A trip with school friends changed Stef’s life forever (Picture: Helene Wiesenhaan/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
The memories of August 6, 2000 and what started off as ‘the best weekend of my life’ still play back vividly in Stef Reid’s head.
For a start there were arguments beforehand, as Stef, then 15, pleaded with her strict mother Carol to let her visit lakes in rural Canada with her best friends.
Later, having been allowed to go, Stef recalls with crystal clarity the thrill and excitement of racing along the water in a tube, being pulled by a speedboat.
‘You bounce along the waves and eventually you’re thrown into the water, as I was,’ she says. ‘I turned to wait for the speedboat to come back and collect me.’
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However, in the final horrific seconds, Stef realised the driver of the boat hadn’t seen her in the water. And what happened next changed her life. ‘In a split second I realised he was heading straight for me – and my brain shifted into survival mode,’ says Stef, now 41.
‘I thought, “Stef, you need to avoid those propellers”, so I tried to dive under the surface to safety but I had a lifejacket on.’
Stef Reid is now a Paralympian (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
‘I have this memory of darkness in the water and suspension in time. I was underwater and swam towards the light on the surface. I remember thinking, “Wow, that was really lucky, I won’t tell my Mum,” because I didn’t realise anything was wrong.
‘I couldn’t see my legs and after a few seconds I felt weird sensations. Shock, terror and panic set in.’
A lifeguard on the boat swam to support Stef in the water. When pulled back on board, she was bleeding profusely. The propeller had left deep gashes along her back and mangled her right foot. ‘I wanted to talk but I couldn’t get the words out,’ says Stef.Back on land, ‘my friends made a stretcher out of a deckchair and put me on the back of the van.
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‘A neighbour who was a nurse sat beside me as we raced to meet the ambulance.’
Mum Carol, who is English and married to Scotsman Philip, arrived at the hospital. As surgeons began to discuss a possible amputation, she pleaded with them to remove her own healthy foot and graft it on to Stef’s mangled limb.
‘I’ll never forget my mum begging the surgeon, “Can you amputate my leg and give it to Stef?”,’ she says. ‘And after all those years of teenage arguments and disagreements I learned in that moment that my mum put me first in everything.’
Stef and her mother Carol had a strained relationship, but the accident brought them closer (Picture: Supplied)
‘All those times as a teenager when I was angry with her because she was too strict, I realised she just wanted me to be safe.
‘I never fought with her again. I realised she loved me so much, she would sacrifice her own leg to help me. It made me realise how lucky I was.’
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Stef remained in hospital for three weeks, with Carol, now 71 and a retired bookkeeper, sleeping on a chair beside her bed. The teenager had to face the reality that her dreams of becoming a professional rugby player were in tatters.
‘I was angry, miserable and in pain,’ she says. ‘I had to accept that sport wasn’t going to be part of my life and threw myself into my studies instead.’
Stef returned to school with hopes of becoming a surgeon. Two years later she was given her first running blade. While studying biochemistry at Queen’s University in Ontario, she asked to join the running team.
‘I wondered just how fast I could go,’ she says, and soon Stef was running alongside the non-disabled team. She was invited to run in Manchester at the age of 22 and paused her academic studies to train for the Paralympics as a long-jumper and sprinter.
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Carol is one of Stef’s biggest supporters (Picture: Supplied)
The gamble paid off. Stef won a bronze medal in the 200m at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing when representing Canada, and silver in the long jump at the London 2012 Paralympics for Great Britain.
With her British parentage, Stef moved to the UK full time in 2011 to live and train in Leicester, turning to inspirational speaking and broadcasting after retiring from athletics in 2022.
Behind each of Stef’s successes has been Carol, her biggest cheerleader.
Stef now lives in Loughborough with husband Brent Lakatos, a Canadian wheelchair racer.
‘Mum gave up her weekends to drive me to competitions and she was always in the crowd shouting “Go, Stef, go!”’ says Stef, whose success extended beyond the track to include appearances on TV shows Celebrity MasterChef and Dancing on Ice, where she made it to the quarter finals.
