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Harry Potter flagship store to launch on London’s Oxford Street

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Harry Potter flagship store to launch on London’s Oxford Street

Karl Durrant, WB’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Retail said: “Harry Potter is deeply rooted in British storytelling, and this will give fans an exciting new way to experience this magical world in the city that features so prominently in the stories. Offering a completely new retail experience for Harry Potter fans which will delight and entertain, it’s going to be very special.”

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Iran war: The US is burning through ammo. Its enemies will be taking notice | World News

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Iran war: The US is burning through ammo. Its enemies will be taking notice | World News

America’s allies in the Middle East are reportedly begging Donald Trump for a swift end to the conflict.

A key reason is they are rapidly running out of ways to defend themselves if Iran’s counter-attack continues.

Iran’s neighbours, like the UAE, have been remarkably effective at shooting down Iranian missiles and drones.

But the expenditure is not financially, or logistically, sustainable.

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An analysis by Kirsty Grieco, a security expert at the Stimson Centre in Washington DC, found the UAE had shot down an impressive 92% of Iranian missiles and drones including 165 ballistic missiles, 541 Shahed drones, and two cruise missiles.

Assuming it used its American-made Patriot or THAAD missile batteries – one of the few ground-based interceptor systems capable of downing Iran’s ballistic missiles – it is a high price compared to Iran’s.

A single patriot missile cost between $4-5m (export prices can be significantly higher), while an Iranian ballistic missile costs just $1-2m.

And when it comes to targeting Iran’s drones, the economics get even more dismal.

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‘The maths clearly favours Iran’

Grieco estimates Iran spent in the region of $11m to $27m on the 541 drones it launched on the UAE, with interceptors averaging $500,000-$1.5m per drone to shoot down 506 of them.

The UAE’s drone defence costs were between $253M and $759M, suggesting itspent 20 to 30 times more defending itself against Iran’s drones than it cost the attacker launching them.

“The maths clearly favours Iran in this strategy of attrition because we don’t know exactly how many Shahed drones they might have in their stockpiles,” said Grieco.

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“But it’s much larger than the combined total of the stockpile of interceptor missiles that are available.”

The race is on

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The pressure that puts on the US and its allies may also now be influencing their tactical response.

“We’re now seeing sort of a race between Israel and the US trying to locate this drone infrastructure, to try to destroy it, to reduce the pressure on these interceptors, versus Iran trying to keep it an active, a mobile and active threat, and to be able to sustain this longer,” said Grieco.

It’s being reported that allies in the Middle East asking the US to replenish their supplies are being “stonewalled” by the Pentagon.

While the US military can bear the financial costs of its campaign, its ammunition stockpiles may not.

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Trump said yesterday the US attack on Iran could last four to five weeks. But does he have the resources to do that?

‘Long-term strategic risk’

Leaks from the Pentagon ahead of the assault indicated it only had resources for an attack lasting week or two at most.

Analysts estimate that the US military may deploy up to 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles on ships and submarines sent to Iran.

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That’s around 10% of the estimated 4,000 Tomahawks in the US military’s arsenal.

Stockpiles of its THAAD interceptor missiles are also thought be depleted. The US launched 150 THAAD missiles in its attack on Iran last June – about a quarter of its total inventory of 632.

Read more from Sky News:
AI could be giving US lethal edge
Iran ‘made a mistake’ targeting civilians

While the Pentagon has moved to increase production of these and other missiles, replacement could take two or three years.

“We are using these interceptors at a rate that’s much faster than you can possibly replace them,” said Grieco.

“The US can choose to buy down short-term risk in the Middle East [by] devoting more interceptors to the conflict.

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“The problem is that increases your long-term strategic risk. Particularly in other theatres because not only can you not replace these interceptors overnight, you can’t even replace them necessarily this year.”

America’s watchful adversaries

If the conflict continues, financial and logistical asymmetry of combatting Iran’s drones is a deadly one for Iran’s neighbours.

For the US, it’s less existential – it can sail away from the Middle East once it has run out of ammo.

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However, America’s other enemies will be counting the rounds fired in this conflict too.

What’s to stop a “peer adversary” like China launching an attack on Taiwan, for example, if it knows the US won’t have the munitions to prevent it?

