Google, Microsoft and xAI agree to US government AI testing programme

The US Centre for AI Standards and Innovation will evaluate models for cybersecurity, biosecurity and chemical weapons-related risks before they are released to the public.

Death toll rises to 37 in China fireworks factory blast

BEIJING, May 8 - The death toll has risen to 37 from 26 and one person remains missing after a fireworks factory explosion in the southern Chinese province of Hunan, state news agency Xinhua said on Friday, in the deadliest blast reported in China since 2019.

The brain doesn't switch off under anaesthesia – it keeps processing language, study finds

While the body is under anaesthesia, the brain is not fully inactive; it continues processing language even when unconscious, according to a new study.

Beauty you can measure: New eye-tracking study reveals the world’s most visually stunning spas

A novel eye-tracking study has revealed the world’s most visually striking spas, showing how setting and design can shape the way we relax just as much as the treatments themselves.

From oil giants to banks - these companies are making billions from Iran war

Through surging profits or soaring share prices, the war has been a boon for some firms.

Gold vs oil: Which offers better protection from rising prices during the Iran war?

Conventional wisdom holds that gold protects investors during war and inflation. The Iran conflict has turned that assumption on its head. Since the outbreak of the war, Brent crude has rallied 37%, while gold has fallen 10%. The driving force is interest rates, not geopolitics.

Former China Eastern Airlines chairman indicted on bribery charges

HONG KONG, May 8 - A former chairman of China Eastern Airlines Group has been indicted on bribery charges, China's top prosecutor said on Friday, the latest in a string of high-profile anti-graft actions as Beijing steps up a campaign against corruption.

PM Wong calls for swift ratification of ASEAN petroleum, trade agreements amid Middle East conflict

Singapore’s prime minister warned that Asia will be the hardest hit by the Middle East crisis because of its high dependence on energy and other critical supplies from the Gulf.

Billie Eilish Responds to Backlash After Saying ‘Eating Meat is Inherently Wrong’

"I am so tired of standing up for/having empathy for living beings being controversial," said the artist in a social media post

World Cup fans in China and India face broadcast uncertainty

Broadcasters in the two countries have yet to reach deals with Fifa, just weeks before the tournament is due to start.

Japan confirms year’s first fatal bear attack, two others suspected

In 2025, Japan saw a spate of deadly bear attacks, with a record 13 people killed.

Trump plans to bring a smaller CEO delegation to Beijing summit, sources say

BEIJING/WASHINGTON, May 8 - The White House has invited a scaled-back CEO delegation to accompany President Donald Trump to Beijing next week, five sources briefed on preparations said, reflecting divisions in the administration on economic policy toward China and limited

Southeast Asian leaders seek strategy to ease impacts of Iran war

By Mikhail Flores CEBU, Philippines, May 8 (Reuters) - Leaders of Southeast Asian countries holding a summit on Friday are expected to thrash out a coordinated response to the impacts of the Middle East crisis, as they aim to ease pressure from an energy shock that has rattled

Charli XCX Returns With New Single ‘Rock Music,’ and Yup, It Rocks

"I think the dance floor is dead," the British pop star and actress declares

Paraguay 'deeply values' Taiwan ties, president says in Taipei

TAIPEI, May 8 - Paraguay \"deeply values\" its relations with Taiwan and will continue to offer support, President Santiago Pena said on Friday as he was formally welcomed in Taipei by President Lai Ching-te.

