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• Victor Wembanyama scored 27 points, including 18 in the first quarter, and grabbed 17 rebounds to power the San Antonio Spurs to a 126-97 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night in San Antonio. • The win gives the Spurs a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series, with Wembanyama driving past Rudy Gobert en route to dominating the host performance. • This blowout victory shifts momentum back to San Antonio after a competitive series, highlighting Wembanyama's return as a game-changer for the Spurs' playoff hopes.

• Israel's Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved bills giving the government sole discretion over senior civil service appointments, reducing oversight mechanisms. • The committee deferred decisions on more radical proposals, including bills to cancel the Oslo Accords and restrict immigration and citizenship for non-Orthodox converts. • These moves signal a push toward greater executive control, amid ongoing debates on judicial and administrative reforms.

Judges have been fired or taken buyouts, and those remaining say they toe the government lineDavid Koelsch, a former immigration judge based in Maryland, was in Minneapolis visiting his mother and sister the day Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents. He drove to Nicollet Avenue, parked a few blocks away, and walked toward the scene.“I didn’t go there to protest. I didn’t bring a sign. I didn’t bring anything. I just went to stand and bear witness,” Koelsch said. Continue reading...

• Indian benchmark indices rallied strongly on May 7, 2026, with Sensex gaining nearly 941 points and Nifty closing above 24,300 for the second consecutive day amid broad-based buying. • Gains were led by banking, auto, metal, and pharma sectors, extending the Nifty's positive momentum despite global uncertainties. • The rally signals renewed investor confidence in domestic growth, supported by easing oil prices and positive corporate sentiment.

• Industry leaders and experts at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 on Friday described AI as an infrastructure shift rather than a mere technology upgrade, with infrastructure determining future power dynamics. • The summit highlighted India's positioning at a critical AI inflection point amid rapid infrastructure transformations in computing and data capabilities. • Participants emphasized that this shift positions India to leverage AI for economic and strategic advantages in the global landscape.

• UBS has strengthened its Southeast Asia wealth management presence through strategic appointments, including Vivian Li as senior client advisor in its global wealth management team. • The expansion reflects UBS's commitment to capturing high-net-worth client growth across Southeast Asian markets amid intensifying competition. • These moves position UBS to deepen regional client relationships and expand its private banking footprint in a key growth market.

• Singapore retailers are shifting away from traditional points-based loyalty systems toward real-time loyalty models that offer immediate rewards and personalized customer engagement. • The transition reflects changing consumer preferences for instant gratification and data-driven personalization, with retailers leveraging AI and mobile technology to enhance real-time interactions. • Industry analysts view this shift as critical for retail competitiveness in Southeast Asia, where digital adoption rates among consumers continue to accelerate.

Louise Arbour will serve as Canada’s representative of King Charles and carry out ceremonial and constitutional dutiesCanada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, has appointed a former supreme court justice and war crimes prosecutor as the country’s new governor general, saying her appointment would reflect the importance of global institutions.Louise Arbour, a celebrated jurist, served as United Nations commissioner and prosecuted war crimes in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, will serve as Canada’s representative of King Charles III. Continue reading...

• Indian benchmark indices ended positively on May 4, 2026, with Nifty 50 closing at 24,100 after gaining 122 points and Sensex up 356 points at 77,488 amid volatile trading. • Realty, metal, and healthcare sectors led broad-based gains, driven by falling crude oil prices and improved investor sentiment following state election results, while IT stocks lagged. • Top Nifty gainers included Adani Ports (up 5%), Adani Enterprises, Eicher Motors (up 3%), Hindustan Unilever, and Shriram Finance; laggards were Bharti Airtel, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Dr. Reddy's, ONGC, and TCS.

Louisiana’s cultural hotspot could be surrounded by Gulf of Mexico before end of this century, authors sayThe process of relocating people from New Orleans should start immediately as the city has reached a “point of no return” that will see it surrounded by the ocean within decades due to the climate crisis, a stark new study has concluded.Ongoing sea level rise and the rampant erosion of wetlands in southern Louisiana will swallow up the New Orleans area within a few generations, with the new paper estimating the city “may well be surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico before the end of this century”. Continue reading...

• Alpaca, a brokerage API platform, named Rohit Mulani as President of Southeast Asia and David Grant as CEO of Alpaca Singapore. • The leadership additions aim to accelerate growth in the region's fintech and trading sectors. • This move strengthens Alpaca's presence amid rising demand for embedded trading solutions in ASEAN markets.

• Dow Jones futures traded at 46,958.00, up 56 points or 0.12% in premarket. • Nasdaq 100 futures rose to 24,376.75, gaining 18.25 points or 0.07%, while S&P 500 futures increased 0.10% to 6,657.50. • The positive premarket signals follow recent record closes in major indices amid earnings momentum.

• The Government of India appointed Rohit Jain as RBI Deputy Governor, filling a key monetary policy role. • Jain's tenure begins immediately, bringing expertise in banking regulation and financial stability. • The move strengthens RBI's leadership amid economic uncertainties and inflation management challenges.

• Cade Cunningham scored 32 points to lead the top-seeded Detroit Pistons to a stunning comeback victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night in Orlando, Florida. • The Pistons erased a 24-point deficit to win and force a decisive Game 7 in their first-round NBA playoff series. • This dramatic rally highlights Detroit's resilience and keeps their postseason hopes alive against a tough Magic squad.

