British computer scientist denies he is bitcoin developer Satoshi Nakamoto 08. April 2026 (19:35) New York Times report claims London-born Adam Back is creator of the cryptocurrency after comparing writingsA British computer scientist has insisted he is not the elusive developer of bitcoin, after a report claimed to unmask him as its creator.A story in the New York Times details a years-long effort to unmask Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious author of the bitcoin white paper which laid the theoretical foundations for modern digital currencies. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK weather: temperature tops 26C on one of hottest April days of past 80 years 08. April 2026 (19:33) High of 26.5C recorded in Kew Gardens in south-west London but rain and cooler conditions are on the wayTemperatures soared in parts of the UK as the country recorded its warmest day of the year so far – and one of the hottest April days in the last 80 years.A high of 26.5C (79.7F) was recorded in Kew Gardens, in south-west London, on Wednesday, the Met Office said. It was the hottest day recorded in the first half of April since 1946, according to the forecaster. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Anthropic says its latest AI model can expose weaknesses in software security 08. April 2026 (19:15) AI company says purpose of its Claude Mythos model is to bolster defenses against hacking in common applicationsAnthropic on Tuesday said its yet-to-be-released artificial intelligence model called Claude Mythos has proven keenly adept at exposing software weaknesses.Mythos has laid bare thousands of vulnerabilities in commonly used applications for which no patch or fix exists, prompting the San Francisco-based AI startup to form an alliance with cybersecurity specialists to bolster defenses against hacking and withhold wide distribution. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s EPA chief Zeldin gives keynote speech at climate-denying group’s event 08. April 2026 (17:58) Lee Zeldin opens conference for Heartland Institute, which once compared climate advocates to the UnabomberSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxLee Zeldin, the administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), gave the keynote speech at a conference on Wednesday morning, one which was hosted by a prominent climate-denying thinktank that previously compared those concerned about the climate crisis to the Unabomber on billboard posters in 2012.“No longer are we going to rely on bad, flawed assumptions instead of accurate, present-day facts, without apology or regret,” Zeldin said at the Heartland Institute’s conference on climate change in Washington DC, referring to well-established climate science. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Hegseth claims Iran ‘begged’ for ceasefire after US and Tehran agree to two-week pause 08. April 2026 (17:54) Defense secretary spoke to reporters in first press briefing since Trump announced ceasefire deal after 40 days of warAfter 40 days and 40 nights of war, Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, on Wednesday pointed to divine providence while telling reporters that Iran’s weapons factories had been reduced to rubble, its military rendered ineffective for years and its supreme leader left wounded and disfigured, all for a temporary ceasefire.“Iran begged for this ceasefire, and we all know it,” Hegseth said at the Pentagon’s first press briefing since Donald Trump announced a two-week pause in hostilities on Tuesday night. “Operation Epic Fury decimated Iran’s military and rendered it combat ineffective for years to come.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Greece proposes social media ban for under-15s, citing anxiety and sleep problems 08. April 2026 (17:52) Prime minister says ban would come into force next year and calls for united action across European UnionGreece has announced a social media ban for under-15s from 1 January, with the country’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, citing rising anxiety, sleep problems and the addictive design of online platforms – although he acknowledged it may incur the wrath of some children.“We have decided to go ahead with a difficult but necessary measure: ban access to social media for children under 15 years old,” he said in a TikTok video intended to address a young audience. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Delta CEO braces flyers for higher fares amid surge in oil prices tied to Iran war 08. April 2026 (17:51) Airline projected a $2bn increase in fuel costs this quarter amid volatility in oil markets sparked by the warThe CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian, braced customers for higher fares following the surge in oil prices sparked by the US-Israel war on Iran, amid strong demand from passengers.Though rising oil prices have cost the company an extra $330m in fuel expenses, and it projected a $2bn increase in fuel costs in the current quarter, Delta forecast that revenue would grow 10% as flyers continue to book flights. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect Rex Heuermann pleads guilty 08. April 2026 (17:50) Architect admitted to strangling eight women, whose remains were mostly found along Long Island’s coastRex Heuermann, a Long Island architect accused of seven murders known as the Gilgo Beach killings dating back to 1993, pleaded guilty on Wednesday – and added an eighth murder to his gruesome tally.Heuermann, who has been held in custody since he was arrested on a Manhattan street in July 2023, appeared in court in Riverhead, Long Island, and changed his plea to guilty in the murders of women whose remains were found years after they disappeared. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
JD Vance claims US is not interfering in Hungary election 08. April 2026 (17:39) US vice-president says on visit to Budapest ‘we had to show’ support for Viktor Orbán, as opposition leads pollsHungary elections: what is at stake and who is likely to win?JD Vance has pushed back against claims that the US is interfering in Hungarian politics, describing the accusations as “darkly ironic”, as a set of polls suggested the opposition Tisza party could win a supermajority in the upcoming elections.After spending his first day in Budapest excoriating the EU and accusing it of being behind one of the “worst examples” of foreign interference, the US vice-president spent part of Wednesday morning speaking at a thinktank and educational institution linked to Hungary’s leader, Viktor Orbán. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ceasefire changes little for shipping in strait of Hormuz, experts say 08. April 2026 (17:36) Analysts expect only limited increase in shipping as vessels will still need to seek Iranian permission to transitMiddle East crisis – live updatesThere will be no “mass exodus” of ships through the strait of Hormuz, shipping analysts say, despite a two-week conditional ceasefire being agreed between the US and Iran with provision for the temporary reopening of the crucial maritime channel.Tehran said on Wednesday that it would offer safe passage in coordination with its armed forces, though its coastguards said any ship trying to transit without permission would be “targeted and destroyed”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
