Frankie, the “tiny noodle-shaped extrovert”, surprised officers when he “ambushed” them, jumping straight into a North Yorkshire Police van while officers were out on patrol in Barkston Ash, near Selby, on Friday (April 3).

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He was taken to the police station before being transported to Wicstun Veterinary Hospital in Market Weighton.

Staff at the vets kindly agreed to look after Frankie, who police named, until his owner could be found.

Speaking on Sunday (April 5), North Yorkshire Police said: “Frankie the ferret, who asked for police assistance in locating his owners, has now been successfully reunited with them.

“Thank you to everyone who helped spread the word.

“We are glad this story ended well.”  

EXCLUSIVE: Beyond Paradise could see the exit of more than one beloved character

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Beyond Paradise star Zahra Ahmadi, who portrays Detective Sergeant Esther Williams, has expressed her admiration for co-star Kris Marshall, who plays Detective Humphrey Goodman.

The latest instalment of the Death in Paradise spin-off has returned to television, following Humphrey and Esther alongside their police colleagues as they investigate a series of crimes in Shipton Abbott.

Yet, unknown to his team members, Humphrey faces a difficult choice and must part ways with one of his staff – and this won’t be the only exit in Shipton Abbott.

In an exclusive conversation with Express.co.uk, the actress behind Esther offered viewers a glimpse into what series four holds and revealed what collaborating with Kris Marshall is genuinely like.

Zahra explained, “He takes his work very seriously, because he wouldn’t be as successful as he is if he didn’t. But what I really admire about Kris is his energy. It’s relentless,” reports the Express.

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READ MORE: Patsy Kensit hid injury from co-stars on BBC’s Pilgrimage ‘Didn’t want to complain’READ MORE: Beyond Paradise fans ‘work out’ sad exit of Humphrey Goodman and he’s not alone

She added, “And that’s a huge responsibility when you’re at the helm of a show like that, and you’re leading the cast and crew.

“And you know, often, I might come in and feel slightly tired, or, you know, stressed or whatever, and you only need to look at Kris and go, ‘No, actually, I need to take Kris’ lead on things’. And that’s the thing I admire most.

“He’s got such great energy, he’s got such a positive attitude, he’s so warm, he’s up for a good time, he’s always finding the light-heartedness in things.

“And I mean, it’s a real privilege to work with someone like that, because sometimes you need that, sometimes you need someone to gear you up, and he’s really great at that.”

Esther will shortly bid farewell to her daughter, Zoe Williams (portrayed by Melina Sinadinou), who revealed her wish to leave Shipton Abbott and travel overseas in Friday’s episode.

While chatting with her employer, Martha Goodman (Sally Bretton), Zoe confided that she felt restless in her life and yearned for more.

She inadvertently mentioned she was considering relocating to Australia after encountering PC Kelby Hartford (Dylan Llewellyn). In a subtle reference to the Death in Paradise spin-off, Return to Paradise, Zoe revealed she was considering Dolphin Cove, the series’ setting.

Discussing her on-screen daughter and their dynamic and Zoe’s plans to leave, Zahra remarked, “I think this is the point. I don’t know how to say this without sounding really dramatic and probably overly dramatic.

“This is the point of no return, and I think all parents and children go through it, you know, the point where someone steps fully into adulthood, and both they and the parent realise that, and there’s a shift. There’s a massive shift.

“And I think that’s what we’re seeing here in series four, and that isn’t easy for either of them, particularly for Esther, and it throws up all sorts of issues.

“We see that at play, and we see the cogs kind of turning, and what we do see is, with that kind of reaching a point of no return, that kind of shift, we see what a good parent Esther is, because we see how well she’s raised her daughter, and we see what a wonderful human Zoe is.”

Beyond Paradise is currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Martin Fowler (James Bye) was a stalwart of EastEnders, and his death rocked the lives of nearly every Albert Square resident.

Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Martin’s true love with whom he’d reconciled moments before his demise was utterly broken; the loss of Martin eventually seeing her own departure from the Square.

Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) was forced to deliver the heart breaking news to Bex Fowler (Jasmine Armfield), the daughter she shared with Martin, while dealing with her own grief over losing her childhood sweetheart.

Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton), a character intrinsically linked with both Martin and Stacey also left Walford amid her grief, while Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) took an extended leave of absence, heading to Australia to support her grieving friend Michelle Fowler (Jenna Russell).

The loss of Martin was seismic, with residents gathering in Harry’s Barn to celebrate his life, mourning the death of a beloved EastEnders legend.

