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EVgo announced today the acquisition of Recargo, a company better known for being behind PlugShare, a popular EV charging app.

Over the years, PlugShare has become the go-to app for electric car owners looking to find charging stations.

It is sort of the Yelp of EV charging.

About seven out of 10 EV owners in the US have downloaded the PlugShare app.

The company also developed a payment system for EV charging.

Now, EVgo, one of the biggest charging network companies in the US, announced that it acquired Recargo in a $25 million cash-only transaction.

Cathy Zoi, CEO of EVgo, commented on the announcement:

“At EVgo, we have a relentless commitment to growing the EV driver base and enhancing the customer experience. The Recargo team shares that same commitment, developing innovative software to improve the charging experience. Recargo’s PlugShare platform has become the go-to mobile app for EV drivers.  EVgo and Recargo’s combined software expertise will make driving an EV and charging it even easier — and more delightful.  Together, we will extend and accelerate the reach of our business while continuing to shape the future of EV charging.”

Nick Wild, CEO of Recargo, will continue to serve as President and CEO of the new wholly-owned subsidiary under EVgo.

He commented on the acquisition:

“EVgo and Recargo have a long history of partnering to enhance the driver experience. The entire Recargo team is excited to have the opportunity to further accelerate our growth as part of the EVgo family. PlugShare has been the first and most trusted choice for EV drivers looking for information on public charging, and we are thrilled that the EVgo team is committed to the continued independence of our PlugScore™ system, increasing transparency and supporting broad interoperability and neutrality.”

There are some concerns about Evgo’s acquisition of the app.

One of PlugShare’s biggest advantages is that it includes data on charging stations from all public charging networks.

Also, they weren’t backed by a specific charging network, and therefore, they were not incentivized to skew reviews of some charging stations a certain way.

Ivo Steklac, CTO/COO of EVgo, did comment on trying to preserve the neutrality of PlugShare:

“This acquisition brings a great technical team into the fold and EVgo and Recargo can accelerate our collective growth, capitalizing on a shared focus of software innovation, commitment to open standards and interoperability, and a history of strong partnerships with automakers and other charging providers. To enhance transparency, EVgo and Recargo intend to publish PlugScore calculations and methodologies, enhance algorithms and further integrate customer and network feedback to improve the utility of the score while preserving its neutrality. Additionally, we expect to swiftly move to accept Pay with PlugShare (PWPS) on the EVgo network, opening the platform to other charging providers, giving drivers a simple way to use multiple networks and pay for charging in-app using PlugShare’s platform.”

We contacted Evgo about some of those concerns, and we will update if we get an answer.


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Grammy-winning R&B and soul star D’Angelo dies after ‘prolonged battle with cancer’

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Grammy-winning R&B and soul star D'Angelo dies after 'prolonged battle with cancer'

Grammy-award winning R&B and soul singer D’Angelo has died following a battle with pancreatic cancer, his family has said.

He died on Tuesday, leaving behind a “legacy of extraordinarily moving music” following a “prolonged and courageous battle with cancer,” his family said in a statement.

The prominent musician, born Michael D’Angelo Archer, was 51 years old.

A family statement said: “We are saddened that he can only leave dear memories with his family, but we are eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind.

“We ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time, but invite you all join us in mourning his passing while also celebrating the gift of song that he has left for the world.”

The singer rose to prominence in the 1990s with his first album, Brown Sugar.

The track “Lady” from that album reached No. 10 in March 1996 and remained on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for 20 weeks.

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Eurovision emergency vote on Israel’s inclusion is called off

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Eurovision emergency vote on Israel's inclusion is called off

An emergency vote on Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest has been called off following developments in the Middle East, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has said.

Contest organisers had scheduled “an extraordinary meeting of [its] general assembly to be held online” in early November after several countries said they would no longer take part in Eurovision if Israel participated.

The EBU said in a statement that following “recent developments in the Middle East” the executive board had agreed on Monday that there should be an in-person discussion among members “on the issue of participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026”.

It said the matter had now been added to the agenda of its winter general assembly, which will take place in December.

