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De Amerikaanse fascinatie voor 'de Hamptons van Engeland' heeft een positief effect op de verkoop, waardoor het luxueuze Britse modehuis weer jaarwinst draait. • Het luxemerk Burberry heeft verklaard dat een nieuwe handtas van £ 2.000, vernoemd naar de Cotswolds, de omzet heeft gestuwd, aangezien de Engelse regio steeds populairder wordt bij vermogende Amerikanen. • Joshua Schulman, de baas van het Britse merk, zei dat de tote bags – een combinatie van leer en de kenmerkende Burberry check – hebben bijgedragen aan de beste prestaties in tasverkoop sinds 2023. Lees verder...

Elf ambulances en twee helikopters kwamen ter plaatse, waar één persoon vastzat onder een bus Minstens zeven mensen zijn ernstig gewond geraakt nadat een touringcar kantelde op een van Australië's gevaarlijkste wegen, waarbij één persoon onder het voertuig bekneld raakte. Hulpdiensten werden donderdag rond 16:00 uur naar de kruising van de Bruce Highway en Rangemore Road in Gumlu, in de regio Whitsundays, gestuurd na meldingen van een ongeluk met een bus waarin 29 mensen zaten. Lees verder...

Franse voetbalcaptain waarschuwt voor kans dat extreemrechtse partij National Rally aan de macht komt De Franse voetbalcaptain, Kylian Mbappé, heeft de extreemrechtse partij van Marine Le Pen opgespitkerd nadat hij zijn zorgen uitte over de mogelijke winst van de partij bij de presidentsverkiezingen van volgend jaar. Mbappé (27), die opgroeide in de noordelijke buitenwijken van Parijs in een gezin met Algerijnse en Kameroense wortels, vertelde deze week aan Vanity Fair: “Ik weet wat het betekent en welke gevolgen het voor mijn land kan hebben wanneer mensen zoals zij aan de macht komen.” Lees verder...

• Excelerate Energy (NYSE: EE) rapporteerde een aangepaste EBITDA van $122 miljoen voor Q1 2026, een stijging van 9% ten opzichte van het vorige kwartaal, en een nettoinkomen van $50 miljoen. • De winsten werden gedreven door optimalisatie van schepen en hogere marges voor LNG-gas en elektriciteit, versterkt door de overname van Jamaica vergeleken met vorig jaar. • De resultaten benadrukken de versterkende dynamiek in de LNG-sector, wat relevant is voor de Amerikaanse energiemarkten te midden van verschuivingen in de wereldwijde vraag.

• De Filipijnen registreerden in het eerste kwartaal van 2026 hun laagste BBP-groei sinds de pandemie van 2,8%, wat wijst op een economische vertraging te midden van wereldwijde onzekerheden. • Dit cijfer markeert een scherpe vertraging, wat zorgen wekt over de effectiviteit van het overheidsbeleid om het herstel te bestendigen. • Analisten schrijven de dip toe aan externe druk, zoals energiekosten door regionale conflicten en een zwakkere binnenlandse vraag.

Passagiers zijn veilig geëvacueerd nadat het vliegtuig een persoon raakte en een motor vervolgens vlam vatte. Een vliegtuig van Frontier Airlines heeft tijdens het opstijgen op de startbaan van de internationale luchthaven van Denver een persoon geraakt, wat leidde tot motorbrand en een gedwongen evacuatie van de passagiers, zo meldden autoriteiten. Het toestel, dat onderweg was naar Los Angeles, "meldde het raken van een voetganger tijdens het opstijgen" rond 23:19 uur op vrijdag, schreef het officiële X-account van de luchthaven van Denver.

• Halifax meldt dat de prijs van een typische woning in april met 0,1% daalde, de tweede maand op rij, waarbij het tempo van de jaarlijkse groei terugliep van 0,8% naar 0,4%. • Zakelijk nieuws – live updates: De Britse huizenprijzen daalden in april voor de tweede maand op rij, nadat Halifax zijn schatting voor het jaarlijkse groeitempo halveerde vanwege het conflict in het Midden-Oosten. • Halifax, onderdeel van Lloyds – de grootste hypotheekverstrekker van Groot-Brittannië – verklaarde dat de kosten van een typische Britse woning in april met 0,1% daalden tot £299.313. Dit volgde op een daling van 0,5% in maart.

Team of 100 extra officers is aimed at providing ‘more consistent model of protection’ for Jewish communitiesPolitics live – latest updatesThe number of antisemitic hate crimes recorded in April in London was the highest in two years, data has revealed, as the Metropolitan police commit to deploying 100 extra officers to protect Jewish communities.The force says a “community protection team” will be set up, combining neighbourhood policing with counter-terrorism capabilities, as British Jews face “some of the highest levels of hate crime alongside significant terrorist and hostile state threats”. Continue reading...

