• Na recordverliezen vorig jaar melden imkers dat een warme winter ertoe heeft geleid dat bijen dit jaar 'vroeger wakker worden'.
• Na een reeks recordhittegolven in de VS is het bijenzwermseizoen van 2026 in Noord-Amerika 17 dagen eerder begonnen dan vorig jaar, waardoor imkers zich moeten aanpassen aan een snel verschuivend seizoen, terwijl er nieuwe vragen ontstaan over hoe honingbijen reageren op de klimaatcrisis.
• Volgens een nieuw rapport van Swarmed, een trackingnetwerk van meer dan 10.000 imkers gericht op veilige en ethische verplaatsing van honingbijen, volgt dit ongebruikelijk vroege zwermseizoen op meerdere jaren van recorddalende kolonies wereldwijd. Lees verder...
• Een onderzoek door Rutgers University en partnerinstellingen weees uit dat Amerikanen het beleid van de Trump-administratie op het gebied van wetenschap en geneeskunde afkeuren met een marge van meer dan 2-op-1, wat wijst op een brede publieke tegenstand.
• De peilingsgegevens tonen aanzienlijke publieke bezorgdheid over de aanpak van de administratie met betrekking tot de financiering van wetenschappelijk onderzoek en de implementatie van medisch beleid.
• De resultaten van het onderzoek onderstrepen de aanhoudende controverses over het volksgezondheids- en wetenschapsbeleid tijdens de ambtstermijn van de huidige administratie.
• President Donald Trump verklaarde: 'Ik denk niet aan de financiële situatie van Amerikanen' tijdens de deelname aan hooggespannen toponderhandelingen tussen de VS en China, wat leidde tot politieke gevolgen vanwege stijgende consumentenprijzen.
• Vicepresident Vance reageerde dat 'we nog veel werk hebben te doen', terwijl nieuwe gegevens laten zien dat de kosten voor bedrijven op hun hoogste maandelijkse tempo in meer dan vier jaar stegen en ook de prijzen van boodschappen omhoog gingen.
• De opmerkingen komen te midden van zorgen over de oorlog in Iran, die de wereldwijde olievoorraad beperkt en de benzineprijzen doet kelderen, waarbij Republikeinen de prioriteitstelling van het beleid van de regering boven binnenlandse zorgen over inflatie verdedigen.
De prijs van £20.000 voor schrijvers van 39 jaar of jonger gaat naar Joy Is My Middle Name, een bundel over het navigeren door ras, verslaving en vrouwelijkheid
• Een debuutbundel met thema's als ras, verslaving en vrouwelijkheid heeft de Dylan Thomas-prijs van Swansea University van dit jaar gewonnen.
• Amerikaanse dichter Sasha Debevec-McKenney won de prijs van £20.000 – uitgereikt aan schrijvers tot 39 jaar ter ere van de Welshe dichter Dylan Thomas, die op die leeftijd overleed – voor haar debuutbundel Joy Is My Middle Name.
• Zij werd uitgeroepen tot winnaar tijdens een ceremonie in Swansea, de geboorteplaats van Thomas. Lees verder...
De Amerikaanse fascinatie voor 'de Hamptons van Engeland' heeft een positief effect op de verkoop, waardoor het luxueuze Britse modehuis weer jaarwinst draait.
• Het luxemerk Burberry heeft verklaard dat een nieuwe handtas van £ 2.000, vernoemd naar de Cotswolds, de omzet heeft gestuwd, aangezien de Engelse regio steeds populairder wordt bij vermogende Amerikanen.
• Joshua Schulman, de baas van het Britse merk, zei dat de tote bags – een combinatie van leer en de kenmerkende Burberry check – hebben bijgedragen aan de beste prestaties in tasverkoop sinds 2023. Lees verder...
