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NAHT-Vorsitzender sagt, die Schulaufsichtsbehörde für England hebe die Standards nicht an, inmitten des Widerstands gegen Bewertungen im „Nando’s-Stil“. Schulleiter würden „bis zum Punkt der Zerstörung“ unter Druck gesetzt, sagte der Leiter einer Lehrergewerkschaft, während er das Bildungsetablishment „verwarnte“. Während einer Rede auf der Jahreskonferenz der Gewerkschaft in Belfast erläuterte Paul Whiteman, der Generalsekretär der National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), seine Kritik an Ofsted, der Schulaufsichtsbehörde für England. . Weiterlesen...

• Der US-Kongress hat eine 45‑tägige Übergangsverlängerung eines umstrittenen Gesetzes verabschiedet, das Überwachungsbefugnisse ohne richterliche Anordnung gemäß Section 702 des Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act gewährt und den Gesetzgebern mehr Zeit gibt, über Einschränkungen der Massendatenerfassung zu debattieren. • Die Verlängerung verhinderte knapp ein automatisches Auslaufen des Überwachungssystems, das laut Geheimdienstvertretern etwa die Hälfte der Terrorismusbekämpfungs- und Spionageabwehroperationen der National Security Agency stützt. • Bürgerrechtsorganisationen kritisierten die kurzfristige Lösung und argumentierten, dass die US-Regierung weiterhin riesige Mengen digitaler Kommunikation von Amerikanern ohne individuelle richterliche Anordnungen sammelt, während das Weiße Haus den Kongress drängte, die vollen Befugnisse gemäß Section 702 wiederherzustellen.

• Am 14. April 2026 schloss das Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) seine Primärmission vorzeitig ab und erstellte die bisher größte 3D-Karte von 47 Millionen Galaxien. • Der Datensatz stellt eine sechsfache Steigerung gegenüber allen bisherigen galaktischen Messungen dar und ermöglicht neue Analysen der Form und Größe des Universums. • Dieser Durchbruch könnte Quantenphysik und allgemeine Relativitätstheorie im Hinblick auf eine Weltformel in Einklang bringen und die US National Laboratories als weltweit führend in der Wissenschaft positionieren.

Lee Zeldin behauptet vor dem Senat, dass der Plan der Trump-Administration die Environmental Protection Agency „effizienter“ machen wird. Die Demokraten im Senat warfen der Trump-Administration bei einer Kongressanhörung am Mittwoch vor, die Mission der Environmental Protection Agency zum Schutz der menschlichen Gesundheit und der Umwelt aufzugeben, und kritisierten die Behördenleitung scharf wegen eines Vorschlags, ihr Budget zu halbieren. Lee Zeldins Auftritt vor dem Umweltausschuss des Senats war die letzte von drei Haushaltsanhörungen des EPA-Administrators in dieser Woche, bei denen er für eine stark reduzierte Finanzierung der Behörde argumentierte, die unter seiner Leitung bereits den niedrigsten Personalbestand seit Jahrzehnten verzeichnete. Während eines Großteils der Woche verfolgte der ehemalige republikanische Kongressabgeordnete aus New York einen aggressiven Ansatz, reagierte auf die Demokraten im Repräsentantenhaus und im Senat mit eigenen Fragen und warf ihnen zeitweise vor, unvorbereitet zu sein oder sich nicht für die Bilanz der EPA zu interessieren. Weiterlesen...

• Gavin Adcock postete am Dienstag ein Foto in den sozialen Medien und entfachte damit seinen Streit mit Zach Bryan neu, indem er auf eine beinahe physische Auseinandersetzung beim Born & Raised Festival im letzten Jahr in Oklahoma anspielte. • Das Bild zeigt Bryan beim Versuch, einen Zaun zu erklimmen, um Adcock anzugreifen; die Bildunterschrift „Wie sehr dieser Song am Freitag veröffentlicht werden will“ dient der Promotion von Adcocks neuer Single „Wannabe“. • Im September schrie Bryan: „Willst du kämpfen wie ein Mann? Mach das Tor auf“, bevor Sicherheitskräfte einschritten, nachdem er den Zaun überstiegen hatte.

• Der Reform-Leader ging nach einer Anfrage des Guardian an die Öffentlichkeit, aber hält seine Behauptung stand, dass das Geld für seine Sicherheit bestimmt war? • Nigel Farage erhielt 2024 eine nicht offengelegte Summe von 5 Millionen Pfund von einem Krypto-Milliardär. • Nigel Farage hat zugegeben, kurz vor der Unterhauswahl 2024 ein persönliches Geschenk in Höhe von 5 Millionen Pfund vom Reform UK-Großspender Christopher Harborne erhalten zu haben.

