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Australian woman has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder relating to a beef wellington lunch she served at her house in South Gippsland in 2023. Follow live updates

In some seats, preferences will make all the difference - and it's not as simple as left or right. Explore what happened in your area in 2022

All eyes on Reform as 24 councils, six mayoralties and a parliamentary byelection are contestedPolling has opened across England in a series of local, mayoral and parliamentary races that will be the first major electoral test of Keir Starmer's Labour government.The elections cover 24 councils across England, as well as six mayoralties and a byelection in the formerly Labour-held seat of Runcorn and Helsby in Cheshire. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Sun reporter also wrote that former MP must die', according to claims in newly disclosed documentRebekah Brooks, the chief executive of Rupert Murdoch's UK company, took a deeply concerning interest" in the phone-hacking campaigner Tom Watson while one of her journalists wrote that he must die", according to claims in a newly disclosed court document.Referring to a potential place for Watson on a parliamentary committee looking into unlawful behaviour, Brooks allegedly told Will Lewis, the then general manager of News Group Newspapers (NGN) - who is now the chief executive and publisher of the Washington Post - in June 2011 to pass on a message that the company would go for broke if watson on - and downing street need to be warned". Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: With more than 1,600 council seats and key mayoralties in play, Reform UK eyes its first chance at governanceGood morning. You may not be terribly excited about today's local elections in England, but let me tell you: a significant cadre of political dorks are swivel-eyed with anticipation.In play today are more than 1,600 council seats in 37 councils, six mayoralties, and a byelection in Runcorn for good measure. Those choices will give us the first real-world measure of how the public's view of the parties has shifted since the general election - and for Labour and the Conservatives, it's likely to be a very stern test indeed.US news | The US's economy has shrunk in the first three months of Donald Trump's second term, triggering fears of an American recession and a global economic slowdown. Gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter of the year, and comes alongside a huge fall in consumer sentiment, which dropped 32% in April.Climate crisis | Tony Blair has faced a storm of criticism over his claims that the political case for phasing out fossil fuels is doomed to fail". As Downing Street officials accused Blair of undermining Keir Starmer on a key issue, his thinktank issued a statement saying that the government's net zero policy was the right one".Ukraine | The US and Kyiv have signed an agreement to share revenues from the future sale of Ukrainian minerals and rare earths, sealing a deal that Donald Trump has said will provide an economic incentive for the US to continue to invest in Ukraine's defence and its reconstruction after he brokers a peace deal with Russia.Health | Scientists have used living human brain tissue to mimic the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, in a breakthrough that will accelerate the hunt for a cure. The groundbreaking move could make it easier to test new drugs and boost the chances of finding ones that work.UK news | Video footage of what prosecutors say is the moment the Sycamore Gap tree was felled has been shown to the jury in the trial of the two men accused of illegally cutting down the famous tree on Hadrian's Wall, which stood in a gap in the wall for over a century. Continue reading...

Wrack, whose appointment as NASUWT chief faced legal challenge, condemns ludicrous' efforts to undermine himThe head of a teaching union has said he plans to stay in post despite a ludicrous" and coordinated" attempt by political enemies to undermine his position.Matt Wrack, whose appointment as general secretary of the NASUWT led to a week of legal challenges and the reopening of nominations for the post, said he would stand in a new election as the nominee of the union's executive.Dismissed claims he does not have enough experience to lead a teaching union, saying neither do many secretaries of state or senior civil servants".Reassured members that he would not merge the union with the National Education Union and denied claims that he was friends with the NEU's general secretary.Said he had never downplayed antisemitism, as claimed by reports, saying: I'm not a Zionist but I believe in a two-state solution." Continue reading...

New work says novelist, who was a censor during second world war, may been employed to look for coded messagesIt is an irony that she herself would have revelled in: Barbara Pym, the author who punctured the social strictures of 20th-century Britain, worked as a censor during the second world war.But research suggests that rather than just poring over the private letters that must have helped hone her talent, she may have also been working for MI5. Continue reading...

