UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have damaged at least four cultural and historical sites, including palaces and an ancient mosque, raising alarms about the impact of the widening war on protected landmarks that are important to Iranian identity and world history.

The speed and extent of the damage have so concerned Iran and Lebanon that they sent a request to the United Nations’ cultural agency, UNESCO, this week to add more sites to its enhanced protection list.

UNESCO confirmed that it has verified damage to the lavish Qajar-era Golestan Palace in Tehran as well as the 17th century Chehel Sotoun palace and the Masjed-e Jāme, the country’s oldest Friday mosque, both in Isfahan. There also was verified damage at buildings close to the Khorramabad Valley, which includes five prehistoric caves and one rock shelter providing evidence of human occupation dating to 63,000 B.C.

At Golestan Palace, shattered glass from the mirrored ceilings blanketed the floors alongside broken archways, blown-out windows and damaged molding scattered below its glass-mosaic walls, according to Associated Press video taken March 3.

UNESCO said it provided all parties to the conflict with the geographical coordinates of the heritage sites ahead of time, “to take all feasible precautions to avoid damage.”

The impact to cultural sites has not been isolated to Iran but has been felt across the Middle East and beyond, with UNESCO tracking damage to the White City in Israel, Tyre in Lebanon and elsewhere.

Collateral damage to such places has been part of the fabric of war for decades, including in conflicts between Russia and Ukraine as well as Israel and Hamas, in which dozens of sites have been damaged or destroyed.

“What is happening is clear to all: In these increasingly modern conflicts, it’s civilians who pay the price, it’s civilian infrastructure that pays the price, and we’ve all seen the destruction of priceless historical heritage,” U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said this week.

Damage to history

Human rights advocates are echoing that sentiment, warning that the Iran war not only has killed more than 1,000 people but upended the institutions and historical places that communities rely on.

“It causes harm to civilians because it damages or destroys a piece of their history that can be significant both to the world and also to a specific region or community,” said Bonnie Docherty, senior researcher in the arms division at Human Rights Watch. “It undermines the sort of shared identity of a local community, which can often be important for bringing people together.”

Arash Azizi, who grew up in Iran before moving to the U.S. as an adult, said that because his family couldn’t afford to travel abroad when he was a child, they visited historical sites across the country. This, he says, is how he learned about his cultural identity and history.

“At times where school kids are killed, when human life is at stake, when the stakes are very high, people might think, ‘What are a couple of broken tiles or broken glasses?’” the 38-year-old New York resident said.

“I think this is the wrong attitude,” he added. “We need a cultural context. We need to know who we are, and where we come from, and what does it all mean?”

Iranian American sees one damage site as deeply personal

For Shabnam Emdadi, a 35-year-old Iranian American also in New York, the damage to the Safavid-era Chehel Sotoun Palace in Isfahan is deeply personal. She traveled there with her dad a few years before he died.

“Those Iran trips with him were my most fond memories of him at his happiest, where he felt most at home and alive, and I’ll never forget them,” Emdadi said. “Which is why every day when I see the damage of these sites that are the core of my memories, I feel like I am also losing a piece of him.”

It was unclear if it was U.S. or Israeli strikes that caused the damage. The Pentagon did not provide comment. The Israeli Defense Forces said it was “unfamiliar” with claims of damage to UNESCO sites.

One nonprofit group pointed to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saying last week that America’s approach to the war would not include “stupid rules of engagement.”

“That’s an extremely important statement because it’s those rules of engagement that embody international humanitarian law, which is not just the protection of cultural heritage, but the protection of all civilian populations and structures, including your hospitals, your schools, etc.,” said Patty Gerstenblith, president of the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield, an international organization dedicated to protecting heritage in conflict, disaster and crisis.

UNESCO’s protections

The affected sites are among the nearly 30 Iranian sites designated as under special protection as part of UNESCO’s World Heritage list.

Other notable landmarks on the list include the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids, the Taj Mahal and the Statue of Liberty.

