Southwest Power Pool Announces Expansion of Service Territory
Southwest Power Pool (SPP) officially expanded its service territory on April 1, 2026, becoming the first regional transmission organization to operate across both the Eastern and Western Interconnections. The expansion now covers roughly 732,000 square miles in 17 states, serving about 20 million people. Nine load‑serving utilities in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming joined the RTO, gaining access to a larger wholesale market and diversified generation resources. SPP officials say the move will enhance reliability, lower costs, and support the transition to a cleaner energy mix.
JP Morgan's Pool of Hybrid Mortgages Backs $349.2 Million in RMBS
JP Morgan has launched a $349.2 million residential mortgage‑backed security (RMBS) backed by a pool of 244 hybrid adjustable‑rate mortgages. The JP Morgan Mortgage Trust 2026‑HYB1 uses a modified sequential repayment waterfall, diverging from the conventional senior‑subordinate, shifting‑interest structure. The securities are...
New York Funds $50 Million More for Renewables Workforce Development
New York has added $50 million to its clean‑energy workforce initiative, bringing total funding to $320 million. The money backs the Clean Energy Career Pathways Training and Technical Skills Training and Upskilling programs administered by NYSERDA. The state already hosts over 6 GW...
Spain’s MiDNI Mobile App Now Legally Valid for In-Person Identification
Spain’s MiDNI mobile app has become a legally valid substitute for the physical national identity card in face‑to‑face verification as of April 2 2026. The app, available on Android and iOS, connects to National Police servers and issues digitally signed identity data...
Baker Hughes Total Rig Count 548 versus 543 Previously
U.S. drilling activity nudged higher this week as Baker Hughes reported a total rig count of 548, up from 543 the prior week. Oil rigs increased to 411, while natural‑gas rigs rose to 430. Crude oil prices jumped to $110.75...
Ethio Telecom Launches teleSign Mobile Identity and Document Authentication Platform
Ethio Telecom has launched teleSign, a mobile‑first digital signature and identity verification platform that lets Ethiopian citizens and diaspora authenticate legal documents and access government services online. The service, live since March 30, integrates AI‑powered video verification, liveness detection, and the...
Knitting Factory Entertainment and The Finn Group Partner To Operate Baltimore’s Pier Six Pavilion
Knitting Factory Entertainment has partnered with Baltimore‑based Finn Group to jointly operate the city‑owned Pier Six Pavilion, a 4,600‑seat waterfront amphitheater. The agreement places veteran talent buyer Peter J. Manning in charge of bookings, leveraging his two decades of experience...
Govt Imposes Import Curbs on All Articles of Gold, Silver, Platinum
The Indian government has imposed a blanket import ban on all articles of gold, silver and platinum, overriding any existing contracts, letters of credit or advance payments. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced the revision of Chapter 71 of the...
US Seeks Bids for 10mn Bl Crude Release From SPR
The U.S. Department of Energy announced a second round of exchange contracts to loan up to 10 million barrels of sour crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, with 2 million barrels available in April and 8 million in May. Companies must return the...
Newfoundland Snow Crab Harvesters Union Decries Price-Setting Process Once Again as Season Closes In
Newfoundland’s Fish Food and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) has again denounced the provincial snow‑crab price‑setting process as inadequate, accusing the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) of offering a price below last year’s level despite a stronger market. After 13 hours...
Chemists Make Hydrogen From Breadcrumbs in Groundbreaking Reaction that Could Replace some Fossil Fuels
Chemists at the University of Edinburgh have demonstrated a hybrid bio‑catalytic process that turns bread crumbs into hydrogen for hydrogenation reactions. By pairing E. coli that ferment waste‑derived glucose with a palladium catalyst, the team achieved a 94% yield of the...
IndianOil Boosts Auto LPG Supply in Karnataka Amid Surge in Demand
Indian Oil Corporation Limited has ramped up its auto‑LPG supply in Karnataka as demand spikes following the shutdown of more than 300 private outlets. The state‑wide network now operates 55 Auto LPG Dispensing Stations, handling an average of 59.53 metric...
Founders Metals Makes First Discovery at Antino North; Drills 17.22 G/T Au over 3.6 M Within 24.6 M of 2.81...
