“We are discussing the possibility of sending tourists on spacewalks,” Vladimir Solntsev, the head of Russian space company Energia, told Russian tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda.

“Market analysts have confirmed this: wealthy people are ready to pay money for this,” Solntsev told the paper.

He said the cost of such a trip could be around $100 million (80 million euros), “possibly less for the first tourist”.

The tourists will be able to “go out on a spacewalk and make a film, (or) a video clip”.

Energia, which was behind the launch of the first man in space Yuri Gagarin in 1961, is currently building a new module dubbed NEM-2 to transport tourists to the International Space Station (ISS).

Solntsev said the NEM-2, the name of which is still to be confirmed, will accommodate four to six people. It will be fitted with “comfortable” cabins, two toilets and internet access.

“It should be launched in 2019,” he said.

“Basically it will be comfortable, as much as that is possible in space,” the space official was quoted as saying.

He added that American aircraft manufacturer Boeing was interested in becoming a partner in the project.

Five to six tourists a year will be able to take a space trip lasting up to 10 days, Solntsev said.

Space tourism is a developing sector currently dominated by Western companies, such as the US-based Virgin Galactic, which unveiled its commercial SpaceShipTwo in 2016.

Russia sent Canadian founder of the Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberte, into space in 2009. The billionaire spent two weeks on the ISS.

Iranian-American entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari became the first female space tourist in 2006.//AFP

Kuwait’s Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said Myanmar authorities were not opposed to such a visit, which could take place in March or April.

“They just think that this is not the right time for a visit,” Otaibi, who holds the council presidency for February, told reporters at UN headquarters.

The council has demanded that hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya who were driven out of Rakhine state during an army crackdown be allowed to return.

The ambassador said Myanmar authorities were trying to organize a visit for diplomats based in the country, and had emphasized that “tensions are high in Rakhine state at the moment.”

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh and are living in refugee camps since August following the campaign that the United Nations has said was tantamount to ethnic cleansing.

Last month, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to name a special envoy for Myanmar, but that appointment has yet to be made.

China, a supporter of Myanmar’s former ruling junta, and Russia voted against the resolution.//AFP

During this period, hundreds of millions of Chinese cram onto trains, buses, planes and boats to return to their hometowns for Chinese New Year, or use the week-long holiday for travel.

About 2.98 billion trips are expected to be made between Feb 1 and March 12.

Road trips via long-distance buses remain the most common mode of transport for most Chinese, with eight in 10 travellers taking the coach home this year.

This year, however, such trips are expected to dip for the first time as the country’s high-speed rail network continues to expand and more people choose to drive home, authorities said.

The decline of bus trips is expected to occur owing to the rapid development of high-speed rail and airline service.

More people have changed to trains and planes to get home, according to a statement from the Ministry of Transport.

“The extension of China’s expressways and the continued increase use of private cars has greatly relieved public road transportation as many have chosen to drive home and visit relatives and tourist attractions during the Spring Festival Holiday,” the statement said.

Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, falls on Feb 16 and Feb 17 this year. The week-long Spring Festival holiday starts on Feb 15.

“About 2.98 billion trips during the 40 days will be a big test for the country’s transportation departments,” said Mr Liu Xiaoming, an official with the Ministry of Transportation.

The freezing weather in many parts of China has posed more challenges for the authorities and the national observatory maintained its blue alert on Tuesday, after a cold front hit parts of central and east China.

Railway and airport staff have been removing snow and ice from roads to ensure passenger safety during travel.

An additional 177 high-speed train services will be put into service to carry 100,000 more passengers each day during the travel rush, according to China Railway Corporation (CRC).

China’s railway network hit 127,000km in length at the end of last year, including 25,000km of high-speed railway.

Last year, 3,038km of new rail tracks were put into production, which the CRC said would further reduce pressure on other forms of public transportation.

To facilitate check-in and ease congestion, some railway stations have started since last year to use facial recognition technology to verify the identities of passengers.

At the same time, the aviation authority plans to schedule 30,000 more flights during the travel rush, said Mr Wang Zhiqing, deputy head of the Civil Aviation Administration.

Data from Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing shows that car-sharing services will be a hit during this year’s travel rush.

A total of 33 million people will use ride-sharing services to get home this year, three times the total of the previous two years, according to the company.

