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PRESS RELEASE : UK fighter jets intercept Russian aircraft near NATO’s eastern flank [April 2025]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 20 April 2025.

UK fighter jets have intercepted two Russian aircraft flying close to NATO airspace as part of the UK’s contribution to NATO’s enhanced Air Policing in the region.

Two RAF Typhoons were scrambled from Malbork Air Base in Poland on Tuesday (April 15) to intercept a Russian Ilyushin Il-20M “Coot-A” intelligence aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

Whilst on Thursday (17 April) another two Typhoons scrambled from the base, to intercept an unknown aircraft leaving Kaliningrad air space and close to NATO airspace.

The intercepts mark the RAF’s first scramble as part of Operation CHESSMAN and come just weeks after the aircraft arrived in eastern Poland to begin their deployment alongside Sweden in defence of NATO’s Eastern Flank.

It follows the Prime Minister’s historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, recognising the critical importance of military readiness in an era of heightened global uncertainty.

Keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority and foundation of its Plan for Change. The work of the Royal Air Force is critical to the security and stability of the UK, supporting the delivery of the Government’s five missions.

Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard said:

The UK is unshakeable in its commitment to NATO. With Russian aggression growing and security threats on the rise, we are stepping up to reassure our Allies, deter adversaries and protect our national security through our Plan for Change.

This mission shows our ability to operate side by side with NATO’s newest member Sweden and to defend the Alliance’s airspace wherever and whenever needed, keeping us safe at home and strong abroad.

The UK’s deployment of six Typhoon jets and nearly 200 personnel from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing is the UK’s latest contribution to NATO’s air policing efforts, following successful operations in Romania and Iceland last year.

It also represents a landmark in NATO integration with RAF jets from RAF Lossiemouth operating alongside Swedish Gripens – the first time Sweden has contributed fighter aircraft to another Ally’s air policing since joining NATO in 2024.

The intercepts come after the Defence Secretary’s visit to NATO last week where he reaffirmed the UK’s unshakeable commitment to the alliance and co-led a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in which more than 50 nations pledged a total of £21 billion of support to Ukraine.

The Typhoon programme supports more than 20,000 jobs across all regions of the UK every year, which is defending our security whilst creating jobs back home.

The RAF’s Quick Reaction Alert forces, based at RAF Coningsby, Lossiemouth, and Brize Norton, remain ready to protect UK airspace around the clock, while deployed operations like Op CHESSMAN ensure that British airpower is defending the Alliance wherever it is most needed.

April 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : New Welsh language reading platform helping learners pronounce words in Wales and beyond [April 2025]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 18 April 2025.

Already helping over 52,000 users in Wales and across the world learn to read in Welsh, Darllen Co, has been backed by a Welsh Government fund for new Welsh-language technology.

The paid for digital reading platform has been designed by Welsh teachers for schools and families. It features over 180 books and magazines from more than 20 Welsh authors, as well as integrated audiobooks and quizzes.

Over 300 Welsh medium schools are already subscribed to the platform to develop learners’ Welsh reading skills. The platform also features an assessment and tracking system which lets teachers monitor learners’ progress.

Learners can access the platform at school or home, on any digital device. The platform’s audiobooks and reading resources make it easier for children to learn Welsh at home, even if their parents don’t use Welsh, by teaching them the pronunciation of words.

Darllen Co is the only platform of its kind in Welsh and people around the world are benefiting from it, with users in Italy, Texas, Dubai, Slovakia, England and Patagonia. The platform hopes to expand into English medium primary schools, to help even more learners with their Welsh language skills.

Mr Scozzi from Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pontybrenin said:

Since the evolution of the platform, we are now enjoying more literature, new features and more detailed data for us teachers to interpret. In addition to developing reading skills, we are also using the platform to test understanding with opportunities for children to develop various reading and comprehension skills.

Darllen Co received £30,000 from the Welsh Government to set up the original platform in 2022, as part of its aim to develop Welsh language technology. The platform secured this investment following an excellent pitch from its founder, Alex Knott, at Hac y Gymraeg, a Welsh language ‘hackathon’ challenge which aimed to inspire new Welsh technology ideas.

Darllen Co is also working with Adnodd on a digital reading assessment which will be free for schools in the next term.

Welsh language Secretary Mark Drakeford said:

It’s fantastic to see most of our Welsh medium schools making use of the service Darllen Co has to offer. Supported by Welsh Government funding, the service is changing how people digitally interact with Welsh, from school children in Cardiff to Welsh speakers in Patagonia.

Education Secretary Lynne Neagle said:

Reading is vital to education. Darllen Co’s innovative platform supports children to develop their Welsh reading skills and build their confidence, at home and at school.

