NASA’s Nick Hague in blue enters the International Space Station from the SpaceX capsule Dragon, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (NASA via AP)
NASA’s Nick Hague in blue enters the International Space Station from the SpaceX capsule Dragon. PHOTO: AP
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The SpaceX crew that will ferry back two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station docked with the orbiting laboratory on Sunday, a live stream of the mission showed.
The Falcon 9 rocket took off at 1:17 pm (1717 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Saturday, with the Crew-9 mission on a Dragon spacecraft making contact with the ISS at 5:30 pm Sunday.
After docking was completed, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov boarded the station just after 7:00 pm, embracing their floating colleagues on the space station.
“What a fabulous day it was today,” NASA deputy administrator Pam Melroy said at a news conference.
When Hague and Gorbunov return from the space station in February, they will bring back two space veterans – Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams – whose stay on the ISS was prolonged for months due to problems with their Boeing-designed Starliner spacecraft.
The newly developed Starliner was making its first crewed flight when it delivered Wilmore and Williams to the ISS in June.
They were supposed to be there for only an eight-day stay, but after problems with the Starliner’s propulsion system emerged during the flight there, NASA was forced to weigh a radical change in plans.
After weeks of intensive tests on the Starliner’s reliability, the space agency finally decided to return it to Earth without its crew, and to bring the two stranded astronauts back home on SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission.
SpaceX, the private company founded by billionaire Elon Musk, has been flying regular missions every six months to allow the rotation of ISS crews.
But the launch of Crew-9 was postponed from mid-August to late September to give NASA experts more time to evaluate the reliability of the Starliner and decide how to proceed.
It was then delayed a few more days by the destructive passage of Hurricane Helene, a powerful storm that roared into the opposite side of Florida on Thursday.
In total, Hague and Gorbunov will spend some five months on the ISS; Wilmore and Williams, eight months.
In all, Crew-9 will conduct some 200 scientific experiments.
Pedestrians use their umbrellas to shelter from the rain while walking across Shibuya Crossing in central Tokyo. PHOTO: AFP
HONG KONG (AFP) – Stocks plunged more than four per cent in Tokyo on Monday after the yen surged in reaction to Shigeru Ishiba’s election last week as the head of Japan’s ruling party, which boosted expectations the Bank of Japan will continue hiking interest rates.
However, Hong Kong and Shanghai extended their surge as traders cheered more moves by Chinese authorities to revive the country’s battered economy with more support measures for the crucial property sector.
Exporters were the big losers in Tokyo after the yen’s spike to around 142 per dollar in reaction to Ishiba’s win, which observers said would mean the central bank will likely press on with its campaign of monetary tightening.
But while Ishiba is expected to maintain many of his predecessor Fumio Kishida’s policies, he has also said “there is room for raising the corporate tax”, while promising to revitalise rural regions.
“Our view is that the basic economic policy philosophy will not change,” said Masamichi Adachi, UBS Securities chief economist for Japan.
“More specifically, business- and market-friendly policies are likely to be maintained. Still, Ishiba is likely to pursue fiscal consolidation and monetary policy normalisation, allowing the BoJ to continue to pursue policy normalisation.”
The yen held its gains Monday, dealing a blow to exporters such as Sony and Toyota, while SoftBank was also well down and leaving the Nikkei more than four percent down at the break.
Still, Hong Kong jumped more than three percent and Shanghai more than five percent soon after the open as investors continued to rush back into the beaten-down markets in reaction to China’s series of economy-boosting stimulus. They later pared some of those gains.
Among the measures unveiled over the last week were interest rate cuts, easing of how much banks must keep in reserve and softer rules on buying a home.
And on Monday, three megacities – Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen – eased restrictions on buying homes, while Beijing’s central bank said it would ask financial institutions to lower mortgage rates, as leaders battle to pull the country out of a debilitating housing slump.
Developers were among the best performers again, with Kaisa rocketing almost 60 percent at one point, Sunac jumping nearly 40 percent and Agile Group around 13 percent stronger.
Harry Murphy Cruise, an economist at Moody’s Analytics, said the moves “signal growing unease about the health of China’s economy”.
“That officials brought forward economic discussions to this week’s Politburo meeting – rather than sticking to the December schedule – highlights the urgency of the problem.”