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Aston Villa vs Chelsea FC: Prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, team news, h2h results, odds

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Aston Villa vs Chelsea FC: Prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, team news, h2h results, odds

Draws with Leeds and Burnley ahead of Sunday’s derby defeat by Arsenal leave the Blues without a win in the league since they beat Wolves last month, and they will hope to get back to winning ways on return to the Midlands.

Liam Roseniors’ side have slipped to sixth in the Premier League as a result, though they can breathe fresh life into their push to qualify for the Champions League with three points against the Villans.

Unai Emery’s men, who sit fourth, come into the match reeling from a 2-0 defeat by Wolves, who sit bottom with just 13 points to their name.

It continues a rough patch of form for Villa, who have now won just one of their last six matches in all competitions.

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Here is everything you need to know about the match…

Date, kick-off time and venue

Aston Villa vs Chelsea is scheduled for a 7.30pm GMT kick-off on Wednesday, March 4, 2026

The match will take place at Villa Park in Birmingham.

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Where to watch Aston Villa vs Chelsea

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports 3, with coverage beginning at 7pm ahead of a 7.30pm kick-off.

Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.

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An Oscar race that looked over might be heating up

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An Oscar race that looked over might be heating up

NEW YORK (AP) — Who says to beware the Ides of March?

A March 15 Academy Awards may feel late. By then, it will be almost a year since “Sinners” sunk its teeth into moviegoers last April. Some nominees have been on the campaign trail since the Cannes Film Festival in May.

But the upside of a prolonged Oscar race has meant some unexpected late drama. Think about the same movies long enough, and minds can change. For months, Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” sailed through awards season, picking up prize after prize. But the wins for “Sinners” and Michael B. Jordan at Sunday’s Actor Awards — along with some other recent developments — have given the Oscar race what Smoke or Stack might call fresh blood.

An Academy Awards that had looked like a runaway might be a close call, after all. With Oscar voting ending Thursday, let’s survey the top categories

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Best Picture

WHERE THINGS STAND

“One Battle After Another” has won at the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs, the Producers Guild and the Directors Guild. But its nearly unblemished record was shaken up at Sunday’s Actor Awards (formerly the SAG Awards), where “Sinners” took the top prize. You’d have to have quite a few rounds at the “Sinners” juke joint to convince yourself that anything else has much of a chance.

WHAT HAS THE EDGE

The tea leaves are strongest for Anderson’s “One Battle After Another.” The Producers Guild, which uses a preferential ballot like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences does, is among the most predictive of bellwethers. Their winners have matched the last five years and in eight of the last 10 years.

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The actors guild best ensemble prize, on the other hand, has a shaky track record. In the last 31 years, the SAG winner has matched the Oscar champ only 15 times. The win for “Sinners,” though, came right in the midst of Oscar voting. It was a good time to show out. So this race feels close to a coin flip, with a Warner Bros. movie on both sides. The awards season resume makes “One Battle After Another” the front-runner. But “Sinners,” even with a record-setting 16 Oscar nominations, gets to play the underdog.

Best Actor

WHERE THINGS STAND

This has been one of the most competitive and hard-to-call races of the season. Look at Leonardo DiCaprio. He gives one of the best performances of his career, in the best picture favorite, and he’s still a long shot. Instead, Timothée Chalamet was widely perceived as in the lead after early wins at the Globes and the Critics Choice Awards for his frenetic performance in “Marty Supreme.” But the BAFTAs muddied the waters (Robert Aramayo, not in the Oscar mix, was the unexpected winner). And “Sinners” star Michael B. Jordan, much to his surprise, won at the Actor Awards.

WHO HAS THE EDGE

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Chalamet’s maybe meta campaign, full of swagger and braggadocio, rubbed some voters the wrong way. At the same time, many in the academy felt the 30-year-old should have won last year, for his Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown” — a year when he won with the actors guild but lost to Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”) at the Oscars. Chalamet will hope the reverse happens this year. But the academy is notoriously resistant to rewarding young stars. Jordan, 39, isn’t much older. But it now suddenly feels like his moment.

