On the morning of April 9, 2026 Beijing time, China successfully carried out a new orbital launch mission at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center located in northern China’s Shanxi Province, sending a freshly developed batch of low-orbit internet satellites into their pre-planned operational orbit. The mission utilized an upgraded variant of the Long March 6 carrier rocket, a workhorse of China’s domestic commercial and scientific launch fleet that has been repeatedly modified and optimized over years of operational use to improve payload capacity and launch reliability for low-orbit satellite constellation deployment. This specific satellite cluster marks the 21st batch of satellites launched for China’s expanding low-orbit internet constellation, a infrastructure project designed to deliver global high-speed internet coverage, particularly to remote and underserved regions that lack access to consistent terrestrial connectivity. The launch also marks a key milestone for China’s entire Long March carrier rocket program, standing as the 637th flight mission completed by the Long March series, the country’s most long-serving and versatile family of launch vehicles. Since the first Long March launch in 1970, the rocket series has supported nearly all of China’s space initiatives, from crewed space missions and lunar exploration to commercial satellite deployment, cementing its reputation as a reliable foundation for the country’s growing space sector. This latest launch continues China’s steady cadence of low-orbit satellite deployment, as countries around the world expand their space-based internet infrastructure to meet growing global demand for connectivity from aviation, maritime, remote industrial, and rural user bases.
作者： admin
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Dutch police launch campaign to find and offer help to victims of sextortion
A high-stakes transnational sextortion case has opened in a Dutch court, prompting law enforcement from the Netherlands and the United States to launch a coordinated cross-border social media campaign to locate and support uncounted unidentified victims, many of whom are underage young women. The 22-year-old Dutch suspect, publicly identified only as Damian A. in compliance with the Netherlands’ strict privacy regulations, went on trial Wednesday in the city of Dordrecht. He was arrested in early 2023, and both prosecution and defense teams confirm he has confessed to all charges against him; a verdict is expected to be delivered within weeks.
Authorities from both countries say the sprawling scheme traces back to a simple but devastating manipulation tactic: Damian A. allegedly pretended to be a young woman matching the age of his targets to trick them into sharing explicit photos of themselves online. Once he obtained the images, he used blackmail to force his victims into completing increasingly degrading acts. Reports confirm he required some victims to write the phrase “Owned by Turpien” — the online alias he used to operate — on their bodies or handmade signs during these abusive acts. He also reportedly sold explicit images of the victims to other internet users, amplifying the harm inflicted on the survivors. To date, investigations launched from an initial tip from U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) have confirmed at least 50 victims between the ages of 13 and 20, spread across six nations: the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Montenegro and Canada.
Evidence pulled from the suspect’s seized electronic devices has led investigators to believe dozens more victims have not yet come forwrad or been identified. That is why Rotterdam Police’s Sexual Crimes Team has launched a public social media outreach campaign to locate these unknown survivors. Team representative Milou van der Kolk told the Associated Press that law enforcement holds deep concern for the unreported victims, noting the extreme, prolonged trauma the known survivors have endured. Beyond locating and supporting victims, the campaign also aims to reassure any unknown survivors that their abuser is already in custody and cannot harm them further. The Dutch campaign includes direct contact information, such as dedicated phone lines and web links, for victims to access confidential support services, and it aligns with an ongoing U.S. initiative called Know2Protect that specifically targets online child exploitation.
Eben Roberts, HSI’s attaché based in The Hague, emphasized that this cross-border case underscores the critical need for robust international law enforcement collaboration to protect vulnerable young people online and hold cross-border offenders accountable. “HSI is committed to solidify these partnerships to bring these child predators to face justice,” Roberts said in a written statement to the AP.
Court documents outline that a court-ordered psychiatric assessment of the suspect found he lives with an autism spectrum disorder and a clinical sexual sadism disorder. Prosecutors have requested the presiding judges hand down a nine-year prison sentence paired with court-mandated compulsory psychiatric treatment. Damian A. faces a wide slate of charges, including online sexual assault, online rape, extortion, and the production, possession, and distribution of child pornography.
