UPI VIDEO NEWS 02.15.08

Shooting leaves seven dead at Illinois university.

Seven people are dead following a shooting rampage at Northern Illinois University yesterday. More than a dozen others are wounded. The alleged gunman, Steven Kazmierczak, opened fire on a geology class before turning the gun on himself. Kazmierczak was reportedly a former graduate and undergraduate student at the university. A preliminary investigation shows the man had no contact with university police while he was a student there.

Former President George H.W. Bush will endorse John McCain in his bid for the Oval Office. This comes just one day after former Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney endorsed the Arizona senator. McCain will most likely travel to Texas next week to accept Bush's nod. The endorsement is reportedly aimed especially at Texas where voters will weigh in next month.

The House has failed to renew a surveillance measure that President Bush says is vital to tracking terrorists. The Senate approved the measure earlier this week, but it's set to expire Saturday at midnight without the House's vote. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to schedule a vote on the legislation before breaking yesterday for a week's recess. The bill would give government the ability to work with telecommunications companies to eavesdrop on suspected terrorists calls and emails. Under the legislation, those companies would receive retroactive protection from lawsuits over wiretapping and privacy. Many House Democrats oppose that immunity.

However, the House did vote to issue contempt citations to two Bush aides. White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former White House lawyer Harriet Miers refused to cooperate in an investigation into the controversial firings of those U.S. attorneys, citing President Bush's executive privilege. Bush has invoked the privilege that protects all former and current White House officials from testifying about this issue. The contempt citations were the first approved by Congress against the executive branch since the Reagan administration.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 02.06.08

McCain leads GOP race after Super Tuesday.

Arizona Senator John McCain has cemented his status as the front-runner for the GOP nomination following yesterday's Super Tuesday nominating contest. McCain won nine states yesterday, including California, New York and Missouri. That gave him more than a 300-delegate lead over his closest rival, Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor won seven states in the contest, followed by former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. He won five states, including the West Virginia party convention.

Yesterday's results show Democrats are evenly split between New York Senator Hillary Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama. Clinton grabbed about 41 percent of the delegates needed for the Democratic presidential nomination. Obama received 36 percent. The New York Senator took the majority of delegates in large states like California, New York and New Jersey. But Obama won more states overall, taking 13 over Clinton's 8.

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is expected to meet with his top aides today to discuss the future of his campaign. That's after a disappointing Super Tuesday finish. They'll reportedly discuss whether to launch an advertising campaign in the upcoming primary states. Romney vowed late yesterday to press on, but his top advisers acknowledged skepticism. The former governor has spent more than $35 million of his personal fortune on his campaign.

At least 48 people are dead following a wrath of deadly tornadoes that tore through the South last night. The storms ripped through Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky, destroying homes and shopping mall. They also trapped students in a university dorm. Emergency crews are combing through areas today, searching for more victims who may have been overlooked.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 02.05.08

Voters go to the polls for Super Tuesday.

Voters from coast to coast are heading to the polls on this Super Tuesday... a pivotal day for the Democratic and Republican presidential hopefuls. Twenty-four states are voting in what is nearly a national polling day. Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are in a virtual dead heat nationally for the Democratic presidential nomination.

On the Republican side, Arizona senator John McCain is heading into today as the front-runner. But former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is stepping up his attacks on McCain, declaring he's the true conservative. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who's still in the race, is aiming for a strong showing in the South.

Meanwhile, John McCain has won a key endorsement from former New York Governor George Pataki. That backing, coupled with the support of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, could play an important role in today's vote.

Former New York Yankees Pitcher Roger Clemens is on Capitol Hill today to testify about whether he used performance-enhancing drugs. His appearance comes one day after his Yankees teammate and workout partner, Andy Pettitte, gave a deposition there yesterday. Both players are part of a hearing next week that will reportedly focus on allegations made by the Mitchell Report that Clemens was injected more than a dozen times with human growth hormone and steroids. The 45-year-old pitcher has denied ever taking any drugs.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.31.08

Schwarzenegger to endorse McCain.

