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Today — 2 April 2026News

C.D.C. Pauses Testing for Rabies and Mpox

1 April 2026 at 23:51
The diseases were removed from a list of tests the agency conducts for state and local health departments. Experts worry that with drastic staff reductions, the testing may not resume.

© Karen Ducey/Getty Images

A swab that tested positive for the mpox virus in a laboratory at the University of Washington in Seattle in 2022.

Who Murdered Minerliz? How a Diner Meet-up Cracked the Case.

2 April 2026 at 00:15
In 1999, a 13-year-old girl was found dead in the Bronx. Then the trail went cold for 20 years, until an ingenious ploy by detectives produced a vital clue to her killer.

© Malcolm Jackson for The New York Times

Minerliz Soriano (in a photograph held by her best friend in middle school) was 13 when she was found murdered.

Tech Bros Hacked Their Diets. Now You May Be Doing It, Too.

1 April 2026 at 11:27
With seeds, supplements and gadgets (but little expert guidance), Americans of all stripes are seeking wellness through what they eat.

© Hannah Beier for The New York Times

Kyle Taylor, a college student, wears a smart watch that tracks various health metrics via an app.

专家解读:美国取消出生公民权将意味着什么? - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

1 April 2026 at 23:45
01/04/2026 - 17:36

美国最高法院2026年4月1日开始审理总统特朗普签发的取消出生公民权行政命令的合法性。特朗普当日亲自到场,出席大法官的辩论。美国宾夕法尼亚州立大学社会学和人口统计学的特聘教授Jennifer Van Hook3月31日接受采访时表示,若最高法院维持这项行政命令,未来25年内,预计美国将有340万没有公民身分的儿童生活在美国。

2025年1月底,特朗普开始第二个美国总统任期后签署的首批文件中包含要取消出生公民权的行政命令。这是特朗普重返白宫强力推动的强硬移民政策的一环,而是最有争议的措施之一。美国地方法院均裁定这项行政令不合法。最高法院九名大法官2026年4月1日起就此展开口头辩论。特朗普则亲临辩论现场。美国媒体称这是美国在职总统首次亲临最高法院的辩论活动。

不少民众当日也在最高法院门外集会,反对取消这项已经有150多年历史的公民权利。

美国宾夕法尼亚州立大学社会学和人口统计学的特聘教授Jennifer Van Hook以及另一位学者Nicole Kreisberg在研究了美国人口统计数据预计移民人口统计数据后认为,倘若最高法院维持特朗普的取消政令,那将意味着未来25年内,美国将有340万没有公民身分而在美国生活的儿童。两位学者在研究中也发现,鉴于在美亚裔族群的体量,取消出生公民权意味着亚裔无证移民人口将会大幅增加。而这项措施也会导致更多的留学生选择回国,在某种程度上导致美国挥霍此前在教育领域投入的大量资金。

出生公民权目前依据的是美国在1868年通过的宪法第十四修正案。那时,美国刚刚结束南北战争。这项修正案意在赋予获得自由的奴隶在美国出生的后代以美国公民身分,规定任何在美国出生的人均为美国公民。30年后的1898年,在美国出生、但父母都不是美国人的华裔男子黄金德的美国公民身分认定争议被提交最高法院审议。最高法院的裁决最后确定了宪法第十四修正案的“美国公民出生地原则”。

特朗普重返白宫后签署的政令禁止联邦政府向在美国出生、但母亲在美没有合法身分或只是暂时居留、父亲也不是美国公民或持有绿卡的永久居民的人发放护照或公民身份证书。该政令也适用于那些持留学签证或工作、旅游签证在美国临时居住者在美国出生的孩子。

美国重要的公民团体”美国公民自由联盟“(ACLU)d的负责人4月1日在最高法院门前表示,只是一场捍卫最好的美国价值观的战斗,在美国土地上出生,就是完完全全的美国公民。

Yesterday — 1 April 2026News

往事随想录|对话“遇真纪事”:农民的孩子必须自己发声

1 April 2026 at 22:11

file

今年清明前,我约赵玉顺做了一场直播。

他从湖南老家接进来,刚给爷爷奶奶扫完墓。他说,一开始还好,但他伯伯对着坟头说"爸爸,崽来看你了",他当场就哭了,好久没缓过来。他很多年没回去扫墓了,不是不想回,是因为他一直没有办法去接受那种失去。

我理解他的感受。我奶奶去世之后,我第一次回去根本受不了。后来慢慢多回几次,才好一些。我奶奶生前最大的担心就是说,你们以后会把我忘掉。所以我每次回去,不管多忙,都要和家里人去她坟边看一眼,把周围的杂草弄干净。她在那里,我们才有回老家的理由。

这次直播从晚上8点聊到11点过,三个多小时。我们聊了农民的土地、宅基地、生活成本、养老金,聊了公粮、义务工、互助养老,也聊了他和贞贞这五年走遍村镇的故事。意犹未尽,最后玉顺的手机没电了。

CDT 档案卡
标题:对话“遇真纪事”:农民的孩子必须自己发声
作者:彭远文
发表日期:2026.4.1
来源:微信公众号-往事随想录
主题归类:中国农村养老困境
CDS收藏:公民馆
版权说明:该作品版权归原作者所有。中国数字时代仅对原作进行存档,以对抗中国的网络审查。详细版权说明

我公号的读者很多都是农民的孩子,这场谈话里有很多东西,是我们和父母的故事。

本文整理自2026年3月31日与赵玉顺的直播访谈,直播回放请搜索视频号“彭远文”,文字有删节和整理。赵玉顺与袁贞贞是自媒体"遇真纪事"的创作者,已走访全国数十个省份的村镇,记录农民与农民工的真实生活。

一、那块地,真的没有想象中值钱

"农民有地"——这是反对提高农民养老金最常见、也最理直气壮的一个说法。

意思是:你农民有地,城里人没有地;你有地就可以种出粮食、自给自足,凭什么还要国家给你钱?

我问玉顺:你走了这么多地方,那块地到底能给老农民带来多少收入?

