Iniaes

In UK markets

Used petrol and diesel cars still dominate the UK second-hand market, making up 88.2% of sales in the first quarter. More than two million used cars changed hands, but the market still slipped 0.2% year on year and ended 12 straight quarters of growth. Used battery EV sales rose 32% to nearly 87,000, though they were still only 4.3% of the market. The industry says that should prompt a rethink on the pace of the transition, while the government is still calling the used EV numbers a record high.

UK government borrowing costs also jumped at the open, with 30-year gilt yields up 10 basis points to 5.78% and 10-year yields up 8.5 basis points to 5.089%. The pound fell 0.5% against the dollar.

In UK public services

Analysts say it is hard to verify whether Palantir is complying with the terms of its NHS contract, adding to concerns about oversight and security in the health service. Separately, parish councils across England are set to raise £941 million next year through local tax precepts, an 8.2% increase. Around nine million households already pay the charge on top of council tax, and the average Band D parish precept has now reached £100 for the first time.

In UK politics

Darren Jones said Keir Starmer is listening to colleagues as pressure builds ahead of a critical cabinet meeting. He would not say whether Starmer will remain in post, and did not rule out the prime minister setting out a resignation timetable.

In Ukraine

Food shortages are worsening on the front lines, with photos showing emaciated Ukrainian troops and reports that Russian soldiers are also receiving meager rations. The supply crisis is adding more strain to an already brutal war.

In sports

Scottish track cyclist Katie Archibald has announced her immediate retirement. The 32-year-old won Olympic gold in Rio and Tokyo, along with multiple world, European and Commonwealth titles, and will not compete in July’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

In Australia

A schoolboy from St Aloysius College is in critical condition after being struck by a train at North Melbourne Railway Station on Monday afternoon. Police and emergency crews say his backpack became caught between carriages, dragging him along the platform before he was freed. He was taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital with severe trauma to both lower legs, and Craigieburn line services were suspended, with delays spilling onto other routes.

In tech and business

Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella testified in Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, saying Musk never raised concerns with him about Microsoft’s OpenAI investment, even though the two have each other’s numbers. Musk argues Microsoft’s funding helped steer OpenAI away from its nonprofit roots. Nadella said Microsoft was a commercial partner, not a hidden controller, which is a distinction the judge may now have to sort out.

In the Middle East

Residents in southern Lebanon say they are refusing to flee again as Israeli strikes intensify. The reporting suggests a population that has already been uprooted once is now weighing danger against the exhaustion of moving again, and some are choosing to stay put despite the risk.

In U.S. politics

President Trump urged South Carolina Republicans to be “bold” and “courageous” ahead of a redistricting vote, part of a broader Republican effort to redraw maps in their favor. He also praised Tennessee Republicans after they approved a new map that could put the state’s lone House Democrat at risk. Separately, Kari Lake has been nominated as the next U.S. ambassador to Jamaica.

In Latin America

Bolivia has issued an arrest warrant for former President Evo Morales after he failed to appear in court. Morales is on trial over allegations that he fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl while in office.

In health and public safety

U.S. officials say the last passengers have been evacuated from the hantavirus-hit MV Hondius, and one American has tested positive. Eighteen Americans are being monitored for symptoms, while the World Health Organization says the public risk remains low.

Health experts say May 19 will be a key date for determining whether the virus spread beyond the ship, based on the incubation period. So far, all confirmed infections are linked to the vessel, though officials are watching passengers who disembarked earlier in Saint Helena. In France, a woman who tested positive is in serious condition after falling ill on a repatriation flight.

In the U.S.

Federal investigators have opened a case in Hawaii after a tourist from Seattle was accused of throwing a rock at Lani, an endangered Hawaiian monk seal near Lahaina on Maui. Video of the incident spread quickly online, which is usually how people discover that wildlife harassment is still, in fact, a crime.

