Craft

• NASA released a timelapse video showing the Psyche spacecraft's perspective as it zoomed past Mars in May 2026. • While the mission did not expect major new discoveries due to Mars' extensive history of study, the spacecraft provided a unique vantage point for data collection. • This flyby serves as a complementary addition to existing Mars science, utilizing Psyche's specific trajectory and instrumentation.

• NASA is preparing for the Artemis III mission, which is projected to be the most complex operation in the agency's history. • The mission will involve coordinating the launch and orbital rendezvous of three separate spacecraft to transport four astronauts. • This operation marks a historic milestone as no previous space mission has ever required the coordination of this many simultaneous launches.

• Russia's Tu-214PU "Doomsday" airborne command post aircraft recently landed in Tehran, according to flight tracking data. • The arrival occurs amidst a period of escalating tensions and intensifying U.S. military strikes against Iran. • The presence of this high-level command aircraft fuels speculation that Moscow and Tehran are pursuing closer military coordination.

• NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has successfully woken up in good health after completing its longest hibernation period to date, which lasted nearly one year. • The spacecraft is now ready to resume transmitting data as it continues its mission to explore the distant reaches of the solar system. • This mission has achieved several historic milestones since its 2006 launch, including a 2007 Jupiter flyby, the first exploration of Pluto in 2015, and a 2019 visit to the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth.

Campaign group calls on watchdog to investigate sector amid claims of anti-competitive practices elbowing out independentsBig brewers are misleading drinkers about their products’ “craft” credentials and geographical origin, the ale enthusiasts’ club Camra has claimed, as it called on the consumer watchdog to investigate the beer market.Camra asked the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) to launch a review of whether small breweries are being unfairly elbowed off the bar by larger rivals’ anti-competitive tactics. Continue reading...

• The Cannes Lions 2026 awards announced Grand Prix winners across multiple categories, including Entertainment, Gaming, Music, Sport, Design, and various Craft disciplines. • Notable wins include a double Grand Prix for adidas’ collaboration with Oasis, created by TBWA\Media Arts Lab Los Angeles, alongside victories for Google, DAVID New York, and McCann Peru. • Apple TV and TBWA\Media Arts Lab Los Angeles were recognized for their 2025 rebrand, which eschewed AI in favor of a handcrafted logo and intro made entirely of glass.

• Startup Katalyst Space is partnering with NASA to attempt a first-of-its-kind rescue mission to save the aging Swift space telescope. • The Arizona-based company developed a 935-pound robotic spacecraft called LINK in just 250 days to facilitate the operation. • The mission is critical because LINK must physically interact with and stabilize the observatory, which was not originally designed for such interventions.

• NASA's Lucy spacecraft conducted a flyby of the asteroid Donaldjohanson (known as "DJ") in April 2025 during its journey toward Jupiter's Trojan asteroids. • Analysis of the asteroid revealed evidence of chemical alteration caused by liquid water, suggesting the body once hosted aqueous activity. • Scientists believe Donaldjohanson originally formed in a colder region further from the sun before being gravitationally pushed inward.

The jet, owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, lost contact with air traffic control and crashed in LaredoSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailA private jet carrying six people crashed on a highway in Laredo, Texas on Tuesday night, killing one person, local police said.Videos shared online by the Laredo police department showed the wreckage of the aircraft and firefighters working at the scene. Other footage, shared by the Associated Press, captured the immediate aftermath of the crash, with flames rising from the plane as police and others worked to pull people from it. Continue reading...

• NASA's Chandra X-ray spacecraft has discovered the wreckage of a dead star located at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. • The supernova event occurred approximately 1,700 years ago, ejecting stellar debris at speeds of roughly 2 million mph. • This discovery is significant as it allows astronomers to study the remnants of ancient stellar explosions and their impact on the galactic core.