Didi’s head of carpooling services Huang Jieli said the company has seen a year-on-year increase of 10 per cent for trips home using the company’s car-sharing services.

The Republic is No. 1 for order and security and No. 2 for regulatory enforcement, according to the index released on Wednesday (Jan 31).

Order and security looks at factors that include how effectively crime is controlled and whether there is political unrest, while regulatory enforcement measures the effectiveness of government regulations, among other things.

Singapore’s overall ranking, however, is four places down from its position in 2016, when it was also the top Asian country,

In the latest WJP Index, the top three overall performers are Denmark, Norway and Finland, while Afghanistan, Cambodia and Venezuela rounded off the bottom.

The index measures how the rule of law is experienced and perceived in practical, everyday situations by people across the globe and is the world’s leading source for original, independent data on rule of law.

The ratings are based on data collected from more than 110,000 household and 3,000 expert surveys involving 113 nations.

Performance is measured using 44 indicators across eight primary rule of law factors, each of which is scored and ranked globally and against regional peers.

The eight factors include absence of corruption, fundamental rights plus order and security.

Also assessed is the civil and criminal justice systems in the countries.

Singapore topped the 13 Asian countries evaluated for rule of law, ahead of Japan and South Korea.

When the list includes Australia and New Zealand, Singapore surpassed the two Pacific countries in five of the eight factors measured.

These included absence of corruption plus civil and criminal justice systems. It did less well in the categories of constraints on government powers, fundamental rights and open government, which measure, for instance, the right to information and civic participation.

Singapore ranked third overall in the Asia-Pacific region of 15 countries, including Australia and New Zealand.

Observers said the findings were a useful reference to discuss the strengths of the local system and areas that could be improved.

“The positive outcomes overall are not surprising, given there are serious and conscious efforts here to keep updated, stay nimble and sustain the pace,” said lawyer Amolat Singh.

WJP founder and CEO William H. Neukom said the index is meant to be “a first step in setting benchmarks, informing reforms, stimulating programmes and deepening understanding for the foundational importance of the rule of law.”

He added: “We are witnessing a global deterioration in fundamental aspects of the rule of law. Reduced adherence to the rule of law anywhere threatens development anywhere.”

The WJP said that “effective rule of law reduces corruption, combats poverty and disease, and protects people from injustices large and small”. “It is the foundation for communities of equity, opportunity and peace,” it added.

“Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart, who had been treated by a group of doctors for several months due to deep depression, took his life this morning,” Cuba’s official newspaper Granma reported.

“Fidelito” — as he was known on island nation — had initially been hospitalized for his condition and then continued with outpatient follow-ups.

Born on September 1, 1949, he was the son of the revolutionary Castro’s first marriage to Mirta Diaz-Balart.

A scientist who trained in the former Soviet Union, Fidel Jr helped usher in the development of a nuclear power program in the Communist-ruled country.

At the time of his death he had served as a scientific adviser to the Cuban government and was vice president of the country’s Academy of Sciences.

Funeral arrangements will be made by the family, state media said.//AFP

A boy was shot in the head, while a girl was hit in the wrist, emergency services personnel said, confirming that a 12-year-old girl was arrested over the incident.

Paramedics sent to Salvador Castro Middle School in the central Westlake area at 9:00 am (1700 GMT) said both students were taken to hospital, with the boy in critical but stable condition and the girl faring better.

Officials at Los Angeles County and USC Medical Center said both students were expected to make full recoveries with staff describing the boy as “extremely lucky.”

“The trajectory of the bullet did not hit any vital structures that were an immediate threat to life. So I think he will do fine,” said Aaron Strumwasser, who treated the teens.

An 11-year-old boy, a 12-year-old girl and a 30-year-old woman “had minor abrasions to the face area, some from glass,” Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department said, adding that none of the three were struck by gunfire.

Officers arriving after the alarm was raised “located a few victims and they also located the suspect, who they took into custody without further incident,” Los Angeles police Lieutenant Chris Ramirez said.

“A gun was recovered at (the) scene.”

‘Traumatic incident’

Aerial TV footage showed a handcuffed female suspect being taken into custody and placed into a patrol car while police went room to room, leading many students out with their hands behind their backs.

The middle school is located in a building across the street from the main Belmont High School. The entire school complex remained under lockdown for several hours before authorities announced around noon that lessons could resume, with counselors provided in each classroom.

