Exit polls from a key election in Japan project the ruling coalition is set to lose its majority, putting the country's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba under immense political pressure.

Voters headed to the polls earlier on Sunday for the tightly-contested election, being held amid public frustration over rising prices and the threat of US tariffs.

Earlier polls had indicated that Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner Komeito were at risk of losing their majority, having already lost their majority in Japan's more powerful lower house.

The coalition needs 50 seats to retain control of the 248-seat upper chamber - with an exit poll from public broadcaster NHK projecting them to win between 32 and 51.

NHK projected it "may be difficult for the ruling coalition to maintain their majority".

Half of the seats in the upper chamber were being voted on in Sunday's election, with members elected for six-year terms.

If the coalition takes home less than 46 seats, it would mark its worst performance since it was formed in 1999.

Ishiba's centre-right party has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955, albeit with frequent changes of leader.

The expected result underscores voters' frustration with Ishiba, who has struggled to inspire confidence as Japan struggles against economic headwinds, a cost-of-living crisis and trade negotiations with the United States.

Many are also unhappy about inflation - particularly the price of rice - and a string of political scandals that have beleaguered the LDP in recent years.

The coalition's loss would critically undermine its influence over policymaking, opening it up to major compromises with opposition parties, and could prompt Ishiba to quit less than a year after he was elected.

The last three LDP premiers who lost a majority in the upper house stepped down within two months, and analysts had predicted that a significant loss in this election would yield a similar outcome.

This would open the field for a potential run at the leadership by other notable LDP members, including Sanae Takaichi, who finished second to Ishiba in last year's general election; Takayuki Kobayashi, a former economic security minister; and Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

In any case, a change of leadership within the ruling party would almost certainly unleash political drama and destabilise Japan's government at a pivotal moment in US-Japan trade negotiations.

Support for the ruling coalition appears to have been eroded by candidates from the small, right-leaning Sanseito party, which drew conservative votes with its "Japanese First", anti-immigration rhetoric.

Sanseito first gained prominence on YouTube during the Covid-19 pandemic, spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal of global elites.

The fringe party's nativist rhetoric widened its appeal ahead of Sunday's vote, as policies regarding foreign residents and immigration became a focal point of many parties' campaigns.

Going off the NHK exit polls, it is on course to win seven seats.

Famous for its isolationist culture and strict immigration policies, the island nation has experienced a record surge in both tourists and foreign residents in recent years.

The influx has further driven up prices for Japanese people and fuelled a sentiment among some that foreigners are taking advantage of the country, aggravating discontent.

Against that same backdrop, Ishiba last week launched a task force aimed at tackling "crimes or nuisance behaviours committed by some foreign nationals", including those relating to immigration, land acquisitions and unpaid social insurance.

A sustained Ukrainian drone attack on Russia caused Moscow's major airports to be temporarily closed and saw at least 140 flights cancelled, officials said.

More than 230 Ukrainian drones were downed over Russia since Saturday morning - including 27 over the capital - according to the Russian defence ministry.

According to Russia's aviation watchdog, the four major airports serving the capital were disrupted and more than 130 flights also had to be redirected. All have since resumed normal operations.

Meanwhile, at least three people were killed during Russian air strikes on Ukraine overnight, according to regional officials.

Russia's Association of Tour Operators (Ator) said on Sunday that Moscow airports were closed 10 times in 24 hours due to the strikes.

The Kaluga region, southwest of Moscow, was also affected. Russia's defence ministry said it had intercepted 45 drones since Saturday morning, resulting in Kaluga International Airport also being temporarily closed.

Russia's defence ministry said drones were also shot down over regions near the Ukrainian border including Rostov and Bryansk, as well as over the Black Sea. No fatalities were reported.

This is not the first time that Ukrainian drone attacks have caused travel disruption in Russia. In May, at least 60,000 passengers were stranded at airports across the country after Kyiv launched more than 500 drones in a 24-hour period, according to Russia's defence ministry.

