Families and supporters of Americans detained in Iran say their loved ones face new dangers during the intensifying war, including the risk of becoming unintended casualties of Israeli and American bombardment or victims of retaliation from Iran’s repressive regime.
“For Americans imprisoned in Iran, this is about as terrifying a moment as it gets,” said Siamak Namazi, an Iranian American who was detained for nearly eight years before being released as part of a deal with the U.S. in 2023. “What these families are facing now is days of war with no clear end in sight.”
The U.S. government would not confirm how many Americans are being held in Iran, but the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, a hostage advocacy organization, said there are six and that they face “unprecedented danger” because of the military conflict.
The known cases include a reporter formerly based in Washington and a Jewish Iranian American from New York who traveled to Iran last year for family reasons and hasn’t been permitted to return to the U.S.
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At least two of the known detainees are housed in Evin Prison, the notorious Tehran penitentiary where Namazi was held, according to representatives for the individuals. The high-security facility holds many of the Islamic Republic’s political prisoners and has been the target of past Israeli bombardment.
Kamran Hekmati, a 61-year-old from Long Island detained at Evin, spoke with his wife on Monday, a few days into the war, to assure her that he was safe for now, according to Shohreh Nowfar, his cousin.
But the family worries his condition could quickly deteriorate because he hasn’t been receiving regular treatments for his bladder cancer in the months since he was detained, she said.
“It’s an uncertain time in an uncertain country,” said Nowfar, a Los Angeles resident.
Ryan Fayhee, a lawyer for Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian American reporter also detained at Evin, said he’s stressed the urgency of the moment in his regular talks with White House and State Department officials.
Israel’s military has taken to social media in recent days to warn residents living near the prison that they should evacuate amid the continuing airstrikes. The families of other foreign nationals imprisoned at Evin have told European news outlets that bombs have been hitting close enough to the detention center to blow out windows.
“It’s my job to let the administration and the Israeli government know that there are innocent American citizens within that prison,” Fayhee said. “They should take great care with this military action to avoid any unfortunate collateral damage.”
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White House and State Department officials declined to respond to specific questions about the status of the detainees out of concern for their safety and security, but called on Iran to immediately release them.
“President Trump has been clear that he wants every American wrongfully detained to be returned home safe and sound, and that there will be dire consequences for regimes who treat Americans as political pawns,” said Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson.
Valizadeh is among at least 15 reporters currently jailed in Iran, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The 50-year-old fled the country in 2009 after reporting on its pro-democracy protests, according to a petition his lawyers submitted to the United Nations in January.
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Valizadeh obtained U.S. citizenship in 2022 while working in Washington for Radio Farda, the Persian-language arm of Radio Free Europe, which receives U.S. government funding.
He was detained in 2024 after returning to Iran to visit his elderly parents and sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges that he was collaborating with the U.S. government.
The U.S. has since officially designated Valizadeh as wrongfully detained, meaning it believes him to be innocent and has assigned the case to the State Department’s special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, the government’s chief hostage negotiator.
Americans imprisoned on dubious charges
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Among the other Americans whose plight has become public is Afarin Mohajer, a California resident originally from Iran.
She was detained in September and charged with posting propaganda critical of the Islamic Republic on social media and insulting its Supreme Leader and Islam, according to her son Reza Zarrabi, a political activist who lives in Germany.
Zarrabi didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment this week, but he has told European media outlets that his mother isn’t politically active and that he believes she was arrested to silence his outspoken opposition to the regime.
Hekmati’s family, meanwhile, is convinced the New York City jewelry business owner is just the latest victim of Iran’s “hostage diplomacy.”
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The country for decades has detained Americans in the hopes of securing the release of Iranians locked up in the U.S. or exacting concessions from Washington. Just last week, the U.S. sought to impose costs on Iran for hostage-taking, with the State Department a day before the conflict began designating the country as a state sponsor of wrongful detention.
Nowfar said her cousin, Hekmati, left Iran after the 1979 revolution but has returned several times without issue.
Then in May, Iranian authorities stopped him at the airport, seized his passport and forbade him from leaving the country. He was eventually charged under an Iranian law that makes it illegal to have visited Israel within the past 10 years.
