UK borrowing costs fall and pound rises as Starmer says he will remain as PM

• President Trump arrived in Beijing for a two-day summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on May 14, 2026, amid geopolitical tensions including the ongoing Iran war that began in February and disputes over Taiwan's status. • Xi warned Trump that mishandling Taiwan could lead to "an extremely dangerous situation," while Trump stated that Xi ruled out providing military equipment to Iran during their talks, calling it "a big statement."

Redress for force-fitting devices in homes of vulnerable includes £20m penalty and £70m of debt write-offsThousands of British Gas customers who had prepayment meters force-fitted in their homes will receive up to £112m in compensation and debt write-offs on their energy bills.Great Britain’s energy regulator found that British Gas forced prepayment meters on homes that were not keeping up with their bills at the height of the Russian gas crisis, in one of the most complex Ofgem investigations in its history. Continue reading...

Home affairs minister Tony Burke says listing will stop group from organising and meeting, and may prevent more ‘horrific bigoted rallies’The government has banned neo-nazi group, National Socialist Network, also known as White Australia, as prohibited hate group, under legislation passed in the wake of the Bondi terror attacks.The listing will mean that activities including supporting, funding, training, recruiting and joining the group will constitute a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Continue reading...

News will come as a shock to staff, especially at Cranfield, but the institutions’ bosses say intention is growthThe announcement that King’s College London is to absorb Cranfield University came as a surprise but not a shock to England’s higher education leaders, who have been braced for sudden announcements about job cuts and course closures.But for staff and students at both institutions the news will have come as a shock, particularly at Cranfield, the smaller, highly focused postgraduate technology and management college that has its own airport. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Contract changes mean Post Office outlets inside TG Jones stores would be easier to close, with up to 60 possibly affectedThe owner of WH Smith’s former high street business is aiming to change contracts with the Post Office to make it easier to close outlets within its stores, increasing fears that communities will become “postal deserts”.TG Jones operates 180 post offices and it is understood that as many as 60 could be closed under a restructuring plan by Modella, the private equity group that renamed the WH Smith high street chain as TG Jones after buying it last year. Continue reading...

Federal court affirms an August 2024 finding that Tickle was discriminated against on the basis of her gender identity and awards her $20,000Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal court has upheld a landmark decision that found a women-only social media app and its founder unlawfully discriminated against Roxanne Tickle after the transgender woman was denied access to the platform.In their judgment on Friday, 15 May, justices Melissa Perry, Wendy Abraham and Geoffrey Kennett affirmed an August 2024 finding that Tickle was discriminated against on the basis of her gender identity, and also sided with Tickle’s cross-appeal, claiming she experienced two instances of direct discrimination by the Giggle for Girls app and its founder Sall Grover. Continue reading...

Butterfly Conservation poll is open until 7 June with choice of 60 species from small tortoiseshells to purple emperorsWill it be the rapidly disappearing former garden favourite, the small tortoiseshell? Or the poet John Masefield’s “oakwood haunting thing”, the charismatic purple emperor? Or perhaps the brimstone, the ultimate harbinger of spring?The question of which is Britain’s favourite butterfly is being put to a popular vote for the first time. The charity Butterfly Conservation is running the poll, which runs until 7 June, giving people the chance to choose their favourite from the 60 species that fly around Britain every summer. Continue reading...

Redevelopment of the former Department of Lands building on Sydney’s Bridge Street wins National Trust heritage awardIt was once a grand old sandstone masterpiece, where returned soldiers would cram into marble corridors to anxiously await lottery draws that could change their lives.Then the 20th century happened. Continue reading...

Pressure grows on Alcoa over strip-mining of Western Australian jarrah forest, which also threatens Perth’s water supplyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastUS mining company Alcoa’s strip-mining of Western Australia’s jarrah forest is under further investigation after its “deliberate repeat breach” of environmental laws that destroyed habitat for protected species – including black cockatoos, quokkas and numbats – and cost it $40m to avoid prosecution.The ongoing inquiry into Alcoa’s clearing at its Willowdale mine was revealed in talking points for federal ministers prepared ahead of the February announcement of a record $55m settlement for clearing at its Huntly mine. Continue reading...

One Nation leader and Barnaby Joyce flew on Gina Rinehart’s plane from the Sunshine Coast to Mount Isa before taking charter to tour flood-affected communitiesPauline Hanson billed taxpayers almost $16,000 in private charter flights to travel around flood-affected Queensland on the suggestion of billionaire Gina Rinehart, despite previously claiming the trip was at “no cost to the taxpayer”.In January, Hanson and Barnaby Joyce flew on Rinehart’s luxury Gulfstream G700 from the Sunshine Coast to Mount Isa, after which they travelled on charter flights to flood-affected communities around Julia Creek to meet local mayors. Continue reading...

Guardian columnist Rafael Behr talks through a tumultuous day for Labour and Keir Starmer – following the resignation of health secretary Wes Streeting, and the renewed possibility of a Westminster comeback for Andy BurnhamAfter a week of speculation and gossip, Thursday seemed to be the day the Labour leadership contest really took off. Officially though, Keir Starmer is still in place … and not going anywhere.Guardian columnist Rafael Behr talks through a frantic day that started with Wes Streeting’s resignation as health secretary and ended with the very real possibility of his rival – Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham – returning to parliament. Continue reading...

Prime minister claims Coalition imitating One Nation’s policies as refugee advocacy group warns migrants ‘should not be used as scapegoats’ for economic problemsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese has accused Angus Taylor of copying One Nation and “dog-whistling” to marginalise immigrants to Australia, as the Coalition seeks to cut social benefits and government programs for permanent residents.Delivering his budget reply speech on Thursday night, the opposition leader announced plans to slash immigration and restrict welfare programs to citizens only. This would cut access to the national disability insurance scheme, jobseeker and other safety nets from permanent residents who could be living in Australia and paying tax for years. Continue reading...