Further details about the session would be shared with EBU members in the coming weeks, it added.

It is not clear if a vote will still take place at a later date.

Austria is hosting next year’s show in Vienna. The country’s national broadcaster, ORF, told Reuters news agency it welcomed the EBU’s decision.

Sky News has contacted Israeli broadcaster KAN for comment.

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Will Eurovision boycott Israel?

Faced with controversy over the conflict in Gaza, Eurovision – which labels itself a non-political event – had said member countries would vote on whether Israel should or shouldn’t take part.

Slovenia and broadcasters from Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Iceland had all issued statements saying if Israel was allowed to enter, they’d consider boycotting the contest.

As one of the “Big Five” backers of Eurovision, Spain’s decision to leave the competition would have a significant financial impact on the event – which is the world’s largest live singing competition.

In September, a letter from EBU president Delphine Ernotte Cunci, said “given that the union has never faced a divisive situation like this before” the board agreed it “merited a broader democratic basis for a decision”.

Read more:
Why Eurovision vote on Israel might not stop boycott
Could Eurovision boycott lead to a competition crisis?

On Monday, Palestinian militant group Hamas freed the last living Israeli hostages from Gaza, and Israel released busloads of Palestinian detainees, under a ceasefire deal aimed at bringing an end to the two-year war in the Middle East.

The war began when Hamas stormed into Israel on October 7 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.

Israel invaded Gaza in retaliation, with airstrikes and ground assaults devastating much of the enclave and killing more than 67,000, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants but it says around half of those killed were women and children.

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Diane Keaton, star of Annie Hall and The Godfather, has died aged 79 – US media reports

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Diane Keaton, star of Annie Hall and The Godfather, has died aged 79 - US media reports

Actress Diane Keaton, who starred in films including The Godfather and Annie Hall, has died, reports have said.

People reported her death at the age of 79, citing a family spokesperson.

The magazine said she died in California with loved ones but no other details were immediately available, and representatives for Keaton did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Associated Press news agency.

Keaton’s death was also reported by the New York Times newspaper which said it has spoken to Dori Roth, who produced a number of Keaton’s most recent films, who confirmed she had died but did not provide any details about the circumstances.

With a long career, across a series of movies that are regarded as some of the best ever made, Keaton was widely admired.

She was awarded an Oscar, a BAFTA and two Golden Globe Awards, and was also nominated for two Emmys, and a Tony, as well as picking up a series of other Academy Award and BAFTA nominations.

Diane Keaton, with her best actress Oscar for 'Annie Hall' in 1978. Pic: AP
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Diane Keaton, with her best actress Oscar for ‘Annie Hall’ in 1978. Pic: AP

Her best actress Oscar was for the Woody Allen film Annie Hall, which is said to be loosely based on her life.

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She appeared in several other Allen projects, including Manhattan, as well as all three Godfather movies, in which she played Kay, the wife and then ex-wife of Marlon Brando’s son Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino, opposite him as he descends into a life of crime and replaces his father in the family’s mafia empire.

‘Brilliant, beautiful’

The unexpected news was met with shock around the world.

Her First Wives Club co-star Bette Midler wrote on Instagram: “The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me.

“She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was … oh, la, lala!”

Actor Ben Stiller paid tribute on X, writing: “Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.”

Keaton was the kind of actor who helped make films iconic and timeless, from her “La-dee-da, la-dee-da” phrasing as Annie Hall, bedecked in the iconic necktie, bowler hat, vest and khakis, to her heartbreaking turn as Kay Adams, the woman unfortunate enough to join the Corleone family.

Keaton also frequently worked with Nancy Meyers, starting with 1987’s Baby Boom.

Their other films together included 1991’s Father of the Bride and its 1995 sequel, as well as 2003’s Something’s Gotta Give.

In 1996 she starred opposite Goldie Hawn and Midler in The First Wives Club, about three women whose husbands had left them for younger women.

More recently she collaborated with Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen on the Book Club films.

Keaton never married. She adopted a daughter, Dexter, in 1996 and a son, Duke, four years later.

Sky News has contacted Keaton’s agent for a comment.

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