Articles about Despite

Number fell 23% year on year in 2025 but waste companies say recycling systems still under strain from sheer volumeMore than 6m vapes and vape pods are still being discarded every week in the UK, with waste management companies warning the sheer volume continues to strain recycling systems despite the ban on disposable e-cigarettes.According to research by the recycling campaign group Material Focus, the 6.3m vapes and pods thrown away each week in 2025 represented a 23% reduction from the previous year. Continue reading...

US president claims Iranian negotiators fear being killed by their own side; US military command claims to have damaged or destroyed over two-thirds of Iran’s missile, drone and naval production facilitiesIran rejects US ceasefire plan and submits its own amid push for talksAnalysis: Trump pitches Iran peace plan but military buildups rarely veer to off-rampChina’s foreign minister has said that a “glimmer of hope” for peace has emerged due to moves to stop the war in the Middle East, despite Tehran vowing to keep fighting.Wang Yi urged dialogue in separate calls with his Turkish and Egyptian counterparts, suggesting that both Tehran and Washington had shown signals they were willing to return to the negotiating table.Speaking of negotiations now is an admission of defeat.Prolonging this war would only result in further casualties and needless losses, leading to a further spillover of the conflict. Continue reading...

Frederiksen told supporters she was ‘ready to take on the responsibility of serving as Denmark’s prime minister again for the next four years’Denmark’s King Frederik will meet the outgoing prime minister Mette Frederiksen in about half an hour so she can brief him on the results and the political aftermath of the vote, the Palace just said.Denmark’s prime minister Mette Frederiksen hinted she wanted to stay in office after last night’s inconclusive parliamentary election, which will leave the country with lengthy coalition talks. Continue reading...

Police understood to have record of Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff reporting phone stolen in OctoberPolice were “too busy” to investigate the theft of Morgan McSweeney’s phone despite the potential sensitivity of his messages and contacts, according to reports.Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff told the Metropolitan police that his phone was stolen in central London when he was returning home from a restaurant on 20 October last year, the Times reported. Continue reading...

Footage shows US musician struggling with field sobriety tests he calls ‘really hard’ before his 2024 arrest in New YorkJustin Timberlake struggled to perform field sobriety tests requiring him to walk a straight line and stand on one leg after the pop star was pulled over in New York’s Hamptons in 2024 by police officers who suspected him of driving drunk, according to video footage released on Friday.Timberlake tells officers at one point, “these are like really hard tests.” Continue reading...

• Elon Musk stated Tesla and SpaceX AI will continue large Nvidia chip purchases even as Tesla advances its AI5 chip, optimized for edge compute in Optimus and Robotaxi. • Tesla's Terafab AI chip manufacturing facility is set to launch within seven days from March 14, potentially by March 21. • Musk praised Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, noting AI5's efficiency in half-reticle format could halve fab needs, with AI6 potentially matching dual AI5.

• Apple is projected to generate more than $1 billion in AI-related revenue this year, even as it trails rivals in generative AI product launches, according to The Wall Street Journal. • Wall Street analysts focus on Apple's monetization strategy leveraging its services ecosystem and premium hardware rather than first-to-market demos. • This approach highlights how distribution and installed base can drive consumer AI profitability over raw model capabilities.

Banking lobby group says lenders are holding off changes as there is no widespread consumer demand for nowExplainer: What will happen when the £100 limit is scrapped?Shoppers will not be able to splash unlimited amounts on contactless cards despite the lifting of a £100 cap on payments as Britain’s banks held off on making changes.The official limit on individual contactless transactions on credit and debit cards has been scrapped but the UK’s biggest high street and challenger banks have kept the £100 ceiling in place. Continue reading...

Hopes for uniform nationwide gun control reform fade as states walk back federal cabinet commitment after Bondi beach massacreGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, assured gun lobbyists that he had no plans to strengthen firearm laws in the state despite agreeing to a national crackdown after the Bondi beach massacre.In a letter signed a day before the government entered caretaker mode for the state election on 21 March, Malinauskas told a peak shooters group that SA had some of the strictest gun laws in the country and there was “currently … no plans to amend” them. Continue reading...

• The United States saw a record amount of new clean power capacity come online in 2025, according to a report released today by the Environmental Defense Fund. • Despite the record deployment, the renewable energy sector faced significant headwinds including project delays and cancellations that threatened to slow progress. • The achievement underscores continued momentum in U.S. transition toward clean electricity despite policy uncertainties and regulatory challenges.