Elsewhere in Asia, markets were mixed, with Sydney, Wellington and Singapore rising but Seoul, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta in the red.
Wall Street provided a tepid lead, even after data showed the personal consumption expenditures index — the Federal Reserve’s preferred gauge of inflation — slowed to 2.2 percent in August, from 2.5 percent in July.
The figures boosted hopes the central bank will announce another bumper rate cut at its next meeting, having slashed them 50 basis points earlier this month — the first reduction since the start of the pandemic.
Oil prices edged up as traders keep a close eye on events in the Middle East amid fears of a wider conflict as Israel strikes Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, Huthi rebels in Yemen and keeps up its bombardment of Gaza.
An attack on Friday killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and a senior Iranian general.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that the killing “will not go unanswered”.
Brunei Gas Carriers (BGC), Brunei Shell Marketing Company Sendirian Berhad (BSM), the Maritime and Port Authority of Brunei Darussalam (MPABD), and Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) joined forces in a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative to safeguard Brunei’s environment through a tree planting and cleaning campaign on Monday.
The leaders of the four organisations, along with staff and stakeholders, gathered at the
Berakas Forest Reserve to plant Kapur Merah (Dryobalanops Beccarii) species of tree
saplings, and conduct a cleanup at the Berakas Forest Reserve Recreational Park.
The day’s efforts resulted in planting 175 trees, enabling habitat restoration, and collecting
over 50kg of waste.
The leaders of the four organisations, along with staff and stakeholders during a warming-up session at the Berakas Forest Reserve. PHOTOS: JAMES KON
This teamwork, uniting the land, sea, and air sectors, highlights the importance of working
together to protect Brunei’s environment for future generations. Aligned with Brunei’s
Wawasan 2035 vision, which prioritises sustainable development and environmental
protection, the participating organisations are committed to revitalising coastal and green
spaces.
Captain Abdul Mateen Abdurrahman Liew, Managing Director of BGC, commented, “At BGC, marine conservation is at the core of our operations. This initiative allows us to extend our commitment beyond the sea and foster a sense of collective responsibility in protecting Brunei’s ecosystems. Moreover, by engaging in activities like tree planting, we actively contribute to carbon offsetting, which is key in combating climate change and preserving the biodiversity of our land and sea environments.”
The leaders of the four organisations, along with staff and stakeholders taking part in the initiative.
Brunei Gas Carriers prioritise reducing its environmental impact within the maritime sector. Using energy-efficient technology, BGC actively supports marine conservation and contributes to cleaner, safer seas.
Captain Mohammed Alexirwan bin Haji Omar, Managing Director of BSM, added, “Being around for 65 years, BSM believes in the power of collective action. Today’s efforts planting trees and cleaning our beaches—demonstrate what we can achieve when we come together for a common goal: protecting our environment. This is not just a one-day event; it is a statement of our commitment to Brunei’s natural heritage. We are all captains and champions of these resources, and through initiatives like this, we are setting a powerful example for future generations.”
As part of its Social Investment initiatives, BSM remains committed to environmental responsibilities. BSM has actively supported activities such as International Coastal Cleanup and tree planting-initiatives.
Captain Zulkiflee bin Haji Ghani, Acting Chief Executive of the MMPABD, stated, “As guardians of Brunei’s ports and coastlines, MPABD is fully dedicated to environmental stewardship. We actively preserve our coastal regions through tree planting and beach cleanup while promoting sustainable development practices. This initiative helps protect marine ecosystems, reduce pollution, and enhance biodiversity, ensuring Brunei’s coastlines remain resilient and healthy for future generations.”
(ABOVE & BELOW) – The tree planting activity.
The MPABD ensures Brunei’s port operations adhere to high environmental standards. MPABD leads initiatives to minimise water pollution and protect the country’s coastal and marine environments through regular cleanups and collaborative efforts with stakeholders.
Captain Sabirin bin Haji Abd Hamid, Chief Executive Officer of Royal Brunei Airlines, remarked, “As we near our 50th anniversary on 18th November 2024, it is an honour to collaborate with our esteemed partners on this vital environmental initiative. Over the years, Royal Brunei Airlines has embraced innovation, from fully digitalised cockpits to fuel-efficient aircraft, all in line with the sustainability objectives of Wawasan 2035. We believe that working together and championing eco-friendly practices across industries can pave the way for a greener, more sustainable future for Brunei and beyond.”
