“To ensure we do not see unfair practices continuing, in the upcoming Energy Independence Bill we will be bringing in new regulation of third-party intermediaries, such as energy brokers and price comparison websites, as a further measure to protect small businesses from harmful practices like mis-selling and untransparent pricing.

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday condemned special interest money that poured into the state ahead of this week’s primary, including from a pro-Israel political group that the billionaire and potential 2028 presidential contender once supported.

Pritzker, a Jewish Democrat who also spent money to influence races Tuesday, was a donor to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee before he walked away more than a decade ago. He told The Associated Press on Wednesday that AIPAC, which lobbies for U.S. support for Israel and is a top donor to political campaigns, lost its way as a bipartisan group focused on Middle East peace.

“It became an organization that was supporting Donald Trump and people who follow Donald Trump,” Pritzker said. “AIPAC really is not an organization that I think today I would want any part of.”

Outside groups, including AIPAC, funneled roughly $70 million into six open U.S. House and Senate races in Illinois on Tuesday. Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, called it “interference.”

A message left Wednesday for an AIPAC spokesperson wasn’t immediately returned.

Outside groups influence campaign issues

The open contests in Illinois — largely due to retirements — were a proving ground for some of the biggest issues before Democrats in 2026, from support for Israel to the cryptocurrency and AI industries, as super PACs poured millions into the races. Questions about U.S. involvement in the Israel-Hamas war, and in recent days the Iran war, permeated several contests.

AIPAC’s involvement sparked some of the primary’s harshest attacks, but the group’s success was mixed. In a 10-candidate primary for a U.S. House district that includes parts of Chicago’s South Side, AIPAC backed Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, who won the Democratic nod Tuesday. The group’s preferred Democratic candidate in a heavily Jewish district north of Chicago, however, lost to Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss.

While unopposed in his own primary, Pritzker was a strong presence in several campaigns, contributing millions to support his lieutenant governor, Juliana Stratton, in her successful bid for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination.

The move, and Pritzker’s possible 2028 presidential bid, put a fresh spotlight on his global policy views amid growing unrest over the Democratic Party’s relationship to Israel.

A supporter of Israel, Pritzker has also rejected the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has called for two-state solution with “safe havens” needed both for Jews in Israel and Palestinians in Gaza.

“I do not know why the United States has walked away from that, except, of course, that Donald Trump doesn’t seem to understand how to create Middle East peace and instead wants to go to war, as he has now done in Iran, simply following Netanyahu into that war,” Pritzker said.

“Are we going to now take military adventures across the world to take out leaders, who we think are bad for their countries?” he said. “If so, we’re going to be involved in a whole lot of wars going forward.”

Millions into races from Pritzker, outside groups

Pritzker himself put at least $5 million into helping Stratton get elected. She won the Democratic Senate nomination over U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who dominated in fundraising.

Outside groups also spent more than $16 million to support Stratton’s campaign, while also spending $11 million in opposition.

Pritzker said Stratton won because she was strong on issues, not because of his influence.

“She stood on her own two feet, and people saw that she’s real and she’s going to be a fighter for us in Washington,” Pritzker said.

Some voters disagreed.

Matthew Crain, 54, who is from downstate Chatham, said Pritzker’s endorsement influenced him to change his vote from Krishnamoorthi to Stratton.

Crain, a state worker, said that given the potential of Pritzker running for president, “I thought having one of his allies in would be a good thing.”

Brooke Morgan, 39, from Springfield, said she became familiar with Stratton’s politics over her last seven years as lieutenant governor.

“The governor is doing a pretty good job in Illinois, and I think that his backing, his support of her certainly gave me some confidence as well,” said Morgan, a museum curator.

Eyes on November

In November, Pritzker faces Republican Darren Bailey, a former state lawmaker who backs Trump’s agenda. It will be a rematch after Pritzker handily defeated Bailey in 2022.

In a campaign speech to supporters Tuesday, Bailey, who received Trump’s endorsement four years ago, said he doesn’t agree with the president on everything and vowed to include Democrats who feel left out.

