Victory

• Die jährliche Veranstaltung auf dem Roten Platz wird zum ersten Mal seit zwei Jahrzehnten ohne Panzerfahrzeuge oder Raketensysteme stattfinden. • Russland wird am 9. Mai eine reduzierte Victory-Day-Parade in Moskau abhalten, bei der aus Angst vor einem Fernangriff durch ukrainische Drohnen erstmals seit fast zwei Jahrzehnten auf Militärgerät verzichtet wird. • Das Verteidigungsministerium gab unter Verweis auf „die aktuelle operative Lage“ bekannt, dass während der Parade, die den sowjetischen Sieg über Nazi-Deutschland markiert, keine Panzerfahrzeuge oder Raketensysteme über den Roten Platz rollen werden.

In latest stage of £42m restoration project, 30-strong team removed mast from Nelson’s Battle of Trafalgar flagshipThere is only one correct way to extricate a 15-tonne wrought iron mast from one of the world’s most famous and beloved warships – very slowly, and with extreme care.Which is precisely what a 30-strong team, led by shipwrights and riggers, did on Monday night into Tuesday morning, when they lifted the foremast from HMS Victory as part of a £42m conservation project. Continue reading...

• The New York Mets snapped a 12-game losing streak Wednesday night with a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field, ending their two-week-long skid when Luke Weaver struck out Byron Buxton for the final out. • Shortstop Francisco Lindor was removed from the game with left calf tightness after scoring from first base in the fourth inning and will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury. • The victory marks a crucial turnaround for the struggling Mets, who had not won since early April and faced mounting pressure during their extended drought.

• House Republicans openly questioned President Donald Trump's mid-decade redistricting strategy on Wednesday, following a Democratic victory in Virginia on Tuesday that threatens the GOP's slim House majority. • The Virginia vote paves the way for as many as four Republican seats to be lost, intensifying GOP concerns about the redistricting war Trump sparked. • Republican lawmakers are now expressing misgivings about the strategy, signaling potential fractures within the party over Trump's aggressive electoral positioning ahead of the November midterms.

Democrats within reach of House majority after voters rebel against Republican gerrymanderingSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxMonths into his second term, Donald Trump wagered that he could beat the historic trend of the party in power losing seats in midterm elections if Republican-led states redrew congressional maps to sweep Democrats out of office.The gamble is looking to be a bust, or at best a draw, for the president, after Democrats fought back with their own redistricting efforts, the latest of which came to fruition in Virginia on Tuesday, when voters approved a plan that could remove all but one of the five Republicans in its current House of Representatives delegation. Continue reading...

• Georgia Tech softball (28-23, 9-11 ACC) defeated No. 10 Virginia Tech (38-7, 12-5 ACC) 6-2 on Saturday night in Blacksburg, Virginia, marking the program's highest-ranked true road win in history. • The victory was Georgia Tech's first top 10 win and third top 25 victory of the season, demonstrating significant progress for the Yellow Jackets. • The Yellow Jackets remain in Blacksburg to conclude the ACC conference road series against Virginia Tech on April 19.

As Orbán is rejected, there is cautious optimism new leader can restore ties – but issues such as EU accession loom largeLike many Ukrainians, Oleh Kupchak was delighted when Péter Magyar won Hungary’s election last weekend, ending Viktor Orbán’s 16-year grip on power. “We were euphoric. Everyone was following the results closely. There were toasts,” said Kupchak, who has visited Budapest several times. “We didn’t love Orbán,” he added.Ukraine celebrated Orbán’s landslide defeat in a series of jokes and memes. Several likened him to the Star Wars character Jabba the Hut, and shared an image of Orbán fleeing from a drone. Others portrayed him sitting on a bench in Russia, alongside Ukraine’s pro-Kremlin former president Viktor Yanukovych, and his exiled Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad. Continue reading...

