Victory

Terwijl het staakt-het-vuren begint, zegt Zelenskyy: ‘Het Rode Plein is voor ons minder belangrijk dan de levens van Oekraïense gevangenen die naar huis kunnen worden gebracht’

• De leider van Scottish Labour, Anas Sarwar, erkent dat zijn partijstuitend is verslagen • Verkiezingen 2026 live: laatste nieuwsupdates • Volledige resultaten uit Engeland, Schotland en Wales

Ukraine suggested an indefinite ceasefire this week but it was repeatedly violated by RussiaAFP noted that Kyiv said Moscow ignored a Ukrainian call to halt fighting earlier this week that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy cast as a test of whether the Kremlin was serious about providing a brief respite in the four-year war.Russia has threatened a massive strike on the heart of Kyiv if Ukraine disrupts the Victory Day parade on Saturday, repeatedly urging foreign diplomats to evacuate the Ukrainian capital ahead of time. Continue reading...

• President Trump declared Wednesday from the Oval Office that 'I think we won' the war with Iran, citing successful talks and Iranian willingness to negotiate. • The statement follows reports of productive discussions over the prior 24 hours, with Trump emphasizing a potential deal on nukes and the Strait of Hormuz. • Critics question the victory claim amid ongoing hostilities and rejected ceasefire proposals, impacting U.S. foreign policy credibility.

• Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was assassinated in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas, hit by three of four bullets while in a moving car. • The killing occurred two days after BJP's historic assembly election win over TMC on May 6, 2026, heightening post-poll tensions. • TMC condemned the murder on Thursday, demanding a CBI probe, while Chandra's mother broke down publicly, calling for life imprisonment for the killers.

• 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.

Kremlin tightens security ahead of Russia’s biggest national celebration on 9 May amid fears of Ukrainian drone strikesRussia shut down airports and temporarily cut mobile internet access for many users in Moscow on Tuesday, as it tightened security ahead of the 9 May Victory Day parade marking the defeat of Nazi Germany.The parade – Russia’s foremost national celebration – has already been scaled back and will proceed without heavy military hardware for the first time in nearly two decades, amid fears of long-range Ukrainian drone strikes. Continue reading...

• 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.

• The United Democratic Front (UDF) achieved a decisive victory in Kerala's 2026 assembly elections, leading in over 100 seats and set to form the next government in the state. • The UDF's strong performance provided limited relief to the opposition INDIA bloc, which faced significant setbacks across other states including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. • Kerala remained among the few states where the opposition retained meaningful electoral influence, contrasting sharply with BJP's dominance in northern and eastern India.

• 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.

• Assam election results are being counted with the BJP-led NDA aiming for a historic third consecutive victory under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma's leadership. • The election is being closely watched as a key indicator of NDA strength in Northeast India and has political significance for India's broader national political trajectory. • The outcome could influence investor perception of political stability and policy direction in Northeast India's emerging markets and development initiatives.

Anthony Marsh appears to be in commanding position in significant boost to opposition leader Jess WilsonThe Liberals have claimed victory in a key Victorian byelection seen as a preview of what to expect when the rest of the state hits the polls in November.As counting continued in the Mornington peninsula seat of Nepean, the Liberal candidate, Anthony Marsh, appeared to be in a commanding position in a significant boost to opposition leader Jess Wilson. Continue reading...

Annual event at Red Square will feature no armoured vehicles or missile systems for first time in two decades Europe live – latest updatesRussia will hold a scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May, without military hardware for the first time in almost two decades due to fears of a long-range attack by Ukrainian drones.The defence ministry said no armoured vehicles or missile systems would roll across Red Square during the parade, which marks the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany, citing “the current operational situation”. Continue reading...

In latest stage of £42m restoration project, 30-strong team removed mast from Nelson’s Battle of Trafalgar flagshipThere is only one correct way to extricate a 15-tonne wrought iron mast from one of the world’s most famous and beloved warships – very slowly, and with extreme care.Which is precisely what a 30-strong team, led by shipwrights and riggers, did on Monday night into Tuesday morning, when they lifted the foremast from HMS Victory as part of a £42m conservation project. Continue reading...

• 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.

• House Republicans openly questioned President Donald Trump's mid-decade redistricting strategy on Wednesday, following a Democratic victory in Virginia on Tuesday that threatens the GOP's slim House majority. • The Virginia vote paves the way for as many as four Republican seats to be lost, intensifying GOP concerns about the redistricting war Trump sparked. • Republican lawmakers are now expressing misgivings about the strategy, signaling potential fractures within the party over Trump's aggressive electoral positioning ahead of the November midterms.

Democrats within reach of House majority after voters rebel against Republican gerrymanderingSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxMonths into his second term, Donald Trump wagered that he could beat the historic trend of the party in power losing seats in midterm elections if Republican-led states redrew congressional maps to sweep Democrats out of office.The gamble is looking to be a bust, or at best a draw, for the president, after Democrats fought back with their own redistricting efforts, the latest of which came to fruition in Virginia on Tuesday, when voters approved a plan that could remove all but one of the five Republicans in its current House of Representatives delegation. Continue reading...