• Energy Secretary Chris Wright told NBC News that gasoline prices could decline by summer despite ongoing disruptions from the Iran war and threats to global oil supplies. • The forecast suggests potential relief from elevated energy costs that have accompanied the three-week conflict, though oil markets remain volatile due to Iranian actions in the Strait of Hormuz and retaliatory attacks on regional infrastructure. • The projection reflects administration confidence in energy supply alternatives and market stabilization even as the conflict continues to create supply-chain uncertainties.

US president hinted that his trip could be put on hold if Beijing failed to help secure the strait of HormuzMiddle East crisis – live updatesChina has said it is in communication with the US about Donald Trump’s planned visit to Beijing, despite hints from the US president that he might delay the trip if his prospective hosts do not help to unblock the strait of Hormuz.China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: “Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations. The two sides are maintaining communication regarding President Trump’s visit to China.” Continue reading...

Advocates say 24/7 coverage of US attacks will not last for ever – and spotlight will return to Epstein and his crimesAs the US woke to news that Donald Trump had bombed Iran, domestic discord was fast simmering.There was unrelenting outrage over ICE raids. There was frustration with the rising cost of living. There was fear over rocketing healthcare prices, mounting household debt, not to mention many Americans’ nagging sense of desperation in a country, some warned, where democracy itself was under threat. Continue reading...

• The United States recorded its second-warmest winter on record from December 2025 to February 2026, despite frigid conditions in the East, according to federal data reported by AP News on March 9. • New attribution research links a warmer climate to larger hail, with extra atmospheric heat turning thunderstorms into producers of dangerous softball-sized hailstones. • This extreme weather pattern underscores accelerating climate impacts, challenging public perceptions amid regional cold snaps.

Officials sent out repayment letters to about 1,400 people relying on discredited guidance that had been scrappedUnpaid carers have been issued with demands to repay thousands of pounds for allegedly breaking benefit rules even though officials knew the decisions were based on unlawful and discredited policy guidance.About 1,400 carers are understood to have been sent letters by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in January asking them to repay sums relating to breaches of carer’s allowance earnings rules that had been scrapped four months previously. Continue reading...

US workers are finding it difficult to afford basic necessities as the president claims ‘the economy is roaring back’US workers are still struggling with the cost of living despite Donald Trump’s campaign promises to fix the US affordability crisis.The Guardian spoke to workers as an exclusive poll showed cross-party concerns about the Trump administration’s handling of the US economy. Continue reading...

Nvidia shares retreated to around $88 on March 13, 2026, from peaks near $97, even as the company showcased strong quarterly growth potential. Traders noted hits to high-growth names amid broader S&P 500 and Nasdaq declines of 0.5-0.67%. The pullback reflects risk-off sentiment from oil surges rather than company-specific issues. Investors eye upcoming catalysts like AI chip demand for rebound potential.

Adobe shares fell 5.4% on March 13, 2026, even after exceeding Wall Street's sales and profit estimates for the quarter. Investors reacted negatively to the software maker's forecast for recurring subscription revenue, which underwhelmed expectations amid competitive pressures in creative software. The drop underscores concerns over growth sustainability in tech amid macroeconomic headwinds. Adobe's outlook may influence sentiment for other SaaS companies reporting soon.

US equities experienced choppy trading during the week ending March 13, 2026, driven by Iran conflict headlines and oil price swings above $100 per barrel, with the S&P 500 closing just 4.4% below its January all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.66% for the week, 4.53% in March, and 2.51% year-to-date, while the Nasdaq declined 0.32% weekly but 3.89% year-to-date. This resilience amid elevated volatility underscores market concerns over prolonged geopolitical tensions impacting energy prices and growth. Investors anticipate continued headline-driven swings until tensions ease.

Tesla held steady near $395 on March 13, 2026, showing stability amid Nasdaq's 100-point drop to 22,211 driven by geopolitical tensions. The performance reflects relative EV sector resilience, alongside NIO's 4% gain on improving global sentiment. This contrasts with broader profit-taking, positioning Tesla as a volatility outlier. Watch for EV policy shifts in upcoming sessions.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average held near 46,702 on March 13, 2026, but is down 1.6% for the week as investors take profits following strong early-year gains. This resilience contrasts with sharper Nasdaq (-0.6% week-to-date) and S&P 500 (-1.1%) drops amid rising oil and geopolitical concerns. The trend reflects normal market consolidation, with analysts viewing it as healthy after rallies in tech and semis. Upcoming focus remains on global oil flows and regional ceasefire talks.

Israel conducted air raids and sent ground troops into Lebanese border areas, breaching the 2024 ceasefire, in response to Hezbollah missile launches. Strikes targeted areas after the killing of Iranian leaders in prior US-Israeli actions. Hezbollah, backed by Iran, retaliated with missiles at Israel amid the broader regional war. The intensified conflict shows no signs of abating, with US Central Command confirming related operations.