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Despite disastrous election results, long-threatened coup lacks numbers to force no-confidence voteAfter months of plotting to oust Rishi Sunak by some on the right of the Conservative party, the rebellion fizzled out with barely a whimper this weekend despite a disastrous set of local election results.Senior Tories had long predicted that bad losses could be enough to push their despondent colleagues over the edge, even those who could see that changing leader yet again before the general election could have dire electoral consequences. Continue reading...

Party's return to minority government after a year of upheaval will test his renowned negotiating skills

Peter Abbott hammered on woman's windscreen and screamed at her after she beeped her horn at himA road rage driver who hammered on a woman's windscreen and screamed at her has been warned he faces jail after being found guilty of threatening behaviour.Peter Abbott, 60, unleashed a torrent of abuse at Samantha Isaacs, who was on her own, after she beeped her horn at him after being cut up outside a Tesco petrol station in Bournemouth in August last year. Continue reading...

Most of 32,500 properties back online after mains pipe burst but hundreds to go without for another nightAbout 2,000 homes in Hastings are into their fifth day without water and will probably have to wait until at least Tuesday for their taps to be flowing again.On Thursday, 32,500 properties in Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea were left without water after a mains pipe burst. On Monday Southern Water said about 25,500 of the homes affected had had their water supply restored. Continue reading...

Swinney says party has been having a tough, rough time' as he laments impact of recent infighting and chaosJohn Swinney declared a new chapter in our party's history" as he became leader of the Scottish National party on Monday, but said recent infighting and chaos had left the public worried about where we are as a party".Speaking to senior SNP politicians and activists at an event at the University of Glasgow, Swinney said his decision to stand for the role of leader - after Humza Yousaf announced his intention to step down a week ago - was not born out of long-held ambition but rather a profound sense of duty to my party and my country". Continue reading...

Mulino, who won 34.3% of vote, pledges to welcome business and investment without forgetting those who are hungry'Jose Raul Mulino, a former security minister, has emerged from a chaotic campaign to become Panama's next president - and will now have to address a cocktail of social discontent with just a fraction of the seats in parliament.Amid record turnout, Mulino won 34.3% of the vote, followed by the lawyer Ricardo Lombana on 24.8% and former president Martin Torrijos on 16%. Continue reading...

Israel's military has called for people to evacuate eastern neighbourhoods of Rafah and head to what it claimed was an expanded humanitarian zone' in southern Gaza

Vladimir Putin responds to recent statements from David Cameron and Emmanuel Macron over Ukraine war

PM says he is determined to fight on' after disastrous local, mayoral and Blackpool byelection results last weekLabour has marked the anniversary of the Conservatives re-entering government at the 2010 election by launching a what the opposition have called Conflix" website [geddit?] that mockingly tells the story of 14 years of Tory chaos"The party's chair, Anneliese Dodds, was challenged about the site on Sky News this morning and whether the party was relying on stunts" rather than policy proposals. She insisted that the detail of policy" was there, in the form of initiatives like GB Energy. Continue reading...

People displaced from elsewhere in Gaza during the war are on the move again but find their destination already packed

British ambassador is summoned and told that installations and equipment in Ukraine and elsewhere could be targetedThe British ambassador to Moscow, Nigel Casey, was summoned to the Russian foreign ministry, Russian state agency RIA reported on Monday. Reuters said the ministry did not give the reason but there is speculation that it is linked to statements made last week by the foreign secretary, David Cameron, saying he had no issue with British-supplied weapons being used by Ukraine to strike inside Russia.It comes as Russia has cited statements by the west as justification for upcoming nuclear weapons drills. Continue reading...

After PM's bold reading of disastrous Tory local election results, we assess the variables in play at national level

Binibeca Vell residents say officials have left them to grapple alone with noise and rubbish from stampede of visitorsPerched over a small bay, the village of Binibeca Vell on the Spanish island of Menorca has long been a magnet for tourists looking to wander along its winding, narrow lanes lined with whitewashed villas.But as its popularity swells on social media, setting off a stampede for selfies snapped along its cobblestone streets, residents are threatening to stop access to the village all together. Continue reading...

Suspect subdued and arrested in incident captured on live stream, with man also found dead at would-be shooter's homeA Pennsylvania man tried to shoot a local pastor in the middle of a Sunday sermon, but the attacker's gun jammed, giving a congregant and the minister a chance to subdue him without anyone being hurt.The harrowing encounter was caught on the church's live stream before authorities found a man shot to death at the home of the pastor's would-be shooter, CBS News reported. Continue reading...

Chinese premier meets Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen for talks, with trade and Ukraine on agendaThe trilateral meeting has kicked off.Xi Jinping has arrived at the Elysee palace. Continue reading...

Brussels says it will drop rule-of-law case after new government vowed to restore judicial independence

Emmanuel Macron and Viktor Orban among leaders Xi is meeting, with several key issues on the tableChina's president, Xi Jinping, has begun a three-country tour of Europe - his first state visit to the continent in five years - at a time when China-EU ties are under strain from trade disputes and Russia's war on Ukraine. Continue reading...