The case draws attention to a fast-growing public safety crisis targeting young people globally. Dutch prosecutors note that sextortion has become an increasingly urgent societal problem: the Netherlands alone recorded more than 3,000 online sex crime cases linked to this tactic in 2025, representing a 46% jump in reported cases compared to the previous year.
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‘Increasingly challenging’: Charity founded by former Australian of the Year Grace Tame winds up operation
Three weeks after former Australian of the Year Grace Tame revealed she had lost professional income following widespread backlash over her participation in a high-profile pro-Palestine protest, the prominent advocacy organisation she founded is set to cease operations. The Grace Tame Foundation, launched in 2021 to uplift survivors of child sexual abuse and advance critical legal reforms across Australia, will wind down its operations in the coming weeks, its board confirmed in an official statement released Thursday.
The core driver behind the organisation’s closure is persistent, growing financial pressure that has made long-term operation unworkable, according to the board. Sustaining consistent, sufficient funding to support the foundation’s programs and advocacy work has become “increasingly challenging” over time, the statement noted. Since its founding, the organisation has left an indelible mark on Australia’s national conversation around child safety, earning broad acclaim for shifting public discourse and pushing through systemic change.
Key achievements credited to the foundation include driving landmark national legislative changes, leading the push to harmonise survivor identification laws across all Australian states and territories, championing mandatory anti-grooming education in schools, and providing direct support to hundreds of survivors navigating the justice system. Latest financial filings show the foundation held roughly $129,563 in equity, with core expenses allocated to critical survivor services including psychological support, legal assistance, as well as staffing and recruitment costs.
Tame, who serves as one of four board members alongside child safety scholar Professor Michael Salter, solicitor Michael Bradley, and fellow survivor Scarlett Franks, has long been recognised nationally for her unflinching, uncompromising advocacy on behalf of abuse survivors. She was named Australian of the Year in 2021 for her groundbreaking work pushing for reforms that allow survivors of child sexual abuse to speak publicly about their experiences.
The closure of the foundation comes amid a period of intense public and political scrutiny for Tame. Earlier this year, she sparked fierce national backlash after leading a chant of “globalise the intifada” at a pro-Palestine demonstration outside Sydney’s Town Hall. The incident drew widespread condemnation from federal and state politicians, as well as Australian Jewish community leaders, with multiple public figures calling for Tame’s Australian of the Year title to be revoked or reviewed.
Tame has pushed back against the criticism, framing the backlash as a coordinated “smear campaign” that has cost her paid speaking engagements and professional work. She has repeatedly stressed that she rejects antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of bigotry and hatred in any context.
Even as the organisation prepares to close, the board emphasized that the foundation’s work and mission will have a lasting legacy beyond the organisation itself. “The mission it has championed will continue through the many survivors, advocates, and organisations working to protect children and drive reform,” the board’s statement read.
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High-speed rail pet transport service upgraded
China’s national railway operator has launched a fully upgraded pet transportation service for high-speed rail networks across the country, rolling out expanded coverage and flexible booking options to address rapidly growing demand from pet-owning travelers that emerged after a successful one-year pilot program.
The updated service builds on the initial pilot scheme launched on April 8, 2025, which first allowed pet shipments on high-speed services. According to data from China Railway Express, the pilot operated without major disruptions over its 12-month run, moving more than 15,000 pets safely between destinations across the country. The national upgrade extends the service to 121 major high-speed railway stations and 228 regular high-speed train services, representing a key expansion of customized passenger amenities in China’s rail sector.
To accommodate a wide range of travel needs, the upgraded service introduces two distinct shipping options: a companion travel model where passengers share the same train as their pets, and a separate cargo model that lets pets travel independently without their owners.
Under the “travel with your pet” option, passengers can reserve both their own train tickets and pet transport slots directly through China’s official 12306 mobile ticketing app. Each passenger is permitted to bring up to two pets per trip. To avoid disrupting other passengers and maintain biosecurity standards, pets are not allowed in regular passenger cabins. Instead, they are secured in purpose-built dedicated transport containers and housed in a separate, sealed onboard compartment for the full duration of the journey.
