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See inside this Four-bed Seaham home for sale near the beach

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See inside this Four-bed Seaham home for sale near the beach

Briefly, its accommodation comprises a spacious entrance hall off which is a cloakroom; a generous-sized lounge centred around a feature fireplace and flooded with natural light from a large bay window; a versatile second reception room which is currently used as a home office but which could easily be adapted to become a snug, playroom, dining area or creative space, and a utility room offering plenty of storage.

Kitchen/dining room: Open-plan kitchen and dining area with range cooker and Belfast sink. (Image: Bradley Hall)

The standout feature of the ground floor is the recently refitted open-plan kitchen and dining room, designed with both everyday living and entertaining in mind.

The kitchen is home to high-quality fittings, a Belfast sink nd a range of integrated appliances including a range cooker, with the dining area adjoining it but separated by a peninsular island.

The dining area is open to a bright and airy sunroom with a vaulted glazed ceiling and bifold doors that offer views over the rear garden.

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Bathroom: Family bathroom with contemporary fittings. (Image: Bradley Hall)

It’s the perfect place to unwind and enjoy a quiet cuppa, whatever the weather.

Upstairs are a modern family bathroom and four well-

proportioned bedrooms. These include the generous master bedroom complete with a contemporary en-suite shower room, and another bedroom currently used as a walk-in wardrobe, although it could easily be reinstated to its former use.

Master bedroom: Master bedroom with modern en-suite shower room (Image: Bradley Hall)

The property also benefits from a boarded loft with shelving which offers excellent additional storage space.

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The property’s enclosed south-east facing rear garden is a real highlight. Beautifully landscaped, it features a combination of lawn and paved patio areas making it ideal for outdoor dining, entertaining or simply relaxing in.

A private road leads to two private off-street parking spaces.

Master bedroom: Master bedroom with modern en-suite shower room (Image: Bradley Hall)

PROPERTY FACTS

Weybourne Lea, Seaham

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Price: £469,950

Bradley Hall

0191 5634242

www.bradleyhall.co.uk

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Bedroom 2: Bedroom currently used as a walk-in wardrobe. (Image: Bradley Hall)

Lounge: Lounge with bay window and feature fireplace. (Image: Bradley Hall)

Garden: Landscaped rear garden with lawn and patio areas. (Image: Bradley Hall)

Garden: Landscaped rear garden with lawn and patio areas. (Image: Bradley Hall)

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Liverpool FC 1-1 Tottenham: Richarlison goal earns Spurs first point under Igor Tudor

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Liverpool FC 1-1 Tottenham: Richarlison goal earns Spurs first point under Igor Tudor

There was an air of tension inside Anfield and that seemed to extend to Tudor, who appeared to confuse Tottenham’s bald-headed player liaison officer Allan Dixon for Slot on the touchline, greeting the club’s member of staff with a friendly arm around his waist before walking over to the home dugout.

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People urged to take test that may ‘reduce cancer risk’ and only takes 10 minutes

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Cambridgeshire Live

The prevention quiz has been developed by a charity to help people get personalised advice

Anyone who can spare 10 minutes could learn how to reduce their risk of breast cancer by taking a free quiz. Breast Cancer UK offers a prevention quiz designed to help people ‘reduce’ their ‘risk of breast cancer’ by offering a personalised action plan based on their risk factors.

While the quiz is not a diagnostic tool, and anyone requiring medical advice should speak to their GP, it could help people understand their risk factors and become aware of changes they can make to improve their health.

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Breast Cancer UK says that around 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK. Recommending the quiz, the charity explains: “While some risk factors (like age and genetics) are beyond our control, research shows that many everyday habits can meaningfully affect our breast cancer risk. Understanding those factors is an important first step towards prevention.”

Available online for free, the quiz typically takes about 10 minutes to complete and is aimed at people aged over 18. You need to know your height and weight before starting the questions.

The quiz has five sections to complete and covers a broad range of topics, including your family history of breast cancer, alcohol consumption, diet, physical activity, and other lifestyle factors. As you complete the quiz, you will be offered advice about each topic, based on the answer you select, reports the Mirror.

For instance, when the quiz asks participants to share their age, the charity clarifies that the older you are, the higher your risk, but it is ‘never too soon and never too late to reduce your risk’.

