Both the US and Ukraine have said they are broadly ready to sign a deal which would give American firms access to Ukraine's minerals.

"We are ready to sign this afternoon if they are," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday, adding that Ukraine "decided to make last minute changes" to the agreement.

Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko was flying to Washington on Wednesday after an apparent breakthrough in negotiations.

Earlier, BBC News saw a draft copy of the deal, which provides for the creation of a joint Ukrainian-US investment fund to search for minerals in Ukraine, and set outs how revenues would be split.

On Wednesday afternoon a US source familiar with the talks criticised Ukraine for seeking to re-open some terms that had already been agreed upon over the weekend.

Both US and Ukrainian teams worked through the night on Friday into Saturday to finalise the documents, as well as into the early morning on Wednesday, the source told the BBC.

They added that the sticking points include governance of the fund, the transparency mechanism, and steps to ensure that all funds are fully traceable.

Despite these last minute negotiations, the signing could still happen by the end of Wednesday if the US side believes that Ukraine is complying with already agreed upon terms, the source said.

"Nothing's been removed," Bessent said when asked about any changes to the deal. "It's the same agreement that we agreed to on the weekend. No changes on our side."

Technical documents were signed last week by representatives of both countries.

In Kyiv, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine expected the deal to be signed within "the next 24 hours".

"This is truly a good, equal and beneficial international agreement on joint investments in the development and recovery of Ukraine," Shmyhal said.

Since returning to the White House, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed for an agreement as a prerequisite to offering any future security guarantees to Kyiv, as Ukraine continues to fight against invading Russian forces.

Ukraine is believed to have vast reserves of critical rare minerals like graphite, titanium and lithium beneath its soil. They are highly sought after because of their use in renewable energy, military applications and industrial infrastructure.

The Trump administration's push for access to another country's mineral wealth comes amid a growing trade war with China, where 90% of the world's current stocks are sourced from.

The draft deal also appears to give the US sweeping access to Ukrainian industries beyond minerals.

While it does not specify security support that Washington is willing to provide in return, it states that the deal is "a tangible demonstration of the United States of America's support for Ukraine's security".

The agreement comes days after Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral, and as talks between Moscow and Washington over a possible ceasefire in Ukraine continue.

The latest Trump-Zelensky talks appeared to be far more amicable than their meeting at the White House in February, and have led to a softening in tone from the US president towards his Ukrainian counterpart in the days that followed, as well as an increased level of criticism of Russia's attacks.

Speaking on Wednesday, Trump said: "As you know, we're looking for rare earth [minerals] all the time.

"They have a lot, and we made a deal, so we can start digging and doing what we have to do. It's also good for them."

The initial agreement was due to be signed in February, but fell apart following the heated exchange between the two leaders, when Trump accused Zelensky of "gambling with World War Three".

A US district judge has found Apple wilfully violated her injunction in a case brought by Epic Games — and that a top Apple executive "outright lied" under oath.

The injunction was supposed to block Apple from anticompetitive conduct and pricing, opening the App Store up to outside payment options.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said she was referring the matter to the US Attorney for Northern District of California to investigate whether a criminal contempt proceeding is appropriate.

Apple responded to the ruling late Wednesday.

"We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court's order and we will appeal," an Apple spokesperson said.

Wednesday's judgement refers to a 2021 case brought by Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, one of the world's most popular games, which argued that third-party payment options should be available to customers.

It challenged the up-to-30% cut Apple takes from purchases - and argued that the App Store was monopolistic.

• Apple dealt major blow in Epic Games trial

In her 2021 judgement, Judge Gonzalez Rogers stated that Apple could no longer prohibit developers linking to their own purchasing mechanisms.

As well as game purchasing, another example of how this would work is a movie-streaming service being able to tell customers to subscribe via its own website, without using Apple's in-app purchasing mechanism.

