Japanese company iSpace says its uncrewed spacecraft probably crashed in an attempt to touch down on the moon surface. Communication with the craft was lost just at the moment of the planned landing, and engineers have not been able to re-establish contact.

住友不動産浜町ビル

Japanese iSpace lunar mission fails moon landing 

At this moment, we have not been able to confirm successful landing on the lunar surface. It's not the outcome Japanese firm iSpace was hoping for. It wanted to be the first private company to complete a successful lunar landing. But despite the setback, iSpace is optimistic. The journey began in December, when a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida carrying a lander called the M1. It's taken five months for the craft to get into position. The M1 lander traveled around 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth before looping back towards the moon. This longer, slower route saved on fuel and allowed it to carry more cargo. One of the items on board is a small rover from the United Arab Emirates. Long term, companies are hoping to turn these moon missions into business opportunities. There's a few different incentives for companies to land on the moon. Some of it is mining access. There are some valuable minerals on the moon that companies would really like to exploit. Some companies want to get there for defense purposes, kind of in preparation for maybe humans expanding to the moon. And then some companies have at least a little bit of a scientific exploration aspect to it. They want to learn more about the moon. That's generally something though, where the funding is coming from a government agency working with these companies rather than a company kind of proactively deciding they would like to explore the moon for scientific purposes. It has been working tirelessly to get ready for this day. I-Space says this is just the beginning. It's planning more missions to the moon, one as early as next year. Other companies are also likely to accelerate their efforts as the lunar surface looks set to become the new frontier. Vint Cerf, Al Jazeera.

The death toll continues to rise in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande Do Sul, in the wake of torrential rains and floods. At least 138 people have died and thousands lack water and electricity as floodwaters inundate entire towns.

State of Rio Grande do Sul

‘Desperate’ rescues under way as Brazil floods kill hundreds

The grief-stricken parents of murdered Perth brothers Jake and Callum Robinson have spoken for the first time since the pair were killed in Mexico. In an emotional statement on a San Diego beach, Debra and Martin Robinson confirmed they had identified their sons bodies, and are now planning to bring them home.

San Diego

Parents of Australian brothers open up on heartbreak

A 39-year-old woman has been stabbed in the carpark of the Crunch Fitness gym in Alexandria, Sydney's inner-south. Witnesses say the woman ran into the gym bleeding from her face. Police say it is a suspected domestic violence incident.

Alexandria

Manhunt underway after woman stabbed in Sydney gym carpark

As Israeli tanks roll through the southern Gaza city of Rafah after rejecting Hamas's ceasefire offer, the country's leaders are facing increasing pressure from both inside and out to reach a deal to stop the fighting.

Rafah

Israel-Gaza War

Israel rejects Hamas truce offer, takes control of Rafah crossing

Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand in Donald Trump’s hush money trial, outlining the salacious details of her alleged sexual encounter with the former U.S. president and the payments she says she received for her silence.

New York

Stormy Daniels delivers explosive testimony in Trump hush money trial

Millions of people have cast their ballots in India’s third of a seven-phase general election. It took place in eleven states and union territories. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a third term, cast his vote in Ahmedabad.

Gujarat

Millions vote in third phase of India's national elections

Ukraine says it thwarted a Russian plot to assassinate senior Ukrainian political and military figures, including President Volodymyr Zelensky. Two Ukrainian security officials were arrested for their links to Russia's Federal Security Service, which had aimed to carry out high-profile killings ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inauguration.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine says it foiled Russian attempt to assassinate Zelenskyy

A spokesperson for the Chinese Communist Party has deflected blame for an altercation between a Chinese military jet and an Australian Seahawk Helicopter in waters off South Korea, claiming the helicopter was flying 'too close' to Chinese territorial waters.

Beijing

China blames Australia for mid-air military incident

President Vladimir Putin was sworn in for a new six-year term on Tuesday (May 7) at a Kremlin ceremony, boycotted by the U.S. and other Western countries, at which he said he was potentially open to nuclear talks with the West.

Moscow

Putin starts new six-year term with challenge to West

The Israeli military said it had taken operational control of the Palestinian side of Gaza's southern Rafah Crossing, which borders Egypt, and that special forces were scanning the area.

Israel claims control of Rafah crossing

President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian military to hold nuclear weapons drills involving the navy and troops based near Ukraine, the defence ministry said Monday.

