Judge approves $425 million Capital One settlement. Here's what to know.

The settlement stems from claims Capital One paid lower interest on older savings accounts while offering higher rates on a similar product.

EU approves €90bn loan for Ukraine and fresh Russia sanctions – Europe live

Move comes after Hungary and Slovakia dropped opposition following reopening of the Druzhba oil pipeline

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Kyiv will seek to receive the first tranche of the €90bn European Union loan by the end of May, or early June.

“This is strengthening of our army,” he told reporters in a WhatsApp chat, reported by Reuters.

U.S. forces board Iran-linked vessel amid tit-for-tat ship interdictions

U.S. forces have intercepted and boarded another "stateless" vessel linked to Iran, the U.S. military says.

Trump administration moves to reclassify marijuana to schedule III drug

Marijuana had same classification as heroin, LSD and others before Trump signed an order to move it to schedule III

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The Trump administration has moved to reclassify marijuana, more than four months after Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the attorney general to move it from schedule I to schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.

The schedule I classification meant marijuana was alongside heroin, LSD, MDMA and synthetic opioids, whereas a schedule III classification put it in the same category as ketamine, anabolic steroids and testosterone.

Middle East crisis live: US and Iran in blockade stalemate as Pentagon reportedly says clearing strait of Hormuz could take six months

Leaked assessment says clearing mines could take half a year; US navy secretary leaves office ‘immediately’

• ‘Impossible’ to reopen strait of Hormuz amid ‘flagrant’ ceasefire breaches, Iran says

The Pentagon abruptly announced that the secretary of the US navy, John Phelan, would be leaving his job yesterday. No reason was given for the unexpected departure of the navy’s top civilian official, who had addressed a large crowd of sailors and industry professionals at the navy’s annual conference in Washington just a day before the announcement.

People familiar with the dynamics at the Pentagon told the Guardian Phelan was fired. Phelan had an increasingly rocky relationship with the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, and other senior staff.

What’s missing? Everything But the Girl’s 20 greatest songs – ranked!

With their sublime confection of heartbreak and dancefloor power, Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt have never sounded like anyone else. Thirty years since Walking Wounded, here’s the duo’s very best

Releasing a version of the Cole Porter standard – previously recorded by Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald – as a debut single should have been an act of hubris. But Everything But the Girl’s (EBTG) version is fantastic, dolefully understated, effectively relocating the song to a grim bedsit in early 80s Britain.

Getting teeth pulled out, punching cars and obsessing about salad – the weird ways actors get into character

Carey Mulligan and Oscar Isaac decided to wear earbuds so they could listen to music while acting in Beef – resulting in massive VFX costs. But they’re the tip of the iceberg when it comes to wild onset choices…

Come awards season, you probably wouldn’t think that the second season of Netflix’s Beef would be a contender for many visual-effects gongs. After all, while it is tight, tense and sublimely acted, it is ultimately a small ensemble piece grounded in some form of reality.

But you might be wrong, since it has emerged that VFX artists had to painstakingly paint out earbuds worn by Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan throughout the shoot. On a recent podcast appearance, the show’s creator, Lee Sung Jin, told Isaac and Mulligan that digitally erasing the earwigs, as they are known, “cost a fortune”.

A close look at the U.S.-Mexico border as crossings hit 55-year low

Illegal crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border have fallen to a 55-year low after skyrocketing several years ago. It comes amid a violent crackdown this year by the Trump administration in some major U.S. cities. Camilo Montoya-Galvez reports.

Senate Republicans bypass Democrats to advance $70bn ICE and border patrol plan in ‘vote-a-rama’– US politics live

Republicans deploy measure known as budget reconciliation to push through plan without backing from Democrats during lengthy late-night vote

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A reminder that my colleagues are covering the latest developments out of the Middle East at our dedicated live blog. This includes the news that the Pentagon abruptly announced that the secretary of the US navy, John Phelan, would be leaving his job on Wednesday.

Phelan’s departure is the latest in a series of shake-ups of top leadership at the defense department, all while the US blockade of Iranian ports in the strait of Hormuz continues.

Southwest Airlines forecasts quarterly earnings below estimates on higher fuel

The airline reported that revenue in its first-quarter period rose nearly 13% to $7.25 billion.

Police hunt 17-year-old suspect in shooting near University of Iowa

Iowa City police are searching for a 17-year-old suspect charged in connection with a shooting that injured five near the University of Iowa over the weekend.

Families concerned over disappearance of 2 doctoral students: "It's very unusual"

Police in Tampa are searching for two doctoral students at the University of South Florida who haven't been seen for a week. Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both from Bangladesh, were last seen on April 16. Their families spoke to Cristian Benavides.

European football: Lamine Yamal’s Barcelona season over but he should be fit for World Cup

• Forward injured left hamstring against Celta Vigo

• PSG stay in Ligue 1 title hunt with victory over Nantes

Lamine Yamal will miss the rest of Barcelona’s season with a hamstring injury but is expected to be available for Spain at the World Cup, his club said on Thursday. The 18-year-old limped off during Wednesday’s 1-0 league win over Celta Vigo after scoring the only goal from the penalty spot.

“The tests carried out have confirmed that first-team player Lamine Yamal has a hamstring injury in his left leg (biceps femoris muscle),” Barcelona posted on X. “The player will follow a conservative treatment plan. Lamine Yamal will miss the remainder of the season, and he is expected to be available for the World Cup.“

Army soldier's wife still faces deportation to Mexico after confusion over possible release

The wife of an Army soldier, who has been detained by ICE for more than a week, told her husband she was going to be released. But the family's attorney said ICE was instead processing the woman for deportation. She remains in custody and faces deportation to Mexico, since she's legally protected from being sent to her native El Salvador.

Massive wildfires in Georgia destroy dozens of homes

Wildfires in southeast Georgia have burned through homes and neighborhoods. Nearly 100 firefighters are battling the Pineland Road Fire, which has exploded to more than 29,000 acres. Meanwhile, in Brantley County, Georgia, more than 50 homes have been lost and 1,000 more are threatened.