Jacob Vadakkedathu criticises Coalition plan to cut 41,000 positions in the capital, saying that's why we need a Liberal senator from Canberra'

Outage occurred between Maibara and Gifu-Hashima stations after the snake appeared to have climbed an electricity poleJapan's busiest bullet train line was brought to a halt on Wednesday after a metre-long snake wrapped itself around a power line, shorting the electricity supply and stranding hundreds of passengers.Shinkansen trains running between Tokyo and Osaka were brought to a standstill by the snake, with news reports showing footage of people inside trains waiting for services to resume. Power did not appear to have been cut inside trains, with lights and air conditioning still functioning, according to passengers. Continue reading...

Coalition leader had flagged changes to the curriculum as recently as Sunday, claiming aspects taught children to be ashamed of being Australian'

Denys Shmyhal says agreement leaves Kyiv in full control of its infrastructure and natural resources

Exclusive: Chris LaCivita, Trump's presidential campaign co-manager, tells undercover reporters he advised on structural issues' related to Peter Dutton; the Coalition denies LaCivita was involved in campaign in any way

Unsolicited texts authorised by Harry Fong, a Senate candidate for Queensland and highly respected barrister' who befriended Clive Palmer in the 1970s

Youth Endowment Fund says specialised lessons needed to tackle issues such as abuse, consent and coercionA thinktank is calling for schools to appoint relationship violence prevention leaders, modelled on the success of mental health coordinators, as teachers say they are ill-equipped to advise on the complex issues involved.A study by the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF), supported by the Home Office, wants young teenagers in England and Wales to be taught relationship violence prevention lessons", aimed at tackling emotional, physical and sexual violence, psychological abuse, stalking and harassment. Continue reading...

Likelihood of potentially devastating quake above 8.0 magnitude in next 50 years is 15%, study statesA massive earthquake in the Pacific north-west could rapidly transform areas of the coast from northern California to Washington, causing swaths of land to quickly sink, dramatically" raising sea level and increasing the flood risk to communities.That's according to a new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, examining the potential impact of the big one", a powerful quake along the Cascadia fault that stretches from Canada to California. Continue reading...

Relatives and survivors of apartheid-era deaths and violence had alleged interference from highest levels of government'South Africa's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, is setting up an inquiry into whether past ANC governments interfered with the investigation and prosecution of apartheid-era crimes, amid criticism from the families of victims.A group of 25 relatives and survivors of apartheid-era deaths and violence sued the government in January, claiming that interference from the highest levels of government" blocked investigations into cases referred to the National Prosecuting Authority by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Continue reading...

Surgical menopause occurs on average 19 months earlier, while natural menopause happens five months earlier, new global research shows

Labour insider rebukes tech bros' within Tony Blair Institute as critics question past work with petrostatesIn little more than 1,600 words voicing his scepticism over net zero policies, Tony Blair this week propelled himself and his increasingly powerful institute back into the national debate.In the past eight years, the former prime minister has built a global empire employing over 900 people across more than 40 countries, providing policy advice to monarchs, presidents and prime ministers. Continue reading...

Charles says diagnosis has brought into sharp focus the very best of humanity' as he hosts cancer charity receptionThe king has reflected on his experience with cancer, saying it had brought into sharp focus the very best of humanity" while acknowledging that each new case will be a daunting and at times frightening experience" for those receiving a diagnosis and for their loved ones.In a personal written message, released to coincide with a Buckingham Palace reception he hosted to celebrate organisations helping people with the disease, he described himself as one of the statistics" among the 390,000 who sadly" receive a cancer diagnosis across the UK each year. Continue reading...

Up to 15,000 could be given nivolumab in injectable form to treat 15 cancers including lung, bowel and skin cancerUp to 15,000 cancer patients a year could be treated with a quick injection, NHS England has announced.It is the first health service in Europe to offer patients the injectable form of the immunotherapy drug nivolumab. Continue reading...

Teenager held on suspicion of killings after incident at hair salon in university city north of Stockholm, say prosecutorsA 16-year-old has been detained on suspicion of shooting and killing three people in the city of Uppsala, according to Sweden's prosecution authority.An intensive investigation is under way. We are now gathering information and the police are conducting door-to-door inquiries and interviewing witnesses," the authority said in a statement. Continue reading...

