I’VE always believed that cash is king and much prefer using it on a day to day basis.

But with the increase of illegal workers and money laundering, cash in hand has become an easy way to pay and fund illegal activities.

With this in mind cash in certain situations has become a liability.

Certain jobs that involve cash payments should be instructed to receive only card payments and monitored. By removing ready cash it will be harder work illegally and prevent money laundering.

D M Deamer,

Penleys Grove Street ,

Monkgate,

York

—

Why the PM is ‘delusional’

LISTENING to Starmer at PMQs, I did not realise we live in such a well run country, prosperous, where the cost of living is of no concern to anyone, utility services virtually cost free, a health service without fault, business growth beyond even Trump proportion.

The man is so delusional he is in love with his own propaganda, he needs telling the moon is not made of green cheese and only fantasists reside in cuckoo land.

Peter Rickaby,

Moat Way,

Brayton,

North Yorkshire

—

‘Crackpot’ idea

SO the latest crackpot idea from Ed Miliband is to create solar panel farms in space. Perhaps a good idea if the rocket taking these panels included Miliband.

Barrie Crowther,

Walton,

Wakefield

—

Number crunching

WHO can remember their Co-Op ‘divi’ number from years ago?

Curiously I can recall it better than far more recent ‘digital age’ numbers.

I can’t reveal the actual digits for security reasons.

Knowing the number ‘off pat’ (not the local postman by the way) was part of growing up; it had to be quoted accurately and unerringly, whenever on an errand to the Co-Op shop (not to be confused with the Cop shop, a place to be avoided by the kids on the estate!).

Cheating in the form of ink tattooing the palm of your hand with the magic number was allowed though a sign of weakness.

A copying ink pencil was useful for this purpose, a tool often deployed by blue-lipped ‘beat bobbies’ back then when noting in their pocket-book the name and address of a miscreant. The ‘divi’ number was a sort of treasured memory ultimately convertible into cash.

We’re required to memorise different numbers these days.

Too many for some.

People not confident in their powers of recollection can set a dangerous precedent by risking a tiny written memo to be secreted in cunning fashion but not so cunning that you forget where you put it.

Hiding places for these valuable and potentially vulnerable scraps of paper can range from a tooth cavity to under a bucket near the front door or from the sock drawer to the diary, or somewhere else.

I can also remember my Service Number which is of course, highly classified.

Derek Reed,

Middlethorpe Drive,

York

What do you think?

Feel strongly about an issue? Write us a letter. Please write no more than 250 words and you must provide your full name, address and mobile number. Send your views by email to: letters@thepress.co.uk

Challenging times

MANY older people are unable to manage in this digital world.

Nor can they afford it!

I am luckily able to use a computer but now find if I try to shop online I also need a mobile.

Good luck all you pensioners. The shops will value your custom.

Eunice Birch,

Sutton on Forest,

York

The signs for Arcadia, which was originally meant to open in late 2025, have gone up at the site on Skinnergate.

Designed by Direct Signs (Northern) Ltd, based on North Road in Darlington, the Arcadia logo is now up above the building.

Signs for a bar and rage room have also been added to the windows of the gaming venue.

Earlier this month, bosses provided an update on the renovation works and said when residents can expect the venue to open.

Signs have gone up for Arcadia on Skinnergate (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Writing on Facebook, Arcadia said: “You may now see plenty of people coming and going out of the building, upstairs renovation is coming on quick and it’s looking amazing!

“Downstairs bar starts next week, today we finished ripping out the old bar and plumbing. We’re not covering the windows so you can keep an eye on us! If you see people inside, give them a knock and a wave!

“We’ve ordered our signs and window stickers for the front of the building, hopefully they should be up in the next couple of weeks.

“We’ve got our internet going in next week finally, only took Virgin a month to get sorted, all our 4K CCTV is up and active to keep an eye on everyone during their time inside.

A picture posted to social media showed how the work is progressing at Arcadia Darlington (Image: ARCADIA)

“The second building lease process is coming along nicely and moving at a fast pace.

“Approximately four-six weeks until opening now, it’s finally so close and we cannot wait to show you all, what we’ve been creating, we want to be Darlington’s ultimate social fun safe space for everyone.”

In January, The Northern Echo reported the gaming site is set to open in early 2026.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Andrew Hoggart, the brains behind the idea, said: “It is not far off from being completed. Downstairs has not really been touched, but that is not going take that long to do. It should be open by February/March time.

