Campus
Steve Fossett confirmed dead
Washington University alumnus Steve Fossett was confirmed dead on Monday by the sheriff’s office of Madera County, Calif.
Authorities used DNA tests on two bones found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California on Oct. 29. Searchers had found no trace of the crash site until a hiker found some of Fossett’s identity cards on Oct. 2.
Subsequent searches of the area turned up more belongings, including credit cards and bones.
Fossett disappeared on Sept. 3, 2007 while on a solo flight in Nevada. A month-long search for his crash site was called off after no success. Fossett was legally declared dead on Feb. 15.
Fossett, who received an MBA from the Olin Business School in 1968, is best known for setting more than 100 aviation, navigation and sailing records. His numerous adventures and world records were recognized with some of the most prestigious aviation, ballooning and sailing awards. (Johann Qua Hiansen)
National
New drug gains weight loss credibility
In a recent study, researchers from the University of Louis Pasteur in France discovered a drug that keeps mice from gaining weight and increases their resistance to insulin. The drug, SRT1720, is a chemical cousin of a compound found in red wine. The chemical targets protein which may combat aging. It also puts the metabolism in a fat-burning mode that only usually exists at low energy levels.
The original testing on mice led scientists to conclude that it would take gallons of wine before a human could actually gain the weight loss benefit.
Scientists still recommend a change in exercise and diet before trying drugs. Nonetheless, obesity is becoming a large problem in the United Kingdom, and many doctors say that new drugs are necessary.
The mice were also less likely to get diabetes and had an improved tolerance for sugar and insulin.
It is still too new of a drug to be used by humans, and its side effects are not yet known. (Michelle Merlin)
International
Dishonesty leads to dismissal for Iranian interior minister
The Iranian parliament voted on Tuesday to dismiss Interior Minister Ali Kordan on charges of forgery after the minister refused to resign. Kordan lied about a false doctorate degree from Oxford. A furious President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared the dismissal “illegal” and the degree nothing more than “a piece of torn paper.” His reaction is seen by many to betray his nervousness about his own upcoming election. Ahmadinejad appointed Kordan and could face a no-confidence vote in parliament should the minister leave. The former interior minister, Mostafa Pourmohammadi, resigned earlier this year.
In an appeal to the government and public, Kordan noted his 30-year record of public service and how the ordeal has had a detrimental effect on his family.
Kordan was also found guilty of lying about bachelor’s and master’s degrees from an Iranian university. (Michelle Merlin and Ben Sales)
Winnie the Pooh drawing sold for more than $49,000
An original pencil drawing of Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Piglet sold for 31,200 British pounds ($49,770) at an auction.
The original picture was expected to raise only 20,000 pounds, though the sale price was inclusive of a 20 percent buyer’s premium.
The drawing by E.H. Shepard shows Pooh sitting at a table while dipping his paw into a jar of honey as Tigger and Piglet look on.
The characters are some of A.A. Milne’s most popular creations, spawning television shows, toys and a variety of other media. Winnie the Pooh was originally created in 1926 and named after the toy bear of Milne’s son.
According to auctioneer Bonhams, the winning bidder was from Germany and bought the picture for his wife, who is a long time Pooh fan. (Johann Qua Hiansen)
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