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Bill Bailey and Alan Titchmarsh paint gnomes for king's garden at event, in one-off to raise funds for RHS campaignGarden gnomes should make a permanent return to the Chelsea flower show, say celebrities who have painted the mythical creatures for the king's garden at this year's event.At the high-end event, which kicks off on Tuesday in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, south-west London, the tacky" statues have been frowned upon since 1927. Speaking at the show's press day, the comedian and musician Bill Bailey and the gardener and author Alan Titchmarsh urged the Royal Horticultural Society to lift the gnome ban permanently. Continue reading...

Matt Brittin begins task of finding budget cuts as World Service and Radio 4 journalists protest against plan to increase workloadsMatt Brittin, the BBC's new director general, has warned staff that tough choices are unavoidable" under his tenure, as his first day coincided with a strike by a group of the corporation's journalists.Brittin, formerly Google's most senior executive in Europe, arrived at the corporation's New Broadcasting House while a group of journalists from the World Service's Newshour and Radio 4's The World Tonight were picketing in response to a plan to increase their workloads. Continue reading...

Deputy PM says Andy Burnham would be great addition to parliament' but leadership row is an own goal' for LabourKeir Starmer is not about to set a timetable for his departure from Downing Street, David Lammy, one of the prime minister's closest cabinet allies, has said, urging Labour to get beyond the spectacular own goal" of repeated leadership speculation.The prime minister visited Labour HQ on Monday, and said the whole party should show 100%" support to help win the crucial Makerfield byelection, as sources said he was not considering stepping aside for Andy Burnham should he win. Continue reading...

Washington-based fund praises Rachel Reeves for aiming to cut budget deficit as it upgrades growth forecasts

Singer says she has faced years of public shaming', as court rules tax agency made mistake over her 2011 statusA court in Madrid has ordered Spain's tax authority to pay Shakira back more than 55m (48m) after ruling that it had wrongly imposed huge fines on the Colombian singer and philanthropist because it had made mistakes over her tax status.In a statement released on Monday, the Audiencia Nacional said it had accepted an appeal from Shakira against the fine she was handed five years ago after the Agencia Tributaria claimed she had not paid the necessary tax in Spain in 2011. At that time, the singer was in a relationship with the FC Barcelona player Gerard Pique. Continue reading...

Participants who got single dose of psilocybin were more likely to abstain from cocaine than those who got placeboResults from a new clinical trial show that a single dose of psilocybin could be an effective treatment for cocaine addiction.The study, published in Jama Network Open this month, showed that 19 participants who received a single dose of psilocybin were more likely to abstain from cocaine than 17 participants who received a placebo of diphenhydramine, a common antihistamine. Continue reading...

Trump warning over peace talks drives up crude price as UK gilts hit by uncertainty over Starmer leadership

People's party wins regional election but loses absolute majority, opening door to possibly months of negotiationsSpain's conservative People's party (PP) won Sunday's Andalucian regional election, but lost its absolute majority, leaving it dependent on the support or abstention of the far-right Vox party to form a new government.After the poll in Spain's most populous region - which will serve as a barometer of wider electoral opinion before next year's general election - the socialists slumped to an all-time low and Vox picked up one additional seat. Continue reading...

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Inquiry into black market hears cost of destroying vapes has also soared, with some requiring manual dismantling

Federal court case begins for classical pianist who alleges Melbourne Symphony Orchestra unlawfully discriminated due to his views

Abu Dhabi denounces dangerous escalation' as Iran war ceasefire grows more precarious, and US president voices impatience at stalemateThe United Arab Emirates has blamed a fire near its nuclear power plant on a drone launched by Iran or one of its proxies in what the UAE called a dangerous escalation".The fire was just outside the Barakah nuclear plant and caused no injuries or radiation alerts, with the emirate's nuclear regulator saying there was no radioactive leak or risk to the public. Continue reading...

Commission led by Sajid Javid and Jon Cruddas asks public to share vision of community and country to help rebuild social cohesionSajid Javid has warned the country risks being torn apart by our differences" as figures from across public life launch a project that asks what it means to be British.The Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion, co-chaired by the former Conservative chancellor as well as the former Labour party policy chief Jon Cruddas, is urging the public to share their personal vision of their community and their country in the National Conversation project. Continue reading...

NSW transport minister says contracts signed for 24-metre, battery electric ferry to be trialled for 12 months from 2028

Charity estimates up to 1,360 children could remain separated from families for every month the suspension continuesHundreds of children every month face being separated from their families since the UK suspended refugee family reunion last September, according to analysis by the British Red Cross.Based on examination of Home Office data of family reunion grants previously made, the charity estimates between 550 and 1,360 children could remain separated from their families for every month that refugee family reunion suspension continues. Of these, between 180 and 430 each month are likely to be unaccompanied minors. Continue reading...

