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獨家報導：社運人士指出，在下週的地方與權力下放議會選舉中，女性代表性將「嚴重不足」。社運人士表示，下週全英選票上的女性比例將嚴重失衡，研究顯示在地方、市長及權力下放議會選舉中，男性參選人數幾乎是女性的兩倍。民主運動人士稱，各個政治派別的男性候選人極有可能主導地方政府，而男女參選人數的顯著差距，恐使女性對從社會照護到垃圾清運等議題的觀點遭受邊緣化。繼續閱讀...

• 車輛行經 Juvisy-sur-Orge 時偏離道路並墜入河中 • 一輛由實習駕駛員駕駛的巴士在與一輛停泊的車輛相撞後墜入河中，隨後有四人在 Paris 附近的 Seine 獲救。 • 檢察官表示，該巴士當時正行經法國首都東南部的 Juvisy-sur-Orge 鎮，隨後偏離道路並墜入 Seine。 繼續閱讀...

Global Sumud Flotilla 將此次攔截行動描述為「暴力突襲」，而 IDF 則敦促維權人士透過「既定管道」運送援助物資。 以色列軍隊在希臘克里特島附近攔截並扣留了來自一支船隊的至少 22 艘船隻的船員，該船隊正試圖突破以色列對加薩走廊的海上封鎖以運送人道主義援助物資。 Global Sumud Flotilla 由約 58 艘船隻組成，載有來自 70 個國家的各界人士，並已於週日從義大利出發。 繼續閱讀...

• Oil 價格因 Iran-U.S. 衝突威脅全球供應而飆升，但受 Visa 與 Starbucks 於 2026 年 4 月 29 日發布的強勁財報推動，U.S. 股市在紀錄高點附近展現韌性。 • S&P 500 微跌 0.1%，Dow 下跌 286 點或 0.6%，Nasdaq 上漲 0.1%；根據執行長 Ryan McInerney，Visa 股價受韌性消費支出帶動上漲 8.3%，Starbucks 則受 North America 單次消費支出增加帶動而上漲 8.6%。 • Federal Reserve 官員暗示 2026 年不降息，幾乎消除了投資者的押注，甚至因能源價格引發的通膨而轉向支持升息；債券市場震盪。

• Tupac 的繼兄 Maurice 'Mopreme' Shakur 週二在洛杉磯高等法院對 Duane 'Keffe D' Davis 及參與 1996 年謀殺案的未具名被告提起過失致死訴訟。 • 訴狀聲稱，隨著 Davis 的一級謀殺案審判臨近，且隨著新進展的出現，「近 30 年來，線索首次開始串聯起來」。 • 1996 年 9 月 7 日，Tupac 在拉斯維加斯被槍擊四次身亡，當時一輛白色 Cadillac 在 MGM Grand 和 Caesars Palace 附近地段併行於他的 BMW 旁。

The late-night crash in Bekasi, just outside Jakarta, involved a commuter train and a long-distance train.

The Arab oil producer has long expressed frustration with the quotas it has to follow as part of OPEC, the cartel of major state-owned oil producers.(Image credit: Joe Klamar)

• North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan on Monday, prompting immediate condemnation from Seoul and Washington amid escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula. • South Korea's military detected at least three missile launches, with analysts assessing the tests as part of Pyongyang's ongoing weapons development program. • The U.S. State Department condemned the launches as destabilizing and reiterated its commitment to defending South Korea and Japan through extended deterrence.

• 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.

Pineland Road fire and Highway 82 fire have destroyed over 100 homes, and are part of large number of wildfires this spring in the US southSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxHeavy rain slowed the progress of two sprawling southern Georgia wildfires over the weekend, allowing crews to make some progress in containing the blazes that have destroyed more than 100 homes.Although the rain helped the firefighting efforts, it wasn’t “nearly enough to put the fires out” and crews responded to 10 new blazes throughout the drought-stricken state Sunday, the Georgia Forestry Commission said Monday. Continue reading...

Owner of Pink Punters vows to reopen club as police call on the public not to speculateA man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after a fire at an LGBTQ+ nightclub, police have said.Officers have called on people not to speculate about why the fire may have been set at Pink Punters in Fenny Stratford, near Milton Keynes, saying it is too early to tell. Following the fire, the club’s owner said he was relieved no one was hurt – and vowed the club would reopen. Continue reading...

James Sherwin-Smith will be up for election after securing more than 250 nominations to run alongside existing directorsNationwide building society could have a customer on its board for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century after one of its longtime members secured enough support for a spot on the lender’s annual ballot.James Sherwin-Smith will be up for board elections at Nationwide’s annual general meeting (AGM) in July, having gathered more than the 250 peer nominations necessary to run alongside existing directors. Continue reading...

• China's military conducted unannounced exercises Friday involving naval destroyers and fighter jets near Taiwan's east coast, hours after the US approved a $619 million weapons package for the self-governing island, defense officials on both sides confirmed. • The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued formal diplomatic protests, characterizing the US arms sale as a violation of the one-China principle and warning of "serious consequences" for continued military support to Taiwan. • Taiwan's defense ministry said it is prepared to defend against any military aggression and praised the US commitment; regional analysts warned the escalating military posturing raises risks of unintended conflict.

Overnight incident in Romania did not lead to hostilities as potential target stayed within Ukrainian airspaceTwo RAF Typhoons have been scrambled from a Romanian air base to engage Russian drones close to Nato air space although did not fire or shoot any down.British defence sources said the fighter jets did not enter Ukrainian airspace, contradicting reports that Russian drones had been shot down by the RAF there, an event which would have represented a major escalation in hostilities between the western alliance and Moscow. Continue reading...