All four organisations stand committed to fostering a long-term partnership in the area of sustainable development and environmental protection, and will be collaborating on more initiatives next year for the shared purpose to “Protect Brunei’s Sand, Sea and Sky”.
The Forestry Department was crucial in supporting the initiative and guiding the treeplanting activities. Local company Sphiere Sdn Bhd (Sphiere) supplied the tree saplings and will continue to monitor their growth for one year. Sphiere also showcased its innovative app, developed in collaboration with LiveWIRE, the Forestry Department, JASTRE, and the Brunei Climate Change Office (BCCO) which is called “Atmosphiere”.
This app will track the environmental data of the planted saplings and foster community engagement in conservation efforts. Makan Ceria also supported the event by assisting with logistics and providing volunteers. – JAMES KON
(FILES) (COMBO) This combination of file pictures created on August 15, 2024 shows, Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz (L) speaking in Los Angeles, California, on August 13, 2024; and US Senator and Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance speaking in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on August 6, 2024. US vice presidential candidates J.D. Vance and Tim Walz will face off on October 1st, in a debate that promises to be a feisty battle to win over voters in middle America, who could decide the cliffhanger 2024 election. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown and RYAN COLLERD / AFP)
Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz. PHOTO: AFP
WASHINGTON (AFP) – US vice presidential candidates JD Vance and Tim Walz will face off on Tuesday in a debate that promises to be a feisty battle to win over voters in middle America, who could decide the cliffhanger 2024 election.
The Republican Ohio senator and the Democratic Minnesota governor make for a study in contrasts and have already traded a series of bad-tempered insults in the bitter race for the White House.
The combative Vance, 40, shares former president Donald Trump’s gift for courting controversy, whether by smearing Democrats as “childless cat ladies,” spreading bogus stories about pet-eating migrants or questioning his rival’s military record.
Walz, 60, is a folksy Midwestern former teacher and high school football coach who was chosen at lightning speed by Vice President Kamala Harris after his attacks on Vance and Trump as “weird” went viral.
But what the pair have in common is that their bosses are counting on them to reach out to voters in the blue-collar US heartland and help propel them to the Oval Office.
The clash should make for good television, even if VP debates themselves rarely move the dial in elections, said Thomas Whalen, an associate professor of social sciences at Boston University.
US Senator and Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance. PHOTO: AFP
“High drama – I think that’s what Americans want to see and they very well might get it on Tuesday,” Whalen told AFP.
“You’ve barely had a vice presidential debate that’s had any appreciable difference,” he said.
“But it’s that reality television angle. Americans are fascinated by confrontations, and J.D. Vance and Walz, they are so different – personality-wise, politically – it might be just worth your while to take a few moments to check them out.”
The debate hosted by the CBS network in New York at 9pm on Tuesday (0100 GMT Wednesday) could also be the last major televised face-off before the election.
Trump has refused to take part in a second debate with Harris, after pundits and polls agreed the Democrat won their first on September 10.
Trap
A little extra spice could come from the fact that Vance’s and Walz’s microphones will be live throughout, allowing them to cut in on their rivals. Trump and Harris had their mics muted when it was not their turn to talk.
The pressure on Tuesday could be biggest on Vance, the youthful senator whom Trump picked in June in the hope he could reach out to his blue-collar base.
Vance made his name with the 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy, a best-selling account of Rust Belt poverty, and boasted a rags-to-riches life story that included military service in Iraq and a Silicon Valley fortune.
But Walz is sure to attack him over a series of controversies linked to previous comments on women, including where he criticised “childless cat ladies” in a jab at Harris for not having biological children.
Vance can also expect to come under fire for promoting false stories about Haitian migrants eating pet cats and dogs in the town of Springfield, Ohio.
For Walz, it has been a heady ascent since Harris picked him shortly after her own sudden replacement of President Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee.
His earthy charm, the famed “Minnesota nice” politeness made famous by the 1996 Coen brothers film “Fargo,” has made him a hit with Democrats.
So have his progressive politics – but they will also be a target for Vance as he and Trump seek to paint Walz and Harris as “Marxists.”
The Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal-fired power station, which is due to close at the end of the month, is pictured near Nottingham, central England. PHOTO: AFP
LONDON (AFP) – The UK’s last coal-fired power station will officially close its doors on Monday, making Britain the first G7 country to end its reliance on the fossil fuel to produce electricity.
The closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar, a power plant that has dominated the surrounding central England landscape for nearly 60 years, marks a symbolic step in the UK’s ambition to decarbonise electricity by 2030, and become carbon neutral by 2050.
“The era of coal might be ending, but a new age of good energy jobs for our country is just beginning,” Energy Minister Michael Shanks said in a statement.
The owner of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar factory, Uniper said the site will be put into a two-year decommissioning period beginning in October.
The 350 Uniper employees and contractors that work at the site, will either be redeployed to other roles within the company or leave the business within three redundancy windows before the end of 2026, Uniper told AFP.
In its place will be a new development – a “carbon-free technology and energy hub”, the company said. It marks the end of Britain’s 140-year dependence on coal as it becomes the first in the G7 of rich nations to do away entirely with coal power electricity.
Italy plans to do so by next year, France in 2027, Canada in 2030 and Germany in 2038. Japan and the United States have no set dates.
“Britain has set an example the rest of the world must follow”, said Doug Parr, policy director at Greenpeace UK.
“There are further battles to be had to phase out oil and gas, fulfilling the promise by all countries at COP28 to transition away from fossil fuels,” he added.
In the history books
The polluting fossil fuel played a vital part in British economic history, powering the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th Centuries that made the country a global superpower.
Even into the 1980s, it still represented 70 per cent of the country’s electricity mix before its share declined in the 1990s as the government began to implement stricter regulations to tackle pollution.
In the last decade the fall has been even sharper, slumping to 38 per cent in 2013, 5.0 percent in 2018 then just 1.0 per cent last year.
“Coal was the backbone of the UK’s power generation for over a century, but its place is now in the history books,” said Friends of the Earth energy campaigner, Tony Bosworth.
“The priority now is to move away from gas as well, by developing as fast as possible the UK’s huge homegrown renewable energy potential and delivering the economic boost that will bring,” he added.
In 2023, a third of electricity production was made up of natural gas while a quarter came from wind power and 13 percent from nuclear power, according to electricity operator National Grid ESO.
The new Labour government has plans to further decarbonise the energy mix.
It launched its flagship green energy plan after its election win in July, with the creation of a publicly owned body to invest in offshore wind, tidal power and nuclear power.
In recent years, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, which had the potential to power two million homes, was only used when big spikes in electricity use were expected, such as during a cold snap in 2022 or the 2023 heatwave.
Its last delivery of 1,650 tonnes of coal at the start of this summer barely supplied 500,000 homes for eight hours.
The history of Britain’s reliance on coal dates back to 1882, when the world’s first coal-fired power station was built in central London.
(FILES) Kris Kristofferson performs "Me & Bobby McGee" live on Hollywood Boulevard during posthumous Star ceremony for the late Janis Joplin on November 4, 2013 in Hollywood, California. US singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson, a country music legend who notably hit the silver screen opposite Barbra Streisand in "A Star is Born," has died at the age of 88, his family announced Sunday. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – US singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson, a country music legend who notably hit the silver screen opposite Barbra Streisand in A Star is Born, has died at the age of 88, his family announced Sunday.
No cause of death was given in a statement issued by the family of the artist, a Country Music Hall of Fame honoree and Grammy winner known for writing hits like Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down and Me and Bobby McGee.
Kristofferson performed solo for decades but also formed the supergroup The Highwaymen in the mid-1980s with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.
Kris Kristofferson performs on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm near the village of Pilton in Somerset, south-west England on June 23, 2017. PHOTO: AFP
In film, the Golden Globe winner was also known for his appearances as Whistler alongside Wesley Snipes in the vampire trilogy Blade.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 28, at home” In Hawaii, the family said in a statement carried on his official Facebook page.
“We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”
Singing and acting
Born on June 22, 1936, in Brownsville, Texas, Kristofferson moved frequently as a child because his father was in the US military. He attended Pomona College in California and went to Oxford as a Rhodes scholar, according to his official website.
