Residents of Deansgate Square’s West Tower have been left in the dark for days after an internal electrical fault, with some forced into hotels as a luxury development struggles to restore basic services

It is one of Manchester’s most luxurious apartment blocks. Towering over the city at 44 floors, the glass West Tower building permanently changed the city’s skyline when it opened and is home to wealthy footballers and social media influencers.

The Renaker development, which was completed just six years ago, comprises a cluster of four towers – named North, East, South and West – and is made up of 1,508 properties including one, two and three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom penthouses. The properties are known as The Residences, marketed as ‘extraordinary apartments’ with ‘exceptional service’.

Situated at Deansgate Square, penthouses are sold for as much as £2.5m. They boast unrivalled views right across Manchester and offer their residents access to extensive facilities, including a 22,000 square foot health and wellbeing space.

Renters can expect to fork out anything between £1,400 and £2,300 a month for the privilege, up to £20,000 for penthouses and more premium apartments and duplex penthouses.

But for the third night the block will stand unilluminated. Residents have been forced to leave, having to find budget hotels elsewhere to stay in with a £120 per-night offering from the management firm, and an offering of food cover at up to £40 a day.

Residents had been given the choice of staying in their apartments without power, or to arrange the alternative arrangements amid the outage.

This is because the tower block was suddenly plunged into darkness at around 9pm on Wednesday night (April 8). The electrics first went off in the apartments, leaving no hot water and no way to use any facilities in each home. But it’s understood the management team first sought to reassure residents that works were ongoing to rectify the problem.

The power and hot water then remained off across Thursday (April 9), before a flurry of emails were sent to all residents advising them that the problem was more than it had seemed.

It will likely not be repaired until Monday.

But for a block of this size, suffering internal electrical faults, it has since left hundreds with no option but to crash with relatives or find budget hotels in and around the city, to then be reimbursed at a later date.

The plush block is known to be home to several high profile residents – including Premier League footballers. An insider has told the M.E.N that one footballer resident has been transferred to another apartment in an adjacent tower, while another has headed to a hotel like fellow residents.

One rental tenant has slammed the incident as ‘very concerning’ and claimed that they did not have the available finances to self-fund hotel stays. Another said the reception area was ‘busy with angry people’ on Thursday night as crowds packed their bags for a long weekend away from home.

Others, including a resident with cats, are reportedly opting to stay in their apartments without any electricity instead of forking out for rooms elsewhere.

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The email to residents said costs would be covered of up to £120 per night for accommodation and that meal costs would be provided for single people and couples, while families were told to speak to staff for ‘further guidance’. The original email from The Residences also suggested a number of budget hotels residents could consider, including Motel One, Premier Inn or Romzzz Aparthotels which are ‘well within the £120 budget’.

The firm also added that their “immediate priority is to assist those who require urgent support, particularly those who are vulnerable, including elderly residents, individuals with disabilities, families with young children, and anyone experiencing financial hardship”.

The Manchester Evening News has learned that the cause of the power outage was identified as a ‘fault with the busbar within the Deansgate Square site’. A busbar acts as a central connection point which conducts and distributes electricity in industrial, commercial and residential systems.

It’s also understood that generator specialists Pleavin Power have been drafted in to deliver ‘disaster recovery support’ for the time being and remain at the site.

“This is not an old building we are talking about here”

“I think it’s concerning,” one resident told the M.E.N on Friday (April 10), who has opted to stay with relatives over worries about hotel prices in the city. “This is not an old building that we’re talking about here. This is a new building. There should be contingency plans in place.

“What I’ve seen over the past 24 hours has been chaos. It’s been people not knowing what is happening. People not being able to afford hotels and desperately finding family members to go with. In a world where we are heavily reliant on technology for electricity, where pretty much everything runs off electric now.

“Your home is somewhere you should feel safe, and if this was a normal house you’d have the electricity board round quickly or emergency electrician to fix it in 24 hours, so I find it all the more concerning that this can happen at a building of this size. It’s awful really when you pay so much for a service.

“A lot of these hotels don’t have cooking facilities, and a McDonald’s or UberEats isn’t the same as a homecooked meal in your own house, so the whole thing is worrying and stressful.”

On Friday night (April 10), a huge generator was placed outside the tower, with workers still remaining on site. One resident said: “They’ve got a generator outside and it’s all getting fixed up now, but it’s such a big job, they’ve got to get wires up to the 44th floor.

