Day: January 4, 2023

Walter Cunningham, the last living astronaut of NASA’s first crewed space flight in 1968, has died at the age of 90, the US space agency announced on Tuesday.

Cunningham, whose 1968 Apollo 7 mission opened the way for the first human moon landing a few months later in 1969, died on Tuesday morning in Houston, a NASA statement said.

“Walt Cunningham was a fighter pilot, physicist, and an entrepreneur – but, above all, he was an explorer. On Apollo 7, the first launch of a crewed Apollo mission, Walt and his crewmates made history, paving the way for the Artemis Generation we see today,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said.

“NASA will always remember his contributions to our nation’s space program and sends our condolences to the Cunningham family,” Nelson added.

Following his death, Cunningham’s family also paid tribute to the late astronaut: “We would like to express our immense pride in the life that he lived, and our deep gratitude for the man that he was – a patriot, an explorer, pilot, astronaut, husband, brother, and father. The world has lost another true hero, and we will miss him dearly.”

Born in 1932 in Iowa, Cunningham earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors in physics in 1960 and a Master of Arts with distinction in physics in 1961 from the University of California. In 1974, he completed a doctorate in physics with exception of thesis at the Harvard Graduate School of Business.

Cunningham joined the Navy in 1951 and flew 54 missions as a night fighter pilot in Korea, according to the NASA statement. “Cunningham has accumulated more than 4,500 hours of flying time in 40 different aircraft, including more than 3,400 in jet aircraft,” it added.

In 1963, he was chosen as a member of NASA’s third astronaut class. Cunningham served as the backup lunar module pilot for Apollo 1 and the lead crew for cancelled Apollo 2 before being assigned to the Apollo 7 crew.

For the first human flight test of the Apollo spacecraft, Apollo 7, he was chosen as the lunar module pilot for the 11-day mission.

“With Walter M. Schirra, Jr. and Donn F. Eisele, he tested maneuvers necessary for docking and lunar orbit rendezvous using the third stage of their Saturn IB launch vehicle,” the NASA statement said.

“The crew successfully completed eight tests, igniting the service module engine, measuring the accuracy of performance of all spacecraft systems, and providing the first live television transmission of onboard crew activities,” it added.

The Apollo 7 craft members including Cunningham earned an Emmy in the form of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Special Trustee Award.

“The 263-hour, 4.5-million-mile flight splashed down Oct. 22, 1968, in the Atlantic Ocean,” it added.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The author is an energy expert and working as an academician for Karatay University

ISTANBUL

Challenges and expectations in the energy field are discussed in three questions.

How was the energy industry in 2022?

2022 had been an extremely turbulent year for the global energy industry.

Supply chain problems, which emerged during COVID-19 lockdowns, as well as the Russia-Ukraine war also drove the price hikes. The rise in energy prices was one of the most critical factors that fueled global inflation.

With a rise in the prices of natural gas, oil, coal, and electricity, which increased especially in the spring, combined with the concerns about access to energy, the world witnessed the biggest energy crisis in history.

Energy geopolitics has become quite decisive in international relations. After waging a war on Ukraine and using energy as a weapon, Russia reminded this by saying: “Energy is never just energy.” The war and the following sanctions, new energy policies, and conjecture led to the division of energy markets with the redistribution of resources across the globe.

These political developments have made governments the biggest players in all markets and economies, not just in energy markets. Energy security concerns partially blocked efforts to combat climate change or caused a delay to reach some goals in the fight against the climate crisis. Some countries in Europe reopened coal plants and the world returned to coal. Over the last two months, the carbon intensity of electricity generation has exceeded 700 grams of carbon dioxide (gCO2eq/kWh) in many countries.

Meanwhile, the positive results from the studies on nuclear fusion technology in the US gave some hope for the future of energy.

What were the most important developments in the energy field in Türkiye in 2022?

Türkiye saw growth both in the economy and energy industry in 2022. On the electricity side, the installed power exceeded 100,000 megawatts, and the majority of the newly added capacity is obtained from renewable energies. Türkiye estimates it will source 55% of its energy from thermal (33% coal, 22% natural gas), and 45% of energy from renewable resources (20% hydro, 10% wind, 8% solar, and 6-7% geothermal).

The most important developments in the electricity markets were the regulations of the public sector that made efforts to both protect the consumer and ensure supply and demand security.

The government’s goal and support for electricity and especially natural gas continued to increase; The number of supported households exceeded 4 million. In the oil and natural gas sector, the most talked about issues were global effects and price levels.

