Author Archives: The Esbec Team

SpaceX mission to bring home Starliner astronauts postponed due to hydraulic issue

Crew-10 mission Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain and JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi walk out of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building en route to launch complex 39A, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., March 12, 2025.  Gregg Newton/AFP via Getty Images

The astronauts have been on the ISS since June due to problems with Starliner. SpaceX postponed a mission on Wednesday to bring the next crew set to work on the International Space Station (ISS) and begin the return of a pair of astronauts back to Earth. The launch’s postponement was announced on Wednesday evening ahead of what would have been the scheduled launch time. There was an issue with the hydraulic system on the launch side. It is a ground issue with the launch tower and not a problem with the spacecraft, according to SpaceX. SpaceX said it’s now targeting a launch on Friday at 7:03 p.m. ET. Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams pose for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on

Seven slapped with over 100 years’ imprisonment for brutal murder of Kimberley businessman Piet Els

The Northern Cape High Court handed seven people a hefty sentence for the brutal murder of renowned Kimberley businessman Piet Els. The tragic case unfolded in January 2018, when Els, an 86-year-old farmer, and his partner were viciously assaulted at their home, Carter Ridge farm. The brutal attack left Els with severe injuries, resulting in his death 111 days later.  Judge President Kathy Satchwell described the heinous nature of the crime, which not only involved murder but also home invasion and robbery with aggravating circumstances. The perpetrators, Morapedi Rankali, 28, Motlalalentwe Qhautse, 37, Lizbeth Ndlala, 56, Themba Lawrence Maja, 68, Oupa Jeffrey Mahomane, 44, Samson Sam Mbokane, 63, and Jabulani Wilson Zuma, 62, were sentenced to life in prison, receiving a combined sentence amounting to over 100 years. Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio

The Lexus RZ Just Got Far More Interesting With 8-Speed Shifts, Yoke Steering

The Lexus RZ Just Got Far More Interesting With 8-Speed Shifts, Yoke Steering

I think nearly everyone would agree that this has been a strange and unpredictable year thus far. But nobody could’ve possibly had “The Lexus RZ will hit the MMA gym and become the second-ever production electric car with simulated gear shifts” on their bingo cards for 2025. Yet that’s where we are right now, and what was previously something of an EV afterthought just got considerably more interesting. Photo by: Patrick George 2026 Lexus RZ Live Photos Lexus launched the RZ as the upscale cousin to the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra back in 2023. While it is indeed luxurious—I have always found it to be a first-rate Lexus with one of the quietest and most comfortable cabins you can buy at any price—the RZ suffered from those cars’ issues

Why You Might Gain Weight After Starting to Work Out: The Science Explained

An illustration showing a person working out with explanatory elements for muscle gain, water retention, glycogen storage, and bone density - key factors in exercise-related weight gain.

You’ve made the commitment to improve your fitness, purchased new workout clothes, joined a gym, and have been diligently following your exercise routine for several weeks. But when you step on the scale, instead of seeing the expected weight loss, you’re shocked to discover that you’ve actually gained weight. This seemingly contradictory outcome can be […]

Bond on Bumrah: ‘I wouldn’t want to be playing him in more than two Tests in a row’

Bond on Bumrah: ‘I wouldn’t want to be playing him in more than two Tests in a row’

Another back injury for Jasprit Bumrah in the same spot where he had surgery “could be a career-ender” according to former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond, whose career ended prematurely due to chronic back problems. Bumrah has not played since he walked off for scans on the second afternoon of the New Year’s Test in Sydney this year. What was reported as back spasms then turned to be a stress-related injury, which forced him to miss the Champions Trophy. Bumrah is currently at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru doing rehab and there is no clarity yet on when he will be fully fit or whether he will start for Mumbai Indians (MI) at IPL 2025. This is the first time Bumrah has suffered a back injury since

