Iran opens first phase of largest solar power plant in Isfahan
Iran has opened the first phase of its largest solar power plant as part of a major government programme to expand renewable energy capacity....
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams completed an unexpectedly long 286-day mission on the ISS, returning to Earth aboard a SpaceX capsule after delays caused by technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth on Tuesday, landing off Florida's coast after nine months in space. Their return followed a prolonged mission that faced several challenges, including issues with Boeing's Starliner, which disrupted their initial plans for a short stay on the International Space Station (ISS).
Originally intended as an eight-day test flight, their mission in Starliner was delayed after problems with the spacecraft’s propulsion system. This led to them being included in NASA’s Crew-9 rotation, with their return aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.
The astronauts undocked from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. ET (0505 GMT) and, after a 17-hour journey, splashed down at 5:57 p.m. ET (2157 GMT), about 50 miles off Florida’s Gulf Coast. The crew, which also included two other astronauts, used parachutes to slow their descent from 17,000 mph to a safe landing speed of 17 mph.
After landing, NASA’s Steve Stich confirmed that Wilmore and Williams would undergo health checks before returning to their families. The mission had attracted political attention, with U.S. President Donald Trump calling for an expedited return, alleging political motives behind the delay. In response, NASA accelerated Crew-9’s schedule, ensuring the astronauts' return earlier than planned.
During their 286-day mission, Wilmore and Williams conducted numerous science experiments aboard the ISS. Williams, now with 608 total days in space, ranks second in U.S. astronaut history. Wilmore’s mission was his second, having previously spent time on the ISS.
Boeing's Starliner, which had hoped to compete with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, faced further setbacks, and NASA indicated that another uncrewed test flight may be required before Starliner can regularly carry astronauts.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
A deadly mass shooting early on Monday (7 July) in Philadelphia's Grays Ferry neighbourhood left three men dead and nine others wounded, including teenagers, as more than 100 shots were fired.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Dozens of international and domestic flights were cancelled or delayed after Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted on Monday, but Bali’s main airport remains operational.
French member of parliament Olivier Marleix was found dead at his home on Monday, with suicide being considered a possible cause.
UK authorities have raised an amber heat health alert for much of southern England, warning that the ongoing heatwave could lead to a rise in deaths.
Floods driven by climate change are raising the danger of long-banned toxic chemicals resurfacing in rivers, soil, and food chains, according to a new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report.
Israel is expected to submit a new withdrawal map today during ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Doha, Qatar, as talks face challenges over the size of the buffer zone around Gaza.
Widespread wildfires have engulfed the Alawenat Oasis in southwestern Libya, with flames spreading into residential areas and causing panic among local communities, according to state media.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reaffirmed his “unconditional support” for all actions taken by Russia to resolve the Ukraine war, during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to North Korean state media.
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