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Further into the quiz, the charity asks if people are aware that some everyday products, including cosmetics and cleaning products, contain chemicals that may be linked with breast cancer. If you select ‘no’, the answer names chemicals that could affect hormones and may increase breast cancer risk.

A further question asks participants whether they spend time outside in the sunlight year-round. The charity explains: “Sunlight is the best way for you to take in Vitamin D, which is good for your overall health and has been shown in some studies to reduce breast cancer risk.”

The guidance continues: “It is also good for you to be outside and active, even in the colder months, but always take care to not spend too long in the sun to protect your skin.”

Once completed, the quiz highlights key areas to consider before building a personalised prevention plan with specific recommendations, such as adding more fruit and vegetables to your diet or cutting down on processed meats. The results are then shared by email, with additional guidance available on the Breast Cancer UK website.

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3.76 acre allotment site near Stanley hits the market

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3.76 acre allotment site near Stanley hits the market

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Richarlison earns Spurs crucial point with 90th-minute equaliser at Liverpool

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Richarlison earns Spurs crucial point with 90th-minute equaliser at Liverpool

Who would be Tottenham Hotspur boss, eh? Four matches as manager, four losses and 14 goals conceded for Igor Tudor.

From the Madrid frying pan and into the Anfield fire: he probably would have wished for an easier test than a trip up north to visit the reigning Premier League champions.

Okay, in the current campaign Arne Slot’s side have only occasionally looked like the free-wheeling insouciants who lifted the trophy a little over 12 months ago, but they look closer to their best and have a lot to play for.

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Victory could move Liverpool within a point of third-placed Manchester United or Aston Villa.

While another defeat will bring the short-lived Tudor dynasty into even greater peril, the Croatian still believes he can turn around the club’s fortunes. “You can stay and cry or you can fight. You can be the victim or you can say I can change something,” he said in his pre-match press conference.

By the time the match kicks off at 4.30pm GMT, his side may already be in the relegation zone, depending how Nottingham Forest vs Fulham pans out.

Making an arduous task even harder, Tottenham have numerous absentees in defence and midfield: Micky van de Ven is suspended after seeing red against Crystal Palace, Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero and João Palhinha after a clash of heads against Atlético Madrid, with Conor Gallagher overcoming a fever to have a chance of starting.

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There are many more reasons to be fearful than cheerful for Spurs spectators, but at least Vicario will surely be back as starting goalkeeper. He will be busy this afternoon.

While Liverpool slumped to a surprising defeat against Wolves in their last league outing, they put five past West Ham United at Anfield before that. It could be a similar mauling this afternoon.

Even if Slot decides to rest a few star players for Wednesday’s pivotal Champions League match against Galatasaray, it is difficult to see how Tottenham, who had a 5-1 whooping in this fixture last season, can arrest their slump and come away with anything.

Team news coming shortly.

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Iran and the US have been at war for decades. Here’s how it began

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Iran and the US have been at war for decades. Here’s how it began

It may seem that the US and the Middle East are currently embarking on yet another forever war. But the truth is that this is just the latest instalment of an undeclared military conflict between the two nations that has been ongoing since the 1980s.

For Americans, the war began in 1979, when Iranian students seized the US embassy in Tehran and held 52 diplomats hostage for 444 days. For Iranians, it began with US support for the Shah and its subsequent backing of Iraq throughout the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.

The conflict has claimed many civilian lives. On July 3 1988, the US warship Vincennes downed Iran Air Flight 655, a civilian flight bound for Dubai. The USS Vincennes misidentified the Airbus as a military aircraft and shot it down, killing all 290 people on board. More recently, on 28 February 2026, a US-Israeli missile hit a girls’ school in southern Iran, killing over 150 civilians, most of them children.

Iran also shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 on January 8, 2020. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps mistook the civilian plane for a US military flight, and fired two surface-to-air missiles that killed all 176 passengers, mostly Iranian civilians.

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Each side has, at different moments, made catastrophic errors under conditions of escalation. But these tragic incidents are not just history. For Iranians and Americans alike, they have deeply reinforced the popular and institutional view that peace can never really be achieved between the two nations.

