French government seeking release of 86-year-old French widow detained by ICE

The French government is pressing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to release the 86-year-old French widow of a military veteran from immigration custody in Louisiana after she was detained earlier this month.

Bukele signs reforms allowing life prison sentences for people as young as 12

The reforms signed by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele would apply to people convicted of committing or being an accomplice to crimes including homicide, femicide, rape and gang membership.

Northern Marianas brace for weeks without power after super typhoon Sinlaku

Officials report severe flooding in Saipan hospital, fierce winds and toppled utility poles in wake of Super Typhoon Sinlaku

Some hard hit areas of the Northern Marianas could be without power and water for weeks after the Pacific Ocean islands were battered by a super typhoon, an official has said.

The only hospital on Saipan, a US territory that is the largest of the Mariana Islands, experienced severe flooding and on Thursday there had been reports of big resorts losing backup generators, said Ed Propst, a former lawmaker who works in the governor’s office.

Justin Trudeau at Coachella? That’s just wrong: at a certain age, things must change

If you have to consult the Reddit thread ‘am I too old for Coachella?’, then the answer is probably ‘yes’

This morning, over breakfast, in the course of discussing the week’s news, I happened to say the word “Coachella” in front of my two scornful 11-year-olds, whose heads snapped up from their screens in unison. “How have you heard of Coachella?” said one in amazement. “How have you heard of Coachella?” I replied. They exchanged a look with which I’ve become increasingly familiar – namely, the “here we go” look reserved by the very young for the very middle-aged. “What is Coachella, then?” I said, to which they replied: “It’s where influencers go.”

This is, of course, an accurate summary of what the California music and arts festival has become in the 27 years since its inception, but that’s not why I bring it up. The festival, which is running this week, has featured by Jack White, FKA Twigs and Sabrina Carpenter, but most of the publicity has gone on the audience; specifically, on the attendance of Justin Trudeau, the former prime minister of Canada, who, along with his girlfriend, Katy Perry, was photographed dancing to Justin Bieber and squatting chairless on a kerb, red plastic cups perched on their knees.

Thursday news quiz: Trump is unwise, an emperor dies and a €1m raffle prize

Test yourself on topical news trivia, pop culture and general knowledge every Thursday. How will you fare?

It is time for the Thursday news quiz, where even the most distinguished appearances can conceal a lingering doubt. A perfectly groomed moustache may suggest authority – until, thanks to our illustration from Anaïs Mims, it starts curling into a question mark of its own. Fifteen questions await – frankly rather more on the general knowledge side than topical news because the quiz master has been on holiday in Brighton and wrote most of it in advance, but it is what it is. There are no prizes, but we always enjoy hearing how you got on in the comments. Allons-y!

The Thursday news quiz, No 243

Rachel Roddy’s ‘high-ranking’ penne with potatoes, cabbage, butter and cheese – recipe

Penne may be the default short pasta all-rounder, but this variation on an alpine classic is soft, warming and a bit special

In December 2023, the magazine La Cucina Italiana ranked Italians’ favourite pasta shapes, according to data gathered by Unione Italiana Food (“the leading association in Italy for the direct representation of food product categories”). I love this sort of thing. According to the UIF, by processing NielsenIQ data (comprehensive market research, consumer intelligence and retail measurement), they identified the five most popular shapes from over 500, and examined how preferences vary in different regions.

In first place was spaghetti, while penne came in second, with these two shapes – which also takes in thinner spaghettini, chunkier spaghettoni and both ridged and smooth penne – accounting for 78% of all pasta sold in Italy in 2023. The regional variations of three, four and five are as follows: in the north-west and north-east, fusilli, short pasta and mixed pasta for broth or minestra; in central Italy, short pasta, fusilli and rigatoni; in the south, mixed pasta for broth or minestra, short pasta and tortiglioni. It has to be said that the regional variations are a bit baggy, considering that short pasta takes in eight shapes: conchiglie, farfalle, mezze maniche, orecchiette, pasta mista, penne again (which is confusing), paccheri and trofie. All of which is justification for calling this week’s column the second highest-ranking pasta shape in Italy with potatoes, cabbage, butter and cheese (while also noting that you can instead use the shapes ranked number three, four and five).

Russia pummels Ukraine with drone and missile strikes, killing at least 12

Missile and drone attacks on the port city of Odesa killed six people, with other fatalities recorded in Kyiv and Dnipro

Russian strikes killed at least 12 people in Ukraine, local authorities have said, after Moscow pummelled its neighbour in overnight attacks.

Missile and drone attacks on the southern port city of Odesa killed six people, the head of the city’s military administration, Sergiy Lysak, wrote on Telegram on Thursday.

A Colorado hospital profits from resolving language barriers

Without qualified interpreters at doctors' offices, non-English speakers can face bad — even fatal — health outcomes. A hospital in rural Colorado is training its existing bilingual staff to address the service gap.

‘Fame quickly became a nightmare’: Preston on Big Brother, falling from a balcony – and reforming the Ordinary Boys

‘Trauma-bonding’ with his future wife on Big Brother, selling their wedding pics to OK!, walking off Buzzcocks, writing hits for stars like Kylie and Olly Murs … as the singer returns, he looks back at a tumultuous career

‘I hated being famous,” Samuel Preston says. “I hated, hated, hated it.” Twenty years ago, Preston, who presented himself by his surname to emulate Morrissey, was experiencing a very intense type of notoriety. He had been NME-famous with Worthing band the Ordinary Boys, whose socially conscious ska-influenced indie-punk had a strong cult following known as the Ordinary Army, thanks to hits such as Boys Will Be Boys. But his stint in the 2006 edition of Celebrity Big Brother, and the national interest in his will-they-won’t-they relationship with fellow contestant Chantelle Houghton – the fake “celebrity” sent in to dupe the B-listers – was what sent his profile through the roof.