In a contempt order issued Wednesday, Judge Gonzalez Rogers found that Apple nevertheless continued to interfere with competition with attempts that the court stated "will not be tolerated".

Judge Gonzalez Rogers added that internal company documents she reviewed showed Apple deliberately violated the injunction.

The documents reveal "that Apple knew exactly what it was doing and at every turn chose the most anticompetitive option," she wrote.

She said CEO Tim Cook ignored executive Phillip Schiller's urging to have Apple comply with the injunction and allowed CFO Luca Maestri to convince him not to.

"Cook chose poorly," she wrote.

She also said Apple's vice president of finance Alex Roman "outright lied under oath".

The judge wrote that one example of Apple's attempts to evade the injunction included a decision to charge a 27% commission on off-app purchases. where it had previously charged nothing.

The company also imposed new barriers and requirements to discourage customers from using competing purchasing platforms, she said.

In a post on X, Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney said Epic Games would return Fortnite to the US iOS App Store next week and offered an olive branch to his long-time rival.

"Epic puts forth a peace proposal: If Apple extends the court's friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we'll return 'Fortnite' to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic," Sweeney wrote.

In another post, he wrote: "NO FEES on web transactions. Game over for the Apple Tax. Apple's 15-30% junk fees are now just as dead here in the United States of America as they are in Europe under the Digital Markets Act. Unlawful here, unlawful there."

A natural resources deal between the United States and Ukraine has finally been agreed after months of twists and turns.

The deal will see the two countries collaborate to ensure that "mutual assets, talents, and capabilities" can accelerate Ukraine's recovery, according to the US Treasury Department.

The US said the agreement "signals to Russia" that the Trump administration is "committed to a peace process centred on a free, sovereign, and prosperous" Ukraine.

It comes after months of uncertainty over the fate of an agreement, following Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky clash with US President Donald Trump on a visit to the White House in February.

But the prospect of resurrecting the deal increased after the two leaders had a far more amicable conversation at the funeral of Pope Francis last week, and negotiators finally managed to get the deal over the line.

• Why did Putin's Russia invade Ukraine?
• Ukraine says outline of minerals deal signed with US

What minerals does Ukraine have?

Kyiv estimates that about 5% of the world's "critical raw materials" are in Ukraine.

This includes some 19m tonnes of proven reserves of graphite, which the Ukrainian Geological Survey state agency says makes the nation "one of the top five leading countries" for the supply of the mineral. Graphite is used to make batteries for electric vehicles.

Ukraine has 7% of Europe's supplies of titanium, a lightweight metal used in the construction of everything from aeroplanes to power stations.

It is also home to a third of all European lithium deposits, the key component in current batteries.

Other elements found in Ukraine include beryllium and uranium, which are both crucial for nuclear weapons and reactors.

Deposits of copper, lead, zinc, silver, nickel, cobalt and manganese are also significant.

Further, Ukraine has significant deposits of rare earth metals. These are a group of 17 elements that are used to produce weapons, wind turbines, electronics and other products vital in the modern world.

Some of the mineral deposits, however, have been seized by Russia. According to Svyrydenko, resources worth $350bn (£277bn) remain in occupied territories today.

In 2022, SecDev, a geopolitical risk consultancy based in Canada, conducted an evaluation, which established that Russia had occupied 63% of Ukrainian coal mines, as well as half of its manganese, caesium, tantalum and rare earth deposits.

Dr Robert Muggah, principal of SecDev, says that such minerals add a "strategic and economic dimension" in Russia's continued aggression. By seizing them, he says, Moscow denies access to revenue for Ukraine, expands its own resource base and influences global supply chains.

Why does the US want Ukraine's minerals?

Critical minerals "are the foundation of the 21st Century economy", Dr Muggah explained. They are key to renewable energy, military applications and industrial infrastructure and play "a growing strategic role in geopolitics and geoeconomics", he said.

