Coronation Street airs bombshell truths as viewers ‘work out’ Theo’s murderer
Coronation street fans think they have worked out who killed Theo Silverton after telling scenes aired on Friday night’s episode of the world’s long-running TV soap
Could Theo have been killed by his ex-wife?
Coronation street fans think they have worked out who killed Theo Silverton. The scaffolder, who was played by former Tracy Beaker star James Cartwright, was found dead at the end of the ITV soap’s much-hyped murder week.
When Theo was introduced, he was married to Danielle Silverton (Natalie Anderson) but he began an affair with Todd Grimshaw and, once he had split from his wife, they began an official relationship but it quickly turned sour.
For almost a year, Theo terrorised Todd with bizarre forms of abuse, both mental and physical, and caused the death of his best friend Billy (Daniel Brocklebank) in the crossover with Emmerdale.
Still coming to terms with the loss of Theo, on Friday’s episode of the world’s longest-running TV soap, Todd was surprised to see Danielle turn up at his flat amid the murder investigations, where she revealed more about her past with Theo. He said: “The police have already interviewed me. I had nothing to do with Theo’s death.”
But Danielle wasn’t convinced, and she shot back: “If he hadn’t met you, he’d still be alive. My kids would still have a dad! Maybe you got cold feet, thought it was easier if he was dead.”
It was then that Danielle started to say more about what she had been through. She said: “Since he’s been gone, I’ve been thinking back over our relationship. What kind of man he was. It’s what made me wonder if you’d snapped. Killed him.
“He was a good dad… especially when the kids were little. I knew he had a short fuse. God, sometimes we’d go at it like hammer and tongs.” When Todd claimed he “gave Theo power,” Danielle pushed back as she said: “No. Theo took power. He had all the power in our relationship, too. He just… didn’t abuse it.
“Though, actually, he did make all the decisions about everything. Where we lived, how we lived, how we parented. Every time we argued, I gave in. Because, secretly, I was afraid of him. I mean, he never hurt me or the kids, and I didn’t want to believe he was a bad man. But I knew how controlling he was.”
Danielle is an official suspect along with Todd, his father figure George Shuttleworth, his daughter Summer Spellman, and Theo’s former colleague Gary Windass, as revealed by bosses of the soap earlier this week. But fans think that they might have sussed it after Danielle’s sudden appearance.
One fan wrote on X: “Oh wow, I wasn’t expecting Danielle to say that. Was it Danielle?” whilst another said: “Go on, admit it Danielle.” A third suspected that the way in which Danielle had instantly accused Todd meant that she was the guilty one.
They wrote: “That scene where she turned up to the flat was very interesting because she instantly interrogated Todd, almost like she was deflecting or bluffing. That’s what made me think she killed him.”
Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and is available to stream from 7am on ITV X.
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Bruno Fernandes: How Man Utd captain won FWA award and got to brink of record – and what comes next?
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has not come close to winning the Premier League or Champions League since joining the club in 2020.
He did lift a couple of domestic cups under Erik ten Hag – and if United finish third this season, it will be a position they have only bettered once during Fernandes’ time at Old Trafford.
But it represents a meagre return for a player many argue is United’s best signing since legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, and someone, they argue, who deserves a place among the club’s best in the Premier League era.
On Friday, he was named the Football Writers’ Association’s footballer of the year. But Fernandes is not one for coveting individual awards.
When he spoke to the media in October, he said: “I don’t see it that one player is better than another because he wins more trophies. Not every time the best player in the world is the one that wins the Ballon d’Or.
“I want to win trophies. I want to be recognised by the many good things I did for the club, for bringing something back to the club, not just my individual numbers.”
United will not win a trophy this season, but there are still a couple of significant milestones ahead of Fernandes.
He needs just one more assist to equal the individual Premier League record of 20 in a single campaign – jointly held by Arsenal great Thierry Henry and former Manchester City star Kevin de Bruyne.
Fernandes is eight clear of Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki in the Premier League’s assists chart this season, with West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen third with 10 assists.
Beating the record clearly means a lot to Fernandes, who will be a key part of Portugal’s World Cup squad this summer. So much so, one of his United team-mates told him he felt Fernandes would previously have taken a shot against Brentford recently, rather than set up striker Benjamin Sesko. Fernandes rejected that notion.
Fernandes is also favourite to win the prestigious PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, which Henry and De Bruyne both took twice.
Despite the lack of major trophies, would the assist record and another player of the year award confirm his status as one of the most creative forces of the Premier League era?
Latest Spain rules as UK holidaymakers may need extra documents
Without these you may be refused entry to Spain, the Foreign Office has warned
You could be refused entry to Spain (Image: Mats Anda via Getty Images)
Millions of Brits flock to Spain each year, with the European country remaining a firm favourite among UK holidaymakers.
Spain’s appeal is undeniable – from its warmer weather, breathtaking coastlines and mouth-watering cuisine to its charming cities and verdant landscapes. With another hectic summer of international travel expected for 2026, we’ve looked at the entry requirements for Spain for anyone holding a UK passport. And travellers may not know they could be asked to present certain extra documents upon arrival – or face being refused entry.
