UK - The Evening Standard

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1. 'Furious' Starmer sacks Foreign Office chief as Mandelson vetting scandal explodes

   Security officials initially denied Lord Mandelson clearance - but Foreign Office officials overruled the recommendation

2. Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron to host Paris talks on opening Strait of Hormuz

   The talks come after a 10-day ceasefire agreed by Lebanon and Israel went into effect.

3. Chelsea’s recruitment strategy under the microscope

   With poor results on the pitch and senior players hinting at unhappiness, there are big questions to be answered

4. Rufus Wainwright's My London: Brooches, Dim Sum, and bidding farewell to Judy Garland

   Singer Rufus Wainwright gets his bling in Cecil Court and has a grand old time at the Delaunay

5. Balamory’s Miss Hoolie to read CBeebies Bedtime Story

   She will read People Need People by Benjamin Zephaniah.

6. 'Call off the Tube strikes,' bosses urge as RMT union threatens £210 million blow to London

   Business chiefs warn the walkout on the Underground will be an ‘own goal’ as the capital is already being hit by Donald Trump’s Iran war

7. Harry dances with Australian girl before sailing around Sydney Harbour

   The Duke and Duchess of Sussex delighted the public by posing for photos next to the Opera House’s Man O’War steps.

8. Horoscope today: Your daily guide for Friday, April 17, 2026

   Read what the stars mean for you today, from Aries to Gemini

9. Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet Bondi Beach terror attack survivors

   Harry and Meghan also greeted emergency workers who responded to last year’s attack.

10. Parents ‘expect to spend £85 on average in spring on children’s school supplies’

    Outgrown uniforms, the need to buy specific items in the summer term and spreading the cost were behind purchases, according to a survey.