April 20, 2025
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 22 April 1925

22 APRIL 1925

Captain Yankoff, another of the leading Communist conspirators in Bulgaria, was killed by the police after resisting capture. An attempt to blow up the International Balkan Express near the Serbo-Bulgar frontier was frustrated by soldiers, who discovered the mine laid on the railroad.

The Japanese steamer Raifuku Maru has been lost, with 38 lives, off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Colonel the Hon. F. S. Jackson, chairman of the Unionist Party Organisation, speaking at Hull, said he would be disappointed—along with the country and the government—if, before the end of the present year, they had not produced legislation of a far-reaching character. He believed it would be possible to introduce “all-in” insurance legislation, and that provision should be made for widows and orphans.

Notices were posted at the London and North-Eastern Railway locomotive shops at Gateshead announcing that from Saturday next, the shops will be closed on Saturday mornings until further notice. Two thousand men and boys are employed. An official statement has been issued regarding the company’s measures for the reduction of working costs.

Sir Alfred Mond, addressing his constituents at Llandovery, contended that his scheme to subsidise employers to take on the unemployed would end the vicious circle in which society was trapped, maintain stable social order, and deprive the Communist of his most fruitful ground for propaganda.

The latest unemployment figures show an increase of 38,417.

Lieutenant-General Sir J. A. L. Haldane has been promoted to the rank of general, succeeding the late General Lord Rawlinson.

April 20, 2025
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 21 April 1925

21 APRIL 1925

During a disturbance in the native location at Bloemfontein the police fired a volley on a mob of 4,000. Four natives were killed. The ringleaders have been arrested, and the Citizen Force has been called up.

One Australian correspondent, in a review of Commonwealth affairs, refers to the disclosures regarding the losses of the Commonwealth shipping line, the loan requirements of the States, and the growth of the Communist agitation.

In the fighting against a hostile chief in Iraq a British aeroplane crashed, and two airmen were killed. A flying officer has also been killed in an accident near Shaibah, Iraq.

The Prince of Wales received various native chiefs at Ibadan, Nigeria, when scenes of great picturesqueness were witnessed.

A Sofia telegram announces that Minkoff, the alleged principal conspirator in the plot against the Government, has been killed while endeavouring to evade arrest.

The Soviet Government declined to take part in the International Conference on the Control of Arms and Munitions, which assembles at Geneva on May 4 next.

A revolution has broken out in Honduras.

Sir A. Maurice Low, the Washington correspondent of the Morning Post and The Economist, in another article on Prohibition refers to what he describes as its serious and tragical effects, so far as the American concept of law is concerned.

When passing through Paris on Friday en route for London, King George and Queen Mary are to lunch with President Doumergue.

The Swansea No. 1 Branch of the National Union of Railwaymen have passed a resolution in favour of a strike in the Great Western Railway Company enforces its proposals for a reduction of staff.

In a shipyard accident at Clydebank three men were fatally injured.

April 20, 2025
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 20 April 1925

20 APRIL 1925

A section of the Lisbon garrison were involved in a revolutionary outbreak. The rising was suppressed after a bombardment, in which some hundred were wounded.

Hundreds of arrests of Communists have been made at Sofia. The victims of the Cathedral explosion were buried in one enormous grave.

Field-Marshal Von Hindenburg, in answer to questions put by Reuter’s correspondent, said the question of Republic or Monarchy is at present nowhere under discussion in German politics, that the question of the alteration of frontiers on the east must be settled by negotiations, that he had always spoken against warlike adventures, and that Germany was not even capable of waging a defensive war against one of her neighbours, who had each bigger standing armies than Germany had.

The Duke and Duchess of York have returned to London after a tour of over four and a half months in Africa.

Mr Ramsay MacDonald, at Penzance, said that there was a large section of the Tory party, especially the young Tories, who were men of great promise. When they faced the problem of a national policy the partition between them and the Socialists would be so thin that they might as well break it down and come over to the Socialist camp.

Sir Alfred Mond, speaking at Newport, Mon., said that Socialism as a political issue was as dead as mutton, and he found fault with the Government for taking no strenuous action regarding employment or anything else. Advocating co-operation between employers and employed, he told of a new experiment at his works, which was a combination of cost-sharing and profit-sharing, which was causing a remarkable improvement in output.

April 20, 2025
NEWS FROM 100 YEARS AGO : 19 April 1925

19 APRIL 1925

A military revolt took place in Lisbon involving numerous troops stationed in the city. The Portuguese Government said that it was attempting restore order and end the disturbances.

The Government said that those who didn’t pay income tax would receive police court summons.

April 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Parents get 95 hours back as free Breakfast Clubs are rolled out [April 2025]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 20 April 2025.