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Which of those two was the most nerve-wracking? ‘The scariest was Dancing on Ice,’ she says. ‘I wasn’t a natural skater and it was so nerve-wracking because I’d have an epic fall in every final practice, which made the live skate on television so much worse hours later.
‘My legs used to feel like jelly but I realised I could still function under all that stress.
Dancing on ice was one of the biggest challenges Stef has taken on (Picture: Matt Frost/ITV/Shutterstock)
‘Celebrity MasterChef in 2018 was wildly different because I had very little experience of cooking and I misunderstood the show.
‘I thought I’d be mentored and taught in every episode. When I realised there was no training involved, I ended up watching YouTube for hours every day, learning how to cook.
‘The skills never left me and now I can at least throw a fantastic dinner party!’
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Next up, Stef is presenting TV coverage of the Winter Paralympics in Italy – which begin this Friday – from a studio in Toronto. She is also a diversity ambassador for British Ice Skating, an inspirational speaker and a high-performance coach.
‘My best advice is just go for it,’ she says. ‘My life could have been wrecked when I was 15 but I would never have achieved what I have without losing my foot – or without my amazing mother helping me every inch of the way.’
Stef Reid recently launched the Hail Mary Friday Club for those looking for a gentle shove to live with more boldness and joy. Visit stefreid.com
The government is looking at scrapping a planned fuel duty hike in response to the rising energy prices caused by the war in the Middle East, the energy secretary has suggested.
Ed Miliband said he is “sending a clear message” that the government is “going to stand by people in this crisis” amid growing pressure on the government to protect consumers amid spiralling costs.
Fuel duty is currently frozen to help drivers with the cost of living, but that is due to end in the autumn. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has so far resisted calls to cancel the planned hike in response to the oil price spike caused by Donald Trump’s war on Iran.
Asked whether plans to end the 16-year fuel duty freeze in September would be reversed because of spiking oil prices, he said: “Let me answer that by saying this, which is, I’ll be candid with you, we don’t know how long this conflict is going to go on and therefore, with five months to go until September, we will have to see where we are, obviously.”
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Ed Miliband told the BBC that ministers will ‘stand by people in this crisis’ (BBC)
He then spoke of the chancellor’s actions to reduce energy bills, before adding: “We will stand by the British people in this in this crisis, and we’ll do what it takes to do that.”
Pressed again whether this meant keeping the fuel duty freeze in place, Mr Miliband said: “You’re asking me to sort of speculate on what the chancellor is going to do on fuel duty… but look, I am sending a clear message, which is we are going to stand by people in this crisis.”
It comes as fears over a cost of living crisis similar to what happened in 2022 as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have been heightened by the price of oil rising more than 20 per cent to above $100 a barrel and gas more than 50 per cent.
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The RAC’s head of policy said last week that diesel prices have already risen by nearly 9 per cent since 28 February. Meanwhile, petrol prices are on average 6 per cent more across the same period, RAC Fuel Watch said.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has previously insisted that the rise would go ahead in September. But ministers have since softened their stance, with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer last week telling MPs that the planned 5p increase would be “kept under review” before it is due to come into force in September.
The Chancellor has faced opposition pressure to scrap a planned increase in fuel duty as the conflict spirals (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)
Ms Reeves has also indicated that targeted support could be offered to households struggling with soaring energy bills as a result of the Middle East crisis.
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The chancellor said she would give support “to those who really need it”, with a package of help for people who rely on heating oil – which is not covered by the energy price cap – expected next week.
Gas and electricity bills are covered by regulator Ofgem’s price cap which is fixed until June, but if the conflict continues and Iran maintains its stranglehold on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, then, households could face dramatic hikes at that point.
But about 1.5 million households relying on heating oil already face soaring costs, with the price per litre doubling since the start of the crisis.
It comes after Ms Reeves and Mr Miliband met with petrol industry representatives to warn against profiteering during the Iran war, with the latter saying that the government would not tolerate “unfair practices”.
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“It is our obligation as the government to ensure the consumers are treated fairly in this crisis”, he said.
Ahead of the talks, the chancellor wrote to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), asking it to stay on “high alert” for “unjustifiable” price hikes, and insisted she would “not tolerate” firms exploiting uncertainty in the Middle East for financial gain, as concerns grow over the impact of the war on the cost of living.
