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• Singer Katy Perry and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made their first public red-carpet appearance as a couple on Monday night. • The pair attended the Tribeca Festival to celebrate the premiere of Perry's latest project. • This debut marks a high-profile romantic connection between a global pop icon and a prominent political figure.

• Marc Lasry and his Avenue Sports Fund, which already invests in the NC Courage, are seeking to bring a Major League Baseball team to Raleigh. • Lasry expressed openness to partnering with Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon, who also possesses ambitions to bring MLB to the region. • To fund necessary sports infrastructure, officials are considering raising the hotel occupancy tax in Wake County, similar to the model used for the Lenovo Center.

• Peter Phillips has married Harriet Sperling, an NHS nurse, in a ceremony attended by King Charles, Queen Camilla, and other members of the royal family. • The wedding marks a significant personal milestone for Phillips, the son of the late Princess Anne, as he enters a new marriage. • The event highlights the intersection of the British monarchy and public service, given Sperling's professional role within the National Health Service.

Historians and campaigners accuse US defence secretary of desecrating memory of soldiers who fell in NormandyThe US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, has been accused by historians and rights campaigners of “grotesque stupidity” and desecrating the memory of the soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy after he sought to link immigration to the D-day anniversary, saying that Europe was facing a different “invasion” of its shores.Speaking in north-west France on Saturday to mark the 82nd anniversary of the D-day landings, Hegseth seized on the moment marking the wartime liberation of Europe to reiterate the US administration’s longstanding attack on European immigration policies. Continue reading...

• Eurovision viewing figures declined significantly this year after five countries—Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain—boycotted the contest to protest Israel's participation. • Despite the boycott, the EBU reported that over 50% of TV viewers tuned in across 14 participating nations, with Finland (92.8%) and Sweden (85.5%) seeing the highest market shares. • The drop in traditional viewership highlights the growing geopolitical tension surrounding Israel's inclusion in the competition, though digital engagement reportedly rose.

• On June 4, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Sripetch v. SEC (No. 25–466) that the Securities and Exchange Commission does not need to prove victims suffered a financial loss to obtain a disgorgement award. • The decision stems from a civil enforcement action brought by the SEC against an individual named Mr. Sripetch. • This ruling is significant as it lowers the evidentiary burden for the SEC when seeking to recover ill-gotten gains in civil cases.

• The 2026 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival has announced its initial competition lineups and jury selections. • Featured world premieres include "Gæsten" (The Guest), a 99-minute Danish film directed by Mads Mengel, and "A Happy Family," a 120-minute Swiss production directed by Jan-Eric Mack. • These selections highlight the festival's commitment to showcasing new international cinema and diverse directorial voices from Europe.

Defense secretary’s latest interposition resulted in all-male, overwhelmingly white picks for promotion to admiraltyUS politics live – latest updatesThe US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, stripped nine navy officers including women and Black service members from a promotion list last month, according to a person familiar with the matter, resulting in an all-male, overwhelmingly white slate of 22 advancing as nominees to become one-star admirals.Hegseth’s unusual intervention violated promotion rules designed to be merit-based and apolitical, the New York Times said on Tuesday, and extended the Trump administration’s push to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the military. Continue reading...

DfE plans to withdraw funding for assistive software, saying it is now rarely needed due to ‘widely available free tools’Disability campaigners have called on the government to halt plans to cut funding for specialist tech support for tens of thousands of disabled students in England.Almost 10,000 people have signed a petition opposing Department for Education (DfE) proposals to withdraw funding for specialist assistive software available as part of the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). Continue reading...

Energy and military sites targeted as guests gather for economic forum where Putin is due to speak on FridayUkrainian drones hit energy and military sites in St Petersburg early on Wednesday hours before international guests gathered for the city’s flagship economic forum, in a blow to Vladimir Putin.Several long-range drones crashed into oil storage facilities after Russian air defences tried unsuccessfully to shoot them down. There were loud explosions and black smoke rose high above the city from the blazing oil terminal. 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.