Terwijl de inflatie in de VS het hoogste punt in drie jaar bereikt, hield de Amerikaanse president vol dat hij zich niet richt op de economische ontberingen die door het conflict zijn veroorzaakt
• Gezondheidsbeambten hebben een hantavirus-uitbraak op het cruiseschip MV Hondius aangepakt en kondigden de terugkeer aan van 18 Amerikanen, die op 11 mei 2026 naar Nebraska zijn geëvacueerd voor quarantaine.
• Adm. Brian Christine, assistent-secretaris voor gezondheid, verklaarde dat 'het risico op hantavirus voor het algemene publiek zeer, zeer laag blijft', waarbij hij opmerkte dat de Andes-variant langdurig nauw contact vereist, zoals het delen van bestek of 15 minuten binnen twee meter van symptomatische personen.
• De meeste geëvacueerden worden gemonitord bij het University of Nebraska Medical Center, de enige federale quarantaine-eenheid van het land en een toonaangevende faciliteit voor hoog-risico infectieziekten.
• De resultaten van een nieuwe Politico-peiling brengen in detail in kaart wat Amerikanen bedoelen met zorgen over een 'gestolen verkiezing', waarbij er een scherpe scheiding is per partij.
• Democraten uiten angsten voor tactieken om kiezersonderdrukkend te werken, terwijl Republikeinen hun zorgen richten op plannen voor verkiezingsfraude.
• De bevindingen zijn van belang voor het begrijpen van de motivaties voor de opkomst bij de tussentijdse verkiezingen en het vertrouwen in electorale processen.
• De 17 passagiers zullen worden overgebracht naar een speciaal quarantainecentrum in Nebraska om 'hun risico te beoordelen'.
• De 17 Amerikanen aan boord van het door het hantavirus getroffen cruiseschip M/V Hondius werden zondag gerepatrieerd naar de Verenigde Staten, nadat het schip in Tenerife was aangemeerd en alle passagiers waren geëvacueerd.
• Bij aankomst in Spanje wachtten medische teams van de Amerikaanse Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), die de passagiers interviewden over hun blootstelling tijdens de cruise. De identiteiten van de passagiers, die overigens niet positief hebben getest op het virus, zijn niet openbaar gemaakt. Lees verder...
Vitória Régia stelt zich voor dat het rechts-conservatieve complot van Bolsonaro slaagde met hulp van de VS – en belicht de dreigingen waar inheemse volken voor staan
Personeel van het Amerikaanse CDC komt naar verluidt het schip op de Canarische Eilanden tegemoet om Amerikanen te begeleiden op een vlucht naar Nebraska
Almost two-thirds of respondents said US used to be a great place for immigrants but no longer isSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Donald Trump’s aggressive and wide-reaching immigration-enforcement agenda has convinced increasing numbers of adults that the US is no longer a welcoming country for outsiders, a new poll has found.About six in 10 respondents to the Associated Press-NORC poll, conducted last month, say the country used to be a great place for immigrants, but no longer is. Continue reading...
With most major European cities well-served by trains and buses, bringing US transit up to par would cost $4.6tnThe only train station in Houston, the US’s fourth-largest city and one of the fastest-growing conurbations in the country, is a diminished, morose sight. Intercity trains arrive at this squat, shed-like Amtrak building, which cringes in the shadows of roaring highways, just three times a week.That such a meager train station could ostensibly serve a metropolitan area of about 7 million people is a stark symbol of how the sprawling, car-dominated US has fallen behind cities around the world where people can rely on extensive, high-quality public transport to get around. Continue reading...
• The American Heart Association released a Presidential Advisory on April 30, 2026, declaring U.S. health care affordability at a crisis point due to rising costs driven by chronic diseases.
• Costs are forcing Americans to delay or avoid care, worsening health outcomes and increasing medical debt; a Gallup survey shows widespread worry about accessing affordable care.
• A McLaughlin & Associates poll found 51% of voters cite health insurance as their top concern, followed by hospital bills (11%) and medicine costs (10%).