Putin orders nuclear drills near Ukraine

Australian and Chinese relations are strained following an incident involving military forces from both countries. During a routine operation in the Yellow Sea, within international waters, an Australian helicopter faced an aggressive manoeuver by a Chinese military jet.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia hits out at China over helicopter incident

Interest rates will remain unchanged after the Reserve Bank of Australia decided to keep the cash rate at 4.35%, a figure that has held steady since November. It comes amidst the ongoing struggle with rising costs of living pressures.

RBA keeps interest rates on hold

Israel has launched new airstrikes in Rafah, warning 100,000 people there to flee to a designated safe area ahead of an expected ground operation. The strikes came after Hamas agreed to a mediated ceasefire proposal but Israel did not.

Hamas accepts mediated ceasefire deal; Israel doesn't

The bodies of Perth brothers Callum and Jake Robinson have been formally identified after their grieving family arrived in Mexico. Authorities have arrested four people in connection with the alleged murders.

Baja California

Grieving family arrives in Mexico to identify brothers' remains

The Defence Minister has condemned the conduct of a Chinese fighter jet, which launched flares near an Australian Seahawk helicopter. The incident occurred over international waters in the Yellow Sea off the coast of South Korea.

Seoul

Chinese fighter jet detonates flares near Australian helicopter

Israel's military has carried out airstrikes in Rafah, residents said, hours after Israel told Palestinians to evacuate parts of the southern Gaza city where more than a million people uprooted by the war have been sheltering.

Jerusalem

Israel strikes Rafah after evacuation order, residents say

Chinese President Xi Jinping awoke in Paris on Monday on his first visit to the region in five years, with trade and Russia's war with Ukraine on the agenda in talks with France's Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

Paris

China's Xi Jinping pays state visit to France

Israel has ordered civilians in Rafah to move towards Khan Younis, in the clearest sign yet that a military operation is imminent. A ceasefire in Gaza looks as distant as ever with Hamas refusing to lay down arms unless there is a complete cessation of the war. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would go it alone if necessary, even in the face of criticism from its Western allies.

Israeli army orders Palestinians to evacuate parts of Rafah

The bodies Australian brothers, Jake and Callum Robinson have been identified by authorities in Baja California, Mexico. It comes as their grieving parents arrive in the country.

Brothers identified as victims of Mexico robbery

Qantas has been ordered to compensate passengers following revelations that it sold tickets on thousands of flights that had already been cancelled. The airline has agreed to pay a $100 million fine and $20 million in compensation to affected passengers.

Mascot

Qantas ordered to pay compensation over 'ghost flight' scandal

A former detective is facing allegations of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman whose case he was initially assigned to investigate. Accused of exploiting his authority, Glenn Coleman, 55, has been charged with 10 offences,

Penrith

Police officer accused of assaulting rape victim

The death toll from heavy rains that have caused flooding in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul has risen to at least 78, local authorities said, with more than 115,000 people displaced.

Climate Crisis

Death toll rises in record-breaking Brazil floods

China's President Xi Jinping has arrived in France for a rare visit with President Emmanuel Macron. They are set to discuss trade, amid growing tension between Europe and China over an imbalance between China's exports and European imports.

China's Xi Jinping visits Europe amid global tensions

While several pro-Palestinian campus protests in the U.S. were dismantled over the weekend, others became more disruptive and interrupted at least one graduation ceremony.

Chicago

Protests disrupt graduation ceremonies at U.S. universities

Prospects for a Gaza ceasefire appeared slim as Hamas reiterated its demand for an end to the war in exchange for the freeing of hostages, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flatly ruled that out.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Gaza truce hopes fade as Israel, Hamas trade blame

The Israeli cabinet has voted to unanimously shut down Al Jazeera's operations in the country. That's according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement on X. 
It is not clear when this decision will take effect.

Israel announces ban of Al Jazeera channel, website

Australian police said they have shot dead a boy after he stabbed a man in Western Australia's capital Perth, in an attack authorities said indicated terrorism.

Perth

Australian police shoot boy dead after stabbing

Sadiq Khan has been elected mayor of London, winning a historic third term after a dramatic contest. Khan was declared the winner over the Conservative candidate, Susan Hall with 43.8% of the vote.

London

Sadiq Khan elected London mayor for third term

Floods have killed at least 58 people in southern Brazil. Nearly 70,000 have been forced from their homes. Tens of thousands of people have been left without drinking water or electricity. It's the worst flooding the region has seen in more than 80 years.