Report: Trump Aid Boosted Half of US Coal Plants With Taxpayer Funds

Control of Britain’s 39 million smart meters is passing to a non-profit startup, The Guardian reports. The shift affects how household energy usage data is managed and accessed. It matters because smart-meter data underpins billing, grid management and consumer energy services across the UK.

Crude oil prices dropped after markets reacted to signs of a possible diplomatic breakthrough aimed at ending the war involving Iran. The decline reflects how traders are pricing in reduced risk to global energy supplies. Any breakthrough would have wide implications for oil markets and the broader world economy.

Countries are on track to miss global nature targets, prompting growing calls to reform COP summits. Critics dismissed the current process as a “bunch of baloney” and urged changes to improve accountability and implementation. The push matters because weak follow-through could undermine international efforts to protect biodiversity.

A rampant mining boom has transformed an Amazonian town, with goods such as Chinese cigarettes and Bolivian beer reflecting new wealth and cross-border trade. The shift is reshaping the local economy and daily life, while raising concerns about environmental and social pressures.

Poundland's former owner has offered to put money into the struggling UK discount retailer, according to BBC Business. The move comes as a government minister prepares to meet the company's board amid concerns over the chain's finances. The talks matter because Poundland employs thousands of staff across hundreds of UK stores.