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The countdown at Kennedy Space Center is in its final stages for the Artemis II launch, the first crewed lunar mission since 1972. NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya confirmed after a Monday management meeting that the mission is cleared for a Wednesday liftoff. Launch window: A two‑hour window opens at 6:24 pm (22:24 GMT) on Wednesday, with daily two‑hour windows remaining available until April 6. The launch can proceed only when the moon’s position, orbital trajectories, weather, and Earth’s rotation align safely. Weather outlook: Forecasts show an 80 % chance of favorable conditions, though cloud cover and high winds remain the primary concerns. The mission has already endured two major setbacks. In early February a liquid‑hydrogen leak forced a scrub, and in early March a helium‑flow issue in the upper stage halted a second attempt. NASA will stream the launch live on YouTube, where viewers can follow the vehicle from rollout to liftoff. Artemis programme overview: Artemis is NASA’s multidecade effort to return humans to the Moon, establish a sustainable presence near the lunar south pole, and eventually enable crewed missions to Mars. The program comprises five missions (Artemis I‑V). Artemis I, an uncrewed test in 2022, validated the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft, providing critical data for the current flight. Mission profile: Artemis II will not land; instead, its four‑person crew will perform a lunar flyby, looping around the far side before returning to Earth. The flight will test Orion’s life‑support, navigation, communications, and overall performance in deep space—conditions that cannot be fully replicated on the ground. Crew members: Reid Wiseman (Commander, 50) – veteran NASA astronaut and former ISS commander. Victor Glover (Pilot, 49) – U.S. Navy aviator, first Black astronaut assigned to a lunar mission, previously flew on SpaceX Crew‑1. Christina Koch (Mission Specialist, 47) – holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman (328 days) and has extensive EVA experience. Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist, 50) – Canada’s first astronaut slated for a lunar mission, highlighting international collaboration. During the ten‑day journey the crew will evaluate spacecraft systems, conduct radiation and fire‑response drills, perform a suit‑pressurisation test, and carry out medical and scientific experiments while observing the lunar surface. Strategic importance: Artemis II is a stepping stone toward Artemis III (planned for 2027), which will test integrated operations with commercial landers, followed by Artemis IV (early 2028) – the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 – and Artemis V (late 2028) aimed at establishing a lunar base. The program also reinforces U.S. leadership in space amid rising competition, notably from China.

The UK is set to host 35 countries, excluding the US, to discuss ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for oil and gas that has been blocked by Iran. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the next phase of discussions, led by the UK and France, will take place on Thursday, with Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, alongside international leaders.The meeting will focus on assessing viable diplomatic and political measures to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and seafarers, and resume the movement of vital commodities. British military planners will meet afterwards to discuss how to marshal their capabilities and make the strait accessible and safe after the fighting has stopped.The blockade has resulted in around 1,000 ships being stranded, with only about 130 ships passing through since the war began, compared to the normal daily number. The strait is a critical route, with a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies and a third of global fertilisers passing through before the conflict.The US has not been directly invited to participate in the talks, which will include countries that signed a joint statement last month, such as the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, as well as Japan, Canada, South Korea, and New Zealand. The Ministry of Defence has sent military planners to US Central Command to explore options for getting tankers through the strait.Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has stated that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to 'enemies of this nation', and US President Donald Trump has posted that there will be no ceasefire with Iran until it relinquishes control of the waterway.

The UK has been identified as the most vulnerable country in Europe to potential jet fuel shortages as the Iran war disrupts supplies from the Gulf, according to Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary. O'Leary stated that Britain's reliance on Kuwait for approximately 25% of its jet fuel supply makes it particularly exposed to shortages. He emphasized that even if there is a surplus of jet fuel in the Middle East, the logistics of shipping it to Europe remain uncertain.Jet fuel prices have surged, averaging $195 a barrel last week, more than double the average from the previous year. This increase is largely attributed to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage through which over a fifth of the world's oil normally passes.While oil prices eased slightly after US President Donald Trump expressed hope for an end to the Iran war within two to three weeks, the situation remains precarious for airlines. Ryanair has hedged 80% of its fuel costs until next March at $67 a barrel, but O'Leary highlighted that supply disruptions, rather than prices, pose the greater risk.The airline industry faces potential flight cancellations and capacity reductions if fuel supply issues persist. O'Leary also mentioned that higher fares could be a possibility, although there are currently no plans to increase prices. Additionally, he called for the UK government to abolish air passenger duty (APD), a tax that recently increased, further impacting the competitiveness of UK air travel.

