Contractors 'divert Somalia aid'
Up to half the food aid in Somalia is routinely diverted to corrupt contractors and militants, a leaked UN report says. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:01:48 GMT
Greeks stage fresh general strike
Thousands of Greek workers are to stage a second general strike in a month over austerity measures. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:10:21 GMT
Mexican shakes up world rich list
Mexican Carlos Slim overtakes Bill Gates as the world's richest man, according to the Forbes "rich list", with a fortune of $53.5bn. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:01:14 GMT
Scientists to review climate body
The UN secretary general asks the world's leading science academies to review the UN's climate science body. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:06:03 GMT
Haiti situation 'dire', Obama says
Barack Obama warns that the crisis in quake-hit Haiti is not over, as he meets the country's President, Rene Preval. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:17:14 GMT
Apology for women raped by father
Two women raped by their father over 25 years - bearing nine of his children - are given a public apology by the authorities. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:41:19 GMT
Economic storm not over, says PM
Gordon Brown warns of economic storms ahead but vows not to "let you down" as the date of the Budget is announced. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:02:44 GMT
Labour MP facing expenses probe
Labour MP Harry Cohen is being investigated by the police over his expenses claims, the BBC understands. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:15:32 GMT
BA strike talks end without deal
Talks between BA and the Unite union aimed at averting strike action by cabin crew break down without agreement. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:38:27 GMT
Scientists to review climate body
The UN secretary general asks the world's leading science academies to review the UN's climate science body. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:06:03 GMT
Apology for women raped by father
Two daughters made pregnant 18 times by their abusive father have received an apology from the authorities who failed to protect them. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:24:28 GMT
Labour will end economic "storm"
The pay of senior staff in public service is to be frozen from April. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:52:30 GMT
Care home boss 'not a killer'
A former care home boss accused of killing two elderly residents with a lethal overdose has told a court that she was "disgusted" and "ashamed" after stealing their medication. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:03:23 GMT
'Jihad Jane' on terrorism charges
Police in America have charged a woman with terror offences including using the internet to recruit militants for deadly attacks abroad. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:27:33 GMT
Berezovsky wins poison libel case
Businessman Boris Berezovsky has won a libel case over allegations he was behind the murder of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:33:17 GMT
BA strike talks stall
Talks between British Airways and the Unite union aimed at averting strike action by cabin crew have broken down without agreement. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:43:37 GMT
Kidnapped boy's father back in UK
The father of a five-year-old British boy kidnapped in Pakistan has returned home, against the wishes of the country's police, the BBC has learned. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:15:52 GMT
From bbc.co.uk/news BBC News | Also in the news | UK Edition
Bonobos opt to share their food
One of our closest primate relatives, the bonobo, voluntarily shares food, scientists report. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:58:19 GMT
Nuclear bunker sold for £20,600
A decommissioned nuclear bunker in a field in Derbyshire has sold for £20,600 in an online eBay auction. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:30:50 GMT
Crime gang's 4x4 now police car
A £40,000 car which had belonged to Glasgow criminals is now being used by the police in the fight against serious crime. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:35:57 GMT
Galaxy study validates general relativity on cosmic scale, existence of dark matter
While general relativity describes well the behavior of the solar system, Einstein's theory of gravity and spacetime has not been tested on cosmological scales. Now, a team has analyzed data on 70,000 galaxies to show that the theory is so far the best description of the universe, at least out to 3.5 billion light years from Earth. Specifically, theories without dark matter do not fit the observations. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST
Molecule tells key brain cells to grow up, get to work
About four out of every 10 cells in the brain are so-called oligodendrocytes. These cells produce the all-important myelin that coats nerve tracts, ensuring fast, energy-efficient transmission of nerve impulses. Scientists have now identified a molecular master switch that catalyzes these cells' transition to mature, myelin-making mavens. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST
Study provides better understanding of how mosquitoes find a host
The potentially deadly yellow-fever-transmitting Aedes aegypti mosquito detects the specific chemical structure of a compound called octenol as one way to find a mammalian host for a blood meal. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST
Sonic hedgehog gene found in an unexpected place during limb development
