Careful optimism is brewing that the troubled Strait of Hormuz could reopen (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)
Donald Trump has paused a military operation to free stranded ships off Iran as a possible peace deal emerges – giving millions of holidaymakers hope of a summer getaway after all.
The nine-week Middle East conflict has seen fuel prices soar because of Tehran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz and led to airlines scrapping planned flights to cope with shortages.
Yesterday it was revealed seating capacity on planes has fallen by 2 million this month, with 13,005 flights cancelled around the world.
‘If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,’ Mr Trump posted.
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Mr Trump said previously in a post on Truth Social that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen ‘assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption.’
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Oil prices plunged on news of a possible deal. Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell more than 10% to below $100 per barrel. Though still well above the average $70 before the conflict began, the fall helped US stock markets rise.
Only two merchant ships are known to have passed through the route protected by American ships and aircraft, and hundreds of merchant ships remain stranded.
But a shaky ceasefire had largely held, despite exchanges of fire, and the sinking of six small Iranian boats, as the operation in the strait began on Monday.
The carefully optimistic situation was put to test this evening after US fighter jet fired at an Iranian-flagged ship to stop it from reaching a blockaded port, the US Central Command said.
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US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has said the offensive stage of the war, Operation Epic Fury, is over.
Iran’s hard-line religious regime said the statements meant the US had ‘retreated’ but did not respond to suggestions a deal was close.
Mr Trump has argued the war – which began on February 28 with a missile attack that killed Iran’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86 – was to stop it building a nuclear bomb.
The proposed deal is said to involve Iran halting all uranium enrichment for 12 to 15 years, with extra years added if it violates terms. It would also have to agree to move stockpiles of its highly enriched uranium out of the country. It has claimed its stocks are for a nuclear power programme – not weapons.
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Mr Trump has called his predecessor Barak Obama’s 2015 agreement with Iran the ‘worst deal ever’. But the new plan is said to echo it, with sanctions lifted and assets worth billions gradually released.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei later said the proposal to end the war is ‘still being considered’. But another official described the plan as more of a ‘wish-list than reality’.
Both sides hope China can bridge the gap between them, after the repeated breakdown so far of peace talks brokered by Pakistan.
Mr Trump is due to visit Beijing next week to meet president Xi Jinping. His country’s close economic and political ties to Tehran give it unique influence.
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Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi was there yesterday for his first visit since the US and Israel attacked.
China’s foreign minister Wang Yi said the conflict ‘has not only caused serious losses to the Iranian people, but also had a severe impact on regional and global peace’. He added: ‘China is deeply distressed by this. We believe a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed.’
But at a White House briefing Mr Rubio responded: ‘I hope the Chinese tell him (Araghchi) what he needs to be told… that what you are doing in the strait is causing you to be globally isolated. You’re the bad guy in this.’ Aviation analytics company Cirium revealed 120 flights from the UK have been axed so far this month as jet fuel prices soar.
Around 20% of global oil is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, off Iran’s coast. Though the figure represents only 0.53% of all departures it has cut capacity by 7,972 seats. The final week of May is half-term at many schools, and a peak getaway period.
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Transport secretary Heidi Alexander vowed summer holiday plans will not face major disruption as fuel for planes is being imported from the US.
But Paul Charles, founder of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said if the conflict continues ‘there will need to be many more cancellations as the jet fuel supply is squeezed’.
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele broke the deadlock inside five minutes to put PSG two goals ahead in the tie and as a result Harry Kane’s late strike was merely a consolation goal.
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PSG beat Arsenal on route to winning the Champions League last season and Enrique expects another ‘hard game’ against the likely Premier League winners.
‘I appreciate Mikelito Arteta! We used to be teammates when we were kids, he did a great job at Arsenal,’ Enrique said after leading PSG to another final
PSG celebrate after beating Bayern Munich (Picture: Getty)
‘It will be difficult, hard game but we believe in our football style.’
Discussing his team’s spirited performance in Munich, Enrique added: ‘Good memories. We could leave the match with a lot of intensity.
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‘The defence were better than the attack. The character we showed against a team like Bayern is so positive. We’re so happy to reach a second Champions League final in a row.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal await in the final (Picture: Getty)
‘It was very intense. Very difficult. They play football at the highest level. Both teams are similar, we love to press higher. We are very happy.
‘In two days I’m going to celebrate my birthday. I’m very happy. We’re in the next phase of the competition, the final of the Champions League. We want to give our supporters that kind of gift.’
PSG star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also discussed Champions League final opponents Arsenal, who will be the fifth Premier League team the French giants have faced this season.
‘We respect all of the teams,’ he said. ‘For us, it’s important to play our game.
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‘We don’t really think about who is going to be our opponent, we just prepare our game and give everything on the pitch.
‘It will be difficult – it’s the Champions League final – and we just have to go and enjoy it.’
While PSG are bidding to retain their Champions League crown, the May 30 final in Budapest will be Arsenal’s first in 20 years.
