With a month to go until Hunter Biden’s federal tax trial, prosecutors are making new allegations the president’s son accepted payments from a Romanian businessman to influence U.S. policy. And new details are emerging about the terror plot that resulted in the cancellation of Taylor Swift’s concerts in Austria. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for…

Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have been in space for over two months after the Boeing Starliner launched them into space in early June. That is much longer than the pair’s anticipated return date in mid-June. NASA said on Wednesday, Aug. 7, that it could be even more months until the astronauts can return…

Mercury, the smallest planet in the solar system, may harbor a significant amount of diamonds beneath its surface, according to new research. Scientists propose that the planet could contain an underground layer of diamonds that is approximately 11 miles thick. Just a single cubic meter of diamonds could be worth as much as $70 billion.…

The Biden administration announced a new investment in solar thermal power projects. The Department of Energy (DOE) allocated $33 million to nine different initiatives aimed at harnessing solar energy more efficiently. “Under the Biden–Harris Administration, DOE continues to invest in the next-generation solar technologies we need to tackle the climate crisis and ensure American scientific…

In a coordinated effort, officials from the United States, Britain and South Korea issued a joint statement disclosing that North Korean hackers have been systematically infiltrating and stealing sensitive military secrets. According to the statement, North Korean-affiliated hackers have successfully breached several critical U.S. agencies. Among the affected entities are Air Force bases in Texas…

After spending $450 million to build a water-seeking moon rover, NASA announced on Wednesday, July 17, it is scrapping the mission because of increased costs and launch delays. The agency said that the move will save it an estimated $84 million in developmental costs. NASA said that the decision to cancel the mission was purely…

The asteroid Apophis will fly closely by Earth in 2029, and the European Space Agency is working on a plan to rendezvous with the space rock two months before that encounter. The proposed mission is known as Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety, or RAMSES. Its goal is to learn more about the composition of…

Scientists have confirmed the discovery of a sizable cave on the moon, located near where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago. This cave, accessible from the deepest known pit on the moon, is situated at the Sea of Tranquility, approximately 250 miles from the Apollo 11 landing site. An Italian-led team reported…

Reports of metal parts landing on people’s property from SpaceX’s spacecraft have gained international attention. The debris from the Dragon Crew spacecraft is posing as a major concern for astronomers. Metal chunks of the spacecraft have been found on a Saskatchewan farm, a North Carolina hiking trail, and another was found in Florida after hitting…

More than a month after Boeing’s Starliner took two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), the pair remains in space after a series of problems with the spacecraft. However, for the first time since the crew docked at the ISS, the astronauts gave their first news conference in orbit on Wednesday, July 10.…