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The current global landscape is marked by uncertainty, with Donald Trump's policies contributing to a sense of instability. As the world grapples with the implications of the Iran war, including a potential global shortage of jet fuel, the UK is reevaluating its relationships. Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, has argued that a closer partnership with Europe is in Britain's national interest. This stance is echoed by Rachel Reeves, highlighting the need for the UK to strengthen its ties with the EU to mitigate the risks of a global economic crisis. The article notes that 63% of Britons would vote to rejoin the EU if a referendum were held today, according to recent YouGov polling. This sentiment is reflected in the growing popularity of a youth mobility scheme that would allow young people to work and study abroad, a proposal that has gained traction even among Leave voters. Starmer's ally, Nick Thomas-Symonds, has been negotiating a deal that would align with EU rules on food and drink, potentially leading to the relabelling of certain products like marmalade. While challenges remain, including competitive trade interests, the article suggests that Europe is choosing unity in the face of crisis. The author, Gaby Hinsliff, argues that Britain has learned from its past mistakes and is now seeking to build a new relationship with the EU at speed. While rejoining the EU is not imminent, the will and political courage are needed to seize this second chance.

Liverpool's season has reached a critical juncture, with five matches in 16 days set to determine the fate of manager Arne Slot's vision for the team. The Reds face a daunting schedule, including cup quarter-finals against Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, as they seek to salvage a disappointing campaign.The team's inconsistent form has raised concerns about their ability to secure Champions League qualification, a crucial aspect of the club's business model. Liverpool's recent performances have been marred by defeats to Wolves and Brighton, highlighting issues with fitness levels, efficiency in front of goal, and organisation.The return of Alexander Isak to team training could provide a much-needed boost, but the striker will have to prove himself upon his return to competitive action. Isak's partnership with Florian Wirtz has been limited due to injuries, and the duo will need to deliver to justify Liverpool's £125m investment in the striker.Liverpool's hierarchy, including owner Fenway Sports Group and sporting director Richard Hughes, are aware of the challenges faced by Slot this season, including the death of Diogo Jota and injuries that have hindered the team's performance. However, the club's supporters are growing increasingly disillusioned, with ticket price increases and a record revenue of £703m failing to translate to on-field success.A positive note was struck by Jürgen Klopp's return to Liverpool, which drew a sellout crowd of 60,482 and raised over £1m for the LFC Foundation. Nevertheless, the adoration for Klopp contrasted with the frostiness towards Slot, highlighting the challenges faced by the current manager in reviving the team's fortunes.

Chris Haskins, Lord Haskins, who has died at the age of 88, was a highly influential figure in British business and politics. He was a key supporter of Tony Blair's New Labour project and played a crucial role in advising on regulatory reform and rural affairs. Early Life and Career Born in Dublin, Ireland, Haskins studied modern history at Trinity College Dublin, where he developed a reputation as a radical. He began his career in journalism, covering the Aldermaston marches for the Irish Times, before moving into business. In 1959, he traveled to England, married Gilda Horsley, and joined his father-in-law's company, Northern Dairies, which later became Northern Foods. Business Achievements Under Haskins' leadership, Northern Foods grew into Britain's leading food manufacturer. He was instrumental in developing chilled food techniques, which enabled the mass production of ready meals and convenience foods. A significant partnership with Marks & Spencer was established, which became a cornerstone of the company's success, generating annual sales of half a billion pounds. Public Service and Politics Haskins was a vocal advocate for various public causes, including European monetary union, English regional devolution, and the reduction of subsidies to British agriculture. He served as a 'rural tsar' during the foot and mouth outbreak of 2001 and authored a rural recovery report for Defra, which proposed a shift towards environmental concerns and a long-term reduction in subsidies. Legacy Throughout his life, Haskins was known for his 'no-nonsense approach' and his commitment to telling the truth as he saw it. He was a passionate advocate for regional devolution and took an active role in various Yorkshire economic bodies. Despite facing disappointment as governments wound down bodies he chaired, Haskins remained dedicated to his causes, reflecting on his life's work: 'Most of the campaigns of my life have failed, largely, I comfort myself, because I have been ahead of my time.' He is survived by his wife, Gilda, their five children, nine grandchildren, and a great-granddaughter.

