Laufey on making jazz cool again (and the fish that brought out her inner rage)
It’s probably fair to say that most of us have never slapped someone so hard with a wet fish that they fall, fully clothed, into a swimming pool. Until recently, that was also true for Icelandic jazz-pop phenomenon Laufey. Then she released a song called Mad Woman, whose video required her to hit Heated Rivalry […]
Miami race brought forward because of storm threat
The Miami Grand Prix has been moved forward by three hours to 18:00 BST (13:00 local time) because of the threat of thunderstorms. And world champion Lando Norris says the Formula 1 drivers will be “thrown in at the deep end” by the expected wet weather on Sunday. The McLaren driver is one of the […]
Tories pledge to tighten household benefit cap rules
The Conservatives say they would stop some households being able to get unlimited benefit payments, by reforming the household benefit cap. The cap is a limit on the total amount of benefit payments most working age people can receive. However, there are exemptions for people on some benefits, including Personal Independence Payment (Pip), and for households […]
King’s speech was a ‘high stakes’ moment of US visit, Palace says
King Charles III’s speech to the US Congress last week was a “high stakes” moment, a senior royal aide has said, but one that stayed true to the monarch’s personal “conscience”. The state visit speech, in which the King urged US lawmakers to defend Ukraine and support Nato, was a “measure of how much he […]
Voters will judge Trump on the economy – how is it doing?
Donald Trump once predicted the US-Israeli war in Iran would last no longer than six weeks. It has now entered its third month. The conflict has caused a global energy shock on a par with the oil crises of the 1970s, driving up prices of everything from fuel to groceries. Despite piling additional pressure on […]
Musk’s AI told me people were coming to kill me. I grabbed a hammer and prepared for war
It was 3am and Adam Hourican was sitting at his kitchen table, a knife, hammer and phone laid out in front of him. He was waiting for a van full of people he thought were coming to get him. “I’m telling you, they will kill you if you don’t act now,” a woman’s voice told […]
Germany troop cuts send wrong signal to Russia, say two top US Republicans
Two senior US Republican lawmakers have criticised a decision by the Pentagon to cut 5,000 US troops stationed in Germany, saying it risked undermining deterrence and would send the wrong signal to Russia. Roger Wicker and Mike Rogers, who chair the Senate and House armed services committees respectively, said that rather than being withdrawn, those […]
The hottest trend in TV: Get generations to fight each other
The feud between the generations was a popular TV theme in the 1970s, and now the interactions and frictions between Gen Z, Gen X, millennials and boomers are all over our screens once again. Why does the generation gap continue to make us laugh – and can the laughter help to heal the rift? More […]
Spotify adds ‘Verified’ badges to distinguish human artists from AI
Spotify is introducing a ‘Verified’ badge to help users identify when artists on its platform are human, not AI-generated. The world’s most-used music streaming service said the ‘Verified by Spotify’ text and green checkmark icon would appear next to artist names when they meet “defined standards demonstrating authenticity”. This could include having linked social accounts […]
Spirit Airlines shutting down after rescue talks collapse
Spirit Airlines is shutting down as a business after failing to secure a $500m (£368m) bailout from the Trump administration. The budget airline was in talks with the US government about a rescue deal which would have saved it from collapse. But discussions collapsed and the carrier said in an announcement on its website on […]
‘A man who inspired millions in the face of unbelievable adversity’
Alex Zanardi, who has died aged 59, was a 21st century hero. A man who inspired millions through his unquenchable spirit in the face of unbelievable adversity. An icon of two different sports. The Italian died on Friday, just under six years after suffering serious head injuries in a road accident while racing his handbike, a […]
Smiling Princess Charlotte beams in 11th birthday portrait
A new picture of Princess Charlotte has been released to mark her 11th birthday. Charlotte, The Prince and Princess of Wales’ middle child and only daughter, is seen smiling while standing in a sunny field. She is wearing a black and red striped jumper with blue jeans. The previously unseen image was shot by photographer […]
Polanski apologises for sharing post criticising police
Zack Polanski has apologised for sharing a social media post condemning the actions of police officers who arrested the suspect in the Golders Green attack. The Green Party leader had reposted a message on X accusing officers of “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head when he was already incapacitated by […]
Trump tells Congress ceasefire means he does not need their approval for Iran war
President Donald Trump has told Congress that US hostilities with Iran have “terminated” during an ongoing ceasefire, as he argued he did not need to meet a deadline for legislative approval of the war. By law, a US president must receive Congress’ approval within 60 days of notifying lawmakers of military action, or else cease […]
George Michael’s Faith jacket sells for £176,400
A jacket worn by George Michael in the music video for his 1987 hit Faith has sold for £176,400 at auction. It was among several pieces of music memorabilia being sold by Hertfordshire-based auction house Propstore, including a gold microphone used by Queen singer Freddie Mercury and one of the last autographs signed by John […]
Apple says iPhone 17 ‘most popular ever’ as sales soar
Apple has seen demand for its iPhone reach new heights with sales growth in China outpacing all other regions. Overall, sales of Apple products grew 17% to $111bn (£81bn) in the first three months of the year, compared to the same quarter a year ago, the company said in financial results released Thursday. Sales in […]
Crayola toys recalled over possible asbestos contamination
Two Crayola craft boxes for children have been withdrawn and a recall issued over concerns sand in the kits may be contaminated with asbestos. Owners of the Crayola Touchy Feely Craft Box and Crayola Discovery Craft Box should stop using the products immediately and keep out of the reach of children, the government said. The Office for Product Safety […]
Van Gerwen punched in face during bar attack
Darts player Michael van Gerwen was punched in the face by a stranger in a bar in the Netherlands on Monday. In footage shared online, Van Gerwen can be seen talking with a man and a woman in a bar in the city of Den Bosch on King’s Day – a public holiday in Van […]
Pro-Palestinian marches have been hijacked, says minister
A justice minister has said pro-Palestinian marches in British cities have been “hijacked” by people seeking to sow division, as the government’s approach to the demonstrations comes under renewed scrutiny. Alex Davies-Jones said antisemitic activity had taken place during the marches, and insisted the government was prepared to approve bans where necessary. But she said […]
Woman charged over fatal Wimbledon school crash
The driver of the car which crashed into the grounds of a south-west London school killing two eight-year-old girls has been charged by prosecutors. Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau died after a Land Rover driven by Claire Freemantle crashed into an end-of-term tea party on the lawn of The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon in […]
Trump says he will hike tariffs on EU cars to 25%
Donald Trump is increasing the tariffs charged on cars and trucks from the European Union to 25%. The US president accused the EU of “not complying with our fully agreed to trade deal” in a post on Truth Social, but did not explain how. “I am pleased to announce that… next week I will be […]
Canada’s Carney has enjoyed a long political honeymoon. Now comes the test
Mark Carney arrived on Canada’s political scene last year as an Ivy League and Oxford educated economist and a former central banker for two countries. He had an impressive resume and ambitions to be prime minister but had never run for public office until replacing Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader. There was concern his lack […]
What to know about King Charles’s state visit to US
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are visiting the US – the first British state visit to the country since Queen Elizabeth II’s visit in 2007. The trip, which comes as the US approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence from Britain, is meant to celebrate the strong relationship between the two countries. State visits are taken […]
How climate change threatens the economic backbone of the Pacific
The vast Pacific Ocean and the islands dotted within it produce more than half of the world’s tuna. Among the islands are 33 scattered across the centre that encompass the country of Kiribati. Here more than 70% of government revenues come from selling tuna fishing licenses to foreign fleets – the highest proportion of any […]
George Michael’s Faith jacket sells for £176,400
May 1, 2026UK
King’s speech was a ‘high stakes’ moment of US visit, Palace says
King Charles III’s speech to the US Congress last week was a “high stakes” moment, a senior royal aide has said, but one that stayed true to the monarch’s personal “conscience”. The state visit speech, in which the King urged US lawmakers to defend Ukraine and support Nato, was a “measure of how much he […]
