DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The British military said a ship caught fire Sunday after being hit by an unknown projectile off the coast of Qatar.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said the attack caused a small fire on the bulk carrier, which was extinguished.

The attack happened 23 nautical miles (43 kilometers) northeast of Qatar’s capital, Doha, the UKMTO said.

There were no reported casualties, it said.

It was the latest attack on vessels in the Persian Gulf since a shaky ceasefire stopped fighting between the United States and Iran.

The £11.8 million project is complete and will begin operating on Sunday (May 10).

The newly completed Bishop Auckland Bus Station. 8.5.2026. Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

The newly completed Bishop Auckland Bus Station. 8.5.2026. Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

The newly completed Bishop Auckland Bus Station. 8.5.2026. Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

The newly completed Bishop Auckland Bus Station. 8.5.2026. Photograph: Stuart Boulton/The Northern Echo. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

The bus station will feature new and improved passenger information with live updates; CCTV; toilet facilities, including accessible toilets, a changing places unit and a parent and child facility; and a retail kiosk 

Alongside the bus station, there will also be a new 124-space car park, with accessible spaces for wheelchairs and Blue Badge holders and parking for motorcycles. 

The area surrounding the bus station has also been landscaped, with paved areas, drainage systems, and street lighting installed. There will also be electric vehicle charging points and bicycle parking. 

The new facility is located on the site of the former bus station, which was demolished to make way for the redevelopment in 2023. Work started on the site in February 2024 and was developed using £11.8 million from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund.

Once the bus station has opened, work will start to remove the temporary bus stops on Newgate Street, Tenters Street and Saddler Street.

Tim McGuinness, cabinet member for rural, farming and transport, said: “This has been an ambitious project to ensure the people of Bishop Auckland have a safe, modern, and efficient transport hub to help them access opportunities within County Durham and the wider region.” 

The bus station was constructed by Esh Construction and designed by Jacobs on behalf of Durham County Council. 

Steven Garrigan, divisional director at Esh Construction, said: “Esh is proud to have delivered a modern, fully accessible transport hub that will play an important role in supporting Bishop Auckland’s regeneration and strengthening local connectivity.

“Working closely with Durham County Council, this project reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality infrastructure that serves communities across the region, while also creating meaningful social value and opportunities locally.”

Neil Haigh’s Comedy Masterclass Ruined by Stewart Wright arrives at The Old Paint Shop at York Theatre Royal on June 17, looking to provide an immersive and unpredictable night of laughter.

The 90-minute show begins as a structured comedy workshop led by Neil Haigh, before being hilariously hijacked by Stewart Wright in what quickly unravels into fully improvised mayhem.

Mr Wright said: “This show is about embracing the unexpected; every night is completely different, and that’s what makes it so exciting.

“We’re inviting the audience into the chaos and creativity with us, and there’s something really special about discovering where it goes together.”

Described as a blend of character comedy, improvisation, and spontaneous storytelling, each performance is entirely shaped by audience interaction.

Created by long-time collaborators Haigh and Wright, the show has already drawn praise for its originality and energy, with some likening its fast-paced style to Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Haigh is known for his work with the acclaimed improvised theatre company Cartoon De Salvo, while Wright has built a 30-year career as a comic actor.

The show is recommended for audiences aged 15 and over.

The match was played at Daisy Hill Football Club between representatives of veterans’ charity The Darren Deady Foundation and members of Greater Manchester Police.

Founded by his mother Julie, brother Daniel, and close friends, the foundation operates in honour of former Kingsman Darren Deady, who tragically lost his life in 2010 while serving in Afghanistan.

Representatives of the Royal British Legion (Image: Westhoughton Town Council)

Former Westhoughton Mayor Gillian Wroe said: “A heartfelt thanks go to the Darren Deady Foundation for inviting me, and my Mayoress Cllr Deirdre McGeown, to this wonderful community event.

“Before the match kick off the teams were joined on the pitch by Darren Deady’s mum Julie Hall and members of the DD Association, Westhoughton Royal British Legion, cadets, marching band, the mini police, the Mayoress and me, Phil Brickell MP and Cllr John McHugh.

“The event was well attended with families and groups taking advantage of the dry weather to visit the stalls, enjoy the inflatables, listen to the music, get something to eat and drink and of course watch the football!

Marching band at the event (Image: Westhoughton Town Council)

“I hope that all the hard work that went into organising the day has raised a lot of money for the charity.”

This was Cllr Wroe’s final engagement as Westhoughton mayor before she handed the chain over to Cllr Sarita Chohan on May 5 – it was also her hundredth engagement in total.

GMP won a narrow victory in the event, outscoring the Darren Deady reps 3-2.

The Darren Deady foundation provides essential support for veterans in the area, including support services, advice, short-term accommodation provision, and education.

Army vehicle at the event (Image: Westhoughton Town Council)

The group also promotes social inclusion amongst veterans and HM forces reservists to help them reintegrate into civilian life and avoid social exclusion.

