Past

• 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.

Terry Reed, who had previously been convicted for sexually abusing two other minors, could be imprisoned for 40 yearsSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email A suburban New Orleans religious pastor has been convicted of sexually molesting two minors in what is the third instance of a man called “the worst kind of predator” being found guilty of abusing teen boys.Terry Reed, 66, cited biblical verses and scripture to “manipulate, normalize and justify his sexual behavior” with the two victims at the center of the newest case against him, according to a statement from Louisiana state prosecutors. Continue reading...

• Oil prices jumped above $100 per barrel and broke through $115 as Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, with Brent crude rising 6% amid U.S. efforts to free up shipping lanes. • The S&P 500 fell with all 11 sectors declining except energy (+0.9%); Dow Jones dropped approximately 1%, while Asia ex-Japan surged 2.8% led by KOSPI's 5% gain to new highs. • U.S. Treasury yields climbed across the curve by 7-10 basis points, with the 30-year Treasury clearing 5.0% as inflation pressures mount and the USD index moved higher above 98.

• U.S. startups in applied enterprise AI secured over $500 million in funding rounds announced May 4, 2026, focusing on workflow automation and analytics. • Key deals include a $120M Series B for an AI platform optimizing supply chains and $80M for defense-oriented machine learning tools. • Surge underscores investor shift toward practical AI deployments, with returns projected at 5x in three years amid 25% market growth.

• India's foreign exchange reserves increased to over $703 billion, reflecting strengthened economic buffers amid global uncertainties. • The buildup supports rupee stability despite foreign investor outflows and rising oil prices in recent weeks. • This reserve growth enhances India's capacity to manage import costs and external shocks, boosting investor confidence in emerging markets.

Analysts say Americans have now paid $21.7bn more to fill their tanks since the start of the US war on IranExxon and Chevron quarterly earnings fall despite soaring oil pricesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailThe average price for a gallon of gas in California rose to $6 this week as fuel prices across the US reached their highest level in almost four years.The American Automobile Association reported on Friday that California consumers were paying an average of $6.06, while the national average hit $4.39. The Golden state is the most expensive US market for gas but costs have also risen nationally with a 27-cent rise this week following two weeks of falling prices, AAA said in a statement. Continue reading...

Company reported $111.2bn in revenue in first earnings report after announcement of Cook’s pending departureApple blew past Wall Street expectations in its first earnings report since it announced CEO Tim Cook would be stepping down.Cook reported Apple’s “best March quarter ever” and “double-digit growth across every geographic segment”. He also noted “extraordinary demand for the iPhone17 lineup”. Continue reading...

• No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies (34-8) scored nine runs on 11 hits to defeat Tarleton State 9-7 in a midweek game at Olsen Field on Tuesday evening. • Caden Sorrell led with two home runs, his fifth multi-homer game this season. • The late rally secures momentum ahead of SEC series.

Pirates appear to be taking advantage of international naval strength being diverted elsewhere in regionThree vessels have been hijacked off the coast of Somalia in the past week, raising fears of a resurgence in piracy around the Horn of Africa – and adding to the woes of the global shipping industry.The merchant vessel Sward was taken over on 26 April, a day after a dhow was seized. These followed the 21 April hijacking of Honour 25, a motor tanker carrying 18,000 barrels of oil, according to the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO), the tracking service of the EU’s naval force. Continue reading...

• Kyle Tucker singled in the tying and go-ahead runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-4 comeback victory over the Miami Marlins on Monday night in the series opener at Los Angeles. • Jake Eder earned his first major league win by allowing one hit in one inning of relief, while the Dodgers improved to 3-7 when trailing after seven innings. • The dramatic ninth-inning rally highlights Tucker's clutch performance and boosts Dodgers' momentum early in the season.

• The U.S. market advanced 1.7% over the past seven days, continuing its strong performance with a 34% gain over the past year. • Earnings are projected to grow by 16% annually, reflecting broad-based economic expansion across sectors. • The sustained market strength indicates investor confidence in corporate profitability and economic fundamentals heading into late April.

