DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel struck a key petrochemical plant at Iran’s massive South Pars natural gas field and killed two paramilitary Revolutionary Guard commanders on Monday, putting into question a new 45-day ceasefire proposal for Tehran and the United States.

Israel said the attack on the gas field was aimed at eliminating a major source of revenue for Iran. The field is critical to Iran’s electricity production, but the strike appeared to be separate from U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to target power plants and bridges if Tehran doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all traffic.

Iran’s grip on the strait has caused oil prices to surge and shaken the world economy.

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed what he called “a powerful strike on the largest petrochemical facility in Iran.” The gas field shared with Qatar is the world’s largest and sits under the Persian Gulf.

The White House did not immediately comment. After Israel’s attack on the field in March, Trump said Israel would not attack it again but warned that if Iran continued striking Qatar’s energy infrastructure, the United States would “massively blow up” the field.

Trump’s deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is set for Monday night Washington time.

Israel threatens Iranian officials as mediators try to buy time

Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish mediators have sent Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff a proposal calling for a 45-day ceasefire and the reopening of the strait, two Mideast officials told The Associated Press.

Iran and the U.S. have not responded to the proposal sent late Sunday, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the private negotiations.

In Islamabad, two senior officials said Pakistan’s efforts for a ceasefire are at an advanced stage but “several spoilers and detractors” are trying to sow confusion through disinformation. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak publicly about the talks.

Meanwhile, explosions boomed in Tehran and low-flying jets could be heard for hours.

Among those killed was the head of intelligence for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi, according to Iranian state media and Israel’s defense minister.

Israel’s military said it also killed the leader of the Revolutionary Guard’s undercover unit in its expeditionary Quds Force, Asghar Bakeri.

Israel’s defense minister vowed to keep targeting top-ranking officials. “Iran’s leaders live with a sense of being targeted,” Katz said. “We will continue to hunt them down one by one.”

Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia activated air defenses to intercept Iranian missiles and drones as Tehran kept up the pressure on Gulf neighbors. In Israel, Iranian missiles hit the northern city of Haifa, where four people from one family were found dead in the rubble of a residential building.

Oil prices rise as pressure grows

Iran’s attacks on regional energy infrastructure and its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped in peacetime, have sent global energy prices soaring.

Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose to $109 in Monday spot trading, about 50% higher than when the war started.

Under pressure at home as consumers worry, Trump has warned Iran that if no deal is reached to reopen the strait, the U.S. would hit power plants and other infrastructure and set the country “back to the stone ages.”

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one,” he threatened Sunday.

Trump has given multiple deadlines to Iran, and later Sunday he posted a single line saying “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” It was not clear whether he had extended his deadline.

Former Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayatir urged Arab countries to discourage Trump from striking power plants, warning on social media that the entire region would go “dark” if that happens.

Following Trump’s expletive-laced post Sunday, Iran’s parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf called threats of targeting Iran’s infrastructure “reckless.”

Iran has let some vessels through the strait since the war began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Feb. 28, but none belong to those countries or ones perceived as helping them. Some have paid Iran for passage but the flow of traffic is down more than 90% over the same period last year.

Airstrikes kill more than 25 across Iran

Thick smoke rose near Tehran’s Azadi Square after an airstrike hit the grounds of the Sharif University of Technology. Multiple countries have sanctioned the university for its work with the military, particularly on Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Araghchi called university “the MIT of Iran,” posting on social media that “Aggressors will see our might.”

Iranian media reported damage to buildings and a natural gas distribution site next to campus. The university is empty as the war has forced all schools into online classes.

A strike near Eslamshar, southwest of Tehran, killed at least 15 people, authorities said. Five were killed in a residential area in Qom, and six were killed in strikes on other cities, the state-run IRAN daily newspaper reported. Three people were killed at a home in Tehran, state television reported.

In Lebanon, where Israel has launched air attacks and a ground invasion that it says target the Iran-linked Hezbollah militia, an airstrike hit an apartment in Ain Saadeh town east of Beirut. It killed an official in the Lebanese Forces, a Christian political party strongly opposed to Hezbollah, his wife and another woman.

War’s death toll in the thousands

More than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, but the government has not updated the toll for days.

More than 1,400 people have been killed in Lebanon and more than 1 million people have been displaced. Eleven Israeli soldiers have died there.

In Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, more than two dozen people have died, while 23 have been reported dead in Israel and 13 U.S. service members have been killed.

___

Rising reported from Bangkok and Magdy from Cairo. Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Isabel DeBre in Ain Saadeh, Lebanon, contributed to this story.

Humberside Police is appealing for witnesses following the two-vehicle road traffic collision in Gowthorpe Lane, Full Sutton, on Thursday (April 2).

A force spokesperson said: “It is reported at around 6pm, a silver pedal cycle and a silver Polaris Ranger collided at the junction of Gowthorpe Lane and Hatkill Lane in Full Sutton.

“Emergency services attended and the cyclist, a 62-year-old man was taken to hospital for treatment to injuries but sadly passed away a short while later.

“Enquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances around the collision and we would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage to please contact 101 quoting log 411 of 2 April.”

Pond dipping is just one of the exciting things to do.