他先从产权说起。土地不是农民私有的,是村集体所有,农民只有使用权。这个前提很多人不知道,或者知道了也没细想过它意味着什么。

然后他说了一句我觉得很准的话:

"抛开数量谈收入,跟抛开剂量谈毒性一样,都是耍流氓。"

中国人均耕地大概1.4亩,但这是全国平均数,东北拉了一大截。南方的实际情况是什么?他说,在四川、湖南、福建、贵州这些地方,如果你去问农民家里有几亩地,"别人是会笑你的"——因为他们是以"分"为单位计算的,10分才等于1亩。一户四口人加在一起,南方农村普遍也就两三亩地。

这两三亩地能产出多少钱?他给我算了一笔账:

种粮食作物,刨去种子、化肥、农药、机械这些成本,现在农资价格一直在涨,但粮价稳定,一亩地一季能净赚800块,"那是要烧高香的"。一年算下来,很少有人超过2000块。

如果租出去呢?南方丘陵地带,两三百到五百块钱一亩;华北平原地势平坦、土地肥沃的地方,能租到800到1000块。东北黑龙江能到十几亩,但只能种一季,要除以2,再乘上租金,算下来一年也就四五千到七八千块,依然不够。

云南鲜花产区有一些特例,能租到两三千块一亩,但那是极端情况。

平均下来,南方农村一个人靠地的年收入,往往不到2000块。换算成一个月,就是一百来块钱。

这时候你再看那163块钱的月均养老金,你就能理解它为什么是个问题了——它跟你那块地的价值差不多,甚至不如。

我说:农民手里那块一亩三分地,其实比不上城里一把扫把——就是说,还不如去城里当环卫工人。

玉顺说是的。而且六七十岁的老农民,你还指望他们干得动农活吗?他们身上普遍都是一堆慢性病,城里人六十岁退休了跳广场舞,农村老人六十岁还要弯腰下地。这是另一层不公平。

二、宅基地:有家,不能回

除了土地,另一个常见说法是"你们农民有宅基地"。有人甚至说,想要涨养老金?可以,先把宅基地退回去。

玉顺没有专门研究过宅基地政策,但他从实地观察给了我一个很清晰的图景:那些宅基地上的房子,一家几代人花了三四十万盖起来的两三层楼,一年里除了过年那十来天,剩下的时间里只住着一两个老人,最多再带两个孙子。

"宅基地当然重要,但你有家不代表你能回家。青壮年在那里找不到合适的工作,找不到收入,所以是有家不能回。"

这就是宅基地真实的处境:有,但形同虚设。你不能卖给村集体以外的人,不能在市场上自由流通,那它的价值就被大打折扣。

我补充了一点:宅基地无法自由流通,其实是对农民产权的一种剥夺,和城里的房产限购是一个道理——限购让你无法卖给更多人,你的房子价值就缩水。可是很多城里人经历了几十年市场经济,还是不明白这个道理。他们觉得城里人不能买农村宅基地,是农民的"特权"。这让我觉得蛮费解的。

我们自己家就是这样。我户口迁出来了,我爸妈不在了宅基地就收回去,房子要修好才有资格继续用,但修好了我又不会回去住,而且现在农村修一栋二层楼要三四十万。所以那块地,那栋房,就只能烂着。

三、农村生活成本低?这也是耍流氓

第三个常见说法:农村生活成本低,农民不需要那么多钱。

玉顺的反驳也简单直接:

"你只谈成本,不谈收益,同样是耍流氓。"

更何况,生活成本真的低吗?

他在广东打工期间经常看到,珠三角城中村里有19块9的衣服,你把同样的衣服运到四川宜宾某个镇上,未必还买得到。县城里吃一碗粉,和一线城市吃一碗粉,价格差不了多少。农村老人不是生活成本低,是他们在压抑自己的欲望。城里人今天心情不好去吃个榴莲喝杯奶茶,农村老人心情不好,顶多喝口自家酿的米酒。

农村人觉得便宜的东西,往往是些什么?你回农村的那些小卖铺看一看,货架上摆的是康帅傅这样的山寨版——农村其实是很多假冒伪劣产品的倾销地。甚至现在直播间有AB货,大城市用户发货发A货,查到了你的收货地是农村就发B货,因为农村人维权渠道少,投诉意识弱。

农村老人的实际开销是什么?

玉顺去年做的一期内容,去村里问老人,他们总结下来主要是三块:

一是慢性病药费。高血压、高血糖、糖尿病,这类病要长期吃药,一个月两三百到四五百都是正常的。现在的月均养老金是163块,连药费都不够。

二是人情往来。农村一年红白喜事,少则一二十场,多的更多。青壮年不在家,这些随礼的事就落到老人身上,一两百块一次,一年下来可以是笔大数。

三是带孙子的开销。大量农村老人既要在地里劳作,还要每天开着电动三轮车来回接孙子上下学——因为村小撤并,孩子要到镇上上学。接送孩子意味着老人的时间和精力被大量占用,这在城里是夫妻双方都觉得很重的负担,在农村全压到老人一个人身上。

再加上孙子买铅笔、买零食、买文具的零钱,以及许多子女自顾不暇,能打回来多少钱就是多少。

四、"农民满意"和"子女应该养"

吕德文在文章里写,根据田野调查,农村老人对一两百块钱的养老金普遍感到满意。

我问玉顺,你采访过的老人,有这种情况吗?

他说:我大概前后跟一百多个农民聊过这个问题,其中至少95个明确告诉他,这钱少了,要更多。

剩下那5个"满意"的人,他给了一个让我印象很深的解释。他在湖南永州采访过一个80多岁的老人,老人说的大意是:以前又要交钱又要交粮又要出义工,那才叫苦。现在国家不要人民的钱了,还倒过来给钱,这当然好啊。

"他的满意是一个比较意义上的满意。你之前是-10,现在是+1,他当然比-10 满意。但-10 得到+1,那是合理的吗?他至少应该得+8。"

这是一个很有力量的表达。

还有一个场景:玉顺在广西采访,问一群老人养老金应该多少合适。老人们反问:城里企事业单位的老人拿四五千、五六千,他们都是为国家做贡献,凭什么我们只拿一两百?不说跟他们一样,起码也给我们两三千吧。

他们知道。我们以为他们不知道,他们其实什么都知道。

玉顺还遇到一个很有意思的情况:有农村老人的子女跟他说,老父亲60多岁,最近学会了刷短视频,然后因为算法精准推送,他经常刷到一种视频——主播语气激动地说"好消息,国家终于看见农民了,养老金今年至少涨到1200",然后老人就一遍一遍地看,满心期待。

那是谣言,是流量账号专门针对老人群体制造的情绪化内容。但农村老人无从辨别。一个假消息能让他们那么在乎,恰恰说明他们多么渴望这件事变成真的。

关于"子女应该赡养",玉顺的回答也很准确:子女当然有义务,但子女的义务和国家应尽的责任是两件独立的事,不能互相替代。

他采访过很多农民,问他们养老金不够,为什么不叫孩子多给点?老人的回答大多是一句:

"孩子也有他们的孩子要养。"

就这一句话,把所有的事情都说清楚了。现在年轻的农民子弟在城里打工,上有老下有小,还要还房贷,其实很多人是自身难保的。让他们把钱往上补,等于在挤一块已经很干的海绵。

五、公粮往事:那不只是"税"

关于农民以前"没有缴养老保险"的问题,很多人会说:那是因为农民种了国家的地,交公粮、出义工都是应该的,就像缴税。

玉顺用三个词总结了公粮的本质:交最好、交很多、交很远。

交最好:你把收成里最饱满的那部分交出去,剩下的留给自己。

交很多:交完之后,自己不够吃。要靠红薯、洋芋、杂粮撑到下一季。二三月份就断粮,是普遍现象。

交很远:公粮要挑到乡里的粮站,少则五公里,多的走十公里山路,天不亮出发,天黑了才回来。

他问了一个很尖锐的问题:有哪个税是符合这三个特征的?个人所得税还有起征点,税率再高也是45%,不会交完了自己吃不上饭。但公粮是在交完了全家都断粮的前提下还要交,它绝对不只是一个"税"。

我补充了一点:这里真正重要的不是交了多少,而是剩了多少。即便只交了5斤,如果交完之后全家二三月份就断粮,那这5斤就是不能要的5斤。

我爸妈就是这么跟我说的:以前交完公粮,到二三月就没饭了。

六、互助养老,听起来好,做起来呢?

