First rocky planet found outside solar system

Scientists have discovered the first confirmed Earthlike planet outside our solar system, they announced Wednesday. “This is the first confirmed rocky planet in another system,” astronomer Artie Hatzes told CNN, contrasting the solid planet with gaseous ones like Jupiter and Saturn

‘Giga Galaxy Zoom’ offers tour of Milky Way

The name is already taken, but “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” might be a fitting title for a new interactive view of the Milky Way unveiled this week by the European Southern Observatory. The 800-million-pixel panorama shows an edge-on view of the plane of our galaxy, complete with points of interests such as the 12-billion-year-old, star-packed globular cluster Omega Centauri and the beautiful, reddish Rosette Nebula.

November execution date set for D.C. sniper

A November 10 execution date was set Wednesday for John Allen Muhammad, convicted in a series of sniper-style shootings that terrorized the Washington area in 2002. Prince William County, Virginia, Circuit Judge Mary Grace O’Brien set the date at a teleconference hearing Wednesday, according to the Web site of Muhammad’s attorney, Jonathan Sheldon

At least 3 killed in Mexican mudslide

A mudslide in rain-soaked Mexico has killed at least three people, including two children, the government-run news agency said Wednesday. Kenyon, who left Manchester United in 2003 to join the London club, will depart at the end of October but will continue to represent Chelsea in various capacities, including committee roles with UEFA.