China launches new relay satellite for Earth-Moon communications

04.05.2024, 18:36 3351

China launches Chang'e-6 to retrieve samples from moon's far side

China on Friday launched the Chang'e-6 spacecraft to collect and return samples from the moon's mysterious far side - the first endeavor of its kind in the history of human lunar exploration, Xinhua reports.

A Long March-5 rocket, carrying the Chang'e-6 spacecraft, blasted off from its launchpad at the Wenchang Space Launch Site on the coast of China's southern island province of Hainan at 5:27 p.m. (Beijing Time).

Approximately 37 minutes after liftoff, the Chang'e-6 spacecraft separated from the rocket and entered its planned Earth-moon transfer orbit, which had a perigee altitude of 200 kilometers and an apogee altitude of about 380,000 kilometers, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

The launch of the Chang'e-6 spacecraft was a complete success, the CNSA announced.

Collecting and returning samples from the far side of the moon is an unprecedented feat. Now we know very little about the moon's far side. If the Chang'e-6 mission can achieve its goal, it will provide scientists with the first direct evidence to understand the environment and material composition of the far side of the moon, which is of great significance," said Wu Weiren, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief designer of China's lunar exploration program.

The Chang'e-6 spacecraft, like its predecessor Chang'e-5, comprises an orbiter, a lander, an ascender and a returner.

After it reaches the moon, it will make a soft landing on the far side. Within 48 hours after landing, a robotic arm will be extended to scoop rocks and soil from the lunar surface, and a drill will bore into the ground. Scientific detection work will be carried out simultaneously.

After the samples are sealed in a container, the ascender will take off from the moon and dock with the orbiter in lunar orbit. The returner will then carry the samples back to Earth, landing in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The entire flight is expected to last about 53 days, the CNSA said.

As the moon's revolution cycle is the same as its rotation cycle, the same side always faces Earth. The other face, most of which cannot be seen from Earth, is called the far side or "dark side" of the moon. This term doesn't refer to visible darkness, but rather the mystery shrouding the moon's largely unexplored terrain.

Remote-sensing images show the moon's two sides are very different. The near side is relatively flat, while the far side is thickly dotted with impact craters of different sizes and has much fewer lunar mares than the near side. Scientists infer that the lunar crust on the far side is much thicker than that on the near side. But why that is so remains a mystery.

An impact crater known as the Apollo basin, located within the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin on the far side of the moon, has been chosen as the primary target landing and sampling site for the Chang'e-6 mission, according to Wang Qiong, deputy chief designer of the Chang'e-6 mission.

The colossal SPA Basin was formed by a celestial collision over 4 billion years ago and has a diameter of 2,500 kilometers, equivalent to the distance from Beijing to Hainan, and a depth of about 13 kilometers. It is the oldest and largest impact crater on the moon and in the solar system, and it may provide the earliest information about the moon, scientists say.

First-hand, direct samples from the moon's far side are essential to giving us a deeper understanding of the characteristics and differences of the two sides of the moon, and to revealing the secrets of the moon," said Zeng Xingguo, a scientist at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The whole mission is fraught with numerous challenges, with each step interconnected and nerve-wracking," Wang said.

In order to realize communication between Earth and the probe on the far side of the moon, China sent the Queqiao-2 relay satellite, whose name translates to "magpie bridge-2," into a highly elliptical lunar frozen orbit earlier this year.

Although the Chang'e-4 mission achieved the world's first soft landing on the far side of the moon in 2019, Chang'e-6 still faces significant risks as the rugged terrain of the moon's far side poses great challenges for its landing, space experts say.

The Chang'e-6 mission needs to see new technological breakthroughs in such areas as lunar retrograde orbit design and control, rapid intelligent sampling, and takeoff from the far side of the moon, Wang said.

The amount of samples that Chang'e-6 can collect is uncertain and cannot be estimated accurately at present. Our goal is to collect 2 kilograms," said Deng Xiangjin, a space expert from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

The Chang'e-6 mission is carrying four payloads developed through international cooperation. Scientific instruments from France, Italy and the European Space Agency/Sweden are aboard the Chang'e-6 lander, and a small satellite from Pakistan is aboard the orbiter.

