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Times
27-04-2025
- Times
This is the most exciting way to see the US Midwest
Main Streets, megafarms and small family-owned homesteads. Red barns, white picket fences and cornfields. Stars, stripes and Peanuts. Mark Twain, swing bridges and grain silos the size of cathedrals. My voyage on the Upper Mississippi, sailing from St Louis in Missouri to Minneapolis and St Paul in Minnesota may be going against the river's flow yet it has a narrative arc of its own. A journey along the Mississippi feels as complex as America itself. It may not be the longest river in the US (the Missouri wins that prize) but every inch of its 2,350-mile length is packed with history, contradictions and beauty. At the St Louis Art Museum, I spend the evening before joining my voyage in a state of reverie among a profusion of Van Goghs, a sprinkling of Renoirs and some rather nice Renaissance art (free; The millionaires who bankrolled the 1904 World's Fair insisted that the St Louis Art Museum, housed in the middle of Forest Park, could never charge an entry fee. 'Am I safe to walk through the park in the evening?' I ask one of the museum staff as I leave around the start of twilight. 'Oh yes,' she says, and passing the picnics and wedding photoshoots that are taking place amid the park's boating ponds and tennis courts as I head northeast to my hotel, the Sonesta, a 20-minute stroll away, next to the park in the Central West End, I can understand why; this part of St Louis feels as gentle as a village. Forest Park is significantly bigger than Central Park and is fringed by houses, with wide verandas and the sort of late 19th-century confidence that the Smith family exuded in Meet Me in St Louis. After a hard few decades, the city has become an increasingly popular place for people to bring up children. Businesses are relocating here and the downtown area — newly accessorised with restaurants and hip hotels — seems to be firmly on the up. St Louis is known as the Gateway City, which does hint at a loss of identity even though the name makes sense. Below lies the Mississippi Delta; above it — and the area I'm exploring — is the Midwest. My cruise is called Heartland of America and it feels appropriate. The states through which the Upper Mississippi runs are America's breadbasket but also full of literary and cultural history. Hannibal, founded in 1819 and one of our first stops, is fully Mark Twain-themed, from Becky Thatcher's Diner to Finn's Foods and Spirits. The author of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer grew up here and there's a freshly painted fence outside his childhood home, which offers creaking floorboards and a full sense of context for his novels and journalism (£11; 'Along the Upper Mississippi, every hour brings something new,' Twain wrote. 'There are crowds of odd islands, bluffs, prairies, hills, woods and villages — everything one could desire to amuse the children. Few people ever think of going there, however.' But we are. The Viking Mississippi eschews the retro paddle steamer look for something sleeker. It has 193 cabins that are smart and surprisingly spacious-feeling — despite the constraints of having to fit through the Mississippi's lock system. They all have balconies with chairs and tables. In late August temperatures were in the 30s, but the cabin's air conditioning never faltered (as long as you closed the sliding door correctly). The ship also has room for two restaurants; on the top deck, the River Café is more informal and has outdoor seating, while the Restaurant is quieter with an à la carte menu. There's also space for a large library area and outdoor terraces — the one aft, near the bar, has particularly nice rocking chairs. In the evening, the entertainment includes a thoughtful and tuneful look at the history of music in St Louis, talks about history and wildlife in the area and demonstrations of mint julep-making. As we head north, the menus reflect the region, with fish and steak of course, but also corn chowder and local cheeses. 'When we started, there were 30 small farms like us. Now there are just two,' says Ralph Krogmeier, who founded his farm Hinterland in 1978 and now runs it with his wife, Colleen ( Hinterland, surrounded by motion-picture perfect cornfields a thirty-minute drive from our stop in Burlington, Iowa, has survived because it now makes award-winning cheese and ice cream. 'Land was cheap then. It isn't now,' he adds. • 17 of the best US cruise lines On hearing this, a small group of passengers nod in an understanding way before they lean over the railing to admire some of the Holstein and Jersey cows. They are dairy farmers from New Zealand who examine the corn-based winter feed that's grown in the surrounding fields with great interest. When I point out that this could be classed as a busman's holiday for them, they laugh. 'Makes it tax-deductible,' one says, with a farmer's directness and a smile. Apart from the fact-finding Kiwi dairy farmers and me, everyone on the ship is American, as are the crew. The landscape feels properly American too, from the railroad tracks with the mournful whistles of trains heading through to the bald eagle I spot and the Victorian architecture of the smaller towns where we stop. As night falls, the ship's engines are quiet enough to be able to — just — pick out the sound of cicadas as we pass woodlands, grand riverbank houses and the occasional campsite. The ship's swimming pool, a narrow strip at the stern, turns out to be really conducive to overhearing conversations. 