• Nearly two-thirds (64%) of U.S. adults worry about affording health care costs, with 30% very worried, topping affordability concerns over gas prices.
• Health care affordability remains the public's primary worry despite other economic pressures.
• Poll highlights ongoing financial strain on households amid rising medical expenses.
The limited-edition versions will place the US president’s portrait inside cover alongside declaration text and flag motifsUS politics live – latest updatesThe United States government, marking 250 years of independence from a monarchy, will this summer issue passports featuring a large photograph of its most senior leader’s face.The limited-edition documents, billed as a commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary of independence, will display Donald Trump’s photograph on the inside cover, surrounded by the text of the Declaration of Independence and the US flag, with his signature rendered in gold. A separate page features the famous painting of the founding fathers signing that very document. Continue reading...
• A majority of Americans express concern over rising healthcare costs and support increased federal tax spending to address these challenges, according to the Axios/Ipsos American Health Index released March 17, 2026.
• The poll demonstrates bipartisan support for government action on healthcare affordability, reflecting widespread concern among the U.S. public about escalating medical expenses.
• Americans also show increased trust in government handling of childhood vaccination decisions, signaling broader public confidence in health policy interventions.
Star tells awards ceremony: ‘I disagree with everything that this administration stands for, but there’s no place for the kind of violence we saw two nights ago’In the wake of the shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner, George Clooney used an awards-show speech to make a plea against “hatred and corruption and cruelty and violence”.Clooney was speaking at an event at the Lincoln Center in New York, where he was given Film at Lincoln Center’s annual Chaplin award, which “recognises an individual’s significant contribution to cinema”. Continue reading...
• Environmental Working Group study finds 20% of Americans used systems with elevated nitrate levels from 2021-2023 data.
• Nitrate poses health risks including cancer and developmental issues in contaminated supplies.
• Affects millions nationwide, urging stricter regulations and testing.
• Nearly 1,300 people in Pittsburgh learned Hands-Only CPR during day two of the NFL Draft on April 24, 2026, at Acrisure Stadium, setting a Guinness World Record for the largest such training session in one hour.
• The event, organized by the American Heart Association, NFL, Damar Hamlin, and Doctor Mike, supports the Nation of Lifesavers movement aiming to double sudden cardiac arrest survival rates by 2030.
• More than half of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims do not receive CPR before emergency responders arrive, highlighting the critical need for widespread bystander training to improve survival odds.
Sabrina Crawford among those refused because of rule change, which now also affects children of immigrants born in ItalyIn 2025, after a long and arduous journey in her attempts to gain Italian citizenship, including a pivotal genealogical research trip to a village in Calabria, US-born Sabrina Crawford was hoping to fulfil her lifelong dream of building a life in Italy as she edged towards the final hurdle of the bureaucratic process.But her plans were scuppered when Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government enacted a law stopping access to Italian citizenship via distant ancestry. Since May last year, only those with a parent or grandparent who was an Italian citizen at birth, and who did not take on dual nationality, are eligible to apply. Continue reading...
Report from Elizabeth Warren calls Trump administration cuts to Social Security Administration ‘catastrophic’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxCuts to the Social Security Administration have caused “customer service chaos” for millions of older Americans and those with disabilities who rely on the agency’s services, according to a new report from a group of Democratic senators.An investigation found that phone wait times were more than 10 times higher than what the agency claimed on its website, if the calls were even answered at all. Continue reading...
Democrat led Hawaii from 1973 to 1986, coinciding with the party’s rise to power in the stateGeorge R Ariyoshi – Hawaii’s former governor and the nation’s first Asian American governor – has died at age 100.Ariyoshi, a Democrat who led the state from 1973 to 1986, died peacefully while surrounded by family on Sunday night, according to a statement Monday from the current governor, Josh Green. Continue reading...
