Faces

• South Korea's ruling party has won the majority of seats in the recent local elections, marking a significant victory for the administration. • Despite the overall sweep, the ruling party faces a potential loss in the critical capital city of Seoul. • The election results serve as a pivotal "report card" evaluating President Lee Jae Myung's performance during his first year in office.

• The European Central Bank (ECB) is undergoing a significant leadership transition, replacing key top officials during a period of economic instability. • This reshuffle occurs as the bank attempts to balance fragile economic growth and persistent inflation risks against rising political tensions across Europe. • The transition is critical because central bank independence relies on the public perception that monetary policy remains insulated from political influence.

New crisis at former vocational charity involves alleged withholding of data and breaching redundancy lawsCity & Guilds is facing potential legal and industrial action over claims it has been “dishonest” over plans to shed about 400 UK staff.Officials at the Unite union allege the owner of the training and qualifications body has been “unlawfully withholding key information during transfer consultations”, while also “advertising for new recruits when it is legally required to give staff at risk of redundancy first refusal”. Continue reading...

• The European Union's initiative to mobilize EUR20 billion (US$23.3 billion) to build a network of large-scale AI "gigafactories" is currently facing significant delays. • Funding uncertainty is hindering the project's progress, threatening the EU's ability to establish the necessary infrastructure for advanced artificial intelligence. • These setbacks are critical as global rivals continue to surge ahead, widening the gap in AI capabilities and technological sovereignty.

Police officer in charge says budget could reach £19.3m and nearly 100 more investigators are neededThe police criminal inquiry into the Post Office Horizon IT scandal faces a five-year delay unless it is handed millions in extra funding and nearly 100 more staff, according to the chief officer in charge.The Metropolitan police commander Stephen Clayman said he needed to nearly double the number of investigators to 210 to meet a deadline of late next year or early 2028 for submitting files to prosecutors. Continue reading...

• India's TV broadcast industry is facing severe structural pressure in FY26 as viewers and advertisers migrate toward digital platforms. • Major broadcasters, including Zee Entertainment Enterprises and Sun TV Network, report declining advertising revenues, particularly from FMCG companies. • This shift is driven by the superior targeting and measurable returns offered by performance-led digital media, impacting even high-draw sporting events.

Two other small British children who stayed at same hotel fell critically ill from same condition months earlierThe travel company Tui is under scrutiny over its safety protocols after a British baby girl died from a gastric illness following a stay at an Egyptian hotel – the same resort where two other children were left critically ill from the same condition months earlier.Ariella Mann, one, died in January from a kidney condition linked to E coli after falling ill at the five‑star Jaz Makadi Aquaviva hotel in Hurghada on an all‑inclusive two‑week package holiday booked through Tui. Continue reading...

US president says he is not rushing into a deal after proposed plan to end war prompts Republican backlash. Plus, mood in Russia turns against PutinGood morning.Donald Trump defended himself against criticism from fellow Republicans yesterday as he appeared on the verge of agreeing a deal with Iran to end the war.What has Iran said? Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has been speaking at a news briefing about the contours of a potential deal with the US to end the war: “It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion. But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent – no one can make such a claim.”Why does he think voters are becoming disenfranchised? Massie pointed to several significant constituencies – including “Make America healthy again” campaigners, fiscal hawks pushing for sweeping government budget cuts, and voters who don’t want the US engaged in wars – who he claimed had been “alienated” by the administration’s actions. “And so, I’m worried that in November, this is going to cost the party a lot.” Continue reading...

Mexican-themed Australian fast food chain accused of terminating staff without adequate pay or notice as it pulls out of the USAmerican workers at Guzman y Gomez’s shuttered US stores have launched a class action lawsuit against the Mexican-themed Australian fast food chain over allegations staff were terminated without adequate pay or notice.The legal claim, filed in a US federal trial court in Illinois, was sparked by GyG’s decision last week to immediately close its string of Chicago stores after giving up on its highly vaunted plans to expand in the US. Continue reading...