Speaking at the time of his alter-ego’s death, James said: ‘Saying goodbye is not easy, but after 10 years at EastEnders and on the night of the show’s epic 40th anniversary – the time felt right.

‘It’s an honour to leave on a story of this magnitude. A huge thank you to all the fans of the show – EastEnders wouldn’t be what it is without you – and to the BBC and EastEnders team for trusting me with this role for so many years.

‘This fruit and veg man will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s time to look forward, and I’m incredibly excited for what the future holds. RIP Martin Fowler.’

With Martin gone, a remnant of him does linger in Walford: his old shed, which Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw) and Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) have big plans for: they want to turn it into a man cave.

Both previously formed a foursome alongside Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) and Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) who vowed to provide a safe space to talk and now, Ross and Harvey plan to make that space tangible, but they need the key from Jean Slater (Gillian Wright).

When Ross and Harvey tell Zack Hudson (James Farrar) of their plan, he’s initially reticent, believing that it’s disrespectful to Martin’s memory.

When he talks to Barney Mitchell (Lewis Bridgeman), though, his son helps him to realise that Martin himself would’ve been fully behind the idea.

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Zack approaches Jean and tells her of the groups plans for the shed and puts his all into persuading her that it’s a good idea.

The only problem? Jean turns around to find Ross and Harvey trying to steal the key.

As the shed renovation begins, Ross begins to open up, leading to the groups next issue…

MORE: All EastEnders spoilers for next week as killer finally faces the jury

MORE: Sparks fly as EastEnders’ Mark clocks palpable atmosphere between Vicki and Zack

JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump announced early Sunday that the U.S. had rescued an aviator nearly two days after he was shot down over Iran.

The extraction came after a frantic search in what appears to be a remote, mountainous region of Iran. A second crew member had been rescued Friday, soon after the F-15E Strike Eagle crashed. It was the first U.S. aircraft to be downed by Iranian fire since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.

“This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND!”

Here’s what we know about the rescue:

Frantic search conducted behind enemy lines

The operation began with a deception campaign launched by the CIA, a senior U.S. administration official said Sunday.

Before locating the airman, the CIA spread word inside Iran that U.S. forces had already found him and were moving him on the ground for exfiltration, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public. The campaign managed to confuse Iranian officials while the agency conducted its search and rescue operations, the official said.

Those operations involved “dozens of aircraft,” armed with lethal weaponry, Trump said. Iran had promised a sizable reward to anyone who captured the service member.

“This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour,” Trump wrote.

The difficult rescue came after a Friday operation to save the first airman was conducted in “broad daylight,” Trump wrote. He said the White House had avoided confirming the rescue to avoid jeopardizing the search for the second aviator.

Pilot wounded but expected to recover

Trump said the airman held the rank of colonel and had been seriously wounded. Nonetheless, Trump said he would be “just fine.”

Trump gave no details about the first crewman’s condition.

The US destroyed 2 planes during the getaway

Iran’s state TV showed a picture of black smoke from what it said were a destroyed American transport plane and two helicopters.

A regional intelligence official briefed on the mission said the U.S. military was forced to bring in additional aircraft to complete the rescue due to a technical malfunction. The official said the U.S. blew up two transport planes it was forced to leave because of the mishap. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the covert mission.

Iran says it downed another plane

Iranian state media on Friday also said a second U.S. plane — an A-10 aircraft — crashed after being hit by Iranian forces. The U.S. military has not commented on the status of that aircraft or its crew.

___

Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

In business, nature often gets reduced to numbers: emissions targets, sustainability metrics, biodiversity data. But when professionals rely too heavily on what’s measurable, they can risk missing what’s meaningful. One of the most effective ways to tackle this is through outdoor education.

For business students and professionals, this approach offers something conventional leadership programs often miss. Outdoors, environmental issues become tangible. Ecosystems, soil, and water are no longer abstract case material, but living systems to notice and learn from.

My own work with students studying for a Masters in business administration (MBA) shows how outdoor learning can support business professionals. It helps them rethink leadership, sustainability and their relationship with the living world in ways that classroom teaching rarely achieves.

My students and I have headed out of seminar rooms at the University of Bath and into nearby fields and woodland to experience, instead of just think and talk about, sustainability. Some were hesitant at first. As they slowed down and tuned in, though, the conversations shifted.

One told me they had not felt so clear-headed in years. Others described sudden “ah-ha” moments – experiencing interdependence (a cornerstone of both ecology and sustainability) not as theory, but as an experienced reality.

These moments highlight what philosophers describe as the shift from “shallow” to “deep” connection with nature. As I have argued in research, shallow approaches treat nature as a backdrop for reports, strategies, or symbolic gestures. Deep connection arises when leaders feel their place within living systems through direct, embodied experience.