Meanwhile in a campaign ad posted Wednesday, Pritzker’s team characterized Bailey as “still too extreme for Illinois.”

When asked about his own ambitions for higher office, Pritzker said he is not planning anything beyond his 2026 bid for a third term.

“That is not something I’m thinking,” he said.

___

Associated Press writer John O’Connor in Springfield, Illinois, contributed to this report.

This could be a strange match with an empty feeling around it. The priority for Tottenham Hotspur is Premier League survival and Nottingham Forest’s visit on Sunday is of greater importance than this game.

Given the 5-2 deficit after the Kinsky horror show in the first leg, the Europa League champions will need a three-goal winning margin just to take the tie to extra-time.

“Difficult, but not impossible,” was manager Igor Tudor’s assessment of the task in hand. The Croatian remains confident that they will stay up.

Funnily enough, Tottenham have won all four of their home Champions League matches this season with an aggregate score of 10-0. Still, given their form, it feels like this is one for Saint Jude, the patron saint of lost causes.

They cannot quite afford to give up this Champions League round of 16 second leg as a hopeless task, rest all key players and hope for a creditable performance.

The Opta supercomputer gives the home side a marginally better chance of winning tonight than their opponents and there was encouraging fight shown in the 1-1 draw at Liverpool on Sunday. A little momentum and a win at home could go a long way.

Micky van de Ven is back from suspension and called reports that players had switched off or were focusing on next season “the biggest nonsense” yesterday.

They are missing some key players: target-man Richarlison is out with a one-match suspension, Conor Gallagher and Dominic Solanke are injury doubts. Cristian Romero ought to be back in the team, but João Palinha has been ruled out.

Atlético Madrid’s stalwart goalkeeper Jan Oblak is out with a muscular problem, so Juan Musso will deputise.

Kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is at 8pm GMT. Line-ups coming shortly.

Security responded quickly and Rapp was quick to stop songs and speeches to ensure that fans were okay

Multiple fans were recovered from the crowd due to medical concerns at the AO Arena this evening (Wednesday, March 18).

US pop star Renee Rapp was performing at the arena this evening and had to stop the performance multiple times whilst security helped those in the crowd.

Security responded quickly and Rapp was quick to stop songs and speeches to ensure that fans were okay.

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Around nine people in the crowd were attended to throughout the concert. The song I think I like You Better was halted as fans waved their touches around in the crowd to signal for medical help and during this period another two groups of fans also secured security to attend.

Then again, just one song later, Tummy Hurts was also stopped due to concerns for the crowd. The numbers of incidents increased as the night went on.

Rapp asked those at the back to take a step back to make room for those at the front as they were more often the ones who required attention. She often requested for the house lights to be brought up so that security could better reach fans.

During one part of the concert, the song Not My Fault, is always interrupted as part of a gag Rapp does with the audience to switch to play a different song. However tonight that did not run as smoothly as other nights as Rapp had to stop again for fans who needed help.

Rapp reassured the crowd the security were coming saying: ‘They are right here and ready to help you’.

There may not be too many ways in which this season is better than last for Liverpool but Arne Slot can at least point to a significant one. Liverpool have gone further in the Champions League, and this was progress in more ways than one.

A quarter-final was booked in emphatic and entertaining fashion. The boos that greeted the final whistle against Tottenham on Sunday were replaced by cheers, the lethargy with which Liverpool have played too often giving way to an energy and intensity. This was frenzied and fast, players and crowd feeding off each other. “There was a great dynamic between the players and fans,” said Slot. “Almost a perfect game.”

For him, it was a response when the scrutiny upon him had heightened. The Dutchman switched tactics, to something of a 4-4-2, and the team changed tack. This was much better. This was one of their best displays of the campaign. It was so good it was almost unrepeatable, Slot argued. “Because 5.02 xG on a Champions League night, conceding 0.18 xG, that is not going to be easy to copy,” he said.