Trump administration in discussions with Spirit Airlines over possible bailout

The Trump administration is in advanced discussions with budget carrier Spirit Airlines over a possible bailout worth up to $500 million, sources familiar with the negotiations say. Kris Van Cleave reports.

Philippines’ ex-president Rodrigo Duterte to face trial for crimes against humanity

ICC judges say there are substantial grounds to believe Duterte guided anti-drugs crackdown that killed thousands

The former president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, will face trial at the international criminal court (ICC) after judges unanimously confirmed charges of crimes against humanity over his “war on drugs”.

Pre-trial judges concluded on Thursday that there were substantial grounds to believe Duterte was responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder and attempted murder in relation to anti-drugs crackdowns that led to the killing of thousands of people.

American Airlines CEO says merger with United would be 'bad for customers'

United CEO Scott Kirby floated the idea of a merger with American to a Trump administration official earlier this year, according to sources.

Migrants struggle back across Latin America after Trump shuts asylum door: ‘It’s hard to know what to do’

US policy shift leaves 300,000 in limbo retrace perilous journeys south, searching for stability

Two small scars on either side of his left thigh remind Mario Torres of the worst day he has had during the two-plus years he has spent on the road crisscrossing Latin America searching for a stable life.

Torres fled Venezuela in 2018, when he was just 18 years old. After a stint in Colombia and Peru, he lived in Chile for four years. When cost-of-living increases started to make life less tenable, he decided to leave in September 2024 and head towards the United States. Torres rode buses, boats and trains, and also walked, crossing nine countries – a journey that took months.

Chinese hackers are using everyday devices to hack UK firms, warns watchdog

Britain’s cybersecurity agency says companies must step up vigilance to prevent espionage attacks

• Business live – latest updates

British businesses are being urged to step up their vigilance against a China-linked hacking ploy that uses everyday devices for espionage.

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and agencies in nine other countries have warned of persistent attempts by Beijing-backed groups to hack equipment such as wifi routers to launch cyber-attacks.

American Airlines cuts 2026 earnings projections after surge in jet fuel

American Airlines cut its 2026 earnings forecast, becoming the latest airline to lower its outlook after a surge in fuel costs added billions to its expenses.

​Folded​, whipped or baked into something golden, ricotta ​i​s brilliant and adaptable

This soft, whey‑born staple slips effortlessly from savoury suppers to indulgent celebratory desserts while keeping its cool, milky charm

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My record for making ricotta and lemon ring cake is three minutes and 42 seconds. That doesn’t include heating the oven or baking, or finding a recipe, which is in my head. It does include getting out the utensils (bowl, spatula, grater, scale, ring tin) and the ingredients (ricotta, olive oil, flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, lemons), then speed-mixing everything in one bowl, scraping the batter into the tin and getting the tin in the oven via a discus throw. The timer is stopped as the oven door is closed. This is not relaxing cooking, it is entertaining cooking. And it is gratifying, having proved my partner wrong when he said it would take me at least five minutes.

I was disappointed, then, to find myself on terrible form the other day, when a chocolate-chip version of the same ring cake took me five minutes and 19 seconds. In my defence, I had difficulty getting the glass bowl out of an impractical stack, and we had run out of chocolate chips, which meant I had to find a knife and chop up a bar instead. Even so, it was an absymal performance. There was some consolation in the cake itself, which is not only the quickest, but one of the best cakes I know. The ricotta adds creamy depth and the olive oil provides fat, and together they make for a tender, moist, everyday cake that is best eaten warm, when the bits of chocolate are still hot enough to be little pools.

Chelsea players want new manager to be big character who can command respect

• Squad viewed Rosenior as too inexperienced

• Iraola and Fàbregas are potential candidates for job

Chelsea’s players feel Liam Rosenior’s successor needs to be a big character who can command the respect of the dressing room and keep strong egos in line.

With the search under way for the sixth permanent manager of the BlueCo era, it is understood the squad are keen for a shift in focus after failing to connect with Rosenior before his time at Stamford Bridge ended three months into a six-and-a-half-year deal.

Former boss at Lucy Letby’s hospital arrested on suspicion of perverting course of justice

Suspect is one of three ex-senior leaders also arrested last year on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter

A former boss at the hospital where Lucy Letby worked has been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

Police arrested the suspect on Wednesday as part of an investigation into allegations of gross negligence manslaughter by former senior leaders at the Countess of Chester hospital.

Tensions rise in two ceasefires in the Middle East. And, the Navy secretary ousted

Tensions are rising in the Middle East as shaky ceasefire agreements between the U.S., Israel and Iran, and Lebanon and Israel, are tested. And, the Secretary of the Navy is out of the role.

U.S. seizes another oil tanker as peace talks with Iran still in limbo

The seizure comes after President Trump told Fox News Wednesday that there was "no time pressure" on the ceasefire with Iran, which he has extended indefinitely.

Russell Brand says he had ‘exploitative’ consensual sex with girl, 16, at height of his fame

Brand, who will be tried in October over allegations of rape and sexual assault, tells podcast he slept with 16-year-old when he was 30

Russell Brand said he had “exploitative” consensual sex with a 16-year-old girl at the height of his fame.

The comedian, actor and podcaster, 50, will be tried in the autumn over allegations of rape and sexual assault made against him by six women. Brand denies all the charges, which date from 1999 to 2009. Speaking about his past actions in an appearance on the YouTube show of the US journalist Megyn Kelly, Brand described himself “selfish” and an “exploiter of women”.

Trump's lack of focus on economy is spooking Republicans as 2026 election looms

President Donald Trump has been posting a lot on social media about his White House ballroom, the Iran war, and Pope Leo XIV. Not much about rising gas prices.

Head-on train collision near Copenhagen leaves five critically injured

At least 18 people hurt after crash involving two local services north of Denmark’s capital

Two trains have collided head-on in Denmark, injuring at least 18 people, five of whom are in a critical condition.

