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Iranians out in strength as thousands attend funeral for security chief Larijani and crew of sunken navy ship | World News

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Iranians out in strength as thousands attend funeral for security chief Larijani and crew of sunken navy ship | World News

As Iran’s government buried its fallen heroes, its supporters came out in strength.

Senior security official Ali Larijani was killed in an airstrike two days ago, honoured today along with the crew of the Iranian navy ship sunk by the US at the start of the war.

Thousands of mourners gathered for the combined funeral. If you assassinate people whose religion embraces martyrdom, this can be expected.

Iran war – live updates

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The funeral saw some of the biggest crowds since the war began.

Floats carrying coffins of the slain officials were driven down Revolution Square in Tehran, surrounded by grieving mourners. Women wept holding posters of the former and new supreme leaders.

As it loses leader after leader, Iran’s government still wants to maintain a sense that it can survive and outlast the enemy.

Holding a poster saying “Trump is humiliated”, one man had this message for the US president:

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“Trump, soon we will kill you; Netanyahu is not our target anymore, our target is you. You killed our children to mock us and we will kill you to teach you a lesson in history.”

While Israel and America seek regime change in Iran, the scenes today suggest there is still considerable support for its government.

Mohammed and his wife, Hamideh, came with their children to show support. They told me people were united against the US and Israel’s actions.

“The method of our weak enemy martyring him [Ali Larijani] shows its weakness and impotence.

“The way he was killed was very unfair and is unacceptable anywhere in the world.” Mohammed told me.

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Iran saw huge protests against the government before the war. Thousands of civilians were killed as well as hundreds of security forces, say authorities.

Opposition groups blamed the authorities for the crackdown, while the government insists the protests were stoked by foreign forces.

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Inside Iran’s children’s wards

Read more:
Inside Iran’s children’s wards
What we know about US official who resigned over the war

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What is clear from today’s scenes in Tehran is many support the leadership still, not least because they depend on it for a livelihood.


Israeli airstrike destroys apartment building in Beirut

Sepora, a protester holding a placard with a old Persian poem written on it, explained to me its meaning: “It says, ‘if we are killed, all of us one by one, it’s better than giving our country to the enemy’.

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“It is our country, we will not surrender.”

The culture of resistance and no surrender on show in today’s events also highlights the limitations of a strategy aimed at bombing Iran into submission from the air.

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‘I’m a Secret Lives of Mormon Wives superfan and MomTok can survive without Taylor’

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Daily Mirror

Taylor Frankie Paul has found herself surrounded by controversy one again with reports suggesting filming of season five of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been paused

I’ve watched all four seasons of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and I’m a huge fan of the show.

The addictive reality series follows a group of Utah-based women who popularised the online subculture known as MomTok, which was founded to break the stigma surrounding strict gender Mormon roles and create an online outlet for young mothers.

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Earlier this week, news broke that filming of the fifth season had been halted due to an alleged domestic violence involving ringleader Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex Dakota Mortensen, who is the father of her youngest child.

TMZ reported that production had “hit an unexpected pause” due to a “blowup” between Taylor and Dakota, claiming the situation was “intense enough that filming couldn’t continue as planned.”

Fans of the SLOMW have been following Taylor and Dakota’s turbulent relationship since season one aired in 2024 and will be aware this isn’t the first time filming has been halted.

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In the very first episode, Taylor was arrested for allegedly hitting, choking and throwing metal chairs at Dakota and she later pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault.

The series premiere episode featured actual police body camera footage of the 2023 arrest, which caused a major delay between the filming of the first and second episodes leaving fans wondering whether season five could also be impacted by the latest news.

However, this time is different as MomTok members Whitney Leavitt, Macyi Neeley, Jennifer Afflect, Mikayla Matthews, Jessi Draper, Layla Taylor and Miranda McWhorter have become established stars in their own right and have stepped out of Taylor’s shadow over the past two years.

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The women are now embracing their individual projects with Macyi releasing her own book and both Whitney and Jen landing spots on Dancing With The Stars in 2025 while still making their iconic TikTok dance videos which made them famous in the first place.

Stand-out star Whitney is currently playing leading role Roxy Hart in Chicago on Broadway and it was recently announced the fan-favourite made box office history for garnering sky-high ticket sales during her since-extended run.

While some viewers find Whitney polarising or “villainous,” I personally see her as a central, interesting character who has helped boost the show’s popularity and could easily step in to lead MomTok if Taylor was ever to take a break.