The agency’s World Heritage Committee annually designates sites considered “of outstanding value to humanity” and intervenes when sites are in danger of destruction or damage. The program provides countries with technical assistance and professional training to preserve the sites.

The Trump administration announced last July that it would once again withdraw from UNESCO as it distances the U.S. from some international organizations.

The White House cited similar concerns as it did in 2018, saying it believes U.S. involvement is not in its national interest and accusing the agency of promoting anti-Israel speech. The decision won’t go into effect until December.

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Associated Press writer Giovanna Dell’Orto in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

This year’s report, Unfair To Care 2026 – ‘Signs of Change’ comes as Scotland approaches the May 2026 Scottish Government election, which presents a pivotal moment for all political parties to commit to improving support for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

Community Integrated Care, a national social care charity with services based in West Lothian, has published the fifth edition of its landmark Unfair To Care report, once again calling for fair pay for the social care sector.

This year’s report, Unfair To Care 2026 – ‘Signs of Change’ comes as Scotland approaches the May 2026 Scottish Government election, which presents a pivotal moment for all political parties to commit to improving support for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

This includes investing in a robust social care workforce that enables independence, safety and quality of life for tens of thousands of people who draw on social care, across Scotland.

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The report highlights data from the National Care Forum’s national pay benchmarking exercise of the sector, which reveals an existing unfair pay gap of 15% between social care support workers in Scotland and NHS Scotland Band 3 employees on baseline pay rates – a stark difference of £3,822 per year.

Community Integrated Care warns that, without urgent intervention, the sector will struggle to attract and retain skilled professionals, limiting Scotland’s ability to deliver truly person‑centred care and undermining efforts to tackle health inequalities.

Sara Murphy, Managing Director for Scotland at Community Integrated Care, “Unfair To Care 2026 – ‘Signs of Change’ makes one thing abundantly clear: Scotland cannot continue to deliver the inclusive, compassionate and high‑quality support people deserve without a social care workforce that is valued and fairly paid.

“Every day, our colleagues provide skilled, life‑changing support in communities across Scotland, yet they continue to face a persistent and unacceptable pay gap.

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“As we approach the 2026 Scottish Government election, we have a vital opportunity to change this. We’re calling on all political parties to recognise the true value of social care and commit to long‑term investment, pay parity with equivalent NHS Scotland roles, and a clear, sustainable career pathway for our workforce.

“Closing the unfair pay gap isn’t just the right thing to do for the hundreds of thousands of dedicated care workers across Scotland, it’s essential for the people we support, for their families, and for Scotland’s ambition to create a fairer, healthier and more inclusive society.”

Tauseef, a person supported by Community Integrated Care, added: “It’s good to see some recognition of how vital Support Workers are, and the difference they make in enabling people with support needs to live our lives and do the things we enjoy.

“But if I’m honest, we’re still a long way from where we need to be.”

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“Support workers are still not being paid fairly, and too many are going without the proper support and training they deserve. People with lived experience like me are still not being listened to in the way we should be.

“Every person with a disability deserves truly great support – but right now, that’s not the reality for enough of us. That’s exactly why our Unfair To Care campaign matters so much, and why there is still so much more work to do.”

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Police uncovered the drugs farm during a raid this morning

A cannabis farm was uncovered in Rochdale this morning as part of a huge police crackdown in the town.

Raids were carried out earlier today (Thursday, March 12) as part of Operation Avro – Greater Manchester Police’s ‘monthly blitz on local crime’. Officers stormed a property on Reed Hill and uncovered the cannabis farm.

Pictures showed a large number of cannabis plants inside the property. A cordon was put in place across the street as police probed the scene for evidence.

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A spokesperson for GMP said: “As part of #OpAVRO, officers executed a warrant at a property in #Rochdale and uncovered a cannabis farm. Illegal cannabis farms are far from harmless.

