Latest News from El Balad
El Balad
18-03-2025
- Science
- El Balad
أسعار الذهب تواصل التحرك .. ومفاجأة في عيار 21
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Stuck in space no more, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth on Tuesday, hitching a different ride home to close out a saga that began with a bungled test flight more than nine months ago. Their SpaceX capsule parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico in the early evening, just hours after departing the International Space Station. Splashdown occurred off the coast of Tallahassee in the Florida Panhandle, bringing their unplanned odyssey to an end. Within an hour, the astronauts were out of their capsule, waving and smiling at the cameras while being hustled away in reclining stretchers for routine medical checks. It all started with a flawed Boeing test flight last spring. The two expected to be gone just a week or so after launching on Boeing's new Starliner crew capsule on June 5. So many problems cropped up on the way to the space station that NASA eventually sent Starliner back empty and transferred the test pilots to SpaceX, pushing their homecoming into February. Then SpaceX capsule issues added another month's delay. Sunday's arrival of their relief crew meant Wilmore and Williams could finally leave. NASA cut them loose a little early, given the iffy weather forecast later this week. They checked out with NASA's Nick Hague and Russia's Alexander Gorbunov, who arrived in their own SpaceX capsule last fall with two empty seats reserved for the Starliner duo. Wilmore and Williams ended up spending 286 days in space — 278 days longer than anticipated when they launched. They circled Earth 4,576 times and traveled 121 million miles (195 million kilometers) by the time of splashdown. 'On behalf of SpaceX, welcome home,' radioed SpaceX Mission Control in California. 'What a ride,' replied Hague, the capsule's commander. 'I see a capsule full of grins ear to ear.' Dolphins circled the capsule as divers readied it for hoisting onto the recovery ship. Once safely on board, the side hatch was opened and the astronauts were helped out, one by one. Williams was next-to-last out, followed by Wilmore who gave two gloved thumbs-up. Wilmore and Williams' plight captured the world's attention, giving new meaning to the phrase 'stuck at work' and turning 'Butch and Suni' into household names. While other astronauts had logged longer spaceflights over the decades, none had to deal with so much uncertainty or see the length of their mission expand by so much. Wilmore and Williams quickly transitioned from guests to full-fledged station crew members, conducting experiments, fixing equipment and even spacewalking together. With 62 hours over nine spacewalks, Williams set a record: the most time spent spacewalking over a career among female astronauts. Both had lived on the orbiting lab before and knew the ropes, and brushed up on their station training before rocketing away. Williams became the station's commander three months into their stay and held the post until earlier this month. Their mission took an unexpected twist in late January when President Donald Trump asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to accelerate the astronauts' return and blamed the delay on the Biden administration. The replacement crew's brand new SpaceX capsule still wasn't ready to fly, so SpaceX subbed it with a used one, hurrying things along by at least a few weeks. Even in the middle of the political storm, Wilmore and Williams continued to maintain an even keel at public appearances from orbit, casting no blame and insisting they supported NASA's decisions from the start. NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing after the shuttle program ended, in order to have two competing U.S. companies for transporting astronauts to and from the space station until it's abandoned in 2030 and steered to a fiery reentry. By then, it will have been up there more than three decades; the plan is to replace it with privately run stations so NASA can focus on moon and Mars expeditions. Both retired Navy captains, Wilmore and Williams stressed they didn't mind spending more time in space — a prolonged deployment reminiscent of their military days. But they acknowledged it was tough on their families. Wilmore, 62, missed most of his younger daughter's senior year of high school; his older daughter is in college. Williams, 59, had to settle for internet calls from space to her husband, mother and other relatives. 'We have not been worried about her because she has been in good spirits,' said Falguni Pandya, who is married to Williams' cousin. 'She was definitely ready to come home.' Prayers for Williams and Wilmore were offered up at 21 Hindu temples in the U.S. in the months leading up to their return, said organizer Tejal Shah, president of World Hindu Council of America. Williams has spoken frequently about her Indian and Slovenian heritage. Prayers for their safe return also came from Wilmore's Baptist church in Houston, where he serves as an elder. After returning in the gulf — Trump in January signed an executive order renaming the body of water Gulf of America — Wilmore and Williams will have to wait until they're off the SpaceX recovery ship and flown to Houston before reuniting with their loved ones. The three NASA astronauts will be checked out by flight surgeons as they adjust to gravity, officials said, and allowed to go home after several days. ___ AP journalist Deepa Bharath contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
El Balad
17-03-2025
- Automotive
- El Balad
استدعاء فولكس فاجن ID.4 وأودي Q4 بسبب عيب خطير
Just had the director email me about what he has done (why is it always after the event?) Anyway, his company could not get finance to buy a car, so he bought it himself and wants it to be treated as a company asset, with the company paying the finance costs etc. As far as I am aware he cannot transfer ownership, if it is under a finance agreement, so my only way around this would be if it were minuted that the sole reason for this procedure was a commercial decision to go down this route as the only way to purchase the car, that the company accepts full responsibility for insuring it, paying running costs and filing P11d for the director, but still not sure this would work. Appreciate anyone's thoughts.
