India’s first ISS astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla returns to earth
Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS), is returning to Earth aboard the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which undocked on Monday. Splashdown is expected off the California coast on 15 July at 3:00 PM IST, Xinhua reported.
Shukla, a decorated Indian Air Force pilot, was part of the four-member Ax-4 crew that arrived at the ISS on 26 June. The team conducted 60 scientific experiments, including seven from India’s space agency ISRO.
Shukla is only the second Indian to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma in 1984. His mission, backed by ISRO, is seen as a key step toward India’s upcoming human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, planned for 2027, according to Xinhua.
Bomb threat emails hit three Delhi schools
Three schools in Delhi received bomb threat emails on Monday, triggering swift action from authorities. The targeted institutions included two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) schools in Prashant Vihar and Dwarka Sector 16, and an Indian Navy school in Chanakyapuri, Xinhua reported.
Police teams, along with bomb disposal and dog squads, conducted thorough searches at all three locations. Nothing suspicious was found, and the threats were confirmed to be hoaxes. An investigation is underway to trace the source of the emails through their IP addresses.
Similar hoax threats in the past have caused widespread disruption in schools, hospitals, airlines, and hotels across India, according to Xinhua.
‘Superman’ soars to no. 1 at North American box office
Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ Superman, directed by James Gunn, debuted at the top of the North American box office this weekend with $122m. The reboot, starring David Corenswet, earned $95m overseas, pushing its global opening to $217m, according to Xinhua.
The film holds an 82 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and received an “A-” CinemaScore from audiences.
In second place, Jurassic World Rebirth earned $40m in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to $232.1m and global gross to $529.5m.
Warner Bros. and Apple’s F1: The Movie placed third with $13m, reaching $136.2m domestically, Xinhua reported.
London Southend Airport closed after plane crashes in fireball
London Southend Airport has been shut down until further notice after a small aircraft crashed in a fireball shortly after take-off on Sunday afternoon. All flights scheduled for Monday have been rerouted, with passengers urged to check with their airlines, according to BBC.
Emergency services rushed to the scene around 4pm after the Beech B200 Super King Air went down near the runway. The number of casualties has not yet been confirmed.
The aircraft was operated by Dutch company Zeusch Aviation, which said it is working closely with investigators and shared its thoughts with everyone affected.
Witnesses described seeing the plane veer sharply and flip before crashing. The Air Accident Investigation Branch is now leading the inquiry, BBC reported.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said her thoughts are with those involved and thanked emergency crews for their swift response.
