The Night Note: 1/13/09

The following stories are brought to you by the fine folks on the News4 assignment desk.

ISRAEL APOLOGIZES TO TURKEY OVER SNUB
Israel has apologized to Turkey in an effort to defuse a row over the treatment of its envoy in Tel Aviv.

Israel's prime minister said he hoped this "would end the affair".

Ankara had threatened to withdraw the ambassador unless it received a formal apology from Israel by Wednesday evening. (BBC News)

SOURCES: ARENAS OWNED SEVERAL HUNDRED GUNS
As a grand jury continues to hear the details of the gun incident involving Gilbert Arenas, WTOP has learned the Washington Wizards' star has -- at times -- owned several hundred guns.

Multiple sources tell WTOP that Arenas moved those weapons out of his Virginia home within the past year, long before the incident at the Verizon Center.

By all accounts, the guns in Arenas' collection were legally owned, yet it's unclear how many he actually owned or still owns. (WTOP)

MYSTERY OBJECT TO WHIZ BY EARTH ON WEDNESDAY
 A mystery object from space is about to whiz close by Earth on Wednesday. It won't hit our planet, but scientists are stumped by what exactly it is.

Astronomers say it may be space junk or it could be a tiny asteroid, too small to cause damage even if it hit. It's 33 to 50 feet wide at most.

NASA says that on Wednesday at 7:47 a.m. EST, it will streak by, missing Earth by about 80,000 miles. In the western United States it may be bright enough to be seen with a good amateur telescope. (Yahoo News)

SEA SLUG: HALF-PLANT, HALF-ANIMAL
A green sea slug appears to be part animal, part plant. It's the first critter discovered to produce the plant pigment chlorophyll.

The sneaky slugs seem to have stolen the genes that enable this skill from algae that they've eaten. With their contraband genes, the slugs can carry out photosynthesis — the process plants use to convert sunlight into energy. (MSNBC)

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