Best Actress

WHERE THINGS STAND

Since the fall festival launch of “Hamnet,” Jessie Buckley has been the favorite. She’s won at the Globes, the BAFTAs and the Actor Awards. Her closest competition is probably Rose Byrne, who won at the Globes in the comedy/musical category for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.”

WHO HAS THE EDGE

This one’s easy. Fortunes have fluctuated in most of the top categories, but Buckley has been entrenched as the front-runner for months.

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Best Supporting Actor

WHERE THINGS STAND

Sean Penn, a two-time Oscar winner, has done nearly no campaigning, yet he finds himself the favorite after winning at the Actor Awards and the BAFTAs. But several other nominees remain in the mix. Stellan Skarsgård (“Sentimental Value”) won at the Globes and is the kind of widely-liked veteran actor the academy likes to reward. But so is Delroy Lindo (“Sinners”), who was a surprise Oscar nominee. In the eyes of many, Lindo has quickly joined the contenders.

WHO HAS THE EDGE

Penn’s recent wins put him clearly in the lead, and he might stay there. But this remains a category rife with possibilities. The academy’s strong international leanings should help Skarsgård. And it wasn’t an accident that when “Sinners” won best ensemble at the Actor Awards, Lindo gave the acceptance speech.

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Best Supporting Actress

WHERE THINGS STAND

This category has been all over the map. Teyana Taylor (“One Battle After Another”) won at the Globes. Wunmi Mosaku (“Sinners”) won at the BAFTAs. And Amy Madigan (“Weapons”) won at both the Actor Awards and the Critics Choice Awards.

WHO HAS THE EDGE

Any of those three could win. Two of them — Taylor and Mosaku — have the benefit of co-starring in films the academy obviously loves. “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” have 29 nominations between them, while “Weapons” has only the one. Yet the 75-year-old Madigan, another celebrated character actor who’s been great for decades, has the momentum thanks to her charming Actors Award speech.

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Gulf states weigh response to Iranian strikes

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Gulf states weigh response to Iranian strikes

The six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman – met in emergency session on Sunday to express solidarity and pledge to “take all necessary measures to defend their security and stability and to protect their territories, citizens, and residents, including the option of responding to the aggression.”

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Royal College of Surgeons called in to Leslie Irwin NHS investigation

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Royal College of Surgeons called in to Leslie Irwin NHS investigation

Earlier this year, an investigation and recall of patients connected to Leslie Irwin, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon who worked for the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust between 2001 and 2023, was launched.

Dozens of patients have come forward over recent weeks who have previously undergone surgery from Mr Irwin, 63, often on multiple occasions over several years.

Leslie Irwin (Image: SUPPLIED)

Spire Washington Hospital, where Mr Irwin also practiced, confirmed earlier this year that his work had been identified as being of “concern” and it had recalled a number of his former patients following an internal investigation into their care.

Mr Irwin retired from Sunderland Royal Hospital in May 2022, and despite Spire’s action against Irwin becoming public in January this year, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust said only that it was “considering any implications, the Trust is not currently recalling any patients”.

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However, the NHS Trust has now significantly changed its stance, following widespread media reporting and a significant number of patients coming forward, and has confirmed it has sought the support of the Royal College of Surgeons in investigating the care Mr Irwin gave to patients.

Spire Hospital in Washington (Image: Stuart Boulton)

On Tuesday (March 3), the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that it had brought in the Royal College of Surgeons to review work carried out by its orthopaedic surgery department.

A statement from the Trust said: “We are liaising with Spire in relation to concerns over Mr Leslie Irwin and are currently working through the details of which patients the Trust will need to review.

“We have also asked the Royal College of Surgeons to support us in this process. As part of this review, we will be in touch with any former patients directly and as a matter of priority.”

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Separately, the Royal College of Surgeons has also revealed that it was instructed by the Trust to help with its review.

A spokesperson for the RCS said: “At the invitation of South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, the Royal College of Surgeons of England has been commissioned to carry out an invited review of a series of episodes of patient care relating to orthopaedic surgery at the Trust.

Sunderland Royal Hospital (Image: Stuart Boulton)

“Our invited reviews, which are advisory, enable expert teams to determine whether there is cause for concern about surgical practice or a surgical service, and/or individual episodes of care, and to make recommendations for improvement.

