The Guardian

Labor’s 2026-27 budget shows $727m operating surplus for this financial year as debt forecast to soar by decade’s endWinners and losers: Victoria’s 2026 budget cuts transport costs and helps parents - but will future generations suffer?Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictoria has recorded a surplus for the first time since the pandemic but the state’s financial recovery remains uncertain with debt forecast to near $200bn in coming years amid global uncertainty.The 2026-27 Victorian budget, handed down on Tuesday, shows the state recorded a $727m operating surplus in

Suit alleges that Hong Kong-based Justin Sun engaged in a campaign to ‘torch’ the company’s reputationSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email World Liberty Financial, the crypto venture co-founded by Donald Trump and his sons, said on Monday it had filed a defamation lawsuit in Florida state court against the Hong Kong-based crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun, as a dispute escalates between the project and one of its most prominent backers.World Liberty posted a copy of its lawsuit on X in which it accused Sun of launching a “public smear campaign”. It alleged that Sun had improperly transferred some

MV Hondius remains off the coast of Cape Verde after a suspected respiratory virus outbreak killed three people and left three more seriously ill. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTwo marine rescue volunteers have died as they sought to assist a stricken yacht in a deadly rescue mission, AAP reports.As we reported below, three people died during the rescue effort as volunteers went to the aid of a yacht at the Ballina Bar in northern NSW on Monday night.Our focus right now is supporting the families of those affected and our volunteers.Sentencing

US operation announced as ‘Project Freedom’ dramatically raises stakes in conflictMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe US has launched Donald Trump’s operation to open a route through the strait of Hormuz for hundreds of ships trapped with their crews in the Gulf, in a move that brought the region back to the brink of full-scale war as Iran sought to reassert its blockade.The US operation, which got under way on Monday after being announced as “Project Freedom” by Trump on Sunday night on his social media site, dramatically raised the stakes in a conflict that had been in a month-long

Cape Verde blocks MV Hondius from docking in order ‘to protect public health’ after deaths of three passengersWhat is hantavirus, the infection thought to have killed three on cruise ship?Medics are scrambling to evacuate two people from a luxury cruise ship stranded off the coast of Cape Verde, after a suspected outbreak of a rare respiratory virus killed three people, left three others seriously ill and forced nearly 150 people from across the world to isolate onboard.The plight of the MV Hondius, which set off in March from southern Argentina carrying 149 people from 23 countries, emerged late on Sunday

Cole Allen remains in custody after being charged with attempting to assassinate Donald TrumpSign up for the Breaking News US emailMarco Rubio, the US secretary of state, will travel to Rome this week to visit Pope Leo XIV, as the Trump administration’s relationship with the Vatican remains strained.The state department said in a statement that the meeting will be “to advance bilateral relations with Italy and the Vatican”. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/may/04/donald-trump-white-house-correspondents-dinner-shooting-cole-allen-rudy-giuliani-hegseth-rubio-iran-us-politics-latest-news-updates Author : Shrai Popat (now) and Tom Ambrose (earlier) Publish date : 2026-05-04 14:54:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Authority says workers and councillors ‘threatened for explaining the council’s position’ as union jack and St George’s flags taken downResidents, council staff and councillors have been subject to rising “abuse, harassment and intimidation” directly linked to the removal of unauthorised flags, a local authority has said.Shropshire council said it had recorded a rise in reports of abuse with staff and members “being threatened for explaining the council’s position” on the removal of flags and when they attempt to do so – “even in day-to-day work to repair street lighting”, the authority added. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/may/04/shropshire-council-rising-abuse-removal-of-union-jack-and-st-george-flags Author :

The prime minister is also attempting to join the EU’s €90bn loan for Ukraine, which the Conservatives welcomedA Reform UK proposal to prioritise places that vote for Green councils or MPs when it sets up detention centres for migrants facing deportations has been denounced as “abhorrent” from opponents across the political spectrum.Reform says it would deport “all illegal migrants” and, to make this possible, it has announced plans for deportation centres holding up to 24,000 people.A Reform government will not put any migrant detention facilities in any constituency with a Reform MP.Nor will we put them where Reform controls the

