Meet three incoming EU lawmakers in charge of key tech policy areasHOUSEHOLDS face paying higher energy bills before they drop in price in the drive for clean energy, Ed Miliband has hinted. The Energy Secretary says consumers will see costs eventually fall but didn’t rule out costs rising in the short-term in the push to decarbonise the grid by 2030. But the Tories say the “rush” to wean the electricity system off fossil fuels by the end of the decade will cause more hardship for Brits. Proposals show the government and private firms will spend £40 billion each year as part of the eco move with a pledge to bring down bills by up to £300 in five years. He said: “I can’t guarantee what’s going to happen to bills next month, because we’re in the grip of the international fossil fuel markets .” The Cabinet Minister also said he will be able to bypass any local opposition to build onshore wind farms - with decisions previously left to councils . READ MORE ON POLITICS A predicted rise in 2025 is set to mark the third consecutive hike for energy costs after Ofgem raised its price cap in October. The energy regulator also confirmed last month the cost of yearly energy bills will rise by around £21 to £1,738 come January. And now experts at Cornwall Insights forecast the average dual fuel bill for those not on a fixed deal will rise from £1,738 to £1,762 in April. Analysts at the firm said "continued uncertainty" regarding the future of the Russia-Ukraine conflict could impact wholesale prices. Most read in MoneyHajdu and First Nations discuss ‘stress’ of winter roads

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Andrej Stojakovic converted 11 of 15 from the free throw line and scored 20 points as California held off a late rally to post an 83-77 win over Sacramento State in the Cal Classic tournament on Sunday. Cal came into its tournament without three starters, Jovan Blacksher Jr., DJ Campbell and BJ Omot and the Golden Bears earned back-to-back wins over Air Force and the Hornets. Stojakovic scored a career-high 21 points and freshman guard Jeremiah Wilkinson stepped up with career-best 23 points against the Falcons. Against Sacramento State, Wilkinson came off the bench to score 16 points. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.THE COMMUNITY has been invited to have their say on a 10-year roadmap for Newcastle's future. Login or signup to continue reading The City of Newcastle has updated its Community Strategic Plan, Newcastle 2040, to ensure it continues to align with Novocastrians' vision for a liveable, sustainable and inclusive global city. Lord mayor Ross Kerridge said the updated plan is an important step in ensuring Newcastle remains aligned with the community's aspirations and priorities. "Newcastle 2040 is a 10-year roadmap identifying where we are now, where we want to be in the future, and how we'll get there," he said. "It's a plan that represents the community's shared vision for Newcastle, bringing together who we are, what we love, our challenges, and our opportunities." Newcastle's population is expected to grow to 205,445 across 52 suburbs by 2046. A least 84 per cent of people who responded to a council survey on the plan said it aligns with their hopes for the future. The plan sets out four main priorities; creating a city that is liveable, creative, sustainable and one where goals are achieved together. Cr Kerridge said since the plan was initially adopted, the council has delivered projects that enhance livability and inclusivity, including local centre upgrades, improved safety for pedestrians and cyclists and investments in infrastructure like sports facilities and stormwater drainage. "We've also made strides in sustainability through climate action and initiatives to achieve net-zero emissions," he said. "The review process aims to ensure these efforts remain aligned with community expectations and contribute to the continued success of Newcastle." Public exhibition is open until January 30, 2025 and submissions can be made on the council's website. Community members who get involved by either completing the online survey or sharing what they love about Newcastle with a text, photo or video submission have the chance to win a share of $1,500 in prizes. Madeline Link is a born and bred Novocastrian who started her career as a journalist in the New England North West in 2016. She is an experienced council and court reporter, former deputy editor of the Northern Daily Leader and two-time Kennedy Award finalist. In unrelated incidents, she previously reported on country music in Australia's country music capital and was once flung across Lake Macquarie in a power boat at more than 100 kilometres per hour. Maddie now works at the Newcastle Herald with a focus on Newcastle council. To keep up with my stories, follow my X @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au. Madeline Link is a born and bred Novocastrian who started her career as a journalist in the New England North West in 2016. She is an experienced council and court reporter, former deputy editor of the Northern Daily Leader and two-time Kennedy Award finalist. In unrelated incidents, she previously reported on country music in Australia's country music capital and was once flung across Lake Macquarie in a power boat at more than 100 kilometres per hour. Maddie now works at the Newcastle Herald with a focus on Newcastle council. To keep up with my stories, follow my X @madeline_link, for tips email madeline.link@newcastleherald.com.au. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. 