FirstUp: Blue Origin to launch New Glenn rocket, funeral of Jane Goodall... The news of the day

It is set to be a busy Wednesday with several events lined up for the day.

Firstly, Blue Origin is likely to launch the megarocket New Glenn today. Meanwhile, a funeral service for Jane Goodall will be held in Washington today.

British pub owners will hold a protest today demanding tax cuts ahead of the Autumn Budget on November 26. British auction house Sotheby’s is set to auction a rare pink diamond, ‘The Glowing Rose’.

Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch

Blue Origin is targeting the launch of its second New Glenn heavy-lift rocket, carrying Nasa’s twin Escapade (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) probes to Mars.

The launch window for the NG-2 mission opens at 2:50 pm EST and extends to 4:17 PM EST from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Two small satellites for the mission are designed to study how solar winds strip the atmosphere from Mars.

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The launch was originally scheduled for November 9 but was scrubbed due to unfavourable weather conditions (specifically the cumulus cloud rule) and ground equipment issues.

Funeral of Jane Goodall

A funeral and memorial service for renowned primatologist and conservationist Dr Jane Goodall will take place today at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC. The service will begin at 11 am EST. The service will be led by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde and Dean Randolph Marshall Hollerith, with tributes from family members and other speakers.

Goodall passed away at the age of 91 on October 1. She is best known for her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park. Throughout her career, Jane Goodall was a tireless advocate for conservation, animal welfare, and environmental education, founding the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) and the “Roots & Shoots” program.

British pub owners protest

Pub owners across Britain are set to hold a protest today to demand tax cuts ahead of the Autumn Budget, slated to begin from November 26. Pubs have been facing immense pressure from rising costs and taxes, with a growing number of closures reported in 2025.

UKHospitality, the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), and others are pushing for meaningful and permanent business rates reform, including lowering rates for venues below a £500,000 rateable value.  The industry is advocating for a lower Vat rate for hospitality to reduce consumer prices and align with tax levels in other European countries.

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Sotheby’s to auction rare 10.08-carat pink diamond

A rare pink diamond will be brought under the hammer by auction house Sotheby’s on Wednesday. ‘The Glowing Rose’ is a 10.08-carat cushion brilliant-cut vivid pink diamond.

The diamond is estimated to garner between $16-$20 million Swiss Franc, which will be presented at its pre-auction viewings in a mount designed by British heritage jeweller, Boodles. Unearthed in Angola, in the diamond-rich Lunda Norte region, this is reportedly the third vivid pink cushion cut diamond over 10 carats to come to market in 10 Years.

According to the Sotheby’s listing, the exact reason for the gorgeous colour in pink diamonds is still a major scientific puzzle. Unlike yellow or blue diamonds, where we can point to an element like nitrogen or boron, the cause of the pink hue is unknown, adding a layer of captivating intrigue to every gem.

With inputs from agencies