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NASA, SpaceX Delay Flight that Was to Retrieve Stuck Astronauts

The NASA SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket, that will carry the NASA's Crew-10, is docked after the launch was scrubbed at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida, USA, 12 March 2025. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH
The NASA SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket, that will carry the NASA's Crew-10, is docked after the launch was scrubbed at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida, USA, 12 March 2025. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH
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NASA, SpaceX Delay Flight that Was to Retrieve Stuck Astronauts

The NASA SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket, that will carry the NASA's Crew-10, is docked after the launch was scrubbed at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida, USA, 12 March 2025. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH
The NASA SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket, that will carry the NASA's Crew-10, is docked after the launch was scrubbed at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida, USA, 12 March 2025. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH

NASA and SpaceX on Wednesday delayed the launch of a replacement crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station that would have set in motion the long-awaited homecoming of US astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
NASA had been set to launch a SpaceX rocket from Florida carrying a replacement crew for the International Space Station in a mission that would set up the return to Earth of Wilmore and Williams - stuck in space for nine months after a trip on Boeing's faulty Starliner.
The launch was called off due to a hydraulic system issue with a ground support clamp arm for the Falcon 9 rocket, Reuters quoted NASA as saying in a statement.
Launch teams are working to address the issue, it said in another statement.
NASA said it is now targeting a launch no earlier than 7:03 p.m. EDT (2303 GMT) Friday after mission managers put off a launch attempt on Thursday because of high winds and rain forecast in the flight path of Dragon.
With a Friday Crew-10 launch, the Crew-9 mission with astronauts Wilmore and Williams would depart the space station on Wednesday, March 19, it said.
The US space agency had moved up the mission by two weeks after President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, called for Wilmore and Williams to be brought back earlier than NASA had planned.
A planned eight-day stay on the orbiting station has dragged on for Wilmore and Williams, both veteran astronauts and US Navy test pilots. Starliner returned to Earth without them last year.
SpaceX's rocket had been scheduled to blast off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral at 7:48 p.m. ET (2348 GMT) with a crew of two US astronauts and one astronaut each from Japan and Russia.
Wilmore and Williams have been working on research and maintenance with the space station's other astronauts and have remained safe, according to NASA. Williams told reporters in a March 4 call that she is looking forward to seeing her family and dogs upon returning home.
"It's been a roller coaster for them, probably a little bit more so than for us," Williams said of her family. "We're here, we have a mission - we're just doing what we do every day, and every day is interesting because we're up in space and it's a lot of fun."
The flight, known as Crew-10, normally would be considered a routine astronaut rotation. Instead, it has become entangled in politics as Trump and Musk have sought - without offering evidence - to blame former President Joe Biden for the delayed return of Wilmore and Williams.
The demands by Trump and Musk for an earlier return were an unusual intervention in NASA's human spaceflight operations. The mission previously had a target date of March 26, but NASA swapped a delayed SpaceX capsule with a different one that would be ready sooner.
When the new crew arrives aboard the station, Wilmore, Williams and two others - NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov - can return to Earth in a capsule that has been attached to the station since September, as part of the prior Crew-9 mission.
Wilmore and Williams cannot leave until the new Crew-10 craft arrives so that the ISS staffed with enough US astronauts for maintenance, according to NASA.
Wilmore and Williams flew to the station in June as the first test crew of Boeing's Starliner, which suffered propulsion system issues in space. NASA deemed it too risky for the astronauts to fly home on the Boeing craft. This led to the current plan to bring them home in a SpaceX capsule.

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Czech Republic Marks New Temperature Record at 40.6C

A woman sits in the shade during a hot, sunny day at Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic, 27 June 2026. (EPA)
A woman sits in the shade during a hot, sunny day at Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic, 27 June 2026. (EPA)
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Czech Republic Marks New Temperature Record at 40.6C

A woman sits in the shade during a hot, sunny day at Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic, 27 June 2026. (EPA)
A woman sits in the shade during a hot, sunny day at Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic, 27 June 2026. (EPA)

The Czech Republic recorded its highest-ever temperature on Saturday, with a reading of 40.6C at a weather station in Doksany north of Prague, the national meteorological service (CHMI) said.

The new high beat a previous record of 40.4C, set in 2012 in Dobrichovice southwest of the capital, CHMI added.