• A new poll from ABC News and the Washington Post shows President Trump's disapproval rating has reached 62%, marking an all-time high for his presidency. • The sharp increase in disapproval reflects growing public dissatisfaction with Trump's policies and leadership across multiple areas, including foreign policy and domestic initiatives. • Political analysts note the concerning trend for Republicans as the party heads into critical 2026 midterm elections, with key GOP strategists expressing alarm about the trajectory.

• A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll from April 24-28 shows President Trump's disapproval at 62%, his highest in two terms, with overall approval at 37%. • Only 34% approve of his economic handling and 33% of the Iran war, fueling GOP concerns for midterm losses. • Democrats hold a 5-point edge in generic House ballot tests, up from 2 points earlier.

Disapproval rose to 62%, the worst of his two terms in office, amid economic issues since launching his war against IranSix months out from November’s midterm US elections, Donald Trump’s disapproval rating has reached 62% – the worst of his two terms in office – according to a new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll.The US president received his worst ratings on the cost of living and other economic issues since launching his deeply unpopular war against Iran in February, which has plunged the global economy into an oil crisis and sent gas prices rocketing to a four-year high. Continue reading...

• Cody Bellinger smashed two home runs and drove in four RBIs to lead the New York Yankees to victory on May 3, powering their surge with a 12th win in 14 games. • The performance highlighted Bellinger's impact since joining the Yankees, contributing key offense in a dominant outing against their opponent. • This hot streak positions the Yankees as frontrunners in the AL East, boosting their playoff odds amid a competitive season.

Arrest of potential next leader found hiding in drainage pipe highlights renewed tactics – and fears of cartel infightingUS politics live – latest updatesThe golden coffin of “El Mencho”, the late leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG), had barely been lowered into the ground when the Mexican military dealt a second blow to the very top of the organisation this week.As special forces descended on a ranch in the state of Nayarit, grainy drone footage showed El Mencho’s possible successor, Audias Flores, alias “El Jardinero”, being hauled from a drainage pipe he had tried to hide in, all without a shot being fired. Continue reading...

As his defense secretary testified before House committee, Trump posted AI-generated image of himself with a weapon and a caption saying ‘NO MORE MR. NICE GUY’Pete Hegseth has denied that the US-Israel war on Iran is “a quagmire” and claimed critics of the operation posed a greater threat to the US than Iran itself, as he came under pressure to set out Washington’s strategy for the conflict.Appearing before the House armed services committee alongside Gen Dan Caine, chair of the joint chiefs of staff, the US defense secretary asked lawmakers to approve a $1.5tn budget in military spending – and then described some of them as “the biggest challenge” to the war effort. Continue reading...

Soaring oil prices and the blockade are preventing food, fuel and medicine being delivered to millions of people in desperate need, say NGOsThe volatility of global oil prices caused by the US and Israel’s war on Iran is taking a toll on the most vulnerable people, by slowing or blocking food and medical aid from reaching them.Now aid organisations are calling for a “humanitarian corridor” to be opened through the strait of Hormuz amid rocketing transportation costs. Continue reading...

Lawyers for Avara Foods and Freemans of Newent say legal claim backed by 1,300 people is ‘entirely inferential’Lawyers for one of the country’s biggest producers of industrially farmed chicken have attacked a claim that they are responsible for pollution in the River Wye and River Usk.More than 1,300 people have signed up to sue Avara Foods, its subsidiary Freemans of Newent and the local sewage company Welsh Water for extensive and widespread pollution in the rivers and their catchment areas. Continue reading...

Military video shows boat moving swiftly in water before explosion leaves it in flamesThe US military said on Sunday three men were killed when it struck a boat it claimed was “engaged in narco-trafficking operations” in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.This latest strike – which follows dozens of similar attacks on alleged drug boats in recent months – brings the US campaign’s death toll to at least 185, according to a tally compiled by Agence France-Presse. Continue reading...

CSIRO researcher says there are reports of up to 4,000 mouse burrows per hectare in parts of Western AustraliaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGrain growers are on high alert as mouse numbers in Western Australia reach plague proportions and numbers surge in South Australia.Steve Henry, who researches mice and their impact on the grain industry at CSIRO, says more than 800 mice per hectare is considered a plague. Continue reading...

FTSE 100 slides and UK gas prices up amid fears strait of Hormuz will be closed for extended periodBusiness live – latest updatesOil prices rose sharply and European stock markets fell on Monday, after the US seizure of an Iranian vessel hit hopes for a peace deal.Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, rose by as much as 5% on Monday to $95.50 (£70.75) a barrel. Continue reading...

• CDC data shows 3.6 million US births in 2025, a 1% decline from 2024, with fertility rate at 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15-44, down 23% since 2007. • Trump administration downplays contraception in Title X grants, mentioning it once as overprescribed with side effects, amid efforts to reverse birth decline. • High maternal mortality of 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024, with 4 in 5 pregnancy deaths preventable, contrasts lower risks of contraception.

