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De geheime ontmoeting met de president van de VAE is de nieuwste mijlpaal in een snel ontwikkelende alliantie in het Midden-Oosten. Benjamin Netanyahu heeft onthuld dat hij een geheime reis naar de Verenigde Arabische Emiraten heeft gemaakt op het hoogtepunt van de oorlog met Iran om president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan te ontmoeten. “Dit bezoek heeft geleid tot een historische doorbraak in de betrekkingen tussen Israël en de VAE,” aldus het kantoor van de Israëlische premier in een verklaring op woensdagnacht. Lees verder...

• Het Amerikaanse nationale vrouwenelftal behaalde een 3-0 overwinning op Japan in een vriendschappelijke wedstrijd die op 12 mei 2026 in Colorado werd gespeeld. • Kennedy Wesley, die in haar zesde interland vanaf de bank kwam, scoorde haar eerste internationale doelpunt en gaf haar eerste assist, wat de diepte van de selectie benadrukte. • Sophia Wilson keerde terug bij de USWNT na een afwezigheid van bijna twee jaar en droeg bij aan de dominante prestatie tegen het Japanse team.

Uit de meest recente gegevens blijkt dat meer dan de helft van het voordeel van de CGT-korting ten goede kwam aan de top 1% van de inkomenswinners.

• Een vastberaden zittend New Yorks lid kampt met lage peilingen en een verdeelde achterban, maar weigert toe te geven aan een andere centristische uitdager tegenover de progressieve Zohran Mamdani in de komende race. • De kandidaat houdt vast aan zijn standpunt ondanks interne partijdruk, waarbij hij wijst op sterke kiezersloyaliteit in belangrijke districten. • De beslissing zou de gematigde steun kunnen versplinteren, wat de kansen van Mamdani vergroot en wijst op bredere interne strijd binnen de Democratische partij.

• Ben Jealous, voormalig uitvoerend directeur van een grote burgerrechtenorganisatie, bestrijdt wat hij omschrijft als een "ontmoedigende" beslissing om zijn dienstverband te beëindigen. • Jealous hield tijdens zijn tweejarige ambtstermijn toezicht op meerdere rondes van ontslagen en zou hebben getwijfeld met personeel over de organisatorische koers en beleidsprioriteiten. • Zijn verwijdering vertegenwoordigt een significante leiderschapstransitie binnen de belangenorganisatie en weerspiegelt interne spanningen over de managementstrategie.

• De Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) behaalde een historische overwinning in West-Bengalen na decennia van inspanningen, wist een derde overwinning in Assam veilig te stellen en boekte winst in Kerala tijdens de deelstaatverkiezingen van 2026. • Samen met bondgenoten behield de BJP het unieterritorium Puducherry. • In Tamil Nadu doorbrak de TVK-partij van acteur Vijay het langdurige duopolie van DMK-AIADMK.

• Chandranath Rath, persoonlijke assistent van de BJP-leider uit West-Bengalen Suvendu Adhikari, werd geliquideerd in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas, waarbij hij drie van de vier schoten raakte terwijl hij in een rijdende auto zat. • De moord vond twee dagen na de historische overwinning van de BJP op de TMC tijdens de assembleeverkiezingen van 6 mei 2026 plaats, wat de spanningen na de verkiezingen heeft vergroot. • De TMC veroordeelde de moord op donderdag en eiste een onderzoek door de CBI, terwijl de moeder van Chandra publiekelijk instortte en pleitte voor levenslange gevangenisstraf voor de daders.

• De BJP van premier Narendra Modi heeft de assembleeverkiezingen in West-Bengalen gewonnen, waardoor zij voor het eerst de controle over de staat hebben overgenomen en de Trinamool Congress (TMC) van Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hebben verslagen. • De overwinning breidt de controle van de BJP uit naar 78% van de Indiase bevolking over verschillende staten, na grote successen bij de staatspollen van deze week. • Mamata Banerjee verwierp de resultaten tijdens een persbriefing op dinsdag als gefeutst en weigerde af te treden, ondanks dat haar termijn op 8 mei 2026 afloopt, waarbij zij de regering-Modi beschuldigde van het beroven van het kiesrecht van miljoenen kiezers.

