China’s Shenzhou-19 spacecraft has returned home, bringing astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze safely back to Earth. The capsule landed at the Dongfeng landing site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Wednesday. Medical teams on-site confirmed that the crew members are in good health.
The China Manned Space Agency declared the Shenzhou-19 mission a success. Launched on October 30 last year from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the spacecraft docked with China’s space station after a fast, automated rendezvous. During their 183-day stay in orbit, the astronauts conducted three spacewalks, setting a new record for the longest single spacewalk by a Chinese crew. Their first extravehicular activity on December 17 lasted nine hours, breaking the previous record held by the Shenzhou-18 crew.
Climate Change Doubles Likelihood of South Korea’s Wildfires
Researchers announced on Thursday that climate change has made South Korea’s worst-ever wildfires twice as likely to occur. In March, devastating fires in the southeast of the country burned for nearly a week, claiming 32 lives and destroying around 5,000 buildings before being brought under control.
The affected area had experienced months of below-average rainfall and strong winds, following South Korea’s hottest year on record. The scientific network World Weather Attribution found that the hot, dry, and windy conditions that fanned the flames were “twice as likely and about 15 percent more intense” due to human-induced climate change. They warned that such disasters could become even more frequent if global temperatures continue to rise.
Tragedy at Sri Lanka’s Sacred Tooth Relic Shrine
In Sri Lanka, four people lost their lives while paying homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy. The relic, believed to be a tooth of the Buddha, is housed in the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a UNESCO World Heritage site known locally as the Sri Dalada Maligawa. Last Friday, nearly 450,000 pilgrims—more than double the expected number—gathered for a rare public display of the relic, leading to severe overcrowding.
Over the past week, around 300 people were admitted to Kandy National Hospital with dehydration and breathing problems. The exhibition, which concluded on Sunday, was the first time the relic was on public display since 2009.
Philippine Volcano Erupts, Spewing Ash
Mount Bulusan, a restive volcano in the central Philippines, erupted on Monday morning, sending a column of ash 4.5 kilometers into the sky. Authorities raised the alert level and warned residents to stay out of a 4-kilometer danger zone around the volcano.
Located in Sorsogon province, about 400 kilometers from Manila, Bulusan Volcano had shown increased activity prior to the eruption, with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recording 53 volcanic earthquakes over 24 hours. The institute raised Bulusan’s alert status to Level 1, indicating low-level volcanic unrest and the possibility of further eruptions.
Vietnam Marks 50 Years Since End of War
Thousands of Vietnamese gathered on Wednesday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Celebrations in Ho Chi Minh City featured an aerial display with helicopters and fighter jets, along with parades and marches.
“All Vietnamese have the right to live and work, to pursue happiness and love in this country,” said a senior official of the Vietnam Communist Party. He emphasized that Vietnam has learned valuable lessons from its past struggles and, under the Party’s leadership, is focused on national reconstruction and development.