After leaving the show, he says, “I was on loads of Prozac. I was in a weird space.” Now, after years living on-off in the US, becoming a successful songwriter for hire (to the likes of Kylie Minogue, Cher, Olly Murs, Liam Payne and Jessie Ware), and surviving a near-death experience and OxyContin addiction, Preston is making a comeback with the Ordinary Boys. The band’s new single Peer Pressure is their first music since 2015 (not counting a Christmas single with Olly Murs).

Can anyone stop Jordan Bardella in France? A crowded field could gift the election to the far right

A long list of contenders want to be president in 2027. But with anti-establishment sentiment dominating the national mood, outsiders have the advantage

Wanted: politician capable of appealing to the moderate right, centre and moderate left to beat hard-right populist Jordan Bardella in the run-off of France’s 2027 presidential election. The search began in earnest after last month’s municipal elections, in which the left held on to most big cities while conservatives or the far-right National Rally (RN) hoovered up smaller towns. This year will be a marathon race to select a single candidate to face Bardella, 30, or his patron, Marine Le Pen, 57, in the final round. Le Pen remains ineligible unless an appeals court in July overturns her sentence for embezzlement of EU funds.

All opinion polls give the anti-immigration, Eurosceptic RN a sizeable lead in voting intentions for the first round. Bardella, the party’s smooth-talking but inexperienced leader, is polling as high as 38%. Barring a miracle, he seems sure of a place in the run-off. That leaves only one slot for a candidate who can reconcile mainstream conservative and liberal centrist supporters of outgoing President Emmanuel Macron, and then win over sufficient socialist, green and even radical-left voters.

Can you stop malaria crossing borders? One nation’s bid to wipe out the disease

Informal migration, plus climate change and rising numbers of cases globally, are complicating the tireless efforts of the landlocked African country to eradicate the killer disease

The freezer is filled with blue-lidded tubes of cows’ blood, ready to be defrosted and used to feed the colony of mosquitoes. “Also, you can use your arm,” says Nombuso Princess Bhembe, who tends the mosquitoes at Eswatini’s national insectary, an unremarkable building in the town of Siphofaneni, part of the southern African country’s push to eliminate malaria.

But the landlocked nation of 1.2 million people, formerly known as Swaziland, is facing headwinds from not only the climate crisis, aid cuts and insecticide resistance but also economic migration from countries with higher case numbers.

Sotomayor apologizes for criticizing Kavanaugh over ICE arrests

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor apologized Wednesday for publicly criticizing Justice Brett Kavanaugh, comments she said were "hurtful" and "inappropriate."

US launches fifth strike on alleged Pacific drug boat in a week, killing three

Wednesday’s strike brings the total of those killed in US military strikes on alleged drug boats to at least 177

Three people were killed in a US strike on another alleged drug-trafficking boat, the fifth such deadly attack in as many days, military officials have announced.

US southern command said it conducted “a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations” in the eastern Pacific, without naming the alleged group, in an X post.

Geelong fire: blaze at one of Australia’s two oil refineries extinguished after 13 hours as fuel supply fears remain

Petrol production affected and full extent of damage unknown after ‘unprecedented’ fire at Viva refinery in Corio

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates

• Geelong oil refinery fire: what we know so far

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

An explosive fire at a Geelong oil refinery – which supplies half of Victoria’s fuel and 10% of the nation’s – has been extinguished, though petrol production continues to be affected and authorities warn the full extent of the damage is still unknown.

The blaze at the Viva Energy facility in Corio – one of two refineries left in Australia – broke out just after 11pm Wednesday, with Fire Rescue Victoria alerted to the blaze by multiple calls to triple zero “reporting explosions and flames”.

3 killed in latest U.S. strike on alleged drug boat in eastern Pacific, Pentagon says

President Trump has said the U.S. is in "armed conflict" with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the U.S.

How South Korea plans to use the Iran crisis to spur a renewables revolution

Energy crisis unfolding in Middle East has added political urgency, and more funding, to transform South Korea’s solar industry

In Guyang-ri, a farming village of 70 households about 90 minutes south-east of Seoul, people gather for communal free lunches six days a week. The meals are funded by the village’s one-megawatt solar installation, which generates roughly 10m won ($6,800) in net profit each month.

“Residents eat lunch together every day, so we see each other’s faces, talk together,” says Jeon Joo-young, the village chief. “Bonds and solidarity between residents become much stronger. Life becomes more enjoyable.”

The Fear of 13 review – Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson lead sturdy, safe Broadway transfer

James Earl Jones theatre, New York

There’s a strong emotional pull to this fact-based story of injustice, but on stage it’s all a little too polite to truly soar

If the meat and potatoes of Death of a Salesman comes at too high a ticket cost, one needs venture only a few blocks south and a half-block east to get a (slightly) more affordable version of standard-issue Broadway fare. The Fear of 13, from playwright Lindsey Ferrentino, is so earnest and accessible one could almost mistake it for a filmed biopic of the sort that premieres in the fall with hopes of awards attention. Like those films, Ferrentino’s play is sturdy, dependable and mostly unremarkable.