The 1980s: tanker war

In 1984, Iraq initiated the “tanker war” with Iran when its air force attacked oil tankers bound for Iranian ports. The tanker war continued for years, and eventually involved the US Navy when, on May 17 1987, an Iraqi plane accidentally struck the American frigate The Stark, killing 37 crew members.

The US chose to refocus attention away from Iraq and on Iran, arguing that the Islamic Republic was responsible as it had failed to agree to negotiate an end to the war.

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Ayatollah Khamenei was Supreme Leader of Iran from 1989 until his assassination in 2026 by US and Israeli forces

Ayatollah Khamenei was Supreme Leader of Iran from 1989 until his assassination in 2026 by US and Israeli forces (AFP/Getty)

The US then provided naval protection for Kuwaiti oil tankers moving through the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz by requiring them to hoist an American flag. But violence only escalated. Iran targeted the American-reflagged ships, and the US retaliated by striking Iranian offshore platforms and speedboats used by the Revolutionary Guards. It also sank two Iranian frigates, eliminating half of Iran’s navy.

It was amid these hostilities that Iran Air Flight 655 was shot down. How this incident occurred during the fog of war is still the subject of intense debate. For Iranians, the attack confirmed they were in a de facto war with the US, who they saw as lashing out in vicarious vengeance for the 1979 hostage crisis.

Ultimately, the downing of its airliner brought Iran to accept the ceasefire that ended the Iran-Iraq War. Iran’s conflict with Iraq ended, but its war with the US did not.

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The 2000s: proxies and ground war

The 1980s episode of this war was fought by naval vessels in the Gulf, but the second phase was a proxy conflict fought on the ground.

After 2001, George W. Bush included the Islamic Republic in an “axis of evil”, alongside Iraq and North Korea.

After 2001, George W. Bush included the Islamic Republic, Iraq and North Korea in an ‘axis of evil’

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After 2001, George W. Bush included the Islamic Republic, Iraq and North Korea in an ‘axis of evil’ (AFP/Getty)

In March 2003, after the invasion of Iraq under Bush, Iran suddenly found US troops on two borders (Iraq and Afghanistan). Tehran feared that the Bush administration would seek regime change, and that the US or Israel would bomb its nuclear facilities.

One tool at Iran’s disposal was its support of a variety of Iraqi insurgents to target American forces. One of its Iraqi proxies, Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, formed in 2006, targeted US military vehicles with improvised explosive devices, challenging American control of the motorways.

This low-intensity conflict only wound down when American forces left Iraq in 2011.

The 2010s and 2020s: air war over Iraq

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During the 2010s, the Obama administration entered a de facto alliance with the Islamic Republic to combat ISIS. The US provided air cover while Iran fought alongside Iraqi Shi’a militias on the ground.

In October 2017, two months before ISIS officially lost the vast majority of its territories in Iraq and Syria, Donald Trump announced the US’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

Relations quickly soured, as Tehran retaliated by targeting US forces in Iraq, ushering in an air war. Rockets were fired at American targets in Iraq by Kataib Hizballah, an Iran-allied militia, and the US retaliated with air strikes.

During the 2010s, the Obama administration entered a de facto alliance with the Islamic Republic to combat ISIS

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During the 2010s, the Obama administration entered a de facto alliance with the Islamic Republic to combat ISIS (Getty)

Violence spiralled further on December 27 2019, when the same militia attacked the al-Taji base, an Iraqi military facility housing US forces, killing an American contractor. Two days later, the US responded with an air raid on several targets related to the Iraqi militia, killing at least 25 of its members.

On December 31 2019, the US embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone was stormed by Iraqi demonstrators affiliated with the militia.

Trump, faced with optics reminiscent of the 1979 hostage crisis, ordered a drone strike on January 3 2020 that killed General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, as well as Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, leader of the militia. Iran retaliated by launching 22 Fateh ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases housing American forces on January 8.

Soleimani’s death was the first time the US had directly killed a senior Iranian state official. It crossed the threshold from proxy war to direct state-on-state targeting.

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About the author

Ibrahim Al-Marashi is an Adjunct Professor, IE School of Humanities, IE University; California State University San Marcos.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

In the aftermath, Iran’s military accidentally shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 outside of Tehran, mistaking it for US retaliation. It was a tragic echo of the Vincennes incident.

