Tech giant Oracle announced this week that up to 30,000 employees would lose their jobs, and official documents have put a finer point on just who is being let go in the sweeping lay-offs.
Oracle sent lay-off notices via email at 6 a.m. local time Tuesday to employees in Canada, India, Mexico, and the U.S, citing “broader organizational change” as the reason, according to Business Insider. The company made the cuts to free up $8 billion to $10 billion to fund AI projects, according to The Next Web.
Some 491 employees who work remotely, or at two Oracle locations in Seattle, Washington, will be laid off in June, according to a WARN Notice filed with the state’s Employment Security Department late last month.
Companies are obligated to file WARN Notices if they have at least 100 full-time employees and plan to lay off at least 50 people at a single location, according to the Department of Labor.
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Among the 491 Washington employees who were laid off were 270 software developers; 46 software development managers, directors and vice presidents; 40 program managers and 30 product managers.
Tech giant Oracle announced this week that up to 30,000 employees would lose their jobs, and official documents have put a finer point on just who is being let go in the sweeping lay-offs (Getty Images)
Tech firm Oracle, led by billionaire Larry Ellison, is reportedly diverting freed-up cash from its recent layoffs to AI projects (Getty Images)
Oracle, which provides database management and cloud computing solutions, also plans to let 539 employees go at its Kansas City, Missouri, campus from May 26 to June 1, according to a WARN notice filed with the state’s Office of Workforce Development March 31. Positions include:
85 software developers
43 systems analysts
39 program managers
35 sales representatives
24 consulting positions
18 production services developers
16 technical analysts in support
13 project managers.
The company laid off around 12,000 employees in India, including positions in engineering and cloud infrastructure, global news network NDTV reported Thursday.
Oracle employees expressed their shock across social media following the lay-offs.
“It’s hard to put into words how heavy this feels,” Oracle customer success manager Eugenia Zanolli Andrade wrote Tuesday on her LinkedIn page. “Work is way more than just your source of income, it’s also a space where we grow, contribute, and build a sense of purpose.”
Oracle’s sweeping cuts are another red flag to white-collar workers over the shift to AI at major companies. The reported $8billion and $10 billion savings will fund AI-related projects such as building data centers, according to The Next Web, citing data from investment bank TD Cowen.
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Oracle declined to comment to The Independent.
The Oracle lay-offs follow similar decisions by other tech firms in recent months. Amazon announced 16,000 lay-offs in January, largely in white-collar positions, according to CNBC. Block, a fintech company headed by former Twitter boss Jack Dorsey, let around 4,000 employees go in February.
‘It’s hard to put into words how heavy this feels,’ an Oracle employee said in a LinkedIn post after Tuesday’s layoffs (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
AI’s impacts on white-collar jobs goes beyond the tech industry – Goldman Sachs recently estimated that 6-7 percent of U.S. workers could lose their jobs amid wider AI rollouts.
In October, Ford CEO Jim Farley said he expects AI to replace “literally half” of all white-collar positions, Yahoo Finance reported.
AI firm Anthropic said in a March 2026 report that computer programmers are most susceptible to AI-related job cuts. Customer service representatives, data entry, medical record specialists, market research specialists and marketing specialists are also easily replaced by AI, Anthropic stated.
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H.P. Newquist, a consultant and analyst at AI tracking firm The Relayer Group, said the recent Oracle layoffs were related to AI in a more indirect way.
“The Oracle layoffs are only related to AI in that the money saved by slashing the workforce will be applied to building AI infrastructure,” Newquist said in an email to The Independent. “The layoffs have little or nothing to do with the applied use of AI to replace employees.”
Beyond AI, the Oracle layoffs should give prospective job-hunters food for thought, said Jessica Kriegel, chief strategy officer at business consultancy Culture Partners.
“The reason people should take note of the Oracle layoffs is because this represents a behavioral shift for the company. They’ve historically done incremental, surgical layoffs, not sweeping ones,” Kriegel told The Independent in an email.
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“The move to large-scale cuts signals a change in how leadership is thinking about the future of work.”
She added: “This is the part people are getting wrong: AI isn’t directly replacing jobs at scale yet. But AI spending is forcing companies to make tradeoffs, and labor is where those tradeoffs are showing up.”
