After Arvind Kejriwal Remarks, US Speaks On Congress' Frozen Accounts

NEW YORK, Mar 27: After India summoned a senior US diplomat to lodge a protest over remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Washington on Wednesday stressed that it encourages fair, transparent, timely legal processes and "we don't think anyone should object to that".

"We continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal," US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

Miller was responding to a question during the State Department briefing over India summoning Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena in New Delhi earlier in the day as well as on freezing of Congress party's bank accounts.

"We are also aware of the Congress party's allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections. And we encourage fair, transparent and timely legal processes for each of these issues.

"With respect to your first question, I'm not going to talk about any private diplomatic conversations, but of course, what we have said publicly is what I just said from here, that we encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes. We don't think anyone should object to that. We'll make the same thing clear privately," Miller said.

Ministry of External Affairs officials summoned the Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Gloria Berbena at its office in South Block in Delhi and lodged a strong protest against a US State Department official's remarks on Kejriwal's arrest.

The meeting lasted for more than 30 minutes.

Reports suggested that a US State Department official had said that Washington "encouraged a fair, transparent and timely legal process for chief minister Kejriwal".

Balitmore bridge in US collapses as container rams into it

BALTIMORE, Mar 26: The container ship that rammed a bridge in US' Baltimore, causing it to collapse almost entirely and sending cars and people plunging into the river below, was manned entirely by a crew of Indians. This was confirmed by shipping company Maersk, which had chartered the Singapore-flagged container ship, named Dali.

According to a report, several vehicles and nearly 20 people are believed to have fallen into the Patapsco River after the 300-metre-long vessel crashed into one of the legs of the bridge. The ship had a crew of 22 members, all of whom were Indian. Quoting the Synergy Marine Group, which manages the Dali, a report said all crew members had been accounted for and none of them were injured.

Footage showed lights going out on the ship just before it rammed a leg of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a portion of which collapsed on the vessel itself.

Maryland's governor said the ship, which was moving at a "rapid" eight knots (nine miles per hour), issued a Mayday call moments before it collided with the pillar of the bridge and this helped saved lives as some road traffic could be stopped.

"These people are heroes. They saved lives last night," Governor Wes Moore was quoted as saying.

The Dali struck a pylon of the bridge at approximately 1:30 am local time (11 am IST) on Tuesday. Vehicles could be seen on the road surface as the bridge warped and crashed in sections, with the third tranche cantilevering upwards before it, too, tumbled into the water.

Rescuers said they were still looking for at least seven people, having pulled two people free.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said maintenance workers were on the bridge at the time of the collision, an incident he described as an "unthinkable tragedy... like something out of an action movie."

"We have to be thinking about the families and people impacted, folks who we have to try to find," he said.

'Encourage Fair, Transparent Legal Process': US On Arvind Kejriwal Arrest

NEW DELHI, Mar 26: The United States government is monitoring reports of Arvind Kejriwal's arrest and has encouraged its Indian counterpart to ensure "a fair, transparent, and timely legal process" for the jailed Delhi Chief Minister and opposition leader, a State Department spokesperson said this week.

The US' response comes days after Germany's Foreign Office stressed that the Aam Aadmi Party leader, like any other Indian citizen facing charges, is entitled to a fair and impartial trial.

"We assume and expect that standards relating to independence of judiciary and basic democratic principles will also be applied in this case," a German government spokesperson said Friday.

The Indian government reacted strongly to the comment, summoning the German envoy and labelling the Foreign Office spokesperson's remark "blatant interference in internal matters".

"We see such remarks as interfering in our judicial process and undermining the independence of our judiciary," the External Affairs Ministry said, "Biased assumptions are most unwarranted."

Asked about India's protest to Germany, the State Department spokesperson said, "We refer you to the German Foreign Ministry for comment on their discussions with the Indian government."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has not yet reacted to the US State Department.

The Enforcement Directorate took Kejriwal into custody last week - in dramatic circumstances after a Delhi court refused protection from arrest - following a late-night raid at his residence.

He was sent to custody of the central agency for seven days; i.e., till Thursday.

