Stone

• Syfe, a regional investment platform, announced it has reached $10 billion in assets under management, marking significant growth in the Asia-Pacific investment sector as of May 2026. • The platform reported a threefold increase in trading activity, driven by investors shifting away from US-only portfolios to explore broader geographic exposure and diversified investment strategies. • The milestone reflects growing investor appetite for digital wealth management solutions in Asia and indicates expanding confidence in regional investment opportunities beyond traditional US-focused strategies.

Stone being paid $50,000 a month to ‘rebuild’ relations between Washington and Myanmar’s military-backed governmentUS lobbyist Roger Stone, a longtime friend and ally of Donald Trump, has been condemned for accepting $50,000 a month to “rebuild” relations between Washington and Myanmar’s military-backed government.Myanmar’s leaders have been internationally isolated since seizing power in a coup in 2021, and have repeatedly been accused of atrocities that may amount to war crimes. Activists say the military rulers, which recently held widely condemned “sham” elections, are now trying to reassert themselves abroad. Continue reading...

Park closes areas near Old Faithful after attack by one or more bears, with incident under investigationTwo hikers were injured in a bear attack on Monday on a trail in Yellowstone national park, park officials said.The National Park Service said in a statement on Tuesday that the hikers sustained injuries on Monday by “one or more bears” on the Mystic Falls trail near Old Faithful in Yellowstone national park. Officials did not specify which species of bear. Continue reading...

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood join Conan O’Brien to discuss forthcoming album Foreign TonguesOn Tuesday afternoon in New York, the Rolling Stones gathered friends, journalists and fellow artists for a preview of their forthcoming 25th album Foreign Tongues.Before the trio stepped on stage, host Conan O’Brien deadpanned that perhaps, finally, this is the album where the band will “finally make it after decades of obscurity”. The audience, which included Leonardo DiCaprio, director Baz Luhrmann and actor Odessa A’zion, laughed appreciatively. Continue reading...

• Myanmar campaigners on May 5 condemned US lobbyist Roger Stone, a close confidante of President Donald Trump, for accepting US$50,000 to lobby on behalf of interests in the country. • Stone's involvement highlights renewed US political engagement with Myanmar despite the country's ongoing political turmoil and international isolation following the 2021 military coup. • The controversy underscores tensions between Myanmar's activist movements and foreign political actors, particularly those with direct access to the Trump administration.

Order signed by justice Samuel Alito allows people seeking abortions to obtain the pill at pharmacies or by mail for nowThe US supreme court on Monday restored broad access to the abortion pill mifepristone, blocking a ruling that had threatened to upend one of the main ways abortion is provided across the nation.The order signed by justice Samuel Alito temporarily allows women seeking abortions to obtain the pill at pharmacies or through the mail, without an in-person visit to a doctor. Continue reading...

WHO prequalification of Coartem Baby means newborns can be safely treated rather than using medication for older childrenThe first malaria treatment for babies has been approved by the World Health Organization, opening the door to widespread use around the globe.In parts of Africa, up to 18% of children under six months will be infected with malaria, but there has historically been no safe treatment for the smallest of them. There were 610,000 deaths from malaria in 2024, about three quarters of which were under-fives in Africa. Continue reading...

Nearly 2,000-year-old artifact handed over by FBI matches piece missing from museum near Rome for decadesA nearly 2,000-year-old Roman grave marker discovered in a New Orleans backyard has now been returned to Italy.The marble epitaph – dating back roughly 1,900 years – was officially handed over to Italian officials in Rome on Wednesday during a ceremony led by the FBI. The event also marked the repatriation of another antiquity recovered in the US, the agency said. Continue reading...

There were 66 deaths in custody and police operations in 2025 – 18 more than the previous yearWarning: This article contains references to Indigenous Australians who have diedThere were a record number of New South Wales deaths in custody and police operations last year, with almost a quarter of prisoner deaths recorded as self-harm, a coroners court report states.Of those who killed themselves, most were by hanging, despite millions being invested to remove ligature points. Continue reading...

Enough family reference samples collected to identify at least 60% of disinterred USS Arizona crew membersThe United States government could move to disinter the remains of unidentified USS Arizona crew members who were killed in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 after the clinching of a key DNA-related milestone, officials recently announced.Before that announcement, officials determined enough family reference samples had been collected for comparison with DNA taken from remains – along with medical and dental records – for the individual identification of at least 60% of the battleship crew members to be disinterred, said a statement on Friday from the agency tasked with identifying US military personnel who are unaccounted for after past conflicts. Continue reading...

Former Scottish Labour leader says she understands that expressing respect for author caused ‘worry, anger and upset’The incoming chair of the LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall, says she is “truly sorry” after she expressed “huge respect” for JK Rowling in an interview with the Guardian.Kezia Dugdale, the former leader of Scottish Labour, said she understood that her words had caused “worry, anger and upset and I am truly sorry about that”. Continue reading...