Additionally, the US has been keen on a deal for Ukraine's mineral resources because it wants to reduce dependency on China, which controls 75% of rare earth deposits in the world, according to the Geological Investment Group.

In December, China banned the export of some rare earth minerals to the US, having previously limited mineral exports to the US the previous year.

Beijing then imposed more export controls on rare earth minerals as part of an escalating trade war with the US, sparked by Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs in April.

How will a deal help Kyiv exploit its minerals?

The draft of the deal appeared to give the US sweeping access to Ukrainian industries beyond minerals.

Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that the fund created by the agreement would "attract global investment into our country".

Some commentators described the initial US offer as "colonial", but Kyiv is interested in joint exploration of its resources.

According to the World Economic Forum, Ukraine has about 20,000 mineral deposits covering 116 types, but only about 15% of sites were being actively exploited at the time of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

For instance, the country's sizeable lithium deposits are still largely untapped. Likewise, rare earth deposits are known to exist, but none of them have yet been mined, because of a lack of investment.

Developing these mineral resources is extremely difficult and expensive, according to Iryna Suprun, chief executive of the Geological Investment Group, a mining advisory firm based in Ukraine.

She argues that if Ukraine can attract US investors to help develop its natural resources, it will be highly beneficial for the country's economy.

"We will get technologies that our mining industry lacks so much," Ms Suprun explained. "We will get capital. That means more jobs, tax payments. We'll receive revenue from the development of mineral deposits."

Trump has previously suggested the presence of US contractors in Ukraine would act as a security guarantee to deter Russian aggression in the future, but Ukraine and European leaders have insisted that would not be enough.

"We don't care about sales to the United States," says Hu Tianqiang as one of his toy fighter jets flies past our heads.

It's hard to hear him above the buzzing toy planes and miniature drones, an almost rhythmic backdrop to the cacophony of toys that surround him, all clamouring for the attention of buyers.

Hu's stall, Zhongxiang Toys, sits inside the world's biggest wholesale market in the small Chinese city of Yiwu.

It's a huge showroom of more than 75,000 shops where buyers come seeking just about everything, from twinkling Christmas lights and kitchenware to umbrellas and massage guns. It can take most of the day just to get around one department given each of them has an airport hangar's worth of goods on show.

Yiwu is in the province of Zhejiang, along China's eastern coast. The manufacturing and export hub, home to more than 30 ports, accounted for 17% of all Chinese sales to the US last year.

That puts Yiwu, and this region, at the frontline of the US-China trade war.

Mr Hu, too, is on the frontline. He sits among rows of snazzy toy jets, squeaking dogs, fluffy stuffed animals, barbies and motorcycle-riding spidermen – a sliver of the $34bn (£25bn) worth of toys China exported in 2024.

About $10bn of it went to the US. But now, these Chinese exports to America face up to 245% tariffs. And US President Donald Trump has made it clear that he blames Beijing in particular for cornering too much of the global market.

But things have changed here since Trump's first trade war against China, which kicked off in 2018. It taught Yiwu a lesson, summed up by Mr Hu: "Other countries have money too!"

That defiance has become a familiar theme in the world's second-biggest economy, which is bracing itself for another turbulent Trump presidency.

Beijing, which has been repeatedly telling the world that the US was bullying countries into trade negotiations, has not backed down yet from the trade war.

The propaganda online has ratcheted up, applauding Chinese innovation and diplomacy in contrast to the uncertainty unleashed by Trump. On the country's highly controlled social media, there are plenty of posts echoing the leadership's promise that China will keep fighting.

And in factories and markets, businessmen and exporters now say they have other alternatives, beyond Trump's America. Mr Hu, for instance, says around 20%-30% of his business came from US buyers. But not anymore.

"We don't care about that 20-30%," Mr Hu says. "We now sell mostly to South America and the Middle East. We are not lacking money, we are rich."

When we ask about Trump, his colleague Chen Lang jumps in, rolling his eyes: "He's cracking international jokes like no other. One day, one joke. Adding tariffs for him is like cracking a joke."