During this period, Iran generally showed restraint in its air attacks on the US. During the 2025 12-Day Israel-Iran War, for instance, it launched a single, choreographed military strike against the al-Udeid Airbase in Qatar which was housing US forces, very similar to its carefully orchestrated 2020 missile strikes.

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Today, that restraint is no longer in place. What we are seeing now is widespread Iranian retaliation throughout the entire region.

A long, undeclared war

For Iranians, the circumstances that led to the downing of its airliner in 1988 resonate with the present: the direct military action of June 2025, Trump ordering the assassination of Soleimani in January 2020, and economic warfare through sanctions.

The 2015 Iran deal was the first attempt to end the conflict between the two nations that began in the 1980s. The deal was Barack Obama’s major diplomatic triumph, and Trump has been fixated on undoing the policies of his predecessor.

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However, the recent escalation between the US and Iran was also a legacy of the Biden administration, which had the chance to de-escalate the long war between Iran and the US after winning the November 2020 elections.

US deployment to the Gulf in the 1980s was disproportionate to the threat to shipping, and was seen by many as a flimsy pretext to seek out war with Iran. A similarly dubious justification – that Iran was just weeks away from a nuclear weapon – was made by Israel to justify its 12-Day War in June 2025.

As of February 2026, the US has initiated the latest round in this conflict. To date, both states managed to escalate without crossing into total war, but that equilibrium may now be breaking down.

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BBC The Other Bennet Sister start time, cast, plot and how many episodes

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Wales Online

The Other Bennet Sister has finally arrived and Jane Austen fans can’t wait to watch

The Other Bennet Sister, inspired by Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice, has finally arrived on screen.

Adapted from Janice Hadlow’s bestselling novel of the same title, The Other Bennet Sister places Mary Bennet centre stage – the often-overlooked middle sister from Pride and Prejudice.

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Its official synopsis playfully observes that “whilst we dream of being Lizzy, in reality most of us are more like Mary..”

As BBC viewers prepare for this highly anticipated period drama’s debut, here’s everything you need to know before The Other Bennet Sister launches.

The Other Bennet Sister start time

The Other Bennet Sister will be available to watch on Sunday, March 15, from 8pm on BBC One.

Even better news is that the BBC will broadcast a double bill, with the half-hour episodes shown consecutively, reports the Mirror.

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The Other Bennet Sister episode count

The Other Bennet Sister comprises 10 episodes altogether, with the drama returning each Sunday at 8pm for a double bill.

This means the concluding two episodes will air on Sunday, April 12, provided there are no scheduling changes.

For those unwilling to wait that long to discover how events unfold, there is another option.

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At 6am on Sunday, March 15, the opening five episodes were made available on BBC iPlayer, allowing audiences to watch ahead of schedule.

However, episodes six through 10 won’t be accessible on BBC iPlayer until their broadcast on Sunday, March 29.

What’s The Other Bennet Sister about?

As previously noted, The Other Bennet Sister is a television adaptation of Janice Hadlow’s novel, centring on Mary Bennet, the middle sister from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

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Set in Regency England during the early 19th Century, the official synopsis hints: “The series follows Mary as she steps out of her sisters’ shadows in search of her own identity and purpose, finding herself in the middle of an epic love story along the way.

“Her journey will see her leave her family home in Meryton for the soirées of Regency London and the peaks and vales of the Lake District, all in search of independence, self-love, and reinvention.”

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25-year-old last seen in Redcar missing since February

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25-year-old last seen in Redcar missing since February

Police have released a pictured of Rayan Otthman Mohammed, 25, hasn’t been seen since early February.

He was potentially last seen near Redcar, with a possible sighting reported at a church on Wednesday, February 18, Cleveland Police said.

The force has released a picture of Ryana, described as around 5’9″ tall, with a slim build, black hair, and possibly a moustache.

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He is known to wear a woolly hat and typically dresses in dark clothing; however, it is unknown exactly what he was wearing when he was last seen.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said: “Police are concerned for his wellbeing and are asking anyone who has seen him or knows where he is to get in touch.”

Members of the public are advised to ring 101 quoting reference SE26046422 if they have any information about Rayan.

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Manchester United: Wayne Rooney calls for Michael Carrick to be given permanent manager job

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Michael Carrick applauding at Old Trafford

Wayne Rooney has called on Manchester United to give Michael Carrick the manager’s job permanently.

