The Grid

Qualifying for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix has taken place in Baku, setting the grid for the latest round of the Formula 1 season. The session is drawing big attention from motorsport fans following the official highlights, with more than six million people engaging with the coverage as they look to see who took pole position on the demanding street circuit.

A 60 Minutes report examines how the race to build artificial intelligence is driving a rapid expansion of data centers across the United States, and the growing resistance from communities where the facilities are being built. Residents have raised concerns over energy demands, water use, noise and strain on local power grids, turning data center approvals into a contested political issue in towns across the country.

A commission says it will examine the strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and assess corresponding vulnerabilities in the United States power grid. The move links the war in Ukraine to concerns about the resilience of American energy systems, with officials expected to review what the attacks reveal about risks to critical infrastructure and how similar threats could be addressed at home.

Russian strikes are increasingly directed at Ukraine's data centers, infrastructure that underpins government services, banking, and communications. The attacks fit a broader campaign against Ukrainian energy and digital infrastructure, aiming to disrupt state operations and public life. Analysts note that destroying data facilities can be harder to reverse than hitting the power grid, raising concerns about the long-term resilience of Ukraine's digital state.

The European Union is moving to limit the energy and water consumption of data centres, in a bid to control the resources used by the fast-growing digital infrastructure sector. The proposal comes as data centre demand surges, driven by cloud computing and artificial intelligence, raising concerns about strain on electricity grids and water supplies across member states.

A new 60 Minutes report highlights growing opposition to data centers across the United States, with residents from across the political spectrum joining forces to resist large-scale construction projects in their communities. Concerns cited include strain on power grids and water supplies, noise, and the impact on farmland and neighborhoods, making the issue an unusual point of bipartisan agreement.

New figures show the world added around 690 gigawatts of solar power capacity in 2025, according to reporting by pv magazine. The total underscores the continued rapid expansion of solar energy worldwide, as installations keep outpacing forecasts driven by falling costs and strong demand in major markets. Industry observers are weighing what the record-scale buildout means for grids, fossil fuel demand and global climate targets.

Formula 1's Bahrain Grand Prix was thrown into chaos after the race start was postponed twice, leaving drivers and teams confused on the grid. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was reportedly left rattled by the repeated delays. The Italian press is widely covering the unusual sequence of events and what triggered the repeated postponements.

Italian sports media are publishing guides to the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix, including broadcast times, the starting grid and a profile of the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. Fans are searching for exact race and qualifying schedules to plan their viewing, with La Gazzetta dello Sport among the outlets offering a full rundown of session timings and circuit details.

The rapid expansion of AI is driving a surge in data centre construction, and with it a sharp rise in electricity demand that power grids are struggling to meet. Coverage highlights the tension between tech companies' growth plans and energy sustainability, raising questions about how the industry will source clean power at scale.

A growing coalition is pushing Congress to approach wildfires as a national-security challenge rather than solely a natural disaster or land-management problem. The effort argues that increasingly severe fire seasons strain military and emergency resources and threaten infrastructure, energy grids and communities, warranting the kind of coordinated federal planning reserved for security threats.

Formula 1 fans are checking the championship standings ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, with Arvid Lindblad set to serve a grid penalty at the race. The penalty drops the young driver down the order before lights out in Bahrain, prompting debate among supporters about its impact on his weekend and the wider standings picture.

Max Verstappen claimed pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix, ending a wait for pole that stretched back several races. The main championship storyline, though, centres on George Russell, who risks losing further ground to his rivals this weekend. Attention now turns to whether Verstappen can convert the top grid slot into a win and how Russell responds in the race.

Climate Week NYC has wrapped up, with coverage pointing to two major themes: the build-out of smart electricity grids and growing attention to ocean resilience. Businesses, governments and campaigners used the annual New York gathering to announce commitments and debate how to finance cleaner energy systems and protect marine ecosystems.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has put forward a proposal for GB Grid, a new state body intended to galvanise and accelerate investment in the UK's energy infrastructure. It would be funded using money already allocated to GB Energy. The argument is that energy infrastructure is a natural monopoly that has been disrupted, and that public coordination could speed up badly needed grid investment.

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has spoken about his future and life since retiring from the sport, offering an update on whether he might return to the grid. The comments were carried by multiple motorsport and sports news outlets, drawing attention from fans eager to know whether the German could come back to racing or has fully closed that chapter.

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel has spoken about his life since retiring from the sport and addressed whether he might return to the grid. He says he remains open to opportunities but is content away from full-time racing. Motorsport fans are sharing his comments as they speculate about a possible comeback.

Wired argues that the growing public backlash against data centers, driven by their strain on power grids, water supplies and local communities, has so far stopped short of a serious reckoning with their climate impact. The piece contends that debates over new data center construction focus on costs and land use while largely ignoring the carbon footprint of the AI boom that is accelerating their expansion.

Max Verstappen claimed pole position in qualifying, with Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli impressing in third place. Italian media outlet Corriere della Sera is highlighting the key moments from the session, drawing attention to Antonelli's strong result alongside the Dutch champion's pace at the front of the grid ahead of the race.

The government of India has officially removed Bitchat, a decentralized Bluetooth-based messaging app, from the App Store. The move is drawing widespread attention online, with users debating whether it reflects regulatory pressure on off-grid communication tools or concerns over unvetted apps. Details on the exact grounds for the removal have not been made public, and the app's developer has not yet issued a public response.

McLaren driver Lando Norris has revealed he apologised to Franco Colapinto after saying the Argentine driver "shouldn't be in Formula 1". Norris said he reached out to Colapinto to express regret for the comment, which drew attention amid ongoing debate about the grid's driver line-up and the pressure on newer arrivals fighting to keep their seats.

Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, secured a front-row start in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix and says he hopes he can battle Max Verstappen for the win. His qualifying result has put the Ferrari driver in direct contention with Verstappen, and fans are discussing whether Hamilton can convert the strong grid position into a first victory with his new team.

As solar and wind replace conventional power plants, grids lose the natural inertia that traditionally kept frequency stable, raising concerns about blackout risks. UK-based Reactive Technologies is addressing this by sending sonar-like pulses through the grid to measure live inertia directly, revealing risks that standard models miss. The company has received €19 million in backing from the European Investment Bank to expand the approach.

Formula 1 has released its qualifying highlights from the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix, a round the series lists as being held in Malaysia. The footage covers the full qualifying session that set the grid for the race, and it has drawn millions of engagements within days of publication. Fans are reacting to the session's fastest laps and to the unusual scheduling of a Bahrain-branded round at a Malaysian venue.

Max Verstappen is drawing search interest across France, Italy, Brazil and the Netherlands amid the latest Formula 1 weekend action. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in second practice, with Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar surprisingly second-quickest, pushing attention onto the grid ahead of qualifying and the race.