Alleged incident said to have happened at racing event in 2002, the year of the queen’s Golden Jubilee, according to the Sunday TimesPolice investigating Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are looking into an allegation that he behaved inappropriately towards a woman at Royal Ascot, according to a report.The alleged incident is said to have happened at the annual five-day racing event in Berkshire in 2002, according to the Sunday Times. Continue reading...

• China's short drama industry reached industrial scale by January 2026, producing 470 AI-generated titles daily and releasing 50,000 AI-native episodes on Douyin in March. • The boom relies on "reference imaging," where AI curators use composite prompts and social media photos of celebrities and bloggers to create character appearances. • This practice has led to documented harm, including a 72-episode period drama on the Hongguo platform that used the faces of fashion bloggers without their consent.

DNC’s Ken Martin condemned for suppressing report for months and then admitting it ‘won’t meet your standards’Democrats belatedly publish 2024 election autopsyKen Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, is facing mounting calls to resign over his shambolic handling of an autopsy report on Kamala Harris’s defeat by Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.Martin suppressed the document for months before finally bowing to internal pressure and releasing it on Thursday. The slapdash nature of the autopsy, omitting Joe Biden’s decision to run for a second term and failing to mention the words “Gaza” or “Israel”, has only deepened a crisis of confidence in his leadership. Continue reading...

• The Eurovision Song Contest is facing an "existential moment" regarding the participation of Israel, sparking significant tension among member broadcasters. • Spain's public broadcaster, RTVE, issued a public call for "peace and justice for Palestine" immediately before the final on Saturday night. • Belgium's Flemish broadcaster, VRT, announced it is unlikely to send an artist to next year's contest in Sofia unless the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) reforms its decision-making process.

Critics of Royal Horticultural Society turn hose on corporate sponsorship, peat-free compost and general ‘wokery’There was King Charles and David Beckham as well as a nocturnal garden to support bats and a Viking-themed allotment full of edible plants in pots. The Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea flower show, which ends on Saturday, was as lovely and celebrity-glittered as ever, most agreed.But dig a little deeper, say critics on the conservative wing of the RHS – including one spectacularly outspoken former contributor – and not everything is necessarily smelling of roses. Continue reading...

International student Rodiyat Alabede, 22, died due to a ‘perfect storm’ of lax safety protocols, advocates sayPatient advocates in Canada have called for a new investigation into the death of a young woman who was donating blood plasma, describing a “perfect storm” of lax safety protocols and poorly trained staff and warning of “systemic issues” at plasma donation sites across the country.Rodiyat Alabede, an international student at the University of Winnipeg, died of cardiac arrest shortly after a plasma donation in October 2025 at a facility operated by the Spanish healthcare company Grifols. An initial investigation by Health Canada found no links between the plasma donation and her death. Continue reading...

Millions of litres of sewage have been spilling into the capital city’s waters since February after the catastrophic failure of a Moa Point wastewater plantA fix to stop millions of litres of sewage continuing to pour into the waters off the coast of New Zealand’s capital, Wellington will be in place by November, officials have said, with full repairs at the cost of NZ$53.5m by late next year.More than 100 days since the catastrophic failure of the city’s wastewater treatment plant on 4 February, a mix of raw and partially screened human effluent is still being flushed directly into the Pacific Ocean. Continue reading...

Ebony Parker is accused of ignoring warnings that the student brought a loaded gun to a US elementary schoolSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailA former assistant principal at an elementary school in Virginia is due in court for trial on criminal charges of ignoring warnings that a six-year-old student brought a loaded gun to school which was later used to shoot his first-grade teacher.Ebony Parker’s criminal trial is set to start on Monday in Newport News. Continue reading...

Reform, which won more than 50% of the local election vote, is likely to focus heavily on immigration and BrexitAndy Burnham faces a perilous race to win the Makerfield seat, his allies have warned, as he gears up to fight a byelection that could decide the long-term future of Labour and the country.The Greater Manchester mayor is likely to be confirmed as Labour’s candidate for the north-west constituency later this week, but those close to him say he faces an uphill battle to beat Reform UK. Nigel Farage’s party won more than 50% of the vote at the local elections and polling suggests Burnham is only marginally ahead. Continue reading...

