Eye catching

English version of today’s judgment now available on Eur-Lex: eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-conten...

Sam @samfr.bsky.social sticks his neck out further than I’ve done on predicting local elections but force me to say and I’d agree with nearly all of these open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/e...

What a fabulous example to us all Be like Hugh💚 #kikorangi

Happily, the government has been listening to Sam. Ed Miliband will be doubling down on clean energy today (giving a speech at 11) announcing moves to shift more legacy renewables on to Contracts for Difference… www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Following up on my previous post, this is the snowpack map of the western US for the last winter. This means extreme fuel volatility across our forests. This could be the largest fire season we have ever seen.

Sorry to post this for those who abhor seeing this kind of news about wildlife. But while we are collectively agonizing over the state of our nation, the state of our planet is probably the more urgent news.

It's been a big, big job, but we've done it. Just gone live, the ultimate guide to the 2026 London borough elections, compiled by me and @lewisbaston.bsky.social - www.onlondon.co.uk/london-decid... #london

Renewables are a structural hedge against fossil fuel shocks. In power markets, the more often wind, solar, hydro and nuclear cover demand, the fewer the hours in which gas sets the marginal price, and the weaker the link between global gas markets and domestic electricity costs.

I am horrified to hear of the death of Giles Peaker or @nearlylegal.co.uk as he was better known to most people. Housing law was his world, and he changed it for the better. I shall miss him.

THREAD: The IEA global energy review 2026 * CO2 record high, but growth nearly ground to halt * Clean energy shaved 3bn tonnes off CO2 * Fossil-fuel power pushed into reverse * Age of Electricity "confirmed" * "Extraordinary" solar growth * Batteries up 40% * EVs up 20% 1/10

Not really catering is it? 37% is still a decent wedge of the population.

Ahead of the local elections, here's an easy guide of how best to assess the results as they come in, including the best metrics to use and some historical benchmarks. It's on the longer side, but is split into sections and filled with lots of (hopefully) useful data, and completely free-to-read.

That is a cracking line up of games to watch. I urge people to buy a ticket. Or tickets. And take a friend. Or friends.

"Pancreatic cancer mRNA vaccine shows lasting results in an early trial: Scientists caution that more research is needed, but nearly all of the patients who responded to the personalized vaccine are still alive six years later."

Basically Roberts is a politican without any ballot box accountability.

Midlands gen...

Tremendously depressing read. Also: proper reporting. open.substack.com/pub/londonce...

Current status of the strait notwithstanding, the damage is done. We face a global food crisis. This devastating but unhysterical essay demonstrates brilliantly how consequences ripple and what can now be done as.ft.com/r/38a9a25e-3...

This is correct. I enjoyed @iandunt.bsky.social article and it raised good points but gradualism might be the order of the day. Any referendum needs 60% minimum in agreement.

We're so screwed

Breaking: Kinahan cartel leader Daniel Kinahan has been arrested in Dubai. It follows a Bellingcat investigation last month that traced him to an MMA event in Dubai - providing the first proof that the cartel's leadership was still in hiding in the UAE. www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/03...

Andy Kershaw and Janice Long provided the soundtrack to my 1980s, the company for those lonely times, the guides to music and politics and the world. RIP www.theguardian.com/media/2026/a...

Much of the coverage of the Hungarian election has focused on Orbán. We know less about the strategy behind Péter Magyar’s and Tisza’s breakthrough. I’ve written a short piece for @ecprtheloop.bsky.social on why this challenge succeeded.

A HUGE, narrative-breaking moment for the UK car market New EVs are now cheaper than petrol cars on average, says Autotrader Last yr CCC said price parity was due by 2028 – and it's already here And EVs are already MUCH cheaper to run than petrol

Never eat yellow snow.

Our team received a report of intermittent app outages at about 11:40pm PDT on April 15, 2026. They worked through the night to mitigate a sophisticated Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack, which intensified throughout the day.

None of these are good scenarios for Starmer. Either there is a culture of fear between No10 and FCDO that overrides national security concerns (1) or No10 overrides national security concerns without telling Starmer (2) or Starmer has lied (3).

There is a pattern here. Both Chris Wormald and Olly Robbins appointed by this Government. Both sacked by press release when Starmer under pressure. Robbins may have approved Mandelson but it’s not credible that he acted alone w/o instruction from No10. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

NEW: Astronomers have captured a black hole in motion - and its jets are dancing. Using telescopes spanning thousands of kilometres, Oxford and Curtin University researchers tracked jets shifting as it orbits a massive star. In Cygnus X-1, they found the jets pack the power of 10,000 Suns. More ⬇️

I can smell the lawyers rubbing their hands with glee from here.

I pointed out that Scotland was subsidised and boy oh boy..out comes the mute button.

The BBC undercover investigation into false immigration claims is deeply irresponsible journalism. It does not highlight that exploitation by unregulated advisors occurs because legal aid was cut and the system is insane to navigate.

It’s genuinely staggering how little substance there is to today’s instalment of the BBC’s attempt to create a national crisis out of a few unproven allegations of immigration fraud 1/

Jihad. Or the language of the 1st Crusade. Or maybe the Children's crusade. Take your pick of any tbh.

If the Revolution will not be televised, the same may be true of #climatedisaster. fair.org/home/climate...

Rare Kākāpō, the world’s heaviest parrot and the only one that can’t fly. They also have a hard time mating. Males are notoriously bad at identifying suitable mates, often attempting to mate with rocks, logs, or even the heads of conservation workers.💙😎💙

Interesting contrast here to the UK government’s enthusiastic embrace of US tech firms…

A big ongoing development in UK EU relations is Labour MPs now understanding the importance of freedom of movement. Replacing the cakeist Customs Union calls with this shows a real evolution in thinking to respond to what Brussels is saying. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Disgusting reporting by BBC using a tiny number of cases to suggest widespread abuse of a system which routinely denies LGBTQIA+ individuals asylum and forces them back into environments of persecution. This article massively distorts the reality of the situation. 1/ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I live in Hilsea. I can hear the Pompey Chimes from Fratton Park... Obviously they are on top...

Meanwhile, in Houston, gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa is talking about Greg Abbott trafficking people into Texas’s private prisons and detention centers so that his donors will profit, and I really appreciate her for it.

Scientists in Spain have developed a groundbreaking solar panel capable of generating electricity from both sunlight and raindrops.

Depressing.

Absolutely superb.

US forces have started the maritime blockade of Iran. The access restrictions apply without distinction to vessels of any flag engaging with Iranian ports, oil terminals or coastal facilities.

A lot of Orbán's American fans are saying that this election proved he was never an authoritarian in the first place. This is completely wrong — and, in fact, betrays a complete misunderstanding of both Hungarian politics and modern authoritarianism. Here's why.

1/ The fall of Victor Orbán is being mourned as a catastrophe by Russian warbloggers and commentators. They lament the loss of a man whom they openly call "a 'Trojan horse' in the EU" and blame the Russian government's ineffective attempts to interfere with the election. ⬇️

The AMOC is slowing down. We know it has an on/off switch. We also know it would, if turned off, cause catastrophic global impacts. Unacceptable. Here our new study showing shut-down very likely bumps up warming 0.2°C through carbon cycle feedback alone. www.nature.com/articles/s43...

Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. A country reclaims its European path. The Union grows stronger.