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NASA’s Artemis II crew entered quarantine on March 18 whilst the massive moon rocket completed its journey to the launchpad a day later

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A groundbreaking chapter in space exploration is set to unfold as NASA’s Artemis II mission has achieved a significant milestone. On the evening of Thursday, March 19, the colossal moon rocket made its way to the launchpad for a second attempt, whilst the astronauts preparing for the voyage monitored proceedings via screens from their isolation quarters.

The rocket concluded its trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building to LC-39B, wrapping up an approximately 10-hour nocturnal transfer. Concurrently, the Artemis II crew – Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen – all commenced a 14-day isolation period on March 18, with a potential launch window opening as soon as April 1.

Throughout this isolation phase, medical personnel will conduct health assessments of the astronauts, with additional checks scheduled immediately prior to departure to detect any indicators of potential illness.

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“We choose to isolate the crew for 14 days before a launch because most infectious diseases take 10 to 14 days to be transferred from one person to another,” said Dr Raffi Kuyumjian, the Canadian Space Agency’s flight surgeon.

This protective environment extends to support personnel, technical staff and relatives who may choose to participate as well.

The crew members will be well-versed in the quarantine process, as this marks their third experience, following two earlier scrubbed launch attempts. Artemis II had been scheduled for a February lift-off, but NASA was compelled to scrap the launch attempt and return the rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building in Cape Canaveral for repairs after discovering a helium leak, reports the Express.

Engineers have confirmed the problem has been resolved and are optimistic that a final series of tests at the launch pad will allow the rocket to blast off in early April.

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NASA is targeting 6.24pm Eastern Daylight Time on April 1 – 11.24pm UK time – for Artemis II’s initial launch attempt. Back-up launch windows are available on April 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 if the first date proves unsuccessful. If all these opportunities pass, the month’s final launch window will fall on April 30.

The mission encompasses a 10-day crewed journey that will transport four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, which will function as the exploration vehicle.

It will mark the first human lunar flyby since Apollo 17 in 1972, laying the groundwork for Artemis III, which seeks to land astronauts on the Moon’s surface once again.

Jannik Sinner surpassed Novak Djokovic’s 10-year record for most consecutive sets won at ATP Masters 1000 events by dismantling Frenchman Corentin Moutet at the Miami Open.

Italian world number two Sinner, 24, recorded his 25th and 26th straight sets at the sport’s highest level of tournaments below the Grand Slams in a commanding 71-minute 6-1 6-4 victory.

Sinner had equalled 24-time major champion Djokovic’s previous record of 24 straight sets won in beating Damir Dzumhur in his opening match.

“I am very happy. This sport is unpredictable, so we try to keep attention as much as we can and we’ll see what is coming in the next round,” Sinner said.

Sinner, a four-time Grand Slam winner, has triumphed at the past two Masters 1000 tournaments – winning at Indian Wells earlier this month and Paris in November – without losing a set.

The former world number one was dominant from the start against Moutet, winning 19 of the first 26 points of the match before taking the first set in 22 minutes.

Sinner then clinched his fourth break point to end Moutet’s resistance in the fifth game of the second set before serving his way to victory untroubled.

He will meet American Alex Michelsen in the last 16 as he seeks to continue his bid to become the first man to complete the ‘Sunshine Double’ – winning Indian Wells and the Miami Open back-to-back – since Roger Federer achieved the feat in 2017.

PSNI are appealing to the public for assistance to help locate the Co Tyrone resident

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Police in Strabane said they are becoming increasingly concerned for Strabane resident Tomasz Jabkiewicz.

Tomasz hasn’t been seen for a number of weeks and has not had contact with his family.

A spokesman for the force said: “Should you know of his whereabouts or have any information that could assist Police in locating him then please call 101 quoting 241-20/03/26.”

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At the end of the day, as the sky begins to darken, many people instinctively retreat indoors, turn on the lights and miss the arrival of dusk.

