New energy efficiency standards have been set by the US Government for dishwasher manufacturers in efforts to tackle climate change and reduce carbon emissions: energy use must be curbed by 27% and water use by 34%, as of 2027. This comes as over 50% of US households have a dishwasher; thus, older machines are responsible for excessive water usage, with some demanding up to 14 gallons per cycle. This proposal has surfaced as part of a wider programme to combat climate change, a move which could anticipate yet further environmental regulations on consumer goods already in use in industry and transportation. Dishwashers aren’t the only everyday home devices being scrutinised: more direct environmentally-friendly policies have already been introduced by governments such as those surrounding the use of energy-efficient light bulbs.⠀
Rob Key, managing director of men’s cricket, has urged Jofra Archer to take inspiration from Pat Cummins to come back stronger after his injury-plagued career was hit by another stress fracture of his right elbow that rules him out of the Indian Premier League and this summer’s Ashes. Kevin Pietersen suggested that Archer should pursue a franchise, not international career but Key confirmed that Archer is committed to returning to the England side in all three formats and is desperate to play Test cricket as well.
The Candy Man by Jon Enoch won top prize in the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year competition. The photograph of a Mumbai candy seller was taken as part of a personal project, capturing the colourful displays of Indian vendors hoping to attract buyers. Other winners included images of life in Vietnam, chef Adua’s kitchen in Italy and the process of pulling sugar in China. The exhibition of winners can be seen at the Royal Photographic Society in Bristol from 20 May to 11 June.
England managing director of men’s cricket Rob Key has urged a “distraught” Jofra Archer to persevere with Test cricket despite the paceman being out of the Ashes, and facing the possibility of being ruled out of the Cricket World Cup with a right elbow fracture. “Jofra deserves a bit of luck…you just hope that luck turns for him at some point," Key said. Archer’s injury issues have transfixed pundits, with some suggesting his future might lie with a T20 franchise career. However, Key said the cricketer is committed to returning to all forms of the game.
The film Marlowe, directed by Neil Jordan, is adapted from John Banville's novel The Black-Eyed Blonde, which features Raymond Chandler's fictional private investigator Philip Marlowe. Set in the 1950s in the book, the film shifts the action back to 1939 and expands upon the Hollywood scene of the time. Despite being created in locations such as Spain and Dublin, the setting is believable and in keeping with Chandler's vision. Liam Neeson stars as the eponymous Marlowe alongside Diane Kruger and Jessica Lange, with Danny Huston providing believable villainy. Jordan's film is a "deluxe nostalgia trip", according to one review.
Jordan Spieth, who withdrew from last week's AT&T Byron Nelson due to wrist pain and an injury that required rest and limited movement, underwent a full-range session on Tuesday, easing concerns that it would force the American to miss the US PGA Championship and delay his quest to achieve the career grand slam for at least another year. He was seen practicing comfortably despite his arm being heavily taped. If he does tee off for the championship, this will be Spieth’s seventh attempt at a grand slam win.
The European Central Bank (ECB) is seeking a new top bank supervisor to replace Andrea Enria, whose term ends this year. Candidates have until 23 June to apply for the role, which entails chairing the ECB's Supervisory Board, the most senior banking regulator for the eurozone. Winners will be chosen by the ECB's Governing Council in the autumn, with a five-year term beginning on 1 January 2022. Germany's Claudia Buch is believed to be the frontrunner based on conversations with 12 relevant insiders, though Spain's Margarita Delgado and Ireland's Sharon Donnery could also be contenders.
Aircastle has made it known that settlement talks about unpaid dues with Indian budget airline SpiceJet were inconclusive after Aircastle earlier sought to start bankruptcy proceedings over non-payment of lease rentals and other dues. The Irish-based lessor is believed to be owed INR 500m ($6m) by SpiceJet, which has been desperately raising funds amidst a string of quarterly losses and increased competition locally. Last week the airline said it had begun to revive 25 of its grounded fleet using its own money and a $50m credit line through an Indian government scheme.
Zak Crawley, an England Test cricketer, says he does not care what the critics say about him. Crawley does not use social media, which sets him apart from many of his teammates, and insists that a lot of online criticism directed at him is “unwarranted.” Crawley’s defensive technique was scrutinised before the season started, but he responded by insisting it did not need work. This season he has made 350 runs, including 170 against Essex, and is averaging 38.88. ECB managing director of cricket Rob Key has called Crawley’s match-winning abilities key to his selection.
London Irish’s takeover by an American consortium, led by Californian lawyer Chip Sloan and backed by private equity firm Nue, has proved problematic, with just 10 working days left for its approval before the club faces suspension from the Premiership next season unless it demonstrates it has the required funds in place. Some agents representing London Irish players have already begun seeking possible transfers to French clubs. Analysts suggest the Ireland Rugby Football Union (IRFU) might consider the acquisition of London Irish as a means of addressing a shortfall of talent, but an IRFU spokesman declined to comment on this.
