Tony Blair at war with Ed Miliband over net zero
Tony Blair has gone to war with Keir Starmer’s government over its pursuit of net zero policies.
The ex-PM warns energy secretary Ed Miliband his eco policies are wrong because voters know their sacrifices will have virtually no impact on climate change.
Sir Tony claimed voters “feel they’re being asked to make financial sacrifices and changes in lifestyle when they know the impact of global emissions is minimal”.
Sources close to the energy secretary have hit back, pointing out that the green agenda Mr Miliband is pursuing was in Labour’s election manifesto and that Sir Keir has described them as part of “the DNA of the party”.
The concerns outlined by Sir Tony come against a fraught political background where Nigel Farage’s Reform UK have used the “net zero madness” messaging to propel their surge in the polls with a promise to copy Donald Trump and reverse it.
In his dramatic intervention the ex PM said attempts to phase out fossil fuel in the near future – a key aim of the British government and other leading nations – was doomed to fail.
With local elections and a crucial by-election in Runcorn on Thursday there are serious concerns that the energy policies being pursued by Mr Miliband could contribute to Labour being punished at the polls.
The Tories, who have embraced rowing back on net zero under Kemi Badenoch’s leadership, have seized on Sir Tony’s comments.
Shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie said: “It seems even Tony Blair has come to the realisation that Keir Starmer and the Labour Party’s mad dash to net zero by 2050 is simply not feasible, or sustainable.
“As Ed Miliband’s net zero zealotry pushes this country’s energy security even further into the arms of China, and their slave labour supply chains, and risks driving up energy bills further and further, only Kemi Badenoch and the Conservatives are telling the truth about energy policy in this country.
“Under new leadership, we have been clear that the cost of net zero by 2050 to families will be far too high, and we must urgently change course. Will Labour now finally be prepared to do the same, and put the national interest above their own ideological dogma?”
The TBI report – “The Climate Paradox: Why We Need to Reset Action on Climate Change” – was released as Spain and Portugal suffered a mass blackout, with some blaming the Spanish government for going 100 per cent renewable with energy sources.
Global trends such as a massive rise in fossil fuel use by 2030, a doubling of the number of airlines over the next 20 years, and the fact that by 2030 almost two-thirds of emissions will come from China, India and southeast Asia has made a nonsense of current climate change strategies, Sir Tony said. The UN-led climate change conferences would “not deliver change at the speed required”, he warned.
Sir Tony’s criticism is not just confined to the UK, with a wider warning that world leaders know climate change policies are not working but are “terrified” of speaking out for fear of being accused of being “climate deniers”.
His stark warning will fuel fierce debate about the ideological stance taken by Mr Miliband and the pragmatic arguments by Sir Tony who won three elections for Labour by pursuing centrist policies.
It comes only days after Sir Keir declared Britain would go “all out” for a low-carbon future and accelerate the drive to net zero instead of rowing back as some have called for.
A spokesperson for Mr Miliband pointed out that the UK was already doing what Sir Tony had suggested by investing in more carbon capture schemes and harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to develop smarter technology.
A source added: “We’ve just won an election in part on an argument that we need to speed up the clean energy transition. The PM said last week that clean energy is in the DNA of the government.”
Backers of Mr Miliband’s policies on ending coal mining and North Sea oil and gas production, with a focus on wind and solar farms, said they have the support of the business community.
Analysis published by the Confederation of British Industry found that 22,000 net zero businesses, from renewable energy to green finance, employ almost a million people in full-time jobs. The average annual wage in the businesses – £43,000 – was also £5,600 higher than the national average.
Family of three died during mass power cut in Spain
Spanish police in Galicia are investigating the deaths of three people in the town of Taboadela, as the fatalities from the power cut across Spain and Portugal begin to emerge.
A spokeswoman said the bodies of “a couple and their son” were found inside their home on Tuesday morning.