Smiling Princess Charlotte beams in 11th birthday portrait
A new picture of Princess Charlotte has been released to mark her 11th birthday. Charlotte, The Prince and Princess of Wales’ middle child and only daughter, is seen smiling while standing in a sunny field. She is wearing a black and red striped jumper with blue jeans. The previously unseen image was shot by photographer […]
Woman charged over fatal Wimbledon school crash
The driver of the car which crashed into the grounds of a south-west London school killing two eight-year-old girls has been charged by prosecutors. Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau died after a Land Rover driven by Claire Freemantle crashed into an end-of-term tea party on the lawn of The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon in […]
What to know about King Charles’s state visit to US
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are visiting the US – the first British state visit to the country since Queen Elizabeth II’s visit in 2007. The trip, which comes as the US approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence from Britain, is meant to celebrate the strong relationship between the two countries. State visits are taken […]
Extradited teen in court over woman’s murder
A man has appeared in court after he wasextradited to the UK from the United Arab Emirates and charged with the murder of Kamonnan Thiamphanit, 27, who was stabbed in Westminster in 2024. Enzo Bettamio, 18, was put on a flight from Dubai to the UK on Friday and then formally charged with the murder […]
Stock markets are too high and set to fall, says Bank of England deputy
The Bank of England expects stock markets around the world to fall as share prices do not reflect the many risks facing the global economy, its deputy governor has told. Sarah Breeden said: “There’s a lot of risk out there and yet asset prices are at all-time highs. We expect there will be an adjustment […]
Car finance compensation scheme faces challenge and delay
A consumer group is planning a legal challenge to a scheme designed to compensate millions of drivers who were mis-sold motor finance agreements. Consumer Voice said the City regulator’s scheme, which is expected to cost lenders a total of £9.1bn, left “too many people short-changed”. Payouts averaging £829 per person were due to begin this […]
Smoking ban for people born after 2008 in the UK agreed
Children aged 17 or younger will face a lifelong ban on buying cigarettes, as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill clears Parliament. Both the Commons and Lords have settled on a final draft of the “landmark” legislation that aims to stop anyone born after 1 January 2009 from taking up smoking to create a smoke-free generation. When it […]
Unemployment rate unexpectedly falls as fewer students look for work
The UK’s unemployment rate has fallen unexpectedly, partly due to fewer students looking for work while they study. Unemployment fell to 4.9% in the three months to February, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, despite predictions it would remain unchanged at 5.2%. The drop has been driven by a rise in those not actively […]
UK energy strategy ‘unsustainable’ – manufacturer
The UK’s energy strategy is “unsustainable”, the managing director of a manufacturing firm has said. Ed Pitt from KGD in Hereford said the UK had the “most expensive energy in the world” with his firm currently paying about £250,000 annually for electricity and gas. His comments come after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast the […]
New charity to remember Queen Elizabeth 100 years since her birth
A new charity is being established to honour the life of Queen Elizabeth II, during a week in which the centenary of her birth will be marked. The government is providing a one-off payment of £40m to establish the Queen Elizabeth Trust, which will have King Charles III as its patron. The charity will focus […]
Mandelson saga is a messy palaver – and the questions continue to swirl
Plenty in Westminster knew the Lord Mandelson saga was going to cause the prime minister more grief. But no one, outside a very select few in the bowels of government, we now know, could have predicted this. The expectation was No 10’s next appointment with Mandelson related anguish would be the next deluge of documents […]
‘Embassy drone threat’ closes Kensington Gardens
Police are “assessing a number of discarded items” in London’s Kensington Gardens after a video was shared online in which a group claimed to have targeted the nearby Embassy of Israel with drones carrying dangerous substances. The Metropolitan Police said the embassy had not been attacked and officers were investigating the source and authenticity of […]
UK prepares for food shortages in worst case scenario as Iran war continues
The UK could face some food shortages, including chicken and pork, by the summer if the Iran war continues in a worst case scenario drawn up by government officials. A government source told it was planning for a scenario which would involve the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and breakdowns in the supply […]
Starmer ‘not going to yield’ to pressure from Trump on Iran war
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he is “not going to yield” to pressure from the US president to join the conflict in Iran. It comes after Donald Trump told that when the US asked the UK for help “they were not there”. He also suggested the tariff agreement with the UK “can always […]
Former Nato chief warns UK’s national security ‘in peril’
The UK’s security is “in peril” and Sir Keir Starmer’s government has shown “corrosive complacency” towards defence, a former Nato secretary general has said. Lord George Robertson, the former Labour defence secretary who wrote the government’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR), will accuse “non-military experts in the Treasury” of “vandalism”, in a speech to be delivered […]
UK could adopt EU single market rules under new legislation
Sir Keir Starmer is planning legislation to allow the UK to adopt new EU laws without Parliament having to hold a full vote each time. The measure is meant to make it easier for the UK to “dynamically” align with future rules required to deliver new deals in areas like food standards. The government says […]
New stamps celebrate horse racing legend’s legacy
The life of the legendary racehorse owner Trevor Hemmings has been celebrated in a special collection of stamps ahead of the Grand National. A three-time Aintree winner, Hemmings – who died in 2021 at the age of 86 – was one of the most respected figures in the sport during his 50-year career. The set […]
Man jailed for killing abused wife who jumped from bridge
A man who was convicted of killing his abused wife after she jumped from a motorway bridge has been jailed for eight years. Kimberly Milne died aged 28 after being struck by multiple vehicles on the A90 in Dundee in July 2023. In the first prosecution of its kind in Scotland, Lee Milne was convicted […]
Parents’ fury over delay in reporting son missing
The parents of a missing soldier have said the failure of the Army to notice he was not on base for two weeks had “potentially” cost their son his life. L/Cpl Ryan Rudd, 28, was last seen in the early hours of 15 February on a night out at the New Inn in Selby and […]
Four die, dozens rescued in attempted Channel crossing from France to UK
Four people have died while attempting to board an inflatable dinghy off the northern coast of France, as another dangerous English Channel crossing has turned deadly. Authorities said the incident took place early on Thursday near Calais, when a group of migrants waded into the sea to reach a small boat positioned offshore. Christian Fourcroy, […]
‘Two weeks will make such a difference’: UK first as NI brings in miscarriage leave
When Erin Sharkey had miscarriages, they brought devastation and uncertainty – not least when it came to her and her partner deciding how much time they should take off work to help to process their loss. But now, for her and others in Northern Ireland, there is an answer in extra support as it has […]
Three charged over Jewish charity ambulance fires
Three people have been charged after four Jewish charity-owned ambulances were set on fire in north London last week. The Hatzola ambulances were set alight in the car park of a synagogue in Golders Green in the early hours of 23 March. Two British men – Hamza Iqbal, 20, and Rehan Khan, 19 – and […]
Fewer UK adults posting on social media, Ofcom finds
Fewer adults in the UK are posting, commenting on, or sharing material on social media – while AI use is up and the majority of people worry about their screentime – according to Ofcom. Across the UK, 49% of respondents said they actively post on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and X, down from 61% […]
George Michael’s Faith jacket sells for £176,400
May 1, 2026World
Germany troop cuts send wrong signal to Russia, say two top US Republicans
Two senior US Republican lawmakers have criticised a decision by the Pentagon to cut 5,000 US troops stationed in Germany, saying it risked undermining deterrence and would send the wrong signal to Russia. Roger Wicker and Mike Rogers, who chair the Senate and House armed services committees respectively, said that rather than being withdrawn, those […]
Trump tells Congress ceasefire means he does not need their approval for Iran war