Royal Mail urges dog owners to display sign on doors or windows – Daily Record
Need to know
Royal Mail has urged some people to display a four-word sign to help staff deliver their letters and parcels
Acting now can help protect your local postie(Image: martinrlee via Getty Images)
Need to know: Royal Mail urges dog owners to display a warning sign to protect postal workers
Royal Mail has urged dog owners to display a simple four-word sign reading “I have a dog” to protect postal workers from attacks. If you do not take care to protect workers, it could result in suspended deliveries.
New statistics reveal dog attacks on postal workers rose by 2% last year, totalling 2,197 incidents – roughly 42 attacks weekly across the country. Some delivery staff have suffered permanent or life-altering injuries from these attacks.
You don’t have to put the sign up, but it can help. The printable notice allows postal workers to wait while owners secure their pets in a separate room before coming to the door. Royal Mail warned customers: “Around 2,000 posties like me are injured by dogs each year, both big and small.”
Sheffield topped the list of most dangerous areas with 66 attacks – a shocking 61% increase from the previous year. Portsmouth came second with 60 attacks, while Kent/Sussex/Surrey recorded 56 incidents.
Lizz Lloyd, Health & Safety Director at Royal Mail, said: “Dog attacks remain one of the most significant safety risks faced by postal workers. In many cases, these incidents result in serious injuries, emotional distress, and time away from work. Royal Mail continues to call on the public to be vigilant and responsible by securing their pets before opening the door to receive mail or packages.
With Easter approaching and more deliveries expected for some households, Royal Mail is urging action to prevent attacks that force police involvement and delivery suspensions.
Royal Mail urges customers to act or risk delivery suspension – The Mirror
Need to know
Royal Mail has issued some advice to customers, urging them to take action now to avoid delivery suspension, and a a four-word sign could help
Bradley Jolly Overnight News Editor and Sophie Buchan Money and Lifestyle Writer
00:02, 04 Apr 2026
The sign could make a huge difference(Image: coldsnowstorm via Getty Images)
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Need to know: Royal Mail urges dog owners to display warning signs as attacks on postal workers rise
Royal Mail is urging dog owners to display a simple four-word sign reading “I have a dog” to protect postal workers from attacks.
The warning comes as new figures reveal dog attacks on postal workers increased by 2% over the past year, reaching 2,197 incidents nationwide. This equates to approximately 42 attacks each week, with some delivery staff sustaining permanent or life-changing injuries.
The service has warned customers that failing to take appropriate measures could result in deliveries to their address being suspended. Royal Mail acknowledged that while “receiving your letters and parcels” is important, its priority is “to get these items to you safely.” This does not mean you have to display the sign, but it could help some.
Sheffield topped the list of high-risk areas with 66 attacks recorded in 2024/25, representing a worrying 61% rise. Portsmouth and Kent/Sussex/Surrey also featured prominently in the dangerous postcode areas.
The letter revealed a troubling statistic: “Around 2,000 posties like me are injured by dogs each year, both big and small. When this happens, we must inform the Police and suspend deliveries to your address, as we can’t take the chance that the dog may attack again.”
Lizz Lloyd, Health and Safety Director at Royal Mail, said: “Dog attacks remain one of the most significant safety risks faced by postal workers.” She emphasised that community cooperation is essential to reducing these incidents.
WASHINGTON (AP) — American employers added a surprisingly strong 178,000 new jobs last month, rebounding from a dismal February. And the unemployment rate dipped to 4.3%.
The Labor Department reported Friday that hiring marked a turnaround from the loss of 133,000 jobs in February. The job gains were about three times what economists had forecast. But uncertainty surrounding the war with Iran — and its impact on energy prices — is clouding the outlook for the labor market.
The unemployment rate was down from 4.4% in February. That is partly because the labor force — those working and looking for work — dropped by 396,000 in March so fewer people were competing for jobs. In fact, the percentage of people in the labor force dropped to 61.9% last month, the lowest since November 2021.
Health care companies added 76,400 jobs last month, boosted by the return of 31,000 Kaiser Permanente employees to work after the end of a strike in February. Factories added 15,000 jobs last month but have still shed jobs for 14 of the last 16 months. Construction companies added 26,000 jobs, probably partly because of warmer weather last month.
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AP AUDIO: US employers added a surprisingly strong 178,000 jobs last month, rebounding from a weak February
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AP correspondent Donna Warder reports on the latest unemployment numbers.
