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• The BBC has released comprehensive TV and radio broadcasting schedules for the 2026 World Cup group stage matches. • The coverage specifically highlights viewing options for England and Scotland as they compete in the international tournament. • This information is critical for fans planning their viewership and ensures accessibility across multiple media platforms.

• The United States men's national soccer team is preparing for a critical 12-month period leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. • The team has scheduled two friendly matches to take place in late May and early June 2026 as final preparations for the tournament. • According to reports from The Athletic and confirmations in December, both friendly matches will be played in the same location to streamline logistics.

Proposal for 10-12.5% levies, to also include EU, Taiwan, Canada and Australia, would allow US president to skirt court-imposed limitsDonald Trump has threatened tariffs of between 10% and 12.5% on 60 countries including the UK, EU and Australia over alleged forced labour failures, in the latest attempt to revive his signature trade policy.The EU immediately hit back, saying it expected the US to respect the tariff deal it entered into last July and arguing stealth tariffs breached the spirit of that agreement. Continue reading...

All the latest results and updates as New Jersey, South Dakota, New Mexico and Montana also vote in primariesCalifornia elections: governor, LA mayor and Congress at stakeSign up for the Breaking News US emailVoters in six states have been casting their ballots in the US midterm election primaries. Here are some of the images from polling stations that have dropped on the news wires today:A wave of Democratic doctors, scientists and public health professionals across the country are seeking office in the midterm elections in a rebuke to Donald Trump and Robert F Kennedy Jr’s health policies. Continue reading...

• The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) has unveiled its 2026 competition titles for the Crystal Globe and Proxima categories. • The selection features 24 world premieres from filmmakers spanning five continents, including works from Mexico, Japan, Croatia, Italy, and the United Kingdom. • This lineup reinforces the festival's commitment to showcasing new cinematic voices and promoting unconventional storytelling approaches.

Labor’s Luba Grigorovitch says she regrets six of the character references and vows never to write anotherFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNewly promoted Victorian government minister Luba Grigorovitch says she will never write another character reference after revealing she regrets six she has penned, including one for a taxi driver convicted of assaulting female passengers.Grigorovitch issued a statement on Monday night confirming that, since she became the member for Koroit in late 2022, she had provided “around 33” character references, including six “to individuals that I now know I shouldn’t have”. Continue reading...

• Singapore and 16 other nations have launched a new framework dedicated to the protection and maintenance of critical underwater infrastructure. • During the 23rd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue on May 30, 2026, Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing emphasized the necessity of international cooperation to secure these assets. • Leaders from ASEAN and ADMM-Plus countries discussed enhancing joint military training and exercises, specifically focusing on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Truck was carrying Afghan families returning Pakistan when it overturned, official saysA truck overturned in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing 18 people on board including 10 children, a provincial official told Agence France-Presse.Deadly traffic crashes are common in Afghanistan, due in part to poor roads after decades of conflict, dangerous driving and a lack of regulation. Continue reading...

‘At some point the statements have got to end and the action needs to begin’, member for Chifley saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor MP Ed Husic says Australia has tolerated poor behaviour from the Israeli government for too long, calling for a “red line” from Canberra including tougher sanctions, an end to defence cooperation and a block on supplying parts for the F-35 fighter jet.Husic - the former industry and science minister – said a pattern of bad behaviour from the government of Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, included mistreatment of activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, the death of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and the destruction of Australian war graves. Continue reading...

Lebanon’s health ministry condemns attacks as violations of international law; Israel says it struck Hezbollah infrastructure sites and militantsIsraeli strikes in Lebanon killed 10 people, including six paramedics and a child, in the space of 24 hours, Lebanon’s health ministry said on Friday, placing further strain on a US-brokered ceasefire. The ministry condemned the attacks as violations of international law.Further airstrikes were reported on Friday night into Saturday. An AFP correspondent in the southern city of Tyre reported hearing two blasts as one building on the outskirts was struck, then another inside the city, sending plumes of smoke into the air. Earlier, officials worked to evacuate people from the neighbourhood, using loudspeakers urging them to leave. Continue reading...

• The Sporting News is tracking critical injuries to star players, including Lamine Yamal, who may be at risk of missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup. • The tournament is scheduled to begin on June 11 and will conclude with the final on July 19. • These injuries are significant because they can jeopardize a national team's championship hopes by removing iconic superstars or essential role players.

• Ladakh leaders, including activist Sonam Wangchuk, are scheduled to meet with Home Ministry officials today to discuss regional concerns. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged his Ministers to prioritize and advance ongoing governance reforms. • In Tamil Nadu, the DMK finds itself politically isolated as most former pre-poll allies have shifted their support to the TVK government.

• President Trump stated on May 8, 2026, that he hopes Friday's meeting will lead to a second sit-down involving Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy. • Trump tempered expectations for the diplomatic push amid ongoing tensions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. • The initiative underscores U.S. efforts to broker peace, potentially altering European security dynamics and aid allocations.

Kawsar Ahmad, 53, and Zeinab Ahmad, 31, appear in Melbourne as Janai Safar, 32, due to face Sydney court on separate charges including joining a terrorist organisationTwo Australian women charged with committing crimes against humanity including slavery offences during the rule of Islamic State in Syria have faced a Melbourne court.Kawsar Ahmad, 53, also known as Abbas, and her daughter Zeinab Ahmad, 31, were arrested by officers from the Victorian joint counter-terrorism team (JCTT) at Melbourne airport on Thursday. Continue reading...

