Boeing's maiden astronaut mission concluded on Friday night with an empty capsule landing in New Mexico, while two astronauts who were scheduled to return will remain in space until 2025. NASA concluded that returning on the Boeing Starliner was too risky owing to technological concerns. The mission, which began in June, marked Boeing's long-awaited crew debut, but it encountered numerous problems, including thruster failures and helium leaks. Although Boeing told NASA that the Starliner was safe for the astronauts' return, NASA elected to postpone their travel home, citing safety concerns. Instead, the astronauts will return on a SpaceX spacecraft that is set to launch later this month. This means astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will be in space until February 2025, extending their mission by more than eight months, reported Associated Press. According to the report, Wilmore and Williams were supposed to fly back in June, a week following their launch. However, technical issues arose throughout the journey, prompting NASA to decide against using Starliner for their return. The empty capsule, which was carrying old space station equipment, left on autopilot and landed successfully, despite further thruster difficulties during reentry. NASA's commercial crew program manager, Steve Stich, expressed relief at the safe landing but supported the choice not to have the astronauts onboard, noting that it was the correct option under the circumstances. While Boeing did not attend the post-landing press conference, corporate management delivered a message to employees supporting NASA's decision and applauding the Starliner team's performance, the report added. Boeing has had numerous delays and difficulties in the development of its crew transportation service. After NASA's space shuttles were retired, Boeing and SpaceX were contracted to provide transportation to the International Space Station. However, Boeing's 2019 test flight identified numerous faults, prompting a second test in 2022 to find additional concerns. The whole cost of repairs has surpassed USD 1 billion. SpaceX, on the other hand, has successfully performed nine crew trips for NASA since 2020, with the tenth mission set for later this month. Wilmore and Williams are scheduled to return on that trip. Despite the obstacles, Boeing has committed to continuing the Starliner program, to alternate launches with SpaceX for NASA's crew transport flights until the ISS is decommissioned in 2030. However, the schedule of Boeing's next Starliner trip with astronauts is unknown. Stich stated, "It will take some time to determine the path forward."
07 September,2024 06:50 PM IST | New Mexico | mid-day online correspondentTyphoon Yagi is expected to make landfall in Vietnam's northern regions on Saturday afternoon, prompting airport closures and evacuations. The typhoon has already killed two people and injured around 100 others in China's Hainan province. According to Vietnamese meteorological authorities, Yagi was "one of the most powerful typhoons in the region in the past decade," with wind gusts ranging from 150 to 166 km/h (93 to 103 mph). According to Nguyen Van Huong of Vietnam's National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, it is a level 14 storm, indicating a powerful typhoon, reported Associated Press. Typhoon Yagi to impact areas around Quang Ninh province The report further added that Typhoon Yagi is likely to impact near Quang Ninh province, which is home to the UNESCO World Heritage site Ha Long Bay and has already cancelled hundreds of cruises. Residents in flood-prone areas have been evacuated as a result of several government alerts. Four airports, including those in Hanoi and the port of Haiphong, have been shuttered. Haiphong is home to several significant factories, including VinFast, an EV manufacturer, and Pegatron, an Apple supplier. Authorities in Hanoi clipped trees to decrease the risk of them collapsing, but high winds and rain continue to blow down trees and billboards across northern towns. Local reports reportedly state that numerous moored boats were swept out to sea, the report stated. Typhoon Yagi makes landfall in China, Philippines Yagi made landfall in Wenchang, Hainan province, China, on Friday, with winds gusting to 245 kph (152 mph) in the centre. Chinese officials reported two fatalities and at least 92 injuries. Around 420,000 people were evacuated from Hainan prior to the typhoon's arrival, and another half a million were evacuated from Guangdong province before Yagi made its second landfall in Xuwen County on Friday night. In Hong Kong, more than 270 individuals sought refuge in temporary shelters, and over 100 flights were cancelled. Heavy rain and high winds toppled trees, while stock market trade, financial activities, and schools were halted. Earlier this week, Typhoon Yagi blasted across the northwestern Philippines, killing at least 16 people and leaving 17 more missing, primarily owing to landslides and flooding. More than 47,600 people were displaced, and the storm disrupted classes, work, inter-island ferry services, and domestic flights, including in the capital, Manila.