Turmoil and violence rocks state since prime minister Narendra Modi’s party claimed victory in legislative electionTensions have been high in the Indian state of West Bengal after a top political aide from Narendra Modi’s party was shot dead in the street and hundreds were arrested as violence broke out following elections this week.The prime minister’s Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) claimed victory in the West Bengal elections on Monday, defeating Trinamool Congress (TMC), which had ruled over the state legislature for 15 years. Continue reading...

Al Nahyans’ control over farmland in Europe has meant they receive proportion of payments to farmsThe United Arab Emirates’ ruling royal family is benefiting from tens of millions in EU subsidies to grow crops destined for the Gulf, it can be revealed.A cross-border investigation by DeSmog and shared with the Guardian found subsidiaries controlled by the Al Nahyans collected more than €71m (£61m) in six years for farmland it controls in Romania, Italy and Spain. Continue reading...

• Substitutes inspired East Bengal to a vital victory against Mumbai City FC on May 6, propelling them to the top of the Indian Super League table. • The match showcased East Bengal's resilience, overturning the scoreline through key contributions from bench players in a high-stakes encounter. • This result strengthens East Bengal's playoff positioning amid a competitive ISL season.

Mamata Banerjee says Narendra Modi’s party ‘forcefully captured’ election that ended her party’s 15 years in powerA political showdown is taking place in the Indian state of West Bengal as the chief minister, Mamata Banerjee – India’s most powerful female politician – has dramatically refused to resign after she lost elections to the prime minister’s party this week.On Monday, Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) won an overwhelming victory in the state elections in West Bengal, where Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress party (TMC) have been in power for 15 years. Continue reading...

Polls suggest Reform could win most seats in Senedd election but party is unlikely to be able to form governmentUK politics live – latest updatesOn a sunny but cold evening in a shopping centre car park on the outskirts of Merthyr Tydfil, Reform UK supporters enjoyed free pizza and loud music as they waited for what the party leader, Nigel Farage, said was his last big speech before Thursday’s Welsh Senedd, Scottish parliament and English local elections.Reform could win the most seats under Wales’s new more proportional voting system but it is unlikely to be able to form a government, as other parties have ruled out going into coalition with it. Yet Farage’s outfit is the first rightwing party with a shot at winning in Wales since the 1850s. The surge in support for a party that got 1% of the vote in the last Senedd election is impossible to ignore. Continue reading...

• The BJP achieved a commanding majority in West Bengal state elections, marking its first-ever victory in India's fourth-most populous state and ending decades of opposition rule under Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress. • Election results finalized this week show the BJP winning control of West Bengal while expanding majorities in Assam and making incremental gains in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, consolidating power across 21 of India's 28 states. • The victories represent a significant political rebound for Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his party's loss of outright parliamentary majority in 2024 national elections.

• The Bharatiya Janata Party secured a landslide victory in West Bengal's 2026 assembly elections, leading in 200 of 293 seats, marking the party's first-ever government formation in the state and ending the All India Trinamool Congress's 15-year reign. • BJP's success represents a dramatic rise from zero seats in 2011 to a dominant position in 2026, with over 235,000 Central Armed Police personnel deployed to ensure intimidation-free voting across the state. • Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the victory as historic, stating it will be remembered forever and signaling the BJP's continued electoral momentum ahead of remaining state elections.

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a landmark 206 out of 294 seats in West Bengal's legislative assembly, marking its first-ever electoral victory in the opposition-held state of over 100 million people. • The BJP's conquest of West Bengal, long a bastion of its political adversary, represents a significant expansion of Hindu nationalist electoral dominance across India's regional politics. • Results announced Monday were part of elections held across five states and territories in April and May, with the BJP also securing a third consecutive victory in northeastern Assam and participation in the ruling coalition in coastal Puducherry.

A key Indian state, the result is set to have significant implications for the country’s political landscapeIndian prime minister Narendra Modi’s party has won a resounding election victory in West Bengal, a state which had been a rare opposition stronghold, expanding his unrivalled consolidation of power across the country.It is the first time that Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have won assembly elections in West Bengal, a large and politically significant state in eastern India. Continue reading...