According to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), alongside a valid passport, UK visitors may also be required to produce a return or onward ticket and/or proof of valid travel insurance. You may additionally need to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds for your stay, with the required amount varying depending on your accommodation arrangements.
Border officials may also request proof of accommodation, which could take the form of a hotel reservation or proof of address if you’re staying at a property you own. Alternatively, this might be an invitation or proof of address if staying with friends, family or a third party, such as a ‘carta de invitation’ completed by your hosts, the FCDO adds.
As well as this, new rules introduced post-Brexit mean that Brits travelling to the Schengen Area – which includes Spain – on a UK passport may need to check their travel documents now. This is because your passport must display a ‘date of issue’ that falls within 10 years of your arrival date, and if you renewed your passport prior to October 1, 2018, it could carry a date of issue exceeding 10 years, rendering it invalid for entering the Schengen zone.
Additionally, your passport must show an ‘expiry date’ of at least 3 months beyond the day you intend to depart the Schengen Area (the expiry date need not fall within 10 years of the issue date).
South Korean mothers seek probe into overseas adoptions
1 of 2 | Lee Ae-rirana, a birth mother whose daughter was adopted to the United States, cries in front of a photo of her late daughter, Park Mi-ae, outside the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Seoul on Friday. Photo by Asia Today
May 8 (Asia Today) — Five South Korean birth mothers who lost children to overseas adoption filed petitions Friday seeking a truth investigation into alleged abuses involving foreign adoptions.
The women submitted the petitions to South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, saying their children were taken through kidnapping, false documents, deception by adoption agencies or without parental consent.
TRACE, a coalition advocating for truth-finding on overseas adoptions and child rights, held a news conference outside the commission’s office in central Seoul and disclosed several cases.
“The methods differed, but the result was the same,” the group said. “The mothers lost their children, and the children had to live their lives believing they had been abandoned.”
One case involved Lee Ae-rirana, 53, who said she was told after giving birth in 1993 that her baby daughter was seriously ill. A week later, she was told the child had died.
More than a decade later, Lee learned that her daughter, Park Mi-ae, had been adopted to Minnesota. Park later left her adoptive family after conflict, experienced homelessness and died in 2023, according to the group.
Another mother, Lee Gui-im, said she temporarily placed her two sons in a childcare facility in 1983 because of financial hardship after being told she could take them back when they reached middle school.
When she returned three months later with winter clothes for the boys, she learned they had already been sent to France for adoption.
Lee said an adoption consent form kept by the facility contained a signature in the birth mother’s name that she had never written. She said she could not read or write at the time.
Other cases included children who were reported missing but later sent overseas by orphanages and children allegedly taken through kidnapping or abduction before being placed for adoption.
Han Tae-soon, who was reunited with her daughter through DNA testing 44 years after the child disappeared at age 5 and was adopted to the United States nine months later, attended the event to support other mothers.
Han is pursuing legal action against the government and adoption agencies, accusing them of turning missing children into orphans for overseas adoption.
Park Min-seo, an attorney at Wongok Law Office, said no one involved in the adoption process made a proper attempt to verify the children’s identities.
TRACE called for investigations into false records and illegal adoptions by agencies and childcare facilities, a full review of overseas adoptions conducted without parental consent, a dedicated investigative body, a formal government apology and a support system to reunite birth parents and adoptees.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.
Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260508010001911
Iran accuses US of 'reckless military adventure'
Abbas Araghchi says the US attacks each time there is a diplomatic solution on the table.
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David Attenborough marks 100th birthday with announcement of next huge BBC series
He’s made more programmes in the last decade than at any point before, and despite reaching the age of 100, David is showing no signs of slowing down
Sir David will narrate the BBC’s next big natural history series for the autumn, Blue Planet III(Image: BBC)
Sir David Attenborough will narrate Blue Planet III when it hits the screen on BBC1 this autumn. The veteran broadcaster, who celebrates his 100th birthday today, has already recorded his voice-over for the six-part series, which is returning for a third outing 25 years after the first one aired.
This time around, it aims to take the Blue Planet brand “to extraordinary new depths”. In 2001, it was the first ever natural history series to take a deep dive into the state of the world’s oceans, attracting huge audiences across the globe.
In 2017, the Blue Planet II sequel galvanised a huge campaign to rid the sea of single use plastic, with Sir David even taking to the stage at the Glastonbury Festival to hammer home the point.
READ MORE: ‘I’ve worked with David Attenborough for 40 years – this is what he’s really like’READ MORE: Sir David Attenborough issues 100th birthday message as hundreds of cards arrive at his house
Where Blue Planet II exposed the threats to the world’s oceans, Blue Planet III aims to explore stories of adaptation and resilience, showing both hope and recovery. The first five episodes will focus on the planet’s five key underwater habitats: Tropical Seas; Open Ocean; Seasonal Seas; Polar Waters; and The Deep. As is now traditional, the sixth and final episode, Future Seas, will turn to the issue of conservation and examine what further changes must be made.
Jonny Keeling, head of BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, said they were thrilled to have the world-famous naturalist take the lead on the latest landmark programme to address the issue of our oceans.
“We are so excited to have David narrate this new blockbuster series,” he said. “It’s full of never-before-seen animal behaviour, new locations, new science, and heartfelt storytelling. David is the perfect voice to inspire audiences across the globe to love, understand and protect the oceans.”
