China will send a robotic spacecraft in coming days on a round trip to the moon's far side in the first of three technically demanding missions that will pave the way for an inaugural Chinese crewed landing and a base on the lunar south pole, Reuters reported.
Since the first Chang'e mission in 2007, named after the mythical Chinese moon goddess, China has made leaps forward in its lunar exploration, narrowing the technological chasm with the United States and Russia.
In 2020, China brought back samples from the moon's near side in the first sample retrieval in more than four decades, confirming for the first time it could safely return an uncrewed spacecraft to Earth from the lunar surface.
This week, China is expected to launch Chang'e-6 using the backup spacecraft from the 2020 mission, and collect soil and rocks from the side of the moon that permanently faces away from Earth.
With no direct line of sight with the Earth, Chang'e-6 must rely on a recently deployed relay satellite orbiting the moon during its 53-day mission, including a never-before attempted ascent from the moon's "hidden" side on its return journey home.
The same relay satellite will support the uncrewed Chang'e-7 and 8 missions in 2026 and 2028, respectively, when China starts to explore the south pole for water and build a rudimentary outpost with Russia. China aims to put its astronauts on the moon by 2030.
Beijing's polar plans have worried NASA, whose administrator, Bill Nelson, has repeatedly warned that China would claim any water resources as its own. Beijing says it remains committed to cooperation with all nations on building a "shared" future.
On Chang'e-6, China will carry payloads from France, Italy, Sweden and Pakistan, and on Chang'e-7, payloads from Russia, Switzerland and Thailand.
NASA is banned by US law from any collaboration, direct or indirect, with China.
Under the separate NASA-led Artemis program, US astronauts will land near the south pole in 2026, the first humans on the moon since 1972.
"International cooperation is key (to lunar exploration)," Clive Neal, professor of planetary geology at the University of Notre Dame, told Reuters. "It's just that China and the US aren't cooperating right now. I hope that will happen."

SOUTH POLE AMBITIONS
Chang'e 6 will attempt to land on the northeastern side of the vast South Pole-Aitkin Basin, the oldest known impact crater in the solar system.
The southernmost landing ever was carried out in February by IM-1, a joint mission between NASA and the Texas-based private firm Intuitive Machines.
After touchdown at Malapert A, a site near the south pole that was believed to be relatively flat, the spacecraft tilted sharply to one side amid a host of technical problems, reflecting the high-risk nature of lunar landings.
According to Reuters, the south pole has been described by scientists as the "golden belt" for lunar exploration.
Polar ice could sustain long-term research bases without relying on expensive resources transported from Earth. India's Chandrayaan-1 launched in 2008 confirmed the existence of ice inside polar craters.
Chang'e-6's sample return could also shed more light on the early evolution of the moon and the inner solar system.
The lack of volcanic activity on the moon's far side means there are more craters not covered by ancient lava flows, preserving materials from the moon's early formation.
So far, all lunar samples taken by the United States and the former Soviet Union in the 1970s and China in 2020 were from the moon's near side, where volcanism had been far more active.
Chang'e-6, after a successful landing, will collect about 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of samples with a mechanical scoop and a drill.
"If successful, China's Chang'e-6 mission would be a milestone-making event," Leonard David, author of "Moon Rush: The New Space Race,” told Reuters. "The robotic reach to the Moon's far side, and bringing specimens back to Earth, helps fill in the blanks about the still-murky origin of our Moon."

Saudi Arabia and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) announced on Sunday campaigns to combat desertification, restore ecosystems, and strengthen drought resilience.

These efforts are ahead of global WED celebrations on June 5 in Riyadh. The announcement was made at the opening of Environment Week 2024 in Riyadh. The campaign will run up to its celebration date.

The inauguration of Environment Week 2024 was announced by Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Eng. Abdulrahman Alfadley. Environment Week is an annual event that aims to raise environmental consciousness among individuals and is organized by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.

During the event, Deputy Minister for Environment Dr. Osama Faqeeha emphasized the shared responsibility in addressing land degradation and combating desertification. The responsibility extends to policymakers, the private sector, and civil society organizations globally, working together to restore agricultural areas, rehabilitate land, and tackle desertification and drought.

Dr. Faqeeha noted that during World Environment Day, Saudi Arabia will shed light on the urgent need for global investments in conserving nature, restoring lands, and striving towards sustainability.

