Six lenders, including Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan report jump in first-quarter earningsBusiness live – latest updatesBig US banks raked in nearly $50bn (£37bn) worth of profits in the first three months of the year, as they benefited from stock market turbulence triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran.Wall Street’s largest lenders have reported a jump in first-quarter earnings, reflecting the surge in demand for trading services as investors dumped risky stocks and bonds and sought safer havens for their cash. Continue reading...
Tech company has signed on to nine deals as it aims to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAmazon has entered power agreements with nine new renewable projects in New South Wales and Victoria, as the technology company seeks to source renewable power for its datacentre operations in Australia.The nine deals, including one windfarm and 10 solar and battery projects, will take the amount of renewable energy Amazon is sourcing in Australia from 430MW to nearly 1GW. Continue reading...
Péter Magyar compares media coverage to Nazi-era Germany and aims to ‘restore its public service character’Hungary’s prime minister-elect has vowed to suspend state media news coverage, describing it as a “propaganda machine,” when his government takes office around mid-May.Péter Magyar, whose landslide election victory on Sunday brought an end to leader Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power, detailed his plans for the suspension as he gave two tense interviews to public radio and television on Wednesday. Continue reading...
• Elijah Dottery, diagnosed with sickle cell anemia as a baby, became the first U-M patient to receive the newly FDA-approved stem cell therapy.
• The treatment uses patient's own stem cells edited via CRISPR to produce functional hemoglobin, administered at Michigan Medicine.
• This breakthrough matters for over 100,000 U.S. sickle cell patients, offering potential cure where prior therapies only managed symptoms.
Poll projects major political earthquake across Britain with Labour losing Wales and England’s Red WallGood morning. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, is publishing a revised women’s health strategy for England today. As Andrew Gregory reports, the strategy implicitly accepts that women have been let down by a (largely male) medical establishment which has not always taken their health concerns seriously.But, for Labour, this is not just a health announcement. The English local elections are just over three weeks away, and Labour is using this announcement as a platform to attack Reform UK, saying that Nigel Farage’s party can’t be trusted to stand up for women.1. Reform want to reopen the debate on abortion limitsNigel Farage has described the current 24-week abortion limit as “utterly ludicrous” and called for Parliament to revisit it - raising concerns about rolling back long-established reproductive rights.Today Labour is taking action to fix a system that has too often ignored women - cutting waiting lists, improving care and putting women’s voices at the centre.But Reform’s record speaks for itself. From attacking reproductive rights to undermining protections at work, they simply can’t be trusted to stand up for women.If these results come to pass, we will be looking at a major political earthquake across Britain.It could be the worst local election ever for Labour in England, a collapse for the Conservatives in their historic Blue Wall heartlands, and a brutal third place for Starmer’s party in Wales. Continue reading...
Plans for such a transport system have been discussed for many years and not all locals believe that service will comeIt is 1993 and a young James Lewis is going to do work experience in Leeds city council’s highways department. His team, Leeds United FC, have only just relinquished the title of defending English champions. And the council is marching on with big ideas: putting the abandoned 1980s Metroline tram plan behind them, and forgetting the unloved 1991 concept of a Leeds Advanced Transit skytrain. The Supertram is the coming thing.“I remember these drawers and drawers, full of big paper plans,” says Lewis, 33 years on. Lewis is now leader of the city council, and it is all done online. Much of the city centre has been transformed, rebuilt and pedestrianised. Leeds United have never threatened to be champions again. But as Lewis stands outside Elland Road stadium, explaining how to cross the adjacent motorway, one thing has not changed. What Leeds really wants is to build a tram. Continue reading...
Former Treasury secretary says a tax rate was ‘socially optimal’ in submission to a new parliamentary inquiryFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe former Treasury secretary Ken Henry says “self-serving” claims from gas giants about the risks of a windfall profits and export taxes should be ignored by the Albanese government as it weighs up the intervention ahead of next month’s federal budget.In a submission to a new parliamentary inquiry examining the gas taxation regime, Henry made the case for a 100% windfall profit tax as he rejected the assertion that any changes would heighten perceptions of Australia as a sovereign risk and freeze investment in new projects. Continue reading...
Not ‘reasonable’ to impose that Siena Hopper, 25, with no criminal history, should be excluded from City of Sydney except for work or to attend courtFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA judge has overturned the bail conditions imposed by police on a Sydney anti-Herzog protester with no criminal history, saying the conditions were not “reasonable”.Lawyer Wael Skaf made an application before the Downing Centre local court to vary Siena Hopper’s bail conditions, which barred her from attending any “unlawful protests” and included a condition that she not enter the City of Sydney except for work or to attend court. Continue reading...
• E.J. Antoni, a fixture on conservative talk radio and podcasts including Steve Bannon's "War Room," faces potential complications in his Senate confirmation process due to extensive pro-Trump commentary.
• Antoni has authored numerous opinion pieces supporting Trump administration policies while building a media presence across conservative outlets.
