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Physicists just witnessed pinpricks of darkness moving faster than the speed of light ‪—‬ without breaking the laws of relativity– www.livescience.com

pgnewser April 14, 2026 0

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For the first time, researchers have detected empty voids moving faster than the speed of light — and they blazed past that cosmic speed limit without breaking the laws of relativity.

A recent study shows the voids’ acceleration. Researchers used recent advances in ultrafast electron microscopy to measure voids in phonon-polariton waves zooming around inside a thin flake of boron nitride. Phonon-polaritons are quasiparticles formed from photons (quantized light) coupled with tiny vibrations, and they act like light and sound waves combined.

Iran war escalation could trigger global recession, IMF warns | Global economy– www.theguardian.com

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A further escalation in the Iran war could trigger a global recession, spiralling inflation and a sharp backlash in financial markets, the International Monetary Fund has warned.

Against an increasingly volatile backdrop, the Washington-based fund said the economic damage from the Middle East conflict was steadily rising as it cut its growth forecasts for 2026 based on the impact from the war so far.

In its half-yearly update, the IMF said the UK would suffer the sharpest growth downgrade and joint highest inflation rate in the G7 this year, even if the fallout from soaring energy costs can be contained by the middle of 2026.

However, under a worst-case “severe scenario,” involving a drawn-out war and persistently higher energy prices, it said the world would face “a close call for a global recession” for only the fifth time since 1980.

Oil prices jumped back above $100 (£74) a barrel on Monday amid choppy trading in global markets after crunch weekend talks between the US and Iran ended in stalemate and as a US blockade on the strait of Hormuz began. On Tuesday, Brent crude eased 0.9% to $98.5 a barrel on hopes of further peace talks.

You Can Soon Buy a $4,370 Humanoid Robot on AliExpress– www.wired.com

pgnewser April 14, 2026 0

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Listing consumer electronics on the internet’s large ecommerce marketplaces is a key step in “democratizing” the products, allowing them to be purchased by anyone with just a click. It has happened to cars (in the United States, you can buy a Hyundai on Amazon), and now it’s happening to humanoid robots.

The Chinese manufacturer Unitree Robotics, among the most active robot-makers in the field, is preparing to bring its most affordable model, the Unitree R1, to international markets through Alibaba Group’s marketplace. According to reports in The South China Morning Post, the rollout will initially cover North America, Japan, Singapore, and Europe. There’s no exact on-sale date for the robots yet, but the Post report says it will show up as soon as this week.

This is not the first time Unitree has used AliExpress as a global storefront. The company’s G1 model, the more powerful and more expensive predecessor to the R1, is already listed at just under $19,000.

U.S. defense contractors are getting a huge share of taxpayer dollars– www.yahoo.com

pgnewser April 14, 2026 0

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Except for Medicare, Medicaid, and interest on the national debt, defense contractors are getting the biggest share of Ohioans’ federal tax dollars, according to a new analysis.

Medicare and Medicaid provide health care to more than 144 million Americans, and paying interest on the $39 trillion national debt isn’t really optional. However, policymakers choose to spend nearly $900 billion a year on defense, and allow the Pentagon to ship 54% of that off to wealthy defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin — sometimes for weapons systems of questionable military value.

If you look at the federal tax bill of the average American, that person is giving those contractors more than he or she is paying for food and agriculture, school lunches, housing and urban development, disaster relief and national parks and the environment combined, according to the Institute for Policy Studies’ 2026 Tax Day report.

Indonesia, US sign ‘major’ defence cooperation agreement | Military News– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser April 14, 2026 0

Indonesia, US sign ‘major’ defence cooperation agreement | Military News– www.aljazeera.com
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Signing of defence partnership follows reports that Washington is seeking overflight access in Indonesia for US military planes.

⁠US ⁠Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ⁠has hailed the establishment of a “major defence cooperation partnership” with Indonesia, saying it underscores the “strength and potential” of ties with Jakarta to maintain stability in the Asia Pacific region.

Hegseth hosted Indonesian Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin at the Pentagon on Monday, where the deal was signed.

‘Mr Satan’ YouTube account leads feds to armed man who plotted against Trump– www.foxnews.com

pgnewser April 14, 2026 0

‘Mr Satan’ YouTube account leads feds to armed man who plotted against Trump– www.foxnews.com
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A Butler, Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty to making threats to assassinate President Donald Trump, other U.S. officials and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Shawn Monper, 32, pleaded guilty on Monday to two counts of threatening to assault and murder U.S. officials and federal law enforcement officers with intent to impede or retaliate against them while they were carrying out their duties.

Law enforcement officials arrested Monper on April 9, 2025, after launching an investigation into threats posted on YouTube by a user identified as “Mr Satan.”

The FBI was notified about Monper’s YouTube account on April 8, 2025, and was able to link it to his home in Butler.

Universe is expanding faster than expected: Scientists struggle to explain cosmic acceleration |– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

pgnewser April 14, 2026 0

Universe is expanding faster than expected: Scientists struggle to explain cosmic acceleration |– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Not only is the Universe expanding, but its expansion is actually happening at a speed higher than was thought possible until recently. For many years now, physicists have been trying to establish the speed of galaxy movement through the Hubble constant. But the different measurement results have posed a dilemma for modern physics, and it seems like there is an inconsistency somewhere within our universe. The problem that lies before physicists is commonly known as the “Hubble tension” problem, and, despite recent discoveries and more detailed observations, it still lacks explanation.

Europe Is Getting Poorer, and Some Think Its Poverty Spikes Could Spark Revolution– www.cbn.com

pgnewser April 14, 2026 0

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FRANKFURT, Germany – One of the major reasons for the creation of the European Union was to make Europeans wealthier. Along the way, however, something went seriously wrong.