• United States stock market climbed 1.3% over the last 7 days, building on a 35% increase over the past year with forecasted 16% annual earnings growth. • Strong fundamentals highlight undiscovered gems like Winchester Bancorp with 3283.33% earnings growth and 49.13% revenue growth at 121.44% debt-to-equity. • Top penny stocks include Village Farms International at $2.87 share price with $344.16M market cap, signaling opportunities in resilient sectors.

Irving police department announced bust in pun-filled social media post about alleged $34,000 Lego lootingSo much for using his noodle.A California man pilfered thousands of dollars in Lego toy sets from the retailer Target in a return-based scam, sometimes swapping valuable figurines with dried pasta pieces and before returning the construction-centric toys, authorities recently alleged. Continue reading...

A documentary about Peter Sichel – the ‘Jewish James Bond’ who died in 2025 – includes striking mea culpas about the cost and efficacy of US involvement in the Middle EastIn New York social circles, he was known as the “Jewish James Bond”: a refugee from Nazi Germany whose gratitude to his American hosts was such that he volunteered to join the US army and became the CIA’s first station chief in Berlin as a mere twentysomething, filing early warnings about Soviet activity that have been credited with ringing in the cold war.Like 007, Peter Sichel also appreciated a fine tipple, and after leaving the US foreign intelligence service it was he who briefly turned a sweet German white, Blue Nun, into one of the best-selling wines in the world. Continue reading...

Winning robot records faster time than Jacob Kiplimo’s world record More than 100 robots run in parallel tracks to avoid collisions with humansDozens of Chinese-made humanoid robots showed off their fast-improving athleticism as they whizzed past human runners in a half-marathon race in Beijing on Sunday, having lagged far behind a year earlier.The race’s inaugural edition last year was riddled with mishaps, as many robots struggled to get off the starting line, and most were unable to finish. Continue reading...

High of 26.5C recorded in Kew Gardens in south-west London, but rain and cooler conditions are on the wayMany across the UK witnessed soaring temperatures as the country recorded its warmest day of the year so far – and one of the hottest April days in the last 80 years.Temperatures reached a high of 26.5C (79.7F) in Kew Gardens, south-west London, on Wednesday, the Met Office said. It was the hottest day recorded in the first half of April since 1946, according to the forecaster. Continue reading...

Cheryl Bartley is charged with gross negligence manslaughter after 2023 death of Robert Smith, 61A pastor has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter after the drowning of a 61-year-old man at a baptism ceremony in Birmingham in 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service said.Robert Smith, from Brixton in south London, died at an address in Erdington on 8 October 2023. Malcolm McHaffie, the head of the special crime division, said: “We have decided to prosecute Cheryl Bartley, 48, with one count of gross negligence manslaughter in relation to her role as a pastor during a baptism. Continue reading...

Nasa astronauts begin journey home having collected eagerly awaited images of impact craters and ridgesNasa’s Artemis II astronauts have described the powerful emotion felt when soaring over the moon as they photographed impact craters, cracks and ridges and began their long journey home.Among the eagerly awaited images captured by the crew, who worked in pairs at the Orion capsule windows, are those of the Earth rising from behind the moon, a solar eclipse and parts of the 590-mile (950km) wide Orientale impact basin that have never been observed with the naked eye. Continue reading...

Increased recognition of crime and perpetrators using technology to track victims are behind rise, say expertsThe number of stalking offences recorded by police has soared over the past decade, with experts saying the rise has been driven by increased recognition, and technology making it easier for perpetrators to track their victims.House of Commons library data analysed by the Liberal Democrats found more than 135,000 offences were recorded last year, up from just under 3,000 10 years ago. Continue reading...

• Calls to U.S. poison control centers involving kratom use have increased 1,231% over the past decade, according to a new weekly report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. • The dramatic rise reflects growing kratom consumption among Americans and emerging safety concerns related to the botanical substance. • The trend highlights the need for increased public awareness and clinical guidance regarding kratom's potential health risks and interactions.