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Fresh daily!continues to rank among the biggest TV shows available to stream at the moment, thanks to the long-awaited debut of the second half of Season 5 — which, it’s worth noting, is also proving to be the lowest-rated among fans of the hit neo-Western. On the other hand, critics love it. I mean, love it. At least compared to fans. Just look at the huge split in — an 82% from critics and a truly abysmal 40% from fans for the current season. Yikes. Then again, the show was kind of always like that, only it was fans who were raving about it in the beginning and critics who turned up their noses at first at what they dismissed as a Red State . Too soapy, too of-the-people to rank among the big, important TV shows of the moment. Well, we all know what happened next. Just take a look at this week’s latest ranking from of the top TV shows of the week. For the second week in a row, is the biggest show of all — even with the abrupt death and departure of star Kevin Costner’s character from the show last week. Sign up for the most interesting tech & entertainment news out there. By signing up, I agree to the and have reviewed the Here’s Reelgood’s latest ranking of the hottest TV shows (for the 7-day period that ended on Nov. 20): It must be stressed again, however, that the new season of Paramount’s hit show is being shredded online by legions of fans. The complaints include everything from the fifth season’s pace to political plotlines, reduced screen time for Costner, and an increasing tendency toward soapiness — in the form of, for example, overly dramatic family spats and exaggerated villains. “I would use the analogy of a football team,” actor Ian Bohen, who plays the Dutton’s hired ranch worker Ryan, at the CMA Awards in recent days regarding Costner’s departure. “If your quarterback gets hurt and he has to come out of the game, you have to play. So you gotta figure out another way to run the ball or throw the ball or just do different things because you can’t quit. So that’s what happened. We lost our quarterback and we still have to play the game.” Luckily, there’s plenty more content available to stream this week that viewers aren’t trashing or feel has lost its mojo. Along those lines, Reelgood monitors 20 million viewing decisions each month across every streaming platform in the US, from to , , , , , , and . That makes its ranking always an interesting snapshot, to say the least, given that it encompasses so many platforms and thus offers an indication of what’s hot from across the streaming world. Besides , other hit series dominating the ranking this week include Peacock’s new spy drama , which just got renewed for a second season (check out our interview with star Eddie Redmayne ). And speaking of : Its creator is also behind two other TV shows for Paramount+ that are likewise crushing it on streaming this week — the newly debuted , and .

US President-elect Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte convened in Palm Beach, Florida, to deliberate on pressing global security issues, according to a Saturday statement from NATO. This marked Rutte's inaugural meeting with Trump following the latter's election win on November 5. Their discussion notably came against the backdrop of Trump's historical skepticism towards NATO, having previously criticized the defense spending levels of its member countries. In addition to discussions with Trump, Rutte's team engaged with Trump's national security team, including his national security adviser nominee, US Representative Michael Waltz. (With inputs from agencies.)Iran says will hold nuclear talks with France, Germany, UK on FridayThree men have died on UK roads as Storm Bert continues to hit the country. A tree fell onto a car on the A34 southbound near Winchester this morning, killing a man who was driving a black Mercedes. Hampshire Police is investigating the incident. Meanwhile in West Yorkshire, a 34-year-old man from Bradford was killed after a car collided with a wall in Shipley. Police were called at 12.59am and the man was pronounced dead at the scene Police continue to investigate the cause but it is understood the road was not icy at the time of the incident. Northamptonshire Police has now confirmed that a man, in his 40s, died in a crash on the A45 near Flore at around 8.20am. A silver Toyota Corolla and a dark grey Hyundai collided. The driver of the Toyota was pronounced dead at the scene. We'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story. For the latest news and breaking news visit: /news Stay up to date with all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/DailyExpress and @daily_express

The city of Norfolk on Monday asked a federal judge to toss a lawsuit asserting that the city's Flock Safety program is unconstitutional. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Let it burn: Days-old underground fire at Williamsburg outlet mall could smolder for a week Let it burn: Days-old underground fire at Williamsburg outlet mall could smolder for a week Neighbors get into argument before fatal shooting, Hampton police say Neighbors get into argument before fatal shooting, Hampton police say Underground fire still burning at Williamsburg Premium Outlets; officials advise caution Underground fire still burning at Williamsburg Premium Outlets; officials advise caution Teel: Return as columnist at The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press is a privilege Teel: Return as columnist at The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press is a privilege One nation, under watch: Flock Safety cameras help the police solve crime. But how much should privacy matter? One nation, under watch: Flock Safety cameras help the police solve crime. But how much should privacy matter? Newport News council to consider banning guns from