Eight Republican senators say they oppose โno-flyโ list for disruptive passengers because it would equate mask opponents to โterroristsโ
The senators argued that the Transportation Security Administration "was created in the wake of 9/11 to protect Americans from future horrific attacks, not to regulate human behavior onboard flights.โ
washingtonpost.comNiniโs Deli โ embattled for allegedly homophobic, anti-Black Lives Matters messaging โ has been cited for violating the cityโs vaccine mandate
Niniโs Deli previously under fire for the owners' proclaimed stance on social issues, now faces citations for allegedly violating Chicagoโs vaccine mandate.
chicagotribune.comMayor Lori Lightfoot blasts teachers union for โabandoningโ families, says she remains hopeful a deal can be done for Monday
โWeโre working like the dickens to make sure we get a deal done today so Iโm hopeful,โ Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Sunday during a nationally-televised interview.
chicagotribune.comChicago police investigating arson after fire in East Chatham apartments forced roughly 2 dozen residents to evacuate building
โWe do the science and they do the suspects,โ said Larry Langford, spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department, of the distinct roles both the police and fire departments play while investigating arson.
chicagotribune.comPlant City woman captured in Pasco after 110 mph chase on I-75, troopers say
SAN ANTONIO โ A 24-year-old Plant City woman was arrested Saturday after leading troopers on a high-speed chase in a stolen Cadillac, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Rachael Stefancich was โnearly fully unclothed,โ troopers say, and may have been driving for more than two hours when she was captured after a highway patrol cruiser pushed the stolen vehicle off State Road 52. It was ...
news.yahoo.comVehicle mileage tax could be on the table in infrastructure talks, Buttigieg says
A vehicle mileage tax could be on the table in talks about how to finance the White House's expected multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure proposal, according to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "When you think about infrastructure, it's a classic example of the kind of investment that has a return on that investment," he said. This is a jobs vision as much as it is an infrastructure vision, a climate vision and more." "A so-called vehicle-miles-traveled tax or mileage tax, whatever you want to call it, could be a way to do it," he said. Democrats have slowly pivoted away from a gasoline tax in favor of a mileage tax amid a simultaneous, climate friendly effort to encourage consumers to drive electric cars.
cnbc.comSenate confirms Pete Buttigieg as Transportation secretary
Pete Buttigieg speaks at the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation nomination hearings to examine his expected nomination to be Secretary of Transportation in Washington. The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Pete Buttigieg as Transportation secretary, handing the former presidential candidate a wide array of challenges โ from President Joe Biden's environmental priorities to the Covid-19 pandemic. Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, last week easily won approval from the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, following a largely friendly hearing. In its first two weeks, the Biden administration has already taken a hard line on transportation measures that aim to curb the spread of Covid-19. On Tuesday, the U.S. government started requiring passengers to wear masks on airplanes, trains, buses, ferries and other forms of transportation.
cnbc.comTwitter's Jack Dorsey admits internet companies have too much power and praises bitcoin as a model to change that
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said on Wednesday that banning President Donald Trump was the "right decision for Twitter," but admitted that the internet shouldn't be controlled by a handful of private companies. He wrote that if a company like Twitter makes a decision that people don't like, they can go elsewhere, creating an inherent check on its power. "This concept was challenged last week when a number of foundational internet tool providers also decided not to host what they found dangerous," Dorsey wrote. Dorsey said the inconsistent policies and lack of transparency undermine the efforts to create an open internet. "The reason I have so much passion for #Bitcoin is largely because of the model it demonstrates: a foundational internet technology that is not controlled or influenced by any single individual or entity," Dorsey wrote.
cnbc.comChinese Long March 11 rocket launches satellites to hunt gravitational waves
China has successfully launched a pair of satellites into space to learn more about gravitational waves , or echoes in space-time from huge mergers or cosmic events. China has successfully launched a pair of satellites into space to learn more about gravitational waves, or echoes in space-time from huge mergers or cosmic events. (Image credit: VCG/VCG via Getty Images)From their orbits, the satellites will monitor the entire sky for events that generate gravitational waves , which could include cosmic confluences such as neutron stars merging or black holes coming together, Science said. The new mission launched on a Long March 11 rocket developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., and the launch was the 355th mission of the Long March series, Chinese state sources said. The moon mission was performed by the China National Space Administration, while the new gravitational waves mission is under the science-focused National Space Science Center.
space.comWell-preserved Roman mosaic unearthed in Italian vineyard
Gianni De Zuccato a well-preserved colorful mosaic floor of an ancient Roman villa archaeologists have revealed among vineyards near the northern city of Verona, Italy. (Soprintendenza ABAP Verona via AP)SOAVE Archaeologists have briefly revealed a well-preserved mosaic floor of an ancient Roman villa first discovered almost a century ago near the northern Italian city of Verona. The recent discovery of two nearby mosaic floors confirmed the villa extended north and south of the original site. The unearthed mosaic from the villa's servants' quarters dates from the 3rd century and has since been covered back up. The city said archaeological officials would decide with landowners and Negrar officials the best way to make the site accessible to the public.
