The 30th mission in the US space shuttle program is carried out, as the crew of five service astronauts launches a classified payload from the orbiter Columbia. It is the longest military shuttle flight to date.
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