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to announce today that he'll endorse Republican White House hopeful John McCain. The governor's backing could be key to the Arizona senator winning California in next week's Super Tuesday nominating contest. McCain is also set to receive endorsements from Georgia's two Republican senators in the next few days. Georgia will also participate in Super Tuesday.

Meanwhile, John McCain and his rival Mitt Romney traded fire in last night's debate in California as they fought for their party's top spot. Romney accused McCain of using dirty tricks and misrepresenting his position on the Iraq war. McCain said the former Massachusetts governor lacked the experience and judgment to be commander in chief. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee complained about the time given to McCain and Romney, saying he didn't come to umpire a ballgame between the two.

Voters for former Senator John Edwards are up for grabs. Yesterday, Edwards dropped out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. At the time, he didn't endorse either of his rivals, Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But one of his aides says he may back one of them in the future. Political analysts say an endorsement from Edwards would have a significant impact on the race.

The Senate could debate an economic stimulus package passed by the Senate Finance Committee as early as today. The package would inject nearly $200 billion into the economy over two years to help ward off a recession. It's reportedly similar to a bill passed earlier this week by the House. But there are some differences. The Senate's eligibility caps are double those in the House version. President Bush backs the House version of the bill and has urged the Senate to abandon its efforts to pass a different measure.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.29.08

Bush talks about economy, Iraq war in speech.

President Bush used his last State of the Union speech to call for a boost in the uncertain economy. He also spoke about recent progress in the Iraq war. In his address to the nation last night, he called on lawmakers to pass an economic stimulus plan quickly. Bush also said he would cut or eliminate more than 150 wasteful government programs in his budget for 2009, saving $18 billion. And he demanded Congress to rein in pork barrel spending, which is money for special projects often slipped into bills at the last minute.

Arizona Senator John McCain and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney are neck in neck in the Republican primary as Florida voters head to the polls today. If McCain wins the state, his status as front-runner will be sealed. If Romney wins, the race for the GOP presidential nomination is anyone's game. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who's concentrated his campaign in the Sunshine state, is reportedly trailing behind both McCain and Romney.

Senator Edward Kennedy says he and the Clintons will remain friends despite his endorsement yesterday of Senator Barack Obama for president. Kennedy says he doesn't harbor any ill feelings toward his old friends, Hillary and Bill. Senator Hillary Clinton is Obama's chief rival for the Democratic presidential nomination. At a rally yesterday, Kennedy said Illinois senator's ready to be president on day one.

And Bill Gates signed an agreement with the city of Paris today to form a digital partnership. That means the founder of Microsoft's foundation will train the unemployed in computers and give advice about starting-up the partnership. They'll also support corporations that develop software solutions to help protect the environment.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.24.08

Economic stimulus package imminent.

A deal to boost the lagging U.S. economy with a $150 billion stimulus package is reportedly imminent. Government officials say an announcement on the plan could come as early as this afternoon. Final details are still being negotiated, but officials say the current outlines of the package would give individuals a tax rebate check for about $800. Families could get up to $1600.

Two new polls show Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani is slipping in Florida. Florida is a state he once called crucial to his presidential chances. The former New York mayor reportedly registers 15 percent among Republican primary voters. He's tied with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who only has a fraction of the organization that Giuliani has in Florida. Polls indicate John McCain is at 25 percent in the state and Mitt Romney's at 23 percent.

And on the Democratic side, Barack Obama's big lead over rival Hillary Clinton has slipped slightly, but he still has the lead in South Carolina. That's according to a new poll just released two days before the state's presidential primary. The Illinois senator reportedly lost three points overnight and is now at 39 percent. Clinton stands at 24 percent. The shift apparently occurred since Monday night's angry debate between the two when they traded harsh accusations. Since then, John Edwards, who wasn't part of the argument, has climbed four points and is now at 19 percent.

