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Terwijl gemeenschappen pleiten voor publiek eigendom van elektriciteit, zetten private nutsbedrijven mogelijk 'dark money' en lokale frontgroepen in om hen tegen te houden. • De nutssector stuurt stilletjes een netwerk van frontgroepen uit om de groeiende drang naar openbare energievoorziening in de VS te dwarsbomen – een beweging die voortkomt uit toenemende frustratie over torenhoge energierekeningen, stroomuitval, een trage transitie naar schone energie en de explosieve winsten van private nutsbedrijven. • Gemeenschappen van Ann Arbor, Michigan tot San Diego, Californië en St Petersburg, Florida onderzoeken of ze hun netwerken kunnen municipaliseren om zich aan te sluiten bij de ongeveer 2.000 openbare energiebedrijven in het land. Lees verder...

Daytime temperatures on Friday were 10 to 14C above average in four statesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastRecord-breaking warm temperatures for the start of May in many parts of the country will be washed out by a cold front bringing rain, thunderstorms and much cooler weather.A high-pressure system dragged warm northerly winds across south-east Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said. Continue reading...

Gurindji families mourn ‘a life so precious, gone far too soon’Warning: This article contains images of and references to Indigenous Australians who have diedKumanjayi Baby Girl’s relatives have released a statement saying they felt “helpless” when they heard she was missing, and hope their community can unite in grief.“A life so precious, so full of innocence, gone far too soon,” the Gurindji families said of the five-year-old Warlpiri girl, who was found dead in Alice Springs on Thursday evening – five days after she had gone missing from her bed in the Old Timers town camp. Continue reading...

Livorno council says residents have complained of foul smell following rise in number of pets Dog owners in an Italian port city will be required to clean up their pets’ urine from public spaces or face fines of up to €500.Luca Salvetti, the mayor of Livorno, on the Tuscan coast, introduced the measure after complaints from residents about the smell of dog urine, particularly in parks and children’s play areas. Continue reading...

Mid and West Wales fire and rescue service has been trying to extinguish fires in Elan valley since SundayFirefighters are struggling to control wildfires raging though the scenic Elan valley in mid-Wales for a fifth day.The Mid and West Wales fire and rescue service has been working to extinguish fires in and around the Powys beauty spot since Sunday. It is not yet clear how much damage the biodiverse area has suffered: 80% of the valley is designated as sites of special scientific interest, raising fears for flora and fauna. Continue reading...

US senator holds panel with leading Chinese scientists and warns of risks to society unless new technology is regulated The US senator Bernie Sanders espoused the importance of international cooperation in regulating AI at a Wednesday panel on Capitol Hill alongside two leading Chinese scientists.As startups and tech giants, most prominently in Silicon Valley and Beijing, race to advance and scale their artificial intelligence, Sanders has been among the AI skeptics advocating for safeguards. Continue reading...

Residents call for stronger action after two men attacked on north London street in suspected antisemitic incident “People feel scared, people feel unsafe,” says Baruch Stern from Gross Butchers, behind the cordon raised after two men were stabbed in north London in an apparent antisemitic attack.“People think, is it really the place for me to be here? Is the UK safe for Jewish people, or is it something we need to think about, moving away?” Continue reading...

• Berkshire Hathaway's cash and equivalents surged to $168 billion at the end of Q1 2026, its highest level in over a decade, as Warren Buffett continued to reduce equity holdings amid concerns over elevated asset valuations. • The conglomerate reduced its Apple stake by 8% during the quarter and trimmed Bank of America holdings further, citing a lack of compelling investment opportunities in current market conditions. • Investment income from fixed-income holdings generated $3.2 billion in the first quarter alone, demonstrating how Berkshire's massive cash reserve is now earning meaningful returns in a higher-rate environment.

• Cavaliers defeated the Raptors in Game 2, pulling away late to take a 2-0 lead in their NBA playoff series. • The win positions Cleveland strongly in the first round, showcasing their late-game execution. • This outcome heightens pressure on Toronto as the series shifts locations.

CSIRO researcher says there are reports of up to 4,000 mouse burrows per hectare in parts of Western AustraliaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGrain growers are on high alert as mouse numbers in Western Australia reach plague proportions and numbers surge in South Australia.Steve Henry, who researches mice and their impact on the grain industry at CSIRO, says more than 800 mice per hectare is considered a plague. Continue reading...

The trend has been accelerated by the US-Israel war on Iran, leaving households – and cafe owners – glum, surveys suggestFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFor many coffee drinkers, takeaway orders are changing from a habitual purchase to an occasional treat, as elevated petrol prices and other living costs leave households feeling glum.This rapid shift in behaviour has disappointed cafe owners and surprised economists, raising an uneasy question: if takeaway coffee sales are falling, is the economy next? Continue reading...