Andrew Hoggart (Image: CONTRIBUTOR)

“I can put a month on it now when I have not been able to before. Most people have been asking for a while when Arcadia will open, but I can say it will be February or March.”

The venue is set to have everything from 360° virtual reality to adrenaline-pumping simulators and retro arcade classics.

The gaming spot will also have a licensed bar and offer three different children’s party experiences.

BBC Breakfast hosts Jon Kay and Sally Nugent shared a heartbreaking update on Monday

BBC Breakfast stars Jon Kay and Sally Nugent announced some devastating “breaking news” during the latest live show.

During Monday’s (March 2) edition of the hit morning programme, Jon and Sally updated viewers on the day’s biggest headlines from across the UK and around the world. They were joined in the studio by Matt Taylor, who presented weather forecasts throughout the show.

At the start of the programme, Jon and Sally shared breaking news after the US and Israel began an attack on Iran over the weekend. US President Donald Trump said it was to try and remove a threat from the Iranian regime.

Iran retaliated with attacks on Israel and on Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. After strikes landed in cities across Iran, Trump announced that the country’s Supreme Leader, Ali Hosseini Khamene, had been killed.

“An RAF base in Cyprus [has been] hit by a drone strike, following a weekend of military action across the Middle East,” Sally announced on today’s BBC Breakfast.

Political correspondent Henry Zeffman later described the situation as “pretty concerning”.

This is a breaking showbiz story and is being constantly updated. Please refresh the page regularly to get the latest news, pictures and videos.

You can also get email updates on the day’s biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters

Daniel Cullen (18) from Shantallow was killed alongside friend Caoimhin Porter-McLoone in the St Johnston crash on February 24

The funeral of Daniel Cullen, one of two young men tragically killed in a Donegal collision, heard how “he had a magnetic charisma, a real wit and a charm that people found irresistible.”

The 18-year-old from Shantallow in Co Derry, lost his life alongside his friend Caoimhin Porter-McLoone, also 18, in the fatal incident that occurred in St Johnston, Donegal on Tuesday night, February 24. Both teenagers were passengers in the vehicle that collided with a lorry on the R236.

The car’s driver, another man in his late teens, sustained serious injuries in the collision and remains hospitalised in Belfast. Caoimhin’s funeral Mass was held on Saturday morning.

READ MORE: Teenage friends from NI killed in Donegal crash named locally as community left numbREAD MORE: Funeral hears heartfelt tribute to ‘kind-hearted’ NI teen killed in Donegal crash

Chief mourners at Daniel’s funeral Mass on Sunday afternoon at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Derry included his devastated parents John Morrow and Sharon Cullen, his twin John Paul, brother Joe, sisters Bridie and Doniella, along with extended family and friends.

A framed photograph of a beaming Daniel was positioned on a table at the altar, reports the Irish Mirror.

Parish priest Fr Declan McGeehan addressed mourners: “We come today broken-hearted, full of grief and sadness. We become united as one community, united in love for Daniel and his family.

“We also pray for Caoimhin Porter-McLoone.

Advertisement

“Daniel was outgoing, extroverted, full of life,” Fr McGeehan told those assembled for Daniel’s Requiem Mass. “He was a sociable, gregarious and popular young fellow who loved being in the company of others – his family, his friends, his classmates here at Steelstown Primary, or in St Bridget’s College. Daniel would talk to everybody and anybody.

“He had a magnetic charisma, a real wit and a charm that people found irresistible.”

Fr McGeehan said over the past few days, the house has been packed with so many of his friends.

“And again, the crowds here this afternoon in this church are a witness to just how well loved he was among his peers, the whole of Shantallow, the whole of this parish, the city is united in grief, as Daniel made a great impression on everyone he met.

“He was a bit of a comedian too, a real wind up merchant, always willing and able to bring a bit of light-hearted banter to even the most serious situations,” said Fr McGeehan.

Fr McGeehan said that one of Daniel’s teachers said that whilst he was no trouble at all, it was always clear he never wanted to be in school.

“He had no interest whatsoever in the school work, but at the same time, he’d hardly miss a day, for he loved the social side of being at school surrounded by his friends, charming the girls, having a laugh and enjoying the banter,” said Fr McGeehan.

“He had ambitions to become a mechanic for he had an inquisitive mind that loved to know how things worked.

“He loved taking things apart, understanding them, fixing them and putting them back together.

“And again, he loved his time at the training centre, not for the formal learning side of things, but because he got to do practical things. And he also enjoyed the camaraderie with the other lads there.

