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British Trust for Ornithology says 2025 breeding season was especially disastrous for warbler species After a mild, wet and stormy winter in the UK, spring 2025 was one of the warmest and driest ever, while the summer was the hottest since records began, most particularly in England and Wales.Good news, you might think, for migratory birds – especially for eight species of warblers that travel here from their winter quarters in Africa. Yet according to data from bird ringers, collated by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), last year’s breeding season was pretty disastrous. Continue reading...

• European cinema attendance declined by 5.5% in 2025, with the total number of cinemagoers dropping to 796 million. • Despite the fall in attendance, overall box-office revenues remained stable at €6.36 billion. • This trend highlights a shift in consumer behavior and pricing dynamics within the European film exhibition market.

Study, published as latest migration figures are released, shows incorrect perceptions driving immigration debatePeople mistakenly believe net migration is rising in Britain despite figures dropping to their lowest level in years, a leading thinktank has found.New research from British Future, published ahead of latest government figures on migration, has revealed a chasm between reality and public perception of net migration, with a substantial portion of the public believing it has increased, despite figures showing a sharp fall. Continue reading...

Single strike on the village of Deir Qanoun al Nahr in the coastal Tyre province killed 10, including three children and three women, health ministry saysIsraeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed at least 19 people, including four women and three children, Lebanon’s health ministry said, the latest in near-daily attacks from both sides that have not stopped despite a fragile, US-brokered ceasefire.Israel’s military did not immediately comment on the casualties or specific incidents, but said that between Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon, it had targeted more than 25 sites of Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Then-home secretary justified proscription of group in newspaper column despite advice it might unfairly impact trial of six activistsYvette Cooper wrote a newspaper column about Palestine Action despite prosecutors warning it could prejudice criminal proceedings against six activists from the group, it can be revealed.The then-home secretary wrote the column justifying Palestine Action’s proscription even though the Crown Prosecution Service advised it might unfairly impact a trial concerning a 2024 break-in at an Israeli arms manufacturer’s factory. Continue reading...

Follow the day’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSome federal politics for you coming up: we’re expecting to hear federal treasurer Jim Chalmers speaking on ABC’s Insiders shortly – we’ll bring you that when it happens.The prime minister Anthony Albanese is in Melbourne today and doing a press conference at about the same time as his treasurer is speaking on the telly. We’ll let you know what comes out of that presser, too.I do think we’re going to fall agonisingly short, guys. I think we’re going to fall agonisingly short, but boy, oh boy, what an incredible campaign from an incredible, incredible candidate.Labor is likely to retain Stafford. There has been a 4.1 per cent swing against Labor with additional postal votes still to be counted. But for the LNP to win from here, those postal votes would need to break very strongly in its favour. That is very unlikely to happen.I am so thrilled to tell you that Luke Richmond is the new member for Stafford. Continue reading...

One Nation leader and Barnaby Joyce flew on Gina Rinehart’s plane from the Sunshine Coast to Mount Isa before taking charter to tour flood-affected communitiesPauline Hanson billed taxpayers almost $16,000 in private charter flights to travel around flood-affected Queensland on the suggestion of billionaire Gina Rinehart, despite previously claiming the trip was at “no cost to the taxpayer”.In January, Hanson and Barnaby Joyce flew on Rinehart’s luxury Gulfstream G700 from the Sunshine Coast to Mount Isa, after which they travelled on charter flights to flood-affected communities around Julia Creek to meet local mayors. Continue reading...

• House Republicans are pressing forward with modifications to a Senate-passed housing package on May 12, even after President Trump urged passage of the original version without changes. • The effort coincides with administration pushes for $1 billion in security funding within a larger party-line spending package focused on immigration enforcement, potentially supporting Trump's ballroom project. • Secret Service Director Sean Curran met with Senate Republicans on Tuesday to secure backing, amid Trump's June 1 deadline for lawmakers to clear the legislation.