Kejriwal was arrested in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam that has roiled the AAP, and the national political landscape, less than a month before the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

The Chief Minister's arrest has triggered furious protests in Delhi, with the AAP joined by opposition parties, including INDIA bloc allies Congress, the Trinamool of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and Tamil Nadu's ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, in condemning the agency's action.

In Delhi on Tuesday several AAP workers were detained by police as they attempted to march on the PM's home. The BJP, meanwhile, took out a mega march of its own to press for Kejriwal to quit.

The BJP - accused by the opposition of using central investigative agencies like the ED to target and harass rivals, particularly before an election - has demanded Mr Kejriwal resign, and has called out apparent instances this week and last of the AAP leader running the government from jail.

The BJP has also dismissed claims that it uses central agencies as described by the opposition.

US Says No Sign Russia Preparing To Use Nukes in Ukraine

WASHINGTON, Mar 13: The White House said Wednesday it had seen no indications Moscow was ready to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, after President Vladimir Putin said he was ready to deploy them if Russia's sovereignty was threatened.

Russia's rhetoric on the subject of nuclear arms has been "reckless" ever since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

"We have not seen any reasons to adjust our own nuclear posture, nor any indication that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine," Jean-Pierre said when asked about Putin's comments.

Putin appeared to be "restating Russia's nuclear doctrine" after he was asked during an interview about using the weapons, Jean-Pierre told reporters traveling with Biden on a campaign trip to Milwaukee.

"Nevertheless, Russia's nuclear rhetoric has been reckless and irresponsible throughout this conflict," she added.

"It was Russia that brutally invaded Ukraine without provocation or justification, and we'll continue to support Ukraine as they defend their people and their territory from Russian aggression."

Putin on Wednesday lauded Moscow's nuclear arsenal and warned that he was ready to deploy the weapons if Russia's sovereignty was under threat.

The Kremlin has touted its nuclear prowess throughout its two-year offensive in Ukraine. Putin's latest comments come days ahead of elections in Russia that look set to hand him another six years in power.

Biden on Tuesday announced a $300 million emergency weapons package to prop up Ukraine after recent Russian gains, while the US Congress blocks further aid.

US Presidential Elections: Donald Trump and Biden rematch a done deal now

WASHINGTON, Mar 13: Current US President Joe Biden and the former US President Donald Trump have each clinched a Democratic and Republican presidential nomination for themselves on Tuesday. This plays into the possibility that there is a likelihood of another general election, which was done just the same as the previous general election and the voters are bored with all the trouble.

There are 238 days until Nov. 5, the day of the presidential election.

During the primary in Georgia, Mississippi and Washington state the two candidates became winners while it was close.

Biden secured 11 delegates in the Northern Mariana Islands primary.

However, amidst these victories, in Georgia, voters struggled to express their opposition to the Biden administration's stance on the war in Gaza. With no option for an "uncommitted" option on the ballot, some voters resorted to unconventional means to voice their discontent.

Meanwhile, Trump ran unopposed in Georgia, although other candidates still appeared on the ballot, attracting a handful of voters like Scott Carpenter, who voted for former ambassador Nikki Haley due to his disdain for Trump.

Travis Foreman, an attorney from Alpharetta, voiced his support for Trump, citing his belief in the former president's positive impact on America.

“I don’t agree with the party and some of their core beliefs,” he said.

“And it’s hard for me as a preacher’s kid from South Georgia to just agree with some of their core fundamental beliefs that they want me to. A whole gender ideology, movement – I just have a problem with it. I don’t mind what anyone chooses to do with their lives and how they live their lives, but don’t try to force me to accept certain things against my own principles. It just came to me that’s the No 1 issue.”

The president released a statement claiming the significance of the moment. He pointed out the struggle being fought by the country's soul and how the serious threat which the current would-be president's sway holds bothers him.

“Four years ago, I ran for president because I believed we were in a battle for the soul of this nation,” Biden stated.

“Because of the American people, we won that battle, and now I am honored that the broad coalition of voters representing the rich diversity of the Democratic party across the country have put their faith in me once again to lead our party – and our country – in a moment when the threat Trump poses is greater than ever.”

“Four years ago, I ran for president because I believed we were in a battle for the soul of this nation,” Biden stated.

