American

• Soccer consumption in the U.S. has undergone a dramatic transformation over several decades, evolving from a niche interest to a mainstream sport. • Growth has been fueled by increased internet speeds, social media accessibility, and more lucrative U.S. broadcast contracts for international leagues. • Global teams have expanded their domestic footprint through preseason tours, exemplified by a 2018 match between Manchester United and Liverpool that drew over 101,000 fans to Michigan Stadium.

• The European Union is launching a strategic plan to reduce its technological dependence on the United States by strengthening its own domestic tech sector. • The initiative focuses on expanding data center capacity, boosting semiconductor chip production, and incentivizing the use of local suppliers. • To accelerate growth, a draft bill proposes speeding up construction permits for data centers, ensuring reliable electricity, and allocating government funding.

• The White House has proposed a new rule that would grant political appointees greater control over the approval and funding of scientific research grants. • Critics argue the proposal threatens the U.S. scientific enterprise by undermining the longstanding peer review process used to award grants. • This shift could restrict research into critical areas such as cancer, HIV, rare diseases, climate science, and artificial intelligence by prioritizing political agendas over scientific merit.

Trump, still negotiating to conclude the war, claims it’s already over. Some Republican lawmakers have had enoughDonald Trump has two things to say about his war with Iran. The first is that it’s already over. And second, a symbolic congressional vote to end it – carried by four members of his own party – is a stab in the back that could derail the peace talks he’s conducting for the war that’s already over.By a 215-208 margin on Wednesday, the US House of Representatives voted to direct the president to withdraw US forces from hostilities with Iran, the first time either chamber has passed such a measure in the little over three months since Operation Epic Fury began on 28 February. By Thursday morning, Trump was on Truth Social calling the vote “unpatriotic” and blaming it on “Trump Derangement Syndrome”. Continue reading...

Plan departs from policy of bringing CDC staff back to US for treatment and offering support to all health workersFormer top US officials and other experts are urging the Trump administration to abandon plans for an Ebola quarantine and treatment centre in Kenya, as the union for workers with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls for Americans exposed to Ebola to be brought home for treatment.Soon after the US revealed it was setting up a field hospital in Kenya for the Ebola quarantine and treatment of Americans, the Kenyan high court blocked the order – but the Kenyan and US governments moved forward anyway, with the first American responders reportedly landing at the Laikipia airbase on Saturday. Continue reading...

Attacks reported in Kuwait – home to a US military base – and around the strait of Hormuz in latest exchange of fire as peace negotiations continueMiddle East live – latest updatesThe US said it struck Iranian military sites at the weekend and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said on Monday it had targeted a US base in response, the latest in a series of exchanges amid negotiations to end the three-month-old war.The strikes on Iran’s Gulf coast were in response to “aggressive Iranian actions that included the shootdown of a US MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters”, the US military’s central command (Centcom) said on X. Continue reading...

A difficult job market and rising costs are making it harder for young adults to enter adulthoodYoung people are already facing the worst entry-level job market since the start of the pandemic and significant economic instability.But overall economic conditions are making it more challenging for those just entering adulthood. More than eight in 10 young adults rate the economy as “bad” or “terrible”, according to a recent survey conducted with more than 1,000 18- to 34-year-olds around the US by Generation Lab, a research firm studying young people. While young adulthood is known as a time for establishing independence and responsibility, many are attempting to do so amid cuts to social safety net programs and the ever-increasing costs of basic needs like gas and groceries. Continue reading...

Some experts criticize White House approach and say not allowing Americans to return to US hurts treatment effortsThe Trump administration is building a quarantine and treatment center in Kenya for Americans affected by the Ebola outbreak, instead of bringing them home.The White House on Wednesday confirmed that the US is setting up a facility in Kenya for Americans to quarantine after Ebola exposure in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Continue reading...

• BTS won the prestigious Artist of the Year award at the American Music Awards, marking a significant achievement for the global K-pop group. • Other notable winners during the ceremony included Sabrina Carpenter, Katseye, and Golden, who is featured in the film K-Pop Demon Hunters. • This victory underscores the continued dominance and growing influence of K-pop within the mainstream American music industry.