He highlighted the importance of uniting national and international efforts to safeguard and rehabilitate ecosystems across the globe, aiming to fulfill sustainable development objectives.

“Without action, 95% of land on earth could be degraded within the next 30 years, which could spell disaster for humanity and the planet,” said Elizabeth Mrema, Deputy Executive Director of UNEP, during the launch of the global campaign.

“We have seen how previous campaigns have catalyzed climate action across the globe. This year, we are calling on people - from the grassroots to governments – to help tackle the climate and extinction crisis we face by restoring the ground we depend on for survival,” she added.

Countries worldwide have committed to restoring one billion hectares of land, aiming to protect 30% of land and sea for nature and restoring 30% of the planet’s degraded ecosystems. Supporting the 2030 Agenda for a sustainable, resilient world, World Environment Day 2024 will boost climate action efforts by gathering support for ecosystem restoration.

Famed for its blue seas, breathtaking views and cove-studded coastline, the Mediterranean island of Capri has been a tourist haven since the early years of the Roman empire.

Unlike in the imperial heyday, when emperors made it their exclusive playground, Capri now attracts visitors from around the world, clogging its narrow alleys, packing the piazzas and blocking the beaches during the hot summer months.

As many as 16,000 tourists a day pour onto the rocky isle in peak season, outnumbering the 12,900 residents. Most are day trippers, but increasing numbers stay the night as ever more homes are given over to holiday lets, bringing its own problems.

"Capri is becoming a dormitory for tourists," said Teodorico Boniello, head of the local consumers' association. "There are more people coming than we can cope with and families can't set down roots because they can't afford to stay."

Capri is a microcosm of many European holiday hotspots. Locals depend on visitors for their livelihoods, but the advent of mass tourism risks turning their picture-perfect beauty spots into blobs of shuffling humanity.

Some Italian towns and islands are starting to push back, albeit gently.

Venice last week became the first city in the world to introduce an entrance fee for visitors in peak periods, Florence has banned new holiday lets in the city center and the Cinque Terre park on the Italian Riviera started charging 15 euros for access to a popular coastal footpath to tackle overcrowding.

Capri has doubled its own visitors' fee from 2.5 euros to 5 euros, which outsiders pay when they catch a ferry from nearby Naples or Sorrento from April through to October.

"We are looking to persuade more people to visit during winter," Capri Mayor Marino Lembo told Reuters, sitting in his office with the smog of Naples hanging far in the distance.

But such a fee looks unlikely to dissuade tourists from travelling to an island which has more than four million tagged photos on Instagram, drawing in an endless flow of visitors eager to add the same views to their social media pages.

Moreover, locals say it will do nothing to help ease the housing crisis, which forces many essential workers, including teachers and medics, to live on the mainland.

EARLY STARTS

Antonio De Chiara, 22, wakes up every morning at 5:20 a.m. in his hometown near Naples in order to be sure to catch the 7:00 a.m. ferry, which takes 50 minutes to reach Capri. Around 400 other commuters join him on the ride across the bay.

Barely out of Naples, those on a tight schedule start queuing in the aisles to ensure they are first off the boat to grab a seat on one of a handful of small buses that head up the hill to town. Stragglers risk a lengthy wait.

"It would be lovely to live in Capri, but it is very difficult. Even if I could find a place, the rent would take up all my salary," said De Chiara, who recently got a job as a child therapist on the island.

Stefano Busiello, 54, teaches maths in a Capri high school but lives in Naples and has commuted back and forth for 20 years. "I have never even tried to find a house here. I could never afford one and things are getting harder."

Only 20% of staff in his school actually live on Capri, he said, with everyone else arriving on the ferries -- a daily grind that means most of his colleagues stay no more than two or three years before seeking a transfer to mainland schools.

Roberto Faravelli, who runs a Bed and Breakfast near the port, says people like himself might be willing to rent their properties to workers if the region offered incentives to close the gap on lucrative holiday lets.

"The government needs to encourage homeowners to offer long-term rents. What we lack is anyone trying to resolve these problems," he said.

But mayor Lembo did not expect the authorities to intervene. "It is unfortunate, but this is the market economy at work."

POST-COVID SURGE

Vacation rental platform Airbnb lists more than 500 properties on Capri against around 110 in 2016. This is just the tip of the iceberg, with local families renting out their properties during the summer months on unregulated portals.

"This short-term rental market is chaotic. There are no controls," said Lembo.