Take 2 for SpaceX's 1st astronaut launch with more storms
The Falcon 9, with the Crew Dragon spacecraft on top of the rocket, is scheduled to liftoff from Launch Pad 39-A Saturday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. SpaceX pressed ahead with its second attempt to launch astronauts for NASA a historic first for a private company but more stormy weather threatened more delays. Elon Musks company came within 17 minutes Wednesday of launching a pair of NASA astronauts for the first time in nearly a decade from the U.S., before the threat of lightning forced a delay. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said managers were debating whether to bump the next launch attempt from Saturday to Sunday to take advantage of a slightly improved forecast at Kennedy Space Center. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex reopened Thursday, after a 2 1/2-month shutdown, and within a few hours, all 4,000 tickets were snapped up for Saturdays launch attempt.
SpaceX ready to launch NASA astronauts, back on home turf
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. A SpaceX rocket is ready to boost two NASA astronauts into orbit Wednesday, the first launch of Americans from the U.S. in nearly a decade. Riding aboard the brand new SpaceX Dragon capsule for the historic flight: veteran NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken. SpaceX is controlling the vehicle, theres no fluff about that, said Norm Knight, a NASA flight operations manager. The last time astronauts launched from Florida was on NASAs final space shuttle flight in July 2011. Development of SpaceXs Dragon and Boeings Starliner capsules took longer than expected, however, and the U.S. has been paying Russia to launch NASA astronauts in the interim.
NASA chief "all in" for Tom Cruise to film on space station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. NASA is rolling out the International Space Stations red carpet for Tom Cruise to make a movie in orbit. Bridenstine said hell leaving it to Cruise and SpaceX to provide the mission details. I will tell you this: NASA has been in talks with Tom Cruise and, of course, his team, and we will do everything we can to make it a successful mission, including opening up the International Space Station," he told The Associated Press. Asked about Cruise filming on the space station, Musk told CBS This Morning, Actually, I think that remains to be seen. The question is, Can Tom Cruise make a new movie that inspires the next generation Elon Musk. And if he can do that, then were all for it.
For launch spectators, storms more worrisome than virus
The two astronauts are set to travel on the SpaceX test flight to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)TITUSVILLE, Fla. For the spectators gathered along the Space Coast on Wednesday for an astronaut launch, the rumbling thunder and darkening clouds were more worrisome than any pandemic. They turned out to watch the first launch with astronauts from Florida in almost a decade, and the first by a private company, SpaceX. About half of the spectators at the Titusville park wore masks as encouraged by health officials to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. I wanted them to see the flip side and get to see the next era of space travel," said Gatz, who lives about an hour away in Deltona.
Trump, Pence tag team battleground state for SpaceX launch
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)WASHINGTON President Donald Trump is hoping the first launch of American astronauts from U.S. soil in nearly a decade will give the nations spirit a boost after months of battling the coronavirus. Its the latest visit to an important 2020 battleground state as the president emerges from his White House bubble and expands his travel itinerary. Trump is encouraging states to loosen restrictions on economic activity put into place to slow the spread of the coronavirus. A Quinnipiac University poll last month found older Florida voters divided on Trumps handling of the coronavirus outbreak, with 47% saying they approved and 50% disapproving. Vice President Mike Pence got to Florida ahead of Trump and was to meet with the astronauts families and NASA officials before the launch.
States, cities challenge Trump mileage standards rollback
DENVER Nearly two dozen states and several cities on Wednesday filed a legal challenge to the Trump administrations rollback of Obama-era mileage standards, saying science backed up the old regulations developed with the help of the nation's car makers. The new mileage standards require automakers to achieve 1.5% annual increases in fuel efficiency. The Obama-era standards called for 5% annual increases and were seen as the government's most forceful initiative against climate-changing fossil fuel emissions. The states and cities claim the rule violates the Clean Air Act, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act and the Administrative Procedure Act. Opponents claim dirtier air from the rollback will kill and injure more people than the rollback claims to save in roadway accidents.