People from Gaza are pouring into Egypt for a second day today. Yesterday, militants blew open the border separating Gaza and Egypt, allowing at least 400 thousand people to cross and stock up on supplies. At least 300 thousand Gazans have reportedly crossed today. Last week, Israel blocked off the territory after days of rocket attacks. That's prohibited deliveries of things like fuel and food.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.16.08

Romney wins Michigan's GOP primary.

Mitt Romney is the winner of yesterday's Republican primary in Michigan. The former Massachusetts governor picked up 39 percent of the vote. Arizona senator John McCain trailed at 30 percent, and Mike Huckabee came in third at 16 percent. Romney is a Michigan native, and his father was governor of the state in the 1960s.

Meanwhile, Democratic Party officials voted to strip Michigan of its Democratic delegates. That's because the state decided to schedule the primary so early. In a show of solidarity, the top-tier Democratic presidential candidates, except for Senator Hillary Clinton, asked that their names be removed from the ballot. The former First Lady grabbed 57 percent of yesterday's Democratic primary voters. Thirty-eight percent voted "uncommitted."

And while Michigan wasn't in the Democratic spotlight, last night's debate in Nevada made headlines. Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama vowed to put a recent campaign controversy over race behind them. They blamed aides and campaign surrogates for fueling the incident, saying they have enthusiastic supporters and overzealous staff members. Overall, the tone of last night's debate was cordial despite the stakes involved in the race. Nevada will hold its Democratic caucuses this Saturday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking farmers to keep their cloned animals off the market. That's despite a recent announcement from the Food and Drug Administration saying food from cloned livestock is safe to eat. The USDA is calling for more time for U.S. consumers to accept the issue given its emotional nature. However, evidence suggests that Americans are probably already eating meat from the offspring of clones. Officials from the nation's major cattle cloning companies say they haven't been able to keep track of how many offspring of clones have entered the food supply.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.15.08

Bush pushes for more oil production.

President Bush is calling on oil producing countries to put more oil on the world market. Earlier today, the President met with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, whose country holds the world's largest oil supply. He warned that soaring oil prices could cause an economic slowdown in the U.S., and increased production would be helpful to American consumers. OPEC, which is the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, will meet next month to consider increasing output.

Meanwhile, a special commission is urging the government to raise federal gasoline taxes by as much as 40 cents per gallon over five years. The commission, which conducted a two-year study, says increasing those taxes would ease traffic congestion and repair the nation's decaying bridges and roads. This comes after the devastating bridge collapse in Minneapolis last August. Under the recommendation, the current tax of 18.4 cents per gallon for unleaded gas would be increased annually, anywhere from 5 to 8 cents each year.

And federal investigators have concluded that steel plates on that interstate bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis last year are to blame for the disaster. The plates were reportedly not sufficient to hold the structure together. The collapse claimed the lives of 13 people. About 100 others were injured. The National Transportation Safety Board is planning to call on states today to do safety checks on gusset plates in bridges any time they add weight to a structure. Thirty years ago, additional pavement was added to the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis that increased its weight.

Michigan voters are heading to the polls today for the state's GOP primary. Polls show former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has a narrow lead over Senator John McCain. Mike Huckabee is currently in third place. All of the Republican presidential frontrunners are pledging to turn around Michigan's struggling economy. The state has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country at 7.4 percent. That's compared to 5 percent nationally.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.14.08

Romney leads in Michigan primary.

The top GOP White House hopefuls are making last-minute efforts to win over Michigan voters before tomorrow's primary there. The most recent polls show former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney in the lead over Arizona Senator John McCain. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is currently in third place. Romney, who's a Michigan native, has spent $2 million in ads for Michigan...the most of any of the candidates. He and his rivals are focusing on the state's economic concerns, trying to ease fears and convince voters the situation can be improved.

