China moving on up in the space world

Photo

China

hChina moving on up in the space world

BEIJING — Three Chinese astronauts emerged from their capsule Sunday after a milestone mission to carry out the country’s first spacewalk, showing off China’s technological know-how and cementing its status as a space power and future competitor to the United States.

A senior space official said the mission — China’s most ambitious yet — took the country one step closer in its plan to build a space station and then to land a man on the moon.

Wang Zhaoyao, deputy director of manned space flight, said the program is looking to launch a new orbiting vehicle and set up a simple space lab by 2011. There are also hopes of sending unmanned and manned space vehicles to perform docking activities with the target vehicle.

Congressional measure would clean up Great Lakes

WASHINGTON — Congress is sending President Bush a bill that would extend for two years a federal program to clean up areas of pollution and contaminated sediment around the Great Lakes.

The House voted 411-9 Sunday in favor of the measure approving $54 million a year over the next two years for the project.

The original five-year bill, passed in 2003, was to expire this year.

The House had sought $150 million a year over five years for the cleanup operation, but acceded to the lower level passed by the Senate last week.

“While it is unfortunate that we could not pass the bill at the funding level approved by the House, I am excited that this cleanup program will continue without interruption,” said Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich., the sponsor.

Kyle spins toward Canada

MACHIAS, Maine — Fishermen moved boats to shelter from a rare burst of tropical weather along Maine’s rugged Down East coast Sunday as a weakening Hurricane Kyle spun past on its way to Canada, threatening a glancing blow equivalent to a classic nor’easter storm without the snow.

A hurricane watch for Maine was discontinued Sunday, but a tropical storm warning remained in effect from Stonington, at the mouth of Penobscot Bay, to Eastport on the Canadian border, the National Hurricane Center said. The Canadian Hurricane Centre issued a hurricane warning for parts of southwestern Nova Scotia, with tropical storm warnings for parts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Pirates seek ransom

MOGADISHU, Somalia — As a heavily armed U.S. destroyer patrolled nearby and planes flew overhead Sunday, a Somali pirate spokesman told The Associated Press his group was demanding a $20 million ransom to release a cargo ship loaded with Russian tanks.

The spokesman also warned that the pirates would fight to the death if any country tried military action to regain the ship, and a man who said he was the ship’s captain reported that one crew member had died.

Pirates seized the Ukrainian-operated ship Faina off the coast of Somalia on Thursday as it headed to Kenya carrying 33 Russian-built T-72 tanks and a substantial amount of ammunition and spare parts. The ordnance was ordered by the Kenyan government.

Johansson, Reynolds tie knot, publicist says

LOS ANGELES — Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds did a little rushing into it after all. The couple married this weekend, according to publicist Meredith O’Sullivan. She did not provide details.

Us Weekly reported on its Web site Sunday that the small wedding took place at a resort outside Vancouver, British Columbia. Guests included Scarlett’s mother, Melanie Sloan, and her brother, Adrian Johansson, the magazine said.

The couple announced their engagement in May.

Associated Press