Two killed and several hurt after car ploughs into crowds in German city of Leipzig 04. May 2026 (19:45) A suspect has been apprehended, but detectives say little is known about their motivation at this stageAt least two people have been killed and several injured after a driver in an SUV ploughed into a crowd in the centre of Leipzig in eastern Germany, the city’s mayor has said.“The police have apprehended the suspected assailant,” Burkhard Jung said on Monday, adding that the authorities had the scene in a pedestrian zone under control. “We still don’t really know the motivation. We don’t know anything about the perpetrator.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Narendra Modi’s BJP wins election in West Bengal for the first time 04. May 2026 (19:34) Result in key Indian state is set to have significant implications for the country’s political landscapeNarendra 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 the Indian prime minister’s Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) has won assembly elections in West Bengal, a large and politically significant state in eastern India. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Project Freedom’: a grand humanitarian gesture, or a fast track to more war? 04. May 2026 (18:49) After banging his battle drum, Trump is back in Nobel peace prize mode. But the move has dramatically raised the stakes“Project Freedom” has all the trappings of a classic episode of the Trump Show, the reality series that the rest of the world does not just have to watch, but live through and survive. It has a dramatic plot twist, it is bathed in a self-projected beatific light, and the trailer looked far more promising that the reality.Trump spent a long weekend in Florida banging the war drum. Iran had not “paid a big enough price” for its past misdeeds, he wrote in an online post before spending Friday afternoon revving up a cheering crowd at America’s largest retirement community. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Gaza flotilla Britons say they needed hospital care after Israeli forces’ abuse 04. May 2026 (18:00) Alice Chapman and Zak Khan say they were beaten, kicked and spat on after detention near Crete last weekTwo British activists have said they were admitted to hospital after being beaten by Israeli forces who intercepted their Gaza aid flotilla last week.Alice Chapman and Zak Khan were among 180 members of the Global Sumud flotilla detained by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in international waters near Crete late on Wednesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
AI platforms reference Nigel Farage more than other leaders when prompted on UK politics, study shows 04. May 2026 (18:00) Reform UK is ‘doing something right when it comes to visibility’ on multiple AI systems, say researchersAI platforms are more likely to reference Nigel Farage than any other UK leader when prompted about British politics, according to an AI search analytics firm.“We are confident in saying that Reform are showing up significantly more than you would expect,” said Malte Landwehr, an expert at Peec AI, the firm that did the research. “So they’re doing something right when it comes to LLM [large language model] visibility.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nigerian refinery accused of sacking union members is key to UK plan to tackle jet fuel shortage 04. May 2026 (17:58) Heidi Alexander says part of answer to strait of Hormuz crisis is importing more fuel from US and west AfricaA refinery in Nigeria accused of dismissing workers for joining a union has emerged as key to the UK government’s hopes of saving the summer holiday amid a jet fuel shortage.Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, said at the weekend that part of the answer to the strait of Hormuz crisis was to import more fuel from the US and west Africa. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Democrats aim to reclaim House majority by boosting eight ‘top-tier candidates’ 04. May 2026 (17:50) Candidates will get funding for midterm races in battleground states, amid Republican push to revise voting mapsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxDemocratic officials added eight new candidates to their slate of top contenders vying to reclaim a Democratic House majority during midterm elections this fall.The candidates will receive a boost in fundraising and campaign support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) as part of a “Red to Blue” program that seeks to help competitive candidates win elections in battleground states. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US supreme court temporarily restores full access to mifepristone abortion pill 04. May 2026 (17:44) 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...(The Guardian)
Louisiana Republicans eliminate elected office won by Democratic exoneree 04. May 2026 (17:13) Future of Calvin Duncan’s position as the clerk of New Orleans’ criminal district courthouse remains unclearLouisiana Republicans eliminated an elected position days before a Democratic exoneree who overwhelmingly won the New Orleans-based post was set to take office on Monday.A temporary restraining order did allow the exoneree, Calvin Duncan, to take office as scheduled on Monday as the clerk of New Orleans’ criminal district courthouse – though it remained unclear how long his tenure may prove to be. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australia’s property investor borrowing rises at fastest rate in a decade - despite interest rate rises 04. May 2026 (17:00) Owner-occupier mortgage growth slowed under growing costs while investor loans grew by $42bn in the year to March, a 9.6% increaseGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastProperty investor borrowing rose at its fastest rate in a decade in March, according to the Reserve Bank, despite higher interest rates and speculation about property tax changes.Owner-occupier loan growth slowed under the weight of growing mortgage costs but investor lending is continuing its record surge. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