BBC specialist factual boss Jack Bootle, added: “I’m thrilled that David is taking the helm of Blue Planet once again. His extraordinary talent for storytelling has shaped the way generations of audiences understand and connect with the natural world, and his voice remains synonymous with the very best of the BBC’s natural history output. I’m absolutely delighted that he’ll be once more bringing his unique skill and authority to Blue Planet III. ”
Expert oceanographer Dr Phillip Sexton, who is an academic consultant on the upcoming series, said that this third run would build on the ground-breaking legacy of the last two, and “offer rays of hope” when it comes to further saving the planet.
“Blue Planet II catapulted issues surrounding our oceans’ health into the public consciousness and demonstrably changed people’s attitudes and behaviour with regard to our oceans,” Dr Sexton explained. “Underpinned by breakthroughs in marine science and cutting-edge technology, this new series will transform our view of what is possible for life on Earth and offer rays of hope for us to conserve the ecological wonders that lie beneath the waves.”
The series will make new breakthroughs in underwater film-making thanks to a “whole new generation” of camera technology, to reveal brand new and previously untold stories. It will build on the legacy of the previous two series to reveal brand new and untold stories from magical underwater worlds using new technology including splash drones and long-term remote underwater cameras.
Blue Planet III was announced by Liz Bonnin and Steve Backshall at an event held at the Royal Albert Hall last night to mark Sir David’s milestone birthday. The glittering show included music from the BBC Concert Orchestra and many clips showing iconic moments from his programmes over the decades.
Tributes were paid by both King Charles and Prince William, and he was also sent a heartfelt message from Felix Ndagijimana at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Karisoke research centre in Rwanda, giving an update on how they all are doing since his visit there fifty years ago.
Celebrities paying tribute and sending birthday wishes on the night included Chris Packham, Michael Palin, Dame Judi Dench, Chris Martin, Hamza Yassin, Kate Winslet and even Paddington Bear. They were joined by more celebrities interested in conservation work, including Leonardo di Caprio, Cate Blanchett, Nile Rodgers, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Theroux, Camila Cabello and Alan Titchmarsh.
After many musical performances from the likes of Bastille, Icelandic band Sigur Rós and Sienna Spiro – performing music that has been used in series including Planet Earth – the evening closed with a clip of the presenter in action as Sir David recorded his narration to Blue Planet III, followed by him reading the lyrics from the song What a Wonderful World, accompanied by stunning wildlife footage.
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UCLA senior Megan Grant ties NCAA softball home-run record
UCLA senior Megan Grant hit her 37th home run of the season, tying the NCAA single-season record during the Bruins’ 19-5 win over Wisconsin during the Big Ten tournament semifinal Friday in College Park, Md.
The record was set in 1995 by Arizona’s Lauren Espinoza, but Grant and Oklahoma freshman Kendall Wells have hit homers at a blistering pace all season and are battling to close the season as the new title holder. Wells has 36 home runs, but her team was eliminated from the Southeastern Conference tournament Friday and she’ll have to wait until the NCAA tournament begins to add to her tally.
Grant, meanwhile, will be in the lineup when UCLA plays regular-season Big Ten champion Nebraska for the league tournament title at 10 a.m. Saturday in College Park, Md. The game will air on the Big Ten Network. First pitch was shifted earlier with the hope of avoiding storms in Maryland.
Grant’s teammates celebrated blast No. 37 and cheered behind her while she was interviewed on the Big Ten Network.
“I was just focusing as much as I can, just competing within that at-bat,” Grant said when asked about her record-tying blast. “… A one-on-one battle is all I think about. It kind of had a good payout.”
During their semifinal win over Wisconsin, the Bruins hit four home runs and pushed their NCAA record single-season team home run total to 181.
Earlier Friday, UCLA senior Jordan Woolery was named Big Ten player of the year by the league’s 17 head coaches.
Woolery leads the nation in RBIs (107) and is the fifth player in NCAA Division I history to record more than 100 RBIs in a season.
Bri Alejandre, Aleena Garcia, Rylee Slimp and Grant joined Woolery on the All-Big Ten first team. Bruins Kaniya Bragg, Alexis Ramirez and Taylor Tinsley earned second-team honors.
Protests in the Canary Islands as virus-stricken ship heads for port | Health
Protesters in Tenerife are voicing opposition to the imminent arrival of a cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak. Authorities say the ship will anchor inside Granadilla port. Passengers will be screened before disembarking and being taken directly to evacuation aircraft.
Published On 8 May 2026
Will Keir Starmer Be Forced Out? UK Local Election Results Raise Pressure on Labour Leader
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to continue as leader, despite heavy losses in local elections raising doubts about his ability to govern. Critics within the Labour Party have suggested he should resign, but currently, there is no leadership contest. Starmer’s personal approval ratings are among the lowest for a British leader, and Labour is trailing behind the Reform UK party in opinion polls, indicating a potential loss in the national election scheduled for 2029. However, some cabinet ministers have publicly supported him, and calls for his resignation mostly come from fringe party members and opposing parties.