Iranian military says it will ‘respond harshly’ to any threat after Trump warns that interference with US operation in Hormuz will be ‘dealt with forcefully’Trump says US navy will ‘guide’ trapped ships from strait of Hormuz amid ‘very positive’ talks with IranThe US has evacuated 22 crew members held aboard an Iranian container vessel to Pakistan and will hand them over to Iranian authorities on Monday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said, calling the move a “confidence-building measure”.“The Iranian ship will also be backloaded to Pakistani territorial waters for return to its original owners after necessary repairs,” the ministry said in a

The treasurer also says May federal budget will play ‘helpful not harmful role in fight against inflation’Jim Chalmers has warned there will be little room for more cost of living support in his fifth and “most responsible” budget yet, as he ruled out an immediate extension of the 26-cent cut to the fuel excise and downplayed hopes for additional tax relief for workers.The treasurer also said Australian voters would forgive Labor for breaking a pre-election vow not to touch negative gearing rules for landlords, which is set to form part of a package that would also scale back the capital

Sequel a rare example of female-skewing movie leading the North American summer offerings – and highest opening weekend yet for a Meryl Streep filmGird your loins: The Devil Wears Prada 2 has had a huge opening weekend at the box office, making $233m (£171m, A$323m) worldwide from an overwhelmingly female audience.The Devil Wears Prada 2 earned $77m at the North American box office, and $156.6m internationally. In the US and Canada, the sequel bumped Michael to second place, though the musical biopic held on in its second weekend to earn $54m, falling only 44%. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/may/04/the-devil-wears-prada-2-box-office-opening-weekend

Meanwhile treasurer says next week’s budget will save more than it spends. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBudget won’t extend fuel excise cut beyond Jone, treasurer saysJim Chalmers says next Tuesday’s budget will not extend the 26 cent fuel tax cut beyond June.The budget will be calibrated for the conditions, but it will also still be consistent with our ambitions.The election began a year of delivery, and the budget will begin a year of more ambitious reform, reform which is made more not less, urgent by global inflation and global economic uncertainty.

US president signals scepticism to latest Iranian peace proposal but Tehran says it has received a US responseDonald Trump has cast doubt on the prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough by claiming Iran had not yet “paid a big enough price” for its past wrongs.However, Iran’s foreign ministry said on Sunday it had received a US response to an Iranian 14-point peace proposal, and Tehran was reviewing the response. Trump had referred to the Iranian proposal earlier in the weekend, but had expressed scepticism it would be acceptable to the US, and suggested the US might end the four-week-old ceasefire. Continue

Former FBI director indicted in connection with seashell photo as some Trump allies skeptical of news chargesThe acting US attorney general, Todd Blanche, on Sunday defended new criminal charges filed against former FBI head James Comey, insisting that the case was based on more than just an Instagram post from last year.The Department of Justice announced a two-count felony indictment against Comey on Tuesday, charging him in connection with a picture he posted on Instagram last May. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/03/james-comey-indictment-instagram-post-seashells Author : Sam Levine in New York Publish date : 2026-05-03 15:57:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs

Exclusive: Varun Chandra’s talks with Google, Meta, Apple and others raise fears of ‘lobbying behind closed doors’An influential government adviser close to Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves held 16 undisclosed meetings with top US tech executives, the Guardian can reveal.The No 10 business aide Varun Chandra discussed regulatory changes, AI and Donald Trump’s second administration with tech corporations during confidential meetings between October 2024 and October 2025. In one meeting he offered to help a top executive meet the prime minister directly. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/03/starmer-adviser-varun-chandra-undisclosed-meetings-us-tech-bosses Author : Tom Wall Publish date : 2026-05-03 13:00:00 Copyright for syndicated

