Dam bursts in Bulgaria, 8 killed in floods (AP)
AP - A dam in southern Bulgaria burst Monday after days of heavy rain, bringing the toll from the regions flooding to eight dead, 10 missing.

The nations weather (AP)
AP - Weather Underground Forecast for Monday, February 06, 2012.

Rescuers dig to reach trapped in Philippines quake (AP)
AP - Rescuers dug with picks and shovels trying to reach dozens of people trapped under houses collapsed by a strong earthquake Monday that shook a central Philippine island and set off landslides.

Wanted: Mock Astronauts for Mission to Mars ... in Hawaii (SPACE.com)
SPACE.com - If youve ever dreamed of becoming an astronaut and have four months to spare, you might have the right stuff to fly to Mars … well, sort of.

Virgin Galactic's Private Spaceship Ramping Up Toward Passenger Flights (SPACE.com)
SPACE.com - LOS ANGELES, Calif. — This year is key for Virgin Galactics bid to become the first commercial spaceliner service, as rocket-powered flights of its SpaceShipTwo are on the books for summer.

Over 6,300 Respond to NASA's Request for Astronaut Applicants (ContributorNetwork)
ContributorNetwork - NASAs space shuttle program is over. NASA does not have its own means of taking astronauts into space. Commercial spacecraft under development wont be ready for another four to five years. The Orion spacecraft is even more uncertain.

NonFamily Abduction: BETSY ARAQUE (CA)
BETSY ARAQUE, Age Now: 14, Missing: 01/20/2012. Missing From ALPAUGH, CA. ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT: Tulare County Sheriffs Office (California) 1-559-733-6218.

NonFamily Abduction: JOSE ARAQUE (CA)
JOSE ARAQUE, Age Now: 4 Month(s), Missing: 01/20/2012. Missing From ALPAUGH, CA. ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT: Tulare County Sheriffs Office (California) 1-559-733-6218.

Endangered Runaway: CHEYENNE GRAIKA (CO)
CHEYENNE GRAIKA, Age Now: 17, Missing: 11/16/2011. Missing From ELLICOTT, CO. ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT: El Paso County Sheriffs Office (Colorado) 1-719-390-5555.

UK recalls ambassador to Syria for consultations (AP)
AP - Britain has recalled its ambassador from Syria for consultations on the escalating violence in the country, Foreign Secretary William Hague said Monday. The decision was announced after the U.S. said it has closed its embassy in Damascus and pulled all American diplomats out of Syria.

Few answers in death of sons of missing Utah mom (AP)
AP - Josh Powells note was simple and short, a farewell to the world after two years of being scrutinized in the media, hammered by police and questioned by judges, prosecutors and social workers, living his life under a microscope since the day his wife vanished.

Defense cuts test lawmakers' resolve on deficits (AP)
AP - Lawmakers who came to Washington demanding budget cuts face a tough test now that President Barack Obama and military leaders want to shrink the force, shut down bases and cancel weapons to achieve them.

China bars its airlines from paying EU carbon tax (AP)
AP - China announced Monday it will prohibit its airlines from paying European Union charges on carbon emissions, ratcheting up a global dispute over the cost of combatting climate change.

Sierra Club Received Millions from Natural Gas Industry (ContributorNetwork)
ContributorNetwork - According to a blog post from Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune, the environmentalist organization accepted millions of donated dollars from the natural gas industry to fight against coal-fired plants nationwide. Here are the details.

Fire at Moscow nuclear institute, Russia says no risk (Reuters)
Reuters - There was no risk of a radiation leak after a fire broke out at a Moscow nuclear research center housing a non-operational 60-year-old atomic reactor Sunday, said officials, but Greenpeace Russia expressed serious concern about the incident.