“We could not control or know about this situation, but our schools are safe,” said Vivian Ekchian, interim superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Mayor Eric Garcetti told the local ABC7 news channel at the scene that it was unclear if the shooting was intentional or accidental.

Chief Steve Zipperman of the Los Angeles School Police Department added that it was not known what prompted the gunfire or how the weapon wound up on the secure campus.

“We have laws that mandate that parents who own guns, any adult who owns guns, any gun owner has an obligation to ensure that gun is locked inside a home,” he added.

Zipperman said a main focus would be caring for students who may have witnessed the shooting.

“We know this is a very traumatic incident for all the children involved, particularly inside that classroom,” he added.

‘Call to action’

Zipperman declined to provide specifics about security measures at the campus, but said every secondary school in the district had “policies and procedures” in place to protect students.

It is the most high-profile incident involving gun violence at a school in California since four people were killed and nearly a dozen wounded in November last year when a gunman went on a rampage, randomly picking his targets.

The assailant was killed by police following the mass shooting in Rancho Tehama Reserve, northern California, which unfolded over several locations in the community, including an elementary school.

The latest shooting will reignite the long-running debate on America’s epidemic of gun violence and the ready accessibility of weapons, with 33,000 people dying annually from gun-related deaths.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said the shooting should be a “call to action” for gun owners to ensure weapons are kept away from children while Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis said she was “horrified” by events.

“Our schools should be safe spaces for our children to grow, learn and play,” she added.

“Today, this innocence was ripped from them as a result of a minor who had access to a gun. This needs to stop.”

The Sibanye-Stillwater mining company said a massive power outage caused by a storm had prevented lifts from bringing the night shift to the surface at the Beatrix gold mine, in the small town of Theunissen near the city of Welkom.

“We have got 955 employees still underground, they are in a confined and safe area, it’s the shaft waiting area (and) there is ventilation, we are supplying them with water and food,” James Wellsted, spokesman for Sibanye-Stillwater, told AFP.

“So everybody is fine at the moment. We are trying to restore power so we can start hoisting them to the surface,” he said, speaking on the phone from the mine.

He said the depth where the miners were trapped was uncertain, but the mine has 23 levels, going down to about 1,000 metres (3280 feet) below ground.

One cable was restored during the day and 272 workers were rescued, but 955 remained trapped by early evening, the company said.

They have been underground for over 24 hours and nervous family members patiently gathered along the road to the shaft, kept a distance by security guards. A generator at the shaft had started working.

“The last time I heard from him was at 9:00 pm (1900 GMT on Wednesday). We believe nobody is hurt. But it is becoming long. The generator is not strong enough to pull the cage. God I hope he is going to come out tonight.” a woman, whose husband was among those trapped, told AFP smoking a cigarette while sitting in her car. She refused to give her name.

Another woman waiting for her husband, who only gave her first name as Innocentia, said: “we are pretty optimistic. They say they are safe”.

Earlier Wellsted had said that engineers were struggling with a software fault to get emergency generators to operate and re-start the lifts following the storm.

“We are having some issues — probably related to the power surge linked to the storm — in getting the winders working, so we are busy working on that issue at the moment,” he added.

“Last night there was a severe storm in the Free State (province) that affected two different power cables… and cut off all electricity supply to the mine, so we were unable to bring the night shift up.”

The rescue efforts would continue throughout the night, he said

‘Serious concern’

The Beatrix mine is in Free State province, 290 kilometres (180 miles) southwest of Johannesburg.

AMCU, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, said that the workers stuck underground were facing major health and safety risks.

“AMCU views this incident as extreme due to the sheer number of workers involved,” it said in a statement.

“The incident raises serious concern regarding the lacking emergency contingency plans at the mine for alternative and back-up power generation.”

Another mining union the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) complained about mine safety and called on mineworkers to refuse to work in “dangerous conditions”.

“Major multinational corporations like Sibanye-Stillwater which should be industry leaders in creating a safety culture are doing far too little to prevent accidents,” the union said in a statement.

A parliamentary committee on mining expressed outrage at the accident, calling for “drastic” action to be taken against the mining company and saying it was “utterly unacceptable” that the mine had no backup plan to bring the workers to the surface.

An ANC member, Siyabonga Sikade, whose uncle was also among those trapped asked:”Why are our people still trapped when (mine owners) are making so much money? What is their plan in case of a catastrophe?”