Nearby, one of the thousands of buyers that flock to this market every day is negotiating a price to buy more than 100 robots that turn into cars in a series of beeps and buzzes. After tapping various numbers into a calculator, the final price is written in chalk on the floor.

The buyer, we are told, is from Dubai. The BBC met many others from across Africa and South America.

Lin Xiupeng says he has noticed the shift away from American buyers in his last 10 years in the toy business.

"A few days ago, the shop next to us had an order from a US client. It's worth more than one million yuan. But because of tariffs, the shop owner decided to cancel it," he says, offering us cups of tea.

"They must need China," he says, adding that the country supplies most of America's toys.

"I think there are a lot of businesses in the US protesting these days."

Mr Lin is correct. Some toy shop owners in the US have written to the White House describing the tariffs as "disastrous" for their business.

"The tariffs are taking a hatchet to small businesses across America," Jonathan Cathey, who owns a toy company in Los Angeles, told the BBC over the phone.

He invested his last $500 in his company, Loyal Subjects, in 2009, which he ran from his two-bedroom bungalow in West Hollywood. He says it's now a multi-million-dollar business, but the tariffs could derail his plans.

"The entire toy industry could go under. We are looking at the total implosion of the supply chain. It's going to get really ugly," he warns.

He says swapping suppliers is a huge task: "You need a lot of resources on the ground to produce a toy and many of these Chinese businesses have spent 40 years perfecting their craft."

Trump's crusade

China has been a big part of Donald Trump's first 100 days in office, with his administration going head-to-head with Beijing.

"He seems to be launching a crusade against the whole world," says former Senior Colonel Zhou Bo, who served in the People's Liberation Army. "But of course he's trying to bash China the hardest."

Trump accused China of operating the Panama Canal, which is run by a Hong Kong-based firm, and vowed to take it back. He has been on the hunt for ways to mine rare earth minerals, which China effectively has a monopoly over, making this a key part of any deal with Ukraine. His threats to take Greenland are also likely aimed at curbing China's ambitions in the Arctic.

And, of course, he initiated another trade war, which takes special aim at China's neighbours, such as Vietnam and Cambodia, that have been crucial to its evolving supply chain.

In the last week, he suggested the levies on Chinese goods could be halved and spoke of "a fair deal with China" that his administration was "actively" negotiating.

But China's Commerce Ministry rebuffed this as "groundless with no factual basis". The headlines in state media haven't spared him either: "Trump is probably the worst president in American history," read one on state TV.

It seems the US president is waiting for his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to pick up the phone.

"We in China say – we have to let the bullet fly for a moment," Col Zhou says. "That means in the fog of war, we do not know what will come next. I believe this kind of tit-for-tat would last for maybe one or two months – hopefully not more than three months."

It cannot go on, he adds, because that would not be good.

It's certainly not good for China. Trump's tariffs are not even the biggest challenge facing the country, which is also grappling with domestic economic pain, from low consumption to a housing crisis that has dented people's savings and confidence in the future.

The terrible timing aside, the tariffs are biting Chinese businesses.

Goldman Sachs has forecast that China's economy will grow by 4.5% this year, short of the government's target: 5%.

The BBC reported from the trading hub of Guangzhou in mid-April that US-China trade was grinding to a halt, with exports to American households piling up on factory floors. That is borne out by this month's economic data, which show that activity in factories has sharply slowed.

When the BBC rang suppliers to see if shipments to the US had resumed, what emerged was a messy picture. One supplier said he had half-a-million pieces of clothing waiting to ship to Walmart, and a few others echoed his uncertainty. But two exporters we spoke to said some shipments from US retailers had indeed restarted.

The range and complexity of the trade between the two economies, which includes cargo cranes, umbrellas and everything in between, means that it's often down to different businesses and supply chains as to how they deal with the tariffs.

