraqi forces are unified in battling terrorists and outlaws, and are now fighting shoulder to shoulder throughout Iraq," especially in hard-hit areas such as Baghdad and the provinces of Anbar, west of the capital, and Diyala, to the northeast, a government statement said.
Article#7 Tamil Rebels Launch Air Attack
Tamil rebel planes bombed government positions Tuesday in northern Sri Lanka in their second-ever airstrike. The military said six soldiers were killed but that the aircraft were turned back before reaching a key base.
The attack came amid rising fears that the government may be preparing a major assault on rebels in the north, and followed a bomb blast Monday aboard a bus that killed five passengers and wounded 35 near the frontier between government- and rebel-controlled areas.
The attack came amid rising fears that the government may be preparing a major assault on rebels in the north, and followed a bomb blast Monday aboard a bus that killed five passengers and wounded 35 near the frontier between government- and rebel-controlled areas.
The Tamil Tiger rebels said two airplanes carried out Tuesday's air attack on the government's Palaly military base in Jaffna peninsula, and that main armory and storage facilities were struck.
Lt. Col. Upali Rajapakse, a senior military official, said only one light aircraft was involved in the attack and that troops opened fire on it, forcing it to turn back before it reached the Palay base. But the plane dropped two bombs on nearby bunkers while rebels shelled the area.
Six soldiers were killed by the airstrike and shelling, Rajapakse said.
Lt. Col. Upali Rajapakse, a senior military official, said only one light aircraft was involved in the attack and that troops opened fire on it, forcing it to turn back before it reached the Palay base. But the plane dropped two bombs on nearby bunkers while rebels shelled the area.
Six soldiers were killed by the airstrike and shelling, Rajapakse said.
Also Monday, a bomb ripped through a long-distance bus as it traveled near the town of Vavuniya, killing five passengers and wounding 35, the Defense Ministry said. The ministry blamed the attack on the Tamil Tiger rebels.
Vavuniya, about 130 miles north of the capital, Colombo, is where the government has its last key garrison before the start of rebel-controled territory.
A cease-fire mediated by Norway in 2002 brought hopes of peace for a few years, but violence over the past 18 months has killed 4,000 people, taking the death toll from more than two decades of war past 69,000.
Vavuniya, about 130 miles north of the capital, Colombo, is where the government has its last key garrison before the start of rebel-controled territory.
A cease-fire mediated by Norway in 2002 brought hopes of peace for a few years, but violence over the past 18 months has killed 4,000 people, taking the death toll from more than two decades of war past 69,000.
Article #6 Navy Investigates Blue Angels Crash
Investigators looked through wreckage Sunday to determine what caused a Navy Blue Angel jet to crash during a maneuver, while the military identified the fallen pilot as a 32-year-old who was performing in one of his first air shows with the team.
Lt. Cmdr. Kevin J. Davis of Pittsfield, Mass. was in his second year with the Blue Angels, the team known for its high-speed, aerobatic demonstrations, Lt. Cmdr. Garrett Kasper said.
At Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, the site of Saturday's crash, a somber crowd watched Sunday as six jets flew overhead in formation. Smoke streamed behind one of the jets as it peeled away from the others to complete the ``missing man formation,'' the traditional salute for a lost military aviator.
Lt. Cmdr. Kevin J. Davis of Pittsfield, Mass. was in his second year with the Blue Angels, the team known for its high-speed, aerobatic demonstrations, Lt. Cmdr. Garrett Kasper said.
At Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, the site of Saturday's crash, a somber crowd watched Sunday as six jets flew overhead in formation. Smoke streamed behind one of the jets as it peeled away from the others to complete the ``missing man formation,'' the traditional salute for a lost military aviator.
The crash happened as the team was performing its final maneuver Saturday afternoon during the air show. The team's six pilots were joining from behind the crowd of thousands to form a triangle shape known as a delta, but Davis' jet did not join the formation.
Moments later, his jet crashed just outside Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, hitting homes in a neighborhood about 35 miles northwest of Hilton Head Island, S.C. Debris - some of it on fire - rained on homes. Eight people on the ground were injured, and some homes were damaged.
The squadron's six, F/A-18 Hornets routinely streak low over crowds of thousands at supersonic speeds, coming within feet, sometimes inches, of each other. The pilots, among the Navy's most elite, are so thoroughly trained and their routines so practiced that deadly crashes are rare; the last one happened in 1999.
The Navy said it could be at three weeks before it announces what may have caused the crash. The squadron was scheduled to return to its home base of Pensacola Naval Air Station late Sunday.
Ernie Christensen, a retired rear admiral and former Vietnam fighter pilot who flew with the Blue Angels and later commanded the Navy's Top Gun fighter school in California, said he did not want to speculate about what could have caused Saturday's crash. But he said the intense flying leaves no room for human or mechanical error.
