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The economy is in good shape heading into 2025. Inflation is coming down, growth is brisk, and the job market has remained surprisingly resilient. Now economists are focused on the next big question: How long can this last? The answer, they say, hinges on just how quickly and dramatically President-elect Donald Trump implements a raft of new policies. Many looming uncertainties, especially related to tariffs and immigration, could disrupt the economy in unpredictable ways. “There are definitely some storms coming our way,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. “I suspect the luster on the economy is going to come off in 2025.” Although economists are not forecasting a recession next year, they say the coming weeks will be instrumental in determining the course ahead. They are keeping a close eye on Trump’s transition into the White House and monitoring the job market, inflation and consumer spending habits for clues on how things might change. Here are five areas economists are watching closely in the new year. Trump’s plans to impose sweeping tariffs are likely to be one of the biggest threats to the economy, experts say. The president-elect has vowed to penalize the country’s largest trading partners by levying tariffs — an extra 10% on Chinese goods and 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada — that economists say could quickly raise prices. The necessities that could soon be getting costlier range from big-ticket items such as cars and appliances to everyday basics like groceries and gas. During his campaign, Trump also discussed sweeping tariffs on all imports, not just from those countries, which would affect even more goods if implemented. “Tariffs make things more expensive,” Alex Durante, an economist at the Tax Foundation, a right-leaning think tank, told The Washington Post. “They shrink the economy, and they make people poorer.” New tariffs could cost the average household nearly $3,000 next year, amounting to about 3% of their after-tax income, according to estimates from the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan think tank. Members of Trump’s transition team have pushed back against the idea that tariffs could spark widespread inflation. But economists say they’re bracing for an across-the-board hit that could dent economic growth, raise prices and spur job losses. New tariffs, combined with retaliatory measures by other governments, could shave off 1.7% from U.S. gross domestic product and result in 1.4 million fewer American jobs, according to estimates from the Tax Foundation. A recent surge in immigration has helped power economic growth and boost the job market. But economists say Trump’s plans to deport millions of undocumented migrants and curb immigration more broadly could hobble the labor market. “We’ve had a lot of immigration under the Biden administration that provided rapid growth in the labor force and made it easier for the Fed to reduce inflation,” said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum, a conservative think tank. “But if Trump slows things down, we will not have workers to adequately fill jobs, and we’ll be looking at a very tight labor market again.” A slowdown in immigration would disproportionately hurt labor-intensive sectors such as construction, hospitality and agriculture, which would likely drive up the cost of housing, food and services like roofing and painting, economists say. As a result of mass deportations, the construction industry alone could lose 1.5 million workers, or about 14% of its labor force, estimates from the American Immigration Council show. “We just don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab. “But if you go to the extreme of what Trump is proposing on immigration and mass deportations, it will unarguably put downward pressure on growth and upward pressure on inflation.” The sweeping tax cuts Trump signed into law in his first term are set to expire at the end of 2025. Those will “almost certainly” be extended, according to Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center. What is less clear, though, is what other tax policies might be in store. During his campaign, Trump promised a bevy of additional cuts to families and corporations, including eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay and Social Security benefits. Those measures could fuel short-term economic growth and boost incomes for households and businesses. The gains, though, would be concentrated at the top: The wealthiest Americans would see the largest gains, with families making over $450,000 reaping nearly half the benefits if existing tax cuts are extended, according to an analysis by the Tax Policy Center. Still, experts say they’re not expecting an immediate tax overhaul. Given that Trump is also focused on bringing down the federal deficit, it seems unlikely that one of the first things he’d do in office is take on additional debt, said Sonders of Charles Schwab. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that extending current tax policies would add $4.6 trillion to the country’s shortfall. And Republicans on Capitol Hill say they may try to pass border enforcement legislation before they turn to taxes. “That math just doesn’t work,” Sonders said. “Tax cuts are probably a later-in-the-year story.” The Federal Reserve has made strides in bringing down inflation with a series of aggressive interest rate hikes. But lately, progress has stalled, and economists say it could unravel even further next year if Trump moves forward on some of his more draconian tariff and immigration plans. Deutsche Bank estimates that one measure of inflation — now at 2.8% — could rise to as much as 3.9% next year if the new tariffs are enacted, up from original estimates of about 2.5%. Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome H. Powell has said policymakers are parsing out how “tariffs can affect inflation in the economy, and how to think about that.” The central bank this month cut interest rates for a third straight time but said additional reductions will depend on how things play out next year. Inflation, at 2.4% using the Fed’s preferred measure, is down from its peak of 7.2% in June 2022, but still above the central bank’s 2% goal. During his last term, Trump routinely boasted about the stock market’s performance, which reached new highs under his watch. But economists say a repeat performance may be tough to pull off. Stocks have continued their ascent under Biden, with all three major indexes — the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq composite index — hitting all-time highs in recent weeks. That’s boosted the portfolios of the country’s wealthiest, allowing them to keep spending in a way that’s powering the economy. But the market’s heyday may soon be coming to an end: Stocks tumbled after the Federal Reserve suggested in mid-December that it is rethinking how often it will cut interest rates next year. And economists warn that any additional curveballs, including government policies that hamper growth, could quickly reverse recent gains. “Markets are very richly valued — even overvalued, bordering on frothy,” said Zandi of Moody’s. “They’re vulnerable to anything that doesn’t stick exactly to the script, and tariffs and deportations are certainly off-script.” A slide in the stock market, Zandi said, could quickly dent consumer spending and lead to a broader economic slowdown. “It’s the high-end consumer — powered by stock market highs — that is driving the train,” he said. “If markets sell off, that would put a dagger in the heart of the economy.”Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jao Ituka led Jacksonville State over East Carolina on Thursday night with 18 points off of the bench in an 86-78 victory. Ituka shot 5 for 10 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line for the Gamecocks (4-1). Jaron Pierre Jr. added 16 points while shooting 4 of 10 from the field and 7 for 11 from the line while he also had six rebounds and six assists. Michael Houge had 15 points and shot 6 of 11 from the field and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line. RJ Felton led the Pirates (4-1) in scoring, finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. C.J. Walker added 20 points and seven rebounds for East Carolina. Yann Farell also had 12 points. Ituka scored 10 points in the first half and Jacksonville State went into halftime trailing 39-37. Jacksonville State used a 13-2 second-half run to take the lead at 71-66 with 3:52 remaining. Houge scored 12 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .The leader of one of Georgia's four main opposition parties has been detained by police after being beaten unconscious in the capital Tbilisi, his party said on Wednesday, amid reports of police raids on other opposition parties. The opposition Coalition for Change party published a video on X showing Nika Gvaramia, the party's leader, being carried by the arms and legs by several men down some steps. The party said that Gvaramia, a 48-year-old lawyer turned politician, had been "thrown into a detention car as he was physically assaulted and unconscious". The police did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, and there was no immediate response to the assertion by the authorities, who have faced six nights of protests against a government decision to suspend talks on the country joining the European Union. Reuters could not independently verify whether Gvaramia had been beaten or not, but he appeared to not be moving as he was carried down the steps in the video released by his party. The government's decision to suspend EU talks has plunged the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million people into political crisis and the authorities claim to have thwarted an attempted "revolution." A spokeswoman for Coalition for Change said on X that several other party members had been detained alongside Gvaramia. A spokesperson for the United National Movement (UNM), another opposition party, told Reuters police on Wednesday had also raided its Tbilisi offices. The spokesperson said the raid had been carried out without a warrant and that nobody had been detained. Separately, the Interpress news agency said that two members of another opposition party, Strong Georgia, had been detained by the police. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has repeatedly praised the police for their response to the protests. Georgia's public ombudsman, a former opposition politician, accused the police on Tuesday of harshly mistreating people detained during demonstrations, something their treatment amounted to torture.NATO seeks to position Kyiv for truce talks with arms plan shift
