UK departments at odds over energy demands of AI datacentres
Posted on Sunday April 26, 2026

Discrepancy in forecasts raises questions over government planning for net zero

One vision of the UK’s future involves a decarbonised economy powered by clean, renewable energy. Another involves making the UK an AI superpower.

The government departments responsible for these two visions do not appear to have agreed on their numbers.

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‘Sludge in the system’: myriad problems stymie Labour’s 1.5m new homes pledge
Posted on Sunday April 26, 2026

Soaring cost of building materials, lack of affordability and planning bottlenecks are some of the obstacles thwarting housing target

At South and City College in Birmingham, dozens of young people clad in hi-vis vests and hard hats are building mini-walls and plastering half-formed rooms.

Some weave in and out of stacks of bricks with wheelbarrows, while others use spirit levels to check the walls are straight and flat. In a few days time, these walls will be demolished and the plastering scraped away, for a new class to come in and try their hands.

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‘Nigel is mad to accept his money’: who is Christopher Harborne, the mystery billionaire bankrolling Reform?
Posted on Saturday April 25, 2026

A crypto tycoon is giving record-breaking amounts to Farage’s party. But little is known about his motives

Shortly before Christmas 2022, Chakrit Sakunkrit, owner of the Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary on the Thai island of Koh Samui, invited 200 guests to spend a few days celebrating his 60th birthday. One sultry afternoon, Sakunkrit and a small group gathered around a table near the shore, surrounded by the burgundy foliage of Good Luck plants. To his right, dressed down in a polo shirt, sat Nigel Farage.

Since Brexit marked the achievement of his life’s work three years earlier, Farage had fizzled. Even some of his supporters had pronounced him finished. Now, with the Conservatives in disarray after Liz Truss’s disastrous budget that September, Farage was hinting at a still more ambitious project: to make himself prime minister.

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From syringes to stents: Iran war exposes NHS dependency on petrochemicals
Posted on Sunday April 26, 2026

NHS chiefs fear rising costs and healthcare shortages due to the shipping standstill in the Gulf

The war in Iran has put the NHS on high alert amid fears about looming shortages and rising costs for medicines and medical products such as syringes, intravenous bags and gloves.

Much of modern healthcare is dependent on the petrochemicals now held up by the Gulf shipping standstill – whether for active pharmaceutical ingredients or to produce the millions of sterile single-use items, ranging from personal protective equipment (PPE) to catheters and diagnostic-device casings.

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Musk and Altman’s bitter feud over OpenAI to be laid bare in court
Posted on Sunday April 26, 2026

Tesla chief believes Altman broke company’s founding agreement – and legal battle promises to be explosive

The bitter rivalry between two of the tech world’s most powerful men arrives in court this week, as Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAI heads to trial in Oakland, California. The case is set to feature some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley, and its outcome could affect the course of the AI boom.

Musk’s suit, filed in 2024, focuses on the formative years of OpenAI when he, Altman and others co-founded the artificial intelligence company as a nonprofit with a grand purpose.

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UK departments at odds over energy demands of AI datacentres
Posted on Sunday April 26, 2026

Discrepancy in forecasts raises questions over government planning for net zero

One vision of the UK’s future involves a decarbonised economy powered by clean, renewable energy. Another involves making the UK an AI superpower.

The government departments responsible for these two visions do not appear to have agreed on their numbers.

Read more...

London Marathon 2026 – live updates
Posted on Sunday April 26, 2026

• Updates as runners head from Greenwich to the Mall

• Why I’m running dressed as a badger | Get in touch

Elite women’s race: Hellen Obiri is hoping to challenge Tigst Assefa, with the Kenyan making her London debut after consistently racing in New York and Boston, where they do not use pacers.

Elite women’s race: The women’s elite are being introduced on the start line. Tigst Assefa beat the world women’s-only marathon record with her run here in London last year and she returns as defending champion. The Ethiopian has also not been shy in saying that she will attempt her own world record.

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Chelsea and Leeds head to Wembley, a big derby for Hearts and WCL action – matchday live
Posted on Sunday April 26, 2026

⚽ News, discussion and buildup before Sunday’s action
⚽ Leeds seek Wembley moment | Fixtures | Mail us here

Arsenal, the holders, take on Lyon in the Women’s Champions League.

Suzanne Wrack has spoken to Olivia Smith: “As the season reaches its climax, a Champions League semi-final against Lyon on Sunday is testament to how far up the ladder Smith has climbed. Now, she is heading towards unknown territory: a second season at the same club for the first time in her senior career. “I do feel quite calm now, knowing that I have set down some roots here, but at the end of the day, football is football and you never know what’s next,” she says. “So I’m always on my toes but, right now, I’m kind of laid-back, just enjoying the time here in the present with Arsenal and looking forward to winning more silverware and growing as a player and a person.”

I sorted out my mind: “Come on, Gigi,” I said to myself, and I gave myself strength: “When the game is over you can stop playing football. Just take on this hour and a half and then say goodbye to it all.”

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