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SpaceX Rescues NASA’s Stranded Astronauts, Who Are Finally Returning After Nine Months on ISS

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NASA’s astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, are finally en route back to Earth after spending nearly nine months stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their long-awaited journey home began at 1:05 a.m. ET (5:05 a.m. GMT) when they undocked from the ISS in SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. Accompanying them are NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

The crew’s return marks the conclusion of an extended mission that has drawn significant attention. After a 17-hour descent, the astronauts are expected to splash down off the coast of Florida at 5:57 p.m. ET (9:57 p.m. GMT), provided all goes according to plan.

“Crew nine is going home,” said Hague, the commander of the Crew Dragon mission, just after they began their journey. “It was a privilege to call space home… to live and work… in cooperation for the benefit of humanity.”

NASA streamed the entire mission, capturing key moments including the astronauts securing themselves in the spacecraft and closing the hatch two hours before undocking. Williams and Wilmore waved to the camera, acknowledging the finality of their long stay in space.

Before departure, a minor issue arose when astronaut Takuya Onishi noticed dust specks on the hatch seals, which could have compromised the spacecraft’s airtight seal. The issue was promptly addressed, and after ensuring everything was secure, the crew proceeded with their journey. The mission is expected to land under clear skies, with “pristine weather” forecasted.

Williams and Wilmore, initially slated for an eight-day mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, were stranded due to multiple technical malfunctions with the Starliner. These included thruster failures and helium leaks, leading NASA to send the capsule back empty in September.

The extended mission became a political point of controversy after comments from President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who both criticized the Biden administration for not bringing the astronauts home sooner. Musk claimed that the Biden administration blocked an earlier rescue attempt to avoid giving Trump political advantage.

Williams and Wilmore are returning aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 Dragon capsule, which docked with the ISS in September. Four new astronauts, part of Crew-10, arrived over the weekend to replace the departing crew. This included NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Russia’s Kirill Pesko.

Normally, departing crews overlap with incoming teams for five days for a handover period, but this time NASA shortened the overlap to two days to conserve food and accommodate potential delays due to weather.

Upon returning to Earth, Williams and Wilmore will likely be stretchered off the spacecraft, as they are expected to experience significant difficulty walking after their extended stay in space. NASA plans to conduct medical evaluations immediately following the splashdown. Dr. Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist, noted that rehabilitation could take up to six weeks, focusing on walking, flexibility, and muscle strengthening.

The astronauts have been commended for their work during their extended mission, completing 4,500 orbits during their 286-day stay. While their mission duration is not a record, it is a testament to their resilience in challenging conditions.

NASA moved up the astronauts’ return by two weeks following political pressure, with President Trump calling on Musk to retrieve them. Prior to that, their return was scheduled for March 26. Musk, a prominent supporter of Trump, claimed that the Biden administration prevented his earlier offer to bring the astronauts home, which NASA has not directly confirmed but acknowledged in briefings.

The incoming crew from Crew-10 will spend the usual six months on the ISS, following a series of delays that included an aborted flight last Wednesday due to a Falcon 9 rocket issue. However, the Dragon capsule successfully docked with the ISS at 12:04 a.m. ET after a 28-hour journey.

12 Dead, Including Famous Honduran Musician, in Plane Crash off Remote Island

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At least 12 people were killed when a small plane crashed into the Caribbean Sea shortly after departing from the Honduran island of Roatan on Monday night. The aircraft, a Jetstream operated by Lanhsa airline, was en route to the mainland when it plunged into the water just 0.6 miles off the island’s coast.

The plane was carrying 14 passengers and three crew members, according to the Honduran Minister of Transport. Civil aviation officials reported that the crash was caused by an apparent mechanical failure, which led the plane to spiral into the sea. Carlos Padilla, a civil aviation official, described the incident, stating that the plane made a sharp right turn after taking off before falling into the water.

A local fisherman, who was in the vicinity, narrowly escaped the crash and told HCH television that the plane nearly hit him while he was fishing. “The plane almost fell on us,” he said.