But the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents large and small independent petrol retailers across the UK, hit out at ministers’ suggestions that there had been “rip-off” pricing and “profiteering” by fuel providers, accusing them of “incorrect and inflammatory language”.
From the birth of Adele Dazeem to the slap felt around the world, it’s fair to say the Oscars has given us its fair share of iconic moments over the years that extend far beyond just who won what.
Excitingly, the Oscars is one of the few US-based awards shows that we can tune into live on this side of the pond, meaning those who want to can follow all of the action as it happens.
Here’s where you can watch the 2026 Oscars – and what to look out for on the night…
How can I watch the 2026 Oscars red carpet live in the UK?
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For the third year running, Chicken Shop Date star Amelia Dimoldenberg is heading up all the red carpet action as the Academy Awards’ official correspondent and social media ambassador.
Alternatively, there’s also the option to watch Ross King and Angelique Jackson presenting live coverage of the red carpet as it happens on TV.
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What about the main event – can I watch the 2026 Oscars ceremony live in the UK, too?
Jonathan Ross will be at the helm over on ITV1 and ITVX, where you can watch the awards live for free.
ITV will be broadcasting the Oscars as it happens, with coverage promising “live commentary, interviews with celebrity guests and film experts, and on-the-spot conversations with the stars as they walk the red carpet” kicking off at 10.15pm on Sunday night.
Over the course of the night, Jonathan will be joined by a panel including presenter Elle Osili Wood, actor and writer Samson Kayo and TikToker Fred Asquith, to debrief on the biggest night in Hollywood.
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For night owls and/or the most devoted movie fans, the actual ceremony will kick off at midnight in the UK and will run until about 3am – so make sure you get the coffee in.
Alternatively, if you’d rather catch a few winks rather than following live, the ceremony – along with curated highlights – will be available to watch the next day on ITVX.
Jonathan Ross is once again fronting ITV’s coverage of the Oscars in 2026
ITV/Matt Frost/Shutterstock
And what about after the Oscars? Will there be live coverage of any after-parties?
While we’re sure the real after-parties take place well away from the cameras, you can check out Vanity Fair’s official 32nd annual Oscars after-party at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
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Celebrities will be seen arriving for the party on the red carpet on Vanity Fair’s website and YouTube channel straight after the ceremony, from around 2.30am on Monday.
Internet personalities and social media influencers Quenlin Blackwell, Brittany Broski and Jake Shane will all be presenting live from the red carpet as the stars arrive to celebrate – or commiserate – their Oscars experience.
Which nominees and stars should we be looking out for at the 2026 Oscars?
Sinners did well at the recent Actor Awards, picking up Outstanding Performance By A Cast, while Michael B Jordan came away with Outstanding Performance By A Male Actor.
Could he pip the hotly-tipped Timothée Chalamet to the post to win the Best Actor Oscar as well?
Elsewhere, Jessie Buckley seems like a sure bet to take home the Best Actress gong after cleaning up in the category at the Actor Awards, Baftas, Critics’ Choice Awards and Golden Globes for her performance in Hamnet.
Oscars host Conan O’Brien rolls out the red carpet ahead of this year’s ceremony
Ariana Ruiz/PI via ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
As for the coveted Best Picture, it looks like it will be Sinners vs. One Battle After Another after Hamnet lost momentum during awards season. Then again, who doesn’t love a total surprise?
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Holding it all together will be comedian and TV host Conan O’Brien, who is presenting the Oscars for the second year running.
Huntingdon residents share their views on the high street, calling for more variety on shops, better transport links to Cambridge, and solutions to traffic restrictions
Others highlight issues with transport links, traffic, and the pull of online shopping. The following views are taken from a recent comments thread.
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Residents feel that the high street in this Cambridgeshire town could “use a little more love”, as some perceive it to be “lacking” in terms of shop variety. Huntingdon is praised by people who live there as being “safe” and a nice place to raise a family.
