Leah Spasova from Oxfordshire fought for 10 years to obtain tubal ligation procedure, while men could get vasectomiesAnalysis: questions over how accessible procedure should beA woman denied a permanent form of birth control on the NHS over fears she might regret it, while men were allowed contraceptive procedures, has won her case with the health ombudsman.Leah Spasova, a psychologist from Oxfordshire, spent a decade fighting to obtain female sterilisation at her local trust, a procedure that blocks or seals the fallopian tubes to prevent pregnancy. By contrast, men can undergo a vasectomy, a procedure that stops sperm from being released. Continue reading...
Media tycoon honoured in absentia as critics decry his 20-year sentence under national security lawThe jailed media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai has been awarded Deutsche Welle’s freedom of speech award for his contribution to Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.The German public broadcaster said on Thursday that Lai would be presented in absentia with the 12th iteration of the award on 23 June at the DW Global Media Forum in Bonn. Continue reading...
The painting by self-taught artist Sean Layh was chosen by the Art Gallery of NSW staff who hang the finalists, ahead of the main announcement on 8 MayArchibald prize 2026 finalists: Virginia Trioli, Jan Fran, Ahmed al-Ahmed and more – in picturesA portrait of actor Jacob Collins by Sean Layh has won the favour of Art Gallery of NSW staff, who awarded it the Packing Room prize on Thursday, ahead of the Archibald prize’s main announcement on 8 May.Layh, a self-taught painter, said winning the prize for his work – an oil painting titled The tragicall historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke – was “one of the great honours of my professional life”. Continue reading...
Foreign affairs minister says China has agreed to facilitate exports of jet fuel to ease supply disruptions. 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.Penny Wong has been busy on her latest overseas trip, saying China has agreed to negotiate on jet fuel sales to help ease the global oil crisis. Continue reading...
• Carson Hocevar secured his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway, marking a major breakthrough moment in his racing career.
• The win came following a dramatic race that featured a major crash, demonstrating Hocevar's ability to overcome adversity and capitalize on opportunities.
• This maiden Cup Series victory represents a significant milestone for Hocevar as he continues to establish himself as a competitive force in NASCAR's top series.
• The New York Mets defeated the Minnesota Twins with a clutch performance from newcomer Bichette, who delivered a critical double in the game.
• Bichette's timely hit proved to be the decisive moment in the Mets' victory, marking an impressive debut impact for the recent acquisition.
• The win showcases the Mets' offensive depth and ability to capitalize on key moments late in games.
• The New York Mets snapped a 12-game losing streak Wednesday night with a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field, ending their two-week-long skid when Luke Weaver struck out Byron Buxton for the final out.
• Shortstop Francisco Lindor was removed from the game with left calf tightness after scoring from first base in the fourth inning and will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.
• The victory marks a crucial turnaround for the struggling Mets, who had not won since early April and faced mounting pressure during their extended drought.
Former Little Mix singer offers £10,000 reward for information about Land Rover taken from Essex drivewayThe musician Jesy Nelson, a former member of the band Little Mix, has pleaded for help after her car, which contained essential medical equipment for her children, was stolen from her driveway in Essex.The black Land Rover is believed to have been taken at about 3am on Sunday in Brentwood. Continue reading...
• Beyoncé won seven Grammy Awards on April 17, breaking the previous record for most wins by a female artist in a single night, surpassing Georg Solti's 31-year-old record.
• Her wins included Album of the Year for "Renaissance Reimagined," Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Music Video, cementing her legacy as one of music's greatest achievers.
• The Recording Academy held the delayed 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles following a scheduling conflict, with Beyoncé's performance of her new single "Renaissance Eternal" opening the show.
Victory means Democrats hold on to the 11th district seat in the House, where Republicans hold a thin majorityDemocrat Analilia Mejia won a New Jersey special election for the US House on Thursday, defeating Republican Joe Hathaway on a message of standing up to Donald Trump.Mejia, a former head of the Working Families Alliance who had support from the senator Bernie Sanders, will fill the seat previously held by the Democratic governor Mikie Sherrill and serve until January. Continue reading...
