Russia bestows medal on US astronaut

Moscow: Russia has decorated NASA astronaut Nick Hague, who survived an aborted space launch last year, with one of its highest honours, the Order of Courage, a Kremlin decree said on Tuesday. Hague along with Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin had a close brush with death when their Soyuz rocket failed minutes after blast-off from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in October last year. They were forced to eject and make a harrowing emergency landing. AFP

Russian diamond mine boss found dead in prison

Moscow: The former head of a giant Siberian diamond mine was found dead in his prision cell a day after being charged over the deaths of miners trapped by flooding, investigators said Tuesday. Eight miners died after water leaked into the Mir mine owned by state-controlled diamond producer Alrosa in 2017. Their bodies were never recovered despite weeks of searches. The mine’s head, Alexei Burkser, and the chief engineer were fired after the accident. Burkser was found dead with “signs of suicide” in a jail in the northern Yakutia region where the diamond mine is located, investigators said. AFP

Thai activist charged over post against royal family 

Bangkok: A Thai pro-democracy activist has been charged over an “inappropriate” social media post, the police said on Tuesday, as authorities use a tough cyberlaw against perceived critics of the powerful monarchy. The police arrested 25-year-old Kan Pongprapapan late Monday and charged him with violating the Computer Crimes Act after a Facebook post touching on the turbulent lives of world-famous royal families. The charge carries up to five years in jail. PTI