Do the all-female Blue Origin rocket crew count as astronauts? And what Katy Perry sang in space

Do the all-female Blue Origin rocket crew count as astronauts? And what Katy Perry sang in space

It's been more than 60 years since a woman travelled into space without a man. And now six of them are blasting off from Earth.Popstar Katy Perry, author Lauren Sanchez, journalist and TV presenter Gayle King, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, former rocket scientist Aisha Bowe and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn are due to launch in Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket today.It will be the latest flight of the New Shepard programme, named NS-31, and is aiming to "create a lasting […]

12/04/2025 1

UK

Major incident declared after gas explosion causes house collapse

A major incident has been declared in Nottinghamshire after a gas explosion caused a house to collapse.There is still a "substantial emergency service presence" in place after the explosion in John Street, Worksop just after 7.30pm on Saturday.Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) declared it a "major incident" and said "multiple houses in and around John Street have been evacuated".Nearby Crown Place Community Centre has been opened as a "place of safety", the service said. Around 20 people have sought […]

12/04/2025

US

US-Iran talks exceeded expectations – but the first round was the easy bit

The talks in Muscat lasted only two hours.The two delegations - Iran and the US - were in separate rooms, with Oman's experienced and respected foreign minister Badr Albusaidi acting as host and go-between.The brevity shouldn't be read as a sign of failure - this should be seen as an opening act, a trust-building exercise where both sides lay out their starting positions and lay the ground for further talks.Read more: Iran says 'indirect US talks' over nuclear programme took […]

12/04/2025

UK

Relief in Scunthorpe – but the fight isn’t over yet

As football fans filed out of Scunthorpe United's ground, the evening sun was shining down on them.Their team had just secured a win, and in the stands many British steel workers and their families celebrated - hoping that it would translate to further luck for their jobs."Save British Steel", one man shouted at us as he wound down the window of his car, driving away from the match, gleeful.Politics latest: Emergency bill to keep British Steel plant open becomes lawEveryone […]

12/04/2025

UK

Counter terror police investigating after brother of Manchester Arena bomber attacks prison officers

Three prison officers have been attacked by the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber. The Prison Officers Association (POA) said 28-year-old Hashem Abedi - the brother of Salman Abedi - threw hot cooking oil over the guards before stabbing them with homemade weapons.He was sentenced in 2020 to at least 55 years in prison after being found guilty of 22 counts of murder over the 2017 atrocity.The three officers were taken to hospital after the attack at category A Frankland […]

12/04/2025

UK

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe, 47, admitted to hospital ‘due to illness’

Newcastle United's head coach Eddie Howe has been admitted to hospital after feeling "unwell for a number of days", his club have said.In a statement confirming the 47-year-old will miss the team's next match against Manchester United on Sunday "due to illness" after feeling unwell "for a number of days"."The Magpies' head coach was admitted to hospital late on Friday evening having felt unwell for a number of days," the statement said."Medical staff kept Eddie in hospital overnight for further […]

12/04/2025 5

UK

Why the royal Italy tour has been a great triumph – as Queen says King wants to do ‘more and more’

I'm not sure their police officers felt the same from the looks on their faces, but the King and Queen, we're told, were on a "huge high" after making their way through the scrum of entourage, security and locals while on walkabout in Ravenna.It's no wonder then that just a few days earlier, while visiting a school in Rome, Camilla told members of the British press that we should "dream on" if we thought the King's health worries were going […]

12/04/2025

Home

Smartphones and laptops among items excluded from reciprocal tariffs, US says

Smartphones and laptops among items excluded from reciprocal tariffs, US says | World News | Sky News Saturday 12 April 2025 15:54, UK Why you can trust Sky NewsElectronics such as smartphones and laptops will be excluded from reciprocal tariffs, the Trump administration has said.The move could help keep prices down for popular consumer items that are not usually made in the US.Machines used to make semiconductors and flat-panel monitors would also be exempt, US Customs and Border Protection said.This […]

12/04/2025 6

UK

Why the hot spring weather is sliding away

It's been an unusually sunny start to spring, with parts of the UK enjoying temperatures over 20C (68F) over the past few days.But why has it been so hot - and why is it about to come to an end?Extraordinary highs and lowsThe recent spell of fine weather was brought to us courtesy of high pressure. But no ordinary high pressure; a blocking high - the result of a stratospheric warming event.Ironically, it's the same weather set up that brought […]

12/04/2025 6

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