Despite obvious resentment over the lack of viable housing, Capri has not yet witnessed the sort of protests seen elsewhere -- such as Spain's Canary Islands, where thousands took to the streets this month to demand limits on tourist arrivals.

The end of the COVID pandemic has seen tourism surge across Europe as global travelers seek to make up for lost time.

Italy had near record overnight stays in 2023, according to data collated by the Florence center of tourism studies, and was the 5th most visited country in the world in 2023, with tourists drawn to its quaint villages and culture-rich cities.

But none were built for mass travel.

In the morning during high season, a fleet of ferries disgorge up to 5,000 visitors into Capri's tiny port in just two hours. Everyone wants to head up to the town of Capri and the smaller Anacapri, but the buses can only carry 30 people at a time and the funicular 50.

"You can easily wait two or even three hours to get up the hill in summer. The quays get packed. No one can move," said Boniello, flicking through videos on his phone of people crammed one against the other.

Lembo acknowledges the problems, but denies tourism is ruining an island his ancestors have lived on for centuries. "I don't agree with nostalgics who say Capri was more beautiful 100 years ago. There was misery and poverty back then. Now there is wealth, and that is thanks to tourism."

Millions of students returned to their reopened schools across Bangladesh Sunday despite a lingering heatwave that prompted a nationwide classroom shutdown order last weekend.

Average maximum temperatures in the capital Dhaka over the past week have been 4-5 degrees Celsius (7.2-9 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the 30-year average for the same period, with several more days of hot weather forecast.

Extensive scientific research has found climate change is causing heat waves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.

Classes resumed with anxious relatives accompanying their children to school gates for the start of classes in Bangladesh, which follows the Sunday-Thursday Islamic work week.

"I went to the school with my 13-year-old daughter. She was happy her school was open. But I was tense," said Lucky Begum whose daughter is enrolled at a state-run school in Dhaka.

"The heat is too much," she told AFP. "She already got heat rashes from sweating. I hope she does not get sick."

Around 32 million students were kept at home by the school shutdown, Save the Children said in a statement this week.

A directive from education authorities announcing the resumption of classes said preschools would remain shut, while primary school hours would be shortened.

Bangladesh's weather bureau said Sunday the heatwave would continue for at least the next three days.

Forecaster Kazi Jebunnesa said rain would likely bring some relief after Thursday.

Another weather bureau meteorologist, Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik, told AFP Bangladesh had not seen such an intense heatwave since records began in 1948.

"It is a record as far as the duration and the coverage area in the country are concerned," he said, adding that the searing temperatures were affecting about three-quarters of the country.

Mallik said climate change and man-made causes including rapid urbanization, forest clearance, shrinking water bodies and increased usage of air conditioning were to blame.

"The trouble is, we will see more such severe heatwaves in the future," he said.

From ancient fertilizer methods in Zimbabwe to new greenhouse technology in Somalia, farmers across the heavily agriculture-reliant African continent are looking to the past and future to respond to climate change.

Africa, with the world's youngest population, faces the worst effects of a warming planet while contributing the least to the problem. Farmers are scrambling to make sure the booming population is fed.

With over 60% of the world’s uncultivated land, Africa should be able to feed itself, some experts say. And yet three in four people across the continent cannot afford a healthy diet, according to a report last year by the African Union and United Nations agencies. Reasons include conflict and lack of investment.

In Zimbabwe, where the El Nino phenomenon has worsened a drought, small-scale farmer James Tshuma has lost hope of harvesting anything from his fields. It's a familiar story in much of the country, where the government has declared a $2 billion state of emergency and millions of people face hunger.

But a patch of green vegetables is thriving in a small garden the 65-year-old Tshuma is keeping alive with homemade organic manure and fertilizer. Previously discarded items have again become priceless.

“This is how our fathers and forefathers used to feed the earth and themselves before the introduction of chemicals and inorganic fertilizers,” Tshuma said.

He applies livestock droppings, grass, plant residue, remains of small animals, tree leaves and bark, food scraps and other biodegradable items like paper. Even the bones of animals that are dying in increasing numbers due to the drought are burned before being crushed into ash for their calcium.

Climate change is compounding much of sub-Saharan Africa’s longstanding problem of poor soil fertility, said Wonder Ngezimana, an associate professor of crop science at Zimbabwe’s Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.

“The combination is forcing people to re-look at how things were done in the past like nutrient recycling, but also blending these with modern methods," said Ngezimana, whose institution is researching the combination of traditional practices with new technologies.