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The latest Liverpool news as Salah's representative has given a few updates on social media amid speculation over the forward's future. Mo Salah’s future at Liverpool has been a point of conversation for the past few months, with the talk intensifying over the last few days following the player’s comments over his future. Salah , along with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk is out of contract at Liverpool in the summer. It means that they could all potentially walk away from the club for nothing if they don’t agree new deals. They will also be talk to overseas clubs over a potential move when the January transfer window opens. Liverpool do remain in talks with Salah’s agent, Remy Abbas over an extension, but a deal is yet to be reached. Speaking about his future after the 3-2 win over Southampton , Salah said: "Well, we are almost in December and I haven't received any offers yet to stay in the club, [so] I'm probably more out than in. "You know I have been in the club for many years. There is no club like this. But in the end it is not in my hands. As I said before, it is December and I haven't received anything yet about my future. "I love the fans. The fans love me. In the end it is not in my hands or the fans' hands. Let's wait and see. Of course [no offer is disappointing], yeah." It’s not only Salah that has spoken about his future. Abbas has also given updates on his own social media channel, here is a roundup of his most recent statements. Speaking back in March last year, he shot down suggestions that Salah was considering leaving the club to move to Spain. "Where did you get this from if not even Mohamed and I discussed this?" He wrote on X (formerly Twitter ). "Please tell us." He also took to social media in August, during the transfer window, with a clear message. "If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer. Mohamed remains committed to LFC," he wrote. Taking to social media again, he hit out at reports surrounding Salah’s future. "FYI - all those ‘journalists’ who imply having ‘inside information’ about Mohamed’s future are making claims/posts based on absolutely nothing," he wrote. "Just click-whoring. 'Sources close to Mohamed' don’t exist. This post is really just to tell you that they don’t know." Quoting a post from the official Premier League account at the start of the month, which highlighted no player has had more goal involvements in the top flight this season, Salah was described by his representative as the "Best player in the world". It was the first time in two months that the representative had taken to social media to make a direct reference about Salah.Supporters of suspected CEO killer Luigi Mangione establish defense fund
CBC resurrects plans for live New Year's Eve broadcast specialsLewandowski joins Ronaldo and Messi in Champions League 100-goal club. Haaland nets 2 but City drawsDALLAS — If “better health for my hockey team” was among Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes’ holiday wishes, he instead got a notable lump of coal in his stocking before the team plane had even left the ground at MSP on Friday morning. The seat on the charter aircraft normally occupied by Wild star forward Kirill Kaprizov was empty when the rest of the squad took off for Texas. He was unavailable for the Friday evening game versus the Stars with a lower-body injury that has been a problem for a few days now, Hynes said. ADVERTISEMENT “He was a little sore, I think, going into the break, and then we talked with the doctors and stuff yesterday,” the coach said following the team’s morning skate at American Airlines Center. “Right now, as far as I know, it’s day-to-day ... then we’ll see how he’s feeling each day moving forward here.” Hynes added that the absence is not related to the knee-on-knee check Kaprizov took during a November game in Edmonton, which kept him out of the lineup for one game. The coach added that he has not seen anything to indicate the absence will be long-term. “I don’t have a big concern level as of now because he was a little bit banged up prior to going into the break, but we all saw how he played against Chicago,” Hynes said, referencing the team-leading 23rd goal of the season that Kaprizov scored in a 4-3 win over the Blackhawks on Monday. “We’ll see what he does today with his treatments and see what he does tomorrow.” Stars coach Peter DeBoer got the news of Kaprizov’s absence from the media following his team’s morning skate. “Obviously, an important player. I probably could’ve saved myself some time in my pre-scout this morning if I’d known that earlier,” he said, noting that they weren’t expecting an easy night with or without Kaprizov. “When I look at Minnesota, they’re a team that’s the true sum of their parts rather than one player. “They’ve got four lines, they defend well, they’ve got great goaltending. So, probably a lot like us, you can take a player out of the lineup and still be competitive. But still, that’s a big guy out for them.” The Wild will host Ottawa on Sunday evening and Nashville on Tuesday evening. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .
MALVERN, Pa., Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELA Bio, Inc. ("TELA Bio") (NASDAQ: TELA), a commercial-stage medical technology company focused on providing innovative soft-tissue reconstruction solutions, today announced that the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of TELA Bio approved inducement grants of restricted stock units covering 1,700 shares of its common stock to three newly-hired employees, with a grant date of December 11, 2024 (the "Grant Date"). The restricted stock units were granted pursuant to the Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4) inducement grant exception as a component of each individual's employment compensation and were granted as an inducement material to his or her acceptance of employment with TELA Bio. The restricted stock units will vest in equal annual installments over four years, subject to each individual's continued service with TELA Bio through the applicable vesting dates. About TELA Bio, Inc. TELA Bio, Inc. (NASDAQ: TELA) is a commercial-stage medical technology company focused on providing innovative technologies that optimize clinical outcomes by prioritizing the preservation and restoration of the patient's own anatomy. The Company is committed to providing surgeons with advanced, economically effective soft-tissue reconstruction solutions that leverage the patient's natural healing response while minimizing long-term exposure to permanent synthetic materials. For more information, visit www.telabio.com. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations are forward-looking statements and reflect the current beliefs of TELA Bio's management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially and adversely from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the "Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this announcement speak only as of the date of this press release, and TELA Bio assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date of this press release, except as required under applicable law. Investor Contact Louisa Smith ir@telabio.com
Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that "several" wounded North Korean soldiers died after being captured by Ukrainian forces, as he accused Russia of throwing them into battle with "minimal protection". Ukraine and its western allies say North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to support Russia's army, in what is seen as a major escalation in the nearly three-year war following Moscow's 2022 invasion. "Today there were reports about several soldiers from North Korea. Our soldiers managed to take them prisoner. But they were very seriously wounded and could not be resuscitated," Zelensky said in an evening address posted on social media. South Korea's spy agency said earlier on Friday that a North Korean soldier who was captured while fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine had died of his wounds. Zelensky did not specify how many North Koreans had died after being captured by Ukrainian troops. Zelensky had earlier said that nearly 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been "killed or wounded" so far as they joined Russia's forces in combat in its western Kursk border region, where Ukraine mounted a shock incursion in August. South Korea's intelligence service had previously put the number of killed or wounded North Koreans at 1,000, saying the high casualty rate could be down to an unfamiliar battlefield environment and their lack of capability to counter drone attacks. The White House on Friday confirmed the South Korean estimates, saying that Pyongyang's troops were being sent to their deaths in futile attacks by generals who see them as "expendable". "We also have reports of North Korean soldiers taking their own lives rather than surrendering to Ukrainian forces, likely out of fear of reprisal against their families in North Korea in the event that they're captured," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. North Korea and Russia have strengthened their military ties since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A landmark defence pact between Pyongyang and Moscow signed in June came into force this month, with Russian President Vladimir Putin hailing it as a "breakthrough document". North Korean state media said on Friday that Putin sent a New Year's message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying: "The bilateral ties between our two countries have been elevated after our talks in June in Pyongyang." Seoul's military believes that North Korea was seeking to modernise its conventional warfare capabilities through combat experience gained in the Russia-Ukraine war. NATO chief Mark Rutte had also said that Moscow was providing support to Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programmes in exchange for the troops. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday that Pyongyang is reportedly "preparing for the rotation or additional deployment of soldiers" and supplying "240mm rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled artillery" to the Russian army. Pyongyang's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine had prompted warnings from Seoul. South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol, currently suspended, said in November that Seoul was "not ruling out the possibility of providing weapons" to Kyiv, which would mark a major shift to a long-standing policy barring the sale of weapons to countries in active conflict.