Banned White Australia group lodges documents with high court stating legislation burdens freedom of governmental and political communication'

Flight from Melbourne to Dallas forced to land in Tahiti due to man's alleged disruptive behaviour

Survey shows businesses struggling to absorb latest economic shock', while data says April vacancies down 7.7%The worsening fallout from the Iran war is forcing businesses to halt their UK investment and hiring plans, bosses have warned, as Britain enters a renewed period of political and economic instability.More than two months into the US-Israeli war on Iran, leading surveys of UK employers showed companies were increasingly prioritising cost management over growth as rising costs and global uncertainty weigh on confidence. Continue reading...

Two campaign groups claim that change to how NHS treatments are approved amounts to unlawful power grab'Campaigners against the UK's controversial drug pricing deal with Donald Trump are threatening the government with legal action unless it scraps a key element of the plan.They claim that a change to how drug treatments are approved for use by the NHS, which could lead to it paying even higher prices for them, amounts to an unlawful power grab". Continue reading...

Justice secretary's white paper will overhaul youth justice rules and could end lifelong criminal records for under-18sDavid Lammy has promised to cut the number of children kept in jail while they await trial by a quarter as part of an overhaul of youth justice rules that could also end lifelong criminal records for under-18s.The justice secretary is publishing a white paper on Monday that he says will reduce the number of children ending up in jail - something he admits was his greatest fear growing up in Tottenham in the 1980s. Continue reading...

Body says, on average, British women approaching retirement have half private pension savings of men - 81,000 versus 156,000A shake-up of pensions in Britain must involve measures to close the gap in retirement savings between men and women, the revived Pensions Commission is to tell ministers.According to the government-backed body, women approaching retirement have on average half the private pension savings of men, with a median pension wealth of 81,000 versus 156,000. Continue reading...

British Chambers of Commerce survey shows firms are dealing with rising levels of theft, fraud and cyber-attacks'UK business leaders have warned that crime is becoming an increasingly serious barrier" to growing Britain's economy amid a rise in shoplifting, fraud and cyber-attacks against companies.The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), which represents tens of thousands of businesses across the country, called on the government to provide a step change in the support businesses can count on" as it said two-fifths of companies had experienced some form of crime in the past year. Continue reading...

Wave of almost 600 drones launched across 14 regions, after Moscow's deadly three-day attack on Ukraine last weekOne of Ukraine's largest ever drone strikes against Russia's regions, including Moscow, has killed at least four people and wounded a dozen more, the Russian authorities have said.The wave of almost 600 Ukrainian drones struck overnight across 14 Russian regions, as well as the Crimean peninsula and the Black and Azov seas, the Russian defence ministry said on Sunday, with the area around the capital among the worst-hit. Continue reading...

Canal+ head says he will not work with hundreds of actors and directors who signed protest against Vincent Bollore's political swayThe head of France's biggest film producer, Canal+, has said the group will no longer work with hundreds of cinema figures who signed a petition voicing concern over the growing influence of the rightwing billionaire owner Vincent Bollore.The open letter, published earlier this week to coincide with the opening of the Cannes film festival, was signed by more than 600 figures, including the actor-director Juliette Binoche, the director and photographer Raymond Depardon, the French-Iranian film-maker Sepideh Farsi and the director Arthur Harari, who co-wrote the Oscar-winning Anatomy of a Fall and is premiering his film The Unknown in the main competition in Cannes. Continue reading...

Excluding capital would be missed opportunity', says Sadiq Khan, given existing assets and world-class infrastructure'The mayor of London has criticised plans to explore a bid for the north of England to host the Olympics, saying that excluding London would be a missed opportunity".Ministers have commissioned an assessment by UK Sport which could inform a bid for the international sporting event in the 2040s. If the campaign were successful, it would be the first time the Olympic Games and Paralympics were hosted in Britain since London 2012. Continue reading...

Bulgaria's first-ever win in European song contest delivers ray of hope at turbulent time after years of political instabilityBulgarians have rejoiced in their country's first victory at the Eurovision song contest as fans welcomed home the singer whose party anthem Bangaranga proved an unexpected breakthrough hit.Dara is yet more proof that Bulgaria can win," declared the new prime minister, Rumen Radev, of Darina Nikolaeva Yotova, known simply as Dara. He hailed a young artist who, thanks to her talent and professionalism, has managed to rise above all the complexities and prejudices surrounding the [Eurovision] voting process". Continue reading...

