DUP loses Lagan Valley seat vacated by former leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, and is under pressure in North Antrim

Former Labour leader continues to represent constituency he has held since 1983

Workers party leader removed from Commons seat he had won in February byelection dominated by Gaza war

Trip scheduled for Monday, with Delhi a key trading partner for Putin since the full-scale invasion of UkraineNarendra Modi will visit Russia on 8 and 9 July and hold talks with President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin has said, in the Indian prime minister's first trip to the country since Moscow invaded Ukraine.Modi and Putin will discuss prospects for further development of traditionally friendly Russian-Indian relations, as well as relevant issues on the international and regional agenda," the Kremlin said in a statement. Continue reading...

Labour forecast to return to power with a majority of 170, bringing to an end 14 years of Conservative rule

White House says proposal is in line with deal outlined by Joe Biden in late May, but work is still to be doneThe White House has described the latest Hamas ceasefire proposal for Gaza as a breakthrough" establishing a framework for a possible hostage deal, but warned that difficult negotiations remained over the implementation of the agreement.A senior US official said the Biden administration received the latest Hamas offer a couple of days ago" and had been studying it ahead of a 30-minute telephone call between Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. Continue reading...

Close Sunak ally Liam Booth-Smith elevated to Lords while Keir Starmer nominates eight retiring MPs

When will the new prime minister take office and what happens during the first days of a new government?

Hungarian PM trying to mediate between Russia and Ukraine' after Hungary took over rotating EU presidencyViktor Orban will travel to Moscow on Friday for talks with Vladimir Putin, sources said, days after Hungary's prime minister made his first visit to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of the country.Two sources in Budapest told the Guardian about the trip, saying it was planned as part of a package with the Ukraine visit after Hungary took over the rotating EU presidency this week. Continue reading...

Colorado dairy worker recovers as officials work toward vaccines and offer farmers financial aidThe US announced its fourth human case of bird flu, in a Colorado dairy worker, on Wednesday, as officials work to expand the availability of potential vaccines and commercial tests and open up financial assistance for affected farmers.The dairy worker was in close contact with cows that had tested positive for H5N1, a highly pathogenic bird flu, and the worker reported only eye symptoms", according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Continue reading...

Barrage from Lebanon one of group's largest yet, as Israel discusses Hamas proposals for possible Gaza ceasefireLebanon's Hezbollah says it has fired 200 rockets into Israel in one of its largest barrages yet, as Benjamin Netanyahu told the US that Israel will send a delegation to resume stalled negotiations with Hamas on a possible hostage release deal.Israel confirmed the Iran-backed militant group had fired numerous projectiles and suspicious aerial targets" from Lebanon on Thursday towards the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and more than 15 drones into Israeli territory, many of which it said were intercepted. An Israeli military spokesperson said there were no casualties reported. Continue reading...

The Canal and River Trust has increased fees at Ice Wharf Marina by more than 50% in the past nine yearsDespite their low-cost, bohemian image, houseboats can cost a pretty penny and often rival the price of a property on land. Now, those living on rivers and canals in London fear they will be priced out of the water for good as soaring mooring fees threaten their way of life.The Canal and River Trust (CRT) has raised mooring fees at some sites it owns by 10% for two years in a row. A 300m cut in government funding to the trust, due from 2027, was previously announced by Rishi Sunak's Conservative government. As a result, fees have risen for those living on rivers and canals in England and Wales. For many of those permanently moored in centrally-located marinas, fees have shot up by thousands of pounds. Continue reading...

Presenter says women should not be made to feel unsafe going about our daily lives' after Gavin Plumb convicted of plan to abduct her

University is taking legal action to shut down pro-Palestine encampment on Edgbaston campusThe University of Birmingham is censoring students' beliefs about Gaza by seeking to shut down a pro-Palestine encampment on its grounds, the high court has heard.Birmingham is one of several universities taking legal action to try to evict student protesters, with a case brought by the University of Nottingham due to be heard before the same judge on Friday. Continue reading...

Coroner finds Jessica Baker, 15, died from head injury after driver collapsed at wheel on M53A teenage girl who died when her school bus crashed on a motorway was one of the few people onboard wearing a seatbelt, an inquest has heard.Jessica Baker, 15, was dressed for a morning PE class at West Kirby grammar school in Wirral, Merseyside, when the coach crashed on the northbound M53 just after 8am on 29 September last year. Continue reading...

Accused speak out of turn about climate threat and challenge judge who orders jury to leaveThere was chaos in the courtroom at a climate protest trial when two defendants stood and made statements defying the authority of the court.At separate points during the trial on Thursday, Roger Hallam and Daniel Shaw, charged along with three others with conspiring to block traffic on the M25 in 2022, stood up in front of the jury and spoke out of turn. Continue reading...

