Quarter

• The European Central Bank (ECB) released supervisory banking statistics for significant institutions covering the first quarter of 2026. • The aggregate annualized return on equity rose to 10.02%, an increase from 9.52% in the previous quarter and 9.85% a year prior. • Performance varied significantly by region, with returns ranging from a low of 6.02% in Belgium to a high of 18.16% in Spain.

People flee historic district of ancient city after airstrikes hit residential areas and damage archaeological sitesMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsrael has bombed the city of Tyre, killing eight and injuring at least 32 people, and struck dozens of other villages in south Lebanon as it issued forced evacuation orders for the historic Christian quarter of the ancient city for the first time.Israel struck the al-Masaken neighbourhood without warning on Tuesday morning, sending smoke plumes high above the city’s buildings and igniting fires. Further airstrikes were carried out across the city and a series of bombings hit Abbasieh, a village north of Tyre. Continue reading...

• India's campaign at the BWF Indonesia Open 2026 Super 1000 tournament concluded on Friday following a quarter-final defeat. • The Indian men's doubles pair, Hariharan Amsakarunan and MR Arjun, were defeated in straight games by Malaysia's world No. 8 pair, Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin. • This loss marks the end of India's presence in the tournament, as they were the final remaining representatives in the competition.

Average tour earnings down 45%, with nearly three-fifths of musicians saying touring in Europe is no longer viableMore than a quarter of British musicians have lost all their EU work since 2021, according to new research.The report by European Movement UK, a cross-party campaign group advocating closer UK-EU relations, found that nearly half of UK musicians have seen their EU work reduced since 2021, while more than a quarter have lost it entirely. Continue reading...

• Young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty, ranked World No. 20, advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of the Indonesia Open 2026 after a comeback victory. • Shetty defeated China's World No. 15 Weng Hong Yang in a thrilling opening-round match after trailing in the first game. • In contrast, India's star doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty suffered an early exit from the tournament due to injury.

• Indian badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated Malaysia's Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai in a three-game thriller at the Singapore Open 2026 quarter-finals. • The fourth-seeded Indian pair secured their victory with a final score of 19-21, 21-17, 21-13, overcoming an early deficit to advance. • This result levels the international head-to-head record between the two pairs at 1-1, marking a critical win for the Indian duo in the tournament.

Ofcom figures show the company’s delivery performance has worsened compared with the previous yearBusiness live – latest updatesThe postal regulator has launched an investigation into Royal Mail for once again missing its annual delivery targets, with almost a quarter of first-class mail arriving late.The company, which has been fined £37m since 2023 for routinely failing to meet delivery targets set by Ofcom, revealed on Friday that 24.3% of first-class mail failed to arrive on time in the year to the end of March. Continue reading...

• TJX Companies reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 net sales of $14.3 billion, up 9% from $13.1 billion a year earlier. • The retailer said earnings per share rose as off-price demand remained resilient across its banner stores and inventory execution stayed strong. • The result is important because TJX is often seen as a read on consumer spending and value-oriented retail demand in the U.S.

• PV Sindhu secured a dominating victory at the Singapore Open to advance to the quarterfinals, where she will face top seed An Se Young. • India's men's doubles duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, along with mixed doubles pair Tanisha Crasto and Dhruv Kapila, also won their matches to enter the quarterfinals. • These results highlight a strong performance for the Indian contingent across multiple categories in the tournament.

• PV Sindhu advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Singapore Open after a dominant straight-game victory over Japan's Riko Gunji, winning 21-9, 21-12. • In a major upset, 33-year-old HS Prannoy defeated World No. 5 Jonathan Christie of Indonesia in a three-game match lasting just over an hour. • Prannoy's win is significant as it marks his first victory over Christie in five years, breaking a losing streak that began at the 2021 Indonesia Open.

• Indian badminton star PV Sindhu advanced to the quarterfinals of the Singapore Open 2026 after defeating Riko Gunji in the women's singles second round. • The match took place on May 28, 2026, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, where Sindhu secured a dominant victory with scores of 21-9, 21-12. • This win follows Sindhu's opening-round victory over Putri Kusuma Wardani, signaling a surge in confidence for the former world champion.

• Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen was eliminated from the Singapore Open after losing a grueling quarterfinal match to Koki Watanabe, failing to secure a victory in the deciding game. • Sen's exit follows the earlier departure of PV Sindhu, marking a disappointing run for India's singles campaign in the tournament. • In a positive turn, mixed doubles pair Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto advanced to the next round after reigning World champions Chen Ten Jie and Toh Ee Wei retired mid-game.

• PV Sindhu has advanced to the women's singles quarterfinals of the Singapore Open Super 750 following a straight-game victory. • Other Indian athletes progressing in the tournament include the men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, as well as mixed doubles pair Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto. • These results maintain India's competitive presence across multiple categories in a high-tier Super 750 event.

• Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Singapore Open. • Sindhu faces a significant challenge against world No. 1 and reigning Olympic champion An Se-young, whom she has never defeated in eight previous encounters. • In men's doubles, Asian Games champions Rankireddy and Shetty secured a three-game victory (21-15, 11-21, 21-18) over Chinese Taipei's Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan.

• PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and the duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have all advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2026 Singapore Badminton Open. • Sindhu is set to face world-class opponent An Se-young, while Rankireddy and Shetty secured their spot after a hard-fought 21-15, 11-21, 21-18 victory over Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan. • These wins are significant as the athletes compete in a high-stakes BWF Super 750 tournament, with Rankireddy and Shetty maintaining their status as world No. 4.

• Sempra’s investor relations page shows a recent company update dated May 7, 2026, including first-quarter 2026 results. • The page is relevant for U.S. markets because Sempra is a major utility and energy infrastructure company whose earnings can affect sector sentiment. • Investor materials like this are closely watched for guidance on capital spending, cash flow, and regulated utility performance.

What’s Carol Vorderman moaning about? All I said was how fit she was online … must be going through the menopauseAnother sweltering sub-Saharan summer’s day in late spring. If this is global warming, I say: “Bring it on.” I go outside to the van, turn on the engine and leave it running. This is the kind of day you want to burn as many fossil fuels as possible. Back indoors, I turn on the radio where Tony Blair is talking. There’s a politician who talks sense.Bollocks to net zero. That’s what I say. It stands to reason. I mean, think back to the ice age. Let’s face it, there weren’t that many international flights a day while the Neanderthals were alive – five or six at most – and the world still got a whole lot hotter. So it’s all just woke nonsense. Make a note in my diary to ask if Tony is free to come up to Makerfield to do some door-knocking. Continue reading...

Search takes place amid intensifying focus on separate allegations of influence peddling as problems worsen for prime minister Pedro SanchezSpanish police entered the ruling Socialist Party’s headquarters in Madrid on a judicial order to gather information on a possible illegal financing scheme, several news Spanish news outlets reported.A spokesperson for the Guardia Civil force told Reuters officers had entered the premises but did not disclose any further details since the proceedings are secret. Continue reading...

• Funding for Chinese AI start-ups tripled to US$16 billion in the first quarter, driven by heavy investor interest in Large Language Models (LLMs) and robotics. • This surge follows long-term state-led initiatives to prioritize capital flow into strategic sectors, including advanced computing infrastructure, chips, and manufacturing. • Foreign-currency investments saw a sharp rebound, with the number of deals more than doubling to 210 and the total disclosed value skyrocketing over 495% to 67.3 billion yuan.

• PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and doubles pair Satwik-Chirag progressed to the quarterfinals of the Thailand Open Super 500 badminton tournament on May 14, continuing India's strong showing at the event. • The Indian contingent's advancement marks a significant presence in the later rounds of the Super 500-level competition, with multiple medal prospects in contention. • Thailand Open serves as a key tournament on the BWF World Tour calendar, offering valuable ranking points ahead of major international competitions.

Despite concerns super-rich are leaving due to tax burdens, 88% of those surveyed were proud to live in UK and would pay more to fund public servicesNine in 10 UK millionaires are proud to live in Britain and three-quarters would be willing to pay more tax to ensure public assets get the funding they need, according to research.Despite widely reported concerns that the wealthy are choosing to leave the country owing to higher taxes, the survey found millionaires were much more concerned about medical workers moving away than wealthy people emigrating. Continue reading...

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees are reluctant to return to work following a deadly shooting at the agency's Atlanta headquarters on Friday. • The shooting incident has created a climate of fear and uncertainty among CDC staff about workplace safety and security protocols. • CDC leadership is facing pressure to address employee concerns and implement enhanced security measures to restore confidence in the workplace.

• India takes on China in the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup quarterfinal on May 10, 2026, at 5 PM IST, with the winner qualifying for the U17 World Cup. • The match is telecast live on the AFC Asian Cup YouTube channel, highlighting India's young women's football talent against regional powerhouse China. • This clash matters as it determines Asia's representative for the global youth tournament, building on India's strong group stage performance including a victory over Lebanon.

• Chime reported Q1 2026 revenue growth of 25% year-over-year, exceeding guidance and marking its first quarter of GAAP profitability since going public. • Strong top-line momentum prompted raised full-year guidance and new $200 million share repurchase authorization announced May 6. • Results from San Francisco-based fintech highlight accelerating adoption in digital banking amid competitive US market.

• Mativ Holdings, Inc. (MATV) announced its Q1 2026 results for the period ended March 31, 2026, from its Alpharetta, Georgia headquarters. • The company released detailed financial metrics via Business Wire, covering revenue, earnings, and operational performance amid market volatility. • Investors anticipate analysis of key indicators like profitability and growth in the context of broader industrial sector trends.

• BJP's central office in Assam shows early festivities and preparations as vote counting begins for the 2026 assembly elections, with the party aiming for a third consecutive term. • Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma faces Congress's Gaurav Gogoi in a key contest, testing BJP's dominance after previous wins. • Results will determine if BJP secures hat-trick amid NDA performance scrutiny and Congress comeback hopes.

BYD's first-quarter net profit dropped 55.4 per cent from a year earlier to 4.1 billion yuan.

• Venezuelan security forces restricted opposition parties from entering their campaign headquarters on Monday, raising fresh concerns about democratic conduct ahead of this year's presidential elections. • The blockade prevented opposition candidates and staff from gathering electoral signatures and organizing voter outreach efforts, significantly hampering their campaign infrastructure. • International observers from the Organization of American States expressed alarm over the move, calling it a violation of political freedoms and warning it could undermine the legitimacy of upcoming elections.