• Trump weapons pledge marks major step forward for Ukraine
• Rosenberg: Russia more relieved than rattled by US tariff threat

Regional officials in Ukraine said two people died after Russian air strikes in different parts of Donetsk, while a 78-year-old woman died after residential buildings burned down in Sumy.

Ukraine's air force said it shot down 18 out of 57 Russian drones overnight into Sunday, while a further seven drones were lost after their radars were jammed.

As well as Sumy and Donetsk, other front-line areas of Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk were attacked, as was Zaporizhzhia.

The latest attacks come as the Kremlin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to move towards a peace settlement with Ukraine but that Moscow's priority was to "achieve our goals".

"President Putin has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement to a peaceful conclusion as soon as possible. This is a long process, it requires effort, and it is not easy," he said in a televised interview.

It has been nearly three-and-a-half years since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a new round of talks with Moscow, aimed at restarting negotiations that halted last month.

Previous attempts by Russia and Ukraine to negotiate an end to the fighting have failed to achieve a ceasefire, but have resulted in prisoner swaps.

Zelensky also repeated his readiness to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin face-to-face, saying: "A meeting at the leadership level is needed to truly ensure peace."

Ukraine was this week given a boost when US President Donald Trump - who has in the past often expressed support and admiration for Russia's leader - announced that the US would send "top-of-the-line weapons" to Ukraine via Nato countries.

Trump also threatened Russia with severe tariffs if a deal to end the war is not reached within 50 days, and later told the BBC that he was "disappointed" with Putin but "not done".

Reacting to this in Sunday's interview, Peskov said: "Everyone has grown accustomed to his [Trump's] rather harsh and straightforward rhetoric.

"At the same time, he reaffirms his intention to continue doing everything possible to facilitate a peaceful settlement."

The Israeli military has issued evacuation orders for a crowded part of central Gaza where it has not launched a ground offensive during its 21 months of war against Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Sunday that residents and displaced Palestinians sheltering in the city of Deir al-Balah should evacuate immediately and move towards al-Mawasi on the Mediterranean coast.

The evacuation demand, which could signal an imminent attack, has caused widespread panic among tens of thousands of Palestinians, as well as the families of Israeli hostages who fear their relatives are being held in the city.

The IDF has conducted airstrikes in the area, but it has not yet deployed ground troops.

On Sunday, the Israeli military dropped leaflets from the sky ordering people in several districts in southwest Deir al-Balah to leave their homes and head further south.

"The (Israeli) Defense Forces continues to operate with great force to destroy the enemy's capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area," the military said, adding that it had not yet entered these districts during the war.

The affected neighbourhoods of Deir al-Balah are crowded with displaced people living in tents.

Israeli sources told Reuters news agency that the reason the army has stayed out of these districts so far is because they suspect Hamas might be holding hostages there.

At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to still be alive.

Most of the Strip's population of more than two million people have been displaced at least once during Israel's war with Hamas, with repeated Israeli evacuation calls covering large parts of the territory.

The new evacuation orders came as health officials at Gaza City's Shifa Hospital said more than 40 people were killed and dozens injured by Israeli fire as crowds gathered to await the entry of UN aid lorries on Sunday morning.

Hospitals in the south said more people were also killed at aid points there.

The BBC has contacted the Israeli military to ask for a response.

The UN says civilians are starving in Gaza and has called for an urgent influx of essential goods.

But there have been almost daily reports of Palestinians being killed while seeking aid since the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operations in late May. Witnesses say most have been shot by Israeli forces. Israel says the new distribution system stops aid going to Hamas.

Israel launched its war in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 others being taken hostage.

Israeli attacks have since killed more than 58,895 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The ministry's figures are quoted by the UN and others as the most reliable source of statistics available on casualties.

Exit polls from a key election in Japan project the ruling coalition is set to lose its majority, putting the country's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba under immense political pressure.

Voters headed to the polls earlier on Sunday for the tightly-contested election, being held amid public frustration over rising prices and the threat of US tariffs.

Earlier polls had indicated that Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner Komeito were at risk of losing their majority, having already lost their majority in Japan's more powerful lower house.