Mathew Lawrence and Mark McVitie, previously seen as favouring Burnham and Streeting respectively, say change of direction is neededUK politics live – latest updatesTwo of Labour’s leading policy figures, who put forward “manifestos” for Andy Burnham and a centrist grouping, are to join forces to help forge new ideas for a future government.The authors of the two essays – which have previously been described as competing visions for a Burnham- or Wes Streeting-led government – said Labour urgently required a serious intellectual debate about its direction rather than simply a change of personality. Continue reading...

• The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival will take place from June 12-21, featuring a main competition lineup for the Golden Goblet Awards. • Actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai has been appointed to lead the main competition jury for this edition of the event. • In a historic first for the festival, all 12 titles selected for the main competition section will be debuting as world premieres.

Exclusive: Former Labor minister will lead the community-based investigation and report in OctoberPeter Garrett on why Australians deserve the truth about Aukus – Full Story podcastFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFormer environment minister Peter Garrett will lead an independent inquiry into the Aukus defence pact, launched by a group of Labor veterans and public figures concerned proper scrutiny has never been applied to the $368bn defence plan.Garrett, the Midnight Oil frontman and longtime environmental campaigner, will be the lead commissioner on the five-month community-based investigation, being launched on Tuesday. Continue reading...

• The 28th Shanghai International Film Festival has announced the official selection for its prestigious Golden Goblet competition. • The lineup features a diverse array of international titles, including "Hunter’s Moon" (India-Germany), "9 Temples to Heaven" (Thailand), and "No Good in Sight: A Story" (Kazakhstan). • The competition highlights several world premieres, such as "The Blind Girl and an Elephant" from Bangladesh-Germany and "About the Mother" from Turkey, alongside four Chinese entries.

Peters, a conspiracy theorist convicted after 2020 election, served less than a quarter of her nine-year sentenceTina Peters, the former clerk convicted of participating in a scheme to chase election conspiracy theories promulgated by Donald Trump, was released from prison on Monday after the president successfully pressured Colorado’s Democratic governor into commuting her sentence.Peters’ release was confirmed by the Colorado corrections department. The state agency said it would have no more information about the 70-year-old Continue reading...

Graphic videos on social media appear to show upset onlookers after police accidentally ran over animal in Mount Isa streetFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastConfronting footage has emerged of police shooting dead a pet dog as it lay prone in the middle of a street in front of screaming onlookers, after they accidentally ran over the animal in an outback mining city.The graphic videos, posted to social media on Sunday afternoon, appear to show one resident in distress and being led away wailing and pulling at her hair in distress as a shot rings out. Continue reading...

• France is actively competing with the United States and China to establish itself as a global technology leader. • The country is leveraging massive investments and a significant data project backed by SoftBank to enhance its digital infrastructure. • This strategic push aims to reduce technological dependence on foreign superpowers and foster domestic innovation.

Former safeguarding minister calls for sentencing guidelines review and fears crime now seen as ‘content for an eyeball economy’The former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has said victims of sexual offences committed by children are being asked to “suck it up” for the sake of their attackers’ rehabilitation and called for a review into sentencing guidelines.In the past month, cases of teenage boys given lenient sentences after being convicted of rape and sexual assault have provoked public outrage. Continue reading...

Pentagon chief also tells Singapore defence summit of ‘alarm’ at China’s military buildup but says US does not seek ‘needless confrontation’The US has more than sufficient stockpiles of weapons and is “more than capable” of resuming the war with Iran, Pete Hegseth told a defence summit hours after a meeting in Washington failed to produce a deal to end the conflict.“Our ability to recommence if necessary is we are more than capable,” the US defence secretary told the Shangri-La Dialogue, a defence summit held in Singapore on Saturday. “Our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe because of how we balance exquisite and more plentiful munitions.” Continue reading...