A small but growing movement suggests people can benefit from doing the opposite: stepping outside and observing the slow transition from day to night. This practice, often described as “dusking”, involves watching the light start to disappear, noticing the changing colours of the sky, the emergence of evening sounds, and the quiet rhythms that mark the close of the day.

This practice is rooted in historical traditions found in places as diverse as the Netherlands and parts of Africa. The idea has recently been revived by artist Lucy Wright and by Dutch poet Marjolijn van Heemstra among others.

Wright performs a style of Morris dance that encourages participants “to dance the old sun down”, drawing attention to the moment when daylight fades.

Van Heemstra describes dusking as taking time to simply watch the sunset and the gradual fading of light as a way of reconnecting with natural rhythms. In a world dominated by relentless digital stimulation, she believes that taking time to look at the sky can help restore awareness of our surroundings. She now organises regular dusking events across the Netherlands. “All you need is a chair and a view,” she said.

Across cultures, dusk marks the shift from activity to rest, from work to home, and from light to darkness; a boundary where social rhythms change. These in-between moments can invite reflection on the environment.

Across many cultures, dusk has also been associated with uncertainty and imagination. The fading of light has long been linked to folklore, ghost stories and childhood fears of the dark, moments when the familiar landscape becomes slightly unfamiliar.

When the sun goes down

Dusk also marks a particular point in the daily rhythm of the natural world. Many species become active during this transitional period, including bats leaving their roosts to hunt, while moths and other nocturnal insects begin to fly, and mammals such as deer, foxes, and hedgehogs emerge to forage. Biologists often study dawn and dusk because animal behaviour shifts notably during these times of the day.

The idea behind dusking aligns with studies indicating that briefly focusing on natural surroundings can enhance wellbeing and relaxation. Simply observing changes in light, sound, and atmosphere may also encourage a shift from the constant hustle of the work day to winding down, potentially moving people towards sleep.

Sounds of twilight

In our research, carried out in the North York Moors National Park, participants said that while walking at twilight, or in darkness, they became more aware of natural smells and sounds. The group noticed the transitions from daytime birdsong, with the robin last to tweet, to nighttime animal sounds and the hoot of an owl. These moments frequently produced quiet reflection.

In the last century, the places where people can experience darkness have reduced dramatically because of increasing artificial light glow from homes and office buildings. Now only 10% of the people living in the western hemisphere experience places with dark skies, where there is no, or little, artificial light. And the number of people who can see the Milky Way is reducing all the time.

Previous generations were more accustomed to navigating in low light, using their senses to move through landscapes after sunset. Today, this sensory knowledge has become increasingly rare in our artificially illuminated world.

Artificial lighting frequently masks the subtle environmental cues that once dictated the rhythm of everyday life. Noticing dusk, even briefly, can bring those rhythms back into focus.

The sky darkens, the air cools, birds shift their calls, and the world moves quietly toward night.

To quote the 18th-century poet Thomas Gray: “Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight. And all the air a solemn stillness holds.”

Of course, watching the sunset is hardly a new idea as Gray’s poem shows, but one it seems we may have forgotten to value to our detriment.

North Yorkshire Police said the theft happened in Sainsbury’s Local in Piccadilly on Thursday, February 26.

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Police issued CCTV images of three men the force said it would like to speak to as they may have information which will support the investigation into the theft and asked the public if they recognised them.

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A force spokesperson said: “Email ben.hepworth@northyorkshire.police.uk if you can help.

“Alternatively, you can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 and ask for PC685 Hepworth or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.

“Please quote reference 12260035752 when passing on information.”

Rachel Reeves will unveil a crackdown on companies exploiting the crisis in the Middle East in a bid to protect working people from “unfair price rises”.

The chancellor will lay out plans to MPs in the Commons for an “anti-profiteering framework” to catch firms raising prices unfairly during the Iran war.

She is also expected to call for a more diverse mix of energy sources to protect the public against voilatile oil and gas markets.