“It’s like a big monstrous tank and they’ve told us they’ll be working all night to get it set up. The generator will be live from Monday but I’ve been told it could have to stay there for weeks while they try to find out the problem.”

And responding to the offer of a £120 hotel reimbursement, they added: “They’ve sent an email saying you’ll get covered, and that it will probably be taken out of rent. That’s okay for people who can pay upfront for hotel stays, but unfortunately some people can’t afford to go to a hotel so are having to stay in their apartments without power.”

“There wasn’t even cold water. There was nothing at all”

Another resident has told of the moment electricity initially cut off on Wednesday night. They said they went to bed but woke up the following morning to find that the power outage remained.

“It was at around 11pm when it all went off and everybody sort of congregated wondering what was going on,” they said. “We didn’t really seem to know anything but there were rumours it would be sorted by 5am, so we just went to bed and thought that when we woke up, it’d be fine. But it was still off.

“There wasn’t even cold water, there was nothing at all. They were giving people bottles of water. I think everybody was just a bit p***ed because obviously it was like 11 at night.

“Everyone was tired. Everyone was just asking each other what they could do. I think most people will have left. We just decided to get a hotel and then got an email last night saying there wouldn’t be anything [power] until at least Monday. They recommended getting a hotel for the weekend.

“I think we’ll just leave for the foreseeable until we get another email. But even with the compensation, we don’t know when we’re going to get it back, so obviously people will have to spend at least £500 for the next five days.”

Multiple residents told the Manchester Evening News how power in communal areas and the use of emergency lighting remained, with the individual homes seemingly worst-hit by the outage. Manchester City Council confirmed that it had not been directly involved in dealing with or supporting displaced residents, with the management firm covering accommodation reimbursement costs.

Another resident of a two-bed apartment pays £2,400 a month. They chose to stay in the unpowered flat for their pet cats, adding: “There are so many pets in the building and they haven’t been considered at all in this situation. I’m having to stay in the building with no food, light or heating for my cats.”

On Friday evening, West Tower again stood for a third night mostly in darkness alongside its illuminated neighbours. It is not known how many people chose to vacate their homes or remain there without any power.

On Thursday, Deansgate Councillor Joan Davies echoed how power-cuts in high rise apartments like West Tower ‘have a huge impact’ with essentials like water supply affected.

“Power cuts in high rise buildings have a huge impact on residents, particularly where apartment water supply fails. I have contacted Electricity North West who confirm the problem is an internal building issue,” Coun Davies said.

“Deansgate Councillors would be interested to hear from residents and will be speaking with managing agents as soon as possible. We hope to hear that a permanent solution will be rapidly provided.”

An email from The Residences Management, seen by the M.E.N,was sent to residents on Thursday evening updating them of the situation. In it, they “sincerely apologise for the disruption and inconvenience caused”.

It said: “The cause of the outage has now been identified as a fault with the busbar within the Deansgate Square site, which is impacting power supply to all properties within West Tower.

“This section of the development is managed by a third party, who are working closely with their contractors to restore power as quickly as possible. The replacement component is bespoke and is currently being manufactured, with delivery expected onsite next week. Following this, insurers will investigate the cause of the outage and carry out the necessary loss adjustment process.”

It continued: “Although we had previously advised that the power may be restored to apartments this evening, due to unforeseen complications, it is anticipated that temporary generator power will not be in effect until Monday 13th April 2026.

“Whilst there is no power to apartments, we can confirm that there is an emergency supply to all lifts and life safety systems (fire alarm system, automatic opening smoke vents, sprinkler system) within the building, which remain fully operational during this period.

“In the meantime, residents have the choice to stay in the building or arrange alternative hotel accommodation from this evening until Monday 13 April 2026, when temporary power is anticipated to be restored.”

Legal and General (L&G), which owns the development also told the M.E.N generator power for homes in the high-rise apartment block should be in place from Monday. “We recognise the disruption this power outage has caused for our residents,” a statement read. “The technical issue has been traced to a fault within infrastructure managed by a third party, and their teams are working with contractors to restore supply as quickly as possible, with generator power expected to be in place from Monday, April 13.

“In the meantime, we’re reimbursing accommodation and meal costs for residents who choose to relocate, and those who remain can be reassured that emergency power to lifts and all life-safety systems remain fully operational. The wellbeing of our residents remains our top priority, and we thank them for their patience whilst this technical issue is resolved.”

