Federal officials on Thursday gave final approval for the Dakota Access oil pipeline to continue operating its contentious Missouri River crossing, an outcome that comes nearly a decade after boisterous protests against the project on the North Dakota prairie.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ decision to grant the key easement means the pipeline will keep operating but with added conditions for detecting leaks and monitoring groundwater, among others. The announcement brings an end to a drawn-out legal and regulatory saga stemming from the protests in 2016 and 2017, though further litigation over the pipeline is likely.

The $3.8 billion, multistate pipeline has been transporting oil since June 2017 from North Dakota’s Bakken oil field to a terminal in Illinois. The line carries about 4% of U.S. daily oil production, or roughly 540,000 barrels per day,

The Corps is “decisively putting years of delays to rest and moving out to safely execute this crossing beneath Lake Oahe,” Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle said in a statement.

The pipeline crosses the river upstream from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation, which straddles the Dakotas. The tribe has long opposed the pipeline, fearing a spill and contamination of its water supply. In 2016 and 2017, thousands of people camped and protested for months near the river crossing.

The protests resulted in hundreds of arrests and related criminal cases and lawsuits, some of them still ongoing, including litigation that threatens the future of the environmental group Greenpeace.

In December, the Corps released its final environmental impact statement nearly six years after a federal judge ordered a more rigorous review of the pipeline’s crossing. In that document, the Corps endorsed the option to grant the easement for the crossing and keep the pipeline operating with modifications.

Those measures include enhanced leak detection and monitoring systems, expanded groundwater and surface water monitoring and third-party expert evaluation of the leak and detection systems, among others, the Corps said. The conditions also include studies of the sinking of the earth coordinated with affected tribes.

The Corps had weighed several options, including removing or abandoning the pipeline’s river crossing or even rerouting it north. The agency said its decision “best balances public safety, protection of environmental resources, and leak detection and response considerations while meeting the project’s purpose and need.”

Pipeline developer Energy Transfer hailed the decision, saying the pipeline has been safely operating for nearly 10 years and is critical to the country’s energy infrastructure.

“We want to thank the Corps for the tremendous amount of time and effort put in by so many to bring this matter to a thoughtful close,” said Vicki Granado, a company spokesperson.

The Associated Press sent text messages and emails to media representatives for the tribe and left a voicemail at the tribe’s headquarters. They didn’t immediately respond Thursday.

North Dakota Republican Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Interior Secretary and former North Dakota governor Doug Burgum and U.S. Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer each welcomed the decision to ensure the pipeline continues operating.

The Corps’ announcement came as officials and oil industry leaders were gathered for a trade conference in Bismarck.

Energy Transfer and Enbridge are in early stages of a project to move about 250,000 daily barrels of light Canadian crude oil through the Dakota Access Pipeline by using another pipeline and building a 56-mile connecting line, spokespersons for the companies said. Enbridge will decide sometime in mid-2026 whether to move ahead.

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

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Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.   

The new LEGO Batman game is an open-world adventure with lots of secrets for fans to discover.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is out now in early access, but you can only play if you’ve spent £79.99 on the Deluxe Edition.

Fortunately, the standard edition release date is almost here, which means everybody can enjoy the block-based Batman adventure that’s being favourably compared to the iconic Arkham trilogy.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight has a May 22 release date for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game will be available at midnight local time in all regions, apart from the west coast of the US.

Indeed, LEGO Batman has a midnight ET release time on May 22 on the east coast, but a 9pm PT (May 21) release time in the west.

The PC version is a little different and has a separate release time that’s bad news for UK fans looking to get stuck into the action.

According to the product page on Steam, LEGO Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight has a 6pm BST release time for PC gamers living in the UK.

That’s 10am PT / 1pm ET for US players, and 7pm CET for Batman fans playing in Europe.

Families will be able to enjoy activities for less throughout the summer thanks to this new government scheme

The UK Government has promised to slash VAT on certain family activities to help people enjoy more days out during the summer. The scheme will run from June 25 to September 1, 2026 and is aiming to support both businesses and families through the cost of living crisis.

The Great British Summer Savings scheme will reduce the costs of “children’s meals in restaurants, children’s tickets for theatres and cinemas and tickets for everyone for attractions like soft play, adventure centres, and theme parks”. Children between the ages of five and 15 in England will also be able to travel for free on local bus services in August.

The scheme is said to cost around £300 million and hopes to reduce borrowing and debt. The VAT rate on eligible activities will be cut from 20 per cent to 5 per cent across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

The reduced VAT will apply to:

• Children’s menu meals served in restaurants for consumption on the premises
• Children’s and family tickets for cinemas, theatres, concerts, shows and exhibitions
• Admission tickets, for both children and adults, to a range of attractions, including: amusement parks, fairs, museums, zoos, soft play centres, circuses, adventure parks, nature reserves, wildlife parks and observation attractions

HMRC has published guidance for businesses on how they can operate the scheme. Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “Whether it is a fun day out, a family meal or taking advantage of the thousands of amazing attractions across the UK, Great British Summer Savings will support families with the little treats in life while boosting business across the UK.