El Balad
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- El Balad
تحديث جديد لتطبيق «Google Messages» يجلب تأثيرات مرئية مميزة للرسائل
A Ukrainian may represent Sweden at Eurovision 2024. Singer Maria Sur made it to the final of Melodifestivalen with the song When I'm Gone. She announced this herself on her Instagram page, UNN reports . THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH!!!! We did it! You did it! I'm incredibly grateful for your support and love for me ❤️ "When I'm Gone" has reached the final. - Maria Sur wrote. Details It is noted that Maria Sur received 94 points out of 96 possible points, and immediately went to the final. She was joined by singer Liamoo. The selection of artists to represent Sweden at Eurovision was determined at the Melodifestivalen song contest, which the Swedes have been holding for 60 years. This festival takes place in several stages, where the finalists - the Ukrainian competitors - will be determined. The grand finale of Melodifestivalen will take place on March 9 in Stockholm - it will be there that the Ukrainian will be determined whether she will go to the competition. Optional This is the singer's second attempt at Melodifestivalen. Last year, she also participated in the final and took 9th place. The Swedish singer Loreen won the Eurovision Song Contest itself, and she also won the contest in Liverpool . According to in 2022, Sur participated in the 12th season of The Voice, first in the team of Nadiya Dorofeeva, then in the team of Olga Polyakova. After the full-scale invasion began, she moved to Sweden with her mother. In the fall of 2023 , she began learning Swedish at SFI (Swedish for Foreigners) while studying music remotely at Kyiv University. Recall The 68th Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will be held in Sweden this May. The participant from Ukraine will compete in one of the semifinals on May 7 for the country's representation in the Grand Final of Eurovision 2024. Ukraine will be represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden by Alyona alyona & Jerry Heil with the song "Teresa & Maria".
El Balad
01-03-2025
- Business
- El Balad
كبرت .. ابنة شيرين عبد الوهاب تظهر معها في إعلان رمضاني
NEW YORK — Starbucks is making cuts to its menu, with some of the coffee giant's 'less popular beverages' set to take their final bow this week. In its announcement, Starbucks outlined plans to remove a selection of its drinks — including several blended Frappuccino beverages, the Royal English Breakfast Latte and the White Hot Chocolate — starting Tuesday. Shoppers at Walden Galleria on Nov. 30, 2024, in Buffalo, N.Y., stop by the Starbucks kiosk. Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press 'These items aren't commonly purchased, can be complex to make, or are like other beverages on our menu,' Starbucks wrote. The Seattle-based company added that simplifying its menu would allow it to 'focus on fewer, more popular items, executed with excellence." Starbucks says these cuts will reduce wait times, improve consistency and 'make way for innovation.' The chain says it will continue to introduce a handful of new items and seasonal specials, such as its Cortado beverage introduced last month and a new 'Iced Cherry Chai' set to debut in the spring. The menu changes arrive amid wider restructuring at the Seattle-based company. Starbucks also said that it would lay off 1,100 corporate employees globally this week — with CEO Brian Niccol citing the need to 'operate more efficiently." Niccol joined the chain as CEO in August. Beyond next week's menu cuts, Starbucks said that more beverages and food will also exit its menu in the coming months — representing a roughly 30% reduction by the end of the 2025 fiscal year in the U.S. Here's a list of the drinks that are set to be removed Tuesday: 3. Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino 5. White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino 6. Chai Crème Frappuccino 7. Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino 8. Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino 9. Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino 10. White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino 12. Royal English Breakfast Latte 13. Honey Almondmilk Flat White It's no secret that things just keep getting more expensive. From home prices to personal goods, the cost of living in the U.S. has increased 22% since 2019, leaving consumers searching for ways to combat rising costs. As Americans scramble to find better ways to budget, one historically wallet-friendly option, fast food, is becoming less and less of a cost-saver. In fact, fast food price hikes have outpaced the national inflation rate in some instances, prompting backlash online and on social media. Have fast food prices really changed so dramatically? And if so, by how much? FinanceBuzz, is always looking for ways to save money and wanted to better understand how much a trip to the drive thru was really costing consumers. To find out, FinanceBuzz collected pricing data from a dozen popular fast food restaurants over the past decade and calculated how much prices have risen compared to the national inflation rate. FinanceBuzz How does fast food inflation compare to actual inflation? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of goods in the U.S. has risen 31% since 2014, meaning $100 in 2014 dollars is worth $131 in 2024 dollars. Much of this change has happened in the past 5 years — inflation is up 22% since 2019. So how do the average menu price increases at popular fast food chains compare to those rates? The restaurants FinanceBuzz evaluated raised prices by 60% on average between 2014 and 2024. That means they've raised prices at a rate nearly double the national rate of inflation. Five different restaurants — McDonald's, Popeyes, Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Jimmy John's — raised their prices at more than double the national inflation rate. McDonald's raised prices so much that their average menu prices increased more than three times the national rate of inflation. Beyond the golden arches, the data reveals more than a 75% price increase at Popeyes, Taco Bell, and Chipotle over the past 10 years. Subway and Starbucks, on the other hand, kept prices the most stable of any major chain, but still outpaced national inflation. Here are some notable examples. FinanceBuzz Gold-tier prices at the Golden Arches: McDonald's prices have risen the most The worst offender for dramatic price increases is McDonald's — a chain that recently went viral for all the wrong reasons. An $18 Big Mac combo garnered so much attention online that the McDonald's CEO promised affordability on a recent earnings call. According to our data, prices at McDonald's have doubled since 2014, with an average price increase of 100%. Overall, this rate is more than triple the national inflation rate during the same time. One illustrative example is the McChicken sandwich: once a staple of the chain's $1 menu in 2014, the sandwich now costs $3 at some locations, a 200% increase. Other former value menu items, like the McDouble and a simple order of medium fries were among the most egregious price increases across the McD's menu. What Rising Fast Food Prices Mean for Consumers Though incremental changes in fast food prices may not seem like the highest dollar-value changes to consumers' wallets, they are an illustrative example of a new financial reality in the U.S. — your dollar doesn't go as far as it used to and American families need to figure out how to make it work. Another place many Americans have been feeling the squeeze is with auto insurance. As premiums have risen more than 20% in the past year, many are scrambling to find cheaper car insurance options. And like with fast food, the premium hikes tend to hurt lower income earners the most. Some are turning to credit cards to make up the gap. After a few years of declining balances, credit card debt has climbed back to an all-time high. Cards that have balance transfer incentives and 0% intro APR offers look especially enticing to anyone who is trying to close a gap on their monthly budget or looking for debt relief. For others, there's no way to stretch more on their current income so they're turning to ways to make extra income on the weekends or find higher-paying jobs. With no easy solution and no relief in sight, inflation is likely to remain a top concern for Americans heading into this year's presidential election. In fact,a recent FinanceBuzz survey found that inflation is the top financial issue among American voters right now. Other notable fast-flation examples Taco Bell Average price increase: 81% 81% Notable price hikes: A Doritos Locos Taco went from an average price of $1.39 in 2014 to $2.59 in 2024 (+86%), while a Cheesy Gordita Crunch has doubled in price from $2.49 in 2014 to $4.99 today. The Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, which went from an average cost of $1.59 in 2014 to a present-day price of $3.69. That's a 132% increase. Chipotle Average price increase: 75% 75% Notable price hikes: In 2014, hungry customers could get an entree, such as a burrito, bowl, or tacos, for less than $6.75 on average. Those same meals all cost $10.50 or more today. And while guac has always cost extra, it costs 64% more now than it did 10 years ago ($1.80 to $2.95 on average). Starbucks Average price increase: 31% 31% Notable price hikes: Interesting, some beloved Starbucks menu items have kept pace with inflation, such as their Chai Tea Latte (+30%) and their Mocha Frappuccino (+32%). Even better for Starbucks fans and their wallets, costs for certain items such as a Caffè Latte (+22%) and Caramel Macchiato (+17%) have actually risen slower than inflation, which makes them a better deal now than they were a decade ago. Full results and methodology For a full methodology and a chart featuring all the data collected, please visit the full study. Easy ways to save on your next fast-food order Earn cash back and rewards. Learn about the best credit cards to use when dining out. These cards can help you earn cash back or discounts when going out for a meal. Learn about the best credit cards to use when dining out. These cards can help you earn cash back or discounts when going out for a meal. Download the mobile apps. Many fast food restaurants, including McDonald's, offer discounts and deals just for using their mobile app. Many fast food restaurants, including McDonald's, offer discounts and deals just for using their mobile app. Watch for upcoming deals. McDonald's is reportedly considering offering a $5 meal deal to win back consumers who are unhappy with rising prices. Look for other fast food chains to follow suit. This story was produced by FinanceBuzz and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food.
