Spacecraft set to catch a glimpse of small comet during fly-by (The Starting Point)

The Starting Point is a snapshot of the news that occurred overnight and a preview of the stories we expect to cover today.

Top story

Have you ever been in a car and tried to take a picture of a pretty tree or interesting landmark? Now imagine doing so at 27,000 miles per hour. That's how fast the Deep Impact spacecraft will be flying when it passes within 435 miles of Comet Hartley 2 today.

NASA defines a comet as "an icy body that releases gas or dust." Astronomers believe these celestial wanderers are leftover debris from the creation of outer planets that were formed about 4.6 billion years ago. Hartley 2, which was discovered in 1986 by Australian astronomer Malcolm Hartley, orbits the sun once every 6 1/2 years.

Four other comets -- Comet Halley, Comet Borrelly, Comet Wild 2 and Comet Tempel 1 -- have been viewed on previous fly-bys. When Deep Impact fired a copper probe into Tempel 1 back in 2005, the high speed collision launched a cloud of debris into space and gave scientists their first look into a comet's interior.

Hartley 2 is only three-quarters to 1 mile wide, making it the smallest comet to be photographed up close, LiveScience.com reported. Deep Impact has been gathering data and shooting photographs of the comet since September. According to The Associated Press, scientists hope the $42 million rendezvous will help them better understand the composition of Hartley 2's core and how comets differ.

"This comet is unlike any we've visited before," Mike A'Hearn, principal investigator of Deep Impact's mission, told Space.com, "and we don't know what we're going to find."

What happened overnight

Engine trouble forced a Qantas superjumbo jet carrying 459 people to make an emergency landing in Singapore today, The AP reported. The mid-air incident is still under investigation, but passengers on board the plane said they heard several loud blasts and saw flames shooting out of the engine. Qantas has grounded all six of its Airbus A380 planes until "safety requirements have been met," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said.

Toyota announced a recall of nearly 136,000 cars to fix a steering problem, AFP reported. The Japanese automaker made the recall after it learned that power steering sensors could malfunction when driving over bumps. Affected models include the iQ and Passo, which were sold in Japan and Europe and built between 2008 and 2010.

A U.S. ballet company performed in Cuba for the first time in 50 years, Reuters reported. The American Ballet Theater danced today in Havana's Karl Marx Theater in a tribute to the troupe's former prima ballerina Alicia Alonso.

Public opinion

Today's poll: The U.S. government offers tax deductions for first-time homebuyers, renewable energy purchases and charitable giving. Should pet owners receive a tax break for animal care expenses? Click here to share your thoughts.

Wednesday's poll: Have you used your cell phone to make a charitable donation? Eighty percent of respondents said no and 20 percent voted yes.

Looking ahead

More than 1 million people who are living in Haiti's earthquake camps must now prepare for the arrival of Tropical Storm Tomas. Forecasters say the storm will hit the devastated country on Friday.

Melvin Jovel, who pleaded guilty to the execution-style killings of three college students in a New Jersey schoolyard in 2007, will be sentenced today. He will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.

Just the facts, ma'am

The first outbreak of plague occurred in China more than 2,600 years ago before reaching Europe via Central Asia's "Silk Road" trade route. --AFP

One in four flights arriving in New York end up delayed or canceled. --AP

In 2006, fast-food companies spent more than $520 million on advertising and toys to promote meals for children. --Reuters

Today in history

Fifteen years ago, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist after speaking at a peace rally in Tel Aviv.

Birthdays

* Chef Curtis Stone, 35.
* Actress Heather Tom, 35.
* Actor Matthew McConaughey, 41.
* Producer Sean "Puffy" Combs, 41.
* Musician Wayne Static (Static-X), 45.
* TV personality Jeff Probst, 49.
* Actor Ralph Macchio, 49.
* Comedian Kathy Griffin, 50.
* Actress Markie Post, 60.
* Former First Lady Laura Bush, 64.
* Actress Loretta Swit, 73.
* Actress Doris Roberts, 80.

Notable deaths

* Baseball player Cy Young died in 1955 at the age of 88.
* Actress Dominique Dunne died in 1982 at the age of 22.
* Author Michael Crichton died in 2008 at the age of 66.

Video of the day

Quote of the day

"Ancient Egyptians believed that upon death they would be asked two questions and their answers would determine whether they could continue their journey in the afterlife. The first question was, 'Did you bring joy?' The second was, 'Did you find joy?'" --Leo Buscaglia

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Yemen charges radical cleric with plotting to kill foreigners (The Starting Point)

The Starting Point is a snapshot of the news that occurred overnight and a preview of the stories we expect to cover today.