Last August five mineworkers died after sections of a gold mine collapsed outside Johannesburg.

The country possesses rich mineral reserves and has some of the world’s deepest gold mines.

Gold was for many decades the backbone of South Africa’s economy, but production has declined sharply due to depletion of reserves.

Acting on a tip, authorities said they raided a house in Makassar on the island of Sulawesi Wednesday and found the massive haul of turtle shells stuffed into boxes.

The suspects, 25-year-old Chen Jianyi and Zhong Qiushan, 31, admitted to buying the shells in Indonesia’s Papua province and then shipping them by boat to Makassar, police said.

The suspected traffickers planned to move the shells to China where they would be used to make accessories, trinkets and souvenirs, according to authorities.

“They admitted they would sell the turtle shells in the local and international market,” local police chief detective Ivan Wahyudi told AFP.

Turtles, which are under threat due to poaching and habitat destruction, are protected under Indonesian law.

The men, who were living in Indonesia, could face up to five years in prison if they are found guilty of breaking the country’s conservation law.

The announcement comes just a day after Jakarta police said a group of suspected animal traffickers were arrested for selling crocodiles, pythons and other protected species through Facebook and the messaging service WhatsApp.

Indonesia is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, making it a lucrative market for the illegal trade in wildlife which has brought some endangered species to the brink of extinction.

A lack of resources and corruption are undermining law enforcement efforts, environmentalists say.

Almost all turtle species are endangered. Their eggs are considered a delicacy and they are also slaughtered for their meat, skin and shells.

Myanmar nationals Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, are accused of possessing classified documents thought to relate to the violent military crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority.

The crackdown in northern Rakhine state has forced nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh since August, many carrying allegations of rape, mass murder and arson at the hands of Myanmar’s army.

“The pair can’t be granted bail according to the law… and the court has decided not to give them bail,” judge Ye Lwin told the Yangon court of charges under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

The journalists, who have been in custody since December, say they were given the papers by two policemen who had invited them to dinner in the outskirts of Yangon.

As they left the restaurant, they say they were arrested before they even had a chance to look at the documents.

The court had discretion to grant bail if it deemed that their detention had been unlawful.

Myanmar authorities have been urged to free the journalists by media freedom campaigners as well as a cast of diplomats and international grandees including former US president Bill Clinton.

Thursday’s bail decision was crucial as pre-trial hearings are expected to drag on for several months before the court officially decides whether to take on the case or not.

The pair are now expected to remain in jail throughout that period.

On hearing the refusal of bail, Wa Lone’s wife Pan Ei Mon cried.

“I hoped to get it,” she told AFP, crying. “I even cleaned his room last night to prepare for him getting bail.”

Reuters has refused to comment on the exact details of what its correspondents were reporting on at the time of their arrest but it is widely thought they were investigating a massacre of Rohingya in the village of Inn Din in northern Rakhine.

The military later acknowledged members of the security forces took part in the extrajudicial killing, saying it would hold those responsible to account.

UN special rapporteur to Myanmar Yanghee Lee added her voice in support of the journalists from a press conference in Seoul, calling the pair “brave” and “fearless”.

She has been banned from Myanmar by authorities who say she is working with a bias against the country.

“I remain deeply perplexed and concerned that they remain in detention despite the military having admitted responsibility for the killings at Inn Din,” she said, adding that “they should be released immediately and the charges against them must be dropped.

“It was a petrol bomb,” spokesman Zaw Htay confirmed to AFP, without giving further details on a possible motive for a small but rare attack targeting the Myanmar democracy heroine.

The petrol bomb caused minor damage. But the attack on the villa where Suu Kyi was held for long years of house arrest by the former junta is hugely symbolic.

Suu Kyi has increasingly attracted the ire of the international community over her perceived failure to speak up on behalf of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim community.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled a brutal military crackdown in northern Rakhine state into refugee camps in Bangladesh since August, bringing with them testimony of murder, rape and arson.

But inside Myanmar Suu Kyi, who swept elections in 2015, is still widely regarded as a heroine by the majority-Buddhist population, who fondly dub her “The Lady”.

Many inside Myanmar regard the Rohingya as illegal “Bengali” immigrants.

Suu Kyi was in Naypyidaw at the time of Thursday’s incident and is due to address parliament to mark the second anniversary of her NLD government coming to power