Top World News
May 13, 2026
1MDB financier Jho Low seeks pardon from Donald Trump
Fugitive faces charges including corruption and money laundering in US and Malaysia for role he allegedly played in scandalThe fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low, a central figure in the multibillion-dollar scandal at the state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), is reportedly seeking a pardon from the US president, Donald Trump.Low faces multiple charges including corruption and money laundering in the US and Malaysia for the important role he allegedly played in the misappropriation of at least $4.5bn (£3.3bn) from 1MDB. Continue reading...
May 13, 2026
Stella prize 2026: Lee Lai becomes first non-binary person and first graphic novelist to win with Cannon
Lai wins $60,000 literary award for her study of a young woman’s repression and rage as she struggles to juggle the needs of those around herSign up for a weekly email featuring our best readsAs the 2026 winner of the Stella prize, Lee Lai has established two new firsts: the first ever non-binary winner with her book Cannon, which is the first graphic novel to win the $60,000 Australian literary award for women and non-binary writers.Cannon follows the titular, queer Chinese woman living in Montreal on the “uncool side of [her] twenties”. Cannon’s real name is Lucy, which became Luce then (loose) Cannon – and much like her unwanted nickname, she shoulders responsibility without complaint. During the day she cares for her gung-gung (maternal grandfather), a former tyrant enfeebled by age, without any help from her emotionally avoidant mother; and by night she works in the kitchen of a fine-dining restaurant, corralling chaos into order. Cannon’s longtime best friend Trish uses her as a soundboard for all of her problems, and is secretly mining Cannon’s life as a troubling source of inspiration for her writing career. Continue reading...
May 13, 2026
Gunfire breaks out in Philippine Senate where authorities have tried to arrest a senator
A burst of gunfire rang out Wednesday night in the Philippine Senate, where authorities have tried to arrest a senator who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for a charge of crime against humanity, an Associated Press journalist and other witnesses said.
May 13, 2026
Eric Clapton cuts concert short after being hit with an object thrown from audience
Eric Clapton cut short a concert in Madrid last week after someone in the audience threw an object that struck him in the chest, several news outlets report.
May 13, 2026
Alternative shows counter Eurovision amid larger protest over Israel's participation
Calls to boycott Eurovision over Israel's participation have led to alternative concerts across Europe
May 13, 2026
Gunfire breaks out in Philippine Senate where authorities tried to arrest a senator
Witnesses say a burst of gunfire has rung out in the Philippine Senate where authorities have tried to arrest a senator who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for a charge of crime against humanity
May 13, 2026
King Charles III will lay out UK government agenda as Starmer clings to job
King Charles III has outlined the British government's legislative plans as Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces pressure to stay in power
May 13, 2026
Trump arrives in Beijing for talks with China's Xi on Iran war, trade and US arms sales to Taiwan
U.S. President Donald Trump has arrived in Beijing for a hotly anticipated summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping
May 13, 2026
South Korea considering supporting U.S. effort to secure Strait of Hormuz, defense minister says
South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Wednesday Seoul may offer support for the U.S.-led effort to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz after a South Korean vessel came under fire in the waterway last week.
May 13, 2026
Golden Dome missile shield could cost $1.2 trillion, CBO report says
President Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile shield could cost $1.2 trillion over 20 years, including a massive up-front cost to deploy the cutting-edge space-based missile interceptors widely seen as crucial to the project's success, according to a new report released this week.
May 13, 2026
Nvidia’s Jensen Huang joins other US bosses on Trump trip to China
Invitation to be part of group including Elon Musk and Tim Cook highlights American AI and tech ambitionsThe billionaire chief executive of the chipmaker Nvidia, Jensen Huang, has joined Donald Trump’s China delegation after a reported last-minute invitation, highlighting the US’s AI and tech ambitions.Huang will join a roster of US bosses including the Tesla chief executive and X owner, Elon Musk, the Apple chief executive, Tim Cook, and Goldman Sachs’s David Solomon at Trump’s 36-hour meeting with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping. Continue reading...
May 13, 2026
Israeli drone strikes hit highway south of Beirut, killing 8, including 2 children
Israeli drones struck three vehicles on the main highway south of Beirut Wednesday, killing eight people, including a woman and her two children, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