Top story

Yemen authorities have charged Anwar al-Awlaki, 39, with plotting to kill foreigners and being a member of al-Qaida, The Associated Press reported. It was Yemen's first formal legal action against the U.S.-born cleric, who is being tried in absentia with Hisham Assem, another suspected terrorist.

U.S. authorities believe al-Awlaki exchanged e-mails with Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army psychiatrist accused of last year's killings at Fort Hood, Texas, and that he helped prepare Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab for his Christmas airline bombing attempt. He's also believed to have links to the failed Times Square bombing. According to NPR, al-Awlaki was the first American placed on President Barack Obama's "capture or kill" list.

The New Mexico native is believed to be living in a mountainous region of Yemen. Although al-Awlaki has released English-language sermons on the Internet that advocate jihad, friends and tribal leaders say he has no connection to terrorism. Click here to read a profile of al-Awlaki from The Telegraph.

In other news

Yemen launched a major operation to find the Saudi bombmaker suspected of trying to send explosive-laden parcels to the U.S., Reuters reported. Ibrahim al-Asiri "is believed to be hiding and moving with senior al-Qaida elements such as (Yemen al-Qaida leader) Nasser al-Wahayshi. Security intelligence are still tracking them down to exactly identify their whereabouts," a Yemeni security official said. U.S. officials suspect a dry run for the bomb plot was conducted in September, The AP reported.

BP raised its estimate for the likely cost of the Gulf oil spill to $40 billion, The AP reported. The announcement came even as the oil company reported that it had returned to profit for the first time since the April spill.

The man who opened fire at a Walmart in Nevada on Friday actually purchased the ammunition at the store just one hour prior to the shooting, police say. According to The AP, suspect John Dennis Gillane, a Walmart employee, was armed with two handguns but only used one semi-automatic pistol during the shooting spree. The three co-workers he allegedly shot are all recovering from their injuries.

Most read overnight

Charlie O'Donnell, who announced the start of each "Wheel of Fortune" episode for decades, died on Oct. 31. Cause of death was not released. He was 78. O'Donnell was a popular radio DJ before launching his television career on "American Bandstand." He later served as the announcer for numerous Oscar and Emmy telecasts.

The San Francisco Giants beat the Texas Rangers 3-1 in Game 5 to win the World Series last night, The AP reported. Shortstop Edgar Renteria, who went 7 for 17 (.412) with a Series-leading six RBIs, earned the Series MVP award. "It was a tough year for me," he said. "I told myself to keep working hard and keep in shape because something is going to be good this year." The Giants are now tied with their longtime rivals, the Dodgers, for the fifth-most Series titles.

Public opinion

Today's poll: Do you think the Republican Party will win the 40 seats it needs to take back the House? Click here to share your thoughts.

Monday's poll: Should religious institutions pay property taxes? Seventy-three percent of respondents voted yes, 23 percent chose no and 4 percent voted maybe.

Looking ahead

U.S. voters will head to the polls to cast ballots for 37 of the 100 Senate seats, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 37 state gubernatorial elections and in two territorial elections. Click here for the latest election stories.

Today in history

In 1959, Charles Van Doren admitted to a House subcommittee that he cheated on the TV game show "Twenty-One." The story was later dramatized in the feature film "Quiz Show."

Birthdays

* Musician Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie), 35.
* Rapper Nelly, 36.
* Actor David Schwimmer, 44.
* Playwright Lynn Nottage, 46.
* Musician Bobby Dall (Poison), 47.
* Singer k.d. lang, 49.
* Musician Carter Beauford (The Dave Matthews Band), 53.
* Actress Stefanie Powers, 68.

Notable deaths

* Playwright George Bernard Shaw died in 1950 at the age of 94.
* Author/cartoonist James Thurber died in 1961 at the age of 66.
* Producer Hal Roach died in 1992 at the age of 100.
* Author Robert Cormier died in 2000 at the age of 75.
* Director Theo van Gogh died in 2004 at the age of 47.

Video of the day

Quote of the day

"In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these." --Paul Harvey

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Supreme Court to hear arguments in violent video game case (The Starting Point)

The Starting Point is a snapshot of the news that occurred overnight and a preview of the stories we expect to cover today.

Featured story

Should states be allowed to ban the sale and rental of violent video games to children? That's the question the U.S. Supreme Court will consider after hearing arguments on Tuesday in the case of Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Association.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger first signed the law in 2005, which prohibited the sale or rental of games that give players the option of "killing, maiming, dismembering or sexually assaulting an image of a human being" to anyone under the age of 18. Retailers who broke the law would be punished with fines of up to $1,000 for each infraction, The Associated Press reported.