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If it was like the Liverpool of old, what could have shaped up as further evidence of Mohamed Salah’s decline instead became a cathartic evening for him. His was a throwback performance. His was a throwback performance. At half-time, when Liverpool’s dominance was not reflected by a one-goal lead, there was the possibility Salah’s missed penalty would cost them. This threatened to be his last European game for Liverpool until he had a part in three goals in 11 minutes, capped gloriously. “He scored a trademark goal that he has scored so many times in this stadium and for this club, cutting inside, finding the corner,” said Slot, who was delighted with Salah’s response to a setback. “It says a lot about his mental strength.”

Galatasaray were overwhelmed, Liverpool’s defeat in Istanbul last week rendered irrelevant amid a blur of 32 shots, 16 of them on target. The catalyst for the turnaround, perhaps inevitably, was Dominik Szoboszlai, who added to his collection of terrific goals and who, as he often does, broke the deadlock.

If Galatasaray had a gameplan for holding on to their first-leg lead beyond timewasting, it was not visible. It got Slot more animated. “It is not something I can do anything about except running around like a lunatic,” he said afterwards. The running was not confined to his team.

They had started at pace, and got a reward. Liverpool had conceded to Galatasaray’s set-pieces twice in Istanbul this season. They scored from one on Merseyside. It was beautifully worked, Alexis Mac Allister disguising a low corner and Szoboszlai delivering a first-time, left-footed finish from 15 yards. The routine was so expertly planned in that it ended up with the man who had the technique to provide the finish. It was, remarkably, Szoboszlai’s fifth Champions League goal of the season, to add to four assists. His name echoed around Anfield; the fans he had criticised for leaving early on Sunday recognise he has become a talisman.

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And then Liverpool mounted a ferocious onslaught. Salah, in behind the Galatasaray defence, failed to dink the ball over Ugurcan Cakir. Florian Wirtz had a ferocious shot deflected over the goal. Mac Allister headed on to the bar from four yards. Szoboszlai had a long-range shot parried. The best chance of all went to the Egyptian. It was a wild and needless challenge from Ismail Jakobs to send Szoboszlai flying. In contrast, Salah’s penalty was too tame. Cakir saved it with his trailing foot.

If it reinforced the sense Liverpool can be a side who struggle to double a lead, they got their second, third and fourth goals in swift succession. Each revolved around Salah. First he sprang the offside trap and centred to give Hugo Ekitike a tap in. Then, after Cakir parried his half-volley, Ryan Gravenberch bobbled in the rebound. After Wilfried Singo was spared an embarrassing own goal by an offside flag, Salah scored his 50th Champions League goal in classic fashion. A curler from outside the box nestled in the net. Salah grabbed the Liver Bird on his shirt in celebration. High in the stands, Steven Gerrard joined in the applause.

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Salah should really have had a second, hitting the bar from Ekitike’s cutback. It nevertheless felt a sign he was irresistible; until, suddenly, he wasn’t. He went off, seemingly substituting himself for once, and headed down the tunnel for treatment. “He felt something,” added Slot.

Galatasaray’s attacking superstar was long gone by then. Hampered by an arm injury, Victor Osimhen did not reappear for the second half. His manager, Okan Buruk, thought Victor Osimhen’s arm injury was a psychological blow for his team. His top scorer departed at half-time, heading for hospital, where he was later joined by Noa Lang, stretchered off with a potentially serious finger problem.

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It completed an awful night for Galatasaray. Having gone further than expected in Europe, they shrank from the challenge. Liverpool rose to it. And so in this season, unlike last, they will play European football in April. There is a similarity nonetheless. It is Paris Saint-Germain again, a rematch that offers the prospect of revenge. And for Salah, an opportunity to plot a course towards his fourth Champions League final.

​Despite the fast-approaching tourist season, North Yorkshire Council (NYC) has not been able to secure a public bathroom in Scarborough’s town centre and has asked businesses to reach to the authority. with offers.