Founders Metals announced its first drill hole in the Antino North area of southeastern Suriname, intersecting 17.22 g/t gold over 3.6 m within a broader 24.6 m interval grading 2.81 g/t, starting just 1.5 m below surface. The high‑grade, near‑surface intercept confirms the presence of...
Brazilian Banks to Verify Satellite Deforestation Data for Rural Credit
Brazilian banks will now verify satellite‑derived deforestation data before granting rural credit, a rule that takes effect on Wednesday. The requirement forces lenders to cross‑check properties against a government registry covering illegal clear‑cutting since July 2019, using imagery from the National...
Raise up the Decapitated Head of the Goddess of Love in a Flower Pot in the Charmingly Silly Tomak: Save...
Tomak: Save the Earth Regeneration, a 25‑year‑old simulation game, has been re‑released for free on the Epic Games Store. The quirky title tasks players with caring for the disembodied head of the love goddess Evian, who lives in a flower...
NABLF Welcomes Staab, Hartman To Board
The National Association of Broadcasting Leadership Foundation (NABLF) appointed Valari Dobson Staab, chairman of NBCUniversal Local, and Todd Hartman, executive vice president of Kalil & Co., to its Board of Directors. Staab oversees NBCUniversal Local’s portfolio of 50 media properties,...
Kroenig Published in The DailyWire on US Options in Iran
Atlantic Council vice‑president Matthew Kroenig appeared on The Daily Wire to argue that the United States has already met its core objectives in the ongoing conflict with Iran. He claims Iran’s military capacity has been significantly weakened over the past...
Elite Media Technologies Selects Interra Systems’ BATON QC Solution
Interra Systems announced that Elite Media Technologies has chosen its BATON file‑based quality‑control platform for its master‑level audio, video and IMF/DCP workflows. Elite highlighted BATON’s automated audio‑video analysis, scalable architecture, and support for both SDR and HDR content as key...
Transaction in Own Shares
Shell plc announced on 2 April 2026 that it repurchased 858,749 shares for cancellation across four European venues as part of its on‑ and off‑market buy‑back programme. The UK‑listed portion (405,064 shares) was bought on the LSE, Chi‑X and BATS at an...
L3Harris Taps Mercury Systems for High-Capacity Data Storage on SDA Tranche 3 Satellites
On April 2, 2026, Mercury Systems won a contract from L3Harris Technologies to provide advanced solid‑state data recorders for the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 3 Tracking Layer. The SSDRs are the highest‑capacity, radiation‑tolerant units in a 3U VPX form factor, delivering...
Sundaram Clayton Corrects Governance Lapse in Company Secretary Appointment
Sundaram Clayton is addressing a corporate‑governance lapse involving its Company Secretary, PD Dev Kishan, by converting his short‑term secondment into a full‑time Key Managerial Personnel role. The move also shifts his reporting line from TVS Holding’s CFO to Sundaram Clayton’s own hierarchy....
Two Neutral IVUS Trials in Complex PCI—And One Positive—Spark Debate
Three recent randomized trials compared intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) with angiography for guiding complex percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Only DKCRUSH VIII, which focused on true bifurcation lesions, demonstrated a 60% relative reduction in 1‑year target‑vessel failure. The European OPTIMAL and IVUS‑CHIP studies,...
Wyclef Jean and Jaeson Ma’s D2C Service OpenWav Launches Snafu-Backed Indie Artist Financing Platform
OpenWav, the direct‑to‑fan platform co‑founded by Wyclef Jean and Jaeson Ma, has unveiled OpenWav Artist Bank, a financing service that offers independent musicians cash advances ranging from low five figures to high seven figures. The program, built with AI‑driven catalog...
Hamas Wants Guarantees of Israeli Troop Withdrawal Before Disarmament Talks, Sources Say
Hamas told mediators it will not discuss disarmament without guarantees that Israel fully withdraws from Gaza, as outlined in President Trump’s Board of Peace plan. The group presented demands to Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish envoys, insisting on an end to...
General Device’s User Spotlight: Arizona — Improving Pediatric Patient Care
Phoenix Children’s Hospital upgraded its telecommunications infrastructure with General Device’s CAREpoint ED Workstation to satisfy Arizona Base Hospital certification, enabling advanced life‑support direction for incoming EMS crews. The solution integrates radio voice and video recording, real‑time data monitoring, management reporting,...