Like many others nationwide, some individuals believe the high street could benefit from improvements. Sarah Gosling, who feels the town has a “nice family feel”, expressed that it would be “nice to have non-charity shops”.
She further commented: “It’s great to have them [charity shops], but we have a lot of them and it would be nice to have a lot of other stuff. Some of the restaurants are nice, but it would be good to have some more clothes shops.”
Sarah’s mother, Anne Monkman, also felt it would be “good to have more variety of shops.”
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Barry Graves said the high street could “use a little more love”. He said: “We have a few down the street that are boarded up or empty. It makes it look sad. It feels like it could be a good opportunity to bring in a few different shops. Maybe some independent places, and then we could support local businesses.”
Some readers believe the retail mix has been inadequate for years. One commenter, Calumen Nomen comments: “Traffic restrictions = closed shops. Not difficult.”
While Welshknight believes: “There’s not enough people in Huntingdon willing to pay the premium in money or effort compared with online shopping. They want shops sitting waiting for them to browse for free and then buy online, not sustainable.”
Rootintootinredux says: “Frankly, the choice of shops in Huntingdon has always been woeful even before the era of online shopping. But hey unless you want women’s clothing, charity shops, vape supplies, dodgy fried chicken and shoes then Huntingdon has you covered I guess!”
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Over on our Facebook page, Deniz O writes: “It needs a proper link to Cambridge. Crazy that it’s easier to go to London.”
Kerry-Jane Rose feels: “St Neots is worse for shops.”
Two motorists were banned at York Magistrates Court.
Tony Middleton, 65, of Healaugh, near Tadcaster, pleaded guilty to drink driving when nearly four times the legal alcohol limit in Tadcaster.
He was given a 12-month community order with six months’ alcohol rehabilitative treatment and 20 days’ rehabilitative activities, banned from driving for 40 months and ordered to pay a £200 fine, £85 prosecution costs and a £114 statutory surcharge.
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Owen Precious, 22, of Westminster Road, Clifton, York, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on the A1237 York Outer Ring Road, assaulting an emergency worker and drink driving.
He was given a 16-week prison sentence suspended for two years with 20 days’ rehabilitative activities and 200 hours’ unpaid work and must pay £150 compensation to the emergency worker and £85 prosecution costs.
He was banned from driving for two years and must pass an extended driving test before driving alone again.
Three motorists were banned at Harrogate Magistrates Court.
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Bryn Patrick, 22, of Cornelius Causeway, North Duffield, pleaded guilty to driving without insurance at Three Lakes Retail Park, Selby.
He was banned for six months and must pay a £80 fine, £90 prosecution costs and a £32 statutory surcharge.
Dale Toulson, 33, of Colescliffe Road, Scarborough, was convicted in his absence of driving without insurance and without a licence in Scarborough.
He was banned from driving for six months, fined £770 and ordered to pay £90 costs and a £308 statutory surcharge.
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Sean Copper, 19, of Heron Avenue, Woodthorpe, York, pleaded guilty to careless driving, driving without insurance and without a licence and failure to stop, all on Gale Lane, York.
He must pay £130 prosecution costs, a £56 statutory surcharge and a £140 fine and was banned from driving for 12 months.
Real Madrid have a big decision to make about Kylian Mbappe ahead of the Champions League second leg against Manchester City
Kylian Mbappe could be drawn into a club-versus-country row as Real Madrid weigh up fielding him against Manchester City.
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The French star missed Real’s Champions Leaguefirst leg victory over City with a knee injury, which has kept him out since the end of February. Mbappe is back in training with a view to returning to action in the second leg at the Etihad or in next weekend’s Madrid derby against Atletico.
Real are reportedly reluctant to release him for France’s upcoming double-header of friendlies against Brazil and Colombia in the United States. However, as the French Football Federation’s biggest commercial asset, he is still expected to be called up.
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As a Nike-backed player, Mbappe is lined up to participate in various marketing initiatives ahead of the Brazil game. Nike are the kit supplier to both Brazil and France, making the match a prime commercial opportunity for all parties with the World Cup on the horizon.
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Real cannot bar Mbappe from joining up with the France squad unless he is injured. Therefore, if he appears against City and Atletico, they wouldn’t be able to play that card.