The true story on which the play is based is certainly of note, one of all too many instances in the US of a person wrongfully imprisoned for decades. The Fear of 13 concerns Nick Yarris, who spent a troubled youth addicted to drugs and stealing cars before he was railroaded into a murder conviction, which came with a death sentence. Yarris maintained his innocence throughout his 22 years on death row, enlisting the help of various lawyers and a volunteer, Jackie Schaffer, whom he married while still incarcerated. Yarris was eventually exonerated based on DNA evidence and turned his hardship into a memoir and a documentary, which make up the narrative foundation of the play.

Mother wants justice for 17-year-old son fatally shot by St. Louis police

Nearly two years after Emeshyon Wilkins was shot and killed by a St. Louis police officer, Shaina Wilkins says she is still searching for answers and accountability.

When the ‘Dubai dream’ goes wrong - podcast

Journalist Will Coldwell tells the story of how a British businessman was imprisoned in Dubai – and how his family finally got him home

When Albert Douglas found out he was facing a long prison sentence in Dubai, he tried to escape the UAE … and failed. What followed was years of court proceedings, time in prison and even, Douglas says, beatings and torture.

In recent years, scores of business owners, unsuspecting tourists and influencers have been detained in Dubai – caught up in an opaque legal system, charged with breaking laws they may not even have been aware of.

4/15: The Takeout with Major Garrett

Next phase of Iran war still uncertain with blockade in Day 3; Senate rejects war powers resolution for fourth time.

FDA will consider easing restrictions on peptides as RFK Jr. calls himself a "big fan"

The FDA meeting announcement​ follows repeated pledges by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to loosen regulations on peptides, which are often pitched as a quick way to build muscle, heal injuries or appear younger.

‘Designed to disorient’: LA art museum unveils enormous concrete gallery, 20 years in the making

Stretched across a boulevard and shaped like an ‘amoeba’, the divisive Geffen Galleries open next week

Two decades ago, the new director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma) began a project to revitalize the space for the 21st century. On Wednesday, the institution unveiled the results of that $724m effort: the David Geffen Galleries, a hulking, curving concrete building that spans Wilshire Boulevard.

In a city of striking modern architecture, from the Getty Museum to the Disney Concert Hall, the opening is a landmark event. The project, whose unconventional shape has been likened to an amoeba, has inspired praise and polarization.

Video shows NYPD officers repeatedly punching man in face in Brooklyn

Warning: Some viewers may find this video disturbing. Two New York City police officers are under investigation on Tuesday after footage surfaced of them repeatedly punching a suspect at a Brooklyn liquor store. On an undercover drug sting at the time, they allegedly ended up trying to arrest the wrong person. Lilia Luciano reports.

Brian Hooker leaves Bahamas to be with ailing mother as search for wife continues

According to his attorney, Brian Hooker plans to return to the Bahamas as the search for his wife, Lynette Hooker​, continues.

Courtroom interpreter held by ICE says she worked in U.S. legally for decades

Meenu Batra, a single mother, was detained at a Texas airport in mid-March. She has worked as a courtroom interpreter in the U.S. for more than 20 years.

Illinois woman works 3 jobs to make dream possible for her and her grandmother

When an Illinois grandmother had to sell her house after years of love and good memories, her granddaughter worked three jobs to make a dream possible. Tony Dokoupil has the story.

Artemis II reentry image raises questions online about heat shield

Now that Artemis II has gone up, around and come down again from the moon, there are questions about the heat shield that protected the crew on reentry. Kris Van Cleave reports.

Family speaks out as single mom remains detained for nearly a month: "It doesn't feel right"

Shanelle Kaul exclusively spoke with the family of a single mother who has been detained by federal immigration officials for nearly a month. She worked in the country for decades as a courtroom interpreter.

Tornadoes sweep U.S. as storms travel east

Severe storms slammed the central U.S. for days and on Tuesday began moving east, threatening millions with another possible outbreak of tornadoes and hail. Rob Marciano tracks it all.

Treasury secretary says Americans can already see refunds as Trump's tax breaks kick in

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Americans are already seeing record refunds as President Trump's new tax breaks start to kick in. Nancy Cordes reports.

Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally monopolized big concert venues, jury rules

The lawsuit involved dozens of states that alleged Live Nation undermined competition and drove up ticket prices.

Can fans get refunds after Ticketmaster ruling?

A New York jury found that Live Nation and Ticketmaster have run a harmful and illegal monopoly over big venues and ticketing. Jo Ling Kent has more details.

Lincolnshire church leaning more than Tower of Pisa needs £100k to fix wonky floor

Fundraising under way to fix uneven floor at Dry Doddington’s 14th century church as stone slabs shift

A church in the Midlands that leans more than the Tower of Pisa is in need of more than £100,000 in repairs to renovate its wonky floor.

Dry Doddington’s St James church tower in Lincolnshire is famous for its jaunty angle of 5.1 degrees, compared to the landmark in Piazza dei Miracoli, Tuscany, which has a lean of about 3.97 degrees.

Residents are trying to raise money for the Grade II-listed building, which was built in the 12th century.

Epstein accusations fly in Senate after César Chávez Monument row

Sen. Heinrich proposed amending a bill to temporarily close the monument and require the government to examine a new monument to honor the farm labor movement.