Avon and Somerset police declare major incident and say cause is being treated as suspiciousTwo people have died following a “suspicious” explosion at a house in Bristol.Avon and Somerset police have declared a major incident after the explosion, which happened at about 6.30am on Sunday. The families of those involved had been informed, police said. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/may/03/explosion-house-bristol-major-incident Author : PA Media Publish date : 2026-05-03 11:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Heidi Alexander criticises Green leader over retweet of post suggesting police used excessive force when arresting suspectGood morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics. The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, has said Zack Polanski’s retweeting of a post suggesting the police used excessive force when they arrested the suspect in the Golders Green attack last week was “disgusting” and “absolutely abhorrent” as she claimed he was not “fit to lead a political party”.Polanski retweeted, without comment, a post on X alleging that officers were “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head” when he was

Man, 32, taken into custody after police called to Rosemeadow incident in early hours of Sunday morning Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThree people have died after an incident in a Sydney home, with police saying they are believed to be the parents and brother of a 32-year-old man who has been arrested.New South Wales police arrived at the house in Rosemeadow in Sydney’s south-west on Sunday just after 1.30am after reports of an assault.This article was updated on 3 May 2026 to correct the age of

David Farley says net overseas migration of 306,000 ‘probably not’ too much despite party policy to cap migrants at 130,000 per yearFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBarnaby Joyce has blamed “the pressure of a campaign” for One Nation’s Farrer candidate contradicting party policy on immigration and appearing to endorse Labor’s current intake.The One Nation MP also claimed voters won’t worry about Gina Rinehart’s million-dollar donation of a private plane to Pauline Hanson’s party, claiming journalists were more interested than ordinary people in the lucrative gift from Rinehart’s

Man, 32, arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning after incident in Rosemeadow. Follow updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMatt Canavan said he understood why voters in Farrer, set for a by-election next Saturday, were disillusioned with the federal opposition.I‘ve been down there for 20 days, 15 nights - and 10 of those I’ve been in a swag – over the past month.I’m doing everything I can to fight for them. I’d love to fight for that great part of our country again, it’s a wonderful part of our nation where we pioneered

Investigators find explosives in car, which crashed into Multnomah Athletic Club shortly before 3am SaturdayA person was found dead after a vehicle plowed into a health club in downtown Portland, Oregon, early Saturday morning, police said. Investigators later found explosives inside the car.Portland police and the Portland fire and rescue department responded to the Multnomah Athletic Club shortly before 3am after the vehicle crashed through the front entrance and caught fire. Once the blaze was brought under control, a person was found dead inside the vehicle, police said in a statement. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/02/portland-oregon-health-club-crash Author : Guardian

Republicans blame Biden administration block on JetBlue deal; Democrats point to fuel price surge amid Iran warSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email US airlines and government officials battled on Saturday to deal with stranded passengers and stricken employees after discount carrier Spirit Airlines abruptly ceased operations – and a political and business blame game got under way over the collapse of the low-cost carrier.“If you have a flight scheduled with Spirit Airlines, don’t show up at the airport; there will be no one here to assist you,” the US secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, warned at a

Four people are in hospital, with one 25-year-old man facing life-threatening injuriesA drive-by shooting in Brixton which left four people in hospital on Saturday has been called “an act of indiscriminate violence” by police.Shots were fired in the early hours on Coldharbour Lane in the south London area, leaving one 25-year-old man in hospital with life-threatening injuries. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/may/02/brixton-drive-by-shooting-violence-met-police Author : Charlie Moloney Publish date : 2026-05-02 16:57:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Tory leader says she did not sign off on video attacking Labour’s Troubles legacy proposals Kemi Badenoch has apologised after footage from Bloody Sunday was used in social media posts criticising a bill on legacy issues in Northern Ireland.The Conservative leader said on Saturday that she did not sign off on the use of a clip from the massacre, in which British soldiers opened fire on unarmed civil rights demonstrators in Derry, and that it was distributed by “very young people”. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/02/kemi-badenoch-social-media-posts-bloody-sunday-footage Author : Geraldine McKelvie Publish date : 2026-05-02 14:20:00 Copyright for syndicated content