First 750 breakfast clubs to rollout from Tuesday, delivering on government’s manifesto commitment and promise to put more money in working people’s pockets.

Tens of thousands of working parents will, from Tuesday, be supported with more flexibility and choice from the rollout of free breakfast clubs across England, as the government delivers on its promise of 30 minutes of free childcare every day.

As children return from the Easter holidays, the first 750 schools across the country are set to begin offering free breakfast clubs. This will help parents get up to 95 hours back a year – giving them more support at a crucial time in the morning as they balance busy lives of work and childcare.

New government data shows that over half of parents would use this time to juggle parenting with working, training or studying.

The free breakfast clubs will save parents up to £450 a year and come alongside a raft of measures from government to provide parents with greater choice and help with the cost of living, such as a cap on school uniform costs and expanding free childcare for under-fives to 30 hours per week.

It comes as major employers like British Airways, Accenture and Rigby Group back the clubs to support parents to work more flexibly.

The rollout delivers on the government’s manifesto promise to ensure state schools offer free breakfast clubs to all pupils, while supporting its Plan for Change milestone to ensure tens of thousands more children start school ready to learn.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

Free breakfast clubs are at the heart of our Plan for Change, making working parents’ lives easier and more affordable, while breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child.

From Tyneside to Truro, England is one of the first countries in Europe to open universal free breakfast clubs, saving parents up to £450 per year and making sure every child starts school ready to learn.

This government is delivering on our promises to working parents, rolling out free breakfast clubs, school-based nurseries, and giving every child across the country the best start in life.

Across the country, school leaders have seen breakfast clubs drive improvements in attendance, attainment and behaviour.

This government is going further and faster, using the 750 free breakfast clubs as a key tool to tackle barriers to learning in schools, with 500,000 primary school pupils missing at least one day of school every fortnight last year, 1 in every 3 pupils not ready to start school at age 5 and 1 in every 50 pupils suspended at least once.

Sean Doyle, Chairman and Chief Executive, British Airways said:

We welcome the Government’s new free Breakfast Club initiative and any effort to support children’s health and learning, while providing more flexibility for working parents and reducing their childcare costs.

Shaheen Sayed, Head of Accenture in the UK, Ireland and Africa, said:

As a major employer in the UK flexibility is a priority, and we understand the importance of creating an environment where everyone can achieve a healthy work-life balance.

We welcome the government’s roll out of 750 new free breakfast clubs across the country as a targeted investment in the future of the workforce and a major step to reducing pressures on working families.

Breakfast clubs not only improve educational outcomes for children but also enable greater workforce participation, allowing working parents and carers to achieve their professional and personal aspirations.

Steve Rigby Co-CEO, Rigby Group said:

As the West Midlands’ largest philanthropic family working with disadvantaged children, we wholeheartedly support the government’s rollout of breakfast clubs.

Breakfast clubs provide support to parents, improve attendance and provide an important start to young people in the start of their school day.

St Benedict’s Primary School, which currently offers breakfast club provision, is going to be one of the early adopter schools to expand the benefits of the club.

Emma Nott, Head Teacher at St Benedict’s Primary School said:

For us, the funding will help us to offer breakfast clubs for free – which is crucial to encourage take up and for more children to reap the benefits.

Our fantastic staff truly believe in this policy, and we are already seeing children’s attendance increase as a result of the club.

It also gives pupils time to adjust between home and school life, especially on a Monday morning, prioritising this for 30 minutes makes a whole world of difference.

Too many children’s life chances have been scarred by poverty, with a third of children leaving primary school without fundamental reading, writing and maths skills, this increases to over half for disadvantaged pupils.

This government has set out a clear commitment to break down barriers to opportunity for every child, with breakfast clubs proven to boost children’s reading, writing and maths by an average of two months.

Craig Jones, Director of the Junior Adventures Group and the PVI Network:

We can see the positive impact enriching breakfast clubs can have on children and families lives, providing a positive, active start to the day and supporting families with work-life balance.

As PVI providers we are excited about the launch of the early adopter scheme and are fully supportive of providing valuable feedback and innovative delivery models during this ‘test & learn’ phase of the free breakfast club offer.

Free breakfast clubs in the early adopter schools will shape the future of the national breakfast club policy, contributing directly to its implementation. Further details on the national roll out of the breakfast clubs programme will follow in due course.

April 20, 2025
NEWS STORY : Statues Defaced as Thousands Rally for Trans Rights in London

STORY

Thousands of trans rights supporters gathered in Parliament Square today to protest the UK Supreme Court’s recent ruling that legally defines “woman” as someone born biologically female. The decision has sparked widespread concern among transgender communities and allies, who fear it could lead to increased discrimination and exclusion from single-sex spaces.

