DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump openly mused about seizing Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal in the Persian Gulf and the United States and Israel kept up their attacks Monday on the Islamic Republic, even as there were signs of progress in nascent ceasefire talks. Tehran, meanwhile, struck a key water and electrical plant in hard-hit Kuwait, part of its campaign targeting the Gulf Arab states.

As a diplomatic effort being facilitated by Pakistan toward ending the war moved ahead, Trump said Iran had agreed to allow 20 oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday as “a sign of respect.” At the same time, with 2,500 U.S. Marines now in the region and a similar sized contingent on its way, he raised the idea of taking Iran’s Kharg Island.

“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t,” he told the Financial Times in an interview published early Monday. “We have a lot of options.”

Iran launches attacks on Israel and hits more infrastructure targets in Gulf states

Sirens sounded at dawn near Israel’s main nuclear research center, a part of the country that has been targeted repeatedly in recent days. Israel’s military also said it had taken out two drones launched from Yemen, where the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels entered the war on Saturday with their first missile attack.

Iran kept up the pressure on its Gulf Arab neighbors, as Saudi Arabia intercepted five missiles targeting its oil-rich Eastern province, Bahrain sounded a missile alert, and a fireball erupted over Dubai as an incoming missile was taken out by defenses.

In Kuwait, an Iranian attack hit a power and desalination plant, killing one worker and injuring 10 soldiers, the state-run KUNA news agency reported.

Desalination plants are crucial to water supplies in the Gulf Arab states, and an Iranian attack previously damaged a desalination plant in Bahrain during the war. The facilities are typically paired with power plants, because of the large amount of energy required to remove salt from the water to make it drinkable.

Israel’s military launched a new wave of attacks on Iran, saying it was striking “military infrastructure” across Tehran, and explosions were heard in the Iranian capital. Iranian state media reported a petrochemicals plant in Tabriz, in the north, sustained damage after an airstrike and firefighters had to put out a blaze.

In Lebanon, which Israel has invaded by ground, an Indonesian peacekeeper was killed and three others were wounded when a projectile exploded near a village in the south.

Over the weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military will widen its invasion, expanding the “existing security strip” in that country’s south as it targets the Iran-linked Hezbollah militant group.

Oil prices rise again as concerns of global energy crisis grow

Iran’s attacks on the energy infrastructure of the region and its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped in peacetime, has sent oil prices skyrocketing and given rise to growing concerns about a global energy crisis.

In early trading, the spot price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, was around $115, up nearly 60% from when the U.S. and Israel started the war with attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

As pressure has grown on Trump to bring an end to the conflict, the U.S. has presented Iran a 15-point plan that includes it agreeing to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping. Iran, meantime, has produced a five-point plan with its own terms, including maintaining its sovereignty over the key waterway.

Pakistan announced Sunday that it would soon host talks between the U.S. and Iran, though there was no immediate word from Washington or Tehran, and it was unclear whether discussions on the monthlong war would be direct or indirect.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar the talks would be held “in the coming days.”

Trump says diplomatic approach going well but suggests military expansion is possible

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One late Sunday that the U.S. was negotiating “directly and indirectly” with Iran, though Iran has insisted that it has not been in any talks with Washington.

“We’re doing extremely well in that negotiation but you never know with Iran because we negotiate with them and then we always have to blow them up,” Trump said.

Earlier, Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, dismissed the talks in Pakistan as a cover to get more U.S. troops into the area. He said Iranian forces were “waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire and punish their regional partners forever,” according to state media.

In the interview with the Financial Times, Trump suggested it could mean a longer-term commitment if the U.S. decided to try and take Kharg Island, saying “it would mean we had to be there for a while.”

“I don’t think they have any defense,” he added. “We could take it very easily.”

The U.S. already launched airstrikes once that targeted military positions on the island. Iran has threatened to launch its own ground invasion of Gulf Arab countries and mine the Persian Gulf if U.S. troops land on its territory.