• Bengaluru FC takes on Odisha FC in the Indian Super League at 7:30pm IST on May 4, 2026, as part of key fixtures in the ongoing season. • Real Kashmir faces Namdhari in the Indian Football League at 6:30pm, while the Indian Indoor Open athletics event continues at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. • This matchup holds significance for playoff positioning in ISL, with Bengaluru seeking vital points against a competitive Odisha side.

• Early trends from West Bengal assembly elections show BJP ahead of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), signaling a potential historic shift in the state's political landscape. • The early leads suggest competitive dynamics across constituencies, though final results remain uncertain as vote counting progresses and trends can shift significantly. • The election results could have implications for Indian politics at the national level and investor sentiment regarding governance and policy continuity in West Bengal's economy.

Injectable pembrolizumab can treat several types of cancer and can be administered in under two minutesThousands of patients across England each year will benefit from a new immunotherapy treatment that can be used for several types of cancer, the NHS has announced.The injectable form of pembrolizumab, which can be administered in under two minutes, kills cancer cells by blocking a protein called PD-1, which acts as a brake on immune responses, allowing the immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells. Continue reading...

• Bhabanipur constituency in West Bengal is the epicenter of the 2026 assembly election, pitting TMC chief Mamata Banerjee against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari after her prior Nandigram loss. • The diverse voter base includes significant Hindi-speaking traders and lower minority concentration compared to TMC strongholds, adding complexity to the high-stakes fight. • Stringent security measures implemented statewide to ensure transparent counting amid political tensions and voter list disputes.

• Vote counting starts at 8 AM on May 4, 2026, across Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal following high-stakes assembly elections in April. • Key contests include DMK's MK Stalin defending power in Tamil Nadu, BJP eyeing a hat-trick in Assam under Himanta Biswa Sarma against Congress's Gaurav Gogoi, and Trinamool Congress vs BJP in West Bengal's 294 seats. • Results are make-or-break for national players like BJP, Congress, DMK, TMC, and Left, with implications for delimitation debates and Dravidian politics dominance.

• Trinamool Congress challenged Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) removing 89 lakh voters—11.6% of electorate—slightly above TMC's 2021 winning margin. • Bengal's 294-seat election pits Mamata Banerjee's TMC against BJP, testing saffron expansion in a BJP-resistant state. • High-voltage campaign and disputes heighten stakes as counting ensures make-or-break outcomes for regional power dynamics.

• Coach Bruzon announced his departure from East Bengal at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season on May 2, 2026. • The move comes amid team transitions in Indian football leagues. • His exit impacts club strategy heading into offseason preparations.

Nigel Farage, Lee Anderson and Robert Jenrick, among others, have sung the praises of the JCB PotHole Pro Reform UK’s leading figures have repeatedly promoted a new pothole-fixing machine by the construction company JCB, while the party received £200,000 from the British digger maker, the Guardian can reveal.Several Reform politicians including Nigel Farage, Lee Anderson, Robert Jenrick, Zia Yusuf and Richard Tice have sung the praises of the JCB PotHole Pro machine. Continue reading...

• The Election Commission declared the April 29 polling void in 15 stations in Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour constituencies in South 24 Parganas due to violence and disturbances. • Repolling is scheduled for May 2 from 7 am to 6 pm under strict monitoring to ensure a fair electoral process. • The decision addresses reports of disruptions that compromised the integrity of the vote in these areas.

People with meniscus tears who underwent surgery had poorer knee function and worse osteoarthritis after 10 years than those who did notA common knee surgery for cartilage damage does not benefit patients and may lead to worse outcomes, a 10-year trial suggests.The study tracked outcomes for patients treated for a meniscus tear, who were given a partial meniscectomy, one of the most common orthopaedic surgeries. Their trajectories were compared with patients who had randomly been assigned to receive “sham surgery”, in which no procedure was carried out. Continue reading...

• Virginia voters narrowly approved a Democratic-backed congressional redistricting plan that endangers several Republican incumbents. • The measure redraws lines to favor Democrats in key districts, shifting the balance for 2026 midterm races. • This coastal redistricting battle highlights national tensions over fair maps and partisan advantage.