First orbital rocket launched from mainland Europe crashes after takeoff

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Uncrewed Spectrum test rocket’s failure seconds after blast-off said to have produced extensive data nonetheless

A test rocket intended to kickstart satellite launches from Europe fell to the ground and exploded less than a minute after takeoff from Norway on Sunday, in what the German startup Isar Aerospace had described as an initial test.

The Spectrum started smoking from its sides and crashed back to Earth in a powerful explosion just after its launch from from the Andøya spaceport in the Arctic. Images were broadcast live on YouTube.

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Pope Francis in Sunday Angelus: Jesus heals our wounds so we can love others – Catholic News Agency

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  1. Pope Francis in Sunday Angelus: Jesus heals our wounds so we can love others  Catholic News Agency
  2. Pope's willingness to show his frailty provides an example to young and old alike in aging world  The Associated Press
  3. Pope Francis Came Near Death in Hospital, His Doctor Says  The New York Times
  4. Pope decries 'appalling humanitarian catastrophe' in Sudan  Vatican News - English
  5. Pope Francis denounces war in Sudan, suggests living Lent 'as a time of healing'  Fox News
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Trump says he ‘couldn’t care less’ if tariffs make car prices go up

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Trump says tariffs on foreign-made cars would would lead to increased sales of US-made cars

Donald Trump said on Saturday he did not warn car industry executives against raising prices as tariffs on foreign-made autos come into force, telling NBC News he “couldn’t care less” if they do.

The president’s comments came as the White House prepared to impose new tariffs on a range of consumer goods on 2 April, a move that has drawn criticism from international leaders and concerns about potential price increases for consumers.

Guardian staff contributed reporting

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Shabana Mahmood plans bill to overrule Sentencing Council in ‘two-tier justice’ row

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Ministry of Justice drafts instruction for judges in England and Wales to ignore guidelines on age, sex and ethnicity

Ministers are planning to introduce a last-minute rule change this week to overturn sentencing guidelines that could have led to criminals getting different sentences depending on their age, sex and ethnicity.

Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, is planning to bring a bill to the Commons this week to overrule the guidelines, which are due to come into force in England and Wales on Tuesday.

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Netanyahu stresses military pressure on Hamas is working as Gaza war rages – The Jerusalem Post

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  1. Netanyahu stresses military pressure on Hamas is working as Gaza war rages  The Jerusalem Post
  2. Netanyahu says he is ‘willing’ to reach deal to free Israeli hostages  The Guardian
  3. "Hamas Leaders In Gaza Can Leave If...": Netanyahu's Latest Terms  NDTV
  4. Updates: Israel’s military begins new ground operations in Gaza’s Rafah  Al Jazeera English
  5. PM says cabinet voted to increase pressure on Hamas, terror leaders 'will be allowed to leave'  The Times of Israel
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Anti-scam campaign groups urge UK police forces to get tougher on fraudsters

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Campaigners say scammers are claiming millions from victims in ‘a penalty-free crime’

Anti-scam campaign groups are calling for police forces to be much tougher on fraudsters, who they claim are scamming millions from victims in “a penalty-free crime”.

The pleas are being made just days after the UK government announced it is working on an “expanded” fraud strategy as part of a “robust response” to surging reported fraud rates, which rose by 19% last year according to the Office for National Statistics.

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How a ban on food dye in West Virginia has forged an unlikely alliance

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GOP lawmakers and consumer advocates have found common ground in banning preservatives and chemicals

A West Virginia law signed this week bans synthetic dyes and preservatives in food – a first-in-the-nation consumer protection led by Republicans in the face of vociferous industry opposition.

West Virginia’s law is one of dozens of bills introduced across the country, as Republican state lawmakers get on board with one of the most powerful forces to emerge from the 2024 presidential campaign – the movement to “make America healthy again” or Maha.

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Sudan’s civil war escalates as South Sudan faces renewed threat of conflict – Vatican News – English

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  1. Sudan's civil war escalates as South Sudan faces renewed threat of conflict  Vatican News - English
  2. The world’s youngest country fought for decades to govern itself. Now it’s on the cusp of another civil war  CNN
  3. Fears intensify of return to civil war as South Sudan vice-president arrested  The Guardian
  4. Bishop calls for peace in South Sudan as country’s first vice president reportedly arrested  Catholic News Agency
  5. South Sudan’s Vice President Has Been Placed Under House Arrest, Party Says  The New York Times
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Rocket carrying European orbital vehicle explodes after seconds after takeoff in Norway – CBS News

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  1. Rocket carrying European orbital vehicle explodes after seconds after takeoff in Norway  CBS News
  2. Orbital Rocket Crashes After First Launch From Continental Europe  The New York Times
  3. First orbital rocket launched from mainland Europe crashes after takeoff  The Guardian
  4. Isar Aerospace’s first Spectrum launch fails  SpaceNews
  5. German Rocket Hits Setback as Europe Seeks SpaceX Alternatives  Bloomberg
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Netanyahu to travel to Hungary despite ICC arrest warrant – POLITICO Europe

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  1. Netanyahu to travel to Hungary despite ICC arrest warrant  POLITICO Europe
  2. Israel's Netanyahu to visit Hungary, defying ICC arrest warrant  Reuters
  3. Netanyahu Will Travel to Hungary, Meet Orban Despite ICC Warrant  Bloomberg
  4. Netanyahu, Orban to discuss Trump’s Gaza plan in Hungary this week — source  The Times of Israel
  5. Israel’s PM Netanyahu to visit Hungary despite ICC arrest warrant  Al Jazeera English
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Turkey says Swedish journalist detained on terror charges and for ‘insulting the president’

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Joakim Medin, who works for the Dagens ETC newspaper, was arrested on Thursday when his plane landed

A Swedish journalist who was detained on his arrival in Turkey to cover protests over the jailing of Istanbul’s mayor has been arrested on terror-related charges and for “insulting the president”, the Turkish presidency has said.

Joakim Medin, who works for the Dagens ETC newspaper, “has been arrested on charges of ‘membership in an armed terrorist organisation’ and ‘insulting the president’”, the presidency said on Sunday.

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