May 12, 2026

[FAN EVENT] Join our special event for a chance to win signed AmbiO album and exclusive Polaroid photos! [5.12.26]

allkpop Newsletter

allkpop

Daily update ⋅ May 12, 2026

NEWS

[FAN EVENT] Join our special event for a chance to win signed AmbiO album and exclusive Polaroid photos!

allkpop

Rookie group AmbiO has entered the music industry with their fresh after-school charm, and now it’s your chance to show your love and support! …

[FAN EVENT] Queenz Eye joins allkpop for interactive global fan event with special gifts!

allkpop

Rising girl group Queenz Eye is gearing up for their long-awaited comeback with a special fan event designed to reconnect with their global audi…

[INTERVIEW] TUNEXX discusses their debut EP 'SET BY US ONLY' and 'Rookie of the Year' aspirations

allkpop

The K-pop industry has welcomed another idol group brimming with ambition: TUNEXX. Formed under IST Entertainment, the group consists of seven member…

Yano Shiho Breaks Down in Tears as Choo Sung Hoon Changes Completely After Father’s Death: “Everything Is Yes Now”

allkpop

Japanese top model Yano Shiho became emotional as she spoke about the changes her husband, Choo Sung Hoon, went through following the death of his fa…

Swings confesses to 8.76 million USD in debt and severe depression

allkpop

Swings has opened up about his severe emotional struggles stemming from a massive debt of approximately 8.76 million USD (12 billion KRW). On May 9,…

Red Velvet's Joy prepares for a second life, pursues pet grooming license “If I can’t do this job, I need a skill”

allkpop

Red Velvet member and actress Joy revealed that she is preparing for the future by challenging herself to earn a professional pet grooming …

Moon Ga Young goes viral for her look at the '2026 Baeksang Arts Awards,' capturing attention in a "daringly revealing" dress

allkpop

Actress Moon Ga Young stole the spotlight at yesterday's '2026 Baeksang Arts Awards,' appearing in a stunning dress that has taken social media by s…

Moon Chae Won clarifies rumors about her future husband ahead of marriage

allkpop

ActressMoon Chae Won personally addressed recent rumors surrounding her future husband as speculation about her upcoming marriage continues to spread…

Cha Ye Ryun and Joo Sang Wook share romantic Rome couple photos

allkpop

Cha Ye Ryun showed off her affectionate relationship with husband Joo Sang Wook during a romantic trip to Rome. Instagram에서 이 게시물 보기 …

TWICE’s Jeongyeon draws attention with slim new visuals

allkpop

Jeongyeon drew attention after sharing new photos showcasing her slim and elegant visuals. On May 11 KST, Jeongyeon uploaded several photos with a p…

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Politics isn’t as hard as Starmer makes it look

In the headlines

Keir Starmer has told his cabinet he will fight on. Around 80 Labour MPs have publicly called on the prime minister to stand down and more than 90 have come out to back him. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper were reportedly among those privately urging Starmer to set an orderly timetable for his departure, but no cabinet members directly challenged the PM at Downing Street this morning. Zack Polanski has admitted to living on a London houseboat and probably failing to pay the correct council tax, despite previously claiming the canal craft wasn’t his primary home. The Green Party leader apologised for the “unintentional mistake” and said he had now “taken steps” to pay any tax he may be found to owe. A hearing aid that solves the “cocktail party problem” of not being able to pick out a single voice in a noisy room has shown what US researchers described as “unbelievable” results in early trials. The devices monitor brain activity to detect which conversation the wearer is trying to follow, then amplify that voice while quietening the others.

Comment

Mark Carney (L) and Anthony Albanese: re-vitalising the centre left. Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty

Politics isn’t as hard as Starmer makes it look

As Keir Starmer hangs on in Downing Street, says Janan Ganesh in the FT, he can at least console himself that he is not the only leader hated by the electorate. Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor, is “terminally unpopular”; so too Emmanuel Macron. Donald Trump was disliked even before he sent his bombers into Iran. Their predecessors were no more popular: think of Rishi Sunak, Olaf Scholz, Joe Biden. Each of the last four US presidents has had an average approval rating under 50%. Is it really possible that all these leaders, in all these countries, are useless? “What bad luck voters are having.” The real issue, surely, is public expectations. In rich and established democracies, “what people want from life goes up until no conceivable government can provide it”.

I’ve spent much of my life telling people governing is hard, says William Hague in The Times, but Starmer makes it look “almost impossible”. It’s not. Look at Canada and Australia, which have political systems similar to ours and are currently governed by the main centre-left party. Mark Carney has revitalised Canada’s liberals, winning three recent by-elections and earning personal approval ratings of 54%. Australian PM Anthony Albanese won re-election with a record majority last year and still polls well ahead of the opposition. It helps that both men are competent chief executives – they don’t appoint scandal-prone ambassadors or fire top civil servants to save their own skins. But more important, they govern from the centre: tax breaks to incentivise growth; continued fossil fuel production while boosting renewables; tough immigration policies. Neither leader is perfect and their administrations won’t last forever. But they have realised that “small changes are insufficient”, and voters are rewarding them for it. Labour MPs, take note.

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Photography

Popular Science has picked out 18 of the silliest finalists from the Comedy Wildlife Awards, including a bird with grass on to its face on a windy day in Yorkshire; a bridled guillemot chomping the head of its friend; a caring gorilla giving her baby a big sloppy kiss; a duck standing on a fence appearing to smoke on a crisp morning; a frog seemingly baptising an unwilling convert in a pond in Maine; and a young leopard whispering in his sister’s ear. To see more, click the image.

