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French politician Marine Le Pen talks to Christiane Amanpour about the controversial “National Preference” policy her National Rally party hopes to enforce if they win the French elections.

Iranians voted Friday in a runoff presidential election between a hard-line former nuclear negotiator and a reformist lawmaker.

The race between hard-line Saeed Jalili and reformist Masoud Pezeshkian comes after a first round of voting saw the lowest turnout ever for an Iranian election, leaving turnout Friday a major question. Iranians began voting on Friday for a candidate to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash last month, as public apathy has become pervasive in the Islamic Republic after years of economic woes, mass protests and tensions in the Middle East. (AP/ Saeed Sarmadi and Mohsen Ganji)

The election's first round had the lowest turnout in Iran's 45-year history.

STORY: Markets reacted positively Friday to a comprehensive election win for Keir Starmer's Labour party. "Change begins now." The pound, British stocks and government bonds all rose on Friday morning. The bluechip FTSE 100 index gained around 0.4% in early trades. While sterling edged higher against the dollar and held steady against the euro. Starmer's centre-left Labour won a massive majority in the 650-seat parliament. "Our task is nothing less than renewing the ideas that hold this country together." It meant Rishi Sunak's Conservatives suffered the worst performance in the party's long history. Voters punished them for a cost of living crisis, failing public services, and a series of scandals. One leading analyst said a landslide victory provides the sort of clarity and stability equity markets need in a volatile world. Sterling has edged up since Sunak called the election in late May. It is the strongest-performing major currency against the dollar this year, with a gain of 0.3%. On a trade-weighted basis, the pound is now back where it was at the time of the Brexit vote eight years ago. It reflects a belief among traders and investors that a period of intense market volatility in the UK may be drawing to a close. UK stocks have hit record highs this year, helped by a slow-growing but comparatively stable economy and decelerating inflation. But the memory of the market chaos triggered by former prime minister Liz Truss's "mini budget" of September 2022 is still fresh in investor minds. Britain has suffered from the highest inflation and some of the highest interest rates in the developed world over the last couple of years. Looking ahead, the Bank of England is widely expected to lower interest rates at some point in the next few months.

STORY: Prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong entered a mitigation plea for a lighter sentence on Friday. A van believed to be carrying Wong entered the court building. The 27-year-old was one of dozens of activists arrested in 2021 for joining an unofficial primary election to choose candidates for the city's legislature. Of these, 47 were charged with "conspiracy to commit subversion" under a national security law imposed by Beijing. While Beijing says the law is necessary and has brought security, countries including the U.S., UK and Australia say they've been used to curb freedoms in the Asian financial hub. Wong's lawyer, Marco Li, told the court while his client should be considered an active participant in the conspiracy... he was not involved in organizing or assisting in the primary election. And in view of Wong's early plea of guilty, Li urged a reduction of a third of his sentence. That could range from three to 10 years for active participants in the conspiracy, but life in jail for those deemed "principal offenders". Li added that Wong "hopes to reform himself" and "part with his past history". Wong rose to prominence in 2014, when he found himself leading student-led democracy protests that blocked roads in the heart of Hong Kong for 79 days. He was among candidates who won in the unofficial primary poll in 2020... but was disqualified from running in the official election. In the past, he lobbied abroad and publicly supported measures, such as the 2019 U.S. Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which would annually review the city's special economic status and slap sanctions on those who undermine its autonomy.

STORY: ::July 5, 2024 ::Ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn defeats old party in north London, says people 'want something different' Jeremy Corybn/Former Labour Party leader "This result is, to me, a resounding message from the people of Islington North that they want something different, they want something better, and in the new government that's coming in they're looking for an end to things like the two child benefit policy cap. They're looking for regulation of the private rented sector. And if I may say so, they're also looking for a government that on the world stage will search for peace, not war, and not allow the terrible conditions to go on that are happening in Gaza at the present time." ::London Corbyn resigned as Labour leader in 2019 after the party suffered its worst election defeat since 1935, and Starmer threw him out of the parliamentary party less than a year later, accusing him of undermining efforts to tackle anti-Semitism. Starmer is now set to succeed where Corbyn failed and become prime minister, having tacked towards the centre-ground, and he often cites Corbyn's exclusion from Labour ranks in parliament as a sign of how he has changed the party. However, in a bitterly contested vote in Corbyn's north London constituency of Islington North, which he has represented since 1983, he hung on to the seat, defeating Labour candidate Praful Nargund by 24,120 votes to 16,873.

The election marked a big victory for the Labour Party, ousting Britian's Conservative Party after 14 years in power with five consecutive prime ministers.

STORY: ::July 5, 2024 ::British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak concedes defeat, saying Labour has won ::Northallerton, England "The Labour Party has won this general election, and I have called Sir Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory. Today, power will change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner, with goodwill on all sides. That is something that should give us all confidence in our country's stability and future. The British people have delivered a sobering verdict tonight. There is much to learn and reflect on, and I take responsibility for the loss to the many good, hardworking, conservative candidates who lost tonight. Despite their tireless efforts, their local records of delivery, and their dedication to their communities. I am sorry. I will now head down to London, where I will say more about tonight's result. Before I leave the job of Prime Minister, to which I have given my all. I will then return here to my family's home. And I look forward to spending more time with you all in the weeks, months and years ahead. Thank you.'' On a humiliating night for Sunak, the Conservatives have so far only won 70 and were predicted to suffer the worst performance in the party's long history with voters punishing them for a cost of living crisis, failing public services, and a series of scandals. Sunak conceded defeat and said he had called Starmer to congratulate him on his victory. Sunak stunned Westminster and many in his own party by calling the election earlier than he needed to in May with the Conservatives trailing Labour by some 20 points in opinion polls, and his campaign then proved a disaster.