Average hourly wages were up 0.2% from February. Compared to March 2025, they were up 3.5% — the smallest gain since May 2021 and one consistent with the Federal Reserve’s 2% annual inflation target.
Labor Department revisions shaved 7,000 jobs off combined January and February payrolls.
The U.S. job market has been in a slump over the past year. Most economists say the impact of the war and higher energy prices was probably not fully reflected in the March jobs numbers.
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“The data is mostly backward-looking, and likely does not incorporate any impact from the recent rise in energy prices, or other risks related to the war in Iran,’’ Thomas Simons, chief U.S. economist with the investment firm Jefferies, wrote in a commentary.
Diane Swonk, chief economist at the accounting firm KPMG, said that the economy is getting a lift from big tax refunds made possible by President Donald Trump’s 2025 tax cuts. “But those are now being eaten up by higher energy costs,’’ she said.
Last year, employers added an average of just 9,700 jobs a month, the weakest hiring outside a recession since 2002. Businesses have been reluctant to bring on new workers partly because of uncertainty arising from President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imports and crackdown on immigration. One measure released by the Labor Department on Monday showed the weakest hiring since April 2020 – in the middle of COVID-19 lockdowns.
But firms have also been reluctant to let go of their existing employees, creating what economists describe as a “no-hire, no-fire’’ scenario that locks young applicants out of the job market. At the same time, there are growing worries that artificial intelligence is taking entry-level jobs.
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New jobs are heavily concentrated in health care and social assistance (which includes day care and vocational rehabilitation centers). That combined category accounted for more than half the jobs created last month. The trend reflects an aging U.S. population. A graying Japan saw the same thing in the early 2010s, Vanguard economist Adam Schickling wrote in a commentary ahead of Friday’s jobs report.
“The larger-than-expected rebound in nonfarm payrolls in March mainly reflects a reversal of the strike and weather effects that weighed on hiring in February, rather than being a sign that the labor market is rapidly gaining momentum,” said Stephen Brown, chief North America economist at Capital Economics. Citing higher oil prices, he warned of the risk that “the hit to consumers’ purchasing power will weigh on demand and therefore hiring in the near term.’’
March’s unexpectedly strong hiring is likely to ease pressure on the Fed policymakers to cut interest rates right away to help the job market, giving them time to assess what impact higher energy prices are having on overall inflation.
Worries about the fallout from the war are likely to limit job gains for awhile. “It’s the nature of uncertainties,’’ said Olu Sonola, U.S. head of research at Fitch Ratings. “Companies typically respond by holding back’’ on hiring decisions.
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A lot will depend on how long the conflict lasts and what happens to oil prices. The price of benchmark American crude oil closed just below $112 a barrel Thursday. “If that’s $140 next month,″ Sonola said, “God knows what’s going to happen.’’
Mai Truong is the founder of Bo & Mei, which makes games and puzzles designed to celebrate Asian heritage. She’s currently preparing for this year’s holiday shopping season and assessing her hiring plans — but she’s facing lots of unknowns.
The Brooklyn, New York-based company, which had sales of under $500,000 last year, had to pay tens of thousands of dollars in tariffs last year. Truong is not sure what her tariff bill will be this year and whether she will be able to get a refund after the Supreme Court struck down some of Trump’s tariffs. The Iran war is also creating unforeseen costs including higher shipping expenses.
Truong is her company’s only full-time employee. But she typically hires a couple of contractors, who work in operations, marketing and other areas, to help in the months heading to Christmas.
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“It makes everything feel very uncertain,” she said. “On the other hand, there’s so little you can do with the volatility. You just have to stay the course and kind of deal with the variables as they become more clear.”
The World Cup winner was informed by the Chelsea head coach on Friday morning that he has been dropped for upcoming games against Port Vale, in the FA Cup on Saturday, and Manchester City, in the Premier League next Sunday, as a punishment for bombshell comments made during the international break.
HMRC has outlined key tax rules for state pension payments after a query about deductions
HMRC has clarified the tax rules surrounding state pension payments, following an enquiry about deductions applied to those payments.
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A state pensioner contacted the tax authority through social media with a question, asking: “Where can I find a monthly statement of my state pension showing the payment and deductions?” With upcoming changes on the horizon, now is an opportune moment to review your state pension arrangements.