President Donald Trump has told Congress that US hostilities with Iran have “terminated” during an ongoing ceasefire, as he argued he did not need to meet a deadline for legislative approval of the war. By law, a US president must receive Congress’ approval within 60 days of notifying lawmakers of military action, or else cease […]
Trump says he will hike tariffs on EU cars to 25%
Donald Trump is increasing the tariffs charged on cars and trucks from the European Union to 25%. The US president accused the EU of “not complying with our fully agreed to trade deal” in a post on Truth Social, but did not explain how. “I am pleased to announce that… next week I will be […]
‘Washington in shock’ and ‘King keeps calm’
“Washington in shock,” says the Guardian. “Bedlam in the ballroom,” is the Sun’s headline. The Financial Times reports that questions are mounting about the “repeated security lapses” around President Donald Trump. The Daily Mirror says experts have called the security breach a “historic failure”. A couple of the papers carry accounts of Saturday’s attack from their correspondents who attended the dinner. […]
Europe’s Nato allies push back at reported US threat to Spain
It’s become a joke – through gritted teeth – these days in EU circles, that whenever leaders meet, as they did these last two days in Cyprus – expecting to discuss practicalities, such as the new EU budget – they get railroaded by yet another crisis. There is the ongoing energy crisis provoked by the […]
Relatives of 10 scientists who died or vanished grapple with impact of wild speculation
The disappearances and deaths of at least 10 people tied to sensitive US research have drawn scrutiny from online sleuths and now federal investigators. But for grieving relatives, all the wild speculation is “disgusting”. Carl Grillmair would laugh at the conspiracy theories about his killing, says his widow. “I think it’s absolute nonsense,” says Louise […]
No cartels involved – but Mexico’s pyramid attack prompts new concerns
The authorities in Mexico are still piecing together how a typical morning at the ancient pyramid complex of Teotihuacán, one of the country’s foremost tourist destinations, descended into terrifying gun violence on Monday. The video footage is disturbing. A gunman stands atop the imposing Pyramid of the Moon and opens fire on the tourists around […]
Zelensky says failure of US envoys to visit Kyiv is ‘disrespectful’
President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he considered visits by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow but not Kyiv “disrespectful”. The pair visited the Russian capital late last year as ceasefire talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine gained pace, and again in January. Witkoff, who has been to Moscow eight times, […]
Japan on high alert for ‘huge’ second quake after issuing tsunami warning
Officials in Japan have warned of an increased risk of a “huge” earthquake in the next week after a 7.7 magnitude quake struck off the north-east coast, triggering an evacuation order and warnings of 3m tsunami waves. Thousands of people were told to leave coastal areas for higher ground after the quake in waters off […]
At least six killed in Kyiv as gunman opens fire and takes hostages
At least six people have been killed and others injured after a person opened fire in Kyiv on Saturday, Ukrainian officials say. The incident happened in the southern Holosiivskyi district. Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the man, who lived locally, began shooting at people on the street and then took others hostage in a […]
What people in power think the impact of the Iran war will be
This week was the unique opportunity for the rest of the world to make its economic case to US President Donald Trump’s administration directly at the Spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank – taking place in Washington DC just down the road from the White House. The sense I got […]
Oil prices plunge as Iran says Strait of Hormuz ‘open’ during ceasefire
Oil prices have plummeted after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz would be “completely open” to commercial ships for the remainder of the ceasefire. The cost of a barrel of Brent crude fell to $88 dollars a barrel, having been above $98 earlier on Friday. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow strip of water […]
Satellite images reveal scale of Israeli demolitions as Lebanese villages destroyed
Towns and villages in southern Lebanon are being levelled by Israeli demolitions, satellite images and videos obtained. More than 1,400 buildings had been destroyed since 2 March based on verified visual evidence. This is just a snapshot of the overall damage caused by Israeli air strikes and demolitions, because of limited access on the ground […]
Trump’s rift with Pope is playing out in public – it’s costing him valuable support
It is not unusual for President Trump to face criticism from Catholic leaders. His hardline immigration policies, promised in his campaign and cheered on by supporters, have prompted condemnation from church leaders. For months it has put the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in the US at odds with more right-leaning rank-and-file Catholics. But the […]
French woman, 86, held by ICE after moving to US to reunite with long-lost love
An 86-year-old French woman who moved to the US last year after rekindling a 1960s romance is being detained at an immigration enforcement centre in Louisiana. The son of Marie-Thérèse, from the city of Nantes, sounded the alarm after his mother was arrested in Anniston, Alabama, earlier in April. “They handcuffed her hands and feet […]
US judge dismisses $10bn Trump defamation suit against Wall Street Journal
A US judge has dismissed a case against the publisher of the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) over a story about ties the US president had to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump sued the American newspaper and its owners including Rupert Murdoch in a Florida federal court last summer, asking for at least $10bn (£7.4bn) […]
Iran war lands ‘triple blow’ to flood-ravaged Sri Lankans
After floods devastated their village, Indrani Ravichandran and her family are back in their house, living in the only section that is still standing. They are among the many victims of Cyclone Ditwah that ravaged the country last November. The scale of the storm – and the destruction it wreaked – was unprecedented. Over just […]
India refuses to criminalise marital rape. This new series shines a light on it
A new web series that confronts marital rape in India has put the spotlight on the grim topic in a country that has stubbornly refused to criminalise it. Chiraiya – the Hindi word for small birds – aired on JioHotstar in March. It has already drawn an audience of millions, making it one of the […]
The high-stakes diplomacy that led to Pakistan hosting US-Iran peace talks
As Pakistan celebrates its success in helping negotiate a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, its leaders are preparing to host the peace talks. A two-day holiday was declared in the country’s capital of Islamabad ahead of the talks, which are due to begin on Saturday. Whether or not they will actually go ahead […]
‘One of the harshest places on Earth’: The 1960s green ‘Utopia’ that tried to reinvent the world
In an extreme environmental and political climate in the Colombian savannah, one maverick village has relied on its homegrown inventions to survive, down to adapting children’s see-saws to draw water for the community. None of the village’s inventions are patented, but they have nonetheless made their mark on the wider world. Amid the vast, remote […]
Why some travellers are rethinking trips to the US
This was supposed to be a big year for US tourism. But long wait times at airports and rising anti-American sentiment are causing some travellers to reconsider their plans. Travellers at US airports around the country recently experienced wait times up to four hours, the longest in the 24-year history of the Transportation Security Administration […]
Trump issues expletive-laden threat to Iran over Hormuz Strait blockage
US President Donald Trump has published an expletive-laden post on social media in which he threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges if it failed to meet his Tuesday deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping. He repeated an earlier threat to unleash “hell” but told US media there was a […]
Rescue team in Iran face ‘harrowing and dangerous’ search for US crew member
Early reports indicate that the pilot of a US F-15 fighter aircraft downed over Iran was rescued – which, if confirmed, would be the latest in the long history of US combat search-and-rescue missions over decades. The search operation is ongoing deep inside Iran for a second crew member, according to CBS, the BBC’s US […]
Italy’s famed Uffizi admits cyber-attack but denies security breach
The Uffizi Galleries in Florence have confirmed they were subject to a cyber-attack – but denied that the security systems protecting their famous works had been compromised. The Uffizi stressed that nothing had been either damaged or stolen, after hackers were reported to have infiltrated the museum’s IT systems and accessed sensitive security data. Italian […]
‘Washington in shock’ and ‘King keeps calm’
April 26, 2026
George Michael’s Faith jacket sells for £176,400
May 1, 2026Politics
Tories pledge to tighten household benefit cap rules
