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Suborbital space tourism finally arrives | FCC prepares to run public C-band auction | The big four in the U.S. launch industry — United Launch Alliance, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman — hope to be one of two providers that will receive five-year contracts later this year to launch national security payloads starting in 2022. | China’s launch rate stays high | The International Space Station is the largest ever crewed object in space.

 
Brazil’s Lula kicks off visit to European...
LISBON (AP) — Portugal’s president welcomed President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil on an official visit Saturday, as the Brazilian leader looks to strengthen ties with his country’s natural partner in the European Union. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa received Lula and Brazilian first lady Rosangela da Silva in an official ceremony at the Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon. Portugal is home to over 250,000 Brazilians, and some were on hand to cheer the visiting president. During...

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After Russia bombs own city, explosive found...
Seventeen apartment buildings were evacuated Saturday in a Russian city near the Ukrainian border after an explosive device was found at the site where a bomb accidentally dropped by a Russian warplane caused a powerful blast this week, authorities said. The bomb blast late Thursday rocked part of Belgorod, leaving a large crater and three people injured. The Russian Defense Ministry quickly acknowledged that a weapon accidentally released by one of its own Su-34 bombers caused the explosion. The...

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Tavares, Marner lead Maple Leafs past Lightning,...
TORONTO (AP) — John Tavares had his first playoff hat trick and the Toronto Maple Leafs rebounded from a poor playoff start with a lopsided 7-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night to even the teams’ first-round playoff series at a game apiece. Mitch Marner had two goals and an assist, William Nylander added a goal and an assist, and Zach Aston-Reese also scored for Toronto. Morgan Rielly tied a franchise record with four assists. Auston...

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SpaceX giant rocket explodes minutes after launch...
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (AP) — SpaceX’s giant new rocket exploded minutes after blasting off on its first test flight Thursday and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. Elon Musk’s company was aiming to send the nearly 400-foot (120-meter) Starship rocket on a round-the-world trip from the southern tip of Texas, near the Mexican border. It carried no people or satellites. Images showed several of the 33 main engines were not firing as the rocket climbed from the launch...

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Judge takes home run away from Ohtani...
NEW YORK (AP) — From one MVP to another — take that! Aaron Judge robbed Shohei Ohtani of a home run with a spectacular catch Wednesday night, leaping above the center-field fence at Yankee Stadium to keep the ball in play with his glove before snatching it in his bare hand on the way down. “If I was a good outfielder I would have caught in on the first try,” Judge cracked, drawing laughs. “A juggling act there, but...

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2 by 2: Stars, Wild exchange quick...
DALLAS (AP) — Talk about a 2-by-2 second period in Game 2 between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild. The teams combined for six goals in the middle period Wednesday night, with two quick scoring pairs by the Stars and an even-faster duo of goals by the Wild. Stars captain Jamie Benn had a power-play goal and an assist in an 87-second span against Marc-André Fleury that made it 4-1. Minnesota’s two goals in quick succession were Marcus Johansson’s...

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Pogacar, Vollering win Flèche, aim for Ardennes...
HUY, Belgium (AP) — Nothing can stop Tadej Pogacar right now, not even one of the toughest climbs in cycling. The two-time Tour de France champion earned his third one-day classic victory of the season season by triumphing at the top of the Mur de Huy for the first time to claim the Flèche Wallonne race, and add another trophy to his already storied career. The 24-year-old has been untouchable on all grounds this year, dominating the field at...

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Littlest intruder: Toddler crawls through White House...
WASHINGTON (AP) — A toddler on Tuesday earned the title of one of the tiniest White House intruders after he squeezed through the metal fencing on the north side of the executive mansion. U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division officers, who are responsible for security at the White House, walked across the North Lawn to retrieve the tot and reunite him with his parents on Pennsylvania Avenue. Access to the complex was briefly restricted while officers conducted the reunification. Officers...

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Top Kremlin critic convicted of treason, gets...
A Russian court on Monday convicted top opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr. of treason for publicly denouncing Moscow’s war in Ukraine and sentenced him to 25 years in prison as part of the Kremlin’s relentless crackdown on critics of the invasion. The political activist and journalist, who twice survived poisonings he blamed on Russian authorities, has rejected the charges against him as punishment for standing up to President Vladimir Putin and likened the proceedings to the show trials under...

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NHL Playoffs: Eichel, Hughes among the top...
The NHL playoffs are going on without Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin for the first time since their rookie year in 2006, but that doesn’t mean the chase for the Stanley Cup isn’t packed with star power. Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche are trying to go back to back. Connor McDavid is determined to win his first championship with the Edmonton Oilers. And there are a handful of players in the postseason as professionals for the first time....

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G-7 diplomats reject Chinese, N. Korean, Russian...
KARUIZAWA, Japan (AP) — Top diplomats from the Group of Seven wealthy democracies are vowing a tough stance on China’s increasing threats to Taiwan and on North Korea’s unchecked tests of long-range missiles, while building momentum on ways to boost support for Ukraine and punish Russia for its invasion. Russia’s war in Ukraine will consume much of the agenda Monday as the envoys gather in this Japanese hot spring resort town for Day Two of talks meant to pave...

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Fire in Dubai kills 16, injures 9...
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A fire swept through an apartment building in an older neighborhood of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, killing at least 16 people and injuring another nine, authorities said Sunday. The blaze Saturday in the Al Murar area of Dubai’s historic Deira neighborhood struck an apartment believed to have been shared by multiple individuals, a common practice for laborers who power the economy in this city-state known more for its towering skyscrapers. But...

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Whitecaps, Austin play to scoreless draw
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Yohei Takaoka finished with seven saves for the Vancouver Whitecaps and Brad Stuver stopped four shots for Austin FC as the two clubs played to a scoreless draw on Saturday night. Vancouver (2-2-4) was trying to become the second team to beat Austin (2-3-2) four times. LAFC has five wins over Austin, including the playoffs. The Whitecaps are winless in their last 14 road matches and have won just four of their last 38 away...

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G7 building consensus for faster end to...
SAPPORO, Japan (AP) — Leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations wrapped up meetings Sunday on energy and environmental issues, amid calls from China and other developing countries for more help in phasing out fossil fuels. The G-7 energy and environment ministers gathered in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo were expected to issue a communique encompassing climate and other environmental concerns as well as energy security given disruptions in supplies due to the war in Ukraine. Officials...

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FAA gives OK for SpaceX’s Starship test...
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX has cleared the final hurdle for launching its new giant Starship from Texas as early as next week on a first test flight. The Federal Aviation Administration issued the long-awaited license on Friday. SpaceX announced that Starship — the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket — could soar as soon as Monday. No people or satellites will be aboard the 394-foot (120-meter) rocket. SpaceX will attempt to send the spacecraft atop the colossal...

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