Space: Nasa's Parker Solar Probe is now closer to the sun than any spacecraft has been before. Parker today surpassed the record of 43 million km set by Helios-2 in 1976. And it will keep getting closer to the sun until it flies through the corona, or outer atmosphere, for
the first time next week, passing within 24 million km of the solar surface. Parker will make 24 close approaches to the sun over the next seven years, ultimately coming within just 6 million km.
Launched in August, Parker is on track to set another record. It will surpass Helios-2's speed record of 247,000 km/h, relative to the sun.
Mexico: Hundreds of Central Americans following in the footsteps of a thousands-strong migrant caravan making its way towards the US border crossed a river from Guatemala into Mexico, defying a heavy police presence deployed to patrol that country's southern frontier. A low-flying police helicopter hovered overhead as the migrants waded in large groups through the Suchiate River's murky waters, apparently trying to use the downdraft from its rotors to discourage them. Guatemala's Noti7 channel reported that one man drowned and aired video of a man dragging a seemingly lifeless body from the river.
Tunisia: A female suicide bomber wounded nine people, mostly police officers, on a busy avenue in Tunisia's capital. The 30-year-old woman set off the blast in Tunis on Habib Bourguiba avenue, the Interior Ministry said. The bomber, who wasn't previously known to authorities, blew herself up near a police patrol, a ministry statement said. It said eight police officers and one civilian were wounded. Apart from the bomber, there were no further reported deaths. Tunisian radio station Mosaique FM said the attacker was wearing a homemade bomb belt with a small quantity of explosives.
Science: Dogs can sniff out malaria from a pair of dirty socks, scientists have discovered. A study by researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Durham University found they can identify patients with the disease with 70 per cent accuracy. It suggests dogs could become another weapon in the fight against the disease which, despite significant reductions in the number of cases in the past two decades, remains the biggest killer of children under five in Africa.
United States: Firefighters, police officers and emergency operators in Texas got a surprise lunch from a famous son as Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey showed up with roasted turkey to give thanks on National First Responders Day. The actor's appearance and catered lunch shocked those at a Houston fire department. Later, he did the same for police officers and emergency operators at other facilities. McConaughey said he wanted to do something in his home state, particularly for Houston. The city dealt with the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey last year. He went as part of a promotion for Wild Turkey. The actor was born in South Texas and grew up mostly in East Texas. He has a home in Austin.