The 3-1 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday took United clear in third place in the Premier League.

Since he was named head coach for the remainder of the season in January, Carrick has guided his side to seven wins in nine games.

Across his two spells in charge, only Sven Goran Eriksson, Carlo Ancelotti and Manuel Pellegrini have eclipsed his record of six straight home wins at the start of their first Premier League job.

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United chiefs want to assess all options before making a decision in the summer and minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe refused to be drawn on Carrick’s future when he was asked about it in Shanghai before this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.

Ratcliffe did say Carrick was doing a good job and Rooney – who was on holiday with his former United and England team-mate when Ruben Amorim was sacked – has no doubts what should happen next.

“100% he should [get the job],” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I knew this was going to happen with Michael Carrick. I know him very well. I know his character and his personality.

“It needed a calm head, but someone who knows the place. The players needed some love, and he has given them that.

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“We have seen the players play with more quality, more together as a team, and they look like a very strong team. Why would you change?”

Typically, Carrick would not be drawn on Rooney’s comments. Neither is he getting distracted by the “noise” around his time in charge.

“There’s not that much noise, is there?” he said. “I don’t mean Wayne. I just mean in general.

“It’s only noise if you listen to it. It doesn’t affect me one bit, to be honest.”

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Carrick confirmed he had spoken to chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox after the Villa win, but says his sole focus is Friday’s trip to Bournemouth.

“I’m in this position at the moment, doing the best I can, and I’m loving it, obviously,” Carrick said.

“But whatever’s going to happen is going happen. It’s all pretty calm.

“We can definitely enjoy the win and look forward to Friday night. But other than that, that’s all I’m thinking about really.”

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Who is hosting the Oscars 2026? All you need to know about Conan O’Brien

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Daily Mirror

American TV host, comedian and writer Conan O’Brien, 62, is hosting the Oscars, for the second year running, after his return was announced just two days after last year’s event

The biggest night of the year for Hollywood is upon us, and the host of this evening’s 98th Academy Awards is American TV host, comedian and writer Conan O’Brien. Conan, 62, is at the helm of this year’s Oscars, for the second year running, after his return was announced just two days after his success of the 2025 ceremony.

Over the past 20 years, the likes of Chris Rock, Regina Hall, Jimmy Kimmel and Amy Schumer have secured themselves the top job. Here we look at this year’s Oscars host, Conan, who previously hosted the Emmys in 2002 and 2006.

Just two days after he hosted last year’s Oscars, Conan was announced to be returning in 2026. Academy CEO Bill Kramer and its president, Janey Yang, said it was an “honour” to work with Conan in 2025, saying that he was “the perfect host – skilfully guiding us through the evening with humour, warmth and reverence.”

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Conan joked at the time: “The only reason I’m hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” taking a jab at The Brutalist star’s speech after he won Best Actor.

Outside of his Oscars hosting, Conan has been involved in pretty much every section of the media. At the moment, he has been working on his podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, since 2018, where he chats with celebrities.

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He has also been working on Conan O’Brien Must Go, a travel series where he visits fans he met through his spin-off podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan. He also founded Team Coco, a media brand that produces his content – it was acquired in 2022 by SiriusXM.

Conan is also set to make his film debut in the movie If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, so who knows – he may be a future nominee at the Academy Awards. Previously, he cut his teeth as a writer in the late 1980s, writing for Saturday Night Live and then The Simpsons.

He is best known State-side for hosting Late Night with Conan O’Brien between 1993 and 2009, The Tonight Show from 2009 to 2010 and Conan from 2010 to 2021. Conan spoke before the 2026 Oscar nominees were announced in January, telling fans they could expect “a lot of magic” from tonight’s show.

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He said: “We have a lot of possibilities. Early on, you just generate possibilities for the show: ‘What might we do?; You have to wait and see which movies are nominated, what’s in the zeitgeist, so there’ll be a lot of ideas that come in late. Sometimes those are the best ideas.”

He added: “There’ll be some explosions, CGI will be used. I see this second Oscars as an opportunity to take things up a notch.”

Who is Conan O’Brien’s wife?

Conan married his wife, Elizabeth Ann ‘Liza’ Powel in 2002, after they met in 1999, when she was a copywriter at ad agency Foote, Cone & Belding. She appeared in a sketch on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, with the pair hitting it off, and dating for almost 18 months.