The UK Prime Minister's recent announcement of a 'five-point plan' to address the energy crisis has been met with skepticism. During his remarks from Downing Street, Prime Minister Starmer outlined measures that were largely pre-existing or unrelated to the immediate crisis. The plan included: cutting energy bills by over £100 per household, which was announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last November's budget and has since been adjusted to £117 for an average dual-fuel household; extending the cut in fuel duty until September; supporting people exposed to heating oil rises with £53m; investing in clean British energy through the Clean Power 2030 plan; and pushing for de-escalation in the Middle East. Critics argue that most of these points were not new and did not adequately address the current crisis. The plan did not provide specifics on who else could get help with energy bills or how targeted support would be delivered. The Clean Power 2030 plan, a five-year £200bn infrastructure project, will not yield immediate results for consumers, with savings expected to arrive around 2040. The article concludes that repeating measures from last November's budget is not a plan and that a proper five-point plan would be needed if an energy price shock turns into a supply shock, possibly meaning rationing.

The recent waiving of Jaden Ivey by the Chicago Bulls following his anti-LGBTQ+ and religiously charged comments on social media was presented as a response to 'conduct detrimental to the team.' However, this situation exposes a more nuanced reality about player expendability and the league's priorities.On the surface, it appears to be a straightforward case of a player making controversial statements and facing consequences. Yet, there's an alternative scenario where Ivey, with the help of his publicist, issues a swift apology, participates in inclusion education, and possibly pays a fine or makes a donation. In this scenario, he could have potentially continued his career in the NBA, a league that has been pro-LGBTQ+ for over a decade.Ivey's comments revealed his beliefs, and the subsequent actions of the Bulls shed light on how NBA teams decide which voices to protect and which to discard. The situation raises questions about the league's commitment to inclusion and how it handles controversial player behavior.As a former NFL player, the author notes that locker room discussions often avoid sensitive topics like queer acceptance and religious beliefs. However, when such topics are broached, they usually involve players sharing how their faith has positively impacted their lives. The author suggests that Ivey's comments were not surprising and might have been shared by some of his teammates.The key difference in Ivey's case was that his comments were made outside the locker room, making them public and subject to scrutiny. The author recalls instances of ignorant comments in locker rooms but notes that peer conversations and diverse perspectives can lead to growth and learning.The swift release of Ivey was likely due to his lack of star power and a career marked by injuries and unremarkable performances. In contrast, superstars like Anthony Edwards, Rajon Rondo, and the late Kobe Bryant faced fewer consequences for similar behavior, with the league giving them time to apologize and make amends.The NBA's response to Ivey's comments does not necessarily indicate a solution to homophobia in locker rooms. Instead, it shows that teams know how to react when a player's behavior becomes visible and when that player is expendable enough to be made an example of. The culture within locker rooms won't shift simply because one voice is removed, especially when the underlying beliefs are not isolated.Ultimately, the NBA manages tensions rather than eliminating them. The gap between public statements and private actions will continue to exist, and incidents like Ivey's will keep surfacing in new ways until this gap closes.

Travelers to the EU are facing significant challenges due to the new entry/exit system (EES), which has led to delays and missed flights. The EES requires non-EU travelers to have their photo and fingerprints taken, causing 70% increase in security processing times, according to Airports Council International.A family of four recently missed their easyJet flight from Málaga due to long queues at the airport, despite arriving three hours before departure. The bag drop-off didn't open until two hours before the flight, leaving only 53 minutes to clear security and reach the gate.The issue is not limited to Málaga, as Lisbon airport was forced to suspend the system in December when waits reached seven hours. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned that the full rollout of the EES poses an operational risk before the summer peak.To avoid delays, travelers are advised to squeeze all packing into a cabin bag and skip luggage check-in. The airlines and airports are urged to take measures to mitigate the delays, including extending the possibility of partly or fully suspending EES at peak periods and reinforcing staffing.