Democrats allege that conservative groups may be propping up campaign of Maureen Galindo for House seatUS politics live – latest updatesA Democratic House candidate in Texas is facing bipartisan condemnation and accusations of antisemitism after she said she wanted to turn an immigration detention facility into a “prison for American Zionists” if elected – leaving Democrats scrambling to ostracize her from the party and alleging that conservative groups may be propping up her campaign.Maureen Galindo is running against Johnny Garcia in next week’s Democratic primary for Texas’ 35th congressional district, which covers parts of San Antonio and portions of the surrounding counties. The district was once solid blue and is currently represented by a Democrat, but the race remains highly competitive after being made much more favorable to the GOP following Texas Republicans’ mid-decade redistricting efforts last summer. Continue reading...

New polling shows rising frustration with Trump’s agenda days after president said ‘I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation’ amid Iran peace talksTwo-thirds of Americans believe Donald Trump is prioritizing his controversial immigration crackdown at the expense of their economic wellbeing, according to a new poll, in a stark warning for the US president about the unpopularity of his agenda.Amid growing discontent about the economic costs of his decision to go to war with Iran, 68% of respondents said Trump’s administration is too focused on mass deportations and not enough on affordability issues. Continue reading...

Suit says administration is impinging on rights to life and liberty by worsening planet-warming and toxic pollutionEighteen American youth are demanding that a court immediately halt the Trump administration’s repeal of the scientific finding underpinning virtually all US climate regulations.The plaintiffs sued the Trump administration in February days after officials revoked the 2009 endangerment finding, which found that greenhouse gas pollution threatens public health and welfare. Filed in the Washington DC circuit court of appeals Venner v EPA alleges that the move infringes upon rights guaranteed by the US constitution, including to religious freedom, life and liberty. Continue reading...

Health officials to take ‘proactive measures’ in response to the ongoing Ebola virus epidemic in the DRC and UgandaSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailUS health authorities confirmed on Monday that an American has developed Ebola after being exposed during their work in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); officials also said that they are taking “proactive measures” to protect US citizens in response to the ongoing Ebola virus epidemic in the DRC and Uganda.Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the case on Monday and said the individual was being evacuated to Germany. They developed symptoms over the weekend and tested positive late Sunday, said Satish K Pillai, an incident manager for the CDC’s Ebola response in a press conference. Continue reading...

• President Donald Trump stated 'I don't think about Americans' financial situation' while attending high-stakes US-China summit negotiations, sparking political fallout over rising consumer prices. • Vice President Vance responded that 'we have a lot of work to do,' as new data shows businesses' costs surged at their highest monthly rate in over four years with grocery prices also climbing. • The comments come amid Iran war concerns restricting global oil supply and sending gas prices skyrocketing, with Republicans defending the administration's policy prioritization over domestic inflation concerns.

• A survey by Rutgers University and partner institutions found Americans disapprove of Trump administration policies targeting science and medicine by a margin exceeding 2-to-1, reflecting broad public opposition. • The polling data indicates significant public concern about the administration's approach to scientific research funding and medical policy implementation. • The survey results underscore ongoing public health and science policy controversies during the current administration's tenure.

The £20,000 award for writers aged 39 or under goes to Joy Is My Middle Name, a collection about navigating race, addiction and womanhoodA debut poetry collection with themes including race, addiction and womanhood has won this year’s Swansea University Dylan Thomas prize.American poet Sasha Debevec-McKenney took home the £20,000 prize – awarded to writers aged 39 or under in honour of the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who died at that age – for her debut collection Joy Is My Middle Name. She was announced as the winner at a ceremony in Swansea, Thomas’s birthplace. Continue reading...

American zeal for ‘the Hamptons of England’ has rubbed off on sales with luxury British fashion house back to a full-year profitThe luxury fashion brand Burberry has said a new £2,000 handbag named after the Cotswolds has boosted sales, as the English region becomes increasingly popular with wealthy Americans.Joshua Schulman, the boss of the British brand, said its tote bags – which mix leather and the signature Burberry check – had helped drive the company’s best performance in bag sales since 2023. Continue reading...

With US inflation at a three-year high, US president insisted he’s not focused on economic hardship sparked by the conflictSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailDonald Trump has said the growing financial pressure inflicted on Americans by the war on Iran is “not even a little bit” motivating him to make a peace deal with Tehran.With US inflation at a three-year high, and fuel costs still climbing after a sharp rise in oil prices, the US president said on Tuesday that he is not focused on the economic hardship sparked by the conflict. Continue reading...