To get an amphibious invasion force to Kharg would mean transiting the Strait of Hormuz and most of the Persian Gulf. Experts say that holding the island would also be a challenge, because in addition to its missiles and drones, it would be well within artillery range from the Iranian mainland.

Iran on Monday confirmed that the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s navy, Rear Adm. Alireza Tangsiri, had been killed in an Israeli airstrike, as Israel claimed last week. The Republican Guard praised the admiral’s efforts in statement, particularly in helping Iran keep its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

“Every fighter is a Tangsiri, and we will see what surprises they will bring in the days and months ahead,” it said.

Death toll climbs

In Lebanon, officials said more than 1,200 people have been killed and more than 1 million have been displaced. Five Israeli soldiers have also lost their lives.

In Iran, authorities say more than 1,900 people have been killed, while 19 have been reported dead in Israel.

In Iraq, where Iranian-supported militia groups have entered the conflict, 80 members of the security forces have died.

In Gulf states, 20 people have been killed. Four have been killed in the occupied West Bank.

Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed in the war.

___

Rising reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Darlene Superville aboard Air Force One, Giovanna Dell’Orto in Miami, Florida and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this story.

Beyond Paradise star Kris Marshall has opened up about his family life as the BBC drama returns for series 4.

Beyond Paradise star Kris Marshall has shared his family’s response to the BBC show, which is returning for its fourth series, revealing his son’s “heartbreaking” viewing habit.

The former Death in Paradise lead continues his portrayal of DI Humphrey Goodman in the spin-off, which resumes following his character’s marriage to Martha Lloyd (played by Sally Bretton).

As they adjust to married life, the new series presents Humphrey with an “impossible decision” and a fresh set of cases to solve.

Ahead of the new series, Kris, who shares two children, Thomas and Elsie, with his wife Hannah Dodkin, confessed that he’s “losing” his son’s interest in the BBC crime drama.

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Speaking to Hello! Magazine, he disclosed: “My son, who is the eldest, is now a teenager, and he’s starting to drift away, towards things like Stranger Things,” reports the Express.

“I’m sort of losing him to the darker side of things, but he watches [Beyond Paradise] a lot when I’m away, which is kind of heartbreaking, but also I love it.”

Kris has previously discussed juggling his demanding filming schedule with family life, after relocating from Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, where Death in Paradise was shot, to Bath in 2017, so his children could attend school in the UK.

The family initially made Bath, Somerset, their home before relocating to the New Forest. Kris later explained: “My wife and I moved back to Bath when we had kids, but we relocated to the New Forest last year, basically as a lifestyle choice.

“When I’m not working, I’m all about just enjoying myself as much as possible – I’m big into sailing, surfing and skiing… oh, and Scrabble! All the S-words, really. As much as I love Bath, there’s not much in the way of coast there! So now we’re a 10-minute drive from the beach and a five-minute drive from the forest, and I love it.”

His work now requires him to spend considerable periods away from his family while filming in Devon and Cornwall. Speaking recently to The Daily Mail, he revealed that following 14-hour days across five days weekly, he doesn’t return home every weekend – a four-hour journey.

Kris reflected: “My kids are growing up. They’ve got their own lives.”

He continued by saying he “loves” the arrangement, appreciating the “beauty” of reuniting with his family fortnightly while also valuing the “solitude” of personal time following demanding filming schedules.

Discussing the challenge of readjusting to domestic life, he noted: “You have to relearn each other’s ways. It’s difficult. Let’s not beat around the bush. It’s an extremely blessed job when you’ve got your own show, you’re looked after and solitude is something you turn to.

“Time on your own, not having to do school drop-offs and all the things that come with family life. But you always have to remember how to be a parent when you come back, which is difficult because to me it is all about a light touch on the tiller.”

The synopsis for the new series of Beyond Paradise teases: “Fact and folklore blur as they investigate the death of a novelist who predicted their demise, a magical night of Dark Morris that soon turns sour, a stolen treasure map that suddenly reappears, and the alleged sighting of a vengeful mermaid lurking out at sea.

“Humphrey (Kris Marshall) and Martha (Sally Bretton) launch into married life as they search for a new home, whilst Humphrey wrestles with an impossible decision that may change the lives of everyone at the station forever.”