​Earlier this month, Scarborough businesses were asked to make their toilets available to the public following concerns over a lack of facilities in the town centre.

​A Community Toilet Initiative (CTI) proposed by Scarborough Town Council would provide “modest financial support, signage, and inclusion in promotional materials” to cafes, pubs, and shops that voluntarily make their toilet facilities available for public use.

​NYC said it had not been able to convince any local businesses to work with it to provide a public bathroom.

​Cllr Rich Maw told a full meeting of NYC on Wednesday, March 18: “Scarborough has no public toilet provision in the town centre and residents and visitors will understandably be dismayed by this.

​“What immediate and longer-term steps is the council taking to restore adequate public convenience provision in the town centre for residents and visitors alike?

“I am aware of the West Pier temporary toilet provision, but I’d remind the executive committee that it is nowhere near the town centre.”

​Cllr Richard Foster, executive member for managing the environment, replied: “Since the closure of the Brunswick Centre, there hasn’t been any provision within the town centre.

​“There was the Railway Station, and there is the indoor market and that is a seven-minute walk away from the main retail space.

​“We do agree there’s a gap in the provision and officers have been working closely with businesses to get a community toilet in place, but have so far failed to negotiate one. So, maybe highlighting it today can bring forward a business that can help us with that.”

​Cllr Foster said: “We realise it’s an issue and we are working on it, and there are further things officers will bring forward for consideration. But that would be the easiest solution if we could get a local firm in place to help us with that.

​“If any members know anybody who might be willing to negotiate something with us, please come forward to council officers.”

Senegal says it will appeal the “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable decision” to strip it of its Africa Cup of Nations title after a chaotic final against host Morocco.

On Tuesday, the appeals board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) ruled that Senegal had forfeited the final in January by walking off the field in extra time to protest a penalty given to Morocco.

They subsequently returned to the field, only for their rivals to miss the crucial penalty, but now the board’s decision has turned Senegal’s 1-0 win into a default 3-0 victory for Morocco, making them the tournament’s winners.

Now the Senegalese government is pledging to “pursue all appropriate legal avenues” to challenge the ruling.

“This unprecedented and exceptionally serious decision directly contradicts the fundamental principles of sporting ethics, foremost among which are fairness, loyalty and respect for the truth of the game,” the government said in a statement.

The statement also branded the ruling “grossly illegal and deeply unjust” and a “manifestly erroneous interpretation of the regulations”.

Similarly, the Senegalese Football Federation said the decision was “unfair, unprecedented, and unacceptable” and “discredits African football”.

The organisation said it would appeal “as soon as possible” to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Justifying its decision, the CAF referred to Articles 82 and 84 of its Africa Cup Regulations.

The former stipulates that a team will lose the game and be eliminated from the tournament if it refuses to play or leaves the field without the referee’s permission.

The latter article mandates a 3-0 win for the opposing team.

However, the referee has “full authority” to decide what happens in a match under Law 5 of the International Football Association Board, which sets the rules of the game globally.

Read more:
Five sporting results which were overturned after Senegal drama
Women ‘may leave sport unless tech giants tackle online abuse’

In its own statement, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation said its appeal to the CAF had “never been about challenging the sporting performance” of the teams, “but solely to ensure that the tournament rules are respected”.

“CAF has acknowledged that the rules, known to all and applicable to all, had not been respected,” it added.

Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle gave details of the strategy on a visit to Tata Steel’s plant in Port Talbot, South Wales, warning that without action, the UK’s steelmaking capability faces “real jeopardy”, leaving the country reliant on overseas suppliers for materials essential to energy security, defence and transport infrastructure.

Four years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the world is bracing for another energy crisis. The US-Israel bombing of Iran and then the blockade of the strait of Hormuz have forced up the price of oil. The price of natural gas in Europe has also risen sharply.

In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a £50 million package to support consumers who heat their homes with oil. The government is also considering a U-turn on the decision to increase fuel duty (currently almost 53p per litre of petrol or diesel) in September after a 15-year freeze. Other taxes would need to go up to compensate.