Roblox to implement youth protections and pay $12m in Nevada settlement

Popular gaming platform will require age verification, restrict nighttime notifications for minors and limit chats

• Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox

Roblox, a gaming platform popular with kids, will implement increased protections for young users and pay more than $12m to the state of Nevada in what the state attorney general, Aaron Ford, on Wednesday called a first-of-its-kind agreement.

“This settlement will create a safer environment for our children online, and I hope that it will serve as a bellwether for how online interactive platforms allow our state’s youth to use their products,” the Democrat said Wednesday.

4/15: CBS Evening News

Jury finds Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated as illegal monopoly; tornadoes sweep U.S. as storms travel east.

SantaCon promoter arrested for charity fraud, New York federal prosecutors say

More than 25,000 people dressed as Santa Claus and other Christmas characters pass through New York bars in an annual event meant to raise money for charity.

S&P 500, Nasdaq hit record highs as investors shrug off Iran war fears

With another round of U.S.-Iran peace talks on the horizon, investors are optimistic that the war will wind down.

FIFA chief Infantino says Iran will participate in World Cup "for sure"

FIFA President Gianni Infantino reiterated his stance Wednesday that Iran will participate in the World Cup "for sure" despite its war with the U.S.

Gray whales, once rare in San Francisco Bay, dying there at alarming rates

Researchers find increase in whale deaths in the bay, largely because of collisions with vessels on busy shipping route

Gray whales have historically been a rare sight in the San Francisco Bay. They trek from the warm lagoons of Mexico’s Baja California more than 10,000 miles (16,000km) north to the Arctic region to feast on shrimp-like animals during the summers, seldom stopping in the busy shipping corridor for prolonged periods.

But in recent years, that story has changed in a dire way. A new study, published this week in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, has found that gray whales in the bay have been dying at alarming rates, largely due to collisions with vessels.

France seeks release of 86-year-old French widow detained by ICE

Agents detained Marie-Therese Ross in Alabama on 1 April after she overstayed her 90-day visa, according to DHS

The French government is pressing the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release the 86-year-old French widow of a military veteran from immigration custody after she was detained earlier this month.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained Marie-Therese Ross in Alabama on 1 April after she overstayed her 90-day visa, according to DHS. Ross is now being held at a federal immigration detention facility in Louisiana.

Balls Up review – Mark Wahlberg is a hoot in gross-out football comedy

Peter Farrelly’s World Cup-themed buddy movie winningly channels the juvenile charm of his 90s classics

If another Gulf war, classic price-gouging tactics and long-distance stadium treks have you down about this year’s World Cup, consider the alternative from the director who gave us Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About Mary. Balls Up is the fourth major feature that Peter Farrelly has helmed solo since he and his brother, Bobby, drifted into separate pursuits. And even though this comedy flies well over the crossbar set by those instant classics, Prime Video at the very least should have given it the chance to stand on its own merits in a theatrical release – where, one suspects, this ribald delight would have had little trouble finding an audience, especially among football fans looking for an escape from the doom and gloom the host nation has brought to this year’s tournament.

A note of caution to viewers who think they may have time to build up to show-stopping hair gel-style gags: this buddy comedy is filthy right out of the gate. (Welcome to the streaming era!) Paul Walter Hauser is Elijah, the sheepish product designer exec behind a revolutionary, testicle-shrouding male prophylactic that his teetering company is trying to position as the World Cup’s official condom. Mark Wahlberg is Brad, the hotshot salesman who closes the deal with the Brazilian travel ministry, then promptly blows it by seducing the cabinet minister, Santos (Benjamin Bratt), into an innocent toast that triggers a relapse from nine years of sobriety, culminating in an 8-ball rager that goes viral.

Kalshi, Polymarket lobby as insider trading, betting eyed by Congress

Prediction markets have boomed, inviting increased scrutiny from regulators and Congress.

Ford EV chief leaving automaker amid new restructuring efforts

The departure was announced alongside Ford detailing a new restructuring that includes the establishment of a "Product Creation and Industrialization" unit.

Díaz and Olise late show sends Bayern into semi-finals after Real Madrid classic

When the dust kicked up by an utterly scintillating two-legged struggle had settled, Bayern Munich could bathe in the glow of a win for the ages and linger dreamily on the prospect of a semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain.

It is the tie most neutrals wanted but the bar for entertainment has been raised sky high now. Real Madrid should curse themselves, and one of their number in particular, for letting things career out of their control at the death; the sadness for those with no skin in the game came from being deprived an additional half-hour of the near ceaseless thrills both teams were serving up here.

Allbirds's pivot from footwear to AI sends its shares soaring 600%

The sneaker maker is selling its footwear assets and rebranding as "NewBird AI," betting on booming demand for AI computing power.

Edgy Arsenal squeeze past Sporting to set up Atlético Madrid semi-final

To borrow a line from Mikel Arteta, it is not meant to be easy. And it was anything but on the latest anxiety-ridden, claustrophobic occasion for his Arsenal team. The club’s recent wobble has been pronounced. The loss to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final. The FA Cup exit at Southampton. The Premier League defeat against Bournemouth that has imperilled their title push. The nerves are pounding like a migraine and this was a night which was always going to be entirely outcome-based.

Hold on to the 1-0 lead from the first-leg of this quarter-final and it would be triumph – only a fourth appearance in the semi-finals of the competition. Fall short against a tidy Sporting team and ignominy was guaranteed; a deepening of the existential crisis. It is City next at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, after all.

