WASHINGTON - NEARLY twice as many US army soldiers today compared to six years ago are either alcoholic or engage in damaging behaviour such as binge drinking, according to army statistics.

Data shows more than 11 soldiers per 1,000 were diagnosed as suffering from alcoholism or alcohol abuse problems in the first six months of this year, a jump from 6.1 per 1,000 in 2003.

SYDNEY - AN AUSTRALIAN stroke victim paralysed for more than 20 years has walked again thanks to anti-wrinkle drug botox, in a case hailed as extraordinary by his medical team.

Russell McPhee, 49, was confined to a wheelchair after suffering a severe stroke 23 years ago that left him so disabled that doctors initially told him he would never leave hospital.

PHILADELPHIA - GOOGLE'S Street View cameras are now travelling by bike to capture images of some areas not accessible by cars.

The tricycle, mounted with an 8-foot (2 1/2-meter) high camera, has been rolling around the pedestrian walkways of the University of Pennsylvania to collect panoramic images of the campus for Google Maps' Street View feature, which gives users detailed, street-level views of map locations over the Internet.