Apart from being rich in nitrogen, organic fertilizers help increase the soil’s carbon and ability to retain moisture, Ngezimana said. “Even if a farmer puts synthetic fertilizer into the soil, they are likely to suffer the consequences of poor moisture as long as there is a drought,” he said.

Other moves to traditional practices are under way. Drought-resistant millets, sorghum and legumes, staples until the early 20th century when they were overtaken by exotic white corn, have been taking up more land space in recent years.

Leaves of drought-resistant plants that were once a regular dish before being cast off as weeds are returning to dinner tables. They even appear on elite supermarket shelves and are served at classy restaurants, as are millet and sorghum.

This could create markets for the crops even beyond drought years, Ngezimana said.

A GREENHOUSE REVOLUTION IN SOMALIA In conflict-prone Somalia in East Africa, greenhouses are changing the way some people live, with shoppers filling up carts with locally produced vegetables and traditionally nomadic pastoralists under pressure to settle down and grow crops.

“They are organic, fresh and healthy,” shopper Sucdi Hassan said in the capital, Mogadishu. “Knowing that they come from our local farms makes us feel secure."

Her new shopping experience is a sign of relative calm after three decades of conflict and the climate shocks of drought and flooding.

Urban customers are now assured of year-round supplies, with more than 250 greenhouses dotted across Mogadishu and its outskirts producing fruit and vegetables. It is a huge leap.

“In the past, even basic vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes were imported, causing logistical problems and added expenses,” said Somalia’s minister of youth and sports, Mohamed Barre.

The greenhouses also create employment in a country where about 75% of the population is people under 30 years old, many of them jobless.

About 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the capital, Mohamed Mahdi, an agriculture graduate, inspected produce in a greenhouse where he works.

“Given the high unemployment rate, we are grateful for the chance to work in our chosen field of expertise,” the 25-year-old said.

Meanwhile, some pastoralist herders are being forced to change their traditional ways after watching livestock die by the thousands.

“Transitioning to greenhouse farming provides pastoralists with a more resilient and sustainable livelihood option,” said Mohamed Okash, director of the Institute of Climate and Environment at SIMAD University in Mogadishu.

He called for larger investments in smart farming to combat food insecurity.

A MORE RESILIENT BEAN IN KENYA In Kenya, a new climate-smart bean variety is bringing hope to farmers in a region that had recorded reduced rainfall in six consecutive rainy seasons.

The variety, called “Nyota" or "star” in Swahili, is the result of a collaboration between scientists from the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, the Alliance of Bioversity International and research organization International Center for Tropical Agriculture.

The new bean variety is tailored for Kenya’s diverse climatic conditions. One focus is to make sure drought doesn’t kill them off before they have time to flourish.

The bean variety flowers and matures so quickly that it is ready for harvesting by the time rains disappear, said David Karanja, a bean breeder and national coordinator for grains and legumes at KALRO.

Hopes are that these varieties could bolster national bean production. The annual production of 600,000 metric tons falls short of meeting annual demand of 755,000 metric tons, Karanja said.

Farmer Benson Gitonga said his yield and profits are increasing because of the new bean variety. He harvests between nine and 12 bags from an acre of land, up from the previous five to seven bags.

One side benefit of the variety is a breath of fresh air.

“Customers particularly appreciate its qualities, as it boasts low flatulence levels, making it an appealing choice,” Gitonga said.

Britain’s King Charles will return to public duties next week following a three-month break to focus on his treatment and recuperation after he was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer, Buckingham Palace said Friday.

The 75-year-old monarch will mark the milestone by visiting a cancer treatment center on Tuesday, the first of several public appearances he will make in the coming weeks, the palace said. One of his first major engagements will be to host a state visit by the emperor and empress of Japan in June.

The palace said the king's doctors are “very encouraged” by his progress, though it is too early to say how long his treatment will last. It didn't provide details about what type of treatment he is receiving.

Charles will continue to perform all of his state duties, including reviewing government documents and meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as he has done since his diagnosis was disclosed on Feb. 5, the palace said.

“As the first anniversary of the coronation approaches, their majesties remain deeply grateful for the many kindnesses and good wishes they have received from around the world throughout the joys and challenges of the past year,’’ the palace said in a statement.