“At home, Daniel was adored by all his siblings: his big brother Joe, twin brother John Paul, and two sisters, Bridie and Doniella. None of them were immune from his charm.

“He was the life and soul of any family gathering. He lit up any room he entered, and drew out the best in everyone.

“And of course, he was a firm favourite with all the younger children in the family, especially his wee cousins, they all gravitated toward him, for he was always there to play with them, to wind them up and to spoil them.”

Addressing Daniel’s grieving parents John and Sharon, Fr McGeehan said: “He was there for you when you needed him most. He was a rock for you at times, a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, and often, he had a wisdom beyond his years.

“He was the same for his grandparents too. All you needed to do was hint at something needed and done, and he’d be the first to get his hands dirty and muck in, clearing the garden, running messages, whatever it was he was on it, and you didn’t have to ask him twice.

“For Daniel was a big-hearted, compassionate young man who had that special ability to recognise when someone needed help, and more importantly, he was never slow to respond to that need and to offer whatever support he could.

“I think it’s fair to say that Daniel loved his style. He always made sure that he was dressed to perfection,” Fr McGeehan continued.

“He could never save any money for anything, for as soon as he gathered a few pounds together, he’d be up to town and to JD sports to buy another track suit or hats or trainers, sometimes at eye watering prices, not to mention his jewellery.

“He always looked dapper and would never leave the house without first looking at himself in the mirror and spraying a bit of scent,” said Fr McGeehan.

“It’s very easy when someone dies in tragic circumstances to allow those circumstances to define them, but our faith teaches us that it’s not the circumstances of life or death that define us.”

Speaking to Daniel’s heartbroken friends, Fr McGeehan assured them they are “not suffering alone, you have each other and there are many people out there who will be more than willing to help you and listen to you.

“If you do need help, or you need someone to turn to in the next days, weeks, months ahead, please reach out,” said Fr McGeehan.

Following the Requiem Mass, Daniel was laid to rest in Derry City Cemetery.

To ensure you don’t miss out on all the latest from Belfast Live, be sure to make us your preferred source on Google.

F1 is stepping into the unknown with some of the biggest rule changes the sport has ever seen, with the power unit, chassis, tyres and fuel all new for 2026.

Cars are now smaller and more environmentally friendly, with engines that have a near 50-50 split between electric and internal combustion power – and use fully sustainable fuels.

However, there is concern within F1 about the degree of energy management required, and how that will affect driving styles during qualifying and races.

The drag reduction system (DRS) has been replaced with overtake mode, which gives drivers a burst of extra electric energy when they are within one second of the car ahead at a detection point, typically the final corner.

DRS no longer exists because of active aero, which allows both the rear and front wings to adjust angles on the straights to reduce drag and to increase downforce in the corners.

During the second week of pre-season testing, Ferrari turned heads with their rotating ‘upside down’ rear wing when the car’s straight-line mode was activated.

Opinions were mixed on the new cars and regulations over the six days of testing in Bahrain.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen said they were “like Formula E on steroids” because of the engine’s increased demands for energy management, while seven-time title winner Lewis Hamilton commented that the new rules make F1 “ridiculously complex”, although he did say the cars were “more fun” to drive.

Sky’s Data and Forensics team has been monitoring shipping through the Strait of Hormuz – a strategically vital waterway for Iran and other oil producers in the Middle East. 

Maritime activity has been almost brought to a standstill as the US and Iran have traded strikes.

Hundreds of tankers are usually travelling through the Strait of Hormuz between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman at all times, with Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south. It’s the only marine outlet for this region’s main oil producers, including Iran.

In 2024, around a fifth of all global oil was flowing through the narrow waterway – the equivalent of 20 million barrels a day.

A snapshot from a month ago, on February 1, shows how busy the waterway is with vessels passing into and out of it.

On February 28, the day after the US and Israel carried out their first strikes on Iran, far fewer vessels were in the area and very little movement. By March 1, very few ships were in the strait, and vessels appeared to cluster around large ports on either side of the strait. 

Sky’s Data and Forensic team tracked several individual tankers. One – the KHK Empress – was already in the strait before turning back on Saturday at around 10:00 AM UTC. By Saturday evening, four others had turned away from the strait to head back out into the Gulf. And by Sunday, they were all on the move out of the region.

Analytics agency Kpler estimates that these five ships have the capacity to carry around 10 million barrels of oil.