They’ve all welcomed the cameras into their homes and opened up about personal issues from eating disorders and health battles to emotional affairs, and have earned their own fans across the globe individually.

Collectively the woman boost millions of followers across their own social media platforms, which proves that fans are interested in their every move and proves the show can gone on with or without Taylor.

MomTok may have skyrocketed to fame after it Taylor revealed on TikTok Live that the group was involved in a “soft-swinging” scandal but the popularity of the other cast members proves fans are invested in more than just Taylor’s drama.

In the show, the women are often left questioning if Taylor is the right leader for MomTok and if the group can survive another scandal but I think there’s definitely plenty more dirty sodas and DadTok bashing to come.

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The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu

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Lidl hopes to open first supermarket in Cambridgeshire’s newest town

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Cambridgeshire Live

Lidl GB hopes to open the first supermarket in Cambridgeshire’s newest town. The company has submitted a planning application for a store to serve Northstowe and surrounding villages.

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The planning submission to South Cambridgeshire District Council follows a public consultation. A Lidl GB spokesperson said more than 2,500 respondents backed the proposals.

CambridgeshireLive previously visited Northstowe, where residents said they could buy bubble tea but not a pint of milk. Locals said they were frustrated by the lack of shops in the town.

The proposed Lidl would be near Station Road, on the former Pentair Hypro EU site, and is expected create around 40 new local jobs. A spokesperson said: “Feedback from the consultation highlighted strong community demand for a discount foodstore in the area, with respondents welcoming the additional choice and competition a new Lidl would bring.

“A key theme emerging from the consultation was the desire for more convenient local shopping options as Northstowe continues to grow. Respondents said the store would make it easier for residents to access affordable groceries locally and help reduce the need to travel further afield for their weekly shop.”

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Andrew Hodgkinson, Regional Head of Property at Lidl GB, said: “This marks a significant step forward in our plans to bring a new Lidl store to Northstowe. The proposed store would enhance shopping choice for the growing community, providing convenient access to our high quality, affordable products while also creating around 40 new jobs for local people.”

The proposals include a bakery and customer toilets. The store would have a net sales area of 1,529 sqm and provide 118 car parking spaces, including six disabled bays, six parent and child spaces, and electric vehicle charging points with capacity for additional chargers in the future.

There would be more than 40 covered cycle spaces. Pedestrian and cycle routes would pass the store.

The planning application can be viewed on South Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning portal under reference 26/00951/FUL.

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Child marriages to be banned in NI as plans to increase legal age of marriage announced

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Belfast Live

Currently, young people aged 16 and 17 can marry or form a civil partnership with parental consent

Child marriages are to be banned in Northern Ireland as new legislation would raise the legal age of marriage from 16 to 18.

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Finance Minister John O’Dowd has introduced the new legislation to the Assembly which will raise the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership to 18.

Currently young people here aged 16 and 17 can marry or form a civil partnership conditional on parental or equivalent consent. The Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill will raise the minimum age from 16 to 18. In addition, temporary arrangements have been in place which permit belief marriages, such as humanist ceremonies, to proceed in the same way as religious marriages. This new Bill will make belief marriage arrangements official and permanent.

For the period 2020 – 2024, there were 183 marriages where at least one partner was under 18. Provisional figures available for 2025 show there were 13 marriages where at least one partner was under 18

Speaking following the introduction of the Bill on Monday, Finance Minister John O’Dowd said: “The legislation introduced will help to better safeguard our children and young people.

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“Child marriage can increase the risk of forced marriage and can deprive children of education and other essential life opportunities. Girls, who are more frequently married as children than boys, are especially at risk.

“Organisations such as the United Nations and local stakeholders recommend raising the minimum age for marriage from the present 16 to 18.

“I am therefore convinced of the need for change, particularly given that almost every respondent to the consultation supported raising the minimum age.”

The Minister continued: “For several years, belief marriages have been permitted through temporary arrangements. This Bill will now put belief marriages on a permanent legal footing, giving them the same statutory recognition as religious marriages.”

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For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

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Coronation Street fans heap praise on Megan actress for ‘superb’ portrayal of ‘deplorable’ character | Soaps

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Coronation Street fans heap praise on Megan actress for 'superb' portrayal of 'deplorable' character | Soaps
Fans have been impressed by Beth Nixon’s performance as Megan Walsh (Picture: ITV)

Megan Walsh may be a vile character, but Coronation Street fans are full of praise for actress Beth Nixon who has brought her to life.