• Georgia Tech softball (28-23, 9-11 ACC) defeated No. 10 Virginia Tech (38-7, 12-5 ACC) 6-2 on Saturday night in Blacksburg, Virginia, marking the program's highest-ranked true road win in history. • The victory was Georgia Tech's first top 10 win and third top 25 victory of the season, demonstrating significant progress for the Yellow Jackets. • The Yellow Jackets remain in Blacksburg to conclude the ACC conference road series against Virginia Tech on April 19.

As Orbán is rejected, there is cautious optimism new leader can restore ties – but issues such as EU accession loom largeLike many Ukrainians, Oleh Kupchak was delighted when Péter Magyar won Hungary’s election last weekend, ending Viktor Orbán’s 16-year grip on power. “We were euphoric. Everyone was following the results closely. There were toasts,” said Kupchak, who has visited Budapest several times. “We didn’t love Orbán,” he added.Ukraine celebrated Orbán’s landslide defeat in a series of jokes and memes. Several likened him to the Star Wars character Jabba the Hut, and shared an image of Orbán fleeing from a drone. Others portrayed him sitting on a bench in Russia, alongside Ukraine’s pro-Kremlin former president Viktor Yanukovych, and his exiled Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad. Continue reading...

US president says all major sticking points have been ironed out ahead of peace talks, but some of his assertions seem dubiousIt lacked the triumphalist symbolism of George W Bush’s memorable – and subsequently ill-fated – appearance before the “mission accomplished” banner aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln six weeks after the 2003 invasion of Iraq.But there was no mistaking the boastful claims asserted on Friday by Donald Trump after a military assault on neighbouring Iran that has, so far, lasted a similar period and which, by widespread agreement outside the Trump administration, has not gone to plan. Continue reading...

• DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and her political allies have characterized Trump administration threats regarding the city's governance as a symbolic victory, suggesting they have successfully resisted federal pressure. • The dispute centers on federal efforts to exert control over District of Columbia government operations, marking one of the most serious federal threats to local autonomy in 30 years. • The 88-year-old congressional delegate has mounted a defensive response to defend the city's semi-autonomous status and self-governance rights.

• Venezuela's opposition coalition announced victory in April 10 municipal elections, claiming to have won majorities in 200+ municipalities, though the National Electoral Council has delayed official results release. • International election observers from the Carter Center and UN raised concerns about transparency and irregularities in voting procedures, with some polling stations reporting technical malfunctions. • The disputed results threaten to deepen political crisis in the oil-rich nation already facing severe economic collapse and humanitarian crisis, with potential for renewed street protests and international diplomatic intervention.

Winner’s Tisza party to control more than two-thirds of new parliament, offering chance for a complete break with changes wrought by illiberal regimeGood morning from Budapest, as the city reluctantly and not without some difficulties wakes up from the celebrations the night before, which went on to 5am and beyond.With 98.94% of votes counted, Péter Magyar’s Tisza party is projected to get 138 seats in the new parliament, with just 55 for Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz and six for the far-right Mi Hazank (Our Homeland) party.“Because if [they have] the constitutional super-majority, this is when he can do a change of regime, and not only a change of government … then dismantling the Orbán regime is really possible, meaning that both the economic and the political capture of the [Orbán] regime could be adressed with the two-thirds majority.” Continue reading...

Congratulations pour in from across EU, with leaders from Spain, Poland, France, Britain, Denmark, Romania, Sweden and beyond hailing a new chapterFull report: Hungarian opposition ousts Viktor Orbán after 16 years in powerEU leaders heaped praise on Péter Magyar after his decisive election victory in Hungary against the long-serving prime minister Viktor Orbán, who many saw as a direct threat to Europe’s peace and prosperity.The outpouring reflected a deep frustration with Orbán across the EU’s 27 member states and its institutions. Continue reading...

• No. 13 Oklahoma defeated No. 11 Vanderbilt 13-11 in a high-scoring college softball matchup on April 11, 2026. • Camden Johnson led the Sooners with two home runs and seven RBI, while Deiten LaChance hit a homer and drove in four runs. • The win strengthens Oklahoma's position in national rankings amid a competitive season for top softball programs.

• The Denver Nuggets secured the number one seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a 118-104 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, finishing the 2025-26 regular season at 58-24. • Nikola Jokic posted 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists, leading the Nuggets' fourth consecutive regular-season title. • Denver's first-round opponent will be the eighth-seeded Sacramento Kings in a matchup beginning Monday, April 14.

Beijing’s powerbrokers are being credited with winning Iran over, although one analyst says they were ‘pushing an open door’Middle East crisis – live updatesAs the world struggles to make sense of what, if anything, was achieved by the ceasefire deal announced by the US and Iran on Tuesday, one major power that stands to win regardless is China.Beijing’s powerbrokers are being credited with pushing Iran towards agreeing to the ceasefire, bolstering its status as a regional mediator. In China’s tightly censored domestic media, articles basking in the glory of China being the grown-up in the room at a time of international crisis were allowed to circulate. Continue reading...

As the US vice-president wades into a heated campaign, Hungary’s leader faces the real possibility of defeatEven before the plane carrying JD and Usha Vance had landed in Budapest, the Hungarian government had hailed their two-day visit as a new golden age in the relationship between Washington and Budapest.What came next was a whirlwind of politics in which the US vice-president waded directly into the country’s heated election campaign, just days before Hungarians cast their ballots. Continue reading...