• Präsident Donald Trump und König Charles hielten gemeinsame Erklärungen zur historischen „besonderen Beziehung“ zwischen den USA und Großbritannien ab. • Die Diskussion fand im Rahmen der Vorbereitungen für die Feierlichkeiten zum 250. Jahrestag der Vereinigten Staaten statt. • Die Ansprache des Königs vor dem US-Kongress enthielt politisch aufgeladene Botschaften, was Analysen über deren Auswirkungen auf Trump auslöste.

Technology tycoons Elon Musk and Sam Altman are poised to face off in a high-stakes trial revolving around the alleged betrayal, deceit and unbridled ambition that blurred their once-shared vision for the development of artificial intelligence.

Vets say whale stranded for a month near Lübeck is fit to be transported in rescue effort funded by two entrepreneursGerman officials have given the green light for a fresh attempt to rescue a humpback whale that has been stranded off the country’s Baltic Sea coast for more than a month.The 13-metre (40ft) whale’s struggle for survival has gripped Germany since the creature beached on a sandbank near the city of Lübeck, far from its natural habitat. Continue reading...

• Venezuelan security forces restricted opposition parties from entering their campaign headquarters on Monday, raising fresh concerns about democratic conduct ahead of this year's presidential elections. • The blockade prevented opposition candidates and staff from gathering electoral signatures and organizing voter outreach efforts, significantly hampering their campaign infrastructure. • International observers from the Organization of American States expressed alarm over the move, calling it a violation of political freedoms and warning it could undermine the legitimacy of upcoming elections.

• Brazilian President announced on Monday a comprehensive enforcement initiative targeting illegal logging and land invasions in the Amazon, deploying 5,000 additional federal agents to protected areas. • The government committed to reducing deforestation rates by 80 percent over the next two years through satellite monitoring and criminal prosecutions of organized trafficking networks. • Environmental groups and the U.S. State Department praised the pledge as a meaningful step toward climate commitments, though skeptics noted enforcement challenges in remote regions.

Proposal for a one-time 5% tax on billionaires in the state is opposed by Silicon Valley tech titans and Gavin NewsomProponents of a proposal to levy a one-time tax on California billionaires say they’ve gathered enough signatures to place the measure on the ballot in November.The campaign says it has collected more than 1.5m signatures, according to a statement. Continue reading...

President blames dissident Farc faction for attack on Pan-American Highway that also injured 36 people in south-western region The death toll in a weekend highway bombing in Colombia has risen to 20, with another 36 people injured, amid a surge of violence ahead of presidential elections next month.Buses and vans were left mangled in the blast on Saturday on the Pan-American Highway, in the restive south-western Cauca department. Continue reading...

• U.S. stock futures fell late Sunday with Dow Jones Industrial Average futures down 130 points or 0.3%, S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq-100 futures also declining after record highs on Friday. • West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 2% above $96 per barrel following collapsed U.S.-Iran talks announced Saturday. • The Federal Reserve's interest-rate committee meets Tuesday-Wednesday, with Chair Jerome Powell's likely final press conference anticipated amid market highs.

Foreign affairs minister begins another diplomatic tour to secure Australia’s fuel and energy supply chains. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning, Nick Visser here to guide you through the day’s news. Here’s what’s on deck:The foreign minister, Penny Wong, will travel to Japan today, part of a diplomatic trip to secure fuel supplies that will also include visits to China and South Korea. She said the effort will help “ensure Australia is prioritised as a reliable energy partner”. Continue reading...

Deepening sense of deadlock despite regional diplomacy as Washington and Tehran show no signs of compromiseHopes of a breakthrough in negotiations between Iran and the US faded further on Sunday, amid a deepening sense of a deadlock in the nearly two-month-long conflict despite intense regional diplomatic activity.Washington and Tehran appear unwilling to moderate rhetoric or make concessions, and there are no negotiations scheduled that might bring the war to a definitive end. Continue reading...

Special session comes after Virginia voted to redraw maps and as Trump pressures Republicans to protect House majorityFlorida begins a special session on Tuesday in what may be the last front of the redistricting war before the 2026 election, with Republicans trying to redraw maps to pick up more seats in Congress.Lawmakers enter the session in Tallahassee cloaked in mystery, with no preview of a proposed map to consider and no clear path for Republicans to increase their representation in what appears to be a hostile year for their party. Continue reading...

Iranian foreign minister has landed in Islamabad but his ministry says there will be no direct negotiations with the US envoyThe Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it launched strikes in three areas in southern Lebanon against what it claimed were Hezbollah rocket launchers.The strikes hit the villages of Deir al-Zahrani, Kfar Reman and al-Sama’iya, which are north of where IDF forces are located in southern Lebanon. Continue reading...