The crash happened on Thursday morning at a level crossing at Isterødvejen, near Hillerød, a town about 19 miles (30km) north-west of Copenhagen. Emergency services received a report of the collision just before 6.30am.

Noah Kahan: The Great Divide review | Alexis Petridis's album of the week

(Mercury)
All but repeating the formula of his breakout album, Kahan seems torn between whether success is sustainable or even repeatable on songs defiantly rooted in small-town life

Last week, Netflix released a feature-length documentary about Noah Kahan called Out of Body. Over its 90 minutes, we learn that the 29-year-old Stick Season singer-songwriter is a worrier – about his weight, his career, his parents – and prefers his home state of Vermont to his new home in Nashville. He is self-deprecating, likable and perhaps not someone you can make a 90-minute documentary about at this stage of their career without recourse to padding.

That someone has tried says a lot about Kahan’s vertiginous rise over the last three years, a firm rebuttal to the idea that the privations of lockdown had changed the face of pop: that listeners were now after glitzy escapism rather than the dressed-down, earnest introspection of the post-Ed Sheeran troubadours this newspaper dubbed “the ordinary boys”. In fact, a new wave of dressed-down introspection was about to become a thing: Myles Smith is playing arenas, Alex Warren’s single Ordinary spent 13 weeks at No 1; Teddy Swims’ I’ve Tried Everything Except Therapy spent more than two years in the UK album chart. And the biggest thing of all is Kahan, who used to introduce himself on stage as “the Jewish Ed Sheeran”, has a thing for the stomp-clap rhythms of Mumford & Sons and stirs a little heartland rock – Springsteen via Sam Fender – into his sound. He was catapulted to success by Stick Season in 2022: a sweet, sad shiver of autumnal wistfulness written from the perspective of someone left behind in their home town when their friends and ex-girlfriend head off to university. It sold 10m copies, the first of eight huge hits from an album of the same name.

The no-go zone paradox: Chornobyl’s wildlife thrives amid pro-nuclear shift

World’s worst nuclear disaster leaves mixed legacy of nature’s resilience amid serious contamination, as wars increase lobbying for energy supply

Forty years on from the world’s worst nuclear disaster, Chornobyl is still contaminated with almost half the caesium-137 that exploded from the Unit 4 reactor in 1986, as well as much longer-lived hazards such as plutonium, tritium and americium. But according to some experts, the long-term affects on nature may be less than if the area had been left to humans, resulting in unexpected consequences in an environment left to its own devices.

The reminder of the protracted fallout from Chornobyl was made ahead of Sunday’s anniversary, which coincides with renewed lobbying for nuclear power and a rise in fears about atomic brinkmanship due to the oil crisis and wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

I went to a gory serial killer exhibit – has America’s true crime obsession gone too far?

The ‘experience’ in New York sensationalizes history’s most gruesome murders – and pays little respect to the victims

It occurred to me the second I idly tapped “submit” on the waiver required to enter Mind of a Serial Killer: the Experience – perhaps I should have read this one more closely. Just what were they going to do to me in there?

I was entering an exhibit about the (mostly) men who committed some of history’s most gruesome murders: Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ed Gein, John Wayne Gacy and others. The extravaganza just hit New York after opening in Dublin earlier this year. Though it looks like a low-budget haunted house, the exhibit purports to examine the motives of murder via crime scene recreations, wall texts and psychological profiles.

Taraji P Henson: ‘It’s exhausting to have to fight for my worth’

The Oscar-nominee on Hollywood burnout, Black resilience and her Broadway debut in August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone

On a Wednesday evening in midtown New York, generations X through Z spill out of the Ethel Barrymore Theatre to cluster around the venue’s side stage door. They’re waiting for Taraji P Henson.

“I feel like I’m Cardi B on tour,” Henson jokes. When we talk over a video call this April, the actor is one week out from the opening night of her Broadway debut in the revival of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. Throughout the show’s preview period, Henson has made an effort to make it out to street level after performances to shake hands, take pictures and sign playbills. “It’s good to see my fans like this, up close and personal,” she says.

Two startlingly different views on long-awaited data on America's anti-HIV efforts

After a year without data, the State Department released figures on PEPFAR, the program launched by George W. Bush and credited with saving millions of lives. How did Trump's aid cuts affect it?

Olly Robbins refused to give Mandelson vetting summary to Cabinet Office, says Cat Little

In evidence to MPs, Cabinet Office top civil servant disputes that her department suggested vetting might not be needed

• UK politics live – latest updates

Olly Robbins refused to hand Peter Mandelson’s vetting summary to the Cabinet Office, the civil servant who leads the department has said.

The summary – which would have revealed that Robbins, the now-sacked Foreign Office head, had granted Mandelson clearance against the advice of security officials – was instead provided to Cat Little by UK Security Vetting (UKSV), she told MPs.

Spanish conservatives revive regional pacts with far-right Vox party

Hard line on immigration adopted by People’s party as right seeks to overthrow socialist government in 2027

• Europe live – latest updates

Spain’s opposition conservatives are rekindling their regional pacts with the far-right Vox party by adopting the latter’s hard line on immigration. It comes less than two years after disagreements over the issue led to the collapse of coalition administrations in five of the country’s self-governing regions.

The renewal of the regional deals between the People’s party (PP) and Vox comes prior to next year’s general election and as Spain’s socialist government seeks to extol the benefits of immigration by regularising the status of at least 500,000 undocumented migrants.

Bibby Stockholm asylum barge contractor admits overcharging UK government £118m

Australia’s Corporate Travel Management is ‘negotiating commercial arrangements’ to refund the money

The Australian company that ran the Bibby Stockholm asylum barge has admitted it overcharged the British government by £118m.

Corporate Travel Management (CTM) said its auditor had found evidence of “erroneous billing” of its UK clients, increasing its estimate of how much it owes the government by £40m.

