Chinese New Sphere
SUPERPOWER ‘AIMING FOR LUNAR TAKEOVER’
CHINA is on a mission to seize control of the Moon, experts claim.
The superpower, currently celebrating the New Year of the Ox, is looking to set up a base on the lunar surface.
The experts warned that Chinese leaders want to exploit its rich resources.
Leonard David, author of Mars: Our Future On The Red Planet, said: “China will soon begin building their own space station in Earth’s orbit.
“And they are pressing forward on an agenda of lunar exploration – one that will eventually lead to China placing homegrown boots on the Moon.”
US military chiefs have already expressed their concerns about China’s lunar ambitions. David added: “We are seeing military strategy move from ocean, land and airfighting capability into space – and even out to the Moon.”
China’s Tianwen-1 spacecraft entered Mars’s orbit last week and is due to land on the surface in May.
BRITS face hayfever hell as the big freeze makes way for a warm spell “pollen bomb”. Forecasters reckon it will be hotter than Barcelona with temperatures set to rocket to 17C by Sunday. But experts say the sudden switch will spur alder, hazel, elm and willow to spew pollen into the air.
Max Wiseberg, an expert in airborne allergens, said: “If we get weather warmer than normal for the time of year this could create a mini pollen bomb. “This would make a very early start to the hay fever season.” The Met Office predicts the mercury will be “way above average for this time of year” within days. Families are set to swap winter woollies for T-shirts as last week’s record low of -23C gives way to temperatures higher than the Spanish city of Barcelona’s 16C for
Sunday. Daytime temperatures are set to hit 11C to 12C, with highs of 17C in the south.
But the Met Office warned torrential rain and 80mph gusts will come first.
BBC Weather’s Chris Fawkes said: “We’re starting to draw up more of a southerly flow of wind and that will start to drag up some of the warmer air from north Africa and Spain.”
Meanwhile, a woman has been left baffled after finding what appear to be large yeti footprints in Glasgow snow.
Linda O’neill said: “Found these prints on my front path this morning. What on earth made them?
“In a residential area in the west end of Glasgow – size 3 adult foot for scale.”
Replies suggested a bear, a large badger, “something abominable” or “a Gruffalo” from the popular kids’ book.
TWITTER is failing to tackle a rise in “horrific and dangerous” self-harm images, experts claim.
Thousands of graphic images and videos are accessible on the messaging platform.
Andy Burrows, of the NSPCC, said the posts “pose a very real risk to children”. He added: “Not only is this content readily searchable, when Twitter’s algorithms kick in, vulnerable young people who may have previously looked at posts on self-harm could find themselves confronted with damaging material.”
The government’s Online Harms Bill says firms have a legal duty of care for their users while on their sites.
And Twitter’s guidelines ban content that “promotes, glorifies or encourages suicide, self-harm and eating disorders”.
But Burrows added that the findings “highlight just how ineffectively Twitter is upholding its own policies”.
A Twitter spokesman said: “We accept bystander reports and have been working to remove any violative content immediately it came to our attention.” ●If you are going through a tough time, contact the Samaritans on freephone 116 123 or email jo@ samaritans.org
CAROLINE Flack’s friends have remembered the star on the first anniversary of her death.
The Love Island presenter took her own life at the age of 40.
Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden posted a picture of the pair of them pouting for the camera and wrote: “I think about this little one a lot, what she would be up to. She is missed.” Singer Rita Ora shared a snap of the friends together, with Caroline putting her arm around the singer, and wrote: “Angel among us.”
Love Island narrator Iain Stirling also remembered his friend and colleague. Accompanying a picture of the pair sharing a drink together, he wrote:
“To my friend Caroline, thinking you today. Miss you mate x”
His wife, new Love Island host Laura Whitmore, posted an image of Flack.
And she wrote: “You’ve got to laugh a little, cry a little, until the clouds roll by a little.”
Presenter and friend Dawn O’porter said Caroline’s death is “still as raw” one year later.
She added: “It’s good to talk about grief because no matter how alone it makes you feel, you are surrounded by of a lot of people who have felt it too. If you dare to open up it does help.”
And she wrote next to a picture of Flack smiling: “I miss you my love.”
Singer Pixie Lott, who competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 alongside Caroline, shared a photo and said: “Love you forever and ever, beautiful tiny dancer.”
TV chef Gizzi Erskine wrote: “I miss her so much. There’s still so much unfinished business that I’ll never lay to rest and most of all I really need her right now. Love you little button x power to her family and friends for this next bit.” Caroline’s manager, Nathan Charles Smith, shared videos of the star laughing and a clip of the presenter singing while sitting on the piano.
Flack was found dead at her home on February 15, 2020.
A coroner later said the TV presenter killed herself because she knew she was being prosecuted for assault and could not face the coverage.