The Conservatives say they would stop some households being able to get unlimited benefit payments, by reforming the household benefit cap. The cap is a limit on the total amount of benefit payments most working age people can receive. However, there are exemptions for people on some benefits, including Personal Independence Payment (Pip), and for households […]
Polanski apologises for sharing post criticising police
Zack Polanski has apologised for sharing a social media post condemning the actions of police officers who arrested the suspect in the Golders Green attack. The Green Party leader had reposted a message on X accusing officers of “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head when he was already incapacitated by […]
Pro-Palestinian marches have been hijacked, says minister
A justice minister has said pro-Palestinian marches in British cities have been “hijacked” by people seeking to sow division, as the government’s approach to the demonstrations comes under renewed scrutiny. Alex Davies-Jones said antisemitic activity had taken place during the marches, and insisted the government was prepared to approve bans where necessary. But she said […]
Canada’s Carney has enjoyed a long political honeymoon. Now comes the test
Mark Carney arrived on Canada’s political scene last year as an Ivy League and Oxford educated economist and a former central banker for two countries. He had an impressive resume and ambitions to be prime minister but had never run for public office until replacing Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader. There was concern his lack […]
Iran shared ‘views and considerations’ with Pakistan on ending war – foreign minister
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has released a statement following his meeting with Pakistan’s head of armed forces, Asim Munir. The statement says they discussed “the latest developments related to the ceasefire” between Iran and the US. It also says Araghchi shared Iran’s “views and considerations” on ending the war. The statement adds that Asim Munir […]
Assisted dying bill runs out of time to become law
A proposed law to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales has run out of time to become law, almost 17 months after MPs first voted in favour of it. The bill stalled in the House of Lords after the House of Commons supported allowing terminally ill adults expected to die within six months to […]
Trump buys time for Iran deal after frantic day of diplomacy
Tuesday began as a frantic day of diplomacy in Washington, with Air Force Two ready to fly Vice President JD Vance to Islamabad for another round of peace talks between the US and Iran. Several hours later, Air Force Two hadn’t taken off and the negotiations were postponed. President Donald Trump announced that he would […]
Key evidence from sacked official at heart of Mandelson vetting row
Sir Olly Robbins, the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, has been giving evidence to MPs on the foreign affairs committee about his role in vetting Lord Mandelson to be the UK’s ambassador to the US. It comes after Sir Olly was effectively sacked last week after it emerged his department had granted […]
US intercepts and seizes Iranian-flagged cargo ship, Trump says
The US has intercepted an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf as part of its naval blockade, Donald Trump has said. The US president wrote on his Truth Social platform that the Touska was seized by the US Navy after failing to respond to a warning to stop. Iran said it was a violation of […]
Pope says ‘tyrants’ speech was not aimed at Trump
Pope Leo says he was not seeking to debate Donald Trump when he criticised “tyrants” for spending billions on wars in a speech earlier this week. The pontiff said the remarks, delivered days after a high-profile spat with the US president, had been written a fortnight earlier – “well before the president ever commented on […]
Orbán’s era was over in a flash and Hungary’s next PM is a man in a hurry
Péter Magyar and his victorious Tisza party have wasted no time preparing for the transfer of power in Hungary after their dramatic landslide defeat of Viktor Orbán last Sunday. They won 52% of the vote to put an end to his party’s 16 years of continuous rule, which translates into 140 seats in the 199-seat […]
Ceasefire with Israel brings respite to Lebanon, but obstacles to peace remain
At the stroke of midnight, gunfire and fireworks celebrated the start of the ceasefire in Beirut. Throughout the morning, smiling crowds gathered along roads leading to Lebanon’s south, the heartland of Hezbollah, playing revolutionary music and waving the group’s yellow flag as they started their journey back to where they had been forced from by […]
Russia launches deadliest drone and missile attack in months, killing 17 in Ukraine
Russia launched more than 700 drones and missiles at Ukraine in multiple waves overnight, killing at least 17 people in what local officials said was the deadliest attack in months. The officials said nine people were killed in the southern port city of Odesa, four – including a child – in the capital Kyiv, and […]
Global economy at risk of recession if Iran war persists, warns IMF
The global economy is at risk of recession if the US-Israel war with Iran continues and high energy prices persist, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned. In its World Economic Outlook report, the IMF said in a worst-case scenario – where oil, gas and food prices spike and remain high this year and next […]
Orbán era swept away by Péter Magyar’s Hungary election landslide
Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power is over and a system condemned as an “electoral autocracy” lies in tatters, defeated by a 45-year-old former party insider who convinced a majority of Hungarians to bring it to an end. “We did it,” Péter Magyar told a crowd of cheering supporters beside the River Danube, overlooking Budapest’s […]
We spoke to the man making viral Lego-style AI videos for Iran. Experts say it’s powerful propaganda
At first glance they look like they could be scenes out of a Lego movie, although more vivid and fast-paced. But these viral AI videos inspired by the instantly recognisable Lego aesthetic feature dying children, fighter jets and US President Donald Trump – and are in fact pro-Iran propaganda. He’s a savvy social media operator […]
Taiwan opposition leader meets Xi Jinping in Beijing
China’s President Xi Jinping received Taiwan’s main opposition party leader on Friday, in a rare meeting which saw both sides stress a desire for cross-strait peace. Cheng Li-wun is the Kuomintang’s (KMT) first sitting leader to visit China in a decade. In 2016, Beijing cut off high-level communications with Taiwan after the ruling Democratic Progressive […]
Gulf states, Hormuz uncertainty casts shadow over US-Iran ceasefire
The Gulf region breathed a collective sigh of relief late on Tuesday after Iran and the United States agreed on a two-week truce, pausing more than a month of increasingly violent attacks and inflammatory rhetoric. Hours earlier, US President Donald Trump threatened to wipe out an “entire civilisation” and Tehran warned of further attacks across […]
US warns citizens to reconsider Nigeria travel on safety grounds
The US has urged its citizens to reconsider travelling to Nigeria, citing risks such as terrorism, civil unrest and kidnapping. The state department’s travel update on Wednesday added that specific Nigerian states that pose an increased risk have been placed under the most severe warning that advises against all travel in the affected areas. Washington […]
Vietnam’s leader To Lam strengthens power in unanimous assembly vote
Vietnam’s communist-dominated general assembly has elected To Lam, the party leader, to be the country’s president and head of state, an unusual concentration of power in one person. He was elected unanimously by the 500 seat assembly which started sitting on Monday, following the Communist Party Congress in January, which makes all the big decisions […]
Trump says Iran’s handling of Strait of Hormuz is ‘not the agreement we have’
US President Donald Trump has accused Iran of doing a “very poor job” in its handling of oil passing through the pivotal Strait of Hormuz, arguing it was “not the agreement we have”. The comments reflect the fragile nature of the ceasefire agreement, with reports showing conflicts on what was included in the accord. It […]
‘Not fit for purpose’ – the secret history of a deadly phrase
“Our system is not fit for purpose.” And with this description of parts of the Home Office in 2006, the then-Home Secretary John Reid minted a phrase that has lodged in the lexicon of British politics. He was speaking a few months after thousands of foreign-born prisoners had been released from British jails without first […]
Police offered support to tackle rising threats against MPs
Police forces are being offered specialist support from a new national democracy protection unit to deal with the rising level of threats and abuse facing MPs. Police chief Chris Balmer has been tasked with leading the new initiative to help forces investigate and tackle “anti-democratic crimes”. Reports of crimes against MPs have more than doubled […]
Labour suspends outspoken backbench MP Karl Turner
A backbench Labour MP who has been a frequent critic of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government has been suspended from the parliamentary party. In a post on X, Turner said he was “disappointed to be suspended without prior discussion” and had asked the chief whip, through his solicitor, for a “full explanation”. Turner has […]
George Michael’s Faith jacket sells for £176,400
May 1, 2026Business
Voters will judge Trump on the economy – how is it doing?