Robert Morris, who started Gateway church, pleaded guilty in October to sexually abusing girl in the 1980sThe founder and former pastor of one of the US’s largest megachurches has been released from an Oklahoma jail six months after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s.Robert Morris, 64, who started Texas’s Gateway church and also once served as a White House spiritual adviser during Donald Trump’s first presidency, pleaded guilty in early October in Osage county district court on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. Continue reading...

Ban on junk food adverts has cut advertising spend and prompted a debate over the policy’s impactThe UK will have its first Easter without the traditional barrage of TV ads for chocolate eggs and hot cross buns as the ban on junk food advertising makes the sweetest tradition of the year a sugar-free viewing experience.New regulations, which came into force at the beginning of the year, prohibit products high in fat, sugar and salt from appearing in TV ads before 9pm, as part of efforts to tackle rising childhood obesity. Continue reading...

Agency uses devices, which are uncomfortable and interfere with employment, to push people to self-deport, advocates saySign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxFor five years, an asylum-seeking woman attended routine check-ins with immigration authorities without issue. At her most recent appointment in October, she was unexpectedly ordered to strap on an ankle monitor, according to her attorney, Deepa Bijpuria.Bijpuria, a supervising attorney in the immigration unit of Legal Aid DC, described the client as a single mom who fled her home country because of severe domestic violence, escaping while pregnant with her young daughter. Continue reading...

• Jamal Murray erupted for a season-high 53 points while Nikola Jokic recorded 23 points, 21 rebounds, and 19 assists to lead Denver Nuggets over Dallas Mavericks 142-135 on March 26, 2026. • Nuggets now tied for fourth in Western Conference with Minnesota, holding tiebreaker via season series win. • The victory strengthens Denver's playoff positioning amid tight race for top seeds.

Senate nominee in Texas James Talarico says ‘Christian nationalism kills’ in response to Brooks Potteiger remarkJames Talarico, the Texas Democratic state representative and Presbyterian seminarian, has said he forgives Pete Hegseth’s pastor for praying for his death. On Tuesday, Texas’s popular Democratic nominee for a US Senate seat pushed back against comments from Brooks Potteiger, the defense secretary’s closest spiritual adviser, who said: “We want him crucified with Christ.”Talarico said on X: “Jesus loves. Christian Nationalism kills. You may pray for my death, Pastor, but I still love you. I love you more than you could ever hate me.” Continue reading...

• The US national debt exceeded $39 trillion on Wednesday, a record milestone reached just weeks into the US-Israeli war in Iran, driven by competing priorities including tax cuts, defense spending, and immigration enforcement. • White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett estimated the Iran war has cost more than $12 billion so far, with the federal debt having grown from $37 trillion two months ago to $38 trillion five months ago, now reaching $39 trillion. • The Government Accountability Office warns rising debt increases borrowing costs for mortgages and cars, reduces business investment and wages, and makes goods and services more expensive for Americans.

Treasurer plans ‘ambitious’ changes to target intergenerational inequity. 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 it will be Nick Visser with the main action.Jim Chalmers will today promise to deliver a trio of “ambitious reform packages” in the May budget that will rebuild fiscal buffers, make the tax system fairer and lift the nation’s lagging productivity performance. The treasurer will be speaking at an event in Melbourne at 12.30pm. More coming up. Continue reading...

The Saint Louis Billikens defeated George Washington 78-65 in the Atlantic 10 Tournament quarterfinals on Friday in Pittsburgh, led by Gibson Jimerson's 22 points and six assists. The heavily favored Billikens pulled away in the second half with a 15-2 run, securing a semifinal matchup against the Dayton-VCU winner on Saturday. This victory positions Saint Louis for a potential deep NCAA Tournament run as a projected at-large bid. Next, they face a tough semifinal challenge amid March Madness preparations.