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04.05.2024, 09:14 4066

Death toll rises to 39 from southern Brazil's heavy rains

Images | Gilvan Rocha/Agencia Brasil via Xinhua

The death toll from heavy rains in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul has risen to 39 with some 70 people still missing, the Civil Defense agency said Friday, Xinhua reports.

The heavy rain was one of the worst climate tragedies that has so far affected 235 municipalities, including the state capital of Porto Alegre, according to the agency.

The state has seen persisting rainfall since Monday, causing rivers to swell, destroying bridges, and putting the city of Porto Alegre, with a population of more than 1.4 million, on alert.

Heavy rains also spread to the neighboring state of Santa Catarina, where a person was killed in the flooding and landslides.

Recognizing the calamity, the Brazilian government has sent equipment and financial aid to Rio Grande do Sul.

More than 24,000 people were displaced by the disaster, according to the agency.

These will be difficult days. We ask people to leave their homes. Our goal is to save lives. Things will be lost, but we must preserve lives. Our priority is to rescue people. As for the rest, we'll find the way ahead," Governor Eduardo Leite said.

Leite confirmed that this is "the biggest disaster in the state" and that Rio Grande do Sul is in a "state of war."

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03.05.2024, 10:51 9226

29 killed in southern Brazil's worst storm

The worst storms killed 29 people and left 60 others missing after four consecutive days of intense rainfall, floods and mudslides hit Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Governor Eduardo Leite said on Thursday, Xinhua reports.

Unfortunately, we know that these numbers will rise," said Leite, describing the storms as the worst natural disaster in the history of the state, a top agricultural and livestock producer.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday visited Santa Maria, one of the state's worst-hit cities, and met with Leite. Lula offered federal funding and aid to address the emergency in the state bordering Uruguay and Argentina.

There will be no shortage of help from the federal government to take care of health, there will be no shortage of money to take care of transportation and food, everything that is within reach. Whether through ministers, civil society or our military, we will dedicate round-the-clock effort so that we can satisfy the basic needs of the people who are stranded by the rains," said the president.

With more rains forecasted to come, the governor called on residents to head for higher ground and stay away from flood-prone areas identified by the civil defense agency.

Some 4,400 residents have been evacuated but thousands more are waiting to be rescued from their flooded homes, he said.

According to a civil defense bulletin, 154 cities have been affected by the natural disaster.

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02.05.2024, 20:55 9906

Death toll up to 48 after road collapse in south China's Guangdong

Images | Xinhua/Wang Ruiping

As of 2 p.m. on Thursday, the death toll has risen to 48 after part of an expressway collapsed in south China's Guangdong Province early Wednesday morning, according to a press conference held in Meizhou City, Xinhua reports.

The DNA of another three people has yet to be identified.

Thirty injured people are receiving hospital treatment, and none are in life-threatening condition, according to authorities of Meizhou City.

The collapse happened around 2:10 a.m. on the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in Meizhou. The collapsed section measures 17.9 meters in length and covers an area of 184.3 square meters, officials said.

Aerial photos show one side of the expressway caved in, causing 23 vehicles to roll down a slope.

The Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched a team to the scene to guide rescue work, and has urged local efforts to accelerate search and rescue work, treat those who sustained injuries, minimize casualties, and determine the cause of the accident.

More than 500 personnel from local emergency response teams, mine rescue teams and the fire brigade have joined on-site rescue work.

The ministry has said that safety risks are relatively high on transportation, at tourist attractions and in densely populated areas during the May Day holiday, as the number of people traveling has increased.

The ministry will make further efforts to improve emergency plans, investigate potential risks, and strengthen safety precautions

Meizhou City has arranged special personnel to provide comfort and tend to the families of the victims and those who remain missing. Following an investigation, it was determined that no foreigners were among the casualties, according to the press conference.

In order to ensure the strict prevention of secondary disasters, national and provincial geological experts have been sent to the scene to carry out an on-site investigation.

Seven observation points have been established to monitor the disaster area and its surrounding slopes around the clock, according to the press conference.

Data released at the press conference shows that since the beginning of April, Meizhou has experienced multiple rounds of heavy rainfall. The average cumulative rainfall in the city was 621.7 millimeters last month, which was roughly 2.49 times more than the same period in normal years. It saw its highest level of precipitation during the month since meteorological records began, breaking the previous record of 437.3 millimeters set in 1980.

