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Elon Musk sets low expectations before first SpaceX launch of Starship, most powerful rocket ever built

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:47:08 GMT

(CNN) — Just a few months after NASA introduced the world to the most powerful rocket ever flown to orbit, Elon Musk’s SpaceX is prepared to set off its own creation — which could pack nearly twice the power of anything flown before.SpaceX’s vehicle, called Starship, is currently sitting on a launch pad at the company’s facilities on the southern Texas coastline. The company is targeting liftoff at 8 a.m. CT (9 a.m. ET) on Monday, although it has the ability to take off anytime between 8 a.m. CT (9 a.m. ET) and 9:30 a.m. CT (10:30 a.m. ET).“I guess I’d like to just set expectations low,” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said during a Twitter “Spaces” event for his subscribers Sunday evening. “If we get far enough away from launch pad before something goes wrong, then I think I would consider that to be a success. Just don’t blow up the pad.”He added: “There’s a good chance that it gets postponed since ...

Noxious odor at Nashville airport leads FAA to issue a temporary ground stop

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:47:08 GMT

(CNN) — A ground stop was temporarily issued at Nashville International Airport after a noxious odor was detected on one of the airport’s concourses Sunday afternoon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.The FAA said the stop was ordered “to facilitate the safe resumption of operations.”The airport evacuated Concourse C due to the presence of the odor around 2:42 p.m. Sunday, and the Metropolitan Nashville Fire Department conducted air quality testing and determined there were no air contaminants, the airport said.“Test results indicate that the sample was a solvent, Butoxyethyl Acetate, commonly used in lacquers, varnishes, enamels and resins,” the airport said in a tweet. “Additional air quality testing was also completed and no contaminants were discovered.”The FAA later lifted their ground stop, allowing flights to resume. Concourse C was “deemed safe” by the incident commander and restored to full...

Chicago baseball report: Cubs catcher Yan Gomes’ perfect base-stealing record — and what the White Sox are doing about walks

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:47:08 GMT

Cody Bellinger’s return to Dodger Stadium could not have played out much better.He received a pregame tribute and cheers Friday, robbed Jason Heyward of a home run Saturday and slugged a no-doubt homer Sunday as part of the Chicago Cubs’ series win against the Los Angeles Dodgers. His homer Sunday, the second of back-to-back home runs with Patrick Wisdom, stood as the winning run in a 3-2 victory.Bellinger’s 422-foot home run at 108.1 mph was his hardest-hit ball of any kind since 2020.“I had a lot of fun and I tried to enjoy every second of it,” Bellinger said. “You only come back for the first time one time. I really just wanted to soak in the moment and to have a fun time with the fans.”Although his second child is due any day, Bellinger said after the game he still planned to fly with the team Sunday night to Oakland.“We need to keep that (bun) in the oven and let that settle in while he’s rolling,” manager David Ross j...

US ready to lend Poland $4 billion for nuclear energy plan

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:47:08 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A project to develop small nuclear power reactors in Poland is moving forward, with a cooperation agreement between the Polish energy giant ORLEN and two U.S. government financial institutions signed Monday.Poland is turning toward renewable and noncarbon energy, away from its past reliance on its own coal. Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has also accelerated Poland’s drive to cut its dependence on Russian oil and gas.In a ceremony at the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Warsaw, the U.S. EXIM Bank signed a letter of interest in lending up to $3 billion and the U.S International Development Finance Corporation signed a letter of interest to lend up to $1 billion to the ORLEN Synthos Green Energy project for developing some 20 small modular reactors designed by GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy.U.S. Ambassador Mark Brzezinski stressed that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine almost 14 months ago reinforced the need to turn toward safe and reliable energy sources.At a later ne...

David Furones’ 2023 NFL mock draft: Who will Dolphins take in the second round at pick No. 51?

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:47:08 GMT

The South Florida Sun Sentinel’s second 2023 NFL mock draft features Dolphins beat writer David Furones making selections through pick No. 51, the Dolphins’ first pick in this year’s draft. The NFL draft is April 27-29 in Kansas City.Note: Projected trades were factored into this mock draft.1. Carolina Panthers (from Chicago): Bryce Young, QB, AlabamaIt’s close between Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, but the Panthers, after all they traded for the top pick, overlook Young’s size and take him for what he showed on film.Top needs: QB, Edge rusher, ILB2. Houston Texans: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio StateThe natural selection after Carolina takes Young, the Texans will be happy with whichever top quarterback the Panthers pass on.Top needs: QB, Edge, WR3. Indianapolis Colts (projected trade with Arizona): Anthony Richardson, QB, FloridaThe Cardinals trade out of this spot. There’s a lot of momentum for the Tennessee Titans to jump up from 11, but th...