Donald Trump once predicted the US-Israeli war in Iran would last no longer than six weeks. It has now entered its third month. The conflict has caused a global energy shock on a par with the oil crises of the 1970s, driving up prices of everything from fuel to groceries. Despite piling additional pressure on […]
Spirit Airlines shutting down after rescue talks collapse
Spirit Airlines is shutting down as a business after failing to secure a $500m (£368m) bailout from the Trump administration. The budget airline was in talks with the US government about a rescue deal which would have saved it from collapse. But discussions collapsed and the carrier said in an announcement on its website on […]
Crayola toys recalled over possible asbestos contamination
Two Crayola craft boxes for children have been withdrawn and a recall issued over concerns sand in the kits may be contaminated with asbestos. Owners of the Crayola Touchy Feely Craft Box and Crayola Discovery Craft Box should stop using the products immediately and keep out of the reach of children, the government said. The Office for Product Safety […]
The viral manifesto of ‘anti-woke’ tech boss with NHS and defence contracts
It’s not often a thousand-word social media post from a US tech firm goes viral. But the post from Palantir – a 22-point manifesto of sorts – currently has over 30 million views on X. It is the work of the controversial company’s co-founder and chief executive, who has criticised the belief that all cultures […]
Lufthansa cuts 20,000 summer flights as fuel prices surge
German airline Lufthansa will cut 20,000 Europeanshort-haul flights over the summer, saying soaring fuel prices have made many journeys “unprofitable” for the firm. Jet fuel has doubled in price since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran as the conflict has slowed its production and transportation across the Middle East. Several airlines, including KLM-France […]
The ‘dumb machine’ promising a clean energy breakthrough
“I remember a few people said that the place where Proxima is today was impossible,” says Francesco Sciortino, the co-founder and CEO of Proxima Fusion. Being accused of attempting the impossible is not unusual for the scientists and engineers working on nuclear fusion projects around the world. After all, they are attempting to capture, on Earth, the […]
Trump tariff refunds begin but consumers likely to miss out
The Trump administration has begun processing refunds for billions of dollars in tariffs that the US Supreme Court struck down in February. In what is to be the biggest repayment programme in history, companies can apply online for money they were charged under the so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs – plus interest – to be returned. The […]
Strait of Hormuz closed again, Iran says, as ships attacked
Iran says it is closing the Strait of Hormuz again to commercial vessels and that any ship that approaches it will be targeted. The closure came as reports emerged of vessels in or near the strait, including a tanker, were targeted by Tehran on Saturday. The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) blamed a continuing US […]
White House and Anthropic hold ‘productive’ meeting amid fears over Mythos model
The White House has said it had a “productive and constructive” meeting with the head of artificial intelligence firm Anthropic, which is suing the US Department of Defense. The meeting comes a week after the firm released its Claude Mythos preview, an AI tool that the company claims can outperform humans at some hacking and cyber-security tasks. […]
Europe has ‘maybe six weeks of jet fuel left’, energy boss warns
Europe has “maybe six weeks of jet fuel left”, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned. Stocks would reach a tipping point in June if Europe was unable to replace at least half of its imports from the Middle East, the organisation said in a report this week. The Strait of Hormuz, […]
Japan pledges $10bn to help Asian countries deal with oil crisis
Japan has pledged to provide $10bn (£7.4bn) to help its Asian neighbours, especially those in South East Asia, secure energy including crude oil as the region reels from disruptions caused by the Iran war. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced the new cooperation framework on Wednesday after meeting other Asian leaders online. Japan relies on […]
Trump threatens to fire Fed chair Powell if he doesn’t leave in May
US President Donald Trump has threatened to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell if he does not step aside at the end of his term in May. The two have been embroiled in a bitter spat over Powell’s reluctance to cut the central bank’s interest rate, despite Trump’s repeated calls. Powell’s term expires on 15 May, but […]
Oil prices continue to fall on hopes of new US-Iran peace talks
Oil prices continued to fallon Tuesday as hopes of more peace talks between the US and Iran eased concerns about further disruptions to energy supplies. The price of global benchmark Brent crude is down 3.8% so far in Tuesday trading to $95.54 a barrel, while US traded West Texas Intermediate is down 6.1% to $92.85. […]
Meta pulls Facebook ads recruiting for social media addiction lawsuits
Meta says it has removed adverts by law firms on its social media platforms which seek clients for future lawsuits related to social media addiction. The Facebook owner has recently lost two large-scale lawsuits, including a landmark trial in California in which a young woman successfully sued Meta and YouTube over her childhood addiction to social media. In […]
US inflation jumps to highest level in almost two years
Inflation in the US accelerated last month to its highest rate in nearly two years, as surging oil prices triggered by the US-Israel war in Iran started to spill over into the wider economy. Consumer prices climbed 3.3% over the 12 months to March, picking up from 2.4% in February, the Labor Department said. The […]
Global energy crisis is ‘the mother of all crises’: Turkish minister
Turkiye’s energy minister, Alparslan Bayraktar says the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, due to the United States and Israel’s war on Iran, indicates the importance of diversifying energy routes and will force the world to move towards forming a new energy structure. Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, in an exclusive interview […]
Greece to ban social media for under-15s from next year
Greece has announced plans to ban access to social media for under-15s, becoming the latest European country to restrict children’s exposure to online platforms. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the move was aimed at tackling rising anxiety and sleep problems among young people, as well as what he described as the “addictive design” of social […]
Spain’s huge pork industry seeks salvation from swine fever threat
Jordi Saltiveri gazes across his farmland, on which he keeps 8,000 pigs, and remembers the day late last year when the news emerged that African Swine Fever (ASF) had been detected in Spain. “I felt sad, angry, impotent,” he says. “Once it’s known that a country is positive for ASF, other countries will stop importing […]
Trump seeks $1.5tn for defence alongside domestic spending cuts
The White House is asking Congress to boost the US defence budget to $1.5tn (£1.1tn), a sweeping rise that would mark the largest expansion in military spending since World War Two. It includes funding for the Trump administration’s proposed Golden Dome missile defence system, as well as a boost in domestic production of naval vessels, […]
Pharmaceuticals face 100% tariffs in US – unless firms strike a deal
Patented medicines will face a 100% tariff entering the US – but companies can still avoid the taxes by striking deals with the administration, the White House has said. US President Donald Trump ordered the long-threatened levies on Thursday. The White House said the aim of the tariffs was to reduce national security risks by […]
Korean Air takes emergency action as fuel prices soar
Korean Air says it is moving into emergency management mode to buffer the impact of surging jet fuel costs as the global economy is rocked by the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran. A spokesperson for the national flag carrier said on Tuesday that it will implement “internal cost-reduction measures” to manage its finances to ensure […]
Oil rises and Asia shares slide as Iran war enters fifth week
Global oil prices jumped and stocks fell sharply on Monday in Asia after the US-Israel war with Iran entered its fifth week. The price of Brent crude rose overnightby more than 3% to above $115 (£86.77) a barrel. It later eased slightly to around $113 but is stillon track for its biggest monthly gain on […]
Bank of America to pay out $72.5m over Epstein lawsuit
Bank of America has reached a $72.5m (£54.6m) settlement in a lawsuit brought on behalf of victims of Jeffrey Epstein, who had accused the bank of facilitating his sex trafficking operation. The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed in October by a Florida woman who says she was abused by Epstein “on at least 100 occasions” […]
Campaigners welcome Meta and YouTube’s defeat in landmark social media addiction trial
Parents and campaign groups seeking tighter restrictions on social media have welcomed a Los Angeles jury handing down an unprecedented win for a young woman who sued Meta and YouTube over her childhood addiction to social media. Jurors found that Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, and Google, owner of YouTube, intentionally built addictive […]
George Michael’s Faith jacket sells for £176,400
May 1, 2026Tech
Musk’s AI told me people were coming to kill me. I grabbed a hammer and prepared for war
It was 3am and Adam Hourican was sitting at his kitchen table, a knife, hammer and phone laid out in front of him. He was waiting for a van full of people he thought were coming to get him. “I’m telling you, they will kill you if you don’t act now,” a woman’s voice told […]
Spotify adds ‘Verified’ badges to distinguish human artists from AI
Spotify is introducing a ‘Verified’ badge to help users identify when artists on its platform are human, not AI-generated. The world’s most-used music streaming service said the ‘Verified by Spotify’ text and green checkmark icon would appear next to artist names when they meet “defined standards demonstrating authenticity”. This could include having linked social accounts […]
Apple says iPhone 17 ‘most popular ever’ as sales soar
Apple has seen demand for its iPhone reach new heights with sales growth in China outpacing all other regions. Overall, sales of Apple products grew 17% to $111bn (£81bn) in the first three months of the year, compared to the same quarter a year ago, the company said in financial results released Thursday. Sales in […]
Anthropic investigating claim of unauthorised access to Mythos AI tool
Anthropic is investigating a claim that a small group of people gained access to its Claude Mythos model – the cyber-security tool which the AI firm says is too powerful to release to the public. “We’re investigating a report claiming unauthorized access to Claude Mythos Preview through one of our third-party vendor environments,” the company […]
Meta to cut one in 10 jobs after spending billions on AI
Meta will cut thousands of jobs next month as it spends more than ever on artificial intelligence (AI) projects. The company told employees in a memo on Thursday that it planned to cut 10% of its workforce – roughly 8,000 staff. It said it would also not fill thousands more open jobs it had been […]
Billionaire backer sues Trump family’s crypto firm over alleged extortion
The Trump family’s World Liberty crypto venture is being sued by one of its billionaire backers over allegations of extortion. Justin Sun has accused World Liberty of an “illegal scheme” to seize his WLFI tokens, a cryptocurrency issued by the company. Sun alleges the firm, co-founded by US President Donald Trump and his son Eric […]
How will Apple change under ‘product guy’ John Ternus?
Apple will have been planning this succession for a long time. Rumours were circulating for a while that 65-year-old Tim Cook was thinking about stepping down, and while a few potential replacements popped up, the name which stuck was the firm’s vice president of hardware, 51-year-old John Ternus. I had an informal meeting with him […]
What is Claude Mythos and what risks does it pose?