“Our unwavering commitment to patient care is why we offer healthcare organisations an invited review service.”

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Mr Irwin who worked for the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust between 2001 and 2023, retired in 2022, but a selection of his patients have been contacted directly by Spire over potential issues with his work. 

Mr Irwin relinquished his role with the General Medical Council (GMC) in May 2025, which now means that no GMC investigation into his work is now possible.

Spire Healthcare suspended Mr Irwin in August 2023 and withdrew his practising privileges in September 2024.

The private practice started recalling patients who were operated on by Mr Irwin during his time at Spire Washington Hospital in the summer of 2025.

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The Care Quality Commission (CQC) confirmed that it inspected Spire Washington Hospital in October last year after concerns were raised with it, and would be publishing its findings in due course.

Sunderland Royal Hospital (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Law firm Slater and Gordon has reported significant numbers of patients coming forward with concerns over the surgery they had with Mr Irwin.

John Lowther, specialist clinical negligence solicitor at Slater and Gordon in the North East, is leading the firm’s investigations into the work of Mr Irwin at both Sunderland Royal Hospital and Spire Washington Hospital.

“We have been investigating cases against Leslie Irwin for some time, but have seen very significant numbers of new people coming forward since Spire announced its investigation.

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“We know from patients who were with Mr Irwin at Sunderland Royal Hospital, how upsetting and frustrating they found the initial stance of the NHS Trust,” he says.

South Tyneside and Sunderlans NHS Trust (Image: STUART BOULTON)

“It was very concerning how one place where Mr Irwin worked was concerned enough to investigate him, ban him from practicing and contact former patients proactively to highlight issues in their care, while the other took no action at all.

“We, of course, welcome the overdue announcement that the Trust has sought the support of a specialist from the Royal College of Surgeons, and hope this can help answer some of the many questions that exist around the practice of Mr Irwin over the course of many years.

“We will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of our clients in pursuit of this.”

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Spire Washington says they have been in touch with patients and are reviewing specific procedures undertaken by Mr Irwin. 



A Spire Healthcare spokesperson: “We sincerely apologise to those patients who did not receive an appropriate standard of care from Mr Leslie Irwin, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon who has not practised at Spire Washington Hospital since 2023.

“We are currently reviewing specific procedures that were provided to a select cohort of patients of Mr Irwin and are in direct contact with these patients to offer support at what we recognise is a concerning time.

“The review is being run in accordance with NHS England’s National Quality Board: Recall Framework, which Spire Healthcare helped to develop.

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“If any Spire Washington patients have questions about the care provided by Mr Irwin, they can call 0191 720 3031 or email spirepne@spirehealthcare.com and a member of the dedicated review team will call them back.”

Mr Irwin has not responded to requests for comment by The Northern Echo.

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Newcastle vs Man Utd: Prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, team news, h2h results, odds

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Newcastle vs Man Utd: Prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, team news, h2h results, odds

Newcastle, meanwhile, have fallen well off the pace in the race for a European berth, arguably due to the demands of their Champions League campaign and resultant injuries.

Their middling form will give Carrick some confidence, too. The Magpies come into this tie having lost five of their last six league matches, most recently tasting defeat at home to Everton. They also failed to beat relegation favourites Wolves in late January.

They are facing a brutal run of fixtures, too, with Manchester City in the FA Cup, Barcelona in the Champions League, and a league visit to Chelsea all on the horizon, before the month ends with the small matter of a Tyne and Wear derby.

Date, kick-off time and venue

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Newcastle vs Manchester United is scheduled for an 8.15pm GMT kick-off on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.

The match will take place at St. James’ Park in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Where to watch Newcastle vs Manchester United

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage starting at 7pm GMT ahead of an 8.15pm kick-off.

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Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.

Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog!

Newcastle vs Manchester United team news

United’s injury list has grown considerably in recent weeks, with three defenders picking up new issues.

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NHS urges parents to following ’11am to 3pm rule’ from March to October

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Daily Record

The NHS published guidance for families with young children on its official website

According to the latest guidance on the NHS website, parents are being advised to follow a specific ‘rule’ at certain times of the day. The health service’s website offers advice on sunscreen and sun safety for people across the UK, including recommendations for families starting from March.

