Did Boeing "Screw Up"? Sunita Williams And Butch Wilmore Say...

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore thanked US President Donald Trump and SpaceX owner Elon Musk for their help in bringing them back from the International Space Station (ISS), where they stayed on for nine months after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft malfunctioned, turning a mission that was supposed to be short into a long one.

The two astronauts in an interview to Fox News said space flight is hard, and using new technology to try to further and better themselves is harder.

To a question on whether Boeing "screwed this up", Mr Wilmore said he does not want to point fingers at anyone.

"... In certain respects, we were stuck. In certain respects, maybe we were stranded. But based on how they were couching this, that we were left and forgotten and all that, we were nowhere near any of that at all. So stuck, okay, we didn't get to come home the way we planned. So in one definition, we're stuck. But in the big scheme of things, we weren't stuck. We planned and trained," Mr Wilmore said.

Ms Williams said they prepped as if they were going to stay long while planning for the short mission.

"Our focus was on the mission, the Starliner portion of the mission, first flights, test flight. And that was our focus, but we trained for everything. Maintenance on station, science on station, spacewalks on station, robotics, arm work on station. We trained for it all. And we were prepared to do anything that we were asked of for a long duration," the Indian-origin astronaut said.

"Again, planning for one thing, preparing for other. And that's not unique to us. This is what a human space flight programme does. This is what each individual, the army that supports human space flight... that is passionate about human space flight... do. We plan for as many contingencies as we can dream up because this is a hard business. It's tough," Ms Williams said.

Mr Wilmore indicated it would be absolutely wrong to pin blame on anyone for what happened with their mission.

"... There are many questions that as the commander of CFT (crew flight test), I didn't ask. So I'm culpable. I'll admit that to the nation. There's things that I did not ask that I should have asked. I didn't know at the time I needed to ask them. But in hindsight, the signal, some of the signals were there. Is Boeing to blame? Are they culpable? Sure.

"Is NASA to blame? Are they culpable? Sure. Everybody has a piece in this because it did not come off. There were some shortcomings in tests, shortcomings in preparation that we did not foresee. So yeah, are there, could you point fingers? I don't want to point fingers. I hope nobody wants to point fingers. We don't want to look back and say, shame, shame, shame.

"We want to look forward and say, let's rectify what we've learned and let's make the future even more productive and better. That's the way that I look at it. I think the way the nation should look at it," Mr Wilmore said.

The two NASA Crew-9 astronauts returned to Earth on SpaceX's Dragon capsule on March 18.

President Trump alleged his predecessor Joe Biden abandoned the astronauts in space. On March 7, he announced he gave permission to Mr Musk to bring back the two American astronauts.

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MS Dhoni Left Dejected After Last-Over Dismissal As CSK Lose vs RR - Watch

MS Dhoni was dismissed on the first ball of the final over as Chennai Super Kings slumped to a 6-run loss against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025 on Sunday. Dhoni looked in good touch as he scored 16 off 11 balls with the help of one four and one six. With 20 runs needed off the final over, all eyes were on Dhoni but the veteran India wicket-keeper batter was caught in the deep as the fans were left disappointed. It was a low wide full toss from Sandeep Sharma and Dhoni went for the big one but the ball went straight to Shimron Hetmyer at deep mid-wicket who made no mistake.

Wanindu Hasaranga's brilliance derailed Chennai Super Kings' chase as Rajasthan Royals sealed a six-run win in an IPL match on Sunday.

Shimron Hethmayr today you silenced the realm of MS Dhoni.#cskvsRR #msdhoni #CSKvsRR pic.twitter.com/hlwuaFuKKm

— Immanuel Rudhrakshan (@immanrudhra9066) March 30, 2025

Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad led CSK's fightback with a 44-ball 63 (7x4, 1x6), but Hasaranga's (4/35) relentless strikes kept the chase in check, restricting them to 176/6. This is CSK's second successive defeat.

Ravindra Jadeja (32 not out from 22 balls) and MS Dhoni (16; 11b), who came in at No 7, provided late fireworks, but the target proved beyond reach.

Dhoni gave CSK hope with a six and a four in the 19th over, where Tushar Deshpande leaked 19 runs, with Jadeja finishing it off with a six.

However, with 20 needed off the final over, Sandeep Sharma held his nerves to concede just 13 and dismissed Dhoni, courtesy of a stunning catch by Shimron Hetmyer, sealing RR's win.