The coalition needs 50 seats to retain control of the 248-seat upper chamber - with an exit poll from public broadcaster NHK projecting them to win between 32 and 51.

NHK projected it "may be difficult for the ruling coalition to maintain their majority".

Half of the seats in the upper chamber were being voted on in Sunday's election, with members elected for six-year terms.

If the coalition takes home less than 46 seats, it would mark its worst performance since it was formed in 1999.

Ishiba's centre-right party has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955, albeit with frequent changes of leader.

The expected result underscores voters' frustration with Ishiba, who has struggled to inspire confidence as Japan struggles against economic headwinds, a cost-of-living crisis and trade negotiations with the United States.

Many are also unhappy about inflation - particularly the price of rice - and a string of political scandals that have beleaguered the LDP in recent years.

The coalition's loss would critically undermine its influence over policymaking, opening it up to major compromises with opposition parties, and could prompt Ishiba to quit less than a year after he was elected.

The last three LDP premiers who lost a majority in the upper house stepped down within two months, and analysts had predicted that a significant loss in this election would yield a similar outcome.

This would open the field for a potential run at the leadership by other notable LDP members, including Sanae Takaichi, who finished second to Ishiba in last year's general election; Takayuki Kobayashi, a former economic security minister; and Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

In any case, a change of leadership within the ruling party would almost certainly unleash political drama and destabilise Japan's government at a pivotal moment in US-Japan trade negotiations.

Support for the ruling coalition appears to have been eroded by candidates from the small, right-leaning Sanseito party, which drew conservative votes with its "Japanese First", anti-immigration rhetoric.

Sanseito first gained prominence on YouTube during the Covid-19 pandemic, spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal of global elites.

The fringe party's nativist rhetoric widened its appeal ahead of Sunday's vote, as policies regarding foreign residents and immigration became a focal point of many parties' campaigns.

Going off the NHK exit polls, it is on course to win seven seats.

Famous for its isolationist culture and strict immigration policies, the island nation has experienced a record surge in both tourists and foreign residents in recent years.

The influx has further driven up prices for Japanese people and fuelled a sentiment among some that foreigners are taking advantage of the country, aggravating discontent.

Against that same backdrop, Ishiba last week launched a task force aimed at tackling "crimes or nuisance behaviours committed by some foreign nationals", including those relating to immigration, land acquisitions and unpaid social insurance.

Four people remain in hospital after a coach crashed on its way back from a school trip to the zoo.

A major incident was declared on Thursday after the coach carrying Minehead Middle School pupils left the road near Wheddon Cross in Somerset and slid down a 20ft slope.

Avon and Somerset Police previously confirmed a 10-year-old boy had died in the crash.

Earlier, the force said two children remained in hospital in Bristol and two adults were still in hospital in Somerset. It also confirmed the coach involved in the incident was recovered on Saturday.

A police spokesperson said the investigation into the A396 Cutcombe Hill crash was ongoing.

Minehead Middle School, which has pupils aged between nine and 14, was closed on Friday as a stream of people paid their respects and left tributes at the gates.

The school is due to reopen on Monday.

Several fundraisers set up by residents have amassed more than £40,000 to help those affected by the tragedy.

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.

A sustained Ukrainian drone attack on Russia caused Moscow's major airports to be temporarily closed and saw at least 140 flights cancelled, officials said.

More than 230 Ukrainian drones were downed over Russia since Saturday morning - including 27 over the capital - according to the Russian defence ministry.

According to Russia's aviation watchdog, the four major airports serving the capital were disrupted and more than 130 flights also had to be redirected. All have since resumed normal operations.

Meanwhile, at least three people were killed during Russian air strikes on Ukraine overnight, according to regional officials.

Russia's Association of Tour Operators (Ator) said on Sunday that Moscow airports were closed 10 times in 24 hours due to the strikes.

The Kaluga region, southwest of Moscow, was also affected. Russia's defence ministry said it had intercepted 45 drones since Saturday morning, resulting in Kaluga International Airport also being temporarily closed.