NASA's Artemis II mission has reached a critical phase as the four astronauts on board have successfully fired up their spacecraft's engine to break away from Earth's orbit and embark on a trajectory towards the moon. This historic moment marks the first crewed lunar flyby in over half a century. The Orion capsule's engine blasted off on Thursday, propelling the astronauts on their 10-day mission, which includes looping around the moon. The burn, lasting just under six minutes, provided enough thrust to accelerate a stationary car to highway-driving speed in less than three seconds. The mission control team in Houston confirmed the successful burn, stating, 'Looks like a good burn, we're confirming.' The astronauts, consisting of Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Jeremy Hansen, are now on a 'free return' trajectory, utilizing the moon's gravity to slingshot around it before heading back towards Earth without propulsion. The Artemis II mission is a crucial step towards establishing a permanent human presence on the moon, with the ultimate goal of landing humans on the lunar surface by 2028. This mission also marks a series of historic firsts, including the first person of color, the first woman, and the first non-American on a lunar mission. The spacecraft's crew spent their initial hours in space performing checks and troubleshooting minor issues, including a communications problem and a malfunctioning toilet. They also began their fitness routine on the spacecraft's 'flywheel exercise device' to minimize muscle and bone loss in microgravity. NASA's Artemis program has been portrayed as a competitive effort with China, which aims to land humans on the moon by 2030. The program has faced pressure from various quarters, including former President Trump, who has pushed for an accelerated pace. The mission's commander, Reid Wiseman, described the breathtaking view of Earth from space, saying, 'You can see the entire globe from pole to pole... It was the most spectacular moment and it paused all four of us in our tracks.'

NASA's Artemis II space mission has successfully launched from Florida, embarking on a historic journey around the moon with four astronauts on board. This mission marks a significant milestone in the United States space agency's plan to return humans to the moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars.The 32-storey rocket rose from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, where tens of thousands gathered to witness the liftoff. The Artemis II crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, are set for a nearly 10-day journey around the moon and back.“On this historic mission, you take with you the heart of this Artemis team, the daring spirit of the American people and our partners across the globe, and the hopes and dreams of a new generation,” said Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the launch director. “Good luck, Godspeed Artemis II. Let’s go.”During the mission, the astronauts will spend the first one to two days in high Earth orbit carrying out extensive systems checks. They will then perform a critical engine burn known as translunar injection, which will send the spacecraft out of Earth's orbit and onto a trajectory towards the moon.The journey will take several days, during which the crew will continue monitoring spacecraft systems as they travel farther from Earth. Orion will then fly behind the moon on a free-return trajectory, a path that naturally swings the spacecraft back towards Earth using the gravity of both the moon and Earth, with minimal fuel required.After the lunar flyby, the crew will spend several days traveling back to Earth while carrying out additional deep-space tests on power systems, thermal controls, and crew operations. As Orion approaches Earth, the capsule will re-enter the atmosphere at speeds of about 40,233km per hour (25,000 miles per hour), before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, where recovery teams will retrieve the crew.

The United States has lifted sanctions against Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez, following her assumption of power after the abduction and imprisonment of her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro.The US Department of the Treasury updated its website to reflect Rodriguez's removal from the Specially Designated Nationals List, easing restrictions that had been in place since 2018.Rodriguez welcomed the decision, calling it a positive step towards normalizing relations between Venezuela and the US. She also urged the US to lift additional sanctions on Venezuelan entities and individuals.The move is seen as part of a shift in US-Venezuela relations, with Rodriguez taking a conciliatory approach to engage with the US. This includes efforts to open Venezuela's economy to greater outside investment, particularly in the oil and mining sectors.However, critics have raised concerns about the circumstances under which these reforms have progressed, given the US's continued pressure on Venezuela and the international community's concerns about human rights abuses in the country.The US embassy in Caracas has resumed operations after a seven-year closure, and international organizations like the United Nations have highlighted ongoing human rights issues in Venezuela.