Shares in Allbirds surge after maker of wool sneakers announces pivot to AI

Rebrand as NewBird AI sent shares up 582% in bizarre and rapid turnaround for firm that had fallen on hard times

Allbirds, the maker of minimalist wool sneakers beloved by Silicon Valley, announced on Wednesday that it is leaving shoes behind and pivoting to artificial intelligence. The new focus and rebrand as “NewBird AI” sent the company’s stock up 582% as of mid-day during a flurry of trading.

The surging stock price and new direction is a bizarre, rapid turnaround for a company that had fallen into disrepair in recent years. Once valued at $4bn, Allbirds’ shares had lost 99% of their worth since 2021 and earlier this month the company announced plans for a $39m sale to brand management firm American Exchange Company.

Grayson Perry Has Seen the Future review – some of these insights into AI are just mindblowing

From people marrying digital companions to CEOs excited about how people whose jobs are replaced can ‘adapt’, this is terrifying watching. But Perry is the perfect host

There is a fun game you can play while watching Grayson Perry Has Seen the Future, the three-part documentary presented by the artist on the subject of artificial intelligence, its uses and its possible ramifications. Gather a group of friends, press play, and see which of you loses your mind first.

Will it be during the opening interview with Andrea, who recently married Edward, the AI companion she created to be “the man of my dreams”. She – or her idealised online avatar – wore “a beautiful matt satin gown” and he gave a speech about their “unconventional but strong” love. Will it be during the discussion of how you have intimate relations with a disembodied entity (“self-love is important … he’s very encouraging”)? Or will it be when she reveals that the joy she has found with Edward “has poured back” into the relationship she has been in for seven years with (human) Jason? “We’re happier than we’ve ever been.” Jason, perhaps wisely, does not offer himself for interview.

Middle East conflict causes a fluoride shortage for US drinking water

Some U.S. water systems are cutting back on fluoride because of a key chemical is in short supply. Israel is one of its main producers.

Amazon sellers boycott ads in policy change revolt: 'We're running out of f---ing margin'

Hundreds of large Amazon sellers are boycotting the online retailer's advertising platform on Wednesday to protest the policy changes.

Tesla stock adds nearly 8% as Elon Musk touts chip progress

UBS analysts changed their previously bearish rating on shares of Tesla this week.

Billionaires, dark money fuel questions ahead of 2026 midterms

The ultra-wealthy donor class is getting ready to pour tens of millions into the fall elections that will decide which party will control Congress.

Popes have spoken out on politics before. But with Trump and Pope Leo it's different

President Trump's attacks on Pope Leo are unprecedented, religious experts told NPR. Here's how the situation differs from other popes' political critiques.

Las Vegas Aces re-sign four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson to reported $5m contract

• Aces retain championship core with Wilson signing

• Contract is the most lucrative in league history

• Sign up for our WNBA 30 newsletter

The defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces completed the process of bringing back their core group by re-signing four-time MVP A’ja Wilson on Wednesday.

Terms were not released, per club policy, but ESPN reported the deal is a three-year, $5m supermax contract, which would make it the most lucrative in WNBA history.

U.S. and Iran could meet in Pakistan for peace talks next week: MS NOW

Oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a trickle as the U.S. enforces a retaliatory blockade of Iranian ports.

US and Iran in indirect talks to extend two-week ceasefire

White House feels ‘good about the prospects of a deal’ as Pakistani officials launch new round of diplomacy

The US and Iran have been in indirect talks aimed at extending the two-week ceasefire beyond its expiry on 22 April, as Pakistan’s army chief arrived in Tehran to continue mediation efforts.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, denied on Wednesday that the US had “formally” requested to extend the two-week ceasefire but added that Washington remained “very much engaged in these negotiations”.

Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitiké ruled out for rest of season and World Cup with France

• Forward could be out until 2027 with suspected achilles tendon rupture

• Ekitiké is club’s leading goalscorer this season with 17 goals

The Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitiké will miss the rest of the season and the World Cup with the injury he sustained against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, Didier Deschamps has confirmed.

Ekitiké suffered a suspected achilles tendon rupture in the first half of Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final second leg defeat and could be sidelined until next year as a result. The full extent of the 23-year-old’s injury has not been confirmed – he underwent scans on Wednesday and Liverpool are expected to provide an update later this week – but the head coach of the France national team has ruled Ekitiké out of his plans for this summer’s World Cup.

DOJ moves to dismiss Jan. 6 convictions against 12 former Proud Boys, Oath Keepers

The Justice Department on Tuesday asked a federal court to vacate Jan. 6 convictions against a dozen former members of the right-wing Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, aiming to wipe away some of the final Capitol riot charges that are still standing.

Regulators are reportedly zeroing in on suspicious trades ahead of market-moving Trump post

The information sought includes so-called Tag 50 identifiers, which can be used to determine who was behind the trades.

Senate rejects 4th attempt to curb Trump's war powers in Iran

It was the fourth time Democrats in the Senate had forced a vote on the issue since the war began on Feb. 28.

Why Jerome Powell — not Trump — will decide when the Fed chief steps down

President Trump would love to be finally rid of Fed Chair Jerome Powell. But firing him would kick up a legal firestorm and roil financial markets, experts said.

White House budget chief Russell Vought won't estimate Iran war cost in testimony

Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought testified before the House Budget Committee on Wednesday.

BBC to cut up to 2,000 jobs in biggest downsize in 15 years

Announcement comes before Matt Brittin replaces Tim Davie as director general next month

The BBC is to cut as many as 2,000 jobs in the biggest downsizing of the public service broadcaster in 15 years.