But whatever the business, there is no doubt the American consumer will feel the absence, or potentially higher prices, of Chinese goods.

Opportunities beyond America

The US still relies heavily on Chinese manufacturing to meet its own domestic demand – think phones, computers, semiconductors, furniture, clothes and, of course, toys. Electronics and machinery alone account for more than 50% of US imports.

Walmart and Target reportedly told Mr Trump in a meeting last week that shoppers are likely to see empty shelves and higher prices from next month. They also warned that supply shocks could carry on until Christmas.

Some 90% of all Christmas decorations hung around American homes come from Yiwu in China where sellers, surrounded by signs wishing the world "Feliz Navidad" told us they're now trying to focus on sales to South America.

And that effort is very evident in Yiwu.

In the early morning, before the shutters even open, the cavernous lobby of the wholesale market echoes with voices reciting key phrases.

"Shukran," says the teacher in Arabic. The students repeat it several times to perfect the pronunciation before learning that it means "thank you". "Aafwan" comes the reply, or "you're welcome".

These are free lessons offered by a local government association. Most of the students are women, dressed in their best to also impress their customers.

"These women are the backbone of trade across China," says one stall holder, who originally from Iran and is giving private lessons to an eager student.

"They're doing these lessons to stay ahead of one another, to stay in competition."

Most of the traders can already speak a few words of English. but now they say they need to greet their new buyers in Spanish and Arabic – a small but crucial sign of China's shifting trade relationships.

Oscar, a Columbian who would only give us his first name, was wandering the halls of the market with bags filled with fluffy bunnies and bears.

He says the US-China trade war offers "many opportunities" for traders from other parts of the world.

"Doing business with China is very important," he insists. "[Doing business with] the US these days, less so."

Voters are set to head to the polls for local and mayoral elections being held in some parts of England on Thursday.

There are local elections to 24 of England's 317 councils and six mayoral authorities on 1 May.

A by-election in Runcorn and Helsby will also decide who becomes the new MP for the constituency in Cheshire.

Polling stations will open at 07:00 BST and close at 22:00 on Thursday, with results to be declared through the night and on Friday.

It is the first big set of polls since Labour's landslide victory in last year's general election.

About 1,650 seats will be contested on 14 county councils, eight unitary authorities, one metropolitan district and in the Isles of Scilly.

The six mayoral elections are taking place in the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Doncaster, North Tyneside and - for the first time - in Hull and East Yorkshire, and Greater Lincolnshire.

The by-election in Runcorn and Helsby was triggered by the resignation of former Labour MP Mike Amesbury following his conviction for assaulting a constituent.

Elections to all 21 county councils in England had been due to take place.

But the government announced elections would be postponed in nine areas, where local authorities are being reorganised.

The areas where there are elections to county councils include: Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Devon, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.

The other elections are to the unitary authorities of Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, Durham, North Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Shropshire, West Northamptonshire and Wiltshire, plus Doncaster Metropolitan Council and the Isles of Scilly, which has a unique governance structure.

Most of the results are expected to be declared by Friday evening.

There are no local elections scheduled in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

People who want to vote in person will be asked to show photo ID to do so.

There are more than 20 acceptable forms of ID, including passports, driving licences and - from 1 May - Armed Forces Veteran Cards.

The BBC has published detailed election guidelines outlining its approach to covering polling day.

Like other broadcasters, the BBC is not allowed to report details of campaigning or local election issues on TV, radio or online on polling day until 22:00, when voting closes.

• POSTCODE LOOKUP: Check if there is an election in your area
• SIMPLE GUIDE: Everything you need to know about the local elections
• EXPLAINER: What photo ID will I need?

Anyone who wants to vote in May's local elections must register before midnight on Friday.

Voters in some parts of England will elect councillors and mayors on Thursday 1 May.

These are the first local elections since the general election was held in July 2024.

Which elections are taking place on 1 May?

Elections are taking place in 23 councils across England.

