Independent News & People Network Desk of News

Sydney councils fear new datacentres could cause blackouts, block housing and affect locals’ health

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-04-04T02:26:54+00:00

Datacentres ‘directly competing’ with possible residential builds near public transport, one council tells NSW inquiry, amid growing concernsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDatacentre developments are crowding out opportunities for housing and job-rich industries across Sydney, a New South Wales inquiry has heard, with one local council reporting a rise in blackouts linked to the industry’s expansion.Several Sydney councils, all facing an influx of datacentre developments, have raised concerns about the health, environmental and amenity impacts on their local communi

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Evacuations ordered as two wildfires break out in southern California

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-04-04T02:05:28+00:00

Stiff winds ‘spreading the smoke’ as Springs fire bears down on Moreno Valley while smaller Crown fire also burningA pair of wildfires broke out in southern California on Friday, marking the region’s first significant burns in a spring that has seen a major heatwave.The fires started in windy conditions that have caused them to spread quickly. The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for parts of southern California through midday Friday, warning of gusts up to 50mph. Continue reading...

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Democrats vow to fight Trump’s ‘morally bankrupt’ request for billions in additional defense and DHS spending– as it happened

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-04-04T02:00:06+00:00

This live blog is now closed.Trump announces ‘fraud’ crackdown in Democratic statesSign up for the Breaking News US emailA reminder that my colleagues are covering the latest out of the Middle East at our dedicated live blog.This includes Donald Trump’s recent comments on Truth Social that “with a little more time” he could open strait of Hormuz. The president added that reopening the vital passageway would allow the US to “TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A ‘GUSHER’ FOR THE WORLD.” Continue reading...

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Evacuations as two wildfires break out in southern California

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-04-04T01:17:16+00:00

Stiff winds ‘spreading the smoke’ as Springs fire bears down on Moreno Valley while smaller Crown fire also burningA pair of wildfires broke out in southern California on Friday, marking the region’s first significant burns in a spring that has seen a major heatwave.The fires started in windy conditions that have caused them to spread quickly. The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for parts of southern California through midday Friday, warning of gusts up to 50mph. Continue reading...

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Ukraine war briefing: Russian army records almost no territorial gains for first time since 2023, analysis shows

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-04-04T00:30:54+00:00

Russian advances slowing, thinktank’s data shows; 14 killed in Ukraine in massive drone and missile salvo. What we know on day 1,501Russia’s army recorded almost no territorial gains on the frontline in Ukraine in March for the first time in two-and-a-half years, according to analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) conducted by Agence France-Presse. The Russian army has been slowing in its advances since late 2025 – because of Kyiv’s localised breakthroughs in the south-east of the country. Across the entire frontline, the Russian army seized only 23 sq km (8.9 sq miles)

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Palestinian Christians in Gaza mark Good Friday

Source: Al Jazeera - World · Published: 2026-04-04T00:30:08+00:00

Palestinian Christians in Gaza marked Good Friday at the Holy Family Church during a fragile ceasefire.

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Here’s What Happened in the War in the Middle East on Friday

Source: New York Times - World · Published: 2026-04-04T00:21:51+00:00

An American fighter jet was shot down by Iran for the first time since the start of the war, leading to an urgent search-and-rescue operation for a missing crew member.

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Nine charged over alleged conspiracy to import tonnes of cocaine and meth via ‘mother ship’ in Australian waters

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-04-04T00:16:34+00:00

Police allege drugs were to be collected from a drop-zone in Bass Strait and distributed across the nation using trucking connectionsWhen a commercial trawler sank off Victoria with four crew members needing rescuing, police became suspicious about an alleged drug trafficking operation.Nine men are accused over a conspiracy to import tonnes of cocaine and methamphetamine before distributing the drugs across Australia using trucking connections. Continue reading...

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Trump requests $152m funding to restore Alcatraz as prison

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-04-04T00:09:02+00:00

Budget proposal released on Friday outlines president’s desire to revive former federal prison in San Francisco BayDonald Trump is asking for $152m to restore Alcatraz, a former federal prison off the coast of San Francisco, according to a budget proposal released on Friday for the 2027 fiscal year.Last May, Trump first called upon the Department of Justice, the FBI and Homeland Security to rebuild the prison. He heaped praise on Alcatraz’s reputation in a Truth Social post. Continue reading...

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EN DIRECT, Moyen-Orient : l’armée américaine à la recherche d’un de ses soldats dont l’avion a été abattu en Iran, une première depuis le début de la guerre

Source: Le Monde - International · Published: 2026-04-03T23:45:51+00:00

Un autre avion et deux hélicoptères, impliqués dans la recherche des pilotes du F-15 abattu, auraient aussi été touchés par des tirs iraniens, selon des médias. La Maison Blanche n’a pas confirmé et a juste précisé que Donald Trump a été « tenu informé » de la situation.

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Guerre au Moyen-Orient : l’armée américaine à la recherche d’un de ses soldats dont l’avion a été abattu en Iran. Retrouvez les informations du 28 mars au 3 avril.

Source: Le Monde - International · Published: 2026-04-03T23:45:48+00:00

Un autre avion et deux hélicoptères, impliqués dans la recherche des pilotes du F-15 abattu, auraient aussi été touchés par des tirs iraniens, selon NBC. La Maison Blanche n’a pas confirmé et a juste précisé que Donald Trump a été « tenu informé » de la situation.

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Що станеться, якщо виключити солодощі з раціону: результати дослідження здивували вчених

Source: UNIAN (General) · Published: 2026-04-03T23:20:00+00:00

Замість того, щоб давати людям лише пробні напої або окремі закуски, команда науковців формувала приблизно половину щоденного раціону учасників дослідження.

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A ‘masculinity crisis’ is brewing in UK schools, union says

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-04-03T23:01:05+00:00

Misogynistic abuse of female staff is increasing, leaving teachers feeling ‘traumatised’ and ‘humiliated’Teachers’ leaders have said a “masculinity crisis” is fermenting in schools across the UK, with misogynistic abuse of female staff on the increase, leaving victims “traumatised”, “demeaned” and “humiliated”.Almost a quarter of female teachers who took part in a union survey said they have been the target of misogyny from a pupil over the past 12 months – the highest proportion in the last four years of surveys. Continue reading...

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‘India is going to face a food crisis’: Farmers panic over fertiliser shortages amid Iran war

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-04-03T23:00:06+00:00

Ripple effects of oil and fertiliser shortage felt by farmers in India and Sri Lanka despite governments saying there is enough stock to go roundGurvinder Singh never thought the war in Iran would touch his quiet corner of Punjab.Yet looking out over his smallholding, where he alternates between wheat and rice crops in the state known as India’s breadbasket, the 52-year-old farmer can barely think of anything else. His anxiety over a conflict playing out thousands of miles away is crippling as he fears what will come of this season’s rice crop. Continue reading...

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Messori: “No agli aiuti a pioggia, sia l’Ue ad acquistare l’energia”

Source: Repubblica Homepage · Published: 2026-04-03T23:00:00+00:00

L’economista scettico sulla trattativa tra singoli Stati: “Dà potere negoziale ai Paesi produttori e alza la linea dei prezzi. Per ridurre i costi serve una agenzia comune com’è stato per i vaccini durante la pandemia”

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