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Science News

• AP Exclusive: New taste for Thai elephant meat (AP)

  AP - A new taste for eating elephant meat — everything from trunks to sex organs — has emerged in Thailand and could pose a new threat to the survival of the species.

  
  

• Scientists: Haiti, DR may facing big quake period (AP)

  AP - Haiti and the neighboring Dominican Republic could be in for a period of periodic powerful earthquakes, according to a scientific study released Thursday.

• US judge denies bid to block NV mustang roundups (AP)

  AP - A federal judge in Nevada who handed horse protection advocates a rare victory last fall has rejected their latest request to block government roundups of free-roaming mustangs in the West, saying they'll have to go to Congress if they think the animals are being treated inhumanely and need more protection.

  
  

• Czechs sign deal to host EU's satellite navigation (AP)

  AP - The Czech government has signed a deal for Prague to host the headquarters of an ambitious satellite navigation system that is meant to become the main rival to the U.S. Global Positioning System.

• Contradictions Don't Deter Conspiracy Theorists (LiveScience.com)

  LiveScience.com - Did Princess Diana fake her own death to escape the public eye? Or was she killed by a rogue element of the British secret service?

• BP emails reveal company veiling spill rate (AP)

  AP - On the day the Deepwater Horizon sank, BP officials warned in an internal memo that if the well was not protected by the blow-out preventer at the drill site, crude oil could burst into the Gulf of Mexico at a rate of 3.4 million gallons a day, an amount a million gallons higher than what the government later believed spilled daily from the site.

• BP fails to shift $15 billion oil spill costs onto Transocean (Reuters)

  Reuters - Oil giant BP has lost its attempt to shift over $15 billion of costs related to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill onto contractor Transocean, increasing the possibility BP may have to foot the entire $42 billion clean up bill.

  
  

• Ky. to review how to restore bridge struck by boat (AP)

  AP - Kentucky's governor said Friday there will be an immediate review of ways to restore an aging traffic bridge in the western part of the state after a five-story-high cargo boat carrying space rocket parts for NASA and the Air Force slammed into it, leaving a 300-foot-wide gap in the structure.

  
  

• Correction: Food and Farm-GMO Labeling story (AP)

  AP - In a Jan. 26 story about food labeling legislation, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Syngenta had announced plans to begin testing genetically modified wheat. Syngenta spokesman Paul Minehart said the company halted work on genetically modified wheat several years ago.

• Ohio man who released exotic animals had "plan": report (Reuters)

  Reuters - The man who set off a panic in Ohio last October by releasing dozens of dangerous wild animals including lions and tigers, had told an employee before the incident that he suspected his wife of cheating and that he "had a plan."

• Michigan Gray Wolves Off Endangered Species List (ContributorNetwork)

  ContributorNetwork - Gray wolves in Michigan have taken off the federal endangered species list and may now be shot if they pose a threat to local wildlife. Last December, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) placed management of wolves into the hands of local DNR officials in Michigan. The Wolf Management Plan went into effect Friday, says Click on Detroit. Here are details about Michigan's wolf population and the new guidelines surrounding them.

• The nations weather (AP)

  AP - Weather Underground Forecast for Friday, January 27, 2012.

• Robotic Russian Supply Ship Docks at Space Station (SPACE.com)

  SPACE.com - A robotic Russian cargo ship pulled up to the International Space Station Friday (Jan. 27), delivering tons of fresh fruit, clothing and other vital supplies for the orbiting lab's six-man crew.

• Mutations in 2 Genes Linked to Rare Autism-Related Disorder (HealthDay)

  HealthDay - THURSDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Newly discovered mutations in two adjacent genes cause a rare genetic brain condition called Joubert syndrome, according to a new study.

• Oil industry sees China winning, West losing from Iran sanctions (Reuters)

  Reuters - As the European Union prepares to ban Iranian oil and the United States turns the screw on payments, oil executives and policymakers say China and Russia stand to gain the most and Western oil firms and consumers may emerge the biggest losers.

• Magnitude 5.5 quake shakes Japan (AP)

  AP - A magnitude-5.5 earthquake rattled Yamanashi prefecture in central Japan on Saturday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and no tsunami warning was issued.