“Because of the American people, we won that battle, and now I am honored that the broad coalition of voters representing the rich diversity of the Democratic party across the country have put their faith in me once again to lead our party – and our country – in a moment when the threat Trump poses is greater than ever.”

'Share Vision Of Free Indo-Pacific Region': US On India's Agni-5 MIRV Test

WASHINGTON, Mar 12: Reaffirming the vision of a 'free and open' Indo-Pacific after India tested the Agni-5 missile with MIRV technology, the United States said that it will continue to work as a partner with India and other countries in the region.

The US State Department said that both New Delhi and Washington share the vision for an Indo-Pacific region that is "free, open, secure, and prosperous."

"The United States and India share a vision for an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, secure, and prosperous. We continue to work as partners with India and with other countries in the region to achieve this vision," the US State Department said in a statement.

The State Department was replying to questions regarding the significance of the test on the stability of the Indo-Pacific region.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced the development of "Mission Divyastra" -- an indigenously developed, landmark weapons system that alters the country's geopolitics and strategic position and significantly changes the situation in southeast Asia. The Agni-5 MIRV missile has been developed by the Defence Research Centre DRDO for over a decade.

MIRVs consist of several re-entry vehicles, each equipped to carry 2-10 nuclear warheads. These warheads can be designated for various targets, spaced hundreds of kilometres apart. Alternatively, multiple warheads can target a single location.

A MIRV is a ballistic missile payload designed for exoatmospheric deployment, housing multiple warheads, each capable of targeting distinct objectives. While primarily associated with intercontinental ballistic missiles equipped with thermonuclear warheads, the concept extends beyond strict limitations. An intermediate variant, the Multiple Reentry Vehicle (MRV) missile, disperses multiple warheads without individual targeting.

Notably, the Agni-5 missiles with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology would be able to hit at least three different targets spread over a large area.

Biden signs a package of spending bills passed by Congress just hours before a shutdown deadline

WASHINGTON, Mar 9: President Joe Biden on Saturday signed a $460 billion package of spending bills approved by the Senate in time to avoid a shutdown of many key federal agencies. The legislation's success gets lawmakers about halfway home in wrapping up their appropriations work for the 2024 budget year.

The measure contains six annual spending bills and had already passed the House. In signing it into law, Biden thanked leaders and negotiators from both parties in both chambers for their work, which the White House said will mean that agencies “may continue their normal operations.”

Meanwhile, lawmakers are negotiating a second package of six bills, including defense, in an effort to have all federal agencies fully funded by a March 22 deadline.

“To folks who worry that divided government means nothing ever gets done, this bipartisan package says otherwise," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said after lawmakers passed the measure Friday night just hours before a deadline.

He said the bill's passage would allow for the hiring of more air traffic controllers and rail safety inspectors, give federal firefighters a raise and boost support for homeless veterans, among other things.

The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 75-22. Lawmakers sought votes on several amendments and wanted to have their say on the bill and other priorities during debate on the floor. It had been unclear midday if senators would be able to avert a short shutdown, though eventual passage was never really in doubt.

“I would urge my colleagues to stop playing with fire here,” said Sen. Susan Collins, the top-ranking Republican member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “It would be irresponsible for us not to clear these bills and do the fundamental job that we have of funding government. What is more important?”

The votes came more than five months into the current budget year after congressional leaders relied on a series of stopgap bills to keep federal agencies funded for a few more weeks or months at a time while they struggled to reach agreement on full-year spending.

In the end, total discretionary spending set by Congress is expected to come in at about $1.66 trillion for the full budget year ending Sept. 30.

Bashing Trump, Biden Vows 'I Will Not Bow Down' To Russia's Putin

WASHINGTON, Mar 8: President Joe Biden launched a scorching attack on his "dangerous" November presidential election rival Donald Trump in Thursday's State of the Union address, warning that US democracy is under "assault."

In the dramatic start to the speech, Biden said he wanted to "wake up the Congress and alert the American people" to the danger.

"Not since President Lincoln and the Civil War, have freedom and democracy been under assault at home as they are today," he said. "What makes our moment rare is that freedom and democracy are under attack at both at home and overseas."