Murray is due to compete in doubles at his last Wimbledon, yet fans are also pretty excited' to see younger playersThursday marks a changing of the guard. While for many this might mean electing a new prime minister, at Wimbledon, tens of thousands queued for a chance to bid adieu to Andy Murray and cheer on the next generation of British tennis stars.Murray is due to compete alongside his older brother, Jamie, in the men's doubles this week in his final Wimbledon showing. There had been hope he would play in the tournament's singles, but he pulled out on Tuesday after being unable to sufficiently recover from the back surgery he underwent 12 days ago. Continue reading...

Rebecca Joynes, 30, groomed two pupils from age of 15, with one boy describing aftermath as a very dark time'A teenage boy has described how he was coerced, controlled, manipulated, sexually abused, and mentally abused" as the Manchester teacher who victimised him was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison.Rebecca Joynes, 30, was found guilty of six counts of sexual activity with a child, two while in a position of trust, after a trial in May. Continue reading...

Debt-laden chain reportedly drawing up plans to shut 25 screens and renegotiate rent agreements at 50 sitesCineworld is reportedly considering closing a quarter of its UK cinemas as part of a wide-ranging restructure.The cinema operator, which delisted from the London Stock Exchange last year after its share price collapsed, is drawing up plans to shut as many as 25 cinemas and renegotiate rent agreements at 50 more of its 100 or so UK sites, sources told Sky News. Continue reading...

UK Steel says British firms paid prices in spring well over double French and Spanish equivalents Business live - latest updatesBritish electricity prices were double those paid in France and Spain in the spring, with the steel industry saying the disadvantage could hinder UK efforts to switch to greener technology.UK companies paid nearly 66 a megawatt hour (MWh) for wholesale electricity prices in the second quarter of 2024, well over double the French and Spanish equivalents in the same period, according to analysis of industry data by UK Steel, a lobby group. Continue reading...

Move comes after attacks on government spokesperson and RN candidate in buildup to Sunday's poll

Police appeal for more information in case of Scott Clive, who disappeared from North Shields in October 2002Police have arrested a man as part of an investigation into a 22-year-old murder mystery and appealed for people to come forward with information.Scott Clive was 30 when he was last seen shortly after 11pm in the Borough Road area of North Shields, North Tyneside, on 10 October 2002. Continue reading...

Association of Electoral Administrators calls for new timeline for postal votes and powers to investigate reports of disfranchisement UK election live - latest updatesThe body that represents electoral officers and administrators has said electoral legislation is no longer adequate, amid widespread reports of disfranchisement of postal voters marring Thursday's general election.The Association of Electoral Administrators says pressure on running the services has mounted over recent years, with elections delivered in spite of rather than because of the fragmented framework of laws". Continue reading...

After a shocking electoral upset the public is growing increasingly weary of his tenure - and of his Liberal partyA Canadian prime minister who has outstayed his welcome, persistent inflation, a government bumped and bruised by scandal and a fired-up opposition leader itching for a public showdown.It was against this backdrop, four decades ago, that Pierre Trudeau took his apocryphal walk in the snow" and decided not to contest the next federal election. Continue reading...

Voting booths open across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with results due in early hours of Friday

Beachgoers express amusement and doubt at Marbella's attempts to clean up its coastlineMarbella city council has denied suggestions that anyone caught relieving themselves in the warm waters off one of the Costa del Sol's best-known destinations could soon face a fine of up to 750 (635).At the end of May, the council approved a series of initiatives designed to improve the quality of the city's famous beaches. Although the proposals also include sanctions for antisocial offences such as playing loud music or playing annoying ball games, the most eye-catching measure was the fine for those who carry out physiological evacuations (bowel movements and urination) in the sea or on the beach". Continue reading...

Auctioneers taken aback by high price fetched by porcelain collected by local woman's grandfather during Boxer rebellionGill Stewart was in her attic rooting around for the Christmas decorations when she came upon the box unpromisingly labelled broken porcelain" passed on to her by her grandfather 20 years before.Her first instinct was to put it in the bin but, happily, she decided to take it to an auctioneer on the off-chance and the pieces have netted her a very pleasant 160,000. Continue reading...

Australian Medical Association is urging both parties to reach an agreement for the sake of patients

An imminent Nato summit, bursting prisons and another strike by junior doctors for starters mean whoever takes the keys to No 10 will have little to no time to celebrateThe campaign is over, but it's only now that the really hard work begins. Every new prime minister faces a bulging in-tray of issues, decisions and potential mishaps, but this one will be arguably more laden than most. Continue reading...

