Life
Elon Musk, visionary Tesla and SpaceX founder
by Glenn CHAPMAN Agence France-Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — From cars to rockets, Elon Musk dreams big. On Tuesday, the South African-born entrepreneur combined both of those passions, blasting one of his Tesla electric cars into space aboard his own rocket. It was the latest feat for the 46-year-old Silicon Valley billionaire who has been hailed as a leading innovator and visionary. Born in Pretoria, on June 28, 1971, the son of an […]
SpaceX launches world’s most powerful rocket toward Mars
CAPE CANAVERAL, United States (AFP) — The world’s most powerful rocket, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, blasted off Tuesday on its highly anticipated maiden test flight, carrying CEO Elon Musk’s cherry red Tesla roadster to an orbit near Mars. Screams and cheers erupted at Cape Canaveral, Florida as the massive rocket fired its 27 engines and rumbled into the blue sky over the same NASA launchpad that served as a base for the US missions to Moon four decades […]
#EBCphotography: British village at Niji no Sato in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
#EBCphotography: Highway by Suruga Bay overlooking Mt. Fuji
#EBCphotography: A mountain park in Shizuoka City in Japan
Zuckerberg acknowledges ‘mistakes’ as Facebook turns 14
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Mark Zuckerberg offered fresh self-criticism Monday, acknowledging making numerous mistakes in building the world’s biggest social network as Facebook marked its 14th birthday. “Over the years, I’ve made almost every mistake you can imagine,” the Facebook co-founder said on his personal page. “I’ve made dozens of technical errors and bad deals. I’ve trusted the wrong people and I’ve put talented people in the wrong roles. I’ve missed important trends […]
Trappist planets have water, may be ‘habitable’: researchers
by Mariëtte Le Roux Agence France Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — Seven planets recently spotted orbiting a dim star in our Milky Way galaxy are rocky, seem to have water, and are potentially “habitable”, researchers studying the distant system said Monday. Though much remains unknown about the planets’ surfaces and atmospheres, the new measurements have not ruled out the possibility that they may harbour even rudimentary life, the scientists reported. “So far, no sign allows […]
SpaceX poised to launch ‘world’s most powerful rocket’
by Kerry SHERIDAN Agence France Presse MIAMI, United States (AFP) — SpaceX is poised for the first test launch Tuesday of its Falcon Heavy, which aims to become the world’s most powerful rocket in operation, capable of ferrying people to the Moon or Mars some day. The launch is the most ambitious yet for SpaceX, and has been hailed by industry experts as a game-changer because of its potential to propel the California-based company to […]
Singapore to amend law after ‘showbiz pastor’ case
SINGAPORE (AFP) — Singapore will amend a law that allowed a megachurch pastor to escape a harsher prison term for fraud despite funnelling millions in church funds into his wife’s music career, a senior official said Monday, following a public backlash. In a case that fascinated Singapore with a heady mix of religion, showbiz and fraud, Kong Hee and five other church leaders were convicted in 2015 of spending Sg$24 million ($19.8 million) from a […]
#EBCphotography: Icy Moscow on a freezingly cold Monday morning
Dubai airport retains top international spot in 2017
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Dubai airport was the world’s busiest for international passengers in 2017 for the fourth year running, with 88.2 milion travellers, the United Arab Emirates’ state news agency WAM said Monday. International traffic at the UAE airport increased by 4.6 million passengers compared to the previous year, WAM said, despite a laptop ban temporarily imposed on its long-haul flights to the United States. A major transit hub situated on transcontinental air routes, […]