贺雪锋的观点是:养老金涨了没用,农村真正需要的是互助养老服务;与其给农民发钱,不如把钱统筹到村集体里搞养老食堂。

玉顺今年春节前刚去广东从化见过一个类似的案例:有社工组织介入,有政府补贴,村里以同一姓氏的宗族为纽带,老人们集体种菜做饭,能维持一个小范围的互助。但他说,这个模式要复制推广,非常难。

更重要的一句话他说得很直白:

"把钱给到村集体,再由村集体来用,比直接给农民还不如。农民肯定比村集体更会用自己的钱。"

弹幕里有人总结得更简洁:统筹即腐败。

我觉得这些三农专家一直有一个莫名其妙的预设:农民不会花钱,需要他们帮农民花。可是农民又不傻,你给我1000块,我知道该买什么药、该去什么医院、该怎么分配给家人。市场会响应的,只要钱到位,养老服务自然会跟上来。

这才是市场经济的基本逻辑。

七、让被忽视的得以被看见

聊完农民养老金这些"反对理由",我们聊到了玉顺他们这五年做的事情。

他们2021年开始,以"遇真纪事"为账号名,走遍中国村镇,拍农民、农民工和村镇里的日常生活。前期一边上班一边做,周一到周五在公司,周六周日出去拍,拍完周日夜里赶回来,周一直接去上班。

坚持了一年之后,他们做了一个决定:辞职,全职做这件事。

27岁,一无所有,最坏的结果就是干不下去再回去打工。但前两三年,他们靠网贷为生,“各大互联网平台都认识我们”,半年接不到一个广告是常态。

最让我感动的是贞贞妈妈的故事。她在城中村的发廊里剪了三十年头发,不懂哔哩哔哩是什么,不懂拼音,只能用手写输入法。但她注册了账号,一条一条地给孩子的视频点爱心,有时候凌晨两点还在看他们的视频。她经常在评论区写"这两个年轻人真是好样的,走遍中国给农民讲话"——假装不认识他们,帮他们刷评论。

他们的书出版后,她把书摆在发廊的每面镜子前,让来剪头发的客人顺手翻翻。帮他们做地推。

这个母亲不理解他们在做什么,但她知道这是孩子想做的事,就无条件支持。

我自己做自媒体刚满一年,上个月才全职做,挣得钱是这十年来最少的,但确实是最开心的。在此之前,即便在做我喜欢的媒体工作,也有大量的时间在做不愿意做的事情。玉顺也说了类似的话:

"这五年,连那些为了生存而焦虑的瞬间,对我来说都是最好的时光。因为相比起之前被无意义感操控、被迫做自己不想做的事情,现在要好太多了。"

他们为什么要做这件事?

玉顺说了一句话我觉得说到点子上了:

"以前我以为是城里人要看得起农村人,现在我觉得,城里人怎么看我们一点都不重要,重要的是农村人自己要看得起农村人。"

城市的运转,离不开农村。你吃的菜、住的楼、点的外卖、用的快递,背后都有来自农村的人。CBD那些敲键盘的、写稿的、拍摄的,很多也出身农村。是村镇托起了整个城市的运转,但这些年一直是城市化的话语在定义什么是成功——进城、买房、逃离农村,才叫成功;回村,才叫失败。

玉顺说,他们在做的事,就是要打破这种叙事。

书名叫《看见中国村镇》,书里有一句话被他们反复提起:让被忽视的得以被看见。

玉顺说:“如果农民不会说话,我们就把话筒递到他们面前”。这句话,套用台湾音乐人林生祥金曲奖致辞里的一个意思,也是他们一切行动的出发点。村镇是中国的主体,但却是"房间里的大象"——一直在那里,却像不存在一样。

我说,知青文学写了很多知青下乡的苦,但几乎没有人写农民那时候有多苦,也没有人写知青走了之后农民继续吃苦。我们不应该怪知青,也不应该怪我们的父母——他们不识字,不会拍视频,没有工具替自己发声。玉顺说了一句:

 "如果没有人愿意替我们发出声音,没关系,那我们就自己来。"

这是我们这代农民孩子的责任。

尾声:我为什么推荐《看见中国村镇》

我读这本书的时候,一次又一次地想起我奶奶,想起我在广东打工时挤火车的感觉,想起我们村里弯着腰背背篓的老人。

这是一本用五年田野调查写成的书。270多张照片,全彩印刷,定价39块,比很多粗制滥造的书便宜得多——出版社的编辑帮他们把价格压下来了,考虑到读者里有很多农民子弟。

玉顺说,书里的文字只占他们五年素材的三分之一不到,编辑还砍了不少。也就是说,这本书之外,还有大量没被讲出来的故事。

他们今年还计划做两个系列:公粮往事和水库往事。那些在1950年代到1970年代修水库的农民,最年轻的一批人已经七老八十了。在那些水库的纪念碑上,你只能看到几个数字——多少万民工参与修建——但他们天不亮就出发、深夜才回来,究竟是怎么过来的,那些故事正在随着这批老人慢慢消失。

玉顺他们在做的,是一种抢救性的记录。博物馆里永远讲的是王侯将相,讲金缕玉衣和龙椅。普通人的历史,如果我们这代人不记,就真的没了。

我之前写文章的时候引用了一句话:为众人抱薪者,不可使其冻毙于风雪。但我觉得这句话说得太保守了——我们不是让他们别冻死,我们是要让他们过上好日子,名利双收,这样才能吸引更多人投入到这件事来。

我是这样想的:如果我们这群农民孩子,连自己人的书都不支持,还指望谁来支持?不管怎样,我们至少还可以用钞票投票,就好像不买董明珠的产品一样,我们也可以选择买谁的东西。

买一本,自己看,也送给父母看一看。让他们知道,他们的生活值得被记录,他们的人生有人在意。

相关文章:

When Racism Is a Crime: Brazil Puts a Tourist on Trial for Word and Gesture

An Argentine woman, who is white, could face years in prison after being accused of racism. The case has set off intense debate in Argentina and Brazil.

© Mauro Pimentel/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Agostina Páez arriving at the Argentine Consulate in Rio de Janeiro this month to attend a news conference.