Water flows to parched NSW wetlands could be turned back on within weeks as drought fears loom

Water minister Rose Jackson calls drying in Gwydir region ‘devastating’ as bill passes upper house Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Water flows to parched New South Wales wetlands where an urgent rescue mission to save

Sony Pictures Entertainment Revenue Flat for Fiscal Year 2025 at $9.9 Billion, Profit Takes Hit From Shutdown of Pixomondo VFX Division

Sony Pictures Entertainment revenue came in roughly flat for fiscal year 2025, as higher sales at its Crunchyroll anime streamer and the success of global blockbuster film “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle” were offset by overall lower revenue from theatrical

Japan confirms year's first fatal bear attack, two others suspected

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Boss on the Season 22 Finale: How Teddy and Owen Say Goodbye and That Surprising Meredith Twist

SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains major spoilers from “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” the Season 22 finale of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” Doctors Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) have finally clocked out of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. In the Season 22

Owen and Teddy Exit ‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Kevin McKidd and Kim Raver Break Down That Happy Ending and Why They ‘Earned Their Place as Endgame’

SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains major spoilers from “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” the Season 22 finale of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” With the conclusion of Season 22 of “Grey’s Anatomy,” Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital is bidding adieu to two of its longest-standing attendings

India’s data centre boom is straining its power grid

The country’s power infrastructure could come under severe strain due to soaring demand for energy.

Colum McCann's 'Apeirogon' reimagined as play on Palestinian and Israeli bereavement

'Rami and Bassam: Apeirogon' is a partial adaptation of the novel by McCann, focusing on the Israeli and Palestinian fathers who lost daughters to the conflict

US to revoke passports of parents with child support debt

Parents who have outstanding debt of more than $2,500 (€1,844) in child support payments could be impacted.

NAACP files emergency petition to block Tennessee's newly approved redistricting plan

The NAACP on Thursday filed an emergency petition to block Tennessee's attempt to remove the only majority Black congressional district in the state, which the organization argues violates the state constitution. Filed in Davidson County Chancery Court, the emergency petition

China, Vietnam share a propaganda playbook for digital control

For years, many Western observers believed the internet would inevitably weaken authoritarian regimes. The logic seemed straightforward: once information could flow freely, state monopolies on propaganda would collapse. The internet, in this view, would become a force of

Stream Little Simz’s New Sugar Girl EP Feat. JT, DEELA, & 070 Shake

Last year, Little Simz shared her sixth studio album, Lotus. Shortly after, she starred in the Netflix movie Steve alongside Cillian Murphy and unveiled “Don’t Leave Too Soon” for the soundtrack. The British rapper began teasing an EP called Sugar Girl a couple of weeks ago,

Sally Field Remembers How ‘Norma Rae’ Was the Beginning of the End of Her Relationship With Burt Reynolds: ‘He Threw the Script at Me’

It was nearly 50 years ago, but Sally Field still remembers when she realized her relationship with Burt Reynolds was coming to a close. Field, who is starring in Netflix’s “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” discussed how the late “Cannonball Run” star became overly controlling

Watch Dua Lipa Join Tame Impala In London

Kevin Parker released the latest Tame Impala album, Deadbeat , last year. The year before that, he helped produce Dua Lipa's Radical Optimism and joined the British pop star onstage in Glastonbury for "The Less I Know The Better." Tonight, the Australian psychedelic artist

Trump says US-Iran ceasefire still in place after exchange of fire in Strait of Hormuz

Iran accuses the US of violating the truce, alleging it targeted an oil tanker and carried out attacks on coastal areas.

El Niño looms: Near-record sea temperatures in April raise fears of more global heat

The last major El Niño event saw a string of heat records, and scientists fear warming seas signal more extreme weather to come.

‘Half Man’ Star Julie Cullen on Persuading Niall to Tell the Truth and Confronting Ruben’s Mum in That Awkward Dinner Scene: ‘I Was Honestly Scared of Her’

SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers from Episode 3 of “Half Man,” now streaming on HBO Max. “Half Man,” the new drama from “Baby Reindeer” creator Richard Gadd, has split viewers and critics alike thanks to its brutal depiction of misogyny, violence and toxic

‘Law and Order’ to Be Renewed for Season 26 at NBC

“Law and Order” is poised to be be renewed for Season 26 at NBC, Variety has learned from sources. The news will no doubt offer relief to fans, as the show had been firmly on the bubble going into NBCUniversal’s upfront presentation to advertisers. Last minute details are still