A British man evacuated from the Norwegian Viva cruise ship has broken his silence, sharing an update on his health after being exposed to hantavirus — the rat virus that has gripped the vessel
Callum Hoare and Charlie Bradley
23:07, 06 May 2026
A British man who was evacuated from the hantavirus-stricken cruise broke his silence on Wednesday.
Martin Anstee, who was evacuated from the MV Hondius, has told Sky News he was “doing okay” but doesn’t know how long he’ll be in hospital.
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The 56-year-old told Sky News: “I’m doing okay. I’m not feeling too bad. There are still lots of tests to be done.
“I have no idea how long I’ll be in the hospital for. I’m in isolation at the moment.”
Mr Anstee worked as an expedition guide on board the Dutch-flagged ship. He was evacuated by medical flight this morning, along with two others.
Two other people who returned independently to the UK from the cruise ship have also been told to self-isolate, the UK Health Security Agency said, adding that “the risk to general public remains very low”.
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The World Health Organisation has said the number of confirmed hantavirus cases has now risen to five.
The results, which have been confirmed by lab tests, include two passengers who were evacuated today.
There were previously three confirmed cases and five more suspected, with three people having died.
The overall number of cases, eight, is not thought to have changed, with lab tests confirming the presence of the hantavirus in previously suspected cases.
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However, Spanish health minister Monica Garcia has confirmed that all the passengers currently on the MV Hondius are asymptomatic.
The ship will now continue to the Canary Islands where passengers will be checked for signs of infection before being repatriated if they are deemed healthy.
In an update posted online, Spanish health authorities said that the ship is expected to arrive within 72 to 96 hours.
Officials said that passengers will be disembarked in a “controlled” way with “direct transfer from the port to the airport and subsequent return to their countries of origin, avoiding at all times transit through spaces open to the general population”.
PSG now await in the showpiece fixture of Europe’s elite club competition later this month after the holders squeezed past Bayern Munich in Germany 24 hours later.
Last week, the highest-scoring European Cup semi-final since 1959/60 saw Bayern take an early advantage through Kane’s penalty, only for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Joao Neves and Michael Olise all to score excellent goals before another spot-kick from Dembele had the hosts in front at the interval.
Kvaratskhelia and Dembele both netted again to put PSG in control, only for Dayot Upamecano and Luis Diaz to then bring Bayern back within a goal ahead of a hotly anticipated return fixture at the Allianz Arena in which the goals didn’t fly but remained fascinating fare nonetheless.
Eyes on the prize: Paris Saint-Germain are the current holders of the Champions League
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When is the Champions League final?
This season’s Champions League final between Arsenal and PSG takes place on Saturday May 30, 2026.
The game will be held at the 67,215-capacity Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary.
Kick-off is scheduled for 5pm BST, which is 6pm local time. UEFA have brought that forward from the traditional 8pm BST slot starting from this season, in order to “enhance the matchday experience and benefit fans, teams and host cities” and make the final “even more accessible, inclusive and impactful for everyone involved”.
The actress, also known for her 1980s home workout videos, wrote: “He needed me. No one had ever let me know they needed me, and this wasn’t your average human being that needed me, this was the creator of CNN, and Turner Classic Movies, who had won the America’s Cup as the world’s greatest sailor.
Posting on Instagram, he said: “Heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away. She was the most wonderful mum and grandmum our kids and grandkids could have ever wished for. She was my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world. Love you forever, Joan x”
Steven Gerrard won the Champions League at Liverpool (Picture: TNT Sports)
Steven Gerrard has outlined the blueprint Arsenal must follow to beat PSG in the Champions League final.
PSG’s Champions League defence continued with a thrilling semi-final victory over Bayern Munich, with Luis Enrique’s side winning 6-5 on aggregate.
The French champions won the first leg 5-4 in Paris before holding German champions Bayern to a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena.
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele put PSG further ahead in the tie with a 3rd-minute goal and Harry Kane’s late strike prove to be just a consolation.
Gerrard, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, says Arsenal will be ‘underdogs’ going into the final but insists the Premier League leaders ‘certainly have a chance’.
Asked to rate Arsenal’s chances of causing an upset in the Budapest final on May 30, Gerrard said on TNT Sports: ‘I know more than anyone that an underdog can win this final. It was a mismatch when we played AC Milan but anything can happen.
PSG celebrate beating Bayern Munich in the semi-finals (Picture: Getty)
‘Arsenal are paying against a high-quality team with an elite manager so Arsenal will have to be the best versions of themselves.
‘Every single player will have to turn up but of course they’ve got a chance. Being the underdogs might even suit this Arsenal team.
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‘If they can win the Premier League that will give them immense confidence and belief going into the final as well.
Ousmane Dembele scored a crucial goal for PSG (Picture: Getty)
‘They’ve certainly got a chance. I think they need to use their physicality, their size, make every set-piece count and take PSG to places they don’t want to go and make it uncomfortable for them.’
Discussing PSG’s semi-final win over Bayern Munich, Gerrard added: ‘Over the two legs they deserved to go through.