Trump labels Tesla attacks domestic terrorism, vows to punish perpetrators

Trump labels Tesla attacks domestic terrorism, vows to punish perpetrators

Violence against Tesla dealerships will be labelled domestic terrorism and perpetrators will “go through hell”, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday in a show of support for the electric carmaker’s chief, his ally Elon Musk. Shares of the carmaker closed nearly 4 per cent higher on Tuesday, rebounding from the biggest one-day fall in four-and-a half years the previous day, after the president appeared with Musk at the White House to select a new Tesla for his staff to use. Activists have lately staged so-called Tesla Takedown protests to voice displeasure over Musk’s role in sweeping cuts to the federal workforce at the behest of Trump and cancellation of contracts that fund humanitarian programmes around the world. Musk, the world’s richest person, is spearheading the Trump administration’s Department of

Cal, Virginia Tech both struggling as they enter ACC tourney

Feb 15, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies forward Tobi Lawal (1) works against Virginia Cavaliers forward Blake Buchanan (0) during the second half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

Feb 15, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies forward Tobi Lawal (1) works against Virginia Cavaliers forward Blake Buchanan (0) during the second half at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images Cal and Virginia Tech have struggled down the stretch, yet one of them will claim at least a second game in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. The teams meet in the first round Tuesday afternoon in Charlotte, N.C. No. 10 seed Virginia Tech (13-18) has lost two in a row and three of its last four, including Saturday’s 65-47 setback at then-No. 11 Clemson. Tuesday’s winner meets No. 7 seed Stanford on Wednesday night. “Let’s go play well,” Virginia Tech coach Mike Young said. “Won at Cal earlier in the year.” No. 15 seed Cal (13-18) has

Australia-England 150th anniversary Test in 2027 will be a pink-ball day-night match

The two teams first played a Test in 1877  •  Getty Images

News Part of the reasoning was that it will help maximise crowd attendance to the match in Australia and boost global TV ratings The two teams first played a Test in 1877  •  Getty Images Cricket Australia have announced that the one-off Test to be played between Australia and England at the MCG in March 2027 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of men’s Test cricket with a pink-ball day-night match. Two years out from the match, which is scheduled for March 11-15 to mark the 150th anniversary of the first Test match ever played at the venue between Australia and England in 1877, it was announced that the match would be a day-night fixture. It will mirror the recent women’s Ashes Test that was a day-night pink-ball match at the MCG in

Angel Reese threatens to boycott WNBA games and demands more cash as she fumes over her $75k-a-year rookie contract

Reese was named an All-Star in her first season playing for the Chicago Sky in the WNBA

READ MORE: WNBA star Angel Reese blasts Delta over Toronto crash offer By JAKE NISSE Published: 23:54 EST, 7 March 2025 | Updated: 01:17 EST, 8 March 2025 Angel Reese has threatened to boycott WNBA games if the league does not meet players’ demands for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, as the Chicago Sky forward continued to complain about her salary. Reese signed a four-year, $324,383 rookie scale contract ahead of her first pro season, and is set to make just under $75,000 in 2025, according to Spotrac. And while WNBA players are set to negotiate a new CBA after the players’ union opted out of the current one in October (it still runs through October 31, 2025), Reese said on her ‘Unapologetically Angel’ podcast that players could skip games if

NHL Over/Under Best Bet: Utah Hockey Club at Chicago Blackhawks, March 7, 2025

Feb 27, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) reacts to a goal against the Minnesota Wild during the third period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Feb 27, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Hockey Club center Clayton Keller (9) reacts to a goal against the Minnesota Wild during the third period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Well, finally, we’re off the schneid with that over victory last night on the basketball court. Now we transition back to the coolest game on earth with an over/under call on the matchup between the Utah Hockey Club and the Chicago Blackhawks. Interestingly, these two Central Division rivals just engaged in a last-second minor trade before today’s deadline. In exchange for dealing a fifth-round pick to Utah, the Blackhawks acquired a couple of youngsters and retired defenseman Shea Weber’s contract. Chicago also made a move earlier in the day, shipping out former starting goalie Petr