Officers were allegedly racially abused at Tommy Robinson march, which failed to draw huge numbers it was hoping forTommy Robinson's unite the kingdom" rally failed to get the huge numbers it wanted to march through London, with police confident that the crowd at his protest on Saturday was less than half the size of that at an event last year.The far-right rally happened on the same day as a pro-Palestinian march, and the Metropolitan police said 43 arrests were made during the two events. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Families of men facing death penalty join opposition to proposals to run courses for defence ministryThe families of two scholars facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia have appealed to the University of Cambridge to drop proposals to run staff training courses for Riyadh's defence ministry.The Guardian revealed last week that Cambridge's Judge business school has been authorised to offer leadership development" and innovation management" training for the Saudi defence ministry's staff, despite internal opposition within the university over the kingdom's record on human rights and academic freedom. Continue reading...

Cigarettes kill 66 Australians every day, coalition says, criticising MPs who heard evidence from Philip Morris in secret

Ex-health secretary's allies rally to defend him after culture secretary calls his comments about rejoining bloc odd'A row has broken out at the top of the Labour party over whether Britain should try to rejoin the EU after Wes Streeting said the country should eventually seek to regain membership.Streeting, who resigned as health secretary last week in protest at Keir Starmer's leadership, kicked off a war of words after he argued on Saturday that Britain's future lay back in the EU. Continue reading...

Unspecified number of officers from royalty and specialist protection team being investigated, force confirmsPolice officers accused of being asleep when they were supposed to be protecting the royal family at Windsor Castle have been placed under investigation.An unspecified number of officers from the Metropolitan police's royalty and specialist protection team are being investigated after concerns were raised, the force confirmed. The Sun, which first reported the story, said up to 30 officers were involved. Continue reading...

Campaigners say symbolism of Magyar inauguration must translate into real change for Roma rights after years of Orban discriminationThe clutch of young Roma boys in black bow ties were lined up beneath the ornate arches and royal frescoes of Hungary's dazzling parliament. Moments after Peter Magyar was sworn in, bringing an end to Viktor Orban's 16 years in power, the young musicians launched into the unofficial anthem of Roma in Hungary, leaving many MPs wiping away tears.It was an extraordinary moment - one that fused the nationwide hope for change with the longstanding aspirations of the country's most marginalised community. Roma rights campaigners have seized the moment, calling on the new government to ensure that the symbolism of last weekendtranslates into real change. Continue reading...

Comments come after Andy Burnham says he would renationalise water and other businesses as PMInvestors in Thames Water have told the Labour government that a temporary nationalisation of the embattled company would slow its turnaround, after calls from Andy Burnham to put key utilities under public control.As Keir Starmer's grip on power appeared to be fading, the Greater Manchester mayor suggested at the weekend that the renationalisation of water and energy would form part of his policy agenda should he become prime minister. Continue reading...

After record losses last year, beekeepers report a warm winter has led to bees waking up earlier' this yearAfter a series of record-breaking US heatwaves, the 2026 bee swarm season in North America has started 17 days earlier than last year, pushing beekeepers to adapt to a rapidly shifting season while raising new questions about how honeybees are responding to the climate crisis.According to a new report published by Swarmed, a tracking network of more than 10,000 beekeepers, focused on safe and ethical honeybee relocation, this year's unusually early swarm season follows several years of record colony declines worldwide. Continue reading...

Lisa Nandy says no candidate has launched a challenge to Keir Starmer, despite feverish speculation' around Andy Burnham and Wes StreetingThe Conservative leader called accusations her party could not win a general election very silly".Trevor Phillips, questioning Kemi Badenoch on Sky, suggested she was reluctant to accept what the voters have said" in the local election results. Continue reading...

Experts say slashed funding and growing misinformation are some of the greatest challenges facing public healthThe hantavirus outbreak, while unlikely to spark the next big pandemic, is shining a spotlight on the ways public health has deteriorated in the US: its ability to test for rare diseases, its expertise on outbreak prevention and response, its ability to battle misinformation and restore trust.Assuming everything goes well in containing this outbreak, which I hope it does, the takeaway from that should not be we're fine,'" said Stephanie Psaki, former White House global health security coordinator. We're not ready for this type of threat." Continue reading...

French police fire teargas and UK shops close for safety reasons as hundreds queue for Royal Pop timepieces that make up Audemars Piguet collaborationThe launch of limited-edition Swatch watches descended into chaos in several European cities and New York, with French police firing teargas to restore order at a store near Paris.Hundreds of people waited through the night from Friday into Saturday - and in some cases for several days - hoping to buy the Royal Pop timepieces, made in collaboration with the luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet. Continue reading...