Hekmati’s family maintains that his last trip to Israel was some 13 years ago for his son’s Bar Mitzvah. They also dispute espionage-related charges that accuse him of having met with Mossad agents.
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“They just wanted to have a hostage. An American hostage,” Nowfar said.
There are also concerns that Hekmati’s faith exposes him to further mistreatment, says Kieran Ramsey, the chief investigative officer at Global Reach, a nonprofit working on Hekmati’s case.
“He’s not only American, he’s also Jewish — and we had had some concerns early on in this case of him” getting bullied, said Ramsey, who previously led the U.S. government’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell.
As for Namazi, he sympathizes with families seeking solace, recalling a chaotic 2022 fire that killed at least eight inmates during his time at Evin.
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“I remember the smoke, the confusion, and the total absence of reliable information,” the 54-year-old Washington resident said. “For us prisoners it was terrifying. My mother says that night was one of the hardest she endured.”
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Tucker reported from Washington.
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The Cambridge Half Marathon is set to return to the city’s streets, with more than 13,000 participants
Cambridge city centre roads will be closed for the half marathon on Sunday (March 8). The TTP Cambridge Half Marathon will start and finish on Victoria Avenue, with an event village on Midsummer Common.
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The event is expected to see more than 13,000 participants taking to Cambridge’s streets. Organisers have said that people should “allow additional time” for any journeys planned on Sunday.
All car parks will remain open throughout the day of the event. All bus services will continue to run on the day of the event, but stops on Trumpington Street and Downing Street will be suspended, with an alternative stop on Emmanuel Street.
Parking will be suspended along the race route on the day of the event. Some parking will also be suspended on Saturday, March 7.
A spokesperson said: “As organisers we appreciate that the road closures may cause inconvenience, for which we apologise. We thank you for your support of this event, which will be enjoyed by many Cambridgeshire residents and will raise much needed funds for multiple charities.”
Ireland secured a crucial 27-17 bonus-point victory over Wales in Dublin to keep their Six Nations title hopes alive, with head coach Andy Farrell praising Wales’ performance despite their 15th consecutive championship defeat
Mathew Davies Sport content editor, Edward Elliot Press Association and Dublin
08:08, 07 Mar 2026
Andy Farrell lavished praise on “tremendous” Wales following Ireland’s hard-fought 27-17 bonus-point victory in Dublin, which kept their faint Guinness Six Nations title hopes alive.
After ruthlessly dismantling England in the third round, Farrell’s men were denied another commanding performance by resilient opponents seeking their first championship triumph since 2023.
Ireland held a slender 12-10 advantage at the interval following Wales prop Rhys Carre’s excellent individual try, which came after Jacob Stockdale and Jack Crowley had crossed for the hosts.
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Jack Conan and Jamie Osborne touched down after the break, sandwiching a score from Welsh flanker James Botham, as Ireland edged through to secure a Triple Crown clash with Scotland next weekend.
Ireland boss Farrell said: “I actually thought Wales did fantastically well to stay in the game.
“They played tough, they hung on in there and kept it close on the scoreboard. I thought they were tremendous tonight.
“It was a proper Test match and for us to come away with a bonus-point win, we’d certainly take that with how the game unfolded because it was a different game to the game we played last time around.
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“We weren’t playing rugby on the front foot because of how well they defended.
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“I thought they were excellent in contact and at set-piece and they can be really proud of their performance.”
While Ireland remain in the hunt for championship honours, table-topping France can secure the title with a match to spare by defeating Scotland with a bonus point at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Wales, meanwhile, will attempt to avoid finishing bottom for the third consecutive Six Nations when they welcome Italy on the final weekend, having slumped to a 15th straight championship loss despite a commendable showing at the Aviva Stadium.
“I thought we came up against a rock-solid defence who kept knocking us back and we should have been just a little bit more patient at times and I thought we’d get our reward from that,” said Farrell.
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“But most of the credit of how that Test match unfolded has to go to Wales because I thought they were outstanding in the way they went about the fight.