Earlier, Nitish Rana's explosive 81 off 36 balls, laced with 10 fours and five sixes, had set RR on course for a 200-plus total.

However, CSK pulled things back in the final overs, with Matheesha Pathirana, Noor Ahmad, and Khaleel Ahmed taking two wickets each, limiting RR to 182/9.

(With PTI inputs)

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"Why Lie About Me?": Ex-India Star Fumes After 'Fake' Rohit Quote Stirs Row

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel has lashed out at a user on X, formerly Twitter, for the latter's derogatory act. The user made up a fake quote on India and Mumbai Indians opener Rohit Sharma attributing Parthiv Patel, who is the assistant batting coach of Gujarat Titans. Parthiv spoke to the broadcaster during the GT vs MI, IPL 2025 match at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday. The X user used that image of the former India batter while putting out the fake quote on social media. Parthiv gave a sharp response to it.

"Come on guys. I've got some great collabs and content, if you want impressions. Why lie about me?" he replied to the post.

Come on guys. I've got some great collabs and content, if you want impressions. Why lie about me? https://t.co/ovXFQZJXVN

— parthiv patel (@parthiv9) March 30, 2025

Fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna took two wickets each as Gujarat Titans thrashed IPL powerhouse Mumbai Indians by 36 runs for their first win this season on Saturday.

Gujarat rode on Sai Sudharsan's 63 off 41 balls to post 196-8 after being invited to bat first at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Siraj then led the bowling charge to limit the opposition to 160-6 as five-time winners Mumbai went down to their second straight loss in the 18th edition of the T20 tournament.

Siraj removed the Mumbai openers to dent the chase and Krishna hurt the middle-order to return figures of 2-18.

Krishna, a fast-medium bowler who has played three Tests, 17 ODIs and five T20s for India, was named player of the match.

"I was itching to bowl. We were sitting and watching how the first innings went. So we understood that cutters into the wicket were working well," he said.

Mumbai's former captain Rohit Sharma started on the front foot with two successive boundaries but Siraj had the last laugh as he bowled the opener for eight on the fourth ball.

Siraj was on fire when he bowled South African wicketkeeper-batsman Ryan Rickelton for six as the left-hander got an inside edge on to his stumps.

Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav attempted to rebuild in a third-wicket stand of 62 until Krishna struck to remove Varma for 39.

Suryakumar hit 48 and smashed four sixes in an attempt to keep up with the ever-increasing scoring rate and along with skipper Hardik Pandya looked to pull things back.

But the bowling remained disciplined and Krishna got his reward with Suryakumar's wicket and South African quick Kagiso Rabada dismissed Pandya, for 11, as the chase fizzled out.

Earlier, Gujarat openers Sudharsan and Shubman Gill started cautiously before the two hammered 35 runs across overs five and six.

Returning Pandya cut short skipper Gill's knock on 38 when he had the attacking opener caught at deep square leg to end a 78-run opening stand.

Pandya missed his team's opening loss due a suspension from the previous edition when he was charged for a slow-over rate offence. He returned figures of 2-29 with his pace bowling.

The left-handed Sudharsan built another key stand with England's Jos Buttler, who kept up the charge with regular boundaries as he hit 39 off 24 balls.

Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismissed Buttler, caught behind as the Gujarat bowlers hit back.

Pandya dismissed the big-hitting Shahrukh Khan for nine and West Indies left-hander Sherfane Rutherford fell to seam bowler Deepak Chahar for 18.

Sudharsan held firm in a middle-order stutter and reached his fifty before New Zealand left-arm quick Trent Boult trapped the batsman lbw.

Disciplined bowling denied Gujarat a big finish in the final few overs but the total proved enough for the team's first win in two matches.

(With AFP Inputs)

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21-Year-Old NEET Aspirant Dies By Suicide Near Chennai, Opposition Slams DMK

A 21-year-old student preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions has died by suicide near Chennai.

Police officials said the student, Devadharshini, was attending coaching classes and preparing for NEET - which is scheduled to be held on May 4 - and was stressed because she had failed to crack the exam in her last four attempts. 

Her father, Selvaraj, runs a bakery in Kilambakkam, about 40 km from Chennai. The family had moved there from the Tamil Nadu capital because their earlier bakery in the city had not done well. 