Poll projects major political earthquake across Britain with Labour losing Wales and England’s Red WallGood morning. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, is publishing a revised women’s health strategy for England today. As Andrew Gregory reports, the strategy implicitly accepts that women have been let down by a (largely male) medical establishment which has not always taken their health concerns seriously.But, for Labour, this is not just a health announcement. The English local elections are just over three weeks away, and Labour is using this announcement as a platform to attack Reform UK, saying that Nigel Farage’s party can’t be trusted to stand up for women.1. Reform want to reopen the debate on abortion limitsNigel Farage has described the current 24-week abortion limit as “utterly ludicrous” and called for Parliament to revisit it - raising concerns about rolling back long-established reproductive rights.Today Labour is taking action to fix a system that has too often ignored women - cutting waiting lists, improving care and putting women’s voices at the centre.But Reform’s record speaks for itself. From attacking reproductive rights to undermining protections at work, they simply can’t be trusted to stand up for women.If these results come to pass, we will be looking at a major political earthquake across Britain.It could be the worst local election ever for Labour in England, a collapse for the Conservatives in their historic Blue Wall heartlands, and a brutal third place for Starmer’s party in Wales. Continue reading...
Ari Hodara bought his ticket at the weekend after finding out about the raffle by chance while dining outA Parisian art enthusiast could not believe his luck when he found out on Tuesday he had won a Pablo Picasso painting worth more than €1m with a €100 raffle ticket.“How do I check that it’s not a hoax?” said Ari Hodara, 58, after organisers called him following the draw at Christie’s auction house in the French capital. Continue reading...
Win for Tisza party ends rightwing populist’s 16-year grip on power and will likely reshape country’s relationship with EUHungary election liveHungary’s opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, has won the general election, ending leader Viktor Orbán’s 16-year grip on power, in a result that is likely to rattle the White House and reshape the country’s relationship with the EU.Less than three hours after polls closed on Sunday, Orbán conceded defeat after what he described as a “painful” election result. Continue reading...
• A 'Jeopardy!' contestant secured over $530,000 total winnings after a dominant 19-day streak, highlighted on the April 9, 2026 episode.
• The champion's latest victory featured high-stakes Daily Doubles and Final Jeopardy mastery, captivating US audiences.
• This run marks one of the longest streaks in recent seasons, boosting viewership for the iconic game show.
Rhun ap Iorwerth launches party’s manifesto and says he is unconcerned by Reform UK threat in Welsh electionsUK politics live – latest updatesPlaid Cymru’s leader has promised “no more bending to Westminster’s will” as the nationalist party stands on the brink of taking office for the first time in next month’s Senedd elections.Speaking at Plaid Cymru’s manifesto launch in Wrexham on Thursday – chosen because of its football team, which has showcased Wales’s potential to the world – Rhun ap Iorwerth told a packed room of supporters there would be “no more toeing the London party line, no more defending the status quo and no more saying no to Wales”. Continue reading...
• Republican Clay Fuller defeated Shan Harris in the Georgia 14th Congressional District special election runoff on Tuesday, securing 55.9% of the vote to 44.1%.
• Fuller thanked President Trump for his support and plans to relaunch his campaign for a full two-year term in November.
• The victory was expected in the heavily Republican district but was watched closely amid Trump's sagging approval ratings, rising gas prices, and concerns over the Iran war.
• Michigan defeated UConn 69-63 in Indianapolis on April 7, 2026, securing their first NCAA men's basketball championship since 1989.
• UConn placed second, with Arizona, Duke, and Illinois rounding out the top five in the final standings.
• No. 15 seed Michigan's triumph marks a historic upset and program resurgence.
Colleagues left anti-Islam leaflet in locker belonging to Parmjit Bassi, who is not a Muslim, and accused him of knife attackA Network Rail worker has won a race harassment case after his colleagues left an anti-Islam English Defence League [EDL] leaflet in his locker.Parmjit Bassi, who is not a Muslim, was found to have been the victim of a racist attack when his co-worker stuffed an EDL leaflet in his locker that asked “what individuals were doing to protect their children from Islam”. Continue reading...