HOUSTON (AP) — Their dramatic grand finale fast approaching, Artemis II’s astronauts aimed for a splashdown in the Pacific on Friday to close out humanity’s first voyage to the moon in more than half a century.

The tension in Mission Control mounted as the miles melted away between the four returning astronauts and Earth.

All eyes were on the capsule’s life-protecting heat shield that has to withstand thousands of degrees during reentry. On the only other test flight of the spacecraft — in 2022, with no one on board — the shield’s charred exterior came back looking as pockmarked as the moon.

Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen were on track to hit the atmosphere traveling Mach 32 — or 32 times the speed of sound — a blistering blur not seen since NASA’s Apollo moonshots of the 1960s and 1970s.

They didn’t plan on taking manual control except in an emergency. Their Orion capsule, dubbed Integrity, is completely self-flying.

Like so many others, lead flight director Jeff Radigan anticipated feeling some of that “irrational fear that is human nature,” especially during the six minutes of communication blackout preceding the opening of the parachutes. The recovery ship USS John P. Murtha awaited the crew’s arrival, along with a squadron of military planes and helicopters.

The last time NASA and the Defense Department teamed up for a lunar crew’s reentry was Apollo 17 in 1972. Artemis II was projected to come screaming back at 34,965 feet (10,657 meters) per second — or 23,840 mph (38,367 kph) — not a record but still mind-bogglingly fast before slowing to a 19 mph (30 kph) splashdown.

Artemis II’s record flyby and lunar views

Launched from Florida on April 1, the astronauts racked up one win after another as they deftly navigated NASA’s long-awaited lunar comeback, the first major step in establishing a sustainable moon base.

Artemis II didn’t land on the moon or even orbit it. But it broke Apollo 13’s distance record, making Wiseman and his crew the farthest that humans have ever journeyed from Earth when they reached 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers). Then in the mission’s most heart-tugging scene, the teary astronauts asked permission to name a pair of craters after their moonship and Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll.

During the record-breaking flyby, they documented scenes of the lunar far side never seen before by the naked eye and savored a total solar eclipse courtesy of the cosmos thanks to their launch date. The eclipse, in particular, “just blew all of us away,” Glover said.

Their sense of wonder and love awed everyone, as did their breathtaking pictures of the moon and Earth. The Artemis II crew channeled Apollo 8’s first lunar explorers with Earthset, showing our blue marble setting behind the gray moon. It was reminiscent of Apollo 8’s famous Earthrise shot from 1968.

“It just makes you want to continue to go back,” Radigan said on the eve of splashdown. “It’s the first of many trips and we just need to continue on because there’s so much” more to learn about the moon.

Their moonshot drew global attention as well as star power, earning props from President Donald Trump; Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney; Britain’s King Charles III; Ryan Gosling, star of the latest space flick “Project Hail Mary”; Scarlett Johansson of the Marvel Cinematic Universe; and even Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner of TV’s original “Star Trek.”

Artemis II was a test flight for future moon missions

Despite its rich scientific yield, the nearly 10-day flight was not without technical issues. Both the capsule’s drinking water and propellant systems were hit with valve problems. In perhaps the most high-profile predicament, toilet trouble prevented the crew from using it for No. 1 most of the trip, forcing them to resort to old-time bags and funnels.

The astronauts shrugged it all off.

“We can’t explore deeper unless we are doing a few things that are inconvenient,” Koch said, “unless we’re making a few sacrifices, unless we’re taking a few risks, and those things are all worth it.”

Added Hansen: “You do a lot of testing on the ground, but your final test is when you get this hardware to space and it’s a doozy.”

Under the revamped Artemis program, next year’s Artemis III will see astronauts practice docking their capsule with a lunar lander or two in orbit around Earth. Artemis IV will attempt to land a crew of two near the moon’s south pole in 2028.

The Artemis II crew’s allegiance was to those next Artemis crews, Wiseman said.

“But we really hoped in our soul is that we could for just for a moment have the world pause and remember that this is a beautiful planet and a very special place in our universe, and we should all cherish what we have been gifted,” he said.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

In a joint statement on Friday afternoon, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little Pengelly confirmed that they have written to the Prime Minister

First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly have called for a reduction in fuel duty and a package of measures to support hauliers, farmers and SMEs.

This comes after a series of protests similar to those in the Republic have been planned for Northern Ireland over the coming days.

