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The Race for Space: Billionaires Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson Take First Shot

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By Eric Elezuo

Billionaires Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson has set a new tone to how billionaires should spend. In fact, the two money men seem to be saying that they have conquered entertainment on the planet earth, and need to explore the outer space.

Consequently, and separately, the duo took a tour to the space, flying in million dollars spaceship. It was an experience that has opened to doors to holidaying in outer space, or creating a new world somewhere above the earth.

CBSNEWS.com captured the experience in the following piece. Read:

Two competing billionaires have launched successful trips to space in the race for commercial space travel. On Tuesday, Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos blasted off into space on the New Shepard spacecraft. Last week, Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson rocketed into space on his own aircraft. Here are the differences between the two flights.

Bezos and three crewmates lifted off from the Blue Origin’s West Texas launch site and rocketed to an altitude of more than 62 miles above the Earth.

Branson, two pilots and three other crew members flew on the VSS Unity spaceplane. They lifted away from the company’s Spaceport America launch site July 11 near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.

While the liftoff locations and methods are different, their goals for commercial space flights are similar, CBS News senior space analyst Bill Harwood reports.

“The bottom line is they’re selling the same thing. They’re selling about three minutes of weightlessness and flights out of the atmosphere,” Harwood told CBSN anchor Anne-Marie Green ahead of Bezos’ flight Tuesday. “How they get there, however, is different.”

Blue Origin chose a capsule mounted on top of a rocket. “I’m reminded of Alan Shepard and his first Mercury flight that was a rocket booster and a capsule,” Harwood said, referring to NASA astronaut Alan Shepard, the first person from the U.S. to travel to space, in 1961.

“This is the same philosophy, and just like that original Mercury flight, they have an abort system, so they can get away from the rocket if there is a malfunction,” Harwood said.

Blue Origin’s New Shepard booster, which carried the capsule holding Bezos and his crewmates, was named after Shepard.

The spacecraft traveled three times the speed of sound, and once it reached an altitude of about 45 miles, the booster’s company-designed BE-3 main engine shut down and the capsule was released to fly on its own, Harwood said.

Bezos and his crewmates were then able to enjoy three minutes of weightlessness, as the capsule reached a high point just above 62 miles.

That’s the internationally recognized “boundary” between the aerodynamically discernible atmosphere and space, a distinction recognized by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, a Switzerland-based organization that sanctions aerospace records.

The Virgin Galactic spaceplane flew slightly lower, but well above the 50-mile altitude recognized as the boundary of space by NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration, Harwood said.

Virgin Galactic’s spaceplane design is air launched, meaning another aircraft carries it about 45,000 feet and then releases it. A rocket engine then ignites and carries the plane to space.

For Virgin Galactic’s model, the rocket is an integral part of the spaceplane. “They can shut it down and then glide to a landing if there’s a problem, but you don’t get away from it in that sense. You can get away from your rocket with Blue Origin,” Harwood said.

Branson and his crew also enjoyed weightlessness and live-streamed their trip as they floated free from their seats. Only the audio from inside the Blue Origin capsule was streamed, and Bezos and his crew could be heard shouting “woo-hoo.”

Eight minutes after liftoff, three parachutes deployed on the Blue Origin crew capsule to slow it down for landing as it descended back to Earth. The flight lasted about 10 minutes.

Pilots guided the Virgin Galactic spaceplane through a spiraling descent, and landed on Spaceport America’s 12,000-foot-long runway. The flight lasted 59 minutes from takeoff to touchdown.

Both launches are complete — but the space race is not over. Blue Origin plans to launch two more passenger flights before the end of the year, but ticket prices have not been revealed.

Flights aboard Virgin Galactic’s spaceplane are believed to cost around $250,000. Both companies hope the market will support economies of scale and lower prices down the road.

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Simon Ekpa Lands in Finnish Prison Over Terrorist Propaganda Charges

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Self acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, has been arrested by law enforcement in Finland.

The BBC reports that Ekpa was subsequently sent to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.

Ekpa was said to have committed the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality.

The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also arrested four other men over alleged terrorist offences.

A citizen of Finland and Nigeria, Ekpa has described himself as leader of the separatist IPOB group since Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration.

Finnish police say Ekpa’s activities and social media rhetoric may have fanned the flames of violence in the south-east of Nigeria.

“He carries out these activities from his social media channels, for example,” said Otto Hiltunen, detective chief inspector of the NBI.

In February 2023,  Ekpa was arrested by police at his residence in Lahti but was released after hours of questioning.

Using his social media channels, Ekpa had directed Igbos not to participate in Nigeria’s 2023 general election.

In September 2021, the Biafra agitator and secessionist denounced Nigeria and vowed to return the medal he won for the country at the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships.

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Africa

Balthasar Sex Scandal: Equatorial Guinea Govt Files Formal Charges

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The Government of Equatorial Guinea has filed a lawsuit against Baltasar Ebang Engonga, former Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), over allegations of misconduct involving a sex scandal.

In an official statement, the government gave reasons why Engonga is being prosecuted, describing his actions as “violations of the ethical and moral values of noble Equatorial Guinean society.”

The lawsuit was announced by Jerónimo Osa Osa, Minister of Information, Press, and Culture, who confirmed that the Attorney General’s Office would conduct a comprehensive investigation into the allegations.

According to local news platform Ahora EG, “This decision comes after several videos went viral in which Ebang Engonga is seen having sexual relations with multiple women, some of whom are married.”

The leaked videos, which have sparked outrage, prompted the government to take a stand on what it deems a violation of public morality and family values.

During an address on Friday, the government, through the Public Prosecutor’s Office, tasked with overseeing the case, intends to pursue administrative, civil, and criminal charges against Engonga and any accomplices, reiterated its condemnation of Engonga’s conduct.

The government emphasised the far-reaching impact of the scandal on social and family cohesion, stating, “In light of these serious events, which severely undermine family and social cohesion, and considering the negative impact that this situation has on the good image of our country, tarnishing its reputation, the government, through the Public Prosecutor’s Office, has commenced a thorough investigation to establish responsibilities at the administrative, civil, and criminal levels, given the possibility of a public health impact.”

Meanwhile, the investigation aims to address multiple issues, including the line between personal and public conduct, potential privacy violations, and damages to individuals’ honor and reputation.

The government affirmed its commitment to safeguarding the rights of those affected by the scandal, including the State itself.

Baltasar Engonga has been facing severe backlash after investigators discovered over 400 explicit videos involving him and the wives of prominent national figures.

The scandal surfaced amid a fraud probe into Engonga’s stewardship, leading ANIF officials to search his home and office.

During this search, investigators reportedly uncovered CDs containing the explicit recordings, which have since leaked online, sparking a national outcry and widespread media coverage.

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Kamala Harris Congratulates Trump, Urges President-Elect to Unite Americans

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US Vice President, Kamala Harris, has finally called Donald Trump to concede defeat in the election.

This comes hours after the race was called and her loss was confirmed.

According to the Daily Mail, Harris had a warning for the president-elect, lecturing him even as she congratulated him.

“She discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans,” a senior aide said.

Harris is expected to concede to the nation at Howard University later today.

The White House has already confirmed that President Joe Biden also has called both candidates.

Biden has also invited Trump to meet with him, telling him about “the importance of working to bring the country together.”

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