'When I was teaching civics in high school, I always made sure a module on Agent Orange was on the curriculum,' I hear a woman on my left say as she discusses the Vietnam War with another passenger. On the other side, a man is telling his friends about coming across a bear and her cub while out hiking earlier in the year. 'I just tried to make as much noise as I could, and hoped that I wasn't between her and the cub,' he says. If anywhere feels like the repository of American pride, hopes and dreams though, it's the John Deere Pavilion ( in Moline, Illinois. First, we look at the homes the Deeres built in Moline's leafy suburbs. Victorian edifices stuffed with Flemish tapestries and ceiling frescoes from Venice are interspersed with notices that the company refused to repossess farm equipment in the Depression and that John Deere once helped to break up a meeting of segregationists. In the Pavilion, however, it's full-throttle agricultural admiration, with museum-like reverence given to a boxed 1970s Barbie in John Deere clothing, early tractors polished to a sheen and — in pride of place — a corn-harvesting combine that costs £1.07 million. One of the passengers on this excursion brings out his phone to show a photo of his grandfather's 1931 John Deere tractor, which he's restored, and the other passengers cluster around admiringly. • Read our full guide to cruise holidays A stop at Dubuque means that we're just over an hour's coach ride from Taliesin, where America's most famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, lived. His grandparents had settled in this part of Wisconsin from Wales and he created a home and a college here, still with the plyboard desk from which he designed buildings such as Fallingwater and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The house and grounds are a delight to wander around and the gardens are a profusion of orchards, trees and shrubberies (tours from £27pp; Frank Lloyd Wright's home in Taliesin ALAMY Meanwhile, the ship's bridge team are making endless calculations on the swell of the river when it comes to navigating. 'Whenever you come back after a break, this feels like a completely new river,' says Cory Burke, who is piloting the ship. Our journeys demonstrate how much effort goes into trying to tame the Mississippi. After a few days, I find my tribe on the rocking chairs at the fore of the ship. With wine and cocktails in hand, passengers are enthralled as the ship manoeuvres through locks and bridges. And we wave at the lock-keepers. There turns out to be a lot of waving in the Upper Mississippi. When we head inland, the cornfields ripple just as they do in the movies, fields and fields of them; flat in Iowa, undulating hills in Wisconsin. But on the Mississippi itself, every time a jet ski or fishing boat comes alongside, as well as a passing lock-keeper, people wave. Sometimes I think, no, this is an effort for them, but every single time someone sees the ship, they wave. We arrive in La Crosse, a cool little Wisconsin college town on the day Trump stages a rally there before the presidential election that will take place two months after my trip. The residents remain polite but the fourth-generation owner of Kroner's Hardware store is sporting a tie-dye T-shirt, while the baristas of the Root Note coffee shop are in a range of pro-choice and rainbow outfits. Meanwhile, makeshift stalls arrive with Trump memorabilia, including bright gold baseball caps and fake dollar bills with Trump's face. Back on board though, there's no talk of politics, which is an American civics lesson in itself. Instead, people chat and laugh with their fellow passengers and head on deck to admire the Mississippi in all its glory. Sarah Turner was a guest of Viking, which has seven nights' full board from £5,295pp on a Heartland of America voyage, including flights, some excursions, tips and drinks with meals, departing on August 16, 2025 (
New Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Science
- New Indian Express
Skyroot Aerospace en route to Earth orbit
As soon as the exam ended and the bell rang, what did we do with our question papers? Some of us tossed them back in our bags to foretell our marks, while others fancied themselves to be Picassos and Van Goghs, turning the sheets into their personal doodle pads. But then there were those who meticulously folded the paper to create rockets, pretending to be India's top scientists before the next period started. Because rockets — they're fascinating, aren't they? Well, Pawan Kumar Chandana's fascination skyrocketed to the point where he, along with his friend Naga Bharath Daka, founded Skyroot Aerospace, which launched India's first privately developed rocket. A former ISRO scientist and IIT Kharagpur alumnus, Pawan now leads a team of over 350 individuals building world-class launch vehicles. He speaks with CE about Skyroot's ascent, Vikram-I, and what lies ahead. Excerpts Skyroot is very clear about its mission to 'open space for all'. In an