Charles has been largely out of the public eye ever since he had treatment for an enlarged prostate in January. His later cancer diagnosis came as the Princess of Wales — often known by her maiden name Kate Middleton — underwent abdominal surgery and later announced that she, too, had cancer. Prince William took time off to support his wife and their young family.

While pictured and filmed carrying out some official duties in private, Charles's only public appearance came last month when he greeted well-wishers in an impromptu walkabout after an Easter church service in Windsor, raising hopes that his health was improving.

Sunak responded to the news of the king's return to public duties, saying on social media site X: "Brilliant news to end the week!"

The mayor of Taif, Eng. Abdullah bin Khamis Al-Zaidi, has overseen preparations for the 2024 Taif Rose Festival, which will begin on Sunday at the Al Raddaf Park.

Al-Zaidi highlighted the progress achieved for the upcoming festival, which is among the major events and festivities in the Kingdom.

He was also briefed by specialists on ongoing work at the festival and the accompanying activities such as new designs for creating a carpet of roses and flowers, seedlings and bouquets of flowers and roses that the municipality will distribute to visitors, and efforts to establish an agricultural reserve, an arboretum, and a home garden model.

A young killer whale that was trapped for more than a month in a lagoon on Vancouver Island swam past a bottleneck at high tide early Friday, reaching an inlet that could take it to the open sea, officials said.
The Ehattesaht and Nuchatlaht First Nations said in a statement that a team monitoring the 2-year-old calf saw it swim past the area where its mother had died, pass under a bridge and head down the inlet “all on her own.”
The young orca still must leave the Little Espinosa Inlet to reach open ocean, The Associated Press reported.
The calf had been stuck in the tidal lagoon near the British Columbia village of Zeballos about 450 kilometers (280 miles) northwest of Victoria since March 23, when its pregnant mother became trapped at low tide and died on a rocky beach.
“Today the community of Zeballos and people everywhere are waking up to some incredible news and what can only be described as pride for strength this little orca has shown,” Chief Simon John said in a release.
Officials said they hoped that once the whale reaches the open sea, it calls will be heard by its orca family.
John said officials and nation members were putting protective measures in place to ensure the whale has no contact with people or boats.
“Every opportunity needs to be afforded to have her back with her family with as little human interaction as possible,” he said.
An attempt in mid-April to free the whale involved using a net to corral her into a large fabric sling in shallow waters. The whale managed to dodge a 50-person rescue team that was using boats, divers and sophisticated underwater detection equipment.

A climber is dead and another seriously injured after falling about 1,000 feet (305 meters) while on a steep, technical route on Mount Johnson in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, authorities said Friday.
The fall Thursday night was witnessed by another climbing party, who reported it around 10:45 p.m. and descended to where the climbers had fallen. They confirmed one of the climbers had died and dug a snow cave and tended to the hurt climber, according to a statement from the park.
Early Friday, a rescue helicopter and two mountaineering rangers left Talkeetna, where the park's mountaineering operations are based. They were able to rescue the injured climber, who was later medevacked for additional care. The helicopter and rangers returned to the mountain later to recover the body of the climber who died but were forced back by deteriorating weather, the statement said. Rangers plan to return when conditions allow, the park said.
The name of the climber who died was not immediately released, pending notification of family, The Associated Press reported.
The fall occurred on a route on the 8,400-foot (2,560-meter) Mount Johnson known as “the Escalator” on the mountain's southeast face. The route involves navigating steep rock, ice and snow, the park said.
Denali National Park and Preserve is about 240 miles (386 kilometers) north of Anchorage.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken snapped up a Taylor Swift album along with one by classic Chinese rocker Dou Wei during an unexpected detour to a Beijing record store on Friday after talks in China meant to ease superpower tensions.

En route to the airport after a visit that included a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Blinken popped into the LiPi record store in the Chinese capital's arts district where the owner handed him an album by Dou Wei, which he bought along with Swift's 2022 record "Midnights".

One of the aims of Blinken's trip has been to emphasize the importance of what the State Department calls "people-to-people ties" as part of efforts to improve relations.

In the Beijing record store, he described mega pop star Swift, whose hits include "Bad Blood" from her fifth album in 2014, as a successful American export.

Blinken, an avid musician and guitar player, described music as "the best connector, regardless of geography", and said he loved vinyl records because of the liner notes.

Asked by the shop owner what music he was into, Blinken, who is 62, said he loved everything but added: "I’m a bit stuck in the '70s."