Rive

A Howard County man has been convicted by a jury of murder and attempted murder in connection with a 2025 drive-by shooting on Interstate 70. The conviction was announced by the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office, which prosecuted the case. The verdict closes a case that stemmed from a fatal shooting on the busy interstate highway.

Sudan is aiming to cultivate three million feddans in an expanded winter cropping campaign, alongside efforts to recover seed stocks lost during the conflict. The plan is presented as a step toward restoring domestic food production and stabilising supply. Observers say the scale of the target is significant given ongoing insecurity and damage to farming infrastructure, and attention is focused on whether the campaign can actually be delivered in affected areas.

An appeals court has set aside a lower court's ruling in the Florida manatee case and sent the matter involving the Indian River Lagoon back for further review. The decision reopens legal proceedings over protections for manatees in the lagoon, where pollution and habitat degradation have driven significant die-offs. Environmental advocates and state officials are watching closely as the case returns to the lower court.

A large new opinion poll reported by the Guardian suggests half of people in the UK now want to rejoin the European Union, and that Labour backing rejoining could increase its vote. The findings renew debate about whether Brexit remains a settled issue and how rejoin sentiment could shape Labour's electoral strategy and the next general election.

The United States has imposed sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court as part of a broader effort to dismantle the tribunal. The measures target the Hague-based court, which has faced repeated American hostility, particularly over investigations touching US allies and personnel. The move is drawing international attention and criticism over the implications for international justice and accountability.

Homeowners who paved over their front gardens for parking are discovering a costly problem: without a proper sub-base, the surface cannot take the weight of a car and fails or sinks. Guidance is circulating on how driveways should be constructed, with many households now facing expensive repairs to surfaces they installed specifically to park on.

With crude back around $100 a barrel, attention is turning to companies positioned to benefit from expensive gasoline, as high pump prices nudge drivers toward electric vehicles. Analysts highlight five stocks seen as winners from this shift, spanning EV makers, battery suppliers and charging infrastructure providers, arguing that sustained high oil prices could accelerate the transition away from combustion-engine cars.

The 2027 BMW iX3 M60 xDrive is drawing attention with 603 horsepower, a figure some describe as unlocked through software rather than extra hardware. Coverage argues the high-performance electric SUV offers more than just a software-boosted power figure, pointing to broader capability beyond raw output numbers.

Carmaker MG, owned by China's SAIC, has warned that proposed tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars would drive up prices for consumers. The company cautioned that import duties would hit affordability as European manufacturers brace for increased competition from cheaper Chinese EV models.

Porsche's upcoming electric sports car is set to arrive soon, and automotive commentators note that BMW has no direct competitor in the segment. The discussion centres on how Porsche's electric offering will stand alone in the market, with BMW absent from this particular category for now.

New reporting highlights that the rapid expansion of the global electric vehicle market is driving increased demand for testing and certification services. As more manufacturers bring EVs and batteries to market, they face growing regulatory requirements for safety, emissions, and performance verification. Industry watchers say certification capacity is becoming a key bottleneck and business opportunity as automakers scale production worldwide.