Crews from Morengo fire and rescue built a makeshift raft to get Troy, who was stuck in 15ft deep creek, safely to shoreA horse in Illinois swept from a barn in a fast-moving flood has been reunited with his owner after firefighters joined a local veterinarian in a unique, daring deep-water rescue.Crews from the Marengo fire and rescue districts constructed a makeshift raft to move Troy, who was stranded about 600ft from the nearest shore and surrounded by a strong current of water in Coon Creek, about 60 miles north-west of Chicago. Continue reading...

President’s proposed budget slashes health department by 12% while throwing $1.5tn – a 42% increase – to the militaryAmericans are dying in droves. Deaths due to avoidable causes in the United States –which could be dealt with via prevention or proper healthcare – far outpace those in most of country’s peers in the industrialized world. Most notably, Americans die of treatable conditions at nearly twice the rate as Spaniards, French, Japanese and Australians.They would most likely live longer if they enjoyed better access to healthcare. Americans are the most likely to skip a doctor’s appointment due to its cost, the most likely to skip a medical test and to skimp on prescription drugs. This is unsurprising, given the extraordinary lack of public health insurance in the United States. Americans face the highest out-of-pocket expenses for medical services in their peer group. Continue reading...

Three-day search effort ends after 65-year-old disappeared near Innamincka in remote north-eastern South Australia on Easter SaturdayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPolice have found the body of a 65-year-old man who was swept into flood waters in South Australia’s far north.The man – identified only as Tony by South Australia police – disappeared about 12.30pm on Saturday, sparking a three-day search effort. Continue reading...

Announcement of eight young futures hubs made as concerns grow over the number of knives on the streetsEight young futures youth hubs aimed at giving young people support towards work and away from street crime are to open across England, ministers have announced.The youth centres are supposed to help people aged up to 18 with employment advice, health and wellbeing, and are also aimed at preventing them from falling into a life of crime. Continue reading...

Elections seem top-of-mind for the Maha movement as key polling indicates anti-vaccine views are a liabilityUS health officials appear to be shying away from voicing negative views of vaccines in public as November’s midterm elections loom and key polling indicates anti-vaccine views are a liability.Health officials have made unprecedented changes to routine vaccine recommendations in the past year – slashing one-third of the US childhood schedule, including the recommendation for hepatitis B immunization at birth. But even before a federal judge essentially invalidated these moves, officials haven’t championed their dramatic changes after Donald Trump’s pollsters recommended veering away from anti-vaccine ideology ahead of the midterms. Continue reading...

Riccione’s leftwing mayor, Daniela Angelini, says public purchase is victory for town and ‘act of love and vision’An Italian council has bought a villa where Benito Mussolini spent his summer holidays, partly to avoid the property falling into the hands of “fascist nostalgics”.Daniela Angelini, the leftwing mayor of Riccione, a town close to Rimini along Italy’s Adriatic coast, said the acquisition of Villa Mussolini through an auction was “an act of love and vision” and that bringing it back into public hands was a victory for the entire town. Continue reading...

Created in Italy and made with elderflower liqueur, the cocktail is sweeter than Aperol spritz and lower in alcoholPub gardens and bar terraces have been awash with a sea of orange in recent years as Italy’s love of Aperol spritz spread to the UK. But this year the cocktail’s cousin, a Hugo spritz, will be the drink of the summer, according to supermarkets and bars.It is already being served across the country, including at Sea Containers on the banks of the Thames and Mayfair’s swanky Claridge’s hotel in London, 20 Stories bar in Manchester and the Bridge Tavern in Newcastle. Wetherspoons has the cocktail on its menu nationwide.40ml St‑Germain elderflower liqueur.60ml prosecco.60ml sparkling water.8-10 mint leaves.Lime wedge for garnish.Mint sprig for garnish.Fill your glass with ice cubes.Add in the mint leaves.Pour sparkling wine and sparkling water over ice.Add St‑Germain elderflower liqueur.Gently stir.Garnish with a mint sprig and lime wedge. Continue reading...

• Berkshire Hathaway disclosed in SEC filings that its position in Apple has grown to $170 billion in market value, reinforcing Apple as the conglomerate's largest single equity holding at approximately 48% of total equity portfolio. • The increase reflects both organic price appreciation of Apple shares and incremental purchases by Warren Buffett's investment team amid the company's strong iPhone 16 sales and services segment growth. • The substantial concentration signals Berkshire's high conviction in Apple's long-term competitive moat, capital allocation discipline, and valuation at current levels, providing a powerful endorsement to institutional investors amid market volatility.

