The Artemis II mission to the Moon is a voyage unlike any other in more than half a century. As the first crewed lunar flight since 1972, Artemis II marks the beginning of a new chapter in our relationship with the Moon.

Nasa’s goal is to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon. As the Artemis II ten-day journey concludes, it will be remembered as a profound moment in the history of human spaceflight. Stunning photos and video downlinked to Earth have provided a human perspective on this historic encounter with our celestial neighbour. The experience has rekindled the optimistic spirit of the Apollo era for a new generation.

The mission did not orbit the Moon. Instead, the Orion spacecraft carried the astronauts on a gravity guided loop around Earth’s natural satellite. During their flight, the crew – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen – travelled further into space than any previous human mission.

They reached a maximum distance of 252,756 miles from Earth, exceeding a distance record set by Apollo 13. Afterwards, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen challenged the next generation of explorers “to make sure this record is not long-lived”.

This challenge underscores the current focus of human space exploration. After decades sending its astronauts to low Earth orbit, the US space agency is looking outward again, not just to the Moon, but also Mars.

The mission began with a textbook launch of the Orion spacecraft on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After a day in Earth orbit, Orion’s main engine performed a nearly six minute burn, known as the translunar injection (TLI), to send the capsule on its lunar trajectory.

As Orion headed to the Moon, commander Reid Wiseman captured a stunning view of our home planet. The beautiful image, dubbed Hello, World, shows Earth at night, illuminated only by reflected sunlight from the Moon.

The mesmerising green light of auroras at the poles and the arc of zodiacal light (a faint glow of sunlight scattered by interplanetary dust) highlighted how thin Earth’s atmosphere is.

The image immediately drew comparisons with the iconic Blue Marble photograph taken during the Apollo 17 lunar mission in 1972; the last time humans viewed the entirety of Earth with their own eyes.

Lunar flyby

On the morning of April 6, as the lunar flyby approached, mission control played the crew a special message from astronaut Jim Lovell, recorded before his death in 2025. Lovell is a link to Nasa’s trailblazing past, having flown on both the Apollo 8 mission, the first to reach the Moon, and Apollo 13.

“Welcome to my old neighborhood!” Lovell said. “When Frank Borman, Bill Anders, and I (flew) on Apollo 8, we got humanity’s first up-close look at the Moon… I’m proud to pass that torch on to you.”

His words must have inspired the four astronauts as they began scientific observations of 30 key sites on the lunar surface. These included impact craters and volcanic features on the Moon’s near side and its far side – the face pointed away from the Earth.

The astronauts found the time to name a crater after Reid Wiseman’s wife Carroll, who died of cancer in 2020. In a touching moment, Jeremy Hansen was overwhelmed with emotion as he informed mission control of their suggestion.

Discovering Earth

As Orion travelled behind the Moon, the crew witnessed the blue crescent of Earth setting below the lunar horizon. A photograph, named Earthset, has already become a classic space image. It recalls the legendary Earthrise photograph taken by astronaut Bill Anders during Apollo 8 in 1968.

Earthrise was a defining picture of the Apollo era – credited with inspiring the environmental movement in the 1970s. As Bill Anders commented: “We came all this way to explore the Moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth.”

Anders may have been one of the first astronauts to articulate the “overview effect”. This affects some astronauts while viewing Earth from space. They describe being awestruck by our planet’s beauty and fragility. An enhanced sense of connection to humanity is often reported, as well as a profound feeling of responsibility for the environment.

After Orion emerged from behind the Moon, the crew was treated to a spectacular hour-long solar eclipse. As a mostly darkened Moon blocked out our parent star, the astronauts photographed the Sun’s faint atmosphere, the corona, which was made visible by the eclipse.

They also witnessed flashes of light from meteoroids (small space rocks) impacting the Moon – to the visible delight of scientists at mission control in Houston. Researchers want to understand the dynamics of these impact events, as well as the risk they could pose to future missions.

In his message, Lovell had reminded the astronauts to enjoy the view during their busy flyby. The astronauts later described the strong emotions they felt. Christina Koch said: “I just had an overwhelming sense of being moved by looking at the Moon. It lasted just a second or two… but something just threw me in suddenly to the lunar landscape and it became real.”

