AV’s Morning Trending Topics

NASA Updates Moon Base Plans

NASA wants to return to the Moon, and stay this time. On Tuesday, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman laid out his agency’s ambitious plans to build a permanent moon base, to learn more about the lunar surface, and eventually launch missions from there further into space. Building off the success of the recent Artemis 2 mission around the moon, Isaacman announced the first three stages of the moon base missions that he hopes to be launched before the end of 2026. They involve unmanned space craft delivering payloads to be used for future explorations involving manned-crews. Isaacman said he hopes these missions will inspire a new generation of explorers.

Trump Admin Proposes NDA Requirement For Federal Workers

The Trump administration is proposing allowing federal agencies to require their employees to sign non-disclosure agreements. This comes as the administration continues to crack down on leaks to news organizations. The proposal was revealed Tuesday by the Office of Personnel Management, and seeks to “safeguard non-public, confidential or proprietary information.” Individual agencies would be given the option to impose the NDA requirement.

Woman Killed By Flying Umbrella At Restaurant

(Clarendon County, SC) — A woman is dead after being struck by an airborne patio umbrella at a restaurant in South Carolina. The incident happened Saturday evening at Driftwood Grill in the town of Summerton, when winds suddenly picked up, freeing a patio umbrella which then struck the woman.

International Rescue Committee Calls For Help With Ebola Outbreak

The International Rescue Committee is calling for urgent international funding and coordination to contain the Ebola outbreak in central Africa.   Officials from the New York based organization that helps with healthcare say the outbreak is spreading faster than the response.  The committee is warning that the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo could become the deadliest outbreak on record without urgent international action.   There are 900 suspected cases and more than 220 Ebola deaths reported across Congo and Uganda.

Thunder Top Spurs; One Win Away From NBA Finals

The Thunder are one step away from returning to the NBA Finals. The defending champs inched closer to the next round after topping the Spurs in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals. San Antonio hopes to extend the series when it hosts Oklahoma City for Game Six on Thursday. The winner of the West Finals will face the Knicks. New York advanced to its first NBA Finals since 1999 after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.