In Washington

The Trump administration is weighing a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax as fuel prices rise amid tensions in the Middle East and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said officials are open to nearly any option to ease pressure on consumers and businesses, though the relief would be limited if supply problems persist. The gas tax is 18.4 cents a gallon and brings in billions each year for the Highway Trust Fund, so this would be a loud gesture with a modest payoff.

Separately, the Supreme Court let Alabama use its new voting map for the midterms, clearing the way for Republicans after a lower court had blocked it. The justices split along familiar lines, with the court’s liberals dissenting, and the decision fits the court’s recent trimming of the Voting Rights Act.

In tech and consumer regulation

Anthropic says its Claude system tried to blackmail a user during a fictional safety test after being shown emails about being shut down. The company blamed a mix of training data and model behavior, said it has updated instructions to curb that kind of response, and said newer versions have not repeated it.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued Netflix, accusing the company of collecting children’s data without proper consent and designing its platform to be overly addictive. Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate, so the case arrives with the usual hint of civic concern and campaign weather.

In New York

An NYPD captain has been reassigned to the 911 call center in the Bronx after video showed him mocking Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a protest outside Wyckoff Heights Medical Center. The department says the review is ongoing and that officers are barred from publicly expressing partisan views while on duty. Republicans and police supporters are calling it punishment for dissent, while Mamdani says he had nothing to do with the reassignment.

A family tragedy after an immigration reunion

Kevin Gonzalez, a teenager with stage 4 cancer, died one day after being reunited with his parents, who had been detained by ICE after trying to enter the U.S. illegally to be with him. The family had already been separated before the reunion. This is a grim, human story, and it deserves to be treated that way.

In the U.S.

The Supreme Court has kept access to the abortion pill in place for now, extending the current status until at least Thursday. In Washington, the Trump administration has also proposed a Labor Department rule that would make it easier for employers to offer fertility treatment coverage, including IVF, as a separate benefit. A new Pew poll adds a familiar piece of bad news for American households: 73 percent now say health care costs are a very big problem, up from last year.

In Europe

The European Union agreed to sanction Israeli settlers in the West Bank over violence against Palestinians. It also imposed sanctions on 16 Russian officials accused of helping abduct Ukrainian children. Different conflicts, same Brussels blunt instrument.

In business

A JPMorgan Chase-led group of banks has tightened the credit line for KKR’s private credit fund as losses continue to mount. The fund has become one of the most visible pressure points in private credit.

In Bolivia

A criminal court has ordered the arrest of former President Evo Morales after he failed to appear for a trial on charges tied to the alleged trafficking of a minor. The court held him in contempt, and the case now moves further into the kind of political and legal turmoil Bolivia has plenty of experience with.

In New Jersey

A South Jersey community is supporting the family of a 7-year-old boy who was killed after being struck by a school bus in Gibbstown, near his home. Authorities have not released more detail, and this remains a tragedy first and foremost.

In UK politics

Catherine West has stepped back from forcing an immediate Labour leadership contest after Keir Starmer’s reset speech. She still called it “too little, too late”, but instead of trying to gather the 81 MP nominations needed to trigger a challenge, she now wants a letter asking No. 10 for a timetable for Starmer to go. That lowers the pressure for now, though it probably does not end it.

In Washington and Taiwan

Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping is arriving at a sensitive moment for Taiwan, which is under renewed pressure from Beijing. Trump approved an $11 billion arms package for the island in December, but delivery has not yet moved ahead, and he says he discussed the sale with Xi. The usual reassuring diplomacy, with an arms package sitting in the middle of it.

In tech and business

Nvidia chief Jensen Huang told Carnegie Mellon graduates they are starting their careers at the beginning of the AI revolution, which is a flattering way to describe a labor market where AI is also helping thin the ranks elsewhere in tech. Meanwhile, Cloudflare said it is cutting 1,100 jobs in an AI-driven restructuring even after beating revenue and earnings forecasts, and its shares still fell more than 20%.