Among the fatalities was Aurelio Martinez, a renowned Honduran musician and politician. Martinez was celebrated for his contributions to Garifuna music, an Afro-indigenous genre from the Caribbean. He was a prominent member of the Garifuna band Lita Ariran, which was one of the first Garifuna groups to appear on an internationally distributed recording. Martinez later transitioned into politics, becoming a representative in the Honduran National Congress.

Aurelio Martinez, a renowned Honduran musician and politician

Authorities confirmed the recovery of the body of at least one crew member, and dramatic footage showed rescue workers struggling to access the wreckage. As of Monday night, only one body remained to be recovered. Roatan Fire Captain Franklin Borjas noted that the site was difficult to reach due to rocky terrain, and rescue divers faced near-zero visibility underwater.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro responded to the tragedy by activating an Emergency Operations Committee to coordinate rescue and recovery efforts. The flight manifest indicated that the passengers included a US national, a French national, and two minors. The US Department of State has been contacted for further information on the American passenger.

One of the survivors, a 40-year-old French citizen, was reportedly injured and transferred to a hospital in San Pedro Sula on the mainland.

Roatan, known for its stunning coral reefs, is the largest of the Bay Islands, attracting many tourists from around the world.

3 Feared Dead in Swiss Plane Crash from Denmark 

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Three people are believed to have died after a plane that originated from Denmark crashed in Switzerland on Monday evening, police from the eastern Swiss canton of Graubuenden said Tuesday. 

Authorities have yet to formally identify the victims but confirmed that all those on board were killed. The aircraft crashed in a populated area on the northern outskirts of La Punt Chamues-ch and was completely destroyed by fire, police said. 

The Extra EA-400 propeller plane took off from Samedan airfield at 5:20 p.m. local time. It had arrived from Denmark on March 13 and was returning to Roskilde, near Copenhagen. 

The plane went down just two minutes after takeoff, burning out upon impact on the edge of La Punt Chamues-ch. There was no immediate information on what caused the crash, police said.

Reuters

Paris Police Evict Hundreds of Migrants from Gaîté Lyrique Theatre 

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French police evicted more than 400 migrants on Tuesday from the Gaîté Lyrique theatre in central Paris, where they had been squatting for over three months. 

Officers launched the operation shortly before 6 a.m. (0500 GMT) as hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside in protest against the eviction. A large banner draped over the theatre read: “400 lives at risk, 80 jobs under threat.” 

“Shame, shame, shame to authorities who are at war with isolated minors,” protesters chanted, demanding that local officials provide long-term housing solutions instead of removing the migrants from the building. 

Police briefly deployed tear gas at the start of the operation, but the evacuation proceeded without major incidents. 

Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez told BFM TV that 46 people were arrested, and nine suffered minor injuries during the clearance. 

“We had nowhere to go, we needed a shelter during the cold winter nights. So we had no choice but to occupy the Gaîté Lyrique,” said Dialo Aimmedou, a 16-year-old who said he arrived in France in October 2024. 

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo defended the decision, telling France Inter radio that emergency housing had been offered to the migrants. 

“At this stage, this was the thing to do because the situation was becoming complicated, tense, and dangerous inside,” she said.

UPDATED: Israeli Strikes Kill Over 400 in Gaza with Ceasefire at Risk 

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Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed more than 400 people, Palestinian health officials said Tuesday, in a major escalation threatening the collapse of a two-month ceasefire. Israel vowed intensified military action to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. 

The Palestinian militant group Hamas, which still holds 59 of the roughly 250 hostages taken during its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, accused Israel of violating the Gaza ceasefire agreement and undermining mediation efforts for a permanent truce. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the military to take “strong action” against Hamas due to its refusal to release the remaining Israeli hostages and rejection of truce proposals. 

Egypt, a key mediator, urged restraint and called on all parties to work toward a lasting Gaza peace deal. 

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza hit residential areas and tent encampments across the enclave, while Israeli tanks shelled locations along Gaza’s eastern and southern borders, according to Palestinian sources. 

“It was a night of hell. It felt like the first days of the war,” said Rabiha Jamal, 65, a mother of five from Gaza City. 