Why are White House journalists partying with Trump? | Margaret Sullivan

The White House correspondents’ dinner has always been a questionable affair. It’s even more worrying under an anti-press administration

Even in the pre-Trump era, I had reservations about the annual black-tie celebration in Washington that some have dubbed “the nerd prom” but is more formally known as the White House correspondents’ dinner.

Was it really a wise idea, I wondered, for Washington DC journalists and their bosses to chum around with the very government officials that they were supposed to be covering? Shouldn’t reporters maintain some critical distance? What about the “optics” of this much-publicized event (and the week of gala festivities surrounding it) that made journalists appear frivolous about holding the government accountable to the public? Given the American public’s rock-bottom trust in traditional media, hasn’t this annual, televised display worsened that problem?

The international right has CPAC. Has the left finally found its answer? | Owen Jones

Spain’s PM, Pedro Sánchez, hosted the inaugural meeting of the Global Progressive Mobilisation. Keir Starmer and other social democrats were notable by their absence

Can progressives push back the rising tide of authoritarianism? Thousands of people gathered in Barcelona this weekend in search of an answer. The occasion was the inaugural Global Progressive Mobilisation – an ambitious initiative backed by the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez – which drew an impressive cast: Brazil’s Lula, Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum, Colombia’s Gustavo Petro and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, alongside many activists and civil society organisations. There was no shortage of targets in the discussion panels and speeches: Donald Trump, fascism, war, corporate power and Israel’s genocide.

What was striking, though, was who wasn’t there. Europe’s leaders were largely absent. That was inevitable, given that Spain stands alone as the only major European country governed by a meaningfully progressive administration. Keir Starmer’s failure to attend – even if his deputy, David Lammy, turned up – was hardly surprising. Indeed, the political distance between Starmer and a leader such as Sánchez is striking. Once little known beyond his own country, the Spanish PM’s outspoken opposition to Israel’s genocide in Gaza and his unequivocal condemnation of the Iran war have won him respect among European publics and governments across the global south alike.

Owen Jones is a Guardian columnist

The 2026 NFL Draft is tonight. Here's when and how to watch.

Here is what to know about where and when to watch the 2026 NFL Draft.

2026 NFL Draft first round order shows when your team will get their next picks

The 2026 NFL Draft is Thursday night. Here is the order of picks for Round 1.

Sycophantic AI flatters and suggests you are not to blame

The AI models and chatbots that we interact with tend to affirm our feelings and viewpoints — more so than people do, with potentially worrisome consequences.

AI is fueling a surge in crypto fraud schemes, IRS investigators say

One woman's entire life savings was stolen from her by sophisticated scammers who used artificial intelligence to perfectly manipulate her.

Anthropic looks to hire six-figure role for negotiating data center deals to fuel Europe AI expansion

U.S. tech giants have announced huge infrastructure expenditure in 2026 as they look to scale the deployment of AI.

EU risks fallout with US over Trump-linked Balkans pipeline plan

Exclusive: Brussels seeks to stall awarding of contract to firm fronted by US president’s lawyer in letter seen by Guardian

The EU risks a confrontation with Donald Trump after it sought to stall the awarding of a lucrative Balkans pipeline contract to a company fronted by his personal lawyer, documents seen by the Guardian show.

Brussels has clashed with Trump over trade, Ukraine and military spending, but the intervention in the Southern Interconnection pipeline project appears to mark the first time it has challenged a commercial venture by those close to the president.

Criminal gangs profiting as child sexual abuse websites double, experts say

Analyst who worked on Internet Watch Foundation report says content exists ‘across all social media platforms’ and is ‘very easy’ to find

The number of commercial child sexual abuse websites has doubled in a year as experts say that criminal gangs are making “huge profits” from online sexual exploitation.

According to data collected by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), 15,031 commercial child sexual abuse sites were found in 2025, compared with 7,028 found in 2024, a 114% increase.

Sex, drugs and going Maga: what does Netflix’s Hulk Hogan series tell us?

The four-part docuseries Hulk Hogan: Real American shows the almighty rise and bleak fall of a one-time wrestling hero who became closer friends with Donald Trump

It’s an interesting move that Netflix has taken recently, buying the rights to WWE programming while simultaneously commissioning documentaries about how fundamentally flawed its stars are. Nevertheless, after the success of its Vince McMahon series, it was only a matter of time before it made a series about wrestling’s biggest and most complicated star. And now it is here, in the form of Hulk Hogan: Real American.

Few wrestlers have risen quite as high or fallen quite as low as Hogan, born Terry Bollea. For a considerable stretch of time, Hogan was the WWE; a bundle of imminently marketable tricks and quirks that gave him the nod over all the other grunting men in pants who made up the sport.

Bonobos enjoy pretend tea parties and chimps think rationally: why apes are more like us than we ever thought

A series of stunning findings about great apes’ mental capabilities in recent years has transformed how we see our closest relatives

Clear plastic cups and pitchers adorned the wooden table in Des Moines, Iowa. Invisible juice was poured and presented to Kanzi, who enthusiastically chose the fake filled cup, playing along with the man who had come to visit. In many ways, it was the quintessential scene of a children’s imaginary tea party. Only Kanzi, at 44 years old, was a bonobo.

The experiment, carried out at the Ape Initiative facility in 2024, was the first to empirically test and document pretend play in a great ape species, with the results published in the journal Science in February. The study adds to an expansive repertoire of research over the past decade that has uncovered robust similarities between ape and human behaviours, upending long-held beliefs about how we distinguish ourselves from our closest kin.

NFL 2026 draft predictions: the stars, the needs and the lower-round gems

Our writers take a look at the best prospects coming out of college, and which teams need to nail their picks over the coming days

Arvell Reese, LB/Edge, Ohio State. He is one of the best pure linebacker prospects in a generation, and he has the athletic traits to become a full-time edge defender. Some teams view him as a linebacker; those at the top of the board prefer him as an edge rusher. In an ideal world, Reese will do a bit of everything. Think Philly’s Zack Baun on Super Soldier Serum. Reese has a rare combination of smarts, speed and power. Whichever role he plays, he will be a force multiplier for a defense. OC

How TikTok is driving American expats to Southeast Asia

Americans who moved to Vietnam and Thailand say their lives are now lower-stress and lower-cost. But glamorous videos on TikTok don't tell the whole story.

