Pennsylvania · Regional Lead · 2026-10-23
NASA reports Swift operations ended as atmospheric drag increases
The October 23 account describes an October 20 safe-mode transition and preparations for eventual atmospheric re-entry.
NASA reported October 23 that its Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory had concluded operations as its orbit declined. The account says the spacecraft reached an altitude of about 171 miles on October 20, where increased atmospheric drag prevented it from compensating effectively and it entered safe mode.
The operations team at Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania, then sent a command ending operations in preparation for atmospheric re-entry. NASA expected re-entry in the following weeks; the announcement did not confirm that it had already occurred or establish an exact impact time.
A commercial servicing effort had previously ended without attempting to raise Swift’s orbit. Science observations subsequently resumed, allowing the observatory to examine hundreds of targets, including stellar remnants, active black holes and comets. NASA says that return to observing also increased drag on the spacecraft.
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Technology · 2026-10-30
UK regulator examines platform terms affecting publishers’ content
The October 30 investigation concerns Meta’s proposed business terms; the regulator has made no finding of unlawful conduct.
Publishers’ ability to control how their website material is used is at the centre of a new UK competition investigation. On October 30, the Competition and Markets Authority announced that it would examine Meta’s commercial terms for businesses using its platforms and services.
The authority will assess whether Meta has a dominant position in a relevant UK market and whether the terms would abuse that position. Its concern is that businesses relying on Meta to reach audiences could face conditions allowing their website content to support Meta products, including artificial-intelligence features, without a meaningful choice.
Read articleWorld · 2026-10-30
Montreal remarks identify sectors for closer EU–Canada cooperation
A European Council transcript published October 30 records an October 29 dinner address ahead of summit discussions.
Trade, digital activity, critical raw materials and financial services feature in the cooperation agenda described by European Council President António Costa during an October 29 dinner in Montreal. The Council published the official transcript October 30, as the two-day EU–Canada summit continued.
The address presented existing trade and strategic-partnership agreements as foundations for further work. Costa said the coming months would bring efforts to deepen cooperation in those sectors and in personal exchanges. These are stated priorities, rather than evidence that every proposed initiative has already been negotiated or implemented.
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