Federal prosecutor says woman is suspected of dealing weapons to Africa on behalf of Iranian governmentA California woman was arrested at Los Angeles international airport after allegedly trafficking weapons on behalf of the Iranian government to contacts in Africa, including Sudan.Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills was detained on Saturday night by federal agents, according to the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles. Continue reading...
• Taylor Swift announced a 53-date North American tour beginning in March 2027, with tickets going on sale April 20, 2026 through her official fan club and Ticketmaster.
• The "Eras Tour: North American Leg" will visit 28 cities across the United States and Canada, with nightly production featuring elaborate stage designs and costume changes.
• Industry analysts project the tour could generate over $2 billion in revenue, making it one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time.
• American Express acquired Hyper, an AI startup specializing in automating expense categorization, compliance, and reporting.
• Hyper's agent-based technology supports multistep workflows with minimal human input, targeting corporate finance teams.
• The deal bolsters AmEx's commercial services amid surging demand for AI in financial operations.
• Gallup survey of over 5,500 U.S. adults from Oct-Dec 2025 finds 25% use AI for health info, with 59% researching before doctor visits.
• About 14 million adults skipped provider visits in past 30 days after AI advice, though only 4% strongly trust its accuracy.
• Low trust levels (33% trust, 34% distrust) raise concerns on AI's role in U.S. healthcare decisions amid access barriers.
Republicans had hoped that Trump’s 2025 tax cuts would be at the forefront of voters’ minds, but many have reportedly not noticed a differenceSign up for the Breaking News US emailHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.It is Tax Day and Republicans are ramping up their efforts to highlight last year’s sweeping tax cuts and turn them into political capital.Eric Swalwell officially resigned from Congress amid the threat of an expulsion vote and other misconduct allegations he has denied. A special election to fill his vacant seat will be held 18 August. At a Los Angeles press conference this morning, Lonna Drewes accused Swalwell of drugging and raping her in 2018, telling reporters she “did not consent to any sexual activity.”The House still needs to pass a bill to fund several Department of Homeland Security (DHS) subagencies, like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Coast Guard, amid a record-breaking partial government shutdown. The Senate advanced measure that remedies this funding lapse, but doesn’t include money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and border patrol, has stalled in the lower chamber.Meanwhile, House Democrats on Tuesday proposed creating a commission that would work with JD Vance to remove Donald Trump from office under the 25th amendment, should they determine he is no longer fit to serve. The measure, introduced by Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House judiciary committee, follows a series of statements from Trump, including his recent warning that Iran’s “whole civilization will die” if it did not capitulate to his demands, and a social media post that depicted him as Jesus Christ.Donald Trump has said that talks with Iran could resume in Pakistan over next two days, according to an interview with the New York Post. “You should stay there, really, because something could be happening over the next two days, and we’re more inclined to go there,” Trump was quoted as saying.The US state department said Tuesday that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed-upon time and place. The state department “expressed hope” that the meeting between Israel and Lebanon would “lead to peace agreement”.The Senate will hold its confirmation hearing for Kevin Warsh, the president’s pick to fill the vacant seat of Federal Reserve chair, next week, on 21 April. Both Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee are expected to probe Warsh about his wealth and ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as his views on the Fed’s independence.The justice department has asked a federal appeals court to throw out the seditious conspiracy convictions of several leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, who were involved in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. In a court filing today, the department asked the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to vacate the convictions – a step further than moves Donald Trump made to commute the leaders’ prison sentences last January when he granted clemency to all defendants charged in the attack. Continue reading...
Critics warned of ‘higher ticket prices, more fees, and fewer options’ for passengers if two travel giants try to combineThe CEO of United Airlines is said to have pitched a blockbuster merger with American Airlines during a meeting with Donald Trump, floating the combination of the world’s two largest carriers.Scott Kirby, who leads United, raised the prospect during an encounter with the US president in late February, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed sources. Such a deal would overhaul the global air travel industry – and likely face intense competition scrutiny. Continue reading...
