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Record-breaking heat wave grips western United States

A record early heat wave striking the western United States on Friday is a one-in-500-year event and almost certainly the result of human-caused climate change, experts say. The heat has been toppling records this week and is set to continue into the weekend across western cities while expanding eastward. Four locations in the desert area near the California-Arizona border registered 44.4 degrees Celsius on Friday, a US national record for March. The readings were recorded near Yuma and Martinez Lake in Arizona, and around Winterhaven and Ogilby in California. Read: Intense heatwave grips US, triggering record-breaking temperatures Already, 65 cities have recorded new March highs, ranging from Arizona and California to Idaho, Weather.com reported. Death Valley reached 40°C on Thursday, while typically cool and foggy San Francisco tied its historic March record at 29°C. In Colorado, skiers were seen hitting the slopes shirtless. The National Weather Service issued extreme heat warni...
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Elon Musk now controls 62% of Earth’s active satellites after latest Starlink launch

Elon Musk has solidified his dominance in space, with nearly two-thirds of all active satellites now under his control. This development follows the launch of SpaceX's 7,000th Starlink satellite, bringing the total number of active satellites to 6,370. SpaceX’s internet satellite constellation, Starlink, has been expanding at an impressive rate, with an average of three satellites launched per day since its inception in 2019. According to data from non-profit satellite tracker CelesTrak, SpaceX now controls over 62 percent of the world’s operational satellites. This number is nearly ten times the amount operated by its closest competitor, OneWeb, a UK-based company that became reliant on SpaceX after the Russian invasion of Ukraine forced it to abandon launches with Russia’s Soyuz. The Starlink constellation, designed to provide high-speed internet and phone connectivity worldwide, currently operates in 102 countries and serves over three million customers. SpaceX plans to launch up to 42,000 satellites in total, extending coverage to more countries. Afghanistan, China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Syria are excluded from the list due to trade embargoes and internet restrictions, but reports have surfaced of illegal Starlink equipment entering restricted regions like Iran. Musk recently highlighted his control of the satellite network, tweeting, "Starlink now constitutes roughly 2/3 of all active Earth satellites." This control has sparked concern about the amount of influence Musk holds through Starlink, Tesla, and X (formerly Twitter). The billionaire once claimed, “Between Tesla, Starlink and Twitter, I may have more real-time global economic data in one head than anyone ever." Starlink has faced challenges as well. In Brazil, after lawmakers imposed a ban on the X platform last week, Starlink initially made the app accessible to its users but later complied with the order.

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At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said Sunday. The bridge came down Saturday onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for. The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones. More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country. Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi. "Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said ...
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US, Philippines kick off joint military drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops

Some 16,000 US and Philippine troops kicked off the annual joint military drills on Monday in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), local media reported. WPS is the official designation by Philippines to the parts of the South China Sea that are included in the country's exclusive economic zone. The 19-day exercises, dubbed "Balikatan 2024," will involve around 5,000 Philippine and 11,000 US troops, making it the largest joint military drills between the two allies conducted in decades, local English daily Manila Times reported citing the military. A total of 14 nations, including Japan and India, will take part in the drills as observers amid mounting maritime tensions in the South China Sea. Contingents from the Australian Defence Force and the French Navy will also join the exercise as participants. Read also: China urges US to stop using Philippines as a pawn to destabilise South China Sea France will join the group sail but will only navigate on the edge of the Philippine E...
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Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

The private jet parking lots at airports near the Indian city of Ayodhya are full and the shops have run out of gold-plated idols, as wealthy devotees prepare for the invite-only opening ceremony of one of Hinduism's holiest temples. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani are among the 8,000 or so attendees at Monday's inauguration event for the Ram Temple, which devotees believe is built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a sacred Hindu deity. The construction of the temple, which began after the Supreme Court awarded the site to Hindus in 2019 more than two decades after a Hindu mob razed a mosque there, triggering deadly riots, fulfils a key campaign promise of Modi and his Hindu nationalist party. Read BJP-promised temple transforms Ayodhya: Muslims, locals feel neglected The opening ceremony, organised by the trust that built the temple, comes months before a national election which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is widely expected to w...
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