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Victory for fed-up California beach town locals who were being kept awake all night by noisy Waymo charging station
Residents in Santa Monica, California, have won a court battle against Waymo after complaining that the tech firm’s driverless taxi charging depots kept them awake with round-the-clock beeping and humming. A Santa Monica judge granted a preliminary injunction barring Waymo from operating two charging stations overnight, marking a victory for locals who had endured months…
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Green Party targets Reform in Sheffield by-election as UK crops wilt in drought
Britain’s food supply chain leans on Spanish imports after a scorching harvest, while a Green candidate takes aim at Reform UK in Southey. Elsewhere: Musk clashes with the Economist, a robot teacher gets benched, and cinemas hand out earplugs for The Odyssey.
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Wildlife habitats devastated in UK wildfires could take 25 years to recover, experts warn
Experts have warned that wildlife habitats damaged by UK wildfires may take up to 25 years to recover. The warning highlights the long-term ecological consequences of increasingly severe fires, which can destroy vegetation, disrupt food supplies and displace animals. Recovery depends on the habitat affected and the intensity of the fire, with peatlands, heathland and…
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No cure, no vaccine: Experts warn of rare Bourbon virus after first NY case
A rare tick-borne Bourbon virus infection has been confirmed in New York for the first time, according to Stony Brook Medicine. Experts say the finding matters because there is no vaccine or specific treatment, and further cases may be missed or mistaken for other illnesses if the virus becomes more common. The virus is transmitted…
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John Oliver Renews HBO Deal Through Late 2027
John Oliver has renewed his HBO contract until late 2027, securing at least a 14th season of Last Week Tonight. The unusually short one-year extension may reflect uncertainty over Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal Oliver has repeatedly criticised. Oliver’s previous HBO renewal, agreed in December 2023, lasted three years, whereas…
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Italy putting nearly all major cities on highest heat alert
Italy has placed nearly all of its major cities on its highest heat alert as a heatwave brings temperatures in the mid-30s Celsius and poses risks even to healthy people. The alert highlights wider extreme-weather pressures across southern Europe, where heatwave conditions are also helping to fuel major wildfires. Nineteen Italian cities, including Rome, Milan,…
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What is a silicon carbon battery and is it the answer to smartphone battery life issues?
Silicon-carbon batteries are increasingly appearing in smartphones because they can store more energy than conventional lithium-ion cells without making devices larger. Their adoption by manufacturers including Honor, Oppo, Xiaomi and now Samsung could help deliver genuine two-day battery life, but the technology may involve trade-offs in long-term durability. Conventional phone batteries typically use graphite anodes,…
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Free diver, 21, wants to ‘give back’ to the ocean that has helped him
Iestyn Morgan, a 21-year-old free diver from Pembrokeshire, says diving to the seabed gives him “otherworldly” experiences and supports his mental health. He is using his experiences to encourage greater ocean conservation, arguing that Welsh waters face severe pressure and deserve protection. Morgan can spend four to five hours at a time in the sea…
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They call it ‘a dream fulfilled’ — new homes designed for (and by) slum residents
Residents of the Sanjaynagar informal settlement in Ahmednagar, India, have moved into homes they helped design through a participatory redevelopment project called Swapnapurti, meaning “fulfilment of dreams”. The project matters because it seeks to preserve residents’ social ties and accommodate their daily needs, rather than imposing the standard high-rise housing models that can disrupt established…
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Gregg Araki on sex, film and queer resistance: ‘All the terrible shit in the world is because of sexual repression’
Gregg Araki’s new film, I Want Your Sex, uses explicit comedy and kink to explore desire, power and sexuality across straight and queer identities. The cult film-maker says he wants to offer “queer joy and positivity” amid war, immigration enforcement and genocide, arguing that sexual repression contributes to wider social harm. The film follows Elliot,…