“This comes on top of support we’ve already put in place including freezing fuel duty, taking off £117 off energy bills, freezing prescriptions, fuel duty and rail fares.

“We are able do this because we have made the right choices, resulting in the UK having the fastest growing economy in the G7, with inflation going down.

“I know the cost of living is still a number one concern for households. Our economic plan is the right one, supporting families and businesses and building a stronger and more secure Britain.”

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he learnt of his side’s Premier League title win from his tearful son while he had a barbecue in the garden.

The Spaniard says he did not watch Bournemouth holding title rivals Manchester City to a 1-1 draw – a result which meant the title would be heading to north London for the first time in 22 years.

The Arsenal players gathered at the training ground to watch the match that would see them crowned champions on Tuesday night, but Arteta says that he had to leave because he “couldn’t bring the energy that I wanted”.

“You probably don’t realise it. It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had,” Arteta said about winning the league title.

“I was supposed to be watching the game with the boys and the staff because that’s what they wanted – but I couldn’t.”

Arteta left for home 20 minutes before the game kicked off but did not actually watch the match.

“I went to the garden, started to build a fire and had a barbecue and I didn’t watch any of it,” he said.

“I was just hearing some noises in the living room and suddenly the magic happened.

“My oldest son opened the garden door, started to run towards me, started to cry, gave me a hug, and said: ‘We are champions, Daddy’.

“Then my other two boys and my wife came over and it was beautiful. Just to see that joy on them as well, that they are always with me, it was magical. A minute later, Martin [Odegaard] called me on video.”

He also revealed that after the game he rang Bournemouth manager and childhood friend Andoni Iraola to thank him.

Arteta and Iraola grew up in the same region of the Basque Country and played for youth team Antiguoko in San Sebastian.

“I didn’t message him, I rang him. I called firstly to congratulate him on the incredible job he has done with Bournemouth,” Arteta said.

“I told him he almost took the Premier League away from us [the 2-1 loss that Arsenal suffered to Bournemouth in April] and then helped us to win it.”

Iraloa has announced that he will depart Bournemouth at the end of the season once his contract expires and Arteta said the call was full of compliments and good wishes.

“I rang him to show my admiration towards him and wish him the best in the next chapter of his career, which I’m sure is going to be very successful,” he added.

Arsenal have the chance to add a second trophy this season when they take on Paris St-Germain in the Champions League final on Sunday, 30 May in Budapest.

The Gunners’ title-winning parade is set for the day after the final and Arteta, who is looking forward to celebrating with the thousands of fans who have already been to the stadium to enjoy the occasion, wants to make sure they see more success.

“We want to have the parade with two trophies,” he said.

“We had 48 hours to enjoy the success of winning the league; now we are going to prepare really well because we need to lift our habits and standards to be in the best possible way to compete [against Crystal Palace in the final Premier League game of the season] on Sunday.

“We will have a little window to lift the trophy and connect with the people around us – and then we have six days to write a new history in this football club.”

When Javier Milei took over as president of Argentina in December 2023, monthly inflation was 25.5%. The annual rate for that year was 211%. Now it has plummeted.

Milei, a rightwing populist famous for wielding a chainsaw on stage to make a point about fiscal conservatism, made cutting inflation a central part of his campaign.

The latest figures put monthly inflation in April at 2.6%, and 32% for the year. While this is still very high and behind only Venezuela, South Sudan and Iran, it’s well below the runaway hyperinflation of a few years ago.

Although the decrease has stalled somewhat in recent months, Milei continues to boast of his ability to keep price increases down – and insists his goal is still 0% inflation. He’s won conservative admirers around the world who see his policies as a blueprint for cutting inflation.

And yet economists like Can Cinar warn that Milei’s battle against inflation is more of a mirage than a miracle.

“On paper, it looks quite good,” Cinar says on the latest episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, “but the bigger picture is that the economy is being undermined. It’s being hollowed out.”

Cinar, who recently wrote a book about populism and economics in Argentina, explains how Milei’s government managed to cut inflation by deliberately suppressing people’s wages, and the stark impact these policies are having on Argentinians.

Listen to the interview with Can Cinar, an honorary visiting researcher at City St George’s, University of London, on The Conversation Weekly podcast, or read an article he wrote about why Argentina’s inflation “miracle” is a warning to the world, not a blueprint.

This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and the executive producer was Gemma Ware. Mixing by Eleanor Brezzi and theme music by Neeta Sarl.

Newsclips in this episode from Neura Media and NBC News.

Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. A transcript of this episode is available via the Apple Podcasts or Spotify apps.

Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that the use of nuclear weapons was a “last resort” measure after Russia and Belarus held massive nuclear drills on land, sea and air.

The Russian president claimed that Moscow’s nuclear arsenal acted as a guarantor of “sovereignty” as his army wrapped up its biggest nuclear exercise in years, involving 64,000 troops as well as submarines and hypersonic missiles.

Europe has condemned the nuclear drills as provocative as tensions rise with Nato, with the alliance’s secretary general Mark Rutte warning that any attacks on Nato would incur a “devastating” response.

The three-day drills that began Tuesday come amid a surge in Ukrainian drone strikes, including on Moscow‘s suburbs that killed three people and damaged several buildings and industrial facilities.

The strikes made it harder for officials in the Kremlin to cast the conflict in Ukraine — now in its fifth year — as something so distant that it doesn’t affect the daily routines of Russian civilians.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said the exercise involved 64,000 troops, over 200 missile launchers, more than 140 aircraft, 73 surface warships and 13 submarines, including eight armed with nuclear-tipped ICBMs. The drills will focus on the “preparation and use of nuclear forces under the threat of aggression,” it said.

The drills also practice cooperation with Belarus, an ally that hosts Russian nuclear weapons. Russian arsenals in Belarus include its latest intermediate range nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system.

UK Senior Military Advisor, Colonel Joby Rimmer, said the drills reflected how Russia had “repeatedly employed irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and coercive signalling” during its war in Ukraine.

“The consequences are clear. As trust erodes, the risk of miscalculation increases; any reduced transparency over doctrine and force posture severely narrows the margin for error,” he said.

“When a participating State retreats from these frameworks while simultaneously intensifying nuclear signalling, the security environment deteriorates for all.”

Russian nuclear exercises typically use dummy warheads. One video released by the defence ministry showed a tarp-backed military truck travelling with minimal security, while others showed nuclear ⁠submarines, aircraft and warships.

Putin has repeatedly reminded the world about Moscow’s nuclear arsenals after sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to try to deter the West from ramping up support for Kyiv.

In 2024, Putin adopted a revised nuclear doctrine, noting that any nation’s conventional attack on Russia that is supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on his country.

That threat was clearly aimed at discouraging the West from allowing Ukraine to strike Russia with longer-range weapons and appears to significantly lower the threshold for the possible use of Moscow’s nuclear arsenal.

The revised doctrine that placed Belarus under the Russian nuclear umbrella. Putin has said that Moscow will retain control of its nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus but would allow its ally to select the targets in case of conflict.

Moscow has accused Baltic countries of allowing Ukraine to fly over their territory ‌to attack northern Russia, an accusation that Nato has denied.

The Baltic states, all ​strong backers of Ukraine, counter that Russia is redirecting Ukrainian drones into their ‌airspace from their intended targets in Russia.

Manchester City will start a new era this summer if Pep Guardiola leaves after ten years at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola was tight-lipped on his Manchester City future on Tuesday night. City’s legendary manager is expected to leave the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season, albeit Guardiola insists that he still needs to speak to chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

Should Guardiola make his exit, his replacement is expected to be Enzo Maresca. The Italian’s Chelsea spell ended with him being sacked but the calamity at Stamford Bridge since suggests the 46-year-old was doing a good job in the circumstances. Should he be unveiled at the Etihad Stadium, there are two players who might be keen to join him.

Enzo Fernandez criticised the decision to sack Maresca during the March international break. “Obviously, it was a departure that hurt a lot because we had a lot of identity, he gave us order but it’s the way that football is, sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad,” Chelsea’s captain said.

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“But we always had a clear identity when it came to training, playing and obviously his departure hurt us especially in the middle of the season – it cuts everything short.”

Fernandez was punished with a two-game ban for his comments. While Elliot Anderson remains City’s top transfer target, Fernandez could fill the gap left behind by Bernardo Silva.

Fernandez’s teammate Marc Cucurella might also be keen on a reunion with his former boss. During the same international break, he said: “With Enzo Maresca in charge, we were more stable, because we worked together for 18 months.

“If you look at our first pre-season with him, there were doubts. You need a process for every player to understand what we need to do.

“In our last months with Maresca, we played almost by heart. If we changed the system, we knew what we had to do. You need that time.

“The moment Maresca left, it had a big impact on us. These are decisions taken by the club. If you asked me, I would not have made this decision.”

Nico O’Reilly has performed excellently at left-back but all top clubs need strength in depth. Nathan Ake is set to leave this summer and Josko Gvardiol might be needed to play more games at centre-back next season with John Stones set to depart.

If Maresca does replace Guardiola at City this summer, some of his former players might be keen to follow him to the Etihad.