Victor Glover added: “I went straight where Christina went, and I was walking around down there on the surface, climbing and off-roading on that amazing terrain.”

Artemis II has shared the astronauts’ sense of wonder with people around the world. Those who have followed the mission will be left with a new appreciation of humankind’s place in the cosmos. The incredible images and human moments offered an unprecedented window into a voyage of pure exploration.

Earlier this year, Nasa’s administrator Jared Isaacman announced a bold new vision for the agency’s Artemis lunar programme, including an increased launch frequency for the SLS rocket and concrete plans for a permanent Moon base.

That vision of the future is off to an extraordinary start. For humanity, a new adventure is just beginning.

BBC presenter Monty Don has shared his regrets after twin sister Alison’s devastating car crash, which left her blinded and tetraplegic, in an emotional interview

Ahead of presenting Have I Got News for You this evening, an evidently emotional Monty Don has shared his heartbreak over a devastating car crash that left his twin sister severely injured when they were teenagers, and the distance that has grown between them now.

Monty and his sister Alison were extraordinarily close during childhood, as he explains: “We grew up together completely for the first six years, barely ever apart.

“We were always in the same class at primary school… we slept in the same room, we shared the same bath, we did everything together,” Monty revealed to podcast host Gyles Brandreth.

Despite growing somewhat apart as they matured – with Monty attending boarding school and developing different interests – their fundamental connection, he insists, “can’t be broken. It’s there. It just is there”.

However, while Monty was enjoying an extended gap year in the south of France, he received a telegram that he immediately recognised as dreadful news: “It just said, ‘Ring home, Alison, accident’,” he remembered.

Monty explains that during the mid-1970s, such a telegram would only have been dispatched in the direst of circumstances, but his profound bond with his sister meant he instantly sensed Alison was in grave danger: “I knew that she hadn’t just fallen off a horse,” he recalled.

Monty reveals that Alison sustained catastrophic injuries in the terrible collision: “She was blinded and made tetraplegic and her lungs … a bag of cement burst and coated her lungs. She was given the last rites.”

His voice breaking with emotion, Monty recounted how he rushed to his sister’s bedside at Stoke Mandeville hospital: “I would lie under her bed and talk to her, and she was blind, and sort of nuts and bolts on her head, and all that sort of thing, and then go out and weep, and then go back and tell her jokes, and tell her about the dogs, and tell her about the garden.”

Further heartbreak awaited Monty when, shortly after Alison’s accident, their mother suffered a heart attack and was also hospitalised: “I had to cook for my father, who was furious,” Monty explained. “Because that was the only way he could express emotion, and he couldn’t cook, and he wouldn’t eat anything my mother hadn’t cooked.”

Yet despite the severity of her injuries, Alison went on to make a remarkable recovery, Monty reveals: “She got married, had children…although she never got the use of one arm and one eye, and she had endless operations, about 50.”

With a tinge of sadness, Monty, now 70, acknowledges that he and Alison are no longer as close as they once were: “I adore my sister.

“I do adore my sister. I love her as much as it’s possible to love another human being who isn’t your partner in life. But we don’t share it very much.”

Concerned that his sister might feel “hurt” by the gulf that has developed between them, Monty adds: “There is no day to day sharing of life. And I feel sad about that. I feel sorry about that.”

Monty Don is hosting Have I Got News for You tonight at 9pm on BBC One.

“He was found very underweight and thirsty. He drank a whole bowl of water as soon as it was offered.”

A severely underweight German Shepard with a number of open wounds was discovered at a farm in Barrhead. The six-year-old male dog was discovered at Salterland Farm in the town on Thursday, April 9 and is now being treated at a vet clinic.

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) said the pooch does have a microchip but the details are out of date. The charity has urged anyone who recognises the dog, or has any information at all, to come forward and they promise confidentiality.

Disturbing images show the badly neglected dog, with bones protruding on its ribcage and the wounds visible all over its body. A Scottish SPCA spokesperson said: “A Male German Shepherd was found on the 9th April in Salterland Farm area, G78.