The advice comes as spring begins, with the Met Office noting that meteorological spring starts on March 1, while astronomical spring begins around March 20 in the UK, bringing longer days and warmer temperatures.

As a result, NHS guidance to “spend time in the shade when the sun is strongest” comes into effect. The NHS states: “In the UK, this is between 11am and 3pm from March to October. Make sure you spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm.”

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Parents are also urged to “take extra care with children”. Highlighting the importance of sun protection for the young, the NHS provides specific advice for families with babies and children, the Mirror reports.

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What does the NHS say about sun protection for children?

The official NHS website states: “Take extra care to protect babies and children. Their skin is much more sensitive than adult skin, and damage caused by repeated exposure to sunlight could lead to skin cancer developing in later life. Children aged under six months should be kept out of direct strong sunlight.”

The advice continues: “From March to October in the UK, children should:

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  • cover up with suitable clothing
  • spend time in the shade, particularly from 11am to 3pm
  • wear at least SPF30 sunscreen

“Apply sunscreen to areas not protected by clothing, such as the face, ears, feet and backs of hands.” The NHS also advises that if children go swimming, parents should use water-resistant sunscreen and reapply it immediately after they leave the water, since swimming can wash it off.

Ways parents can protect children’s skin

Cancer Research UK says parents can support the sun safety of children and teenagers in a number of ways. The charity’s website explains: “Sun safety is important at all ages. The best way to protect adult or children’s skin is to use a combination of shade, clothing and sunscreen.

“Remember, sunscreen doesn’t give complete protection from the sun. It always needs to be used together with shade, clothing, a hat and UV protection sunglasses. Apply sunscreen regularly and generously, using a minimum of SPF 30 and a 4 or 5 star rating.”

The guidance continues: “Sunscreen should not be used on babies under 6 months old, so think about shade and covering them up with clothing. The NHS recommends that babies under 6 months should be kept out of direct sunlight.

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“Children and teenagers might need a reminder or a helping hand when it comes to sun safety. But setting a good example yourself is a great way to help them learn how to be safe in the sun.”

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US names four service members killed in drone strike in Kuwait as tensions rise

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Manchester Evening News

Hundreds of people have been killed in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East which is entering its fifth day on Wednesday

The United States has named of four of the six service members who died in a drone strike in Kuwait during the ongoing conflict with Iran.

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All four Army Reserve soldiers died on Sunday, March 1 in a drone strike on a command centre in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.

Israel and the US carried out joint strikes on several key Iranian sites on Saturday, February 28. During the strikes over the weekend, Iran’s supreme leader at the time, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed. Iran has responded with strikes across the Middle East, causing widespread panic across the region.

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The Associated Press reported that all were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, lowa.

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Four of the six service members have been named as:

  • Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida
  • Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska
  • Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota
  • Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa

Reuters news agency reported the following death tolls according to information by the involved countries as of March 3, but had not independently verified these deaths:

  • Iran: 787 people killed, according to the non-profit humanitarian group Iranian Red Crescent Society. It was unclear if the death toll included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military casualties
  • Israel: 10 civilians killed, according to Israel’s ambulance service Magen David ‌Adom. ⁠The Israel Defense Forces has reported no military casualties
  • Lebanon: 50 people killed, according to Lebanon’s health ministry
  • Bahrain: One person killed, according to the interior ministry
  • Kuwait: Three ⁠people killed, according to Kuwait’s health and foreign ministries
  • Oman: One person killed, Reuters reported
  • United Arab Emirates: Three people killed, according to UAE’s defense ministry
  • US military: Six US service members, according to U.S. Central Command

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Wet winter, hot summer? What ‘climate whiplash’ means for the UK

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Wet winter, hot summer? What ‘climate whiplash’ means for the UK

After a dry 2025 with the UK’s warmest summer on record, winter 2026 delivered something very different: rain for 50 days in a row in parts of Devon and Cornwall, one of the rainiest seasons on record and only 80% of average sunshine.

Scientists have given this a name: climate whiplash.