The government increased energy assistance (electricity and gas) for households, reaching 4 million.

Türkiye discovers oil reserves in Gabar Mountain and natural gas reserves in the offshore Sakarya. Istanbul’s Silivri underground gas storage facility started work at full capacity, which is also very important for energy security. Those were remarkable developments that left their mark on the country’s energy agenda in the previous year.

What should we expect in 2023?

The role of the state in energy policies is more likely to continue. Indeed, the trend of globalization is inverting. Thus, governments and public policies will remain decisive with new incentives and market interventions. The EU’s “Border Carbon Tax” and the US clean energy technology move could increase competition and tension between the two actors. The Inflation Reduction Act in the US essentially aims to turn America back into a manufacturing hub.

The relationship between OPEC and Russia, as well as quotas and sanctions, will continue to be a hot topic in the oil industry. The recession may be another factor that will affect the oil market.

European countries will continue to implement record amounts of energy support packages to support their citizens against higher electricity and gas prices. Germany has announced €265 billion ($280 billion) worth of relief package, which corresponds to 7% of its total national income.

In the meantime, the search for alternative LNG (US, Qatar, Africa) to Russian gas, on which Europe’s dependence is high, and feasibility research for green hydrogen production will be among the important developments in the coming years.

In short, it seems that regional developments and the decisions taken by the governments in line with risk assessments will be critical for 2023.

Geopolitical developments will be decisive for the usage of fossil fuels and the number of emissions. Despite all the support of governments and public and financial circles, the most important obstacles to energy transformation will be global energy security concerns, difficulties with project permits and licenses, and infrastructure (especially transmission networks) inadequacies.

On the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, energy could be one of the most important topics that would dominate politics. The energy prices, Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, natural gas reserves in the offshore Sakarya, and Russia’s proposal on establishing the natural gas hub in Türkiye will be on the energy agenda of Turkiye in 2023.

*Opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Anadolu Agency.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Türkiye and Russia may establish joint patrols in northern Syria, according to the Turkish national defense minister on Wednesday.

Speaking to a group of reporters at the Turkish parliament, Hulusi Akar commented on Türkiye’s recent tripartite meeting with Syria and Russia in Moscow.

“Our goal is the defense of our country and nation. For this, the fight against terrorism is a very important element,” he said.

Noting Türkiye’s successes in its counterterror efforts, Akar said that he told his counterparts at the tripartite meeting in Moscow that it is not possible for Türkiye to accept more refugees.

He expressed hope that the tripartite talks will continue “reasonably, logically, and successfully.”

Akar said that Türkiye would not make any decision that may cause trouble for the Syrian people, adding that Ankara’s “position must be known by all parties and treated accordingly.”

Source: Anadolu Agency

Greece has called on the EU to devise a common solution to drug shortages that have hit multiple member states, the country’s health minister said on Wednesday.

Speaking to public broadcaster ERT, Health Minister Thanos Plevris said he addressed European Commissioner for Health and Food Security Stella Kyriakidou in a letter on possible solutions to the shortage.

Noting that Greece introduced a series of measures on Tuesday to tackle the problem, he stressed the importance of finding a common solution.

As an example, Plevris suggested that the centralized import and distribution of raw materials used in the pharmaceutical industry could serve as an immediate solution.

He added that the EU should take steps to support the European drug industry as the crisis showed that the bloc could not depend solely on raw material imports from Asia.

Plevris added that amid an ongoing outbreak of the flu and other upper respiratory infections, the current high demand for drugs used against them would ease as temperatures rise with the passing of winter, thus normalizing the market.

Greece on Tuesday introduced an emergency plan to deal with the medicine shortages.

The measures will include a rise in the prices of very low-cost drugs and greater contributions by insured patients when purchasing medicine, as well as stricter controls on warehouses and pharmacies.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The new leader of Britain’s national organization of trade unions on Wednesday urged the government to speak to public workers to end ongoing walkouts sparked mainly by a cost-of-living crisis amid soaring inflation and a deteriorating economy.

Paul Nowak, who started the post of general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) last week, said in a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that public services faced years of “underfunding and understaffing,” with frontline workers in need of a “fair deal” on wages.

“We can’t solve these problems without a fair deal for the people on the frontline,” said Nowak, demanding a change in government direction.

“That means talking in an open and constructive way about improving public sector pay. But so far your ministers have refused to negotiate directly about pay with unions,” he added.

