YOU GOT SERVED

Astrophysicist schools former GM exec on climate change during Maher segment

neildegrassetyson.screengrab

Popular astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History Neil deGrasse Tyson schooled former vice-chairman of General Motors Bob Lutz on the reality of climate change during Friday night's edition of Real Time with Bill Maher.

THE JUDGE SAID IT WAS OKAY

Brazilian same-sex couple has child by in vitro fertilization

Newborn infant via Wikimedia Commons

A gay couple has succeeded for the first time in Brazil in having a child through in vitro fertilization, the baby’s two fathers announced Friday.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Rich New York woman accused of keeping immigrant slave in mansion closet

Llenroc mansion in upstate New York. Photo: Flickr user kurtman518.

A criminal complaint filed this week against a wealthy New York woman alleges that she kept an undocumented immigrant as a house worker for years, paying her just 85 cents an hour.

TOO LITTLE TOO LATE?

Limbaugh apologizes to Sandra Fluke

Rush Limbaugh via Wikimedia

In what could be seen as an attempt to head off the backlash he is currently facing, Rush Limbaugh has posted a statement on his website apologizing to Georgetown University Law Student Sandra Fluke.

SO IS 'LEFT BEHIND'

Kurt Cameron: Homosexuality is ‘unnatural and destructive’

Actor Kurt Cameron. Screenshot via CNN.

Actor Kurt Cameron presented himself as not holding auspicious views on the LGBT community Friday evening, labeling homosexuality as “unnatural” and “destructive to so many foundations of civilization.”

OCCUPIERS MUST BE HAPPY

Illinois judge rules state eavesdropping law unconstitutional

Occupy Chicago by Michael Kappel via Flickr

The Illinois law which made it a felony to make audio recordings of police officers without their permission has been found unconstitutional by a state judge.

Science

Unnecessary cancer treatment in men on the rise

Men with low-risk tumors and a life-expectancy of less than 10 years — for instance,…

Anti-smoking vaccines in teens not worth cost: study

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – A vaccination campaign to prevent teenagers from taking up smoking…

Some U.S. women live far from maternity care

Liquid battery could charge green energy

Tech News

GM suspends production of Chevy Volt due to weak demand

CHICAGO — General Motors said Friday it has suspended production of its electric Chevy Volt…

Santorum: ‘People 20 years ago couldn’t conceive of a cell phone’

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum says that 20 years ago people couldn’t even imagine cell…

Media

Autopsy conducted on conservative activist Andrew Breitbart

Coroners conducted an autopsy on the body of conservative activist Andrew Breitbart on Friday but…

‘Desperate Housewives’ star claims unfair dismissal

A former “Desperate Housewives” actress took her ex-employer to court, claiming unfair dismissal from the…

World

‘Grisly reports’ out of Syria tell of torture, summary executions in Homs

BEIRUT/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he had received “grisly reports” that Syrian government forces were arbitrarily…

EU leaders sign treaty for budget discipline

EU leaders signed a new treaty to control budgets on Friday, vowing to turn the corner on the eurozone debt…

Afghan attack on NATO convoy wounds seven

A suicide bomber on a motorcycle attacked a NATO convoy in the insurgency-hit southern province of Kandahar Friday, wounding seven…

Putin says ‘happy’ about protests

Russia’s Vladimir Putin, who is running for president in Sunday’s polls, said the mass protests against him made him “happy”,…

U.S. News

Florida bill would permit prayer at mandatory school functions

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) – Florida students will be allowed to offer an “inspirational message” at…

Miami students rally for valedictorian facing deportation

MIAMI (Reuters) – More than 2,000 Miami students walked out of class and took to…

BP reaches deal with plaintiffs over Gulf of Mexico spill

NEW YORK (Reuters) – BP PLC has reached a $7.8 billion agreement with plaintiffs suing…

Cops in shoot out with Mexican drug gang across Rio Grande

(Reuters) – U.S. Border Patrol agents and Mexican drug traffickers fought a gun battle across…

Customer pressure forces firms to drop advertising on Limbaugh program

Appeals for a boycott of sponsors of Rush Limbaugh’s radio program appear to be paying…