The UK’s chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is set to sit down with the chief executives of Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Morrisons on Wednesday. The meeting aims to gauge the scale of possible price hikes and shortages of essential household goods as the nation grapples with a sharp rise in energy, fuel and fertiliser costs triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict. A Treasury source described the gathering as a "fact‑finding, open discussion" intended to identify any supply squeezes and to forecast the impact on the cost of living over the coming months. Allan Leighton, executive chair of Asda, will not attend but has publicly urged the government to "stand up and start doing stuff" to aid farmers and curb fuel prices, warning that food costs will inevitably climb if the conflict persists. Simon Roberts, chief executive of Sainsbury’s, cautioned that price increases are "unlikely to rise until the summer" thanks to long‑term contracts on energy and fertiliser that currently keep a lid on costs. Nevertheless, UK growers are sounding the alarm. Producers of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and aubergines say higher input costs could force them to pull plants from the ground, creating potential gaps on supermarket shelves. Lee Stiles, secretary of the Lea Valley Growers’ Association – the region often dubbed London’s "salad bowl" – is lobbying for indoor food producers to be classified as "energy‑intensive users" alongside steel, chemicals, cement and glass, thereby qualifying for additional support with surging energy bills. Stiles also called on retailers to renegotiate contracts with growers to reflect the cost surge since the Middle East conflict began. He warned that the upcoming increase in standing charges on 1 April – a fixed daily fee for accessing the gas and electricity network – will further strain producers’ margins. "Growers have already invested in plants and labour for three to four months," Stiles said. "When you do the maths, the numbers don’t add up. They would lose less money by sending workers home, pulling the plants out and turning off the boiler." If domestic growers cut the season short, European glasshouses, which normally supply the UK’s salad market at this time of year, may struggle to fill the void, risking a repeat of the fresh‑produce shortages experienced in early 2023. The British Poultry Council (BPC) echoed these concerns, highlighting pressures on supplies of oil, gas, fertiliser and essential feed components. "These factors are creating sustained upward pressure on the cost of poultry production," the BPC warned, adding that while some cost increases may be absorbed, others will inevitably be passed on to consumers. Richard Griffiths, BPC chief executive, noted that while many farmers have long‑term energy deals, costs such as diesel are rising rapidly, and there are fears that vital medicines could become unavailable at any price. In response, the government has announced a £117 cut to household energy bills, an increase to the legal minimum wage, and the launch of a £1 billion "crisis and resilience" fund aimed at helping vulnerable households with expenses such as heating oil.

The arrival of drier March days brings with it the familiar hum of lawn mowers on urban housing estates, but for the author, it's a signal to search for the first signs of their beloved spring flower: the dandelion. Spotting one blooming in a crack beside a crumbling wall, the author can't help but feel a sense of joy and connection to this often-maligned weed. The dandelion's unique charm lies in its ability to thrive in unexpected places, much like the author, who identifies as a wheelchair user, feels a kinship with the flower's resilient nature. This connection is shared with toddlers who delight in carrying dandelions in their fists, and the author jokingly suggests that dandelions would make a perfect bridal bouquet. Dandelions are pure sunshine, offering an instant tonic for grey days or low moods. They provide a vital source of nutrition for pollinators when other pollen is scarce, acting as a bridge until other spring flowers bloom. The flowers, roots, and leaves are also a remarkably nutritious food source, boasting more vitamin A than spinach and more vitamin C than tomatoes. The dandelion's thick roots, rich in latex, are being explored as a sustainable and eco-friendly source of rubber for car and bicycle tires. Additionally, the flower's behavior serves as a rudimentary weather forecast, closing its petals tight when rain is approaching to protect its pollen. As the dandelion's flowering cycle comes to an end, it offers a final gift: turning into bright, white moons. Blowing on these seed heads not only helps spread the seeds but also feels like an appropriate thank you for all that the dandelion provides.

Johannes Radebe, also known as Jojo from Strictly, is a natural performer who shines brightly as Lola in the musical Kinky Boots. His stage presence is magnetic, and his dancing is mesmerizing. Radebe's portrayal of the drag queen Lola is captivating, with impressive entrances and a strong performance.The musical, based on the 2005 film, tells the story of a Northampton shoe factory that switches to making boots for drag queens. The show features a riot of colors and sparkle, with impressive costumes designed by Robert Jones and Tom Rogers. The story follows Charlie Price, who returns to his hometown to take over the family business and, along with Lola and her friends, devises a plan to save the factory.Radebe's performance is supported by a talented cast, including Courtney Bowman as Lauren and Scott Paige as George. While Radebe's singing voice may not be as strong as his dancing, he brings a unique energy to the role. The show's direction by Nikolai Foster ensures that the cast delivers the right tone, but the musical may lack depth in its storytelling.Overall, Kinky Boots offers an enjoyable night out, with a blend of music, dance, and comedy. The show runs at the London Coliseum until July 11.