Then homing in on Trump, he said the Republican was "bowing down" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He vowed to cheers from Democrats: "I will not bow down."

Letting the punches fly, Biden never said Trump's name, instead referring repeatedly to him as "my predecessor, a former Republican president."

The annual set-piece presidential speech was a unique chance for Biden to pitch his reelection message in front of his closest political allies and foes -- and a national TV audience.

At just over an hour long, it was also a high-stakes test of his ability, at 81 and making history as the oldest ever US president, to think on his feet.

Republicans frequently booed and heckled Biden but he shot back each time, sprinkling a vigorous delivery with jokes that mocked his opponents for everything from planning to cut billionaires' taxes to refusing to take climate change seriously.

Biden arrived on the floor of the Capitol, crammed with congressional members, Supreme Court justices and government leaders, to extended cheers from supporters and chants of "four more years."

But in a sign of the multiple challenges facing Biden -- including from the Democratic left -- protesters against his support for Israel's war on Hamas tried to block the motorcade from the White House to Congress.

Trump, 77, has a narrow lead over Biden in opinion polls. However, he faces multiple criminal charges linked to his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and refusal to give back boxes of top secret documents after grudgingly leaving the White House.

In his speech, Biden slammed Republican abortion opponents, saying they have "no clue about the power of women in America," in what Democrats see as a key vote-winning issue.

And he touted the booming US economy, even if Americans are still unhappy with high prices and polls show many saying their economic fortunes have not improved.

Biden said that "in thousands of cities and towns the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told."

"I inherited an economy that was on the brink," he said. "Now our economy is literally the envy of the world. Fifteen million new jobs in just three years -- a record. Unemployment at 50-year lows."

The Democrat took on the war in Gaza, which has provoked fury among leftists and the Arab-American community, angered by Biden's strong support for Israel's attempt to crush Hamas.

He announced that he has ordered the US military to set up a port on Gaza's coast to bring in more aid to Palestinians, reflecting the acute political pressure from many in his own party.

Ahead of the speech, Trump accused Biden of "horrific devastation" during his three years so far in office, focusing on the record numbers of migrants crossing the Mexican border.

However, in the speech, Biden sought to turn tables on Republicans on the issue, calling them out for refusing to pass a bill that would have sharply increased controls.

"We can fight about fixing the border or we can fix it," he said in response to heckling from Republican right-winger Marjorie Taylor Greene. "I'm ready to fix it. Send me the border bill now."

For the millions of Americans tuning in to the spectacle, much of the interest was not just what Biden said, but how he sounded.

Clearly wanting to push back on the Republican-led narrative that he is too old to serve in the White House, Biden responded with more jokes -- and said that age had given him clarity.

"I know it may not look like it but I've been around a while," he said to laughter.

But "when you get to be my age certain things become clearer than ever. I know the American story."

In line with tradition, First Lady Jill Biden hosted a number of guests chosen to highlight the White House's priorities.

This year they include a Texan woman forced to leave the state for an abortion, a woman whose IVF treatment was halted by an Alabama court ruling, and the prime minister of Sweden, which became NATO newest member on Thursday.

Nikki Haley Exits US Presidential Campaign, Has A Message For Trump

WASHINGTON, Mar 6: Republican former UN ambassador Nikki Haley suspended her White House campaign Wednesday, declining to endorse former president Donald Trump but calling on him to earn the support of moderates and independents who backed her in the primary.

"It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him, and I hope he does that," Haley said in a televised address in Charleston, South Carolina.

Haley was in a two-person contest with Trump for the chance to face President Joe Biden in November's election but won just one state on "Super Tuesday" and never presented a serious obstacle in Trump's path to the nomination.

The 52-year-old was little known outside her native South Carolina before Trump tapped her as ambassador to the United Nations back in 2017 and used the high-profile UN post to cultivate an image as a plain-speaking conservative.

She prided herself on being the last challenger standing between the "chaos" of Trump and the 2024 Republican White House nomination.

"I am filled with gratitude for the outpouring of support we've received from all across our great country," Haley added.

"But the time has now come to suspend my campaign. I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard -- I have done that. I have no regrets."