Two permanent members of UN security council could make move at conference in June on two-state solutionThe UK is in discussion with France and Saudi Arabia over the recognition of a Palestinian state at a June conference convened by the two countries on keeping alive the political path to a two-state solution in the Middle East, the UK foreign secretary has said.David Lammy's comments mark the first time the UK has acknowledged that a discussion with the French about a recognition process around the conference is under way. Continue reading...

Individuals at British firm Blu-3 alleged to have paid more than 3m to people at Mace Group construction companyUK fraud investigators have made three arrests in dawn raids targeting alleged bribery by a British company during the construction of a Dutch datacentre for Microsoft.The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said on Wednesday that it was targeting the UK company Blu-3 and former associates of the global construction firm Mace Group. Individuals at Blu-3 are suspected of paying more than 3m in bribes to the people linked to Mace Group. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story herePMQs is starting soon.Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question. Continue reading...

Harvard's president noted searing personal accounts' from listening sessions with about 500 students and employeesMuslim and Jewish students at Harvard University experienced bigotry and abuse as the Massachusetts campus was roiled by protests last year, according to two reports released on Tuesday that found many felt shunned by peers and professors for expressing political beliefs.Harvard and other universities face extraordinary pressure from Donald Trump's administration over allegations of antisemitism and leftist bias. The reports, jointly amounting to more than 500 pages, were the result of two taskforces Harvard set up a year before Trump took office, one on combating antisemitism and anti-Israel bias, the other on combating anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian bias. Continue reading...

Net migration of international students and skilled workers would have to fall by almost 90% to achieve the Coalition's promised figures

Company cites current macro-economic uncertainty' as sweeping tariffs discourage customers from shipping

Police watchdog says Martyn Blake, who shot 24-year-old in south London in 2022, will have gross misconduct hearingThe Metropolitan police armed officer cleared of murdering Chris Kaba should face a disciplinary hearing for gross misconduct, where he could face the sack for using excessive force, the police watchdog has decided.The decision will provoke fury among Met firearms officers and among the force's leadership. Continue reading...

US official tells international court of justice hearing that it backs Israel's stance on the agency, which says Israel has abused detained staffThere is now a live feed from the international court of justice (ICJ) in The Hague, where the US is giving evidence (see 8.52am). You may need to refresh the blog to see it.An Iranian man convicted of espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel was executed on Wednesday, Iranian state media reported. Continue reading...

Footage shown in Newcastle trial of two men accused of chopping down tree on Hadrian's Wall in September 2023A jury has been shown footage of what prosecutors say is the moment the Sycamore Gap tree crashed to the ground after being felled by a shadowy figure wielding a loud, revving chainsaw.A court heard that the video was taken on the Apple iPhone 13 of Daniel Graham, one of two men accused of illegally cutting down the tree on Hadrian's Wall, described by one witness as totemic". Continue reading...

Boss confirms policy change as businesses move to comply with recent supreme court rulingThe boss of Barclays has said the bank will prohibit trans women from using female bathrooms in its buildings in the wake of the recent supreme court ruling.The bank's chief executive, CS Venkatakrishnan, told reporters that the group would not allow trans women to use female bathrooms, to ensure that it complies with the law. Continue reading...

Huge volumes of chicken muck' entering rivers are harmful to fish and plants, campaigners argue at Cardiff high courtClean river campaigners have told a court that planning permission for a poultry megafarm in Shropshire is unlawful and should be overturned.In the high court in Cardiff on Wednesday, Dr Alison Caffyn argued that the council had failed to take into account all the environmental impacts of the industrial chicken units, which will house 230,000 birds at any one time, in particular the effects of spreading manure on land. Continue reading...

Exclusive: In a letter seen by the Guardian, staff were told steps had been taken to keep systems safe

Retailer takes some of its systems temporarily offline as part of proactive management of incident'Marks & Spencer has admitted that some products are running short in its stores as it continues to deal with the fallout from a massive cyber-attack.The retailer said there were pockets of limited availability" in some shops, as nearly two weeks of disruption to its IT systems affects its stores. Continue reading...

