1969: Man takes first steps on the Moon

BBC NEWS [21 JULY ON THIS DAY]

American Neil Armstrong has become the first man to walk on the Moon. The astronaut stepped onto the Moon’s surface, in the Sea of Tranquility, at 0256 GMT, nearly 20 minutes after first opening the hatch on the Eagle landing craft. Armstrong had earlier reported the lunar module’s safe landing at 2017 GMT with the words: «Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.» As he put his left foot down first Armstrong declared: «That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.»

Goce satellite views Earth’s gravity in high definition

By Jonathan Amos, Science correspondent

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This colourful new map traces the subtle but all pervasive influence the pull of gravity has across the globe. Known as a geoid, it essentially defines where the level surface is on our planet; it tells us which way is «up» and which way is «down». It is drawn from delicate measurements made by Europe’s Goce satellite, which flies so low it comes perilously close to falling out of the sky. Scientists say the data gathered by the spacecraft will have numerous applications. One key beneficiary will be climate studies because the geoid can help researchers understand better how the great mass of ocean water is moving heat around the world.

Work starts in £15m plan to get Concorde flying

BBC

Concorde completed its last commercial passenger flight in 2003 The engines on a French Concorde are to be examined as the first move in a £15m project aiming to get the supersonic passenger jet back in the air. The Rolls Royce engines of the former Air France Concorde will undergo an initial examination to see what work needs to be done to start the engines. Concorde was retired seven years ago, but it is hoped the jet could return to flight in a heritage capacity. The tests by a French-British team will take place at an air museum near Paris.

Adopting from Russia with love… and trepidation

BBC

Russia and the US are negotiating changes to overseas adoption procedures after a controversy last month sparked by an American adoptive mother who sent her son back to Moscow alone. The BBC’s Kim Ghattas met a Pennsylvania family with a unique perspective on US-Russia adoptions. In a leafy town in Pennsylvania, four children and their parents are reunited after a day at school and work. Abby, 14, is showing off her purple nail polish, Lydia, nine, wants to rehearse on her cello.

Germany’s Chancellor Merkel faces election fallout

By Oana Lungescu BBC European affairs correspondent, Berlin

For months, she had tried to delay the unpopular rescue package for Greece until after Sunday’s election in Germany’s most populous state, only to push it through parliament in the week before the vote as the crisis threatened to escalate out of control. On Sunday morning, as Mrs Merkel watched the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, marking the 65th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, she was also contemplating a dramatic double defeat for her centre-right coalition in NRW and for Europe’s single currency. EU finance ministers were gathering in Brussels in a last-ditch attempt to shield the euro from the growing contagion of the Greek crisis.

Three killed in Greece protests

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BBC correspondent Duncan Kennedy: Pepper spray in people’s faces

At least three people have been killed in the Greek capital as protesters set fire to a bank during a general strike over planned austerity measures. The bodies were found inside the Marfin Bank in Athens. The Greek prime minister said it was a «murderous act». The protest became violent, with petrol bombs thrown at police who responded with pepper spray and tear gas. Protesters are angered by spending cuts and tax rises planned in return for a 110bn euro (£95bn) bail-out for Greece. A police spokesman said the three victims – two women and a man – were among 20 people working in the Marfin bank branch on Stadiou Avenue in central Athens when the petrol bomb was thrown.

Greece crisis hits investor confidence again

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Finance minister George Papaconstantinou says Greece is not at risk of default Investors are still nervous over plans to rescue the Greek economy, despite indications of progress on bail-out talks over the weekend. Interest rates demanded by investors lending money to Greece are close to record highs – a sign that fears remain over Greece’s ability to repay loans. Greece has been forced to request 40bn euros from the EU and International Monetary Fund (IMF). But the details of the bail-out deal have not yet been finalised.

‘Paltry’ Copenhagen carbon pledges point to 3C world

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By Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News

Eπίσης διαβάστε : Poorer nations are unlikely to make a low-carbon switch without a Western lead

ENSEMBLES : Mediterranean, the day after

Pledges made at December’s UN summit in Copenhagen are unlikely to keep global warming below 2C, a study concludes.

Writing in the journal Nature, analysts at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impacts Research in Germany say a rise of at least 3C by 2100 is likely.