• Veteran MLB umpire C.B. Bucknor, 63, left Wednesday's game early after a foul tip struck his facemask while umpiring behind the plate.
• The incident came one day after Bucknor's viral erroneous call on Tuesday, ruling Jake Bauers did not touch first base despite his cleat hitting the bag center.
• Bucknor faced intense scrutiny in the ABS era, where plate umpires are under the biggest microscope amid increased video review.
Exclusive: Greens MLC Sue Higginson tells parliament that Corrective Services knew things ‘which made it very clear they had monitored our conversation’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA New South Wales parliamentarian has alleged prison officers unlawfully listened to her calls with inmates and then threatened those who had sought her help.The Greens’ justice spokesperson, Sue Higginson, alleged that her phone calls were “routinely” monitored despite it being against the law for corrective services officers to listen to calls between parliamentarians and prisoners. Continue reading...
Head of committee says it was appropriate for government to seek guidance on way out of £330m deal with US data companyClaims by Palantir that concerns over the US data analytics company’s multimillion-pound NHS contract are “ideologically motivated” have been rejected by the chair of a parliamentary committee.It was also appropriate for the government to seek guidance on activating a break contract in the deal, said Chi Onwurah, a Labour MP who heads the science, innovation and technology select committee. Continue reading...
• Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen stated on March 31, 2026, that companies are 75% overstaffed from COVID-era overhiring, using AI as a 'silver bullet excuse' for layoffs.
• In an interview on the 20VC podcast, Andreessen argued AI productivity fears mask long-standing business issues rather than genuine job displacement.
• The comments highlight tensions in tech hiring amid AI advancements driving economic growth but fueling employee concerns over job security.
The German chancellor has drawn condemnation from NGOs and members of his own governmentFriedrich Merz has drawn condemnation from NGOs and members of his own government after he called for the vast majority of Syrians living in Germany to “go back to their homeland.”The German chancellor, who was elected last year after promising a tough line on immigration in a bid to beat the far right, made the remarks during a visit to Berlin on Monday by the interim Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa. Continue reading...
Almost 600 jobs could go amid higher cost of gas and labour and softening consumer demand Denby is set to call in administrators, putting the 217-year-old Derbyshire pottery at risk of closure with the loss of almost 600 jobs.The company, which was rescued from administration in 2009 by the restructuring experts Hilco and also owns the Burleigh brand, based in Stoke-on-Trent, is understood to have struggled with the surging cost of gas, higher labour costs, tighter financial markets and softening consumer demand for its premium homeware. Continue reading...
Family pushing for greater controls after inquest finds Oliver Robinson’s prescription was ‘obstacle’ to proper careOliver Robinson felt he had exhausted conventional therapies when he left the Priory, a private mental health facility where he was treated for depression and addiction between 2019 and 2022. Initially he found relief from a new kind of prescription elsewhere. But by the time he took his own life in November 2023, aged 34, his medicine was making him worse.In January, an inquest concluded that Robinson’s prescription for medicinal cannabis had “probably contributed to his death”. Catherine McKenna, the coroner for Manchester North, also ruled that his continued use of the prescription, first issued to him in May 2022 by Curaleaf Clinic, a private cannabis provider, “acted as an obstacle” to him receiving appropriate psychiatric and addiction care. His family understand this to be the first ruling of its kind. Continue reading...
PM says decision by union to reject offer including thousands of extra training posts and 7.1% pay rise without putting it to members for a vote is ‘reckless’Keir Starmer has threatened to withdraw an offer of thousands of extra NHS training posts if resident doctors do not call off a six-day strike after Easter.The prime minister has given the doctors’ union, the British Medical Association, 48 hours to ditch its plans for industrial action or the government will pull the current offer from the table. Continue reading...
Gavin Newsom signs order to prioritize public safety and rights as president seeks to prevent ‘cumbersome’ rulesCalifornia will impose new standards on artificial intelligence companies seeking to do business with the state, defying Donald Trump’s demands to keep the controversial industry as deregulated as possible.Democratic governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Monday that gives the state four months to develop AI policies that prioritize public safety. Continue reading...
Scheme for accusers of store’s former owner Mohamed Al Fayed to close before end of retailer’s internal investigationHarrods has been accused of being “neither fair nor just” over its decision to close a compensation scheme for survivors of alleged sexual abuse by the luxury department store’s former owner Mohamed Al Fayed.Kingsley Hayes, partner at KP Law, which is representing nearly 280 survivors, questioned why the scheme was being closed on Tuesday 31 March, before Harrods had completed an internal investigation into what happened and who knew about it. Continue reading...