The character first hit our screens in November 2025 as Will Driscoll’s (Lucas Hodgson-Wale) athletics coach, though it soon became clear that there was something much more sinister going on.

It transpired that Megan had been grooming Will, which was why he had been so reluctant to leave Hull for Weatherfield – especially when Megan made it clear that she wasn’t prepared to embark on a long-distance relationship.

However, seeing how much the move was upsetting Will, Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley) and Maggie Driscoll (Pauline McLynn) decided to pay Megan to make the journey to Manchester regularly to continue Will’s athletics training.

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It wasn’t long before Megan secured a job at Will’s school and moved to Coronation Street permanently.

She soon embarked on a relationship with fellow teacher Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard), which did not go down well with Will. However, Megan justified her actions as being a ploy to keep their relationship hidden.

Megan Walsh looking at Daniel Osbourne as they talk in Coronation Street.
Megan has used her relationship with Daniel Osbourne as a cover (Picture: ITV)

This only kept Will’s jealousy in check for so long, and on Christmas Day, he finally snapped and attacked Daniel in the ginnel.

Obviously, Daniel caught on to Will’s dislike of him, but Megan explained his attitude away by insisting he had a teenage crush on her.

Unfortunately, Megan’s lies were believed, and things escalated on Will’s 16th birthday when she slept with him.

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In recent weeks, she has been fighting to keep her secret under wraps after Sam Blakeman (Jude Riordan) worked out what was going on – and that Will wasn’t Megan’s first victim.

Megan has gone out of her way to scare Sam into keeping quiet, from stealing his essays to threatening to expose him as a ‘creep’.

Will Driscoll looking worried at an unbothered Megan Walsh in the Bistro in Coronation Street, while Sam Blakeman keeps an eye on them from a distance.
Will Driscoll is not Megan’s first victim (Picture: ITV)

With his grades affected by her tampering, Sam took to abusing ADHD medication, hoping it would help him study.

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After collapsing and ending up in hospital because of it, Sam finally confessed Megan’s crimes to Eva and Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson), and Megan was arrested after Eva and Ben Driscoll (Aaron McCusker) went to the police.

It can’t be easy to play such a disturbed villain, but fans have praised actress Beth Nixon for her performance in the role.

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Taking to social media site Twitter/X, they called for her to be recognised with awards for her portrayal of the ‘deplorable’ character, as they praised her ‘believable’ performance.

Megan marks the first TV role Beth has played, having graduated drama school in 2021.

She previously revealed that she had auditioned for the role of Lauren Bolton, which was ultimately won by actress Cait Fitton, as well as another character involved in that storyline.

‘This is my first TV job, but not the first time I have auditioned for Corrie,’ she explained. ‘I auditioned for the part of Lauren Bolton and then for a girl who was giving Lauren a hard time at the mother and baby unit.’

Beth clearly hasn’t taken the responsibility of playing a role like Megan lightly, and revealed that she had done a lot of research for the storyline.

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‘The writing is brilliant and the research team have been working with Barnados, so much of the work has been done for me but I have read newspaper reports about court cases involving female teachers that are very similar to what Megan is doing.

‘There have been a few high profile cases, every situation is different but it brings it home that this is something that is happening in the real world. Hopefully someone who doesn’t realise what is happening to them, that they are being groomed, might see this storyline and realise that what that person is doing is wrong and illegal.’

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World Athletics Indoor Championships 2026: Amy Hunt on empowering female athletes

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Comic Relief 2026

Hunt’s stunning run for world silver came six years after she alerted the world to her potential as a record-breaking junior.

But, between those headline moments, injuries disrupted the start of her senior career, including a ruptured quadriceps in 2022 – while attempting to manage an often frictional relationship between her sporting ambition and studies.

Hunt would not improve on the 22.42-second run – which smashed the under-18 200m world record in 2019 – until last summer, before going faster still by running 22.08 in Japan at the end of a season where she also recorded 60m and 100m personal bests.

Continuing her development under coach Marco Airale in the northern Italian city of Padova, Hunt’s immediate target is improving on her fifth-place finish at last year’s world indoors.

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The 60m is her least-favourite event – her 5ft 10in (1.78m) frame makes getting out of the blocks quickly challenging – but a necessary focus to benefit her performances over the longer distances.

Longer term, she hopes to become a contender over 400m as part of a bid to win as many as four Olympic medals in 2028, an achievement which, she says, would see her become “an icon”.

