Northern Beaches hospital handed to NSW government, ending troubled public-private partnership 28. April 2026 (16:01) Transition and legal handover of hospital from private operator Healthscope to NSW Health occurs at 7am on WednesdayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSydney’s Northern Beaches hospital is officially entering the public system, ending a troubled eight-year public-private partnership, although uncertainty about the future of private services remains.The transition and legal handover of the hospital from private operator Healthscope to New South Wales Health will occur at 7am on Wednesday. The New South Wales health minister, Ryan Park, said it was a “historic day”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
One year after Spain’s blackout, its shift to renewables and grid evolution power on 28. April 2026 (15:47) Though solar was initially incorrectly blamed for crisis, renewables have helped insulate Spain from gas price rises caused by war in Middle EastOne year ago today, all of Spain, and much of Portugal, suffered through a blackout of unprecedented scale and duration. In mere seconds, a cascading sequence of events burst through the grid and created Europe’s first “system black” event in recent memory.Traffic signals failed, mobile networks stopped working entirely, petrol stations could not pump fuel and supermarkets could not process payments. Madrid’s metro came to a halt and people had to be pulled out of carriages. “People were stunned because this had never happened in Spain,” Carlos Condori, a 19-year-old construction sector worker, told AFP at the time. “There’s no [phone] coverage, I can’t call my family, my parents, nothing: I can’t even go to work.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Europe’s smaller airports ‘under threat’ if fuel shortages cause many cancellations 28. April 2026 (15:30) High fuel prices and passenger delays as result of EU’s EES entry-exit system leading to problems, says trade bodyBusiness live – latest updatesEurope’s smaller airports may not survive if jet fuel shortages triggered by the Middle East crisis lead to widespread route cancellations, the industry’s trade body has warned.Although airlines insist there are currently no supply problems within the normal four- to six-week horizon, the US-Israel war on Iran and the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz have doubled the price of jet fuel, prompting some carriers to cancel flights. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UAE to quit Opec in blow to oil exporters’ cartel 28. April 2026 (14:59) Big win for Donald Trump, who has accused organisation of ‘ripping off the rest of the world’ by inflating oil prices Business live – latest updatesThe United Arab Emirates has quit the Opec oil cartel in a heavy blow to the group and its de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, amid the global energy shock caused by the Iran war.The stunning loss of the UAE, a longstanding Opec member, could create disarray and weaken the group, which has usually sought to show a united front despite internal disagreements over a range of issues from geopolitics to production quotas. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Middle East crisis live: IDF orders evacuations in southern Lebanon as it accuses Hezbollah of ceasefire violations 28. April 2026 (14:52) Residents in 16 towns and villages are told to evacuate immediatelyUS is being ‘humiliated’ by Iran’s leadership, says Friedrich MerzSaudi Arabia is to host a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Jeddah later today, in what will be first in-person meeting of Gulf leaders since their states became dragged into the war.A Gulf official told the Reuters news agency that the meeting aimed to craft a response to the thousands of Iranian missile and drone attacks Gulf states have faced since the US and Israel launched the war on Iran on 28 February. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Antiquities dealer who exposed thefts at British Museum dies aged 61 28. April 2026 (14:52) Ittai Gradel died of renal cancer days after museum awarded him medal for ‘very significant contribution’The academic turned antiquities dealer who exposed the theft of hundreds of artefacts from the British Museum has died aged 61.Dr Ittai Gradel, from Denmark, alerted the British Museum and the police after he was able to buy dozens of museum artefacts on eBay over the course of several years. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man who heckled Shabana Mahmood dismisses ‘laughable’ white liberal claim 28. April 2026 (14:48) Protester says he migrated from Malaysia as a child and describes home secretary’s immigration policies as cruelUK politics live – latest updatesA protester who heckled Shabana Mahmood said he came to the UK as a child from Malaysia, describing the home secretary’s claim that he was a white liberal as “laughable”.Joe, 32, who did not wish to give his last name, migrated from Malaysia at the age of four with his family. He said the home secretary’s proposed immigration reforms would have left him, and thousands of children like him, in limbo. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Met investigating suspected arson attack on north London memorial wall 28. April 2026 (14:31) Scotland Yard says incident in area that is home to large Jewish community is not being treated as terrorism Police are investigating a suspected arson attack at a memorial wall in an area of north London that is home to a large Jewish community.Scotland Yard said the investigation was being led by counter-terrorism policing, but it was not being treated as a terrorist incident. No arrests have yet been made and the memorial wall was not damaged. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s attempt to crush clean energy progress not going to plan, experts say 28. April 2026 (14:30) US generated more power from renewables like solar and wind than gas last month in a firstDonald Trump has wielded the full might of his administration to crush the progress of clean energy, which has called a “scam” and “stupid”. But there are signs this assault is not going to plan.In March, the US generated more of its electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind than it did via gas, the first time clean energy has surpassed the planet-heating fossil fuel for a full month nationally, according to data from the Ember thinktank. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sri Lanka police arrest 22 Buddhist monks after 110kg of cannabis found in luggage 28. April 2026 (14:22) Customs officials say group allegedly hid 5kg of ‘kush’ in false walls of bags on return from Bangkok holidayTwenty-two Buddhist monks are in Sri Lankan police custody after customs officials found 110kg of high-grade cannabis concealed in their luggage, the largest ever drug bust at Colombo’s main international airport.The group, mostly junior monks in training from temples across Sri Lanka, were alleged to have “carried about five kilos of the narcotic concealed within false walls in their luggage”, according to a Sri Lanka customs spokesperson. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