In recent weeks, the AI world has been a-buzz following claims made by leading firm, Anthropic, regarding its new model, Claude Mythos. The company says it found the tool can outperform humans at some hacking and cyber-security tasks, which has prompted discussions by regulators, legislators and financial institutions about the dangers it could pose to […]
AI project to tackle mobile cyber threats
Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used in new research in tackling mobile cyber threats and protecting phone users. AgenticDeviceShield, described as a “new form of cyber defence that lives directly on mobile devices”, is being led by experts at the University of Wolverhampton (UoW) and University of Lancashire. The project aims to protect phone users […]
Tinder and Zoom offer ‘proof of humanity’ eye-scans to combat AI
Tinder will let users prove they are human and not robots by bringing advanced eye-scanning technology to the app amid rising fears over AI. Users of the dating app, as well as other major platforms such as video calling service Zoom, will be able to scan their irises to earn a “proof of humanity” badge […]
Could a digital twin make you into a ‘superworker’?
“Digital Richard” is the AI twin Richard Skellett has been building for the past three years. Bound within the confines of a screen, Digital Richard looks largely two dimensional, but he’s no ordinary chatbot. Digital Richard knows everything Skellett knows. He was built as a small language model which used ChatGPT to digest all of […]
Stop Welsh space radar station because of Trump’s ‘contempt’, first minister says
The UK government should stop working with the US on a deep space radar station because Donald Trump has shown “contempt for our country”, Welsh Labour leader Eluned Morgan has said. The first minister threatened to cause a row within Labour by asking her colleagues in Westminster to “halt” plans to put 27 radar dishes […]
Amazon to spend $11bn on satellite firm in growing Starlink rivalry
Amazon is aiming to build-up its satellite business to offer internet and mobile phone services by spending $11.57bn (£8.5bn) on an acquisition of Globalstar. The deal, announced Tuesday, will allow Amazon to get thousands of satellites into low-earth orbit through the Amazon Leo project the company has been working on for several years. Amazon said […]
GTA-maker Rockstar Games hacked again but downplays impact
Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar Games has been targeted for a second time in three years by hackers. The data breach affecting the gaming giant was reported by cybersecurity news outlets on Saturday, after a group of hackers claimed responsibility. In posts viewed by outlets, the criminals said they gained access to Rockstar servers managed […]
Artemis II mission was a triumph. Now comes the hard part
Nasa’s Artemis II mission has successfully sent four astronauts sweeping around the far side of the Moon and landed them safely back home. The Orion spacecraft performed admirably and the images the astronauts captured have delighted a whole new generation about the possibilities of space travel. But does this mean that the children enthralled by […]
Dancer with MND performs on stage again through digital avatar
A ballerina with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) says she was able to dance again after her brainwaves were used to power an avatar live on-stage in Amsterdam. Breanna Olson, a mother of three, found out two and a half years ago she had ALS, the most common form of motor neurone disease (MND) and which, […]
Businesses scramble to get noticed by AI search
For many businesses their website is a vital shopfront, so losing 140 million visits in a single year would be a big problem. That’s what happened to HubSpot, and the cause was AI. The company provides sales, marketing and customer service tools for business-to-business companies. Like many firms, HubSpot, has been hit by a crucial […]
Apple at 50: Three products that changed how we live – and three that really didn’t
Few companies have managed to define how people use technology in their everyday lives as resoundingly as Apple. The company, which celebrated its 50th birthday this week, was started by two Steves in a San Franciscan garage. It has had some truly standout successes – and some notable flops. These days, nearly one out of […]
Thousands lose their jobs in deep cuts at tech giant Oracle
Tech giant Oracle made “significant” job cuts on Tuesday, according to senior employees posting online. Michael Shepherd, a senior manager, was not affected by the job cuts but wrote on LinkedIn that “senior engineers, architects, operations leaders, program managers, and technical specialists” had been let go. The company has been spending heavily on AI but […]
Power-washing, pool-cleaning and mowing: Why millions are playing games about mundane jobs
PowerWash Simulator sees players don their cleaning gear and hose down a variety of filthy in-game locations until they’re sparkling and spotless. While it may seem like an unusual premise, the original game from 2021 has sold more than 17 million copies. The sequel, released in 2025, has just been nominated for two Bafta Games Awards. […]
Elon Musk’s SpaceX set to be worth $1 trillion with planned public listing
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is poised to become one of the most valuable publicly traded companies in the world. The firm, which makes rockets, space exploration technology and Starlink satellites, is privately held, but on Wednesday it made a confidential filing with authorities for an initial public offering (IPO), which would allow its shares to be […]
Uber Eats delivery robots vandalised in Sheffield
New robotic food delivery equipment being used in a Sheffield suburb has been vandalised with spray paint. A vertical pole with an orange flag on one of the robots – designed to make it visible as it travels the streets of Meersbrook making deliveries for the food-ordering app Uber Eats – was bent to the […]
Tech CEOs suddenly love blaming AI for mass job cuts. Why?
Sweeping job cuts at Big Tech companies have become an annual tradition. How executives explain those decisions, however, has changed. Out are buzzwords like efficiency, over-hiring, and too many management layers. Today, all explanations stem from artificial intelligence (AI). In recent weeks, giants including Google, Amazon, Meta, as well as smaller firms such as Pinterest […]
The nerve centre running a new mission to the Moon
Just like the Apollo missions, Artemis II will be run from a mission control monitoring every instrument from here on Earth. How has it changed since the days of the space race? The rocket scientists get the acclaim, the astronauts the glory but – when it comes to flying to the Moon – the real […]
George Michael’s Faith jacket sells for £176,400
May 1, 2026Sport
Miami race brought forward because of storm threat
The Miami Grand Prix has been moved forward by three hours to 18:00 BST (13:00 local time) because of the threat of thunderstorms. And world champion Lando Norris says the Formula 1 drivers will be “thrown in at the deep end” by the expected wet weather on Sunday. The McLaren driver is one of the […]
‘A man who inspired millions in the face of unbelievable adversity’
Alex Zanardi, who has died aged 59, was a 21st century hero. A man who inspired millions through his unquenchable spirit in the face of unbelievable adversity. An icon of two different sports. The Italian died on Friday, just under six years after suffering serious head injuries in a road accident while racing his handbike, a […]
Van Gerwen punched in face during bar attack
Darts player Michael van Gerwen was punched in the face by a stranger in a bar in the Netherlands on Monday. In footage shared online, Van Gerwen can be seen talking with a man and a woman in a bar in the city of Den Bosch on King’s Day – a public holiday in Van […]
James leads Lakers to brink of play-off series win
LeBron James made a three-pointer to force overtime before the Los Angeles Lakers moved to the brink of a series victory in the NBA play-offs. The NBA’s four-time Most Valuable Player levelled the score with 13 seconds left against the Houston Rockets and almost clinched victory as he hit the rim with a three-pointer on […]
Prestianni gets six-match ban for homophobic conduct
Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni has been given a six-game ban by Uefa for homophobic conduct during their Champions League knockout play-off match with Real Madrid in February. The match at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon was halted for 10 minutes after Real’s Vinicius Jr accused Prestianni of racially abusing him. Prestianni, 20, denied making a racist […]
Rosenior sacked by Chelsea after three months in charge
Chelsea have sacked head coach Liam Rosenior after 106 days in charge of the club. Rosenior signed a five-and-a-half-year deal after arriving from French club Strasbourg, also owned by Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. But he managed just 11 wins in 23 matches across all competitions and Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat at Brighton was Chelsea’s fifth consecutive league defeat without […]
Liverpool’s Woodman on life as third-choice keeper
“Did I ever think I was going to be playing for Liverpool in the Premier League? Probably not, but when I’m called upon, I just wanted to do my best.” This time last season, Freddie Woodman was sidelined with injury for Preston North End as they narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship. Fast forward a year and […]
Should Gabriel have been sent off for Haaland clash?