“They are frequently linked to organised crime, dangerous electrical setups, and the exploitation of vulnerable people. If you suspect one in your area, please report it.”

Officers carried out a number of other ‘targeted raids’ across the town this morning as part of Operation Avro. One arrest was made after suspected class A drugs were found inside a property.

Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker said: “So far this morning it’s been hugely successful, a huge cannabis farm has been found, multiple drugs have been seized. We move on this afternoon to our traffic operation and we look forward to engaging with the communities of Rochdale.”

Kim Jong Un has been photographed firing guns with his teenage daughter as part of a drive by the dictator to modernise North Korea’s military.

Pyongyang propaganda published on Thursday showed the tyrant and his child, Kim Ju Ae, testing a “new-type pistol” during an inspection of a light munitions factory.

He said the factory played “a very important role in increasing the combat efficiency” of North Korea’s army, and hailed the firearm as a “really excellent pistol”, a regime mouthpiece reported.

Mr Kim also called for the facility to expand its production and ordered a new production line be established.

In photos, both the dictator and his daughter could be seen in black leather jackets firing guns, with the girl doing so alongside senior military figures.

The visit comes amid a push to modernise North Korea’s conventional forces after years of focusing on nuclear weapons.

Last month, state media showed Kim Ju Ae testing a sniper rifle as her father presented the weapons to senior regime officials.

And on Tuesday, the duo watched the test launch of what Pyongyang said were nuclear-capable cruise missiles, fired from a naval destroyer.

Since her debut in November 2022, speculation has mounted that Kim Ju Ae is being groomed for future leadership.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) said it believes the girl, thought to be around 13 years old, is already providing input on policy matters.

The teenager has been increasingly visible over the last year, attending missile launches alongside her father and, in 2025, at China’s “Victory Day” parade, which marked her international debut.

Read more:
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The agency concluded, therefore, that she “was in the stage of being internally appointed successor”.

She has also accompanied her father during a number of high-profile visits, including to his first summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in six years.

North Korea’s military muscle-flexing comes after Kim Yo Jong – Mr Kim’s sister and senior official – threatened a response to US-South Korean military drills that got under way this week.

It has been reported that she warned the drills reveal the US and South Korea’s “inveterate repugnancy toward” North Korea, and threatened Pyongyang will “convince the enemies of our war deterrence.”

The 11-day US-South Korean drill that began Monday is largely a computer-simulated command post exercise and will be accompanied by a field training programme.

It comes after Mr Kim said last month that North Korea could “initiate arbitrary action” and “completely destroy” South Korea if its security was threatened.

He added that South Korea’s “complete collapse cannot be ruled out”.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung responded at the time by saying the value his country needs to espouse is peace.

THE case of a Co Antrim man accused of the murder of Chloe Mitchell almost three years ago took a dramatic twist today (Thursday) when his legal team withdrew from it citing “professional compromise”.Brandon John Rainey (29), formerly of James Street, Ballymena, was due to be re-arraigned at Belfast Crown Court on a charge of murdering the 21-year-old and preventing the lawful burial of her remains on June 3, 2023.His senior counsel, Neil Connor KC, told the court two weeks ago that he had fresh instructions from Rainey, who would now plead not guilty to murder but guilty to “manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility”.Rainey was produced today (Thursday) from Maghaberry Prison to court for his scheduled re-arraignment hearing with the public gallery packed with the victim’s family, relatives and friends.Uniformed police officers were in attendance in the courtroom along with civilian security guards.As Rainey appeared in the dock escorted by a number of prison officers, Ms Mitchell’s distressed mum Georgina ran out of the court.Mr Connor said that at this moment in time he represents the defendant Brandon Rainey.“Unfortunately, I have an application to make to the court this morning and that application is to withdraw from the case,” he told Madam Justice McBride.He said not only was he withdrawing from the case, but so was his junior Neil Moore and their instructing solicitors James Ballentine & Sons.“There are two aspects to this: one is that we are professionally compromised and secondly the accused, during consultation at court this morning, indicated that he no longer wished us to represent him,” explained Mr Connor.“To that extent, the client lawyer relationship has broken down irretrievably in this case.“I appreciate it is disappointing at this late stage but I have to make this application on those two grounds. I don’t make this application lightly,” he added.Madam Justice McBride enquired of Mr Connor if the defendant had indicated that he had spoken to any other legal team.Mr Connor replied: “Yes, he has, My Lady. He has spoken to a firm of solicitors, and I can indicate that they have, within the past few minutes, been in contact with my learned junior Mr Moore.