Other studies have found similar results. A research study that reviewed a wide range of outdoor learning programs found consistent outcomes. Participants reported stronger motivation, improved wellbeing and more positive environmental attitudes.

Recent research in has found that direct engagement with nature is one of the strongest predictors of a lifelong commitment to helping the environment. Experiential education can support this. It involves hands-on, immersive experiences in nature, where people engage emotionally with ecosystems and reflect on their place within them, rather than learning in abstract ways.

This matters for business because leadership decisions are not purely analytical. They are influenced by perception, emotions and values. Research shows that awe-inspiring encounters in nature can reduce stress and enhance empathy. In one study, participants who spent meaningful time outdoors later drew themselves smaller, reflecting a humbler, interconnected sense of self.

For business leaders, humility and empathy are not soft extras. They are essential for navigating crises, building trust and making effective long-term decisions. Outdoor learning creates the conditions for these qualities to develop.

This is why nature-based leadership retreats and wilderness programs are on the rise.

Business practice

A growing number of companies are taking their teams outdoors to connect employees more deeply with their sustainability strategies. Rather than discussing sustainability in meeting rooms, participants encounter nature directly through the living systems they depend on. The intention is to make organisational values tangible and emotionally resonant.

Clothing company Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, has long credited time outdoors as foundational to his company’s environmental values. Footwear company Vivobarefoot’s leadership team has held nature immersions on remote beaches and in woodlands to guide a shift toward “regenerative thinking”.

These initiatives are not fringe experiments – they signal how business culture itself is beginning to shift.

Of course, there is a risk that outdoor learning initiatives become either a form of greenwashing or simply another obligatory corporate away day. Simply taking employees outdoors does not guarantee meaningful engagement with sustainability. Without careful design and integration into organisational practice and culture, such experiences may remain superficial – inspiring individuals without leading to real change.

Additionally, peer-reviewed research on the effectiveness of nature-based retreats for corporate sustainability is still limited. Many organisations that adopt them already hold strong pro-environmental values.

Evidence does, however, suggests outdoor education can influence how people think and lead. Reviews of outdoor leadership initiatives show strong “learning transfer”. Follow-up studies on outdoor education programmes indicate that leadership capacities developed in nature – such as independence, confidence and decision-making – persist after outdoor education retreats.

Business leaders must do more than analyse. They must feel their connection to the living world in order to lead with compassion and courage. Nurturing that connection may be one of the most strategic decisions any (future) business leader can make, both for the planet and for themselves.

Three people, including a 10-month-old girl, were killed Sunday when high winds toppled a tree in northern Germany during an Easter egg hunt, police said.

Around 50 people from a nearby residential facility for new mothers, pregnant women and children were attending the event in woods near the town of Satrupholm at about 11 a.m. when a 30-meter (100-foot) tree fell on the group, police said in a statement.

Four people were pinned under the tree. A 21-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl were treated by first responders but died at the scene, while the woman’s 10-month old daughter died later in the hospital. An 18-year-old woman suffered serious injuries and was brought to the hospital by helicopter.

The facility is part of the state-funded child welfare system and supports pregnant women and new mothers who need help, according to its website. Grief counselors were sent to the scene.

Pictures from the scene published by the Bild news site showed several Easter eggs scattered on the ground and two of the victims covered in white sheets.

The area had been under a high winds warning from the German weather service.

Conflict and turmoil are seemingly rife in the ocean. Choked shipping lanes. Sabotaged seabed cables and pipelines. Migrants risking dangerous sea passages. Collapsed fish populations. Coastlines washed away by a changing climate.

But if we only consider the ocean in terms of conflict, our policymakers start to focus just on threats, borders, extraction and defence. And we miss a key opportunity. Despite the friction, powerful solutions already exist and can be scaled up.

Research shows that the ocean can be a catalyst for proactive peacebuilding. Ocean peacebuilding is the use of marine scientific cooperation, sustainable resource management and conservation efforts to anticipate and prevent conflict while fostering trust among nations.

Ocean peacebuilding is already underway, even in the most unexpected places and those shaped by the sharpest geopolitical tensions. It happens in three key ways.

Building bridges

By embracing diversity of thought when tackling problems, stereotypes and biases can be challenged, simplistic assumptions crumble and common humanity can emerge. This “contact hypothesis” has been key to ocean peacebuilding in the Gulf of Mexico. One hundred miles of water separates the Florida Keys from Cuba – plus several decades of geopolitical tensions.