• Greens are increasingly conflicted but starting to benefit from embracing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s 'Make America Healthy Again' movement. • Environmental groups publicly rejected Kennedy during his presidential run, but some are now quietly aligning with the longtime environmental attorney. • The shift matters as it bridges divides between traditional greens and MAHA's health-focused agenda, potentially amplifying influence on policy.

• MSCI’s Asian equities gauge climbed 1% at the open, with South Korea's market surging as much as 5% to a record high driven by artificial intelligence investment optimism. • Brent crude oil rose 3.6% to nearly $105 per barrel after President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s response to his peace proposal, prolonging tensions and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. • US S&P 500 futures fell 0.1% amid the news, while the momentum strategy favoring recent winners like tech boosted Asian markets despite Middle East risks stoking inflation fears and lifting bond yields.

Senior academics describe the Judge business school’s proposal to provide services and training as ‘horrifying’Cambridge University’s business school is seeking to provide “leadership development” and “innovation management” to Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry despite concerns over its government’s record on human rights and climate change, the Guardian has learned.Cambridge’s leadership has approved a proposal by the university’s Judge business school to form a “memorandum of understanding” with the ministry for services and training, after an initial introduction by the UK’s Ministry of Defence. Continue reading...

Saudi Arabia’s state oil company’s profits up 26% to £26.9bn in first three months of yearBusiness live – latest updatesSaudi Arabia’s state oil company reported a 26% jump in profits in its first quarter as its east-west pipeline allowed it to ship millions of barrels of oil out of the Gulf despite conflict in the Middle East.Profits at Saudi Aramco hit $33.6bn (£26.9bn) in the first three months of the year, while revenue rose nearly 7% compared with a year earlier to $115.5bn. Continue reading...

Education secretary says voters feel let down but do not want Labour to ‘spend more time talking amongst ourselves’UK politics live – latest updatesLabour MPs would be wrong to remove Keir Starmer, even though voters have given the party a “real kicking” at the ballot box and people feel “bitterly let down”, the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has said.Phillipson said Labour had been “too gloomy” and had made a mistake in trying to withdraw the winter fuel allowance, after the party lost control of about 40 councils and 1,500 seats at the local elections on Thursday. Continue reading...

• Ocean Network Express (ONE) posted a US$55 million profit in the fourth quarter of FY2025 as freight rates recovered, though overall cargo movements remained sluggish throughout the year. • The container shipping company faced persistent headwinds from weak cargo demand in 2025, signaling continued challenges in the global freight market. • Industry observers view ONE's modest profitability as reflective of broader shipping sector weakness, with market recovery dependent on improved global trade volumes.

Badenoch’s statement came after the Conservatives won back Westminster and Wandsworth councils in LondonElections 2026 live: latest news updatesFull results from England, Scotland and WalesKemi Badenoch has claimed that the Conservatives are “coming back” after winning back Westminster and Wandsworth councils from Labour in London, despite her party suffering significant losses throughout England in Thursday’s elections.The party also saw off a threat from Reform in Bexley. But the Tories suffered a series of losses in Essex, where Badenoch herself is an MP, losing 13 seats while Reform gained 52. It held on to Harlow, securing all 11 district council seats available. Continue reading...

Promises to cut emissions and use more fuel-efficient planes fail to stop rise, with Ryanair’s carbon footprint 50% up on 2019Emissions from flying in Europe have now passed pre-pandemic levels, with Ryanair’s carbon footprint 50% higher than in 2019, research has shown.Total aviation emissions continue to increase despite industry pledges to decarbonise and the introduction of more fuel-efficient planes, driven by the massive expansion of low-cost carriers. Continue reading...

Leader defiant in face of calls from some of his MPs to quit but admits ‘results are tough, and there’s no sugarcoating it’Election 2026 live: latest news updatesFull results from England, Scotland and WalesKeir Starmer has vowed to fight on as prime minister despite early results in local elections that show his party suffering heavy losses, many at the hands of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.Starmer struck a defiant note on Friday morning in the face of calls from some of his MPs to quit, insisting he remained as determined as ever to deliver the promises on which he was elected less than two years ago. Continue reading...