STORY: (Keir Starmer) "Change only happens if you vote for it." As much of Europe lurches to the right, Keir Starmer's left of center Labour Party is set to take office in Britain for the first time in 14 years. Here's how we got here. :: Left-wing household :: Alistair Smout, UK Economics correspondent Keir Starmer is from a left-wing family. He shares his name with Keir Hardy, the founder of the Labour Party. But he actually came to politics in his 50s after a successful career as a barrister. :: 2020 "It is the honor and the privilege of my life to be elected as leader of the Labour Party. It comes at a moment like none other in our lifetime." :: Restoring discipline in the Labour Party Starmer came to lead the party in 2020, and it wasn't all smooth sailing at all. Starmer inherited an incredibly divided party. It was riven by row over antisemitism. And the defeat in 2019, which led to the resignation of leader Jeremy Corbyn, was incredibly damaging. (Jeremy Corbyn) "I will not lead the party in any future general election campaign." Having said that, Starmer has now put himself in a position to take office. Part of that has to do with how conservative fortunes have fallen apart with the resignation of Boris Johnson and then Liz Truss. But it's also been to do with how Keir Starmer has instilled a sense of discipline in the party. :: What will a Labour government look like? Now that the Labour Party are coming to power, it's possible that Starmer will face pressure from trade unions, from some of the left of his party to be a bit bolder, to deliver a real sense of change. And even though Starmer says there isn't a magic wand, he is hoping to deliver growth, which might be able to let him put a bit more investment into public services. The Conservatives say that t Labour are going to have to announce more tax increases. Something that Keir Starmer has denied. Starmer has said that growth will be enough to deliver the improvement in public finances that the Labour government will need in order to increase spending. But if that growth isn't forthcoming, then he could find that his honeymoon period is quite short indeed.

STORY: ::July 5, 2024 :: The UK has voted to end the 'politics of performance,' says Keir Starmer :: London :: Keir Starmer/Labour Leader ''Because tonight people here and around the country have spoken and they're ready for change to end the politics of performance. A return to politics as public service. The change begins right here because this is your democracy, your community and your future. You have voted. It is now time for us to deliver. Thank you very much.'' Exit polls published earlier showed Labour winning the national election with a clear majority, placing Starmer on track to take over as prime minister from Rishi Sunak. Centre-left Labour was on course to capture 410 of the 650 seats in parliament, an astonishing reversal of fortunes from five years ago when it suffered its worst performance since 1935. The result would give Labour a majority of 170 and would bring the curtain down on 14 years of increasingly tumultuous Conservative-led government.

UK Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said on Friday voters "have spoken and they are ready for change" as an exit poll points to a landslide win for his party in the British election. Labour is on course to win about 410 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons and the Conservatives 131, according to an exit poll.

STORY: :: Richmond, England ::July 5, 2024 ::Count Binface says his chances of winning are 'as good as Rishi Sunak's' Binface - a perennial satirical candidate in many local and national elections in the UK - challenged Sunak in his constituency in northern England dressed in his customary silver outfit, complete with cape and a trash can as a helmet. Played by comedian Jonathan Harvey, Binface has already rivalled two ex-prime ministers at national elections - Theresa May in 2017, albeit then in his former guise of Lord Buckethead, and Boris Johnson in 2019. He also contested the London mayor elections in 2021 and in May this year when he won over 24,000 votes. Among his eye-catching policies are pledges to price-cap croissants at 1.10 pounds ($1.39), national service for all former prime ministers and that he should represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest.

STORY: :: Anti-Conservative voters celebrate an exit poll which predicts a massive majority for the Labour Party :: London :: July 4, 2024 :: Pranay Manocha, Anti-conservative voter “The exit poll is just amazing. I mean, fourteen years of tory (Conservative) chaos and we are finally out of it, and we are out of it with a huge bang. I mean 410 seats for Labour is just amazing.” :: David Boughton, Anti-conservative voter “I’m really pleased. I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re going to have some competent governance moving forward, that’s all I hope for.” The election viewing party taking place at Fire nightclub in central London was hosted by an anti-Conservative group called ‘Stop The Tories’, who encourage voters to vote tactically and vote swap to ensure that the ruling Conservative Party fails to extend its 14 years in government. Centre-left Labour was on course to capture 410 of the 650 seats in parliament, an astonishing reversal of fortunes from five years ago when it suffered its worst performance since 1935. The result would give Labour a majority of 170 and would bring the curtain down on 14 years of increasingly tumultuous Conservative-led government. The centrist Liberal Democrats were predicted to capture 61 seats while the right-wing populist Reform UK party, headed by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage who had pledged to destroy the Conservatives, was forecast to win 13. While the prediction for Reform was far better than expected, the overall outcome suggests the disenchanted British public appears to have shifted support to the centre-left, unlike in France where Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party made historic gains in an election last Sunday (June 30).