More than fifty years passed between the last Apollo mission and the United States' return to the lunar surface, when the first-ever private lander touched down last February. Now, the United States is working to make private lunar missions routine through NASA's $2.6 billion Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, a public-private initiative designed to deliver hardware to the surface at a fraction of traditional mission costs.
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US lawmakers are urging President Biden to extend the deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok's US assets to avoid a potential ban. ByteDance's legal team argues that completing a sale by January 19 is unfeasible, stressing the impact on 170 million American users. Many content creators are switching to another Chinese app, Xiaohongshu.
President Trump urged the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates to mitigate the impact of new tariffs set for April 2, dubbed 'liberation day'. Despite concerns about economic growth and inflation, Trump defends tariffs aimed at reclaiming wealth and imposing reciprocal measures, notably on steel and aluminum imports.
The dismantling of the Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, DC, has commenced. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, under pressure from Congressional Republicans, announced the reconstruction effort. The plaza, a significant symbol of racial justice activism, is set to evolve into something new after serving as a focal point for protests and memorials for over four years.
Matthew Muller, convicted in the infamous Denise Huskins kidnapping case, has admitted to additional crimes involving women in the San Francisco Bay Area. New DNA evidence links him to two 2009 home invasions and an attempted rape. Muller faces new charges and is in custody without bail.
Russia has intensified its missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, launching 43 missiles and 74 drones targeting western Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy condemned the strikes and called for more international security assistance. Meanwhile, Russian forces reportedly captured a village in the Donetsk region amid ongoing conflict.
Elon Musk reportedly helped release Italian journalist Cecilia Sala from an Iranian prison in January. His connections with Iranian diplomats and Donald Trump played a role in the negotiations. Sala was detained in December 2023 amid rising tensions between Iran and Italy. Her release was part of a possible prisoner swap involving an Iranian engineer held by Italy.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attributed his infidelities to alleged abuse by his second wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy, during their divorce. Secret recordings and accusations of mutual abuse surfaced, highlighting the tumultuous relationship before Richardson's tragic suicide in 2012. Details included Kennedy's extensive list of affairs and claims of being driven by 'lust demons.'
Unlike former Washington Post journalist Taylor Lorenz, podcaster Joe Rogan did not support the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson but on the latest episode of his show, he spoke about the insurance industry and called it a dirty business. Joe Rogan said he thinks the suspected killer, Luigi Mangione, is not a professional but somehow got 'f**ked over' by the health insurance company.
Sam Harris explained on a podcast why he is no longer friends with Elon Musk, citing Musk's interactions with right-wing figures and online misinformation. Musk reacted by calling Harris 'mentally ill' and using a clown emoji. Harris expressed concern over Musk not verifying information and defaming former friends publicly. "He does not care if he's defaming someone in public who used to be a friend," Sam Harris said.
An Arizona yoga teacher, Marcus Freiberger, has been missing since 21 February after leaving for a blind date in Phoenix. His family is deeply concerned, especially as his dog was found abandoned. Authorities are investigating, but there have been no significant leads.