The lack of immediate challenges to Starmer arises from several factors. Labour is facing significant domestic and international issues, such as financial constraints and rising living costs, that a new leader would also have to address. Among the possible successors, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham lacks a parliamentary seat, and former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is still dealing with unresolved tax issues. The third candidate, Wes Streeting, is currently serving as health minister.
A leadership challenge can occur if there is enough support within Labour for a new candidate. However, it is generally more difficult for Labour to remove a sitting prime minister compared to the Conservative Party. Any candidate wishing to challenge Starmer must secure support from 20% of Labour Members of Parliament, which would mean around 81 backers. Candidates also need backing from grassroots Labour Party organizations and affiliated groups. Starmer would automatically be on the ballot if he chooses to contest. Some lawmakers suggest Starmer should establish a timeline for his departure to allow for a smooth transition. Starmer insists he intends to lead the party into the next election.
With information from Reuters
All the signs Tess Daly and Vernon Kay had split from ‘separate lives’ to frank marriage confession
TESS Daly and Vernon Kay have left the showbiz world in shock this evening after announcing their shock split after 25 years together.
The pair released a joint statement on Instagram tonight that read: “After much consideration, and with a deep sense of care and respect for one another, we have made the decision to separate amicably.
“This has not been an easy choice, but it comes from a place of mutual understanding and a shared desire for what is best for both of us.”
“We remain great friends and most importantly, fully committed to our roles as loving and supportive parents, which will always be our priority.
There are no other parties involved in this decision.
“We kindly ask for privacy during this time as we navigate this transition together. We will not be making any further public comments.”
The Sun have uncovered telling signs that the much-loved couple had split, from living separate lives to a very frank marriage confession.
Living separate lives
It’s clear from social media that both Vernon, 52, and Tess, 57, have been living their own separate lives for the last few months.
They’ve been individually spending time with their two daughters Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16, rather than their usual family unit of four.
Their eldest daughter Phoebe relocated to New York in January but has been back visiting in the UK this week.
Vernon took to his Instagram on Thursday to share a snap of himself with Phoebe on a rooftop terrace as they enjoyed drinks together.
He dressed smart casual in a ribbed top and white trousers, while Phoebe looked glam in a gold top and black trousers.
He captioned it: “Ahhhhh Summer nights in London on the @thechanceryrosewood rooftop with @phoebeekay The best view on a clear blue evening sky….“
Meanwhile, Phoebe spent separate time with her mum as the ladies posed for a sweet snap on a bridge in London. They twinned in denim jeans and sunglasses as they beamed from ear to ear for the photo.
Tess captioned it: “Got my Phoebe back for a few days and making the most of every moment.”
No social media posts
The last time either of them posed for a picture together on social media was ten weeks ago.
The pair hosted an episode of The One Show back in February as they took a picture with guests, actresses Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jessie Buckley and Bridgerton stars, Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha.
She took to Instagram to share the group picture, with the guests standing in between a smiling Tess and Vernon.
The former Strictly Come Dancing presenter also posted a solo snap of herself sitting on the iconic green sofa.
Vernon also hasn’t posted Tess on his own page in months.
The last time she appears to be on his feed is during a trip to New York in February where they were visiting Phoebe.
No mention in latest interview
Tess recently did an interview with Hello! magazine and spoke about a variety of aspects about her life.
She mentioned her swimwear brand NAIA Beach and being awarded an MBE by King Charles in November, but there was no mention of Vernon.
Speaking about her brand, she expressed: “I absolutely love running our NAIA business with my best friend Gayle and our wonderful, ever-growing team.
“For a business that began life as two friends with a vision, it has evolved to something bigger than we could have imagined.
“I’m also hoping for the chance to have a bit of a girls’ trip away with my friends – that’s been a long time coming.”
Frank confession
Vernon made a frank confession in October last year when he revealed Tess had “spent a fortune” fixing his botched DIY attempts.
During his BBC Radio 2 programme, his colleague asked him if he could come over to his and fix a few shelves.
Clearly not making much of his own DIY skills, he responded: “Oh, you do not want me around your place; trust me.
“Strictly Come Dancing’s Tess Daly spent a fortune repairing what I’ve damaged.”
It was then suggested that their mishaps could rival Joe Swash and Stacey Solomon‘s BBC One reality show as Vernon joked: “I wreck it, you fix it.”
Angels struggle against Dylan Cease and Blue Jays in shutout loss
TORONTO — Dylan Cease struck out 10, reaching double digits for the third time in eight starts this season, and the Toronto Blue Jays stopped a four-game losing streak with a 2-0 win Friday night that sent the Angels to their 14th loss in 18 games.
Angels pitcher Alek Manoah returned from Tommy John surgery that had sidelined him since May 29, 2024, and faced his former team for the first time. The 28-year-old right-hander struck out one in a perfect eighth inning, reaching 93.8 mph with his fastball while throwing seven of 11 pitches for strike.
Cease (3-1) gave up five hits and walked none over seven innings in his 28th double-digit strikeout game.
Toronto (17-21) scored twice in the third on Kazuma Okamoto’s RBI single and Ernie Clement’s sacrifice fly off Reid Detmers (1-2), who gave up two hits and a career-high six walks in 3⅔ innings. The Angels dropped to 15-24.