Democratic-backed candidate’s win to Wisconsin supreme court gives liberals 5-2 edge on courtHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.Democratic-backed candidate Chris Taylor won election to the Wisconsin supreme court on Tuesday, giving liberals a 5-2 edge on the court.Shortly before his 8pm ET deadline for Iran to reopen the strait of Hormuz, or face the death of its “whole civilization”, Donald Trump posted on social media that the US had reached a temporary ceasefire agreement with Iran. Details of the agreement are still forthcoming and bombing continues across the region.Iranian officials will meet with the United States for talks beginning Friday. Pakistan, which brokered the ceasefire agreement, will host the negotiations in Islamabad.The Pentagon will hold a press briefing at 8am ET today. Defense secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are expected to attend.Some Democrats criticized the ceasefire deal, saying its terms, if true, would cede major concessions to Iran, including control over the strait of Hormuz. Others, including New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, called for Congress to invoke the 25th amendment to remove Trump from office after he “threatened a genocide against the Iranian people”.Several Republicans cheered the president’s decision, casting it as shrewd and tactical. “This is a strong first step toward holding Iran accountable,” said senator Rick Scott of Florida.Shelly Kittleson, the US journalist who was kidnapped in Baghdad by the Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah last week, has been released, said secretary of state Marco Rubio.Repulican Clay Fuller won Georgia’s special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in the House of Representatives. In line with special elections for Congress since the start of Trump’s term, his Democratic rival, Shawn Harris, overperformed. Continue reading...
US is in weaker position than before war as Tehran has shown capacity to inflict pain on Trump administrationMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe announcement of a two-week ceasefire has allowed Donald Trump to hail the reopening of the Hormuz strait as a victorious dawn of a new golden age, but it is Iran that now enters peace talks with the stronger hand.The Tehran regime goes to the negotiations planned for Friday in Pakistan bloodied but still intact. It still holds a stockpile of highly enriched uranium (the original crux of the conflict with the US, Israel and allies), and it now claims at least part-control of the strait, having demonstrated its power to close the narrow waterway and hold the world to ransom. Continue reading...
Voters pick Clay Fuller, deciding Iran war was not enough to propel a Democrat into a conservative-leaning House seatUS politics live – latest updatesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailClay Fuller supports the war in Iran. Shawn Harris opposes it. Voters in Marjorie Taylor Greene’s former district in north-west Georgia decided that this distinction was not enough to propel a Democrat into a conservative-leaning House seat on Tuesday night.Associated Press called the election as results from the rural counties of north-western corner of the state rolled in. Continue reading...
• Artivion (AORT) secured U.S. FDA approval for the NEXUS Aortic Arch System on April 7, 2026.
• The device approval is expected to accelerate hospital adoption and spark reimbursement discussions.
• This milestone positions Artivion for revenue growth in cardiovascular treatments.
With polls suggesting Plaid Cymru, the SNP and Sinn Féin could be in power after May vote, constitutional challenges may lie aheadIn four weeks, the shape of British politics is likely to change dramatically. For the first time, nationalists who aspire to break up the UK are expected to be in control of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland simultaneously. “The change will be seismic,” said Angus Robertson, a senior minister in the Scottish government.Opinion polls consistently suggest that after the elections on 7 May, England will be flanked by countries run by restless centre-left nationalist parties – Plaid Cymru in Cardiff, the Scottish National party in Edinburgh and, in Belfast, Sinn Féin, which shares power with the Democratic Unionists. Continue reading...
• UCLA defeated the opponent to claim their first NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament title on April 5, 2026, marking a historic achievement for the program.
• The victory came amid the men's tournament finale scheduled for the same evening, highlighting a dominant weekend for college hoops.
• This win solidifies UCLA's resurgence and boosts their profile heading into next season's recruitment and scheduling.
• Top-seeded UCLA defeated second-seeded Iowa 96-45 to capture its second consecutive Big Ten Conference Tournament championship, marking the first time in program history the Bruins won back-to-back conference tournament titles.
• The 51-point margin of victory set a new Big Ten Tournament Final record, surpassing Iowa's previous record of a 33-point victory over Ohio State in 2023.