Wicked co-star said reactions to the incident, which included suggestions she was Grande’s ‘bodyguard’, reflect an insidious view of Black womenWicked star Cynthia Erivo has said that reactions to the incident at the Singapore premiere of Wicked: For Good, in which she stepped in to fend off a red-carpet invader who grabbed co-star Ariana Grande, revealed “the insidious nature of how we view Black women” and put her off campaigning for Oscars.In an interview with Variety, Erivo said that she and Grande were “terrified” when Johnson Wen jumped a barrier at Universal Studios Singapore and rushed towards them. “Nobody moved. Nobody moved. So I moved because my brain went, ‘Get him away! Get him out of here!’ … And what people couldn’t see is that he wouldn’t let go [of Grande]. He wouldn’t let go. So I just kept pushing at him to get him off.” Continue reading...

• The Supreme Court of India ruled on Wednesday that the Special Summary Revision (SIR) exercise conducted by the Election Commission supports the constitutional requirement for free and fair elections. • Petitioner Yogendra Yadav criticized the verdict, claiming that such powers could allow the BJP to decide who is eligible to vote. • The ruling is significant as it validates the Election Commission's processes for updating voter rolls, which critics argue can be manipulated to disenfranchise specific groups.

Former Scottish first minister says scandal cast ‘massive shadow’ over his time as leader, after former party chief executive pleaded guilty to stealing £400,000UK politics live – latest updatesHumza Yousaf, Scotland’s former first minister, has called for Peter Murrell to get a “hefty” jail sentence after he admitted stealing £400,000 from the Scottish National party.Yousaf had been serving as first minister for just eight days when Murrell was arrested in April 2023 at the home he then shared with Nicola Sturgeon, Yousaf’s ally and mentor, in a police fraud investigation. Continue reading...

• The Chinese government has imposed new overseas travel restrictions on top AI talent working for private firms, including Alibaba Group and DeepSeek. • These measures target a broad spectrum of professionals, specifically startup founders, researchers, and executives involved in advanced AI research and development. • This move signals escalating global competition and a strategic effort by Beijing to prevent the leakage of critical intellectual property and talent to foreign rivals.

Scottish National party’s attempt to focus on call for independence referendum overshadowed by embezzlement scandalThe Scottish National party was accused of “embezzling” voters after opposition leaders highlighted the crisis over Peter Murrell’s misuse of £400,000 from party funds.The scandal over Murrell’s guilty plea on Monday to embezzling £400,310.65 while he was the SNP’s chief executive overshadowed a Holyrood motion tabled by John Swinney to call for a second independence referendum. Continue reading...

Ex-husband of Nicola Sturgeon admits reduced charges in court after deal with prosecutorsPeter Murrell, the former chief executive of the Scottish National party, has pleaded guilty to charges of embezzling £400,310.65 from the party after agreeing a deal with prosecutors.Murrell, the ex-husband of the former SNP leader and first minister Nicola Sturgeon, appeared in the high court in Edinburgh after being charged last year with stealing from the SNP to fund an expensive lifestyle including a Jaguar car, a luxury motorhome, a luxury pen and shoes. Continue reading...

Italy’s president leads tributes to campaigner who spent four decades promoting sustainability and local cuisineCarlo Petrini, the journalist who founded the Slow Food movement in protest against the arrival of the first McDonald’s in Italy, has died aged 76.Petrini, who had been diagnosed with prostrate cancer in recent years, died in his home town of Bra in northern Italy’s Piedmont region. He had led Slow Food, which since 1986 has campaigned against fast-food culture by promoting sustainability and local cuisine, as president until 2022. Continue reading...

Drivers conserve fuel amid Iran war uncertainty, pushing overall sales down 1.3% in AprilBusiness live – latest updatesMotorists cutting back on petrol and fuel purchases at the steepest rate since the Covid pandemic in 2020 drove retail sales in Great Britain to their biggest monthly decline in a year.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the overall volume of retail sales plunged by 1.3% in April compared with the previous month, the biggest contraction since May last year and worse than the -0.6% forecast. Continue reading...