Russia's defence ministry said drones were also shot down over regions near the Ukrainian border including Rostov and Bryansk, as well as over the Black Sea. No fatalities were reported.

This is not the first time that Ukrainian drone attacks have caused travel disruption in Russia. In May, at least 60,000 passengers were stranded at airports across the country after Kyiv launched more than 500 drones in a 24-hour period, according to Russia's defence ministry.

• Trump weapons pledge marks major step forward for Ukraine
• Rosenberg: Russia more relieved than rattled by US tariff threat

Regional officials in Ukraine said two people died after Russian air strikes in different parts of Donetsk, while a 78-year-old woman died after residential buildings burned down in Sumy.

Ukraine's air force said it shot down 18 out of 57 Russian drones overnight into Sunday, while a further seven drones were lost after their radars were jammed.

As well as Sumy and Donetsk, other front-line areas of Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk were attacked, as was Zaporizhzhia.

The latest attacks come as the Kremlin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to move towards a peace settlement with Ukraine but that Moscow's priority was to "achieve our goals".

"President Putin has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement to a peaceful conclusion as soon as possible. This is a long process, it requires effort, and it is not easy," he said in a televised interview.

It has been nearly three-and-a-half years since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a new round of talks with Moscow, aimed at restarting negotiations that halted last month.

Previous attempts by Russia and Ukraine to negotiate an end to the fighting have failed to achieve a ceasefire, but have resulted in prisoner swaps.

Zelensky also repeated his readiness to meet Russia's Vladimir Putin face-to-face, saying: "A meeting at the leadership level is needed to truly ensure peace."

Ukraine was this week given a boost when US President Donald Trump - who has in the past often expressed support and admiration for Russia's leader - announced that the US would send "top-of-the-line weapons" to Ukraine via Nato countries.

Trump also threatened Russia with severe tariffs if a deal to end the war is not reached within 50 days, and later told the BBC that he was "disappointed" with Putin but "not done".

Reacting to this in Sunday's interview, Peskov said: "Everyone has grown accustomed to his [Trump's] rather harsh and straightforward rhetoric.

"At the same time, he reaffirms his intention to continue doing everything possible to facilitate a peaceful settlement."

The Israeli military has issued evacuation orders for a crowded part of central Gaza where it has not launched a ground offensive during its 21 months of war against Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Sunday that residents and displaced Palestinians sheltering in the city of Deir al-Balah should evacuate immediately and move towards al-Mawasi on the Mediterranean coast.

The evacuation demand, which could signal an imminent attack, has caused widespread panic among tens of thousands of Palestinians, as well as the families of Israeli hostages who fear their relatives are being held in the city.

The IDF has conducted airstrikes in the area, but it has not yet deployed ground troops.

On Sunday, the Israeli military dropped leaflets from the sky ordering people in several districts in southwest Deir al-Balah to leave their homes and head further south.

"The (Israeli) Defense Forces continues to operate with great force to destroy the enemy's capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area," the military said, adding that it had not yet entered these districts during the war.

The affected neighbourhoods of Deir al-Balah are crowded with displaced people living in tents.

Israeli sources told Reuters news agency that the reason the army has stayed out of these districts so far is because they suspect Hamas might be holding hostages there.

At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to still be alive.

Most of the Strip's population of more than two million people have been displaced at least once during Israel's war with Hamas, with repeated Israeli evacuation calls covering large parts of the territory.

The new evacuation orders came as health officials at Gaza City's Shifa Hospital said more than 40 people were killed and dozens injured by Israeli fire as crowds gathered to await the entry of UN aid lorries on Sunday morning.

Hospitals in the south said more people were also killed at aid points there.

The BBC has contacted the Israeli military to ask for a response.

The UN says civilians are starving in Gaza and has called for an urgent influx of essential goods.

But there have been almost daily reports of Palestinians being killed while seeking aid since the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operations in late May. Witnesses say most have been shot by Israeli forces. Israel says the new distribution system stops aid going to Hamas.

Israel launched its war in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 others being taken hostage.