He joined the army, but was still pursuing his interest in music and songwriting. He was offered a teaching job at West Point but decided instead to head to Nashville, where he began to submit songs for others to record.
He finally signed his own record deal and put out a first album in 1970. He would earn success both with his own voice and by providing tunes for other hitmakers.
Cash took Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down to the top of the charts, and Ray Price did the same with For the Good Times.
Me and Bobby McGee became a posthumous hit for Janis Joplin, who once dated Kristofferson.
“You can look at Nashville pre-Kris and post-Kris, because he changed everything,” Bob Dylan is quoted on Kristofferson’s website as saying.
Kris Kristofferson performs “Me & Bobby McGee” live on Hollywood Boulevard during posthumous Star ceremony for the late Janis Joplin on November 4, 2013 in Hollywood, California. PHOTO: AFP1040
Kristofferson sang in a raspy voice about loneliness, hard times and romance. One of his heroes was English poet William Blake.
Kristofferson would go on to pivot to acting, where his good looks led to work with directors Sam Peckinpah and Martin Scorsese.
Then came the massive success of A Star is Born (1976), in which he played a washed-up rock singer who discovers a new talent (Streisand).
He won the Golden Globe for best actor for the film, a remake of a 1937 movie that was again redone in the 1950s with Judy Garland, and later in 2018 with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.
Kristofferson’s acting career hit a snag when he starred in the notorious flop Heaven’s Gate in 1980, and he struggled with drugs and alcohol, but he went on to take dozens of other TV and film roles.
As a solo artist, his album output tapered off after the 1980s. The Highwaymen recorded three popular albums over a decade, and he collaborated often with Nelson in the years that followed.
Kristofferson toured often until the COVID-19 pandemic, though he suffered from memory loss and announced in early 2021 that he had retired from music.
“He created a body of work that gave voice not only to his soul but to ours,” Country Music Hall of Fame CEO Kyle Young said in a statement.
Kristofferson is survived by his third wife Lisa and his eight children.
Photo shows Brunei Darussalam and Philippines under-20 national team players during a Group ‘H’ tie of the 2025 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-20 Asian Cup qualification
The Brunei Darussalam under-20 national team on Sunday endured a disappointing end in the 2025 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-20 Asian Cup qualification after their group stage exit ended with a winless record.
The Young Wasps lost 4-0 to already-eliminated Philippines in their final Group ‘H’ match as their quest for qualifying ended with a third consecutive defeat.
It is not a repeat of the double-digit defeats to Iraq and Thailand but Brunei ended the qualification tournament failed to register a single goal let alone a point.
Brunei under-20 head coach Aminuddin Jumat’s young charges conceded a whopping 32 goals, easily making it the worst performance in their qualifying history of the continental meet.
Photo shows Brunei Darussalam and Philippines under-20 national team players during a Group ‘H’ tie of the 2025 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-20 Asian Cup qualification. PHOTO: Asian Football Confederation
The Young Azkals raced into the lead in the fourth minute as Otu Banatao headed past Brunei under-20 goalkeeper Wa’ie Haziq following an Ethan Smith cross.
The young Bruneians had kept the dominant Filipinos largely at bay until midfielder Cyrelle Saut struck in the 50th minute despite seeing his initial effort blocked by Hakimee Toney.
Philippines under-20 defender Bacchus Ekberg rifled a low drive from range to make it 3-0 two minutes later having been set up by Justin Ogur.
With Brunei under-20 goalkeeper Dzul Ikram given game time, Josep Ferre’s young charges compounded their opponent’s woes as forward Trez Marinas leapt to head home Jhon Diaz’s corner two minutes from time. – FADHIL YUNUS
Young man desperate to catch the iron prison,prisoner concept,Handcuffed hands of a prisoner in prison, Male prisoners were severely strained in the dark prison, violence, . High quality photo
Magistrate Abdul ‘Azim bin Othman on Saturday handed down fines of BND112,884 to a 43-year-old Malaysian, Yee Yong Pin, and BND103,440 to a 45-year-old permanent resident, Jong Yit Lian, after both pleaded guilty to possessing smuggled goods.
Yee Yong Pin would have to serve 31 months’ jail, while Jong Yit Lian 31 months’ jail in default of payment of fine.
