National News & Announcements

It is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand to honour those who served and died in all conflicts. Prince William attends Anzac Day commemorations alongside New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (Picture: Kensington Palace). The Duke of Cambridge has begun his two-day visit in New Zealand by attending an Anzac Day memorial service. It is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand to honour those who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.

It currently costs almost £10,000 in fees for a service leaver to settle in the UK with a spouse and two children. Veterans who served for at least four years have the option to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK. A cross-party group of MPs is calling on the Home Secretary to abolish visa fees for Commonwealth servicemen and women in the British armed forces.

Thousands of retired soldiers descended on Parliament on motorbikes to protest at the decision to charge Soldier F over Bloody Sunday. Around 8,000 riders snaked through central London in an organised go-slow protest. Park Lane, one of the busiest roads in the capital, was closed to allow the bikers to form up. Traffic was brought to a halt around Parliament Square and on Westminster and Vauxhall Bridges as the protesters, engines revving constantly, slowly made their way through the city.

Bikers are holding a protest in London in response to the prosecution of a British soldier over Bloody Sunday. Organisers of the Rolling Thunder event expect thousands of motorcyclists to take part in the protest on Friday. A similar demonstration has taken place in Belfast with around 80 riders arriving at Stormont on Friday afternoon.