• His media activities and political advocacy could create obstacles during Senate vetting, as lawmakers scrutinize potential conflicts of interest or partisan commitments.
Landmark ruling finds Wright Prospecting successfully made out its contractual claim to 50% of past and future royalties from Hope Downs iron ore projectGina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting has lost its bid to retain royalties from the mammoth Hope Downs iron ore project and will be forced to pay Wright Prospecting half of its earnings from the project, worth hundreds of millions of dollars.In a landmark ruling in the Western Auestralia supreme court on Wednesday, justice Jennifer Smith said that Wright Prospecting had successfully made out its contractual claim to 50% of past and future royalties paid from the project. Continue reading...
Experts point to Chinese backing for multinational attempts to introduce global governance of AIChina is now the “good guy” on AI rather than Donald Trump’s US where the technology is being pursued in a dangerous “wild west” manner, a former UN and UK government adviser has told MPs.Prof Dame Wendy Hall, who was a member of the UN’s AI advisory board and co-wrote a review of AI for Theresa May’s government, told the House of Commons business and trade committee that China was backing multinational attempts to introduce global governance of AI in contrast to America, which had set up a race between profit-hungry companies that relied on hype. Continue reading...
Chancellor faced with fund’s forecast that impact of Iran war will leave Britain as G7’s biggest loserIran war escalation could trigger global recession, IMF warnsThe Iran war is bad news for the global economy. But for some countries, the unfolding conflict is having a bigger impact than for others. The International Monetary Fund’s verdict is that Britain is the G7’s biggest loser.Amid the rising damage from the Middle East war, the Washington-based fund warned UK economic growth rate would be 0.5 percentage points lower this year than it had predicted back in January – the biggest downgrade among the club of wealthy nations. Continue reading...
Parent company of non-profit news website Baltimore Banner announces it acquired paper for undisclosed sumThe Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which has roots that date back to 1786, was set to close next month, in a major blow to the city and a sign of the distressed state of local news. Not any more.On Tuesday, the Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, the parent company of the Baltimore Banner non-profit news website in Maryland, announced it had acquired the Post-Gazette for an undisclosed sum. Continue reading...
The policies include a Swiss-style EU deal, lower electricity prices and reduced dependence on the USA group of Labour MPs is to propose a series of new policies to defeat rightwing populism, including a Swiss-style deal with the EU, lower electricity prices, a robust defence of climate policies and a reduced dependence on Washington.Among those contributing to a new collection of essays is the former cabinet minister Anneliese Dodds, who calls for a fundamental reappraisal of the UK-US relationship, saying alliances should be based on “a hardheaded assessment of which nations share our values and goals.” Continue reading...
• Data I/O announced a new company vision, products, services, and branding on April 13, 2026, targeting advancements in semiconductor programming technology.
• Key launches include AI-driven tech support, an AI-powered chatbot for customer assistance, and AI-expanded device search capabilities to enhance user experience.
• The updates position Data I/O to leverage AI in streamlining support and search functions amid growing demand for efficient semiconductor solutions.
Premier says policy will give road users a ‘real alternative’ that’s cheaper than petrolElectric truck development and building more stations to charge them will be core pillars of a state’s revamped electric vehicle strategy designed to ease the pressure of rising fuel costs.The NSW government unveiled its 2026 EV strategy on Tuesday in an effort to give confidence to motorists hesitant about switching from their increasingly pricey petrol cars. Continue reading...
Chief inspector for England and Wales says prison remains in ‘precarious state’ more than year after urgent notificationThe Prison Service has made “very little progress” in enforcing a formal demand to stop drones from delivering drugs into one of its worst performing jails, a watchdog has concluded.Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons for England and Wales, said HMP Manchester remained in a “precarious state” after a failure to fix broken windows and install security to stop contraband being delivered to gangs. Continue reading...
Immigration judges Roopal Patel and Nina Froes among six judges terminated by Department of JusticeTwo immigration judges who ruled against the Trump administration in the deportation cases of pro-Palestinian university students have been fired by the Department of Justice.The New York Times reported over the weekend that the justice department had terminated six judges, including Roopal Patel and Nina Froes, who oversaw deportation proceedings against Rümeysa Öztürk and Mohsen Mahdawi, two students who were arrested last year as part of Trump’s campaign against the Gaza protest movement. Continue reading...
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published a proposed rule on Friday requiring health insurance companies and states to resolve non-urgent prior authorization requests for prescription drugs within 24 hours.
• The regulation mandates Medicaid and CHIP insurers, plus state administrators, to publicly disclose denial rates and respond faster to improve patient access.
• This addresses delays in medication approvals, potentially benefiting millions enrolled in these programs amid ongoing affordability challenges.
Exclusive: Pre-chemotherapy tests previously did not look for gene variant that put some ethnicities at higher risk of serious side effectsThousands of cancer patients from minority ethnic backgrounds will have access to “groundbreaking” genetic testing on the NHS that previously discriminated against them.This routine form of genetic testing, used before chemotherapy treatment, could save the lives of Black and minority ethnic cancer patients who already face poorer health outcomes after diagnosis compared with their white counterparts. Continue reading...