“They have indicated they are not intending to take instructions in this case if the defendant approached them. Ultimately, that is a matter for the accused.“Mr Rainey had been in quite substantial contact with them over the last couple of days, which we were not aware of. So this has obviously been brewing for some period of time.“So it is on the basis of a breakdown, a complete breakdown, of the client lawyer relationship, and also there is an aspect of professional compromise in this case.”Said Madam Justice McBride: “This is a very unfortunate turn of events, but in light of what you have outlined to the court, because you are professionally embarrassed and the breakdown of the client-lawyer relationship, I will accede to your application.”The senior judge said the case had been expected to proceed and it was one of the cases that was granted an exemption due to the withdrawal of services by the Criminal Bar Association in Northern Ireland.Madam Justice McBride said she would list the matter for Monday, March 16, 2026, to allow the defendant time to secure a fresh legal team to represent him.“To assist in you in that, I am going to ensure and ask that the solicitors have all of the papers in a state of readiness to give it to any new solicitor that maybe instructed.”Mr Connor said his instructing solicitors had indicated that the papers will be boxed up and ready to go today (Thursday).Senior prosecutor David Russell KC said he understood the professional compromise by the defence and said Rainey should be produced in person in court next Monday along with any new legal team he has securedMadam Justice McBride told the defendant that he would be produced next Monday in person and she expected an update on his legal representation and if in the meantime he speaks to a new firm of solicitors who are willing to represent him they should also attend court on Monday on his behalf.As Rainey was being led out of court in handcuffs by prison officers, some members in the public gallery shouted at him “scum”, “scum b******d”, ”rat” and “cowardly b******d” before they were ushered out of court by police and civilian security guards.Chloe Mitchell’s remains were found days after she went missing.She was last seen alive on CCTV in Ballymena town centre in the early hours of June 3, 2023 and an extensive search operation was launched by the PSNI.Detectives investigating her disappearance later launched a murder inquiry after human remains were discovered in the Co Antrim town.This led officers to attend a flat in the James Street area of the town which prompted Rainey’s arrest.

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The building is being redeveloped to include student accommodation and restaurant space

Work to demolish a Cambridge restaurant and build new student accommodation with restaurant space has begun. The plans by Downing College will see a city centre site next to Parker’s Piece redeveloped into 26 student rooms with restaurant space.

Several buildings located at 19-35 Regent Street will be demolished to some extent. These include the former Cuba Libre restaurant and bar.

Downing College Developments Ltd submitted plans to redevelop the buildings on Regent Street. These were approved by Cambridge City Council in September 2024.

CMP Architects, who designed the project, said that the site was “occupied by poorly maintained buildings, which had been heavily and incoherently manipulated over the years”.

The planned layout will see a retail unit on the ground floor. The project seeks to introduce a restaurant space that serves both residents and visitors.

Student accommodation above the retail unit will include a total of 26 en-suites.

A council officer said the development would see a “modest reduction” in market housing but would provide more “much needed” student accommodation.

A spokesperson from Demcom Demolition, who are currently working on the site, said: “All of it is being demolished by hand, and all of the bricks are being kept because we are going to reuse them.”

He said that the team is doing ‘enabling’ work in the inside before scaffolding can be erected.

The inaugural Durham Jazz Festival will run from Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25 and will feature established and emerging artists from across the country as well as the North of England.