‘The first leg was a shootout but they got their heads in front and tonight was a defensive masterclass.
Arsenal will face PSG in the final (Picture: Getty)
‘Bayern and Kompany played their part in the tie but the best team have gone through. PSG just had the edge over them.’
Gerrard’s former England teammate Owen Hargreaves also gave Arsenal hope of overcoming PSG in a mouth-watering Champions League final.
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‘Arsenal have a chance, without a doubt,’ he said. ‘With that defence, the goalkeeper, Declan Rice deeper in midfield…
‘They can definitely do it in a one-off game. But this PSG team? They’ve got so many ways to hurt you.
‘It will be fascinating but this is a different Arsenal now. They believe again after they went through that blip. They have a chance.’
Mikel Arteta’s side are on course to become Premier League champions before the European final, currently sitting five points clear of second-placed Manchester City.
The Derry Girls star will take on the famous “say what you see” challenge as she helps raise awareness of the hardships faced by local people and families across the city.
Foyle Network Foundation, which operates Foyle Foodbank, said Jamie-Lee’s support will help shine a light on the growing need experienced by many people across the city.
Karen Mullan, Director of Foyle Network Foundation, said the organisation was hugely grateful to Jamie-Lee for choosing to support the charity.
She said: “We are absolutely delighted that Jamie-Lee is supporting Foyle Foodbank on Celebrity Catchphrase. It means so much to us and to the people we support every single day.
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“Jamie-Lee has always been a fantastic ambassador for Derry and for communities, and her support helps raise awareness of the reality many families are facing at the minute.”
Mrs Mullan said the appearance also highlights the generosity of people across the city who continue to back local appeals and donate to help others.
She added: “The people of Derry are incredibly generous. Time and time again we see local people stepping up to support neighbours, friends and families who may be struggling.
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“Whether it’s donating food, supporting fundraising appeals or simply spreading awareness, it all makes a real difference to people’s lives.
“Foodbanks are about much more than food. They’re about dignity, compassion and making sure people know they are not alone.”
Viewers can tune into Celebrity Catchphrase on ITV1 this Saturday, May 9, at 5.45pm to cheer Jamie-Lee on as she plays in support of Foyle Foodbank.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have issued an appeal today, Wednesday, May 6, for assistance in finding a missing girl from Bolton.
Officers are searching for Layla, who is only 14-years-old, and say she was last seen on Marsey Road yesterday, Tuesday, May 4.
Police said they want to make sure Layla is safe and described her as “a white female, around 5ft 9in tall, with a slim build and long brown hair with blonde highlights.”
Police have asked for the public’s help (Image: GMP)
A spokesperson, via social media, said: “Have you seen Layla (14) from Bolton?
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“She was last seen on Marsey Road, Bolton on 04/05/26.
“Officers want to make sure she is safe and well.
“Any info? Call us on 0161 856 2661 quoting log 3374 of 04/05/26 or reference number MSP/06KK/0000926/26”
The appeal on social media also said that officers “are becoming increasingly concerned” about Layla.
Tuesday (6 May) saw the official opening of a brand-new Kwik Fit in Petersfield. The UK’s leading automotive service and repair company has opened its first centre in the town, located on Dragon Street. Petersfield Town Mayor, Councillor Chris Paige, joined manager Darrell Mitchell and the Kwik Fit team to cut the ribbon and mark the company’s investment in the new centre.
Pedestrian Graham Wright, 43, died following a car crash near Dumfries on Sunday, May 3.
A man who died after being hit by a car on the A75 near Dumfries has been named by police. Graham Wright, 43, was killed after he was hit by a car in the early hours of Sunday morning, May 3.
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Emergency services were called to the scene at Lockerbie Road near to the roundabout at the A701 following the incident at around 3am.
A pedestrian and an silver Ford Fiesta were involved in a collision before the car subsequently crashed with a silver lorry travelling in the opposite direction.
Despite paramedics best efforts, Graham, the pedestrian, was pronounced dead at the scene. No other serious injuries were reported and the road remained closed for a number of hours while investigations are carried out and the roadway was repaired.
Police are continuing to appeal for any information, particularly any dash-cam footage, which could assist their enquiries.
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Road Policing Sergeant Wayne Carnochan said: “Our thoughts remain with Graham’s family and friends at this extremely difficult time.
“Our enquiries into the crash continue and I’d like to thank everyone who has come forward with information already. I’d ask anyone who hasn’t yet spoken to police, and witnessed the collision or has dash-cam footage which could assist us, to get in touch.”
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “The man who died following a fatal collision in Dumfries has been named as Graham Wight.
“Around 3am on Sunday, May 3, we were called to a crash involving a pedestrian and a silver Ford Fiesta on the A75, between the roundabout at Lockerbie Road and the roundabout for the A701.
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“The car subsequently crashed into a silver lorry travelling in the opposite direction.
“Emergency services attended, but the 43-year-old pedestrian, Graham Wight, was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0526 of May 3.“
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