“It was a dogged Test match and that’s how these type of Test matches should be.”
Wales head coach Steve Tandy believed his side merited ending their prolonged Six Nations winless run following arguably the finest display of his reign.
The visitors opened the tournament with comprehensive defeats to England and France before enduring a heartbreaking 26-23 reverse to Scotland last time out.
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“(I’ve) massive pride in the boys and the shift they put in,” said Tandy. “The physicality they left out on the field was outstanding.
“Disappointed we didn’t get something from the game for the group because I felt we deserved something by the fight they showed, a lot of great skill out there as well.
“This group, they’re unbelievable to work with, they’re always learning, they’re growing.
“I know it’s tough for people, everyone want us to win, but I think the way the group are developing and then when you think about the start we had in England and where we’ve come to, this performance tells you so much about the group.”
Actor and activist Hannah, who was in an on-and-off relationship with Kennedy for about five years until 1994, has remained famously discreet about the relationship in the decades following his death.
However, in a scathing guest essay for The New York Times, Hannah slammed Murphy’s characterization of her in Love Story, saying it “is not even a remotely accurate representation of my life, my conduct or my relationship with John.
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“Storytelling requires tension. It often requires an obstacle. But a real, living person is not a narrative device,” she wrote, suggesting that tearing down one woman to uplift another was “textbook misogyny” and branding the show “tragedy-exploiting”.
“The actions and behaviors attributed to me are untrue,” Hannah asserted. “I have never used cocaine in my life or hosted cocaine-fueled parties. I have never pressured anyone into marriage. I have never desecrated any family heirloom or intruded upon anyone’s private memorial. I have never planted any story in the press. I never compared Jacqueline Onassis’ death to a dog’s.
Daryl Hannah has broken her silence on her portrayal in Ryan Murphy’s new series ‘Love Story’ (Getty Images for The Recording A)
“It’s appalling to me that I even have to defend myself against a television show. These are not creative embellishments of personality. They are assertions about conduct — and they are false.”
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Hannah went on to describe the consequences of the series, including the “hostile” and “threatening” messages she’s received from viewers who have believed the portrayal.
“Real names are not fictional tools. They belong to real lives,” she wrote.
Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette and Paul Anthony Kelly as JFK Jr in ‘Love Story’ (FX)
Hannah — married to singer Neil Young since 2018 — is far from the only person to have spoken out about Love Story. The limited series is the latest controversial project from Murphy, who has faced accusations in the past of glamorizing serial killers and profiting off tragedy.
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JFK Jr.’s nephew, Jack Schlossberg, has also released a statement criticisting the anthology series, saying: “Lately, my news feed has been filled with pictures of my uncle, John F. Kennedy Jr., a great man. For those wondering whether his family was ever consulted, or has anything to do with the new show being made about him, the answer is no, and there’s really not much we can do.”
Schlossberg then added his concern that Murphy was “profiting off of it in a grotesque way.”
Murphy responded to Schlossberg’s comment at the time by saying, “I thought it was an odd choice to be mad about your relative that you really don’t remember.”
People’s Postcode Lottery players in Greater Manchester have helped raise more than £7 million in the last decade for international school feeding charity Mary’s Meals.
Funding more than 39 million meals in 16 countries to date.
Mary’s Meals, founded in the Scottish Highlands, serves daily meals to children in some of the world’s poorest communities, encouraging school attendance and supporting education as a route out of poverty.
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Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “It’s fantastic to know that for a decade our players have supported the essential work of Mary’s Meals – and have now raised an incredible £7 million to help children across the globe access nutritious meals.
“This funding helps children in some of the most underserved communities go to school well-fed, ready to learn and full of hope for a brighter future.”
The partnership has supported 478,968 children with daily school meals, with funding initially focused on specific countries such as Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, Ethiopia and South Sudan.
It also strengthened Mary’s Meals through key organisational development projects.
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In recent years, funding has been provided on an unrestricted basis, allowing Mary’s Meals to allocate resources where they are most needed.