government buildings Newport News council to consider banning guns from government buildings Corey Hairston retires as Warwick football coach; defensive coordinator Thomas Sykes is named successor Corey Hairston retires as Warwick football coach; defensive coordinator Thomas Sykes is named successor Video: Fire burns at Williamsburg Premium Outlets as officials keep an eye on air quality Video: Fire burns at Williamsburg Premium Outlets as officials keep an eye on air quality Underground fire causes partial parking lot collapse at Williamsburg Premium Outlets Underground fire causes partial parking lot collapse at Williamsburg Premium Outlets Vinyl records comeback continues: 2 stores open in Newport News, Hampton Vinyl records comeback continues: 2 stores open in Newport News, Hampton Trending Nationally Parachute ‘D.B. Cooper’ hijacker used in 1971 may have been found Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths here in Florida. Here’s why Health providers dropping Medicare Advantage could affect coverage for 60,000 Minnesotans Transgender player on San Jose State women’s volleyball team can play at Mountain West tournament, judge rules Say hello to prison: Boston man convicted of attacking woman for not saying ‘good morning’Wall Street stocks were little changed on Thursday while Asian equities rose in thin Boxing Day trade, extending their "Santa Claus Rally" with several bourses still shut for the holiday. Japan's Nikkei index closed up 1.1 percent, boosted by comments from the Bank of Japan governor and share price gains for top-selling automaker Toyota. China's plans for massive bond issuances in 2025 also bolstered investor sentiment. "Even though many in the region are still shaking off a bit of a holiday hangover, with several markets closed for Boxing Day, Asian stocks opened higher, riding a favorable wave from China's financial bond juggernaut," said Stephen Innes from SPI Asset Management. In New York, major indices veered in and out of positive territory in a sleepy post-Christmas session. The broad-based S&P 500 finished down less than 0.1 percent. Large technology companies that have led the market in much of 2024 mostly took a breather. These included Netflix, Tesla and Amazon, all of which declined. "What's interesting today is that we're seeing small stocks bounce back a little bit," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers, noting that the Russell 2000 index put on 0.9 percent. Holiday consumer data showed a 3.8-percent increase in US retail spending from November 1 to December 24, according to a Mastercard SpendingPulse review of a key period for retailers. London Stockton, an analyst at Ned Davis Research, noted that the "Santa Claus rally could still be alive, with strong seasonality into the end of the year." Stock markets have traditionally fared well in the last five trading days of the year and the first two in the new year, a trend known as the "Santa Claus rally." Among a number of possible reasons advanced by experts include the festive holiday mood and purchasing ahead of the end of the tax year. Innes said remarks from Bank of Japan governor Kazuo Ueda in which he refrained from signaling a potential interest rate hike next month also "influenced bullish regional sentiments." Japanese market heavyweight Toyota ended nearly six percent higher after reports in the Nikkei business daily said it aimed to double its return on equity -- a key measure of a company's financial performance. New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 43,325.80 (close) New York - S&P 500: DOWN less than 0.1 percent at 6,037.59 (close) New York - Nasdaq: DOWN 0.1 percent at 20,020.36 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.1 percent at 39,568.06 points (close) Hang Seng: UP 1.1 percent at 20,098.29 points (Tuesday close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,398.08 points (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0424 from $1.0414 on Tuesday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2526 from $1.2538 Dollar/yen: UP at 158.00 yen from 157.06 yen Euro/pound: UP at 83.19 pence from 83.05 pence West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.7 percent at $69.62 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.4 percent at $73.26 per barrel bur-jmb/aha

Oklahoma residents on Sunday mourned the death of former Democratic U.S. Sen. Fred Harris , a trailblazer in progressive politics in the state who ran an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1976. Harris died on Saturday at 94. Democratic Party members across Oklahoma remembered Harris for his commitment to economic and social justice during the 1960s — a period of historical turbulence. Harris chaired the Democratic National Committee from 1969 to 1970 and helped unify the party after its tumultuous national convention in 1968 when protesters and police clashed in Chicago.NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto appears on a timetable to decide on where to sign either before or during baseball's winter meetings in Dallas, which run from Dec. 8-12. Soto met with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations said last week, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details were not announced. Soto's agent, Scott Boras, asked teams to submit initial offers by Thanksgiving, a second person familiar with the talks said, also on condition of anonymity because it was not announced. Soto is the top player available among this year's free agents . A four-time All-Star, Soto finished third in AL MVP voting after hitting .