Officers and forensic experts are in vestigating whether the family, who reportedly inhaled carbon monoxide, died as a result of a malfunctioning domestic generator or a fuel appliance.
A woman also died during the blackout from a fire caused by a candle in her flat in Madrid.
Power has now been restored to tens of millions of people after fears it would take up to a week to fully reinstate the power supply.
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez has vowed to find the cause of the power cuts as the cause remains unclear.
Sanchez held an emergency meeting with private grid operators to ask them to work with the government and independent bodies to get to the bottom of what caused the incident.
He said: “We must undertake the necessary improvements to guarantee the supply and future competitiveness of our system.”
Amazon says it won’t display tariff costs after Trump called Bezos
Amazon said it would not display costs associated with the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs on its website after the White House publicly lashed out at the company and the president made a personal call to Jeff Bezos.
Hours after a Punchbowl News report alleged Amazon would show the amount of money Trump’s aggressive tariff policy would add to the price of some of its products, the e-commerce giant issued a statement assuring people it was “not going to happen.”
“The team that runs our ultra low cost Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products. This was never approved and is not going to happen,” Tim Doyle, a spokesperson for Amazon, said.
The statement arrived shortly after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted Amazon’s reported decision as “a hostile and political act,” and an angry Trump called Bezos.
“Of course he was p*****,” an official familiar with Trump’s attitude toward the matter told CNN. “Why should a multibillion-dollar company pass off costs to consumers?”
Trump’s anger about Amazon’s tariff transparency appeared to sway the company to abandon any consideration of the policy.
The president told reporters in the afternoon that Bezos “was very nice” and “solved the problem very quickly.”
“Good guy,” Trump said of the Amazon founder.
Trump has announced sweeping tariffs on every nation, with notably high rates on China, but paused them. Trump said the new levies are necessary to balance American competitiveness in the global economy. Experts have said, however, that his plan will lead to increased prices.
Leavitt claimed the news was “not a surprise” and pointed to a December 2021 Reuters report, which she described as “recently reported,” which said Amazon “partnered with a China propaganda arm”.
“So this is another reason why Americans should buy American,” Leavitt added.
She questioned, “Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?”
Since winning the election in November, Bezos appeared to be cozying up to Trump, giving his inaugural fund $1m, attending Trump’s inauguration and re-directing the editorial section of The Washington Post to focus on defending personal liberties and free markets.
As recently as this week, Trump had touted that Bezos and other billionaire allies “have been great”.
The White House Press Secretary declined to comment on Bezos’s current relationship with Trump but maintained that the company’s decision was “hostile and political”.
Amazon is among the large retailers bracing for the impact of tariffs. Trump’s 145 per cent tariffs on China are expected to hurt the independent retailers who rely on imports. Approximately 60 per cent of Amazon’s sales come from the smaller retailers.
Already, some sellers have backed out, or are reluctant to participate in, Amazon’s “Prime Day”, Reuters reported this week.
Trump has said he is in talks with China to ease some of the tariffs, but so far, no negotiations or announcement have been made.
Zelensky aide reveals key sanction Putin hates the most
Russian forces have significantly increased the intensity of their combat activity in eastern Ukraine at a time when president Vladimir Putin is publicly talking about wanting a ceasefire, Ukraine’s top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said today.
“Despite loud statements about readiness to cease fire for the May holidays, the occupiers (Russian forces) have significantly increased the intensity of combat actions, focusing their main efforts on the Pokrovsk direction,” General Syrskyi said on Telegram.
On Monday night, the Russian president offered a temporary 72-hour ceasefire from 8-10 May to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies in the Second World War.
In response, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has said such limited truces are meaningless, and urged Mr Putin to agree to an immediate ceasefire lasting at least 30 days.
Earlier Andriy Yermak, head of Mr Zelensky’s presidential office, called on Ukraine’s allies to keep pressuring Mr Putin’s aviation sector with sanctions, as Moscow pushes to have them lifted before it will agree to a ceasefire.