US president says all major sticking points have been ironed out ahead of peace talks, but some of his assertions seem dubiousIt lacked the triumphalist symbolism of George W Bush’s memorable – and subsequently ill-fated – appearance before the “mission accomplished” banner aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln six weeks after the 2003 invasion of Iraq.But there was no mistaking the boastful claims asserted on Friday by Donald Trump after a military assault on neighbouring Iran that has, so far, lasted a similar period and which, by widespread agreement outside the Trump administration, has not gone to plan. Continue reading...

• DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and her political allies have characterized Trump administration threats regarding the city's governance as a symbolic victory, suggesting they have successfully resisted federal pressure. • The dispute centers on federal efforts to exert control over District of Columbia government operations, marking one of the most serious federal threats to local autonomy in 30 years. • The 88-year-old congressional delegate has mounted a defensive response to defend the city's semi-autonomous status and self-governance rights.

• Venezuela's opposition coalition announced victory in April 10 municipal elections, claiming to have won majorities in 200+ municipalities, though the National Electoral Council has delayed official results release. • International election observers from the Carter Center and UN raised concerns about transparency and irregularities in voting procedures, with some polling stations reporting technical malfunctions. • The disputed results threaten to deepen political crisis in the oil-rich nation already facing severe economic collapse and humanitarian crisis, with potential for renewed street protests and international diplomatic intervention.

Winner’s Tisza party to control more than two-thirds of new parliament, offering chance for a complete break with changes wrought by illiberal regimeGood morning from Budapest, as the city reluctantly and not without some difficulties wakes up from the celebrations the night before, which went on to 5am and beyond.With 98.94% of votes counted, Péter Magyar’s Tisza party is projected to get 138 seats in the new parliament, with just 55 for Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz and six for the far-right Mi Hazank (Our Homeland) party.“Because if [they have] the constitutional super-majority, this is when he can do a change of regime, and not only a change of government … then dismantling the Orbán regime is really possible, meaning that both the economic and the political capture of the [Orbán] regime could be adressed with the two-thirds majority.” Continue reading...

Congratulations pour in from across EU, with leaders from Spain, Poland, France, Britain, Denmark, Romania, Sweden and beyond hailing a new chapterFull report: Hungarian opposition ousts Viktor Orbán after 16 years in powerEU leaders heaped praise on Péter Magyar after his decisive election victory in Hungary against the long-serving prime minister Viktor Orbán, who many saw as a direct threat to Europe’s peace and prosperity.The outpouring reflected a deep frustration with Orbán across the EU’s 27 member states and its institutions. Continue reading...

• No. 13 Oklahoma defeated No. 11 Vanderbilt 13-11 in a high-scoring college softball matchup on April 11, 2026. • Camden Johnson led the Sooners with two home runs and seven RBI, while Deiten LaChance hit a homer and drove in four runs. • The win strengthens Oklahoma's position in national rankings amid a competitive season for top softball programs.

• The Denver Nuggets secured the number one seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a 118-104 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, finishing the 2025-26 regular season at 58-24. • Nikola Jokic posted 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists, leading the Nuggets' fourth consecutive regular-season title. • Denver's first-round opponent will be the eighth-seeded Sacramento Kings in a matchup beginning Monday, April 14.

Beijing’s powerbrokers are being credited with winning Iran over, although one analyst says they were ‘pushing an open door’Middle East crisis – live updatesAs the world struggles to make sense of what, if anything, was achieved by the ceasefire deal announced by the US and Iran on Tuesday, one major power that stands to win regardless is China.Beijing’s powerbrokers are being credited with pushing Iran towards agreeing to the ceasefire, bolstering its status as a regional mediator. In China’s tightly censored domestic media, articles basking in the glory of China being the grown-up in the room at a time of international crisis were allowed to circulate. Continue reading...

As the US vice-president wades into a heated campaign, Hungary’s leader faces the real possibility of defeatEven before the plane carrying JD and Usha Vance had landed in Budapest, the Hungarian government had hailed their two-day visit as a new golden age in the relationship between Washington and Budapest.What came next was a whirlwind of politics in which the US vice-president waded directly into the country’s heated election campaign, just days before Hungarians cast their ballots. Continue reading...

