EU close to signing off on critical €90bn loan for Ukraine after months of vetoing from Hungary – Europe live 22. April 2026 (12:02) Member states meet this morning, as Ukraine starts pumping oil through Druzhba with Slovakia deliveries to resume ThursdayMeanwhile, Slovak prime minister Robert Fico is giving a press conference in Bratislava now, and I am listening along for hints on what is about to happen with the 90bn loan for Ukraine and the Druzhba pipeline.Fico says his government is “watching closely” as “two processes go hand in hand” of unblocking the €90bn loan for Ukraine – that Slovakia has an opt-out from, alongside the Czech Republic and Hungary – and of restarting the pipeline.“I don’t know how the EU will act if the loan is unblocked and in a few days the flow of oil from the Druzhba pipeline stops again. What we will do then, I really don’t know, but we must prepared for such an alternative.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Right place at the right time’: Arizona utility worker saves toddler from rush-hour traffic 22. April 2026 (12:00) Robert Butler leaped into action to save child who was running into busy intersection in downtown PhoenixSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxAn Arizona electric utility worker is said to have issued “a powerful reminder of what it means to look out for one another” when, while on duty, he stopped a toddler from running into heavy car traffic after bolting away from a parent.Robert Butler’s timely intervention was captured recently in a hair-raising video recorded by a surveillance camera in downtown Phoenix and released recently by his employer, Arizona Public Service (APS). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nearly half of US children are breathing dangerous levels of air pollution, report warns 22. April 2026 (12:00) 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 Guardian)
Virginia congressional map vote could embolden Florida Republicans to push for boundary changes, says Jeffries – US politics live 22. April 2026 (12:00) House Democratic leader says result should serve as a warning to Ron DeSantis after latest blow to Donald Trump’s redistricting battlePolls showed a close race in the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s vote, with signs that right-leaning voters in Virginia’s rural areas were incensed by new maps that would see many of them represented by lawmakers who live in the state’s northern suburbs outside Washington DC.The surveys also showed that voters were divided on Spanberger’s performance as governor, with Republicans accusing her of lying about her moderate credentials on the campaign trail then quickly pivoting left as governor, including by supporting the referendum.If Florida Republicans proceed with this illegal scheme, they will only create more prime-pick up opportunities for Democrats.We are prepared to take them all on, and we are prepared to win. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Infinite Machine Olto Review: A Tremendously Fun Ride 22. April 2026 (12:00) The ebike that doesn’t look like any other ebike is a tremendously fun ride—even for two passengers—if you don’t mind the Cybertruckian design.(Wired)
Benidorm star Elsie Kelly dies aged 89 after five-decade career as tributes pour in
Now even London turns on Starmer: Bombshell poll predicts Labour will suffer huge losses in the capital at next month's local elections as Greens and Reform UK surge