Category: News

NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore are still stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) much longer than they planned. They were supposed to come back to Earth after one week, but now their return has been pushed to Spring 2025—almost 10 months in space!

The astronauts launched to the ISS on June 5 in a Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which had a lot of problems after it landed back on Earth without them. Because of these problems, NASA decided it was not safe for Suni and Butch to return in the Starliner. Thankfully, Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, stepped in to help. They changed plans to let Suni and Butch use seats on a Crew Dragon capsule for a ride back home.

Originally, they were expected to return in February, but now it’s delayed to late March or even early April because SpaceX needs more time to get the capsule ready. Instead of rushing, NASA chose to keep Williams and Wilmore in space a bit longer to ensure everything goes smoothly.

While they wait, the astronauts are getting into the holiday spirit! After celebrating Thanksgiving on the ISS, they’re preparing for a fun Christmas in space. They plan to connect with their families through video calls before the big celebration.

In Washington, D.C., top leaders from both the Republican and Democratic parties have come together to create a temporary plan. This plan will keep the government funded until March 14, helping to prevent a partial government shutdown that would start this Saturday.

If approved, this plan will maintain the current budget of about $6.2 trillion, funding important services like the military, air traffic control, and drug safety programs. Congress members will now look over the details, but some strong Republicans in the House are already unhappy, which means some Democratic votes will probably be needed to make this plan law.

The House, which is led by a very slim Republican majority of 219-211, hasn’t set a voting date yet. However, if they pass the plan, it will move to the Democratic-majority Senate by Friday night so President Joe Biden can sign it into law.

The new plan also includes $100.4 billion to help states like North Carolina and Florida recover from serious disasters like hurricanes and wildfires. Here’s how the money will be spent:

– $29 billion for disaster relief through FEMA
– $21 billion to help farmers affected by weather problems
– $10 billion in economic aid for farmers
– $12 billion in grants for state and local communities
– $8 billion for repairing roads and highways

Additionally, the Pentagon will receive nearly $5.7 billion to help build new submarines, and about $740 million will go to repairing NASA facilities damaged by hurricanes.

The plan also allows for year-round sales of a special gasoline with a higher ethanol blend and includes $13 million for protecting Supreme Court justices at their homes.

If lawmakers do not act quickly, parts of the government could close on Saturday. Speaker Mike Johnson must rely on help from Democrats to pass this important measure.

With growing government debt now over $36 trillion, Congress also has to address this issue early next year. They need to act before a previous agreement on the nation’s debt ceiling runs out, which could cause serious impacts on the economy.

Lastly, this plan includes a one-year extension of federal farm programs so costs for dairy products don’t rise sharply after December 31.

On Wednesday, rescuers worked hard to find people trapped under rubble after a strong 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit the capital of Vanuatu, Port Vila. The quake, which happened on Tuesday, sadly killed 14 people and hurt over 200 others. Many buildings, including shops, embassies, and even a hospital, were also damaged.

Vanuatu’s Police Commissioner, Robson Iavro, said rescuers focused on two buildings that fell down. Some people trapped inside were still able to talk to the police, and they believed there might be more people stuck. Videos on social media showed smashed vehicles and landslides blocking roads. People stood in long lines to get fuel and other necessities.

Michael Thompson, an Australian who runs a zip line business there, helped dig people out of the rubble. He shared on Facebook that three people were pulled out alive, but one was seriously injured. Many showed great bravery while rescuing others.

Power, water, and phone services were disrupted. To help with the flow of patients, tents for medical care were set up outside the hospital. The National Disaster Management Office reported that ten buildings were heavily damaged in the main area of Port Vila. Emergency doctor Basil Leodoro mentioned that two key buildings, Billabong House and a Chinese store, had collapsed, with rescuers trying to save anyone inside.

There were also aftershocks during the night, one as strong as 6.1. Caroline Bird, who manages a resort, said there were many aftershocks making everyone anxious. Caretaker Prime Minister Charlot Salwai announced a state of emergency and a seven-day curfew in the worst-hit areas. The country has asked for international help.

Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles said two military planes were being sent to Vanuatu with a medical team and a search and rescue team. Port Vila’s airport would also be closed for 72 hours for medical and emergency flights. The United Nations estimated around 116,000 people in Vanuatu, about one-third of the population, were affected by the earthquake.