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Robotic elephants draw crowds, controversy in India

CHALAKUDY, India — The life-size robotic elephants in Prasanth Prakashan's backyard workshop have ears that flap, tails that swish and trunks that squirt water. But that's about all they have in common with their real-life counterparts revered across India as manifestations of the divine. ...

Children’s drowning deaths rise in last few years

NEW YORK — Doctors and others are sounding an alarm: More U.S. children have been drowning in recent years. "When drowning occurs, seconds matter," said Dr. Rohit Shenoi, the lead author of a recent American Academy of Pediatrics warning. "Quick rescue and resuscitation can mean the ...

Satellite rescue mission launched

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A three-armed spacecraft rocketed into orbit Friday to rescue a NASA telescope that's in danger of crashing back to Earth. Northrop Grumman launched Katalyst Space Technologies' Link spacecraft from the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. The Pegasus rocket blasted off from the belly of a modified airplane, putting Link on course to reach and capture NASA's Swift Observatory in about a month. Launched in 2004, Swift is sinking faster than ever because of recent solar storms. NASA is paying $30 million for Katalyst to capture the telescope and boost its orbit so ...

High-tech ball involved in World Cup high drama

ATLANTA — It is called connected ball technology. And it was responsible for one of the most dramatic climaxes to a World Cup match ever. It canceled Croatia's late equalizer deep in added time against Portugal by detecting a touch that was undetectable to the naked eye and even video ...

Aussies’ Neil the Seal creates fame, fans — and property damage

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Like plenty of local boys before him, Neil has come home to the stretch of Australian coast where he was born. Unlike most of them, he trails fame, fans and property damage in his wake. He is also a 2,200-pound elephant seal. In June, the bellowing and blubbery ...

Satellite rescue mission launches successfully

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A three-armed spacecraft rocketed into orbit Friday to rescue a NASA telescope that's in danger of crashing back to Earth. Northrop Grumman launched Katalyst Space Technologies' Link spacecraft from the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. The Pegasus rocket blasted off from the belly of a modified airplane, putting Link on course to reach and capture NASA's Swift Observatory in about a month. Launched in 2004, Swift is sinking faster than ever because of recent solar storms. NASA is paying $30 million for Katalyst to capture the telescope and boost its orbit so ...