Climate whiplash describes rapid swings from one type of weather extreme to another, most commonly from really persistent drought to really persistent wet weather. Globally, such swings have increased in recent decades. Shorter-term whiplashes over a few months have become roughly a third to two-thirds more frequent, while year-to-year swings have increased by up to a third.

In Europe and the UK these swings tend to be driven by the jet stream, a fast-moving body of air higher up in the atmosphere. This winter, it was sat across the south of the UK and moved fast, blowing wet and windy weather from the northern Atlantic.

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Weather often moves in “systems” – large rotating masses of similar air – and these systems effectively bump into one another like billiard balls. This winter, however, a large block of settled weather stayed in place across Europe. This acted like a barrier, causing the wet weather carried by the jet stream to slow down across the UK.

Will the UK whiplash back into drought?

Predicting what the UK’s summer will look like months in advance is challenging. Seasonal forecasting does exist, but it can’t tell us if it will rain on a particular day in July. What it can do is estimate the likelihood of certain weather trends – such as hotter or drier conditions – developing over the course of a season.

These forecasts are getting better. Under certain conditions, by May, scientists can now anticipate an increased risk of heat extremes in Europe that summer. Other research suggests that combined heat and drought extremes can sometimes be forecast one to two months ahead.

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The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts just released its forecast for June 2026, showing how summer temperatures might deviate from the long-term average across Europe. Warmer tones suggest a higher chance of above-average temperatures.
ECMWF, CC BY-SA

Early indications for summer 2026 suggest that the UK will probably experience slightly drier than average conditions in early summer, with an added risk of extreme heat. That does not make a hot, dry summer inevitable. But it would be consistent with climate whiplash.

More broadly, climate projections suggest that the UK and much of Europe are likely to experience more of these “flipflop” weather patterns – persistent dry spells followed by months of downpours, or vice versa – as the world warms. Although a wet winter does not automatically lead to a dry summer, the jet stream is a key driver in all of our weather throughout the year.

Why this matters

Policy is still largely designed around averages, yet the weather is behaving less and less like an average year. If the UK is heading for an era of sharper swings between flood and drought, policymaking and adaptation systems will need to catch up.

Take housing and insurance, for example. Flood Re, the government’s reinsurance scheme that keeps flood cover affordable, is only eligible for houses built before January 2009. Since then, more than 100,000 new homes have been built-in high-risk flood areas – homes that may face rising premiums just as extreme rainfall increases.

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À lire aussi :
How the UK is keeping flood insurance affordable – until 2039


In addition, we know that 80% of houses in the UK overheat in the summer. Many properties will be doubly vulnerable: too wet in winter, too hot in summer.

Climate whiplash also threatens food security. Fields can be waterlogged when planting yet too dry and dusty as crops approach harvest, lowering the yields that are produced. Transport networks are similarly exposed: some rail lines were submerged during winter floods, only a few months after a summer drought caused lines nearby to buckle as the underlying soil dried up.

These events are signs of systems – from insurance to infrastructure – being tested by weather swinging between extremes harder and faster than ever.

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The UK prepares for these risks through a process set out by the 2008 Climate Change Act, which requires regular assessments of how climate change will affect the country. Every five years the UK’s independent Climate Change Committee produces a risk assessment which the government must respond to.

The next assessment, due later in 2026, will land after a year of extremes. If the UK is indeed entering its whiplash era, the question is whether adaptation plans will keep up.

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‘I saw a woman die alone in a Welsh A&E department – nobody held her hand’

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Wales Online

An elderly woman spent her final moments alone in a hospital corridor, shielded from view only by a blanket placed over her face. That is the distressing scene Nadia Wainwright says she witnessed inside the A&E department at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Denbighshire on Monday evening.

Nadia, from Henllan, near Denbigh, had rushed to the hospital after her partner fell ill. She found herself caught in what she describes as an “extremely overcrowded” department, with patients lining corridors in chairs and beds as families kept anxious watch wherever there was space to stand.

Opposite where Nadia and her mother-in-law were sitting, an “elderly, frail woman” lay on a trolley, reports North Wales Live.

Nadia recounted that the woman passed away in full view of other patients, until a paramedic stepped in to place a blanket over the woman’s face to maintain her dignity.

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The Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board stated it could not comment on individual patient circumstances due to confidentiality, but acknowledged that such an incident would be “deeply upsetting for families, other patients, and members of the public”.

