100 bombs in 10 minutes: Mapping Lebanon's 'Black Wednesday' The Israel Defense Forces labelled it Operation Eternal Darkness. Inside Lebanon, it's now called Black Wednesday. ABC NEWS Verify has geolocated the explosions across 10 minutes of chaos.

'Make it stop': Ten minutes of chaos in Lebanon's 'Black Wednesday'
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...

Strait of Hormuz blockade could turn into global agrifood crisis The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says ships in the Strait of Hormuz need to start moving again to avoid a global agrifood crisis. Here's why.

How the Strait of Hormuz blockade could turn into a global agrifood crisis
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...

Mr Nobody Against Putin - Official Trailer YouTube video by Madman Films

If you’re looking for something to watch this bank holiday Monday, Mr Nobody Against Putin is *brilliant* and (free!) on iPlayer

m.youtube.com/watch?v=9150...

'Dance for me': Australian Harrods survivor tells of Mohamed Al Fayed abuse Jessica tried to keep her distance from Harrods billionaire owner Mohamed Al Fayed, who was known to abuse his female staff, until he spotted her going down an escalator.

Harrods survivors call for UK inquiry into 'our Epstein' Mohamed Al Fayed

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...

‘Everyone is thinking about oil prices’: is Iran using the war to hide a surge in executions? Regime has long used the death penalty to suppress dissent but now appears to be withholding information on the killing of hundreds of prisoners, say rights groups

‘Everyone is thinking about oil prices’: Is Iran using the war to hide a surge in executions?

www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

Albanese to outline case for urgent reform amid global uncertainty The prime minister will use a speech at the National Press Club to make his pitch for "urgent" change amid significant international uncertainty caused by the Middle East war.

Global uncertainty a reason to 'press ahead' with urgent reform, Albanese says

www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04...

BREAKING: Political funding from British citizens living abroad should be capped at about £300,000 a year and donations in cryptocurrency temporarily banned, a government review has recommended.

Hostage review – this portrait of a war reporter is jaw-dropping stuff This documentary about British war correspondent John Cantlie – who was kidnapped by IS and is believed to have died in an airstrike – is full of remarkable yarns

Well worth your time www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

As far as I can tell there are no journalists embedded with US forces in Iran - happy to be corrected if anyone has more information.

This must be the first time that’s happened?

My point was that it is striking that there is almost zero outreach.

Watching news programmes over the last couple of days, I’m really struck by the fact that the US isn’t putting people up & isn’t briefing us. Probably isn’t briefing anyone?

BREAKING: Keir Starmer says the U.K. has given the US permission to use British bases to launch strikes on Iran

The centrist establishment is dying in British politics & may be dead already. Labour’s collapse happened in entirely predictable ways. In fact @rewearmouth.bsky.social & I warned Starmer would face this in our 2024 book, Landslide.
It’s happening in France, US, Germany. Gorton is just the start.

Polls were way out

🚨 Green Party wins Gorton & Denton byelection after tightly contested race, with Labour slipping to third in significant blow to Keir Starmer.

Green Party: 14,980
Reform UK: 10,578
Labour: 9,364

!

Well, there you go

Feels likely to dip soon. Where is the big idea?

Top British and German military chiefs press ‘moral’ case for rearmament Defence leaders write joint appeal urging public on need to be prepared for war with Russia and resulting costs

Top British and German military chiefs press ‘moral’ case for rearmament

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Amazing. Well done

Hammer Blow For Keir Starmer As Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar To Call On Him To Quit The move comes as the party faces catastrophe at the Holyrood elections in May.

🔥🔥🔥Anas Sarwar: "The distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street needs to change."

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/hammer...

Temperatures look bearable. Almost everywhere has air con in any case.

I fly to Brisbane tomorrow, and given it is summer in Australia (yes, you’re right, it does suck to be you!) I’ve just spent a shedload of cash on clothes

While we all get swept up in Westminster, take a moment to think how fortunate we are

This tells you that there’s really is no consensus in Labour about a way forward

Enjoyed this open.spotify.com/episode/49Cq...

I'd echo this. The mood in the last couple of hours has got *extremely* dark.

Mandelson is finished. Who else is going with him? As more disturbing details emerge from the Epstein files, the scandal is returning to the door of No 10

“Either MI6 and the UK’s intelligence agencies managed to miss everything that has now come to light, or else they found it and No 10 made the decision to ignore it. People will surely want answers on that front.”
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-m...

the pitch is being rolled for a BBC/Channel 4 merger ahead of the next director general’s arrival
www.thetimes.com/article/6c44...

🚨BREAKING - Gordon Brown says he has asked the Cabinet Secretary "to investigate the disclosure of confidential and market sensitive information" allegedly from Mandelson

Says he asked the cabinet office to investigate this in September and department found no record.