If he doesn’t play in those games, Real could conceivably submit a medical report certifying his injury, which would give him 10 days’ recovery time and rule him out of the national team games.
The international break is due to begin on March 23, with France playing Brazil in Boston on March 26 and Colombia in Washington DC on March 29.
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Real head coach Alvaro Arbeloa gave an update on Mbappe’s fitness ahead of Saturday league game against Elche. He said: “[Mbappe] is getting better every day.
“His development is progressing as it should. We made a plan. It depends on his progress, but I think he’s doing very well. He won’t be available tomorrow, but I expect he’ll travel to Manchester.”
Given Real will take a 3-0 lead into the second leg, Los Blancos may not feel the need to take any risks, especially with a crucial Madrid derby coming up.
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As City were toiling to a draw at West Ham, Real, without Mbappe, were beating Elche 4-1 to close to within a point of La Liga leaders Barcelona, who host Sevilla on Sunday.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.
The 87-year-old driver was taken to hospital following yesterday morning’s crash but sadly passed away.
A pensioner has tragically died and four other people, including two children, have been rushed to hospital following a horror crash on the A92.
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The alarm was raised around 10.40am on Saturday, March 14 when emergency services were alerted to a two car collision on the A92, north of Rathillet in Fife.
Mercy crews, including Police Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service, rushed to the scene of the incident involving a red Dacia Sandero and a blue Vauxhall Astra.
An 87-year-old man, who was driving the Dacia, was rushed to Ninewells Hospital, where he later died. The 88 year-old woman who was a passenger in the Dacia, the 32-year-old male driver of the Vauxhall and his two child passengers, aged seven and 13, were taken to Ninewells Hospital.
The extent of their injuries and current conditions are not yet known. The road was closed in both directions from Kilmany to Rathillet for around five hours for investigation work to take place and reopened around 3pm.
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Drivers were urged to steer clear of the area and find an alternative route. Images showed blue-lit emergency vehicles tending to two cars, one stationary in the middle of the road with all its doors flung open and another lying abandoned after seeming to have crash landed into the grass and dirt on the side of the road.
Locals reported traffic backed up from St Michael’s all the way past Piketillum in what they described as “chaotic” scenes. More images showed heavy congestion on the road, with a line of traffic winding as far as the eye could see.
Police Scotland say they are still trying to get to the bottom of what happened. A probe is underway and anyone who saw the crash or may have dashcam footage from the area at the time are urged to come forward.
Sergeant Grant Hastie said: “Our enquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding this crash.“We are keen to speak to any witnesses to the crash or anyone who may have dashcam from the area around the time.”Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting incident 1055 of Saturday, 14 March, 2026.
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RSPCA animal welfare expert Lauren Bennett has issued the warning ahead of Mothering Sunday (15 March) to help pet owners avoid an unexpected trip to the vets this weekend.
Lauren says: “Flowers are a lovely gift for Mother’s Day, and I, like many people, love receiving flowers whatever the occasion.
“But sadly some flowers and plants can be toxic to our pets so it’s important to avoid these.
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“Lilies can be a particular problem because they are so popular at this time of year but people are not always aware of just how dangerous they are to cats.
Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing Mum. 💐
Through everything life has brought my way, you have always been there — loving, supporting, and believing in me. You are not only my Mum but my best friend.
Your strength, kindness, and beauty inside and out inspire me every day. I am… pic.twitter.com/1Mm5TXQfk4
“Cats can actually die from ingesting even small amounts of petals from lilies, and the leaves, pollen, and water from the vase can be deadly to them too.
“It is very important that we get the message across that lilies can be lethal to cats and that even a small amount could kill them.
“Even cutting the stamens out once they have opened is not enough.
“A small smudge of pollen can be transferred to a cat’s fur, and once a cat starts cleaning themselves, they can quickly fall ill.”
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But the public can do their bit to help keep pets safe this Mother’s Day by choosing a different bouquet instead.
Lauren added: “Cats can really suffer after lily poisoning and it is so distressing to see and heartbreaking for pet owners.
“Thankfully, it’s really easy for the public to do their bit and help.