Reports, based on X post from unofficial account, follow JD Vance’s accusations and threats of finding ‘legal remedies’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxSeveral news outlets have falsely reported that Somaliland’s government called for the extradition of Ilhan Omar, basing their stories on a post from an X account that does not represent the state despite its claims to the contrary.Fox News, the New York Post, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s the National News Desk and the Independent ran stories on the US representative. The reports centred on a post by @RepOfSomaliland in reaction to claims by JD Vance that Omar had committed immigration fraud, which echoed prior allegations against the Somali-born Minnesota Democrat that she has vehemently denied. Continue reading...
The actor and comedian, posting on X, said that ‘unlike in today’s universities’ the military would teach young people ‘how truly great their country is’The actor and comedian Rob Schneider has urged the US to “restore the military draft for our nation’s young people” amid the ongoing war with Iran.Posting on X, Schneider, 62, who has not served in the military, wrote: Continue reading...
Woman assaulted after man was given key card to her room criticises CEO Jo Boydell over cancelled meetingA woman who was sexually assaulted by a man who was handed a key card to her room at a Travelodge has said she was shocked to learn the hotel chain’s boss cancelled a meeting with a group of MPs seeking to discuss concerns about the case.More than 20 MPs had demanded the meeting this month to discuss the matter – including details of the chain’s security processes and procedures that led to it offering the victim an “insulting” £30 refund after the incident. Continue reading...
Request comes at the start of a two-week inquest into the death of Noongar man Jeffrey Winmar in MelbourneGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastEleven police officers called to give evidence into the death of an Aboriginal man in custody have sought certificates to protect themselves from self-incrimination.The request from the Victoria police chief commissioner came at the start of a two-week inquest into the death of Noongar man Jeffrey Winmar. Continue reading...
The split comes as some MPs raise the prospect of a new conversation about the party’s leadershipFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAngus Taylor has shut down Andrew Hastie’s push for the Liberals to be “open-minded” to increasing taxes on gas companies and winding back concessions for property investors, exposing a clash of philosophies between the opposition leader and his most likely future rival.The opposition leader also did not repeat Hastie’s criticism of Donald Trump as he refused to say whether or not he endorsed the US and Israel’s war with Iran. Continue reading...
Senator’s comments come amid growing divisions within the party, which he says has ‘too small of a coalition’Cory Booker, the Democratic senator from New Jersey, renewed his calls for new leadership of the Democratic party, saying the party has “failed this moment”.“As a whole, our party has failed this moment,” Booker said on Sunday. “I’ve called for a generational renewal, because this left-right divide is killing our country and our adversaries know it.” He also said that “purity tests” within the party have led to more division in the US. Continue reading...
Sara Ziff, founder of Model Alliance, said business leaders need to be hauled before House oversight committeeA top modeling industry activist has called for business leaders to be hauled before lawmakers in Washington to investigate what role modeling agencies may have played in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking scandal.Sara Ziff is founder of the Model Alliance, a non-profit advocacy group calling for fair treatment, labor rights and safe working conditions for fashion industry workers. Continue reading...
• G7 foreign ministers have rejected US President Trump's request to send troops to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, citing concerns about escalation into a broader conflict with Iran.
• The group of seven nations stated they would only assist with securing the critical energy export passage once hostilities with Iran conclude, and condemned Iran's closure of the strait as affecting non-combatant countries.
• Trump has publicly criticized European and NATO allies for refusing to establish the mission, suggesting their participation should not be conditioned on ceasefire negotiations.
• G7 foreign ministers rejected US President Donald Trump's push to deploy troops for securing the Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran conflict, stating assistance only after hostilities end.
• French Foreign Minister Jeanuel Baru condemned Iran's closure of the strait, impacting non-conflicting countries, while Trump criticized European and NATO allies for hesitation.
• The decision highlights transatlantic tensions over escalation risks in the energy chokepoint vital for global oil exports.
Lawyers say agency made misrepresentations in affidavit to obtain search warrant for January raid of election officesLawyers arguing in federal court for the FBI to return Fulton county’s 2020 election records said the agency’s affidavit to obtain a search warrant relied on misrepresentations that rise to the legal standard of a “callous disregard” for the county’s rights.“The only element that turns the election into a crime is intent, and nothing in the affidavit shows intent,” Abbe Lowell, who is representing Fulton county, said during the Friday hearing at the Richard Russell courthouse in Atlanta. He argued that the FBI is pursuing crimes for which the statute of limitations has expired. Continue reading...
