An Indian railway official says the derailment that killed 275 people and injured hundreds more was caused by an error in the electronic signaling system that led a train to wrongly change tracks and crash into a freight train

Space is full of mysteries which we will never likely solve but, generally, we at least know a thing or two about craft we send out into the cosmos. Not so, when it comes to one probe which has just touched back down on Earth after 276 days in orbit. The experimental spacecraft was launched by China’s space agency, ostensibly to test the nation’s reusable space technologies. According to state media agency Xinhua News, the mission’s aim was to help with the development of “more convenient and affordable round-trip methods for the peaceful use of space in the future”. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter That all sounds pretty similar to what SpaceX and NASA are up to, except that the Chinese spacecraft and its journey have been shrouded in secrecy. No information has been released on the altitude it reached or the systems it tested. We don’t even know where it went or, indeed, what kind of spacecraft it was – not a single image has been released to the public. Commentators on Chinese social media have speculated that Beijing has been developing a spacecraft like the UAir Force's X-37B, an autonomous spaceplane that can remain in orbit for years. However, no one knows how well this is going nor, indeed, if it’s going at all. All we do know about China’s latest unidentified flying object is that it was launched from the Jiquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert on August 5, 2022 and returned to the same site on 8 May, 2023. It follows an earlier mission, carried out in July last year, which saw a Chinese spacecraft fly to the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere and back on the same day. The country’s main space contractor, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), hailed the success of the craft’s brief celestial jaunt at the time. It gushed: "The development of reusable space transportation technology is an important symbol of China's transition from a 'big' space-faring nation to a 'powerful' space-faring one.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

UFC star Conor McGregor has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a bathroom during a Miami Heat game in the NBA Finals. Miami Police Department has confirmed that an investigation has been launched by its Special Victims Unit after the claims were made against the Irish fighter. Ariel Mitchell, the lawyer for the alleged victim, told The Independent that her client had turned over the clothes she was wearing during the alleged incident for investigators to carry out forensic tests. “My client went to the police on Sunday, but was instead turned away and encouraged to seek legal counsel before pursuing the matter further. She then consulted with me and we filed a report on Wednesday,” she said in a statement. “My client seeks only one thing and that is justice it and that is what she sent out to do and that’s what I will make sure she gets.” McGregor’s lawyer, Barbara Llanes, told The Independent in a statement: “The allegations are false. Mr McGregor will not be intimidated.” Ms Mitchell claims that the alleged victim was separated from her friend by NBA and Heat security and ended up in a men’s toilet at the arena. she claims that McGregor kissed her and forced her to perform a sex act. She alleges that McGregor then forced her up against the wall and tried to have sex with her. The lawyer says that her client finally elbowed McGregor and escaped the bathroom. In a statement, the Miami Heat said, “We are aware of the allegations and are conducting a full investigation. Pending the outcome of the investigation, we will withhold further comment.” The alleged incident happened on the same night that McGregor was involved in a stunt with the Miami Heat mascot that saw the person wearing the costume go to hospital after being punched in the face by the professional fighter. Read More Miami Heat, NBA investigating allegation that Conor McGregor assaulted a woman at Finals game Conor McGregor announces fiancee Dee Devlin is pregnant with couple’s fourth child Conor McGregor offers update on Miami Heat mascot after punching incident Conor McGregor pays young action-figure artist $1,200 for figurines Calls for Conor McGregor to be investigated after violent punch hospitalised Miami Heat mascot

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