In a statement issued late on Friday afternoon, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little Pengelly confirmed that they have written to the Prime Minister calling on him to take urgent action.

“We are deeply concerned about the escalating pressures facing families, workers and businesses as fuel and energy costs continue to rise. The cost of fuel is putting significant pressure on, with increases not sustainable. These pressures are being felt in family homes here and beyond,” they said.

“Alongside rising fuel costs and escalating energy bills, there is also an impact on businesses. Our hauliers, our farmers, and small and medium-sized enterprises are facing sharply increased operating costs too and these costs are inevitably being passed on further, deepening the cost-of-living crisis.“Families and businesses cannot continue to absorb these sustained increases without intervention which is why we are calling on the Prime Minister to bring forward a package of measures to support those under pressure.

“This package should include a reduction in fuel duty to ease pressure on both households and businesses, targeted support for hauliers, farmers and SMEs and a comprehensive cost of living support package.

“Given the scale and immediacy of this crisis, we have asked the Prime Minister to act decisively and without delay.”

Earlier today, Alliance leader Naomi Long and Lagan Valley MP Sorcha Eastwood also wrote to the Prime Minister calling on a series of measures to be introduced to assist with the rising costs following the war in the Middle East. The pair asked the Prime Minister to consider a temporary reduction in fuel duty alongside a temporary reduction or removal of VAT on agricultural diesel and home heating oil, while also calling for an increased windfall tax on energy companies.

Protests have caused disruption across the Republic of Ireland in recent days, and similar protests have taken place in France and Norway.

As the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service raised concerns about the impact of the potential protests, the Ulster Unionist Party have stressed that demonstrations must remain lawful, protect access to the road network, and never hinder emergency services.

A Party spokesperson said: “The Ulster Unionist Party fully understands the frustrations being felt by everyone and businesses across Northern Ireland who are being hammered by sky high fuel costs. We also recognise the serious pressures facing our farmers, who are dealing with mounting fertiliser costs that will inevitably have knock on effects on food prices for everyone.

“Everyone has a legitimate right to protest, but it is a qualified right. Any protest must be lawful, must respect other people’s right to use the road network, to go about their daily lives and to run their livelihoods. Most importantly, protests must not impede the vital work of our emergency services.

“The Ulster Unionist Party will continue to call on the UK Government to implement a realistic, long-term plan for a substantial cut in fuel duty and to do so immediately. Working families, businesses and our farming community need support. These are the people being punished simply for going out to work and keeping our economy moving. Freezing or reversing duty increases is no longer enough; the Government needs bold action now.”

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Now armed with the figures, I entered my address on Virgin’s site to confirm I could get the fastest speed (Gig1) in my area, closed my laptop and made a note to sort it out before the annual price increase on April 1st.

That was where I went wrong. In the four days that followed, I had six missed calls from Sky, presumably hoping to convince me to sign a new contract, and 12 from Virgin hoping to seal the deal. These came every couple of hours until I got so fed up, I blocked the number.

By the fourth day I was so angry that I contemplated no broadband at all just for some peace. Instead, I did what Virgin was no doubt hoping I would do: I opened my laptop back up and completed the switch. It took 10 minutes.

Before doing this, I rang Sky to see if it was able to match Virgin’s price for a similar speed. I’d always recommend this. Sadly, it came out £11 a month more expensive, despite my years of loyalty. I hung up, a little disappointed my 14-year relationship was resulting in divorce without so much as a trip to the couple’s counsellor.

Since the early days of Cuba’s 1950s revolution – which overthrew the US-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista and replaced it with a socialist government led by Fidel Castro – the Cuban diaspora have played a large role in determining the island nation’s economic and political landscape.

The first wave of predominantly wealthy, white Cuban emigrants have for decades campaigned for a watertight embargo against their homeland. Many fled immediately after the revolution succeeded in 1959, primarily to the US, and have largely refused to visit their homeland on principle.

More recent Cuban emigrants who have left the island (again overwhelmingly to the US) since the economic crisis of the 1990s, are generally less affluent and have less political clout. They have forged cross-border links with friends and family members who remain on the island. Through the remittances they send back, these people are now a vital source of foreign currency for Cuba.

The regime in Havana has traditionally maintained a disdainful attitude towards the Cuban diaspora. In the early waves of migration, Cuba’s government officially referred to those who emigrated as gusanos (worms) – traitors aiming to overthrow the government. Expat investment in Cuba was subsequently banned.