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NoneThe Chargers are planning to activate J.K. Dobbins from injured reserve to play in Saturday’s matchup with the Patriots, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport . Dobbins landed on injured reserve at the end of November with a sprained MCL that forced him to miss significant time for a fourth year. Unlike his previous injuries, however, Dobbins recovered within his mandatory minimum of four weeks on IR , setting him up to resume lead back duties in Los Angeles. Dobbins was averaging a career-high 69.6 rushing yards per game before he hurt his knee. If he returns to that pace over the next two games, he’ll finish 2024 with the most regular season rushing yards in his career. That will help the Chargers clinch a playoff spot while improving Dobbins’ free agency stock. He signed a one-year, $1.61M in Los Angeles this offseason to prove that he could still be effective after tearing his Achilles last year. While his MCL sprain reignited concerns about his durability, Dobbins has remained a dangerous ballcarrier when healthy. No other Chargers running back has broken 70 yards in a single game during his absence. The Chargers also used standard practice squad elevations on safeties Eddie Jackson and Kendall Williamson for this weekend’s game, per ESPN’s Kris Rhim . This article first appeared on Pro Football Rumors and was syndicated with permission.
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Gabriel mimics Gyokeres in cheeky goal celebration in Arsenal win over Sporting in Champions LeagueNEW ORLEANS (AP) — A 93-year-old former Catholic priest sentenced to life in prison earlier this month for raping a teenage boy has died, Louisiana authorities and his lawyer confirmed Friday. Less than two weeks after being sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars, Lawrence Hecker died of natural causes at 3 a.m. Thursday at the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center, according to Ken Pastorick, Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections communications director. Hecker had pleaded guilty to charges including first-degree rape and aggravated kidnapping shortly before jury selection for his long-delayed trial had been scheduled to begin earlier this month, with other victims prepared to testify against him. The survivor of the assault to which Hecker pleaded guilty had said that Hecker raped him after offering to instruct him in wrestling moves ahead of tryouts for a school team in the mid-1970s. “The only prayer I can come up with I hope he spends eternity in hell after God's judgment of him,” the survivor said in a written statement provided by his attorney, Richard Trahant. “Now after his death I feel vindicated and free,” he said. The Associated Press does not identify those who say they have been sexually assaulted. Hecker's trial had been delayed for months partly because of questions around his mental competency. Hecker had suffered from dementia, his lawyer Bobby Hjortsberg said. Hecker had been ordained as an archdiocesan priest in 1958 and remained in this position even after facing an undisputed complaint of child molestation in the late 1980s, according to court records . Hecker left the ministry in 2002. Hecker's conviction occurred amid a wave of sexual abuse allegations against the Catholic church in New Orleans, many resurfacing from decades ago. The fallout has left the Archdiocese of New Orleans embroiled in bankruptcy negotiations. Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96 This story has been updated to clarify that Hecker died at the Elayn Hunt Correctional Center. Authorities had previously stated he died at a Baton Rouge hospital.
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NoneOntario to restrict electricity exports to US and bar American-made alcohol if Trump tariffs applied
Santa Clara councilmember who implicated Anthony Becker in 49ers leak says he was ‘confused’A look at the day ahead in Asian markets. Risk assets in Asia are set to open positively on Friday after a show of fortitude on Wall Street saw U.S. stocks end a choppy session in the green, as local attention turns to the latest inflation figures from Japan. Japanese consumer prices top the regional calendar, and investors also will be looking out for purchasing managers index data from Japan, Australia and India for the first glimpse into how these economies performed in November. Annual core consumer price inflation in Japan is expected to have slowed to 2.2 per cent in October from 2.4 per cent in September, cooling for a second consecutive month on slower growth in energy prices, according to a Reuters poll. The release comes a day after Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said the central bank will "seriously" take into account the yen's impact on growth and prices, remarks investors took as a sign the BOJ could soon raise interest rates. The ultra low-yielding yen is one of the world's worst-performing currencies against the dollar this year, putting upward pressure on the price of imports. The dollar has risen 10 per cent against the yen since the Fed cut rates in September, a