“We, of course, want to treat all the mums out there this Mother’s Day but if they are cat mums too please do not buy them lilies.”
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She adds: “Other flowers such as daffodils, tulips, holly and hyacinths can also be toxic to cats and dogs.
“However, even non-toxic plants may cause some stomach upsets if ingested so it’s always important to remember to place flowers out of reach of pets.”
The RSPCA also reports that chocolate poisoning is the most commonly reported type of animal poisoning – so the charity is reminding people to keep Mother’s Day treats out of reach of cats and dogs.
Lauren says: “If you suspect that your pet has eaten chocolate, don’t delay in calling your vet first for advice on bringing them into the practice.
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“Your vet will want to know how much chocolate your pet has eaten and what type. If possible, keep any labels and have your pet’s weight to hand.”
Signs that your pet could have been poisoned
depression
lack of appetite
vomiting and diarrhoea
breathing difficulties and bad breath
twitching
seizures.
“Ahead of the Mother’s Day celebrations, and as we all strive to create a better world for every animal, we urge pet owners to ensure the occasion is as pet-friendly as possible and share this advice with others to help us spread the word,” Lauren adds.
Nothing is more of a turn-off than worrying you’re going to be overheard when you’re having some ‘alone time’.
With the laughably horrific London rental market and the likelihood of buying a property in the city ever-dwindling, the chances of having a neighbour, flatmate, or — heaven forbid — family member catching wind of the fact you’re getting down to business have never been higher.
Ever creative, Gen Z (who are living at home for longer) has turned to having sex in bathrooms, cars, and hotel rooms to avoid that awkward possibility entirely. But if you’re lucky enough to be having any sex at all in this economy and don’t fancy doing it al fresco, there are other options. Don’t let the housing crisis get in your pants! Whether you’re playing solo or with a partner, there are ways to do it without rattling the walls.
Quiet sex toys are a great way of getting off worry-free, resident sexologist at sexual wellness brand SheSpot, Emily King, explains. “Quiet sex toys are a great option for anyone with more limited privacy; students, those living with parents, parents living with children, even those living in flats who are mindful of walls on the thin side”.
While you have nature’s tools at your disposal, using them can come with limitations. We can all recognise the sound of a clapping cheek or a squeaking bed frame in an instant. And, let’s be honest, for most people with vulvas, penetrative sex is not always enough to get over the finish line.
But adding in a sex toy is almost pointless if it makes a noise so deafening that it distracts you from the task at hand. “The promise of a quiet toy helps people to experience more relaxed pleasure as they aren’t overly focused on loud noises,” King adds. “They can offer relief and help people stay in their bodies rather than their minds during sex. Louder toys can cause anxiety around being overheard and therefore can disrupt arousal.”
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We all have enough on our minds, so investing in a quiet (or best case, silent) toy could dissolve stress in more ways than one.
“Quiet toys often come with a lower buzz, even on higher/stronger settings,” King explains. “Silent sex toys offer even less noise, often described as ‘whisper quiet’ if they’re vibration or suction based toys. There are lots of non-vibrating toys which are completely silent.”
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For an added layer of reassurance, you can also experiment with switching up how and where you use your sex toy, King suggests. “Create an environment and space that supports your comfort and sense of ease as this will contribute to less anxiety around being heard,” she says. “Music can help to buffer any sound, and making sure your space is secured can contribute to increased relaxation.
Other rooms such as the bathroom can offer more privacy due to locked doors and sound buffers such as running water. Lots of toys are waterproof and can be used in the bath or shower. Look for toys that offer ‘whisper quiet’ or ‘discreet’ in their descriptions.”
As well as assessing for the obvious pleasure factor, I tested each toy for noise levels by using them in a variety of locations, including under duvets and blankets, and in the shower — both with a partner and alone.
To double check no one could overhear, I turned the toys on and left them over the covers on my bed before standing outside my room to see if I could hear them. Each toy has been given a ‘noise rating’, with one being inescapably cacophonous and 10 being undetectable to the naked ear.