But following recent negotiations with the US, this policy posture has changed significantly. After decades of restricting its relationship with the diaspora, the Cuban government announced in March 2026 that it would allow Cuban emigrants residing in places like the US to return to the country, invest in the private sector and own businesses.

In an interview with NBC News on March 16, Cuba’s minister of foreign trade and investment, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, said: “Cuba is open to having a fluid commercial relationship with US companies and also with Cubans residing in the United States and their descendants.”

Washington’s blessings

The policy change comes as Cuba desperately attempts to rescue its devastated economy. A slew of economic and fuel embargoes imposed by the US government since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025 have led to a severe crisis in the country.

Many Cubans are struggling to find food, medicine and other essential goods, while severe energy shortages are causing periods of complete blackout across the nation. The situation has become so dire that, for the first time in six decades, sporadic protests have broken out against the Cuban government.

In one of these protests, people in the central city of Morón ransacked a Communist Party headquarters. Videos on social media showed a group of people approaching the building with flaming objects, shouting “freedom, freedom” as they threw them inside.

The current state of affairs in Cuba has presented the US with an opportunity to orchestrate regime change – something it has sought for years. And proclamations by Trump and his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, suggest this may well be the US government’s intention.

In comments made to reporters in March, Trump said he believes he will have “the honour of taking Cuba”. He added: “Whether I free [Cuba], take it – I could do anything I want with it. You want to know the truth? They’re a very weakened nation right now.”

Rubio, who is the son of Cuban emigrants and has traditionally been hawkish about delivering regime change in Cuba, then declared: “Who’s going to invest billions of dollars in a communist country run by incompetent communists? … Giving people economic and political freedom is important, but they come hand in hand. They come together.”

Despite this rhetoric, many in Washington remain cautious about triggering an outright collapse of the regime. State collapse would almost certainly lead to an increase in the flow of Cuban refugees to the US – something the Trump administration wants to avoid.

While weakened, the regime in Havana remains in place. The extended Castro family still wields considerable power and influence in the country. The men leading the talks with the US, Fraga and Raúl Rodríguez, are two of Fidel Castro’s great-nephews.

Cuba’s president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, has said he will not resign under US pressure. He told NBC News on April 9 that “the concept of revolutionaries giving up and stepping down [is] not part of our vocabulary”.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, later said that Moscow, a longstanding ally of the regime in Havana, had no intention of abandoning Cuba.

Despite publicly calling for fundamental reform to the power structure in Havana, Washington’s approach towards Cuba seems primarily aimed at using its leverage to encourage the regime to make concessions that diminish the island’s value to US adversaries.

The US government has encouraged Havana to open its doors to expat investment before. Under the presidency of Barack Obama, who is credited with reestablishing diplomatic relations with Havana in 2009 after half a century of diplomatic blockades, the flow of people and remittances between the US and Cuba expanded.

This warming of relations created some opportunities for increased investment in Cuba, both by US citizens and Cuban emigrants. But the Cuban government maintained significant restrictions on large investments by Cubans living abroad, which hindered the full potential of foreign investment.

Fast forward to today, and the far more desperate economic and political situation in Cuba has made the regime in Havana more open to the demands of the US to restructure its governance. At this juncture, Cuba’s diaspora can be a much-needed catalyst for change in their home country.

In a letter to the chief inspector of the AAIB, Robert Balls, they reportedly wrote: “A review by the UK AAIB would provide families like ours with greater confidence that all technical aspects have been properly examined. We are only seeking the truth and reassurance that such a tragedy will not happen again in the future.”

The Aintree Grand National is the most popular horse race in the world, with millions of people around the world watching and placing bets on the legendary steeplechase every year.

Careers have been defined by what happens over the Grand National fences at Aintree in Liverpool, and this year the winner will get £500,000, from a total prize fund of £1,000,000.

The first Grand National took place back in 1839. The winning horse was called ‘Lottery’ and the odds were 5-1. While the national is often considered a lottery, int erms of predicting a winner, there are a number of fancied favourites this year for the 4m 2f 74yds course.

The shortest-priced winner ever was Tiger Roll at 4-1 in 2019, when he became the first back-to-back Grand National champion since Red Rum in the 1970s.

The biggest price was Mon Mome in 2009 (100-1), with last year’s winner – Nick Rockett – going off at 33-1. The defending champion has been ruled out though injury, but 2024 winner I Am Maximus is one of the favourites at just 7/1.

