Russia's space agency plans to resume ISS tourist flights in 2018

Resouce taken from theverge

The Russian state space agency, Roscosmos, has indicated that it plans to restart its space tourism program in 2018 to make up for the loss of its current contract with NASA.

In a statement, Energiya space corporation — the agency's main subsidiary in manned orbital flights — said that Roscosmos would compensate for the fall of demand for manned Soyuz spaceships by "resuming short-term commercial expeditions to the Russian segment of the ISS."

Russian Federal Space Agency

Roscosmos carried eight private tourists to the space station between 2001 and 2009, but halted the ventures after the ISS expanded its crew from three to six, and it became clear NASA and other space agencies needed the extra seat for their own astronauts.

Now more options are becoming available for getting people into space, the Russian agency intends to offer flights to the International Space Station to private citizens as NASA moves on from using Roscosmos' Soyuz craft.

"NASA currently uses Roscosmos' Soyuz craft to carry astronauts into space"

NASA currently uses the Russian agency's rockets to take American astronauts to the International Space Station after the closure of the space shuttle project in 2011, but the US space agency is expected to start using rockets manufactured by private companies to ferry astronauts to the ISS in 2018.

Energiya said that NASA and the Russian agency may sign another agreement in 2018, but with SpaceX's Dragon and Boeing's CST-100 craft scheduled to be complete by that time, it may be the last such agreement signed.

European Union Deal with Cuba possible by end of year

EU official: Deal with Cuba possible by end of year

Resouce taken from YahooNews

HAVANA (AP) — The European Union's foreign affairs chief met with Cuban President Raul Castro on Tuesday in a bid to accelerate talks aimed at normalizing ties with the island's communist government and said a deal could be in place by the end of the year.

The visit to Havana by Federica Mogherini comes as Cuban officials negotiate the terms of a historic diplomatic opening with the United States.

Federica Mogherini

"We are in the process of accelerating the pace of negotiations and finalizing an agreement perhaps by the end of the year," she told reporters at the end of the visit.

Mogherini said she welcomed the talks between Cuba and Washington, but insisted that the negotiations between the EU and Havana are "completely separate."

The EU froze relations with Cuba in 2003 in response to the arrest of dissidents. The process to restore ties began in 2014.

Mogherini also signed an agreement to give 50 million euros to Cuba's agriculture sector.