柬埔寨大型网络诈骗团伙核心成员被引渡至中国 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

1 April 2026 at 23:15
01/04/2026 - 16:06

被指为华裔大亨陈志犯罪团伙的一名核心成员和电诈嫌疑人李雄,已从柬埔寨被引渡回中国。

法新社4月1日引述中国官媒央视消息,这次被遣返回中国的李雄是陈志太子集团旗下的汇旺(Huione)集团前董事长,涉嫌多起犯罪,被指控领导电诈团伙。

与柬埔寨政治精英关系密切的陈志本人已于今年1月在柬埔寨被捕,并引渡回中国。

陈志还于去年10月被美国当局起诉,美方指控他控股的太子Prince集团充当了“庞大网络诈骗帝国”的掩护。

美国财政部已将柬埔寨金融集团汇旺(Huione Group)排除在美国金融体系之外,指控其协助洗钱,将太子集团的贪污所得洗白。

伊朗外长称未回应美国15点计划 否认德黑兰提5项条件 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

1 April 2026 at 23:15
01/04/2026 - 16:33

伊朗表示未对美国提出的15点计划作出回应,该计划由特朗普于上周提出,旨在结束战争;伊朗外交部长拒绝提谈判事宜。

伊朗外长阿拉格奇在半岛电视台周三播出的采访中表示:“我像以往一样直接收到(美国特使)维特科夫发来的信息”。“通过我们在该地区的朋友,必要时我们会回复这些信息”,

“但这并不意味着我们正在进行谈判”。

据巴基斯坦官员透露,美国于3月24日向伊朗提交了一份15点计划,但具体内容尚未披露。

随后,伊朗“塔斯尼姆”通讯社称,德黑兰方面已提出了五项条件作为回应,以期彻底停止美以对伊朗的“侵略”。

但伊朗外长阿拉格奇称,德黑兰方面“并未提出任何交换条件”,那(五项条件)只是媒体的“纯粹猜测”。

伊朗外长还强调德黑兰对华盛顿“毫无”信任,因为(美方)在双方谈判期间发动空袭,这与2025年6月那场为期12天的战争如出一辙。

伊朗近日指责美国正筹备对伊朗的地面进攻,并称一艘美国两栖攻击舰已部署至该地区。对此,伊朗外长阿拉格奇说,“我们正等着他们”,并警告称,美军将遭受“重大伤亡”。



How to Watch NASA’s Artemis II Moon Launch Online

NASA will broadcast the launch of the Artemis II mission as well as holding live conversations with the crew during their time in space.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

The Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch on Wednesday evening.

Over 100 driverless cars stop mid-traffic in Wuhan in 'system malfunction'

1 April 2026 at 19:34
Reuters Two white driverless cars with black hoods are stationary on the road, one behind the otherReuters
Apollo Go is Baidu's robotaxi service operating in China

A mass robotaxi outage in the Chinese city of Wuhan caused at least a hundred self-driving cars to stop mid-traffic, sparking renewed debate around the safety of driverless vehicles.

Local police said initial findings suggested a "system malfunction" caused multiple vehicles to stop in the middle of the road on Tuesday.

Videos on social media have documented the outage, with one appearing to show it resulting in a highway collision, although police said no injuries had been reported and passengers exited their vehicles safely.

Baidu did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to the police statement, posted on social media site Weibo, the cause of the incident is still under further investigation.

Baidu operates its Apollo Go driverless taxi service in dozens of cities across the world, mostly in China.

In December 2025, ride-sharing apps Uber and Lyft announced partnerships with the Chinese technology giant to test its Apollo Go cars on UK roads, aiming to start trials in 2026.

However, both still need approval from regulators before they can begin the pilot programmes.

Reuters A view of a road at night time with a white and black car stopped in the middle of it - traffic continues further up the road.Reuters
Social media users posted photos and videos of Apollo Go cars stranded in the middle of the roads due to the outage

While driverless tech may be safer on average than human drivers, this incident showed it could "still go wrong in completely new ways," said Jack Stilgoe, professor of science and technology policy at University College London.

"If we're going to make good choices about this technology, we need to understand entirely new types of risk," he told BBC News.

The outage is not the first time self-driving cars have faced technical difficulties.

In December 2025, a large power outage in San Francisco led Waymo taxis to stop working around the city, causing huge traffic jams.

Meanwhile in August 2025, an Apollo Go robotaxi carrying a passenger in Chongqing fell into ​a construction pit.

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Starmer holds off from emergency measures but warns storm is coming

1 April 2026 at 21:03
Reuters Sir Keir Starmer looking reflective, as he prepares to address a Downing Street news conferenceReuters

Even if the US and Israel had not struck Iran just over a month ago, Sir Keir Starmer probably would have been giving a press conference today - and it would have contained much of the same content.

April has long been earmarked in government as a crucial moment for the prime minister to advertise various decisions made previously which take effect either today or next week, for example increases in minimum wage rates and the abolition of the two-child benefit cap.

As the prime minister acknowledged, these are not new announcements. And some of them will continue to be criticised by his political opponents as the wrong priority for limited government resources.

Still, it was striking to see the prime minister today redeploy these announcements as part of an argument for why the UK was well-placed to handle whatever the economic impacts of this conflict turn out to be.

Otherwise, though, this was a prime ministerial address peppered with gloomy language. Sir Keir spoke of a coming "storm", which may well be "fierce".

If the prime minister's message could be summarised in just one sentence, it was his admission that "this will not be easy".

Sir Keir was using that phrase to describe both the general economic impact of the Iran conflict and the particular difficulties in getting the Strait of Hormuz open again.

Indeed, at one point he warned that even if the conflict ends that does not necessarily mean the strait will reopen.

"This will not be easy" would also serve perfectly well as a description of the political impact of this conflict for the prime minister.

It is a simple statement of political fact that no government welcomes an economic shock. Historically - both in the 1970s and over the past few years - incumbent governments across the world have been punished by voters in such moments.

In that political context, the prime minister has made three big calls, all of them on display at today's press conference.

First, while talking up the gravity of the moment, he has decided not to respond with emergency measures.

Other than a package of support for those who use heating oil, the government is warning that any support for household energy bills will not come until the autumn.

The prime minister argues that households are protected, first, by the energy price cap for the next three months, and then by the fact that when the current cap elapses it will be the summer, when energy use is lower.

This is one of the areas where Sir Keir is coming under most criticism from other parties.

To his left, the Greens say he should commit billions to subsidise energy bills from July, while to his right the Conservatives and Reform UK say VAT should be removed from household energy bills now.

The Liberal Democrats want to change how renewable energy projects are funded to reduce bills. Plaid Cymru is calling for more support for households and businesses, while the SNP argues independence would allow Scottish minister to cut bills by reducing energy costs.

But household bills are just one element of this.

The prime minister has also resisted pressure, including from the Conservatives, Reform, the SNP and the Lib Dems, to introduce emergency measures to reduce fuel prices at the pump.

He insisted again today that the proposed increase in fuel duty in September was under review, but it is hard to find anybody in Westminster who believes this will go ahead. Some Labour MPs privately question why Starmer does not just say so now.

In holding off before taking action, the prime minister is putting himself out of step with some of his allies.

To take just one example, Australia - led by a Labour government from which this government often takes inspiration - has halved its fuel taxes.

On Tuesday, a member of the European Commission urged people to work from home, drive less, drive more slowly and fly less.

The UK government's messaging, while gloomy about the overall situation, is in starkly different place.