The state pension is set to rise by 4.8 per cent from April, boosting the full new state pension from £230.25 per week to £241.30 per week. In response to the query, HMRC outlined the key rules to bear in mind, telling the taxpayer: “State pension is paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and no tax is deducted at source.
“Your pension payments do appear only on your bank statements – DWP pays the same amount every four weeks.”
This means those receiving the full new state pension will receive £965.20 each payment period under the new rates, reports the Mirror. Those on the full basic state pension will receive £184.90 per week, or £739.60 every four-week payment period, with payments typically issued in arrears.
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The day your state pension is paid depends on the final two digits of your National Insurance (NI) number.
Those preparing for retirement should also take note of another significant change coming into effect from April 2026, when the state pension age will begin rising from 66, gradually increasing to reach 67 between April 2026 and April 2028.
Laws have also been passed to implement a further increase to 68, set to take place between 2044 and 2046. You can check your projected state pension entitlement by using the forecast tool available on the Government website.
The decision was made in a Westhoughton Town Council meeting on March 30, as members expressed confusion over some aspects of the scheme, including a planned £70m for a new link road.
Councillors also wanted to know what made the Metro Mayor so confident the Ryder Cup was going to come to Bolton, despite the number of other – already completed – golf courses vying for the same rights.
Cllr Arthur Price and Cllr Neil Maher at the plot of land in Westhoughton (Image: MyWesthoughton)
Cllr Arthur Price said: “We couldn’t have a crossing on Manchester Road because there was no money, but now Peel want a golf course they’ve managed to find £70m.
“I want to see confirmation that we have actually been shortlisted for the Ryder Cup – do they have it in writing?
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“How is he guaranteeing £70m for something nobody knows anything about?
“It will never happen, it’s just a red herring.”
Councillors also expressed concern that, despite previous indications that a plan for the Ryder Cup golf course would be submitted in January, nothing no plans have yet been made public.
Cllr David Wilkinson said: “As far as I’m concerned, the golf course plans are dead in the water until Peel submit something.
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The road is long and straight, which increases the likelihood of speeding, according to Cllr Price (Image: Dan Dougherty)
“And why should the taxpayer fund £70m for a road for Peel which hasn’t been confirmed?
“We need to speak to the mayor to ask him what he was doing when he backed the plans.
“If the new roads and trains he has promised for the Ryder Cup are good enough for those three days, why aren’t they good enough for the people who currently use those lines to commute?”
On the topic of Westhoughton’s rail lines, town councillor Jack Speight said: “We’d need to upgrade the line first, it’s not even electrified.
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“Where is that money going to come from?”
The impact of the Ryder Cup on Westhoughton’s roads and amenities was also discussed, alongside the potential impact of the Platt Lane Development and the Lee Hall development.
(Image: NQ)
Cllr Martin Tighe said: “Park Avenue, near the development, is an avenue in the truest sense of the word.
“There’s nothing in the plans about widening it – it’ll cause more congestion in what is already one of the most congested areas.”
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Tighe also expressed concern that the new course would harm the golf courses that already exist in the area, Westhoughton Golf Course being one.
Westhoughton Mayor Gillian Wroe, alongside the councillors, decided to write to Mr Burnham to invite him to a meeting during which they could discuss the plans.
The US suffered several attacks to its aircraft on Friday after Iran struck two of its military combat jets and hit two of its helicopters.
Search-and-rescue efforts are said to be ongoing as the US scrambles to locate a missing pilot in Iran.
An F-15E Strike Eagle carrying two crew members was downed over Iran on Friday. US officials said they ejected before the aircraft went down.
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One pilot has been rescued, while the other is still missing. Iran is hoping to find the crew member before the US does, reportedly offering citizens around £50,000 to anyone who hands over the “criminal American pilot” alive.
Following this attack, an A-10 Thunderbolt deployed to support the search and rescue mission was also struck.
The pilot managed to navigate the damaged plane to Kuwaiti airspace before ejecting and being rescued, officials have said.
Iran then hit two Blackhawk helicopters, which were also involved in the rescue mission. Officials have said personnel on board sustained minor injuries, but are safe.
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Donald Trump (Getty Images)
What has Donald Trump said?
