Today's Top Headlines

Thursday, March 13

This morning, the latest on a delayed SpaceX flight meant to bring home two stranded astronauts - including Needham native Sunita Williams. Plus, the court-martial continues for Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira. And, Senate Democrats say they will reject GOP's funding bill as shutdown draws near. That and more in today's top headlines.

It will be even longer before Needham, Massachusetts, native Sunita Williams returns home from space.

NASA is now targeting Friday evening as the earliest it would launch the SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket carrying four crew members meant to replace Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Williams. It scrubbed a liftoff scheduled for Wednesday night due to a hydraulic system issue on the launch pad.

Williams and Wilmore have spent nine months in space, first arriving in June. Williams’ original mission was meant to last eight days, and those in Needham are eager to have her home.

The court-martial for Jack Teixeira, the Massachusetts Air National guardsman who posted government secrets online, will resume Thursday morning.

According to Air Force officials, there is a plea agreement in place, but the details of that plea deal won’t be made public until the hearing this morning.

On Monday, attorneys for 23-year-old Teixeira of North Dighton argued during his court-martial motions hearing — that the obstruction of justice charge against him should be dismissed.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Wednesday that Democrats would reject a government funding bill that Republicans wrote and passed through the House, leaving it uncertain whether Congress can avert a shutdown before Friday night’s deadline.

The House on Tuesday narrowly approved a continuing resolution to keep the government funded through the end of September.

“Funding the government should be a bipartisan effort, but Republicans chose a partisan path, drafting their continuing resolution without any input — any input — from congressional Democrats. Because of that, Republicans do not have the votes in the Senate to invoke cloture on the House CR,” Schumer said on the floor, calling for a one-month funding bill that provides more time to negotiate a deal.

City councilors in Boston voted 12-1 Wednesday to make Boston a sanctuary city for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Councilor-at-Large Julia Mejia and District 9 Councilor Liz Breadon called on Boston to adopt the measure supporting transgender people, pointing to what they see as harmful rhetoric coming from President Donald Trump and the White House.

“Boston is not going to back down,” Mejia said Wednesday. “We’re seeing attacks on our trans loved ones, and here on the local level, a lot of folks are feeling helpless.”

Flakes were flying overnight, but that weak weather system is on its way out this morning. In its wake, the clouds will have the upper hand today. That’s not to say that we won’t get a few slices of sun, but cool winds off the water won’t help the high temperature much: we hold in the 40s today.

Clouds may also play spoiler for the FULL lunar eclipse. Officially, it’s dubbed the Blood Red Worm Moon. The tile “worm” was given by the Native Americans for the month of March (when worm castings first appear after snowmelt). “Blood red” refers to the moon’s color at maximum eclipse, which is around 3 a.m. Yes, you’ll have to get up early – or stay up late – to catch this celestial beauty. The eclipse winds down near 5 a.m.

Still some clouds around tomorrow, but they’re not as thick nor as widespread. That will give us the boost we need to reach the mid-50s away from the coast. Right along the water’s edge we’ll stay in the upper 40s.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire made a bombshell announcement in a social media video Wednesday.

“After careful consideration, I’m announcing that I have made the difficult decision not to seek reelection to the Senate in 2026,” the Democratic senator said. “It’s just time.”

It’s been a pivotal career that’s helped shape New Hampshire political history. She was the first woman elected governor in the state in 1996, and she has served three terms in the Senate since being elected in 2008.