“He does have a microchip but the details are out of date. He is 6 years old.

“He was found very underweight and thirsty. He drank a whole bowl of water as soon as it was offered.

“He has many open wounds and was previously taken to a private vet before coming into our care. He’s now being treated by our vet clinic.

“If you recognise this dog or can provide any information, please contact our confidential helpline 03000 999 999.”

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE

Paul Townend did not immediately realise the severity of Gold Dancer’s injury after the horse died with a broken back during the Grand National Meeting at Aintree on Friday.

Gold Dancer dragged his back legs through the final fence and landed awkwardly but went on to win the Mildmay Novices’ Chase by four lengths before collapsing.

Townend, who continued to whip Gold Dancer after his stumble on the last, eased the seven-year-old horse down to a trot after crossing the finishing line and quickly dismounted before screens were put up.

Shortly after, it was announced that Gold Dancer could not be saved, while Townend was the subject of a routine stewards’ enquiry following the horse’s death before it was confirmed that the jockey would not face punishment.

According to James Given, the British Horseracing Authority’s director of equine regulation, safety and equine welfare, Townend told the enquiry that Gold Dancer ‘felt normal’ after the stumble on the final fence and that there was ‘no indication’ that the horse had suffered a fatal injury.

‘What happened with the horse I’m sure everyone’s seen, he’s slipped on landing after the last, his hind quarters and legs went to the right-hand side but he popped up very quickly and then galloped away,’ Given told Racing TV.

‘I was in the enquiry when, correctly, the stewards were looking into what happened and I was able to watch the replay from the front and the back and the horse stayed as straight as an arrow, so there’s no indication at that point that there was anything amiss.

‘He [Townend] said all a jockey could do is go on how the horse feels and the horse felt normal to him. It was only when he crossed the finishing line, the finishing line is slightly immaterial here, it’s actually when he was turning left and was when going down from a canter to a trot, a canter is a smoother, rolling action to a trot, a more of a stumpy action, and only when that happened that he felt something change in the horse’s action that was amiss. He puled the horse straight up, dismounted and let the vets attend the horse.

‘The horse stayed, as I say, absolutely straight, he came up, there was no hanging, the hind feet were following exactly the front feet, it was a symmetric action, it wasn’t an asymmetric action, no quarters out to one side or another, it was only when that action changed from a canter down to a trot that the effects of that slip became apparent and the horse showed there was something gone amiss.’

Asked why Gold Dancer could not be saved, Given replied: ‘The horse had collapsed and was unable to rise and the working diagnosis at that point was a fracture to his sacroiliac, lumbar region and at that point there was no ability to recover the horse in that recumbent position.

‘It certainly is [a catastrophic fracture], he’s going to have a post-mortem so we will have an absolute diagnosis of what went wrong. But these are very experienced vets who have unfortunately seen other things like this who are dealing with him.

‘They were able to examine him and see neurological responses to his hind limbs and so on as to what had gone wrong and were then forced to make that decision.’

Meanwhile, Willie Mullins, who was Gold Dancer’s trainer, also defended Townend’s decision to carry on with the race.

‘It’s a big loss because he’s a horse we thought was improving all the time,’ Mullins said.

‘To give such an exhibition of jumping, to give his owner, give me, give Paul, all the people who backed him such a thrill, and then for that to happen after the line is unbelievable. Unbelievable.

‘I haven’t spoken to Paul about the stewards enquiry but he said to me that the horse galloped through the line fine and went down to a slow pace canter. Just as he was turning he went into a trot and that was the first he felt anything. He felt the horse was fine going through the winning post, pulling up in a canter. You have to turn the bend, he pulled on the rein to turn and next thing the horse lost his action. He’s assuming whatever happened, happened there.

‘Everyone has to gather their thoughts. I wanted the vets to go and look and see what they think. I’ll probably talk to them after the last race. What’s done is done. What’s happened has happened. I’m sure they’re looking to see what actually happened if they do an autopsy.

‘I would say Paul didn’t feel the horse had any damage and he galloped all the way to the line. That’s what you do when you’re a rider, like a forward going for goal, you keep going and kick the ball into the net if you can. It’s the same with a jockey. Unless they feel the horse’s action is really wrong, he’s not going to stop. If he stops, he’ll lose his licence and the punters will say ‘why did you pull him up?’