World Press Photo announces Photo of the Year 2026

The executive director of World Press Photo said this image shows the inconsolable grief of children losing their father in a place built for justice. It is a stark and necessary record of family separation following the U.S. reform policies.

‘They tore up everything’: the wolf hunters of Kyrgyzstan – in pictures

In the remote village of Ottuk, men protect their precious sheep by heading into the mountains. Luke Oppenheimer went to photograph them … and stayed for four years

With his Bible readings, Trump is doubling down on his God complex. Somehow, evangelical Christians are buying it | Emma Brockes

The US president is making a desperate plea to the one group that seemingly hasn’t deserted him – yet

He has lost the Catholics, the foreign policy isolationists and the millions of people affected by ICE’s immigration raids. But Donald Trump is still counting on the goodwill of one powerful constituency of American voters, to whom he appealed this week by reading a passage from the Bible urging people to repent their “wicked ways”. A lot of thoughts spring to mind in relation to this, but at the very forefront, one question: do the US’s evangelical Christians, who overwhelmingly support Trump, have a red line and if so, can they find it with both hands?

I’m stating the obvious but it’s worth raising again, if only to boggle at the sheer shamelessness of a religious community that has thrown in its lot with Trump: how on earth do the evangelicals work out the maths on this? Let’s remind ourselves of the facts; that the president treating us to a section of the Old Testament as part of a week-long, continuous public reading of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation – separation of church and state, anyone? – is the same president who has, variously, been found by courts to have falsified business records, as part of a hush-money payment scheme to a porn star, Stormy Daniels, and sexually abused and defamed E Jean Carroll. As the president intoned to camera in the Oval Office on Tuesday: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist

Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 review – this spinoff takes the sci-fi smash back to happier times

Walkie-talkies, teen romance, hideous monsters … this animated series has everything that made the original series so lovable. It might go nowhere, but that’s not such a bad thing

Stranger Things takes us back to simpler times. The original Netflix series plonked us in a fantasy past where kids in small American towns rode bikes, chewed gum, listened to cassettes and played Dungeons and Dragons in their friend’s basement; or, if you weren’t American, it reminded you of movies you’d seen where that was the vibe. Either way, it was access to an era before the internet, 9/11, the banking crash, the pandemic and Trump, when life seemed easier.

The cartoon spin-off Tales from ’85 does something similar for Stranger Things itself. It rewinds to a happy, straightforward time, namely between seasons two and three. In that moment, the world of Hawkins, Indiana had been established, but we were yet to endure the show’s bumpy late period, when it got long and boring, then supersized itself and became breathtakingly spectacular, then lost control of the monster it had created and became both spectacular and boring at the same time.

The life of PIs: the strange case of 2026’s resurgence of hard-boiled detectives

Boozing, grumpy, brilliant TV private eyes never really went away, but now they’re sleuthing with renewed vigour. Why is the noir detective back with a vengeance – and is it a bad omen?

Lace up your gumshoes! Hard-boiled detectives are back on the scene, fedoras pulled low, cigarettes sparked up. Nicolas Cage is leading the charge in Prime Video’s Spider-Noir, a shadowy spin on Spider-Man that drops in May – available to stream in black-and-white for the diehards. It promises all the hard-edged hallmarks of a good film noir: fast-paced, slangy dialogue, femme fatales, and a heavy-drinking detective at its centre – albeit one with web shooters rather than a snub-nose revolver.

He’s not the only PI in the frame this year. Apple TV is adapting Philip Kerr’s Berlin Noir series into a series starring Colin Firth, while a new NBC pilot promises Jake Johnson as a “cynical and heartbroken” sleuth. And Brad Bird’s animated noir, Ray Gunn, is finally hitting Netflix after almost 30 years in development.

Leaving present? Eva Olid takes Hearts Women within sight of historic title

Spanish manager has led Edinburgh side to top of Scottish Premier League and a showdown with Rangers looms

Hearts have an opportunity to move one step closer to making history when they face Rangers on Friday. Hearts have never won the Scottish Women’s Premier League but they sit top of the table, one point above their opponents and two ahead of the country’s most successful women’s team, Glasgow City, with five games remaining.

Win or lose, lift a first league title or not, the rise of the Edinburgh side has been remarkable and their manager, Eva Olid, has been a hugely significant part of the journey.

You be the judge: my partner’s hair cream is toxic for our pets. Should he give it up?

Steven uses a mousse to prevent his hair thinning, but Mabel thinks it’s risky for their cat and dog. Whose argument contains a strand of truth?

• Find out how to get a disagreement settled or become a juror

The mousse he uses puts our animals at risk. I would like him to switch treatments

I’m really careful with the cream and always keep it away from our pets. Plus, it works

‘We’re attached to this land like a tree is rooted in soil’: unexpectedly timely exhibition speaks up for the people of south Lebanon

While the population of southern Lebanon have sometimes felt abandoned by their own state, a show in London told their stories and celebrated their resistance

In one room of London’s Palestine House, a large screen plays looped news footage from southern Lebanon. Tanks and armoured vehicles plough their way through a rural landscape of hills and villages, amid frequent interruptions of mortar fire. As a person turns away from the screen, she says that “it’s like watching the news now”.

For all its similarities to current events, the archival video actually dates from 2000 – the year of Israel’s withdrawal from the region, following an 18-year-long military occupation. Another corner of the room plays host to broadsheet pages from newspapers of the time, including a front-page report from the Guardian’s then Middle East correspondent, Suzanne Goldenberg.

Trump administration flies 10-year-old back from Cuba amid custody fight

President Trump's Department of Justice sent a plane this week to Cuba to return a 10-year-old from Utah who is at the center of a custody fight involving the child's gender identity.

