5 Things posted May 3, 2024 @ 08:00am by Iain Burns

5 things you need to know this morning: May 3, 2024

Start your day off right with five things you need to know this morning.

Five things you need to know

1. Feds give Toronto $104M for World Cup

The federal government has said it will give $104 million to Toronto ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Six matches are set to be held in Canada's biggest city, while seven are set to be played in Vancouver.

#CityOfTO to receive $104.34 million in Federal funding to support hosting FIFA World Cup 26

News release: https://t.co/drsvwrjUUU pic.twitter.com/SMSpCuy8gt

— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) May 3, 2024

2. Biden brands Japan, India, China and Russia 'xenophobic'

US President Joe Biden has branded Japan, India, China and Russia as "xenophobic" because they "don't want immigrants." The remark prompted one former Department of Defense official to say Biden had been "patronizing and foolish."

U.S. President Joe Biden says nations like Japan, China and India are stalling because they're too "xenophobic" to welcome immigrants who could help their labor force. https://t.co/mD1Rafyv61
— The Japan Times (@japantimes) May 2, 2024

3. Ukraine can use donated weapons in Russia if it wants to: UK foreign minister

Britain's foreign minister has said it's up to Ukraine to decide whether it wants to use donated weapons inside Russia. David Cameron said: "Just as Russia is striking inside Ukraine, you can quite understand why Ukraine feels the need to make sure it's defending itself."

Kyiv can use British weapons inside Russia - Cameron https://t.co/wxEUKLCAtz
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 3, 2024

4. Zebra still on the run in Cascade Mountains

A town in Washington has been eagerly following the exploits of some freedom-loving zebras after several of the African mammals escaped while being taken to a zoo. Locals quickly nabbed three of the pied critters, but officials said one of them headed into the Cascade Mountains and remains at large.

So far, three of the zebras have been recaptured, but one remains on the loose. https://t.co/iWiYESbNOi
— Smithsonian Magazine (@SmithsonianMag) May 2, 2024

5. Ex-PM turned away from polling station due to voting laws he introduced

In more British news, the country's former leader, Boris Johnson, has been turned away after trying to vote without ID. New rules requiring ID to vote were introduced by Johnson in 2022.

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was turned away from a polling station after forgetting to bring ID to vote in the U.K.'s local elections.

Johnson's administration introduced the requirement for citizens to provide photo ID when voting. https://t.co/01tbLSzhvi
— ABC News (@ABC) May 3, 2024