Fear of being targeted on the route is not unfounded. On March 1, a Palau-flagged oil tanker, The Skylight, was attacked. Four people were injured, and the whole crew of 20 people was evacuated.

The US Navy is warning against navigation through the strait, and some traders are suspending transit. 

Interference with the ship tracking and communication system, AIS, is making the area even more dangerous. The images below show AIS signals, which ships use to broadcast their locations, on February 27 compared to 28 February.

The latter image shows distorted signals, with ships broadcasting locations that appear to be far from their true positions, or even on land.

Volatility in the Gulf will have an impact across the world. Disruption here will, in turn, disrupt global markets and international trade.  

In fact, Dr Toynbee, who passed away in January aged 105, might well remember who she was talking to, for as a rural doctor she inspired respect and affection among those in her Ryedale ‘patch’ for listening at length to those she treated.

Described as ‘amazing and incredible’ by those who knew her, Jean led a remarkable life.

The granddaughter of HH Asquith, the former British prime minister, she defied conventions of the time, going to university to study medicine and inspiring the novel National Velvet – which later became a film starring Elizabeth Taylor – through her love of horses.

Jean Constance Asquith was born in London in 1920, the second of four daughters of Brigadier General Arthur Asquith and his wife Betty (née Manners).

A young Jean Toynbee on the right, with her two sisters and her mother, Betty Manners. © National Portrait Gallery, London

Her father was the third son of Henry Herbert Asquith, the Liberal prime minister from 1908 to 1916 and later 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith. Her mother Betty was a daughter of the 3rd Baron Manners.

Jean had a privileged childhood, and horses were a central part of her early years. Family holidays to Clovelly, in Devon, involved transporting the horses with them by train — a photograph in the National Portrait Gallery collection shows a 14-year-old Jean with two of her sisters quite at home posing atop three horses.

Reputedly the author Enid Bagnold, her mother’s friend, was inspired by Jean’s love of horses to write the novel National Velvet (1935), which was later turned into a Hollywood film starring a young Elizabeth Taylor. The book follows the story of a 14-year-old girl named Velvet Brown, who trains and rides her beloved horse to victory in the Grand National steeplechase. And while Jean did not pursue glory with her horses, the story of a determined young woman defying expectations certainly speaks to her attitude.

Reputedly the author Enid Bagnold, her mother’s friend, was inspired by Jean’s love of horses to write the novel National Velvet (1935), which was later turned into a Hollywood film starring a young Elizabeth Taylor.

After obtaining her unlikely medical degree from Oxford, she completed her training at the Radcliffe Infirmary in the city.

During her degree her relationship with Lawrence Toynbee — the son of the historian Arnold Toynbee and the uncle of the future columnist Polly Toynbee — flourished, and they married in 1945 in a side chapel at Westminster Cathedral. They went on to have six daughters between 1946 and 1958.

Family life started in Oxford, where she became a part-time GP in Cowley serving the community around the Morris (later British Motor Corporation) car factory. Her husband trained as an artist at the Ruskin School of Drawing and subsequently became art master at St Edward’s School.

A 1935 portrait of Jean by William Nicholson. Nicholson had originally been asked to paint Mary, but found the characterful younger sister more appealing as a subject.

Lawrence inherited a small estate in Ganthorpe, north Yorkshire, in 1955 through his maternal grandmother Lady Mary Howard, the daughter of the 9th Earl of Carlisle and the wife of the classical scholar Gilbert Murray.

When the family finally moved to Ganthorpe ten years later, he went on to teach at Bradford College of Art — with David Hockney among his students — and Ampleforth College, of which he was an alumnus. Jean found new purpose by returning to GP practice, supporting established doctors in the villages of Ampleforth, Hovingham, Terrington and Stillington, and in her role as a medical officer at Ampleforth College.

Speaking at her funeral service, Philip Watson, one of her son-in-laws, said Jean’s absorption into Yorkshire life was greatly eased because she was herself a great ‘joiner-in’.

“She took part in bridge clubs and meals-on-wheels, then pony club events, acting as ‘doctor on call’ for point to points, Italian lessons, and invitations to her sisters to the Ryedale Festival every July.

“She once in her nineties insisted on travelling by herself in a day from Bordeaux to York by train to be on time to greet them. She was also an approachable and interested neighbour.

“Many conversations in the street in Malton would begin: ‘You won’t remember me, Dr Toynbee, but I was your patient when…’ She might in fact well remember them, since a strong part of her practitioner’s care was listening at length to their complaints, and no doubt for many that was as effective a treatment as any pill.