• UCLA finished the regular season with a perfect 18-0 conference record and undefeated home court record for the first time since 2016-17, becoming just the fourth team in Big Ten history to go undefeated in conference play.
• Democrat Emily Gregory, a first-time fitness business owner, defeated Republican Jon Maples in a Florida State House special election for a district encompassing President Trump's Mar-a-Lago home.
• Maples was endorsed by Trump and aligned with his policies, yet Gregory flipped the seat previously won by 19 points by Republican Mike Caruso in 2024.
• The stunning upset signals building Democratic momentum ahead of the 2026 midterms in Trump's backyard.
Other winners include Raye for video of the year, Central Cee for best hip-hop act and Ezra Collective in jazz categoryBritish golden girl Olivia Dean was the biggest winner at the 2026 Mobo awards, scooping best female act, album of the year and song of the year for the No 1 hit Man I Need.Other big winners at the ceremony honouring the best of black music included Raye, whose song Where Is My Husband won video of the year; Central Cee, who was awarded best hip-hop act, and Ezra Collective in the jazz category.Best male act – Jim LegxacyBest female act – Olivia DeanAlbum of the year – Olivia Dean, The Art of LovingSong of the year – Olivia Dean, Man I NeedBest newcomer – DC3Video of the year – Raye , Where Is My Husband! (directed by The Reids)Best R&B/soul act – FloBest alternative music act – Nova TwinsBest grime act – ChipBest hip-hop act – Central CeeBest drill act – Twin SBest international act – Ayra StarrBest media personality – Niko OmilanaBest performance in a TV show/film – Stephen Graham, AdolescenceBest African music act – WizkidBest Caribbean music act – Vybz KartelBest jazz act – Ezra CollectiveBest electronic/dance act – SherelleBest gospel act – DC3Best producer – P2JMobo global songwriter award – Pharrell WilliamsMobo lifetime achievement award – Slick Rick Continue reading...
Noelia Castillo, 25, has struggled with psychiatric illness since she was young and tried to kill herself in October 2022A Spanish woman who spent months fighting her father for the right to euthanasia after being sexually assaulted and becoming paraplegic is expected to end to her life on Thursday.Noelia Castillo, 25, has struggled with psychiatric illness since she was a teenager and tried to kill herself in October 2022 after being sexually assaulted. The attempt left her in constant pain and using a wheelchair. Eighteen months later, she used Spain’s euthanasia law – which was introduced in 2021 – to secure permission to end her life.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email [email protected] or [email protected]. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...
Other winners include Inter Alia’s Rosamund Pike, Ivo van Hove for All My Sons and Hayley Atwell who beat her Much Ado co-star Tom Hiddleston to best Shakespearean performanceBrendan Gleeson has been named best actor at the Critics’ Circle theatre awards for his West End debut in Conor McPherson’s pub drama The Weir. He beat fellow nominees including Bryan Cranston and Paapa Essiedu, both recognised for All My Sons, and James Hameed and Arti Shah, the duo who together portray Paddington in the new musical about Michael Bond’s bear. The Weir, directed by McPherson, was entirely omitted from the nominations for this year’s Olivier awards and is being turned into a film with Gleeson and the rest of the West End cast.All My Sons, a critically adored production of Arthur Miller’s 1946 classic at Wyndham’s theatre, won in two categories at the Critics’ Circle awards: best revival of a play or musical and best director for Ivo van Hove. A new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods, directed by Jordan Fein at the Bridge theatre, also won two prizes – best designer (Tom Scutt) and the inaugural award for best ensemble or cast. Continue reading...
• Marian (Indiana) women's basketball defeated Dordt 73-61 to win the NAIA national championship on March 25, 2026.
• The team dominated the second half with a decisive 27-point third quarter and controlled the glass with a 49-35 rebounding advantage; Madisyn Bailey led all scorers with 23 points while Abbey McNally added 17 points and 15 rebounds.
• Dordt finished their season 34-3, falling short of a third consecutive national title after rallying to a 32-28 halftime lead before Marian's second-half surge.
