Attack at Algeria Gas Plant Heralds New Risks for Energy Development

The siege by Islamic militants at a remote Sahara desert natural gas plant in Algeria this week signaled heightened dangers in the region for international oil companies, at a time when they have been expanding operations in Africa as one of the world's last energy frontiers. (See related story: "Pictures: Four New Offshore Drilling Frontiers.")As BP, Norway's Statoil, Italy's Eni, and...

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Inauguration to Cost Millions But Total Price Unclear

How much will all the inaugural events cost? It's hard to say.While most events that occur in the capital have a hard-and-fast budget, the inauguration's many moving parts, safety concerns and large geographic reach make it hard to quantify – especially before the main event.In 2009, ABC reported the total cost of Obama's first inauguration was $170 million. While incumbent...

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Megaballoon launches big bang telescope in Antarctica

Flora Graham, deputy editor, newscientist.com(Images: Asad Aboobaker/EBEX/Columbia University)A 2.7-tonne telescope dangles on an almost invisible tether overthe Antarctic ice. Above it, a helium balloon the size of a football stadiumstretches towards the sky. This is the launch of EBEX, which aims to photographthe weak light left by the big bang during its high-altitude flight.EBEX's creators hope...

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Ukraine's Tymoshenko accused of organising 1996 murder

KIEV: Ukrainian prosecutors on Friday accused jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko of organising the 1996 murder of a lawmaker, saying she could face life imprisonment if found guilty.Tymoshenko, serving a seven-year jail term for abuse of power, has been informed by prosecutors she is now a formal suspect in the murder of Yevgen Shcherban, Prosecutor General Viktor Pshonka told...

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Facebook unveils new search tool (week in review)

He who controls the graph, controls the world.(Credit:James Martin/CNET)Facebook unveiled a new tool this week it touts as helping find people, photos, places, and interests that are most relevant to Facebook users.Graph Search is the social network's newest way for users to make sense of its massive base of 1 billion users, 240 billion photos, and 1 trillion connections. The tool is meant to provide...

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First Human Contact With Large Emperor Penguin Colony

One of the largest emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica was discovered last month by a team from the International Polar Foundation's Princess Elisabeth station.The penguin colony had previously been identified through satellite imagery by researchers from the British Antarctic Survey. The penguins themselves didn't show up very clearly, but their excrement stains on the ice did.Expedition...

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Algeria Terrorists Want to Trade US Hostages for Blind Sheikh

The al Qaeda-linked terrorists holding Americans and other Westerners hostage at a gas plant in Algeria have now demanded the release of two convicted terrorists held in U.S. prisons, including the "blind sheikh" who helped plan the first attack on New York's World Trade Center, in exchange for the freedom of two American hostages, according to an African news service.The terror...

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Young stars emerge from the Scorpion's smoke

Victoria Jaggard, physical sciences news editor(Image: F. Comeron/ESO)Hot young stars really know how to clear a room. This brilliant stellar cluster was born deep inside a cloud of dust and gas, which looks like dark smoke in this picture. As they have grown, the stars have sent out powerful ultraviolet radiation and fierce winds of charged particles that have blown away the surrounding debris....

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Football: Rodgers slams Suarez over diving admission

LONDON: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers on Thursday said that his controversial striker Luis Suarez could face punishment from the club after admitting that he dived to try to win a penalty in a league game with Stoke City.In an interview with Fox Sports Argentina, Suarez admitted "falling" during October's 0-0 draw between the clubs at Anfield, prompting Rodgers, who had defended him...

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Apple job posting wants to 'refresh and refine' Siri

It's no secret Apple's still in the process of fine-tuning its virtual voice assistant Siri, and a recent job posting confirms there's still much work to be done.The company is looking for someone to "refresh and refine existing Siri dialog," as well as expand what the software can do. "Siri's known for 'her' wit, cultural knowledge, and zeal to explain things in engaging, funny, and practical ways,"...

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