Firm aims to upgrade 612 outlets and reopen 62 this year amid signs of rising consumer confidenceHeineken is to spend 39m on reopening about 60 UK pubs and sprucing up tired" locals in suburban areas in an effort to attract more consumers working from home.The firm, which has 2,400 pubs through its Star pubs and bars arm, plans to reopen 62 long-term-closed venues this year and upgrade 612 outlets, with 94 of these earmarked for makeovers of about 200,000. Continue reading...

Motorway will be shut both ways between junctions nine and 10 from 9pm on Friday until 6am on MondayDrivers tempted to bypass the official diversion for this weekend's M25 motorway closure have been warned of potential ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) charges if they stray off course.The London orbital motorway is having its second ever planned closure, with a busy stretch in the south-west closed in both directions for works, potentially bringing long delays and congestion for thousands of drivers. Continue reading...

Campaigner resolved to set up awareness charity after being told she had stage 4 cancer when she was 23Kris Hallenga, the founder of the charity CoppaFeel!, which raises awareness of the importance of young women checking their breasts for early signs of cancer, has died aged 38 after being diagnosed with the disease 15 years ago.The campaigner, from Cornwall, was 23 when she was given the news she had stage 4 cancer that had spread to her spine. Continue reading...

Daniel Rooney tells ITV's Lorraine show about standing in for Olly Murs in Glasgow on FridayThe Scottish singer who was drafted in at the last minute to replace Olly Murs supporting Take That has said he thought it was a wind up" when he was asked to rush to the arena and perform.Daniel Rooney was plucked from a hotel bar in Glasgow when Murs was forced to cancel his support act at the OVO Hydro on Friday because of travel problems. Continue reading...

Overnight Israeli strikes increase numbers leaving southern city for humanitarian zone' on coast

Depute leader insists Graeme McCormick's last-minute withdrawal proof party is united

Drake says I feel disgusted' by allegations, as enmity between rap superstars deepens following weekend flurry of diss tracksDrake has denied allegations of child sex offences and of him harbouring a secret child, both levelled at him by Kendrick Lamar in recent days.The enmity between the rap superstars has escalated over a series of diss tracks in the past few weeks, culminating in a flurry of activity during the weekend with three tracks by Lamar and two by Drake. Continue reading...

Former army lawyer asks for leniency on basis of exemplary character' after pleading guilty to leaking secret defence documents to media

While the new CEO has stemmed some of the reputational damage of the past, the $120m fine is a clear success for the ACCC

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Ministers promise responsible middle path' and hint at second consecutive surplus but warn some spending deficits will remain

Harbour city has already recorded 124mm of rain in first six days of May, more than the long-term average for the month

On his first visit to Europe since 2019, Xi is set to meet with Emmanuel Macron before heading to Serbia and HungaryXi Jinping has lauded China's ties with France as a model for the international community as he arrived in Paris amid threats of a trade war over Chinese electric cars and French cognac.On his first visit to the EU in five years, China's president will meet his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, who will urge him to reduce trade imbalances and use his influence with Russia over the war in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Home affairs minister clarifies that panel created to manage release of people from indefinite immigration detention is not a separate structure from government'

Human rights experts say attack was violation of international law, and that US supplying of weapon defies 1997 Leahy lawIsrael used a US weapon in a March airstrike which killed seven healthcare workers in southern Lebanon, according to a Guardian analysis of shrapnel found at the site of the attack, which was described by Human Rights Watch as a violation of international law.Seven volunteer paramedics, aged between 18 and 25, were killed in the 27 March attack on an ambulance center belonging to the Lebanese Succor Association in the town of al-Habariyeh in south Lebanon on 27 March. Continue reading...

Unaffordable rents and property prices risk becoming a key political battleground across the continent

Seven out of 10 have outside work with six earning more with work than as parliamentary representatives, analysis showsHalf a dozen members of the European parliament earn more from second jobs than as EU lawmakers, according to analysis that raises questions about potential conflicts of interest.The campaign group Transparency International EU found that 70% of the European parliament's 705 members have side jobs. Just over a quarter (26%) of side jobs were paid, with six lawmakers earning more than their 120,900 (103,000) annual gross MEP salary. Continue reading...

Reports say Sir Keir Starmer may risk union support and bow to pressure from business to amend new dealWatering down Labour's plan to strengthen workers' rights would be disastrous for the party's relations with the unions and could cost votes at the general election, the president of the Trades Union Congress has warned.Amid reports that Sir Keir Starmer may bow to pressure from business and amend important parts of his new deal for workers", Matt Wrack said the Labour leader risked causing significant anger" among union members. Continue reading...

Union to roll out 24-hour strikes across England's train operators for three days this week and six-day overtime ban from MondayRail passengers face a week of disruption as train drivers embark on another round of industrial action on Monday, despite tentative attempts by the industry to restart talks.Drivers in the Aslef union will strike for 24 hours at each of England's national train operators over the course of three days from Tuesday until Thursday, while an overtime ban will apply nationwide from Monday until Saturday. Continue reading...