All seats will be contested in:

• 14 county councils: Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Devon, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire
• 8 unitary authorities: Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, County Durham, North Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Shropshire, West Northamptonshire and Wiltshire
• 1 metropolitan district: Doncaster

Six mayoral elections are also happening: in the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, North Tyneside, Doncaster and – for the first time – in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire.

In addition, council elections are taking place in the Isles of Scilly.

On 5 February, the government announced that some local elections would not take place as planned.

Elections in East Sussex, West Sussex, Essex, Thurrock, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Suffolk and Surrey will be delayed until 2026 as part of a wider shake-up of local government.

Voters in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency will also elect their new MP on 1 May.

The former Labour MP Mike Amesbury announced he was standing down after his conviction for assaulting a constituent.

No routine elections are taking place in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

How can I vote in the May elections?

There are three ways to vote:

• in person at your local polling station on election day between 0700 BST and 2200 BST
• by postal vote
• by nominating a proxy - someone to vote on your behalf

To vote in local elections you must be:

• aged 18 or over
• registered at an address in the area where you want to vote
• a British or Irish citizen
• an eligible Commonwealth citizen
• a qualifying EU citizen - the rules vary according to which country you are from

Voters in some areas may have several ballot papers for the different elections taking place.

In council elections, voters generally have one vote for each available seat in an election area - known as a ward or division. However, some large wards have several seats.

As in general elections, whoever receives the most votes wins. If, for example, there are three seats available, then the top three candidates win.

Mayors are also elected under this system, known as first-past-the-post.

EU citizens cannot vote in the Runcorn and Helsby parliamentary by-election.

• Matt Chorley: Local elections might lack glamour - but they matter

What is the deadline for registering to vote?

To vote in person in England and Wales, you must be on the electoral register by 23:59 BST on Friday 11 April 2025.

You can register online with your National Insurance number, or by writing to your council's electoral registration office.

If you are already registered, the deadline to request a postal vote is 17:00 BST on Monday 14 April.

If you are already registered, the deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 17:00 BST on Wednesday 23 April.

The rules about postal voting have changed, and you now need to reapply every three years. Any postal vote which was set up before 31 October 2023 will expire on 31 January 2026.

The proxy rules have also changed. Proxy votes in place before 31 October 2023 have already expired, and you must apply for a new one.

• Electoral Commission: Register to vote
• Find your polling station

What ID do I need to vote?

You must show photo ID in order to vote in person. You do not need your polling card.

There are more than 20 acceptable forms of ID, including passports, driving licences and - from 1 May - Armed Forces Veteran Cards.

You can use out-of-date ID as long as you are still recognisable.

Anyone who is already registered to vote but doesn't have the correct ID - or who no longer looks like their photo - can apply for a free document known as a Voter Authority Certificate.

The deadline to apply for a certificate to use in the May elections is 17:00 BST on Wednesday 23 April.

• What photo ID will be accepted at the local elections?

What can and can't I do in the polling station?

You must not take selfies or any other photographs inside a polling station.

With the exception of assistance dogs, animals are not usually allowed in polling stations, but can be admitted at the discretion of the local authority.

You are welcome to bring your children but they must not mark your vote on the ballot paper.

Writing implements are provided but you can bring your own pen or pencil.

You can wear political clothing but you must not discuss any of the candidates inside the polling station.

• What are the rules about polling stations?

What happened in the 2024 local elections?

In the May 2024 local elections, when different councils were up for election, Labour won more than 1,000 of the 2,660 seats being contested.

The Conservatives lost almost as many councillors as they held and ended up in third place behind the Liberal Democrats.

In total, 20 councils changed hands, with Labour gaining 10 and losing two.

Labour also won nine out of the 10 mayoral contests, with the Conservatives winning the other.

• May 2024 local election results in maps and charts

What do local councils do and why do local elections matter?

