First US woman in space, Sally Ride, dies From:

THIS NASA FILE PHOTO DATED JUNE 1983 SHOWS AMERICA'S FIRST WOMAN ASTRONAUT SALLY RIDE, AS SHE COMMUNICATES WITH GROUND CONTROLLERS FROM THE FLIGHT DECK DURING THE SIX-DAY SPACE MISSION OF THE CHALLENGER. RIDE, THE FIRST US WOMAN TO FLY IN SPACE, DIED ON JULY 23, 2012 AFTER A 17-MONTH BATTLE WITH PANCREATIC CANCER. AFP

SALLY Ride, the first US woman to fly in space, has died after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 61.

SALLY RIDE IN JUNE 1983 AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON.. RIDE FIRST LAUNCHED INTO SPACE IN 1983, ON THE SEVENTH US SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION. AFP

Ride first launched into space in 1983 aboard the Challenger shuttle, on the seventh mission of US space shuttle program.

In a statement, US President Barack Obama called her a ``national hero and a powerful role model'' and a woman who ``inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars''.

``Sally's life showed us that there are no limits to what we can achieve and I have no doubt that her legacy will endure for years t o come,'' Obama said, offering condolences to Ride's family and friends.

Ride, born May 26, 1951, in Encino, California, earne d degrees in physics and English from Stanford University.
She applied to be an astronaut at US space agency NASA in 1977, after seeing an ad in her university's student newspaper.

It was the first time the space agency was allowing applications from civilians - or from women.

Ride was one of 35 people, including just six women, chosen from a pool of 8000 applicants.

She flew in two space missions, logging nearly 350 hours in space. However, her third planned mission was grounded in 1986, after the trag ic Challenger explosion that killed all seven crew members.

Ride served on the commission to investigate the accident, and lat er was assigned to NASA headquarters.

She retired from NASA in 1987.

Ride was the first American woman, but not the first woman in space. That honour belongs to Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, who flew a three-day mission in 1963.

original: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/first-us-woman-in-space-sally-ride-dies/story-e6frf7jo-1226433527997

David Guetta's cousin Samuel found dead

French DJ David Guetta's cousin has been found dead on party island of Ibiza. Picture: Emi. Source: Supplied

 

Watch

Behind the music

Forget sand, sea, and sex: Aussie DJ Goodwill takes us on a dance-fuelled hedonistic tour of the real Ibiza.

Play

0:00 / 1:54

Scrubber

mute

Share

Fullscreen

CHART-topping DJ David Guetta's cousin has been found dead at his luxury home on the party island of Ibiza.

Samuel Guetta, 40, had been the head of Cadenza Records since 2008 and was a big name in the Ibiza clubbing scene.

Reports confirm Samuel died unexpectedly last Thursday night in his home on the Spanish island.

He leaves behind a wife and their young children, a daughter and a son.

Details of the cause of his death are yet to be released.

The Frenchman moved to the island in 1997 after a career in advertising in Paris and set up a DJ agency.

He also ran a booking agency and is most famous for launching music website Ibiza Voice.

Staff at Ibiza Voice released a statement paying tribute to their "much-loved founder, friend, boss, and inspiration."

"He adored drama. 'Hype, lies and gossip' wasn’t just a tagline: it was a way of life.

"He always had a line on the coolest parties, the sexiest girls, and the most outrageous stories.

"Samuel was a walking exclamation mark who whirled through rooms trailing cigarette smoke and superlatives."

Guetta, 44, whose hits have included Titanium, When Love Takes Over and I Gotta Feeling has not commented.

original: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/david-guettas-cousin-samuel-found-dead/story-fnd134gw-1226434142953

Jermaine Jackson says his mother is not missing, instead she's resting up on doctor's orders

Michael Jackson's parents Joe, left, and Katherine in November 7, 2011. Source: AFP

UPDATE: MICHAEL Jackson's mother Katherine is not missing, says her son Jermaine.

Jermaine Jackson went to Twitter to explain her sudden disappearance and lack of contact.

"I want to reassure everyone (inc all sudden medical experts) that Mother is fine but is resting up in AZ on the orders of a doctor, not us," he tweeted.

"This is our mother and her health is paramount. We are not inventing or plotting anything. We are following doctor's advice. Period.”

A missing person's report was filed on Saturday night for the 82-year-old matriarch of the Jackson music family, after relatives were unable to get in contact with her for a week, CNN reported.

It is the latest chapter in a messy dispute between several of Jackson's children and her advisers over her finances and legal affairs.

Ms Jackson left her California home on July 15 to fly to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jackson's lawyer Sandra Ribera said.

She was travelling with her oldest daughter Rebbie Jackson.

"The kids were trying to get a hold of their grandmother and they haven't been able to reach her for almost a week," Ribera said.

"They are told she's unavailable.

"I'm concerned that she's not safe.”

She said Katherine Jackson had “never gone 24 hours without talking to her kids”.

"We have no idea what's going on with her. No one has talked to her."

Police are investigating.

original at: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/relatives-unable-to-contact-michael-jacksons-mum-for-a-week-fear-for-her-safety/story-fndo48ca-1226432180193