Israeli attacks have since killed more than 58,895 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The ministry's figures are quoted by the UN and others as the most reliable source of statistics available on casualties.

Nigel Farage has accused some council officials of obstructing the work of Reform UK councillors, as he defended the way the party is running local authorities.

Reform gained control of 10 councils in May's local elections in England.

But the party's leader told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that in some areas Reform councillor were being "hamstrung" by existing bureaucracies.

Reform has pledged to cut wasteful spending and improve the efficiency of the councils it runs but some of its spending decisions have faced criticism, while opponents say there has been little concrete action to reduce costs.

In Warwickshire, opposition parties have criticised Reform UK for planning to hire political assistants at a cost of up to £190,000 a year, saying the money should be spent on front-line services instead.

The council's interim leader, George Finch, said the move was necessary because council staff have been unable to come up with "imaginative ideas" to resolve key issues.

The 19-year-old was put in charge of the council after Reform's previous council leader resigned, citing health reasons.

Challenged over whether this was a good use of taxpayers' money, Farage told the BBC: "At the moment, we're finding that we're very, very hamstrung.

"We're going into existing administrations, we're facing obstructionism in many places.

"And Warwickshire is a very, very good example."

He added: "It's better to have staff who support the will of the democratically elected councillors than it is to have public sector staff opposing them."

Warwickshire County Council has been approached for comment.

Farage said that in some areas Reform was "working reasonably well with existing administrations" but in others there was "genuine, deliberate obstructionism".

He added that some officials "don't want to show us the books" and where money is being spent.

Reform UK's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) - modelled on the cost-cutting initiative set up by US President Donald Trump and previously led by billionaire Elon Musk - was launched in June.

The unit is made up of about 15 unelected volunteers and is run by Zia Yusuf, who quit as party chairman in June, before returning to Reform to head up Doge days later.

Reform says Kent County Council will be the first to be audited but in other areas, such as Staffordshire, the council says it is still waiting for the unit to start work.

Defending the pace of progress, Farage said: "Bear in mind, we're not the Labour Party. We haven't got hundreds of staff.

"We're a party that's been really active for just over a year. We're growing in size.

"Yes, we have a Doge team who've not been everywhere yet. But you've seen already, us highlighting examples of extravagant expenditure."

Farage was also challenged over spending decisions in Scarborough, where the town council has approved a 600% increase in the Reform mayor's allowance, from £500 to £3,500 a year.

The mayor has defended the move, saying the allowance helps to cover his expenses and allows him to carry out his duties efficiently.

Farage said he had "no idea" about the situation in the Reform-run council, adding: "Is he doing it or she doing it as a full-time job? I've no idea."

"What we could do is just get multi-millionaires to stand as candidates everywhere and indeed our Doge team are doing the work unpaid," he said.

"If people have got resources and they do it for free, that's great. I don't know the Scarborough Council situation."

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The Israeli military has issued evacuation orders for a crowded part of central Gaza where it has not launched a ground offensive during its 21 months of war against Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Sunday that residents and displaced Palestinians sheltering in the city of Deir al-Balah should evacuate immediately and move towards al-Mawasi on the Mediterranean coast.

The evacuation demand, which could signal an imminent attack, has caused widespread panic among tens of thousands of Palestinians, as well as the families of Israeli hostages who fear their relatives are being held in the city.

The IDF has conducted airstrikes in the area, but it has not yet deployed ground troops.

On Sunday, the Israeli military dropped leaflets from the sky ordering people in several districts in southwest Deir al-Balah to leave their homes and head further south.

"The (Israeli) Defense Forces continues to operate with great force to destroy the enemy's capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area," the military said, adding that it had not yet entered these districts during the war.

The affected neighbourhoods of Deir al-Balah are crowded with displaced people living in tents.

Israeli sources told Reuters news agency that the reason the army has stayed out of these districts so far is because they suspect Hamas might be holding hostages there.

At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed to still be alive.

Most of the Strip's population of more than two million people have been displaced at least once during Israel's war with Hamas, with repeated Israeli evacuation calls covering large parts of the territory.