The US president is yet to publicly comment on the attacks, but told The Independent he isn’t yet ready to say what the US will do if the missing crew member is harmed.
Asked what he’d do if the pilot is captured or harmed by Iranians, Trump replied: “Well, I can’t comment on it because — we hope that’s not going to happen,” and ended the call shortly thereafter.
He also told NBC that the downing of the fighter jet would not affect negotiations over ending the war in Iran.
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“No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war,” he said.
In a vague post on social media made after the attack, the US president wrote: “KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?”
Harriette Boucher3 April 2026 23:14
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UN personnel injured in Hezbollah rocket attack, Israel says
Three UN personnel were wounded after Hezbollah carried out a rocket attack, which struck a UNIFIL outpost in southern Lebanon, the Israeli Defence Force said.
According to the IDF, two of the people were “severely” injured.
UNIFIL was created by the Security Council in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and restore international peace and security. It has served as a buffer between the two countries.
Harriette Boucher3 April 2026 22:49
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Recap: Iranian citizens offered reward of £50,000 to hand over American F-15 pilot alive
Residents in Iran have been offered a reward if they hand over any “enemy pilot” to police following the downing of a US F-15 fighter jet.
Iranian state news issued pleas for citizens to search for and capture the pilot and hand them over to police alive.
Outlets have reported that the governor of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province promised a reward of 10 billion tomans (around £50,000) for anyone who hands over the “criminal American pilot”.
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Harriette Boucher3 April 2026 22:43
Trump after US jet downed: ‘KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?’
Donald Trump has taken to Truth Social to make his first public comments after an F-15 fighter jet was downed in Iran on Friday.
“KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?”, the US president wrote.
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It follows a post from Trump earlier in the day, in which he said that “with a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A “GUSHER” FOR THE WORLD???”
The US president is yet to issue a public statement about the attack on Friday. A search-and-rescue operation is underway to locate a missing crew member.
Harriette Boucher3 April 2026 22:24
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Trump won’t say what US will do if missing pilot in Iran is harmed: ‘We hope that’s not going to happen’
The Independent’s White House Correspondent Andrew Feinberg spoke to Donald Trump as search-and-rescue efforts continue after the shooting-down of an American fighter over Iran:
As American and Israeli forces search for a F-15 aircrew member forced to eject after being shot down over Iran, President Donald Trump isn’t yet ready to say what the U.S. will do if the missing crew member is harmed.
In a brief Friday phone interview with The Independent, the president said he could not comment on what his course of action might be if Iranian forces get to the downed airman, the first American aviator to be shot down over enemy territory since an A-10 “Warthog” pilot ejected into Iraq after being struck by a surface-to-air missile in April 2003, just weeks into Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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“We hope that’s not going to happen,” said the president, who ended the call shortly thereafter.
Trump’s expression of optimism regarding the fate of the missing Air Force officer came as Combat Search and Rescue forces from Israel and the United States were searching for the crew member, hours after they were forced to eject from their two-person fighter over Iranian territory.
The downed F-15 is the fourth American fighter aircraft — and the sixth military plane — lost since Trump started the massive air campaign against Tehran on February 28. Of those six, it is the only one so far to have been downed by enemy fire.
Harriette Boucher3 April 2026 21:52
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Second US plane struck by Iran
Iran struck a second US airforce plane on Friday in the Persian Gulf region and hit two US helicopters in a search-and-rescue effort.
US officials said an A-10 attack plane was also hit by incoming fire, and the pilot navigated the damaged plane to Kuwaiti airspace before ejecting and being subsequently rescued, The Washington Post reported.
According to the officials, two US Black Hawk helicopters were also were hit by Iranian fire, which injured personnel on board. Both aircraft are reported to have returned safely to their base.
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The helicopters were reportedly involved in a search-and-rescue effort after a F-15 fighter jet was downed in Iran. So far, one pilot on the fighter jet has been rescued, while the other is still missing.
Harriette Boucher3 April 2026 21:46
Trump says downing of US jet won’t affect talks with Iran
Donald Trump said that the downing of the F-15 fighter jet would not affect negotiations over ending the war in Iran.
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Speaking to NBC, the US reportedly refused to discuss the specifics of ongoing search and rescue efforts in Iran, but expressed frustration about some of the coverage of what is plainly an intense and sensitive rescue operation.
