NASA's Europa Clipper mission launched Monday, beginning its years-long journey to the distant icy moon it's named after. This mission is designed to tell scientists more about the structure, the interior and the habitability of Europa, one of the four large moons of Jupiter. Host Regina G. Barber talks with astrobiologist and friend of the show Mike Wong about why their mutual love for this fascinating moon and what it means for the search for life outside of Earth. Plus, they talk about other icy moons that may also have the trifecta of ingredients needed to sustain life: liquid water, specific elements and an energy source.

Want to hear more space science? Let your voice be heard by emailing shortwave@npr.org!

Also, if you liked this episode, check out our episodes on NASA's future missions to Uranus and our episode on whether Dune could really exist!

China declared a “complete success” after it launched a new three-person crew to its space station early Wednesday as the country seeks to expand its exploration of outer space.

Sigma Precision Components Ltd Has A Global Reputation As A Leading Aerospace Manufacturing Company... Ocean Xu, Business Development Manager, Chengdu Shi, Sichuan Sheng, China

U6df1 U5733 U7279 U4ef7 U4f18 U60e0 U73ed U52a8 U6001 U8be2 U9000 U6539 U7b7e U4e0a U503c U5728 U7ebf... Han Ling, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

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Air China Is Chinas Exclusive National Flag Carrier For Civil Aviation A Member Of The Star Alliance The Worlds Largest Airl... Tang Xiaoping, Tianzhu, Beijing, China

781: China: The Nestorian (Assyrian) Tablet

On Thursday, Xi Jinping addressed his 1.4 billion citizens in celebration of the Chinese Communist Party’s centenary. Xi said he would spare no effort in ensuring that China becomes a “great modern socialist country” by 2049. Those who sought to restrain China’s advance, Xi said, would face a bloody riposte.

The NBA’s groveling to China has slipped from public view in recent months, but the Washington Wizards are doing what they can to remind everyone that the league is in bed with a genocidal regime.

House Republican leaders are preparing for temporary losses to their slim majority as President-elect Donald Trump recruits members to serve in his Cabinet, chipping away at the party’s already narrow margins in the lower chamber.  So far, Trump has nominated two House lawmakers to service in his administration: House GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), […]

The Washington Commanders announced on Thursday that its marching band would make a return for the 2022 season.

Seattle's only news roundup. by Ashley Nerbovig

Ok weather to vote in! Should be a pretty nice day to stroll down to your nearest ballot box, with a high of 52 degrees and partly sunny, and a slight chance of rain after 2 p.m. 

So go vote! Don't let anything stop you. As Hannah said yesterday, you can still vote! I voted last year on the last possible day, and I hadn't registered yet at that point. I just jogged down to Lumen Field though and it was super easy to register, vote, and leave. Even if you're feeling left out because you're not in a swing state and the entirety of the country's future doesn't rest on your shoulders, the future of this state and city really does! Dropping some helpful links to make sure you have everything you need to make your voices heard. First, how to register to vote. Second, how to replace a lost ballot. Thirdly, ballot box locations. Finally, our handy cheat sheet for help filling out your ballot. 

Done your civic duty already? Well then sit back and enjoy the final hours of uncertainty at one of the many election night parties happening across the city tonight. The Stranger is throwing one at the Crocodile—it’s sold out, but we think it’s worth it to take your chances on standby tickets. There might be some no-shows, and we can squeeze you in. But if you don't wanna chance it, check out this list of parties you can attend from our sister publication Everout. Stranger reporters will be dotted around the city to bring you coverage of the election from various candidate election parties as well.

Speaking of voting: The Boeing machinists approved a contract last night ending their strike after 53 days, according to the Seattle Times. The latest contract, approved by 59% of membership, includes a 38% general wage increase over the next four years, which equates to 43% when you factor in raises on top of raises. The contract did not restore the pension that they lost in a contentious vote 10 years ago. Union president Jon Holden said the union should be proud of what they accomplished and that it was time to get back to building planes.

Alleged sex abuse in youth detention: An additional 176 people made allegations against Washington state for failing to protect them from sexual abuse while they were children at youth detention centers in the state, according to the Seattle Times. Combined with another lawsuit filed in September, that brings the total number of people claiming they were sexually abused in Washington's detention centers up to almost 400. Meanwhile, the Seattle Times Editorial Board continues to decry and complain about youth diversion programs meant to help kids avoid being sent into lock up.