Last year, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court said the law violated minors' constitutional rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. The justices also said the state lacked enough evidence to prove that violent video games cause physical and/or psychological harm to children. Courts in six other states have reached similar conclusions.

Supporters of the ban believe it will protect children from viewing graphic depictions of violence. Free speech advocates, gamers and the computer game industry say such a ban could lead to strict federal regulation on the content of games and other media, The Sacramento Bee reported.

At this time, nearly all major game publishers and retailers use a rating system that assigns age-specific ratings to video games. Most already block the sale of games that are rated M for "mature" and AO for "adults only" to children.

What happened overnight

Iraqi security forces stormed a Baghdad church where militants had taken an entire congregation hostage on Sunday. Four hours after the armed insurgents took control of Our Lady of Deliverance, Iraqi soldiers attempted to rescue the 120 Christians being held inside. A bloodbath ensued. At the time of this writing, at least 52 people were killed and 67 wounded. "We have no clear picture yet whether the worshippers were killed by the security forces' bullets or by terrorists, but what we know is that most of them were killed when the security forces started to storm the church," Younadem Kana told The AP.

Mount Merapi, Indonesia's most volatile volcano, erupted again today. According to The AP, the new blast spewed clouds of gas and debris into the air for hours. Since it first started to erupt one week ago, the volcano has killed at least 38 people.

Maurice Lucas, the former Portland Trail Blazers' forward known as "The Enforcer," died on Oct. 31 of bladder cancer. He was 58. The three-time All-Star led the team in scoring (20.2), field goals made (8.0), offensive rebounds (3.4) and minutes (36.2), and was a central figure on the 1976-77 NBA Championship team. From 2005 to 2010, he served as the team's assistant coach. "Maurice Lucas was an amazing man and I count myself lucky to have known him. We all -- players, coaches, the owner and the fans -- were made better by having Maurice a part of our team, whether playing on the championship team or, most recently as an assistant coach," Blazers owner Paul Allen said. "He was one of the greatest Blazers ever."

Public opinion

Today's poll: Should religious institutions pay property taxes? Click here to share your thoughts.

Friday's poll: Many of the traditions of Halloween come from the Celtic holiday Samhain, a day when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest. Bonfires were lit to celebrate the new year and to ward off evil spirits. Turnips, and later pumpkins, were carved with faces for the same reason. And after sunset, people would go "a-souling," a practice that involved honoring the dead in exchange for food and drink. How do you celebrate Halloween? The majority of respondents give candy to trick or treaters, carve jack o' lanterns, watch horror movies and wear costumes.

Looking ahead

In an effort to improve the processing of veterans' requests for disability compensation, the Department of Veterans Affairs plans to launch a pilot program for paperless claims processing.

Jury selection in the trial of Brian David Mitchell, the man charged in the abduction of Elizabeth Smart, begins today.

Just the facts, ma'am

Six million census takers will conduct the once-a-decade tally of China's population. --AP

The likelihood of dying from breast cancer for all women is about 1 in 35. --KVUE-TV

In the 1940s, Eleanor Abbott invented the game Candy Land as a diversion for children recovering from polio. --Mental Floss

Today in history

Sixty years ago, two Puerto Rican nationalists, Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola, tried to force their way into Blair House in Washington to assassinate President Harry S. Truman.

Birthdays

* Singer Bo Bice, 35.
* Actress Jenny McCarthy, 38.
* Actress Toni Collette, 38.
* Singer Sophie B. Hawkins, 46.
* Singer "Big Kenny" Alphin (Big and Rich), 47.
* Musician Rick Allen (Def Leppard), 47.
* Singer Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers), 48.
* Musician Mags Furuholmen (a-ha), 48.
* Musician Lyle Lovett, 53.
* Astronaut Jan Davis, 57.
* Musician Ronald Khalis Bell (Kool and the Gang), 59.
* Music producer David Foster, 61.
* Singer Kinky Friedman, 66.
* Actress Marcia Wallace, 68.
* Magazine publisher Larry Flynt, 68.
* Actress Barbara Bosson, 71.
* Golfer Gary Player, 75.

Notable deaths

* Author Dale Carnegie died in 1955 at the age of 66.
* Poet/critic Ezra Pound died in 1972 at the age of 87.
* Former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower died in 1979 at the age of 82.
* Author William Styron died in 2006 at the age of 81.

Video of the day

Quote of the day

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." --Abraham Lincoln

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New rule protects consumers from unscrupulous debt relief firms (The Starting Point)

Featured story

A new Federal Trade Commission rule meant to reign in the deceptive practices of for-profit debt relief services will take effect this week, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The Better Business Bureau has received more than 6,000 complaints about debt relief companies since December 2007. Many of these credit counseling, debt settlement and debt negotiation services advertise on late-night television and charge advance fees to cover their marketing costs, The Tulsa World reported.

