After sweeping farther from Earth than any human in history, the four astronauts on NASA's first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years have re-established contact and begun the journey home. Mission control in Houston restored communications with the crew after a roughly 40-minute blackout as their spacecraft moved behind the Moon, cutting off signal during the pass behind Earth's natural satellite. "It is so great to hear from Earth again," Mission Specialist Christina Koch said as the astronauts were able to speak once…

Humanity’s next chapter in deep space is edging into view as the four astronauts of NASA's Artemis II mission cross into the Moon's gravitational sphere of influence, riding a trajectory that will soon carry them above the shadowed lunar far side and place them farther from Earth than any people have ever travelled. The Artemis II crew, aboard their Orion capsule since lifting off from Florida last week, are expected to wake at about 10.50am ET (3.05pm Irish time) for the mission’s sixth day in flight. At 7:05pm ET (12.05am…

Ethiopia's Amhara regional president called on all armed residents to mobilize for the fight against rebels from the conflict-ridden Tigray Sunday, calling it a "survival campaign," state media reported. Amhara borders Tigray to the south and the two regions are involved in a decades-old land war that has become central to the eight-month-old war in Tigray. Sunday's statement from Amhara regional president Agegnehu Teshager echoes a call from the president of Ethiopia's Afar region just east of Tigray. Together, the…