• 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.
• A UN report released April 5, 2026, warns of famine in Sudan affecting 25 million people, prompting the US to announce $500 million in emergency food aid amid ongoing civil war.
• USAID Administrator Samantha Power highlighted clashes between RSF and SAF displacing 4.5 million since last year, with child malnutrition rates at 30% in Darfur.
• The crisis underscores US humanitarian leadership but strains budgets amid domestic priorities, potentially influencing congressional funding debates.
Man working for V2X died in night attack as five sources say they are being placed in harm’s wayA man employed by the US defense contractor V2X has been killed in a drone attack on Erbil airbase, amid concerns from colleagues that they are being placed in harm’s way and pressured to remain in Iraq despite security risks, five sources said.The worker, from Kenya, died in a night attack in his sleeping quarters on the base on 24 March. Another five workers were injured. They are from Kenya and India, and are among a group of about 45 workers employed by V2X who have remained on the base. One of the workers is in a critical condition with severe burns, sources said. Continue reading...
Dianne Thompson and Lois Kirk tell Victoria police in letter ‘we did not expect to feel invisible’ after Neal Thompson’s deathGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe sisters of Neal Thompson, one of the two police officers shot dead by Dezi Freeman in Porepunkah last August, plan to sue Victoria police for negligence after an inquest into the officers’ deaths, their lawyer says.Police accountability lawyer Jeremy King, who is representing Dianne Thompson and Lois Kirk, confirmed on Sunday that the sisters would bring a negligence claim against Victoria police after the conclusion of a coronial inquest. A date for the inquest has not yet been announced. Continue reading...
• Netflix's current top 10 movies is topped by 'The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson' (2026), a new documentary drawing massive viewer interest.
• 'Anaconda' (2025) ranks second, followed by 'Untold: The Death and Life of Lamar Odom' (2026) in third, with classics like 'Madagascar' (2005) at fourth.
• '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' (2026) rounds out the top five, highlighting strong performance of recent horror and true-crime releases.
• US State Department endorsed on April 4, 2026, a Kenyan-led multinational force of 2,500 troops to deploy to Haiti within 60 days to combat gang control in Port-au-Prince.
• Gangs control 85% of the capital, with 4,000 homicides reported in 2025; US provides $150 million in logistics and training support.
• The mission addresses a humanitarian crisis displacing 700,000 Haitians, as highlighted by UN envoy William O'Neill: 'State collapse is imminent without intervention.'
• The United Nations reported on April 4, 2026, that 25 million Sudanese face famine risk due to ongoing civil war blocking aid routes in Darfur and Khartoum.
• US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced $300 million in emergency food assistance during a Security Council session, bringing total US aid to $1.2 billion since 2023.
• Conflict between Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces has displaced 8.5 million, making it the world's largest humanitarian crisis, per UN estimates.
Fears of Easter chaos over scaling up of new EU border system are eased, with no facial IDs for Eurotunnel and Eurostar passengersPassengers crossing the Channel from the UK to France will not face new biometric checks in the coming weeks, despite an imminent deadline for the complete implementation of the EU’s entry-exit system (EES), ports say.Airlines and airports across Europe have feared chaos over the Easter holidays. Continue reading...
Reports on English policies seen in Wales as relating to whole of UK contribute to widespread confusion, researchers sayUK media is failing to report properly on devolved issues in Wales, leaving voters ill-informed about May’s Senedd elections, a report has found.A Cardiff University study of more than 3,000 news items found repeated patterns in coverage across different broadcasters and platforms, including not signposting whether an issue was relevant to England or England and Wales only, widespread references to “the government” rather than “the UK government”, and the use of “you” and “your” in contexts that apply only to people living in England. Continue reading...
Best known for voice-acting in Bob’s Burgers, Mirman was injured after his vehicle struck a toll plaza and ignitedSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxBob’s Burgers voice actor Eugene Mirman says he is “extraordinarily thankful to the heroic people” that pulled him out from the wreckage of his fiery car crash on Tuesday at a New Hampshire toll plaza – an accident that reportedly left him with serious injuries.The 51-year-old comedian expressed his gratitude in an Instagram post late on Friday morning, which also described his being emotionally buoyed up by “the well wishes, love and kind messages from friends and strangers” in the wake of the wreck. Continue reading...
• The FDA has awarded breakthrough device designation to more than 1,200 experimental devices, including AI innovations, since 2016.
• Evolving FDA criteria reflect accelerating AI integration in US health tech approvals.
• Program speeds market access for transformative devices addressing unmet medical needs.