According to that latest figures by the British Retail Consortium, an association of retailers, UK food prices rose at a record rate in December, hitting an inflation level of 13.3%, up from 12.4% in November.

Talking to Sky News on Wednesday, Nowak said the government has to take some responsibility and step up to facilitate labor talks.

He underlined that the workers he’d spoken to told him they could not afford “another year” of the current level of their wages amid surging inflation. “Their mortgages are going up. The food bills are going up. Their rent and mortgages are going up. The only thing that isn’t going up is their wages.”

“I think it’d be really good to Rishi Sunak to talk to our unions, but also to talk to some of those frontline paramedics, those physiotherapists, the teachers in classrooms, civil servants — people who, for the last decade, have been placed under real pressures on workload who feel at a breaking point.”

Source: Anadolu Agency

The foreign ministers of Türkiye and UAE on Wednesday discussed the recent developments in Afghanistan and Israel’s Tuesday storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

In a phone call, Mevlut Cavusoglu and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan “discussed mutual concerns over Taliban’s recent ban on women’s access to education and their exclusion from national and international non-governmental and humanitarian organizations.”

Affirming Türkiye’s expectation from Afghanistan to reverse its decision on women’s access to education, Cavusoglu also “emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts in this regard, particularly through the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.”

The ministry further noted that the UAE’s minister said the decision “as well as the earlier bans on girls from accessing secondary education, violate fundamental human rights.”

He “emphasized that Islam devoted significant attention to women, granted them a privileged position, and safeguarded their rights,” according to the ministry.

The Emirati minister also “affirmed the need to guarantee women’s rights, as well as the importance of full and equal participation of women and girls in all aspects of life.”

“During the phone call, the ministers also reiterated their condemnation of the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque yesterday by an Israeli minister. They underlined the importance of preserving the status and sanctity of holy places in Jerusalem and increasing coordination against such unacceptable acts,” it added.

Emphasizing the “need to provide full protection for Al-Aqsa Mosque and halt serious and provocative violations taking place there,” the two ministers “called upon Israeli authorities to assume responsibility for reducing escalation and instability in the region.”

Cavusoglu and Al Nahyan also discussed issues related to the bilateral agenda.

Source: Anadolu Agency

In 2022, Turkish security forces “neutralized” a total of 1,220 terrorists, including 87 senior ones, belonging to several terror groups, the Turkish interior minister said on Wednesday.

Briefing the media about measures taken against terrorism in 2022, Suleyman Soylu said that Turkish security forces prevented 185 terrorist acts, including 18 suicide bombings.

Turkish authorities often use the term “neutralized” in statements to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.?

Soylu said that a total of 285,027 irregular migrants, including 49,518 at sea, were also held over the past year.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the terror group’s Syrian branch.

In 2013, Türkiye became one of the first countries to declare Daesh/ISIS a terror group.

The country has since been attacked by Daesh/ISIS terrorists several times, with 315 people killed and hundreds injured in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks, and four armed assaults.

In response, Türkiye launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Albania has launched its first satellites into space, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced on Tuesday.

Albania-1 and Albania-2 were among 114 satellites lifted into orbit on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that took off from Cape Canaveral in Florida, US.

“Starting today Albania has more high-tech capabilities to control, protect and administer its territory, providing real-time vital data on a number of key aspects for sustainable development,” Rama said on social media.

Last September, Albania signed a three-year agreement with an American company, Satellogic USA Inc., for a “Dedicated Satellite Constellation.”

In a statement after finalizing the $6 million deal, the company said it will give Albania “priority access” to the two satellites and “provide unprecedented, country-wide situational awareness via the best data from space.”

“Satellogic will enable Albania to address pressing issues involving agriculture management, illegal crops, illegal construction activity, traffic management, wildfire monitoring, border security, and environmental monitoring through high-quality imagery with country-wide capacity,” read the statement.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The US-based Patriot air defense systems are expected to be deployed in Ukraine soon, the Ukrainian foreign minister said on Wednesday.

In a briefing broadcast on the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s Facebook page, Dmytro Kuleba said that preparations for the transfer of the Patriot air defense systems have already begun.

On Dec. 21, US President Joe Biden announced a $1.85 billion military aid package for Ukraine, including a Patriot missile defense system. The announcement came during a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.

Days later, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Kyiv will receive a new $2.2 billion package in military assistance from Washington, adding that Ukraine expects the US Congress to approve another package of almost $45 billion, which include new HIMARS multiple rocket launcher systems and the Patriot air defense systems.

Source: Anadolu Agency