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The U.S. Department of Justice's decision to drop the case against SpaceX for allegedly discriminating against immigrants highlights the complexities of enforcing immigration laws while navigating issues of national security and economic competitiveness. The case's resolution underscores the challenges of policing private companies' hiring practices, particularly in industries with strict export controls. By dismissing the case, the Justice Department may have avoided further scrutiny on its own procedures.

The Trump administration's layoffs of employees building a system to manage satellite traffic in space threaten to undermine efforts to complete an air traffic coordination system for space. Roughly a third of NOAA's Office of Space Commerce staff were given notice of their termination, complicating the migration of alerting duties out of the Pentagon. The layoffs may cause confusion among early users of the system and trigger major delays in getting spacecraft approved for launch.

A recent SpaceX rocket test flight resulted in a catastrophic explosion shortly after liftoff, grounding flights and raising concerns about falling debris. The failure marks the second consecutive test failure for the Starship program, which aims to establish a permanent human presence on Mars. Elon Musk's private space company is now working to rectify the issue and prevent further accidents.

SpaceX has attained authorization from regulators to fly its massive Starship rocket once again, despite a catastrophic explosion during the seventh test flight in January that forced several commercial flights to be diverted or delayed. The FAA granted the modified license to SpaceX, which has not yet completed its mishap investigation, allowing the company to proceed with an uncrewed test flight. This decision has raised concerns about the safety and regulatory oversight of Elon Musk's ambitious space program.

The Trump administration's decision to end temporary protections against deportation for thousands of Haitian and Venezuelan migrants living in the United States has been challenged in a federal court lawsuit, citing racial bias and discriminatory policies. The lawsuit argues that the administration lacked authority under the statute governing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to reverse the extension granted by Democratic former President Joe Biden's administration last year. The decision will have far-reaching consequences for hundreds of thousands of migrants who could face deportation and loss of work permits.

The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared the SpaceX Starship vehicle to return to flight operations, allowing for a planned launch of Flight 8 despite an ongoing investigation into the January 16th Starship Flight 7 mishap. The FAA issued a license authorizing the launch after SpaceX completed a required safety review and made several hardware and operational changes to increase the reliability of the upper stage. The upcoming flight will follow a similar suborbital trajectory as previous missions but target different objectives.

The cancellation of Ontario's $100 million Starlink deal by Premier Doug Ford is a significant setback for SpaceX, following Italy's decision to reconsider its $1.6 billion contract due to the White House's shift in NATO and European security commitments. The Trump administration's policy changes have caught many allies off guard, leading to re-evaluation of partnerships with companies like SpaceX. Ontario's move may be a small but instructive example of how US tariffs can impact international business.

Google has urged the US government to reconsider its plans to break up the company, citing concerns over national security. The US Department of Justice is exploring antitrust cases against Google, focusing on its search market dominance and online ads business. Google's representatives have met with the White House to discuss the implications of a potential breakup, arguing that it would harm the American economy.

The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped a proposal to force Alphabet's Google to sell its investments in artificial intelligence companies, including OpenAI competitor Anthropic, as it seeks to boost competition in online search and address concerns about Google's alleged illegal search monopoly. The decision comes after evidence showed that banning Google from AI investments could have unintended consequences in the evolving AI space. However, the investigation remains ongoing, with prosecutors seeking a court order requiring Google to share search query data with competitors.

SpaceX has called off its eighth Starship test flight from Texas due to an unspecified issue on the rocket system's core, delaying the company's attempt to deploy mock Starlink satellites in space for at least 24 hours. The delay comes after a January mission ended eight minutes into flight when Starship exploded over the Caribbean. The postponement has raised concerns about the stability and reliability of SpaceX's next-generation Starship spacecraft.

The Starship program has encountered its second consecutive failure, with a recent test flight ending in a controlled crash after experiencing engine shutdowns and loss of communication. Engineers had made changes to the vehicle's systems prior to the flight, but these modifications did not seem to address the underlying issues that led to the first failure on January 16. The cause of the second failure remains unclear, with SpaceX attributing it to an "energetic event" in the aft portion of the Starship.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit to prevent the Trump administration from transferring ten migrants to Guantanamo Bay, citing harsh conditions including isolation and abuse that allegedly led to suicide attempts. The lawsuit argues that these transfers violate U.S. immigration law and are intended to instill fear without legitimate justification, as the detainees do not pose a significant threat. The case raises critical questions about the treatment of migrants and the legality of their detention under current U.S. policies.

The Mexican government's "fast-track" expulsion of 29 suspected cartel members to the U.S. without following established extradition procedures is unprecedented and raises concerns about its impact on human rights and the rule of law in Mexico. The move has sparked fears that some suspects may face the death penalty in the U.S., despite Mexico's legal prohibition against it. Critics argue that the handover undermines Mexico's commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting its citizens from abuse.