Other services include food bank assistance, debt relief, and help on filling out forms, all in honour of Darren.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A new study suggests that a tiny, icy world beyond Pluto harbors a thin, delicate atmosphere that may have been created by volcanic eruptions or a comet strike.

Just 300 miles (500 kilometers) or so across, this mini Pluto is thought to be the solar system’s smallest object yet with a clearly detected global atmosphere bound by gravity, said lead researcher Ko Arimatsu of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

“This is an amazing development, but it sorely needs independent verification. The implications are profound if verified,” said Southwest Research Institute’s Alan Stern, the lead scientist behind NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond. He was not involved in the study.

The finding offers fresh insight into our solar system’s farthest, coldest objects in a region known as the Kuiper Belt. Researchers used three telescopes in Japan to observe the object in 2024 as it passed in front of a background star, briefly dimming the starlight.

“It changes our view of small worlds in the solar system, not only beyond Neptune,” Arimatsu said in an email. Finding an atmosphere around such a small object was “genuinely surprising,” he added, and challenges “the conventional view that atmospheres are limited to large planets, dwarf planets and some large moons.”

This so-called minor planet — formally known as (612533) 2002 XV93 — is considered a plutino, circling the sun twice in the time it takes Neptune to complete three solar orbits. At the time of the study, it was more than 3.4 billion miles (5.5 billion kilometers) away, farther than even Pluto, the only other object in the Kuiper Belt with an observed atmosphere.

This cosmic iceball’s atmosphere is believed to be 5 million to 10 million times thinner than Earth’s protective atmosphere, according to the the study appearing Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy.

It’s 50 to 100 times thinner than even Pluto’s tenuous atmosphere. The likeliest atmospheric chemicals are methane, nitrogen or carbon monoxide, any of which could reproduce the observed dimming as the object passed before the star, according to Arimatsu.

Further observations, especially by NASA’s Webb Space Telescope, could verify the makeup of the atmosphere, according to Arimatsu.

“That is why future monitoring is so important,” he said. “If the atmosphere fades over the next several years, that would support an impact origin. If it persists, or varies seasonally, that would point more toward ongoing internal gas supply” from ice volcanoes.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Niamh, aged 16, was last seen at around 10pm on Friday, May 8, on Shetland Way in Radcliffe.

Officers say they are becoming increasingly concerned about her wellbeing and are urging anyone with information to come forward.

She is described as a white female of medium build, approximately 5ft 5in tall, with long brown hair featuring blonde tips.

When last seen, she was wearing black leggings and New Balance trainers.

Her other clothing is unknown.

Greater Manchester Police has issued an urgent appeal as efforts continue to locate her and ensure she is safe and well.

Anyone who has seen Niamh or has information about her whereabouts is asked to contact police on 0161 856 2476 or via 101, quoting log number 633 of May 9, 2026.

In an emergency, always dial 999.

Egan, who starred in the 80s sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles and is an active campaigner for animal rights, told the Press Association: “I think it is so important that the Government listen to the British public, 80% of us are against fox hunting, trail hunting, trophy hunting.

The conflict in the Middle East, involving the US, Israel, and Iran, has disrupted fuel supplies, prompting some airlines to raise fares and cut flights.

Global figures released this week by aviation analytics company Cirium show 13,005 flights planned for May were cancelled between April 10 and 21.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) acknowledged there is “a risk of some disruption” this summer in a recent update, but said travellers will be “well protected.”

Despite the cancellations, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander downplayed the likelihood of widespread disruption to summer holidays.

Speaking on Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, she said disruption should remain limited.

British Airways boss issues update on summer flights

British Airways’ parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), has issued an update amid all the disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

IAG chief executive Luis Gallego assured customers there should be no disruptions to summer flights despite jet fuel shortages, explaining the airline group had been “planning for situations like this for many years”.

Mr Gallego said: “We do not believe there will be any interruption for the summer.”

Iran continues to have a stranglehold on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, leading to a surge in oil prices and concerns over jet fuel shortages.

He acknowledged the impact of reduced jet fuel supply from the Middle East but pointed out “record supply” from the US and other regions.

IAG has invested in jet fuel reserves at its “main hubs” and said that previously weaker markets, such as parts of Asia, are now “building up reserves”.

The airline company said about 3% of its capacity was “exposed to the Gulf region” at the start of the war on February 28, mostly with British Airways flights.

The company has since redeployed much of that capacity to destinations like Bangkok, Singapore, and the Maldives.

British Airways’ parent company to spend £1.7bn more than planned on fuel in 2026

IAG expects to spend around two billion euros (£1.72 billion) more than planned on fuel this year, with total fuel costs forecast to reach nine billion euros (£7.78 billion).

Mr Gallego said: “We are managing the uncertainty by taking the necessary action on yields, costs and capacity.”

He added that all airlines “need to increase fares in order to mitigate the impact” of increased fuel prices, which represent about a quarter of their costs.

“Whilst the impact of the higher fuel price will inevitably lead to lower profit this year than we originally anticipated, we are confident in our business model and strategy,” Mr Gallego continued.