Louis Varland earned his fifth save with a perfect ninth.
Up next: Angels RHP Jack Kochanowicz (2-1, 3.05) and Blue Jays RHP Trey Yesavage (1-1, 0.96) start Saturday.
Al Jazeera reporter witnesses Israeli strikes on Lebanon | Israel attacks Lebanon
Israel has increased its attacks across southern Lebanon. Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto reports from Tyre as Israel strikes surrounding towns.
Published On 8 May 2026
Cambodians struggle with displaced lives amid tense ceasefire with Thailand | Border Disputes News
Preah Vihear/Siem Reap provinces – When asked how she spends her day, 11-year-old Sokna rattled off a list of chores.
She first fetches water, then washes dishes and sweeps the leaves and dust from around the blue tarpaulin tent her family now calls home, in the grounds of a Buddhist pagoda in northwestern Cambodia.
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Sokna and her sister have stopped attending school, their mother Puth Reen said, since moving to this camp for people displaced by the recent rounds of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia.
The two sisters are among more than 34,440 people who remain in displacement camps in Cambodia – 11,355 of whom are children – as of this month, according to the country’s Ministry of Interior.
“I tried to tell them to go to school, but they don’t go,” Puth Reen told Al Jazeera, explaining how precarious life had become since returning to live in Cambodia after fleeing neighbouring Thailand, where she had worked for many years, as the fighting started.
Like Puth Reen and her family, the future looks murky for the tens of thousands of Cambodians – including many schoolchildren – who are still in displacement camps, and their lives remain disrupted months after the last outbreak of fighting between Thailand and Cambodia.
Forced to flee their homes in areas where local troops are now stationed and on high alert, or in areas occupied by opposing Thai forces, Cambodia’s internally displaced say they are surviving off aid donations, while those more fortunate are transitioning from emergency tents into wooden stilted houses provided by the Cambodian government.
But with tension still evident between the leadership in Bangkok and Phnom Penh, the tenuous ceasefire along the Thai-Cambodia border means life cannot yet return to normality.
Some areas on the Cambodian border, such as the villages of Chouk Chey and Prey Chan in Banteay Meanchey province, have become rallying points for nationalists who post on social media about the Thai occupation of Cambodian territory. Their anger is directed at the large shipping containers and barbed wire that Thai forces have used to block access to villages once inhabited by Cambodians and occupied during fighting.
The Thai military-installed containers now form a sort of new frontier between the two countries.
The Cambodian military has also prevented people, such as local farmer Sun Reth, 67, from returning to their homes in front-line areas, which are still highly militarised zones, with troops ready at any moment for a new round of fighting.
“Now the Cambodian military base is just next to [my house],” Sun Reth said, adding that she was not allowed by authorities to sleep in her modest home or pick cashew nuts from her farm to sell for a little income.
Cambodian children more focused on ‘rumours’ of war
The long-held border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia erupted into two rounds of conflict last year, over five days in July and almost three weeks in December.
Dozens were reported killed on both sides, and hundreds of thousands of civilians fled their homes as both countries’ armed forces fired artillery, rockets, and, in the case of Thailand, conducted air strikes deep into Cambodian territory. Thailand has a modern air force, a military capability not possessed by its smaller neighbour.
Cambodian and Thai officials reached a ceasefire on December 27, but the situation remains tense five months on.
For families who fled the fighting, school continues for most children in the displacement camps, but parents say education is fragmented while their lives are still so unsettled.
Mothers at the Wat Bak Kam camp for the displaced in Preah Vihear province told Al Jazeera that primary school students can join classes at a local school, but high school students need to travel daily to the provincial capital, about 15km (9 miles) away.
Now the rising cost of petrol, due to the US-Israel war on Iran, has made it even harder for teenaged students, who have access to motorcycles, to make the journey to school.
Kinmai Phum, technical lead for WorldVision’s education programme, which is providing support to the camps, said school dropout rates and children skipping classes have increased substantially among students from the displaced border regions.
Kinmai Phum said the situation is a perfect storm of problems: Displaced families have been forced to move around for shelters, schools and temporary learning spaces lack facilities, and some students have psychological trauma due to the conflict.
“Local authorities [are] concerned that many children may not return to school at all if displacement and economic hardship persist,” Kinmai Phum said.
Yuon Phally, a mother of two, said she had noticed the impact of the war on her daughter and son, who are in their first and third years in primary school.
When they return from school, Yuon Phally said, they tell her about rumours they had heard about Cambodia and Thailand resuming fighting.
“Their feeling is not fully focused on school; they focus more on these rumours,” she said.
Her children’s world was more impacted by the conflict because their father is a soldier stationed in the Mom Bei area of the border.
During the fighting in December, Yuon Phally said she could not convince her children to go to school because they all waited to see if their father would call on a mobile phone from the front line.
“I couldn’t hold back my tears, and that added more pressure onto my kids,” she said.
“They would ask about their dad and how he is doing now. Then they told me to eat rice. They understood my feelings.”
She said her children’s focus on their studies only improved after their father returned from fighting to the camp where they are staying, to rest and recover from sickness and injuries sustained in battle.
‘Who doesn’t want to have peace?’
