UN rights office said a strike Iran says hit a Minab girls’ school, killing at least 165, may be a war crime if civilians were targeted.
UK unemployment rose to 5.2% in the three months to Oct–Dec 2025, with the ONS estimating about 1.88 million unemployed, around 331,000 more than a year earlier. PAYE data suggested 30.3 million payrolled employees in January 2026, about 134,000 fewer than a year earlier, while vacancies were about 726,000 and regular pay growth slowed to 4.2%. Youth unemployment was reported around 16.1%.
The government has dropped plans to postpone local elections in 30 areas of England, after updated legal advice said the policy would likely be unlawful. Following a court challenge by Reform UK, elections on 7 May will go ahead as scheduled, restoring voting to around 4.5 million people. Steve Reed confirmed the reversal, and the government has agreed to cover Reform UK’s legal costs.
Iran reopened its airspace after a near five-hour shutdown that disrupted regional flights, as the White House said “all options remain on the table” and warned of “grave consequences” if protest killings continue. The US requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting and announced new sanctions targeting Iranian officials it said directed the crackdown. Iran said threats of force violate international law, while UN officials cautioned that talk of strikes could worsen the crisis.