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks. He has a .285 career average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks over seven major league seasons. Soto turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer from Washington in 2022, prompting the Nationals to trade him to San Diego, which then dealt him to the Yankees last December. Soto then combined with Aaron Judge to lead New York to the World Series, where the Yankees lost to the Dodgers . In his pitch to teams, Boras highlighted that Soto joined Mickey Mantle as the only players with seven RBIs in a World Series at age 21 or younger when he was with Washington, and at 20 became the youngest player with five postseason homers. Soto's .906 postseason OPS through age 25 topped Mantle (.900) and Derek Jeter (.852). Soto is likely to seek a record contract, topping Shohei Ohtani's $700 million, 10-year agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. That might not mean Soto gets more than $700 million, though. Because Ohtani's deal included $680 million in deferred money payable through 2043, it can be valued by different methods. For instance, Ohtani's contract is valued at $46.1 million per season ($461 million total) under MLB's luxury tax system, which used a 4.43% discount rate. The players' association uses a 5% rate, which puts Ohtani's contract at $43.8 million per year. For MLB's regular payroll calculations, a 10% discount rates values Ohtani's deal at just $28.2 million. Which means if Soto gets even $462 million without deferred payments, there's an argument that his deal is the most valuable in MLB history. By average annual value, pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are tied for second in baseball history at $43.33 million as part of contracts they signed with the New York Mets, deals that expired at the end of the 2024 season. In terms of total value, Ohtani surpassed outfielder Mike Trout’s $426.5 million, 12-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels through 2030. MLB’s longest contract is outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 14-year deal with the San Diego Padres through 2034. The Mets, Yankees, Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies all are likely to enter 2025 having paid luxury tax for three straight years, putting them at the highest rate: a 50% surcharge on payroll between $241 million and $261 million, 62% from $261 million to $281 million, 95% from $281 million to $301 million and 110% for each dollar above $301 million. Toronto may have dropped below the initial tax threshold this year, pending final figures next month. If the Blue Jays did fall under, their rates next year would reset to 20%, 32%, 62.5% and 80% for the four thresholds. If Soto reaches or announces an agreement at the winter meetings in Dallas' Hilton Anatole, it would be a familiar location for a big Boras deal. Alex Rodriguez's record $252 million, 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers was announced in December 2000 at what then was called the Wyndham Anatole Hotel. A-Rod's deal more than doubled MLB's previous high, a $121 million, eight-year contract between pitcher Mike Hampton and Colorado that was announced just two days earlier. “In two days, we’ve doubled a new highest salary,′′ said Sandy Alderson, then an executive vice president in the commissioner’s office. ”I don’t like the exponentiality of that." Rodriguez was 25 at the time of the agreement with Texas, a free agent before entering his likely prime, like Soto. Third baseman Alex Bregman, first basemen Pete Alonso and Christian Walker, and outfielders Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernández are among the significant bats available to pursue and likely would interest some of the teams who fail to sign Soto. Bregman and Alonso, like Soto, are represented by Boras. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

A beachgoer discovered part of a human leg washed up along the rocks of a Southern California beach on Christmas morning, according to a report. Someone reported finding a portion of a human leg along the beach on Palos Verdes Estates on the Bluff Cove Trail on Wednesday morning, The Daily News reported. The leg was the only body part that has been recovered, Capt. Aaron Belda of the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department told the outlet. A cadaver dog searched the area but reportedly didn’t find any other remains. The alarming discovery came one day after two fishermen departed Cabrillo Beach on a small boat, but never returned. Cabrillo Beach is just 13 miles south where the body part was found. The Coast Guard, Palos Verdes Estates Police, and other agencies began searching for the missing men — both in their 50s — on Tuesday and came across their vessel overturned, the Coast Guard announced . After nearly 34 hours, with assistance from drones and a helicopter, the federal agency suspended its search for the fishermen on Wednesday “due to no signs of distress.” Hours later, the Coast Guard called the paused search an “active suspension,” which means it will restart the search if signs of distress are reported, according to CBS News . It’s not immediately clear if the leg belonged to one of the fishermen. “We’re not ruling anything out, but that has not been determined at this point,” Belda told The Daily News . “No identification has been made and we don’t have any supporting information to believe that they are connected.” The Independent has reached out to Palos Verdes Estates Police Department for more information. A beachgoer who came across the wrecked vessel described the scene to KTLA . “The [boat] was completely overturned,” the eyewitness said. “There were holes in the hull and stuff scattered across the beach, a couple of life jackets, a propeller, coolers and kids’ life vests.”