The Asset Class by Hettie O’Brien review – the hidden hand of private equity

From utilities to care homes, how capital’s most rapacious form yet is taking over the public realm

This is a dark tale. In its opening scene the author is in conversation with a textile artist in her workshop under the arches in Deptford – arguably one of the last neighbourhoods that credibly sustains London’s claim to be a city that supports creativity. Guardian journalist Hettie O’Brien listens to her talk about rising rents as the railway’s lands are sold to new, invisible owners. The arches have become assets to be traded, and as a result the artist will soon be forced to ply her own trade elsewhere. Behind this story, and many others, lies the hand of private equity. The vast profits reaped by investors, and the toll on society, are all described here in lucid and highly readable prose.

Private equity partnerships are groups of individual and institutional investors with deep pockets. O’Brien traces their rise following the era of deregulation inaugurated by Reagan and Thatcher, and details how Blackstone, the Qatar Investment Authority, Macquarie, KKR and others have bought undervalued assets using borrowed money to minimise their exposure to risk. What happens next is that costs, wages and investment in the future are frequently cut to the bone in the cause of exceptionally high returns.

A catastrophic climate event is upon us. Here is why you’ve heard so little about it | George Monbiot

Scientists say a crucial Atlantic system is more likely to collapse than previously thought. But the billionaire death cult that steers humanity’s destiny doesn’t do existential crises

The poor and middle pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the very rich pay lawyers – and the ultra-rich pay politicians. It’s not an original remark, but it bears repeating until everyone has heard it. The more money billionaires accumulate, the greater their control of the political system – which means they pay less tax, which means they accumulate more, which means their control intensifies.

They reshape the world to suit their demands. One of the symptoms of the pathology known as “billionaire brain” is an inability to see beyond their own short-term gain. They would sack the planet for a few more stones on the pointless mountain of wealth. And we can see it happening. Last week delivered the biggest news of the year so far, perhaps the biggest news of the century. But partly because billionaires own most of the media, most people never heard it. We might find ourselves committed to a civilisation-ending event before we even learn that such a thing is possible.

George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist

A fashion-lover’s guide to Antwerp, Europe’s alternative style capital

In the 1980s ‘the Antwerp Six’ put Flanders on the fashion map. Now a major new exhibition celebrates the designers’ legacy and provides the perfect excuse to visit Belgium’s vibrant second city

You know you’re in a city that takes its fashion seriously when even the Virgin Mary is dressed head to toe in couture. A short walk from Antwerp’s old town, with its ornate medieval guild houses and cobblestone streets, is the baroque church of St Andrews. Like many of the city’s Catholic churches, it has beautiful stained glass windows, an exuberantly carved wooden pulpit and more artworks by Flemish masters than you can shake an incense stick at. But we’re here to pay homage to an art form of a different kind.

In a quiet chapel, an elegant 16th-century wooden statue of the Madonna is clothed not in her usual blue cloak, but a dress of pale gauzy fabric, trimmed with a collar of white pigeon feathers, custom made by renowned Belgian fashion designer Ann Demeulemeester. It’s a bold statement but one that’s entirely in-keeping with a city where a love of fashion seems woven into the fabric of everyday life.

Thursday news quiz: insurance scams, drinking games and errors of biblical proportions

Test yourself on topical news trivia, pop culture and general knowledge every Thursday. How will you fare?

It is time for the Thursday news quiz, where you must cling on to knowledge with both hands – even if, thanks to our quirky illustration by Anaïs Mims, they seem to have curled themselves into question marks. Like our primate friend above, you may find yourself swinging wildly between certainty and guesswork. Fifteen questions on the week’s news and culture await. There are no prizes, but we always enjoy hearing how you got on in the comments. Allons-y!

The Thursday news quiz, No 244

Rachel Roddy’s recipe for almond and lemon spiced treacle tart | A kitchen in Rome

Some desserts never go out of fashion – even medieval ones – and, with its nutty, spiced almond and dried fruit filling, this treacle tart-alike is one of them

It wasn’t that dessert trolleys were banned in Italy during Covid, but guidelines from the Instituto Superiore di Sanità (national institute of health) were so (necessarily) rigorous around these “potential vehicles of the virus” that most places banished them to storerooms. Happily, many restaurants have since retrieved them from their long stay, so they glide or rattle between tables once more, or sit parked in an admirable position. This isn’t my first time mentioning the dessert trolley at La Torricella here in Testaccio, having written about its fabulous puff pastry and cream millefoglie in the past. But another dessert that might catch your eye as you enter the restaurant and look right at the cloth-covered trolley parked under the bar is what owner Augusto refers to as torta medievale, because of its spiced almond and dried fruit filling. It’s an unassuming but extremely good thing.

The torta medievale also reminds me of a favourite among favourites: treacle tart, which is, of course, made with golden syrup, whose story began in 1881 when the Scottish businessman Abram Lyle set up a sugar refinery in London. The process involved extracting juice from sugar cane, then boiling down this juice and moulding it into sugar loaves, which could then be grated as required. One of the byproducts of this process was a bitter, molasses-brown treacle, which was initially sold as animal feed, but later, thanks to the work of the chemist, further refined into a viscous, sweet syrup nicknamed “Goldie”, which was stored in barrels and distributed to staff and friends. Over time, though, seeing its popularity, the partially inverted refined syrup was given the name golden syrup and packaged in tins that remain so familiar: dark green with a dead gold lion swarmed by bees. It’s an image from Samson’s Riddle in the book of Judges, in which Samson, returning to the lion he has killed, finds that bees have created a honeycomb in the carcass, which also gives rise to the words on the tin, “out of the strong came forth sweetness”, and reminds one of Lyle’s strong faith.

Has the world grown weary of art biennials? In search of an antidote, a Portuguese festival turns to anarchism

Art festivals can fill abandoned buildings with new life – or clear a path for property developers. Coimbra’s Anozero is trying out a more confrontational approach

If you decide to spend a night at Coimbra’s Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova in the near future, do bear in mind that the place is almost certainly haunted. Disembodied children’s voices echo around the first floor of the 17th century convent perched atop a hill in the Portuguese university city, overlooking the medieval centre from across the Mondego river.