Pregnant GB shooter Mwandumba’s twin aims

Ruth Mwandumba dreamt she was having twins before a scan confirmed that was the case

Success in shooting requires steady hands, steely focus and the ability to block out all external distractions – but what about internal ones? For two-time English champion Ruth Mwandumba we are not talking about feeling peckish, or a little poorly; rather pregnancy and the prospect of being kicked by not only one or two feet at a time, but potentially four, and as many arms. “Twins, yeah, a massive shock,” said the smiling GB athlete, who is competing at the European Rifle Shooting Championships while six months pregnant. “It’s definitely a strange one [to compete] and not a normal thing people do! “I’ve had some rough training sessions ahead of the Europeans and some days where every shot felt like I was climbing Mount Everest because I was in so

Trial run to offer services to ageing Hong Kong residential buildings in 4 districts

Trial run to offer services to ageing Hong Kong residential buildings in 4 districts

Single-block residential buildings in four old Hong Kong districts are set to receive property management services from the middle of the year under a pilot scheme aimed at tackling long-standing problems of urban decay. Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen said on Saturday that Yau Tsim Mong district was the first to be consulted by her bureau about the plan under the joint property management scheme. Sham Shui Po, Kowloon City and Tsuen Wan will follow later this month. “We hope that by the middle of this year, we will be able to launch this scheme,” the minister told a radio programme. “We’re going to start with implementing the joint property management scheme in these four areas this year.” The plan is part of a proposal revealed

Is Trump reining in Musk after a cabinet showdown with secretaries?

Elon Musk was also present at President Donald Trump's first cabinet meeting on 26 February

Trump says cabinet will cut staff with Musk ‘watching’ US President Donald Trump called a meeting of his cabinet secretaries on Thursday to discuss Elon Musk and his efforts to slash government spending and personnel numbers. It turned heated, according to media reports. Musk accused Secretary of State Marco Rubio of failing to cut enough staff at the state department, reports the New York Times. The tech mogul told Rubio he was “good on TV”, according to the newspaper, pointedly skipping any praise of his work as America’s top diplomat. The billionaire also clashed with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over whether Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) task force had tried to lay off air traffic controllers who are already in short supply in the Federal Aviation Administration, according to

It’s OK For EVs To Be ‘Worse’ Than Gas Cars

It’s OK For EVs To Be ‘Worse’ Than Gas Cars

The primary reasons for China’s EV market dominance are myriad and well-trod. China put serious government money behind EVs. It cut red tape, incentivized buyers, and provided cheap property. Homegrown companies with minimal or no experience building ICE vehicles saw the transition as an opportunity, not a chore, as many Western companies clearly perceive it. Yet one factor is as under-covered as it is important. A far larger proportion of Chinese EV buyers are first-time car buyers. Many more had owned only one or two cars before. That’s key for one main reason: In China, EVs were free from much of the baggage still weighing them down here.  Photo by: InsideEVs Ford’s CEO recently called the economics of large SUV EVs “unresolvable.” I agree, which is why EREVs and hybrids

Frank Lampard reborn: The inside story of his second coming at Coventry – thanks to a chat with Pep Guardiola, killing off egos and the shocking revelation at Chelsea that changed his entire managerial style

Frank Lampard reborn: The inside story of his second coming at Coventry – thanks to a chat with Pep Guardiola, killing off egos and the shocking revelation at Chelsea that changed his entire managerial style

Frank Lampard is sitting behind a small table in a small room and is poking a bit of fun at himself. Superstitions? Yeah, he’s had a few. ‘Yeah I used to,’ Lampard laughs. ‘I used to eat the same meal in the same proportions and then walk the dog the same walk, the same laps of the park. I had a certain order of putting my boots on and putting my kit on. ‘But it became really consuming because then you lose or play badly and you reboot a few of them and then it becomes a continuing nonsense. ‘Having said that, I still retain a few of them in my own way here but I am trying to get them out of my head because it can make life