“We were preparing to eat before fasting when the building shook and explosions began. We thought it was over, but war is back,” she told Reuters via chat. 

Hospitals, already overwhelmed by months of bombardment in Gaza, received an influx of casualties. Bodies wrapped in white plastic sheets stained with blood were stacked as Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reported 404 killed and 562 injured, including many children. 

The Israeli military said it had targeted Hamas strongholds and that operations would continue as necessary, raising concerns that Israeli ground forces might return to combat. 

The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, condemned the bombardment, warning of worsening conditions in Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. 

“This will add tragedy onto tragedy,” Turk said. “Israel’s resort to yet more military force will only increase Palestinian suffering.” 

Israel has blocked humanitarian aid to Gaza for over two weeks, worsening the crisis. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that shelters were being prepared in Tel Aviv in anticipation of Hamas rocket attacks or retaliation from Yemen-based militants. 

The strikes were the deadliest since the Gaza ceasefire agreement in January, marking a sharp escalation compared to recent targeted Israeli drone strikes. 

Eyewitnesses in Gaza said Israeli tanks shelled Rafah, forcing many families who had returned after the truce to flee again toward Khan Younis. 

Among the dead was Mohammad Al-Jmasi, a senior Hamas political leader, along with his family members, including his grandchildren, who were inside their Gaza City home when an airstrike hit. At least five senior Hamas officials were killed. 

In Washington, a White House spokesperson confirmed that Israel had consulted with the Biden administration before launching the airstrikes. 

“Hamas could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war,” said White House spokesperson Brian Hughes. 

The Kremlin voiced concern over reports of “major civilian casualties” and urged both sides to show restraint. 

Negotiations had been ongoing in Doha, with mediators from Egypt and Qatar seeking to extend the Gaza ceasefire. The previous truce led to the release of 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. 

Israel, backed by the United States, pushed for the return of the remaining hostages in exchange for an extended truce, aiming to halt fighting until after Ramadan and Passover in April. 

However, Hamas has insisted on talks for a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, in line with the original truce terms. 

Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua told Reuters that discussions with mediators were ongoing and that the group remained committed to implementing the original ceasefire deal. 

Since October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israeli border communities, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, Israel’s military response has devastated Gaza’s infrastructure. 

Palestinian health authorities report that more than 48,000 people have been killed in Gaza, with vast sections of the enclave’s housing, hospitals, and infrastructure destroyed.

Israel Intensifies Strikes on Hamas After Hostage Talks Collapse

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Israel launched a new wave of airstrikes on Hamas early Tuesday, escalating military operations after negotiations for further hostage releases failed. 

The Israeli Prime Minister’s office confirmed the military was ordered to strike Hamas targets across Gaza, citing the group’s refusal to release hostages and rejection of mediated proposals from U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and other negotiators. 

The airstrikes follow nearly two months of ceasefire, during which dozens of hostages were exchanged for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. 

In the Gaza Strip, Israeli airstrikes hit several locations, including a school sheltering displaced civilians near the Bureij refugee camp. Hospital officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed the deaths of a 52-year-old man and his 16-year-old nephew. Another strike in Bureij killed three men, with Israeli military sources claiming they were planting explosives, while Hamas officials said they were collecting firewood. 

In southern Lebanon, Israeli forces launched strikes in the town of Yohmor, targeting two Hezbollah operatives. Lebanon’s state news agency reported two fatalities and two injuries. The Israeli military later confirmed additional strikes on Hezbollah positions in unspecified locations. 

In Syria, Israeli forces carried out airstrikes in Daraa, targeting what they described as military command centers and weapons depots used by Syrian government forces. Local civil defense agencies reported three deaths and 19 injuries, including children, a woman, and first responders. Two ambulances were also damaged. 

Israel has maintained a blockade on food, medicine, fuel, and other supplies entering Gaza for the past two weeks, demanding Hamas accept amendments to ceasefire terms. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in November ended 14 months of conflict, but both sides continue to accuse each other of violations. 

The Israeli military stated that strikes in all targeted regions aimed to neutralize threats, while local authorities reported civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. 