Different types of councils are responsible for a variety of local services. These include:

• care for the elderly and disabled
• fixing potholes on some roads
• collecting rubbish and recycling
• housing
• education

Many councils are facing a funding crisis, and have cut services.

Voters in the May elections will have seen their council tax increase in April.

• What is council tax and how much is it going up?

What do mayors do?

Six mayors will be elected on 1 May:

• two single authority mayors in Doncaster and North Tyneside
• four metro mayors in the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Greater Lincolnshire, and Hull and East Yorkshire

A single authority mayor is the political leader of the council. They are responsible for delivering local council services.

Metro mayors are regional leaders who chair combined authorities, which are groups of several local councils.

They set out plans to boost their local economy, and have some powers over housing and transport.

• Institute for Government: What is a metro mayor?
• How mayors became the fashionable new thing in England

When will the May election results be known?

Some local election results will be announced overnight into Friday 2 May, including three of the mayoral results.

Most of the council seats will be counted on Friday, and no results are expected over the weekend.

It is not clear when the result of the Runcorn and Helsby by-election will be announced. At the general election in July 2024, the outcome was known fairly early - at around 02:25.

How does the BBC report polling day?

Detailed BBC election guidelines are written and published for each election, setting out the approach it has to take on polling day.

The BBC, like other broadcasters, is not allowed to report details of campaigning or local election issues on TV, radio or online on polling day between 06:00 and 22:00, when voting closes.

While polls are open, it is a criminal offence to report any exit polls, which aim to predict election results on the basis of surveys of how people say they have voted.

References to the local elections on the day are normally restricted to uncontroversial factual accounts, such as the appearance of politicians at polling stations, the weather, or practical information about how to vote.

Once the polls have closed at 22:00, the election guidelines no longer apply.

However, the BBC must still report the results with the impartiality required both by Ofcom and the BBC's own Editorial Guidelines.

• GET IN TOUCH: Tell us the election issues that matter to you
• FULL COVERAGE: Catch up on all our election stories

Do I need my polling card to vote and can I vote in any polling station?

Can I use my own pen or pencil?

Can I take a selfie?

Can I tell my social media followers how I voted?

Can I wear political clothing?

Can I discuss the candidates?

Can I bring my pet?

Can I take my children with me to vote?

Can I vote if I've been drinking?

Can I have help if I am disabled?

Do I have to vote?

Can I spoil my ballot paper?

Do I have to give my details to 'tellers' outside the polling station?

What voter ID can you use at the May elections?

What if you don't have an acceptable form of ID?

What happens if you can't show valid ID at the polling station?

Why do voters need photo ID?

Both the US and Ukraine have said they are broadly ready to sign a deal which would give American firms access to Ukraine's minerals.

"We are ready to sign this afternoon if they are," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday, adding that Ukraine "decided to make last minute changes" to the agreement.

Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko was flying to Washington on Wednesday after an apparent breakthrough in negotiations.

Earlier, BBC News saw a draft copy of the deal, which provides for the creation of a joint Ukrainian-US investment fund to search for minerals in Ukraine, and set outs how revenues would be split.

On Wednesday afternoon a US source familiar with the talks criticised Ukraine for seeking to re-open some terms that had already been agreed upon over the weekend.

Both US and Ukrainian teams worked through the night on Friday into Saturday to finalise the documents, as well as into the early morning on Wednesday, the source told the BBC.

They added that the sticking points include governance of the fund, the transparency mechanism, and steps to ensure that all funds are fully traceable.

Despite these last minute negotiations, the signing could still happen by the end of Wednesday if the US side believes that Ukraine is complying with already agreed upon terms, the source said.

"Nothing's been removed," Bessent said when asked about any changes to the deal. "It's the same agreement that we agreed to on the weekend. No changes on our side."

Technical documents were signed last week by representatives of both countries.

In Kyiv, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine expected the deal to be signed within "the next 24 hours".

