State upper house MP runs unopposed after initially being dropped during a preselection challenge. Follow today’s news liveGood morning, and happy Monday. Nick Visser here to take you through the day’s news. Let’s dive in. Continue reading...
• Calls to U.S. poison control centers involving kratom use have increased 1,231% over the past decade, according to a new weekly report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• The dramatic rise reflects growing kratom consumption among Americans and emerging safety concerns related to the botanical substance.
• The trend highlights the need for increased public awareness and clinical guidance regarding kratom's potential health risks and interactions.
Astronaut calls fellow Canadian Ryan Gosling’s movie ‘extraordinary’ ahead of Artemis II crew’s lunar fly-aroundThe new space movie Project Hail Mary starring Ryan Gosling has gotten a rave review from more than halfway to the moon.Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen said on Saturday that he and his Artemis II crewmates got to watch the film with their families before launching on the lunar fly-around. He said it was “a real treat” to view the movie while getting ready for his own space adventure. Continue reading...
• G7 foreign ministers, led by US, demanded on April 4, 2026, independent audits of Venezuela's March 29 presidential election marred by 45% voter suppression claims.
• US froze $800 million in Maduro regime assets, supporting opposition leader Maria Corina Machado's fraud allegations backed by 2 million witness affidavits.
• Statement warns of hemispheric instability, with 7.2 million Venezuelans already refugees straining US border resources.
• China has publicly criticized Iran amid the Persian Gulf conflict, urging an immediate ceasefire and protection of shipping lanes as the Strait of Hormuz closure disrupts global energy markets.
• Beijing condemned Iran's attacks on Gulf states while aligning temporarily with Europe on ceasefire efforts, though it also warned the U.S. against strikes violating international law.
• This shift highlights changing diplomatic dynamics, creating a brief convergence between China and Brussels amid severe energy market shocks and stalled UN votes on intervention.
• A North Carolina media nonprofit auctioning the iconic WKRP call letters announces they are definitively heading to a Cincinnati station after 48 years.
• Director D.P. McIntire confirmed to the Associated Press, 'WKRP, after 48 years, is coming to Cincinnati... Book it! It’s done!' without revealing timeline or buyer details due to contract.
• The famed call sign from the 1970s-80s CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, known for its Thanksgiving turkey drop episode, revives nostalgia for radio fans.
• Russia and Egypt have jointly called for an immediate ceasefire in the Iran conflict, urging all parties to return to diplomatic negotiations as tensions escalate across the Gulf region.
• The call for de-escalation comes amid ongoing military strikes, Iranian retaliation threats, and regional instability affecting global oil markets and international security.
• Diplomatic efforts by non-Western powers reflect growing international concern about the conflict's potential to expand and destabilize the broader Middle East.
The telco’s sweeping price changes and the closure of its cheaper ‘starter’ plan risk putting off many of its loyal customersTelstra has long traded on its claim to have better – and far more expansive – mobile coverage than its rivals to justify a steep pricing premium that has accelerated in recent years.But the telco’s latest changes, which include steep price hikes and the closure of its cheaper “starter” plan to new users, combined with a dramatic rejection of its coverage claims by the industry regulator, risk putting off many of its traditional customers, according to consumer advocates. Continue reading...
Bosses write to home secretary and London mayor listing series of incidents staff have faced in past week Marks & Spencer has called on the government and London’s mayor to crack down on retail crime, saying it has become “more brazen, more organised and more aggressive”, after reporting an increase in shoplifting and violence at its stores.The M&S chief executive, Stuart Machin, has written to the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and its retail director, Thinus Keeve, has written to the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, saying greater resources are needed for police to tackle the crime effectively and target repeat offenders and crime hotspots. Continue reading...
Former government adviser Polly Billington urges bigger steps to shield people in UK from effects of Iran warMiddle East crisis – live updatesKeir Starmer should convene a global energy summit of the same order as Gordon Brown’s response to the 2008 financial crisis and put Britain on a “war footing” to reduce its exposure to fossil fuels, a Labour MP and former government adviser has said.Polly Billington, who was an aide in Brown’s government, warned that economic pain was “hurtling down the tracks” and a bigger response was needed to protect the British people from the consequences of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Continue reading...