07 September,2024 02:47 PM IST | Hanoi | mid-day online correspondentA Pakistani national residing in Canada was arrested after being charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a statement by the US Department of Justice said. The 20-year-old arrested accused, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, allegedly planned a terrorist attack in New York City around October 7 "with the intent of slaughtering in the name of ISIS, as many Jewish people as possible," Attorney General Merrick B Garland said, as per the statement. "The defendant was allegedly determined to kill Jewish people here in the United States, nearly one year after Hamas' horrific attack on Israel. This investigation was led by the FBI, and I am proud of the terrific work by the FBI team and our partners to disrupt Khan's plan," FBI Director Christopher Wray said. "The FBI will continue to work closely with our partners to investigate and hold accountable those who seek to commit violence in the name of ISIS or other terrorist organizations. Fighting terrorism remains the FBI's top priority," Wray added. As alleged in the complaint, Khan, attempted to travel from Canada to New York City, where he intended to carry out a mass shooting in support of ISIS at a Jewish center in Brooklyn, New York. Khan began posting on social media and communicating with others on an encrypted messaging application about his support for ISIS in or about November 2023, when, among other things, Khan distributed ISIS propaganda videos and literature. Subsequently, he began communicating with two undercover law enforcement officers, the statement said. Khan repeatedly instructed the undercover law enforcement officers to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and other materials to carry out the attacks, and identified locations where the attacks would take place. Khan also provided details about how he would cross the border from Canada into the United States to conduct the attacks. During these conversations, Khan emphasised that "Oct 7th and Oct 11th are the best days for targeting the Jews" because October 7 is the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel. October 11 is Yom Kippur, a Jewish religious holiday. The Pakistani national is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organisation. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Israel Defense Forces on October 7 last year declared a state of readiness for war following a massive barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip and infiltration of Hamas terrorists into Israel, and the war is on ever since. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 September,2024 09:49 AM IST | New York | ANIUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed for more weapons support during a meeting Friday with top US military leaders and more than 50 partner nations in Germany, as Washington announced it would provide another $250 million in security assistance to Kyiv. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the meeting of the leaders was taking place during a dynamic moment in Ukraine’s fight against Russia, as it conducts its first offensive operations of the war while facing a significant threat from Russian forces near the Donbas. It was Zelensky’s first time in Ramstein to address the group, and he used the public appearance to stress that, in his view, what’s needed most now is for the US and the West to allow him to use the weapons they provided to strike deeper inside Russia—something the US has not supported. “We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the divided territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace,” Zelensky said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 September,2024 09:46 AM IST | Ramstein Air Base | AgenciesAuthorities in Pakistan on Friday reported its first polio case in the capital Islamabad in the last 16 years, a setback to the national efforts aimed at eradicating the crippling virus from the country. According to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio at the National Institute of Health, wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was detected in a child at Union Council Rural 4 of Islamabad. “This is the first human case reported from Islamabad in the last 16 years,” an official statement said, adding that the case marked the 17th polio case in Pakistan this year. “It is heartbreaking that another Pakistani child has been affected by a disease that has no cure but is preventable with a vaccine,” said Ayesha Raza Farooq, the PM’s focal person for polio eradication. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 September,2024 09:46 AM IST | Islamabad | AgenciesA fire in a school dormitory in Kenya killed 17 students and seriously burned 13 others, the police said on Friday. There are fears that the death toll may rise, police said. The cause of the fire on Thursday night at Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri county was being investigated, police spokesperson Resila Onyango said. The school caters to children up to the age of 14. Nyeri County Commissioner Pius Murugu and the education ministry reported that the dormitory that caught fire housed more than 150 boys aged between 10 and 14. Since most of the buildings are built with wooden planks, the fire spread very fast. The school, which has 824 students, is located in the country’s central highlands north of Nairobi, where wooden structures are common. The Nyeri County governor, Mutahi Kahiga, told journalists that rescue efforts were hampered by rain. 150No. of boys housed in the dormitory This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 September,2024 09:46 AM IST | Nairobi | AgenciesIsraeli forces appeared to have withdrawn from three refugee camps in the occupied West Bank by Friday morning, after a more-than weeklong military operation that left dozens dead and a trail of destruction. Overnight, Israeli armored personnel carriers were seen leaving the Jenin refugee camp from a checkpoint set up on one of the main roads, and an Associated Press reporter inside the camp saw no evidence of any remaining troops inside as dawn broke early Friday morning. During the operation, Israeli military officials said they were targeting militants in Jenin, Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camps in an attempt to curb recent attacks against Israeli civilians they say have become more sophisticated and deadly. Troops were pulled out of the Tulkarem camp by Friday morning and had left Al-Faraa earlier, but in a statement the Israeli military suggested the operation was not yet over. The fighting has had a devastating effect on Palestinian civilians in Jenin. Water and electric services have been cut, families have been confined to their homes and ambulances evacuating the wounded have been slowed on their way to nearby hospitals. Transport authority prepares for war Israel’s National Public Transportation Authority on Thursday held discussions, exercises and war games in preparation for a possible war. The exercises were held in light of the recent developments in the region, and as a preparation for the possibility of escalation of fighting with Hezbollah or an Iranian attack. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 September,2024 09:45 AM IST | Jenin Refugee Camp | AgenciesIn his first statement following his arrest in France, Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov, 39, on Friday stated that it was a “misguided approach” to hold him personally responsible for the spread of illicit content on the social media platform. The Russian-born Durov was arrested in France last week and was charged for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the messaging app. On Friday, Durov took to his Telegram channel to post that “he is still trying to understand what happened in France.” Durov said the French authorities should have first approached his companies with their complaints instead of arresting him over the matter. The billionaire has been charged with crimes on Telegram included the spread of child porn. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 September,2024 09:43 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesA powerful typhoon made landfall on the Chinese tropical vacation island of Hainan Friday after it swept south of Hong Kong, bringing many aspects of life in the region to a halt and forcing about a million people in the country’s south to leave their homes. The Hainan province’s meteorological service said Yagi—earlier packing winds of up to about 245 kmph near its center—made landfall in the province’s Wenchang city at around 4.20 pm. It is expected to sweep toward other parts of the island before moving to the Beibu Gulf, it said. China’s national meteorological authorities said Yagi was the strongest autumn typhoon to have landed in China. They predicted it would make a second landfall in Xuwen County in neighboring Guangdong province on Friday night. Ahead of the afternoon landfall, nearly 4,20,000 residents were relocated in Hainan, and so were more than half a million people in Guangdong, state media said. People built sandbag barriers outside buildings to guard against possible floods in Hainan. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
07 September,2024 09:41 AM IST | Hong Kong | AgenciesThe father of the teenager accused of opening fire at a Georgia high school, killing four people and wounding nine, was arrested on various charges including second-degree murder, authorities said. Colin Gray, 54, the father of Colt Gray, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a social media post on Thursday. "These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon," GBI Director Chris Hosey said at an evening news conference. "His charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon." In Georgia, second-degree murder means that a person has caused the death of another person while committing second-degree cruelty to children, regardless of intent. It is punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison, while malice murder and felony murder carry a minimum sentence of life. Involuntary manslaughter means that someone unintentionally causes the death of another person. Authorities have charged 14-year-old Colt Gray as an adult with murder in the shootings Wednesday at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta. Arrest warrants obtained by the AP accuse him of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle in the attack, which killed two students and two teachers and wounded nine other people. The teen denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriff's report obtained Thursday. Conflicting evidence on the post's origin left investigators unable to arrest anyone, the report said. Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum said she reviewed the report from May 2023 and found nothing that would have justified bringing charges at the time. "We did not drop the ball at all on this," Mangum told The Associated Press in an interview. "We did all we could do with what we had at the time." When a sheriff's investigator from neighbouring Jackson County interviewed Gray last year, his father said the boy had struggled with his parents' separation and often got picked on at school. The teen frequently fired guns and hunted with his father, who photographed him with a deer's blood on his cheeks. "He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them," Colin Gray said according to a transcript obtained from the sheriff's office. The teen was interviewed after the sheriff received a tip from the FBI that Colt Gray, then 13, "had possibly threatened to shoot up a middle school tomorrow". The threat was made on Discord, a social media platform popular with video gamers, according to the sheriff's office incident report. The FBI's tip pointed to a Discord account associated with an email address linked to Colt Gray, the report said. But the boy said 'he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner,' according to the investigator's report. The interview transcript quotes the teen as saying: "I promise I would never say something where ..." with the rest of that denial listed as inaudible. The investigator wrote that no arrests were made because of "inconsistent information" on the Discord account, which had profile information in Russian and a digital evidence trail indicating it had been accessed in different Georgia cities as well as Buffalo, New York. The attack was the latest among dozens of school shootings across the US in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida; and Uvalde, Texas. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active-shooter drills. But there has been little change to national gun laws. Classes were canceled Thursday at the Georgia high school, though some people came to leave flowers around the flagpole and kneel in the grass with heads bowed. When the suspect slipped out of math class Wednesday, Lyela Sayarath figured her quiet classmate who recently transferred was skipping school again. But he returned later and wanted back into the room. Some students went to open the locked door but instead backed away. "I'm guessing they saw something, but for some reason, they didn't open the door," Sayarath said. The teen then opened fire in the hallway, authorities said. Sayarath said she heard a barrage of 10 to 15 gunshots. The students fell to the floor and crawled in search of a safe corner to hide. Two school resource officers confronted the shooter within minutes after the gunshots were reported, Hosey said. The teen immediately surrendered. Gray was being held Thursday at a regional youth detention facility. His first court appearance was scheduled for Friday morning. He has been charged in the deaths of students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, according to Hosey. At least nine other people ' eight students and one teacher at the school in Winder ' were wounded and taken to hospitals. All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.
06 September,2024 01:05 PM IST | Winder | APDozens of African leaders gathered Thursday in Beijing for a summit that signals China’s influence in a continent that it hopes will be a key ally in pushing back against the US. Chinese President Xi Jinping promised the leaders billions of dollars in loans and private investment over three years, and proposed that relations with all African countries that have diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the “strategic” level. “We stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly defend our legitimate rights and interests,” he said at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. China has invested heavily in mining for the resources Chinese industry needs, and its development banks have made loans to build railways, roads and other infrastructure under Xi’s Belt and Road program. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 September,2024 07:30 AM IST | Beijing | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