Soeum Sokhem, a deputy village chief, told Al Jazeera how his home is located in the militarised “danger zone” along the border, but he feels compelled to return every few days to check on his house, tend crops, sleep an occasional night, and check in with other neighbours doing the same.
“I can’t just stay here”, he said of camp life.
“I have to go back.”
When asked how he felt about the border war, Soeum Sokhem said he had experienced so much war in Cambodia that he did not know how to describe his “inner feeling like I really want to”.
He then listed off all the conflicts he had lived through in Cambodia since the 1960s: The spill over into Cambodia from the US war in neighbouring Vietnam; the US bombing campaign in Cambodia; the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, and the civil war that followed after Vietnam’s intervention to topple the regime’s leader Pol Pot in 1979, and which lasted until the mid-1990s.
Then in the 2000s, sporadic border fights with Thailand began, he said.
Cambodia’s contemporary history has been anything but peaceful, a fact which might explain why the current Cambodian government so often speaks of peace. Government buildings and billboards proclaim the government’s unofficial motto: “Thanks for peace.”
“But who doesn’t want to have peace?” Soeum Sokhem said, after charting his life and the many conflicts he had lived through.
Now the 67-year-old said he once again hears gunfire occasionally when he returns to check on his home on the front line.
“Before, when I walked there, it was normal,” he said.
“But nowadays, I walk with fear when going back there.”
David Attenborough’s BBC future confirmed in major announcement
A special announcement was made during his birthday celebration special programme on BBC One.
BBC viewers will be seeing more of David Attenborough(Image: BBC)
The BBC has made a major announcement about the future of Sir David Attenborough.
The legendary broadcaster was honoured with a special event at the Royal Albert Hall to mark his 100th birthday.
Hosted by Kirsty Young, it saw guest appearances from the likes of Dame Judi Dench and Sir Michael Palin, as well as historic clips of Sir David’s TV career.
And while he may be 100 years old, the national treasure clearly has no plans to slow down, as the BBC has now confirmed a new series of Blue Planet.
Moments before David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth came to an end, Kirsty announced: “Well, even though it’s his birthday week, David has still been hard at work, voicing a brand new series.
“Tonight, I am thrilled to announce that launching this autumn is Blue Planet III.
“We felt that we couldn’t go this evening without sharing a little glimpse, recorded just a few days ago, into 100-year-old David Attenborough’s typical working day.”
The show then aired a clip of Sir David voicing over an animal’s ‘mating call’, with Kirsty hailing him “an inspiration to us all”.
As the latest Blue Planet series was announced, viewers took to social media to share their excitement.
“Ooohh Blue Planet III so excited,” one person said, while another wrote: “Blue Planet 3!!! Always so hyped and it’s not even out yet.”
Wildlife documentary series Blue Planet first aired in 2001, with the sequel following in 2017.
This comes after a film producer who has worked with Sir David addressed the centenarian “slowing down”.
Joe Loncraine appeared on Good Morning Britain last month, where he recalled the privilege of working with him over the last decade.
He said: “I first worked with him just before his 90th birthday, and I thought, I’m so glad I got to work with him because surely he won’t be making films for much longer now that he’s nearly 90.
“Since then, I’ve worked with him on five projects, five different films over that time in the last ten years, and I’ve stopped thinking he’ll be slowing down. You’ll lose that bet if you have it any time.
“He always surprises us, he’s always wanting to do more. He remains very curious about the world and wants to learn more and show people what he’s learnt and show people what he’s excited about.
“I imagine he’ll probably rest a bit more, he’s earnt it. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he keeps doing stuff for as long as we want him, which will be as long as we can have him.”
Back in 2019, Sir David, then 91, said he would retire from broadcasting if his work became substandard, or if he could no longer walk up and down stairs.
“I would like to think I would be able to detect when I couldn’t find the right words any more,” he told the Radio Times. “If I think I’m not producing commentary with any freshness or which is apposite or to the point, I hope I would be able to recognise it before someone else told me.
“If I thought I was turning in substandard work, that would stop me.”
He added: ““If I can’t walk up and down steps any more, that will stop me.
“Yes I do dread not working, although there are things I can do without running up steps six times – books to be written, things I’ve never got round to.”
David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Dodgers put Tyler Glasnow on IL; Blake Snell set to make 2026 debut
In: Blake Snell. Out: Tyler Glasnow. Soon: Mookie Betts.
The Dodgers took two steps forward and one step back in their quest for full strength Friday, putting Glasnow on the injured list because of back spasms while planning to activate Snell from the injured list on Saturday and Betts on Monday.
Snell’s start Saturday will be his first since the World Series. The two-time Cy Young winner opened the season on the injured list because of shoulder fatigue, as the Dodgers eased him into spring with the goal of putting him in the best possible position to succeed in October.
Glasnow left Wednesday’s game because of the injury. An MRI examination revealed “nothing really significant,” according to manager Dave Roberts, but the IL stint allows Glasnow to avoid rushing to be ready for his next start, with the bigger October picture in mind.
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers against the Houston Astros on Wednesday.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
Glasnow never has made more than 22 starts in a season. He has been on the injured list in every full season since 2019.