"Temperatures are still rising mildly so this may not be the final value," CHMI said on X, adding it would publish a full summary of temperatures later in the day.

Like much of Europe, the Czech Republic has been grappling with a heatwave for the past two weeks.

CHMI said the heat is expected to peak on Sunday with temperatures expected to get close or even exceed 41C.

It added that Saturday marked the first time a temperature above 40C had been recorded in June.

Streets in a southern district of Prague were unusually empty on Saturday, according to an AFP journalist, as Czechs opted to stay home, at swimming pools, in parks or air-conditioned spaces, or headed to the countryside for the scorching weekend.

Prague's public transport operator said it had reduced tram speeds to 40 kilometers per hour -- and to 10 kilometers per hour under bridges -- due to the risk of overhead wires warping in the heat.

Water trucks have been spraying streets across the country to cool urban areas and help reduce ground-level ozone levels.

Several festivals and other public events have also installed misting systems to help cool crowds.

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Denmark Records Hottest Day on Record at 37C

A woman uses a fan during the heatwave in Copenhagen, Denmark, 26 June 2026. (EPA)
A woman uses a fan during the heatwave in Copenhagen, Denmark, 26 June 2026. (EPA)
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Denmark Records Hottest Day on Record at 37C

A woman uses a fan during the heatwave in Copenhagen, Denmark, 26 June 2026. (EPA)
A woman uses a fan during the heatwave in Copenhagen, Denmark, 26 June 2026. (EPA)

Denmark recorded its highest temperature on record on Saturday, the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) said.

Around 2:00 pm (1200 GMT), DMI said in a post to X that "with 36.6C north of Odense, we have the warmest day ever since measurements began in 1874,"

With a sense of foreboding, it noted "the day isn't over yet..."

"The record lasted exactly one hour," DMI said in a later post.

"Now 37.0C has been measured at Odum north of Aarhus. And counting..."

The previous record temperature in the Scandinavian country was 36.4C which was recorded in August 1975, according to DMI.

DMI had warned that the record could be broken as a heatwave swept over the Scandinavian country, with media showing images of Danes around the country trying to cool off at beaches or along docks in the cities.

The record coincided with the opening of the Roskilde music festival, and one attendant told public broadcaster DR that dragging his luggage to the campsite was "unbearable".

DR reported that the festival had set up water stations for the some 50,000 festival attendees.

Peter Tanev, meteorologist for broadcaster TV2, noted that for years scientists had anticipated that the record would be broken.

"We've been aware that the risk would be there -- among other things because of global warming," Tanev said in a comment.

"The question right now is, how long will this record stand. It's probably only a matter of time before we reach 40 degrees in Denmark," Tanev wrote.

In neighboring Sweden, the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) also warned that temperatures in the south of Sweden could reach 36C or 37C in some places.

Varieties

Thousands of Vespas Swarm Rome’s Historic Center to Mark Iconic Scooter’s 80th Anniversary

Vespa enthusiasts parade in front of the Colosseum during celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Vespa scooter, in Rome, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP)
Vespa enthusiasts parade in front of the Colosseum during celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Vespa scooter, in Rome, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP)
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Thousands of Vespas Swarm Rome’s Historic Center to Mark Iconic Scooter’s 80th Anniversary

Vespa enthusiasts parade in front of the Colosseum during celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Vespa scooter, in Rome, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP)
Vespa enthusiasts parade in front of the Colosseum during celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Vespa scooter, in Rome, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP)

More than 10,000 Vespas putt-putt-putted around the Colosseum and past the Roman Forum on Saturday, marking the 80th anniversary of the iconic scooter.

Enthusiasts came from all over; the AP spoke to people from across continental Europe, northern England, San Francisco, Australia’s Gold Coast, the Philippines and more. Vespa-borne visitors converged on the Eternal City’s cobblestone streets to celebrate a brand they likewise view as timeless. If for only a day, Ferrari and Ducati were forgotten as the little Vespa left them in its dust.

“The passion for Vespa is for the Italian style, freedom, the ’60s,” said Natalie Dunand, a retiree from France who was celebrating her own 61st birthday, too. “I love it.”

The two-wheeled vehicle to provoke a smile Made world-famous by the film “Roman Holiday” in 1953, when Gregory Peck gave Audrey Hepburn a romantic lift through Rome’s center, Vespas have since featured in others, including “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and more recently the animated “Luca.”

