‘Idol’ chemistry is different now, Cowell says

Simon Cowell breaks his silence about a Paula Abdul-less “American Idol” next season in an exclusive interview with the television show “Extra.” In the interview, set to air Friday night, Cowell said he doesn’t want to “get in the middle” between Abdul and of the “American Idol” executives but told “Extra’s” Terri Seymour, his former girlfriend, that the chemistry between the judges is different now.

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Judging the WHO’s Reaction to the H1N1 (Swine Flu) Threat

Few global health decisions have created quite as much commotion as that on April 29, when the World Health Organization , responding to the escalating spread of the H1N1 flu, raised its pandemic alert level for the first time to phase 5, meaning that a full pandemic was considered imminent. As of May 11, the WHO has reported more than 4,600 cases in 30 countries — including 2,600 cases in nearly every state in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — and the threat level remains at phase 5. But over the past two weeks, fears over H1N1 have cooled considerably, as the virus has failed to spread easily outside North America and the number of deaths from the disease has remained low, leaving the WHO fending off critics who questioned whether the international agency overreacted

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Legend Palmer gets 73rd Masters under way

American legend Arnold Palmer got the 73rd Masters tournament at Augusta under way on Thursday by hitting a ceremonial drive up the fairway on the par-four opening hole. Palmer, who will be 80 this year, then retired to watch the action, with 1991 champion Ian Woosnam and American pair Chez Reavie and Briny Baird the first grouping off the tee. Former Masters winners Sandy Lyle, Craig Stadler, Ray Floyd, Gary Player and Woosnam were all among the early starters and all dropped shots over the early few holes.

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Lung cancer vaccine ‘extends terminal patients lives’

Terminal lung cancer patients are living longer thanks to the world’s first registered lung cancer vaccine, a leading Cuban scientist says. Dr. Gisela Gonzalez has spent years researching the vaccine which the Cuban government approved for the use of the general public last year.

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