Devadharshini had told her parents that she was stressed about the exam and they had reassured her, saying she had no reason to worry, an official said. The 21-year-old spent most of Friday at her father's bakery and then told him she was going home and would return. Her mother found her hanging at home some time later. 

Opposition Attack

At least 20 NEET aspirants have died by suicide in Tamil Nadu in the past eight years. The MK Stalin-led DMK government and the AIADMK government in the past have opposed the Central exam and want admissions to be done based on Class 12 marks. The parties have argued that arguing that NEET favours students from affluent families and ensures an uneven playing field. 

In 2021, the Tamil Nadu Assembly had passed a bill seeking exemption from NEET. 

After Devadharshini's suicide, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami hit out at Mr Stalin and his party, accusing them of deceiving students by promising that NEET would not be held in Tamil Nadu if the DMK came to power. 

"The DMK lied and deceived students by saying there would be no NEET in Tamil Nadu if it came to power. Are the continuing deaths because of NEET not a cause for concern for the DMK?" Mr Palaniswami wrote in Tamil on X. 

"How are you going to wipe away the bloodstains that keep accumulating on your hands from the big lie you told for electoral gains," he asked. 

Helplines
Vandrevala Foundation for Mental Health	9999666555 or help@vandrevalafoundation.com
TISS iCall	022-25521111 (Monday-Saturday: 8 am to 10 pm)
(If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.)

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Japanese Scientists Develop New Plastic That Dissolves In Saltwater

Plastics are known for their durability and strength, making them ideal for everyday use. However, their long-lasting nature becomes a significant environmental issue when they end up in nature. Traditional plastics, made with strong covalent bonds, are difficult to break down and can remain in the environment for decades or even centuries, causing harm to wildlife and humans through microplastics.

In an effort to tackle this problem, Researchers led by Takuzo Aida at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) in Japan, have developed a new type of plastic that maintains its strength during use but dissolves quickly in saltwater. Once dissolved, the plastic breaks down into harmless compounds, reducing the environmental impact.

In their new study, Aida and his team focused on solving this problem with supramolecular plastics-polymers with structures held together by reversible interactions. The new plastics were made by combining two ionic monomers that form cross-linked salt bridges, which provide strength and flexibility. In the initial tests, one of the monomers was a common food additive called sodium hexametaphosphate and the other was any of several guanidinium ion-based monomers. Both monomers can be metabolized by bacteria, ensuring biodegradability once the plastic is dissolved into its components.

"While the reversable nature of the bonds in supramolecular plastics have been thought to make them weak and unstable," says Aida, "our new materials are just the opposite." In the new material, the salt bridges structure is irreversible unless exposed to electrolytes like those found in seawater. The key discovery was how to create these selectively irreversible cross links.

As with oil with water, after mixing the two monomers together in water, the researchers observed two separated liquids. One was thick and viscous and contained the important structural cross linked salt bridges, while the other was watery and contained salt ions. For example, when sodium hexametaphosphate and alkyl diguanidinium sulfate were used, sodium sulphate salt was expelled into the watery layer. The final plastic, alkyl SP2, was made by drying what remained in the thick viscous liquid layer.

The "desalting" turned out to be the critical step; without it, the resulting dried material was a brittle crystal, unfit for use. Resalting the plastic by placing it in salt water caused the interactions to reverse and the plastic's structure destabilized in a matter of hours. Thus, having created a strong and durable plastic that can still be dissolved under certain conditions, the researchers next tested the plastic's quality. 

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"Lowest Point": Internet Slams Dhoni For Batting At No. 9 For CSK Against RCB

MS Dhoni came out to bat at No. 9 for Chennai Super Kings but it was a case of too little too late as his side slumped to a 50-run loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday. Chasing 197, CSK kept losing wickets at regular intervals and Shivam Dube was dismissed in the 13th over, the expectation was that Dhoni will come out to bat. However, it was R Ashwin who joined Ravindra Jadeja out in the middle and by the time Dhoni came out in the 16th over, the match was almost out of CSK's hands. The ex-India captain remained unbeaten on 30 off 16 balls but it made no difference to his team's fortunes. The fans were not happy with Dhoni coming out to bat so late and they took to social media to express their views.

Dhoni coming at no 9 is lowest point in his career. He should retire gracefully than this embarrassment. #IPL2025 #RCBvCSK

— kirat.13_ (@kirat8513) March 28, 2025

Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Chennai Super Kings by 50 runs in their Indian Premier League match on Friday.