On the Democratic side, the issue of race is heating up between presidential hopefuls and Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Yesterday, Clinton accused Obama of distorting what she said last week to Fox News about the 1960s U.S. civil rights movement. Some have interpreted what Clinton said as giving U.S. President Lyndon Johnson more credit than Martin Luther King for advancing the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Obama responded to Clinton's claim saying it was quote ludicrous, but said the former first lady had offended some Americans with her comment.

Peace talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas could begin as early as today. The two agreed yesterday to authorize discussions. The announcement comes three days after President Bush visited Israel and the Palestinian territories to promote peace efforts. The core issues that still need to be worked out include Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the right of Palestinian refugees to return to Israel, and the future status of Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, President Bush is in Saudi Arabia today to garner support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. He's also encouraging U.S.-led efforts to contain Iran on his Middle East tour. Bush is asking his Arab allies to provide diplomatic and financial backing to Palestinian leaders who are negotiating with Israel. The President will make a stop in Egypt tomorrow before returning to Washington on Wednesday.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.09.08

Clinton, McCain win in N.H.

Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain are the frontrunners after yesterday's primaries in New Hampshire. Clinton, who finished in third place in Iowa, rebounded to the top, overcoming Senator Barack Obama. Exit polls show female and older voters gave Clinton that much-needed boost. On the Republican side, McCain easily won over second-place finisher Mitt Romney. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who was the winner of the Iowa caucuses, finished third in New Hampshire.

And a new poll out shows McCain's stance on the Iraq war and independent voters helped him win in New Hampshire. The Arizona senator is a strong supporter of President Bush's troop buildup there. Exit polls show that McCain did well with voters who put the war at the top of their agenda. He also scored high among independents, attracting 38 percent of those votes, compared to his to rival Mitt Romney who garnered 16 percent of independents.

President Bush is visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories today in an attempt to forge ahead with the peace process there. However, no breakthroughs are expected in the three days of talks. The discussions follow up on an international conference Bush hosted in Annapolis, Maryland last November. In the next few days, the President will try to push Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to move ahead with promises made to try to forge a two-state accord before his term ends next January.

Iran is calling a conflict video released by the U.S. fabricated. The four-minute video shows a confrontation between the two nations, where small Iranian boats swarmed around U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf. A spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy reportedly says the tape was compiled using file pictures, and the audio had been made up. Another Iranian official downplayed the incident, saying it wasn't serious. However, the U.S. is calling the event a significant confrontation.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.08.08

Obama widens lead over Clinton in N.H.

Democrat Barack Obama has expanded his lead over Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire as voting there began today. Obama is now 13 points ahead of Clinton in a new poll. Republican Senator John McCain also widened the gap over former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. McCain is at 36 percent. Romney is at 27 percent.

The son of assassinated Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto says he intends to take on a political role in his homeland, but only after he completes his studies at Oxford University. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has three more years of school but has been appointed party chairman of the Pakistan People's Party. Zardari's mother died last month when her convoy was attacked by a gunman and a suicide bomb blast.

Two people are dead in Missouri after a rare line of tornadoes hammered the Midwest last night. In Wisconsin, at least six homes were severely damaged and cars were blown off the highway. Storms pounded the Midwest after a day of record-high temperatures across much of the country.

Kenya's president and his chief rival are agreeing to talk to end their deadly election dispute. This comes as the Kenyan opposition says up to a thousand people have been killed due to this incident. Although the government puts the death toll at 500. A U.S. envoy says the Kenyans were cheated by rigged elections.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.07.08

Barack Obama, John McCain lead in N.H.