era where many are looking to 'conquer' space, where does this thought come from? Space was always meant to be a place to explore, learn from, and utilise thoughtfully to improve lives on Earth. Astronauts say that from up there, you don't see boundaries and regional differences, but just this beautiful blue marble that sustains life like no other planet we know of. Earth is a unique place in the vast galaxy, and what we achieve in space, be it through satellite communications or deep space exploration, should be for the benefit of all on Earth. Our purpose at Skyroot is to enable this by democratising access to space. Once we remove the barriers to space for nations, startups, and even universities alike, we can build incredible technological solutions that can impact how we live, communicate, irrigate, plan our cities, protect the environment, and more. This one is for our curious readers — why the name 'Skyroot'? We aim high and soar skyward — not for the sheer thrill of it, but for the very rooted belief that what's up there improves lives on Earth. Were you always interested in space? I come from a very humble family. Good values and good education were the dinner topics; space at the time felt so far off. But as I grew up, my deep passion for technology and the cosmos grew. Even as rockets fascinated me, I did not know that I would one day be building them. The turning point was at IIT-Kharagpur. I came to know that ISRO was coming to the campus for recruitment. At that time, most IIT students preferred to join consumer tech companies or global software giants, and even ISRO did not frequent IITs so often. But my single-minded focus then was to join ISRO, because I knew space was my calling. You were a scientist at ISRO for several years. How was your stint there and what fuelled you to set up Skyroot? The six years I spent at ISRO were incredibly rewarding. It was a fulfilling dream to be part of building a rocket. I had the opportunity to be part of the team that built the biggest rocket ISRO was then developing — the LVM3, or the Bahubali rocket. ISRO was also a great vantage point to observe how the rest of the world was developing their space technologies. I could see the rise of private companies in the US and other countries, which were building rockets innovatively and cost efficiently. Private space programmes were broadening the horizon of who could access and build for space. I could see how the future of space was evolving. And yet, there was no Indian private company building rockets. So, I found the second chapter of my space calling. In 2018, my friend Bharath and I started Skyroot. We wanted to build an Indian company that could go global and develop rockets for the world. In 2022, Skyroot launched India's first privately developed rocket, Vikram-S. And recently, you test-fired Kalam-100, the third stage of Vikram-I. Can you tell us more about this? As the saying goes, it is rocket science — it is incredibly challenging. Numerous systems and subsystems have to sync in perfect harmony for a rocket to launch successfully. You have to test and test again until you perfect every small aspect of a rocket. And even then, there are external challenges such as unexpected weather. The margin of error is very slim. The true test is to launch a rocket. And that is what makes Vikram-S special. It was a validation for the technologies that we had developed at Skyroot. It was our small writing in the sky to showcase where we have reached, and where we plan to go further. Now, we are preparing to validate the second part of that, i.e., where we plan to go. With Vikram-I, we aim to place satellites from across the world into Earth's orbit. No private company in India has done this before. So, we have to test every aspect of this seven-storey-tall rocket before placing it vertically on the launchpad. This includes static fire of all the three solid stages, numerous short and long duration firing of the liquid engines, and more. In the recent test, we fired the third stage of the rocket called Kalam-100, which is designed to operate completely in space. The test evaluated its ballistic performance, thermal insulation, nozzle actuation, and other key parameters — and it was a great success. For the uninitiated — what does it take to build a rocket? Audacity and perseverance. Of course, there is a lot of technological innovation and iterations involved. But building a rocket is not a linear journey. No rocket has ever been built without some failure or another. You will face setbacks on the way. You have to learn from them just as you do from your successes. At Skyroot, we have been fortunate to have built a team that is as passionate as any of us are on this mission. What are the common challenges that startups in the space sector face, and what advice do you have for them? Space-tech endeavours are time- and capital-consuming. There will be setbacks and challenges that will test you. It is important to maintain a consistent long-term perspective when crafting strategies, rather than succumbing to the allure of short-term gains. That's my advice to entrepreneurs starting out as well: stay resilient and stay true to your trajectory. A rocket doesn't take a straight line to space... building a space startup is a similar journey. How