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10.04.2009, 16:13

No politics in space toilets

There’s no place for politics in space, and all rumours about tensions on the ISS are groundless, according to the 18th crew of the ISS. The spacemen landed aboard the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft on Wednesday.

Chares Simonyi (AFP Photo / Natalia Kolesnikova) 08.04.2009, 13:34

Space crew and tourist back on Earth

The Soyuz spacecraft with the crew of the ISS expedition 18 and flight participant Chares Simonyi has safely landed in Kazakhstan.

Charles Simonyi 24.03.2009, 12:24

Space tourist returns to orbit

Billionaire Charles Simonyi is heading for the stars again on Thursday to become the first tourist to go into orbit twice – after his first trip to space two years ago.

Jean-Michel Andre and daughter Elise at Budapest airport (AFP Photo / Ferenc Isza) 14.04.2009, 15:07 1 comment

Mother of kidnapped girl faces jail

The mother of Elise André, the three-year-old girl with dual French-Russian nationality who has been kidnapped multiple times, awaits trial on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Elise is already in Paris with her French father.

31.03.2009, 17:54

US loo a no-go zone for ISS cosmonauts

Space officials bombard ISS crews with restrictions on who can use what in the orbit, said the current crew commander. Cosmonauts must even mind the flag on the toilet they use and the food they eat.

Elise Andre 29.03.2009, 09:39 1 comment

French father ready to go to Russia to return kidnapped daughter

The father of Elise Andre, the 3-year-old girl abducted from France a week ago, says he’s ready to go to Russia to find his daughter. Jean-Michel Andre believes the kidnapping was organized by her Russian mother.

07.08.2009, 14:55 15 comments

Child falls from eighth floor…while adults shoot video

A three-year-old child has died after falling from an eight storey window. The girl could have been saved were it not for the indifference of adults who, instead of helping, filmed the scene on their mobile phones.

21.05.2010, 10:53 8 comments

Russia stops adoptions by foreigners

Russia's commissioner for children's rights, Pavel Astakhov, has announced that Russia has suspended all adoptions of children by foreigners until bilateral agreements are signed to protect the children.

Denis Khokhryakov 01.10.2010, 06:36 10 comments

Russian kid abandoned by parents in Latin America returns home

Twelve-year Denis Khokhryakov, abandoned by foster parents in the Dominican Republic, returned to Russia on Friday. He is being accompanied by Russian Presidential Ombudsman for Children Pavel Astakhov.

06.03.2010, 09:15 7 comments

Scandalous photos taken inside kindergarten spark outrage

A scandal is raging in St. Petersburg after photos of naked men taken inside of a kindergarten were discovered.

Love ends career of astronaut tourist

Published: 11 April, 2009, 02:45

Lisa Persdotter (L) and her husband, US billionaire space tourist Charles Simonyi

(15.8Mb) embed video

TAGS: Children, Scandal, Space, Russia, USA


Two astronauts and a space tourist have been commenting on their experience in orbit after returning from the International Space Station.

Not too many people get to go to space twice and only Charles Simoni got to do it both times as a tourist.

The software tycoon spent over $50 million for his two trips to the International Space Station.

But now it looks like it was the last time he could look down at our entire planet from the height of the orbiting ISS – and all because of a woman!

Charles Simoni is reported to have signed a contract promising his wife, 28-year-old model Lisa Persdotter, that he would never go into space again.

“I have not spent much time with my wife, unfortunately. We have many, many plans together and I'll always be interested in space, as I have been, but not as actively as going on a flight,” confessed space tourist Simonyi during a media briefing at Star City in the Moscow region.

Lisa Persdotter is a Swedish model and daughter of a billionaire. The couple married last November, with Bill Gates among the guests, and it turned out to be one of Sweden's most glamorous parties.


Michael Fincke's family
U.S. astronaut Michael Fincke was not as lucky as Mr. Simony, as his wife waited for him at Chkalovsky airport near Star City in the Moscow Region.

She may not be as popular with the media as Lisa Persdotter, but at least she and her husband share their love of space, naming her children after the Moon, Star and the Sun.

Tatyana Lanchokova, the wife of Russian cosmonaut Yury Lanchokov, seemed to be the most calm of all three space wives, but she could not hide her excitement minutes before seeing her husband.

And there was good reason for this impatience, because Michael Fink and Yury Lanchokov had a busy mission during their 177 days in orbit.

They successfully carried out more than 40 experiments, were visited by 2 space shuttles and 2 progress spaceships and completed 2 space walks.

The two spacemen accomplished all their tasks, including the main one: preparing the ISS to comfortably house a 6-person crew for an extended stay.

Also, rumors that a toilet on board the ISS caused a crack in their relations were denied.

“The Americans have never said that the Russians could not use our toilet – that's unfounded. And the Americans, of course, could use the Russian toilet so that is not the problem. We work together as a crew and we got our job done together as a crew,” said U.S. astronaut Michael Fincke.

As a result of their work, the ISS is now the largest space station ever built and Michael Fink says it's the result of what he calls the greatest partnership humanity has ever seen.

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10.04.2009, 21:13 1 comment

CIA shutters overseas secret shops of horror

Following 9/11, the United States set up a covert prison system in Eastern Europe where suspected terrorists were exposed to brutal torture. It took a new US president to put them out of business.

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