How did leaders' debate go? | Trump to decide on climate change | 'New' Tolkien book out

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By Justin Parkinson

How did the leaders' debate go?

It's just a week until the general election and the leaders of seven of the main political parties (bar two and a half) have set out their views in a BBC debate. Theresa May's rivals accused her of lacking "guts" for not attending, with Labour's Jeremy Corbyn deciding late on that he would take part.   The SNP's Nicola Sturgeon wasn't there either, with deputy Angus Robertson - the party's Westminster leader - speaking instead. And Caroline Lucas is one of two co-leaders of the Green Party.   Home Secretary Amber Rudd, representing the Conservatives in the PM's absence, said that "part of being a good leader is having a good, strong team".   During the 90-minute debate, there were clashes over living standards, public sector pay and immigration. "None of the participants achieved a big breakthrough moment," says BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, "but nor, crucially, did any of them have a cringing disaster."

Other top stories

The world awaits US President Donald Trump's decision later today on whether he's pulling out of the Paris climate agreement. China and the EU have issued a statement saying they're fully committed to reducing emissions and keeping down global temperature rise. But will this sway Mr Trump, who has described climate change as a "hoax"?       A government air strike in the city of Marawi in the Philippines has killed 10 soldiers, in what's being described as a "friendly fire" incident. Militants allied to so-called Islamic State have been involved in street battles with the army for the past week.       Even for the world of publishing, this is slow. A century after Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien came up with the story of Beren and Lúthien - following his return from the Battle of the Somme - it's being released. It tells of the love between a mortal man and an immortal elf.

Are 'McJobs' really history?   Is hiring from the new army of the "self-employed" simply a way of businesses avoiding tax and pension responsibilities and bypassing the rights - such as holiday and maternity leave - guaranteed to full-time workers?         Read full analysis >          Kamal Ahmed Economics editor

What the papers say

The papers have their say on the BBC leaders' debate, with the Guardian describing the atmosphere as "fractious". The Daily Mail reports that the make-up of the audience has been called "the most-left-wing" ever, while the i says Home Secretary Amber Rudd, representing the Conservatives, faced an "ambush" from the others taking part.

Daily digest

Spalding shooting Sons denounce killer father as "terrorist"       Welcome to Level BA's owner launches long-haul budget airline       Finding Robert What happened to Kettering's smoking, fortune-telling robot?       Romeo and Julius Shakespeare play becomes same-sex love story

If you watch one thing today   Watching our son become our daughter

If you listen to one thing today   The masterpiece Wagner wrote for his wife

If you read one thing today   Peter Stringfellow and Mary Beard on feminism

Today's lookahead

10:30 Hosts England play Bangladesh at The Oval, in the opening match of cricket's Champions Trophy tournament.       Today The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the Dragon cargo spacecraft - carrying experiments and supplies to the International Space Station - from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

On this day     1985 More than 300 people are arrested after an attempt by police to prevent a convoy of hippies reaching Stonehenge leads to a violent confrontation.

From elsewhere       Lola's resistant dignity (The Atlantic)         The disease makes young girls' skin break (Washington Post)             The Icelandic publisher that only prints books during a full moon (Guardian)       Why the no-shoes-in-the-house rule works (Sydney Morning Herald)

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