The demonstration, described as an “emergency protest”, saw activists waving flags and holding banners with slogans like “trans liberation” and “trans rights now.” Organised by groups including TransActual, Pride in Labour, and Trans Kids Deserve Better, the protest aimed to highlight the potential implications of the court’s decision on transgender individuals’ rights and access to services.

During the protest, seven statues in the vicinity, including those of suffragist leader Millicent Fawcett and South African statesman Jan Christian Smuts, were defaced with graffiti. The Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into the vandalism, stating that while they support the public’s right to protest, such criminal damage is unacceptable.

Despite the incidents of vandalism, the protest remained largely peaceful, with attendees expressing a mix of frustration, fear, and determination. Many voiced concerns that the Supreme Court’s ruling could embolden transphobic sentiments and policies. Avery Greatorex, co-chair of Pride in Labour, remarked “there isn’t really much of a choice but to keep acting and to keep protesting, so it is very possible that this does not stop until the community has the protections it needs.”

April 19, 2025
NEWS STORY : Pubs to Stay Open Later for VE Day 80 Celebrations Across the UK

STORY

Pubs across England and Wales will be permitted to stay open later in May to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. As part of the national commemorations, licensing hours will be extended from 11pm to 1am on Thursday 8 May and Friday 9 May 2025. The change will apply to premises already licensed for the sale of alcohol for consumption on-site, the provision of late-night refreshment, and regulated entertainment.

The extension aims to support communities in coming together to remember and honour the end of the Second World War in Europe, which took place on 8 May 1945. The government described the decision as a way to allow people to “mark the occasion in their own way.” The move follows previous temporary licensing extensions made for significant national events, including royal jubilees and major sporting tournaments. Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, added:

“As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the whole country should come together to remember the incredible sacrifices made by the wartime generation and to celebrate the peace and freedom they secured for us all. Keeping our pubs open for longer will give people the opportunity to join in celebrations and raise a glass to all of the men and women who served their country, both overseas and at home.”

April 19, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records [April 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 19 April 2025.

A new AI tool aims to modernise council planning by replacing outdated paper systems with high-quality digital data, enabling faster, smarter decisions to support the government’s goal of building 1.5 million homes.
- A new AI tool to help councils make planning data more accessible and digital, converting poor scans of old, PDF and paper documents into machine-readable, shareable data in seconds is being built
- Currently in early testing, the tool could reduce the time needed to convert old planning documents into digital records – performing in 40 seconds what typically takes 1-2 hours of planner’s time to complete
- This type of tool could be used to strengthen public services and support deliver the government’s Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament and drive economic growth
AI could be used to increase the availability of planning data, allowing councils to make more informed planning decisions faster, supporting the government’s Plan for Change mission to drive growth across the country and build 1.5 million homes.

Currently, many councils still use paper documents and scanned PDFs, slowing down the planning process – resulting in backlogs, inefficiencies, and wasted resources.

To help tackle this, a new programme will develop AI that provides higher quality data, in turn helping councils make faster, smarter planning decisions.

The new generative AI tool will turn old planning documents—including blurry maps and handwritten notes—into clear, digital data in just 40 seconds – drastically reducing the 1-2 hours it typically takes planners. By pulling key information from thousands of files, the tool helps cut delays, reduce errors in data, speed up planning decisions – freeing up planners’ time to focus on building the homes Britain needs.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

The UK’s planning system has been held back for too long by outdated paper documents, slow processes, making it nearly impossible for councils to make informed decisions quickly.

As part of our Plan for Change, we’re using the power of AI to transform sluggish systems so we can start to rebuild. With Extract, councils will have access to better quality data so they can move more quickly on planning decisions and get on with driving growth.

Technology like this could be a vital step towards councils meeting targets to help build the 1.5 million new homes the country needs, all while updating and improving the planning system for the future.

Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said:

To kickstart economic growth and achieve the government’s ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million new homes in this Parliament, we need local planning authorities to be making informed decisions faster.

By harnessing new technology like Extract, we can tackle backlogs, inefficiencies and waste and ensure councils are focusing precious time and resources on efficiently determining applications to build new homes.

It is currently being tested and could be available to councils later this year, helping them to adopt smarter, more efficient planning tools that will improve the overall efficiency of the planning process.

The tool also has potential applications across the public sector because location-specific data is used to deliver services and inform government policy and decisions across departments.

It comes after the Technology Secretary revealed a £45 billion jackpot of productivity savings, if the public sector makes good use of technology to improve services and make processes more efficient.

This builds on a range of sweeping planning reforms the government has already made to get Britain building. This includes updating the National Planning Policy Framework, which according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will boost the economy by £6.8 billion and drive housebuilding to its highest level in over 40 years, and through the pro-growth Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
April 19, 2025