Affording a home has become a political issue as rents and prices soar and supply plummets

The airline agrees to a $100m fine and to repay $20m to customers in settlement with the ACCC

Families of two Australians and American who went missing in Baja California have identified the bodies, officials sayMexican authorities have identified the three dead bodies found in a well in Mexico as Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and their travelling companion, Jack Carter Rhoad.The trio, who went missing in the Pacific coast state of Baja California, were killed with gunshots to the head, Mexican authorities said on Sunday. Continue reading...

Ministers say move will combat growing concerns about privacy and dignity' in gender-neutral facilitiesNew restaurants, offices, schools and hospitals in England will be required to have separate male and female toilets, in a move ministers say will combat growing concerns about privacy and dignity" in gender-neutral facilities.The law will mean newly built non-residential buildings require separate facilities, and cannot solely have universal" lavatories. Continue reading...

Singer says her country needs the opportunity to remind Europe of Russia's invasionUkraine's former Eurovision winner Jamala has said her country cannot afford" to boycott the song contest because it needs the opportunity to remind Europe of Russia's invasion.There have been calls for artists to refuse to participate over Israel's inclusion in the music competition while the war in Gaza continues. Continue reading...

Governments in Westminster and Edinburgh urged to engage with Petroineos to save Scotland's sole remaining oil refineryThe UK and Scottish governments have been asked to arrange urgent talks to protect the future of Scotland's only remaining oil refinery at Grangemouth.Daniel Johnson, Scottish Labour's economy spokesperson, has written to PetroChina, part of the joint venture that owns the site, seeking to discuss the future of the complex where oil refining is due to cease next year. Continue reading...

Graeme McCormick said he had the support to run but is backing former Scottish deputy first minister, who is sole official candidateA Scottish National party activist has pulled out of the race to become its new leader and has endorsed John Swinney as Scotland's next first minister.Graeme McCormick, who stood to become SNP president in 2023, earlier claimed he could gather the 100 signatures needed from 20 different party branches to mount a challenge for the leadership. Continue reading...

About 100 people attended Republic rally in central London, with parallel events in Edinburgh and CardiffA 15ft dinosaur called Chuck the Rex" was the centrepiece of a rally calling for the abolition of the monarchy ahead of the first anniversary of King Charles's coronation.It will be a year since the king's coronation on Monday, when gun salutes across the capital will commemorate his reign. Continue reading...

Trailers for fake five-episode series use broadcast clips to poke fun at Conservative prime ministersChaos, drama, sleaze and scandal - it sounds like the background to a prestige TV show, but it could also describe 14 years of Conservative government.It's this overlap that Labour is riffing on as the party releases trailers for Chaos & Decline, a spoof five-episode series stitching together broadcast clips of low moments under Conservative rule that pokes fun at Tory MPs while telling the story of the damage wreaked on UK society and the economy under the party's five prime ministers. Continue reading...

Suspect, 27, from Witham, Essex has been released on bail while five-month-old boy remains in critical conditionA woman has been arrested on suspicion of neglect after a five-month-old boy suffered a cardiac arrest at Legoland Windsor Resort.The baby is in critical condition in hospital after the incident at about 1pm on Thursday, police said. Continue reading...

Netanyahu refuses demands of permanent ceasefire and also moves to shut down Al Jazeera networkSenior Israeli officials ramped up pressure on Hamas on Sunday, saying Israel would refuse any permanent end to hostilities and threatening a new onslaught in the very near future" if the militant organisation did not accept recently proposed terms for a ceasefire.In a televised address, Benjamin Netanyahu once more rejected Hamas's demands for a definitive end to the war in Gaza, saying that any permanent ceasefire would allow the group to remain in power and pose a continuing threat to Israel. Continue reading...

Three men from Scotland and one from Colombia held in connection with discovery at Stags Head Inn, Lelley, East YorkshireFour men have been arrested after 40m worth of cocaine was found in the back of a van in a Yorkshire village pub car park.About 500kg of the drug was discovered in a Vauxhall Vivaro in the car park of the Stags Head Inn in Lelley, East Yorkshire, the National Crime Agency said. Continue reading...

PM and allies seemingly intent on staying the course in face of conflicting calls on how to avoid wipeout when country goes to pollsAs the terrible council and mayoral results rolled in for the Conservatives on Friday night, was there any part of Rishi Sunak that regretted sealing Boris Johnson's fate as prime minister by resigning as his chancellor less than two years ago?This could have been Johnson's defeat, hurtling towards a Labour landslide at a general election, with Sunak and his allies plotting how to replace him thereafter. Continue reading...

Pat McFadden says local election results give the party confidence it can win blue wall' seats that are turning red'Labour is planning to target the south of England heavily at the general election as the local election results show some blue wall" seats are turning red, Keir Starmer's election chief has said.The shadow cabinet minister Pat McFadden said Labour was advancing in southern Tory heartlands and it was wrong to think the Lib Dems were the only challengers to the Conservatives in the south. Continue reading...