The second option, “pet travels alone”, caters to customers who need to ship a pet but do not plan to make the trip themselves. For this service, pets are integrated into the railway’s existing logistics network and transported to the destination station, where the designated recipient can collect them upon arrival.
Pricing for the service follows a transparent distance-based structure with two tiers: standard rates and discounted rates for passengers traveling on the same train as their pet. For a benchmark trip between Beijing and Shanghai, one of China’s busiest high-speed rail corridors, the standard rate for a single pet is 658 yuan (approximately $96), while passengers traveling with their pet qualify for a reduced fare of 460 yuan for the same route. Every pet shipment automatically includes 2,000 yuan in basic insurance coverage to address unexpected incidents during transit.
Veterinary experts note that high-speed rail pet transport offers notable advantages over air travel for animal welfare and efficiency. Zhao Enman, vice-dean of the Beijing University of Agriculture’s animal hospital, explained that commercial airlines typically require pets to go through multiple layers of strict security screening and extended waiting periods before departure. In contrast, high-speed rail operational processes are far more streamlined, which cuts down total transit time and reduces the stress and physical discomfort that pets often experience during long waits and complicated handling procedures.
Early users of the service have also shared generally positive feedback. Cui Na, a pet owner who used the pilot pet transport service on a previous trip, praised the reliability of the service and the quality of the specialized shipping containers. “The transport box on high-speed rail is very professional. If it were available for purchase, I would consider using one at home,” she said, though she acknowledged that she still felt some anxiety about her pet’s wellbeing during the journey.
Railway officials emphasized that the service adheres to a strict isolated transport protocol to ensure both passenger comfort and pet safety. All pets remain in sealed, climate-controlled containers in separate compartments for the entire trip, and trained railway staff monitor animals’ conditions through built-in sensor systems. All transport equipment is thoroughly disinfected after every trip to prevent the spread of pathogens.
Looking ahead, Chinese railway authorities announced plans to continue refining the service based on user feedback and explore innovative new service models. One potential expansion being considered is integrating pet transport services with leisure tourism products, to allow pet owners to bring their animals on vacation trips more easily and further improve the overall customer travel experience.
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Myanmar’s parliament approves cabinet mostly of former generals and holdovers
Five years after Senior General Min Aung Hlaing led the 2021 military takeover that ousted Myanmar’s democratically elected civilian government, the country’s newly convened parliament has formally approved a cabinet stacked overwhelmingly with current and former military figures, leaving no realistic path to a swift return to civilian rule. The vote, held Thursday in the capital Naypyitaw, clears the way for Min Aung Hlaing to be sworn in Friday as Myanmar’s president, alongside two vice presidents and the full slate of 30 cabinet appointees. Parliament Speaker Aung Lin Dwe confirmed all 30 ministerial appointments passed without objections. An official breakdown of the approved cabinet shows 24 of the 30 nominees are either active or retired military officers, or politicians affiliated with the military-aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party. Furthermore, 18 of the incoming ministers held cabinet positions in the previous military junta government, while four additional appointees served as military or administrative officials under that same administration. Many of these newly appointed cabinet members are already the target of international sanctions, imposed by Western governments that have accused the officials of complicity in human rights violations and participation in the unelected military regime. Beyond cabinet appointments, the parliament also voted Thursday to reappoint senior judicial officials, including the chairman of the constitutional tribunal, the attorney general, and all sitting Supreme Court judges. The new government was formed following disputed general elections held in two phases across late December 2024 and early 2025, a vote that has been widely rejected by the international community. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is among the major regional and global bodies that have refused to recognize the election results. Critics note the vote was deeply flawed: nearly all major opposition parties were barred from participating, public dissent was harshly suppressed, and no voting could be conducted across large swathes of Myanmar where ongoing civil conflict between the junta and armed resistance groups continues to rage. ASEAN has already maintained that it will stick to its long-stalled five-point peace plan for Myanmar, even as the initiative has failed to end the years-long deadly civil war that has displaced millions of people across the country.