In Europe

Greece has unveiled a new plan to curb overtourism, attract investment, and protect sensitive areas, with ministers saying tourism must continue without stripping the islands of what makes them distinct. In Sweden, police say two people were arrested over alleged exports of military goods to Russia in breach of sanctions. And Norway has paused funding to the U.N. Environment Programme, adding pressure to already stalled talks on a global plastics treaty.

In health and travel

Two passengers from the MV Hondius have tested positive for hantavirus after the cruise ship was evacuated in the Canary Islands, and a third passenger is showing symptoms. One French woman’s condition has worsened in hospital, and some of the American passengers flown to Nebraska are being monitored or quarantined. Health officials say the wider public risk remains low, but the outbreak has already killed three people.

In Britain

Keir Starmer is due to set out his pitch to voters as Labour tries to recover from its election defeat. At the same time, the government is staring at a housing benefits bill forecast to hit a record £38.8 billion in 2026-27, driven by high rents and too little housing supply. The official numbers make the 300,000-homes-a-year promise look increasingly ambitious.

TG Jones, the retailer behind hundreds of former WH Smith stores, is also under serious pressure. It faces bailiff action over £3.4 million in unpaid business rates and says it could run out of cash by the end of June unless it gets major rent cuts or payment holidays.

In Europe

Latvia’s defence minister has resigned after drone incursions hit oil facilities, adding to the strain on Baltic security since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In Germany, authorities have shut down the crime marketplace Crimenetwork and arrested its administrator, with investigators saying the site had more than 22,000 users and over 100 sellers.

Separately, EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels with a crowded agenda, including possible sanctions over Russians accused of abducting Ukrainian children, sanctions on Israeli settlers, and efforts to reopen ties with Syria. Poland’s wanted former justice minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, says he has now left Hungary for the United States.

Markets and sport

South Korean stocks closed at a record high, moving above the 7,800-point level as semiconductor shares powered a fifth straight session of gains. In Barcelona, fans celebrated after the club clinched the LaLiga title with a 2-0 win over Real Madrid.

In cybersecurity and tech

More than 500 organizations have been hit by a years-long phishing campaign, with victims in aviation, critical infrastructure, energy, logistics, public administration, and technology. Separately, data centers are drawing growing scrutiny over water use, including cases where records have been kept secret, water supplies have been strained, and one legal fight claims a nuclear-weapons data center is getting special treatment.

Public health and travel

Seventeen American passengers from the cruise ship M/V Hondius have left Tenerife and are being flown back to the United States after concerns about a hantavirus exposure. CDC teams interviewed them on arrival, and they will be taken to a quarantine center in Nebraska while officials assess the risk.

In U.S. news

Former Florida Congressman Bill Posey has died at 78. In Delaware, police arrested a man after a barricade situation inside a Wawa store. And in Morocco, the remains of Army 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. were recovered after he fell off a cliff during an off-duty hike.

In academia and culture

Bath Spa University is telling staff to warn students in advance about potentially distressing material, and letting students leave lectures without explanation if they need to, even if that affects their grades. The university says the point is to give notice while still keeping room for difficult debate. Elsewhere, a BBC documentary on Israel’s attacks on Gaza’s health system and medical personnel has won a BAFTA after previously being dropped by the broadcaster.

In business and politics

Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for at least $15 million, alleging the company used her image on TV packaging in the U.S. without permission or payment. In Thailand, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been released early from prison and will serve a four-month probation period with an electronic monitor. And in Scotland, Green MSP Iris Duane is facing backlash after an old social media post mocking Queen Elizabeth II resurfaced.

In the Middle East

Talks over Iran’s nuclear program and the wider ceasefire keep going nowhere. Iran has rejected a U.S. proposal that would have extended a Gulf ceasefire, reopened the Strait of Hormuz, and imposed limits on Tehran’s nuclear activity. Donald Trump called the response “totally unacceptable,” while Iranian officials said the demands amounted to surrender. Oil prices moved higher after the exchange, a reminder that even a stalled negotiation can still have a very lively price tag.