"This is truly a good, equal and beneficial international agreement on joint investments in the development and recovery of Ukraine," Shmyhal said.

Since returning to the White House, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed for an agreement as a prerequisite to offering any future security guarantees to Kyiv, as Ukraine continues to fight against invading Russian forces.

Ukraine is believed to have vast reserves of critical rare minerals like graphite, titanium and lithium beneath its soil. They are highly sought after because of their use in renewable energy, military applications and industrial infrastructure.

The Trump administration's push for access to another country's mineral wealth comes amid a growing trade war with China, where 90% of the world's current stocks are sourced from.

The draft deal also appears to give the US sweeping access to Ukrainian industries beyond minerals.

While it does not specify security support that Washington is willing to provide in return, it states that the deal is "a tangible demonstration of the United States of America's support for Ukraine's security".

The agreement comes days after Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral, and as talks between Moscow and Washington over a possible ceasefire in Ukraine continue.

The latest Trump-Zelensky talks appeared to be far more amicable than their meeting at the White House in February, and have led to a softening in tone from the US president towards his Ukrainian counterpart in the days that followed, as well as an increased level of criticism of Russia's attacks.

Speaking on Wednesday, Trump said: "As you know, we're looking for rare earth [minerals] all the time.

"They have a lot, and we made a deal, so we can start digging and doing what we have to do. It's also good for them."

The initial agreement was due to be signed in February, but fell apart following the heated exchange between the two leaders, when Trump accused Zelensky of "gambling with World War Three".

Meta warned Wednesday that European users could face a "materially worse" experience following a key regulatory decision by the European Commission.

Meta recently introduced a "consent or pay" model which leaves users to choose between paying for a monthly subscription or letting Meta combine data it has collected on Facebook and Instagram.

Last week, the European Commision - the EU's executive - announced it had decided that the model does not comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and fined Meta €200m (£171m).

"Based on feedback from the EC in connection with the DMA, we expect we will need to make some modifications to our model," Meta said in its quarterly earnings statement.

Meta said it expected those modifications "could result in a materially worse user experience for European users and a significant impact" to its European business and revenue.

The company said those impacts could kick in as soon as the third quarter of this year, and may be in effect while it appeals the decision.

Eric Seufert, analyst at Mobile Dev Memo, said Meta may be trying to strategically turn European users into "vocal cheerleaders" for its products amid a regulatory clampdown.

"What they ultimately want to do is turn public opinion against this regulatory regime which will demonstrably degrade the product offerings that are available to EU residents," Seufert told the BBC in a phone interview after the announcement.

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, includes the social media network in addition to the photo sharing app Instagram and the messaging service WhatsApp.

The Commission has said that Meta's consent-or-pay model does not allow users to freely consent to how their data is used.

The body is currently assessing another option Meta introduced last year, which the company says uses less personal data to display advertisements.

Meta was given 60 days to comply with the DMA's recent decision, or risk further fines.

Apple was also issued a €500m (£428m) fine over its App Store practices last week.

Meta's announcement comes as it released quarterly earnings that beat Wall Street expectations.

The results showed Meta continues to bring in significant advertising revenue.

The company touted its AI tools on Wednesday.

"We're making good progress on AI glasses and Meta AI, which now has almost 1 billion monthly actives," Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement.

"Our community continues to grow and our business is performing very well," he said.

Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown said the results showed that Meta has gone "full throttle on investments in AI" and notes

Britzman also noted the 6% jump in daily active users.

"There had been some concerns that we might see a slowdown in new users this year, but this was a very strong start and a signal to investors that Meta's family of apps has a grip on users that's hard to displace," Britzman said.

The EC fine comes amid what Meta called "an active regulatory landscape" in its earnings report.

The company is currently defending itself at trial in a case brought by the US Federal Trade Commission which alleges that Meta runs a social media monopoly.

The FTC, the top antitrust watchdog in the US, says Meta cemented its monopoly by purchasing Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014.