Briefly: Terrorist gunned down, soldier hurt in Sopore encounter

Srinagar: A militant was killed and a soldier injured in an encounter with security forces in North Kashmir’s Sopore on Saturday. Srinagar-based 15 Corps said, “A joint team of the Army and J&K Police was fired upon by terrorists in the Watergam area of Sopore. Vigilant troops swiftly responded and a firefight ensued. The operation is in progress.” “One terrorist eliminated and war-like stores recovered. Operation is continuing,” the Army stated in a post on X. — OC

Stranded in space since June, Williams to return in February

Cape Canaveral: NASA on Saturday said it was too risky to bring astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth in Boeing's troubled new capsule, and they would have to wait till February next year for a ride home with SpaceX. What should have been a weeklong test flight will now last over eight months. The seasoned pilots have been stuck at the International Space Station (ISS) since the beginning of June. The empty Starliner will undock in a week or two and return on autopilot. — AP