Obama overturns Bush policy on stem cells

President Barack Obama said Monday he is allowing federal taxpayer dollars to fund significantly broader research on embryonic stem cells because "medical miracles do not happen simply by accident," and promised his administration would make up for the ground lost under his predecessor.

Fulfilling a campaign promise, Obama signed an executive order expected to set in motion increased research that supporters believe could uncover cures for serious ailments from diabetes to paralysis. Obama's action, before a packed East Room audience, reverses former President George W. Bush's policy on stem cell research by undoing a 2001 directive that banned federal funding …

Land costs spur zero-lot-line houses

Zero-lot-line houses with no lawn on one side are becoming morepopular as land prices rise.

"The zero-lot-line concept was not one that was looked upon toofavorably at one time," said Dick Van Schaardenburg, president ofTown and Country Homes.

With land at a premium, developers and buyers alike are findingthat spacious, quality houses can be built by situating them with anoutside wall constructed directly on top of one of the lot lines ofthe site, he said.

Town and Country Homes is building zero-lot-line units at theEnclave, a 108-unit condominium development in Arlington Heights, andFarmington Glen, where 125 single-family houses are planned …

UN: gunmen attack Darfur camp, kill teenage girl

CAIRO (AP) — The U.N.-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur says gunmen have attacked a refugee camp in the troubled region of Sudan, killing a 16-year-old girl and wounding three people.

UNAMID said Wednesday that the assailants also burned several houses in the Um Dersay camp in North Darfur. The peacekeepers say the attack took place Feb. 28 and that the attackers fled after local …

Somali pirates hijack $20M of oil going to US

NAIROBI, Kenya _ Crews on oil tankers aren't allowed to smoke above deck, much less carry guns, for fear of igniting the ship's payload. That's one of the main reasons Somali pirates met little resistance when they hijacked a U.S.-bound supertanker carrying $20 million in crude.

The Greek-flagged tanker _ traveling from Saudi Arabia to New Orleans _ had no escort when it was hijacked Sunday because naval warships are stretched too thin. The problem has been further exacerbated because pirates have expanded their operations to hundreds of miles out at sea.

The hijacking, one year after seizure of a Saudi supertanker led to heightened international efforts to …

Seven things you didn't know about copenhagen

Fc Copenhagen were only founded in 1992, by the amalgamation ofKjobenhavns Boldklub (KB) and Boldklubben 1903, who knocked theDons out of Europe the year before.

SINCE then they have won six Danish Superliga championships,three Danish Cups and the Scandinavian tournament Royal Leaguetwice.

They also qualified for the Champions League for the first timelast season.

THEY were undefeated at home in the Champions League, beatingManchester United 1-0, Celtic 3-1 and drawing 0-0 with Benfica.

But losing all of their away games cost them the chance toadvance to the …

One-handed tourniquet

When a wounded soldier, far from a buddy or medic needs to put a tourniquet on a severely injured arm or leg, simpler is better. With this in mind, 3 years ago a research and development effort among three U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command organizations set out to create a tourniquet that a wounded soldier could use with one hand to replace the …

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Space shuttle Discovery pulled away from the international space station on Wednesday and began its journey home, ending a nine-day visit highlighted by the installation of a new Japanese lab.

The shuttle and its crew of seven, including a Japanese astronaut, are due back on Earth on Saturday.

"We wish them the best with their expedition and we hope we left them a better, more capable space station than when we arrived. Sayonara," shuttle commander Mark Kelly told the space station crew before leaving.

"We wish you guys a terrific flight back, an awesome landing and look forward to seeing you on the ground," responded Gregory …