Canadian show SisterS follows Sare, an apologetic, optimistic Canadian woman who learns about her birth father upon her mother’s death, prompting her to journey to Ireland to find him. On her travels, she encounters her half-sister Suze, who drinks too much and makes bad decisions. As the characters develop, through intersecting plot points and character arcs, SisterS demonstrates a family drama infused with witty, nuanced portrayals. The six-episode series premieres in full on Crave on May 17.
The UK risks becoming a society that accepts higher taxes as inevitable unless income tax thresholds are raised in line with inflation, according to Conservative MP and former Treasury minister Simon Clarke. As “fiscal drag” pushes 20% of taxpayers into the higher tax bracket by 2027-28, Clarke warns that the stealth tax raid underway - which will generate an estimated £29.3bn in 2027-28 - could represent just the beginning of even more painful tax hikes. The report reveals new analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies highlighting that in four years’ time, 1 in 8 nurses and 1 in 4 teachers will have become higher-rate taxpayers. This is a more widespread issue than initially believed, infecting large numbers of electricians, fitters and other tradespeople. Clarke advocates combining the need for further tax increases with measures that grow the economy, including tackling bureaucracy, scholarship for new technologies and asking more fundamental questions over public spending priorities and trade unions.
Boxing's place in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games is uncertain following a long-running dispute between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Boxing Association. The IOC cut ties with the sport's governing body in 2019 over concerns about governance and fair judging, leaving the future participation of boxing in the Games in doubt. Boxing has appeared in every Olympic Games since 1904, but future participation could impact development and participation in the sport, particularly for women, for whom it was only added to the Games programme in 2012. The IOC has not yet confirmed boxing's inclusion in the Games.
A phonics-based approach to reading instruction is the best way to teach Australian children how to read, according to the results of the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. The state of New South Wales has overhauled its curriculum to ensure phonics is taught when students learn to read, while a compulsory phonics check is carried out on Year 1 students. One in five Australian students currently lack basic reading skills, a gap that has widened in the past decade for boys in NSW, while girls continue to progress. The national UK approach to phonics has been cited as a good example to follow.
England cricketer James Anderson expects to sit out the first Test of the summer against Ireland in order to guarantee his availability for the Ashes that follow. Anderson, aged 40 and veteran of 179 Tests, has a mild groin strain that he sustained while playing for Lancashire last week. He has been included in the squad to face Ireland on 1 June, however he is anticipating being unavailable due to the injury. His place is likely to be taken by Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, Matt Potts or Chris Woakes. The Ashes series begins on 1 August.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is hoping to use Thursday's local council elections in Northern Ireland to call for further concessions on a post-Brexit trade deal. The party wants laws introduced to protect the region's trade position and greater flexibility around Northern Ireland's Brexit deal with the EU. Polls suggest that the DUP could come second to Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein's, and the DUP wishes to avoid losing votes to other unionist parties or the Alliance Party. Counting begins on Friday.
The UK may be behind on robot use, coming in 24th in rankings despite sitting in ninth place for largest manufacturing nations on earth, meaning much value is being left untapped by the lack of digital infrastructure robotisation requires, said Schneider Electric. "Put simply, we need to up our digitalisation game," said Mark Yeeles, regional marketing leader for the UK and Ireland at Schneider Electric, adding companies must digitalise to survive and thrive and altering the existing engineering and fix-it mentality is crucial.
England cricketer James Anderson has stated he will sit out the country's first test of the summer against Ireland but is confident a groin strain will not force him to miss next month's Ashes opener. Anderson's absence creates opportunities elsewhere with Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts keen to get back into the side. Anderson was making his fourth appearance of the county season when he sustained the injury, taking 16 wickets, and he believes he will be fit for the Ireland Test on 1 June.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has pledged that the UK government will ensure trade can continue to flow freely between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. His comments were made in response to concerns from the Democratic Unionist Party, which claims that the continued application of EU law in Northern Ireland presents a barrier to such trade. The UK and EU agreed the Windsor pact earlier this year in a bid to resolve trading issues resulting from the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Researchers have discovered that cheap gene sequencing technology that lets scientists harvest an organism’s “environmental DNA” (eDNA) from urine, fur, shed skin cells and water is also capable of monitoring human DNA. In a Nature Ecology & Evolution paper, scientists found large quantities of matched human DNA from samples taken in Florida and Ireland and were able to deduce things about the humans in question. By studying eDNA, ecologists can monitor which species live where, however, they now face ethical issues around uncovering information about human DNA.
