The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced a delay in its much-anticipated Artemis-II mission by at least a month.

The reason for the delay is the detection of fuel leaks during a crucial pre-launch test of the rocket by engineers.

For Artemis II, four astronauts were about to start a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. It was scheduled to lift off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

However, NASA has now announced that the launch is delayed until March, with no specific date.

The problem was identified during a “wet dress rehearsal,” a full countdown simulation in which the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket was loaded with super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

During the fueling process, engineers detected hydrogen leaks. Additionally, there was an issue with a valve linked to the Orion crew capsule.

More than 2.6 million litres of propellant were loaded during the test, which was halted several times to address safety concerns.

Officials confirmed that the teams will conduct a detailed review of the data and may carry out another rehearsal before clearing the rocket for flight. 

Los Angeles — Chuck Negron, a founding member of Three Dog Night whose lead vocals powered a string of hits including “Joy to the World,” “One” and “An Old Fashioned Love Song” for one of the top rock acts of the late 1960s and early ’70s, died Monday. He was 83.

He died of complications from heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at his home in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to his publicist Zach Farnum.

Negron also sang lead on “Easy To Be Hard” and “The Show Must Go On.” The band’s other hits include “Black and White,” “Mama Told Me (Not to Come),” “Never Been to Spain” and “Shambala.”

In December 1972, the band hosted and performed on the inaugural edition of Dick Clark’s “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”

By 1975, album sales had declined and the band had its last Billboard Hot 100 hit with “Til the World Ends.” Internal strife fractured the group and it fell apart the next year.

In 1981, the group reunited, but Negron was dismissed in late 1985 because of recurring drug issues.

In 1967, Negron joined Danny Hutton and Cory Wells to form Three Dog Night, a vocal trio with roots in R&B, rock ‘n’ roll and urban doo wop. They found success two years later with their first million-selling single “One,” written by Harry Nilsson.

Negron engaged in heavy drug use during the band’s quick ascension to the top of the charts. He spent his fortune on drugs and even ended up on Los Angeles’ Skid Row for a time.

After numerous stints in rehab, he became sober in 1991 and went on to have a successful solo career, releasing seven albums between 1995 and 2017. His 1999 book, “Three Dog Nightmare,” detailed his ups and downs.

After decades of estrangement between him and Hutton, the two reconciled last year. Hutton and Michael Allsup are the lone surviving members.

Born Charles Negron II on June 8, 1942, he grew up in the Bronx singing in doo wop groups from an early age. His parents divorced when he was 2. He was recruited by California State University to play basketball, which brought him to Los Angeles, where he began working in the music industry.

In his later years, Negron toured despite having chronic COPD for three decades. The COVID-19 pandemic sidelined him permanently.

Negron is survived by wife Ami Albea Negron and five children, including Berry Oakley Jr., the son of Allman Brothers Band bassist Berry Oakley, who was killed in a 1972 motorcycle accident. Negron was for a time married to Julia Negron, the younger Oakley’s mother, and helped raise infant Berry Jr.

• 35,270 passengers were offloaded in 2023: interior ministry.
• Number of those offloaded increased to 39,214 in 2024, it adds.
• 45,356 passengers offloaded in 2025 on technical grounds.

In the wake of tightened screening measures at airports and growing reports of passengers being offloaded, the Ministry of Interior has revealed that more than 73,000 passengers were offloaded during 2025.

“A total of 35,270 passengers were offloaded in 2023, 39,214 in 2024 and 73,358 in 2025,” read the Ministry of Interior’s reply to a question in the Senate, adding that 147,842 passengers were offloaded during the three-year period.

The ministry’s submission comes against the backdrop of thousands of Pakistanis being deported from various countries for begging, while tens of thousands were also offloaded at airports over suspected illegal travel attempts, a National Assembly committee was informed in December 2025.

Last month, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi directed the relevant authorities to enforce strict screening of passengers’ travel documents at all airports across the country to curb illegal immigration.

Directing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to continue strict and impartial action against the mafia involved in illegal immigration, he ordered the agency to ensure the effective implementation of immigration laws and strengthen airport immigration systems.

He also called for rigorous scrutiny of travellers’ documents at all airports to prevent illegal activities.

Meanwhile, explaining the reasons for passengers being offloaded, the interior ministry informed the Senate that only those passengers are offloaded whose behaviour indicates possible illegal intentions.

Out of the total 73,358 passengers offloaded in 2025, 45,356 were offloaded for technical reasons, including flight cancellations, passengers’ refusal to travel, technical faults in aircraft, bad weather, flight delays and offloading by airlines.

Providing data on illegal immigration attempts, the ministry said that 861 suspects carrying fake documents were identified at airports over the past three years.

It said that 303 suspects were deported on fake documents, 417 cases were registered, 557 people were arrested and 206 were convicted.

The ministry further stated that 153 additional cases were registered in connection with fake documents and deportations, 181 suspects were arrested and 93 were convicted.

It also noted that 23 departmental inquiries are under way against FIA employees over fake document cases, of which 17 have been concluded.

Beggars issue

The ministry also shared details of beggars who were offloaded and deported over the past two years.

It said that 507 beggars were offloaded in 2024 and 90 in 2025, while 49 inquiries and 32 first information reports (FIRs) were registered in connection with beggars offloaded in 2024.

Of those offloaded in 2024, 59 beggars and 17 agents were arrested and 19 were convicted.

Meanwhile, in 2025, 43 inquiries were initiated into beggars who were offloaded, 37 FIRs were registered and 36 beggars were arrested, while one was convicted.

The ministry further said that 4,850 beggars were deported in 2024, whereas the number declined to 1,187 in 2025.

It added that 105 inquiries and 48 FIRs were registered against beggars deported in 2024.

During the same year, 91 deported beggars and two agents were arrested, while 12 were convicted.

In 2025, the ministry said, 354 inquiries were initiated and 201 FIRs were registered, leading to the arrest of 589 beggars and one agent, of whom 27 were convicted.