News:Discovery rolls out to launch pad

By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC NewsThe orbiter completed its slow journey to the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A overnight, Monday into Tuesday.
Every step of the 5.4km (3.4-mile) crawl was bathed in bright xenon light.
Discovery's flight to the space station is scheduled to begin on 24 February. With its crew of six astronauts, the ship will deliver a storeroom to be attached to the 350km-high platform, along with further supplies and spares.
Stacked with its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters, Discovery took seven hours to complete the roll from Kennedy's vast Vehicle Assembly Building to complex 39A. Many Kennedy employees, along with their families, came to witness the event. more here

A biblical connundrum sorted

For those of you who read the Bible, there is a well known passage that gets people tied up in knots. It occurs at John 1:1 (which is expressed with slight variations depending on the version you have).
Using the King James version (which is printed variously) it is possible to resolve easily.
First, let's read the contents of verse 1:
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
This verse varies in different versions. In some it is promoting the church's trinitarian doctrine. In others it is translated differently, however the essential elements are present in practically every case. This version has long been wrongly used to support the trinitarian concept of God. The verse just quoted is an example of it.

So how can we sort out the truth from the dogma?

It isn't very hard if you know one more thing. Simply put, "the Bible interprets itself". I'm not kidding here. So here is where some demand proof of what to many is a surprising statement.

The answer is found in verse 18 of the same chapter. In the original english:"No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the father, he hath declared him."

Having stated that, you probably want an explanation.
All you need is to refer back to the opening statement and ask one simple question. "How many people have seen Jesus?". The answer is obvious isn't it? A great many saw him from the time he was born until he ascended to heaven. Therefore, Jesus could not possibly be part of a trinitarian arrangement or a 3 in one God!
Now do you see how the Bible works?

News:France seizes ex-Tunisia leader Ben Ali's 'family jet'

1 February 2011
The French authorities have seized a private jet said to belong to the family of ousted Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

It comes after three French NGOs filed a legal case against Mr Ben Ali over allegations of corruption.

Mr Ben Ali and his family built up significant assets during his 23 years in power.

On Monday, EU foreign ministers agreed to freeze his assets in response to a request by Tunisia.

Swiss officials have already frozen tens of millions of francs, and grounded a Falcon 9000 jet in Geneva.

Mr Ben Ali resigned and fled to Saudi Arabia on 14 December after weeks of anti-government protests.

more here

News:Swiss care worker 'sexually abused 114 people'

A Swiss male social worker has confessed to abusing 114 children and disabled adults in care homes, over three decades, prosecutors say.

The unnamed man, who worked in nine care homes, also admitted to eight cases of attempted abuse, most of them taking place in the Bern area.

An investigation was launched after two of his alleged victims reported him.

A Bern police official said evidence against the man included photos and video recording the abuse.

"One of the central questions of this investigation is how such levels of abuse could go undetected for so long," said Gabriele Berger, head of Bern police's special investigations unit.

The man had been investigated over allegations of sexual abuse in 2003 but that inquiry was dropped due to conflicting evidence, she said, adding that it would now be re-opened.more here

News: Iran summons US hiker Sarah Shourd for spying trial

An American woman who spent 14 months in an Iranian jail has been summoned to Tehran to stand trial for spying, an Iranian government official has said.

Sarah Shourd and two American men were arrested as they hiked near the Iraq border in July 2009.
They maintain they were tourists but Tehran has charged them with spying.
Ms Shourd was released on bail in September and returned to the US. Her fiance Shane Bauer and their friend Josh Fattal remain in prison in Tehran.
Ms Shourd has said the trio were hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan and did not intentionally stray over the border with Iran. more here

News:Microsoft warning over browser security flaw

31 January 2011 Last updated at 13:54 GMT

Microsoft has issued a "critical" warning over a newly-discovered flaw in Windows.

In a security advisory, the company warned of a loophole that could be used by malicious hackers to steal private information or hijack computers.
The bug potentially affects every user of the Internet Explorer web browser - around 900 million people worldwide.
Microsoft has issued a software patch to defend against attacks, and said it was working to develop a long-term fix.
The security advisory, which was published on Friday, details how the vulnerability can be used to manipulate users and take over their machines. more here

News:Gang injunctions launched in England and Wales

30 January 2011 Last updated at 23:59 GMT  By Dominic Casciani BBC News

Powers to restrict the movements of people accused of gang membership have come into force in England and Wales.

Gang injunctions can now be used to ban people from wearing certain colours - or even walking aggressive dogs.
The powers are similar to Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and were conceived by the former Labour government after appeals from councils for help.
Ministers say the injunctions should not replace prosecutions of gang members involved in violent crime.
Police and local councils can seek gang injunctions in the county courts against adults who they believe are involved in gang-related violence and crime.
more here