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Irish army asked to move some vehicles in fuel protest
Three days of widespread fuel price protests have brought major disruption to transportation networks across the Republic of Ireland, prompting Irish police to formally request military support to clear vehicle blockades obstructing critical national infrastructure. The growing crisis, rooted in skyrocketing fuel costs driven by Middle East conflict, has upended daily life for commuters, emergency services and travelers alike, forcing the Irish government to take extraordinary measures to restore order.
Irish Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan confirmed the deployment of the Defence Forces in an official statement Wednesday night, noting that the operation will focus on removing large vehicles parked illegally on key routes and infrastructure hubs. In a sharp warning to protest organizers, O’Callaghan said vehicle owners who do not move their property voluntarily by Thursday morning will have no grounds for complaint if their vehicles sustain damage during military removal. He emphasized that blocking access to essential services such as fuel and clean water represents an unacceptable violation of basic human rights, adding that the government will not tolerate continued disruption to critical national infrastructure.
The current wave of protests, which began early Tuesday, has been organized to push back against dramatic fuel price increases tied to the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. The conflict has forced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping chokepoint that handles roughly 20% of the world’s total crude oil trade, cutting off a major share of global fuel supplies and sending prices soaring across Europe. In the Republic of Ireland, average prices have jumped to approximately €1.91 per liter for petrol and €2.14 per liter for diesel, with some remote or rural locations reporting even higher costs.
By Thursday, the disruption had spilled into a third consecutive day of travel chaos. Dublin Bus spokesperson Blake Boland told Irish national broadcaster RTÉ that the capital was facing “absolutely massive disruption” to services. On Wednesday, demonstrators completely blocked O’Connell Bridge, Dublin’s central river crossing, in both directions, bringing traffic on the city’s main thoroughfare and both the North and South Quays to a standstill. Protests were also reported on major arterial routes leading into Dublin and around other major urban centers across the country.
Transport operators have warned of widespread delays and cancellations across multiple modes of travel. Dublin Airport advised passengers to add substantial extra time to their journeys to account for road congestion, while cross-border bus operator Translink reported repeated delays to services between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Dublin Express, which runs coach services between Dublin and Belfast, also implemented multiple diversions and delays, urging customers to plan ahead for extended travel times.
Irish national police service An Garda Síochána noted that while the protests have remained largely peaceful, their impact on daily life has been severe. “We have received reports of emergency workers being delayed or not being able to travel to their work, of people not being able to attend hospital appointments or visit loved ones who are ill,” a police spokesperson said. It was An Garda Síochána that submitted the overnight request for military assistance, a step permitted under Irish domestic law for civilian authorities facing large-scale public disruption.
Government leaders have moved to open dialogue with industry and protest representative groups amid the unrest. On Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris and Minister of State Seán Canney held talks with the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA), a key stakeholder in the protest movement, with officials describing the discussions as “constructive”. Senior government officials have confirmed that they have already held meetings with national representative bodies, will continue these engagements, and are actively monitoring the evolving situation. On Friday, Minister Martin Heydon and Minister of State Timmy Dooley are scheduled to hold a new round of talks with national contractor and farming representative groups, two sectors heavily impacted by rising fuel costs.
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Scientists say the world’s oldest octopus fossil isn’t an octopus after all
For more than two decades, a 300-million-year-old blob-like fossil from Illinois held a distinctive title in both scientific records and popular science: the earliest known octopus ever discovered. That designation has now been formally stripped away, after a team of paleontologists produced concrete evidence that the fossilized creature was never an octopus at all — and actually belongs to a different branch of the cephalopod family tree.
Discovered in the fossil-rich Mazon Creek deposit, roughly 50 miles southwest of Chicago, the fossil known as *Pohlsepia mazonensis* was first identified as an early octopus by paleontologists in 2000. That finding upended long-held scientific consensus about octopus evolution, pushing back the estimated origin of eight-tentacled cephalopods by more than 200 million years; previously, the oldest confirmed octopus fossil dated back only 90 million years. This massive chronological gap between *Pohlsepia* and the next confirmed octopus fossil left the scientific community with persistent doubts about the original classification.