El Balad
27-02-2025
- Science
- El Balad
رئيس جامعة الوادي الجديد يكرم منتخب كرة القدم للجنة الرياضية للعاملين
If astronauts plan to spend more than a few days on the moon, they'll need to find some local resources. One of the most important of those resources is water. Scientists are pretty sure there is water on the moon, they just don't know exactly where. Two probes are heading to the moon to begin to answer that question. They'll depart on the same SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral. The four-day launch window opens at 7:16 PM ET on Feb. 26. If all goes according to plan, the first of the probes to reach the moon will be a lander called Athena, built by the company Intuitive Machines. The trip to the moon is pretty short. "It takes about three to four days, depending on where we launch in that launch window," says Timothy Crain, chief technology officer and co-founder of Intuitive Machines. "We orbit the moon for two to three days, basically to let the sun move over the landing site," he says. Once that happens, the probe can land, as the lander's solar panels need sun to generate power. "It takes about 15 minutes once we light the engine, to come down and to do a soft touch landing, Crain says. The landing site is on a flat top mountain near the lunar south pole called Mons Mouton, a feature named for the mathematician Melba Mouton. This is Intuitive Machines' second attempt to land on the moon. It tried a year ago, but the probe tipped over after landing. "We definitely contacted the ground harder than we expected," Crain says. "And you know, in the space game, usually, if things don't work out exactly the way you plan, they don't work out at all." Even though it tipped over, it got a good amount of data before it ran out of power, so Crain is pretty pleased with the first try. The new lander carries quite an array of tools. One is a drill and spectrometer made by NASA that will look for water under the lunar surface. There's also a small rover that will be used to test a 4-G local communications network built by Nokia, and a miniature rover small enough to fit in the palm of your hand made by the Japanese firm Dymon Co. Ltd. Then there's the Hopper, named for the mathematician Grace Hopper. The name also refers to what the Hopper does: it's basically a rocket pack that can hop around the landing sight, looking inside of craters that have never been explored. The same rocket launching the Intuitive Machines lander on its mission is also carrying a spacecraft called Lunar Trailblazer. That dishwasher-sized probe is intended to go into orbit around the moon. "The focus of the mission is trying to understand the abundance and the form and distribution of lunar water and the lunar water cycle," says Angela Dapremont from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and a member of the Lunar Trailblazer science team. She says scientists are pretty sure there is water on the moon, they're just not sure what form it's in. "Is it molecular water? Is it water ice? Is it hydroxyl?" Dapremont says. Knowing that makes a big difference when it comes to harvesting the water. Lunar Trailblazer is one NASA's new class of small innovative exploratory spacecraft. One of the intriguing aspects of the mission is that it's being operated by students in what basically is a small conference room. Carson L. (Lee) Bennett is an engineer at Caltech and Lunar Trailblazer's mission manager. He says most deep space probes are run out of NASA's nearby Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "But for a lot of these smaller spacecraft is now moving to college campuses," Bennett says. Lunar Trailblazer separates from the Intuitive Machines lander shortly after takeoff. Because it doesn't have a very powerful engine, it will take the smaller probe several months to reach the moon and go into the orbit it needs for its scientific mission. Copyright 2025 NPR