The airline has confirmed it will be operating a limited flight schedule to and from Doha
Qatar Airways has issued an update for passengers after temporarily suspending scheduled flights due to the ongoing closure of Qatari airspace amid conflict across the Middle East.
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The airline said it is working to help affected travellers continue their journeys before normal operations are expected to resume.
In a statement, the Qatar Airways said: “We want you to know that we are doing our utmost to support you with your journey, and to reunite you with your family and loved ones.
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“We recognise this situation may be unsettling and are working to keep you moving while we prepare for the safe return of our usual operations. Your patience and understanding mean a great deal to us, and we are truly grateful for your continued support at this challenging time.
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“Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe full reopening of Qatari airspace by the relevant authorities.”
The airline said ‘temporary authorisation’ from the aviation authority has meant limited operating corridors have been confirmed. It plans to operate a number of flights over the coming days.
These flights are intended to help passengers directly impacted by the disruption and will remain subject to regulatory approval and changing airspace conditions.
Flights are currently planned to depart from Hamad International Airport in Doha from Sunday (March 15) to several major international destinations including:
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London Heathrow Airport
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Frankfurt Airport
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
New York JFK Airport
Melbourne Airport
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport
Routes will operate in both directions. The airline also confirmed that additional flights arriving into Doha from major cities around the world are planned through to Wednesday (March 18) to help stranded travellers.
In addition to the limited schedule, Qatar Airways has organised a number of direct ‘point-to-point flights’ to help some passengers complete their journeys.
Passengers eligible for these flights will be contacted directly by the airline. However, the airline stressed that these services ‘do not constitute a confirmation of the resumption of scheduled commercial operations’.
Travellers have been warned not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed ticket, as schedules could change or flights could still be cancelled depending on operational or safety conditions.
Passengers with confirmed bookings between February 28 and March 28, 2026 are eligible for flexible options, including a complimentary date change to travel on Qatar Airways flights up to April 30, 2026 or a refund for the unused ticket value.
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Passengers can check the latest flight information on the Qatar Airways website or mobile app, or through their travel agent. The airline said the next operational update is expected tomorrow as the situation continues to evolve.
The France defence coach signed off his interview in the perfect way after his side won the Six Nations
Shaun Edwards left pundits laughing after delivering a cheeky reminder of his remarkable Six Nations record following France’s astonishing title-winning victory over England.
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France edged a breathtaking contest 48-46 to seal the championship, capping another triumph for the legendary former Wales defence coach.
The win marked Edwards’ seventh Six Nations title — four with Wales and now three with France — but the statistic initially went unmentioned during his post-match interview with Topsy Ojo.
Instead, Edwards found himself fielding questions about France’s defence after a chaotic finale to the tournament in which Les Bleus conceded 96 points across their final two games, including 50 against Scotland and 46 against England.
Despite that, Edwards took the discussion in good spirits.
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“Another crazy, great game for the fans — those at home and at the stadium,” he said.
“Rugby at the moment, particularly the Six Nations, is just phenomenal.”
The veteran coach also defended the broader trend of high-scoring matches in the modern game.
“If it was just your team defending and conceding so many points, you’d be worried,” he said.
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“England have an excellent defence coach and defensive system and they’ve conceded more than us!
“Obviously it’s a bit frustrating at times, but that’s the way the game is going.
“Scores all around the world — Super Rugby, New Zealand taking 39 points off Australia last summer — it’s a regular occurrence nowadays.”
Edwards also highlighted the development of a young French squad he believes still has plenty of improvement to come.
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“It’s a group we are building. We feel they can improve in the future,” he said.
“We had a couple of young players — like Oscar Jegou — who has been phenomenal in this tournament. He’s a guy 100 per cent for the future.”
But it was Edwards’ final comment that stole the show.
As the interview wrapped up and he prepared to step away, the former Wales coach turned back with a grin and delivered one final line.
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“Thank you — that’s my seventh one, that, by the way!”
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The cameras then quickly panned back to the pitchside pundits, who had erupted in laughter.
Dan Biggar said to Mark Pougatch: “What did I say to you off-air? I said that was his seventh!”
Edwards is rightly revered as one of the greatest defensive minds in the game and his seven Six Nations titles is testament to that.
