Day: December 22, 2018

Spacex Halts Launch of US Military Satellite due to Winds

Elon Musk’s SpaceX scrapped Saturday’s launch of a long-delayed navigation satellite for the U.S. military due to strong upper-level winds.

The next launch attempt will be on Sunday at 8:51 a.m. EST/13:51 UTC, according to Space X officials.

The launch would have been the rocket firm’s first national security space mission for the United States.

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Trump Reportedly Discussed Firing Fed Chairman Powell

U.S. President Donald Trump has discussed firing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, Bloomberg reported Saturday.

Citing four people familiar with the discussions, Bloomberg reported Trump has become more frustrated with Powell after months of stock market losses and the central bank’s interest rate hike on Wednesday.

Advisers reportedly have warned Trump that firing Powell would further roil financial markets, yet they said Trump has discussed the matter many times in the past few days.

The sources who spoke with Bloomberg on condition of anonymity were not convinced Trump would fire Powell, and were hopeful the president’s anger over the situation would subside over the holidays.The White House and the Federal Reserve have declined to comment.

A firing of Powell would come after weeks of heavy losses in the markets. On Friday, equities closed their worst week since 2011, with the S&P 500 Index plummeting more than 7 percent and the Nasdaq Composite Index plunging into a bear market.

Trump has been busy shaking up his administration since the November midterm elections. He has announced the departures of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Defense Secretary James Mattis.

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Native American Museum Hosts Artists From Across the Americas

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington recently hosted a two-day art market offering visitors a chance to purchase artworks by some of the finest Native American artists from across the hemisphere. The hand-crafted items in traditional and contemporary styles included silver and semiprecious jewelry, ceramics, fine apparel, handwoven baskets, traditional beadwork, dolls, paintings and sculptures. VOA’s Julie Taboh spoke with a few of the artists about their work.

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Cirque de Soleil Presents a Circus on Ice

A combination of ice, snow, lights and exciting acrobatics are what characterize “Crystal,” Cirque du Soleil’s new show, which opened in Washington recently. Iacopo Luzi went behind the scenes of this unique display of acrobatics to learn the troupe’s secrets for putting on a show.

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Christmas Tree Farmers Urge Americans to Buy Real Trees

This time of year, all across the United States, empty lots are turned into miniature forests as live Christmas trees are displayed for sale. But The Christmas Tree Promotion Board worries that more Americans are opting for artificial trees as they become more realistic-looking. So Christmas tree farmers in the U.S. have launched a social media campaign to get Americans to buy real trees this season. Faith Lapidus reports.

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Gender Neutral Toys Moving Into Toy Markets

The Christmas season is in full swing here in the United States, and that means shopping for the kids. Economists say consumers are spending lots of money, but when it comes to traditional gifts for small kids, it looks like the days of blue for boys and pink for girls are long gone. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports.

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