The four astronauts of SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission, set to perform the first commercial spacewalk, are handling launch delays calmly. Initially scheduled for Aug. 27, the launch was postponed to Aug. 28 due to technical issues, then to Aug. 30 due to weather concerns. Now, it awaits the completion of an FAA investigation after a Falcon 9 rocket mishap. Despite the delays, the crew remains patient and focused, emphasizing the importance of waiting for the right moment.
Read more at: https://www.space.com/polaris-dawn-crew-patient-delays
A Hong Kong court convicted former Stand News editors Chung Pui-kuen and Patrick Lam in a sedition case, seen as a test for media freedom in the city. Arrested in December 2021, they pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to publish seditious content. This trial is the first media-related case since Hong Kong’s 1997 return to Chinese rule. Stand News, critical of the government, was shut down amid a crackdown on dissent following 2019 pro-democracy protests. The editors face up to two years in prison and a fine under a colonial-era sedition law.
Read more at: https://apnews.com/article/hong-kong-stand-news-verdict-press-freedom-644079e6de66ade57134afbaa23edd0c
In July, pending home sales fell 5.5%, with all U.S. regions experiencing monthly declines, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Year-over-year, the Northeast saw an increase, while the Midwest, South, and West declined. The Pending Home Sales Index dropped to 70.2, its lowest since 2001, with an 8.5% year-over-year decrease in transactions.
Read more at: https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/pending-home-sales-dropped-5-5-in-july
An undated image from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a child with a measles rash. Measles was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, but declining vaccination rates have led to its resurgence. Oregon is facing its worst outbreak since the early 1990s.
Read more at: https://www.opb.org/article/2024/08/28/oregon-measles-outbreak-public-health/
The FDA has approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer for the 2024-2025 season, targeting current variants for better protection. The CDC encourages eligible individuals to get vaccinated promptly. The FDA’s Aug. 22 press release highlights the improved formula aimed at reducing serious COVID-19 consequences.
Read more at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/08/29/covid-19-vaccines-symptoms-cdc-data/74980974007/
NASA’s Mobile Launcher 2 (ML-2) project, essential for transporting the Space Launch System (SLS) moon rocket, faces severe cost overruns and delays. Initially estimated at $383 million with a March 2023 delivery, costs have surged to $1.8 billion and could reach $2.7 billion. Delivery is now expected in September 2027. The NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a critical report on these issues. Bechtel, awarded the contract in 2019, is responsible for the project.
Read more at: https://www.space.com/nasa-inspector-general-report-mobile-launcher-2-artemis-sls
NASA decided it was too risky to return astronauts on Boeing’s troubled Starliner, a significant setback for the company. Despite years of development, Boeing has yet to achieve a successful crewed test flight. With the ISS set to be decommissioned by 2030, Boeing has roughly five years to succeed. Industry expert Todd Harrison suggests Boeing might abandon the Starliner program soon, as it doesn’t align with their broader business.
Read more at: https://futurism.com/the-byte/boeing-starliner-working-before-space-station-destroyed
UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged Israel to halt its large-scale military operation in the West Bank, which has killed an alleged terrorist and raised fears of escalating conflict. The operation, targeting “terror groups and terror cells,” has drawn international criticism. EU officials, including Josep Borrell and Janez Lenarcic, condemned Israel’s actions as violations of international law and human rights, warning against extending the conflict from Gaza.
Read more at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2024/08/29/israel-west-bank-assault-gaza/74992473007/
The body of American archaeologist Karla Dana, 29, was recovered from the sea in Norway after the replica Viking boat she was on capsized during an expedition from the Faroe Islands. The US State Department confirmed her death. Dana was declared missing after the Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) rescued the other five passengers. The group was part of the “Legendary Viking Voyage” project organized by Sail2North expeditions. A distress signal was sent at 5:45 p.m. local time on Tuesday, but a delayed response led to the rescue team arriving 50 minutes later.
Read more at: https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/29/europe/replica-viking-boat-capsizes-scli-intl/index.html
A baby in Gaza was paralyzed by a mutated polio strain shed by vaccinated individuals, highlighting a public health policy failure. This marks the first polio case in Gaza in over 25 years, affecting an unvaccinated 10-month-old amid Israel-Hamas conflict. Scientists criticize the WHO’s eradication campaign, which nearly eliminated polio but failed to address vaccine-derived outbreaks. The strain evolved from a virus in an oral vaccine removed in 2016, leading to thousands of cases. Columbia University virologist Vincent Racaniello called the strategy “horrible.”
Read more at: https://apnews.com/article/gaza-baby-polio-vaccine-who-aa79e32d45aa59f26274898c22885ba8