Dowman to miss three matches after appeal rejected

Hong Kong’s leader apologises for residential fire that killed 168 people

Blaze last year was deadliest housing fire globally since 1980 and some ex-residents and victims’ families say they still need justiceHong Kong’s leader has apologised for government shortcomings that contributed to a fire that killed 168 people in the city last year, a rare sign of public contrition that nevertheless failed to impress some victims’ families. The chief executive, John Lee, and seven other officials bowed in apology at the release of a report that pointed to “decades of...

Council body demands data centre moratorium as planning approvals rise

Municipal Association of Victoria demands data centre moratorium as planning approvals rise In short: The Municipal Association of Victoria has demanded the state government impose a moratorium on data centres. The peak body for all 79 councils in Victoria passed a resolution at its state council meeting calling for a moratorium on approvals for all new or expanded data centres until a "comprehensive" planning and environmental framework is established. The move by councils places pressure...

Hold your nose: a £1.25bn subsidy for rich Rolls-Royce’s new engine had to happen

The chancellor’s budget giveaway is, unfortunately, a reflection of how life works in the global aerospace businessIt wasn’t a “nothing” budget for engine-maker Rolls-Royce. The company was handed £1.25bn from public coffers to part-fund the development of a next-generation engine for single-aisle commercial planes. The chancellor buried this giveaway in two short sentences in the stodgy middle of his speech, presumably because it would look too much like a case of corporate welfare just...

Ben Jennings on the UK budget – cartoon