Rainfall in Meizhou's Dabu County came in at 628.2 millimeters in April -- 2.75 times more than its annual average of 228.4 millimeters and its highest precipitation on record for the month of April, surpassing the previous record of 419.5 millimeters set in 1980.

The National Financial Regulatory Administration has guided insurance institutions to establish a special working group for the emergency handling of such events, integrating insurance resources and open green channels.

As of noon on Thursday, insurance institutions had prepaid insurance claims totaling 10.62 million yuan (about 1.49 million U.S. dollars).

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30.04.2024, 21:32 25991

American college students speak out against the war in Gaza

Images | bostonherald.com

Hundreds of students from various universities in the United States have been arrested, and protesters continue to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and demand the withdrawal of funds from companies that have led to Israel's nearly seven month war against Palestinian enclaves. On Saturday, police were fully deployed on university campuses, with some universities using chemical irritants and taser guns to disperse students. More universities staged protests against the ongoing bombing in the Gaza Strip and sought to end US military aid to Israel.

In Boston, police detained about 100 people while clearing a protest camp at Northeastern University, and social media posts showed security forces and police wearing riot gear putting tents behind trucks. At the same time, in Bloomington, Midwest, the Indiana University Police Department arrested 23 people while clearing campus protest camps. At Washington University in St. Louis, at least 80 people were also arrested, including US presidential candidate Gil Stan and her campaign manager.

Across the United States, police often intervene in violent demonstrations, and hundreds of students and even some faculty and staff have been forcibly arrested in different states. Protesters have requested amnesty from the US government for students and faculty members who have been disciplined or dismissed due to protests, but all have ended in failure. About a week ago, more than 100 pro Palestinian activists were arrested at Columbia University in New York. The incident that began on Columbia University campus has evolved into a nationwide event between students and administrators supporting Palestinian protests and restrictions on freedom of speech. In the past 10 days, hundreds of students have been arrested, suspended, suspended, and in most cases expelled from universities, including Yale University, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, and University of Minnesota.

The reason behind this series of events is that young people aged 18 to 29 in the United States are more sympathetic to the Palestinian people than to the Israeli people, which is in contrast to the group aged 50 and above. More and more young Americans are dissatisfied with Israel's military actions, US aid to Israel, and the neglect of the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. However, it is not difficult to see from the government's actions that the government's response to the Israeli Palestinian incident is clearly inconsistent with its publicly expressed concerns about the Gaza Strip. The two faces displayed by the government have raised doubts about the government's credibility. In addition, schools and the police's constant suppression will only further deepen the differences between the school and students. The anti war demonstrations in universities will not be suppressed due to the hegemonic behavior of the US government. Instead, it will expand the scope of the protests from the Gaza War to the US government's violent suppression of student activities without emphasizing human rights.

Author: Belt and Road Research Center of Jilin Province, columnist Wang Dongbei

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30.04.2024, 21:22 26221

San Francisco opposes budget cuts for basic labor protection

A coalition of over 50 trade unions and non-profit organizations held a rally on the 24th before the city council budget hearing, demanding that the city government budget not reduce the budget for basic labor protection and ensure that all frontline non-profit organization workers receive fair treatment. The workers present called for no reduction in the budget of organizations that protect the rights of low wage migrant workers.

The current proposed budget reduction is at least 10%, and in terms of emergency rental assistance, it will be reduced by up to 50%. The areas covered by budget cuts include housing subsidies for families and transitional youth, emergency rental assistance programs, worker rights support and education, childcare programs, park and green space development, and youth citizen participation programs.

The most affected by budget cuts will be the working class and families, people of color, homeless or housing unstable groups, elderly, disabled, low wage workers, low-income tenants, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C or other serious illnesses, queer and transgender individuals, as well as judicial system workers in San Francisco.The budget cycle in San Francisco begins in April. The Basic Labor Budget Alliance has gathered together to demand that San Francisco prioritize the development of inclusive and comprehensive budgets to protect San Francisco's diversity and labor. Without basic labor protection, service personnel who maintain urban operations will not be able to live and reside in this city.