The new evacuation orders came as health officials at Gaza City's Shifa Hospital said more than 40 people were killed and dozens injured by Israeli fire as crowds gathered to await the entry of UN aid lorries on Sunday morning.

Hospitals in the south said more people were also killed at aid points there.

The BBC has contacted the Israeli military to ask for a response.

The UN says civilians are starving in Gaza and has called for an urgent influx of essential goods.

But there have been almost daily reports of Palestinians being killed while seeking aid since the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operations in late May. Witnesses say most have been shot by Israeli forces. Israel says the new distribution system stops aid going to Hamas.

Israel launched its war in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 others being taken hostage.

Israeli attacks have since killed more than 58,895 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The ministry's figures are quoted by the UN and others as the most reliable source of statistics available on casualties.

A "cautious calm" has returned to the Syrian city of Suweida after a week of deadly tribal clashes between Druze fighters, Bedouin gunmen and government forces, a UK-based monitoring group has said.

Residents reported that fighting stopped on Sunday as Syria's Islamist-led government declared the Bedouins had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city "after days of bloody battles and chaos", the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said.

It followed a ceasefire announced by Syria's president on Saturday, which did not quell fighting straight away.

More than 1,000 people have been killed in the clashes and there is now a severe shortage of medical supplies in the city, the SOHR added.

At least 128,000 people have been displaced by the violence, the United Nations migration agency said on Sunday.

"Activists have reported that Suweida has been experiencing a cautious calm since the early hours of Sunday morning," the SOHR said.

"Meanwhile, the Syrian government security forces closed roads leading to Suweida to tribes, using soil barriers to prevent vehicles from crossing, except for ambulances, in a move to contain tensions."

The SOHR added that the city remains under the control of local Druze fighters, while tribal gunmen have withdrawn from several areas within the province.

Long-running tensions between Druze and Bedouin tribes erupted into deadly sectarian clashes a week ago, after the abduction of a Druze merchant on the road to the capital Damascus.

Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government responded by deploying forces to the city.

Both Druze and Bedouin fighters have been accused of atrocities over the past seven days, as well as members of the security forces and individuals affiliated with the interim government.

On Saturday, al-Sharaa announced a ceasefire and sent security forces to Suweida to end the fighting.

It has been reported that Druze fighters pushed Bedouin gunmen out of the city on Saturday evening - but violence continued in other parts of the province. This has not been verified by the BBC.

On Sunday morning, fighting could not be heard, AFP correspondents near Suweida reported.

Meanwhile, the SOHR warned that the humanitarian situation in the city was worsening, pointing to a "severe shortage" of basic medical supplies.

An unnamed resident said that aid was needed immediately, telling the Reuters news agency: "The smell of corpses is spread throughout the national hospital."

Kenan Azzam, a local dentist speaking as the city was gripped by what he called a "tense calm", said the hospitals were "a disaster and out of service".

A Suweida medic told AFP that "no relief or medical assistance" had entered the city before Sunday.

The number of times sewage is discharged by water companies will be halved by 2030, the environment secretary has pledged.

Steve Reed's vow marks the first time ministers have set a clear target on the issue, following public outcry over the pollution incidents.

It comes after data published by the Environment Agency on Friday showed serious pollution incidents by water companies in England rose by 60% in 2024 to the highest number on record.

Reed said families had "watched their local rivers, coastlines and lakes suffer from record levels of pollution" - but the Conservatives said Labour had "done nothing to stop water bill rises" despite "big promises" to reform the system.

The pledge forms part of wider government plans to improve the water sector, ahead of a landmark Water Commission review of the industry due to be published on Monday.

The plans announced on Sunday will also include a commitment to work with devolved governments across the UK to ban wet wipes containing plastic, among other measures.

Reed is also expected to confirm aims to cut phosphorus pollution from treated wastewater - which causes algae blooms that are harmful to wildlife - in half by 2028, compared to 2024 levels.

There has been widespread scrutiny of water companies over the increasing number of sewage discharges into UK waterways amid rising bills - all while the firms have paid out millions to executives and shareholders.

