NASA’s Planet-Hunting Kepler Telescope Stalled by Glitch

NASA’s prolific planet-hunting Kepler space telescope has been placed in a precautionary “safe mode” after engineers noticed a problem with the instrument’s orientation mechanism.The Kepler telescope went into safe mode on Jan. 17 for a planned 10 days, during which time the telescope’s reaction wheels — spinning devices used by the observatory to maintain its position in space —will be rested. The...

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Defterios: What keeps Davos relevant

STORY HIGHLIGHTSSince the late 20th Century, the ski resort of Davos has been synonymous with the World Economic ForumDefterios: I first came to Davos as a relatively junior correspondent, two months after the Berlin Wall fellFall of Communism, China's opening, removal of apartheid in South Africa unfolded in the 90sIt's the inter-play between geo-politics and business is what keeps the forum relevantDavos...

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Single-digit freeze continues; wind chills at dangerous levels

Brace yourself, and bundle up.After a night when temperatures dipped to the low single digits, "they're not going to move a...

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Israel goes to polls, set to re-elect Netanyahu

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israelis voted on Tuesday in an election that is expected to see Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu win a third term in office, pushing the Jewish state further to the right, away from peace with the Palestinians and towards a showdown with Iran. However, Netanyahu's own Likud party, running alongside the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu group, looks set to have...

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European shares test two-year highs, yen volatile before BOJ

LONDON (Reuters) - European shares inched towards two-year highs and German Bund futures dipped on Monday, as a political attempt to break a budget impasse in the United States revived appetite for shares and dented demand for safe-haven assets. U.S. House Republican leaders said on Friday they would seek to pass a three-month extension of federal borrowing authority in the coming days...

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Harbaugh brothers take 49ers, Ravens to Super Bowl

This Super Bowl will be filled with firsts — and one significant last.The Harbaughs, San Francisco's Jim and Baltimore's John, will be the first pair of brothers to coach against each other in the NFL title game.Quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick of the 49ers and Joe Flacco of the Ravens each will be playing in his first Super Bowl — where success is the ultimate measure of elite QBs.It'll be Baltimore's...

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Snow woe: Winter weather causes delays, cancellations at Heathrow, other European airports

LONDON – Scores of fights have been cancelled as snow and ice blanket much of Britain.London’s Heathrow airport says it has cancelled about 130 flights, 10 per cent of the daily total, compared to 20 per cent on Sunday.Flights have been disrupted since Friday at Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, which has seen long lines and stranded passengers camping out on its terminal floors.Heathrow says it...

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How Obama made opportunity real

Best of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationPhotos: Best of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationPhotos: Best of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013 inaugurationBest of 2013...

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With array of challenges, Obama kicks off second term

Singers, musicians, vendors and a veteran parade planner tune up on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, for President Obama's Monday inauguration. (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune) ...

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Algeria hostage toll rises with report of Japanese deaths

ALGIERS, Algeria (Reuters) - The hostage death toll from a four-day siege at an Algerian gas plant deep in the Sahara has risen to almost 60, with at least nine Japanese nationals also reported killed in an attack claimed by a veteran Islamist fighter on behalf of al Qaeda. Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal is expected to give details at a Monday news conference about one of the...

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