“It’s a very difficult fossil to interpret,” explained lead researcher Thomas Clements, a zoologist at the University of Reading. “To look at it, it kind of just looks like a white mush. Superficially, if you’re a cephalopod researcher focused on octopuses, it does bear a resemblance to a deep-sea octopus.” The hand-sized fossil, preserved in rock after the creature died in Carboniferous period seas long before dinosaurs evolved, retained few clear distinguishing features that could resolve the debate — until Clements and his research team turned to advanced imaging technology to uncover hidden traits.
To unpack the “mystery of the weird blob,” the team used a synchrotron, a cutting-edge device that accelerates electrons to generate light beams far brighter than the sun, allowing researchers to examine internal structures within the fossil rock without damaging the specimen. What they found inside settled the long-running debate: a ribbon-like structure of teeth called a radula, a shared feature of all mollusks including both octopuses and nautiluses, but with a distinct arrangement that rules out an octopus classification.
While octopuses typically have either seven or nine teeth per row on their radula, the *Pohlsepia* fossil had exactly 11 teeth per row — a tooth pattern that perfectly matches a known fossil nautiloid, *Paleocadmus pohli*, previously recovered from the same Mazon Creek deposit. Nautiluses are shelled cephalopods, distant relatives of octopuses that still exist in modern oceans today. Clements says the original misidentification likely occurred because the creature’s hard shell decomposed before fossilization, leaving only a soft, blob-like impression of the tentacled animal that confused early researchers.
“This has too many teeth, so it can’t be an octopus,” Clements noted. “And that’s how we realize that the world’s oldest octopus is actually a fossil nautilus, not an octopus.”
Following the publication of the team’s findings this week in the peer-reviewed journal *Proceedings of the Royal Society B*, Guinness World Records announced it will update its listings to remove *Pohlsepia mazonensis* from its title as the earliest known octopus. “The scientists have made a fascinating discovery,” said Guinness Managing Editor Adam Millward. “We will be resting the original ‘oldest octopus fossil’ title and look forward to reviewing this new evidence.”
The fossil, named for its original discoverer James Pohl, is currently held in the collection of Chicago’s Field Museum. While the reclassification means the museum has lost its claim to hosting the world’s oldest octopus, Clements says the collection gains an even rarer specimen: the oldest known fossil of a nautilus that preserves soft tissue, a rare find for organisms whose bodies mostly decay over time. “The Field Museum have a small collection of these ancient nautiluses, which I think as a cephalopod worker is probably the best thing ever,” Clements added. The Field Museum has been contacted for comment on the reclassification and has not yet released a public response.
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Elderly cautiously embrace new technology, but risks linger
Across China, a quiet digital revolution is unfolding among the country’s aging population, as millions of senior citizens step beyond traditional lifestyles to integrate cutting-edge internet and artificial intelligence tools into their daily routines. What began as tentative exploration of digital platforms has evolved into widespread adoption, opening new personal, financial and social opportunities for older adults while raising pressing concerns about consumer protection and cybersecurity.
One striking example of this trend is Liu Changling, a 68-year-old orchard farmer with 40 years of cultivation experience based in Jinan, Shandong province. By sharing his professional planting expertise and showcasing his fresh produce on popular Chinese short-video platforms, Liu has unlocked an entirely new revenue stream, expanded his customer base, and built a following of more than 100,000 engaged online users, earning him status as a grassroots digital influencer.
Liu’s journey reflects a massive national shift in digital access for seniors. Official data released by the China Internet Network Information Center shows that as of June 2025, the total number of internet users aged 60 and older in China reached 161 million. According to Xinhua News Agency, this milestone means roughly one out of every two Chinese seniors is now connected to the digital world, marking an 18-fold surge in the elderly online population over the past 15 years.
A 2025 survey led by Beijing Normal University, which polled 2,000 internet users between the ages of 55 and 83, offers deeper insight into how seniors engage with digital tools. The research found that more than 75% of respondents have hands-on experience creating short-form video content, with over 27% posting new content on a regular basis. Most of their content centers on accessible, relatable topics: family daily life, home cooking tutorials, general health guidance, and hands-on skill sharing with other users.