Reuters Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reacts after delivering a pre-recorded address to the nation in his office at Parliament House, CanberraReuters
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warns Australians the coming months 'may not be easy'

The second big call from Sir Keir is to embrace his disagreements with US President Donald Trump.

It's only a couple of months ago that the prime minister was still prioritising sticking close to the president as much as possible in order to protect the UK-US relationship.

That personal relationship has clearly ruptured in a serious way over Sir Keir's decision to resist US demands to play a bigger role in the war.

While insisting that the transatlantic alliance remains strong in terms of security and intelligence cooperation, the prime minister today emphasised, as he has done several times in recent days, that "this is not our war".

The third big call is related and formed a surprisingly prominent part of today's press conference: to use this moment to seek closer ties with the EU.

We already knew that there was going to be a second annual UK-EU summit in a month or two's time, and we already knew that the UK government hoped to use it not only to complete existing negotiations on areas of cooperation but also to seek deeper ties in other areas.

But Sir Keir's decision to emphasise it in today's press conference, called in the context of a spiralling conflict about which the UK and the US profoundly disagree, was deliberate and meaningful.

Having stressed the economic impact of the Iran conflict, the prime minister then stressed the economic dividends he hopes to secure from a closer post-Brexit relationship.

Notably, he said that Labour's 2024 general election manifesto still stood, which is to say the commitments that the UK would neither rejoin the EU's customs union or its single market.

But it feels increasingly like the government wants to get as close as possible to single market membership as it can from outside the bloc.

Of course, former Conservative prime minister Theresa May wanted that once too, but the EU resisted "cherrypicking" - the idea that the UK could have what it saw as the benefits of the single market (economic cooperation through shared regulations) without what it saw as the drawbacks (the free movement of people).

Those questions about economic support, the UK-US relationship and post-Brexit ties with Europe will now be at the heart of British politics as this storm gathers pace.

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Bland or fan love letter? The Super Mario Galaxy Movie draws mixed reaction

1 April 2026 at 19:43
Universal Pictures Cartoon characters Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Yoshi are flying through the sky towards the camera. Luigi is wearing a green cap with a white L and green long sleeved top and overalls, he has a mustache and blue eyes. Mario is wearing the same but in red, with an M on his cap. He is riding Yoshi; a cartoon green dinosaur with a red shell and large round nose. Peach is blond and is wearing a gold crown with a pink gown on. Universal Pictures
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is the sequel to 2023's Super Mario Brothers Movie

He's-a back!

The most famous plumber in the world returns to cinemas this week with a sequel to the mega-successful Super Mario Brothers Movie.

It has been three years since Nintendo's mustachioed mascot appeared alongside brother Luigi, Princess Peach and their nemesis Bowser, making more than $1.3bn (almost £1bn) worldwide.

The Super Mario Galaxy movie, named after the Wii game of the same name, moves the action to space and adds beloved characters Yoshi and Rosalina to the cast.

Reviews of the new release are mixed, with some critics praising its imagination and pace, but others are saying it falls flat compared to the first film.

What is Super Mario Galaxy about?

Super Mario Galaxy picks up where the first film left off, with Bowser (voiced by Jack Black) imprisoned by brothers Mario and Luigi after being shrunk to pocket-sized.

When his son Bowser Jr., voiced by filmmaker and actor Benny Safdie, stages a breakout, it sparks an intergalactic chase.

Along the way, Mario and Luigi befriend dinosaur Yoshi, voiced by actor and musician Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino), and Rosalina, a princess voiced by Captain Marvel star Brie Larson.

Anya Taylor-Joy reprises her role as Princess Peach, and Wednesday star Luis Guzmán plays Wart - the main enemy from 1988 NES game Super Mario Bros 2.

Other characters from Super Mario Galaxy, widely considered one of the greatest video games ever released, also feature in promotional material for the film.

They include Lumas - glowing star-shaped characters that players encounter throughout the game.

Universal Pictures Mario is wearing a red cap with a red M and red long sleeved top and blue overalls, he has a mustache and blue eyes. Luigi is wearing the same but in green, with an L on his capUniversal Pictures
Mario and Luigi are back - and trying to save the day

What do reviews say?

The first Mario movie didn't get much love from critics, with a score of just 59%, based on 288 reviews, on film and TV review website Rotten Tomatoes.

But audiences loved it, helping to make it the second-biggest film of 2023, just behind the Barbie movie.

This time, the critical reaction has been around the plot and how it struggles to stay connected throughout the film.

The Guardian called the film a "bland screensaver of a movie" and gave it a one star rating, while The Independent gave it a slightly higher two stars but also lamented its "blandness".

One of the biggest complaints about the original movie from fans was the inclusion of various pop and rock songs on the game's soundtrack.

Many felt hits from the likes of Beastie Boys, AC/DC and Bonnie Tyler didn't fit well with the Mario Universe.

However, entertainment reporter Jonathan Sim says Galaxy pulls things back, which allows composer Brian Tyler's "excellent musical score" to take centre stage.

Sim adds that the cosmic film is a "gorgeously animated love letter to Mario fans".

Gaming content creator Sophie Keen, known online as Cadaea, told BBC Newsbeat that she feels The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is a good additional storyline for fans to enjoy.

"I see it as a nice extra", says Keen.

Keen says she actually preferred Galaxy to the first film as it has "loads of funny moments" alongside "cute, wholesome moments".

"If you like the first film, you probably will like the second," she explains.

"The only thing I really want people to know is that it's not a perfect 100% adaptation of the game.

"Don't expect the exact same plot to come out, just take it as a nice addition to Mario lore."

Universal Pictures Cartoon character Toad; a human mushroom, he has a red and while hat, he is looking at Yoshi; a cartoon green dinosaur with orange shoes and Luigi; a cartoon man wearing a green cap with a white L and green long sleeved top and overalls, he has a mustache and blue eyes. Universal Pictures
The film sees characters embark on an intergalactic chase

Nintendo's future

Nintendo is arguably the world's most famous video game company, but in recent years it's been moving into other forms of entertainment.

After both Mario movies, a film based on the Legend of Zelda is due to be released next year, and there appear to be plans for an animation based on Donkey Kong.

The company has also opened Mario-themed attractions at several Universal Studios resorts, as well as a string of Nintendo-branded merchandise stores in Japan and the USA.

It still makes most of its money from video games, but some fans have been upset at the lack of a brand new 3D Mario game this year.

For Keen, she thinks the movie is a "nice way to keep the fans happy" whilst they wait for the next game release.

Additional reporting by Tom Richardson and Peter Gillibrand

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Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.

Placing U.S. Troops in Middle East Hotels May Violate Laws of War

1 April 2026 at 22:18
U.S. commanders have kept many troops away from bases in the region to protect them from Iran’s ballistic missile attacks.

© Reuters

A drone attack hit a fuel tank near the Dubai International Airport amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran. U.S. commanders have relocated many of their troops because bases did not have adequate defenses to protect from Iranian ballistic missiles and drones.

When Racism Is a Crime: Brazil Puts a Tourist on Trial for Word and Gesture

An Argentine woman, who is white, could face years in prison after being accused of racism. The case has set off intense debate in Argentina and Brazil.