Nikki Haley wins Republican primary in Washington DC in first victory over Trump

WASHINGTON, Mar 4: Nikki Haley won the Republican presidential primary in Washington, DC on Sunday, March 3. This is her first victory in the race against former president Donald Trump. Her win comes just ahead of Super Tuesday, when 15 states and one territory will vote.

“It’s not surprising that Republicans closest to Washington dysfunction are rejecting Donald Trump and all his chaos,” Haley spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas said in a statement.

Trump’s campaign too released a statement, calling it a "statement on Nikki Haley Being Crowned Queen of The Swamp." "Tonight's results in Washington DC reaffirm the object of President Trump's campaign -- he will drain the swamp and put America first," the statement said.

Most recently, Trump won Michigan's Republican primary, with Haley losing yet another 2024 contest. Trump’s victory comes after Haley lost in her home state, South Carolina. However, she vowed to continue the fight.

The Haley campaign characterised the Michigan loss as a bad sign for Trump. It noted that about one-third of Republican primary voters cast ballots for someone other than the former president.

"Let this serve as another warning sign that what has happened in Michigan will continue to play out across the country," Haley campaign national spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas said in a statement, according to NBC News. "So long as Donald Trump is at the top of the ticket, Republicans will keep losing to the socialist left. Our children deserve better."

Trump beat Haley in Iowa and New Hampshire, and in Nevada too, where Haley did not appear on the ballot. She was also beaten by Trump in the US Virgin Islands, before being defeated in South Carolina.

Before the Michigan winner was announced, Haley went on to defend her decision to stay in the race. "We've only seen a handful of states vote. I mean, look, I've said this before as much as the media wants to jump ahead, we're taking this one state, one day at a time," she told CNN's Dana Bash.

Trump Wins Colorado Ballot Disqualification Case At US Supreme Court

WASHINGTON, Mar 4: The US Supreme Court handed Donald Trump a major victory on Monday as he campaigns to regain the presidency, overturning a judicial decision that had excluded him from Colorado's ballot under a constitutional provision involving insurrection for inciting and supporting the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

The justices unanimously reversed a Dec. 19 decision by Colorado's top court to kick Trump off the state's Republican primary ballot on Tuesday after finding that the US Constitution's 14th Amendment disqualified him from again holding public office.

Trump is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 5 US election. His only remaining rival for his party's nomination is former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

"BIG WIN FOR AMERICA!!!," Trump wrote on his social media platform immediately after the ruling.

The 14th Amendment's Section 3 bars from office any "officer of the United States" who took an oath "to support the Constitution of the United States" and then "engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof."

"We conclude that states may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office. But states have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the presidency," the unsigned opinion for the court stated.

The justices found that only Congress can enforce the provision against federal officeholders and candidates.

Trump was also barred from the ballot in Maine and Illinois based on the 14th Amendment, but those decisions were put on hold pending the Supreme Court's ruling in the Colorado case.

Trump's eligibility had been challenged in court by a group of six voters in Colorado - four Republicans and two independents - who portrayed him as a threat to American democracy and sought to hold him accountable for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by his supporters.

The plaintiffs were backed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a liberal watchdog group.

The ruling came on the eve of Super Tuesday, the day in the US presidential primary cycle when the most states hold party nominating contests. As lawsuits seeking to disqualify Trump cropped up across the country, it was important for his candidacy to clear any hurdles to appear on the ballot in all 50 states.

The Supreme Court resolved the Colorado ballot dispute speedily, a timeline that stands in contrast to its slower handling of Trump's bid for immunity from criminal prosecution in a federal case in which he faces charges for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss. Trump's trial has been put on hold awaiting the outcome of the Supreme Court's decision - a benefit for him as he campaigns against Biden.

In the Colorado dispute, the justices agreed to take up the case a mere two days after Trump filed his appeal, fast-tracked arguments and issued the written opinion in just over two months.

The justices in the immunity case in December declined a bid to speed up resolution of the matter before a lower court had weighed in, then last week agreed to take up the matter after lower courts had ruled - setting arguments to take place in late April, a much longer timeline.

The Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority includes three Trump appointees. Not since ruling in the landmark case Bush v. Gore, which handed the disputed 2000 US election to Republican George W. Bush over Democrat Al Gore, has the court played such a central role in a presidential race.

In a bid to prevent Congress from certifying Biden's 2020 election victory, Trump supporters attacked police, broke through barricades and swarmed the Capitol. Trump gave an incendiary speech to supporters beforehand, repeating his false claims of widespread voting fraud and telling them to go to the Capitol and "fight like hell." He then for hours rebuffed requests that he urge the mob to stop.

The 14th Amendment was ratified in the aftermath of the Civil War of 1861-1865 in which seceding Southern states that allowed the practice of slavery rebelled against the US government.

In ruling against Trump, Colorado's top court cited the "general atmosphere of political violence that President Trump created" and that he aided "the insurrectionists' common unlawful purpose of preventing the peaceful transfer of power in this country."

The Supreme Court heard arguments on February 8. Trump's lawyer argued that he is not subject to the disqualification language because a president is not an "officer of the United States," that the provision cannot be enforced by courts absent congressional legislation, and that what occurred on Jan. 6 was shameful, criminal and violent but not an insurrection.

Many Republicans have decried the ballot disqualification drive as election interference, while proponents of disqualification have said holding Trump constitutionally accountable for an insurrection supports democratic values.

'Irresponsible': US Slams Putin's Nuclear War Remarks

WASHINGTON, Mar 1: The United States on Thursday denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin's warnings of a risk of nuclear war as "irresponsible," but said there was no sign of greater risk.

"It is not the first time we have seen irresponsible rhetoric from Vladimir Putin. It is no way for the leader of a nuclear-armed state to speak," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

"We have communicated in the past privately and directly with Russia about the consequences of the use of a nuclear weapon," he said.

But Miller added: "We do not have any sign that Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon."

Putin, in an address to the nation on Thursday, warned the West of "tragic consequences" for any country that sends troops into Ukraine to defend against Russia's invasion.

"Everything that the West comes up with creates the real threat of a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, and thus the destruction of civilization," Putin said.

US House Votes To Prevent Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON, Mar 1: The US House of Representatives voted Thursday to keep federal agencies funded and avoid a costly election-year government shutdown, advancing a stop-gap funding measure that could clear the Senate within hours.

With the cash for many departments due to dry up after 11:59 pm Friday, the Republican-led lower chamber passed a bill that keeps the lights on until at least March 8.

US spacecraft Odysseus stops working days after tipping over on Moon surface

WASHINGTON, Mar 1: Odysseus, the first private US spacecraft to land on the moon, fell silent on Thursday, a week after breaking its leg at touchdown and tipping over near the lunar south pole.

The conclusion arrived as flight controllers received one last image from Odysseus before instructing its computer and power systems to enter standby mode. This precautionary measure aims to preserve the lander's potential to reawaken in two to three weeks.

According to Intuitive Machines spokesman Josh Marshall, these final actions depleted the lander's batteries, effectively putting Odysseus into a prolonged hibernation.

“Good night, Odie. We hope to hear from you again,” the company said via X, formerly Twitter. Originally slated for just a week-long mission on the moon, the lander exceeded expectations when Intuitive Machines successfully landed Odysseus on February 22, making it the first private company in the US to land on the moon. This feat placed them among the few countries, including Japan, to have accomplished such a landing since the 1960s.

Last Thursday, the six-legged vehicle successfully reached the lunar surface despite an 11th-hour navigational glitch. However, the descent resulted in an awkward landing, with Odysseus touching down in a sideways or sharply tilted position. This immediately impeded its operations.

Despite facing challenges, Intuitive Machines' lander, Odysseus, surpassed the company's initial expectations by remaining operational despite sustaining damage that affected its solar power and communication abilities, all while being in a tipped-over position.

Odysseus, carrying six NASA experiments valued at $118 million, represents a significant step in NASA's commercial lunar delivery program. Previous attempts by private companies had not succeeded, with one lander crashing back to Earth in January.

NASA sees these private landers as precursors to manned missions, expected to occur in the coming years. Prior to Odysseus, the last U.S. moon landing was by Apollo 17 astronauts Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt in 1972.