What exactly is a headbutt? The laws of the game do not specifically reference it, so it is wrapped up in the description of violent conduct. That requires a player to have used or attempted to use “excessive force or brutality”. It opens up a level of subjectivity where pushing your head towards another player […]
Protests and another costly loss – pressure mounts on Rosenior’s Chelsea
There were chants of “we want our Chelsea back” during a protest march before kick-off – then the chorus spread to the stands during the second half of the defeat by Manchester United. The frustration from supporters is understandable, given Chelsea have now lost their past four Premier League games without scoring – their joint-longest run since November 1912. Chelsea head […]
Carrick leaves door open for Rashford return
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick says no decision has been made on the future of forward Marcus Rashford for next season. The 28-year-old is on a season-long loan at Spanish club Barcelona after falling out of favour at Old Trafford. Barcelona have until 15 June to decide whether to trigger their €30m (£26.1m) option […]
Guardiola says he enjoys watching Arsenal play
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he enjoys watching Arsenal play as he can “learn a lot” from them. The Gunners are in contention for a Premier League and Champions League double, sitting six points clear at the top of the table and with a European semi-final against Atletico Madrid lined up. But their style of play under […]
Ex-keeper Manninger dies after car hit by train
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger has died at the age of 48 after his car was struck by a train. Police said the incident happened at about 08:20 local time (07:20 BST) at a level crossing in Salzburg. Manninger made 64 appearances for Arsenal between 1997 and 2002, winning the Premier League and FA Cup. […]
‘I might not be here’ – Stokes on facial injury
England captain Ben Stokes said he is “lucky” and “might not be here” had things been slightly different when he was hit in the face by a cricket ball in February. The all-rounder was struck while working in the nets with academy players at his county Durham. He required what he described as “pretty major […]
‘No fear, pure fire’ – Arteta defiant on pivotal week
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta wants his side to play with “pure fire” as they prepare for one of their biggest weeks in years. The Gunners host Sporting on Wednesday, having won 1-0 in Lisbon last week, for a place in a Champions League semi-final. That was the only victory for the Premier League leaders in their past four […]
Sunderland condemn racist abuse of Brobbey
Sunderland have condemned the racist abuse directed at forward Brian Brobbey on social media following Sunday’s 1-0 Premier League win over Tottenham, saying it highlights the “ongoing and unacceptable frequency of this behaviour”. The club reported the abuse to the Premier League, social media platforms and the police and said they “expect swift action to be taken […]
Juddering McIlroy simply can’t stop riding Masters rollercoaster
When McIlroy moved into a record six-shot lead at the halfway point of the tournament on Friday, it felt like this year’s Masters was going to see a different chapter written, one which demonstrated control rather than chaos. Many predicted a procession for the defending champion going into Saturday’s third round. They should have known […]
A tough season, playing angry, and messaging Michael Owen
Ollie Watkins’ journey to the top has been a circuitous one – from playing in the National League with Weston-super-Mare to scoring the winner in a European Championship semi-final almost a decade later, then competing in the Champions League with Aston Villa. This season has been a mixed one for Watkins. A tally of nine goals and […]
Sinner into last eight after 37-set record snapped
Jannik Sinner dropped a set at an ATP Masters event for the first time in 186 days but he still managed to book a spot in the Monte Carlo quarter-finals with victory over Tomas Machac. The Italian has lifted the past three Masters 1000 titles – at Paris, Indian Wells and Miami – without conceding […]
Arsenal’s big summer: Arteta contract and Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly futures
For Arsenal, it’s all about the here and now. Seven games from winning their first Premier League in 22 years and within touching distance of the Champions League semi-final. Mikel Arteta is on course to come good on his mantra: “trust the process”. That said, there is no sense that any glory in May would mark […]
Dropping Fernandez – a sign of Rosenior’s authority or a big risk?
Enzo Fernandez has presented Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior with the first major internal disciplinary issue of his tenure at Stamford Bridge. The Argentina midfielder, 25, had only just arrived at Buenos Aires airport on international duty last month when he cast doubt on his Blues future. Fernandez subsequently spoke to a YouTuber and then appeared on […]
Women’s Six Nations guide
The Women’s Six Nations gets under way on Saturday, 11 April with world champions England bidding for an eighth successive title and a fifth consecutive Grand Slam. The Red Roses will return to Allianz Stadium for the first time since beating Canada in September’s World Cup final, when they start the defence of their Six […]
Guardiola wants Rodri to stay but says unhappy stars can go
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says unhappy players can leave the club, but he hopes midfielder Rodri will stay. During the international break, ex-Atletico Madrid player Rodri said he would consider joining their city rivals Real as “you can’t turn down the best clubs in the world”. The 29-year-old Spain captain has made 293 appearances for City since […]
Mickelson to miss Masters & take ‘extended’ break from golf
Three-time champion Phil Mickelson will miss this year’s Masters and step away from golf “for an extended period” because of a family health matter. The American has only missed the tournament on three other occasions since making his debut at Augusta National in 1991. In a post on X, Mickelson wrote: “Unfortunately, I will not […]
Cautious Draper playing long game with withdrawal
Britain’s Jack Draper has withdrawn from next week’s Monte Carlo Masters as he continues his cautious comeback following an arm injury. The 24-year-old did not play a tour-level tournament for six months because of a bruised bone in his left serving arm but has competed in three events in five weeks since making his return […]
Van Gerwen punched in face during bar attack
May 1, 2026
James leads Lakers to brink of play-off series win
April 25, 2026
George Michael’s Faith jacket sells for £176,400
May 1, 2026Ent/Lifestyle
Laufey on making jazz cool again (and the fish that brought out her inner rage)
It’s probably fair to say that most of us have never slapped someone so hard with a wet fish that they fall, fully clothed, into a swimming pool. Until recently, that was also true for Icelandic jazz-pop phenomenon Laufey. Then she released a song called Mad Woman, whose video required her to hit Heated Rivalry […]
The hottest trend in TV: Get generations to fight each other
The feud between the generations was a popular TV theme in the 1970s, and now the interactions and frictions between Gen Z, Gen X, millennials and boomers are all over our screens once again. Why does the generation gap continue to make us laugh – and can the laughter help to heal the rift? More […]
George Michael’s Faith jacket sells for £176,400
A jacket worn by George Michael in the music video for his 1987 hit Faith has sold for £176,400 at auction. It was among several pieces of music memorabilia being sold by Hertfordshire-based auction house Propstore, including a gold microphone used by Queen singer Freddie Mercury and one of the last autographs signed by John […]
How climate change threatens the economic backbone of the Pacific
The vast Pacific Ocean and the islands dotted within it produce more than half of the world’s tuna. Among the islands are 33 scattered across the centre that encompass the country of Kiribati. Here more than 70% of government revenues come from selling tuna fishing licenses to foreign fleets – the highest proportion of any […]
‘Singing my own songs live was terrifying’
A Jersey singer-songwriter said she used to be “terrified” of performing live during the early years of her career but now found it a “magical” experience. Nerina Pallot, 51, has released eight studio albums, with a new album called Fire Escape Symphonies set to be released next month as well as her new single Come […]
Headscarf with a beret: Muslim designers showcase floral dresses and boxy streetwear in Paris
Paris has held its first ever Modest Fashion Week – hosting nearly 30 designers whose collections include loose, long-cut garments and headscarves. It’s the kind of clothing many Muslim women choose to wear in line with their religious principles – covering their arms, legs and sometimes hair. There was a particular significance to setting it […]
Rebel Wilson’s claims against actress are ‘malicious concoctions’, Australian court hears
Claims by Rebel Wilson that a young Australian actress was sexually harassed by a producer but then hid it to better her career are “malicious concoctions”, a Sydney court has heard on the first day of a defamation case against the Hollywood star. In 2024 and 2025, Wilson posted on Instagram that Charlotte MacInnes – […]
Michael Jackson film set to be a controversial hit
A new film about Michael Jackson’s extraordinary but troubled life is set to open in cinemas. It’s tracking to be very popular – but will it tell the full story? Bohemian Rhapsody was a troubled production, to put it mildly. The original star, Sacha Baron Cohen, departed and the original director Bryan Singer was fired. But […]
Coachella campers are turning tents fancy – and not all Brits are happy