Tina Peters, an election denier, was found guilty in 2024 of allowing unauthorized access to county’s voting equipmentA Colorado appeals court on Thursday ordered the resentencing of a former Colorado election official who was found guilty of allowing unauthorized access to her county’s voting equipment, the latest development in a closely watched case that has attracted considerable attention from Donald Trump and other election deniers.Tina Peters, the former clerk in Mesa county in western Colorado was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2024 after a jury found her guilty on three counts of attempting to influence a public servant, conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty and failure to comply with the secretary of state. Peters was the county clerk in 2020 and later allowed an unauthorized person to access the county’s Dominion voting machines. Sensitive information from the machines later wound up on the internet. Continue reading...
Lebanese-French man Ali Cherri demands investigation into Beirut bombing as possible war crime against civiliansA Lebanese-French artist has filed a legal complaint in a Paris court about an Israeli bombing of his family home in Lebanon that killed his parents and a domestic worker, claiming the attack could constitute a war crime.The suit, filed with the French war crimes unit on Tuesday, is a rare instance of an individual pursuing war crimes charges for an Israeli bombing. It is also the first time a French court has taken a case over Israel’s bombing of Lebanon. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Pressure intensifies for Gabbard after president’s displeasure with Iran war testimonyDonald Trump has privately asked cabinet officials in recent weeks whether he should replace his director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, venting frustration that she shielded a former deputy who undercut his rationale for war with Iran, according to two people briefed on the discussions.It is not clear that Trump will actually fire Gabbard over the episode. Currently, there is no standout candidate to take the job, and advisers have cautioned that creating a high-profile vacancy before a successor is ready could cause unhelpful political distractions. Continue reading...
Nurul Amin Shah, 56, who was visually impaired, was left outside Buffalo Tim Hortons on cold night and later diedAuthorities have ruled that the death of Nurul Amin Shah, a 56-year-old Rohingya refugee from Myanmar who was left by immigration agents at a restaurant in Buffalo, was a homicide.Shah, who was visually impaired, died on 24 February, five days after US Border Patrol agents dropped him off in the parking lot of a Tim Hortons on a cold winter night without notifying his family or attorney. Continue reading...
War shows little sign of easing despite Donald Trump claiming Iranian leadership ‘just asked’ for ceasefireIsrael unleashed two waves of attacks on Tehran and said it had killed a senior Hezbollah commander on Wednesday with little sign of the war easing up despite Donald Trump repeating a claim that Iran’s leadership was seeking a ceasefire.The US president, writing on social media, said that Iran’s president had “just asked” for a ceasefire, and that American troops would be “out of Iran pretty quickly”, as he sought to extricate the US from the war. However, he confused the picture by incorrectly describing the president as a “new regime” leader. Continue reading...
Review finds no ‘meaningful impact’ five years after race action plan launched, amid calls for government to step inPromises by police chiefs to tackle racial bias failed owing to “a lack of clear national leadership”, an independent police report has found.The promises were made five years ago in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement and led police bosses in England and Wales to launch a race action plan promising to tackle the “stigmatising and humiliating” experiences of Black people at the hands of officers. Continue reading...
‘Bear slayer’ Honey injured during confrontation to protect family and animals from ursine home invader A half-blind, 12-year-old New Mexico dog is being called “bear slayer” after she fended off an ursine intruder at her family’s home, protecting dozens of chickens and other animals but only narrowly surviving the violent encounter.As told by her caretakers, the story of Honey demonstrates the extreme loyalty of dogs to their owners. Continue reading...
Former co-host of Kyle Sandilands filed proceedings in the federal court against Kiis licence holderFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJackie Henderson has filed a legal action in the federal court claiming compensation of “at least $82,250,000” for the wrongful termination of her 10-year contract to present the Kyle and Jackie O Show on radio station Kiis.The Fair Work claim says that the termination of Henderson’s contract earlier this month constituted adverse action, ARN Media said in a statement to the ASX on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Scheme for accusers of store’s former owner Mohamed Al Fayed to close before end of retailer’s internal investigationHarrods has been accused of being “neither fair nor just” over its decision to close a compensation scheme for survivors of alleged sexual abuse by the luxury department store’s former owner Mohamed Al Fayed.Kingsley Hayes, partner at KP Law, which is representing nearly 280 survivors, questioned why the scheme was being closed on Tuesday 31 March, before Harrods had completed an internal investigation into what happened and who knew about it. Continue reading...