O’Sullivan leads talented Si in World Championship quarter-final
Ronnie O’Sullivan is already in control of his record-extending 23rd World Snooker Championship quarter-final against Si Jiahui as ‘The Rocket’ continues his bid for a history-making eighth world title.
O’Sullivan wasted little time in securing a routine 13-4 win over Pang Junxu in the second round at the Crucible Theatre and now leads talented youngster Si, who shockingly made the semi-finals here in 2023 at the age of just 20, 6-2 after their first session on Tuesday afternoon.
Now 22, the Chinese star has established himself in the top 16 but a best-of-25 clash against the greatest snooker player of all time still represents a huge challenge for the fearless potter and any errors during the first eight frames were punished by a ruthless O’Sullivan, who will look to break the back of the best-of-25 contest when the second session resumes this morning.
Wednesday’s 10am session will also feature O’Sullivan’s fellow ‘Class of 92’ veterans John Higgins and Mark Williams playing to a finish in their quarter-final. The pair were locked at 8-8 following an intriguing first two sessions, with 13 frames the target for victory.
Follow all the scores, results and latest updates from the World Snooker Championship below:
How online schools can help children form friendships as they learn
When thinking about the best education for your child, it’s naturally not just academic success that comes to mind. A good quality school experience is made up of many parts and one key element is the socialising opportunities that school can provide. Socialisation is crucial for building social skills, growing emotional intelligence and helping children form their own individual identity, as well as giving them an additional incentive to attend a place where they have fun and feel part of a community.
While it might be assumed that the social options are reduced when children attend online school, this is not the case. In fact, there are a number of advantages in terms of the structures, support and diverse social opportunities offered to children who join online schools.
Online schools give students the opportunity to form connections with a much more diverse community of students. The online model allows schools to welcome young people from around the world and this gives pupils a chance to make friends with students from differing backgrounds and cultures. Furthermore, this means they can meet more like-minded individuals and form stronger bonds and more meaningful friendships. This access to such a big and vibrant community also ensures that students can really find ‘their people’ and avoids situations where students are stuck in small circles or forced to engage with classmates that don’t share the same interests or passions.
This is something that Grace, who is now in year 13, has experienced since moving to online school. At her previous school, she was struggling with socialisation and felt that she didn’t really have a self-identity. At an online school, she has found she can be more herself. “A lot of people think that online school is about being alone, but I’ve found that without the physical element, I can express myself better,” Grace explains. Subsequently, the majority of her closest friends are from her online school and many she has met offline too. “I feel like I’ve met my people,” she says.
Isabella, who is in year 10, has also found that her experience of socialising at an online school has suited her much more than previous bricks and mortar schools. With her father’s job meaning the family moves country every three years, she has always previously struggled forming new friendships at the schools she joins. “I’m always the ‘new’ student, and it’s tough,” she says. After experiences with bullying, she found that online school is an environment she can thrive in. “You don’t have to turn on your camera or use your microphones if you’re not feeling comfortable. I’m not really a ‘social’ person, but I have made some friends here because we have these breakout rooms where we can talk to each other,” she adds.
While young people might not be meeting their fellow students physically every day, online schools put in place extensive measures to ensure that socialising is available for those who want to. This can be seen clearly at King’s InterHigh, the UK’s leading global online school which welcomes children aged 7 to 19 from across the world. Here, students join a warm and welcoming community with a huge range of opportunities for socialising. There’s dozens of clubs and societies for students across all year groups, representing a vast range of interests from chess to technology, sculpture to debate. Throughout the yearly student calendar, there are a number of events, showcases, and competitions of all kinds that provide a chance to socialise in different settings. Some happen internally, like the King’s InterHigh Arts Festival, while others allow students to interact with peers from outside their school when attending events like the International Robotics Competition.