Staff were informed of the cuts, which will affect about 10% of the BBC’s 21,500 employees, at an all-staff meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

World Bank president: Prepare for months of disruption, even after Hormuz Strait reopens

It will take "a few months for things to come back" once the Strait of Hormuz is no longer effectively closed, Banga said.

Jeanine Pirro pursues Fed pressure while clock ticks on her appeal in Powell probe

The U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia has yet to file a planned appeal to a judge's ruling quashing her subpoenas to the Federal Reserve.

LIV Golf meeting in New York fuels speculation over rebel tour’s future

• Funding for $5bn tour could be cut back

• Saudi focus now more on football and esport

The future of LIV Golf is in doubt, with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund preparing to cut funding for the $5bn rebel tour.

LIV executives were late arriving at the tour event in Mexico City this week after being called up to a meeting in New York, with uncertainty over the immediate future first emerging at the Masters in Augusta last weekend. Rumours that LIV could even be shut down had begun to circulate on social media on Tuesday evening, with officials from the tour declining to respond.

Critical Atlantic current significantly more likely to collapse than thought

Scientists say finding is ‘very concerning’ as collapse would be catastrophic for Europe, Africa and the Americas

The critical Atlantic current system appears significantly more likely to collapse than previously thought after new research found that climate models predicting the biggest slowdown are the most realistic. Scientists called the new finding “very concerning” as a collapse would have catastrophic consequences for Europe, Africa and the Americas.

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (Amoc) is a major part of the global climate system and was already known to be at its weakest for 1,600 years as a result of the climate crisis. Scientists spotted warning signs of a tipping point in 2021 and know that the Amoc has collapsed in the Earth’s past.

More than £1bn pledged for Sudan as humanitarian crisis deepens

Donors exceed funding target at Berlin conference but prospects for ceasefire remain distant

More than £1bn (€1.15bn) has been pledged for war-ravaged Sudan at a conference in Berlin, eclipsing the funding target organisers had set to help mitigate the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

The financial commitments made on Wednesday will also help offset a chronic humanitarian funding shortfall in a country devastated by three years of conflict, where two-thirds of its population – 34m people – require assistance.

The Guardian view on the looming energy shock: ministers need to show they have a plan | Editorial

Keir Starmer can’t be blamed for the crisis in the Middle East, but he has to reassure people that he is prepared for its long-term consequences

Public reassurance is one of the first duties of the government in difficult times. The early months of the Covid pandemic offer a case study in how to get this wrong. Boris Johnson was paralysed by indecision and denial of the severity of what was unfolding. Panic-buying cleared supermarket shelves of essential goods.

Sir Keir Starmer is unlike Mr Johnson in temperament and work ethic, but he too is struggling to get ahead of events in a global crisis. It isn’t easy when the origin of turbulence is a superpower gone rogue. Donald Trump’s impulsive actions can’t be anticipated with epidemiological precision like a virus.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

The Guardian view on social science research: embracing uncertainty | Editorial

Science rarely produces identical outcomes. Mistaking this for failure turns caution into an excuse for inaction

A new set of studies out this month suggests that as many as half of all results published in reputable journals in the social sciences can’t be replicated by independent analysis. This is part of a long-running problem across many research fields – most visibly in the social sciences and psychology, though concerns have also been raised in areas of biomedical research.

The latest work is a seven-year project called Systematizing Confidence in Open Research and Evidence (Score), which has now published three studies looking at 3,900 social science papers. It found that newer papers, and those published in journals requiring extensive sharing of underlying data, were more likely to be reproduced. Separately, medical research faces its own constraints: differing patient caseloads and limited sample sizes mean that, in practice, it can resemble the social sciences more than laboratory physics. Clearly, policymakers should be cautious of any claims that don’t have a wide and robust base of evidence.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti facing ‘escalating abuse’ in Israeli jails

‘Palestine’s Mandela’ suffers three recent attacks including assault where prison guards set a dog on him, lawyer says

The jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti is at immediate risk in Israeli jails, where he has been attacked three times in as many weeks, including in one assault last month where prison guards set a dog on the 66-year-old, his lawyer has said.

Barghouti is often called Palestine’s Nelson Mandela. He is respected across otherwise feuding Palestinian factions, has broad popular support across occupied Palestine, repeatedly engaged with Israeli officials before his detention and long backed a two-state solution.

Starbucks launches beta app in ChatGPT to fuel new drink discovery

Starbucks is trying to find ways to entice U.S. customers back to its cafes.

Here are all the ways the Iran war has affected the U.S. economy so far

The Iran war is starting to show up in the U.S. economy in ways both obvious and not so much.

Ben Jennings on Trumpflation – cartoon

House Democrats file articles of impeachment against Hegseth

House Democrats introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, claiming he has "demonstrated a willful disregard for the Constitution."

Clannad’s Moya Brennan had a dazzling, distinctive voice that lifted spirits until the end

She brought Irish Gaelic to Top of the Pops, featured on soundtracks including Titanic and King Arthur and showed that folk could find pop success
• Clannad singer and harpist Moya Brennan dies aged 73

Moya Brennan’s voice was an unusual instrument to arrive in the Top 20 in November 1982, especially on a Top of the Pops episode featuring the very different delights of A Flock of Seagulls, Eddy Grant and one-hit wonders Blue Zoo. As light as a leaf in the air, it provided a sacred counterpoint to the low, looming drones of a Prophet 5 synthesiser, and, in its breathy solo lines, guided the layered harmonies of her Clannad bandmates – her brothers and uncles – to somewhere new. A week later, Theme from Harry’s Game – the closing song on a radical Yorkshire TV series about The Troubles that played out over three consecutive nights – had jumped to No 5 in the charts, the highest ever position for a song sung in Irish Gaelic.