It comes following an emergency Cobra meeting on Monday, when Ms Reeves met with Sir Keir Starmer to address the economic impact of the Iran war.

The effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, crucial to the world’s oil supply, has sent prices spiralling – although they fell on Monday after Donald Trump claimed that talks were taknig place with Iran to end the conflict.

Also on Monday, Sir Keir said Britain must be prepared for the Iran war to continue “for some time”.

In a statement following the Cobra meeting, Downing Street said: “The Chancellor set out the steps she will take tomorrow [Tuesday] – in a statement to Parliament – that will help protect working people from unfair price rises.”

Motorists should not drive slower because of Iran oil crisis, minister

Motorists should not drive slower nor buy fuel differently because of the Iran oil crisis, an energy minister has said.

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Michael Shanks was asked by Times Radio if drivers should change their habits as a result of the oil restrictions caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

He told the broadcaster: “They should do everything as absolutely normal because there is no shortage of fuel anywhere in the country at the moment. We monitor this every single day, I look at the numbers personally. There’s no issue at all with that.”

Mr Shanks added: “People should go about their business as normal. That’s what the RAC and the AA have said. It’s really important people do that.

“There’s no shortage of fuel and everything is working as normal.”

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Asked directly if drivers should slow their speed, Mr Shanks replied: “Look genuinely, people shouldn’t change their behaviour or their habits in the slightest.”

Tara Cobham24 March 2026 07:28

Starmer to give Competition and Markets Authority ‘further teeth’ to protect customers

Sir Keir Starmer said on Monday he was looking at giving the Competition and Markets Authority “further teeth” so it can better protect customers.

As part of that, Downing Street said the Government will not hesitate to give the CMA and other regulators “time-limited, targeted powers” if needed. The Treasury, Department for Business and Trade and regulators are working “at pace” on what those powers could be.

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Bryony Gooch24 March 2026 07:10

No 10: Reeves to ‘crack down on companies if they exploit’ Iran war

Chancellor Rachel Reeves, governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey and energy secretary Ed Miliband gave updates on the economy regarding the crisis in the Middle East in a Cobra meeting on Monday.

They stressed that de-escalation and ending the Iran conflict was “the best thing we can do for the economy”, Downing Street said in a readout.

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“The Chancellor set out the steps she will take tomorrow – in a statement to Parliament – that will help protect working people from unfair price rises.

“She spoke about a plan to detect and crack down on companies if they exploit the crisis in the Middle East. This will take the form of a new anti-profiteering framework which will help regulators like the CMA to root out price gouging.”

Bryony Gooch24 March 2026 07:00

Oscar-nominated actress Valerie Perrine has died at the age of 82 after a ‘courageous’ health battle.

The star is best known for playing Eve Teschmacher, the love interest of Lex Luthor in the Superman films, who was played by Gene Hackman.

Announcing her death online, Perrine’s friend Stacey Souther wrote on a GoFundMe page that she died at her home ‘surrounded by love’ on March 23.

This came after a ‘quiet, courageous battle against both Parkinson’s disease and debilitating central tremors.’

Perrine’s acting career included roles in Slaughterhouse-Five, the Electric Horseman and 1974’s Lenny, for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

The star was also known as a global sex symbol, having posed for Playboy magazine twice.

Writing on social media, Souther said: ”It is with deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that Valerie has passed away.

‘She faced Parkinson’s disease with incredible courage and compassion, never once complaining.

‘She was a true inspiration who lived life to the fullest—and what a magnificent life it was. The world feels less beautiful without her in it.

‘I love you, Valerie. I’ll see you on the other side.’

Souther also created a GoFundMe to help fulfill Perrine’s last wish of being buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park after she exhausted her finances during her health battle.

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Life expectancy in the UK has risen dramatically since the Industrial Revolution. For more than a century, people lived increasingly long and healthy lives. But around the turn of the millennium, that progress began to slow.