Beneath the water’s surface, marine ecosystems know no such boundaries. Coral larvae, endangered sharks, turtles and fish travel the currents of the gulf. Remove a key nesting site or a stop along a migratory corridor, and those species could disappear for everyone.

Marine biologists from Cuba, Mexico and the US began quietly meeting in the 2000s to discuss conservation of marine wildlife and share data, despite the diplomatic standoff between the US and Cuba. When relations thawed in 2014, the then US president Barack Obama and former Cuban president Raul Castro re-established diplomatic relations between their countries.

Together they established the “Redgolfo” network of marine protected areas across the Gulf of Mexico. Marine protected areas or MPAs are parts of the ocean or coastline where human activity is restricted to protect natural resources, biodiversity or cultural heritage.

Scientific cooperation became a trusted foundation for heads of state to sign agreements and shake hands. Things improved.

Building standards

But the world never stands still. Politicians come and go, priorities shift, norms evolve. The second mechanism of ocean peacebuilding is the spreading of norms that empower civil society.

Designating marine protected areas without consultation and excluding local or Indigenous communities can end in failure and even spark conflict.

So when 14 serving heads of state came together in 2018 to establish the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, their flagship commitment was to ensure 100% sustainable management within their respective jurisdictions by 2025 through designing sustainable ocean plans.

They not only all agreed to this – they also agreed that these plans must be developed in an inclusive way and be underpinned by the best available science and Indigenous knowledge.

A group of countries that collectively accounts for 50% of the Earth’s coastlines had agreed on shared standards of how to plan ocean conservation and use. It relied on inclusion, consultation and empowerment of civil society.

Building trust

In 2004, the armed conflict in Indonesia’s Aceh province entered its 29th year. And then another disaster struck: an earthquake triggered a devastating tsunami that swept across the region. More than 230,000 people died. The shock was profound.

One former combatant said: “My family was gone; the people were gone; the enemy was gone. What is there to fight for?” Within months, a peace deal was signed.

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Reflecting on 20 years of the Aceh tsunami: From ‘megathrust’ threat to disaster mitigation

In the following months, efforts to establish an Indian Ocean tsunami early warning system began. Over time, the system was expanded and improved. Ocean scientists and seismologists in the region began working together. In Aceh, the government started multiple initiatives to install tsunami buoys and improve its early warning system.

The government was taking steps to improve the wellbeing of its people. This leads to collaboration that re-establishes and builds trust in public institutions – a critical priority in a post-conflict setting.

Can ocean peacebuilding stop a war?

Today, US-Cuba relations seem to be spiralling towards conflict. What difference could ocean peacebuilding make? History shows that even amid acute tension, ocean science is a vital diplomatic back channel. It keeps dialogue alive and gives a sense of shared prosperity and that ecological loss is a cost born by all.

At the height of the cold war and nuclear arms race, the US and USSR entered into a détente programme of ocean science collaboration. Known as the Polymode program, this focused on studying the structure of currents and eddies in the Atlantic Ocean. For years, hundreds of scientists from the two countries worked together, sharing data, vessels, ports and equipment. Science advanced. Yet when the USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1979, everything stopped.

So while we need new narratives, we cannot afford to be naïve.

Ocean peacebuilding won’t stop all wars. But it may help prevent some from starting and others from returning. In Northern Ireland, an environmental organisation called the Loughs Agency shows how cross-border institutions can sustain peace while stewarding shared marine ecosystems.

The more deeply peace is built into institutions, processes and standards, the stronger the prospects for avoiding future conflict.

The grand-niece of the dead Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani was living a glamorous lifestyle in Los Angeles before being arrested by ICE.

Sarinasadat Hosseiny, 25, and her mother, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar were arrested after their US permanent resident status was revoked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio over ties to the Iranian regime.

Hosseiny had been living in the US since 2015, when she first entered the country on a student visa, before getting permanent residency during the Biden administration in 2023.

Despite her family’s ties to the Iranian regime, Hosseiny’s social media presence showed a life at odds with it.

Posts showed her travelling across the US, visiting Miami, Las Vegas and Alaska, as well as laughing and smiling at music festivals.

Other images showed her aboard private aircraft and yachts and wearing clothes that would be forbidden under Iranian law, including bikinis and miniskirts.

Her mother had called America the ‘Great Satan’ in social media posts as she lived in California, as well as espousing support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terror organisation, according to the State Department.

Both women’s green cards were revoked hours before ICE arrested them in LA on Friday.

Soleimani commanded Iran’s elite Quds Force, part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and was the country’s most powerful military figure before he was killed in a US drone strike in 2020.