LiveRamp Extends Partnership with Unity
LiveRamp has broadened its collaboration with Unity, integrating its RampID identity solution into Unity Exchange. The move gives marketers access to Unity’s mobile ecosystem of 2.9 billion monthly active devices globally and 256 million in the United States. By leveraging first‑party data,...
Smaller “Shallow-Bay” Warehouse Space Sees Rising Demand
Demand for shallow‑bay industrial space—buildings under 50,000 square feet with 14‑28 foot clear heights—is accelerating as service‑oriented users and last‑mile distributors seek smaller formats. Vacancy rates for these properties fell 2.5 percentage points below the overall industrial average by early...
Kisumu Court Halts Knut Elections Meant for Friday
The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kisumu issued a temporary injunction halting the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) elections slated for April 2‑3, 2026. The order follows a notice of motion filed by George Anyona Arek and will remain in...
New Rowhammer Attacks Give Complete Control of Machines Running Nvidia GPUs
Researchers have unveiled two GPU‑focused Rowhammer attacks, GDDRHammer and GeForge, that can flip bits in Nvidia Ampere‑generation GDDR memory and gain arbitrary read/write access to CPU RAM. By massaging GPU page‑table allocations, the exploits break isolation and open a root...
Hawke’s Bay Energy Summit to Tackle Rising Power Costs and Supply Risks
The Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce is convening an Energy Summit after a survey of its Leaders Circle identified soaring energy costs as the region’s top business concern. Recent events—including Pan Pac’s two‑week pulp‑mill shutdown when wholesale electricity spiked to...
The Charts Are Showing Solar Stocks Will Keep Soaring After a Strong Start to the Year
Solar-focused Invesco Solar ETF (TAN) has surged 16% year‑to‑date and 62% since President Trump’s return, outperforming most sectors. Technical analysis shows the fund trading between $52 and $60, with MACD and RSI turning positive, indicating a likely continuation of the...
Mitsubishi Electric Enters ROHM–Toshiba Chip Integration Talks
Mitsubishi Electric has signed a memorandum of understanding to discuss integrating its power‑device operations with the semiconductor businesses of ROHM and Toshiba Electronic Devices, alongside Japan Industrial Partners and TBJ Holdings. The talks aim to create a globally competitive semiconductor...
Coca-Cola Unites Foodservice Partners in Latest Campaign
On April 2, 2026, Coca‑Cola launched the U.S. “And a Coke” campaign, uniting 13 major food‑service partners such as Arby’s, Domino’s and Wendy’s. The campaign, debuting in cinemas on April 3, features three TV spots that culminate with the tagline...
Terabase Energy Invests in Automation and Engineering to Streamline Solar Construction
Terabase Energy’s upgraded Terafab V2 system has completed field testing and is now ready for commercial deployment, using AI‑assisted robotics to assemble and place solar panel‑tracker modules on‑site. The automated line can process assemblies in two‑minute cycles, potentially delivering 20 MW...
Komatsu Germany Mining Division Announces Global Launch of PC9000-12 Hydraulic Mining Excavator
Komatsu Germany Mining Division has launched the PC9000-12, the biggest hydraulic excavator in its PC series, for global sale after a successful debut in Canada. The machine can be equipped with diesel Tier 4, unregulated diesel, or electric drive, and is...
Algeria to Launch New 2026 Onshore Auction
Algeria announced a second onshore licensing round slated for April 19, aiming to attract roughly $60 billion in upstream investment between 2025 and 2029. The initiative seeks to expand the country’s oil and gas output, reinforcing its role as a critical energy...
Raven Software Cofounder Retires After 36 Years, Reminding People Of All The Cool Stuff It Used To Make Before Call...
Brian Raffel, co‑founder of Raven Software, announced his retirement after a 36‑year career that began with the 1990 title Black Crypt. The studio, once celebrated for classic fantasy shooters like Heretic and Hexen as well as licensed hits such as X‑Men...