© Mauro Pimentel/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Agostina Páez arriving at the Argentine consulate in Rio de Janeiro this month to attend a news conference.

Bruce Springsteen Brings Fiery Speeches and Songs to Minneapolis

1 April 2026 at 23:40
The E Street Band opened its Land of Hope and Dreams tour on Tuesday night, where the musician asked the crowd to choose “unity over division and peace over war.”

© Galen Fletcher for The New York Times

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band onstage in Minneapolis on Tuesday night, where the group opened its Land of Hope and Dreams tour.

中国夫妇因窃医疗商业机密定罪被撤销美国公民身份 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

1 April 2026 at 22:15
01/04/2026 - 15:45

美国司法部(DOJ)周二表示,因试图从俄亥俄州一家儿童医院窃取尖端研究成果并将其提供给中国的一对中国夫妇被定罪后,其美国公民身份将被撤销。

据美国福克斯新闻网Foxnews网站3月31日消息,美国法官詹姆斯·E·西蒙斯二世(James E. Simmons Jr.)下令剥夺 Li Chen(音译 陈立)和 Yu Zhou(音译 周宇)的归化美国公民身份。联邦检察官称,两人因电信欺诈以及共谋窃取商业机密罪被定罪。这些行为涉及“道德败坏”(moral turpitude),因此不符合归化入籍所需的“良好品行”标准。

美国司法部长帕姆·邦迪(Pam Bondi)表示:“在对美国人民实施严重犯罪之后仍获得公民身份,是对我们移民制度不可接受的滥用。”

她还补充说:“这些最新的撤销公民身份案例表明,司法部致力于确保公民身份始终是一种需要获得的特权,而不是可以被滥用的权利。”

据美国当局称,陈和周曾在俄亥俄州哥伦布市的“全美儿童医院”(Nationwide Children’s Hospital)不同的研究实验室工作长达十年,并利用窃取的商业机密在中国创办了一家生物技术公司。

当局还表示,这对夫妇曾获得中国国家外国专家局的资助。

美国司法部补充称,这些专有信息帮助他们开发了用于识别和治疗多种疾病的试剂盒,并指出陈某在创办该公司过程中还获得了中国政府的支持。

Foxnews这篇报道说,周某于2005年以交流访问学者身份进入美国。2008年,他在“全美儿童医院”(Nationwide Children’s Hospital,NCH)担保下,持专业职业签证再次赴美,并于2011年以陈某配偶的附属身份调整为永久居民。

陈某于2016年归化成为美国公民,周某则于2017年入籍。美国司法部表示,两人于2019年因涉及窃取医疗商业机密的相关犯罪被逮捕。

两人通过转让外泌体分离技术相关的知识产权,共获得150万美元的交易收益。

Mass robotaxi malfunction halts traffic in Chinese city

1 April 2026 at 19:34
Reuters Two white driverless cars with black hoods are stationary on the road, one behind the otherReuters
Apollo Go is Baidu's robotaxi service operating in China

A mass robotaxi outage in the Chinese city of Wuhan caused at least a hundred self-driving cars to stop mid-traffic, sparking renewed debate around the safety of driverless vehicles.

Local police said initial findings suggested a "system malfunction" caused multiple vehicles to stop in the middle of the road on Tuesday.

Videos on social media have documented the outage, with one appearing to show it resulting in a highway collision, although police said no injuries had been reported and passengers exited their vehicles safely.

Baidu did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to the police statement, posted on social media site Weibo, the cause of the incident is still under further investigation.

Baidu operates its Apollo Go driverless taxi service in dozens of cities across the world, mostly in China.

In December 2025, ride-sharing apps Uber and Lyft announced partnerships with the Chinese technology giant to test its Apollo Go cars on UK roads, aiming to start trials in 2026.

However, both still need approval from regulators before they can begin the pilot programmes.

Reuters A view of a road at night time with a white and black car stopped in the middle of it - traffic continues further up the road.Reuters
Social media users posted photos and videos of Apollo Go cars stranded in the middle of the roads due to the outage

While driverless tech may be safer on average than human drivers, this incident showed it could "still go wrong in completely new ways," said Jack Stilgoe, professor of science and technology policy at University College London.

"If we're going to make good choices about this technology, we need to understand entirely new types of risk," he told BBC News.

The outage is not the first time self-driving cars have faced technical difficulties.

In December 2025, a large power outage in San Francisco led Waymo taxis to stop working around the city, causing huge traffic jams.

Meanwhile in August 2025, an Apollo Go robotaxi carrying a passenger in Chongqing fell into ​a construction pit.

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The ‘Constitutional Bedrock’ Trump Is Trying to Erase

Trump is on a mission to eliminate birthright citizenship, a right long thought to be guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. But how will the Supreme Court respond? The legal journalist Cristian Farias shares his insights.

Trump Arrives at Supreme Court for Oral Arguments in a Presidential First

President Trump’s presence in the court puts him face to face with justices whom he has tried to bully and intimidate.

© Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times

Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Elena Kagan, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Amy Coney Barrett during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address in February.

毛泽东秘书私人档案司法争讼判留在美国 - RFI - 法国国际广播电台

1 April 2026 at 21:15
01/04/2026 - 15:00

美国一名法官周二裁定中国前领导人毛泽东的秘书李锐的日记可继续保存在斯坦福大学。

美国加州法院法官乔恩·S·蒂加(Jon S. Tigar)周二裁定,这批自1938年至2019年的档案记录可由史丹佛大学保存。校方在诉讼中主张,如果档案被帶回中国,可能面临限制公开或无法查阅的风险。

这批档案包含李瑞的日记、私人书信与会议纪录,由李锐的女儿李南央捐赠予史丹佛大学。

由于李锐曾任毛泽东的秘书,并长期担任中共高官,这批存放在胡佛研究所(Hoover Institution)的档案,记录了中共建政前后诸多决策过程,对于研究共产中国的历史具有重要价值。

判决书中写道,李锐的女儿对李锐日记等材料的持有和捐赠是合法的,也符合李锐本人的意愿”。

这起案子在中国的诉讼是以李锐第二任妻子的名义提起的,她主张文件是被盗取的,称是中国的国宝,要求将相关文件带回北京保存。北京一间法院下令斯坦福大学归还这批档案。但美国法官裁决这批文件留在美国。

BBC knew about Scott Mills sexual offences investigation in 2017

1 April 2026 at 20:20
BBC Radio presenter Scott Mills in a green shirt against an orange backdropBBC

The BBC knew about a police investigation into DJ Scott Mills in 2017, the corporation has confirmed.

But the Radio 2 presenter was sacked after "new information" about his conduct came to light in recent weeks, the BBC said.

Mills was previously questioned by police over historical allegations of serious sexual offences, but no charges were brought after prosecutors decided in 2019 there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the case.

Mills has not yet responded to repeated requests for comment.

BBC News understands that the director general at the time of the police investigation, Tony Hall, did not know about the allegations.

The BBC's statement on Wednesday came after mounting pressure on the broadcaster to explain what led to the Radio 2 DJ's sudden departure.