NASA officials have provided clarity on the fate of two astronauts who were left in space after their malfunctioning Starliner spacecraft was grounded. The return of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to Earth is now expected later this month, as part of a new Crew 10 mission. NASA officials stated that the original offer by SpaceX to bring the astronauts home on a Crew Dragon vehicle was not declined for political reasons.

The U.S. FAA reported that a recent explosion of a SpaceX Starship spacecraft disrupted approximately 240 flights, with space debris concerns requiring more than two dozen planes to divert. The incident resulted in significant delays and diversion of aircraft, highlighting the risks associated with space exploration. The FAA issued ground stops for four Florida airports and required SpaceX to perform a mishap investigation into the loss of the Starship vehicle.

SpaceX is set to launch its eighth test flight of the Starship rocket after receiving Federal Aviation Administration approval, aiming to rectify the failures of the previous launch that ended in a breakup mid-flight. This upcoming flight will test several critical features, including satellite deployment and an upgraded heat shield, which are essential for future missions, particularly those targeting lunar and Martian exploration. With a successful launch, SpaceX hopes to demonstrate enhanced reliability and performance, crucial for its ambitious plans for interplanetary travel.

Elon Musk's week has been marred by multiple setbacks, including slumping European sales for Tesla and a failed test flight of SpaceX's Starship rocket. The electric vehicle market is becoming increasingly competitive, with Musk's company struggling to maintain its dominant position. The recent disaster has raised concerns about the safety and reliability of SpaceX's technology.

Gurpreet Singh's experience as an undocumented Indian immigrant is not unique. Thousands of people from around the world have attempted to cross into the US in search of a better life, only to be met with strict enforcement and deportation under President Trump's policies. The use of handcuffs and chains during deportations has sparked outrage globally, particularly among India's opposition parties. The Indian government had raised concerns with the US about these treatment methods, but ultimately allowed them to continue.

Recent mass layoffs at Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency have resulted in some U.S. government workers with top security clearances not receiving standard exit briefings, raising significant security concerns. Typically, these briefings remind employees of their non-disclosure agreements and provide guidance on handling potential foreign approaches, which is critical given their access to sensitive information. The absence of these debriefings creates vulnerabilities, particularly as foreign adversaries actively seek to exploit gaps in security protocols.

Google is urging officials at President Donald Trump's Justice Department to back away from a push to break up the search engine company, citing national security concerns. The company has previously raised these concerns in public, but is re-upping them in discussions with the department under Trump because the case is in its second stage. Google argues that the proposed remedies would harm the American economy and national security.

U.S. government employees who have been fired in the Trump administration's purge of recently hired workers are responding with class action-style complaints claiming that the mass firings are illegal and tens of thousands of people should get their jobs back. These cases were filed at the civil service board amid political turmoil, as federal workers seek to challenge the unlawful terminations and potentially secure their reinstatement. The Merit Systems Protection Board will review these appeals, which could be brought to a standstill if President Trump removes its only Democratic member, Cathy Harris.

Kraken, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has secured a dismissal of a civil lawsuit accusing it of operating illegally as an unregistered securities exchange. The US Securities and Exchange Commission had filed the case in November 2023, alleging that Kraken had turned a "blind eye" to securities laws since 2018. However, after a turning point was reached with new leadership at the White House and the SEC, the commission agreed in principle to dismiss the lawsuit.

The US Supreme Court is considering whether two American gun companies, Smith & Wesson and Interstate Arms, can be held liable for aiding illegal firearms trafficking to drug cartels in Mexico. The court is examining a 2005 federal law that shields gun companies from liability for crimes committed with their products. The lawsuit alleges that the companies' distribution system knowingly sells weapons to straw purchasers who traffic guns to cartels.

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into Columbia University's handling of alleged antisemitism, citing the university's actions as "inaction" in addressing rising hate crimes and protests. The review, led by the Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, aims to ensure compliance with federal regulations and laws prohibiting discriminatory practices. The investigation follows allegations of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Arab bias on campus.

Butch Wilmore and his colleague Chris Williams will continue to fly on the International Space Station as part of Crew 9, despite initial speculation that politics may have played a role in their extended stay. The astronauts maintained that they came prepared to stay long, even if their original plan was to stay short. This response suggests that NASA astronauts are trained to adapt to changing circumstances and prioritize mission objectives over external influences.

A 10-week fight over the future of search. Google's dominance in search is being challenged by the US Department of Justice, which seeks to break up the company's monopoly on general-purpose search engines and restore competition. The trial has significant implications for the tech industry, as a court ruling could lead to major changes in Google's business practices and potentially even its survival. The outcome will also have far-reaching consequences for users, who rely heavily on Google's search engine for their daily needs.