But the main question concerns what will happen to electricity prices this summer. A sustained crisis could push prices higher for both households and businesses. It could also push the Bank of England to avoid interest rate cuts, making mortgages more expensive. And the government could even end up paying part of everyone’s bills directly as it did between 2022 and 2024, piling up tens of billions of pounds of public debt.

To secure most of the future production of electricity – wind farms or new nuclear power stations for instance – the government signs what are known as “contracts for difference” with electricity producers. These contracts fix the price of electricity for decades, typically above expected wholesale prices.

These guaranteed prices correspond roughly to the expected average cost of producing electricity. Unlike gas, once a wind farm is built, each additional unit of electricity costs almost nothing to produce. So, without a guaranteed price, renewable producers would fear having to sell the electricity for free and never recouping their investment.

Consumers are shouldering the risk

The UK is not as sunny as somewhere like Spain and so will never get very cheap solar power. It is also trying to build new nuclear power plants, but the first attempt (Hinkley point C, currently expected to begin delivering electricity in 2030) is so expensive that the French state-owned energy operator EDF lost £10 billion in the process. Future projects now ask taxpayers to take most of the risk and pay upfront in the form of higher bills.

Consumers mostly notice these extra costs added to their bills (called “environmental levies”) when gas prices are low. The levies currently make up 6.5% of a typical bill, which is down from 13% after the government shifted some costs so that they would be paid for through general taxation.

So given that they’re paying upfront for the infrastructure, consumers might expect renewables to cut their bills when gas prices spike. But that is not how markets work: the price is set by the most expensive unit sold. Around 85% of the time in the UK this most expensive unit uses liquefied natural gas (LNG) transported by boat.

If one day the UK becomes like Spain where prices are mostly set by renewables (thanks to huge leaps in wind and solar), wholesale prices will often be zero. But consumers will still pay more, because they will still be charged the environmental levies that were put in place years before to invest in the infrastructure.

This is what led the CEO of energy giant E.ON, Chris Norbury, to declare in parliament that “even if the wholesale price was zero, bills would still be where they were today”. That’s true, but also a bit misleading.

Wholesale prices only go to zero because the country invested in renewables. The alternative – going back to more gas – would probably be much more expensive for everyone. It would certainly be more risky as the current conflict in the Middle East is illustrating.

Sunshine and wind do not need to pass through the strait of Hormuz and cannot be used as leverage by dictators. And what looks like a costly subsidy heaping pressure on billpayers in good times becomes insurance in a crisis.

During the peak of the energy crisis in 2022, the wholesale price of electricity was higher than the guaranteed one, and renewable generators paid money to the government instead of receiving subsidies. But because the government was helping out with everyone’s bills, consumers never saw the benefit.

In 2025 in the UK, less than a third of electricity was generated using gas. Replacing renewables with gas would mean building power plants and importing more gas at ever-higher prices and greater geopolitical risk.

Gas is cheaper in the US where fracking makes the country almost energy independent. But fracking is much harder in places that are as densely populated as England. The government is currently planning to ban it everywhere in the UK.

But the UK’s vulnerable situation also gives it a chance to innovate and export. The key is making sure that consumers pay a price that reflects the real cost of electricity at any given moment.

The more we switch from fossil fuels – heating, cars, trucks – to electricity, the more battery capacity we have to fill. The price signal (the gap between cheap and expensive electricity) gives industries and households a strong incentive to innovate and invest in storage.

Most people only care about their monthly bill and won’t adapt directly. But smart appliances, home batteries and vehicle-to-grid systems (where vehicles can store electricity and sell it back to the grid when required) will do it for them.

The UK can gain in efficiency what nature has not provided in resources. This could give Britain a chance to sell its innovations to the world. Selling services is what the UK does as a country, after all. The large majority of global investments in energy are in renewables, and there will be huge opportunities for the countries that figure out how to run a grid on intermittent electricity sources.