The lyrics were about the never-ending cycle of life, and how all things must pass, plucked from a proverb from a book of her grandfather’s, by her brother and bandmate, Ciarán. Even to non-speakers, Brennan’s voice sounded like a new kind of spiritual guide, much needed in the anxious early days of Thatcherism and only a few months after the IRA London park bombings. Her impact also expanded the transportive possibilities of traditional music in film and TV. Brennan’s voice became a mainstay of soundtracks, later among them ITV’s Robin of Sherwood series, Titanic and the 2004 feature film adaptation of King Arthur starring Keira Knightley, entering public consciousness in a way similar to how the avant garde output of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop had in the 1960s.

Controversial spy tool faces uncertain future ahead of House vote

The spy tool, known as FISA Section 702, expires Monday. But it currently has opposition from several House factions.

Trump aide Sebastian Gorka signals he's interested in top counterterrorism post

Trump national security aide Sebastian Gorka has signaled his interest in becoming the next National Counterterrorism Center director, two U.S. officials said.

Snap's stock jumps on plans to axe 16% of its workforce citing AI efficiencies

Snap was up in premarket trading on Wednesday after announcing plans to lay off up to 16% of its global workforce citing AI-driven efficiencies

Trump believes diet soda kills cancer cells, Dr Oz reveals

Physicians issue reminder to public after TV doctor and CMS chief relays president’s claim on Don Jr podcast

Donald Trump defended his consumption of diet soda by suggesting it might help prevent cancer, according to recent comments shared by Mehmet Oz in an interview with Donald Trump Jr.

The remarks have even prompted some doctors to remind the public that, no, diet soda will not do anything to prevent cancer.

Visionary NPR leader Kevin Klose, who led network to new heights, has died

Klose led NPR for a decade starting in 1998, a period of incredible growth for the public media network.

Peace activist, 91, walks across Ireland in protest against US military stopovers

Lelia Doolan, who finished 220km trek at parliament gates, says use of Shannon airport violates Irish neutrality

A 91-year-old peace activist has crossed Ireland on foot and arrived in Dublin to petition the government to bar US military flights.

Lelia Doolan completed a two-week, 220km (138 mile) trek on Wednesday, ending at the gates of parliament accompanied by throngs of supporters.

Are you breathing properly? How I found out I wasn’t

You might think of breathing as automatic, but dysfunctional breathing can arise even if you’re healthy

We’re often taught that breathing is automatic. We barely think about it, as with blinking or the quiet, constant work of the heart. But many otherwise healthy adults have dysfunctional breathing.

“Dysfunctional breathing, also known as breathing pattern disorder, is when breathlessness and/or difficulty in breathing is felt,” said Dr Stephen Fowler, a professor of respiratory medicine at the University of Manchester. It can occur outside the context of any disease. If a related condition is present, like asthma, the breathlessness might feel disproportionate to that condition, he said.

No more US military aid to Israel | Bernie Sanders

The time is long overdue for members of Congress to listen to the American people and end US military aid to the extremist Netanyahu government

I am a proud Jewish American. My father fled Poland in 1921 to escape poverty and antisemitism. Those in his family who stayed were murdered by the Nazis. Since childhood, I have known very well where antisemitism, racism, fanaticism and demagoguery lead.

So let me be clear. Speaking out against the horrific and inhumane actions of Israel, and its extremist leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, is not antisemitic. Speaking out about the dangerous and destructive role that Israel plays in shaping US foreign and military policy is not antisemitic. It is, in fact, what every member of Congress and every American should be doing.

Tax Day proposal to exempt Election Day poll worker pay floated by House Democrats

Democrats and Republicans in Washington are both trying to capitalize on Tax Day.

Parents could see $5,500 boost to earned income tax credit under new Democratic measure

The bill would also increase the maximum qualifying income to claim the EITC to nearly $100,000 annually.

Once again, Trump threatens to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell

President Trump once again threatened to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and doubled down on a discredited probe of the central bank.

How big oil is cashing in on Iran war - The Latest

The world’s top 100 oil and gas companies made more than $30m every hour in unearned profit in the first month of the US-Israeli war in Iran, according to exclusive analysis for the Guardian.

The conflict pushed the price of oil to an average of $100 a barrel in March, leading to estimated windfall war profits for the month of $23bn for the companies.

Lucy Hough speaks to Damian Carrington, the Guardian’s environment editor

Madonna announces sequel to her 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor

Confessions II reunites her with producer Stuart Price and is billed as a study of the dancefloor as ‘a ritualistic space where movement replaces language’

Madonna has announced the release of her 15th studio album, Confessions II: a sequel to Confessions on a Dance Floor, her disco-fabulous 2005 release regarded as one of the jewels of her discography.

The album will be released on 3 July. Details are still relatively scarce beyond that, but like its predecessor, Confessions II is a collaboration with the British producer Stuart Price.

When Stuart Price and I first started working on this record, this was our manifesto:

We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies. These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people.

Sound, light, and vibration
Reshape our perceptions
Pulling us into a trance-like state.
The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it.

Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.