Stormy weather puts damper on SpaceXs 1st astronaut launch
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Stormy weather is threatening to delay SpaceXs first astronaut launch. It will be the first time astronauts launch from Florida in nine years and a first for a private company. We're continuing to be vigilant and careful and make sure we do this right.Forecasters put the odds of acceptable launch weather at 40%. Hans Koenigsmann, a vice president for SpaceX, said the launch control team will incorporate global weather patterns and models to determine whether it's safe to launch. If the weather gods are working with us," he said, liftoff will occur at 4:33 p.m. SpaceX has a split-second launch window.
Weather better for historic SpaceX launch of NASA astronauts
Veteran NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken were set to make history Wednesday afternoon, riding SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule to the International Space Station on a test flight. On the eve of the launch, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said from Kennedy Space Center that both the space agency and SpaceX have been diligent about making sure everyone in the launch loop knows they're free to halt the countdown if there's a concern. SpaceX has been launching cargo capsules to the space station since 2012. NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing in 2014 to transport astronauts to the space station, after commercial cargo shipments had taken off. Development of SpaceX's Dragon and Boeing's Starliner capsules took longer than expected, however, and the U.S. has been paying Russia to launch NASA astronauts in the interim.
Dangerous blood clots pose a perplexing coronavirus threat
Blood clots that can cause strokes, heart attacks and dangerous blockages in the legs and lungs are increasingly being found in COVID-19 patients, including some children. Some hospitals have found 40% of deaths in COVID-19 patients are from blood clots. Spyropoulos said thats been true at his 23-hospital system in the New York City area, Northwell Health, which has treated over 11,000 COVID-19 patients. Some COVID-19 patients, like Gildersleeve, develop dangerous clots when their infections seem to have subsided, Spyropoulos said. Concerns about blood clots in COVID-19 patients prompted a recent 30-page consensus statement from an international group of physicians and researchers.
Virgin Orbit analyzing data to find cause of rocket failure
A Virgin Orbit Boeing 747-400 aircraft named Cosmic Girl takes off from Mojave Air and Space Port in the desert north of Los Angeles Monday, May 25, 2020. Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit failed Monday in its first test launch of a new rocket carried aloft by the Boeing 747 and released over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California. (AP Photo/Matt Hartman)LOS ANGELES Virgin Orbit engineers were analyzing data Tuesday to find out what caused the maiden flight of its air-launched satellite booster to fail. Virgin Orbit, founded by billionaire Richard Branson, is among several new companies developing rockets specifically for launching small satellites. Chief Executive Officer Dan Hart said in a statement there was a treasure trove of data from flight instruments.
NASA astronauts go back to the future with capsule launch
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Its back to the future as NASA astronauts launch again from the U.S. aboard a retro-style Right Stuff capsule. SpaceXs Dragon crew capsule outshines NASAs old Apollo spacecraft in virtually every way. This fresh take on a vintage look will be on full display Wednesday when SpaceX plans to launch NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station a first for a private company. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the crew capsule atop will soar from the same pad used for both of those earlier missions. Russias workhorse Soyuz capsules, still in use after a half-century plus, have kept NASA astronauts flying to the space station.
US company trials coronavirus vaccine candidate in Australia
In this photo released by Nucleus Network/ABC, clinical trial participants are given a coronavirus vaccine in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, May 26, 2020, with hopes of releasing a proven vaccine this year. Novavax will inject 131 volunteers in the first phase of the trial testing the safety of the vaccine and looking for signs of its effectiveness. (Patrick Rocca/Nucleus Network/ABC via AP)CANBERRA A U.S. biotechnology company began injecting a coronavirus vaccine candidate into people in Australia on Tuesday with hopes of releasing a proven vaccine this year. Novavax used genetic engineering to grow harmless copies of the coronavirus spike protein in giant vats of insect cells in a laboratory. The way we make a vaccine is we never touch the virus, Novavax told The Associated Press last month.
SpaceX's 1st astronaut launch breaking new ground for style
It will be the first astronaut launch from NASAs Kennedy Space Center since the last shuttle flight in 2011. They'll catch a ride to the launch pad in a Tesla Model X electric car. It will be the first astronaut launch from NASAs Kennedy Space Center since the last shuttle flight in 2011. The worm adorns the Astro-Tesla, Falcon and even the astronauts' suits, along with NASAs original blue meatball-shaped logo. The white-suited Hurley and Behnken will transfer from the white Tesla to the white Dragon atop the equally white Falcon 9.
SpaceXs 1st astronaut launch breaking new ground for style
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. The first astronauts launched by SpaceX are breaking new ground for style with hip spacesuits, gull-wing Teslas and a sleek rocketship all of it white with black trim. They'll catch a ride to the launch pad in a Tesla Model X electric car. It will be the first astronaut launch from NASAs Kennedy Space Center since the last shuttle flight in 2011. The worm adorns the Astro-Tesla, Falcon and even the astronauts' suits, along with NASAs original blue meatball-shaped logo. The white-suited Hurley and Behnken will transfer from the white Tesla to the white Dragon atop the equally white Falcon 9.
