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Why Trumpism faces testing times

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Flynn (above) resigned as the US national security adviser after reports that he misled Vice-President Pence over discussions with the Russian ambassador

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Michael Flynn’s sudden exit as NSA puts The Donald in troubled waters 

By Sujit Bhar

The brouhaha over US President Donald Trump’s whimsical national policy decisions is facing what those policies were destined for—early death. His executive order on a travel ban from seven Muslim nations was virtually stubbed out by federal courts and even by a three-judge bench of the appellate court. And now his random senior appointments in key positions are coming in the line of fire.

The second part was apparent in the resignation of Trump’s National Security Adviser in the White House, Michael Flynn. He had no option when it was apparent from published reports that he had misled Trump’s team about his contacts with the Russian ambassador in the US and on his talks with him about the US sanctions on Russia.

Reports have maintained that Flynn’s loyalty to Trump was in no way a saviour for his links with Russia, causing the very Trump administration he was part of to be concerned. Russia, despite Trump’s pre-election exhortations, still remains pretty much the bogeyman in the White House and in the US in general.

Trump was certainly pitching in the dark about great relations with Vladimir Putin, disregarding complaints and allegations that Russia had a hacker’s hand in the US election process, making Trump king.

But when it came to an insider-job on information being passed, it was too much. It has now been revealed by a spokesman that Trump knew for weeks that Flynn wasn’t truthful about his Russian calls, leading to the conclusion that he couldn’t be trusted. That led to his firing.

This has left Trump in the unenviable position of having defended Putin, while failing to defend his own aide. The only way to get out this dilemma before this too assumed the huge proportion that his travel ban did, was to fire the man, he did just that.

What did Flynn do to earn his sacking? Flynn, an army general, had several telephonic discussions with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak during the administration of Barack Obama. That he had telephonic conversations wasn’t a secret, its contents were.

Before his appointment, Vice-President Mike Pence had asked him if he had discussed any special issues with Kislyak, specifically on the sanctions. Pence is a seasoned hand in the world of politics and his questioning was in order. It was only after Flynn had categorically said that none of the discussions had been on sensitive issues that Pence had recommended his name to Trump.

Later Flynn went back on his words and admitted to having had conversations on the sanctions. That made his position untenable.

Technically, this is none of Trump’s fault. Neither is it Pence’s. However, the aura of disquiet that Trump has already created has magnified this into a mega issue, with experts branding this as a potential security issue.

What Trump is facing today has little to do with the intransigence of Flynn. It has everything to do with the reckless and thoughtless posturing by Trump. Hence it will be Trump who will be left to pick up the pieces if the system collapses on itself.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Russia condemns Israel’s new airstrikes on Gaza, urges both sides to return to negotiations

Hamas, in a statement on Tuesday, blamed the U.S. for the deadly airstrikes, citing Washington’s “unlimited political and military support” for Israel.

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Russia on Tuesday expressed “deep regret” over Israel’s renewed airstrikes on Gaza, condemning actions that result in civilian casualties and urging both sides to return to negotiations.

The statement came after Palestinian health authorities reported that more than 400 people were killed in what Israel described as a “preemptive offensive” against Hamas militants, who are still holding 59 Israeli hostages.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated, “Moscow learned with deep regret of Israel’s renewal of its military operation in the Gaza Strip. As experience shows, it is impossible to resolve the issue of freeing hostages by force. Russia strongly condemns any actions that lead to the death of civilians and the destruction of social infrastructure.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed these concerns, highlighting the alarming reports of civilian casualties. “We are monitoring the situation very closely and, of course, are waiting for it to return to a peaceful course,” Peskov said.

The Israeli airstrikes, which began early Tuesday, shattered a ceasefire that had been in place since January, threatening to reignite the 17-month-long conflict. According to hospital officials, at least 404 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed in the bombardment.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes after Hamas refused to modify the terms of the ceasefire agreement. The operation, described as open-ended, is expected to expand further. The White House confirmed it had been consulted and expressed support for Israel’s actions.

The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for eastern Gaza, including parts of Beit Hanoun and other southern communities, signalling the possibility of renewed ground operations. Netanyahu’s office stated, “Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength.”

The surprise attack disrupted a period of relative calm during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, raising fears of a full-scale return to violence in a conflict that has already claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and caused widespread destruction across Gaza.

Hamas, in a statement on Tuesday, blamed the U.S. for the deadly airstrikes, citing Washington’s “unlimited political and military support” for Israel. “With its unlimited political and military support for the occupation (Israel), Washington bears full responsibility for the massacres and the killing of women and children in Gaza,” the group said.

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Sunita Williams begins return journey as spacecraft undocks from space station

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally heading home as their spacecraft successfully undocks from the ISS. NASA confirms a 17-hour journey before splashdown off Florida.

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Sunita Williams in space station preparing for return

Astronaut Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally on their way back to Earth after spending over nine months in space. NASA confirmed that the spacecraft carrying them successfully undocked from the International Space Station (ISS), marking the beginning of their return journey.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft, launched by SpaceX atop a Falcon 9 rocket, detached from the ISS at 10:35 AM (IST). NASA also shared a video of the moment, showcasing the long-awaited departure.

Nine-month delay after Boeing Starliner failure

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore initially traveled to the ISS on June 5 last year aboard Boeing’s Starliner for what was supposed to be an eight-day mission. However, technical issues with the Starliner’s propulsion system left them stranded in space. The capsule was deemed unfit to bring them back and was returned to Earth without a crew in September.

With uncertainty looming over their return, NASA reassigned them to SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission. Unlike the usual four-member crew, SpaceX sent a Dragon spacecraft with only two astronauts to the ISS in September, ensuring the stranded crew could return.

Four astronauts onboard return mission

After multiple delays, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft successfully docked at the ISS on Sunday. Now, with the undocking complete, the crew has begun their 17-hour journey back to Earth.

The return flight includes four astronauts: Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, NASA’s Nick Hague, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Their spacecraft is expected to splash down off the Florida coast at approximately 3:27 AM (IST) on Wednesday.

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Sunita Williams set to return home after nine-month ISS stay

NASA has confirmed the return of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore after a prolonged nine-month stay on the ISS, with splashdown scheduled off Florida’s coast.

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Sunita Williams

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, the two U.S. astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months, are finally set to return to Earth. NASA has scheduled their splashdown for Tuesday evening (EDT), off the Florida coast aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.

NASA advances return schedule

Initially planned for Wednesday, NASA moved up the return to 5:57 pm EDT on Tuesday (3:27 am IST, Wednesday). The decision was made to allow for a smooth crew transition while ensuring a safe return before unfavorable weather conditions develop later in the week.

NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will also be aboard the Crew Dragon as it makes its descent. The hatch closure preparations will begin on Monday evening, and the entire journey back will be streamed live.

The nine-month ordeal

Williams and Wilmore have been on the ISS since June, far beyond their expected mission duration. Their extended stay was due to propulsion issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which was deemed unfit for the return journey.

Originally designed as a short round-trip, their mission ended up lasting three months longer than a standard six-month ISS rotation. While this is much shorter than the record 371-day stay by NASA astronaut Frank Rubio or the world record 437-day stay by Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, the sudden extension forced them to receive additional clothing and supplies.

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