counter-intuitive move explained by the surprising - and surprisingly steep - rise in U.S. bond yields. But the yen is ripe for a rebound. It has been sold off heavily, speculators are holding their biggest short position in four months, and the BOJ could be taking a more hawkish turn. The Japanese currency rose on Thursday for only the second time in nine days, and another rise of around 0.3 per cent on Friday would seal its best week in two months. Asian stocks are also consolidating, after getting slammed last week. On the whole, the global backdrop as Asia opens on Friday is still reasonably positive. The upward momentum behind the so-called 'Trump trades' that gathered steam before and immediately after the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election has fizzled, but most of these bets still appear to be in play. Some more than others. Tesla shares are up 7 per cent this week and bitcoin is up 9 per cent, within reach of breaking above $100,000 for the first time. This could easily happen in Asia on Friday, after U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler confirmed he will leave his post in January. Gensler is widely seen as a hard-liner on cryptocurrency regulation. Indian assets, meanwhile, are under heavy pressure on the news that Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted for fraud by U.S. prosecutors and arrest warrants issued for him for his alleged role in a $265 million scheme to bribe Indian officials. Stocks are the lowest in five months, and the rupee has never been weaker. Here are key developments that could provide more direction to markets on Friday: - Japan inflation (October) - Malaysia inflation (October) - Japan, Australia, India PMIs (November)The leader of one of Georgia's four main opposition parties has been detained by police after being beaten unconscious in the capital Tbilisi, his party said on Wednesday, amid reports of police raids on other opposition parties. The opposition Coalition for Change party published a video on X showing Nika Gvaramia, the party's leader, being carried by the arms and legs by several men down some steps. The party said that Gvaramia, a 48-year-old lawyer turned politician, had been "thrown into a detention car as he was physically assaulted and unconscious". The police did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment, and there was no immediate response to the assertion by the authorities, who have faced six nights of protests against a government decision to suspend talks on the country joining the European Union. Reuters could not independently verify whether Gvaramia had been beaten or not, but he appeared to not be moving as he was carried down the steps in the video released by his party. The government's decision to suspend EU talks has plunged the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million people into political crisis and the authorities claim to have thwarted an attempted "revolution." A spokeswoman for Coalition for Change said on X that several other party members had been detained alongside Gvaramia. A spokesperson for the United National Movement (UNM), another opposition party, told Reuters police on Wednesday had also raided its Tbilisi offices. The spokesperson said the raid had been carried out without a warrant and that nobody had been detained. Separately, the Interpress news agency said that two members of another opposition party, Strong Georgia, had been detained by the police. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has repeatedly praised the police for their response to the protests. Georgia's public ombudsman, a former opposition politician, accused the police on Tuesday of harshly mistreating people detained during demonstrations, something their treatment amounted to torture.
Blue Origin is preparing to put on a display of fire and fury out at Launch Complex 36. The company is gearing up for a crucial hot fire test of its New Glenn rocket, which is one of the big, final steps needed before it can launch. It comes as the Federal Aviation Administration granted a Part 450 commercial launch license for the rocket, clearing way for it to operate for five years. “The FAA is committed to enabling the success of the U.S. commercial space transportation industry without compromising public safety,” said the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation Kelvin B. Coleman, in a statement. “By working closely with Blue Origin, the FAA issued this new launch license well in advance of the statutory deadline for the historic maiden flight of New Glenn.” “A big thanks to the FAA for the partnership, especially over the holidays,” said Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp in a social media post following the announcement by the FAA. “Here’s to NG-1 — we are really close, folks.” The launch company, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, spent much of 2024 getting the final pieces of New Glenn in place so that it can finally shift into launch operations. On Monday Dec. 16, Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said that teams were given the “all clear” to proceed to a fueling demonstration known as a wet