With curved lines evoking a bygone era, plus an ability to produce smiles among onlookers, Vespa — which means “wasp” in Italian — is to two-wheeled transport what the Volkswagen Beetle is to cars.

Its invention was a bit of chance as Italy rebuilt from the rubble after World War II. Piaggio, a major aircraft manufacturer that saw its Pontedera factory destroyed by bombings, had to change gears. Downshifting considerably, Piaggio started churning out scooters.

Women were among initial target clients, according to Davide Zanolini, Piaggio’s executive vice president of marketing, since they could ride them while wearing long skirts and without showing their legs. That's reflected in the Vespa's design.

“The shape, the elegance. This very charming attitude of Vespa is much more of a lady than a man,” Zanolini told The Associated Press in an interview.

That little two-wheeler helped kickstart Italy’s economy, and soon enough they were everywhere.

An AP article from 1950 said that Vespas had become so prevalent that their “staccato exhaust racket” had downtown Rome sounding like the Indy 500.

“There probably isn’t a noisier scooter in all the world,” it said. “Scooters darting loudly around Rome are said to impress motor-minded Americans as strongly as St. Peter’s or the Colosseum. The scooter quickly teaches visitors to look four ways at once at street crossings.”

Such scenes have again become commonplace since Vespa aficionados started arriving on Thursday, flooding streets all over the city and with traveling groups making their presence known in matching T-shirts.

The parking lot outside Rome’s Stadium of the Marbles on Thursday had rows upon rows of Vespas of all makes from the past eight decades. It was like a motorcycle rally — except adorable. Some Vespas featured flowers and stuffed animals.

Dunand’s Westie terrier rode behind her, its fur cut short to cope with the heat. A man from Tokyo, with his 8-year-old daughter behind him, swapped his hometown club's banner with an Italian. Others traded stickers. And the Vespa logo tattooed on a German man’s meaty left calf appeared next to three words in flowery cursive: “La Dolce Vita” — The Sweet Life.

Aficionados spoke about how the brand taps into nostalgia for a certain time, even among those who weren’t alive then. Many also noted that they traded bigger motorcycles for nimbler and more manageable Vespas because they’re lighter and automatic, with the accelerator on the hand grip.

“You get on, twist, go. Doddle. Easy,” said Andrew Walton, a 59-year-old truck driver who bought his first Vespa almost 20 years ago and never looked back. He had just spent eight days riding from Newcastle, first with a ferry to Rotterdam then following the Rhine River through Germany to Austria’s "Romantic Road", and finally down along Italy’s coast.

Buy all the accessories in Vespa Village

Once Rome’s mayor cut the ribbon at the Stadium of the Marbles, visitors streamed in singing, chanting, waving flags. Many made a beeline for the gift shop, where they could snap up anything from Vespa jackets and hats to Vespa blankets, Vespa water bottles and Vespa umbrellas. But most early comers had their eyes on the limited-edition helmet, with “80 Years of an Icon” emblazoned on its side.

A photo retrospective showed Vespas in classic scenes — couples picnicking in a flowering field, seaside escapes with bikinis and a beachball, road trips under the Mediterranean sun — plus others one might not imagine, like explorer Soren Nielsen reaching the Arctic Circle on a Vespa in 1963.

There were also pristine Vespas from Piaggio's collection displayed like posing models to admire, and soaking up attention usually directed toward the nearby marbles with idealized physiques.

The company has sold about 20 million Vespas worldwide since 1946, and today sells in 110 countries, Zanolini said. In the US, they're popular in Florida and California and gaining traction in some other places like Austin. But it’s still a niche product in America, he said.

Burke Sandman, whose family owns a 108-year-old car dealership in Indiana, told the AP in Rome that he bought his first Vespa about two decades ago — captivated by its sidecar. He quickly realized there were no resellers around and got in touch with Vespa to get in the game. He has since moved about 1,000 of them across the US, snagging 15 for himself.

“No one ever says anything bad about a Vespa. You know, it’s crazy,” Sandman said inside the Vespa Village. “Everyone that trades other brands for a Vespa, they never go back. It’s just something about it. And everyone likes Italian stuff. I get a lot of people that come back from Europe, and they’ve got the bug.”