HMS Prince of Wales expected to sail ‘in the coming days’ according to British government spokespersonA technical issue has been detected on the UK navy’s flagship as it was docked in Norway, after the warship worked with Nato and the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), the government has said.Earlier this month, the HMS Prince of Wales – one of Britain’s two flagship aircraft carriers built for £6.4bn – set sail for Nordic waters from Loch Long, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, to provide security in the Atlantic and High North regions. Continue reading...

• NASA has officially ended the MAVEN mission after losing contact with the spacecraft, which reportedly began spinning out of control. • The spacecraft had spent 11 years orbiting Mars to study the planet's atmosphere, climate, and the processes that caused its atmosphere to strip away. • This loss marks the conclusion of a decade-long effort to understand Mars' evolution and determine if the planet could have once supported life.

Sue Jacquot was taking part in fundraiser when police swarmed her home after someone falsely reported a crimeAn Arizona grandmother has said someone subjected her to a so-called police swatting call while she was taking part in a Minecraft fundraiser to raise financial support for her grandson’s cancer treatment medical bills.The bizarre turn of events is the latest high-profile instance in the US of an act of criminal harassment which involves prank-calling emergency operators to get a heavily armed police response sent to a target’s home. Continue reading...

The software company said in February it would cut 7,000 jobs but, as it touts new technology, workers are still waiting to hear which roles will goGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastStaff at WiseTech have been waiting almost three months to be told if they’re among the 2,000 people the logistics software company is to cut due to advances in AI, with workers criticising the wait as stressful and “ridiculous”.The comments come as its founder on Tuesday told investors an AI agent could learn a human’s job in just 15 minutes, according to the Australian Financial Review. Continue reading...

EnComm Aviation says the firm’s action has cut off vital support for crisis-hit countries including South Sudan and the DRCBritain’s biggest weapons manufacturer, BAE Systems, is facing a £120m lawsuit after scrapping support for aircraft used to deliver aid to some of the world’s neediest countries.EnComm Aviation, a Kenya-based aid cargo operator, claims the decision forced the cancellation of humanitarian contracts and reduced supplies to South Sudan, now threatened by famine, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), among others. Continue reading...

USS Gerald R Ford to sail home after 10-month spell including role in Maduro capture and Middle East warThe world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, will be heading home following a record-setting deployment of more than 300 days that included participating in the war against Iran and capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, two US officials said Wednesday.The Ford will be leaving the Middle East in the coming days and returning to its home port in Virginia in mid-May, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail sensitive military movements. The Washington Post reported the development earlier. Continue reading...

• The United States deployed a third aircraft carrier strike group with thousands of elite troops to the Middle East on April 24, marking the largest military buildup since the 2003 Iraq invasion, as the two-month Iran conflict escalates despite a ceasefire agreement. • President Trump warned the American military was "ready to go" if peace efforts fail, stating the US used the April 8 ceasefire to "restock" military capabilities while Washington and Tehran accuse each other of violations. • The US bombing campaign launched February 28 has devastated Iran's military infrastructure and leadership, but Tehran maintains control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil and gas supply route, prompting a US naval blockade imposed April 13.

• Iranian military officials have alleged that an American C-130 aircraft was struck by Iranian forces during a claimed US infiltration attempt in southern Isfahan, though the claim remains unverified. • Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia reiterated Tehran's "no survivors" doctrine against any foreign troops entering Iranian territory, signaling extreme hostility toward potential ground operations. • Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has indicated conditional support for Iran, raising the possibility of external involvement if a ground conflict escalates and widening regional security implications.

Suspect in 40s arrested after man apparently climbed on to USAF C130 Hercules transport plane on remote taxiway in County ClareA man has been arrested after entering an unauthorised area of an airport in the Republic of Ireland and allegedly causing damage to a US military aircraft, police have said.The suspect, aged in his 40s, was arrested for alleged criminal damage and remains in custody over the incident on Saturday at Shannon airport in County Clare. Continue reading...

In a patch of desert in Isfahan province, personnel clear the site where just hours earlier two C-130 planes and two helicopters were destroyedMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe small farming community of Parzan near the city of Shahreza in Iran’s Isfahan province had been largely spared from the US-Israeli war now in its second month – until several US aircraft landed on a dirt airstrip near their village.The site of the destroyed aircraft in Isfahan province Continue reading...

