UK Defence & Energy Security: The MoD says Royal Marines and National Crime Agency officers boarded the sanctioned Russian shadow-fleet tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel in the first UK-led operation of its kind, with the vessel provisionally moved off England’s south coast and monitored for safety and environmental risks. Biodiversity & Public Health: A cordon has been placed at Crooked Well Meadow in Kington after hemlock water dropwort (dead man’s fingers) was found; the RHS warns it is extremely poisonous, with identification tips including hollow grooved stems and white umbels. Local Green Politics: Birmingham’s new minority coalition leadership includes the Greens, with Julien Pritchard set to step into the leader role in two years as the council navigates major local challenges. Waste & Recycling Services: Aberdeenshire Council won an APSE award for improving its trade waste service via the myAberdeenshire app, adding collection alerts and missed-bin notifications. Climate & Nature Policy: A Nature-linked study reports light pollution in France has fallen by 33% in areas, tied to public lighting cuts aimed at protecting nocturnal wildlife and reducing energy use.