Moments later, his jet crashed just outside Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, hitting homes in a neighborhood about 35 miles northwest of Hilton Head Island, S.C. Debris - some of it on fire - rained on homes. Eight people on the ground were injured, and some homes were damaged.
The squadron's six, F/A-18 Hornets routinely streak low over crowds of thousands at supersonic speeds, coming within feet, sometimes inches, of each other. The pilots, among the Navy's most elite, are so thoroughly trained and their routines so practiced that deadly crashes are rare; the last one happened in 1999.
The Navy said it could be at three weeks before it announces what may have caused the crash. The squadron was scheduled to return to its home base of Pensacola Naval Air Station late Sunday.
Ernie Christensen, a retired rear admiral and former Vietnam fighter pilot who flew with the Blue Angels and later commanded the Navy's Top Gun fighter school in California, said he did not want to speculate about what could have caused Saturday's crash. But he said the intense flying leaves no room for human or mechanical error.
Article #5 20-ton cocaine bust biggest in Coast Guard's history
The U.S. Coast Guard unloaded about 20 tons of seized cocaine from a cutter today on Coast Guard Island in Alameda.
The cocaine was seized in mid-March off the coast of Panama by officials on the Coast Guard Cutter Sherman, based in Alameda, and the Hamilton, based in San Diego.
A Coast Guard patrol aircraft spotted a motor vessel, the Gatuan, on March 17 while the crew was patrolling the waters about 20 miles southwest of Isla de Coiba, Panama. Officials discovered the cocaine after searching the ship and arrested 14 crewmembers.
The bust was the largest in the Coast Guard's history. Previously, the largest seizure was in 2004, when the agency seized more than 30,000 pounds of cocaine from a ship.
The cocaine was seized in mid-March off the coast of Panama by officials on the Coast Guard Cutter Sherman, based in Alameda, and the Hamilton, based in San Diego.
A Coast Guard patrol aircraft spotted a motor vessel, the Gatuan, on March 17 while the crew was patrolling the waters about 20 miles southwest of Isla de Coiba, Panama. Officials discovered the cocaine after searching the ship and arrested 14 crewmembers.
The bust was the largest in the Coast Guard's history. Previously, the largest seizure was in 2004, when the agency seized more than 30,000 pounds of cocaine from a ship.
Article #4 Iraq Suicide Bomb Kills Nine U.S. Soldiers, Wounds 20
A suicide car bomber killed nine U.S. soldiers and injured 20 in an attack on a patrol base northeast of Baghdad in one of the deadliest attacks on coalition forces in Iraq since the 2003 invasion.
The bomber detonated the blast next to a U.S. military base yesterday in Diyala province, where fighting between U.S. forces and insurgents has increased in recent months. Fifteen soldiers were returned to duty after medical attention, five others and an Iraqi civilian are being treated in a coalition medical center, the U.S. military said in an e-mailed statement.
The bomber detonated the blast next to a U.S. military base yesterday in Diyala province, where fighting between U.S. forces and insurgents has increased in recent months. Fifteen soldiers were returned to duty after medical attention, five others and an Iraqi civilian are being treated in a coalition medical center, the U.S. military said in an e-mailed statement.
A separate bombing on a checkpoint near Diyala's provincial council headquarters killed seven Iraqi policemen and wounded 12, the military said.
U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi forces are fighting an insurgency and attempting to stem sectarian violence between Shiite and Sunni Muslim communities. More than 70 U.S. service members have been killed in action this month as they intensify efforts to quell violence in Baghdad and the western province of al-Anbar.
U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi forces are fighting an insurgency and attempting to stem sectarian violence between Shiite and Sunni Muslim communities. More than 70 U.S. service members have been killed in action this month as they intensify efforts to quell violence in Baghdad and the western province of al-Anbar.
Two car bombs detonated close to the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad today, state television reported. At least one civilian was injured. The embassy is close to the fortified Green Zone, where government offices and Embassies are located.
Bombings across Iraq yesterday killed at least 33 people and wounded about 49. The worst attack took place in the western city of Ramadi, where at least two car bombs killed 15 people and wounded five others, state television reported.
Bombings across Iraq yesterday killed at least 33 people and wounded about 49. The worst attack took place in the western city of Ramadi, where at least two car bombs killed 15 people and wounded five others, state television reported.
Article #3 GA wildfire has locals praying for rain
"Pray for rain."
That's the message being posted on signs outside businesses and churches in southeast Georgia as a raging wildfire continues to burn into its second week.
It even prompted special prayers Sunday night at the Church of God of Prophecy in the little town of Manor.
