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Stray Qatar Cat Heads to England after Being Adopted by Walker and Stones

England's John Stones speaks to the media during a press conference at at Al Wakrah Sports Complex, in Al Wakrah, Qatar, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)
England's John Stones speaks to the media during a press conference at at Al Wakrah Sports Complex, in Al Wakrah, Qatar, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)
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Stray Qatar Cat Heads to England after Being Adopted by Walker and Stones

England's John Stones speaks to the media during a press conference at at Al Wakrah Sports Complex, in Al Wakrah, Qatar, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)
England's John Stones speaks to the media during a press conference at at Al Wakrah Sports Complex, in Al Wakrah, Qatar, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (AP)

England's hopes of lifting the World Cup might have been dashed but Manchester City duo Kyle Walker and John Stones did not want to leave Qatar completely empty handed -- hence they will be taking home a stray cat befriended by the team at their training base.

England came up short against France on Saturday, who clinched a gutsy 2-1 quarter-final win.

The cat, who Stones named Dave, will have to spend four months in quarantine before he can be re-united with the City duo.

"He was just there one day, so we've just adopted him, me and Stonesy," Walker told the FA's official media channel.

"Dave is welcome to the table ... Some people really don't like the cat, but I love him."

"First day we got there ... Dave pops out," Stones added.

"Every night he sat there waiting for his food."

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Japan's Space Agency Halts Epsilon S Rocket Engine Test after Fire

Smoke and fire is seen during a combustion test of an engine for a new small Japanese rocket Epsilon S at Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima prefecture, southern Japan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)
Smoke and fire is seen during a combustion test of an engine for a new small Japanese rocket Epsilon S at Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima prefecture, southern Japan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)
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Japan's Space Agency Halts Epsilon S Rocket Engine Test after Fire

Smoke and fire is seen during a combustion test of an engine for a new small Japanese rocket Epsilon S at Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima prefecture, southern Japan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)
Smoke and fire is seen during a combustion test of an engine for a new small Japanese rocket Epsilon S at Tanegashima Space Center, Kagoshima prefecture, southern Japan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)

Japan's space agency aborted an engine test for the Epsilon S rocket on Tuesday following a fire at the test site, a failure that could push the rocket's debut launch beyond the March-end target and cause further delays in the national space program.
An explosion could be heard and a blaze could be seen shortly after the ground combustion test started at the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, according to footage from public broadcaster NHK.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said the engine test encountered a "combustion abnormality" 49 seconds after the ignition. It said there was no indication of injury or damage to the outside facility, Reuters reported.
"JAXA will conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the problem and consider countermeasures," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a regular press briefing.
Hayashi, the top government spokesperson, said rocket development is "extremely important" to ensure the autonomy of Japan's space program.
JAXA partnered with the aerospace unit of heavy machinery maker IHI to develop Epsilon S, the next generation in the Epsilon solid-fuel small rocket series. Shares in IHI were down as much as 6% in Tokyo trade. An IHI Aerospace spokesperson said the company is investigating the cause.
Epsilon S's debut flight was slated by the end of the fiscal year through March 31 depending on the success of Tuesday's engine test.
The test was conducted after previous failures triggered months of investigation that have delayed space missions and satellite launch plans.
In July last year, an Epsilon S engine test failed due to thermal damage to its ignition systems. That followed a launch failure in 2022.
JAXA's larger flagship rocket H3, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, failed at its first launch last year but has succeeded in three flights this year, launching Japanese satellites and winning orders including from French satellite operator Eutelsat.
The H3 and Epsilon S are central to JAXA's ambition to build cost-competitive rockets amid the rise of American commercial launch providers such as market leader SpaceX and small rocket maker Rocket Lab.
In the private sector, IHI-backed Space One is set to attempt the second launch of its Kairos small rocket on Dec. 14 after the first flight exploded in March. It aims to become the first Japanese business to put a satellite in orbit.