But, away from the track, Hunt is also keen to ensure she plays her part in encouraging more athletes to pursue a degree by setting up a scholarship, similar to the initiative by British rapper Stormzy to support black students studying at Cambridge.

“I didn’t want to take the easy way. That’s not me and that doesn’t inform anything I do. I have to always try and be the best every single day,” says Hunt.

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“Talking about it opens it up a lot more and enables more women and girls from an athletic background to be able to get there.

“It’s about having a conversation and helping them be more confident.”

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Bolton patients urged to order repeat prescriptions in time for Easter

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Bolton patients urged to order repeat prescriptions in time for Easter

Karen O’Brien, Regional Chief Pharmacist for NHS England in the North West, recommends that any repeat prescriptions needed in the days over the four-day Easter weekend are requested by Wednesday, 25 March.

This is to give plenty of time for medications to be prescribed by your GP practice and dispensed by your community pharmacy.

GP practices and community pharmacies will have limited opening hours over the Easter period, and many will be closed across the weekend from Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April.

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This will make it more challenging for patients to access medicines at short notice.

Running out of necessary medicines and using emergency or urgent services over the Easter break can add pressure to already busy services. In some medical conditions it can be dangerous for patients to be without necessary repeat medications.

Over the Easter bank holiday, the NHS 111 phone service for the North West typically receives hundreds of additional calls from patients who have forgotten to order their medicine.

There will be community pharmacies open throughout the Easter period, who are available to support people with medicines matters, minor illnesses and health queries.

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Karen said: “Knowing how much of your medications you’ll need across the Easter weekend and planning ahead for your repeat prescriptions means people can enjoy their weekend without worrying about their medication.

“Running out of your usual medication can have serious consequences, especially if you use them to manage a heart condition and breathing problems or a health condition such as diabetes and epilepsy and is the last thing you want to do while your friends and family are together. Keeping your medicine cabinets stocked for simple ailments will also help and your community pharmacy can advise with this.”

Dr Paula Cowan, GP and Regional Medical Director for Primary Care for NHS England in the North West, advised: “If you take regular medications for a long term health condition and if you need a repeat prescription in the week leading up to Easter or over the Easter period, please remember to always request your repeat via your practice or the NHS app at least six working days in advance.

“This is particularly important ahead of bank holiday weekends and allows your practice and pharmacy to have your repeat ready in time for you. Please help us to help you and avoid any gaps in your medication.”

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She added: “The easiest way to order repeat prescriptions is by using GP online services, via the NHS App or through your GP practice website. If you do not have access to GP online services, you can phone your GP practice to order prescriptions.”

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Update on man found dead in months long search

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Cambridgeshire Live

Police carried out searches in the weeks and months following the 32-year-old’s disappearance

An inquest has opened into the death of a 32-year-old man who was found dead after going missing from his home in Cambridgeshire.

Matthew Hallam, 32, from Guilden Morden, died on December 6, 2025 following his disappearance.

Mr Hallam was reported missing from his home in Thompson Meadow, Guilden Morden on July 11 last year.

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Cambridgeshire Police carried out searches in the weeks and months following the 32-year-old’s disappearance. On Saturday, December 6, a body was found in the woods in the search of Mr Hallam.

The Area Coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Simon Milburn opened an inquest into Mr Hallam’s death today (Thursday, March 19) at Vantage House in Huntingdon.

The inquest heard that a post mortem examination determined that Mr Hallam’s provisional cause of death was by hanging. Coroner Milburn said that Mr Hallam’s place of death was in Royston.

Coroner Milburn adjourned the inquest until June 17, 2026.

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Apple issues iPhone spyware alert and tells users to update iOS operating system | Science, Climate & Tech News

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File pic: iStock

Apple is urging users to update their iPhones after the discovery of new spyware that can take over phones running older versions of the iOS operating system.

The powerful software exploit can steal information from potentially hundreds of millions of users, said cybersecurity researchers at Lookout, iVerify, and Alphabet’s Google.

It is unclear how many iPhones are vulnerable to the spyware known as Darksword, a type of malware designed to secretly steal information from mobile devices.

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It affects users running an older version of the iOS operating system, released between March and August 2025 (versions 18.4 to 18.6.2).

An estimated 220 to 270 million iPhones still run on older iOS versions, according to researchers.

Analysis from the three companies shows the iPhone hacking tools have been focused on several groups: Ukrainians targeted by Russian intelligence; Chinese cryptocurrency users; and people in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Malaysia.