Labour candidate insists seat is definitely still in play' in first electoral test of Keir Starmer's government

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PM says he won't sign written deals with crossbenchers if Labor falls short of majority at Saturday election

Affordability at its lowest point in more than decade, with almost 60% of the state's households receiving a rent increase over 12 months

EPA says toxicology tests after distressing March event detected fenitrothion - which is currently under review - in all dead birds

Annual survey of numberplates from more than 25,000 journeys reveals 63% fall in squashed bugs since 2021The long-term decline in the number of flying insects being splattered on cars after a journey is well recognised by older drivers. But the latest survey has revealed that the number of insects found on vehicle number plates has plummeted by 63% since 2021.An analysis of records from more than 25,000 journeys across Britain since 2021 reveals an alarming apparent drop in flying insect abundance, although the rate of decrease slowed in 2024. Continue reading...

Editors, two reporters and lawyers among the individuals pro-Israel group says should be referred for potential contempt of court

Growing numbers of older people are creating enterprises in everything from baking to biodiversity - but does the freedom make up for the graft?Kari Johnston felt ready to retire after 45 years in nursing when, at 63 years old, she decided to launch her own business - a professional decluttering and organising service.She had read about decluttering and, fascinated, quickly created a website and advertised. Her first clients were friends. Three-and-a-half years later, Johnston, from St Monans in Fife, is now fully retired from nursing, and feels delighted with the success of her new venture. Continue reading...

Thousands of South Africans are hoping to move to the US to escape crime - and what they say is discrimination against white peopleKyle believed God was looking out for him when he survived a violent farm robbery in South Africa eight years ago with only a black eye and broken ribs. The robbers failed to get the kettle and iron working, so were unable to burn anyone. Then the gun trigger jammed when they tried to shoot Kyle in the spine.They specifically said they were coming back for this farm ... [that] it was their land," said the 43-year-old, who did not want to use his full name. Only afterwards, we found out that the guy that stays on the plot was actually killed ... the farmhand ... I don't know what his name was." Continue reading...

Thousands gather to see parade featuring marching troops and an air show of Russian-made fighter jets and helicoptersThousands of Vietnamese people have celebrated the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam war, in what the country's communist leader said was a victory of justice over tyranny".Celebrations culminated in a grand parade in Ho Chi Minh City with thousands of marching troops and an airshow featuring Russian-made fighter jets and helicopters, as Vietnamese waved red flags and sang patriotic songs. Continue reading...

Headline inflation - which includes the impact of government cost-of-living policies such as rebates - held steady at 2.4% in the year to March

Guardian US columnist Mehdi Hasan on the start of Donald Trump's second term as president and the threat to democracy in the USSo many things have shocked me about the past 100 days," says the Guardian US columnist and author of Win Every Argument, Mehdi Hasan.Even for me, even the person who was saying it's going to be so bad, it's much worse than even I thought." Continue reading...

After seizure in Hamburg of 16 tonnes of high-purity powder, state attorney is accused of being on payroll of gang he was supposed to be prosecutingIn Hamburg's spring sunshine, 200,000-tonne cargo ships almost half a mile long, piled high with the same weight in shipping containers, are docked quayside along the Elbe River. Cranes slowly offload the metal boxes packed with everything from raw materials to food and electronics, and, in some, cocaine.Between 2018 and 2023 cocaine seizures rose by 750%, marking out Germany as another major European hub in the ever-expanding global trade. But the influx is not just ramping up addiction, it is also fuelling corruption in a country perceived as being one of the least corrupt in the world. Continue reading...

The Coalition hopes to increase its share of preferences from One Nation but some insiders argue the move damages its reputation

New outlet due to welcome shoppers on Thursday regarded as key to helping revive famous London thoroughfareThe UK boss of Ikea has backed calls to pedestrianise Oxford Street as the world's largest furniture retailer finally opens its delayed store in London's prime shopping destination.The Swedish company's three-floor shop in the building that used to be Topshop's former flagship store, with a mix of meatballs, lampshades and kitchen design assistance, opens on Thursday, 18 months later than planned. Continue reading...

Secondary school pupil numbers also likely to outpace government's recruitment goals, watchdog warnsA key government pledge to appoint 6,500 extra teachers in England by the end of this parliament will be difficult to achieve and is likely to fall short of demand, the UK's public spending watchdog has warned.The education secretary Bridget Phillipson's promise to recruit thousands of extra teachers in state schools, which has been funded by adding VAT to private school fees, forms one of the cornerstones of the government's education policy. Continue reading...