Harvard Expands Free Tuition to Families Earning Under $200,000

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Harvard University announced Monday that it will offer free tuition to undergraduate students from families earning $200,000 or less annually, expanding its financial aid program to make higher education more accessible. The initiative will take effect in the 2025-26 academic year. 

Students from families with incomes of $100,000 or less will receive full financial coverage, including tuition, housing, food, health insurance, and travel expenses. The university also plans to provide a $2,000 start-up grant in a student’s first year and a $2,000 launch grant in their junior year to support their transition beyond college. 

Harvard President Alan M. Garber said the expansion aims to increase socioeconomic diversity and foster intellectual and personal growth by ensuring students from all backgrounds can access a Harvard education. The university stated that the revised financial aid policy would qualify approximately 86% of U.S. families for assistance. 

Since launching its Financial Aid Initiative in 2004, Harvard has progressively increased income thresholds to cover tuition and essential expenses. Currently, 55% of undergraduates receive financial aid, with families paying an average of $15,700 for the 2023-24 academic year. 

Harvard College Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons emphasized the importance of financial aid in attracting a diverse student body. Other institutions have also expanded financial assistance programs, including the University of Texas System, which now covers tuition for families earning $100,000 or less, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which recently eliminated tuition costs for students from families earning under $200,000. 

Care Home Worker Sentenced to 25 Years for Raping and Impregnating Severely Disabled Resident

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A former care home worker in Illinois has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to raping and impregnating a severely disabled resident in his care. The case, which shocked the Marklund Hyde Center in Geneva, Illinois, resulted in the birth of a child who tragically passed away after 11 weeks in neonatal intensive care. 

The victim, a 43-year-old woman with Rett syndrome, had the mental capacity of an infant and was unable to speak, read, write, stand, or use her hands. She required round-the-clock care, which was provided by Isaiah Fields, 23, who later admitted to assaulting her. 

The horrifying crime was uncovered in April 2024 when the woman was taken to the hospital for routine liver and gallbladder tests. Doctors discovered that she was between 31 and 35 weeks pregnant, a revelation that stunned medical professionals and her family. 

She was suffering from preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy complication that can cause liver and kidney damage. Her swollen midsection had masked the pregnancy, making it impossible for caregivers or family members to detect. 

Doctors performed an emergency Caesarean section, delivering a baby boy named R.J., who was placed in neonatal intensive care. Tragically, the newborn did not survive beyond 11 weeks. 

Following R.J.’s birth, DNA testing confirmed that Fields was the father, leading to his immediate arrest. 

During his sentencing, Prosecutor Matthew Rodgers emphasized the tragic yet powerful role the baby played in exposing the crime. 

“R.J. didn’t live long in this world. But simply by coming into this world, he did justice for his mother,” Rodgers said. 

In court, Fields attempted to apologize, acknowledging the severity of his actions. 

“There is no reason or set of experiences that could justify hurting anyone in any way,” he stated. 

He claimed that his crime may have been influenced by prior drug use and experiences of sexual abuse, according to the Daily Herald. 

However, prosecutors made it clear that Fields had preyed on the victim due to her extreme vulnerability, highlighting the heinous nature of his crime. 

Fields pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal sexual assault on January 14 and will be registered as a sex offender upon release. 

Because his crime qualifies as a Class X felony—the most serious under Illinois law—Fields must serve at least 85 percent of his 25-year sentence before becoming eligible for parole. 

Prosecutor Rodgers reaffirmed the significance of the sentencing: 

“While no sentence can undo the harm caused, today’s outcome ensures that the defendant will be held accountable for his despicable act. It also represents justice for the victim, her family, and the Marklund community.” 

The CEO of Marklund Hyde Center, where the crime took place, expressed relief at the sentencing. 

“We are satisfied to see justice served and believe that we can all have a measure of closure to this evil act at long last,” the CEO said in a statement. 

This case stands as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of disabled individuals in institutional care and the urgent need for stricter safeguards to prevent similar atrocities in the future.

Judge Questions Trump’s Deportation of Venezuelans, Setting Up Legal Showdown

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A U.S. judge on Monday ordered Trump administration officials to clarify whether they violated his ruling by deporting hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members over the weekend. The move sets up a potential constitutional clash between the presidency and the judiciary. 