Seattle Steel Pan Project Evicted: The Seattle Steel Pan Project, dedicated to teaching the art of steel plan music and performance, needs a new space to operate in after MLK FAME Community Center in the Central District evicted the group this week, according to an Instagram post from the project. In the post, the group accused MLK FAME of bowing to the demands of neighborhood "Karens" who complained about the groups weekly practice. I reached out to MLK FAME for a response, who did not immediately reply, but I'll update if they do. In the meantime, the project is asking everyone they know if they have any ideas where they can house their steel pan band. Their email address is steelpanproject@gmail.com. Here's a little taste of what they do:

Ok. Moving on. Let's talk about the presidential election: Let's be real, no one knows how this election will shake out. The polls are insanely tight in swing states. Dixville Notch, a tiny New Hampshire town that votes at midnight every year on Election Day, tallied up their six votes which resulted in a tie, with three votes for Vice President Kamala Harris, and three for former President Donald Trump. There is a very good chance we don't know the election result tonight, and maybe not for a couple days.

Battleground states prepare for certification fight: Given the resistance to certifying the vote in swing states in the last election cycle, many officials have already started to prepare to quash attempts by county officials to squabble over valid election results, according to Politico. Election officials fear if Trump loses, he won't just fade quietly into the night, and instead will mount another attempt to overturn election results.

Meanwhile, the two parties also are wrestling for control of congress. New York stands out as a battleground state for the House, as the congressional seats they lost in 2022 helped Republicans take the chamber back, according to Politico. Meanwhile in Texas, Democrats continue to try to take Senator Ted Cruz's seat, and while Cruz continues to lead, Representative Colin Allred is within spitting distance of him. But, it's wholly unpredictable who will control what in 2025.

But for some good news: One of my top five favorite creatures in the world continues to beat the odds. A cloned black-footed ferret mother in Virginia gave birth to two little baby ferrets in June, according to the Washington Post. Unclear why we're only hearing about it now. We should have rang the bells. If you don't know much about black-footed ferrets, you're really missing out. These little bandits scurry across our prairie lands, and has supposedly gone extinct twice, but they're resilient AF. Now with the cloning and the babies, we could continue to see this species soldier on. Ugh I love them so much, I've been obsessed with them ever since I lived in Montana. And I'm not a ferret girl, it's just they're little markings make them look like they have a tiny black Zorro mask across their smol faces. Here is a video of them being adorable:

I'm so excited about this cloning thing: Instead of a musical recommendation, another video about black footed ferrets.

Many of the students at St Michael Indian School have been going out into the community to teach guitar lessons. Many need guitars of their own. We have been borrowing the guitars from the school. The kids we are teaching, do not have guitars at home. Please help by donating funds. Alex Webpage: www.nativeamericanmusicfunds.com  

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By Lee van der Voo, High Country News…

It's calving season at Owens Farms…

Co-released on Time Lag and Indian Queen Records, & Hope Still is the debut album from one Silent Land Time Machine, a one-man recording project of a fellow from Texas who has managed to teach himself how to play a lot of different instruments and build up a beguiling little album with some crafty layering and subtle shifts in sound that call to mind a ton of different artists but doesn't really sound like any one of them in particular.

The former Little Mix member gets candid about her decision to leave the girl group, claiming she felt 'enormous pressure' for being constantly compared to her bandmates.

In the first released video, the Duchess of Cambridge adorably corrects her husband's pronunciation when he spoke the Irish language for their 2021 St. Patrick's Day greeting.

In his Instagram post, the retired basketball player also gives a special shoutout to his rumored girlfriend Karlie Redd, thanking her for 'having this picture made of me and my father.'

The 'No More Lies' singer shuts down a Death Row producer's claims that she ever spilled to Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight about the music mogul's alleged sexuality.

The former Little Mix member gets candid about her decision to leave the girl group, claiming she felt 'enormous pressure' for being constantly compared to her bandmates.

In the first released video, the Duchess of Cambridge adorably corrects her husband's pronunciation when he spoke the Irish language for their 2021 St. Patrick's Day greeting.

In this episode, Thomas Domville takes us on a journey through the world of FruitPot 2, a fun-filled slot machine game for iOS. FruitPot 2 is a game that will take you back to the 80s with its retro graphics and sounds. The game features an ever-changing fruit machine slot, as well as more than 15 mini-games that appear as you progress through the game. With the Bucks you earn, you can purchase items from stores at the mall. FruitPot 2 is a great game to play when you're looking for something to relax and have fun with.

