The Royal wedding has received blanket coverage in the last 48 hours, with little other news making headlines. Here are just seven stories that would have made a bigger impact if not for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ceremony.
1. Actress Asia Argento delivers stunning Weinstein speech at Cannes
The actress Asia Argento delivered a brave and rousing address to the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday night, telling the assembled crowd: “In 1997, I was raped by Harvey Weinstein here.”
“I was 21 years old. This festival was his hunting ground,” she added.
“I want to make a prediction. Harvey Weinstein will never be welcomed here ever again,” she continued.
“He will live in disgrace, shunned by a film community that embraced him and covered up for his crimes.”
She went on to say: “And even tonight, sitting among you, there are those who still have to be held accountable for their conduct against women.
“For behaviour that does not belong in this industry, does not belong in any industry or any workplace. You know who you are. You do not belong in this industry. But most importantly, we know who you are, and we’re not going to allow you to get away with it any longer.”
Argento is an Italian actress who was among several women to come forward about alleged abuse at the hands of Weinstein last year.
The French festival launched a sexual harassment hotline this year in response to the #MeToo movement.
2. Fuel prices could be about to soar
The cost of filling up a family car will rise by £8 if predicted oil price increases materialise, a motoring firm has warned.
Petrol and diesel prices have already risen to a three-and-a-half-year high, driven by the rapidly rising cost of oil.
The barrel price of oil reached 80 US dollars this week and the boss of energy giant Total believes it could return to 100 US dollars in the coming months.
If this happens then the RAC believes fuel prices could soar to £1.41 per litre for unleaded and £1.44 for diesel.
This would mean filling up a 55-litre car would cost £78 for petrol models and £79 for diesels – up £8 on existing prices.
Average UK forecourt prices currently stand at £1.24 for unleaded and £1.28 for diesel.
3. Man charged over Middlesbrough murder
A 36-year-old man has been charged with the murder of pharmacist Jessica Patel, who was found dead at her home in Middlesbrough.
Miss Patel’s body was found at her Victorian semi in The Avenue, Linthorpe, on Monday.
Originally from Leeds, she worked with her husband at the Roman Road Pharmacy.
On Saturday, Cleveland Police said: “Police have charged a 36-year-old man with the murder of 34-year-old Jessica Patel.
“He will appear at Teesside Magistrates’ Court this morning, Saturday May 19.”
4. Labour’s candidate for the upcoming Lewisham East by-election has been chosen
A ‘moderate’ candidate has won the hard-fought Labour party selection contest for the Lewisham East by-election.
Janet Daby beat her Momentum-backed rival Sakina Sheikh in the final ballot by 288 votes to 135, sources told Huff`Post UK.
NEC member and Unite-backed Claudia Webbe secured just 35 votes.
Daby won on the first round, a comprehensive victory which means she is now almost certain to become the MP for the rock-solid Labour seat in the 14 June by-election.
Lewisham East had a majority of 21,000 at the last general election, but sitting MP Heidi Alexander opened up a vacancy after deciding to quit Parliament to work for London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn swiftly congratulated Daby on her success, which followed last-minute drama around the eligibility of Sheikh on the all-women, all-BAME shortlist.
5. The Tories might give young people Nando’s discount cards to entice them to sign up
The Conservative Party is considering offering a discount card for popular high street restaurants such as Nando’s in a bid to boost their membership numbers, according to reports.
The discount card is designed to encourage people to join the party by offering cut-price deals on food, clothes and other purchases as part of the £25-a-year subscription.
According to the Times, a senior party source said the discount card was a “very real possibility” and could offer money off at restaurants such as Nando’s.
“These are early discussions – we don’t know how many businesses would want to take part, but we’re keen to give members more in return for their membership,” the insider added.
A subscription to the Tory party currently gives an activist to a membership card, regular party updates and the option to buy a pass to attend the party conference.
Members can also vote in the leadership contest and for local candidates.
The discount card could be the latest way the Conservatives are hoping to boost their membership numbers.
6. Church of Scotland to draft new same-sex laws
The Church of Scotland has voted to draft new laws that would allow ministers to conduct same-sex marriages.
The Rev Bryan Kerr’s motion, as amended, was passed 345 to 170 at the general assembly in Edinburgh on Saturday.
The legal questions committee now has two years before it has to report back, with a final poll expected in 2021.
Speaking before the vote, the Rev Tom Gordon said: “I have two daughters, both of whom are married. I have one gay daughter in a same-sex marriage. When my older daughter got married she had a choice – to ask me to conduct her service as a minister or for me to walk her down the aisle as her dad. But when my younger daughter got married, she had no such choice.
“Give people a choice: allow their marriage to be conducted by a minister. With God’s blessing.”
Others in the assembly questioned whether relevant safeguards would be in place to protect those who did not wish to perform the ceremonies.
The Rev Mark Malcolm claimed he would be willing to give up his right to conduct all marriages and only do blessings, as a compromise for the “peace of the church”. He said people who did not support same-sex marriage within the church had been described as bigots.
He said: “Legislation isn’t going to protect because perception is everything.”
7. MP says politicians who oppose the monarchy face death threats
Politicians who support abolishing the monarchy have revealed abuse and death threats they received for speaking out on the day of the royal wedding, two MPs have said.
Labour’s Emma Dent Coad and the SNP’s Tommy Sheppard are calling for a debate on whether the monarch should remain as the unelected head of state.
As Prince Harry and Megan Markle tied the knot on Saturday, the two politicians were at a republican event in London arguing the Windsors should not get taxpayers’ cash and the Queen should be replaced by an elected UK president.
But they said their anti-Royal Family views make them a target for “vitriolic” anger and threats.
Kensington’s Dent Coad, who has declared herself “the Royal Family’s worst nightmare” at last year’s Labour Party conference, blamed the media for whipping up vitriol against republicans and skewing the debate.
A poll, commissioned by anti-monarchist pressure group Republic, found that 66% of Britons were not interested in the royal wedding, and that 60% of Britons planned to have a normal weekend.