International
NASA Moon rocket launch delayed again, this time by storm
| By AFP |
NASA again rescheduled its long-delayed uncrewed mission to the Moon on Tuesday as Tropical Storm Nicole churned toward the east coast of Florida, officials said.
A launch attempt, which had been scheduled for November 14, will now take place on November 16, Jim Free, a senior official at the US space agency, said on Twitter.
It is the third delay of the highly-anticipated launch in as many months.
“Our people are the most important aspect of our mission,” wrote Free, who is NASA’s Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development. “Adjusting our target launch date for #Artemis I prioritizes employee safety and allows our team to tend to the needs of their families and homes.”
The Atlantic Ocean storm was expected to develop into a hurricane Wednesday near the Bahamas, before making landfall in Florida either later that evening or early Thursday, the National Hurricane Center said.
A hurricane warning has been issued near the Kennedy Space Center, where the rocket — NASA’s most powerful ever — is to blast off.
With Nicole gaining strength, “NASA… has decided to re-target a launch for the Artemis I mission for Wednesday, Nov. 16, pending safe conditions for employees to return to work, as well as inspections after the storm has passed,” the agency said in a statement Tuesday evening.
NASA added that a launch occurring during a two-hour window that opens at 1:04 am EST (0604 GMT) on November 16 would result in a splashdown on Friday, Dec. 11.
A back-up launch date has been set for November 19.
NASA said it would leave the giant SLS rocket on the launch pad, where it had been placed several days before.
After two launch attempts were scrubbed this summer because of technical problems, the rocket had to be returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building to protect it from Hurricane Ian.
Last week, the 322-foot (98-meter) rocket was rolled back out on a giant platform known as the crawler-transporter designed to minimize vibrations.
Earlier Tuesday, Nicole was packing sustained winds near 65 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) with higher gusts and was expected to strengthen even further, according to the NHC.
Some experts have voiced concern that the rocket, which is estimated to cost several billion dollars, could be damaged by debris from the hurricane if it remains exposed.
“As far as staying at the pad, we want to see peak winds less than 74.1 knots, and that’s kind of the key requirement that we’re tracking,” said chief rocket engineer John Blevins.
The SLS rocket is designed to withstand 85 mile-per-hour (74.4-knot) winds at the 60-foot level with structural margin, NASA said. It is designed to also withstand heavy rains at the launch pad and the spacecraft hatches have been secured to prevent water intrusion.
The uncrewed mission, dubbed Artemis 1, will bring the United States a step closer to returning astronauts to the Moon five decades after humans last walked on the lunar surface.
The goal of Artemis 1, named after the twin sister of Apollo, is to test the SLS rocket and Orion crew capsule that sits on top.
Mannequins are standing in for astronauts on the mission and will record acceleration, vibration, and radiation levels.
International
DOJ and FBI officially deny Jeffrey Epstein ‘client list’ conspiracy theories
A U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI investigation concluded that financier Jeffrey Epstein, accused of sex trafficking minors, did not maintain a “client list” for blackmail purposes and confirmed his death by suicide in a New York prison in 2019, according to reports from U.S. media on Monday.
The findings, detailed in a memo reviewed by Axios and ABC News, mark the first official denial of conspiracy theories alleging a list of influential personalities connected to Epstein and a possible murder to silence him.
The DOJ and FBI also reviewed several hours of video footage confirming that no one entered the area of the Manhattan jail where the 66-year-old billionaire took his own life while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minors, aided by his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was prosecuted and convicted of similar crimes.
The evidence review was ordered by the Trump administration after officials like Attorney General Pam Bondi pledged to release files related to the federal government’s investigations into the case.
Epstein’s death prevented the trial from taking place, leading some in American society to demand that the Department of Justice make public the list of accomplices and clients, as well as flight logs of his private plane to the island he owned in the Virgin Islands, where some abuses reportedly occurred.
The new memo from the U.S. Justice Department warned that it will not release more investigation records and emphasized that one of its main “priorities” is “combating child exploitation and delivering justice to victims.”
“Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves none of these purposes,” the document states, according to ABC News.
International
Iranian president says Israel tried to assassinate him, warns U.S. against war
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claims Israel attempted to assassinate him during a high-level meeting, but Iranian intelligence thwarted the plan, he revealed in an exclusive interview — not to a traditional news outlet, but to far-right journalist Tucker Carlson, a close ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The interview was published last night on Carlson’s X account. Carlson anticipates criticism for conducting the interview but defends it by saying Americans need to understand the perspective of a country “we went to war with ten days ago, and maybe will again.”
When Carlson asks if Israel tried to kill him, Pezeshkian replies: “Yes, they tried, and acted accordingly, but they failed.” Asked for details, Pezeshkian explained: “It was during a meeting. We were discussing ways to move forward, but thanks to intelligence services and their clues, we knew they tried to bomb the area where we were gathered.”
He quickly clarified: “Of course, it was not the United States trying to end my life, it was Israel (…) I ask the U.S. not to be deceived by Netanyahu, not to be dragged into this kind of war,” a warning he repeats throughout the half-hour interview.
Relaxed in a chair, Pezeshkian answered all questions. On whether he will allow the return of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors — after suspending cooperation last week — he said it is not ruled out but currently technically impossible.
“We have never been the ones to withdraw from inspections. We are ready to undergo those verifications, but unfortunately, due to illegal U.S. attacks on our nuclear sites and facilities, many parts and equipment have been severely damaged. So now we don’t have access to them,” he explained.
It is notable that Iran granted this interview to Carlson, a well-known isolationist within the Trump sphere, who, alongside ideologue Steve Bannon, opposes U.S. involvement in foreign wars that come at high economic, political, and human costs.
Carlson asked if Iran planned to assassinate Donald Trump or if it has “sleeper cells” ready to attack on U.S. soil. Pezeshkian dismissed both claims lightly: “That’s what Netanyahu wants you, the president of your country, to believe, but it’s false because Netanyahu has his own agenda—to push the U.S. into an endless war.”
International
Sheinbaum urges unity and respect after clashes over gentrification in Mexico City
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the protests in Mexico City on Monday, which erupted over the weekend amid complaints of gentrification and urban inequality.
The demonstrations took place in the Condesa neighborhood, where protesters claim rising rents driven by an influx of foreigners have altered the daily lives of longtime local residents.
However, the protests escalated into clashes with local police and included discriminatory remarks toward officers and citizens.
In a strong message, Sheinbaum condemned hate speech and urged citizens to reject all forms of discrimination. “All Mexicans must clearly reject discrimination — no to racism, no to classism, no to xenophobia, no to machismo, no to discrimination. All human beings are equal and no one should be treated as less. (…) Discrimination is also a criminal offense.”
“Any man or woman who wants to live in Mexico City or anywhere in our country must respect us just as we must respect them. But these attitudes are not exclusive to foreigners living in Mexico, we also saw them in many marches last year,” the president added.
Regarding the violent incidents shared on social media, Sheinbaum said: “Gentrification is a phenomenon that must be addressed, but xenophobic behavior cannot be justified. That’s unacceptable. Anyone who comes to live in our country will be welcomed as long as they respect the laws, the rules, and appreciate the wonderful people of Mexico.”
She also highlighted Mexico’s long-standing tradition as an open and supportive country that has welcomed refugees and migrants from various nationalities during critical moments in the 20th century.
DOJ and FBI officially deny Jeffrey Epstein ‘client list’ conspiracy theories
Iranian president says Israel tried to assassinate him, warns U.S. against war
Sheinbaum urges unity and respect after clashes over gentrification in Mexico City
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