The average price of the winner this century has been just under 24-1.

Here’s your complete guide to racing’s most illustrious steeplechase, which takes place at 4pm on Saturday, April 11th.

The Grand National field in full

Number, Name (Nationality), Owner, Trainer, Jockey – Odds

1 I Am Maximus (FR) p 10 11 12 Mr John P. McManus W. P. Mullins Ireland P. Townend – 7/1

3 Banbridge (IRE) v 10 11 11 Mr R. A. Bartlett Joseph Patrick O’Brien Ireland J. J. Slevin – 33/1

4 Grangeclare West (IRE) 10 11 10 Cheveley Park Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland – 9/1

5 Gerri Colombe (FR) p 10 11 10 Robcour Gordon Elliott Ireland 22/1

6 Haiti Couleurs (FR) 9 11 10 Conyers, McDermott and Prowting Rebecca Curtis Sean Bowen – 16/1

8 Firefox (IRE) ts 8 11 4 Bective Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland – 50/1

9 Monty’s Star (IRE) 9 11 3 Mr Barry Maloney Henry de Bromhead Ireland – 16/1

10 Spanish Harlem (FR) ts, p 8 11 3 Dr S. P. Fitzgerald W. P. Mullins Ireland – 28/1

11 Lecky Watson (IRE) 8 11 2 Slaneyville Syndicate W. P. Mullins Ireland – 22/1

12 Champ Kiely (IRE) 10 11 1 Miss M. A. Masterson W. P. Mullins Ireland – 22/1

13 Iroko (FR) ts 8 11 1 Mr John P. McManus Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero Jonjo O’Neill Jr. – 14/1

14 Favori de Champdou (FR) bl 11 11 1 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland – 40/1

15 Three Card Brag (IRE) p 9 11 0 McNeill Family/Patrick & Scott Bryceland Gordon Elliott Ireland – 50/1

16 Oscars Brother (IRE) 8 10 13 Mr John P. McManus Connor King Ireland – 16/1

17 Mr Vango (IRE) ts, p 10 10 12 Cracker and Smodge Partnership Sara Bradstock Jack Tudor – 66/1

18 High Class Hero 9 10 11 Sullivan Group Ltd/P. Crowley/N. Hughes W. P. Mullins Ireland – 40/1

19 Stellar Story (IRE) bl,ts 9 10 11 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Ireland – 25/1

20 Beauport (IRE) ts 10 10 11 Bryan & Philippa Burrough Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies – 66/1

21 Captain Cody (IRE) 8 10 10 V Caldwell/A Shamoon/Mrs A Shamoon Ibgi W. P. Mullins Ireland – 16/1

22 Jagwar (FR) ts, p 7 10 10 Mr John P. McManus Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero – 10/1

23 Perceval Legallois (FR) 9 10 9 Mr John P. McManus Gavin Cromwell Ireland Harry Cobden – 25/1

24 Gorgeous Tom (IRE) 8 10 9 Envirogreen Housing Services Ltd Henry de Bromhead Ireland Sean Flanagan – 20/1

25 The Real Whacker (IRE) 10 10 9 Neville, Mann, Duffus & Dennis-Price Patrick Neville Gavin Sheehan – 66/1

26 Quai de Bourbon (FR) p 7 10 9 Gigginstown House Stud W. P. Mullins Ireland – 25/1

27 Answer To Kayf 10 10 8 Mr Denis A. O’Connor Terence O’Brien Ireland – 66/1

28 Jordans (FR) 7 10 8 Cheeky Pups Syndicate Joseph Patrick O’Brien Ireland Ben Jones – 28/1

29 Final Orders 10 10 5 C. M. D. Syndicate Gavin Cromwell Ireland Conor Stone-Walsh – 22/1

30 Marble Sands (FR) 10 10 5 DL Adams, JA Adams & G McPherson David Killahena & Graeme McPherson Kielan Woods – 50/1

31 Panic Attack (IRE) 10 10 5 Bryan Drew Dan Skelton Harry Skelton – 15/2

32 Top of The Bill (IRE) p 10 10 5 Mr Charlie Walker Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Toby McCain-Mitchell – 50/1