A booming tech sector has disrupted translation jobs in publishing – but they could be needed for a while longer yetIn February 2022, while he was plugging away at rendering the US writer Dana Spiotta’s novel Wayward into French, the literary translator Yoann Gentric decided he needed a bit of light relief. He would test whether AI could put him out of work.Gentric had been grappling with a short non-verbal sentence that described the book’s protagonist’s feelings upon opening a window: “Bright, sharp night air, bracing.” He put the prompt into DeepL, a neural-network-powered machine translation engine that regularly outperforms Google Translate in accuracy assessments. Continue reading...

• India's largest companies have seen profits surge over 30% annually since the pandemic, yet private investment remains weak with capital outflows nearly matching FDI inflows. • Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman publicly questioned the reluctance amid tax incentives, infrastructure push, and record corporate cash reserves. • Experts cite safety preferences by family-run businesses, funds parked in family offices by heirs, and high perceived political-regulatory risks as key barriers.

• Southern Republicans are pressing forward with election-year House redistricting efforts, including an aggressive gerrymander in Tennessee demanded by Trump. • The moves come amid widespread protests and legal challenges, with PBS reporting on resistance in multiple states. • These changes could reshape congressional seats ahead of the 2026 midterms, potentially benefiting GOP majorities.

• Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by Vijay, secured 107 seats and gained 5 from Congress, totaling 112, but remains 6 short of the 118 needed for majority. • Governor Rajendra Arlekar is not convinced of TVK's numbers, delaying Vijay's swearing-in as Chief Minister despite his request for time to prove majority. • VCK remains undecided on support, while Left parties and IUML have declined, heightening political uncertainty in the state.

• Grab's Q1 2026 earnings surged 466.7% to US$136 million from US$24 million in Q1 2025, reinforcing analyst confidence in the ride-hailing and delivery platform. • Analysts view Grab as the clear regional leader in Southeast Asia despite facing ongoing regulatory challenges across multiple markets. • The company's strong profit growth demonstrates the sustainability of its business model even amid tightening regulatory scrutiny in the region.

• AI coding startup Cursor agreed to a $60 billion conditional takeover from SpaceX last month but is keeping distance from xAI integrations. • Rivals anticipated deeper ties, but Cursor emphasizes operational autonomy post-potential acquisition. • The move highlights tensions in AI ecosystem consolidations amid Elon Musk's overlapping ventures.

President says US navy will ‘guide’ stranded ships out of waterway but report says warship was hit by IranMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe world’s shipping industry has questioned if vessels will be able to travel safely to and from the Gulf after Donald Trump announced his latest plan to open the strait of Hormuz.The US president wrote on Monday that the navy would “guide” stranded ships out of the waterway, writing on his social media site Truth Social that the operation, “Project Freedom”, would be a humanitarian gesture “on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran”. Continue reading...

Owner-occupier mortgage growth slowed under growing costs while investor loans grew by $42bn in the year to March, a 9.6% increaseGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastProperty investor borrowing rose at its fastest rate in a decade in March, according to the Reserve Bank, despite higher interest rates and speculation about property tax changes.Owner-occupier loan growth slowed under the weight of growing mortgage costs but investor lending is continuing its record surge. Continue reading...

• Infosys reported Q4 net profit up 21% to Rs 8,501 crore, though shares fell 3.6% on weak revenue guidance. • IT sector faces pressure from BFSI weakness and higher costs, impacting peers like Cyient. • Results highlight mixed quarterly outcomes in tech amid global demand shifts.

German chancellor downplays US military drawbacks and president’s barbs in TV interviewThe German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has said he will not give up on working with the US president, Donald Trump, despite a spat between the leaders over the war in Iran.“I am not giving up on working on the transatlantic relationship,” Merz told the public broadcaster ARD in an interview due to air on Sunday night. “Nor am I giving up on working with Donald Trump.” Continue reading...