John Elway: remorse over bypassing Josh Allen in draft mitigated by watching Broncos rookie Bo NixIran said on Sunday that it would hold nuclear talks in the coming days with the three European countries that initiated a censure resolution against it adopted by the UN's atomic watchdog. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the meeting of the deputy foreign ministers of Iran, France, Germany and the United Kingdom would take place on Friday, without specifying a venue. "A range of regional and international issues and topics, including the issues of Palestine and Lebanon, as well as the nuclear issue, will be discussed," the spokesman said in a foreign ministry statement. Baghaei described the upcoming meeting as a continuation of talks held with the countries in September on the sidelines of the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. On Thursday, the 35-nation board of governors of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted a resolution denouncing Iran for what it called a lack of cooperation. The move came as tensions ran high over Iran's atomic programme, which critics fear is aimed at developing a nuclear weapon -- something Tehran has repeatedly denied. In response to the resolution, Iran announced it was launching a "series of new and advanced centrifuges". Centrifuges enrich uranium transformed into gas by rotating it at very high speed, increasing the proportion of fissile isotope material (U-235). "We will substantially increase the enrichment capacity with the utilisation of different types of advanced machines," Behrouz Kamalvandi, Iran's atomic energy organisation spokesman, told state TV. The country, however, also said it planned to continue its "technical and safeguards cooperation with the IAEA". During a recent visit to Tehran by IAEA head Rafael Grossi, Iran agreed to the agency's demand to cap its sensitive stock of near weapons-grade uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in power since July and a supporter of dialogue with Western countries, has said he wants to remove "doubts and ambiguities" about his country's nuclear programme. In 2015, Iran and world powers reached an agreement that saw the easing of international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. But the United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then-president Donald Trump and reimposed biting economic sanctions, which prompted Iran to begin rolling back on its own commitments. On Sunday afternoon, the United Kingdom confirmed the upcoming meeting between Iran and the three European countries. "We remain committed to taking every diplomatic step to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, including through snapback if necessary," London's Foreign Office said. The 2015 deal contains a "snapback" mechanism that can be triggered in case of "significant non-performance" of commitments by Iran, allowing many sanctions to be reimposed. Ali Vaez, an Iran expert with the International Crisis Group think tank, told AFP that Friday's meeting was set to happen earlier, but "those plans were derailed as a result of Iran-Israel tensions" over the Gaza war. Though the parties will be meeting "without knowing what the incoming Trump administration wants to do", Vaez said that "after a lose-lose cycle of mutual escalation, now both sides are back to realising that engagement might be the least costly option." Tehran has since 2021 decreased its cooperation with the IAEA by deactivating surveillance devices monitoring the nuclear programme and barring UN inspectors. At the same time, it has increased its stockpiles of enriched uranium and the level of enrichment to 60 percent. That level is close, according to the IAEA, to the 90 percent-plus threshold required for a nuclear warhead, and substantially higher than the 3.67 percent limit it agreed to in 2015. pdm/smw/ami