Iran fired fresh missiles at Israel as Tehran denied direct talks with Washington, despite the US saying a plan to end the war is under review.
Party figures say Green Party membership in England and Wales rose from about 66,000 to more than 215,000 in six months under leader Zack Polanski. Officials link the surge to new activists after Labour took office and turmoil in Jeremy Corbyn’s Your Party, and say it helped deliver a Westminster by-election win in Gorton and Denton. Organisers also report practical strains and expect the 2026 budget to more than double.
Jeanette Dickson, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said anti-migrant rhetoric and reported racist abuse are discouraging overseas doctors and nurses from working in the NHS. She cited regulator workforce data indicating fewer overseas staff are arriving and more are leaving, and said the service relies heavily on internationally qualified clinicians. The Department of Health and Social Care said it will support overseas staff and that the NHS has zero tolerance for racism.
New campaigning data and modelling, reported by GB News, suggest Labour could be left controlling as few as two of London’s 32 borough councils after the 7 May elections. Tony Travers of the LSE said the capital could be heading for a “political earthquake,” with the Greens targeting inner-London seats and Reform UK seeking gains in outer boroughs. The article also cites Labour’s third-place finish in February’s Gorton and Denton by-election.
UK defence officials said British air-defence personnel at the Erbil coalition air base shot down two drones during an overnight attack, while other UAVs struck the site. They said several US service members suffered minor injuries and no British personnel were hurt. Officials described the drones as “Iranian-linked” and said it was unclear whether Iran or aligned militia groups carried out the operation.