Assemblies bring students together on a weekly basis and give them the chance to celebrate each other’s achievements, hear from their Student Council representatives, and find out what’s coming up at school. Each student is also assigned to one of the school’s eight houses and these smaller, tight-knit communities bring students a sense of belonging and camaraderie. Additionally, inter-house competitions are a fun and friendly way for students to engage and bond.
Although much socialising can come as a result of activities organised by the school, students at King’s InterHigh who are aged over 13 can continue building these relationships in a more informal setting thanks to the in-house, monitored, social media platform. Restricted solely to school students, the platform is safe, secure, and monitored to ensure a positive socialising environment for all those who choose to use it.
Online schools don’t just offer opportunities to socialise online but also offer ample opportunities to cement these connections in offline settings. At King’s InterHigh, there are global meet-ups throughout the year which bring together families allowing both children and parents and guardians to connect in real life. Regular educational school trips, from Geography excursions to science practical exams at other Inspired schools (the group of premium schools of which King’s InterHigh is part of) also allow children to socialise and have fun together in different settings.
Meanwhile, the annual summer camps, themed around a variety of interests and passions, including adventure sports, fashion, football, and tennis, are open to students across all Inspired schools and are held at spectacular Inspired campuses worldwide. Furthermore, the Inspired Global Exchange Programme offers a range of school exchange opportunities, lasting from one week to a full academic year.
Choosing where to educate your children is a big decision for any parent or guardian that involves many factors. However, when it comes to the social benefits, for the right child, online schools offer something truly transformative. To find out more about King’s InterHigh and whether it might be the right learning choice for your family, visit King’s InterHigh
Autopsy report confirms cause of death for Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa
Betsy Arakawa, the wife of actor Gene Hackman, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, an autopsy report confirmed on Tuesday.
The report revealed Arakawa, 65, had fluid accumulation in her chest and mild hardening of the vessels that supplied blood to the heart and body. Her lungs were also heavy and congested.
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially fatal disease that affects the lungs and is spread by infected rodent droppings.
It initially causes flu-like symptoms that can progress to a more acute illness where people have trouble breathing. It is fatal in nearly 4 out of 10 people who are infected.
Arakawa tested negative for COVID-19 and the flu and showed no signs of trauma, the autopsy report said.
Her carbon monoxide levels were within normal range, and she tested positive for caffeine and negative for alcohol and intoxicating drugs.
Arakawa’s autopsy and toxicology reports were released two days after similar documents on Hackman’s death were made public, confirming his main cause of death was heart disease.
The 95-year-old actor was also in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease and likely had not eaten for a long time, according to his autopsy. He tested negative for hantavirus.
Records released earlier in the investigation showed Arakawa made phone calls and internet searches as she scoured for information on flu-like symptoms and breathing techniques.
Recently released videos outline the scope of the investigation into the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa.
Before they understood how Hackman and Arakawa died, authorities recorded themselves conducting interviews with workers and returning to Hackman’s home to search for more evidence.
Detectives searched the home in early March for Arakawa’s laptop and other clues.
Final day of campaigning begins with Reform expected to take hundreds of seats
Sir Keir Starmer has accused Nigel Farage of recruiting Liz Truss as his “new top adviser”, as he faced tough questions in the final PMQs before Thursday’s local elections.
The prime minister warned a vote for Reform is a vote for “pro-Putin foreign policy and a vote against workers’ rights”, as polls predict sweeping victories for Mr Farage’s party in local elections.
It comes after reports that allies of the Reform UK leader held talks with the former PM – who lasted just 49 days in office – on how to take on “the establishment blob”.
Voters across 23 local authorities will decide on some 1,641 council seats on Thursday, while six mayoralties are also being contested.
Alongside local elections, the first by-election of this parliament, for Runcorn & Helsby, will see Nigel Farage’s party trying to overturn Labour’s victory last summer, in a vote triggered after Mike Amesbury received a suspended prison sentence for punching a man.