Reports, based on X post from unofficial account, follow JD Vance’s accusations and threats of finding ‘legal remedies’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxSeveral news outlets have falsely reported that Somaliland’s government called for the extradition of Ilhan Omar, basing their stories on a post from an X account that does not represent the state despite its claims to the contrary.Fox News, the New York Post, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s the National News Desk and the Independent ran stories on the US representative. The reports centred on a post by @RepOfSomaliland in reaction to claims by JD Vance that Omar had committed immigration fraud, which echoed prior allegations against the Somali-born Minnesota Democrat that she has vehemently denied. Continue reading...
Michael Rousseau faced mockery for speaking English and not French while addressing fatal LaGuardia airport crashThe head of Canada’s largest airline is stepping down after his video tribute to pilots killed in a fatal collision became a public relations nightmare for Air Canada, prompting a wave of mockery and indignation at him from both the public and politicians for not speaking French.Air Canada’s CEO, Michael Rousseau, will retire by the end of the third quarter of 2026, the company said Monday. He will continue to lead the company and serve on the board of directors until that time, the carrier said. Continue reading...
Mikhail Khodorkovsky says Russian security services may seek to create a ‘sense of vulnerability’ in BritainVladimir Putin is likely to stage another Salisbury-style attack on UK soil unless the government adopts more aggressive tactics against the Kremlin, the exiled Russian billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky has said.The former oil tycoon has emerged as a leading figure in Russian diaspora opposition circles and claims to be well-informed about current thinking and developments among Moscow’s elite. Continue reading...
Cargo of tofu was spilled in highway accident near town of Jerome and left to ripen and rot in the open for weeksA staggering 40,000lbs of extra-firm tofu was spilled in an accident near a small town in Missouri and left in the open for weeks, creating a smell that local officials called “unforgettable”.The cleanup – dubbed the “Great Battle of the Jerome Tofu Monster” – began near the town of Jerome, in south-western Missouri, on 1 March, when a tractor-trailer vehicle with a cargo of tofu crashed off a local highway and plunged into a ravine. Continue reading...
Request comes at the start of a two-week inquest into the death of Noongar man Jeffrey Winmar in MelbourneGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastEleven police officers called to give evidence into the death of an Aboriginal man in custody have sought certificates to protect themselves from self-incrimination.The request from the Victoria police chief commissioner came at the start of a two-week inquest into the death of Noongar man Jeffrey Winmar. Continue reading...
Charity believes Middle East crisis may lead to even busier spring and summer in 2026The number of people helped by RNLI lifeguards on the beaches of the UK and the Channel Islands doubled last year and the charity believes the Middle East crisis may lead to an even busier spring and summer in 2026.While RNLI lifeguards went to the aid of about 18,000 people in 2023 and 2024, this leapt to more than 35,000 in 2025, the spike put down to a combination of good weather and an increased interest in seaside pursuits. Continue reading...
Senator’s comments come amid growing divisions within the party, which he says has ‘too small of a coalition’Cory Booker, the Democratic senator from New Jersey, renewed his calls for new leadership of the Democratic party, saying the party has “failed this moment”.“As a whole, our party has failed this moment,” Booker said on Sunday. “I’ve called for a generational renewal, because this left-right divide is killing our country and our adversaries know it.” He also said that “purity tests” within the party have led to more division in the US. Continue reading...
Forthcoming rules mean debilitating conditions may not meet strict ‘severe and lifelong’ eligibility criteria, say disabled people’s organisationsHundreds of thousands of severely ill and disabled people making new claims will have their benefits cut if the government assesses that their condition might improve, charities have said.In April, the health element of universal credit – an extra payment for people assessed as too unwell to work or prepare for work – will be reduced to £50 a week and frozen for new claimants unless their condition is found to be terminal or severe and lifelong with no prospect of improvement. Continue reading...
Roofs torn off buildings in Exmouth, power lost and homes floodedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAuthorities were still working on Sunday to restore power to communities hit hard by Cyclone Narelle as a popular tourist town remained effectively cut off.After lashing coastal communities with 250km/h winds and dumping a year’s worth of rain in a day, the now-subtropical low again headed offshore after ripping through parts of Western Australia. Continue reading...
Experts say paid participants are using automated tools to generate unreliable survey responses at scaleIf you had been keeping tabs on the news about church attendance in Britain lately, you would be forgiven for thinking the country was in the midst of a Christian revival.Stories of swelling congregations, filled with young people returning to the flock, spurred on by everything from social media to a rise in bible sales appeared to be confirmed by a 2024 report from the Bible Society. Continue reading...
