U.S. urges Kosovo to resume dialogue with Serbia
A top U.S. official has urged Kosovo and Serbia to resume dialogue on normalizing their ties, saying the issue has an enormous impact on their people and the broader region.
Matthew Palmer, a U.S. special representative for the Western Balkans, said during a visit to Kosovo on Nov. 1 that the dialogue would “free both Serbia and Kosovo from the legacy of hostility that drains their focus and their energies, and it will open up economic opportunities.”
After the counting of the Oct. 6 snap election results is completed, Kosovo is expected to form a government led by the left-wing Self-Determination Movement, or Vetevendosje, of Albin Kurti.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, nine years after NATO bombing ended a Serb crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists.
Its independence has not been recognized by Serbia. AP
Wine cellar in space: 12 bottles arrive for yearlong stay
The International Space Station’s latest delivery includes 12 bottles of fine French wine.
A Luxembourg company sent up the red wine, not for the astronauts to drink but rather in the name of science.
The wine will age for a year up there before returning to Space Cargo Unlimited. Company officials say researchers will study how weightlessness and space radiation affect the aging process. The goal is to develop new flavors and properties for the food industry.
The bottles flew up aboard a Northrop Grumman capsule that launched from Virginia on Nov. 2 and arrived at the orbiting lab Nov. 4. Each bottle was packed in a metal canister to prevent breakage.
NASA is opening the space station to more business opportunities like this and, eventually, even private astronaut missions. AP