The couple tied the knot in Liza’s home city of Seattle, and had two children, daughter, Neve, 22, and son Beckett, 20. The couple fought to raise their children out of the public eye, with Conan explaining in 2014: “I don’t take my children to premieres. I don’t want my kids living in a zero-gravity environment just because I happened to get lucky. I think I’m a good dad, but I don’t want them around show business.”

How much is Conan O’Brien paid for the Oscars?

Although no official amount has been revealed about a fee for the Oscars, Jimmy Kimmel previously claimed he was paid $15,000 to host the awards – so it’s likely Conan will be receiving similar. Wanda Sykes, who hosted the Oscars in 2022 with Regina Hall and Amy Schumer, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in March 2022.

They were discussing their roles, with Jimmy saying: “I got paid $15,000 to host the Oscars. And there was one of me! You know it probably sounds like a lot for one night, but it’s months of work leading up to it. You’re getting robbed.”

Jimmy also revealed in August 2024 that he turned down the Oscars job for 2025, telling Entertainment Weekly: “It’s hard and it’s a lot of work and the show suffers a little bit to be honest.

“When I’m focused on the Oscars, I’m less focused on the show. And I just decided I didn’t want to deal with that this year. It was just too much last year. You wind up pushing everything off till after the Oscars, then you have to do everything you promised to do after the Oscars after the Oscars.”

Conan O’Brien’s net worth

It seems the fee for the job of hosting the Oscars would be of little interest to Conan, who is worth an eye-watering $200 million, according to CelebrityNetWorth.com. After his years of presenting, podcasts, media brand and now acting – he is not short of cash.

His wise move of selling Team Coco to SiriusXM in 2022 reportedly earned him a tidy $150 million, and he reportedly receievd a $32.5 million settlement form NBC after leaving The Tonight Show in 2010. Outside of his media money-making, Conan has made a fortune from real estate, after investing in various properties in New York and California.

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The Oscars will air on ITV1 and ITVX tonight at 10.15pm

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How UK might try to keep the Strait of Hormuz open | UK News

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The Sweep system in use. Pic: Ministry of Defence

The UK military is considering the deployment of two drone types to the Middle East after the US asked allies for help to secure a key shipping lane in the region, it is understood.

Donald Trump has urged the UK and other countries to send warships to the region to help secure the Strait of Hormuz after Iran closed the shipping route, causing oil prices to spike.

Iran latest – follow live updates

“We are currently discussing with our allies and partners a range of options to ensure the security of shipping in the region,” the government said in a statement to Sky News.

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Trump urges allies to send ships to Strait of Hormuz

Which drones could be deployed?

As the situation in the Middle East is heating up, a Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson told Sky News that the government “will explore” using interceptor drones – which proved successful against the Iranian Shahed-type drones used by Russia in Ukraine – for the UK armed forces in the future.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that another type of drone being considered for deployment is mine-hunter drones.

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“There are a range of things that we can do, including autonomous mine-hunting equipment. And that’s something we’re obviously looking at,” he said.

He added the government was “intensively” looking at what it could do to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, vowing the UK will “work with our allies” to do so.

What are mine-hunting drones?

Several oil tankers have come under fire when they tried to pass through the strait, which lies to the south of Iran, and there is speculation Tehran has started placing mines in the passage.

The UK could deploy autonomous mine-hunting drones to counter this threat.

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Defence Secretary John Healey said earlier this week: “Now I’ve already got prepositioned in the region from before this conflict some autonomous mine hunting systems, and I’ve been talking to the planners today about additional options that we could bring to bear alongside allies if action is needed.”

The Royal Navy has four mine-hunting drone systems either in operation or development, including the Sweep system, made up of an uncrewed surface vessel and sophisticated payloads, SeaCat, which has two uncrewed surface vessels and three sets of uncrewed underwater vehicles to search for underwater threats, and the MMCM programme.

The Sweep system in use. Pic: Ministry of Defence
Image:
The Sweep system in use. Pic: Ministry of Defence

Another is the Wilton system, which contains crewed and uncrewed surface vessels, mine-detection payloads and remote command centres. This is already in operation in the Clyde area of Scotland and the Gulf, according to the MoD.