In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said: "Scott Mills had a long career across the BBC, he was hugely popular and we know the news this week has come as a shock and surprise to many.

"We also recognise there's been much speculation in the media and online since Monday. We hope people understand that there is a limit to what we can say because we have to be mindful of the rights of those involved.

"What we can confirm is that in recent weeks, we obtained new information relating to Scott and we spoke directly with him. As a result, the BBC acted decisively in line with our culture and values and terminated his contracts on Friday 27 March."

The spokesperson added: "Separately, we can confirm the BBC was made aware in 2017 of the existence of an ongoing police investigation, which was subsequently closed in 2019 with no arrest or charge being made. We are doing more work to understand the detail of what was known by the BBC at this time."

The statement concluded that the BBC has made "a significant commitment to improve its culture, processes and standards".

"Last year, following an independent culture review, we set out the behavioural expectations for everyone who works with or for the BBC and we were clear action would be taken if these were not met."

On Monday, it was announced that the former Radio 1 presenter had been sacked by the BBC over allegations related to his personal conduct.

The allegations, first published on Monday by the Mirror, relate to the period between 1997 and 2000, police said, when Mills would have been in his mid-twenties.

On Tuesday, the BBC apologised for not looking into a separate allegation of "inappropriate communications" involving Mills, first reported in the Telegraph, raised by a freelance journalist last year.

UK will seek closer ties with EU in light of Iran war, Starmer says

1 April 2026 at 19:21
Reuters Sir Keir Starmer gives a news conference from a wood panelled room in front of a Union Jack.Reuters

The UK will pursue closer economic ties with the European Union in light of the war in Iran, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

The prime minister told a news conference he would use a summit with the EU later this year to seek more cooperation with the bloc on the economy and security.

It comes as relations between the US and the UK have been increasingly strained by the PM's refusal to be drawn further into the war with Iran.

In his speech, Sir Keir warned the conflict would impact the UK but sought to reassure the public the government was taking action to ease the cost of living.

The PM is facing calls from opposition parties to set out now how the government plans to protect people from rising energy costs.

The Conservatives and Reform UK are both calling for VAT to be taken off household energy bills, while arguing the hike in fuel duty scheduled for September should be cancelled.

The Liberal Democrats are also calling for the increase not to go ahead, while the Greens say the government should commit billions of pounds now to subsidise energy bills from July, when the price cap is recalculated.

Plaid Cymru said the government should set out now what support would be available if energy bills rise, while the SNP argues Holyrood should control energy policy.

Sir Keir said: "No matter how fierce this storm we are well-placed to weather it and we have a long-term plan to emerge from it a stronger and more secure nation."

He highlighted a number of measures coming into force from this month aimed at easing the cost of living, including removing some green levies from energy bills and increasing the national living wage.

The PM insisted the government had been "ahead of the game" in its focus on the cost-of-living.

However, the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development has warned the UK is facing the biggest hit to economic growth from the war out of major economies.

Asked if he would reassure motorists that the increase in fuel duty would not go ahead, Sir Keir said the rate remained set until September.

He added that support for households would be kept under review but "a lot will depend on how long the conflict goes on" and how quickly the Strait of Hormuz can be reopened.

Meanwhile, the foreign secretary is hosting 35 nations - including European and Gulf counties - on Thursday.

The PM said the meeting would discuss possible measures to make the Strait of Hormuz "accessible and safe after the fighting has stopped".

He added that "this will not be easy" but said it was in the UK's national interest for the strait to reopen.

Iran has effectively blocked the strait - one of the world's busiest oil shipping channels - leading to soaring wholesale oil and gas prices.

A sustained rise in the price of oil is likely to lead to a jump in household energy bills in the UK, when the current cap is reset in July.

The PM and Chancellor Rachel Reeves have made a number of interventions in recent months arguing for a closer trading relationship with the EU.

However, Sir Keir argued that this was more urgent because of the impact of the US-Israel conflict with Iran.

"It is increasingly clear that as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe and with the European Union," he said.

He added that Brexit "did deep damage to our economy" and "the opportunities to strengthen our security and cut the cost of living.... are simply too big to ignore".

A UK-EU summit is expected this summer, after the two sides struck a deal last May on areas including fishing rights, trade, defence and energy.

Sir Keir said this year's summit "will not just ratify existing commitments made at last year's summit" but would be "more ambitious".

The PM was asked if the UK was heading towards rejoining the EU single market, which enables goods, service and people to move freely between member states, with countries applying many common rules and standards.

"I do think that we should strengthen our cooperation on defence, security, energy, emissions and the economy," he replied.

"I'm ambitious that we can do more in relation to the single market, because I think that's hugely in our economic interests."

However, he said Labour's election manifesto commitment that there would be no return to the single market, the customs union or freedom of movement remained.

Pressed over whether he was choosing Europe over the US, Sir Keir insisted: "I'm not going to choose because I think it's in our interest to have a strong relationship with the US and with Europe."

He argued that closer ties with Europe would strengthen the UK's relationship with the US as well, since successive US presidents had been pushing for Europe to do more on defence and security.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised Sir Keir in recent weeks, following his refusal to allow the US to use UK bases for its initial offensive strikes against Iran.

The UK has since given permission for its bases to be used for defensive action against Iranian missile strikes.

Asked about the remarks, Sir Keir said the UK was "fully committed to Nato", which he described as "the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen".

He added: "Whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I'm going to act in the British national interest in the decisions that I make.

"That's why I've been absolutely clear that this is not our war and we're not going to get dragged into it."

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Mass robotaxi malfunction halts traffic in Chinese city

1 April 2026 at 19:34
Reuters Two white driverless cars with black hoods are stationary on the road, one behind the otherReuters
Apollo Go is Baidu's robotaxi service operating in China

A mass robotaxi outage in the Chinese city of Wuhan caused at least a hundred self-driving cars to stop mid-traffic, sparking renewed debate around the safety of driverless vehicles.

Local police said initial findings suggested a "system malfunction" caused multiple vehicles to stop in the middle of the road on Tuesday.

Videos on social media have documented the outage, with one appearing to show it resulting in a highway collision, although police said no injuries had been reported and passengers exited their vehicles safely.

Baidu did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to the police statement, posted on social media site Weibo, the cause of the incident is still under further investigation.

Baidu operates its Apollo Go driverless taxi service in dozens of cities across the world, mostly in China.

In December 2025, ride-sharing apps Uber and Lyft announced partnerships with the Chinese technology giant to test its Apollo Go cars on UK roads, aiming to start trials in 2026.

However, both still need approval from regulators before they can begin the pilot programmes.

Reuters A view of a road at night time with a white and black car stopped in the middle of it - traffic continues further up the road.Reuters
Social media users posted photos and videos of Apollo Go cars stranded in the middle of the roads due to the outage

While driverless tech may be safer on average than human drivers, this incident showed it could "still go wrong in completely new ways," said Jack Stilgoe, professor of science and technology policy at University College London.

"If we're going to make good choices about this technology, we need to understand entirely new types of risk," he told BBC News.