John Lyons, one of the festival’s founders along with Alan Patrickson and Richard Turner, said: “We are an emerging festival and have big ambitions to put Durham City on the map for showcasing the very best of talent from the national jazz scene.

Emma Fisk’s Hot Club Du Nord (Image: Supplied)

“At the same time, we also aim to provide performance opportunities for up and coming local and regional talent – working in partnership with education establishments, grassroots promoter networks and music-focused arts organisations to develop our programme.”

The festival will feature a diverse mix of events, from club-style gigs in intimate venues to headline concerts at the Gala Theatre and the historic Redhills Durham Miners’ Hall.

On Friday afternoon, Emma Fisk’s Hot Club du Nord will open the festival with a performance of vintage swing and Gypsy jazz in the Gala Studio, inspired by the sounds of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli.

Marvin Muoneké (Image: Supplied)

Later that evening, Redhills will host the headline show: musicians from London’s world-famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club Present: The Ronnie Scott’s Soho Songbook.

The show promises big tunes, virtuoso solos and the unmistakable buzz of one of the world’s most iconic jazz venues.

Saturday and Sunday will include a packed schedule of concerts and collaborations.

Abbie Finn of the Abbie Finn Quintet, which will play at Durham Jazz Festival. (Image: Supplied)

Pianist Dean Stockdale will lead a tribute to Oscar Peterson with his quartet at Durham University Music School.

On Saturday night, jazz vocalist Marvin Muoneké – a 2026 nominee for JazzFM’s Vocalist of the Year – will perform with the North East’s own Strictly Smokin’ Big Band in the headline show at Durham Gala Theatre.

Alan Patrickson, co-founder and an experienced gig promoter, said: “This is one unique show that is not to be missed.

L-R John Lyons, Richard Turner and Alan Patrickson (Image: Supplied)

“The festival has been designed to bring together major artists with the best of the region’s thriving jazz scene.

“We are really excited about the programme we are curating for the 2026 festival – and many more artists are set to be announced.”

Other confirmed acts include the Abbie Finn Quintet, led by the dynamic UK drummer and known for their bold, contemporary jazz sound.

In addition to the main events, organisers are working with bars, restaurants and businesses around Durham to host pop-up performances, creating a city-wide jazz atmosphere throughout the weekend.

Richard Turner, a respected North East music promoter and curator of events at the Old Cinema Launderette in Gilesgate, said the aim is to make the Durham Jazz Festival a lasting fixture.

Mr Turner said: “The long-term ambition is to establish the event as an accessible annual festival for audiences across the region.

“Our focus is on creating a welcoming festival that appeals to a broad audience.

“We want to bring the joy of live music to people who might not otherwise experience jazz, while also exciting seasoned fans of the genre.”

Further programme announcements are expected in the coming weeks.

Full details and ticket information will be released soon through the official website.

For updates and bookings, visit durhamjazzfestival.co.uk.

“The law makes it clearer than ever that in Xi Jinping’s PRC non-Han peoples must do more to integrate themselves with the Han majority, and above all else be loyal to Beijing,” Allen Carlson, an associate professor of government at Cornell University said, referencing China by the initials of its official name.

Good news for Arsenal fans is that the most dominant team statistically – in terms of expected goal difference per game, excluding penalties – have won the Premier League in three of the past four seasons.

The exception came when Manchester City pipped the Gunners to the title two years ago.

With fifth place likely to lead to Champions League qualification again, just three points separate Manchester United, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool for a place in the top five, with one of those sides looking set to miss out.

Some would say Aston Villa have the easiest run-in of the quartet. After a tough trip to Old Trafford this weekend, they face four of the bottom six in their next six games, although whether playing sides fighting for survival is an advantage at this stage is debatable.

Liverpool are the team currently outside the top five. They have the chance to build momentum against a run of mid-table sides before tackling a daunting series of games in May when they play all three of their Champions League-chasing rivals in succession.