The social and economic impact of people living longer and having fewer babies is hitting countries worldwide. Adaptation is keyIn Japan, there are now companies that specialise in cleaning the apartments of elderly people who have died alone and gone undiscovered for weeks or months, while adult incontinence pads have outstripped nappy sales for more than a decade. In Italy, depopulating villages are selling homes for €1 to attract new residents and keep services running. In the UK, falling pupil numbers are already closing schools and classrooms in parts of London.These are not isolated curiosities, but signs of a broader shift taking place across much of the developed world. “In the EU in 2024, 21 of 27 countries had more deaths than births,” said Prof Sarah Harper, the director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing. Across Asia and the Americas, too – from Japan and South Korea, to Cuba and Uruguay – many countries are seeing the same pattern. Continue reading...

Leo, who has criticized Trump’s hardline immigration policy, selected Evelio Menjivar-Ayala as state’s new bishopSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxPope Leo XIV has appointed a man who had once entered the United States as an undocumented immigrant, hidden in the trunk of a car, as the new bishop of West Virginia.The pope approved the resignation of Bishop Mark E Brennan of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, and selected Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, 55, of Washington to take his place, reported OSV News. Continue reading...

NAHT leader says schools watchdog for England does not raise standards, amid opposition to ‘Nando’s-style’ scoringSchool leaders are being pressurised “to the point of destruction”, the head of a teaching union has said, as he put the education establishment “on notice”.During a speech to the union’s annual conference in Belfast, Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), outlined his criticisms of Ofsted, the schools watchdog for England. . Continue reading...

Shayndi Raice to lead CBS’s foreign coverage after Weiss ousts bureau chief over reported tensionsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxBari Weiss, the CBS News boss, has ousted a veteran bureau chief following tensions over coverage of the Middle East and brought in a new foreign editor who, according to sources, is more aligned with Weiss’s pro-Israel agenda.Paramount, which owns CBS, announced on Wednesday that it had hired Shayndi Raice, a Wall Street Journal editor who most recently served as the paper’s deputy bureau chief for the Middle East and north Africa, based in Israel. Raice will move to London, where she’ll oversee the network’s international coverage in a newly created position, the company said. In a social media post, Weiss called Raice “a scoophound reporter, a brilliant editor, and a clear-eyed leader”. Continue reading...

The ongoing U.S. travel boycott is showing no signs of letting up. March marked the 14th consecutive month of steep declines, with Canadian return trips to the U.S. plummeting 32 per cent compared to pre-boycott March 2024. Canadians are still travelling, but more are opting for domestic and overseas trips.

• GetReal Security appointed cybersecurity veteran Varun Kohli as Chief Marketing Officer to address surging enterprise needs. • The hire responds to rising deepfake and AI-powered identity attacks in the cybersecurity landscape. • Kohli's expertise will drive expansion of real-time protection solutions for businesses facing AI threats.

• The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index declined to 98.3 in April 2026, down 4.2 points from March, marking the steepest monthly drop since July 2025 as Americans express renewed concern about inflation and job security. • Consumers' expectations for future economic conditions weakened notably, with the forward-looking component falling 6.8 points as respondents cited concerns about rising prices for groceries, gasoline, and housing costs. • The decline suggests potential headwinds for Q2 consumer spending and retail sales, pressuring guidance from discretionary retailers and restaurant operators ahead of earnings season.

Members will plan how to come to each other’s aid in the event of an attack as Nato faces worst crisis in its historyBrussels officials will draw up a plan on how to use the EU’s little-known mutual assistance pact in the event of a foreign attack, as Donald Trump’s criticism of Nato intensifies.EU leaders have agreed that the European Commission “will prepare a blueprint” on how the bloc will respond if the mutual assistance clause is triggered, according to Nikos Christodoulides, the president of Cyprus, who is hosting the talks. Continue reading...

Starmer’s former chief of staff says he does not recognise media’s portrayal of him before evidence hearing with MPs• UK politics live – latest updatesMorgan McSweeney has denied claims he bullied civil servants into appointing Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the UK, before an evidence hearing with MPs next week.Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff resigned in February over his role in the hiring of Mandelson, but the move failed to end the crisis over the peer’s appointment. On Thursday, McSweeney told a security forum in Kyiv that he did not recognise his “character” portrayed in the media. Continue reading...

• U.S. 30-year fixed-rate conforming mortgage averaged 6.187% on April 21, 2026, down 4 basis points from prior day per Optimal Blue data. • 15-year fixed-rate fell to 5.486%, down 5 basis points, with week-over-week drops up to 31 basis points for some types. • Rates reflect FOMC holding federal funds at 3.50%-3.75% in March, with next meeting April 28-29 potentially influencing trends.

Energy secretary says both he and the then foreign secretary were worried making Mandelson US envoy was riskyUK politics live – latest updatesEd Miliband and David Lammy discussed concerns about the appointment of Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to Washington which they feared could “blow up”, the energy secretary has revealed.Miliband said he had spoken to Lammy, who was foreign secretary at the time Mandelson was given the Washington post, with both expressing reservations. Continue reading...

Documents also show PM’s choice for US ambassador was offered ‘higher tiers’ briefing before vetting was finalisedUK politics live – latest updatesThe then cabinet secretary, Simon Case, appeared to advise Keir Starmer to complete security vetting for Peter Mandelson before announcing an appointment, documents reveal.The documents released last month by the Cabinet Office as part of the disclosures over the US ambassadorial appointment also show Mandelson was offered a “higher tiers” briefing before his vetting was finalised. Continue reading...

Homelessness charity distances itself after Osbourne says she plans to attend far-right ‘unite the kingdom’ marchThe homelessness charity Centrepoint has confirmed it will cut ties with its celebrity ambassador Sharon Osbourne after she expressed support for a far-right rally being organised by Tommy Robinson.The charity, of which the Prince of Wales is patron, has been forced to distance itself from comments made by Osbourne. The TV personality indicated this week that she would be attending an event organised in London by Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. Continue reading...