?? Deadly UK nerve agent
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It’s Monday, October 14 — here’s what you’ll find in today’s newsletter:
Deadly UK nerve agent
The Hill: In 2018, a UK woman was poisoned with a nerve agent developed by the Russians -- a recent report discovered that the nerve agent was left in a perfume bottle on the street, and contained enough poison to kill thousands.
ABC: The woman, Dawn Sturgess, found the bottle on the ground and sprayed some on her wrist -- her and her partner died a few days later. The incident happened a few months after the Skripal poisoning, which was believed to be carried out by Russian intelligence. The UK has blamed Russia for this attack as well.
YourSourceOne: Authorities are looking at the incident seriously -- the inquiry is considering sensitive intelligence material that would normally be kept under wraps.
Boston Globe: Russia vehemently denied the allegations -- they said they had nothing to do with the Skripal attack or this one. Whatever the case, this incident shows the alarming threat of chemical weapons.
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SpaceX’s epic booster catch
NPR: SpaceX pulled off a first by catching its Starship booster, using the “Mechazilla” mechanism during a test flight on October 13, 2024. This is a major, major milestone in space travel. The Starship itself, which carries astronauts and supplies into space, completed its test flight by splashing down in the Indian Ocean after coasting in space for nearly 45 minutes.
NY Post: The feat happened only seven minutes post-launch, thanks to the Mechazilla arms at Starbase, Texas! NASA Administrator Bill Nelson congratulated the achievement as part of preparations for returning to the Moon under the Artemis program.
France24.com: This is a really, really big deal. It is a “world first” in reusable rocket tech, redefining aerospace tech.
Space.com: Agreed. SpaceX made history with its first successful Super Heavy booster catch.
TechCrunch steps back and marvels: SpaceX is at the forefront of space tech and in particular booster reusability. Its clean return to the launch site was just awesome.
4 quick hits
1) The U.S. enhances Israel's defense with THAAD system amid tensions with Iran, following a deadly Hezbollah drone attack.
2) FEMA adjusts hurricane response strategies amid safety concerns and threats, including 'armed militia'.
3) A man was arrested for illegal possession of firearms near a Trump rally in California; officials say Trump was not in danger.
4) NASA's Europa Clipper mission is ready to explore the habitability of Jupiter's icy moon, potentially searching for life.