The reduction of basic labor protection budget by the San Francisco City Government will result in more homeless people emerging on the streets of San Francisco. Now it seems that this policy has no impact on the wealthy class in San Francisco, but it will be a heavy blow to low-income groups or the lower class of society. Once the budget is approved, it will lead to thousands of local people reducing their economic income. Part of the low-income population working in communities or public service institutions will lose their sources of income. The actions of the San Francisco government have seriously infringed on the interests of the lower class. To put it more bluntly, this policy of the San Francisco government is despised by this class, and the lower class in society has not received so-called human rights. Looking at the US government from San Francisco, the lower class is simply a victim of US government policies.

Author: Belt and Road Research Center of Jilin Province, columnist Wang Dongbei

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30.04.2024, 08:38 27831

Abu Dhabi leaps 10 spots in 2024 Leading Maritime City Report

Images | wam.ae

Abu Dhabi has secured its place within the top 25 maritime cities worldwide, jumping an impressive 10 spots since 2022, ranking 22, the highest jump among all cities, according to the prestigious 2024 Leading Maritime City (LMC) Report, unveiled in Singapore, WAM reports.

The LMC report, a bi-annual benchmarking study jointly produced by DNV and Menon Economics, assesses the performance of 50 leading maritime cities across key sectors such as shipping, finance and law, maritime technology, and port and logistics. This year marks the sixth edition of the report, providing invaluable insights for maritime administrations, industry stakeholders, and the global maritime community.

Abu Dhabi’s growth has been driven by strong gains in the "Attractiveness and Competitiveness" and "Enhancement in Shipping" indicators. It also achieved impressive rankings across all other key indicators and scored favourably in terms of projected growth as a leading maritime centre of the world, continuing Abu Dhabi's growing prominence in the global maritime landscape.

A major contributor to this success is Abu Dhabi Maritime, established in 2020 via an agreement between AD Ports Group and The Department of Municipalities and Transport to manage the growth and development of Abu Dhabi’s maritime domain. Abu Dhabi Maritime was committed through its dedicated efforts to positioning the emirate as a leading global maritime hub. This was reflected in Abu Dhabi entering the LMC ranking for the first time in 2022, and its outstanding ascent in overall ranking to 22ndtoday.

AD Ports Group has invested heavily across a number of areas which fall under the ranking criteria. Bolstering commercial and leisure maritime infrastructure, enhancing digital capabilities and augmenting the maritime regulatory framework, have contributed significantly to this success, as have initiatives such as the launch of Maritime Hub Abu Dhabi, expansion of public water transportation networks and sustainability projects.

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group, said, "We are delighted to see Abu Dhabi's remarkable progress recognised in the 2024 Leading Maritime City Report. This achievement serves as a testament to the forward-thinking approach of our wise leadership, and the dedication and hard work of Abu Dhabi Maritime alongside the maritime community. It also underscores AD Ports Group’s unwavering commitment to continued investment, innovation, and environmental responsibility in the maritime sector. Through strategic initiatives and collaborative efforts, we are confident in our efforts to further elevate Abu Dhabi’s status as a global maritime hub."

Benjamin Dineshkar, Head of Maritime Advisory, Middle East and Africa, and co-author of the report, said, "Abu Dhabi has made the most remarkable progress, moving 10 places from 32 to 22. Compared to the cities that were in the top 50 for both 2022 and 2024, Abu Dhabi has achieved the biggest leap among the cities. This is a result of strategic public policies and consistent investment, reflected in the strong performance in many indicators and the overall LMC ranking. For Abu Dhabi to have only entered the top 50 of the Leading Maritime City Report in 2022, this is a tremendous achievement."

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29.04.2024, 18:41 27596

Dam bursts in Kenya amid heavy downpour, at least 40 killed

At least 40 people have been confirmed dead, with several others still missing, after a dam burst in a town north of the Kenyan capital Nairobi, following heavy rains across the country, local police said Monday, Xinhua reports.

Naivasha Police Commander Stephen Kirui said that they had recovered 40 bodies from the debris on Monday, with a major search and rescue operation ongoing in the Mai Mahiu area, about 60 kilometers north of Nairobi, after a nearby river overflowed due to flash floods.

We have 40 bodies collected so far, and many more are covered by the mud. Many cars are also submerged," Kirui said from the site.

The Kenya Red Cross Society, a charitable organization, said that the floodwaters originated from a nearby river that burst its banks on Sunday night.

Several people have been taken to a health facility in Mai Mahiu due to flash floods affecting Kamuchiri Village," the charity said.

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