Murder investigation launched after death of woman in north Belfast

The UK’s official inflation figures for April were slightly higher than they should have been due to a mistake in car tax data provided by the government. The Office for National Statistics says the error overstated inflation by 0.1 percentage points. Meanwhile, the Eurozone is gearing up for an interest rate cut, and fintech giant Wise has dealt a symbolic blow to the London stock market by shifting its focus elsewhere.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the bodies of two hostages, Judih Weinstein and Gad Haggai, taken during Hamas’s October 7 attack have been recovered and returned to Israel following a special operation. Meanwhile, a U.S.- and Israeli-backed aid group delayed reopening its Gaza facilities due to safety concerns, as the Israeli military warned that roads to distribution centers remain active combat zones.

NATO defense ministers are gearing up for a crucial meeting in Brussels, with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin emphasizing the alliance’s need to stay combat-ready. The push for members to ramp up spending to 5% of GDP—a move heavily backed by Trump—is gaining steam, as NATO’s Mark Rutte calls for "ambitious new capability targets" to bolster security for the alliance’s 1 billion citizens.

Half a million additional kids in the UK will now qualify for free school meals under new government plans—a move praised by charities who see it as a step toward broader support for struggling families.

The Israeli military has recovered the bodies of two elderly hostages—Judi Weinstein Haggai, 70, and her husband Gadi, 72—from southern Gaza. The couple, who held dual Israeli-American citizenship, were killed during Hamas’s October 7 attacks. Their remains were found as part of ongoing military operations in the region.