For anyone who has experienced the chaos of a British festival campsite, videos coming from Coachella could certainly raise eyebrows. Some of those attending the much talked about festival, which takes place over two weekends each year in Palm Springs, California, are ditching hastily assembled pop-up tents and crumpled gazebos. Instead, they’re driving cars onto […]
Avengers reassemble and Top Gun flies back – Hollywood studios preview their new movies
Some of the most hotly anticipated films of the next couple of years have been previewed at the annual gathering of the cinema industry, CinemaCon, in Las Vegas this week. The event gives fans and cinema owners a glimpse of the biggest movies coming down the tracks, with footage and trailers screened there – often […]
Madonna announces sequel to Confessions On A Dancefloor album
Madonna has officially announced that her next album will be a sequel to 2005’s Confessions On A Dancefloor, the club-focused record that produced hits like Sorry and the Abba-sampling Hung Up. The star has been teasing the plan since 2023. On Tuesday she cleared her Instagram and changed her biography to one of Hung Up’s […]
Are ancient grains better for you? The surprising truth about quinoa and spelt
Is the hype around the health benefits of ancient grains justified? Scientists say its not as clear-cut as you might think. Ancient grains are those that have barely changed for hundreds of years. Unlike commonly farmed crops like wheat, which humans have selectively bred over millennia, ancient grains have maintained genetic properties from their wild ancestors. […]
An inappropriate joke nearly ended his career. Now he’s back with more humour
In an Indian city, an unassuming, slightly rumpled comedian walks into the spotlight for the first time in months. Tousle-haired and clad in a checked shirt, Samay Raina half smiles on stage, as if a punchline is already poised at the edge of his lips. The audience laughs even before he begins speaking. Until a […]
Ralph Fiennes reveals whether he would return to Harry Potter role
Ralph Fiennes has said he would love to reprise his role as Harry Potter’s arch enemy Voldemort but he feels the “ship has sailed”. The British actor played the villainous role in the original movie franchise from 2005 to 2011. An HBO TV adaptation of the hit book series is currently in production, and while […]
‘Faithful wife’, virgin or tragic martyr?: Why this 16th-Century masterpiece is not what it seems
Overpainted images found hidden inside Raphael’s Portrait of a Young Woman with a Unicorn help unlock the mystery behind it. They also show the ways that the image of the ideal woman has been carefully controlled by men through the centuries. What do you get when you cross a mythical creature from folklore with a […]
Euphoria Season 3 review: ‘The show has lost its zeitgeisty edge’ ★★☆☆☆
Four years on, the provocative HBO drama is back, with Zendaya, Jacob Elordi and Sydney Sweeney all returning. Unfortunately, though, “it has become a series with very little to say”. Of all the twists you might have anticipated for Euphoria’s third and (rumoured) final season, turning Rue’s (Zendaya) story into a neo-Western – driving across […]
South African Radio Hosts Go Hollywood: A Chat with Zendaya and Robert Pattinson
Hollywood’s finest, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, sat with Anele and Frankie. The exclusive interview took place ahead of the release of The Drama, one of the most anticipated films of the year, which hit cinemas on 3 April. And if the storyline is anything to go by, audiences are in for an emotional rollercoaster, as […]
‘Not pretending to be 20’: U2 drop ‘endearingly honest’ second surprise EP
Irish rock legends U2 have released their second surprise EP of 2026, with the six-track Easter Lily coming just over 40 days after Days of Ash. After a quiet period for the band, as drummer Larry Mullen Jr recovered from neck surgery, the two EPs follow confirmation last year that a new studio album is being recorded. […]
Judge dismisses most of Blake Lively’s claims in harassment lawsuit against Baldoni
A federal judge has dismissed most of the claims in a sexual harassment lawsuit that actress Blake Lively filed against her It Ends with Us co-star Justin Baldoni. Judge Lewis Liman threw out 10 of 13 allegations in Lively’s case, including harassment and defamation. He left in place three claims – breach of contract, retaliation, […]
Taylor Swift pays homage to Elizabeth Taylor with surprise music video
Taylor Swift has surprised fans by releasing a new music video for her song Elizabeth Taylor, assembled from hours of footage of the late screen goddess. Swift does not appear in the video, instead compiling a “supercut” of scenes from the late actress’s films, alongside archive clips and newsreels showing the star being hounded by […]
Kris Jenner’s image spreads in Chinese social media good luck trend
Social media users in China are reportedly sharing images of US reality TV star Kris Jenner as part of a trend wishing for luck and fortune on platforms such as Weibo and RedNote. Hundreds of thousands of posts have been shared on Chinese social media in the past three days as users hope for prosperity […]
Raye comes out swinging on her new album, This Music May Contain Hope
How satisfying has it been to witness the transformation of Rachel Agatha Keen? Five years ago, the singer – better known as Raye – made a bid for freedom, cutting ties with record label who’d forced her to make generic dance tracks she dismissed as “really boring”. Liberated from those constraints, her emotionally-charged, instantly catchy […]
Why every culture has a healing broth
What do you eat when you need comfort? The answer varies depending on where you’re from, but it’s likely some form of broth, served steaming in a bowl. In the US, it may be chicken noodle soup, while Italians might crave nonna’s homemade pastina in brodo, tiny pasta in a simple vegetable or bone broth. Across […]
Meet the director nominated for two Oscars for two different films
Being nominated for an Academy Award is a dream come true, the ultimate recognition in film that can open doors and bolster name recognition to further a successful career. But that dreamy feeling is doubled for American filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir. She is nominated twice – in two separate categories for two different documentaries in Sunday’s […]
George Michael’s Faith jacket sells for £176,400
May 1, 2026
George Michael’s Faith jacket sells for £176,400
May 1, 2026Opinion
What we get wrong about dopamine
Sometimes dubbed the ‘pleasure chemical’, dopamine is often wildly misunderstood. Nikolay Kukushkin delves into what the much-discussed neurotransmitter really does to our brains. Our brains are amazingly useful things. But it seems that something’s broken in our relationship with them. As humans, we often feel that we are at war with ourselves. We want what […]
What is driving the Houthis’ decision-making on joining the Iran war
By Ahmed al-Shalafi: During the first month of the US-Israel war on Iran, the Houthis adopted a cautious approach, even though many expected them to move faster based on the nature of their close relationship with Tehran. This assessment is not wrong — the relationship is indeed strong — but what this view misses is […]
What’s the most painful sting in the world?
Top contenders for the nastiest sting range from bullet ants to warrior wasps and tiny jellyfish. To find out which is most painful, some adventurous experts have spent their lives getting stung. Would you rather be walloped by boxer Mike Tyson or take a jackhammer to the kidneys? That’s what it feels like to receive […]
‘It’s joy in a pot’: Why houseplants could make you happier
Jonny Balchandani is so passionate about plants he turned his spare bedroom into a greenhouse. Known as the Bearded Plantaholic, he posts about his collection of thousands of plants to one million followers on social media and it has become a “lifestyle” for the 39-year-old. From watering days that involve a few hundred plants to […]
Here’s the news from Iran – Donald Trump is making America lose wars again
By Simon Tisdall: Donald Trump menaces the world. He’s global public enemy number one. He’s steadily losing the illegal war with Iran he started but cannot stop. His violence-addicted Israeli sidekick, Benjamin Netanyahu, is terrorising Lebanon. And ordinary people everywhere, their security threatened, face a huge economic bill for his reckless folly. Add Trump’s war-making to his daily debasing […]
Can plastic-eating fungi help clean up nappy waste?
Before Leila Green became a mother of triplets three years ago, she envisaged she’d be the kind of parent who would use reusable nappies. “But as soon as my babies arrived, I realised I just couldn’t – I was flat out looking after the three of them so I went for the easy option.” “I’d […]
Iran Guards say will block oil exports as long as war continues
TEHRAN (Reuters): Iranian forces will not allow the export of oil from the region to allies of the United States and Israel as long as the war continues, a Revolutionary Guards spokesman said Tuesday.“The Iranian armed forces… will not allow the export of a single liter of oil from the region to the hostile side […]
Shakira sets up record for largest concert ever in Mexico City
LOS ANGELES (Showbiz Desk): Singer-songwriter Shakira has set a new record after her recent live performance. The singer performed to more than 400,000 people at Mexico City’s Zocalo over the weekend, the largest crowd ever recorded at the iconic square. The free event turned the capital into a full scale celebration as fans travelled from […]
Could a huge data centre revitalise Ayrshire – or ruin it?
It is currently a large, unassuming patch of farmland in East Ayrshire – but within years it could be one of the largest artificial intelligence data centres on Earth. About 100 hectares (250 acres) of land near HMP Kilmarnock has been earmarked for a technology hub by energy firm ILI Group. ILI says the development […]
What we get wrong about dopamine
April 10, 2026
What’s the most painful sting in the world?
April 8, 2026
‘It’s joy in a pot’: Why houseplants could make you happier
March 31, 2026