Europeans are becoming poorer compared to Americans, who are becoming richer.

One in five Germans now faces the risk of imminent poverty in what has long been one of the world’s wealthiest nations.

In France, the poverty rate has hit a 30-year high.

Why the U.S. is blockading the Strait of Hormuz and NATO doesn’t want in – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser April 14, 2026 0

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The United States military issued a warning Monday that it will be enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports on the Gulf of Oman — east of the Strait of Hormuz — as ceasefire negotiations with Iran broke down over the weekend, U.S. Central Command said in a notice to seafarers.

The notice said the blockade would begin at 10 a.m. eastern, following a proclamation from U.S. President Donald Trump. The Gulf of Oman is a strategic body of water in the Arabian Sea, which lies just east of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has been blocking to most international shipping traffic for weeks.

“The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” the U.S. military notice said.

US stands alone as Iran, China join key UN bodies over objections– www.foxnews.com

pgnewser April 14, 2026 0

US stands alone as Iran, China join key UN bodies over objections– www.foxnews.com
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Western democracies, including the UK, France, Canada and Australia, are facing backlash after allowing Iran and other authoritarian regimes to secure seats on influential United Nations (U.N.) bodies, with the United States standing alone in opposition.

The controversy stems from decisions by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a 54-member body that plays a central role in shaping U.N. policy and staffing key committees.

Critics warn the outcome could allow governments accused of human rights abuses to influence global policy and control which civil society groups are granted access to the United Nations.

Spain pushes China to assume global leadership role during Iran war– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser April 13, 2026 0

Spain pushes China to assume global leadership role during Iran war– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday pushed China to embrace a larger role on the world stage as Europe increasingly turns to Beijing amid growing tensions with the United States.

Sanchez’s speech at Beijing’s Tsinghua University follows recent moves from the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and others to tighten ties with China after the Trump administration redefined its relationship with Europe, leading many allies to question Washington’s commitment to long-standing alliances.

On the day before he is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Sanchez pushed back against the notion that Europe holds little value and called on China to help fill what he described as a new power vacuum left by the U.S.

“Europe may seem small on a map. But its weight is decisive, and its unity is a guarantee of stability and prosperity in the world, a world that cannot be understood without China,” Sanchez said. “We are called upon to understand one another and to cooperate.”

“Europe ⁠will also have to redouble its efforts, especially now that the United States has decided to withdraw from many of these fronts,” he added.

Stanford scientists discover “natural Ozempic” without side effects– www.sciencedaily.com

pgnewser April 13, 2026 0

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Scientists at Stanford Medicine have identified a naturally occurring molecule that appears to mimic some of the weight loss effects of semaglutide, the drug widely known as Ozempic. In animal studies, the molecule reduced appetite and body weight while avoiding several common side effects such as nausea, constipation, and muscle loss.

The molecule, called BRP, works through a different but related biological pathway and activates distinct groups of neurons in the brain. This suggests it may offer a more precise way to control appetite and metabolism.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s home allegedly targeted in second attack in two days, cops make 2 arrests– nypost.com

pgnewser April 13, 2026 0

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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s San Francisco home was allegedly targeted for the second time in two days – and cops have made two arrests.

A Honda car had been near Altman’s $27 million Russian Hill mansion early Sunday morning – before pulling up outside and a shot was fired from the vehicle’s passenger window, the San Francisco Standard reported.

Iran war’s global energy crisis sharpens China’s advantage in clean tech– abcnews.com

pgnewser April 13, 2026 0

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HONG KONG — China is poised to benefit from the Iran war as global energy disruptions accelerate a shift away from fossil fuels and toward clean technologies and renewable power, industries that China dominates.

Most of the oil and gas from the now mostly shut Strait of Hormuz was Asia-bound. Asian nations are scrambling to conserve energy and bolster dwindling reserves. As a temporary ceasefire teeters, gasoline prices in the U.S. and Europe are spiking.

While most of Asia is hit hard, China will likely benefit from the fossil fuel disruptions despite being the biggest purchaser of Iranian oil. China leads the world in battery, solar and electric vehicle exports, and its industries are forecast to face a rise in demand for renewable products.

Before the start of the Iran war in late February, China’s lead in clean technologies was lengthening. The U.S. under President Donald Trump scaled back on renewable energy and leaned on its vast oil and gas resources, promoting energy exports to achieve what Trump described as “energy dominance.”

Scientists were wrong about lifespan. Your genes matter way more than we thought– www.sciencedaily.com

pgnewser April 13, 2026 0

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What influences how long we live, and how much of that is written in our genes? For many years, scientists believed genetics played only a modest role. Earlier estimates suggested that inherited factors explained about 20 to 25 percent of lifespan differences, and some large studies even placed the number below 10 percent.

A new study from the Weizmann Institute of Science, published in Science, challenges that long-standing view. The researchers report that genetics may account for roughly half of the variation in human lifespan, which is at least double previous estimates. The study was led by Ben Shenhar from the lab of Prof. Uri Alon in Weizmann’s Molecular Cell Biology Department.

Oil prices soar as US Navy to blockade Iranian ports in Strait of Hormuz today– www.mirror.co.uk

pgnewser April 13, 2026 0

Blurb:

Oil prices have rocketed in early market trading after the US announced it would blockade Iranian ports.

The US military has confirmed it will halt all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports, with the measure taking effect at 10am ET (2pm GMT) today.

US crude oil prices surged eight per cent to $104.24 a barrel in early trading, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed seven per cent to $102.29.