Asked if today’s events will affect any negotiations with Iran, the president told NBC’s Garrett Haake: “No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war, Garrett.”
It follows reports from Iranian media that Tehran has rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire.
Harriette Boucher3 April 2026 21:30
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What in God’s name is Pete Hegseth doing in Iran?
We’ve had past presidents proclaim, ‘God protect our soldiers,’ but ‘this is different in kind from anything we’ve seen before,’ one military law expert tells Brendan Rascius, while a former US ambassador calls Hegseth’s war religiosity ‘performance art’:
We’ve had past presidents proclaim, ‘God protect our soldiers,’ but ‘this is different in kind from anything we’ve seen before,’ one military law expert tells Brendan Rascius, while a former US ambassador calls Hegseth’s war religiosity ‘performance art’
Harriette Boucher3 April 2026 21:20
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Trump to meet Nato chief after threatening to withdraw US from alliance
The chief of Nato is set to meet with Donald Trump on Wednesday, following criticism from the US president over the alliance’s supposed lack of help in Iran.
Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth will also attend the discussions with Mark Rutte in Washington.
It comes after the US president said he was seriously considering withdrawing the US from Nato.
He told Politico on Friday he “couldn’t care less” about Nato, saying “they were they weren’t there. I have no frustration. I couldn’t care less.
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“I didn’t need them … But if I ever did need them, they wouldn’t be there. And we had a lot of money every year in NATO, so I learned a lot. So did the country, so did the United States, and NATO is — NATO is a paper tiger.”
Donald Trump and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte (AP)
Harriette Boucher3 April 2026 21:00
Trump: Federal government can’t pay for daycare, funds are needed for war
Trump: Federal government can’t pay for daycare, funds are needed for war
A motion calling for better water quality has been passed by Scarborough town councillors, while references to climate change were removed in a row over “focus and delivery”.
Issues with Scarborough’s bathing water quality have continued to persist and last year’s ratings saw the South Bay still classed as ‘poor’ and the North Bay’s bathing water quality classed as ‘sufficient’.
At a full meeting of Scarborough Town Council on Wednesday, April 2, members clashed over how to approach the issue.
A motion proposed by Cllr Rich Maw, Independent, proposed that the town council “recognises that scientific evidence demonstrates climate change impacts coastal water quality and marine ecosystems, and that residents and regular beach users are increasingly concerned about bathing water quality in both bays”.
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It called for the council to also recognise “its powers do not extend to regulating water quality, which remains the responsibility of the Environment Agency”.
However, an amendment by Reform’s Cllr William Stuart saw a “focussed” motion tabled after he raised concerns about high workloads that the original proposal would have entailed for council staff.
Stc Amended And Approved Water Quality Motion Proposed By Cllr William Stuart.
Cllr Stuart’s motion, which was approved by the Reform-led authority, recognised “the importance of bathing water quality in South Bay and North Bay to residents, visitors, and the local economy”.
Both motions set out to engage with Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency to seek “clear information on causes of water quality issues affecting Scarborough’s beaches”.
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The amended motion also requested “periodic written updates to be presented to the council, subject to available officer capacity”.
Original Stc Water Quality Motion Proposed By Cllr Rich Maw.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr William Stuart said: “I agree that the coastline is one of our greatest assets and water quality is important to our residents and they do deserve us to speak on their behalf.”
He added: “Regarding climate change and anthropogenic climate change, no one would argue we have climate change.”
The amended motion, which was approved with the support of Reform councillors while Independent and Labour councillors voted against it, concluded: “Prioritise engagement activities to ensure they are proportionate to council resources, and that officer time is used efficiently and effectively.”
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Scarborough Town Council Full Meeting 02.04.26
Cllr Maw said: “It’s an inescapable fact that climate change is linked to this, and there’s absolutely no way that we can talk about a subject such as combined sewer outlets, surface water mixing in combined sewers, without understanding why we’re in this position.”
He added: “To amend this motion without understanding that would be a failure for us to recognise the importance of understanding climate science. So it’s not abstract, and it’s not theoretical because it’s actually already affecting our coastline.”
President Trump signed an executive order aimed at fixing college sports Friday that would give federal agencies authority to cut funding at schools that don’t comply with mandates covering transfers, eligibility and pay-for-play in the rapidly changing industry.