Report finds there were dozens of warning signs about Axel Rudakubana as far back as 2019 and identifies five main failures of those involvedSouthport attack blamed on ‘catastrophic’ failures by agencies and killer’s ‘irresponsible’ parentsIt took seconds for Axel Rudakubana to carry out one of the most barbaric attacks on children in modern British history.Yet by the time he entered that joy-filled holiday club, where young girls sat making Taylor Swift bracelets, his deadly intentions had been known for years. Continue reading...
• Myanmar's military government arrested 47 pro-democracy activists and journalists on April 12 in what human rights organizations describe as the largest crackdown since the 2021 coup, with detainees held without access to legal representation.
• The arrests targeted members of underground resistance networks and independent media outlets, with the junta accusing them of terrorism and sedition charges that carry potential death penalties.
• The United Nations Human Rights Council condemned the escalation, calling for international sanctions on military leaders, while ASEAN member states expressed concern over regional stability impacts.
Exclusive: MPs say profit-making levels in England are ‘scandalous’ and call for cap on amount private companies can make from NHSPrivate firms providing services to the NHS including healthcare and consultancy have made £1.6bn in profits over the last two years, research reveals.The findings – on the basis of contracts worth £12bn – have prompted claims of “scandalous” profiteering, concern that the health service is being “taken for a ride” and calls for ministers to impose a cap on maximum profit levels.£2bn of the £12bn of contracts went to firms with owners based outside the UK.£533m of that £2bn went to companies owned by people living in tax havens such as Jersey and the Cayman Islands.Firms, especially those owned by private equity outfits, used £353m of their £12bn NHS income to pay interest on debts. Continue reading...
Musician says he wanted to attend the protest despite the consequences a potential arrest could have on his music careerMassive Attack frontman Robert Del Naja has been arrested on suspicion of showing support for a proscribed organisation after attending a mass protest against the ban on Palestine Action in central London on Saturday.Del Naja, also known as 3D, was among hundreds of fellow demonstrators in Trafalgar Square on Saturday afternoon, holding a sign that read “I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action”. Continue reading...
• The Trump administration is dismantling civil rights protections in housing that have been used to challenge discriminatory practices, marking a significant shift in federal enforcement of fair housing laws.
• The policy reversal affects regulatory mechanisms historically used to combat housing discrimination and bias, with implications for fair lending and rental practices across the United States.
• Civil rights advocates and housing advocates are expected to challenge the rollback, with potential legal battles anticipated over the constitutionality and necessity of the protections.
Mo-Rez reduced or eliminated tumours in over 60% of patients and is expected to be a blockbuster drugGSK has revealed positive results for a treatment for gynaecological cancers as its chief executive, Luke Miels, steps up drug development efforts at the group.The company said that in an early-stage trial Mocertatug Rezetecan, known as Mo-Rez, shrank or eliminated tumours in 62% of patients with ovarian cancer where chemotherapy had failed, and in 67% of those with endometrial cancer. Continue reading...
Hundreds of officers deployed to regain control of O’Connell Street on sixth day of protests by farmers and hauliersPolice have cleared a blockade of central Dublin by farmers and hauliers who were protesting over fuel prices, signalling a possible end to six days of protests that have roiled Ireland.Mounted units and hundreds of officers regained control of O’Connell Street in a peaceful operation that emptied the thoroughfare of trucks and tractors on Sunday morning. Continue reading...
Oil prices and borrowing costs are expected to rise this week as tankers remain stranded in Persian gulfMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesThe failure of the US and Iran to reach a peace deal after marathon negotiations has put markets on alert for further oil and gas price rises.With large numbers of oil tankers remaining stuck in the Persian gulf, the US vice-president, JD Vance blamed the collapse of the talks on Tehran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear weapons programme, while Iranian sources hit back at “excessive” demands from Washington. Continue reading...
Researchers say ‘magic mushrooms’ can help with traumatic symptoms, but urge caution as states expand accessSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxAfter three combat deployments in Afghanistan, during which he suffered traumatic brain injuries from concussive blasts, army ranger Jesse Gould developed post-traumatic stress disorder and said he “drank almost every night to cope”.In times of hardship, veterans sometimes turn to “medication and talk therapy, but it tends to be more of a maintenance program than actually overcoming it”, Gould said, but added that at age 38, “I was still very young. I didn’t want to be on medication the rest of my life.” Continue reading...
Iranian sources, however, blame ‘excessive’ demands from Washington for breakdown of talks in Islamabad to resolve US-Iran conflictMiddle East crisis – liveThe US vice-president, JD Vance, has blamed the failure of marathon negotiations with Iran on the country’s refusal to abandon its nuclear weapons programme, while Iranian sources have hit back at “excessive” demands from Washington.Vance, who left Islamabad on Sunday morning after 21 hours of talks with Iranian officials in the Pakistani capital, said his team had been very clear on its red lines, as hopes faded of a quick end to the conflict that began on 28 February. Continue reading...