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Soyuz Delivers Astronauts to ISS in Three Hours

International Space Station (ISS) crew members astronaut Nick Hague of the U.S. (rear) and cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin of Russia board the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft for the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan October 11, 2018. REUTERS(WYMT)
International Space Station (ISS) crew members astronaut Nick Hague of the U.S. (rear) and cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin of Russia board the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft for the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan October 11, 2018. REUTERS(WYMT)
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Soyuz Delivers Astronauts to ISS in Three Hours

International Space Station (ISS) crew members astronaut Nick Hague of the U.S. (rear) and cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin of Russia board the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft for the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan October 11, 2018. REUTERS(WYMT)
International Space Station (ISS) crew members astronaut Nick Hague of the U.S. (rear) and cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin of Russia board the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft for the launch at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan October 11, 2018. REUTERS(WYMT)

After just three hours on its launch, the Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying two Russian cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut, docked with the International Space Station (ISS) according to the scheduled timetable, breaking a new speed record.

"The Soyuz MS-17 carrying NASA's Kathleen Rubins and Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov from Russia, docked with the station," a statement by Roscosmos said.

The Russian space agency stated: "A new record for flights to the International Space Station was set – the total time from launch to docking of the Soyuz MS-17 was three hours and three minutes."

The three astronauts launched from the Russian-operated Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, as shown in pictures shared by both the Russian and US agencies.

"The spacecraft entered the orbit successfully," Roscosmos wrote on Twitter.

In one of the few cooperation areas left between Russia and the West, the three astronauts have joined other colleagues on ISS, Chris Cassidy (NASA), Anatoly Ivanishin, and Ivan Vagner (Roscosmos), who are set to return to Earth on October 22.

The Soyuz mission is one of two launches to the International Space Station. The other will be carried out by SpaceX, which will enable the US to send astronauts again to space.

Before May 30, when US astronauts Robert Behnken and Doug Hurley arrived at the ISS, Russia and Baikonur had enjoyed a lucrative monopoly on manned missions to the ISS.

The two astronauts returned to Earth on August 2. The SpaceX upcoming mission is scheduled in November and will include four astronauts: three Americans and one Japanese.

The emergence of private players SpaceX and Boeing - part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program - has fuelled talk of a new space race between a number of countries.

But the men and women that fly to the space station have played down talk of competition and focused instead on space travel's ability to bring rival nations together for a common cause.

Speaking at a pre-launch press conference, Rubins did not directly refer to the SpaceX flight, saying "I feel incredibly lucky to be on station."

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Saudi Arabia Leads Global Coral Reef Efforts as ICRI Adopts Five Key Recommendations

Saudi Arabia Leads Global Coral Reef Efforts as ICRI Adopts Five Key Recommendations
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Saudi Arabia Leads Global Coral Reef Efforts as ICRI Adopts Five Key Recommendations

Saudi Arabia Leads Global Coral Reef Efforts as ICRI Adopts Five Key Recommendations

Saudi Arabia has enhanced its global leadership role in coral reef protection by chairing the 39th General Meeting of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), a step that paves the way for the Kingdom to host the first Global Coral Reef Summit in early November 2026.

The four-day meeting featured high-level dialogue sessions and scientific and policy discussions focused on developing an integrated practical framework that brings together science, policy, and sustainable financing, enhancing international coordination and tangible on-the-ground impact.

The meeting unanimously adopted five strategic recommendations proposed by Saudi Arabia. The recommendations focused on boosting the link between international commitments and actual implementation at the national level, developing supportive regulatory frameworks, unifying scientific references, and enabling sustainable financing, SPA reported.

The recommendations also endorsed the first Global Coral Reef Summit, which Saudi Arabia announced it would host during the Saudi House events at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos.

This reflects international consensus on the summit's importance and its pivotal role in supporting a Saudi-led effort to develop a comprehensive global framework that integrates science, policy, and sustainable financing while enabling countries to implement practical and actionable solutions to protect coral reefs.

The meeting also witnessed the acceptance of membership applications from four new countries: Somalia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Trinidad and Tobago. In addition, the World Bank and the UN Global Fund for Coral Reefs joined the initiative, reflecting the expanding scope of international partnership and enhancing global momentum toward coral reef protection and sustainability. The total number of member states has now reached 48, accounting for some 84% of the world's coral reefs.

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Russia Unblocks Roblox after Widespread Child Anger

People rest outside the Kremlin on a warm summer day in downtown Moscow, Russia, 05 June 2026. EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV
People rest outside the Kremlin on a warm summer day in downtown Moscow, Russia, 05 June 2026. EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV
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Russia Unblocks Roblox after Widespread Child Anger

People rest outside the Kremlin on a warm summer day in downtown Moscow, Russia, 05 June 2026. EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV
People rest outside the Kremlin on a warm summer day in downtown Moscow, Russia, 05 June 2026. EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV

Russia has lifted its ban on the popular gaming platform Roblox, after tens of thousands of children and parents sent letters complaining about the measure.

The platform -- which allows users to build their own games and share them with others -- was among Russia's most popular mobile games, tying third with TikTok in usage time among children in early 2025, according to Kaspersky Lab, a Moscow-based global cybersecurity firm.

In a statement published Wednesday, Russia's digital ministry said Roblox had successfully implemented measures to "protect children, including by launching a mechanism to restrict access to games by age group.”

"Roblox has also committed to continuing to combat the spread of undesirable content on the platform," the statement added.

Russia banned access to the US-owned platform last December, accusing it of distributing extremist materials and promoting "LGBT propaganda.”

A Roblox spokesperson told AFP at the time that the company was committed to safety and respected "local laws and regulations.”

Ekaterina Mizulina, the head of Russia's state-sponsored internet censorship watchdog, said in December she had received "63,000 emails" from disgruntled schoolchildren and parents commenting on the ban.

"This raises a question. Perhaps it's time to look for other ways to combat pedophiles and provocateurs who target children online?" she said.

Around 100 million people use Roblox daily, with under-13s accounting for around 40 percent of its 2024 users, according to the company.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Roblox's unblocking in Russia "shows that all services can return if they comply with the law,” in comments to the state TASS news agency.

Varieties

Moose Put Down after Wandering Into Central Oslo

People and personell from the wildlife board mill around a dead moose that had strayed into Majorstuen,a inner city area in Oslo, Norway on, June 11, 2026. (Photo by Javad Parsa / NTB / AFP)
People and personell from the wildlife board mill around a dead moose that had strayed into Majorstuen,a inner city area in Oslo, Norway on, June 11, 2026. (Photo by Javad Parsa / NTB / AFP)
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Moose Put Down after Wandering Into Central Oslo

People and personell from the wildlife board mill around a dead moose that had strayed into Majorstuen,a inner city area in Oslo, Norway on, June 11, 2026. (Photo by Javad Parsa / NTB / AFP)
People and personell from the wildlife board mill around a dead moose that had strayed into Majorstuen,a inner city area in Oslo, Norway on, June 11, 2026. (Photo by Javad Parsa / NTB / AFP)

Norwegian police said Thursday that a moose that had wandered into downtown Oslo, drawing curious crowds, had been shot and killed.

Videos taken by witnesses and published by Norwegian media show the disoriented animal galloping through the streets of the Norwegian capital, weaving around cars and pedestrians.

"For animal welfare reasons, the moose was put down" by the wildlife authorities, AFP quoted the police as saying.

Although such incidents remain rare -- moose tend to avoid metropolitan areas -- this is the second such incident recorded in two days in Scandinavia.

On Tuesday, a young moose was put down in Sweden after it strayed into the streets of Stockholm.