The White House, asserting broad executive power, maintains that federal courts “have no jurisdiction” over President Donald Trump’s authority to expel foreign enemies under the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century law rarely invoked outside wartime. 

Judge James Boasberg, presiding in Washington, scheduled a hearing for 5 p.m. ET (2000 GMT) on Monday and instructed the government to provide specific details about whether the deportation flights to El Salvador departed before or after his order. 

The hearing follows an emergency filing by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other advocacy groups demanding clarity on the administration’s actions. 

This development escalates Trump’s ongoing challenge to the constitutional system of checks and balances, as well as the judiciary’s role in curbing executive power. 

During an emergency hearing on Saturday, Boasberg issued a two-week injunction blocking Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport 238 alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. He instructed that any flights already en route should return to the U.S. His written order, according to the Justice Department, appeared in the court’s docket at 7:26 p.m. ET (2326 GMT). 

However, on Sunday, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele posted footage on social media platform X, showing detainees being removed from a plane under the cover of darkness. 

“Oopsie … too late,” Bukele wrote in response to reports of Boasberg’s ruling. 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denied any violation of Boasberg’s order while simultaneously questioning its legitimacy. 

“A single judge in a single city cannot direct the movements of an aircraft … full of foreign alien terrorists who were physically expelled from U.S. soil,” Leavitt stated. 

The administration’s actions reflect an increasing willingness to defy judicial oversight. Since taking office, Trump has tested the limits of executive power by challenging congressional spending authority, dismantling federal agencies, and firing tens of thousands of government workers. 

On Monday, Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, dismissed concerns over the court ruling and made it clear deportations would continue. 

“Once you’re outside the border, you know, it is what it is. But they’re in international waters, already on the way south, close to landing. You know what? … We did what we had to do,” Homan said during a Fox News appearance. 

When asked about future deportation flights, Homan was blunt: 

“Another flight, another flight every day. We’re not stopping. I don’t care what the judges think,” he added. 

With a Republican-controlled Congress backing his agenda, Trump’s administration has faced legal resistance primarily from federal judges. Advocacy groups have raised concerns that the administration is now openly disregarding court rulings, testing the resilience of judicial oversight in the face of expanding executive authority.

Trump Border Czar Defends Deportation Flights: ‘I Don’t Care What the Judges Think’

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White House border czar Tom Homan defended the Trump administration’s decision to continue deportation flights despite a federal judge’s order, asserting that the flights would not stop. 

During an appearance on Fox News Monday morning, Homan dismissed concerns over judicial intervention, stating, “It wasn’t until this flight was already [in] international waters heading down to El Salvador that the judge made some comment about returning the flights. We are already in international waters. We are outside the borders of the United States. I’m the border czar. Once you are outside the border, you know, it is what it is.” 

When asked about future immigration enforcement actions, Homan made it clear that deportations would proceed without pause. 

“There will be another flight every day,” he said. “We are going to make this country safe again. I wake up every morning loving my job because I work for the greatest president in the history of my life. And we are going to make this country safe again. I’m proud to be a part of this administration. We are not stopping. I don’t care what the judges think. I don’t care what the Left thinks. We’re coming.” 

While Homan defended the administration’s actions, the White House is simultaneously asking the D.C. Circuit Court to stay District Judge James Boasberg’s ruling, which temporarily blocked the government from deporting Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act. 

In a legal filing, the administration argued that Boasberg lacked jurisdiction to impose the restraining order and described the ruling as “unprecedented.” 

“This Court should halt this massive, unauthorized imposition on the Executive’s authority to remove people that Defendants had determined to be members of [Tren de Aragua], a group the President and the Secretary of State have found to be a threat to national security. This Court should halt this unprecedented intrusion upon the Executive’s authority to remove dangerous aliens who pose grave threats to the American people,” wrote a DOJ attorney in an emergency motion for a stay. 

The case has sparked intense legal and political debate over the administration’s power to carry out deportations despite judicial rulings.

abcnewsfe.com

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