It is believed the first ship to have sent out an SOS signal was the American steamer Arapahoe in 1909.

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In the case of danger, it lets you make an SOS call just by pressing a single button.

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Just as baffled are two U.S. experts who flew to Sarawak after seeing an SOS appeal on the Internet.

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In the case of danger for ourselves, a simple button will make an SOS call to someone pre-selected by us.

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That's when the rebels launched an advance toward the capital, Bamako, and Mali's president sent out an SOS to Paris and the U.N.

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Sherman thought he was sending an SOS signal to the world by activating an "epirb" -- short for emergency position indicating radiobeacon -- which is a satellite-connecting beacon that resembles a floatable walkie-talkie.

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It also has an SOS facility.

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"We want help, we want help, " they chanted for the television cameras, an impromptu SOS to the outside world.

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In 1906, SOS was established as an international distress signal at the Berlin Radio Conference.

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With an opening to the world, he dispatched another SOS: He tethered the epirb to a line and tossed it into the roiling seas.

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Fifa will also use the event as an opportunity to publicise its "6 villages for 2006" charity campaign in conjunction with SOS Children's Villages.

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