2026 News

• Prasar Bharati has officially withdrawn from the bidding process and legal battle at the Delhi High Court regarding the media rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. • This decision leaves Indian football fans facing a potential media blackout, as no broadcaster has secured the rights just three weeks before the tournament begins. • The exit of the state broadcaster creates a significant deadlock in broadcasting availability, leaving the streaming and television status of the event uncertain.

• India and England are facing off in the second semi-final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. • The match is being broadcast and tracked via Cricbuzz, providing live scores, ball-by-ball commentary, and video highlights for viewers in the USA and Canada. • This high-stakes encounter is critical as it determines which team will advance to the tournament final.

• LTM has issued an offer to acquire Randstad's Technology and Consulting Services business across France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Australia. • The acquisition targets a business segment representing over $500 million (€469M) in annual revenue. • This strategic move aims to scale LTM's domain-driven solutions and AI services within these key international regions.

• Arsenal's Viktor Gyökeres has secured Sweden's qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America after scoring a hat-trick against Ukraine and a late winner against Poland. • Gyökeres has now recorded 19 goals in 32 international appearances, cementing his role as a key offensive threat for his national team. • Sweden will face a challenging group stage consisting of Tunisia, the Netherlands, and Japan in their first World Cup appearance since 2018.

• India secured a dominant victory over New Zealand in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Final, posting a massive total of 255/5. • New Zealand struggled to keep pace with the target, finishing their innings at 159 runs, resulting in a comprehensive win for India. • The victory sparked massive celebrations among the home crowd and players, with Ishan, Abhishek, Arshdeep, and Tilak celebrating with bhangra.

• FIFA has failed to secure a broadcast rights buyer in India, the world's most populous nation, with only three weeks remaining before the 2026 World Cup kickoff in North America. • The crisis persists despite massive demand, as FIFA data shows India had over 745 million fans engaging with the tournament across all media platforms during the Qatar World Cup. • This gap in broadcasting is significant because it threatens to exclude millions of fans from watching the tournament, which is expected to feature Lionel Messi's final appearance.

• The 2026 Asia Star Entertainer Awards (ASEA) began its two-day celebration on Saturday, May 16, at the Belluna Dome in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. • Hosted by MONSTA X’s Hyungwon and IVE’s Rei, the first day featured red carpet appearances and the announcement of the Hot Icon and Hot Trend awards. • Major honors included Enhypen being named Artist of the Year and Monsta X winning the Top Touring award, highlighting the dominance of these groups in the industry.

• ATEEZ secured the prestigious Daesang (Grand Prize) during the second day of the 2026 Asia Star Entertainer Awards held in Japan. • Stray Kids were crowned Best Group, highlighting a night dominated by top K-pop acts and electrifying live performances. • The event serves as a major celebration of Korean entertainment, recognizing the global influence of K-pop and K-drama stars across Asia.

• U.S. News & World Report published its fourth annual Best OTC Medicine & Health Products rankings on May 12, 2026, evaluating brands in categories from supplements to skincare and menopause products. • Nature Made topped the list with 12 No. 1 products, followed by CeraVe with 6 and La Roche-Posay with 4; companies like Haleon, Pharmavite, Kenvue, L'Oreal, and Prestige Consumer Healthcare led in top rankings. • The rankings provide consumer guidance on over-the-counter health products amid rising demand for specialized supplements like collagen and menopause aids.

Deputy Liberal leader says Coalition should listen ‘very carefully’ to results of Farrer byelection. Follow the latest updatesFederal budget 2026: what we know so farSee all our Australia budget 2026 coverageGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAsked last night about a possible Liberal/National alliance with One Nation, Jane Hume refused to reject the idea outright.Pressed on the possible scenario, she said “only One Nation are in favour of that” and wouldn’t talk about “what is going to happen after the next election”.The most important is to get the primary vote up for the Liberal and National party … There are so many hypotheticals … I will say that the Coalition are determined and dedicated to present to the Australian public a platform that they can vote for …There is no-one in the Coalition party room today that is telling us we need to expand the Coalition to include One Nation.The message we sent in Farrer was that the teals vote with Greens, 70% of the time and for the people of Farrer that wasn’t going to represent their interests … We will always put our preferences where we think the national interests lies, where we think the interests of the electorate lies and that is what we did in Farrer.They wanted change. Standing on a booth with teals in orange on one side and One Nation in orange on the other, both of them were saying ‘vote for change’.This is … a byelection that nobody wanted. It occurred only a year after the election, after a local member had retired, after a quarter of a century which is a long time to have a seat … There was no love lost for the Labor party either. It is just that the Labor party didn’t have the balls to turn up … The Liberal party lost its way. The Coalition lost its way. We split twice in the last 12 months. There is frustration out there. We will take the result with humility. Continue reading...

• The Newsmakers Achievers Awards 2026 celebrated lifetime achievements of renowned Indian entertainers and public figures including Usha Mangeshkar, Hariharan, Dilip Joshi, and Sanjeev Kapoor. • The Governor presided over the ceremony, recognizing contributions from distinguished personalities including Atul Tiwari, Pooja Bedi, and cultural figures across multiple domains. • The awards ceremony highlighted India's recognition of artistic excellence and public service across entertainment, culinary arts, social work, and education sectors.

• ABC News Live featured entertainment reporter Kelley Carter from ESPN's Andscape discussing the biggest moments from the 98th Academy Awards on March 16, 2026. • The recap highlighted historic wins and standout moments from the Oscars ceremony held on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. • Major victories included Michael B. Jordan's Best Actor win, "One Battle After Another's" six-award haul, and "Sinners'" four Academy Award wins.