• The US Geological Survey documented unusual seismic activity patterns beneath Yellowstone National Park over the past 72 hours, including 127 small earthquakes concentrated in a previously stable subsurface region. • Monitoring stations recorded magnitude 2.0-3.8 events with distinct directional propagation, suggesting possible magma chamber adjustments rather than typical tectonic shifts, announced April 21 by USGS geophysicists. • Scientists emphasize current volcanic threat levels remain low based on gas emissions and ground deformation data, though real-time monitoring has been intensified as a precautionary measure.

• Google unveiled a new quantum processor featuring 10,000 qubits on April 19, claiming achievement of quantum advantage for practical optimization problems with error rates reduced by 60% compared to previous generations. • The chip, named Willow, successfully solved complex combinatorial optimization problems approximately one million times faster than classical supercomputers according to Google Quantum AI division testing. • The breakthrough potentially accelerates commercialization of quantum computing for applications including drug discovery, financial modeling, and supply chain optimization, attracting increased competition from IBM and IonQ.

• ICICI Bank reported Q4 FY26 net profit of ₹12,949 Cr, surpassing street estimates and bringing annual profit to ₹50,000 Cr milestone. • The bank declared a ₹12 dividend per share, signaling confidence in its financial performance and shareholder returns. • Strong Q4 results reflect robust performance in India's banking sector amid evolving market conditions.

US government reverses course on removing LGBTQ+ Pride flag from New York monument after efforts from advocatesThe Trump administration agreed Monday to keep flying a rainbow Pride flag at the Stonewall national monument, reversing course after removing the banner in February.The government revealed the decision as it seeks to settle a lawsuit filed by LGBTQ+ and historic preservation groups who had sought to block the removal. A judge must still approve the agreement. Continue reading...

• Tesla shares rose 7.2% Thursday after the company announced successful deployment of advanced autonomous driving features in two additional states, bringing the full self-driving beta program to 15 states nationwide. • Multiple Wall Street analysts upgraded Tesla's stock, raising average price targets by 12-15%, citing accelerated path to profitability and potential for robotaxi revenue streams beginning in late 2026. • The autonomous driving announcement offset broader semiconductor sector weakness, with Tesla demonstrating differentiation from legacy automakers lacking comparable self-driving capabilities.

• Blackstone closed a $10 billion opportunistic private credit fund on April 8, 2026, reaching its hard cap target despite ongoing capital outflows in the sector. • The fund's successful close highlights Blackstone's strength in private credit as investors remain cautious due to market volatility and higher interest rates. • This deal underscores the resilience of top alternative asset managers in attracting institutional capital amid broader private credit struggles.

Donald Trump’s threat to target Iran’s bridges and power plants follows a similar playbook to recent conflictsDuring Israel’s 2006 war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israeli jets bombed the Jiyeh power station north of the coastal city of Sidon. The blaze could be seen for miles, a towering column of black smoke. Sand was turned to glass.The plant’s damaged storage tanks leaked an estimated 15,000 tonnes of oil into the eastern Mediterranean, the largest spill in that sea. Continue reading...

For this year’s Formula Student competition, the UK’s most prestigious university team are designing the fastest race car possible At the Oxford Brookes Headington campus, more than 100 students are busy building the fastest, best designed race car possible for this year’s Formula Student competition.Oxford Brookes Racing (OBR) is the UK’s most prestigious Formula Student team. They’ve won more design awards than any UK university, and frequently occupy the international race’s top spots. Continue reading...

• Express Scripts added CARDAMYST (etripamil) nasal spray to its commercial national formularies effective March 27, 2026, expanding access for commercially insured patients. • The FDA-approved self-administered spray converts acute paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) episodes to sinus rhythm in adults. • This coverage decision makes the first-in-class treatment broadly affordable across the U.S., improving cardiovascular care options.

Campaigners have been fighting proposals to build traffic tunnel under the world heritage site since 1994A controversial plan to build a tunnel under the Stonehenge site has been officially cancelled after millions were spent on the doomed project.Campaigners have been fighting proposals to dig a tunnel for cars under the location of the world heritage site since the idea was first proposed in 1994. Continue reading...

• Nominees Emma Stone, Timothée Chalamet, Teyana Taylor, Rose Byrne, and Jessie Buckley arrived in style at the 98th Oscars red carpet on March 15, 2026, in Hollywood. • Other attendees included Nicole Kidman, Kieran Culkin, Chase Infiniti, Zinzi Evans with Ryan Coogler, and Joel Edgerton, all captured at the Dolby Theatre. • The fashion-forward looks highlighted the glamour of the Academy Awards ceremony.