New Immigration rules could see tougher measures for asylum seekers who enter the UK illegally. Under new proposals Home Secretary Priti Patel says anyone entering the country through illegal means will no longer have the same rights as those who arrive legally. During the year ending March 2020, 35,099 asylum claims were made in the UK, with Iran, Albania and Iraq providing the most applicants. Ms Patel describes these plans as a “fair” system and it’s clear this will make it “harder it will be harder for them to stay". She also reveals asylum seekers who do come to the UK legally will be given indefinite rights to remain immediately.
The plans include the government seeking the "rapid removal from the UK" of rejected applicants, with appeals "reformed to speed up" the process and the way asylum seekers enter the UK illegally - via another "safe" country, such as France - would "have an impact" on how claims are dealt with.
After details of the New Plan for Immigration emerged it was hit with criticism from the opposition and also groups which help asylum seekers. Labour says the government lacks "competence and compassion" while the Refugee Council accuses it of "seeking to unjustly differentiate between the deserving and undeserving refugee" by giving protection "based on how they travel to the UK".
We will hear more about the proposals, which the government describes as "the biggest overhaul of the UK's asylum system in decades”, later.

"Capitalism" and "greed" got Covid vaccinations under way quickly in the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson tells a private meeting of Tory MPs. However these comments were withdrawn "very insistently" after they were said during a Zoom call with backbenchers on the Conservatives' 1922 Committee, sources say. They make it clear the remarks were not said in connection with the current row with the EU over vaccine supplies but were in regard to the profit motive driving commercial companies to develop new products. The comments, though withdrawn, have emerged as the some 28.3 million people - more than half the adult population - have had at least a first dose of either the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccines.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is predicted to fall short of securing the seats needed to form a new government in Israel's fourth election in two years, according to exit polls. Mr Netanyahu's Likud party and its allies are projected to win 52 or 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. Parties opposed to the prime minister staying in office look set to win 60. It means that even with the support of the nationalist Yamina party, Mr Netanyahu would not have a majority.

Almost all of today’s papers mark the first anniversary of lockdown either in words or pictures. The Times headlines with "bells toll for 126,000 lives lost" while The Guardian and the Daily Mail lead on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “regrets”. He has rejected calls for an inquiry but the Mirror reports there is “growing pressure” to launch one. A few papers have alternative lead stories including the Daily Telegraph which says children will be “in line for jabs from August” and the Independent reminds us we’ll be having staycations again this summer. See the front pages here.

The world’s largest painting created in a deserted hotel ballroom in Dubai sells for £45m. The 1,600 sq m (17,000 sq ft) painting was meant to be sold off in 70 parts but it was bought as a whole piece. Where would you store something that big? In a purpose-built museum. We’ve also spoken to a bride who was flown to her wedding after being left stranded by rising floodwaters in Australia and you can watch new Mastermind host Clive Myrie being put through his paces.

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