Kimberly Carroll ‘truly sorry’ after calling in to court hearing via Zoom from behind the wheel of a moving vehicleA woman who dialed into a court hearing in Detroit while in her car this week was berated by the judge, who asked “Do you think I’m that stupid?” when she appeared on video apparently driving the vehicle.Fox2 Detroit reported that defendant Kimberly Carroll called late into a hearing relating to a financial matter, and was asked by the judge, Michael K McNally, to turn on her camera. Continue reading...
Musician urges public to send clear message at what is expected to be UK’s biggest ever multicultural rallyBilly Bragg has encouraged people to send a clear message to those seeking to divide the country by turning out to support what is expected to be the biggest multicultural march in UK history on Saturday.Speaking to the Guardian before the Together Alliance’s march against the far right in central London, the musician and political activist said participants hoped to “send out a message to our fellow citizens that we are willing to take a stand against [the politics of hate] being imported into the UK”. Continue reading...
Latest figures from ACCC show diesel and unleaded petrol prices across the five largest cities up 10% and 8% respectivelyFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe prime minister and energy minister moved to reassure the public about normal or even higher levels of fuel supply in the coming weeks, as the Coalition escalated calls for a cut to the fuel excise and the government downplayed the prospect of any major restrictions on petrol sales.It comes as the latest figures from the consumer watchdog showed diesel prices across Australia’s five largest cities have risen by an average of 10% over the last week, while unleaded petrol was up 8%. Continue reading...
• At a Thursday Cabinet meeting, President Trump urged mayors and governors of blue cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco to allow federal troops to 'come in and stop the crime,' citing claimed 75% crime drops in Washington, Memphis, and New Orleans.
• The proposal revives past contentious deployments, including 4,000 California National Guardsmen and 700 US Marines sent after June immigration raids in LA, which a federal judge ruled unlawful for causing 'greater harm' to the city.
• LA Mayor Karen Bass previously condemned such actions as a 'chaotic escalation,' and US District Judge Charles Breyer ordered control of the Guard returned to the governor, with a Supreme Court ruling ending similar nationwide deployments.
Critics have mocked Mike Johnson and Republicans for presenting the president with the newly concocted awardSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxAmid an aggressive war in Iran, heightening and devastating pressure on Cuba, immigration enforcement operations throughout the country and a partial government shutdown, the lead Republican in the House has given Donald Trump a newly concocted award.Democrats, lawmakers and commentators are criticizing and ridiculing the “America First” award given to Trump on Wednesday evening during the National Republican Congressional Committee fundraiser. Continue reading...
Balendra Shah, 35, is a symbol of change in country whose government was toppled last year in youth-led uprisingNepal’s rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, who is about to be sworn in as the new prime minister, has issued his first post-election message via rap, urging unity.Hours before the release he swore an oath as a newly elected lawmaker and is due to become the Himalayan republic’s new prime minister on Friday. Continue reading...
Former Kilmore church being converted into mosque set alight Tuesday amid spate of Islamophobic incidentsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIslamic communities have called out a rise in “anti-Muslim hate” after a church that was being converted into a mosque was allegedly set alight in what Victoria police are treating as a “suspicious” fire.In a statement, Victoria police said the abandoned church in Kilmore, north of Melbourne, was set alight at about 1.50pm on Tuesday, causing “significant damage” to the building. No one was inside at the time and the fire was believed to have been started in the rear of the building. Continue reading...
In highly unusual move, Metropolitan police have released full transcript of call made by then chief of staff to PM UK politics live – latest updatesMorgan McSweeney did not disclose he was the prime minister’s chief of staff when he reported his phone stolen, according to a transcript released by the Metropolitan police.The Met has admitted the wrong address was recorded for the theft meaning that it was thought to be a street in Tower Hamlets, rather than a Westminster street of the same name. Continue reading...
President called practice ‘mail-in cheating’ at Monday event after voting in Florida House race via mail on SaturdayUS politics live – latest updatesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailDonald Trump has described voting by mail as “cheating” at an event in Memphis, Tennessee, just two days after casting a mail‑in ballot himself.“Mail-in voting means mail-in cheating. I call it mail-in cheating, and we got to do something about it all,” the US president said on Monday, in remarks to a roundtable on his administration’s crime taskforce. Continue reading...
Diplomatic sources say negotiations in Islamabad may begin next week, though no formal agreement is in placeMiddle East crisis – live updatesPakistan’s military leadership has been attempting to broker negotiations between the US and Iran, after the White House confirmed that Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, had a phonecall with Donald Trump on Sunday to discuss the conflict.Diplomatic sources said the US and Iran could meet for negotiations in Islamabad as early as this week, to discuss an end to the war which began almost a month ago. Continue reading...
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