At least 17 people hurt after incident involving two local services north of Denmark’s capitalTwo local trains have collided head-on in Denmark, injuring at least 17 people, four of whom are in a critical condition, according to emergency services.The public broadcaster DR showed images of two yellow and grey trains, both with damage to the front, facing each other in a wooded area. Continue reading...

Reuters-Ipsos, AP-NORC and NBC polls show approval in mid-30s, with economy, Iran and immigration concernsUS politics live – latest updatesA trio of political polls indicate public approval of Donald Trump’s management of the US economy, immigration and the Iran conflict is slipping, flashing warning lights for Trump-aligned Republican candidates with six months to go until the US midterm elections.Polls by Reuters-Ipsos poll, Strength in Numbers-Verasight and AP-NORC had the president’s approval rating hovering in the mid-30s, at 36%, 35% and 33% respectively, which are near his lowest numbers. Continue reading...

Conservative host says he’s ‘tormented’ by previous support for Trump – could this presage his own run for president?He can’t live with him and can’t live without him. But, finally, the conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson seems to have made up his mind about Donald Trump. Their up-and-down marriage of political convenience is heading for the divorce court.On Tuesday Carlson admitted that he will be “tormented” for a long time by his support for Trump in the 2024 US presidential election “and I want to say I’m sorry for misleading people”. What he did not say is whether this presages his own run for president in 2028. Continue reading...

Officials warn a conflict situation could cause disruption similar to recent major ransomware incidentsThe UK could face “hacktivist attacks at scale” if it becomes embroiled in a conflict and the impact could be similar to recent high-profile ransomware incidents, according to the head of the country’s online security agency.Richard Horne, chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), will warn today that nation states now account for the most significant incidents the NCSC deals with. Continue reading...

US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent says Iran’s Kharg Island storage facilities will be full and their ‘fragile’ oil wells shut in mere days because of the blockade; oil prices rise amid ongoing uncertaintyTrump announces extension of Iran ceasefire until ‘discussion concluded’Shares have been mixed in early trading across Asia, while oil prices have eased on hopes the US and Iran may resume talks to end their war.The price of Brent crude edged 0.2% lower but was still above $98 a barrel. US benchmark crude fell 0.4% to $89.29 a barrel. Continue reading...

• The Kennedy Center will hold its first award ceremony since President Trump overhauled the board of trustees earlier this year. • Changes aim to align cultural programming with administration priorities. • The event draws attention to federal arts funding debates and political influence on institutions.

Americans having less kids plus an ageing population could be a recipe for disaster that further erodes social stabilityRemember environmentalist Paul Ehrlich’s 1960s-vintage prediction about how overpopulation would deplete the Earth’s resources and condemn millions to starvation? His Malthusian condemnation of humanity’s voracious appetite has kept a grip on the debate over the future of the planet, even scaring the young out of having children.Ehrlich was wrong. Yet as we have come around to the thought that overpopulation won’t kill us all, we are being walloped by another demographic emergency: we are not having too many kids, we are having too few. This problem is real. Continue reading...

• Salesforce announced Headless 360 on Wednesday, enabling AI agents to access its platform capabilities via APIs, MCP tools, or CLI commands. • The initiative marks the company's most ambitious architectural transformation in 27 years, aiming to enhance AI integration across its ecosystem. • This development matters as it positions Salesforce as a leader in AI-driven enterprise software, potentially accelerating agentic AI adoption in business operations.

So-called Dreamers – undocumented immigrants who arrived as children – were allowed to stay in US under Obama-era programFrom January through September 2025, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 174 people that were renewing their protections from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) program, the head of the agency has said in a letter reviewed by the Guardian.The letter, written by ICE’s acting director, Todd Lyons, and sent to the Illinois congressional representative Delia Ramirez, also confirmed that a total of 270 Daca recipients were arrested during that same timeframe, or over the first nine months of Donald Trump’s second presidency. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Senate passed a 10-day extension of FISA authority on Friday, April 17, 2026, sending the bill to President Donald Trump's desk. • The measure averts a lapse in surveillance powers set to expire Monday, providing temporary continuity for national security operations. • This short-term fix highlights ongoing partisan debates over warrant requirements and reforms to Section 702 of FISA.

• Coachella Valley Music Festival opened April 16 with headliner Travis Scott drawing 125,000 fans, joined by Lady Gaga for a 30-minute unannounced 'Apocalypse' medley at Empire Polo Club. • Billie Eilish and Green Day also performed, with festival attendance up 10% from 2025 per organizers. • The event generated $600 million economic impact for Riverside County, highlighting live music recovery post-pandemic.