Beginning Wednesday, the FTC will have the legal authority to ban debt relief firms from charging or collecting these upfront retainers until a debt has been settled and the customer has started to make payments. The new rule also requires these companies to:

* Back up their advertising claims

* Provide a written settlement agreement or debt management plan

* Tell customers how much their services cost

* List all potential penalties

* Explain how long customers will have to wait before seeing results

The government's crackdown on debt relief firms recently forced American Tax Relief to shut down. Earlier this month, federal officials filed a lawsuit accusing the California-based firm of bilking 20,000 customers out of more than $60 million for worthless tax relief services. The suit also claims the company charged customers' credit cards without their authorization and gave few refunds.

"While pushing people even deeper into debt, the owners of this enterprise were living in a house in Beverly Hills worth $3.4 million and keeping a garage full of a Ferrari, two Porsches, two Mercedes Benzes, a Bentley and a Rolls Royce," David Vladeck, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said. "They don't even buy American."

Consumers are urged to avoid these debt relief firms by working directly with their creditors. People who owe back taxes may set up installment payments with the IRS if they can't afford to pay all their debt at once.

What happened overnight

Tariq Aziz, Saddam Hussein's longtime foreign minister, was sentenced to death today for persecuting members of Shiite religious parties in Iraq, The Associated Press reported. Aziz, 74, has 30 days to appeal the ruling. If the Appeals' Court upholds the death sentence and the Iraqi president signs off on the execution order, Aziz will be hanged.

Somalia, Myanmar and Afghanistan have been named the most corrupt countries in the world, Reuters reported. The Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International issued its annual index, which ranks 178 nations for public sector corruption. Denmark, New Zealand and Singapore received the top scores for having the highest level of integrity. The U.S. fell to 22nd from 19th last year.

Indonesia's most volatile volcano has started to erupt, The AP reported. Just before dawn, Mount Merapi began spewing gusts of hot ash 150 feet into the air. Scientists say the pressure building beneath the volcano's lava dome could trigger one of the most powerful blasts in years. On Monday, Indonesia experienced a powerful, 7.7-magnitude earthquake that triggered a tsunami. At the time of this writing, at least 23 people were killed. More than 160 others are currently missing.

Most read overnight

President Barack Obama has appointed more openly gay officials than any other president in U.S. history, The AP reported. Gay activists say the estimate of more than 150 appointments surpasses the previous high of about 140 appointments, which was reached during President Bill Clinton's two terms in office.

Readers were also interested in this AFP obituary for Paul, the oracle octopus. Paul fascinated soccer fans by correctly predicting the outcome of several World Cup games, including Spain's 1-0 win over the Netherlands in the final. Paul died today at the Sea Life aquarium in Germany.

Public opinion

Today's poll: Should voters be required to pass the same test given to immigrants applying for citizenship? Click here to share your thoughts.

Monday's poll: Should overflowing shelters be allowed to euthanize healthy animals? Half of the respondents voted no, 40 percent chose yes and 11 percent said maybe.

Just the facts, ma'am

John E. Potter, one of the nation's longest serving postmasters general, plans to retire in December. --AP

A whale shark has 300 rows of teeth and about 27,000 of them altogether. --National Geographic Channel

The Hotel Arctic is the most northerly 4-star hotel in the world. --Forbes

Today in history

In 1881, lawman Wyatt Earp, his two brothers and "Doc" Holliday confronted Ike Clanton's gang in a gunfight at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Ariz. Three members of Clanton's gang were killed; Earp's brothers were wounded.

Birthdays

* Figure skater Sasha Cohen, 26.
* Actor Jon Heder, 33.
* Writer/producer Seth MacFarlane, 37.
* Actor Anthony Rapp, 39.
* Actress Rosemarie DeWitt, 39.
* Actor Tom Cavanagh, 42.
* Singer Natalie Merchant, 47.
* Actor Cary Elwes, 48.
* Actor Dylan McDermott, 49.
* Actress Rita Wilson, 54.
* Musician Bootsy Collins, 59.
* Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, 63.
* Game show host Pat Sajak, 64.
* Author Pat Conroy, 65.
* Actress Jaclyn Smith, 65.
* Actor Bob Hoskins, 68.

Notable deaths

* Social activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton died in 1902 at the age of 86.
* Mystery novelist Tony Hillerman died in 2008 at the age of 83.

Video of the day

Quote of the day

"The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously." --Hubert H. Humphrey

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