Mikie Sherrill says taxpayers should not carry burdenCosts at World Cup have come under increased scrutinyNew Jersey’s governor, Mikie Sherrill, has hit out at Fifa after reports her state’s transport system will charge $100 for a return ticket to World Cup matches this summer.New Jersey Transit lists the price for a round-trip ticket from New York’s Penn Station to MetLife Stadium, which will host eight World Cup matches this summer, including the final, as $12.90. The new pricing, reported by The Athletic earlier this week, puts the return ticket at more than $100 with no reductions for children, seniors or people with disabilities. NJ Transit told Fox 5 New York that the price has not been finalized. A decision is expected in the coming days. Continue reading...

Budget airline says passengers are leaving it later to book flights owing to economic uncertaintyBusiness live – latest updatesThe budget airline easyJet has warned the impact of the Iran war on bookings and oil prices will hit its profits, having driven up fuel costs by £25m in the last month alone.It said it expected to report an increased pre-tax loss of £540-£560m for the six months to March, up from £394m in the first half of 2024-25. The carrier typically makes its money in the second half of the year which includes the peak summer period. Continue reading...

New meeting to come after rare direct talks between the countries mediated by US; Netanyahu earlier says Israel about to ‘overwhelm’ part of southern LebanonUS and Iran in indirect talks to extend two-week ceasefireHello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.Donald Trump says the leaders of Israel and Lebanon will hold talks on Thursday, after the countries’ first face-to-face diplomatic negotiations in decades.Pakistan’s army chief met with Iran’s foreign minister in Tehran on Wednesday in the latest diplomatic move to ease Middle East tensions and arrange a second round of US-Iran negotiations. Trump said earlier that the war was “very close to over”.Leavitt said a second round of US-Iran talks would “very likely” take place in Islamabad again and that Pakistan was “the only mediator” in the discussions.Major Wall Street stock indices extended an upward climb on optimism about a US-Iran agreement.Israel’s security cabinet met to discuss a ceasefire after the Israel-Lebanon talks mediated by the US in Washington on Tuesday. But the Israeli military continues to strike the country, with Netanyahu saying Israel was about to “overwhelm” the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, calling it a Hezbollah stronghold.Four Lebanese rescue workers were killed in consecutive Israeli strikes in the southern Lebanon village of Mayfadoun on Wednesday, paramedic groups said. Six others were wounded.The US military’s Middle East command Centcom said it stopped 10 vessels from sailing out of Iranian ports during the first 48 hours of the US naval blockade. But ship tracking data indicated at least three ships sailing from Iranian ports crossed the strait of Hormuz, though some vessels taking the route later turned back.The finance ministers of 11 countries including the UK and Japan called for “coordinated emergency support” from the IMF and World Bank to help countries hit by disruptions from the Middle East war. Continue reading...

Chancellor ‘frustrated and angry’ at decision to attack Iran ‘without being clear what the objectives are’UK politics live – latest updatesMiddle East crisis – live updatesRachel Reeves has hit out at the “folly” of Donald Trump’s decision to go to war against Iran without a clear exit plan.Speaking to the Mirror before a trip to Washington for the International Monetary Fund spring meeting, the UK chancellor renewed her criticism of the war, which has pushed up oil prices and threatens a new jump in inflation across the west. Continue reading...

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) achieved a $15 billion annual run rate in AI revenue during Q1 2026, according to CEO Andy Jassy's annual shareholder letter. • Amazon's internal chips business now generates over $20 billion per year, supporting AI infrastructure and custom silicon development. • The figures underscore Amazon's aggressive push into AI and cloud computing dominance amid intensifying competition from Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

Government allocated 0.43% of national income to aid in 2025, with total spend down £1bn on previous yearThe UK government’s spending on foreign aid has hit its lowest level in nearly two decades, figures show, as humanitarian experts warn the cuts are costing lives.Provisional data shows the government allocated 0.43% of national income to official development assistance (ODA) in 2025, a decrease from 0.5% in 2024 and matching the level in 2008. Continue reading...

• The S&P 500 fell 2% for its fifth consecutive weekly decline, the first such streak since 2022, amid Mideast conflict de-escalation hopes. • Brent crude rose to $112 per barrel, with U.S. 10-year yields climbing to 4.43% on inflation fears from sustained high energy prices. • BlackRock warns elevated oil could shift focus from rate cuts to whether central bank policies can match rising inflation.

• OpenAI reached an $852 billion valuation and launched the ChatGPT super app on April 4, 2026, integrating chat, coding, search, and AI agents into a unified platform. • The app serves 900 million weekly users, positioning it as a comprehensive AI workspace for enterprise and personal use. • This launch intensifies competition in multimodal AI tools amid surging demand for integrated platforms.