“She went on working into her seventies. Jean had pronounced views on many subjects but was obliged in a changing world to accept, if not adapt to, much that was different from what she had known.”

Philip said the affection and loyalty Jean inspired was in evidence at her funeral service.

“Her openness to people and her endless curiosity, emotional and intellectual, was always in evidence.

“She couldn’t resist inviting every heating engineer, plumber, electrician, gardener or builder in: ‘Won’t you have a glass of wine?’ Morning or evening made no difference. Her impeccable manners never left her, even in her last weeks of sleepy dementia.

“Which is not to say that she was ever a push-over. She belonged to the generation which eschewed soppy sentimentality and advised people to ‘pull themselves together’; though she did say with surprise that even as late as the 1940s her medical course had provided a total of only half an hour’s mental health training.

After Lawrence died in 2002 Jean suffered other tragedies with similar fortitude, two of her daughters dying before her.

Philip said: “This must have been very hard but, at least in my hearing, Jean rarely spoke of it. And, though not so harrowing, four of her sons-in-law died before her. No doubt these blows were a little softened by her great fondness for her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and step-grandchildren.”

Philip said Jean scored one achievement which will be unrepeatable. She received a birthday card from both Queen Elizabeth II on her 100th and from King Charles & Queen Camilla on her 105th birthday.

“Jean herself left notes setting out the form of her funeral service. And the coffin is a simple one at her particular request, and

not just penny-pinching by the family. Jean herself always used to say ‘when I’m dead just put me on the compost’. How typical of her to wish, in a slightly unhelpful way, to be of use to others right up to the end.

Concluding the eulogy, Philip said: “I’ve avoided, I think, using two words which Jean’s daughters got rather tired of hearing in relation to their mother: ‘amazing, incredible’. Well, I’m going to use them now, because she was, wasn’t she?”

Jean passed away on January 14, 2026, aged 105. A funeral service was held at All Saints Church, Terrington.

1
of
77

Read more

Source:
AFP

Iran has been hit by a series of US and Israeli airstrikes over the weekend as the two countries’ leaders called for the Iranian people to overthrow the regime.

The attacks, which are part of what the US has called Operation Epic Fury, killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in his Tehran compound, as well as dozens of senior Iranian officials.

Read more:
Live updates on strikes
Which Iranian officials are dead?
Attacks close Middle East airports

The aerial assault triggered retaliatory strikes by Iran on multiple countries in the Middle East as the regime vowed revenge.

It has fired drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations around the Gulf, as well as the tourism and business hub of Dubai.

So what has happened and where?

Iran

Iranian authorities say more than 200 people have been killed in the country since the start of the US and Israeli strikes on Saturday.

In a video on his Truth Social platform, Donald Trump said hundreds of Iranian targets have been hit, including Revolutionary Guard facilities and air defence systems, and the assault has wiped out Iran’s military command.

The US president told Fox News that 48 leaders in Iran have been killed, and wrote on Truth Social that nine Iranian naval ships have been destroyed and sunk.

The American military said an Iranian Jamaran-class corvette was struck by US forces at Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman during the start of the operation.

Advertisement

Share

Moment IDF strike Iranian headquarters

Israel said it killed 40 top Iranian military officials, including defence minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammed Pakpour.

Iranian state media said an alleged strike on an all-girls school in the southern city of Minab on Saturday killed at least 165 people.

But the Israeli military said it was not aware of any Israeli or American strikes in the area of the school.

Advertisement

Share

Giant explosion seen in Tehran

The Israeli military also said its planes have been carrying out strikes to open the “path to Tehran”, and the majority of aerial defence systems in western and ‌central Iran had been dismantled.

A spokesperson said ​many targets remained, including sites of military-industrial production.

Israel

At least nine people have been killed in Israel after a synagogue was hit by a strike in the central town of Beit Shemesh, according to authorities.

Advertisement

Share

Iran missile ‘penetrates bomb shelter’

Advertisement

Another 28 people were wounded in the attack.

In Tel Aviv, loud explosions caused by missile strikes or interceptions could be heard.

United States

Three American service members have been killed and five have been seriously injured in military operations targeting Iran, the US military says. It did not identify the service members.

But Sky’s US partner NBC News reported two US officials said the deadly attack happened in Kuwait.

United Arab Emirates

As Iran targeted the wider Gulf area, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Sunday that three people had been killed so far in Iranian attacks on the country.