Boundary changes, paper thickness and ace returning officer's transfer could have a bearing on who declares firstOne of the most notable quirks of a British election begins with the sound of running shoes squeaking on a sports hall's varnished floor.But balls and rackets are nowhere to be seen, because the activity is a lot more niche than the usual fare. It is part of the race to be the UK's fastest election count - where ballot boxes filled with thousands of votes are opened, counted and collated before the result is declared less than 90 minutes after the last vote was cast. Continue reading...

Review launched into security breach after parliament partly locked down as activists climbed on to roof

Chinese national Jie Shao receives prison sentence for manslaughter after performing illegal breast surgery that killed Jean Huang in 2017

It's festival season! But are festivals any good for the environment? This week Chante chats to Lewis Jamieson of Music Declares Emergency and the Grammy-nominated House DJ Jayda G about how festivals can become more sustainable and why the music industry can be an important voice in the fight for climate justice.Jayda G's documentary Blue Carbon can be watched hereArchive - BBC, TikTok (billsvids), CNN, Blue Carbon (WaterBear), Instagram (liamcmusic_), BBC 5Live, Continue reading...

The girl was last seen swimming at Mango Creek, near the remote community of Palumpa, 350km south-west of Darwin

Police confirm drug's presence after deaths of boy, 17, and three adults in Broadmeadows last week

Man, 28, charged with 15 assaults allegedly committed during 35km ride from city to Wantirna South

Final polls predict unprecedented Labour victory, with Starmer declaring Britain a great nation, with boundless potential'Keir Starmer has hailed a new age of hope and opportunity" as millions of people prepare to vote in a general election that could deliver the biggest shake-up of British politics in a generation.The Labour leader said he was ready for government" and that his intended cabinet would hit the ground running" if it wins Thursday's election. Continue reading...

Many have moved more than once, with estimated 1.9m Palestinians relocating since Israel's invasion, says OCHAAbout 90% of the population of the Gaza Strip have been displaced at least once since the war between Israel and Hamas began, according to the UN's humanitarian agency.Andrea De Domenico, head of the UN's OCHA agency in the Palestinian territories, said on Wednesday that about 1.9 million people are thought to be displaced in Gaza. Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak rejects Mel Stride's claim Labour are likely to win a large majority

Conservatives appear to be close to conceding defeat the day before the election. And Archie Bland hands out his campaign awards Continue reading...

Artist calls impounding of MV Louise Michel vile and unacceptable' after rescue of 17 unaccompanied childrenA rescue boat financed by Banksy has been seized by Italian authorities after being involved in an effort to rescue 37 people from the central Mediterranean sea, the British street artist and the vessel's crew have said on social media.The move comes just days after an inflatable boat carrying dummy refugees was launched into the crowd during a set by the British rock band Idles at the Glastonbury festival, a stunt masterminded by the anonymous graffiti artist and criticised by the UK home secretary, James Cleverly, as vile". Continue reading...

Tim Parker tells inquiry the firm relied too heavily on lawyers and should have shown key report to the boardThe former chair of the Post Office has expressed sincere regret" for the the state-owned body's failings in the Horizon IT scandal and said it was a mistake not to show a key report on the problem to its board.Tim Parker, who was chair of the Post Office between 2015 and 2022, told a judge-led public inquiry that he felt deep sympathy" for the Post Office operatives affected by what MPs have described as one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in UK history. Continue reading...

Anthony Bray said the item, a miniature copy of a weapon in the Nintendo series, had been a fidget toy for his handsA man has been jailed for brandishing a replica of a sword from the Nintendo game The Legend of Zelda on the streets of a Midlands market town, which he said was a fidget toy" to keep his hands busy.Anthony Bray, 48, of Nuneaton, was sentenced to four months in prison after being found in possession of a bladed article in public. Continue reading...

Staff, students and writers criticise decision to issue programme's co-founder with a redundancy noticeGoldsmiths, University of London has been accused of being determined" to close its Black British literature course after selecting its co-founder for redundancy as part of a cost-cutting programme.On Monday provisional redundancy notices were issued to 97 academic staff across 11 university departments, the Guardian understands, including Prof Deirdre Osborne. Continue reading...

Labour leader also says he cannot foresee circumstances where UK would re-enter single market or customs union

PM pays tribute to country's best-known novelist as coffin is covered in national flag and flowersThousands of Albanians have gathered in Tirana to pay tribute to their country's best-known novelist, Ismail Kadare, who died on Monday after a heart attack.Albanians flocked to the capital to pay their respects to Kadare's coffin, covered with the red and black national flag. Continue reading...

Hannah and Colin Ingram-Moore disqualified by Charity Commission, family saysCapt Sir Tom Moore's daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband, Colin, have been disqualified from being charity trustees by the Charity Commission, the family said in a statement.More details soon ...

PM would become first sitting British leader to be voted out of his constituency if his fears are realised

Fears of big regression' in climate action that could spread across Europe if National Rally gains power