The Environment Agency said water companies recorded 2,801 pollution incidents in 2024, up from 2,174 in 2023.

Of those, 75 were considered to pose "serious or persistent" harm to fisheries, drinking water and human health - up from 47 last year.

At the same time, water bosses in England were paid £7.6m in bonuses, according to the government. In June, it barred them from being paid out at six firms that had fallen foul of environmental and consumer standards.

The Water Commission's chair will lay out his recommendations on how to improve the environmental and financial performance of the sector. The government will respond in Parliament.

Several UK media outlets reported on Friday that the report would suggest scrapping the regulator, Ofwat, altogether. A government spokesperson said it would not comment on speculation.

England has a combined sewage system, which means both rainfall and sewage are processed through the same system. Last year, rainfall levels were up, which could have overwhelmed some water company infrastructure.

However, despite variations in rainfall, discharges that result in serious pollution are a breach of their permits and legal obligations.

Many incidents are reported to the Environment Agency by the companies themselves, but of 4,000 inspections carried out last year by the regulator, nearly a quarter of sites were in breach of their permits.

A record £104bn is due to be invested into the water sector over the next five years to improve its infrastructure.

As a result, consumer bills are expected to rise on average by £123 annually - though for Southern Water customers this could be as much as £224.

The Environment Agency has also received £189m to support hundreds of enforcement offices to inspect and prosecute water companies, with the fines retroactively paying for this.

Conservative shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins said the government "must be transparent about where the £104bn investment is coming from as some will come through customer bill rises".

She said plans "must also include credible proposals to improve the water system's resilience to droughts, without placing an additional burden on bill payers and taxpayers".

A cast member at the Royal Opera House has unfurled a Palestinian flag on stage during the curtain call of Saturday's performance.

Video shows a brief scuffle as an official at the London venue tries unsuccessfully to stop the protest, with the performer refusing to let go of the large flag.

It came on the closing night of Il trovatore, a four-act opera by Giuseppe Verdi.

The Royal Opera House said the protest was "completely inappropriate for a curtain call".

A spokesperson said: "The display of the flag was spontaneous and unauthorised action by the artist.

"It was not approved by the Royal Ballet and Opera and is not in line with our commitment to political impartiality."

One cast member standing at the top of the stage is seen in videos of the incident silently displaying a large Palestinian flag, at one point shaking it gently.

While the audience continues to applaud the performance, a man from the stage wings is seen attempting to wrestle the flag away from the cast member but they resist and hold on to it for the remainder of the curtain call.

Other officials stood in the wings can then be seen shouting messages to the cast member.

One member of the audience posted on X: "Extraordinary scenes at the Royal Opera House tonight.

"During the curtain call for Il trovatore one of the background artists came on stage waving a Palestine flag.

"Just stood there, no bowing or shouting. Someone off stage kept trying to take it off him. Incredible."

The identity of the cast member is unclear, but Il trovatore has now finished its 11-night run at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

The protest comes as the war between Israel and Gaza continues, with a ceasefire yet to be struck.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of double murder after the deaths of an elderly couple in a fire at their home.

Grandparents Eric Greener, 77, and his partner Sheila Jackson, 83, died following the blaze at their home on South John Street, St Helens, on Tuesday, Merseyside Police said.

The force said an accelerant was used to start the fire.

A 31-year-old from St Helens was arrested earlier and has been taken into custody for questioning, it added.

Mr Greener died on Wednesday evening while Ms Jackson succumbed to her injuries on Thursday morning.

Det Supt Rachel Wilson said: "Although an arrest has been made, I would like to take this opportunity to remind people to pass on information directly to police or anonymously via Crimestoppers.​

"Extensive inquiries continue, and to that end we are still appealing for anyone with information to come forward, particularly if you live in the area of South John Street and recall seeing or hearing anything suspicious at around the time of the incident."

She said: "Please do not assume what you know has already been reported to us, as we can quickly make that assessment."

She also urged people not to comment or post on social media anything which could jeopardise the investigation.

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