The defence ministry said Iran had launched 165 ballistic missiles targeting the nation, of which 152 were destroyed. Thirteen fell into the sea, it added.

Iran launched 541 bomb-carrying drones at the UAE, of which 506 were destroyed.

Advertisement

Share

Damage in Dubai airport after Iranian strikes

Advertisement

Shrapnel from Iranian attacks on the Emirates’ capital of Abu Dhabi killed two people, state media said.

In Dubai, two ⁠people were injured after shrapnel from drones fell over two houses when they were intercepted, a Dubai state media office statement said.

Dubai’s international airport, its ‌landmark Burj Al Arab hotel and the Fairmont The Palm hotel on Palm Jumeirah Island all suffered damage, as did Abu Dhabi’s international airport.

Advertisement

Share

‘Debris from missile’ strikes hotel in Dubai

Advertisement

Kuwait

Kuwait’s health ministry said on Sunday that one person has been killed and 20 people have been wounded in retaliatory attacks by Iran.

A dozen people were injured in Kuwait in previous attacks on Saturday.

Advertisement

Share

Iranian drone shot down in Kuwait

Advertisement

The Kuwaiti defence ministry said Iran had fired 97 ballistic missiles and 283 drones towards the country.

Bahrain

Bahrain said a missile attack targeted the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters, and three buildings were damaged in the capital, Manama, and Muharraq city.

The UK’s Defence Secretary John Healey said Iranian missile and drone strikes came within a few hundred metres of a group of 300 British military personnel in Bahrain.

Qatar

An RAF Typhoon jet operating from Qatar used an air-to-air missile to “successfully” shoot down an Iranian drone heading towards Qatari territory, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said on Sunday.

Oman

A projectile hit the Marshall Islands-flagged ‌product tanker MKD VYOM, ​killing a crew member on board as ​the vessel ‌sailed off the coast ​of Oman, V.Ships – the company managing the vessel – has said.

Also in Oman, Iran struck the port of Duqm, which has been used by the US Navy as a logistical hub and is capable of hosting aircraft carriers.

Strait of Hormuz

The strategic Strait of Hormuz sees a fifth of the world’s traded oil pass through it, making it a crucial trading route on Iran’s southern border.

Oman says an oil tanker, a Palau-flagged vessel called Skylight, came under attack in the strait, wounding four mariners on board, the state-run Oman News Agency said.

A vessel off Mina Saqr in the UAE was hit by a projectile that caused a fire, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations centre.

The blaze was extinguished and the vessel was set to continue on its way.

A vessel in the strait off Iran also came under attack after Iranian officials reportedly threatened vessels transiting the strait over the radio.

In a sign of disruption to energy supplies, at least 150 tankers including crude oil and liquefied natural gas vessels
dropped anchor in open Gulf waters ​beyond the Strait of Hormuz.

And dozens more were stationary on the other side of the chokepoint, shipping data showed.

Cyprus

UK Defence Secretary John Healey also said that two missiles were fired in the direction of Cyprus, where the UK has bases. “We don’t believe they were targeted at Cyprus,” he said.

Jordan

Jordan said it “dealt with” 49 drones and ballistic missiles.

Pakistan

At least nine people were killed in clashes between protesters and police after hundreds of people stormed the US consulate in the port city of Karachi.

Police and officials said at least 25 people were also wounded and some of them were in a critical condition. Police said the demonstrators were later dispersed and the situation was under control.

The community Iftar and open house event will be held by Seek2Change at the Madina Mosque on St George’s Road just to the north of the town centre.

People will have the opportunity to share a meal as part of the fast-breaking ceremony, the Iftar.

Abdul Samad of Seek2Change said: “We’re delighted to invite you to our community Iftar and open house, open to everyone, people of all faiths and those of no faith.

“Join us in the spirit of Ramadan for an evening of reflection, connection, and community.”

A previous Iftar event at the Madina Mosque (Image: Public)

He added: “This evening is about community, hospitality, and meaningful connection in a relaxed and respectful setting.

“Come as you are, share food, stories, and a moment of Ramadan with us.”

The event will feature a guided tour of the mosque, a short talk by qualified professionals and an open question and answer session for honest conversation and gentle questions.

There will also be a welcoming environment for open dialogue and addressing common misconceptions and the opportunity to share food and break the fast together.

The Iftar will take place at 4pm on Saturday March 7 at the Madina Mosque on St George’s Road, Bolton.

Anyone interested in attending will need to register.

To find out more, members of the public can email info@seek2change.org.