‘He didn’t feel anything was wrong. Horses make mistakes and people out running trip and get up and go on and run another 10 miles and only find out later that night they’ve pulled a muscle somewhere. It’s just life. We can’t legislate for everything. People go on with their daily lives and their daily sports. You do what you have to do. That’s the way I look at it. If Paul thought there was something wrong, he’d be the first man to pull it up.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: Grand National Supercomputer predicts the 2026 winner – and it’s not the 7/1 favourite

MORE: Grand National 2026 sweepstake kit: Download your free printable pack

MORE: Rachael Blackmore reveals Grand National betting tip and 10/1 horse she would avoid

A 20-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s San Francisco home.

The suspect also made threats at the company’s headquarters before he was arrested Friday, police and the company said.

Officers went to Altman’s home for a fire investigation shortly after 4 a.m. Friday, where someone had thrown an incendiary device, setting an exterior gate on fire, and then fled on foot, police said.

Less than an hour later, police were called to a business in a different part of town where a man had reportedly threatened to burn down the building.

Officers recognized the man as the same suspect and detained him, the police department posted on social media. Police haven’t publicly identified the man.

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, released a statement confirming that the home belongs to Altman and that the threats were made at the company’s headquarters. No one was hurt in the incident, the company said, and OpenAI is assisting in the investigation.

Charges have not yet been filed and the police department did not immediately release additional details about the investigation.

A whopping £91 million is up for grabs in tonight’s EuroMillions draw. The National Lottery draw takes place every Tuesday and Friday and can be played by purchasing a ticket of £2.50.

For each EuroMillions ticket you purchase, you are automatically entered into the UK Millionaire Maker game, guaranteeing a £1million UK winner in every draw. The Thunderball will also be drawn, which boasts a top prize of £500,000. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here

Follow the results live:

Samuel Tweddle was one of three people caught on CCTV chasing down Macauley Branighan but maintains that he was not responsible for inflicting the fatal injuries.

The 27-year-old was slashed with the weapon after he was “cornered and attacked” minutes after a chance meeting outside a shop.

Giving evidence in his defence, Tweddle said: “I was part of the chase but I didn’t know the chase was going to result in the death of someone or I wouldn’t have took part.”

Jurors heard how Mr Branighan was kicked, punched and slashed with a machete when he was cornered on Westerton Green, Stockton on October 12.

Under cross-examination by prosecuting barrister Simon Kealey KC, the defendant maintained he was not involved in using the machete on Mr Branighan.

Mr Kealey asked: “Can you think why witnesses would say that all of you were involved?” He replied: “I can’t, no.”

The barrister asked: “Isn’t it simply the truth that all three were involved in attacking Macauley?” He replied: “It isn’t, no.”

CSI, police and ambulance on Westerton Green, Hardwick, Stockton (Image: TERRY BLACKBURN)

The jury heard how a third, unknown person, was responsible for inflicting the machete wounds on Mr Branighan.

Mr Kealey asked Tweddle whether Mr Branighan was on the floor in a foetal position when he saw him on Westerton Green like he said in his defence statement.

Tweddle said: “He was just laid on the floor. I don’t know why I said he was curled up in a ball.”

He told the jury that he saw the third man riding away on his bike while tucking the machete back into his trousers.

Stephen Ward, 25, of Tithe Barn Road in Stockton, and 22-year-old Tweddle, of Kimblesworth Walk, both deny murder. Tweddle also denies possession of a machete.

Earlier in the trial, forensic pathologist Dr Jennifer Bolton told jurors Macaulay suffered five significant knife injuries, including two that went down to the bone, and suffered extensive blood loss as a result.

He died three days later after he suffered multiple organ failure and a brain injury resulting in cardiac arrest.

The trial continues.

Christopher Hindley died in Halliwell, at Byland Close, on April 9.

Greater Manchester Police have confirmed there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

A police spokesperson said: “Police are appealing for the public’s help to trace the family of a man from Bolton.