In the garages, dry foliage has been arranged in geometric shapes, as if in preparation for a wicca ritual. You need the nerves of a ghost-hunter to walk through the pitch-black ground-floor corridor of the dormitory wing, lit only by a neon strip at either end, where tortured wails ambush you from the monkish cells. Sung in Albanian, Chinese, Kurdish, Kyrgyz and Turkish, these laments are part of an installation by US artist Taryn Simon, but they feel like spectral reminders of the nuns who lived in these quarters for two centuries.

Pilot’s selfie led to mid-air collision in F-15K fighter jet, says South Korea’s air force

One pilot ordered to repay some of the $600,000 of damage caused by collision in 2021

South Korea’s air force has apologised for a 2021 mid-air collision involving two fighter jets, a day after auditors said pilots were taking selfies and filming during the flight and held them responsible for the accident.

“We sincerely apologise to the public for the concern caused by the accident that occurred in 2021,” an air force spokesperson said in a press briefing. The spokesperson said one of the pilots involved had been suspended from flying duties, received severe disciplinary action and has since left the military.

One ship, three deaths: the shocking truth behind working conditions on a Chinese fishing vessel

Damning testimony from the crew of one longline tuna-fishing boat has lifted the lid on the treatment of workers in the fleets supplying fish to the UK and EU

Abdul was the first to fall sick, in February 2025, four months into his first ever stint on a longline tuna fishing vessel in the Indian Ocean. Told he was “weak” and “overreacting” by other crew members, he forced himself to keep working, even when he could barely stand, his legs swollen and bruised.

In the months that followed, other crew members of the Tai Xiang 5, a Chinese vessel belonging to Shandong Zhonglu Oceanic Fisheries, a large state-owned fishing company, allegedly began to suffer similar symptoms: swollen, painful limbs and debilitating weakness, with some becoming very short of breath. They were offered no proper medical care, claims Abdul, 36, nor rest from the gruelling 16-hour days, for which they earned 4.6m Indonesian rupiah (about £198) a month.

‘Lawrence is karma’: the gangster who became an icon of Modi’s India

Lawrence Bishnoi has been in high-security custody for more than a decade. During that time, he has been linked to multiple high-profile killings, both in India and as far afield as Canada. What explains his seemingly undimmed power?

The border that separates India from Pakistan is lined with 50,000 towering poles that hold 150,000 floodlights, which at night create a glare that is visible from outer space. Passing through the towns on the Indian side of the border, it can be difficult to tell, even in daylight, where one ends and the other begins. Curving along the rolling fields of wheat are nameless dirt roads where men sit on rope benches, whiling away their afternoons, staring as you pass by.

Dutarawali, right by the highway, is slightly different: here, the houses are big, with spacious courtyards. One of the houses – three storeys, painted white with red accents – has a 7ft boundary wall topped with barbed wire and four CCTV cameras overlooking the unpaved street. The symbol of Om is curled on its brown iron door, which has no nameplate. It is the house of Lawrence Bishnoi, who is today, at the age of 33, India’s most notorious gangster.

Czech journalists threaten to strike over plan to scrap licence fees

Government aims to move TV and radio funding under state control, which critics say undermines independence

Journalists at the Czech Republic’s public broadcasters have said they are prepared to go on strike unless the government of the billionaire prime minister, Andrej ​Babiš, backs down on its plan to scrap licence fees and move funding under state control.

In what the journalists see as a threat to their independence, the government wants to replace the current system, in which households pay fees directly to public service media, with direct funding from the state budget. “Licence fees are cancelled,” the culture minister, Oto Klempíř, declared last week.

Compare the candidates for California governor, side by side, on the issues that matter to you

Compare the candidates for California governor with the CBS News California Investigates Side-by-Side Candidate Guide.

Remains found of 3 Memphis children may have been there for years, police say

Memphis authorities say they are investigating the discovery of remains of three children, believed to be between 3 and 7 years of age, that could have been there for years.

Christopher Luxon shoots the messenger as nightmare New Zealand election scenario hangs over him | Claire Robinson

An increasingly unpopular prime minister scolded the media after surviving a tense caucus vote. It was a masterclass – just not in the art of leadership

Being prime minister is the hardest job in New Zealand. It requires presence, vision and the willingness to be publicly answerable for everything – to parliament, citizens, the party, business, the media. You can’t be accountable to one and not the other. Yet that’s what Christoper Luxon chose this week when he scolded the media and told them he would no longer engage with them on questions about his leadership.

For most of the last year, National, the lead party in a three-way coalition government, has been trailing the opposition Labour party in the polls. In January 2026 the gap was just 0.67% of a percentage point on average. Three months later, it widened to a 5.86% average with no signs of bottoming out.

4/22: CBS Evening News

Georgia streets reduced to ashes amid massive wildfires; Trump administration considers bailout for Spirit Airlines.

Kalshi suspends, fines 3 congressional candidates in 'insider trading' enforcement actions

The incidents involved a candidate from Virginia seeking a Senate seat and candidates running for House seats from Minnesota and Texas.

Two home explosions on same San Antonio block injure 5

Five people were injured when explosions occurred several hours apart at two homes on the same block of a north San Antonio neighborhood.

Tesla misses on revenue but beats on profit as auto margins jump

Tesla's stock has underperformed all of its megacap peers so far this year as global competition ramps up in the electric vehicle market.

Microsoft looked at buying Cursor before SpaceX deal, sources say

Prior to SpaceX's announcement that it's agreed to a potential purchase of Cursor, Microsoft looked at buying the AI coding startup.

All U.S. attorney's offices must assign a prosecutor to new fraud division: Memo

In the memo, Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald​ said detailing a prosecutor from each U.S. attorney's office is aimed to help "execute a nationwide strategy to eliminate fraud in every district."