What's the point of #Dhoni batting at No. 9 in a 197-run chase when CSK is struggling at 100? CSK's tactics today showed they had given up.

Dhoni at No. 9—just for a couple of sixes and PR? A few sixes for the fans won't change the bigger picture. Maybe it's time to ask—has… pic.twitter.com/TLekj4Qy1B

— Amit Kumar (@AmitMaithil7) March 28, 2025

Chasing a target of 197, CSK ended up at 146 for 8 in 20 overs, their first defeat to RCB at Chepauk since 2008.

Opener Rachin Ravindra top-scored for CSK with 41 while the next best batter was former captain MS Dhoni who remained not out on 30 off 16 balls.

Josh Hazlewood (3/21), Yash Dayal (2/18) and Liam Livingstone (2/28) were the main wicket takers for RCB.

Earlier, RCB posted 196 for 7 after being put in to bat at the Chepauk.

Captain Rajat Patidar top-scored with 51 off 32 deliveries while openers Phil Salt (32 off 16 balls), Virat Kohli (31 off 30 balls) and Tim David (22 not out off 8 balls) were the other notable contributors.

For CSK, Noor Ahmad (3/36) was the pick of the bowlers while Matheesha Pathirana (2/36), veteran Ravichandran Ashwin (1/22) and pacer Khaleel Ahmed (1/28) chipped in with wickets.

(With PTI inputs)

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Solar Eclipse 2025: Best Viewing Locations, Safety Tips And How To Watch

Skywatchers and astronomy enthusiasts are in for a spectacular celestial event as a partial solar eclipse is set to take place on March 29, Saturday. This breathtaking phenomenon will be the first solar eclipse of 2025. Unlike a total eclipse, this one will only partially cover the Sun, creating a stunning crescent-shaped spectacle in the sky. According to NASA, the partial solar eclipse will be visible across various regions, including parts of Europe, Northwestern Africa, Greenland, Iceland, and parts of the northeastern US and eastern Canada. 

What is a partial solar eclipse? 

A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, but not perfectly aligned, causing only a portion of the Sun to be blocked. This creates a stunning crescent-shaped Sun in the sky, making it look like the Sun has grown a pair of devil horns. 

Solar Eclipse 2025: Where and when to view?

The partial solar eclipse will be visible in the wee hours of March 29, throwing its shadow over areas like New York City, Boston, Montreal and Quebec. Parts of Africa, Siberia, the Caribbean, and Europe will also be able to see a shallower partial eclipse.

In the US, the eclipse will begin at around 4:50 am EDT. It will peak at 6:47 am EDT and end at 8:43 am EDT. The following states will have some of the best views of the partial solar eclipse, as reported by USA Today:

• New York - 6:35 am to 7:12 am
• Massachusetts - 6:27 am to 7:08 am
• Maine - 6:13 am to 7:17 am
• Pennsylvania - 6:46 am to 7:08 am
• New Jersey - 6:43 am to 7:06 am
• Virginia - 6:50 am to 7:03 am

Additionally, the partial solar eclipse will be across Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. However, visibility will depend on local weather conditions, so clear skies will be essential for an optimal viewing experience.

In Europe, the eclipse will begin after 10 am GMT and end at about 12 noon. The eclipse will peak at around 11:03 am GMT with about 40% coverage, Live Science reported. It will be visible across the continent, especially in Northern and Central Europe. 

In India, the solar eclipse will begin at 2:20 pm IST and end at 6:13 pm, lasting approximately four hours. The eclipse will be at its peak at 04:17 pm. However, India will not be able to see the eclipse because of the time difference and the event's alignment.

Solar Eclipse 2025: How to watch? 

Unlike a lunar eclipse, which can be safely observed with the naked eye, a solar eclipse should not be watched directly. It can result in retinal burns and irreversible eye damage. Wearing appropriate eye protection is always advised when observing a solar eclipse. Homemade solutions, such as smoked glass or regular sunglasses, are also adequate and can lead to permanent eye damage. 

Use only solar viewers that adhere to the international safety standard ISO 12312-2.

For online viewers, Timeanddate's stream will feature several views from across the world. The Royal Observatory Greenwich will also be hosting its own free live stream of the eclipse. 

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