Gemma Love, philanthropy and institutional partnerships manager at Mary’s Meals, said: “We are incredibly grateful to People’s Postcode Lottery players in Greater Manchester, whose ongoing support is helping us reach more children than ever before with a daily school meal that encourages learning, brings hope and changes lives.
“Seeing the difference this support makes for children and communities inspires us to keep going and to reach even more children in the years ahead.”
The school feeding programme addresses a range of challenges, including barriers to education and gender inequality.
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Girls make up half of the children supported by Mary’s Meals, yet 119 million girls worldwide remain out of school.
For many children, the promise of a meal at school is life-changing.
Twelve-year-old Efigénia, who attends Tindzawene Primary School in Mozambique, said: “With school meals, I feel good because even with a lack of food at home, here at school I have a meal and I can study.”
Mary’s Meals marked a major milestone at the end of last year, now serving meals to more than three million children every school day.
Make sure you get out and about to make the most of that sunshine
15:25, 06 Mar 2026Updated 15:57, 06 Mar 2026
The sun is back just in time for the weekend and since we haven’t seen much of it lately, make sure you get out and about this weekend to make the most of it.
According to the Met Office, the weekend will be a mix of patchy cloud and some sunshine, with high temperatures of 12°C forecast on Saturday. Cloud will drift in from the west through the day but eastern areas will see plenty of sunny spells.
The weather outlook for Sunday sees some bright spells in places in the morning before turning cloudier later on with the chance of some light rain in places.
It will remain dry on Saturday. Feeling a touch milder again with some bright spells or hazy sunshine. Quite windy in the north and west. Maximum temperature 12°C.
Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:
Variable cloud and bright spells on Sunday and Monday with occasional spells of rain. Cloudy and windy with rain on Tuesday.
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UK long range weather forecast: Wednesday 11 March – Friday 20 March
The first part of this period will continue to see the UK located at the interface between high pressure across Europe and low pressure over the North Atlantic. As such, western areas will likely see spells of rain at times, along with stronger winds, whereas eastern parts should see more in the way of drier interludes, though even here, some rain is possible from time to time.
Towards the middle of March, there is a signal for unsettled conditions to perhaps become more widespread, with all parts seeing a higher chance of rain and stronger winds. Throughout, temperatures should overall be a little above average for most areas.
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The nursey works closely with parents to keep them updated on their child’s development.
A nursery in Cambridgeshire has been rated strong in all of the categories assessed by OFSTED. The Day Nursery in Peterborough has been praised for the “very good progress” children make during their time there.
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The Day Nursery was inspected by the regulator on Wednesday, January 14, with the positive report published on Monday, March 2. The report said: “Teaching is highly effective across all rooms of the nursery. Staff know the children extremely well. They take the time to help them settle and build loving, trusting relationships from the start. Staff working with babies are highly skilled and trained.”
It continued: “They understand baby development, including the importance of developing and strengthening children’s large and small muscles. They give them space to crawl, climb safely and provide equipment to help them pull themselves up to standing. Staff maintain eye-contact when talking to babies and repeat words to begin building their vocabulary.”
Jade Smith, the Early Years Manager, said: “I would just like to say how incredibly proud I am of our team, we have previously been rated outstanding three times and have remained committed to delivering the highest standards achievable.
“A special mention also needs to go to our nursery owner Lynne Blyth who dedicates her time fighting for the best outcomes for all local nurseries by being involved in local and national Early Years groups and forums.”
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As well as developing a good relationship with the children, the report said staff also help them to “develop a secure knowledge of mathematical concepts” by using real life examples and activities. The report added that children are able to follow instructions “very well” and show ‘impressive’ levels of concentration and focus.
Mealtimes are also used to further children’s development with children from the age of two years old serving their own food, according to regulators. The children “highly benefit” from routines at the nursery, including time outdoors and yoga, music, and movement sessions.
On the leadership and governance of the nursery, the report detailed: “Leaders appreciate and value their staff. They monitor practice to help nurture and guide staff’s personal development. Regular supervision sessions consider staff’s wellbeing and identify professional training opportunities.
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“Leaders are passionate about continuing professional development opportunities for all staff using tailor-made, customised and bespoke training. This means staff can continually deliver high-quality teaching experiences and constantly build their skills.”