IAG shares fell by 4% in early trading on Friday (May 8) after it said it expects its fuel cost to reach nine billion euros (£7.78 billion) this year, which will affect its full-year profit and free cash flow.

However, the company reported a pre-tax profit of 422 million euros (£365 million) for the first quarter of 2026, up from 239 million euros (£207 million) a year earlier.

Mr Gallego attributed IAG’s “strong first quarter” to “continued strong demand for our networks and airline brands”.

He said: “IAG is uniquely positioned to navigate the current headwinds created by the Middle East conflict thanks to our leading positions across diverse markets, strong brands, structurally high margins and strong balance sheet, as well as a strong track record of execution.”

Do you have any flights booked with British Airways this summer? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.

The rise has been linked to unusual weather patterns, combining last year’s warm summer with heavy winter rainfall.

According to Rentokil Pest Control, which recorded a 10 per cent increase in rodent sightings compared to the previous year, the spike has been most pronounced in Northern Ireland and northern England.

Northern Ireland saw the biggest rise at 26 per cent, followed by Yorkshire at 20 per cent and the north west at 19 per cent.

The West Midlands reported a 16 per cent increase, while Scotland recorded 14 per cent.

Pest control experts say the UK’s record-breaking warm weather in 2025 may have extended the rats’ breeding season, leading to larger populations.

Rentokil has also warned that the record-breaking wet start to 2026 could intensify the problem.

Sustained rainfall can flood burrows and drainage systems, displacing rats and driving them into homes and businesses as they seek higher, drier ground.

Paul Blackhurst, from Rentokil, said: “Rats are highly capable swimmers.

“They can navigate strong currents, enter exposed pipes and sewers, and swim considerable distances in open water.

“However, what they cannot tolerate is prolonged submersion.

“When burrow systems and sewer networks flood, rats are forced to seek higher, drier ground, increasing the risk of infestations in properties.

“Early prevention and professional support are key.”

Mr Blackhurst said simple steps such as proofing entry points, managing waste, and acting quickly at the first sign of activity can reduce the risk of an infestation.

After heavy rain or flooding, property owners are advised to clear debris around their property, as branches and leaves can create ideal nesting sites for rats.

It’s also important to seal any gaps in walls or foundations and to keep outdoor bins tightly closed and away from the building.

Rentokil advises seeking professional pest control if the problem becomes unmanageable.

A flight attendant has shared her favourite passenger behaviours she “loves” to see whenever she’s working aboard a plane – and these “basic” habits can make all the difference at 30,000 feet

A flight attendant has revealed the top five “basic” habits she “absolutely loves” witnessing from passengers while flying. Aeroplane etiquette remains a contentious subject, with countless travellers holding firm views on what constitutes appropriate and considerate conduct on board – whether that’s the acceptability of reclining your seat, whether you’re obligated to switch seats when asked to by a stranger travelling with a young child, and various other scenarios.

Blasting audio without headphones, repeatedly kicking the seat in front, or disregarding cabin crew instructions are rightly viewed by reasonable people as unacceptable ways to act when flying. Nevertheless, certain passengers continue to engage in unpleasant and unwelcome behaviour.

Eager to highlight the positive actions displayed by some travellers on a plane, one flight attendant turned to TikTok with a simple video showing her working behind the scenes, preparing food and drinks during a flight.

In text overlaid across the footage, she wrote: “My top five favourite things passengers do on a plane”.

In the caption, she expanded on this, and continued: “Top 5 things passengers do that I absolutely love:

1. “When you take your headphones out as I walk up to your row

“Instant respect. You see me. I see you. We’re already besties.”

2. “When you actually pay attention during announcements.

“I promise I’m not just talking to hear my own voice.”

3.”When you give a smile and a genuine ‘thank you’.

“You have no idea how far that goes at 30,000 feet.”

4. “When you keep your shoes on.

“Especially in the lavatory. We all know that floor is not holy water.”

5. “When you treat the plane like it’s not your personal living room.

“It’s someone’s workplace. And someone else’s ride home.”

She added: “It’s really that simple. Kindness + awareness + basic hygiene = elite passenger status.”

In the comments section, people were keen to share their thoughts. One person said: “So actually basics and human behaviour”.

To which, another replied: “So sad so many people are selfish, rude and ignorant”.

A third said: “Blows my mind people don’t genuinely thank the crew when getting off a flight or after they bring you something”.

And a fourth commented: “When I’m getting off the plane and looking at people’s mess they leave, it makes me mad so I can only imagine how you feel”.

While the vast majority of TikTok users were in agreement with the flight attendant’s sentiments, some did take umbrage with one particular point – the divisive debate around removing shoes on a plane.

One TikTok user said: “I’m down for everything except shoes on at my seat. I’m so sorry I have to take them off”.

Another agreed: “Anymore than a four hour flight and the shoes are coming off and slippers going on”.

And someone else added: “I think shoes off is okay as long as you’re not barefoot and put them back on when you leave your seat. And if you travel a lot, nobody is listening to that nonsense – sorry. Everything else 1000%”.

Others emphasised the importance of showing gratitude and respect towards cabin crew.