Both individuals were caught on September 21, at the Ujong Jalan Control Post in Temburong. Customs officers discovered large quantities of smuggled cigarettes and alcoholic beverages in their possession. In Yee’s vehicle, officers found 90 cartons, 2 packets, and 20 sticks of cigarettes along with 1,440 cans of assorted alcoholic beverages. Jong was found with 75 cartons of cigarettes, 36 bottles, and 1,440 cans of alcoholic beverages.
The court also ordered the confiscation and destruction of the contraband and the seizure of two vehicles and three mobile phones used in the smuggling operation. – FADLEY FAISAL
TOPSHOT - Atletico Madrid's Argentine forward #10 Angel Correa fights for the ball with Real Madrid's Brazilian defender #03 Eder Militao before scoring his team's first goal during the Spanish league football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid CF at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on September 29, 2024. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)
Atletico Madrid forward Angel Correa fights for the ball with Real Madrid defender Eder Militao. PHOTO: AFP
MADRID (AFP) – Angel Correa’s 95th-minute equaliser snatched Atletico Madrid a 1-1 derby draw against Spanish champions Real Madrid on Sunday in La Liga.
The Argentine forward had to wait nervously for a VAR review to prove he was onside but he had timed his run to perfection and secured the hosts a point.
Real Madrid, without injured star striker Kylian Mbappe, largely kept Atletico at arm’s length on a spiky night in the Spanish capital, taking the lead through Eder Militao midway through the second half.
The match was suspended for around 15 minutes soon afterwards when Atletico fans threw objects including lighters at Madrid players, and Rojiblancos midfielder Marcos Llorente was sent off at the death.
“I think it was a correct decision from the referee, he had to stop the game… and then it started again, it was correctly done,” said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Correa’s late strike put Atletico third, while Real Madrid, second, moved three points behind leaders Barcelona after their defeat at Osasuna on Saturday.
“We were very close to winning but this can happen, the opponent is very strong,” added Ancelotti.
Real Madrid’s Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti. PHOTO: AFP
“I always think positively, not negatively, I think that we’ve gained a point on the leaders.”
Despite the disappointment of conceding a late equaliser, Madrid reached 40 consecutive league games without defeat, their last loss coming just over a year ago at Atletico.
This time they were largely in the driving seat, with Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti opting for veteran midfielder Luka Modric in place of Mbappe.
The first half failed to set pulses racing although former Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved well at his near post from Julian Alvarez, who drifted in with intent from the left.
At the other end, Uruguayan midfielder Fede Valverde twice came close, with Jan Oblak first saving a long-range effort before he sent a free-kick whistling past the post.
The second half continued in the same vein until Madrid forged their way ahead through defender Militao in the 64th minute.
Modric sent a free-kick out to the left flank and Vinicius Junior’s cross drifted all the way through to the back post, where Militao was waiting.
The Brazilian hammered home with the aid a deflection off Llorente, which left Oblak with no chance.
Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann and Amidfielder Rodrigo De Paul leave the pitch after supporters sent items on the pitch. PHOTO: AFP
Fan trouble
A few minutes later the match was temporarily suspended by the officials after Atletico fans threw lighters and other objects at Madrid stars, including Courtois.
Diego Simeone, Atletico captain Koke and Jose Maria Gimenez went to try and calm the situation by talking to fans behind Madrid’s goal.
The referee sent the players into the dressing rooms for around 15 minutes before play eventually resumed.
Oblak made a fine save from Vinicius’ low drive and Endrick smashed wide as Madrid looked the more likely to score, until Correa’s late intervention.
The forward darted in behind Antonio Rudiger and bundled home to level deep in second-half injury time.
Llorente’s ugly foul on Fran Garcia left Atletico to see out the final moments with 10 men, but they were able to claim their point.
Atletico coach Simeone aimed thinly-veiled criticism at Courtois for celebrating Madrid’s goal while looking at the supporters behind him.
“You can celebrate a goal but not by looking at the fans, having a go, making gestures like that,” Simeone told DAZN.
“The fans don’t just become angry by themselves, they become angry for a reason.”
The coach also pointed out Real Madrid fans had thrown lighters at the Belgian goalkeeper in the past when he was an Atletico player.
There was more bad news for Real Madrid beyond the equaliser as Courtois appeared to be having some discomfort late in the game.
