The thought of extended human excursions beyond Earth is within a decade's reach as NASA maps long-term tasks for lunar settlements and the independent space tourism business burgeons. As the human drive for intimacy and procreation will have to struggle with extreme environments of space, The Universe series explores the human factor in a historic episode: Sex in Space.

The Universe series, now in its third term, will break ground when it premieres the chapter Sex in Space on The History Channel this week. The topic has been considered taboo.  

The England cricket team is likely to return to India on December 3 for the next rounds of Test series against India. Earlier, the UK team returned, following security threats in the wake of the terror attack in Mumbai. The team was playing fifth ODI in Cuttack on Wednesday when Mumbai came under terror attack, leading to the suspension of the forthcoming matches.

The security issue has become very important for the next matches in Indian fields. England captain Kevin Pietersen hoped that security adviser Reg Dickason would allow them to play ODI matches.

Dunlop factory at Sahaganj is closed for indefinite period on Sunday by the company management. The company has cited the non-cooperation and indiscipline of workers as a major reason for the factory closure. The decision would affect a large number of workers of the factory.

The country's biggest car maker, Maruti Suzuki India suffered a sale decline of 27 per cent in November. It sold 47,103 units as compared to 64,885 units in the same month last year. The automobile sector is facing the heat of the global slowdown and the data posted by Maruti Suzuki vindicates the fact. Low demand due to global financial crisis has forced the companies to cut their sale targets and employ cost cutting measures, including retrenchment of staff.

A Mumbai cop deployed for Sachin Tendulkar’s security accidentally misfired and hurt himself while testing his pistol at master blaster’s residence at Bandra (West) on Saturday.

The bodyguard, Chandrasen Chigvan (35) had just joined the duty on day shift and a constable who was on night duty had handed him the pistol after he removed the magazine, although a bullet remained in the pistol.

While standing at the gate of the building Lamer, Chandrasen thought that the pistol was empty so he tried to test the trigger and it misfired and injured his finger.
 

The forthcoming Champions League is expected to be rescheduled following the security threats in the wake on Mumbai terror attack. The matches are likely to take place in January next year as per reports. The chief executive of the Champions League is under pressure to revise the match schedule on security grounds and availability of players. However, the decision in this regard is not yet taken.