Sonic hedgehog is at work in mice limb buds in what is known as the ectoderm, the cell layer that gives rise to skin, researchers discovered. Finding Sonic hedgehog here is akin to discovering that yeast has crept from the batter to the frosting, where it has the surprising effect of limiting how much the cake rises. In this case, instead of causing appendages to grow in mice, Sonic hedgehog prevents digits from developing. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST
NoMix toilets get thumbs-up in seven European countries
People in seven European countries have positive attitudes toward a new eco-friendly toilet that could substantially reduce pollution problems and conserve water and nutrients, scientists in Switzerland are reporting. Their article calls on authorities to give wider support for the innovative toilet technology. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST
Parents of US Activist Seek Israeli Compensation
Rachel Corrie was an activist acting as human shield in Gaza Strip to keep Israeli soldiers from bulldozing a Palestinian home Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:26:11 GMT
This Day in History
Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100
Courrières Mine Disaster (1906) The Courrières mine disaster, the worst mining accident in European history, killed 1,099 miners in Northern France. It is generally agreed that the majority of the deaths and destruction were caused by an explosion of dust which swept through the mine, however, it has never been ascertained what caused the coal dust to ignite in the first place. A group of thirteen survivors, later known as the rescapés, was found by rescuers twenty days after the explosion. How had they survived? Discuss
Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT
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Ban announces independent review of UN-backed climate body
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the head of the United Nations-backed panel tasked with preparing regular scientific reports on the impact of climate change today announced that the body, which is facing growing attacks from global warming sceptics, will undergo an independent and comprehensive review. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST
Myanmar: Secretary-General voices concern at new electoral laws
New electoral laws unveiled by authorities in Myanmar do not meet United Nations expectations of what is required for an inclusive political process in the Asian country, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST
Ban speaks out against Israeli plans to expand settlements
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has repeatedly called for Israels settlement construction to come to a halt, has condemned its announcement that it is building 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST
As Gaza blockade nears 1,000-day milestone, UN official warns situation worsens
The situation in the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly dire as the Israeli blockade approaches its 1,000th day, allowing an illegal economy to flourish, the new head of the United Nations agency tasked with assisting millions of Palestinian refugees said today. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST
UN political chief arrives in Nepal as appeal for aid is launched
The top United Nations political official arrived in Nepal today for a three-day visit to assess the state of the peace process which ended 10 years of fighting between the Government and Maoists. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST
Bridezilla sparks wedding shop brawl
A FIERY bride-to-be chucks a hissy fit after staff refuse to make alterations to her dress. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:35:28 GMT
Bruni says Sarkozy would never cheat
CARLA Bruni told Sky News that her husband, the French President Nicholas Sarkozy, would never cheat on her, Sky News reported overnight. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:46:20 GMT
Woman, 130, wants Guinness Record
A WOMAN from Georgia is staking a claim to be the oldest person in the world, Sky News reported today. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:44:26 GMT
Gunmen storm World Vision office killing six
MILITANTS armed with guns and grenades stormed the offices of a US based Christian charity in Pakistan overnight, killing six aid workers in an attack blamed on Islamist fighters. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:31:04 GMT
Matt Damon Enters the Green Zone
ComingSoon.net attends the junket for Paul Greengrass' Green Zone and talks with its star Matt Damon about what was involved with making the Iraq-based action-thriller. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:56:58 +0100
Captain America Casting Update
On Tuesday, Fox 411 reported that John Krasinski is the frontrunner for The First Avenger: Captain America , but that doesn't appear to be the case. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:56:58 +0100
Jude Law on Sherlock Holmes 2 and Contagion
At the New York press junket for his new movie Repo Men , ComingSoon.net asked Jude Law about the proposed Sherlock Holmes 2 and if he knew of any more recent developments. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:56:58 +0100
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Trailer Coming Thursday
The first trailer for Summit Entertainment's The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will come online on Thursday morning at around 6:00 AM PST/9:00 AM EST. The 90-second trailer's contents are being kept under tight wraps until its debut. Prior to this, on Wednesday, March 10 a 10-second teaser of that trailer will come online at about 6:00 AM PST/9:00 AM EST. The full trailer for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse can also be seen in theaters in front of Summit Entertainment's Remember Me , which also stars Robert Pattinson. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:56:58 +0100
Macdonald Ready to Solve Murder Mystery