As artificial intelligence moves from niche innovation to mainstream technology, it has further fueled older adults’ enthusiasm for exploring new digital tools. A joint report on senior AI adoption released in October 2025 by Alibaba Group and Zhejiang Open University identifies the elderly demographic as a rapidly growing group with untapped potential for deep participation in the AI-powered economy. The report notes that seniors can gain wide-ranging benefits from AI integration, from improved home-based elder care and personalized health management to professional nursing support, digital emotional companionship, and even extended working opportunities for those who wish to stay active in the workforce.
Contrary to common stereotypes that frame older adults as passive or resistant to technology, data shows they are not just curious learners — they are active consumers of tech products tailored to their needs. For example, on Alibaba’s Tmall e-commerce platform, sales of AI-powered companion robots equipped with voice chat and remote video calling capabilities rose sharply between January and August 2025. During the same period, year-on-year sales growth for senior-friendly smart health bracelets hit over 200%, while sales of senior-focused smartwatches surged more than 350%.
To match this fast-growing demand for digital and AI literacy, colleges for older learners across China have rapidly expanded their course offerings in emerging technology. China Youth Daily reports that Shanghai’s senior-focused universities added a significant number of new AI and digital literacy courses for the 2026 spring semester. In Shanghai’s Changning and Hongkou districts, local senior education institutions have partnered with private information technology companies to provide hands-on guidance that helps older students understand, learn, and apply AI tools in their daily lives.
For many seniors, AI has already created deeply meaningful personal experiences. A 72-year-old student from Qitaihe, Heilongjiang province, identified only as Li, shared his emotional reaction after using AI technology to restore a collection of worn, faded old photographs. “These are pictures of me working at a factory more than 40 years ago,” Li told Heilongjiang Daily. “Seeing the restored images instantly through this technology brought me right back to those old days; it was deeply touching.”
Despite the clear opportunities that digital and AI innovation bring to older adults, experts warn that growing adoption has also attracted bad actors, and new risks to seniors’ financial and personal security remain unaddressed. Zhu Wei, an associate professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, has cautioned that scammers increasingly exploit seniors’ enthusiasm for learning AI by running fraudulent training schemes that target vulnerable older users.
To combat this threat, Zhu called for coordinated action: platforms should proactively shut down fraudulent accounts that pose as AI training providers to scam seniors, regulatory bodies should hold the operating companies behind these malicious accounts legally accountable, and broader, stricter oversight of senior-focused tech services should be enforced. “These measures are crucial for maintaining order in cyberspace and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the elderly,” Zhu added.
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Artemis crew’s families enthralled by messages from space
One week after the groundbreaking Artemis II lunar mission launched from Florida, family members of the four-person crew are sharing their deeply personal experiences watching their loved ones make history, with unique insight from the wife of Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — the first non-American astronaut to journey toward Earth’s celestial satellite.
In an exclusive interview with AFP, Catherine Hansen, a Canadian obstetrician-gynecologist, opened up about the rollercoaster of emotions she has experienced while following her husband’s trailblazing trip from Earth. Dressed in rocket-shaped earrings for her video interview, she described how she has clung to every update from NASA mission control and every word shared during private family calls with the crew.
The Artemis II mission, humanity’s first crewed lunar flyby mission in over 50 years, is a critical test flight designed to validate the safety and performance of NASA’s new Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew capsule, neither of which had carried humans before launch. Hansen and his crewmates — NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch — have already reached a historic distance of 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) from Earth, a new record for human spaceflight.
Catherine and the couple’s three children traveled to NASA’s Johnson Space Center mission control in Houston earlier this week to watch the crew’s close lunar flyby, shortly after which they connected with Jeremy for a private call. She recalled how he vividly described the staggering view of the Moon from the capsule’s window, noting the celestial body appeared strikingly three-dimensional, like a full globe hanging in the blackness of space. Hansen will share these firsthand observations with the public once he returns to Earth, Catherine confirmed.