• Anthropic unveiled 10 new AI agents designed for banks and insurers to automate tasks like building pitchbooks, auditing statements, and drafting credit memos. • Major global firms such as Goldman Sachs, Citi, Visa, and AIG have adopted Anthropic's Claude AI, with banks using the Claude Mythos model for cybersecurity enhancements. • The agents integrate directly with Claude Code and Cowork products, allowing customization to firm-specific policies and styles, accelerating finance sector AI adoption.

New immigration enforcement package could fund security of $400m ‘East Wing modernization project’Senate Republicans have released a new immigration enforcement funding package that includes a proposed $1bn that could go to security measures related to the $400m ballroom that is part of Donald Trump’s “East Wing modernization project”.Senator Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican who chairs the Senate judiciary committee, released the funding plan on Monday, as part of a wider bill the Republican party plans to pass along party lines to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other agencies involved in the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts. Continue reading...

• Netflix kicks off the week on May 4 with Lord of the Flies, followed by Priyanka Chopra's Citadel Season 2 on Prime Video starting May 6, and more on JioHotstar by May 9. • The slate features sequels like Citadel Season 2 with Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, alongside new pilots and drama series across Netflix, Prime Video, and JioHotstar. • Highlights include Worst Ex and Thank You Next Season 3, offering action, drama, and high-stakes spy thrillers for global audiences.

• Backers introduced over three dozen bills in statehouses to expand raw milk access, despite public health warnings and at least five outbreaks in the past year. • Current E. coli outbreak linked to raw milk cheddar cheese from California-based Raw Farm has sickened nine people, half children under 5, with one developing lifelong kidney complications. • Public health officials warn unpasteurized milk harbors risky germs, alarming experts as more states legalize sales.

• SRI International contributed to four of the top 15 greatest US breakthroughs as ranked by Wall Street Journal readers: the internet, personal computing, color television, and artificial intelligence. • The recognition highlights SRI's foundational role in transformative technologies. • This acknowledgment underscores US leadership in science and innovation history.

Images in Helen Polley’s post included a marching band, people laying wreaths and ex-serving members giving speeches set to a track by US rapper ChingyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA federal Labor senator has deleted a social media video which mistakenly included audio of an explicit rap song over a carousel of photos of Anzac Day commemorations.Senator Helen Polley, a former shadow minister and current chair of parliament’s committee on law enforcement, posted a video compilation of images paying respect to Australia’s defence forces. Continue reading...

• Scientists using the Rubin Observatory identified over 11,000 new asteroids in our solar system. • Discoveries include hundreds of distant objects beyond Neptune, expanding knowledge of outer solar system. • This US-based telescope project enhances planetary defense and solar system mapping efforts.

NSW and Queensland governments ‘severely underdelivered’ on promised infrastructure to improve water flows, independent review findsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTwo state governments have drastically underdelivered more than $160m in infrastructure measures to improve river health in the northern Murray-Darling basin eight years since they were promised, a major independent review has found.This includes failure by the New South Wales government to secure any of the private land access needed to improve water flows over floodplains in the state’s Gwydir region where scientists had to scramble to rescue turtles in dried up wetlands last week. Continue reading...

• President Trump announced hopes for a Friday meeting with Russian leaders to pave the way for a second sit-down including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy. • He tempered expectations, noting complex diplomacy amid ongoing conflict stalemate. • The potential talks signal U.S. push for resolution, potentially altering European security dynamics.

Labor says cuts to disability scheme mean elderly will get more help. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then Nick Visser will be your guide through the morning.Today the health minister, Mark Butler, will detail major changes to the NDIS including significant funding “savings”. The government says the savings, in part, from the national disability insurance scheme will go to funding improved aged care including showering and dressing. Continue reading...

• Preliminary data from the Simonyi Survey Telescope at NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory revealed over 11,000 new asteroids, including hundreds beyond Neptune and 33 near-Earth objects. • University of Washington scientists contributed to the ultrafast alerting system detecting up to seven million cosmic changes nightly. • Findings enhance solar system mapping and planetary defense efforts.

Massive fire followed explosion at 5,000-sq-ft warehouse near Esparto, an hour from Sacramento, on 1 July Multiple people have been charged with murder in connection to a fatal fireworks-warehouse explosion in California that killed seven people and injured two others in July.The explosion at the 5,000-sq-ft warehouse sparked a massive fire near the small town of Esparto, about an hour outside Sacramento. The explosion took place on 1 July; local celebrations to commemorate the Fourth of July holiday were cancelled that year. Continue reading...

• Academy Awards nominations announced April 5 in Los Angeles, with sci-fi drama 'Eclipse' topping at 14 nods, followed by 'The Reckoning' at 12. • Director Ava DuVernay's 'The Reckoning' earned Best Director and Best Actress for Zendaya, while 'Eclipse' star Timothée Chalamet got Best Actor. • Nominations reflect diversity push, with 45% women and 40% people of color among acting nominees, per Academy stats.

• Complex TV curates 10 must-watch movies for April 2026, featuring Christopher Nolan films alongside Wayans family comedies. • The lineup includes hood classics 'Belly' and 'King of New York,' offering diverse cinematic options from prestige dramas to urban tales. • This selection caters to varied tastes, blending high-profile directors with cult favorites for streaming viewers.