In 2015, economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton published a landmark study showing something unexpected. From the late 1990s onwards, death rates among middle-aged white Americans without university degrees had started to rise. Three causes of death were driving the trend: suicide, drug overdoses and alcohol-related disease. Case and Deaton called these “deaths of despair” and they have been a topic of research in public health ever since.

Although deaths of despair were originally thought to be a specifically American problem, researchers have been concerned that similar patterns exist elsewhere. New research from my colleague Eurwen Williams and myself suggests they do. And in England and Wales, they are particularly common in one type of place: former coal mining communities.

Coal once powered the UK’s economy. At its peak in 1920, the industry employed more than 5% of the entire UK workforce. Mining shaped towns and villages across England, Wales and Scotland. Work was hard, but it provided stable employment and strong communities. That began to change in the late 20th century.

Competition from imported coal, the shift to oil and gas, and political conflict between miners and government accelerated the industry’s decline. The confrontation reached its peak during the 1984 to 1985 miners’ strike against the government of Margaret Thatcher.

Within a generation, most mines had closed. For many coalfield communities, the economic shock was profound. Jobs disappeared. Local economies struggled to recover. And many areas have never fully recovered. We wanted to understand whether this long economic transition has left a lasting mark on public health.

For our study we examined whether deaths of despair are more common in former coal mining areas than elsewhere. To do this, we linked death registration data from the Office for National Statistics with historical records of coal mines and the dates they closed. This allowed us to compare mortality rates between areas with a history of coal mining and those without.

We analysed deaths between 2015 and 2023 and looked specifically at three causes – suicide, alcohol-related deaths and drug poisoning. What we found was striking.

Across England and Wales, deaths of despair were consistently higher in communities that once relied on coal mining. Alcohol-related deaths were particularly elevated. In some coalfield areas, they were between 27% and 52% higher than in places without a mining history.

Drug poisoning deaths were also much more common, running 23% to 53% higher than elsewhere. While suicide rates were higher too, the difference was smaller, roughly 7% to 19% higher. Perhaps most striking was the fact that these patterns appeared even in places where coal mining ended more than 50 years ago.

More than just poverty

At first glance, it may seem obvious why this happens. Former coalfield areas tend to be poorer than other parts of the country. Poverty is closely linked to poorer health.

But when we adjusted our analysis to account for differences in deprivation, something interesting happened. The gaps became smaller but they didn’t disappear.

Former coal mining communities still had significantly higher rates of alcohol-related deaths and drug poisoning. Suicide rates also remained elevated in areas where mines closed more recently. In other words, poverty alone cannot explain the pattern. Something deeper appears to be at work.

The legacy of industrial decline can shape communities in ways that standard economic measures struggle to capture. The loss of stable employment, the weakening of social institutions and long-term uncertainty about the future can all leave lasting effects. These pressures may contribute to the kinds of distress that lead to deaths of despair.

A wider pattern of health inquality

Our findings fit with a growing body of research on health in former coalfield communities. Previous studies have found higher rates of mental health problems in these areas. Others have identified other public health issues, including greater use of anabolic steroids and lower uptake of COVID-19 vaccines.

Taken together, these studies suggest the effects of deindustrialisation can persist for decades. Coal may be gone, but the consequences remain.

The decline of coal is one of the clearest examples in modern Britain of how economic transitions can reshape communities. It shows how the effects of industrial change can outlive the industries themselves.

Many economists believe the world may be entering another major economic shift. Advances in artificial intelligence are already beginning to reshape parts of the labour market.

History suggests these transitions need to be managed carefully. For decades, the UK has often relied on markets to absorb economic shocks, with limited industrial strategy to support the places most affected. But our findings highlight what can happen when communities face large economic changes without timely support.

The story of Britain’s coalfields is not just about the past. It is a reminder that economic transitions leave deep marks on people and places. And if we want to avoid repeating those mistakes, we need to learn from them.