Whirlpool warns of ‘recession-level’ slump as Iran war and tariff ruling hit sales

Appliance giant slashes earnings forecast and hikes prices by 10% with another 4% spike planned

With the war in Iran and economic concerns putting pressure on consumers and how they spend their money, Whirlpool is having to adjust to Americans delaying big-ticket purchases while also raising prices to help stabilize its North American business.

The company known for brands such as KitchenAid, Maytag and its namesake, said that the Iran war led to a “recession-level industry decline” in America as consumer confidence collapsed in late February and March. Revenue dropped nearly 10% in the quarter as sales of major appliances in North America declined more than 7%.

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Who is Kumanjayi Little Baby and why has her death caused outrage in Australia?

The BBC's Katy Watson explains the case, the cultural sensitivities and why it has caused so much anger.

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Influencer Clavicular faces charges in Florida tied to alligator shooting video

Video shows ‘looksmaxxing’ influencer shooting an apparently already dead alligator in the Everglades

A controversial social media influencer known as Clavicular is facing charges in connection with a live stream showing him shooting an apparently already dead alligator in the Everglades, local Florida media has reported.

Clavicular, whose real name is Braden Eric Peters and is known for the practice of “looksmaxxing”, faces charges of unlawfully discharging a firearm in a public place or residential property, according to legal files obtained by television station ABC6 in South Florida. The charges stem from his alleged actions in a 26 March live stream.

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US and tech firms strike deal to review AI models for national security before public release

Microsoft, Google DeepMind and xAI products to be vetted for cybersecurity, biosecurity and chemical weapons risks

The US government has struck deals with Google DeepMind, Microsoft and xAI to review early versions of their new AI models before they are released to the public.

The Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI), part of the US Department of Commerce, announced the agreements on Tuesday, saying the review process would be key to understanding the capabilities of new and powerful AI models as well as to protecting US national security. These collaborations will help the federal government “scale (its) work in the public interest at a critical moment”, the agency said in a press release.

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Rapper Kid Cudi fires MIA from tour after ‘offensive’ Republican rant

The British artist was booed after identifying as a Republican voter while on stage in Dallas

Rapper Kid Cudi has fired MIA from his tour after the British artist went on a rant that went viral while on stage in Dallas.

While opening up for the hip-hop artist on 2 May, MIA was booed after saying, “I’ve been canceled for many reasons. I never thought I would be canceled for being a brown Republican voter,” as reported by Variety.

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Teens storm Scientology church in New York in latest ‘speed running’ incident

Group broke through locked door in Manhattan, damaging property and injuring a staff member, church says

A group of youths forced their way into a Scientology church in New York on Saturday in the latest in a string of nationwide “speed running” incidents that have gone viral on social media in recent weeks.

The group broke through a locked door to gain entry to the Church of Scientology on West 36th Street in Manhattan, throwing objects, damaging the property and injuring a staff member as worshippers and visitors attended a seminar, the church said in a statement to the Guardian.

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Germany troop cuts send wrong signal to Russia, say two top US Republicans

The chairs of the House and Senate armed services committees said withdrawing 5,000 service personnel risked undermining deterrence.

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Laufey on making jazz cool again (and the fish that brought out her inner rage)

The Icelandic star reflects on a phenomenal year, and the music video that let her go "primal".

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Man charged over bomb hoax after Peter Kay show evacuated

Arena in Birmingham cleared after report of suspicious bag, with comedian pulled from stage mid-performance

A man has been charged over a bomb hoax after a live show by comedian Peter Kay in Birmingham was stopped when a “potentially suspicious bag” was found around the venue.

The Utilita Arena Birmingham was evacuated and a 19-year-old man was taken into custody, West Midlands police said on Friday evening.

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Political blame game begins and passengers left adrift after Spirit ceases operations

Republicans blame Biden administration block on JetBlue deal; Democrats point to fuel price surge amid Iran war

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US airlines and government officials battled on Saturday to deal with stranded passengers and stricken employees after discount carrier Spirit Airlines abruptly ceased operations – and a political and business blame game got under way over the collapse of the low-cost carrier.

“If you have a flight scheduled with Spirit Airlines, don’t show up at the airport; there will be no one here to assist you,” the US secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, warned at a press conference after laying out measures for customers booked with the Florida-based company to obtain refunds or find discounted flights on other airlines.

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