• Top-seeded UCLA defeated second-seeded Iowa 96-45 to capture its second consecutive Big Ten Conference Tournament championship, marking the first time in program history the Bruins won back-to-back conference tournament titles. • The 51-point margin of victory set a new Big Ten Tournament Final record, surpassing Iowa's previous record of a 33-point victory over Ohio State in 2023. • UCLA finished the regular season with a perfect 18-0 conference record and undefeated home court record for the first time since 2016-17, becoming just the fourth team in Big Ten history to go undefeated in conference play.

• Saudi Arabia, UAE, and other Gulf allies are privately urging President Trump to prosecute the U.S.-led war against Iran longer, arguing Tehran remains insufficiently weakened after a month of bombings. • Allies shifted from initial complaints over lack of notice to viewing the conflict as a historic chance to cripple Iran's clerical rule, per U.S., Gulf, and Israeli officials. • Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed alignment with Gulf partners, stating on 'Good Morning America' that Iran's 'religious zealots' must never possess nuclear weapons due to their apocalyptic vision.

• The New Zealand All Whites defeated Chile 4-1 at Oakland in a landmark achievement, marking their first-ever victory over a South American nation in 20 attempts on their route to the World Cup. • This result represents a significant milestone for the New Zealand national football team in their qualification campaign. • The dominant performance demonstrates the All Whites' improved form heading into upcoming World Cup matches.

Air superiority is supposed to deliver a quick triumph. But history has shown that promise to be written on the windMiddle East crisis – live updatesTo explore the roots of Donald Trump’s Iran military strategy and the pugilistic rhetoric of his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, means looking back 105 years. In 1921, a year before Benito Mussolini and his blackshirts marched on Rome to launch the Fascist era, an Italian general named Giulio Douhet published The Command of the Air, proposing a revolution in warfare.Victory in the future, he said, would no longer come from the grinding trench combat of the Great War. Instead it meant large-scale aerial bombardments, targeting not just combatants but civilians and civilian infrastructure and logistics. Continue reading...

• Los Angeles Lakers defeated Denver Nuggets in overtime, sparked by Austin Reaves' intentional missed free-throw put-back to force the extra period. • Reaves celebrated by cradling the basketball and whispering 'I love you' after the key play in the comeback win. • Young fan Jackson Tuyay's passionate cheering ignited the crowd and inspired the Lakers' defense against a top team.

• Denny Hamlin overcame an early speeding penalty and drove from 31st place to win Sunday's NASCAR race at Las Vegas, securing his 61st career victory, which ranks 10th all-time in NASCAR history. • Hamlin led 134 laps en route to the victory, while Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs finished in the top five, with Chase Elliott and William Byron placing second and third respectively. • The win demonstrates Hamlin's resilience and driving skill, cementing his status among NASCAR's all-time greats as the sport prepares to head to Darlington Raceway this weekend.

• The United States defeated the Dominican Republic in a 2026 World Baseball Classic semifinal, with Roman Anthony hitting the go-ahead home run to secure advancement to Tuesday's championship game. • The American roster, led by NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and featuring stars Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge, will face the winner of Monday's semifinal between Italy and Venezuela in the title game. • This marks the USA's third straight World Baseball Classic title game appearance after winning in 2017 and losing to Shohei Ohtani's Japan in 2023.

• No. 3 Michigan defeated No. 23 Wisconsin 68-65 in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on March 15, with Yaxel Lendeborg hitting a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining. • Lendeborg scored 12 points, including 9 in the second half after coach May encouraged him to be more aggressive, while Aday Mara added 16 points and Elliot Cadeau contributed 15. • The Wolverines avenged their only conference regular-season loss, a 91-88 setback to Wisconsin on January 15, as they seek to repeat as Big Ten champions.

As users turn to VPNs to access pornography, experts warn collection of information creates a ‘honeytrap’ for bad actors Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastWhen porn sites began blocking Australians from access, it also meant X began age-checking users before they could look at adult content on the social media site.But it asked some users to send a video selfie every time they wanted to look at a single picture or video. Continue reading...