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Artemis II Moon Rocket Test Hampered by Hydrogen Leak; Government Shutdown Averted; Clintons to Testify in Epstein Probe; Gold Scam Call Centers Shut Down; San Francisco Cracks Down on Illegal Dens
Washington D.C. – A week filled with diverse developments unfolded across the nation, ranging from challenges in space exploration to political maneuvering and law enforcement actions.
NASA's Artemis II moon rocket encountered a hydrogen leak during a fueling test on Monday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, CBS News reported. The leak threatened to derail the carefully planned countdown "wet dress" rehearsal, designed to simulate a launch. Engineers managed to implement a workaround, allowing the test to proceed. Mission managers are now reviewing data to determine if the rocket will be cleared for a potential launch as early as Sunday, February 8th. NASA has a limited launch window this month, with only three possible dates: February 8, 10, and 11. A delay would push the flight to March, according to CBS News. The 32-story-tall rocket requires over 750,000 gallons of supercold liquid oxygen and hydrogen fuel.
Meanwhile, in Washington, the House of Representatives began considering a revised funding package on Monday to end the partial government shutdown that commenced over the weekend, CBS News stated. The House is working to pass a five-bill package to fund the departments of Defense, State, Treasury, and others, along with a two-week extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS funding had been a key point of contention, with Democrats seeking reforms to immigration enforcement agencies like ICE. According to CBS News, House Speaker Mike Johnson faced the challenge of uniting the GOP conference to advance the plan, while Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries indicated that Democrats would not provide the votes needed to fast-track passage.
In other political news, Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed to testify before the House Oversight Committee regarding the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, CBS News reported. This agreement came ahead of anticipated House votes on holding the Clintons in contempt of Congress. The Clintons' legal team informed the committee on Monday that the former president and former secretary of state "accept the terms of your letter and will appear for depositions on mutually agreeable dates." Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, who chairs the oversight panel, stated that the Clintons' counsel indicated they would appear, contingent on the House not moving forward with contempt proceedings.
Law enforcement also made significant strides this week. Maryland and federal authorities announced on Monday the shutdown of three Indian call centers linked to a gold bar scam, ABC News reported. The operation allegedly stole nearly $50 million from over 600 victims across the U.S. through wire transfers, cryptocurrency, and gold bar schemes. The six alleged leaders of the scheme were arrested.
On the West Coast, San Francisco officials revealed that they had uncovered numerous secret drug and gambling dens disguised as convenience stores, Fox News reported last Thursday. These dens were located in the Tenderloin, a downtown neighborhood known for illicit activity and homelessness. City Attorney David Chiu stated that at least nine such dens have been shut down or sued in the past 18 months. The stores were allegedly involved in a range of illegal activities, including gambling, selling illegal drugs, possessing firearms, and trafficking stolen goods.
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