The staff at the Day Nursery also build partnerships with the children’s parents and “gather the essential information about their child to help them settle”, the report said. Many parents have “extremely positively” commented on the information they receive about their children’s daily activities.
The site is of national, historic interest due to its connection with the Barbour Family in the 19th century.
Northern Ireland’s world famous Hilden Mill could be set for a significant planning boost amid “rumblings” of developer talks.
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Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s regeneration and growth committee will now be presented with a report in the coming weeks on the long running plans for the heritage site.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that developers ‘Cubic3’ and Clanmill Housing have become involved in “complicated” discussions.
In chambers, Lisburn North independent councillor Gary Hynds said: “I have heard rumblings of interest in the Hilden Mill site.
“This is an important heritage site for Lisburn.”
Hilden Mill is a Grade B+ listed thread mill in Lisburn, located next to the River Lagan which once powered the mill via a waterwheel.
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The site is of national, historic interest due to its connection with the Barbour Family in the 19th century. William Barbour & Sons went on to become world’s leading linen manufacturers employing thousands of people and exported its products all over the globe.
The LDRS further understands from a developer source, that an appeal is currently in play against a council decision against knocking down some of the Hilden Mill heritage buildings with a decision likely later this month.
The demolition application is by PJK Developments, with a spokesperson labelling the council officers’ decision not to demolish some of the buildings “a farce” as it was not put before the elected members of the planning committee.
Since it was abandoned in 2006, the 24 acre former factory has been subjected to numerous arson and vandalism incidents causing its listed buildings to deteriorate further.
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A council officer responded: “Yes, there is interest, but it is of a complicated nature. There are a number of people engaging with the developer. There are ongoing conversations that may or may not lead to development.
“I will bring a brief back to the committee in a few weeks.”
A previous owner of the Hilden Mill site, Galliard Homes, was granted planning approval for a redevelopment scheme that involved up to 600 houses, but that permission has since lapsed.
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Cubic3 have worked on infrastructure projects in both the public and private sectors across Ireland and Britain.
Locally in the past two decades these have included Laganside Courts, SW Acute Hospital, Republic of Ireland Applegreen Services Stations, Duncreggan Student Village in Derry and with Choice Housing on social housing.
Former Senator Claire McCaskill (Democrat, Missouri) on Wednesday flagged an “important” question President Donald Trump and his administration now face after launching a war against Iran: “What now?”
“I can tell you that the ‘what now’ is the biggest problem of all,” said McCaskill in an appearance on MS NOW’s Morning Joe.
“We have no idea whether someone even more extreme is going to take over Iran. And if they do, what now?”
McCaskill, who spent 12 years on the Senate Armed Services Committee, argued that it’s also unclear if such an Iranian government would even have a “wisp of democracy involved” in it.
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“And if it doesn’t, then what now?” she continued.
“We have no idea if the plans will be to immediately reconstitute whatever they need to do to get nuclear power. And then what now? So the lack of planning here, in terms of the day after, is stunning.”
McCaskill’s comments link to the administration taking a hands-off approach to any regime change in the country following the deadly strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The administration, which has offered shifting reasons behind the deadly attack, has also been notably vague in pinpointing the next figure it hopes to lead Iran in the future.
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On Tuesday, the president told reporters that “someone from within” the Iranian regime could be the top choice to become leader after the conflict, but added that “most of the people we had in mind are dead.”
He also outlined a “worst case” scenario: that “somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person.”
“That would probably be the worst: You go through this, and then in five years you realize you put somebody in that was no better,” Trump said. “So we’d like to see somebody in there that’s going to bring it back for the people.”
President Donald Trump takes questions during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office on Tuesday.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
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McCaskill said the administration has churned out a “very muddled ‘why’ and ‘when’” for the war.
“I don’t care what the administration does now; they have been incompetent in one of the most important things a government must do when going to war, and that is having clear rationale for an attack, clear rationale for lives lost, clear rationale for why it happened when it happened,” she added.
“And they can’t fix this now,” she continued. “This is muddled beyond recognition.”