FBI director reportedly took a snorkel excursion at site containing remains of more than 1,000 navy sailors and marinesThe FBI director, Kash Patel, is facing new scrutiny following reports that he participated in a snorkeling excursion around the USS Arizona during a trip to Hawaii last summer.The outing was first reported this week by the Associated Press, which obtained government emails describing the excursion as a “VIP snorkel” around the USS Arizona – the site that holds the remains of more than 1,000 US navy sailors and marines who died at Pearl Harbor in 1941. Continue reading...

• South Korea midfielder Lee Kang-in is facing a decisive week at Paris Saint-Germain as the club weighs his future, according to reporting cited by Chosun Biz. • L’Équipe said on May 14 that “Gonzalo Hamús and Lee Kang-in are expected to experience a decisive week for their futures,” indicating movement on PSG squad planning. • The situation matters because Lee remains one of the most prominent Asian players in Europe and any transfer decision would draw major attention in South Korea.

New undercover video appears to show cruel treatment of salmon at Cooke hatchery amid push for ‘chickenification’ of fishThe Trump administration is keen to do to fish what has been done to chickens – mass-produce them on an industrial scale to accelerate the US’s output of seafood.But this “chickenification” of fish may come at a hefty cost to the environment and to the fish themselves, as a new undercover video at one of the country’s leading fish farms has highlighted. Continue reading...

Watchdog to examine whether Reform UK leader should have declared donation received before entering parliamentNigel Farage is facing a formal investigation by the parliamentary standards watchdog over a £5m gift from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.The Reform UK leader received the money weeks before announcing he would stand as a candidate in the 2024 general election. Continue reading...

Reform UK leader has used the helicopter to attend rallies across the country, most recently on FridayNigel Farage is facing questions about why he did not declare his use of a donor’s helicopter to travel around Britain for rallies.The helicopter, which was used by Farage as recently as Friday after local elections across Britain, is the property of a company owned by Lorenzo Zaccheo, a businessman who gave Reform £25,000 last year. Continue reading...

Health secretary’s soft-right credentials put him at a disadvantage even with reduced membership under StarmerUK politics live – latest updates“Country first, party second” is a mantra Keir Starmer and his cabinet have repeated since being in opposition, seeking to draw a dividing line between Labour and their Conservative predecessors’ inclination for self-destruction.But party members do matter in politics – and a key problem for Wes Streeting, one of those with ambitions to succeed Keir Starmer, is that many of Labour’s do not like him. Continue reading...

• India takes on China in the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup quarterfinal on May 10, 2026, at 5 PM IST, with the winner qualifying for the U17 World Cup. • The match is telecast live on the AFC Asian Cup YouTube channel, highlighting India's young women's football talent against regional powerhouse China. • This clash matters as it determines Asia's representative for the global youth tournament, building on India's strong group stage performance including a victory over Lebanon.

Chances of Starmer remaining in No 10 appear to be diminishing as about 40 Labour MPs call for him to quitUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer is facing a perilous 24 hours as allies of Wes Streeting said he was prepared to bid for the leadership if the prime minister’s premiership falls apart this week.Starmer was hoping to save his job with a speech that sets out his vision for turning the country around on Monday, after a disastrous set of local election results in which the party lost support to Reform UK and the Greens. Continue reading...

• Indian equities are expected to remain highly sensitive to geopolitical developments this week, with markets tracking the ongoing US-Iran situation and fluctuating crude oil prices that could trigger sharp movements in large-cap stocks. • Foreign investors have withdrawn Rs 14,231 crore from Indian equities so far in May amid global macroeconomic uncertainties, signaling reduced confidence in the market amid external headwinds. • Key macroeconomic releases this week include India's April CPI inflation data and US inflation prints (CPI and PPI), which analysts warn could materially shape Federal Reserve rate-cut expectations and global risk sentiment.

• Cubs reliever Hunter Harvey suffered a stress reaction in his triceps, revealed by MRI, delaying his return from inflammation by at least another month. • Manager Craig Counsell shared the update yesterday, impacting the team's bullpen depth. • Harvey's injury complicates Chicago's pitching strategy amid the season.