NASA's Artemis II mission has successfully launched, marking a significant milestone in space exploration. The mission, which launched on Wednesday, is the first crewed mission to the moon's vicinity since the Apollo program ended in 1972.The 322-foot Space Launch System (SLS) rocket lifted off at 6:35pm ET (22:35 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, sending the Orion crew capsule on a 10-day journey around the moon and back to Earth.The crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will follow a 'free-return' trajectory that swings around the moon to prove the spacecraft can sustain a crew on future missions.The mission plan includes high Earth orbit checks, a translunar injection to propel the spacecraft towards the moon, and a lunar flyby on April 6. The spacecraft will reach its closest approach to the moon, approximately 4,000-6,000 miles (6,450-9,650km) above the lunar surface.After the flyby, the crew will conduct deep-space science and medical monitoring before re-entering Earth's atmosphere and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10.NASA's next mission, Artemis III, is currently planned for 2027 and will involve the Orion spacecraft docking with a lunar lander in Earth orbit.

NASA's Artemis II mission is on track to make history as four astronauts prepare to leave Earth's orbit and embark on a journey towards the moon. This 10-day voyage marks a significant milestone in the US space agency's ambitious plan to land humans back on the lunar surface this decade and establish a permanent presence there.The crew, consisting of three Americans and one Canadian, launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday. After a series of tests and preparations, they are set to perform a translunar injection burn, a six-minute engine firing that will send the Orion spacecraft on its path to the moon.During their journey, the astronauts will loop around the back of the moon, becoming the four people to travel the farthest from Earth in history. They will then use the moon's gravity to launch back home. This mission is expected to break the record for distance traveled away from Earth, currently held by the Apollo 13 crew, who reached 248,655 miles (400,171km) in 1970.The Artemis II mission is a crucial test of NASA's capabilities, with future missions aiming to land astronauts on the moon's south pole as early as 2028. The US is in a new space race with China, which plans to send a crewed mission to the same lunar region as early as 2030. NASA's long-term goal is to build a lunar base that can house a permanent human presence, bringing humanity closer to living on the moon and Mars.

Korean culture is taking Latin America by storm, with K-pop, K-dramas, and Korean skincare products leading the charge. In Santiago, Chile, a group of young girls can be seen dancing to the beat of Blackpink's 'How You Like That', a song with over 1.3 billion views on YouTube. The phenomenon, known as hallyu or the 'Korean wave', has been spreading rapidly across the region, with Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil being key markets. Online personalities like Sujin Kim, known as Chingu Amiga, have become incredibly popular, sharing their love of K-dramas and skincare products with millions of followers. In Colombia, K-pop fan Zion Hwang has set up a string of karaoke restaurants to capitalize on the trend, while in Brazil, Korean-Brazilian influencers like Arthur Paek are promoting Korean culture and cuisine to their millions of followers. The Korean wave has also led to an increase in interest in Korean language and culture, with universities offering Korean studies programs and language classes becoming increasingly popular. Dr. Jinok Choi, director of the Universidad Central's Rey Sejong Institute in Santiago, notes that young Chileans are showing a 'real commitment to learning about Korea beyond just its culture'. The growth of Korean culture in Latin America is also being driven by a decline in the US's international appeal, with some observers suggesting that the US's flagging popularity under Donald Trump has led to a shift in interest towards Asian culture. Brazil's health minister, Alexandre Padilha, notes that 'perhaps the US is no longer, in people's imagination, the place they want to go'. As the Korean wave continues to sweep across Latin America, it's clear that Korean culture is here to stay. With K-pop concerts and K-drama fan events becoming increasingly popular, it's likely that the trend will only continue to grow in the coming years.