Kevin Macdonald ( The Last King of Scotland , upcoming The Eagle of the Ninth ) is set to direct Murder Mystery , the first feature from production company Tower Hill Entertainment, reports Variety . Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:56:58 +0100
Guy Ritchie to Direct King Arthur Film
Variety has confirmed a Pajiba scoop that Sherlock Holmes helmer Guy Ritchie is attached to direct a new King Arthur project at Warner Bros. Pictures. John Hodge ( Trainspotting ) will write the script for Atlas Entertainment and Hollywood Gang. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:56:58 +0100
Something Borrowed for John Krasinski
"The Office" star John Krasinski is in negotiations to join Ginnifer Goodwin in Alcon's romantic comedy Something Borrowed , to be directed by Luke Greenfield. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:56:58 +0100
Walter Salles Directing Our Wild Life
Walter Salles ( Dark Water , The Motorcycle Diaries ) is in talks to direct Our Wild Life , an animal drama from New Line/Warner Bros. being produced by Mandalay Pictures' Peter Guber and Cathy Schulman. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:56:58 +0100
Keri Russell Joining Fox's Wilde Kingdom
Keri Russell ("Felicity") is in negotiations to star opposite Will Arnett in Fox's comedy "Wilde Kingdom."Keri Russell ("Felicity") is in negotiations to star opposite Will Arnett in Fox's comedy "Wilde Kingdom." Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:56:58 +0100
New Restricted Director's Cut Trailer for Repo Men
The official website for Universal Pictures' Repo Men has been updated with a new Restricted Director's Cut trailer for the film, opening in theaters on March 19. You can watch the trailer here ! Directed by Miguel Sapochnik, the futuristic action-thriller stars Jude Law, Forest Whitaker, Liev Schreiber, RZA, Alice Braga and Carice van Houten. The studio has also provided us with new photos from the film, which you can check out here! Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:56:58 +0100
Lost Boys actor Haim dies aged 38
Lost Boys actor Corey Haim dies at the age of 38, the Los Angeles coroner's office confirms. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:44:29 GMT
Academy defends Fawcett snub
Actress Farrah Fawcett was not in the Oscars memorial segment because she was more known as a TV star, the Academy says. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:19:17 GMT
Anna Nicole opera to be staged
London's Royal Opera House is to host the world premiere of an opera about the life of ex- Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:16:58 GMT
Letterman blackmail is admitted
A US TV producer pleads guilty to attempting to blackmail US chat show host David Letterman over his affairs. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:38:35 GMT
Actor Sheen 'set for TV return'
Actor Charlie Sheen is expected to return to the set of Two and a Half Men after a spell in rehab, his publicist says. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:19:22 GMT
Pink Floyd take EMI to court
Pink Floyd launch legal action in the High Court against EMI over payment of online royalties and marketing of their music. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:31:30 GMT
Oscars 'most watched since 2005'
This year's Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles was the most watched in the US for five years, early figures suggest. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:10:05 GMT
Florence gets first headline slot
Florence and the Machine is to headline her first festival, topping the bill at Latitude in Suffolk in July. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:34:29 GMT
US rapper jailed over gun on bus
Rapper Lil Wayne is sentenced to a year in prison after admitting possessing a gun, discovered on his tour bus in 2007. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:33:41 GMT
Tempah 'to stay' number one
The first official midweek singles chart shows that Tinie Tempah is due to hold on to the number one spot for a second week. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:03:06 GMT
From bbc.co.uk/news
Article of the Day
Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100
The Legend of El Dorado El Dorado is the legendary golden city sought by 16th- and 17th-century explorers in the New World. The legend is said to derive from a custom of the Chibcha people of Colombia who each year anointed a chieftain and rolled him in gold, which he ceremonially washed off in a sacred lake while casting offerings of emeralds and gold into the waters. The supposed location of the fabled city shifted as new regions were explored and ruled out. In what places did the conquistadors search for El Dorado? Discuss
Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT Cymothoa Exigua Cymothoa exigua is a parasitic crustacean that attaches itself to the tongue of the spotted rose snapper and feeds on its blood. Eventually, the organ atrophies, and then something remarkable happens: C. exigua replaces the fish's tongue with its own body by attaching to the muscles of the tongue stub. The fish is able to use the parasite just like a normal tongue, apparently without any further damage. Are there any other cases of a parasite functionally replacing a host organ?
Tue, 9 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT
Cité Soleil One of the largest slums in the Northern Hemisphere, Cité-Soleil is a very densely populated shantytown located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, that is generally regarded as one of the nation's poorest and most dangerous areas. There are no police, no sewers, no stores, and little to no electricity. Its population, composed mostly of children and young adults, is beset by extreme poverty, violence, disease, and the presence of armed gangs. Approximately how many people live in Cité-Soleil?
