Capsule Carrying 2 Russians and 1 American Heads to Earth from Space Station

File photo: This illustration provided by SpaceX in 2024 depicts a spacewalk from the Dragon capsule. (SpaceX via AP)
File photo: This illustration provided by SpaceX in 2024 depicts a spacewalk from the Dragon capsule. (SpaceX via AP)
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Capsule Carrying 2 Russians and 1 American Heads to Earth from Space Station

File photo: This illustration provided by SpaceX in 2024 depicts a spacewalk from the Dragon capsule. (SpaceX via AP)
File photo: This illustration provided by SpaceX in 2024 depicts a spacewalk from the Dragon capsule. (SpaceX via AP)

A Russian space capsule undocked from the International Space Station on Monday to take three astronauts back to Earth, two of them completing a record-long stay on the orbiting laboratory.
The capsule carrying Russians Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub and American Tracy Dyson is expected to land in the vast Kazakhstan steppe about 3 1/2 hours after the undocking, said The Associated Press.
Kononenko and Chub blasted off for the space station on Sept. 15, 2023, and on Friday set the record for the longest continuous mission on the ISS. Dyson, in her third mission into outer space, spent six months aboard.
Eight astronauts remain on the space station, including Americans Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have remained long past their scheduled return to Earth.
They arrived in June as the first crew of Boeing´s new Starliner capsule. But their trip was marred by thruster troubles and helium leaks, and the US space agency NASA decided it was too risky to return them on Starliner.
The two astronauts will ride home with SpaceX next year.



AlUla Launches Summer Fruits Season as Part of 'Khayrat AlUla' Initiative 

The Summer Fruits Season is one of AlUla’s most prominent agricultural production periods, with over 4,900 tons produced annually from around 216,000 fruit-bearing trees. (SPA)
The Summer Fruits Season is one of AlUla’s most prominent agricultural production periods, with over 4,900 tons produced annually from around 216,000 fruit-bearing trees. (SPA)
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AlUla Launches Summer Fruits Season as Part of 'Khayrat AlUla' Initiative 

The Summer Fruits Season is one of AlUla’s most prominent agricultural production periods, with over 4,900 tons produced annually from around 216,000 fruit-bearing trees. (SPA)
The Summer Fruits Season is one of AlUla’s most prominent agricultural production periods, with over 4,900 tons produced annually from around 216,000 fruit-bearing trees. (SPA)

The Summer Fruits Season started in AlUla on Tuesday as part of the “Khayrat AlUla” initiative implemented by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU).

The initiative aims to showcase the region’s agricultural diversity and reinforce its connection to the cultural and economic identity of the area.

The season is taking place at Al Manshiyah Farmers' Market from July 22 to 28, where local farmers are presenting a variety of fruits for which AlUla is known, including mangoes, grapes, and figs.

The event also features participation from local productive families in a festive atmosphere that highlights the authenticity and economic importance of agricultural heritage.

The Summer Fruits Season is one of AlUla’s most prominent agricultural production periods, with over 4,900 tons produced annually from around 216,000 fruit-bearing trees.

The event is part of the broader Khayrat AlUla series, which includes seasons for dates, grapes, citrus fruits and honey.

These efforts align with RCU's goals to strengthen food security and develop agricultural communities in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

The season contributes to empowering farmers, expanding marketing channels for their produce, and developing sales outlets connected to visitors, fostering long-term sustainability for the region’s agricultural sector.