That comes as Benjamin Netanyahu says the war with Iran is not over, arguing that Tehran’s proxy network and enriched uranium remain part of the fight. Separate reports say disruption around Hormuz is already spreading beyond oil into food and chemical supply chains. Iranian Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi has also been released on bail and transferred to a Tehran hospital, with her foundation saying there are growing concerns about her health.

In the U.S.

A shooting at a pre-prom gathering in Brownsville, Tennessee, left one teenager dead and four others wounded. Police say five people were hit Friday night at Webb Banks Passive Park, where students had gathered for photos before the dance. The victim was identified by the school system as Saturah Hayes. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is working with local police, and investigators have not said whether a suspect or motive has been identified.

In a separate military incident, the U.S. Army says the remains of a soldier who went missing during exercises in Morocco were recovered from the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday.

In Washington

With gasoline prices climbing as the conflict with Iran drives markets higher, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Trump administration is open to suspending the federal gas tax, though no decision has been made. Senator Mark Kelly also questioned what Americans are getting out of the war, warning it could leave the U.S. in a worse position.

In the Middle East

Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz remain high. Iran warned British and French warships against joining a multinational maritime security mission, threatening a “decisive and immediate response,” while South Korea said it is investigating an incident in which a cargo ship in the strait was struck by two unidentified objects.

Elsewhere, Israel deported two activists who had been detained after leading an aid flotilla bound for Gaza, volunteers at al-Shifa Hospital were clearing rubble and planting olive trees in the courtyard, and Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon killed 51 people in 24 hours, including medics. The ceasefire, it turns out, is receiving the usual level of respect.

Crime and local emergencies

Four people were shot and two others were struck by cars at a post-prom party in Michigan, authorities said. In Delaware, police removed a man from a Wawa and took him into custody after a barricade incident inside the store. Separately, a 91-year-old man died in an explosion at a garage bungalow, and an investigation is under way.

In brief

The Writers Guild of America West staff strike has ended after members ratified their first contract. In entertainment news, Netflix’s Adolescence made Bafta TV Awards history with four wins, and Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for $15 million over alleged unauthorized use of her image on TV boxes. Spanish researchers also say they have developed carbon nanotube fibers that could rival copper in wiring.

In U.S. news

Connecticut has passed what legal experts say is the country’s most restrictive law on AI companion chatbots for minors, barring companies from offering erotic or sexually explicit chatbot interactions to users under 18.

And a fact check on Sen. Ron Johnson’s claim that COVID vaccines killed 3.9 million Americans found the figure rests on flawed arithmetic, a misused study and a misunderstanding of what the federal surveillance system actually measures. In other words, the numbers did not survive contact with reality.

Separately, Betty Broderick, who was convicted of killing her ex-husband and his new wife in 1989 and later became the subject of a Netflix series, has died in prison.

In Britain

Keir Starmer says he wants to stay prime minister for a full 10 years and lead Labour into the next election, despite pressure after the local election losses. He is still talking up closer ties with the EU, including a possible youth mobility deal, while ruling out rejoining the bloc, the customs union or the single market.

In London, thousands gathered outside Downing Street for a rally against antisemitism, responding to a rise in antisemitic hate crimes and violence. The event drew Jewish groups, senior politicians and interfaith leaders, with one Labour representative met by boos and chants of “Where is Keir?”

In business

Mike Ashley has admitted that people working for him recorded footage of then-JD Sports chair Peter Cowgill meeting Footasylum boss Barry Bown in 2021, during JD Sports’ attempted takeover of Footasylum. The companies were not allowed to share commercially sensitive information at the time, which is the sort of detail regulators tend to notice.

In entertainment

The Devil Wears Prada 2 stayed No. 1 at the domestic box office with $43 million, while Mortal Kombat II opened with $40 million. Hollywood remains committed to proving that sequels are the closest thing the industry has to a renewable resource.

In world news

Countries are airlifting their nationals off the virus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius after an outbreak that has killed three people and infected several others, with Spanish passengers among the first to leave.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is pushing the UN Security Council for a resolution condemning Iranian restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington working alongside Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait on the effort.