On 3 March, Google and iVerify revealed details of a separate powerful iPhone spyware tool called Coruna, which was linked to Russian intelligence groups and Chinese cybercriminals.

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Darksword was found on ​the same servers that suspected Russian operators of Coruna have used.

Researchers said the two hacking tools indicate a flourishing market for malware. Darksword can steal data, including emails, usernames, passwords, photos, and even cryptocurrency wallets.

Lookout described it as “highly sophisticated” malware, which “appears to be a professionally designed platform”.

An Apple spokesperson, Sarah O’Rourke, said the two tools only work against devices running older versions of Apple’s operating system, reinforcing the need for people to apply updates regularly.

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“Keeping software up to date remains the single most important thing users can do to maintain the high security of their Apple devices,” she said.

Read more from Sky News:
Foreign Office has been hacked
Increase in teen cyber hackers
M&S cyber attack: Tech chief quits

John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, a University of Toronto-sponsored cybersecurity lab, told NBC News: “The barrier to entry for widespread, devastating mobile attacks has been decisively lowered… it’s clear this problem is only going to grow.”

“The scary takeaway for regular users is they can’t spot this attack,” he added.

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Apple’s latest operating system, iOS 26, was released in September and protects users against both hacking campaigns, according to the company.

Last week, Apple made the unusual move of releasing a special update for iPhone users with older devices that cannot handle a full upgrade to iOS 26, specifically to block hackers from using the hacking tools.

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English cricket warned over shortage of balls due to conflict in Middle East

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English cricket warned over shortage of balls due to conflict in Middle East

The English cricketing summer could be disrupted by a shortage of balls after supply-chain issues caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

Dukes produces between 4,000 and 5,000 balls each summer to supply all red balls for Test and first-class cricket in England.

But Dilip Jajodia, the company’s owner, has warned that they have encountered issues in transiting their balls, which are stitched in south Asia before being distributed from his factory in Walthamstow.

“We’ve got a major crisis right now with this bloody Gulf war nonsense,” Jajodia told the Daily Mail. “We’ve got to ration clubs by giving them 50 per cent of their balls at the start of the season, and then manage the problem.

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“We’ve got plenty of stuff in the factories in the subcontinent ready to go, but the airlines are not taking the freight, because there’s a logjam.

“The rates have gone up, too. A box of 120 cricket balls would be charged normally by airlines at about $5 (£3.76) a kilo. The last quote I got was $15 a kilo. Most of the stuff goes through the Middle East, but if you’ve suddenly got rockets flying around, you’ve got a major problem.

Dukes have warned of a shortage of balls
Dukes have warned of a shortage of balls (Getty Images)

“I heard the other day somebody flew something from Pakistan to Sri Lanka, which is another route out. Human beings will find ways. It might well be very expensive, but you’ve got to find a way to do it. Eventually, the couriers might have to charter flights.”

The new County Championship season is due to begin on 3 April, with preseason fixtures already underway.

Dukes will produce the only ball used in English red-ball cricket this summer after the ditching of an experiment that saw a Kookaburra ball employed in a number of rounds.

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Best Eid gifts for 2026: Thoughtful presents for family

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Best Eid gifts for 2026: Thoughtful presents for family

Ramadan, the annual month-long stint of fasting practised by Muslims before Eid, is drawing to an end.

Those practising have fasted from sunrise to sunset, allowing no food or drink to pass their lips until the evening meal of iftar. This year, Ramadan is poised to wrap up on March 19, so Eid al-Fitr 2026 will fall on March 20.

Why do Muslims fast for Ramadan?

The ritual occurs on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is done to bring believers closer to God. Fasting for the month highlights the preciousness of things that are usually taken for granted — like food and drink (yes, even water). 

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How will London’s Muslim community celebrate Eid?

Following the traditional period of abstention, Eid is celebrated with huge parties across London and beyond, with lots of feasting, dancing, and of course, gift-giving.

While cash presented in decorated envelopes is the usual offering for children and teens (sparing you the headache of sourcing the latest toy that’s sparking joy in the playground), if you’re looking for a more considered present to spoil friends and family, I have rounded up the best gifts to give right now.

From luxe hampers and beauty treats to deluxe boxes of dried dates, fruit and chocolate that the whole family can chomp through, there’s something for everyone in my Eid gift guide. I’ve found options galore, whether you’re celebrating in person or you’re planning to send a delivery to their door.

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A warm Eid Mubarak to our readers who are celebrating.

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