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Houston’s warrant mess shows why cops shouldn’t be ICE agents

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May 12, 2026

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☀️ Temperature check: High of 83; low of 69. Forecast: With the sunny and warm weather comes this danger for some residents.

Good morning, Houston.

Here's what you should know to start your day:

Need to know: From salmonella risks and an E. coli outbreak to mislabeled packaging, here’s a roundup of April’s food recalls affecting Texas consumers.
Top of the chart: The most-read story on our site yesterday was about the stabbing of a Houston Methodist hospital employee inside a Texas Medical Center garage.

Here's the rest of the news.

1

Houston Police Officers demonstrate a traffic stop as they test the StarChase System, a vehicle pursuit technology, at the driving track of the Houston Police Academy L. D. Morrison Sr. Memorial Center, Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in Houston. The StarChase System device is launched at a fleeing vehicle from the front of a police unit and contains a GPS transmitter. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle )

Murderers or grandpas? In Trump’s ICE warrant mess, confusion might be the point.

To call the situation over how Houston police should handle immigration warrants "tricky" is probably an understatement.

The debate set off weeks of drama that roped in the governor and his threats to revoke millions in public safety funds and other Texas cities over similar policies on civil ICE warrants.

But here's the thing, many officers have "no clue" as to what they mean.

Here's how columnist Lisa Falkenberg describes it:

"They pull someone over for speeding, a civil ICE warrant pops up, and seemingly they have no idea whether it’s for a kindly grandpa who merely overstayed his visa – or a convicted murderer."

How can that be?

Falkenberg dives into the confusion officers face and explores how politics is clouding the issue even further.

2

Texas AG Ken Paxton ignored donor complaints about a GOP platform he uses to fundraise.

Dozens of Texas political donors begged his office for recourse against WinRed and ActBlue, complaining of unauthorized charges and nonstop text messages.

3

Spring Branch ISD votes to close Northbrook Middle after community pushback.

Community members said the closure is part of a trend of unequal treatment for the district's north-side schools.

4

Houston surgeon says he altered records to help transplant patients.

The surgeon accused of improperly preventing his patients from receiving organ transplants claims he was trying to help them and that his actions were consistent with COVID-era transplant guidelines, according to court documents.

5

Galveston investigators link dead Texas City man to 1981 killing of a woman in her home.

A Texas City man who died in April may have been tied to the 1981 killing of Lois Marshall, a cold case that has remained unsolved for nearly 45 years.

Also: Accused killer Lee Gilley professed his innocence to a judge Monday as he appeared in an Italian court to plead for asylum, according to news reports.

6

UH student group wants more clarity on university's ICE compliance policy.

Some student advocates worry that a lack of guidance might make UH more accessible to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. About 10% of the school's population are international students.

7

The Top 5 races to watch on the May 26 runoff ballot.

Some of the most important and intriguing races in Texas politics are set for an election that is almost guaranteed to have tragically low turnout.

Also, early voting begins next week and several high-profile races, like the red-hot Republican primary runoff between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton, are on the ballot.

🗳️ Prepare with our Voter Guide

☑️ Read the Editorial Board's endorsements

Don’t miss your chance to protest

You have until May 15 to challenge your property tax appraisal. TX Tax makes it easier to gather the right data, compare nearby homes and build a stronger case while there’s still time. Enter your address and see if your home is unfairly appraised for free:

Get started now

📸 Photo of the Week

Employees at Traveler’s Cart take a moment during a vigil for owner Thy Mitchell and her children in Houston on Monday, May 11, 2026.

In this Elizabeth Conley photo, employees at Traveler’s Cart attend a vigil Monday for owner Thy Mitchell and her children.

Mitchell, her husband, Matthew, and their two children were found dead in their home one week earlier in a suspected triple murder-suicide.

⚾ Sports

Houston Astros' Jose Altuve (27) walks back to the dugout after striking out as Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh throws the baseball back to the pitcher during the third inning of a baseball game Monday, May 11, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Photo by: David J. Phillip, Associated Press

Astros: After their eighth straight loss to the Seattle Mariners, dating back to last season, the Astros now are tied for the worst record in the American League. Also, we're looking back on the life of broadcaster René Cárdenas.
World Cup: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement won't be present at 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Houston, according to Houston's World Cup host committee.

🗣️ Opinion

Craig Hlavaty writes: With each visit to Soundwaves, I’d level up, like passing a course. Oh, you liked Discharge? Well, have you heard Motorhead?

🍴 Restaurant Roundup

Got a hankering for crawfish? Here are the best restaurants and bars to order crawfish.
The two Spaghetti Western restaurants in Houston have split into independent businesses after 14 years of joint operations, though the move won’t change the customer experience much, the restaurants said.
From local institution Kim Son to new restaurants like Di An Pho in Asiatown, here's where to find the best Vietnamese food in the Houston area.
Layne's Chicken Fingers will open its next Houston location in the heart of downtown, with a grand opening set for this week.

The Commemorative Air Force's Conroe-based Gulf Coast Wing will add another vintage plane to its fleet this weekend.

The Douglas AC-47 Spooky, a Vietnam-era gunship, will go on display Saturday when the organization hosts a Warbird Expo at North Houston Regional Airport in Conroe.