Marsupial escaped from enclosure at Wisconsin’s Sunshine Farm on Wednesday after he was spooked by stray dogsHow does a kangaroo escape a petting zoo?It’s not the opening line to a dad joke. If you’re Chesney the kangaroo, you scale an 8ft (2.5-meter) fence and go on the lam for three days, giving your keeper sleepless nights and sending residents of a small Wisconsin town on a search that would end happily on Saturday. Continue reading...

Members of the UK public join the search after specialist dog units and thermal drones have yet to locate herBarely 24 hours after nine-month-old capybaras Samba and Tango were brought to Marwell zoo near Winchester, they had made a break for it through a hole in their temporary enclosure. The siblings were transferred to Hampshire from Jimmy’s farm and wildlife park in Suffolk on 16 March after being outshone by other capybaras.Tango was quickly found, but her sister Samba remains at large, and the mission to find her has attracted national and international coverage. Continue reading...

Concern that supply chain disruption could hit health essentials – and prices – from painkillers to cancer treatmentBritain is “a few weeks away” from medicine shortages ranging from painkillers to cancer treatment if the Iran war continues, according to experts, while drug prices could also rise.The conflict has disrupted the supply of a myriad of crucial raw materials, including oil, gas, crop fertiliser and helium – and health essentials could be next. Continue reading...

Images and videos online showed large plume of smoke and flames billowing out from refinery, but no one was injuredSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxAn oil refinery fire near the Texas coast was put out on Tuesday and a temporary shelter-in-place order was lifted, hours after a large explosion at the complex shot plumes of smoke into the air, officials said.No one was injured in Monday’s explosion at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, about 90 miles (145km) east of Houston, said Charlotte M Moses. The Port Arthur mayor had urged residents in parts of the west side of the city to stay put. Continue reading...

YouTube gamer planned audacious alibi, appeared grief-stricken at wake and apparently spied on victim’s familyMan who used false gaming alibi found guilty of Natalie McNally’s murderTo get away with murder, Stephen McCullagh planned an audacious alibi: he would trick the world into thinking he was at home livestreaming a video game when in fact he was 17 miles away, extinguishing a life.He prerecorded a six-hour session of him playing Grand Theft Auto and uploaded it on the night of 18 December 2022, to give the impression to his YouTube channel’s 37,000 subscribers that he was at home in Lisburn, County Antrim, wearing a Santa hat, eating snacks, sipping Guinness and making jokes. “I am not leaving the house tonight,” he said. Continue reading...

Repayments also affect financial stability of nearly half of graduates, according to report by UK bankPeople with student loans who are working towards a home deposit save almost £2,000 less per year than those without the debt, according to a new report by Barclays.The bank also found that 44% of student loan holders claim that repayments limit their ability to build long-term financial stability, while 41% say it prevents them from entering the housing market. Continue reading...

• Mobile World Congress 2026 showcased a fundamental shift in smartphone design and capabilities, with 10 major announcements signaling the end of conventional "dumb" smartphones and the emergence of AI-integrated mobile devices. • Tech analyst Rob Enderle identified key announcements from the conference demonstrating how artificial intelligence is becoming a core differentiator in next-generation smartphones rather than a secondary feature. • This transition reflects broader industry momentum toward on-device AI processing and intelligent assistants, reshaping consumer expectations for mobile technology capabilities.

Energy minister says it will take ‘some time’ for extra supply to reach regional areas. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe energy minister, Chris Bowen, says it will take “some time” for the petrol and disesel released from Australia’s domestic stockpile to reach areas hit by shortages.On Friday, the Albanese government directed fuel companies to release nearly a fifth of reserve petrol and diesel supplies. Dozens of service stations across the country have run out of petrol as retailers struggle with customers panic-buying in response to skyrocketing prices from the Middle East conflict.There will be some time for it to flow through. There’s a very complicated supply chain.But it is going to have an impact. Some companies have said it will start to have an impact in coming days, to some degree. But there will be some time before it’s all released. Continue reading...

New AAA data shows petrol vehicles fell to a record quarterly low of 66.3% of sales. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew data from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) shows petrol-electric hybrid vehicles have reached record sales, while traditional fuel cars lose ground.In the fourth quarter of 2025, 55,458 new hybrids were sold, accounting for 19.13% of all new light vehicle sales. This comfortably eclipsed the previous record of 16.7% set in the September quarter of 2024. In addition, 15,411 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles were sold – 5.32% of light vehicle sales, up from its previous record of 4.82% in the January quarter of 2025. Continue reading...