Chemical leak at a W.Va. plant kills 2 people, sends 30 more to hospitals, officials say

The leak occurred at the Catalyst Refiners plant, a silver recovery business. An emergency management official says workers were preparing to shut down at least part of the facility when the leak occurred, causing a chemical gas reaction.

4/22: The Takeout with Major Garrett

Future of Iran war uncertain with no date set for peace talks; new poll shows Congress is historically unpopular.

Meta is tracking employee keystrokes on Google, LinkedIn, Wikipedia as part of AI training initiative

As part of an AI initiative that tracks employee keystrokes and mouse clicks, Meta is monitoring use of popular sites like Google, LinkedIn and Wikipedia.

DOJ charges Southern Poverty Law Center with fraud

A federal grand jury indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center on wire and bank fraud-related charges on Tuesday, the Justice Department says, accusing it of paying members of extremist groups as part of its efforts to investigate them.

Parents of slain Loyola freshman say they are not interested in politics, but accountability

The parents of Sheridan Gorman, the Loyola University student who police say was gunned down last month by an undocumented immigrant, spoke out for the first time with CBS News' Matt Gutman.

DOJ accuses Southern Poverty Law Center of fraud, law center calls it a political attack

The Southern Poverty Law Center has made its name battling extremist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan. It is now facing federal charges of fraud, accused of funneling millions into some of those very same hate groups. Jan Crawford has more.

Pirro says DOJ won't drop Fed probe, will appeal judge's order blocking Powell subpoenas

Powell has accused the DOJ of targeting him for refusing to obey Trump's demand that the Fed sharply lower interest rates.

The ‘big durian’: one day in Jakarta, the world’s largest city

The UN has officially designated Jakarta the world’s largest city, home to 42 million. We explore a day in the life of the ‘big durian’.

In December, the United Nations officially designated Jakarta the world’s largest city, hosting a staggering 42 million inhabitants. Michael Neilson speaks to several people who call the ‘big durian’ home – about the positives and the negatives – and how community and the city’s infamously dry humour get them through.

Boston woman and her dog set out to search for a 3-year-old's lost stuffy

Social media has the amazing ability to harness the power of a crowd, but that power still depends on individuals who decide to act. Tony Dokoupil has the story about the search for a lost stuffy in the Boston marathon.

IBM shares drop as company beats but opts to maintain guidance

Investors have been attuned to mainframe disruption threats from artificial intelligence, but IBM posted 51% growth in Z mainframe hardware revenue.

Trump administration, Spirit Airlines in advanced bailout talks, sources say

The negotiation comes after President Trump publicly said he wanted his administration to look at a rescue package for the budget carrier.

Latest details as Iran hits ships in Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan is out, effective immediately, the Pentagon said. It's the latest departure of a top defense leader as the U.S. and Iran fight for control of the Strait of Hormuz. Charlie D'Agata reports.

Pentagon says navy secretary is leaving, marking another top leader’s departure

Exit of John Phelan, navy’s top civilian official, comes a week after Pete Hegseth fired army’s top officer

The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that the navy’s top civilian official, John Phelan, the secretary of the navy, is leaving his job.

In a statement posted to social media, Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesperson, said Phelan was “departing the administration, effective immediately”.

Why is the Trump administration considering bailing out Spirit Airlines?

The fate of Spirit Airlines could affect ticket prices across the industry, which is why the Trump administration is considering a bailout, sources confirm. Kris Van Cleave has more details.

Georgia streets reduced to ashes amid massive wildfires

In Southeast Georgia, massive wildfires have transformed the sky into a fiery orange, burning homes and neighborhoods. Skyler Henry reports and Rob Marciano has the forecast.

Trump envoy asks Fifa to replace Iran with Italy at World Cup finals

• US special envoy Zampolli hopes for Italy involvement

• Doubts remain over Iran’s participation at tournament

An envoy to Donald Trump has asked Fifa to replace Iran with Italy in the upcoming World Cup, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

The plan is an effort to repair ties between Trump and Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, after the two fell out amid the American president’s attacks against Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war, the FT reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

"A breaking point": Inside the 68-day DHS shutdown

In a department built to respond to catastrophic threats, employees have been reduced to bartering for office supplies.

Virginia judge blocks redistricting referendum result that boosted Democrats' election hopes

Virginia voted by a slim margin on Tuesday to approve U.S. House district maps that could allow Democrats to flip four seats in the state this November.

Israeli strike kills journalist after ongoing attacks blocked rescuers, Lebanon says

Amal Khalil had been buried in rubble after an Israeli strike that also injured another journalist, Zeinab Faraj

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed a journalist on Wednesday after rescuers were blocked from accessing the building where she was buried under rubble because of further Israeli fire, according to several witnesses.

Amal Khalil was covering developments near the town of al-Tayri with the photographer Zeinab Faraj when an Israeli strike hit the vehicle in front of them.

Fearless Rayan Cherki offers Manchester City a point of difference in title hunt | Will Unwin

Talented France forward roamed with intent on a nervy night at Burnley when City reclaimed top spot

In a season where the football on offer would struggle to entertain paint testers, Rayan Cherki has offered a point of difference. A playground footballer who gives off the impression of actually enjoying the game, while the majority of professionals are enduring the methodical nature of desperately practising set pieces. Cherki possesses an armoury of trickery and a desire to use it at every opportunity, even in a stuttering win at Burnley.

A fee of £30.5m was paid for the France international last summer, luring him from Lyon. While Florian Wirtz, a player who cost almost four times as much, struggles to adapt at Liverpool, Cherki’s relaxed attitude has made it a seamless transition from Ligue 1 to Premier League. There is a fearlessness to his play, knowing that if he does lose the ball then it will soon be back at his feet.

Trump administration in advanced talks for Spirit Airlines rescue package, sources say

The Trump administration is preparing to rescue ailing budget carrier Spirit Airlines.

2 University of South Florida doctoral students have gone missing, authorities say

Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27, were last seen in the Tampa area on April 16, the University of South Florida Police Department said​. Loved ones say their disappearances are out of character and they're concerned.