7 (Actually Good) Things to Watch on Netflix in April
Netflix's April lineup showcases a mix of high‑profile series, documentaries, and genre films aimed at retaining subscribers and attracting new viewers. The platform debuts "Beef" season two, an anthology shift starring Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan, while adding the soccer...
Loans in Focus: Cheyne Issues €288.6m in Paris; London’s Olympia Receives £925m Refinancing; CTP Secures Loan for Vietnamese Expansion
Cheyne Capital has extended a €288.6 million loan to fund a value‑add reposition of a Parisian property, while Deutsche Bank refinanced London’s Olympia tower with a £925 million (≈€1.1 billion) secured loan. SMBC led an Asian lender consortium to provide CTP, a logistics...
How Decathlon Plans to Reach One Billion Customers by 2030s
French sports retailer Decathlon posted strong financial results in 2025, with gross merchandise volume reaching €20.7 bn (about $22.6 bn) and net revenue climbing 4% to €16.8 bn ($18.3 bn). Operating profit surged 21% to €1.8 bn ($2.0 bn) and net profit rose 16% to €910 m...
McCoy’s Building Supply Hops Into Spring with Family-Friendly Event
McCoy’s Building Supply celebrated the arrival of spring with a nationwide Easter‑themed "Hop To It" event on April 2, 2026. Families were invited to store locations to decorate 1‑gallon buckets using stickers and markers, while each site added photo backdrops,...
Gas Prices Boosting and Biting State Budgets
Crude oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel, delivering a short‑term windfall for oil‑producing states that rely on severance taxes. Alaska’s revenue forecast rose to $6.5 billion, up $0.5 billion from the prior estimate, while North Dakota and Alaska already collect...
Emirates NBD Gets RBI Nod to Acquire up to 74% Stake in RBL Bank
Emirates NBD has secured Reserve Bank of India approval to acquire up to 74% of RBL Bank’s paid‑up share capital, with a mandatory minimum holding of 51%. The deal, valued at roughly $3 billion for a 60% controlling stake, triggers a...
Civil Aviation Ministry Puts on Hold Free 60% Seat Rule for Airlines
The Indian civil aviation ministry has suspended its earlier directive requiring airlines to offer 60 percent of seats free of charge. The pause follows airline objections over operational and commercial impacts, particularly on fare structures. The ministry cited the need to...
Washington Repeals Aircraft Tax Before It Takes Effect
Washington state repealed a 10% luxury aircraft tax slated for April 1, 2026, replacing it with a 7‑cent‑per‑gallon increase in the aviation fuel tax and modest hikes in aircraft registration fees. Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the replacement bill on March...
Georgia Power Breaks Ground on 1 GWh BESS Near Existing Solar Site
Georgia Power has broken ground on a 260 MW battery energy storage system with just over 1 GWh capacity adjacent to its existing solar farm near Wadley, Georgia. Burns & McDonnell will build the BESS, targeting completion in 2027. The storage will capture...
TaxTec, Proxymity and Label Launch End-to-End MiKaDiv Fix
TaxTec, Proxymity and Label announced a strategic partnership to deliver the industry’s first fully connected, end‑to‑end solution for MiKaDiv withholding‑tax compliance. The joint offering links issuer, custodian and investor data, validates it across the custody chain, and produces schema‑driven regulatory...
First National Hospitality Industry Survey: The Time to Hire an IDD Workforce Is Now
A new national survey of 633 U.S. hospitality leaders reveals an "inclusion paradox": most managers believe hiring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) improves reliability and culture, yet actual hiring remains low. The Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s pilot training...
Smaller “Shallow-Bay” Warehouse Space Sees Rising Demand
Demand for shallow‑bay industrial space—buildings under 50,000 sq ft with 14‑28 ft clear heights—is accelerating as service‑oriented and last‑mile users seek smaller formats. Vacancy rates for these properties have fallen below the broader industrial average, creating a tight market where rents have risen...
Overwatch's 2026 April Fools' Hero Changes Are so Good They Should Be Permanent
Blizzard’s Overwatch April Fools’ mode, Underwatch, introduces wildly altered hero kits that many players deem worthy of permanence. Cassidy’s “hello” emote now fires unlimited piercing bullets, while Junker Queen’s gun shoots knives, dramatically changing her playstyle. Other heroes, such as Moira,...