SpaceX Dragon capsule splash lands in Pacific
US company SpaceX's cargo vessel splash landed in the Pacific Ocean today, capping a successful mission to the International Space Station that blazed a new path for private spaceflight. "This really couldn't have gone better," said SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk after the unmanned capsule landed in the waters off the Mexican coast at 11:42 am Eastern time (1542 GMT). The safe return of the vessel followed a near flawless nine-day trip to deliver cargo to the $100 billion orbiting outpost, marking the first time a commercial outfit has sent its own capsule there and back. NASA and US leaders have applauded the mission as a pioneering first step in the future of spaceflight, opening the path for private companies to take cargo and someday astronauts to the ISS. The end of the three-decade US space shuttle program in 2011 left the United States without a means to reach space on its own, and has forced the world's astronauts to rely on Russia for rides to the ISS and back to Earth. "Congratulations to the teams at SpaceX and NASA who worked hard to make this first commercial mission to the International Space Station an overwhelming success," NASA administrator...
Read MoreFinal test version of Windows 8 released
Microsoft has released the final test version of its next-generation Windows software crafted to power devices ranging from tablets to desktop computers.
"We're thrilled to be at this milestone with the Windows 8 Release Preview," said Windows and Windows Live division president Steven Sinofsky.
The nearly finished Windows 8 software was available for download in 14 languages at preview.windows.com.
Availability of Windows 8 Release Preview marks the final phase of development before the operating system becomes available to makers of computers and other devices.
A "consumer preview" version of Windows 8 was downloaded more than a million times in the 24 hours after its release in February, according to Microsoft.
Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 series -- featuring an upgraded cloud computing service -- marks a "rebirth" of its operating system, chief executive Steve Ballmer said last week at a gathering in South Korea.
Ballmer described Windows 8 as the "deepest, broadest and most impactful" Windows software ever created by the Redmond, Washington-based tech giant, after the current Windows 7 sold at unprecedented rates to businesses.
"It's really, in some senses, a...
‘Serene’ Mifsud Bonnici says he had prepared for all eventualities
Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici said today that he was serene when the vote of no confidence was taken in parliament yesterday, and he remained serene because he had prepared himself for every eventuality.
Interviewed on Bondi+ the former minister of home affairs said he was serene also in the knowledge that he had done everything he could for the Maltese people.
He said he would continue to serve in this legislature as a backbencher and intended to be a candidate for the next general election, if the PN accepted him.
Replying to questions by Lou Bondi, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said: "As a minister, I could not do more for the people."
Every minster knew that the prime minister could ask him at any day to step down, he said, and in the past four years every morning he told himself that this could be his last day in office and he therefore worked hard to ensure that every day, he did a good job for the country.
He was not surprised by Dr Franco Debono's vote, he said, because of his attitude and public declarations.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici said he felt that he had upheld the family honour because he sought to be honest, humble and in the service of the people. He did not think that his grandfather...
Lampard ruled out from Euro 2012
England's Euro 2012 hopes are in danger of being wrecked before they have even left for their Krakow base after Frank Lampard was ruled out with a thigh injury.
There was a pessimistic feeling around the Three Lions camp last night over the chances of a scan into the injury Lampard suffered during only his second day of training offering good news.
And so it has proved.
Manager Roy Hodgson has been informed the tear Lampard sustained would not heal in time for the Chelsea midfielder to feature in any of England's three group games, the last of which is against co-hosts Ukraine in Donetsk on April 19.
It left Hodgson with little option other than to tell Lampard he was out.
Subject to UEFA clearance, Liverpool's Jordan Henderson will replace the 33-year-old.
However, that in itself tells only half the story.
With Gareth Barry also ruled out after suffering a stomach strain in Saturday's friendly win over Norway in Oslo, Hodgson has now lost 143 caps from his central midfield resources.
And, because the England coach took what seemed to be the fairly sensible step of replacing Barry with a defender in Phil Jagielka, instead he has Henderson, who was making only his second...
Problems will persist beyond Monday’s vote – Muscat
Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this evening that instead of worrying about the people's needs, the prime minister was instead focussed on the survival of his government.
Speaking at a Labour Party activity in Gudja, Dr Muscat recalled that last time a confidence debate was held in the House (on January 26, when Franco Debono abstained) the country witnessed the pantomime of the PN leadership election where Dr Gonzi was the sole candidate. He had given the impression that the problems had been solved. But now Malta was back to square one.
Next Monday's confidence vote was expected to pass, one way or another, but Dr Gonzi knew that the political problems would not go away, Dr Muscat said.
He referred to the PN's campaign called Be Prime Minister for a day and said Dr Gonzi needed to be an ordinary worker for a day, to know what workers were going through.
Furthermore it was not a prime minister for a day that the country needed, but a prime minister who could focus on his job for the term of the legislature.
He said the Labour movement was growing because society was realising that it needed to forget the problems of the past and focus on the future. The country...