4,000-year-old texts to reach new audiences in digital project

Researchers are transforming access to some of the world's oldest written records using digital technology and multilingual tools. As part of the project, called Access to Cuneiform Texts (CDLI‑ACT), researchers have developed an Arabic digital interface to allow access to

Scientists find natural compounds that hit COVID-19 from every angle

A little-known tree from Brazil’s Atlantic Forest may hold a surprising weapon against COVID-19. Researchers discovered that compounds called galloylquinic acids, extracted from its leaves, can attack SARS-CoV-2 on multiple fronts—blocking the virus from entering cells,

YNW Melly Denied Bond Ahead of Double Murder Retrial

The new trial date will take place eight years after the rapper was arrested in the case

Instagram privacy tech is turned off today- what does this mean for your DMs?

The platform said it would remove end-to-end encrypted messages, a major U‑turn by parent company Meta.

Trump heads for Xi summit overshadowed by Iran war

US President Donald Trump heads for a superpower summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping next week hoping the Iran war will not spoil the mood in Beijing. Trump will be expecting a lavish welcome at the high-stakes meeting, which he delayed in March because of the Middle

Asia heatwaves spell double trouble for economies hit by oil

Inflation has accelerated to multi-year highs across much of Asia.

Communist-run Vietnam eyes influencers, AI to spruce up propaganda, documents show

HANOI, May 8 - Vietnam's ruling Communist Party plans to revamp its propaganda efforts by drafting in social media influencers and artificial intelligence experts while adopting new formats such as podcasts and targeted content, internal documents seen by Reuters show.

South Korea heads to local elections under shadow of disgraced former president

SEOUL, May 8 - South Korea's martial law scandal is set to loom large over local elections in June that will test whether opposition conservatives can rein in the power of the ruling party of President Lee Jae Myung.

Trump's China visit adds sparkle to July 4 celebrations for fireworks maker

LILING, China, May 8 - Emblazoned on a box of Chinese fireworks is a picture of U.S. President Donald Trump raising his fist in defiance after a failed assassination bid in 2024, juxtaposed with the U.S. flag and the slogan \"Fight for America\".

'90s virtual reality, Battlefield 2142, and Total War: This month in PC Gamer 10, 20, and 30 years ago

Here's what was happening in PC gaming in May 1996, May 2006, and May 2016.

USPS mulls allowing handguns to be shipped through mail

The United States Postal Service (USPS) could begin mailing handguns if a proposed rule from the Trump administration receives approval. Filed last month, the proposed rule would allow Americans to mail concealable guns, like pistols and revolvers, to anyone in the country.

‘9-1-1’ Finale Surprise: Oliver Stark and EP Break Down Buck’s Choice and Athena’s Fate Ahead of Season 10

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for the Season 9 finale of ABC’s “9-1-1,” titled “Hearts and Flowers.” “9-1-1” ended its ninth season Thursday with two big changes heading into Season 10: Athena (Angela Bassett) is finally becoming a detective — and Buck (Oliver

Billie Eilish Posts Graphic Slaughterhouse Videos, Responds To Backlash Over Saying You Can’t Love Animals And Eat Meat

Billie Eilish has always been vocal about animal rights. The pop star has been a vegan since she was 12, and while promoting her 2024 album Hit Me Hard And Soft she did meatless versions of Hot Ones and Chicken Shop Date . Last week, she said in an interview with Elle that

Iran focus at Trump-Xi summit may delay progress on tariffs, rare earths

Thanks to the Iran war, big issues for U.S. businesses like rare earths and supply chains may take a back seat on the agenda for the Trump-Xi summit.

IS-linked Australian women charged with keeping slave in Syria

Two Australian women "kept a female slave" after travelling to Syria in 2014 to support the Islamic State group, police said Friday after they were charged in Melbourne. The pair returned to Australia on Thursday evening for the first time in almost a decade, travelling from a

Can houseplants really purify the air in your home? What the science actually says

The question sounds simple. The answer, once you examine the actual measurement science behind it, is more interesting than either "yes" or "no."