The US will cut almost 100,000 troops as part of its plans for a “smaller, leaner” military, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has announced. Unveiling a restructure of the armed forces, Mr Panetta said the US would boost special forces and retain the ability to defeat “any enemy on land”. [Continue reading...]

A Tennessee police department says it has fired an officer after 17 years on the force because he repeatedly smoked cigarettes inside the precinct in violation of the city’s no smoking policy. [Read more...]

The owner of a French breast implant maker that sparked a safety scare has been charged with “involuntary injury”, his lawyer says.

He said Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) founder Jean-Claude Mas, 72 – arrested in a manslaughter case – had been freed on bail of 100,000 euro ($130,000).

In 2010, France banned PIP implants made with the low-grade silicone, amid fears they could rupture and leak.

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The films competing for best picture at the 84th Academy Awards have been announced. We take a look at nine hopefuls and what’s being said about them. [Read more...]

This is Argus One, the Pentagon’s newest unmanned aerial spy. It can carry 30 pounds of high-tech sensors and it just happens to be shaped like a sperm because this shape is better at handling turbulences at high altitudes.

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Demi Moore was hospitalized Monday night, with sources telling TMZ the actress was suffering from substance abuse.

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The largest solar storm since 2005 is now in progress, causing fluctuations on the power grid and disruptions to the Global Positioning System.

The ongoing strong proton storm is in full fury. And it’s getting stronger; a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) impact also impacting us, traveling at 1,400 miles per second.

The radiation and geomagnetic storm caused by this CME are normal—about 2,000 geomagnetic storms happen in every 11-year solar cycle—but proton storms are very rare. Only a couple of dozen happen per solar cycle. [Continue reading...]

The nominations for this year’s Oscars are announced later, with George Clooney and Meryl Streep likely to lead the charge in the best actor and best actress categories.

Silent film The Artist and family drama The Descendants are expected among the frontrunners for best picture. [Read more...]

The Costa Concordia’s captain may have disgraced his profession, but he is also a handy scapegoat for his masters, and for Italian pride.

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Before anyone asks, no, it’s not bulletproof. But that doesn’t mean that the glistening yellow cape—the world’s largest garment made entirely from spider silk—isn’t a massive feat of engineering to be marveled (it is and you should).

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