A new poll out shows Senator Barack Obama leading over Senator Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. The state will hold its primaries tomorrow. Obama, who won last week's Iowa caucuses, stands at 39 percent. Clinton is at 29 percent. On the Republican side, Senator John McCain leads former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney by a narrower margin...32 to 26 percent. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is in third place at 14 percent.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is blaming former prime minister Benazir Bhutto for her own assassination. Musharraf says it was her fault to stand up outside the car. Bhutto was killed last month while she was standing in an armored moving car after rallying supporters for parliamentary elections. Those elections have now been postponed. Her head was above the roof and unprotected. The cause of her death is still not clear. Musharraf says he welcomes an international investigation.

The U.S. Supreme Court is taking up the issue of lethal injection today. It will hear arguments in a death penalty case to decide whether the lethal injections used to execute criminals cause unacceptable pain. The court's ruling is expected by the end of June. It could decide if the current lethal drug combination is constitutional or whether states have to come up with alternatives that pose less risk of pain and suffering.

In sports, former major-league pitcher Roger Clemens is suing his ex-trainer for defamation over allegations of steroid use. The trainer reportedly injected Clemens with steroid and human growth hormones between 1998 and 2001. The lawsuit claims the trainer was threatened with jail if he didn't connect the pitcher to steroids. Both men are expected to testify under oath next week before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.04.08

Obama, Huckabee win in Iowa.

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee are now the frontrunners in the in the White House race after yesterday's caucuses in Iowa. Obama had the support of 38 percent of voters while Huckabee earned 34 percent. Falling behind Obama was John Edwards who came in second place and Senator Hillary Clinton who fell to third. On the Republican side, Mitt Romney trailed Huckabee and Fred Thompson took third place. Next week, the presidential hopefuls square off in the New Hampshire primary.

Meanwhile, two White House hopefuls are calling it quits after last night's results. Senators Joe Biden and Chris Dodd are abandoning their bids for the Democratic presidential nomination. Both candidates received less than one percent in the Iowa caucuses.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is defending himself against accusations that he had a role in former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination. Musharraf says Bhutto ignored government warnings, saying the former prime minister was informed of the threat to being at the park where she was killed last week. He also says he's not satisfied with the investigation into her death. A team of Scotland Yard investigators arrived in Islamabad today to help in the probe of her death.

There are more delays in store for space shuttle Atlantis. NASA says the shuttle will be grounded until late January, or more likely, February, to replace a suspect connector in the fuel tank. The connector is believed to be responsible for a series of launch postponements last month. NASA faces a 2010 deadline for retiring its three shuttles and completing the space station.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.03.08

Obama takes the lead in Iowa.

Senator Barack Obama has grabbed the number one Democratic spot in Iowa as voting for the 2008 presidential election begins there today. That's according to a new poll just released. Barack Obama is in a four-point lead over John Edwards. Hillary Clinton has faded to third. In the Republican race, Mike Huckabee expanded his lead six points over former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson is in third place. Today's contest in Iowa kicks off a state-by-state battle to choose Republican and Democratic candidates for the November election to replace President Bush.

Meanwhile, New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is denying that he'll run for president. There's been speculation recently that the mayor may jump into the race after it was announced that he would attend a forum next week. That forum is being led by a bipartisan group that believes the Republican and Democratic parties are out of touch. Bloomberg is now independent. Earlier today, he said he's going to focus on being mayor and wants to see an independent approach in the '08 elections to stop partisan bickering and special interests.

The U.S. Justice Department is launching an investigation into the CIA's destruction of those videotapes. The tapes showed harsh interrogation techniques of terrorism suspects. The CIA says it acted lawfully, but critics say the agency ignored court orders and investigators' requests that it hand over evidence in various terrorism cases.

A California congressman is retiring after being diagnosed with cancer. Democrat Tom Lantos says he will not seek re-election this year because of his disease's treatment and development. The 79-year-old, who's the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, says he has esophageal cancer. Lantos is the latest of more than a dozen members to announce plans to leave the House at the end of the year.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 12.21.07

Schwarzenegger suing federal government.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is planning to sue the federal government. That's after it decided not to allow a California plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project would have allowed the state to cut emissions faster than a new federal plan the president signed into law earlier this week. President Bush says the decision to nix the project is based on the fact that the new legislation allows for a national strategy. Schwarzenegger says he would like to set a higher standard for California.