“The Royal Navy does have this capability, which is developing very fast,” Sky News’ military analyst Michael Clarke said.

Not tested in combat

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With the Sweep system, instead of using specialist minesweeper ships, the military could use robots – “but it’s a fairly young system”, Clarke added.

“It’s never been tested in combat, as far as I know. This might be its first test, if the government is prepared to deploy it.

“So the government is certainly interested in offering this. I think what we can’t offer is minesweeping ships. The last one, HMS Middleton, was withdrawn about a week ago, so we don’t have any ships we can offer.”

A minehunting drone during a Royal Navy training exercise. Pic: MoD
Image:
A minehunting drone during a Royal Navy training exercise. Pic: MoD

The drones could be deployed from the Royal Navy’s Mine and Threat Exploitation Group, which is currently stationed in the Middle East, according to The Sunday Times.

It is not known how many drones are in service and could be deployed, the paper reports.

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How do they work?

The drones scour seabeds using sonar technology to detect explosive threats in the water at depths of nearly 1,000ft (304m).

Mine-hunting systems can replicate a ship’s signature, which tricks sea mines into detonating safely.

Read more:
How Iran can block the Strait of Hormuz
Why US was careful when bombing Iran’s ‘crown jewel’

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They can be operated remotely from land or sea, keeping sailors out of danger, according to Jonathan Reed-Beviere, Mine Hunting Capability Programme Director for the Royal Navy.

What are interceptor drones?

Interceptor drones are easier and cheaper to produce than long-range strike drones.

They cost less than 10% to produce than the Iranian Shahed drones they are designed to intercept in Russia, which have an estimated cost of up to £36,000.

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A Shahed drone on display in Iran. Pic: Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Image:
A Shahed drone on display in Iran. Pic: Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

The UK announced in September that it would begin large-scale production of advanced interceptor drones to help Ukraine defend against Russian aerial assaults.

The Octopus drones, designed by Ukraine with support from British scientists, are highly effective at destroying the Shahed drones Moscow continues to launch at Ukrainian cities, according to the MoD.

It is understood that the UK government is now considering using the interceptor drones against Iran’s Shahed drones in the Middle East.

The Octopus interceptor drone. Pic: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine
Image:
The Octopus interceptor drone. Pic: Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

“While Octopus production is for Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East has shown the benefits of Ukrainian technology, and, in the future we will explore use for the UK Armed Forces,” an MoD spokesperson said.

“Production of British-built Octopus interceptor drones has begun and we are accelerating this work to boost Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian drone attacks.”

But this option is understood to be at a much earlier stage of consideration than a potential mine-hunting drone deployment.

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Ukraine’s drone interceptors

Would leave Ukraine short

“Ukrainians, with quite a lot of British help, have developed a couple of super-accurate and very potent interceptor drones. They don’t have to explode anything, just hit it,” military analyst Clarke said.

“If they can be produced in big enough numbers, they could have potentially quite a big role to play in this conflict. If they could be transferred to the Middle East quickly enough, and they could be ready within weeks, they could have a major potential impact.”

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A Ukrainian soldier prepares an interceptor drone during Russia's aerial attack on Ukraine. Pic: AP
Image:
A Ukrainian soldier prepares an interceptor drone during Russia’s aerial attack on Ukraine. Pic: AP

But Clarke said deploying interceptor drones to the Middle East would have one major downside.

“Ukraine needs all the drones it can get. It is not good for them if the stock gets rerouted for political reasons and it would be quite a sacrifice for Ukraine to send 20,000 to 30,000 drones to the Middle East and would leave themselves short of them,” he said.

How do interceptor drones work?

Interceptor drones like the Octopus drone can reach speeds of around 186mph (300kmph) at an altitude of up to 14,800ft (4,500m).

“Octopus interceptors use frontline battlefield data to defeat Shahed-style drones before they reach homes, hospitals and power stations,” the MoD said.

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They do so by directly colliding with the target or detonating in close proximity to it after the incoming enemy drone is picked up by a radar.

Read more: Meet Ukraine’s underground drone interceptor squad

They are equipped with four rotors, a camera and automatic targeting.

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Interceptor drones can be launched from mobile or stationary platforms in quick succession and have sensors and navigation systems onboard to be able to quickly pivot in pursuit of a target.

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