Tim Cook and Elon Musk, among other tech CEOS, will accompany the US president on a trip to ChinaDonald Trump is heading to China this week. If his guest list is any clue, he wants to discuss technology with Xi Jinping, though perhaps after the war in Iran.On Monday, news broke that outgoing Apple CEO, Tim Cook, as well as SpaceX and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, would join the US president. Other guests from the tech sphere include Meta’s recently appointed president, Dina Powell McCormick; Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO of computer memory maker Micron; Chuck Robbins, CEO of longtime telecom giant Cisco; and Cristiano Amon, CEO of semiconductor maker Qualcomm, according to a White House official. Continue reading...

• Health officials addressed a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, announcing the return of 18 Americans evacuated to Nebraska for quarantine on May 11, 2026. • Adm. Brian Christine, assistant secretary for health, stated 'the risk of hantavirus to the general public remains very, very low,' noting the Andes variant requires prolonged close contact like sharing utensils or 15 minutes within six feet of symptomatic individuals. • Most evacuees are monitored at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the nation's only federal quarantine unit and a leading high-risk infectious disease facility.

• New Politico Poll results detail what Americans mean by worries over a 'stolen election,' split sharply by party. • Democrats express fears of voter suppression tactics, while Republicans highlight concerns about voter fraud schemes. • Findings matter for understanding midterm turnout motivations and trust in electoral processes.

The 17 passengers are set to be transferred to a special quarantine center in Nebraska to ‘assess them for risk’The 17 Americans onboard the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship M/V Hondius were being repatriated to the United States on Sunday after the vessel docked in Tenerife and all the passengers were evacuated.Upon their arrival in Spain, medical teams from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were waiting and interviewed the passengers, whose identities have not been publicly disclosed and who have not tested positive for the virus, about their exposure on the cruise. Continue reading...

US CDC personnel are reportedly meeting ship in Canary Islands to accompany Americans on a flight to NebraskaThe US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reportedly sending personnel to the Canary Islands to meet the cruise ship affected by the hantavirus outbreak, with plans to accompany American passengers back to the US on a chartered flight and place them into quarantine in Nebraska.An additional CDC team is already headed to Nebraska, according to unnamed sources who spoke with CNN. The sources indicated that passengers are expected to undergo quarantine measures there to help prevent any possible spread of the virus. Nebraska is home to both the federally supported National Quarantine Unit and the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. Continue reading...

Almost two-thirds of respondents said US used to be a great place for immigrants but no longer isSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Donald Trump’s aggressive and wide-reaching immigration-enforcement agenda has convinced increasing numbers of adults that the US is no longer a welcoming country for outsiders, a new poll has found.About six in 10 respondents to the Associated Press-NORC poll, conducted last month, say the country used to be a great place for immigrants, but no longer is. Continue reading...

With most major European cities well-served by trains and buses, bringing US transit up to par would cost $4.6tnThe only train station in Houston, the US’s fourth-largest city and one of the fastest-growing conurbations in the country, is a diminished, morose sight. Intercity trains arrive at this squat, shed-like Amtrak building, which cringes in the shadows of roaring highways, just three times a week.That such a meager train station could ostensibly serve a metropolitan area of about 7 million people is a stark symbol of how the sprawling, car-dominated US has fallen behind cities around the world where people can rely on extensive, high-quality public transport to get around. Continue reading...

• The American Heart Association released a Presidential Advisory on April 30, 2026, declaring U.S. health care affordability at a crisis point due to rising costs driven by chronic diseases. • Costs are forcing Americans to delay or avoid care, worsening health outcomes and increasing medical debt; a Gallup survey shows widespread worry about accessing affordable care. • A McLaughlin & Associates poll found 51% of voters cite health insurance as their top concern, followed by hospital bills (11%) and medicine costs (10%).

• Nearly two-thirds (64%) of U.S. adults worry about affording health care costs, with 30% very worried, topping affordability concerns over gas prices. • Health care affordability remains the public's primary worry despite other economic pressures. • Poll highlights ongoing financial strain on households amid rising medical expenses.

• A majority of Americans express concern over rising healthcare costs and support increased federal tax spending to address these challenges, according to the Axios/Ipsos American Health Index released March 17, 2026. • The poll demonstrates bipartisan support for government action on healthcare affordability, reflecting widespread concern among the U.S. public about escalating medical expenses. • Americans also show increased trust in government handling of childhood vaccination decisions, signaling broader public confidence in health policy interventions.