Trump referenced the killing again last week, describing Soleimani as ‘an evil genius’ while claiming Iran would have been in a stronger position in the war had he still been alive.

The arrests form part of a broader crackdown on people with alleged links to Iran.

Soleimani Afshar first entered the US on a tourist visa in 2015 and was granted asylum in 2019, before receiving a green card in 2021, but the DHS said her asylum claim was fraudulent.

The IRGC, which Hosseiny’s mother is alleged to have supported, was named as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in 2019.

The former commander’s daughter Narjes Soleimani has said the two women ‘have no connection whatsoever’ to her father and accused Washington of fabricating claims.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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The boys, aged 15, were travelling on a green Calibre pedal bike, which had been adapted to be electrically-assisted, when they were involved in a crash with a white Fiat 500 car, shortly before 9.40pm on Saturday (April 4).

The crash took place in Danebury Drive, at its junction with Ostman Road.

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The teenagers, both from the York area, were taken to hospital with serious injuries, where they remain in a serious, but stable condition police say.

The driver of the car, an 18-year-old woman, was injured.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “It is believed the e-bike had travelled down Ostman Road to the junction of Danebury Drive, where it was in collision with the Fiat, which had travelled from Woodlea Avenue on to Danebury Drive.

“Any witnesses to the collision, or anyone who has CCTV, dashcam footage, or relevant information is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police.

“Please email nicholas.simposon@northyorkshire.police.uk and jack.dodsworth@northyorkshire.police.uk.

“Please quote reference number 12260060016 when passing information.”

Nichole Munro, of Atomix Educational Trust, will take on the challenge in October  to raise funds for Daisy Chain, a Teesside-based charity supporting people with autism and neurodiversity.

Ms Munro said: “The life-changing support that Daisy Chain provides to neurodivergent people matters to me personally and when I can’t help people through my role as CEO at Atomix, I really do try to help other causes.

Nichole Munro in training in more casual attire (Image: Supplied)

“I love the fact that Daisy Chain provides safe spaces and so many activities which are a lifeline for many families across Teesside.

“It’s wonderful to see the difference support makes to people and I understand how life-changing it can be.”

Atomix Educational Trust works with young people who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), many of whom are neurodivergent.

Nichole Munro in training in more casual attire (Image: Supplied)

The trust has chosen Daisy Chain as its charity of the year for 2026.

Ms Munro described the trek as both “exciting and slightly intimidating.”

She said: “The Great Wall of China can be seen from outer space and is 1,000 miles long – and I will be walking 200 miles of that, so I have got to get fit for it.

Nichole Munro in training in more casual attire (Image: Supplied)

“It’s not the tourist’s route that we are taking, it will be steep and uneven terrain we are navigating over multiple days, in both humid and colder temperatures – but even so I said ‘yes’ to the challenge because autism and neurodiversity is so close to my heart.”

She said she is determined to complete the trek and not let down the charity or herself.

Atomix Educational Trust aims to raise £5,000 through Ms Munro’s trek, with all funds going directly to Daisy Chain’s services.

She said: “Although £5,000 sounds like an awful lot of money, everyone can help by giving even a small amount, as all those little donations add up very quickly.

“I’m getting ready for this, as I don’t want to let myself down by being unable to complete the walk, so I’m going to start running again and to improve my fitness I’ve started to do Calisthenics for 15 minutes every day.

“There is a lot of effort that I’m going to have to put into this challenge throughout the summer!”

The trust allows staff up to three volunteering days per year, something Ms Munro says is a “huge commitment” for a small organisation but one that aligns with its values.

She said: “With more than 200 students with EHCPs within our Trust, with a mixture of neurodivergence and every kind of need that you can possibly imagine, we also live and breathe the sort of support other organisations like Daisy Chain provide every single day.

“As a Trust, we strive to enable everybody to achieve success – whatever that might look like to them – because success looks different to everybody.

“That’s why myself and my colleagues and students within the Trust are delighted to support Daisy Chain through this challenge – because what they do really resonates with us.”

Daisy Chain supports more than 8,000 autistic and neurodivergent people and their families across the Tees Valley.

Its services include social clubs, respite care, wellbeing support, independent living skills training, employability programmes and animal therapy.

Daisy Chain’s Great Wall of China Charity Trek in October will see Ms Munro and other supporters take on one of the world’s most iconic routes, covering steep, uneven ground in changing weather conditions.

To support Ms Munro’s fundraising challenge for Daisy Chain, donations can be made at https://daisychainsglobalstepschallenge.enthuse.com/pf/nichole-plummer.