dress rehearsal prior to the hot fire test. Also known as a static fire because the rocket will not intentionally leave the pad, the moment will be the first time that all seven BE-4 engines roar to life together as part of a fully integrated New Glenn rocket stack. The company did not advertise when the hot fire test will take place, but it was expected to occur no earlier than Thursday, Dec. 19. Blue Origin seemed to have done some tanking on its rocket, but didn’t state if it was able to complete a wet dress rehearsal. Late Saturday morning, potential signs of fueling preparations were evident at the pad as venting could be seen along the strongback, which supports the rocket. However, the day came and went without a static fire test, which brings the company to Friday, Dec. 27, when it is once again performing another tanking test, potentially with a static fire test at the end. Blue Origin’s first orbital class rocket, New Glenn, is the second launch vehicle developed by the company, following New Shepard, its suborbital rocket used for short tourism flights and research opportunities. New Glenn stands 98 m (~321 ft) tall with about 57.5 m (189 ft) of that coming from the first stage of the two-stage vehicle. The booster, which is designed to land propusively, like a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster, is powered by seven of Blue Origin’s BE-4 engines. Those are manufactured in Kent, Washington, and Huntsville, Alabama. The BE-4 engines are fueled by liquified natural gas (LNG) and liquid oxygen and are each capable of producing 550,000 lbf (2,450 kN) of thrust at sea level, according to Blue Origin. Two of these engines power the first stage of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket. Another good morning at the Cape. GS2 tanking test is done and nominal across the board. pic.twitter.com/g72FWUBvYx — Dave Limp (@davill) December 10, 2024 On Dec. 12, during the final day of the Space Force Association (SFA) Spacepower Conference, Lars Hoffman, Blue Origin’s Vice President of Government Sales, talked about the benefit of sharing its engines with Vulcan. “The same BE-4s that are going to power New Glenn have been powering Vulcan for its first two launches successfully,” Hoffman said during the panel discussion. “So, we have some flight experience already with our engines, in addition to all the test experience.” When pressed by the moderator for a specific launch date, he said that a launch “this year is about all I can say at this point.” “So, that kind of narrows it down a little bit doesn’t it,” Hoffman said. “Maybe for Christmas. I don’t know.” During a roundtable discussion with reporters the same day, ULA President and CEO Tory Bruno remarked that while both rockets use the same basic engine, the key difference is in how they ignite. “The basic engine is the same. It’s that many more flight data points, so we’ll be studying that carefully for its performance and any margins that are demonstrated and so on,” Bruno said. “We also like to keep track of all of the launch providers and where we each fit and where we’re differentiated. “New Glenn is another [low Earth orbit] operations-optimized rocket, like Falcon, and it’s a pretty large rocket with theoretically some pretty good mass to LEO capability. So, we’ll be interested in that.” The upper stage of New Glenn is powered by a pair of BE-3U engines, which draw from the heritage of New Shepard’s BE-3PM engine. The version flying on New Glenn is “optimized to operate in the vacuum of space,” according to the company. So great to see! Another photo here of #NewGlenn ’s two BE-3U engines right before integration. In the vacuum of space, the BE-3U’s nozzles release hydrogen-rich steam at speeds of roughly 10,000 mph. These vacuum nozzles are a big, 114.5 inches long. https://t.co/FUBven2i51 pic.twitter.com/yPWhTsudsk — Dave Limp (@davill) November 12, 2024 The first launch of New Glenn will not feature a customer payload, but instead will carry the Blue Ring Pathfinder into orbit. Blue Origin said this will also mark the first certification flight to become authorized to fly National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 contract missions, if selected. Blue Ring features “a communications array, power systems, and a flight computer affixed to a secondary payload adapter ring” and is designed to validate both space-to-ground communications as well as “ground-based radiometric tracking that will be used on the future Blue Ring production space vehicle.” “We’re excited to demonstrate Blue Ring’s advanced in-space operations on New Glenn’s inaugural mission,” said Paul Ebertz, Senior Vice President of Blue Origin’s In-Space Systems, in a statement. “Blue Ring plays a critical role in building a road to space, and this mission is an important first step for Blue Ring and enabling dynamic and responsive operations that will greatly benefit our nation.” Blue Origin was originally going to carry the EscaPADE spacecraft from NASA as its payload for the inaugural launch, but because the rocket wasn’t going to be ready for launch in time for the October launch window, NASA decided to shift those plans.
Highs and lows of 2024