Actor says Ensemble 84 in Horden, employing local talent, is how a professional repertory company should beIt's a chilly spring evening in what was once a Catholic church in a left-behind County Durham pit village, and Ian McKellen admits he is feeling emotional.This is the only company of actors in the United Kingdom and it's in ... Horden?" he says. I'm feeling very emotional. This fulfils all my romantic dreams I've had ever since I discovered the joys of theatre-going and acting." Continue reading...

Union representative concerned about safety as workers rush to finish repainting DC pool before 250th celebrationsWorkers renovating one of Washington DC's most historically symbolic sites in a project ordered by Donald Trump may be risking their safety as they race to finish on time for the US's 250th anniversary celebrations, a union monitoring the site has warned.Trade union scrutiny has focused on the reflecting pool on the US capital's National Mall - scene of Martin Luther King's 1963 I have a dream speech" - after it was drained of water and fenced off from the public to allow contractors the chance to upgrade it by 4 July. Continue reading...

Naegohyang FC due to play Suwon FC in semi-final of Asian Women's Champions League on WednesdayA North Korean women's football club has arrived in South Korea for an AFC Women's Champions League semi-final, marking the first visit by athletes from the isolated state to the South in eight years.The delegation of 27 players and 12 staff entered the country on Sunday before Wednesday's match between Naegohyang FC and South Korea's Suwon FC Women in Suwon. Continue reading...

Conservatives expected to keep majority as socialists face drubbing and ballot tests trajectory of far-right Vox partyVoters in the southern Spanish region of Andalucia are casting their ballots in an election that is likely to deliver an absolute majority to the conservative People's party (PP) and inflict another debilitating defeat on Pedro Sanchez's embattled socialists in what was previously one of their proudest strongholds.Sunday's election in Spain's most populous region - the last big poll before next year's general election - will serve as a barometer of wider electoral opinion and could also reveal whether the popularity of the far-right Vox party is beginning to peak. Continue reading...

Despite the ban on disposables, waste professionals say the mountain of discarded devices is a 1bn-a-year issueIt is 2pm and Ana, 47, has just started the afternoon shift at the Suez recycling plant near Birmingham city centre, standing beneath a sign reading Non-ferrous sorting station" with a bucket of vapes in front of her. Sorting and dismantling them is part of her job as a site operative.Recycling them is not simple. Each bucket holds between 40 and 50 devices, and over the course of a shift, she gets through about half a bucket. Using a hammer, she has to smash each vape open, pry out the batteries and separate each component into a different container. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Then-home secretary justified proscription of group in newspaper column despite advice it might unfairly impact trial of six activistsYvette Cooper wrote a newspaper column about Palestine Action despite prosecutors warning it could prejudice criminal proceedings against six activists from the group, it can be revealed.The then-home secretary wrote the column justifying Palestine Action's proscription even though the Crown Prosecution Service advised it might unfairly impact a trial concerning a 2024 break-in at an Israeli arms manufacturer's factory. Continue reading...

Steven Mattaboni, 38, was a one-of-a-kind gentleman' and devoted parent to two young daughters, his wife Shirene says

Fan buys missing Chile sticker for 150 after finding almost completed album in his loftThis week, Stephen Butler completed a collection that he started almost 60 years ago. With the final piece in place, it's now worth thousands of pounds, but he has no interest in selling it.Butler was moving house five years ago when he stumbled across a box in the loft that he had not thought about in years. Inside was his old school cap, some exercise books, photos and, in the middle of it all, a 1970 Panini World Cup sticker book. Continue reading...

Film-maker and longtime Corbyn ally says poor behaviour' squandered chance to unite the left in fight against far rightKen Loach has accused Your Party of squandering an opportunity to unite the left in the fight against the far right after the upstart socialist movement founded by the former Labour figures Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana became mired in infighting.There was great hope when Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana joined forces; 800,000 people expressed interest - that's three times the size of a political party," he said. But I'm afraid some of the behaviours were very poor and they lost a historic opportunity." Continue reading...

Eden Project founder wants to inspire councils to build community gardens so young people can grow vegetablesLocal councils should rip up asphalt" to build community gardens so young people can grow vegetables, a co-founder of the Eden Project has said.Tim Smit, who opened the giant biomes in Cornwall in 2000, has designed an edimental" garden for the Chelsea flower show with the landscape designers Harry Holding and Alex Michaelis. The concept behind it is that plants such as cabbages and strawberries are beautiful but edible and should be placed alongside traditional bedding plants. Continue reading...

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Outcry follows release of previously secret documents naming Port Kembla as preferred east coast Aukus base

Opposition expected to retain the northern Brisbane seat, with Luke Richmond ahead of Fiona Hammond by more than 700 votes