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Former astronaut Cunningham, member of first crewed Apollo flight, dies at age 90

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WASHINGTON: Former US astronaut Walter Cunningham, who flew to space aboard Apollo 7 in 1968 on the inaugural crewed Apollo mission that paved the way for the first human moon landing nine months later, died on Tuesday at age 90, NASA said.

Cunningham joined crewmates Walter Schirra and Donn Eisele for the 11-day mission, which was conducted in low-Earth orbit. It was the first human test flight of the new Apollo spacecraft, which would ultimately land a dozen astronauts on the lunar surface between 1969 and 1972.

He was the last surviving member of the Apollo 7 crew, following the deaths of mission commander Schirra, one of the original “Mercury Seven” astronauts, and command module pilot Eisele, in 2007 and 1987, respectively.

Cunningham was the flight’s designated lunar module pilot, even though Apollo 7 did not carry the moon landing craft, and he was responsible for all spacecraft systems except launch and navigation.

Blasting off on Oct. 11, 1968, Apollo 7 marked the resumption of NASA’s lunar spaceflight program 21 months after the fire that killed all three members of the Apollo 1 crew — Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee — during a ground-based launch rehearsal in late January 1967.

Prior to his assignment to Apollo 7, Cunningham had been the backup lunar module pilot for the ill-fated Apollo 1 mission and was on the prime crew for Apollo 2 until it was cancelled.

Apollo 7 also was notable for providing the first live television transmission of onboard crew activities, as well as for testy exchanges between ground control and the astronauts, who developed head colds during the flight and openly voiced annoyance with mission directors at times.

Due in part to those tensions, none of the three astronauts went to space again, though Schirra, who by then had flown two previous NASA missions, had already announced plans to retire.

Still, the mission was considered a technical success for proving the capabilities and integrity of systems that would carry Apollo 11 to the lunar surface in July 1969 for the historic first moonwalks by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin.

Cunningham, who served in the US Navy and Marine Corps, flying 54 missions as a fighter pilot before retiring with the rank of colonel, was selected as an astronaut in 1963 as part of NASA’s third astronaut class, the space agency said.

Between his military service and NASA tenure, Cunningham spent three years as a Rand Corp. scientist, working on classified defence studies and problems related to the Earth’s magnetic field.

“Walt Cunningham was a fighter pilot, physicist and an entrepreneur — but, above all, he was an explorer,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement announcing his death.

Following Apollo 7, Cunningham was assigned to lead the Skylab branch — an early space station program — under NASA’s flight crew directorate, and he retired from the space agency in 1971.

He went on to a post-NASA career as an investor and executive in several business ventures, becoming a frequent keynote speaker and radio talk show host.

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Punjab will provide fifty thousand solar kits.

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On Tuesday,Tuesday, while presiding over a review meeting on solar household solutions, the CM gave the order to begin the installation of one kilowatt solar systems right away. She also gave the order to introduce the newest solar systems.

Phase-I solar systems would be balloted for by 50,000 protected users who use 100 units each month, at a cost of Rs 12.6 billion.

Home-based solar systems will eventually be made available to other Punjabi consumers. A solar system will consist of a battery, inverter, sophisticated solar plate, and more related accessories.

Attending the meeting were Provincial Information Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari, MPA Sania Ashiq, Former Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning and Development, Secretaries of Energy, Finance, and Punjab Power Development Board (PPDB) Managing Director, in addition to other pertinent officers.

During his inaugural speech as Punjab’s chief minister, Maryam Nawaz outlined her five-year plan and promised to develop a strategy for customers who use fewer than 300 units of power.

According to Maryam Nawaz, the PML-N’s main goals for her term will be to provide jobs, healthcare, and education.

She said, “I am working on a plan to provide solar panels to consumers using up to 300 units of electricity or less in installments.”

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Pakistan

There will be free WiFi in public parks.

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The discussion on the province’s capital city’s beautification was chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

CM Gandapur gave the pertinent authorities instructions at the meeting to complete the arrangements and submit the free WiFi service plan for the province government’s approval.

In the following phase, he said, the service will be extended to more cities. In addition, the chief minister gave the Peshawar Development Authority instructions to create a beatification plan for the city.

The meeting voted to launch a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service on Nasir Bagh Road in the province capital with the goal of facilitating the easy mobility of the population.

CM Gandapur pushed for the installation of underpasses rather than overhead bridges and ordered the city’s street lights to be converted to solar power.

The chief minister gave the order to begin work on the road around the BRT Corridor at University Road as well as the building of the remaining section of Warsak-Nasir Bagh Road right away.

In order to promote KP’s culture, he also oversaw the installation of fake plants on all road walks and painted headbridges and walls with designs.

The chief minister of KP gave the order to approach business organizations for assistance in this respect.

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Pakistan

FM Ishaq Dar praises IAEA for using nuclear technology in a “peaceful” manner

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During a meeting with IAEA Director General (DG) Rafael Mariano Grossi outside the Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels, Pakistan, a founding member of the Agency, stressed the importance of the Agency’s work.

He stated that Pakistan placed a high value on the Agency’s efforts as a founding member.

The foreign minister also emphasized Pakistan’s goal to increase the proportion of nuclear energy in the country’s energy mix and the significance of nuclear energy in the fight against climate change.

Ishaq Dar went on to stress the importance of the Agency’s technical cooperation initiatives, to which Pakistan makes a major contribution as well.

According to the foreign minister, banks and other international financial institutions should support nuclear energy projects in developing nations so that those countries may meet their energy needs and meet their zero emissions commitments.

He requested that the IAEA continue raising global understanding of the benefits of nuclear energy as a clean energy source.

The director general of the IAEA commended Pakistan for its cooperation. Rafael Mariano Grossi continued by saying that Pakistan is essential in helping emerging nations by sharing knowledge and experience.

He acknowledged that there was a problem with financing nuclear projects and promised to work with international financial institutions to find a solution as quickly as possible.

The director general of the IAEA reflected fondly on his visit to Pakistan earlier in the year, when he inspected the country’s facilities and witnessed firsthand its progress in the peaceful applications of nuclear technology.

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