Fast field gathers for start of 127th Boston Marathon

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:47:08 GMT

The fastest and most-decorated elite field ever to assemble in Hopkinton is getting ready to cross the start line for the 127th Boston Marathon on Monday.The group includes world record holders, Olympic and Paralympic medalists, winners of major marathons from 27 countries and a dozen Boston Marathon champions, according to the Boston Athletic Association, which administers the prestigious race. World record-holder Eliud Kipchoge is making his Boston Marathon debut.On Saturday, the city marked the 10-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. The 2013 race was interrupted when two backpack bombs exploded on Boylston Street, steps from the finish line.About 30,000 athletes will run 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers) to Copley Square in Boston. A light drizzle has made for wet roads at the start and runners could be facing a headwind. The temperature is expected to be in the low 50s.This year the race includes a new division for nonbinary athletes.At 6 a.m. in Hopkinton, race director...

Lucas: Democrats’ choice of Chicago recalls a divided America

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:47:08 GMT

I love the smell of tear gas in the morning.That is a line, in a dark sense of humor, I used to repeat to myself following the anti-Vietnam War riots at the Democrat Party convention in Chicago in 1968.This is a Patriot’s Day lookback at that convention.Tear gas fumes were everywhere during the weeklong, nightmarish clashes between the mobilized anti-Vietnam war demonstrators and the Chicago cops. The smell and fumes were in your clothes, in your hair, in the hotel lobby and in the hotel room you woke up in.While this event will be the twelfth time the party will meet in Chicago, none of the gatherings were or will be as memorable as 1968.The 1968 Chicago convention was marked by a major anti-Vietnam War protest, demonstrations and riots that the tough and equally riotous Chicago cops beat back with tear gas and long clubs.The line, in a flashback, came back to me upon hearing that the Democrats will return to Chicago in August to re-nominate President Joe Biden for a second term—if...

Hong Kong bishop visits Beijing on historic trip

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:47:08 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic bishop arrived in Beijing on Monday, marking the first visit to the Chinese capital by the city’s bishop in nearly three decades, despite signs of Sino-Vatican strains. The five-day trip by Bishop Stephen Chow began about two weeks after Vatican News, the news portal of the Holy See, reported that China had unilaterally appointed a new bishop to Shanghai. Chow, who was named by Pope Francis as the city’s bishop in 2021, earlier said that the visit underscores the mission of the Hong Kong Diocese to be a bridge church and promote exchanges between the two sides. He was invited to visit the Chinese capital by his counterpart there. China’s ruling Communist Party closely controls organized religion, which it sees as a potential threat to its monopoly on power. People are allowed to worship in institutions that abide by party rules. Some Christians have set up underground churches, which are considered illegal and harassed by...

Algonquin Power & Utilities terminates deal to buy Kentucky Power

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:47:08 GMT

OAKVILLE, Ont. — Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. says it has agreed with American Electric Power to terminate its deal to buy Kentucky Power Company and AEP Kentucky Transmission Co. Inc.AQN chief executive Arun Banskota says the company’s board of directors and management team decided that continuing with the transaction is not in the best interest of the company. He says they made the decision to cancel the deal, which was first announced in October 2021, “in light of the evolving macro environment.”The company says it is not required to pay a termination fee.AQN says it continues to estimate that its adjusted net earnings per common share for the 2023 financial year will be in a range of 55 cents to 61 cents.AQN expects to release its first quarter financial results on May 11, before market open.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:AQN)The Canadian Press

Macron speaks: French leader aims to calm pension storm

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:47:08 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron is aiming to calm public anger that threatens the ambitions of his remaining four years in power with a first televised address to the nation on Monday since he enacted protest-igniting pension reforms.The evening address kicks off a likely arduous battle for the second-term president to repair the damage done to his public image and legislative plans by forcing through an increase in France’s retirement age from 62 to 64. Opponents of the unpopular reform called for people to bang pots and pans outside government offices during the address, with the rallying cry: “Macron won’t listen to us? We won’t listen to him!” Weakened in parliament, where his camp lost its absolute majority in legislative elections last year, Macron’s government needs to reconstruct alliances of lawmakers to push ahead with his legislative program. That’s likely to be an uphill task in the uproarious climate of protest sparked by his retire...