Republican Tom Tancredo is bowing out of the presidential race. Instead, he says he'll endorse Mitt Romney's candidacy. Tancredo is a fierce opponent of illegal immigration and kept the issue active in many GOP debates he participated in. However, his campaign struggled to gain popularity. A poll released earlier this week showed the Colorado congressman registered less than one percent support nationally.

Belgium is tightening its security today amid fears of a possible terrorist attack in that country. Fourteen suspected Islamic militants have been arrested in connection with an armed plot to free an Al Qaeda suspect from jail. Authorities believe the weapons and explosives could also be used for other means. There are now increased police patrols at Brussels' international airport, on trains and in shopping centers.

At least 50 people are dead after an attack in a mosque in northern Pakistan. Dozens of others are injured. The bomb targeted a former Pakistani interior minister reportedly over his supervision of militants in the country's tribal areas. The blast left bloody clothes, shoes and pieces of flesh scattered across the mosque.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 12.20.07

Giuliani hospitalized for flu-like symptoms.

Doctors say Republican Rudy Giuliani can go home today after spending the night in the hospital. The presidential candidate was admitted in St. Louis yesterday with flu-like symptoms. He'd been campaigning in Missouri, preparing for the Republican primary there in February. There's no word yet on when the former New York mayor would leave the hospital today.

White House staffers are returning to work today following a fire that broke out in their building in the White House compound. Yesterday, smoke billowed from the historic Eisenhower executive office building. The fire reportedly started in the ceremonial offices of Vice President Dick Cheney, although he was in the White House at the time. Officials the source of the fire may have been an electrical closet or telephone bank. There were no reports of any injuries.

The Democratic presidential candidates are virtually neck and neck with just two weeks until the Iowa caucuses. A new poll out shows 30 percent of likely Iowa Democratic caucus-goers support Senator Hillary Clinton as the nominee. Senator Barack Obama trails closely behind at 28 percent and Senator John Edwards comes in at 26 percent. The poll's sampling error is at plus or minus 4 percentage points, making the race nearly a tie. On the Republican side, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee leads the GOP pack at 33 percent. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney comes in second place at 25 percent.

The CIA is expected to begin turning over documents to Congress related to the destruction of terror suspect videotapes. The agency reportedly agreed to give up the material after a House committee chairman prepared subpoenas for officials and attorneys. The tapes were apparently destroyed in 2005 and showed the use of harsh interrogation techniques on two Al Qaeda suspects that year.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 12.06.07

Nine dead in Nebraska shooting.

9 people are dead and 5 others are wounded after a gunman opened fire in a Nebraska mall. Police say 19 year old Robert Hawkins is responsible for killing those 8 people and himself with an assault rifle. He reportedly left a suicide note saying "Now I'll be famous." Hawkins' landlord says he had a history of emotional problems and had a troubled relationship with his family.

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is planning to speak out about his Mormon faith. He's expected to make a speech in Texas today, focusing on religious tolerance in the U.S. Some Americans apparently have negative views of the Mormon religion, seeing it as a threat to Christianity. If elected, Romney would be the first Mormon president to serve in the White House.

The Atlantis space shuttle is preparing for takeoff. If all goes as planned, seven crew members will liftoff this afternoon from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The group is heading to the International Space Station to install the European Space Agency's new Columbus laboratory. The 23 feet long module will apparently improve the space stations research abilities. The mission is expected to take about 11 days.

New U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey is stressing the importance of online safety for kids. Mukasey spoke at the National Project Safe Childhood Conference yesterday in St. Louis. To an audience of about 700 law enforcement officials he spoke about the dangers of online predators and says it's a priority for the justice department. The attorney general also apparently announced 6 million dollars in grants to raise awareness for these issues online.