Beyond Paradise continues on Friday at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

The Yorkshire Craft Festival, organised by Made in Yorkshire, will take place on Parliament Street in York from April 7 to 12.

The six-day event will feature a large marquee filled with handmade goods from makers across the region, including art, homeware, gifts and traditional crafts, alongside live demonstrations and interactive workshops.

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Tracie Jarvis-Post of Made in Yorkshire said: “Yorkshire has an incredible community of skilled makers, artists and craftspeople.

“The Yorkshire Craft Festival is all about bringing those makers together in one place, giving visitors the chance to discover locally made products, learn new skills and enjoy a creative day out in the heart of York.”

The tent at previous festivals (Image: Provided)

The workshops throughout the week will let visitors try their hand at stained glass making, blacksmithing, felt making, willow weaving and paper craft.

Families can enjoy dedicated children’s activities such as pot painting and paper crafts, while adults can participate in pot throwing and other hands-on sessions led by experienced artisans.

Artists at a previous event (Image: Provided)

The event aims to highlight the skill and creativity of Yorkshire’s independent craft community.

Entry is free and open to all with more information and workshop bookings available at https://madeinyorkshire.org.uk/events/yorkshire-craft-festival-spring-26 

MELBOURNE, Australia. (AP) — Australian police said they believe they shot dead a suspect Monday accused of killing two police officers and seriously wounding a third in a remote forest region seven months ago.

There had been no confirmed sightings of Dezi Freeman, 56, since he allegedly opened fire on police officers who came to serve a warrant at his home near Porepunkah in Victoria state northeast of Melbourne on Aug. 26 last year, Victoria’s Chief Commissioner of Police Mike Bush said on Monday.

A man believed to be Freeman was fatally shot by police on Monday at a remote location near Thologolong, around two hours’ drive north of Porepunkah, a police statement said.

“We believe it is Freeman, but we have to go through a formal identification process,” Bush told reporters in Melbourne. Identification could take up to 48 hours through processes including fingerprinting.

Heavily armed Special Operations Group tactical police were involved in a standoff for three hours before the suspect was shot. He had been inside a shelter like a shipping container and did take up a police offer to surrender, Bush said.

“This was all about bringing this to a conclusion as safely as possible. Our ultimate goal was to arrest the person there … as peacefully as possible,” Bush said.

Bush said he “strongly believed” the suspect was armed. Bush could not say whether the suspect fired at police.

Australian news outlets widely reported that Freeman espoused co-called sovereign citizen beliefs and had grievances with police. He had wilderness survival skills that police feared could sustain him living in the open indefinitely.

The shooting of three police officers led to a massive search across Victoria’s heavily forested alpine region. In recent months, police said they suspected Freedman had killed himself.

“We have to follow every avenue of inquiry and there was a lot to suggest that Freedman had taken his own life,” Bush said.

Bush would not say whether a tipoff led police to the suspect on Monday. Police had offered a 1 million Australian dollar ($678,000) reward for information.

Police said they continue to investigate whether others had helped the suspect avoid arrest.

The Making Every Moment Count Campaign managed to raise over £214,000 to help the hospice run its vital services, more than double the £100,000 goal.

The campaign was ‘match funded’, meaning that for every £1 raised, a local business or organisation would donate another £1, effectively doubling the total raised.

Kathryn Willet offering thanks to backers and champions (Image: Dan Dougherty)

This was something the hospice had never tried before, and the success took them by surprise.

Kathryn Willett is the relations manager for the hospice.

“What you have all achieved is amazing,” she said, in a speech at the event.

“I couldn’t wish for better supporters – from the bottom of my heart, I can’t thank you enough.

“I still can’t get over it!”

The celebration event brought together donors and matchers for the first time, giving them the chance to meet the generous people who helped double their generous donations.

Hospice exec Leigh Vallance giving a speech thanking everyone for their generosity (Image: Dan Dougherty)

The donations were made over a 36-hour period.

They thought they’d be ok with four people on the phones, but this turned out to be an underestimation of local generosity.