At least 17 people hurt after incident involving two local services north of Denmark’s capitalTwo local trains have collided head-on in Denmark, injuring at least 17 people, four of whom are in a critical condition, according to emergency services.The public broadcaster DR showed images of two yellow and grey trains, both with damage to the front, facing each other in a wooded area. Continue reading...

Melbourne man stabbed twice in chest, with remains found in field near his campervan in 2021. Family argue police prematurely assumed he’d killed himselfFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales coroner has recommended the mysterious death of Jackson Stacker near Byron Bay be investigated by the homicide squad, with Teresa O’Sullivan finding “some aspects of the early [police] investigation raised concerns”.Stacker had been travelling from Melbourne to Queensland in his Toyota Hiace van in 2021 when the borders closed due to Covid. Continue reading...

Local officials and witnesses say attackers shot at students first then those who arrived at the sceneTwo Palestinians, including a 14-year-old schoolboy, have been killed in the occupied West Bank after Israeli settlers opened fire near a school amid mounting assaults on education in the territory, witnesses and local officials have said.The Palestinian health ministry said Aws al-Naasan, 14, and Jihad Abu Naim, 32, were killed in the attack on the village of al-Mughayyir, which also left three others wounded. The head of the local council told Reuters that Israeli settlers had entered the village and opened fire near a school – first at students, and later at others who arrived at the scene. Witnesses said settlers were eventually followed by Israeli soldiers. Continue reading...

American Lung Association report comes amid Trump EPA’s expansive rollback of environmental protections Nearly half of children in the United States are breathing dangerous levels of air pollution, according to a new report, as experts warned Donald Trump’s expansive rollback of protections will make the situation worse.The 27th annual air quality report from the American Lung Association (ALA) released on Wednesday evaluates pollution across the country by grading levels of ground-level ozone – also known as smog – as well as year-round and short-term spikes in particle pollution, commonly referred to as soot. The report analyzed quality-assured data collected between 2022 and 2024. Continue reading...

The US president rejects extending truce as Tehran warns of response and negotiators head to IslamabadSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxDonald Trump said on Tuesday that he expects to resume bombing Iran, as a fragile 14-day ceasefire approaches its deadline Wednesday with no deal in sight.“I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with,” Trump told CNBC’s Squawk Box. “We’re ready to go. The military is raring to go.” Continue reading...

• US naval forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Iran to label the action as 'bullying behaviour' and 'act of piracy'. • The operation occurred two days before a two-week ceasefire with Iran was set to expire, amid fragile diplomatic efforts and threats of retaliation. • Tehran insists on securing freedom of navigation in the strait, vital for one-fifth of global oil trade, before engaging in US talks, heightening energy security risks.

• US stocks demonstrated resilience amid Iran geopolitical tensions and high energy prices, with the S&P 500 up nearly 2% year-to-date by April 14, just 1% below its January 27 all-time high. • The index's maximum drawdown stayed under 10%, cushioned by forward earnings estimates growing at a 17% annual rate despite a 20% drop in P/E ratios. • S&P 500 profit margins hit new highs around 15% in early April, driven by broad fundamentals including AI and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act effects, not just energy sector gains.

Measure passed 50-49 to overturn a 20-year ban on mining near renowned Boundary Waters Canoe Area WildernessThe US Senate narrowly voted on Thursday to overturn a ban on mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, an enormous complex of interconnected lakes, rivers and forests that is among the most visited wild areas in the US.The resolution passed 50-49 to repeal a 20-year moratorium imposed by former president Joe Biden’s administration in 2023 on mining across the 225,000 acres in the Superior national forest. Continue reading...

Brent crude drops and gas prices slide amid hopes Donald Trump will succeed in reaching deal with TehranOil and gas prices tumbled by almost 10% on Friday after Iran said the strait of Hormuz would open to commercial shipping, potentially clearing the way for tankers holding millions of barrels of oil and gas to reach the global market.Iran’s foreign minister said that vessels would be free to transit the strait of Hormuz for the duration of the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon struck on Thursday. Continue reading...

Police say officers found discarded items in area after group claimed to have targeted embassy with dronesPolice have said they are investigating a security incident near the Israeli embassy in London after officers found a number of discarded items in the area.A statement said Counter Terrorism Policing London was aware of a video shared online overnight in which a group claimed to have targeted the embassy with drones carrying dangerous substances. Continue reading...

• A fragile US-Iran ceasefire is set to expire on April 22, 2026, with diplomatic talks stalled and tensions escalating over competing demands and military posturing. • Iran's spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei criticized the US position as unrealistic, while Tehran condemned Washington's naval blockade as provocative and a potential trigger for ceasefire violations. • Pakistan continues mediating indirect talks between the two nations, though no date has been set for the next round of negotiations as fears of renewed escalation mount.

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...

Suit alleges the billionaire’s AI company is illegally spewing toxic pollutants from its datacenter in the Memphis areaA new lawsuit accuses Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company of illegally spewing toxic pollutants into the Black neighborhoods on the border of Tennessee and Mississippi.The suit, filed Tuesday in Mississippi federal court, alleges xAI is violating the Clean Air Act due to emissions from its enormous datacenter in Southaven, Mississippi. The plaintiff – storied civil rights group the NAACP, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center – says xAI has been polluting the surrounding historically Black communities by using dozens of methane gas generators without permits. The organization is seeking to force the company to stop operating its unpermitted turbines in Southaven. Continue reading...

• Preliminary data from the Simonyi Survey Telescope at NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory revealed over 11,000 new asteroids, including hundreds beyond Neptune and 33 near-Earth objects. • University of Washington scientists contributed to the ultrafast alerting system detecting up to seven million cosmic changes nightly. • Findings enhance solar system mapping and planetary defense efforts.