“Courtois had a muscular issue, he’ll be looked at tomorrow,” said Ancelotti.
Elsewhere, Real Betis beat Espanyol 1-0, Sevilla rescued a late draw at Athletic Bilbao and Girona drew 1-1 at Celta Vigo.
ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 28: Heavy rains from Hurricane Helene caused record flooding and damage on September 28, 2024 in Asheville, North Carolina. Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend on Thursday night with winds up to 140 mph and storm surges that killed at least 42 people in several states. Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Melissa Sue Gerrits / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Heavy rains from Hurricane Helene caused record flooding and damage in Asheville, North Carolina. PHOTO: AFP
VALDOSTA (AFP) – The death toll from powerful storm Helene jumped to at least 91 on Sunday, with one county in North Carolina alone reporting 30 deaths, authorities said, as rescuers battled to reach people in need across the southeastern United States.
The storm left a swathe of damage across several states, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, with high winds and torrential rain leaving some towns in ruins, roads flooded out and power cut off to millions.
“We’re hearing (of) significant infrastructure damage to water systems, communication, roads, critical transportation routes, as well as several homes that have been just destroyed by this,” the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Deanne Criswell, said Sunday.
“So this is going to be a really complicated recovery in each of these five states that have had these impacts,” she said on CBS’sFace the Nation.
At least 91 people were killed in the extreme weather – 37 in North Carolina, 25 in South Carolina, 17 in Georgia, 11 in Florida and one in Virginia, according to tallies from local authorities compiled by AFP.
A flood-damaged road is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Asheville. PHOTO: AFP
“We have another devastating update. We now have 30 confirmed losses due to the storm,” Quentin Miller, the sheriff in North Carolina’s Buncombe County, which includes the tourist city of Asheville, told a briefing.
“We’re still conducting search operations and we know that those also may include recovery operations.”
Flash flood warnings remained in effect in parts of western North Carolina on Sunday, National Weather Service director Ken Graham said, adding that they were due to the risk of dam failures.
The weather was expected to ease in the affected areas by around Tuesday, he said.
Nearly 2.5 million households remained without power on Sunday, according to tracker poweroutage.us.
US Department of Energy official Matt Targuagno said that crews were working hard to restore electricity but warned it would be “a complex, multi-day response.”
Thousands of people continued to seek assistance in shelters run by the American Red Cross, organisation official Jennifer Pipa said.
A storm-damaged U-Haul truck and trailer are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. PHOTO: AFP
Bridges washed away
Helene blew into Florida’s northern Gulf shore as a huge Category Four hurricane with winds of 140 miles per hour.
Even as it weakened, it wreaked havoc.
US President Joe Biden said Sunday that one of his senior advisors was in Florida monitoring the situation.
North Carolina saw some of the worst of the flooding, with Governor Roy Cooper saying rescuers were being forced to airlift supplies in some areas due to damaged or flooded roads.
“I don’t know that anybody could be fully prepared for the amount of flooding and landslides that they are experiencing right now,” Criswell said on CBS, adding that more search and rescue teams were being deployed.
William Ray, director of the state’s emergency management department, warned that conditions were still extremely dangerous.
Hundreds of roads across the region remained closed, with several bridges washed away by floodwaters.
Flood damage is strewn across a road in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. PHOTO: AFP
Four major interstate highways were closed across North Carolina and Tennessee, with “multiple” bridges still out, said Kristin White of the US Department of Transportation.
Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina each had more than 100 road closures, she added.
In the Georgia city of Valdosta, the storm ripped the roofs off buildings, and left road intersections a tangle of felled utility poles and trees.
“The wind started really hitting, like, felt branches and pieces of the roof hitting the side of the building and hitting the windows,” said Valdosta resident Steven Mauro.
“And then we were looking out and then literally this whole street, just everything went black.”
Republican former president and current candidate Donald Trump will visit Valdosta on Monday for a briefing on the disaster, his campaign said.
President Joe Biden, who has approved federal aid for several states in the wake of the disaster, intends to travel to hard-hit areas this week, “as soon as it will not disrupt emergency response operations,” the White House said Sunday.
He directed Criswell, the FEMA administrator, to “determine what more can be done to accelerate support to those who are having the most difficult time accessing assistance in isolated communities,” it said.