First commercial space taxi a pit stop on Musk's Mars quest
Starting with the dream of growing a rose on Mars, Musks vision morphed into a shake-up of the old space industry, and a fleet of new private rockets. But for Musks company, SpaceX, its also the latest milestone in a wild ride that began with epic failures and the threat of bankruptcy. There are many space companies and like all of them, SpaceX is designed for profit. The idea of bigger roles for private companies has been around for more than 50 years, but the market and technology werent yet right. A 2005 pilot project helped private companies develop ships to bring cargo to the station.
Trump to attend Wednesday's NASA astronaut launch in Florida
(Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)STERLING, Va. President Donald Trump plans to be on the Florida coast Wednesday to watch American astronauts blast into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center for the first time in nearly a decade. It will be the first time since the space shuttle program ended in 2011 that U.S. astronauts will launch into space aboard an American rocket from American soil. Elon Musks SpaceX is the conductor and NASA the customer as businesses begin chauffeuring astronauts to the International Space Station. The NASA/SpaceX Commercial Crew flight test launch will carry NASAs newest test pilots, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Vice President Mike Pence, who is chairman of the National Space Council, also plans to attend Wednesday's launch.
NASA's newest test pilots are veteran astronauts, friends
(SpaceX via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. The two astronauts who will test drive SpaceXs brand new rocketship are classmates and friends, veteran spacefliers married to veteran spacefliers, and fathers of young sons. Retired Marine Col. Doug Hurley will be in charge of launch and landing, a fitting assignment for the pilot of NASAs last space shuttle flight. Hurley, 53, and Behnken, 49, are NASAs first test pilot crew in decades. Crippen and the late John Young rode NASAs first space shuttle, Columbia, into orbit on April 12, 1981. Hurley and Behnken both two-time space shuttle fliers were among four astronauts chosen in 2015 for NASAs commercial crew program.
NASA, SpaceX bringing astronaut launches back to home turf
Elon Musk's SpaceX is the conductor and NASA the customer as businesses begin chauffeuring astronauts to the International Space Station. The drama unfolds from the exact spot where men flew to the moon and the last space shuttle soared from Kennedy Space Center. NASAs newest test pilots, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, are launching from home turf with SpaceX presiding over the countdown. Plagued with software problems, Boeings Starliner capsule is still a year from launching with Ferguson and two NASA astronauts. In terms of launch power, the relatively small Falcon 9 has far less than the space shuttle did, another layer of safety.
Detective, nurse, confidant: Virus tracers play many roles
In this Tuesday, May 19, 2020, photo, health investigator Mackenzie Bray sits in her office at the Salt Lake County Health Department in Salt Lake City. Bray normally works to track contacts for people with sexually transmitted diseases, but she was re-assigned during the coronavirus pandemic. She is now one of 130 people at this county health department assigned to track down COVID-19 cases in Utah's urban center around Salt Lake City. She is now one of 130 people at the Salt Lake County health department assigned to track coronavirus cases in the Salt Lake City area. Its normal to talk to like your doctor, but you dont ever expect the health department to call you and be like, You were exposed to a serious disease, said Anissa Archuleta.
Will virus keep Florida spectators from astronaut launch?
In ordinary times, the beaches and roads along Floridas Space Coast would be packed with hundreds of thousands of spectators, eager to witness the first astronaut launch from Florida in nine years, scheduled for May 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)ORLANDO, Fla. In ordinary times, the beaches and roads along Floridas Space Coast would be packed with hundreds of thousands of spectators, eager to witness the first astronaut launch from Florida in nine years. Earlier this month, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine asked potential spectators to watch the launch online or on TV from home. NASA astronauts have not launched from the U.S. since the space shuttle program ended in 2011. Although crowd sizes varied, a high-profile space shuttle launch could attract a half million visitors to the Space Coast.
NASA, SpaceX bringing astronaut launches back to home turf
Elon Musk's SpaceX is the conductor and NASA the customer as businesses begin chauffeuring astronauts to the International Space Station. The drama unfolds from the exact spot where men flew to the moon and the last space shuttle soared from Kennedy Space Center. NASAs newest test pilots, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, are launching from home turf with SpaceX presiding over the countdown. Plagued with software problems, Boeings Starliner capsule is still a year from launching with Ferguson and two NASA astronauts. In terms of launch power, the relatively small Falcon 9 has far less than the space shuttle did, another layer of safety.