Footage shows US president saying UK ‘should be our best’ ally and accusing PM of prevarication over sending ships • Middle East crisis – live updatesFootage has emerged of Donald Trump mocking Keir Starmer by claiming the prime minister said he would have to consult with his team before deciding whether to send UK aircraft carriers to the Middle East.In a new low for UK-US relations, Trump appeared to impersonate Starmer during an Easter lunch speech at the White House. Continue reading...

Follow latest updates, including how to watch the launch, as four astronauts prepare to set off on a 685,000-mile journey with millions watchingA two-hour launch window for Artemis II opens at 6.24pm EST (11.24pm BST) after an almost four-hour fueling process. Nasa’s final weather briefing on Tuesday reported an 80% chance of favorable conditions for launch.Mission managers will be watching closely data from launchpad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, as well as real-time and forecast weather information. Any last-minute technical issue or weather violation can cause a scrubbed launch attempt, or a delay, right up to T-0 (the moment the countdown clock reaches zero). Continue reading...

Starmer tells MPs he will not react to US president’s repeated insults amid Iran warMiddle East crisis – live updatesUK politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump has dismissed British warships as “toys” in his latest jibe at Nato countries for their lack of involvement in the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Speaking at the White House on Thursday, he claimed he had told the UK: “Don’t bother, we don’t need it.”Trump has previously alleged that he requested two aircraft carriers from the UK that Keir Starmer had initially rejected and then offered to send. Number 10 has denied that a request was made or denied. Continue reading...

Covid-related downturns and reductions in alcohol consumption have taken a toll on a once booming industryIn the early 2000s, Chris Bell, then a student at University of Colorado Boulder, followed a common path among people interested in brewing beer. He started doing so at home, then spent years working at established craft beer makers Long Trail Brewing in Vermont and Avery Brewing in Colorado before opening Call to Arms Brewing Company in 2015 in Denver.In a crowded market, the business was successful. Its More Like Bore-O-Phyll beer won a gold medal in the fresh or wet hop ale category at the 2018 World Beer Cup. A local outlet called it one of the city’s best breweries, and it had a 4.7 rating from more than 400 reviews on Google. Continue reading...

US Central Command says crash followed unspecified incident, and second refueling tanker landed safely in IsraelThe names of two of the six US service members who died when the military refueling aircraft they were aboard crashed over Iraq last week were made public Saturday, revealing a father who had recently been promoted and a beloved son.The Ohio air national guard said that three of the service members came from its 121st air refueling wing in Columbus, while a family from Birmingham, Alabama, confirmed that pilot Alex Klinner was killed in the crash. Continue reading...

A U.S. military aircraft crashed in western Iraq on March 14, 2026, killing its entire crew of six, as disclosed by U.S. Central Command, bringing total confirmed American deaths in Iran operations to 13. The incident follows a prior refueling plane crash that killed four, heightening scrutiny on operational safety during escalated regional tensions. Pentagon officials cite mechanical failure pending investigation, while congressional calls grow for briefings on mission risks. Families demand transparency as recruitment challenges intensify.

A U.S. military aircraft crashed in western Iraq on March 14, 2026, killing all six crew members, as disclosed by U.S. Central Command via social media amid ongoing operations. This incident raises the confirmed U.S. death toll to 13 in the military campaign against Iran. The crash underscores operational risks in heightened regional tensions, impacting troop morale and public support. Investigations into causes and potential policy adjustments are expected soon.

A US refueling aircraft supporting bombing operations against Iran crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, killing at least four service members with rescue efforts ongoing for two others. The Pentagon confirmed the incident as the US-Israel coalition intensifies airstrikes amid Iran's escalation. Iran's new Supreme Leader Moshtab Kamani ordered continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, following attacks on at least six oil tankers and facilities. President stated the situation with Iran is 'moving along very rapidly' with 'unsurpassed' military success.