Student suspensions in English schools decreased for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, with official figures showing 394,400 suspensions in the autumn and spring terms of 2022-23, down from 407,300 in the previous year. Permanent exclusions also fell, from 4,900 to 4,000, as the Department for Education attributed the improvement to dedicated teacher efforts.
Turkish authorities detained over 500 individuals and deployed tear gas during May Day demonstrations in Istanbul. Protesters attempted to access Taksim Square, which has been under a demonstration ban since 2013.
A 66-year-old man faces attempted murder and explosives charges following an attack on Dunmurry Police Station on Saturday, 26 April. The police attribute the incident to the New IRA.
The Trump administration's decision to lift tariffs on Scotch whisky imports has sparked a political dispute among Scottish and UK political figures over who is responsible for the agreement, just days before the Scottish Parliament election. The move, announced during King Charles and Queen Camilla's state visit to the US, ends levies estimated to cost the industry £4 million weekly.
