United States space and biological experts have warned that sex in space will bring real Earthly problems not pleasure, for men and women heading to the moon and Mars. The resulting pregnancies could put long-range missions in chaos. A panel of scientists reported to NASA that interplanetary passion could cause biological and logistical chaos to its latest plans to send humans on long missions. Locked in tight corners and compartments in spaceships for years, surrounded by the starry everlasting night, astronauts' thoughts are bound to turn to romance, states the report, on risk strategy. Close encounters of the human kind could have profound consequences, it adds. Without space agency prophylactic supplies for the necessary precautions, zero-gravity transgressions could lead to zero-gravity pregnancies. "Pregnancy in space is a real issue," said one report author, Professor Lawrence Palinkas, of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. "We have to think now about how to deal with sex in space. Astronauts are human. We have no authenticated stories of sex on missions so far, though there have been near things, I suspect. "On a six-month space-station simulation mission, Canadian astronaut Judith Lapierre became the unwanted recipient of the attentions of a love-struck Russian cosmonaut after a New Year's Eve party was celebrated with vodka shots. Lapierre was pulled out of range of the observation cameras and given a deep kiss. On this occasion, she resisted. "He was aggressing my personal space," she complained later. However, future approaches might be more warmly accommodated, the report implies. However, keeping such acts private is likely to wane on even the most resourceful astronautic couple. Spacemen and spacewomen have their biological readings measured constantly. A passionate moment of any kind is likely to spike readings back home at mission control.

A Russian police officer dressed up as a young businesswoman to save her from a gang of criminals. Igor Selendey impersonated the 27-year-old after police in Ulyanovsk received a report that a gang of criminals was planning on attacking the young woman in her apartment.

A Russian police officer dressed up as a young businesswoman to save her from a gang of criminals. Igor Selendey impersonated the 27-year-old after police in Ulyanovsk received a report that a gang of criminals was planning on attacking the young woman in her apartment.

IMAX Corporation announces a new agreement with ZAO Kompaniya Perspektiva, the largest exhibitor in Ufa, Russia, to install an IMAX MPX (R) theatre system as part of an expansion to their flagship multiplex. Situated in central Russia, with a population of more than one million, Ufa becomes the fourth Russian city where The IMAX Experience (R) is set to debut in the coming year. Multiplex-based IMAX (R) theatres are also scheduled to open in Kazan, Perm and St. Petersburg next year, and the total number of IMAX theatres scheduled to be operating in the country by 2008 is now seven.

U. S. space tourist Gregory Olsen has started training with a Russian cosmonaut and an American astronaut for their October 1 launch to the international space station from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Russian cosmonaut Valery Tokarev and U. S. astronaut William McArthur will spend six months at the station. Olsen will join them for a week long visit. He paid the Russian space agency $20-million for the space tour.