Saturday is the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the moment humans first set foot on the lunar landscape. And while that's brought with it some dazzling displays of commemoration, it has also put the discourse on the present and future of human space exploration front and center. The two surviving Apollo 11 astronauts weighed in on Friday evening.
Reunited in the Oval Office to celebrate the anniversary, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins both spoke about NASA and it's future plans after President Trump asked them their opinions. It's safe to say that they weren't entirely in agreement with the direction the agency has been going.
Collins, who remained in the command module while Aldrin and the late Neil Armstrong surfaced the moon, said he supports NASA bypassing a return to the moon — which is the current plan — and going straight to Mars. Aldrin, who is known for being direct, said he's disappointed with the state of human space exploration over the last decade or so. He also said that he doesn't support NASA's plan for a small space station around the moon from which to stage lunar landings, pointing out that Apollo 11 had no need.
Trump told NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who was also at the gathering, to listen to the "other side." It seems not even the anniversary moon landing can escape Trump's desire to stir the pot. Read more at The Associated Press. Tim O'Donnell
The Iran nuclear deal Jenga tower is wobbling and the Trump administration is close to pulling the final block before it could collapse for good, NBC News reports.
The deal is already in a fragile state following America's 2018 withdrawal, and Iran's recent decision to surpass the pact's uranium enrichment regulations. Now, the White House is reportedly considering ending waivers that allow Tehran to operate a civilian nuclear program with international assistance, which the government says it needs to generate electricity and conduct research.
Advocates on both sides are reportedly pleading with President Trump to take their desired course. On the side of restraint are European nations still clinging to the hope that the original deal from 2015 can be salvaged through diplomacy. Several Republican members of Congress, including Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), however, are whispering in Trump's other ear, arguing that Iran cannot be trusted.
The latter view may be winning out, especially in light of Iran's seizure of a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, which Tehran says was an act of reciprocity. Even the aforementioned European nations — the United Kingdom, Germany, and France — have condemned Iran's move, with the U.K. promising "robust" action if the ship is not returned. Meanwhile, the U.S. announced it will deploy military personnel to Saudi Arabia as a result of rising tensions.
CNN's Sam Kiley suggests that Tehran's latest "gamble," which is seemingly proof that the country's moderate voices have been stifled, could shift those European countries more closely to Washington. Perhaps supporting the end of the waiver is the next step, though plenty of people still believe exercising caution is the correct course. Tim O'Donnell
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has gone on the defensive against his own team.
The 2020 Democratic presidential candidate pushed back following complaints by his unionized campaign staffers who reportedly said they are receiving "poverty wages," rather than the proposed federal minimum of $15 an hour that Sanders has made a central part of his campaign.
In a statement on Friday, Sanders said his campaign has a "historic contract agreement that provides unprecedented protections and benefits" that include pay of at least $15 an hour and "the best health care benefits that any employer can provide for our field organizers."
Field staff do earn above minimum wage for a standard workweek of 40 hours, Vox explains, but those workers say they actually work around 60 hours per week, which would place their earnings at around $13 an hour, less than Sanders' proposed federal minimum. Those long hours are typical of campaigns, Vox reports. But the issue is that some members of the team are salaried and therefore don't necessarily receive overtime wages for pulling those extra hours.
Sanders also expressed frustration that his staffers aired their complaints to the media. "It is not really what labor negotiations are about, and it's improper," Sanders said. Read more at Vox. Tim O'Donnell
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office on Friday opened an internal investigation into whether it properly handled the case of Jeffrey Epstein.
The multimillionaire spent 13 months in jail beginning in 2008 after pleading guilty to solicitation of a minor, following a plea deal with Florida prosecutors that spared him from a much harsher sentence.
The investigation will specifically look at the office's decision to allow Epstein to be free 12 hours a day, 6 days a week on work release and determine whether deputies violated any rules or regulations related to the matter, The Miami Herald reports. While on work release Epstein was reportedly monitored by deputies, whom he paid $128,136 to watch him, the entire time he was out. On some occasions, records show, Epstein's personal limousine would drop him off at his office as early as 7:15 a.m. and returned him to jail as late as 10:40 p.m.
Epstein also was not allowed to leave his office while out of jail, but records show that deputies escorted him to his Palm Beach mansion on at least eight occasions.
"All aspects of the matter will be fully investigated to ensure total transparency and accountability," Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said on Friday. Bradshaw was the sheriff during Epstein's time in jail, as well.
Epstein has been charged with sex trafficking minors by New York prosecutors. He has denied wrongdoing. Tim O'Donnell