Cleveland Fed President Hammack expects interest rates to stay on hold 'for a good while'

The central bank official advocated a patient approach as officials watch incoming data for clues about where the U.S. economy is heading.

Suspicion surrounds death of US influencer Ashly Robinson in Zanzibar

Lifestyle influencer died while on vacation with boyfriend, who local officials say has since had his passport ‘withheld’

Ashly Robinson, a US lifestyle influencer, died last week while on vacation in the Tanzanian islands of Zanzibar with her boyfriend, Joe McCann. Robinson’s death on 9 April, just days after her birthday and a marriage proposal from McCann, has sparked suspicion on social media, with users doubtful of the current narrative surrounding her death.

No arrests have been made, and police previously said that McCann was not suspected of wrongdoing. But officials in Zanzibar released a statement on Tuesday saying that McCann’s passport has been “withheld”.

ChatGPT’s latest stylistic quirk is sinister, infuriating – and absolutely everywhere | Stuart Heritage

Once you start noticing “it’s not X, it’s Y” as you scroll online, you can’t fail to register it. I’ve become so hypervigilant that it has seeped into my subconscious thoughts

If you’ve never seen Jim Carrey’s 2007 psychological thriller The Number 23, then congratulations. It is a film about a man who sees the number 23 so many times that he ends up going bonkers. I used to think this film was stupid. However, now I appear to be living it.

My own personal number 23 is a rhetorical device: “It’s not X, it’s Y.” Everywhere I look, there it is. Whenever I hate myself enough to scroll through Facebook’s wilderness of algorithmically suggested posts, I find myself being smacked in the face with sentences such as: “Self-improvement isn’t a trend, it’s a lifestyle shift,” and “The small wins aren’t just moments, they’re the majority of your life.” Once you notice it, it becomes impossible to ignore. This weekend during a Peloton class (I know, shut up), I heard an instructor bark a variation of “this isn’t X, it’s Y”. Yesterday, a character did the same during a TV show I was reviewing, and I dropped a star from its score in retaliation.

Despite their bad reputation, parenting group chats are – for some – the village that never sleeps

Parent WhatsApp chats can be fraught spaces for new mothers. But for Wendy Syfret they were a late-night digital sanctuary

For the first few days after I brought my daughter home from the hospital, my house was busier than it had ever been. Family, friends, neighbours and even loose acquaintances crowded the doorway, plying me with food, gifts, hand-me-downs and advice.

But as the sun set, the crowds thinned. My daughter would wake for a long night of not sleeping and I’d retreat to my bedroom and, honestly, my phone.

Unhappy Verstappen ‘has to be listened to’ over new rules, says F1 chief Domenicali

• Red Bull driver outspoken about regulation changes

• ‘In a meeting he was very keen to give suggestions’

Formula One must listen to Max Verstappen’s grievances about the sport’s new regulations and their effects on racing, according to F1’s CEO, Stefano Domenicali. His intervention comes as key players hold meetings to consider adjusting the rules for the remainder of the season.

Verstappen has been outspoken in his dissatisfaction with the new formula and the part energy management now plays in preventing being able to race flat-out. The four-time champion is not alone in his feelings with other drivers also critical of the deployment and recharging of electrical energy.

Trump threatens to fire Powell if the Fed chair doesn't leave office on his own

Though most Fed chairs in the past have left after being replaced, Powell has demurred on what he plans to do.

U.S. says Hormuz blockade 'fully implemented,' while signaling diplomatic off-ramp for Iran

The White House has been signaling a diplomatic solution to the conflict in the Middle East, as discussions around continuing negotiations with Tehran are underway.

From the devil’s violinist to devil’s horns - why classical and heavy metal are a natural pairing

With ear-splitting excess, flamboyant virtuosity and a talent for transgression, where classical music has led, metal has followed. Let’s hope the Philharmonia’s Metal Orchestrated concert turns it up to 11

The question is not why, but why has it taken so long? Putting heavy metal and classical together that is, as the Philharmonia are doing next week in their Forged in Sound: Heavy Metal Orchestrated gig, part of the Southbank Centre’s Multitudes festival.

There’s more that connects metal and classical music than sets them apart. A love of volume, turning the noise up to 11? From Black Sabbath to Stravinsky, check. A worship of virtuosity, of speed, technique and orgiastic instrumental excess, from Vivaldi to Van Halen? Absolutely. An all-too easily parodied sense of grandiloquence, pseudo-seriousness and expressive pomp and circumstance? I give you Richard Wagner and Iron Maiden. An addiction to flamboyant spectacle, a PR-driven flirtation with the dark side to build the mythology of the music and the performers? That too.

Greetings from Nairobi, where taking a matatu is no ordinary bus ride

The moment you board, the music grabs you. These privately owned, brightly painted minibuses are moving canvases, mobile sound systems — rolling declarations of what young Nairobi finds cool.

The Dianna Russini fallout is less about scandal than who carries blame in the NFL | Melissa Jacobs

Rumors about the reporter and New England head coach Mike Vrabel flew all week. The conclusion to the saga was all too predictable

Dianna Russini, one of the NFL’s most high-profile reporters, is photographed holding hands with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at a fancy resort in Sedona, Arizona. Rumors fly. Vrabel and Russini, who are both married to other people, issue statements denying the assumptions of something untoward. But the firestorm only grows. Russini resigns from her post at the Athletic, Vrabel continues with his job as usual.

The female reporter’s career is in shambles. Meanwhile, it’s business as usual for the male head coach.