can we cultivate the interest of children and youngsters in space? Science fiction movies and books have done wonders in sparking interest in space among young minds. Beyond that, we need to make space education more accessible and engaging. Schools can incorporate space-related topics into their curriculum, organise visits to research institutes and startups, and invite professionals from the space industry. The young minds should get an opportunity to see and work with technology. Can you tell us about the upcoming goals you have? Future launch vehicles, such as Vikram-II, are being developed. Our immediate goal remains the maiden flight of Vikram-I, slated for the second half of this year, and to learn from that to make further improvements to the launch vehicle. With Vikram-I, we want to offer satellite launches into a variety of orbits at a high frequency. If all goes well, you are going to see a lot of Vikram-I launches from India in the coming years.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Just Stop Oil activist group says to stop climate protest stunts
British environmental activist group Just Stop Oil said on Thursday it would halt its high-profile climate protest stunts after a final demonstration in London in April. "It is the end of soup on Van Goghs, cornstarch on Stonehenge and slow marching in the streets," the group said in a statement, claiming that it had succeeded in its initial aim to stop Britain approving new oil and gas projects. "Three years after bursting on the scene in a blaze of orange, at the end of April we will be hanging up the hi vis," the group said. "Just Stop Oil's initial demand to end new oil and gas is now government policy, making us one of the most successful civil resistance campaigns in recent history." It said it would hold a final rally in London's Parliament Square on April 26, and "continue to tell the truth in the courts, speak out for our political prisoners and call out the UK's oppressive anti-protest laws". The group confirmed the move in a call with AFP and said it was working on a new project, but did not provide details. "As corporations and billionaires corrupt political systems across the world, we need a different approach," it said in its statement. "We are creating a new strategy, to face this reality and to carry our responsibilities at this time. Nothing short of a revolution is going to protect us from the coming storms." lcm/jkb/sbk
Telegraph
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
JSO stops protests after main demand becomes Labour policy
Just Stop Oil said it will stop protesting because their main demand is now Government policy. The eco-activist group, which was co-founded by Roger Hallam, the environmental campaigner, said that it will stage a final protest in Parliament Square on April 26 before 'hanging up the hi-vis'. In a statement posted on Thursday, Just Stop Oil boasted that it was 'one of the most successful civil resistance campaigns in recent history'. 'We've kept over 4.4 billion barrels of oil in the ground and the courts have ruled new oil and gas licences unlawful,' it said. 'So it is the end of soup on Van Goghs, cornstarch on Stonehenge and slow marching in the streets. But it is not the end of trials, of tagging and surveillance, of fines, probation and years in prison.' Warning that the world was heading towards 2C of global heating by the 2030s, the environmental campaign group added: 'As corporations and billionaires corrupt political systems across the world, we need a different approach. 'We are creating a new strategy, to face this reality and to carry our responsibilities at this time. Nothing short of a revolution is going to protect us from the coming storms. 'Governments everywhere are retreating from doing what is needed to protect us from the consequences of unchecked fossil fuel burning,' it added. Despite announcing an end to their biggest stunts, it insisted it was 'not the end of civil resistance'. The group's protests have landed many of its members in court since its inception in 2022. It said it had 'exposed the corruption at the heart of the legal system' in the process.
Sky News
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Just Stop Oil will no longer throw soup at paintings as it ends direct action
Just Stop Oil is to stop throwing soup on paintings and slow marching in streets as it announces its final protest. In a statement, the environmental campaign group said: "Just Stop Oil's initial demand to end new oil and gas is now government policy, making us one of the most successful civil resistance campaigns in recent history. "We've kept over 4.4 billion barrels of oil in the ground and the courts have ruled new oil and gas licences unlawful. "So it is the end of soup on Van Goghs, cornstarch on Stonehenge and slow marching in the streets. But it is not the end of trials, of tagging and surveillance, of fines, probation and years in prison." It added: "As corporations and billionaires corrupt political systems across the world, we need a different approach. We are creating a new strategy, to face this reality and to carry our responsibilities at this time. Nothing short of a revolution is going to protect us from the coming storms." Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