“We were on the phones from nine o’clock to four o’clock,” said volunteer Anne Davison, “and we were dumbstruck with how many calls we were getting and how much money people were donating.

“We raised £214,000, and that doesn’t even include Giftaid.”

But this is not the only money the hospice will raise this year. In fact, £5.5m of the hospice’s annual £7m running cost comes from donations.

This is why the hospice is always thankful to the people that help keep them afloat, people like the Cunningham family, who estimate they have raised over £10,000 for the hospice over the years.

The celebration evening took place on March 26 (Image: Dan Dougherty)

Mark Cunningham and his daughter, former Miss Northwest Christina Cunningham, have been raising money for the hospice for years.

The two said: “It’s something we’d done for a long time, but we never expected we’d have to use it.

“It’s one of those things where you don’t think about it, but when you need it, you can’t live without it.”

It wasn’t until last year that they had to use the service themselves.

The evening’s spread (Image: Dan Dougherty)

“It was grandpa Joe,” Christina said, referring to Joseph Cunningham, her paternal grandfather, and Mark’s dad.

“None of us knew he had cancer at the time, it was all so quick.”

Joseph – a former member of the Cottontown Chorus – was moved quickly into the hospice.

“At first he was unsure about it, but soon he was moving things around, reorganising things, putting up pictures.”

Muntazir Dipoti, who volunteers for the hospice, trying to raise its profile amongst the Muslim community (Image: Dan Dougherty)

Although suffering from dementia, Joe was still able to remember the words from his old Cottontown Chorus performances after an old choir buddy came to visit.

They played a Youtube video of their MGM Grand performance in Las Vegas.

Mark said: “His voice wasn’t quite there, but he still had the rhythm of the words.

“Any time his friend made a mistake, Joe would raise his hand telling him ‘stop!’”

The Cunninghams were extremely grateful for how the hospice allowed them all to navigate Joe’s last days.

“We can’t thank the hospice enough – they made all of us feel at home,” said Christina.

Muntazir Dipoti and hospice relationships manager Kathryn Willett (Image: Dan Dougherty)

“He could see his great-granddaughter playing outside his window in the garden – you wouldn’t really get that in a hospital, where it’s more regimented.

One of the family’s last acts was to visit Joe to let him know that Christina was pregnant, and that he was about to have a great-grandson.

“We went to see him at the weekend,” said Christina, “and on Monday he died.”

Christina’s son’s was named ‘Joseph’ in his great grandfather’s honour, making him Theodore Joseph Cunningham-Jones.

“The important thing is that it allowed him to die as himself – he didn’t die as sick Joe, he died as Joe Cunningham.”

Two different roads have been closed this morning due to downed trees

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Fallen trees have caused problems for motorists this morning, (Monday) as two different roads were closed. Drivers are asked to find alternative routes while work to clear debris is underway.

The Ballygowan Road, Saintfield is currently closed due to a fallen tree and damaged NIE cable. Northern Ireland Electricity have been informed and according to Traffic Watch NI are due to respond. Road ahead closed and road closed signs are currently in place.

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The Pinehill Road in Drumbo is also currently closed in both directions close to the Mill Road due to a large tree blocking the road.

Elsewhere, traffic is currently flowing well in the greater Belfast area.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

A 50-year-old man will face court later today

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A 50-year-old man has been charged with murder following an incident in Portadown last week.

The charge follows the death of Rolandas Kvederis, aged 49, at a property in Ranfurley Road on Thursday night, March 26.

Police attended the scene following reports that a man had been injured in an altercation. Mr Kvederis was pronounced dead at the property.

Two men were arrested on suspicion of murder following the incident, and the other has since been released unconditionally.

The charged man is due to appear before Lisburn Magistrates’ Court later this morning, Monday, March 30.Police said that, as is standard procedure, the charge will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Alice Solomons of Sharples School is the North West winner of the Inspiring History Teaching Awards.

The head of history has worked as a teacher for 10 years, with all of that time having been spent at Sharples. She became director of history role in her very first year of teaching, and has been there since.