33 Johnnywho (IRE) ts, p 9 10 4 Mr John P. McManus Jonjo & A.J. O’Neill Richie McLernon – 12/1

34 Twig p 11 10 4 Mrs G. Morgan Ben Pauling Beau Morgan – 40/1

R36 Imperial Saint (FR) 8 10 2 Richard Johnson Racing Imperial Saint Philip Hobbs & Johnson White Callum Pritchard – 50/1

R37 Amirite (IRE) ts 10 10 2 Patrick Hale Henry de Bromhead Ireland 80/1

Reserves

R38 Ain’t That A Shame (IRE) 12 10 2 Eventmasters Racing Tom Ellis Jack Andrews

R39 Deep Cave (IRE) 8 10 2 Sue Howell Christian Williams

R40 Buddy One (IRE) p 9 10 2 E. Lynch/T.C.Quinn/John J. McGrath Paul John Gilligan Ireland

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Five people have been charged with murder in a deadly Northern California explosion at a fireworks warehouse that killed seven people and shook a tiny farming community, authorities said Friday.

The charges stem from a grand jury indictment that found five people, including a former Yolo County Sheriff lieutenant, responsible for the explosion that injured two others, Yolo County Deputy District Attorney Clara Nabity said.

The deadly fireworks explosion near the community of Esparto sparked a massive fire and led to nearby Fourth of July celebrations being called off.

Those charged with murder include Samuel Machado, who owned the warehouse about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Sacramento. At the time, he was a lieutenant with the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office.

“Samuel Machado’s participation included using his role as a trusted lieutenant to help shield the conspiracy as it expanded and the expansion was significant,” Nabity said, adding that the warehouse went from having 13 fireworks storage containers in 2015 to 50 last year. At the time of the explosion, there were 1 million pounds of fireworks kept at the facility, she said.

Kenneth Chee, owner of Devastating Pyrotechnics, whose illegal fireworks were being stored at Machado’s warehouse, has also been charged with murder and was arrested in Florida. He appeared in a Florida courtroom Friday and was told he will be extradited to California within the week, KCRA-TV reported.

Authorities also arrested Jack Lee, the operations manager for Devastating Pyrotechnic, and Gary Chan Jr., whose name is on the company’s federal license, the television station reported. Both also face murder charges. The fifth person charged with murder is Douglas Tollefson, who has not yet been arrested. Tollefson’s role in the explosion was not immediately known.

“This is not a case just about fireworks,” Yolo County Deputy District Attorney Clara Nabity said. “They are devices that have so much more explosive fireworks than the law allows that they can’t be considered fireworks.”

Nabity said a total of eight people face 30 charges in the case, including murder, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of illegal assault weapons, illegal explosives possession, insurance fraud, child endangerment and animal cruelty.

Machado, Chee, Lee, Chan were arrested Thursday along with Craig Cutright, the owner of Blackstar Fireworks, which operated at the Esparto property owned by Machado and his wife, was also among those arrested. Cutright, was a volunteer firefighter for the Esparto Fire District and was also listed as an employee of Devastating Pyrotechnics.

Two teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man aged in his 70s was ‘punched to death’ in Cheltenham.

Two boys aged 16 and 17 were arrested following an altercation with a cyclist in his 70s on Wednesday night.

The cyclist had a branch thrown at him from the Millennium Bridge.

He confronted the two males suspected of throwing the branch on Honeybourne Way, before one punched him in the face knocking him to the ground.

The suspects fled the scene but were first arrested on suspicion of suspcion of causing grievous bodily harm.

The victim was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and died earlier today.

Gloucestershire Police said: ‘Two teenage boys have been arrested after police released CCTV images in connection with a serious assault in Cheltenham on Wednesday night (8 April).

Since their arrests, the victim has died and the suspects have been rearrested on suspicion of murder.

Following information provided by the public, a 17-year-old boy was arrested last night (Thursday) and a 16-year-old boy was arrested in the early hours of this morning (Friday). 

‘It was reported that two males had been on the Millennium Bridge and had thrown a large branch at a cyclist who was travelling on the road below. It is not believed the cyclist was injured.

‘The males then left the bridge and were approached by the victim, a man aged in his 70s, on Honeybourne Way.

‘It is reported an exchange took place between them before one of the male punched the victim in the face causing him to fall to the ground. 

‘The suspects then fled before officers arrived at the location.

‘Emergency services attended and the victim was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. He had been in a critical condition and died in hospital earlier today (Friday 10 April). His next of kin and the coroner have been informed.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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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.