News 22/04/26

Riot trained police are to be deployed to beaches in France under a new £662m agreement with the UK aimed at stopping migrants crossing the Channel.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to sign the three year deal, which will see at least fifty officers trained in crowd control tactics sent to tackle violence and hostile groups. The package also includes drones, two helicopters and a new camera system to track people smugglers and migrants.

Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the United States says it is not possible to reopen the Strait of Hormuz because of what he describes as violations of the ceasefire.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says the US naval blockade of Iranian ports amounts to taking the global economy hostage, and also criticises Israel. He says military action has not achieved its goals and insists recognising the rights of the Iranian people is the only way forward.

Two more arrests have been made by counter terrorism police investigating an alleged plan to commit arson linked to the Jewish community.

A nineteen year old man and a twenty six year old man were detained in Watford and remain in custody. Nine people have been arrested in total over the past three days. Police say others have been released on strict bail conditions as enquiries continue.

Chelsea have sacked head coach Liam Rosenior after a fifth straight Premier League defeat.

The former Hull and Strasbourg boss had signed a six and a half year deal in January and made a strong start, but results have since declined. A three nil loss at Brighton, the club’s fifth consecutive league defeat without scoring for the first time since 1912, has left them almost certain to miss out on Champions League qualification. Calum McFarlane will take charge until the end of the season, beginning with the FA Cup semi final against Leeds on Sunday.

A man has been cleared of rape and manslaughter after a trial at Winchester Crown Court.

Christopher Trybus, from Swindon, was accused over the death of his wife Tarryn Baird, who died aged 34 in November 2017. The 44-year-old also faced charges of controlling and coercive behaviour and two counts of rape, but has been found not guilty of all charges.

The UK’s top cybersecurity official has described emerging AI models as a “warning shot” over the risks posed by powerful artificial intelligence.

Richard Horne, head of the National Cyber Security Centre, said organisations must strengthen defences with “ten times urgency”. He said AI is not currently a national security threat, but warned that it is exposing vulnerabilities at the same time as geopolitical tensions rise.

Sir Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney has been called to give evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee over the Mandelson vetting row.

Committee chair Dame Emily Thornberry confirmed he will appear on Tuesday. It is highly unusual for a former Downing Street chief of staff to be questioned by MPs. McSweeney resigned in February and said he advised the prime minister to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington.

The European Union has warned that Europe is facing a very serious crisis as aviation fuel stocks fall due to the war in Iran.

EU energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen told Sky News that many holidays could be affected by cancellations or higher fares. He said the situation is currently a price crisis rather than a supply crisis, but warned supply issues cannot be ruled out if the conflict continues.

An investigation has been launched after a homeowner was restrained during a burglary in Maidenhead.

Police were called to Old College Gardens at around ten o’clock on the night of April the second. Four offenders are reported to have entered the property while the owner was in the kitchen. The victims were restrained while cash, watches and silver were stolen before the suspects left the scene.

Two ships stopped in the Strait of Hormuz will have their contents and documents inspected, according to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

The MSC Francesca and Epaminondas were fired upon in the waterway, along with a third vessel, the Euphoria, which was also attacked. The IRGC says the two ships are now in Iranian territorial waters, where their cargo, documentation and related records will be examined following the incidents.

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch asked whether the prime minister stood by his statement that full due process was followed in appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington.

Sir Keir Starmer said he did, but added the decision had been a mistake and his responsibility. He repeated his apology to victims of Jeffrey Epstein and said Foreign Office officials granted security clearance against the recommendation of UK Security Vetting.

Hay fever sufferers could now experience symptoms for up to two weeks longer than in the 1990s, according to a major international review.

The report, involving sixty five scientists, says climate change has prolonged the pollen season. Pollen from grasses, trees and plants can trigger allergic reactions, including itchy eyes, sneezing and headaches, with experts warning of increasing impacts. [Pause(1)]

Facial recognition technology will be rolled out across the country, the government has confirmed, after a legal challenge to its use by police was dismissed.

The case centred on the Metropolitan Police’s use of live facial recognition in London, where cameras mounted on vans scan busy streets to identify people on watchlists. It was brought by youth worker Shaun Thompson, who said he was wrongly identified, and Silkie Carlo from Big Brother Watch, over concerns about discrimination and arbitrary use.

Inflation has risen in the first month of the Iran war, according to new figures.

The Consumer Prices Index increased to 3.3% in March, up from 3%, in line with expectations. The rise follows a fuel shipping crisis after attacks on Iran, which pushed gas and oil prices higher. Officials say the data reflects early impacts of the conflict on energy markets.

Too many children are still being subjected to intrusive and traumatic strip searches, according to the Children’s Commissioner.

A report from Dame Rachel de Souza’s office found the number of searches has more than halved in four years, but concerns remain about the use of force and disparities between white and black youths. She says there should be a much higher threshold before a child is subjected to what she described as humiliating and traumatising searches.

Slough residents facing hardship will be able to access support through a new £2.7 million annual fund, although changes will affect access to free school meal vouchers.

The Household Support Fund, introduced in 2021 to help with the rising cost of living, is being replaced by a new Crisis and Resilience Fund from April. Details of how the scheme will operate were presented to councillors at a cabinet meeting.

Lufthansa says it will cut 20,000 short haul flights this summer as it responds to soaring jet fuel costs.

The airline says most of the reductions come from closing its loss making CityLine fleet and retiring 27 aircraft. It says fuel costs have more than doubled, alongside pressures from labour disputes, as airlines deal with rising costs linked to disrupted oil supplies.

Two UK ticket holders have each won more than £41 million after sharing the Euromillions jackpot.

Three winning tickets matched the numbers, with two bought in the UK and one in France. Each winner will receive just over £41.8 million.