By Monday night, the blaze, dubbed the Sweat Farm Road fire, had consumed some 56,000 acres and continued to fill the sky with dense smoke. The smoky conditions – expected to worsen in the early morning hours Tuesday when it combines with fog – prompted Ware County public schools to remain closed through at least Tuesday.
Visibility was so limited that some roads were closed. Winds were forecast to push the smoke toward Waycross over the next few days, making driving hazardous and causing renewed health concerns. The Satilla Regional Medical Center in Waycross was restricting some entrances to its facility and shutting down some elevators, among other precautions, to limit smoke in the building.
Smoky conditions from the fire spread hundreds of miles over the weekend into Florida and north into Tennessee.
Firefighters reported making progress in battling the blaze Monday after using bulldozers to widen firebreaks. The fire was reported 45 percent contained but officials estimated that full containment was not expected for another week. Hundreds of firefighters from several states were fighting the fire.
The blaze, which began April 16 apparently when a tree fell on a power line, has destroyed 18 homes. It was reported about 10 miles west of Waycross and five miles from Manor.
It has also moved to within less than half a mile of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, one of the nation's oldest and most well-preserved wetland areas.
That's the message being posted on signs outside businesses and churches in southeast Georgia as a raging wildfire continues to burn into its second week.
It even prompted special prayers Sunday night at the Church of God of Prophecy in the little town of Manor.
By Monday night, the blaze, dubbed the Sweat Farm Road fire, had consumed some 56,000 acres and continued to fill the sky with dense smoke. The smoky conditions – expected to worsen in the early morning hours Tuesday when it combines with fog – prompted Ware County public schools to remain closed through at least Tuesday.
Visibility was so limited that some roads were closed. Winds were forecast to push the smoke toward Waycross over the next few days, making driving hazardous and causing renewed health concerns. The Satilla Regional Medical Center in Waycross was restricting some entrances to its facility and shutting down some elevators, among other precautions, to limit smoke in the building.
Smoky conditions from the fire spread hundreds of miles over the weekend into Florida and north into Tennessee.
Firefighters reported making progress in battling the blaze Monday after using bulldozers to widen firebreaks. The fire was reported 45 percent contained but officials estimated that full containment was not expected for another week. Hundreds of firefighters from several states were fighting the fire.
The blaze, which began April 16 apparently when a tree fell on a power line, has destroyed 18 homes. It was reported about 10 miles west of Waycross and five miles from Manor.
It has also moved to within less than half a mile of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, one of the nation's oldest and most well-preserved wetland areas.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Article # 2: Friendly fire possibly hit two soldiers in Iraq
The Army is investigating the deaths of Pvt. Matthew Zeimer, 18, of Glendive, Mont., and Spc. Alan E. McPeek, 20, of Tucson, Ariz., who were killed in Ramadi, in western Iraq, on Feb. 2. Their families were initially told they were killed by enemy fire.
It took another month before the families of the two soldiers were told March 31 that friendly fire was suspected.
A report in the Army Times newspaper said the two soldiers ran to a roof to fight back, but a shot was fired through a concrete wall near them and the impact killed them.
As a result of those problems, the Army made changes in its notification process. Unit commanders now must investigate every hostile death, in part to ensure families get accurate information about how their loved one died.
McPeek was a member of the 16th Engineer Battalion based in Germany, and Zeimer was a member of the 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, based at Fort Stewart, Ga.
Article # 1: Iraq ambush kills 4 U.K. soldiers, Kuwaiti
Four British soldiers and a Kuwaiti interpreter were killed Thursday in an ambush in southern Iraq. The patrol struck a roadside bomb and was hit by small-arms fire about 2 a.m. in the Hayaniyah district west of Basra, 340 miles southeast of Baghdad. It was the biggest loss of life for British forces since Nov. 12, when four were killed in an attack on a Multi-National Forces boat patrol on the Shatt Al-Arab waterway in Basra, Iraq’s second-largest city.
Prime Minister Tony Blair has announced that Britain will withdraw about 1,600 troops from Iraq over the next few months and hopes to make other cuts to its 7,100-strong contingent by late summer.
Thursday’s attack also came as 15 British sailors and marines held captive for nearly two weeks left Iran aboard a commercial flight bound for London, ending a standoff that began when they were detained off the southern Iraqi coast. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced their surprise release on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Tony Blair has announced that Britain will withdraw about 1,600 troops from Iraq over the next few months and hopes to make other cuts to its 7,100-strong contingent by late summer.
Thursday’s attack also came as 15 British sailors and marines held captive for nearly two weeks left Iran aboard a commercial flight bound for London, ending a standoff that began when they were detained off the southern Iraqi coast. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced their surprise release on Wednesday.
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