Nadia described the moment she and her mother-in-law realised the woman was unresponsive, and their attempts to alert staff.

“My mother-in-law and I noticed that the patient did not seem to be moving,” Nadia said. “We’d had no sleep, and we couldn’t think (straight) as there were so many people, and my partner was seriously ill. Then we saw the paramedic walk past, and we were trying to get his attention about the lady.

“She appeared to be in distress and was making grunting noises. Staff were walking past, and she did not appear to be receiving attention. She had passed away alone in the corridor with no privacy and no one holding her hand. I know NHS staff are under huge pressure. No patient – especially an elderly and vulnerable person – should be left alone in a corridor in such circumstances.

“The paramedic then realised that she had passed away and began shouting for staff assistance, and it then took approximately five minutes for staff to respond and attend to the patient. During this time, the paramedic pulled the blanket over her face.

“This was extremely upsetting for us to witness, especially as I have never seen a deceased person before. The situation was handled in a way that felt distressing and lacked sensitivity, and it has had a significant emotional impact on us.

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“I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m so angry. I couldn’t leave my partner by himself, as I was feeling unsettled by how long it took staff to respond to the deceased lady. It was absolutely chaotic there. There were no beds, no blankets.”

Nadia explained that her mother had to assist another elderly woman in her eighties in the A&E department to empty her catheter, fetch a drink, and contact her family. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here

She added: “Some of the managers and directors of the health board should spend some time on these corridors. Perhaps they could sit with these patients. No one should be left to die unattended like that.”

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Tremeirchion councillor Chris Evans commented: “There is no way that anybody should be dying in a corridor whilst staff are walking past. We can put as much money into Betsi, which we want. We can build a hospital in Rhyl with a measly 14 beds. That will do nothing when we’ve lost all the beds we have in the whole of Betsi. The problem isn’t getting sorted. People are dying without any dignity.”

Rhyl councillor Brian Jones said: “This is another horrific example of the flaws in A&E in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. When will the senior management get out of their denial (insisting) that everything is all right?”

Angela Wood, the board’s executive director of nursing and midwifery, responded: “We are aware of a post being shared on social media describing a distressing experience within the Emergency Department at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd. We cannot comment on individual patient circumstances for reasons of confidentiality; however, we recognise that witnessing a medical emergency or a patient who is critically unwell can be deeply upsetting for families, other patients, and members of the public.

“We want to be clear that providing care with dignity, compassion, and respect is fundamentally important to us. Corridor care is not something we want for our patients, and we fully understand the concern and anxiety it can cause when people see this happening.

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“We recognise that too many patients within our Emergency Departments are waiting longer than they should, and that this can have a real and distressing impact on individuals and their families. We know that at times some patients are not receiving the standard of environment or experience we would want for them, and we are absolutely committed to addressing this.

“In common with NHS providers across the United Kingdom, our Emergency Departments are under significant and sustained pressure, necessitating the temporary use of corridor care for some patients. Additional clinical oversight is provided in these areas to ensure patient safety is maintained.

“A significant programme of improvement is underway across the health and social care system to address the causes and consequences of long waits in our Emergency Departments. This includes placing experienced clinicians at the front door to assess and stream patients more quickly, improving early access to specialist teams, strengthening senior clinical decision-making, and expanding care closer to home so that only those who need emergency hospital treatment attend our departments.

“We are also working closely with local authority and health and care partners to address delays in discharging patients who are medically fit to leave hospital, as this has a direct impact on patient flow and crowding.”

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She further stated: “We have now been contacted directly by the author of the social media post and will be speaking with them to understand the circumstances in more detail.”

A spokeswoman for the Welsh Government said: “We are aware of the social media post and are seeking assurance from the health board on the circumstances.

“More broadly, delivery of care in undesignated or non-clinical environments is not acceptable. It compromises patient dignity, safety, and staff wellbeing.

“We aim to end this practice with system-wide reform and have clearly outlined our expectations for health boards to ensure patients move efficiently through hospitals and return to their communities, reducing avoidable harm.

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“We have also targeted an additional £200 million to better manage staffing needs, same day emergency care, and community services.”

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