Chile looters give up quake spoils to avoid arrest
Residents in Chile's earthquake-ravaged city of Concepcion dumped new televisions, fridges and furniture on roadsides on Sunday to avoid arrest. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:59:00 +0200
US creationists unswayed
They plan to become doctors, researchers and professors, but students from Liberty University also believe God created the Earth in week Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:49:00 +0200
The car in front ... is a Toyota stuck at 150km/h
James Sikes was having an uneventful drive home along a San Diego highway when things became a little more eventful. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:12:00 +0200
Salty, sweet: study says fat is the sixth 'taste'
People sensitive to the taste of fat tend to eat less of it and are less likely to be overweight, according to Australian research. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:13:00 +0200
China endorses Copenhagen climate accord
China formally signed up on Tuesday for the climate accord struck at the Copenhagen summit. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:53:00 +0200
Snapshot of the International Space Station
On March 13, 2008, the International Space Station passed across the field-of-view of Germany's remote sensing satellite, TerraSAR-X, at a distance of 195 kilometers, or 122 miles, and at a relative speed of 34,540 kilometers per hour, or more than 22,000 mph. In contrast to optical cameras, radar does not 'see' surfaces. Instead, it is much more aware of the edges and corners which bounce back the microwave signal it transmits. Smooth surfaces such as those on the station's solar generators or the radiator panels used to dissipate excess heat, unless directly facing the radar antenna, tend to deflect rather than reflect the radar beam, causing these features to appear on the radar image as dark areas. The radar image of the station therefore looks like a dense collection of bright spots from which the outlines of the space station can be clearly identified. The central element on the station, to which all the modules are docked, has a grid structure that presents a multiplicity of reflecting surfaces to the radar beam, making it readily identifiable. This image has a resolution of about one meter (about 39 inches). In other words, objects can be depicted as discrete units--that is, shown separately--provided that they are at least one meter apart. If they are closer together than that, they tend to merge into a single block on a radar image. Since this image was taken, the station has expanded and is more than 90 percent complete, including a full complement of solar arrays. Image Credit: DLR Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST
How many people were killed in the Boston Massacre?
Five colonists were killed when British troops fired into an unruly crowd, in what later became known as the Boston Massacre. The conflict took place on this date in 1770 and was a turning point in the colonists' struggle for freedom from British rule. The first American to fall in the... (Read full answer) Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:07:56 +0100
Winnie Mandela’s Remarks Raise Stir
JOHANNESBURG South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress, said Wednesday that its leaders will talk to Nelson’s Mandela’s ex-wife, Winnie Mandikizela-Mandela, when she returns from abroad about published remarks attributed to Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:25:34 GMT
With New Homes, Town Makes Amends for Discrimination Decades Ago
HAMTRAMCK, Mich. Even though more than 50 years have passed since Sallie Sanders was a confused little girl wondering why her family was kicked out of their house for being on the wrong side of the color line here, the pain seems fresh. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:18:23 GMT
Catch him if you can it's 'Rico Suave'
To the Los Angeles Police Department he is known simply as Rico Suave. A smooth-talking charmer with dark hair, thick glasses and an immaculate wardrobe, Rico is a high-society swindler, able to talk himself into and out of just about any situation. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:04:38 GMT
Series on line for Aussies in Auckland
Ricky Ponting's Australian side have the chance to retain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy with a victory in game four of the series in Auckland on Thursday. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:29:12 GMT
Fighting in Mogadishu kills 23 civilians
Intense fighting between Somali government forces and Islamist insurgents on Wednesday left 23 civilians dead in Mogadishu, a medical source and witnesses said. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:24:14 GMT
Woman, 54, pregnant with twins
A 54-year-old British mother of eight has revealed she is pregnant with twins. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:16:41 GMT
'Britain's Josef Fritzl': daughters win apology
Two British women who were raped and abused by their father for over 25 years, becoming pregnant 18 times, won an apology on Wednesday from local authorities for failing to prevent the serial incest. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:52:09 GMT
Obama warns Haiti situation still 'dire'
US President Barack Obama said the situation in Haiti is still "dire" and warned that a second humanitarian disaster was possible. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:19:12 GMT
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The Courrières mine disaster, the worst mining accident in European history, killed 1,099 miners in Northern France. It is generally agreed that the majority of the deaths and destruction were caused by an explosion of dust which swept through the mine, however, it has never been ascertained what caused the coal dust to ignite in the first place. A group of thirteen survivors, later known as the rescapés, was found by rescuers twenty days after the explosion. How had they survived? 
El Dorado is the legendary golden city sought by 16th- and 17th-century explorers in the New World. The legend is said to derive from a custom of the Chibcha people of Colombia who each year anointed a chieftain and rolled him in gold, which he ceremonially washed off in a sacred lake while casting offerings of emeralds and gold into the waters. The supposed location of the fabled city shifted as new regions were explored and ruled out. In what places did the conquistadors search for El Dorado? 
Cymothoa exigua is a parasitic crustacean that attaches itself to the tongue of the spotted rose snapper and feeds on its blood. Eventually, the organ atrophies, and then something remarkable happens: C. exigua replaces the fish's tongue with its own body by attaching to the muscles of the tongue stub. The fish is able to use the parasite just like a normal tongue, apparently without any further damage. Are there any other cases of a parasite functionally replacing a host organ?
One of the largest slums in the Northern Hemisphere, Cité-Soleil is a very densely populated shantytown located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, that is generally regarded as one of the nation's poorest and most dangerous areas. There are no police, no sewers, no stores, and little to no electricity. Its population, composed mostly of children and young adults, is beset by extreme poverty, violence, disease, and the presence of armed gangs. Approximately how many people live in Cité-Soleil?