The order is a laundry list of proposed fixes, many of which lawmakers and college leaders have been pushing for since the approval of a $2.8 billion settlement changed the face of games that were once played by pure amateurs.
Among the notable parts of the order was a call to establish “clear, consistent and fair eligibility limits, including a five-year participation window” — an element that could fend off the dozens of lawsuits the NCAA has faced of late.
It also calls for “structured transfer rules,” but offered no specifics for a system that allows players to move around freely, sometimes in the middle of the season, which adds uncertainty to roster building that many consider unsustainable.
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As much as the changes he directs, Trump’s call for the Education Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the attorney general’s office to evaluate “whether violations of such rules render a university unfit for Federal grants and contracts” stands out as a proactive way to force change.
Several universities across the country have made policy changes related to diversity, equity and inclusion, transgender rights and even the sorts of courses they teach to comply with federal orders and avoid funding-related showdowns with the government.
At a college sports roundtable last month, Trump said he anticipated any order he signed would trigger litigation. Attorney Mit Winter, who follows college sports law, agreed, saying the order “appears to direct the NCAA to create rules that would likely violate” court orders.
NCAA President Charlie Baker, however, did not signal any intent to litigate, saying Trump’s order “reinforces many of our mandatory protections — including guaranteed health care coverage, mental health services and scholarship protections.”
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“This action is a significant step forward, and we appreciate the administration’s interest and attention to these issues,” Baker said. “Stabilizing college athletics for student-athletes still requires a permanent, bipartisan federal legislative solution.”
Trump, in the order, also called on Congress to “quickly pass legislation,” the likes of which has stalled multiple times.
The president’s mandate is likely to set up a situation where the NCAA and schools have to decide whether to follow a federal court order or an executive order, Winter said.
“Federal court orders prohibit the NCAA from making athletes sit out a season if they transfer more than once and prohibit the NCAA from enforcing rules that limit collectives from being involved in recruiting,” he said. “The EO appears to direct the NCAA to create rules that would likely violate both of these court orders. Will the NCAA create rules that do that? And if they do, will schools follow them?
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“Either way, we’re likely going to see litigation challenging the EO by athletes and third parties.”
Winter added that the order also appears to urge schools to pay new revenue share amounts.
“Most schools are paying 90-95% of their rev-share funds to men’s basketball and football players,” he said. “And those funds are already promised via contracts signed with those athletes. Will the order purport to make schools not adhere to those contracts?”
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AP Sports Writer Maura Carey contributed.
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Ethan Towers, 27, was jailed for life for raping a baby five times while John Watson, 28, was also jailed for life for encouraging the abuse at Cambridge Crown Court
Toby Codd and Emma O’Neill Content Editor
19:22, 03 Apr 2026Updated 19:44, 03 Apr 2026
Two men have been handed life sentences after a baby was subjected to rape on five occasions last summer.
Ethan Towers, 27, and John Watson, 28, were branded “dangerous and a risk to the public” by a judge before receiving their custodial terms.
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Cambridge Crown Court was told that Towers, from St Ives, Cambridgeshire, carried out five rapes against the infant while Watson, from Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, incited him to commit the abuse. Judge Mark Bishop remarked that the “youth of the baby was extreme”.
Towers received a minimum term of 12 years and five months while Watson was sentenced to 13 years and four months imprisonment on Wednesday (April 1).
The court was informed that Towers transmitted indecent photographs of children to Watson. Watson, who was already subject to a sexual harm prevention order due to prior convictions, also exchanged explicit material with another minor under the age of 16.
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Towers entered guilty pleas to five counts of rape while Watson admitted two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. The 28 year old also pleaded guilty to multiple offences relating to indecent images of children and engaging in sexual communication with a child.
In addition to their life terms, both men were made subject to restraining orders. They were also required to pay a victim surcharge of £228, reports the Express.
The judge presented a victim impact statement from the baby’s mother during proceedings. She expressed that the trauma has left her feeling “more isolated and fearful than ever”.
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A victim statement from a child contacted by both men on social media was also read aloud by the judge. The young person described feeling “set free” after Towers and Watson were convicted.
The judge stated he was “satisfied” that both defendants were “dangerous and a risk to the public”. Cambridgeshire Police confirmed it had referred the matter to the relevant safeguarding authorities.
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