“Anyone with information about Christopher’s next of kin and or family should contact the Police Coroner’s Office in Bolton on 0161 856 4687.”

Following their appeal, police are urging anyone who may know the next of kin or family of Christopher to get in touch.

Police are urging the public to share information

Two pedestrians were hit by a vehicle which mounted the pavement earlier this week. Now, police are urging the public to come forward with information to support their investigation.

On Monday, April 6, two pedestrians were hit by a vehicle shortly before midnight. The crash happened on Cotterstock Road in Oundle, Peterborough between 11.30pm and 11.45pm, when a vehicle mounted the pavement.

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101 or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Please quote incident number 26000196747 when providing any information to make sure it gets to the right person as quickly as possible.

A balloon release was held in Eastbourne Park on Friday (April 10) evening in memory of Keiron Gorringe, 31, passed away after suffering a medical episode at the Spennymoor police custody suite in the early hours of April 1.

His family believe he should have been safest in the care of the police after he was arrested.

A crowd gathered in the park at 6pm to light flares and hold up banners calling for “Justice 4 Keiron”.

Balloon release for Keiron Gorringe. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Balloon release for Keiron Gorringe. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Speaking before the balloons were let off, his mum Louise Blakey and best friend Corinna Thompson, said: “We just want justice for Keiron and answers. This should never have happened, they have failed him and let him down.

“It has been nearly two weeks now and we still don’t have him back or any answers as to how he died.”

Durham Police said this week it had referred itself to the police watchdog the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) which said it was investigating and would “look at the circumstances around the man’s death, including the actions and decision-making of police.”

Balloon release for Keiron Gorringe. Mum Louise (left). (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

It came just weeks after the death of his brother Kane Quinn, 26, after a suicide attempt on Valentine’s Day, leaving their family heartbroken.

It is understood Keiron was pulled over while driving and then arrested for a court-issued warrant for failure to appear the previous week. His family say this was due to him struggling with the death of Kane.

An IOPC spokesperson added: “We are independently investigating after a 31-year-old man died while in the custody of Durham Constabulary.

Brothers Kane Quinn, 26, and Keiron Gorringe, 31 who died just over a month apart

“Following a referral from the force, IOPC investigators attended the scene and the police post-incident procedures to begin gathering evidence.

“At this stage, we have established the man was arrested by police in the early hours of April 1 and taken to the custody suite at Spennymoor.

“Shortly before 5am, the man appeared unwell in the cell and paramedics were called. The man sadly died at around 6.30am.

“Our investigation, which is independent of the police, will look at the circumstances around the man’s death, including the actions and decision-making of police.

Balloon release for Keiron Gorringe. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“We have obtained initial statements from five officers and staff, and have secured body-worn video footage of the man’s arrest, as well as CCTV from the custody suite.

“Our thoughts are with the man’s family and loved ones, as well as all those affected by his death.”

Keiron’s mum Louise Blakey said he began to have seizures the Saturday before his death but doctors hadn’t been able to figure out why.

She said he seemed himself the day after Kane’s funeral on March 30, but it was that night he was arrested and later died.

Balloon release for Keiron Gorringe. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Kane, Louise and Keiron

Paying tribute to the brothers, the mum-of-nine added: “It is just a living nightmare.

“I don’t know how to feel or what to do as in a way it just doesn’t feel real.

“Kane was Keiron’s first best friend. Kane lost his dad at the age of three and Keiron became a real father figure to him.

“He definitely took Kane’s death the hardest, he just felt he had let him down and he couldn’t deal with it.

“He massively looked up to Keiron as a father figure and was so loved by so many. He kept everything to himself and was a massive loss. His funeral had a huge turn out and so many people were affected.

“Keiron was the life and soul of everyone’s party, he was loyal, respectful and always there for everyone.

“He had lost himself after Kane’s death as he partially blamed himself because he was the oldest and felt obliged to look after the full lot of us. He didn’t have any children but he always wanted one.

“He now won’t get the chance.”

Keiron’s funeral will be held on Thursday, April 30 at 12pm leaving from his mams family home on Lawrence Street at 11.20am then towards Darlington crematorium.