With Glasnow’s status in question, the Dodgers on Thursday reconsidered their plan for Snell. They originally planned for him to make a final rehabilitation start Saturday, but Roberts said the pitcher and the team agreed he could throw the planned five innings in Los Angeles as well as he could in Ontario.
The Dodgers recalled reliever Paul Gervase to fill Glasnow’s roster spot. They could return him to triple-A Oklahoma City to make room for Snell on Saturday.
Betts strained an oblique muscle April 4. The shortstop is scheduled to play two minor league rehabilitation games Oklahoma City Friday and Saturday, then return to Los Angeles for evaluation, with the hope he’ll be cleared for activation Monday.
“We’re not going to run him out there every single day,” Roberts said.
Snell and Betts are not the only reinforcements on the way. Utilityman Kiké Hernández and reliever Brusdar Graterol began rehabilitation assignments this week.
The return of Betts would appear to allow the Dodgers to jettison infield reserve Santiago Espinal, although the team opened the season with Espinal on the roster and Hyeseong Kim at triple-A, allowing Kim to play every day and Alex Freeland and Miguel Rojas to split time at second base.
However, since rejoining the Dodgers when Betts was injured, Kim is batting .314 with an .801 OPS.
The Dodgers dropped outfielder Kyle Tucker to sixth in the lineup Friday, in a batting order Roberts said was designed to combat Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale.
In his career, Tucker is 0 for 9 with four strikeouts against Sale.
Venice Biennale: The Art of the Unseen | Newsfeed
At this year’s Venice Biennale, the story isn’t just about what’s on display—but what’s missing. Withdrawn countries, postponed ceremonies, and a fractured jury have turned the world’s oldest art exhibition into a stage for geopolitical tension.
Al Jazeera’s Karly Abou Samra explains.
Published On 8 May 2026
Saturday 9 May Europe Day around the world
At a speech in Paris in 1950, Robert Schuman, the then French foreign minister, set out his idea for a new form of political cooperation in Europe, which would benefit the participating countries economically and reduce the chance of any future war between Europe’s nations.
His vision was to create a European institution that would pool and manage coal and steel production.
The idea of the community was that its founding members – France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg – would pool their coal and steel resources and create a common market for them by lifting import and export duties.
A treaty creating such a body was signed in Paris just under a year later. Schuman’s proposal is considered to be the beginning of what is now the European Union.
The first recognition of a “Europe Day” was introduced by the Council of Europe in 1964. The “Europe Day” on 9th May was introduced in 1985 by the European Communities.
Iran war live: US expects Tehran’s reply to peace deal; ‘clashes’ in Hormuz | US-Israel war on Iran News
Live updatesLive updates,
Israeli attacks killed at least 31 people in southern Lebanon on Friday, including a rescue worker, Lebanon’s official National News Agency said.
Published On 9 May 2026
Writers Guild staff union reaches agreement with management
The union representing workers employed by the Writers Guild of America have reached an agreement on their first contract, ending a strike that lasted nearly three months.
The pending contract includes seniority and layoff protections, higher wages and outlines provisions for progressive discipline and a stepped grievance process, the Writers Guild Staff Union said in a statement Friday.
The union represents 116 members, who work in areas including legal, communications and residuals. They will vote on proposed contract in the coming days.
“Once ratified, the WGSU strike will end and Writers Guild staff will return to doing what we do best: defending the writers’ hard-fought gains and helping them build collective power,” the WGSU Bargaining Committee said in a statement.
WGA also said in a statement that they “are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement” with the union for its first collective bargaining agreement.
If ratified, members would see a minimum of 12% increases in pay for all Writers Guild staff over the course of the three year term. The salary floor would rise from $43,000 to $57,000. The staff would also see better protections against AI.
The strike began in February, weeks before the WGA was set to enter negotiations with the major studios, with the workers accusing their employer of bargaining in bad faith.
Over the last several months, tensions have been high between the two unions. In March, WGA had to cancel its Los Angeles-based award show, as it could “not ask our members or guests to cross a picket line.” The staffers also lost access to their healthcare in April, as they were no longer eligible.
Last month, Hollywood writers officially ratified their newest contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, with more than 90% voting in favor of the deal. The union represents 11,000 members.
Will work for free? Trevor Bauer proposes a ‘$0 salary’ MLB contract
Trevor Bauer wants to pitch in the majors again — so much so that he’s willing to start over in the lowest levels of the minor leagues and work his way up.
And he’s willing to do it without being paid.
That’s the hypothetical Bauer proposed Friday on X: A talented former Cy Young Award winner signs a minor league deal with an MLB team for a “$0 salary” and can be cut at any time at no financial risk to the organization.
Since his last MLB start on June 28, 2021, as a member of the Dodgers with a $102-million, three-year contract, Bauer has been accused of sexual assault by four women. He served a 194-game suspension for violating the league’s sexual assault and domestic violence policy. He has denied all the allegations and has never been charged with a crime.
While some might think signing Bauer might be a risky move for an MLB organization, Bauer feels his plan is foolproof in that regard.
“Hypothetical: You’re the owner of an MLB team,” Bauer wrote. “I offer to take $0 salary and sign a minor league contract and go to Low A. If the ‘he sucks now’ crowd is right and I get lit up, you cut me, lose $0 and there’s no risk to the big league club.
