In astronomy, a variable star designation is a unique identifier given to variable stars. It uses a variation on the Bayer designation format, with an identifying label preceding the Latin genitive of the name of the constellation in which the star lies. See List of constellations for a list of constellations and the genitive forms of their names; the identifying label can be a V plus a number. Examples are R YZ Ceti, V603 Aquilae; the current naming system is: Stars with existing Greek letter Bayer designations are not given new designations. Otherwise, start with the letter R and go through Z. Continue with RR... RZ use SS... SZ, TT... TZ and so on until ZZ. Use AA... AZ, BB... BZ, CC... CZ and so on until reaching QZ, omitting J in both the first and second positions. Abandon the Latin script after 334 combinations of letters and start naming stars with V335, V336, so on; the second letter is never nearer the beginning of the alphabet than the first, e.g. no star can be BA, CA, CB, DA and so on. In the early 19th century few variable stars were known, so it seemed reasonable to use the letters of the Latin script.

Because few constellations contained stars with uppercase Latin-letter Bayer designation greater than Q, the letter R was chosen as a starting point so as to avoid confusion with letter spectral types or the Latin-letter Bayer designations. Although Lacaille had used uppercase R to Z letters in a few cases, for example X Puppis, these designations were either dropped or accepted as variable star designations; the star T Puppis was accepted by Argelander as a variable star and is included in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars with that designation but is now classed as non-variable. This variable star naming convention was developed by Friedrich W. Argelander. There is a widespread belief according to which Argelander chose the letter R for German rot or French rouge, both meaning "red", because many variable stars known at that time appear red. However, Argelander's own statement disproves this. By 1836 the letter S had only been used in one constellation, Serpens. With the advent of photography the number of variables piled up and variable star names soon fell into the Bayer trap of reaching the end of the alphabet while still having stars to name.

After two subsequent supplementary double-lettering systems hit similar limits, numbers were introduced. As with all categories of astronomical objects, names are assigned by the International Astronomical Union; the IAU delegates the task to the Sternberg Astronomical Institute in Russia. Sternberg publishes the General Catalog of Variable Stars, periodically amended by the publication of a new "Name-List" of variable stars. For example, in December 2011 the 80th Name-List of Variable Stars, Part II, was released, containing designations for 2,161 discovered variable stars. Among the newly designated objects were V0654 Aurigae, V1367 Centauri, BU Coronae Borealis. Star catalogue Star designation Samus, N. N.. "VizieR Online Data Catalog: General Catalogue of Variable Stars". VizieR On-line Data Catalog: B/GCVS. Published in: 2009yCat....102025S. 1: B/gcvs. Bibcode:2009yCat....102025S. "The names and catalogues of variable stars". Les étoiles variables - The variable stars. Retrieved 2005-11-06

Foxbat is a 1977 Hong Kong English-language action film directed by Po-Chih Leong. It is based on an original story by Philip Chan and Po-Chih Leong, loosely inspired by the defection of Soviet pilot Lt. Viktor Belenko, it was the first English-language production for the Hong Kong-based producer-director. English filmmaker Terence Young made some contributions to the script, which led to him being advertised as a co-director in many countries, though he was not involved in the actual shooting of the film. An international race is being waged to obtain the blueprints of a MIG-25 Foxbat Soviet fighter plane that has landed in Japan. Michael Saxon, an undercover U. S. spy, has secretly taken photos of the aircraft, now he faces overwhelming odds to transport the microfilm back to his home country. While Saxon bides time in Hong Kong, a Chinese cook accidentally swallows the microfilm, unwittingly becomes a target as well. Vonetta McGee as Toni Hill Henry Silva as Michael Saxon Rik Van Nutter as Crays Roy Chiao as Doctor Vod James Yi Lui as Cheung Gigo Tevzadze as Mr. Lamont Melvin Wong as Bodyguard Hung Wong as Musad Fred Marshall as Dahlbeck Nick Lam Wai Kei as Boris Philip Chan as Lee Chin-tai Tse as Sung Mei-te Tan as Mrs. Lamont Chung-hsin Tang as Chow The film was released in Hong Kong under the title Woo fook on December 15, 1977.

While not receiving a US theatrical release, it was subsequently broadcast on CBS television. Foxbat on IMDb

Yves Debay, a veteran French-Belgian war correspondent and reported for French-language magazines Raids and Assaut, published out of Boulogne-Billancourt, France. He was the first Belgian journalist to be killed in Syria. Yves Debay was born in Élisabethville, Belgian Congo, he first enlisted in the Belgian army in 1975 and was a tank commander before turning to mercenary activities. In 1987, he became a French citizen. Yves Debay was a former soldier who exchanged his gun for a pen and became a journalist specialising in military issues for war enthusiasts. In the late 1970s, Debay served in the Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment during the Rhodesian Bush War, 44 Parachute Brigade in the South African army during the South African Border War and had a career as a journalist writing for Gazette des Armes. Debay was one of the founders of Raids in 1986 and worked for the French-language magazine for over 20 years covering military and war issues. In 2005, he founded his own military magazine called Assaut, for which he served as publisher and journalist.

As a war correspondent, he covered wars in Afghanistan, both Iraq wars, the Balkans and Syria. Little is known about the circumstances. An anonymous source, described in the media as an activist, told the French news agency Agence France-Presse, ".. it seems like he entered a dangerous street where the army and pro-regime militia were positioned" before he was killed by a sniper. The source claimed to have deposited his body in Bab al-Salama, a border checkpoint for Northern Syria and Turkey. Yves Debay and Marie Colvin were among the most experienced war correspondents who were killed while covering the Syrian civil war. While a hostage situation was ongoing in Algiers after France's intervention in Mali, French President François Hollande issued an official statement, "France condemns this heinous act and expresses to the family and friends of Yves Debay its condolences and solidarity... France pays tribute to Yves Debay and other journalists who, in Syria, pay with their lives for their commitment to freedom of information."

Wildcat, Carnets de guerre d'un journaliste rebelle. List of journalists killed during the Syrian civil war Battle of Aleppo Lord Richard Cecil Assaut