FruitPot 2 is available for free on the App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fruitpot-2/id6444378324?l=en

Solihull School has paved the way to sporting excellence for female pupils after expanding its Physical Education Department.

Two Chinese faces peep out from the front pages of the papers this week: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and activist Ai Weiwei.

Richard Lutz queries just who benefits from ever-newer levels of digital technology.

Sandwell IT director to step down after three decades of service.

Reports of Halesowen Town's demise have thankfully, been greatly exaggerated,

Chinese online retail giant, Temu, faces a European Union investigation for potential violations of the Digital Services Act, including consumer protection and data privacy concerns. The company risks significant fines if found in breach. Shein and Temu, Chinese e-commerce giants, have challenged Amazon in the US and Zara and H&M in Europe with low prices and fast turnover.

China's Singles' Day shopping extravaganza has lost its sparkle as consumers, wary of promotional tactics and facing economic headwinds, prioritize necessities over extravagant purchases. Major e-commerce platforms have ceased publicizing sales figures, reflecting this trend. Merchants are also scaling back, citing high advertising costs and diminishing returns, prompting a shift towards international markets.

Chinese appliance giant Haier Group has submitted a proposal to the Indian government to form a joint venture with India's JSW Group. The proposed venture represents a significant investment of Rs 1,000 crore and requires government approval due to Haier's Chinese origins. This move comes after JSW's recent joint venture with Chinese automaker SAIC Motor.

Linc, a writing instruments brand, has appointed Sachin Bhatnagar as its new president of global business. Bhatnagar brings over 30 years of experience to the role, having previously served as CEO at Lykis. He will be responsible for driving Linc's strategic direction and growth.

Richemont, the owner of Cartier, fell short of profit projections for the first half of the year and expressed caution regarding China's recovery, causing a decline in European luxury stocks. The company's sales were impacted by a downturn in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in China, where consumer confidence remains low.

Driven by central bank purchases and geopolitical tensions, gold prices soared to 39 new all-time highs in 2024, marking the highest number in 45 years. The surge, influenced by strong Asian demand and US election anxieties, saw gold reach $2,734 per ounce, prompting predictions of further increases.

L'Oreal's third quarter sales rose by 3.4% but missed expectations due to low consumer confidence in China. North Asia sales declined 6.5%. Reduced demand for suncare and dermatological products also slowed growth. Chief Executive Nicolas Hieronimus highlighted the need to excite consumers with new innovations, especially targeting young GenZs.

Hidden changes are warping the already broken ecosystem that determines how many citizens—particularly in America—construct their sense of reality. (slSubstack)

Y'all, I know there are folks who don't like Substack/NYT links but here we are and I thought this was worth posting in the aftermath of a disastrous election.

I have many decades of experience in developing one's original voice. Both as an artist and as a coach to musicians and artists. In addition to 11 solo recordings, I've worked with King Crimson, David Sylvian, Vernon Reid, Brian Eno, TOOL, Steven Wilson and Puscifer. I can listen to your music through, both, your ears (to hear if you are reaching your musical aims) and my ears (to hear how the piece matches up with my experience as a player/producer.) I will give advice, opinions, critiques, commentaries, articulations and 'the works' about where you are heading. When you send me a track please include some information about you and where you are heading. This is necessary for me to know how to help you and offer the right kind of critique. Additionally I run my own record label (7d Media) and am a fully independent musician (recording, performing/touring, producing, licensing, composing and more.) All of my experience and advice is available to you. for much information about my process go here: www.treygunn.com/coaching

Looking for commercial hit songs for a host of pop artists in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan etc. We work closely with Universal Music in Hong Kong, giving us direct access to major artists in South East Asia and Japan searching for tracks for their next and current projects.

We are looking for commercial radio tracks which have great beats, memorable hook lines and current styles. Uptempo K-Pop, ballads, R&B/Pop, Rock, Soul and MOR suitable for male, female and boy and girl-bands.

Lyrics may be translated depending on the artist so send in all language demos or masters.

We are looking forward to hearing some great music.

- Dean Hart / Afrikan Cowboy Publishing

Deal Type: Song Placement
Decision Maker: Selected tracks will be pitched for final decision
Deal Structure: Non-Exclusive
Compensation: $1,000+ based on final placement
Song Quality: Rough Demos, Fully mastered, Broadcast ready

In the last part of Mark 8 through the end of Mark 10, Jesus focuses on teaching His disciples about His journey. In these chapters, He will give predictions about the cross. These will be followed by special instruction on discipleship. These powerful lessons remain relevant today.