“If the ‘clubhouse cancer’ crowd is right, you see it immediately at Low A and cut me. You lose $0 and there’s no risk to the big league club. If there’s massive negative PR, which we already know there won’t be, you just cut me and move on. The story is dead in a couple days, you lose $0, and there’s no risk to the big league club.”
In the comments on Bauer’s post, someone challenged him on the notion that “we already know there won’t be” any negative PR if he is signed. In response, Bauer pointed to his current stint with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League to support his argument.
“Where has the negative PR been?” wrote Bauer, who is 3-1 this season and pitched a no-hitter for the Ducks late last month. “I’m playing in America. In New York of all places. Most ‘hostile’ media market in the United States. Stadiums are sold out when I pitch. There’s no boycotts. No media frenzy. Where is it?”
Bauer wrote in his proposal that if none of the negatives he laid out earlier happen, then the organization can promote their cost-free pitcher through the ranks, re-evaluating him every step of the way, until he reaches the big leagues — “if I earn it,” he wrote, “which you’d be 100% in control of deciding.”
“If you don’t think I’m good enough, you lose $0 and there’s no risk to the big league club,” Bauer wrote. “You could take away my ‘antics’. You could take away my social media. You could ask anything of me. If I don’t comply, you cut me, lose $0, and there’s no risk to the big league club.”
One X user asked why Bauer doesn’t just take away his “antics” on his own.
“Because no teams actually care about that,” Bauer responded. “They enjoy the content. And I’m not going to rob baseball fans of great baseball entertainment just to solve a problem that only exists in the minds of x bots.”
Informed that the MLB Players Assn. might have an issue with him playing for free, Bauer replied, “Who gives a crap about what mlbpa does or doesn’t want?”
This isn’t the first time Bauer has made what he considers to be a low-risk proposal for an organization to bring him back into the league. In 2024, Bauer spoke with The Times’ Bill Shaikin about an offer he made to play for the league minimum.
“The reason for that was, I want to go back to work, and I am trying to find any way that I possibly can to limit the risk and exposure for a team,” Bauer said. “I realize there are a lot of other things, outside of the on-field stuff, that go into whether to sign me. So I figured that, if I could limit the on-field risk as much as possible, perhaps that offsets some of the other perceived risks.”
It remains to be seen whether any club is willing to take up Bauer on his current offer.
“What logical reason is there to not do this?” Bauer wrote. “At worst, you cut me and there’s no risk to the big league club. At best, you get a Cy Young winner for $0 who you know can still pitch and could help the big league team if and when you see fit.”
Former Miami Marlins president David Samson weighed in on Bauer’s proposal in a post on X.
“This will never happen,” Samson wrote. “First of all, no team wants to sign him. Secondly, no player is allowed to play for $0. And finally, no team wants to sign him.”
Laura Fernandez sworn in as Costa Rica’s new president | Elections News
Fernandez enters office with her right-wing party holding absolute majority in the country’s legislature.
Published On 8 May 2026
Laura Fernandez has been sworn in as Costa Rica’s new president and has vowed to fight rising crime in the Central American country, as well as maintain close ties with the United States.
Fernandez defeated a crowded field in the February 1 vote to replace outgoing president Rodrigo Chaves, who has remained a close ally of US President Donald Trump.
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In an unorthodox move, Chaves is set to remain in the government as dual minister of the presidency and finance, assuring outsized influence in the incoming administration.
Further underscoring plans to maintain close ties with the US, Fernandez has appointed her second vice president, Douglas Soto, as ambassador to Washington.
Kristi Noem, the US special envoy spearheading the Trump administration’s militaristic approach to Latin America, dubbed “Shield of the Americas”, was at Friday’s inauguration.
So too was Israeli President Isaac Herzog, as part of efforts to boost ties with the region during the political fallout from the genocide in Gaza.
The 39-year-old Fernandez has vowed sweeping reforms to Costa Rica’s judiciary and security laws, as well as a broad crackdown on crime.
Last week, as she introduced her new security minister, Gerald Campos, Fernandez vowed “a war without quarter, a heavy-handed war against organised crime”.
Costa Rica has long been considered one of the most stable countries in Central America, but crime has surged in recent years as it has increasingly become a transit route for smuggling drugs to the US.
Costa Rica is building a maximum security prison modelled on El Salvador’s anti-terrorism CECOT centre, where hundreds of Venezuelans were held without trial after deportation from the US early last year.
Like El Salvador, Costa Rica has also agreed to accept non-citizens deported from the US per an agreement signed in March.
Rights groups have condemned the so-called “third-country agreements” for stranding deportees in countries in which they have no ties and could be subject to inhumane conditions.
Fernandez’s right-wing Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO) won 31 of 57 seats in the single-chamber legislature.
That gives her party an absolute majority as she takes office.
Celebrated naturalist David Attenborough marks 100th birthday | Environment
Britain’s famed natural historian David Attenborough is celebrating his 100th birthday. The broadcaster has made some of the world’s most iconic wildlife documentaries, in a 70-year career that saw him become a global voice for conservation and climate change advocacy.
Published On 8 May 2026