Now, she has been recognised for her work, “raising engagement” in history and transforming its uptake at GCSE level.

Alice Solomons (Image: Alice Solomons)

Speaking to The Bolton News, Ms Solomons said: “It was just a shock, really, and a massive honour to be recognised for all of the work at the department since I started 10 years ago.

“It is all I’ve ever known, because the head of department left in December and I had started in the September, the job came up in May and I got it.

“The status of history at the school has changed massively, because of the work that has been put in at Key Stage Three – the work that the department as a whole has done, not just me.

“Students really enjoy the subject. A lot of people think history is boring, what’s the relevance. But we have shown why it is relevant and now it is popular at GCSE, it validates your work.”

History department winning an award (Image: Alice Solomons)

She thanked Ann Webster, the former headteacher who “trusted her to do it at such a young age”, current headteacher Caroline Molyneux, her family, in particular her mum, for being the “reason she is so enthusiastic about history” and her own history teacher, Rebecca Grantham, at Rivington and Blackrod High School.

She was nominated for the award by history teacher Hollie Elias, with Ms Solomons adding: “She said she’d nominated me because of how much support I gave her as a new employee and the department as a whole, even though I wasn’t working at the time.”

She will also be attending a swanky ceremony at the Tower of London in June for the awards, saying to be recognised at a place which features in so many of her lessons is “surreal”.

Alice at the colosseum (Image: Alice Solomons)

Award organisers said in a statement: “Through her dedication to storytelling, debate and immersive activities – such as virtual reality experiences of First World War trenches – the judges praised Alice’s approach which has raised the engagement of history within Sharples School.

“Under her leadership, the subject has become one of the school’s most popular GCSE subjects with uptake rising 622 per cent since 2019.

“Alongside her commitment to lesser-known, diverse histories, Alice has also received glowing feedback from trainees, saying they ‘could not have asked for a better teacher to learn from’.” 

About 2,000 residents are currently on Darlington Borough Council’s waiting list for a home despite a shortage of available properties. 

But rival Conservative councillors fear the area’s value green spaces could soon be lost and be chosen by developers for new housing schemes. 

At last Thursday’s council meeting, councillors were asked to back plans to formally designate Bellburn Field, a triangle of land off Sparrow Hall Drive in Whinfield ward, and Tommy Crooks Park as protected community green spaces.

With more than 1,000 families on the waiting list naming the Whinfield area of the borough as their preferred option for a new home, opposition members fear sites like Sparrowhall Drive could be chosen for development. 

Jonathan Dulston, leader of the Conservatives, said: “We understand the need to build affordable and quality housing across the borough. It has to be sensible but there are areas where the impact on the community has to be a priority, not making a profit for the council.”

The motion, backed by Conservative colleague Cllr Scott Durham, urged the council to “give a clear and binding commitment that Darlington Borough Council will not sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of these pieces of land for development or private ownership.”

Although it was not supported by cross-party councillors, leaders agreed in principle to protect Tommy Crooks Park and the Bellburn Field. 

But for Sparrow Hall Drive, Darlington Borough Council confirmed that, in February 2022, the land was included as part of the council’s housing allocation, meaning it is available for development.

The then Conservative-led administration removed Springfield Park, also in the Whinfield ward, from the allocation but did not remove Sparrow Hall Drive. 

Chris McEwan, Labour deputy leader, said: “Cllrs Dulston and Durham are more interested in playing political games than improving residents’ lives. More focused on Facebook than facts. 

“Now, they are calling on Tommy Crooks Park, Bellburn Field, and land at Sparrow Hall Drive to be protected. But if that is their priority, then why didn’t they protect them in the Local Plan that they published and voted for?”

And highlighting the council’s ongoing housing issues, Cllr McEwan said the local authority needs to balance protecting valued green spaces with the need for new homes that residents “desperately need”.  

He added: “We have nearly 2,000 people on our housing waiting list. We have over a thousand families naming Whinfield as one of their preferences.

“We need more council housing and I will work to deliver on that – and that’s why we are exploring this site.”