The outage is not the first time self-driving cars have faced technical difficulties.

In December 2025, a large power outage in San Francisco led Waymo taxis to stop working around the city, causing huge traffic jams.

Meanwhile in August 2025, an Apollo Go robotaxi carrying a passenger in Chongqing fell into ​a construction pit.

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Devastated Italians reckon with 'third apocalypse' of World Cup failure

1 April 2026 at 20:05
Getty Images A defeated Pio Esposito Getty Images
Pio Esposito missed the first penalty in Italy's shootout defeat in Bosnia

Leaning against a wall near a news-stand in central Rome, Tommaso Silvestri, 65, scans the morning's front pages, their headlines swinging between "apocalypse," "scandal" and "disaster" after Italy's latest footballing collapse.

"We've made a real mess of it," he says, shaking his head. "We had players who couldn't even find the target."

"The golden days of Italian football are well and truly gone."

On Tuesday night in Zenica, four-time World Cup winners Italy failed to qualify for the tournament for a third consecutive time, losing 4-1 on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina after being reduced to 10 men before halftime.

Since winning the World Cup in 2006, the Azzurri have largely disappointed in international tournaments - with the exception of their surprise victory at the Euros in 2021 against England at Wembley.

"We are what our results say we are," Silvestri said. "When you shoot and can't even hit the goal, you're not going to go far. When it comes to taking the game home, Italy just doesn't get there anymore."

Last night's defeat drew swift and emotional reactions across Italian politics and society.

"Everything has a limit," lamented Ignazio La Russa, president of the Senate and a senior figure in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's far-right Brothers of Italy party.

In a post on X, he wrote: "We're not going to the World Cup. We supported them, we hoped, we even railed against a couple of questionable refereeing decisions... but deep down we feared it. In fact, we knew it."

Gomorrah author and anti-mafia writer Roberto Saviano also weighed in, pointing to deeper structural failures in Italian football, from governance to youth development.

"Clubs are corrupt and at the mercy of criminal organisations. True laundering vaults. No investment in young players, no care for second-generation talent. It's easier to buy foreign players than to develop new athletes," he said in a post on Instagram.

Getty Images Italian players celebrating the 2021 winGetty Images
Italy won the Euros at Wembley in 2021

Across Italy, a legendary football nation with a rich history of producing world-class talent, many are wondering what went wrong. Giovanni Colli, 71, rolling his eyes while sipping an espresso at a café near the Pantheon, says he feels "betrayed."

"Not going to the World Cup three times in a row, how on earth did it happen? What a huge disappointment. Everyone should resign. Give the young players a chance," he says.

Italy's World Cup heartbreak was crystallised in the tear-streaked face of coach Rino Gattuso, who struggled to hold back his emotions after the national team's defeat.

"We don't deserve this, it's not fair. I'm sorry I couldn't make it happen," Gattuso said, eyes glistening, before retreating to the dressing room.

The legendary 2006 World Cup-winning midfielder was only given the job of coach last June.

Despite the disappointment, Gattuso expressed pride in his players: "I'm proud of my boys and what they gave on the pitch."

The match, decided on penalties after Italy were reduced to 10 men following Alessandro Bastoni's early red card, gave a brief moment of hope to Italians with Moise Kean's goal, only for it to end in dismay.

Getty Images Rino Gattuso with grey hair and a beardGetty Images
"I'm sorry I couldn't make it happen," coach Gattuso said after Tuesday's defeat

Gattuso admitted the team's shortcomings: "When you have chances and don't take them, football punishes you."

Reflecting on their elimination, he added: "This hurts. We gave everything we could. It's a real shock."

Sport journalist Elisabetta Esposito of La Gazzetta dello Sport told the BBC that Italian football was facing a difficult period - one that would take time to overcome, during which loyalty to individual clubs was outweighing support for the national team.

"The risk is that this third consecutive failure to qualify will deepen young people's disengagement from the Azzurri," she said.

"The disappointment is profound, but the country is not only disappointed but almost disillusioned. It's as if a new generation no longer knows what it means to cheer for their country."

Reflecting on Tuesday's match, Esposito added: "From a technical standpoint, everything went wrong. The team hasn't worked together enough. Rebuilding will require a long-term strategy, chasing immediate wins with rushed decisions won't succeed."

On a busy street in central Rome, 56-year-old Teresa is walking her dog among tourists and commuters rushing to work.

"Oh, we are not going to the World Cup?" she asks. "I don't know much about football, but that's a bit of disaster, isn't it?"

Brazil judge blocks Sugarloaf Mountain zipline

1 April 2026 at 19:17
Emin Sansar/Anadolu via Getty Images A view of Sugar Loaf cable car at Guanabara Bay in November 2024. The steep rocky mountain can be seen against the blue of the bay. At the top of the mountain, the cable car station is visible. 
Cables connect it with Morro da Urca, from which the photo is taken. A cable car can be seen suspended halfway between the two. Emin Sansar/Anadolu via Getty Images
A cable car has been linking Morro da Urca and Sugarloaf Mountain since 1912. The zipwire was planned to run parallel to it.

A judge in Brazil has blocked a project to build a zipline connecting the famous Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro to a nearby hill, Morro da Urca.

The attraction's developer said it would allow visitors to descend from Sugarloaf Mountain at speeds of almost 100km/h (62mph) via four ziplines covering a distance of 755m (0.47 miles).

The project - which started four years ago - had triggered protests from locals and environmentalists, who argued that the construction work was causing irreparable damage to the Unesco World Heritage Site.

The developer is expected to appeal against the decision.

CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images A number of people of different ages, some of them holding placards and signs, clap during a protest held at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro in March 2023. One sign reads in Portuguese "No to the zipwire" while another reads "A paradise which can't become a private enterprise".CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images
Locals and environmentalists organised protests against the project

Gricel Osorio Hor-Meyll, one of the activists who had led the campaign against the zipline told AFP news agency that the ruling was "a huge victory".

Those opposed to the attraction argued that in order to build the platforms needed to access the zipline, the rock on top of Sugarloaf Mountain would have to be excavated.

The company which manages the site said that excavation would be kept to a minimum by using areas with existing construction.

The project had the approval of both Rio City Council and the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN).

As part of Tuesday's ruling, the judge ordered that IPHAN and the project's developer pay 30m reals ($5.77m, £4.35m) in damages, stressing the "inestimable value of Sugarloaf Mountain, not only for Brazilians but for people worldwide".

The project has been at the centre of a legal battle for years and construction had been halted on a number of occasions as the company argued its case in court.

In January, construction work restarted after the high court had ruled that stopping would cause more damage than finishing the project at this late stage.

It added that the project was 95% completed.

That decision has now been overturned by Tuesday's ruling.

However, the legal saga is likely to continue with the company behind the project expected to lodge an appeal.

Trump Says Europe Is On Its Own in Securing the Strait of Hormuz

1 April 2026 at 20:28
Threatening to pull out of NATO, President Trump portrayed the alliance as a “paper tiger” and said Europe was on its own in trying to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

President Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January.
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