Astronauts inspect shuttle on way to space station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Endeavour's astronauts inspected their ship early Tuesday for any launch damage as they raced toward a 200-mile-high rendezvous with the International Space Station. Barely a day after blasting into orbit, the space shuttle crew used a 100-foot, laser-tipped boom to check the thermal shielding on the wings and nose. A few pieces of foam insulation broke off the external fuel tank during Monday morning's launch, including a narrow 1-foot strip. But there was no indication anything hit the shuttle.
New federal climate change agency forming
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration on Monday proposed a new agency to study and report on the changing climate. Also known as global warming, climate change has drawn widespread concern in recent years as temperatures around the world rise, threatening to harm crops, spread disease, increase sea levels, change storm and drought patterns and cause polar melting.
India successfully tests nuclear-capable missile
NEW DELHI (AP) — India again successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable missile Sunday that can hit targets across much of Asia and the Middle East, a defense ministry press release said. It was the fourth test of the Agni III missile, the statement added. The first attempt in 2006 failed, but the last two tests were successful.
Even if you're careful, drugs can end up in water
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The federal government advises throwing most unused or expired medications into the trash instead of down the drain, but they can end up in the water anyway, a study from Maine suggests. Tiny amounts of discarded drugs have been found in water at three landfills in the state, confirming suspicions that pharmaceuticals thrown into household trash are ending up in water that drains through waste, according to a survey by the state's environmental agency that's one of only a handful to have looked at the presence of drugs in landfills.
Anti-whalers, Japanese fleet fire water cannons
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Activists vowing to stop the killing of whales exchanged water-cannon fire with a Japanese whaling fleet they are tailing in the Antarctic Ocean, as sea confrontations that have led to collisions and a sunken vessel continue. The Sea Shepherd conservation group said its ships, the Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker, confronted the Japanese factory ship Nisshin Maru early Monday.
Feds: Status of pika will still need watching
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The American pika isn't heading for the endangered species list, but federal scientists said there's no question it bears watching as the West warms in the coming decades. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service formally announced its decision Friday that Endangered Species Act protections aren't warranted for the climate-sensitive pika, a mountain-dwelling relative of the rabbit that lives in 10 Western states.
Russian cargo ship arrives at space station
MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian cargo ship has sucessfully docked at the International Space Station, delivering supplies for its crew of five. The Russian space agency said the Progress M-04M hooked up with the station Friday in a smooth automatic docking.
US-born pandas reach new home in China
CHENGDU, China (AP) — Two American-born pandas arrived in their new China home Friday, bringing a welcome dose of cuddly to the countries' currently strained relations. Special crates carrying Mei Lan, Tai Shan and armloads of bamboo were eased from a cargo jet and onto the tarmac in southwestern China, the start of a breeding mission in efforts to keep the well-loved but endangered species going.
Explorers' century-old whisky found in Antarctic
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — This Scotch has been on the rocks for a century. Five crates of Scotch whisky and two of brandy have been recovered by a team restoring an Antarctic hut used more than 100 years ago by famed polar explorer Ernest Shackleton.
Ancient dinosaur had stripes, researchers say
WASHINGTON (AP) — Some dinosaurs had russet-colored feathers, and one jazzy specimen had a Mohawk crest and stripes, researchers say in the first reports to confidently assign colors to dinosaurs. Their colors have long been a subject of speculation among researchers and schoolchildren.