Before he launched, Jeremy gave his wife a high-powered pair of binoculars to watch the Moon from Earth during the mission. “Our family would lie down and look at various places on the Moon that he would identify based on his mapping and his study guides,” Catherine explained. Many of those mapped sites were later observed up close by the Artemis II crew during their flyby.
One of the most tense moments of the mission for the family came during the crew’s pass behind the far side of the Moon, when all communications with Earth were intentionally cut off for roughly 40 minutes. Catherine admitted that this period triggered particular anxiety: “I wanted to be there for that, because as someone who has never flown in space, I wanted to make sure they actually reacquired signal.” She said she was surprised by the calm, confident energy of mission control teams, who showed no visible stress, trusting entirely in the pre-planned flight sequence.
“It has been a very emotional week,” Catherine said. Before the launch, Catherine, her children, and the families of the other three Artemis II astronauts gathered near the Florida launch pad to watch the rocket lift off. “It was absolutely incredible. And I think everyone is sort of at a loss for words. I don’t think anyone was quite prepared,” she recalled.
To stay connected during the mission, Catherine and their three children pre-recorded personal videos for Jeremy to view while he orbits near the Moon. The astronaut later told reporters that watching those messages in deep space was an unforgettable experience.
For Catherine, the mix of overwhelming joy, pride, and lingering anxiety has defined the week, as the family counts down to the crew’s splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, scheduled for Friday. “There’s been a lot of happiness and excitement, a lot of joy but also some anxiety and some wanting to get him home safely,” she said. The Hansen family is now preparing to welcome Jeremy home after his history-making journey.
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ASX 200 closes higher as oil prices surge on escalating Middle East tensions
Even as fragile ceasefire efforts in the Middle East unraveled just 24 hours after they were struck, Australia’s benchmark share market managed to hold onto a mild upward trajectory in Thursday’s trading session. New cross-border strikes against Lebanon renewed geopolitical uncertainty across global markets, but the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) still closed out the day with small incremental gains, bucking fears of a broader downturn.
The benchmark ASX 200 index added 21.4 points, or 0.24 percent, to close at 8,973.20, while the wider All Ordinaries index edged up 3.2 points to finish at 9,168.90. Of the 11 major industry sectors tracked on the exchange, only four closed with positive gains, led by a massive 2.58 percent surge in the energy sector. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the information technology sector recorded a steep 6.46 percent drop, erasing most of the prior day’s strong rally.
Market analyst Tony Sycamore of IG explained that a rebound in global crude oil prices triggered the sharp pullback in tech stocks. “The rebound in crude oil prices has weighed heavily on the ASX200 Tech sector, which has given back almost all of yesterday’s impressive 7.31% gain,” Sycamore noted. Global benchmark oil prices climbed 2.4 percent to settle at $US97.06 a barrel, reversing the previous day’s downward movement as geopolitical instability in the oil-rich Middle East erased hopes of falling energy costs.
The day’s biggest losing stock was logistics tech firm WiseTech Global, which plummeted 10.9 percent to close at $38.62 per share. By contrast, major Australian energy firms posted robust double-digit and single-digit gains. Woodside Energy rose 3.96 percent to $33.33, while Santos gained 2.45 percent to $7.95. Refiners and retailers Ampol and Viva Energy closed up 3.46 percent and 3.31 percent respectively, boosted by a federal government announcement that Export Finance Australia had finalized terms to support increased fuel imports into Australia.
Regional lender Bendigo and Adelaide Bank emerged as one of the top-performing financial stocks of the day, jumping 8.41 percent after announcing two new partnerships with tech firms that will cut annual operating costs by $65 million via workforce reductions. The bank also reported stronger-than-expected cash profits for the March 2025 quarter, coming in $138 million above analyst consensus forecasts. Australia’s big four retail banks also posted mild positive growth: National Australia Bank led the group with a 2.18 percent gain to $45.50, ANZ climbed 1.07 percent to $38.75, Westpac added 1.67 percent to $42.65, and Commonwealth Bank rose 1.29 percent to $182.53.
Against the US dollar, the Australian dollar held steady through the session’s volatility, ending trading flat at 70.3 US cents.