K-Woodlands is inviting families, young explorers and nature enthusiasts to celebrate the Easter holidays with an exciting programme of outdoor activities designed to inspire curiosity, adventure and a love for the natural world.

Taking place throughout April, ‘Easter at K-Woodlands’ offers a series of hands-on woodland experiences where children and adults can discover wildlife, learn practical bushcraft skills, and enjoy guided environmental activities in a safe, friendly setting.

Located at the K-Woodlands entrance at 1 Burley Place, the programme encourages families to step away from screens and spend quality time together in the great outdoors during the school break.

Events include:

■ Pond Dipping: Discover Life Beneath the Surface on Wednesday, April 8, from 1pm to 3pm, for over-fives.

Children will have the opportunity to explore the hidden world of freshwater habitats by carefully catching and identifying the fascinating mini-beasts living in the woodland pond. Guided by experienced staff, participants will learn about aquatic ecosystems, biodiversity, and the important role these tiny creatures play in nature.

This session provides a perfect introduction to wildlife exploration and encourages young people to develop observation skills while having fun.

■Firelighting & Campfire Skills: A Bushcraft Experience on Friday, April 10, from 1pm to 3pm, for children aged over eight.

This popular practical session teaches children essential outdoor survival skills in a safe and supervised environment. Participants will learn how to responsibly gather natural materials, understand fire safety principles, and light their own small campfire.

The experience concludes with a well-earned treat as attendees toast marshmallows over the fire — a memorable outdoor tradition that combines learning with enjoyment.

K-Woodlands is a community green space dedicated to conservation, outdoor learning, and engagement with nature.

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READ MORE: Funding launches for Lanarkshire’s biggest climate festival

You’ll probably either love or hate this TV drama, but it seems enough people are at least interested, as it’s shot up the Netflix charts.

Despite being described as ‘so bad it’s good’, XO, Kitty has found itself in the streaming platform’s number one spot, days after the release of its third season.

XO, Kitty launched in 2023, proving so popular that it’s been renewed twice since.

It’s a spin-off of the To All the Boys film series, which helped to propel Lana Condor and Noah Centineo to global stardom thanks to their central roles in the teen romance trilogy.

Canadian actress Anna Cathcart, 22, takes the lead in XO, Kitty as high schooler Kitty Song-Covey. Already extremely knowledgeable on all things romance, she moves halfway across the world to reconnect with her long-distance boyfriend while attending the same boarding school as her late mother.

However, the teen matchmaker soon discovers that relationships are more complex when it’s your own feelings on the line.

Other main cast members include Choi Min-young as Dae Heon Kim, Kitty’s ex-boyfriend, Anthony Keyvan as Q Shabazian, Kitty’s best friend, Gia Kim as Yuri Han, a wealthy social media star and paparazzi magnet, Sang Heon Lee as Min Ho, who, despite his privilege, is fiercely loyal to his friends, and Peter Thurnwald as teacher Alex Finnerty.

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, it seems XO, Kitty has generally managed to win over critics more than audiences.

Overall, it boasts an 80% score from critics, while sitting at 63% among the public. The stats remain pretty much the same for each season, with the most recent clocking up an average of 3.3 out of five stars.

Among its reviews, XO, Kitty certainly divides opinion. While @RainbowTulips describes the latest outing as ‘beautiful’ and is keen for more, @RT75366913 was left ‘disappointed’.

Still, despite being predominantly aimed at a teenage audience, the series has been praised for its ’emotional’ development of characters, and, while a bit cringeworthy at times, it’s got enough ‘charm’ and ‘cuteness’ to warrant pressing play.

‘Xo, Kitty is entertaining and cute. Nobody asked for it — but at least it’s got some charm’, writes Lauren Sarner of the New York Post.

Angie Han of the Hollywood Reporter brands it ‘a sweet, pretty cupcake of a teen romance’, while Nadira Goffe of Slate says it’s ‘as annoying as it is irresistible’.

‘XO Kitty is chaotic and messy thanks to its numerous love triangles, romantic entanglements, and more, but it stays true to the spirit of author Jenny Han’s comforting world of largely tropey teenage drama’, says S. Poorvaja of The Hindu.

Also heaping praise on the show for another reason, Natalie from Autostraddle pens: ‘Particularly when it comes to queer representation, XO, Kitty is breaking new ground and, hopefully, pushing an entire genre towards greater inclusivity.’

As for whether fans can expect a fourth season, the future of XO, Kitty is currently unknown.

Following season 3’s premiere on April 3, it has yet to be renewed. What’s more, it’s tricky to predict whether it will be at all, given that creator Jenny Hann’s other projects (including To All the Boys and The Summer I Turned Pretty) are based on books. XO, Kitty was an original spin-off project, so the story has not been set.

Speaking to Variety this month about what Kitty’s relationships may look like going forward, showrunner Valentina Garza said it’s likely to be ‘a question that all [their] fans are asking’, but didn’t divulge anything further.

‘We’re all just trying to live in the moment and bask in season 3 right now,’ she said. ‘We’re very excited for the fans to see what we made this season, and we’ll just have to wait and see.’

XO, Kitty is available to stream on Netflix.

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A new gym is set to replace a popular family-run party shop. Peterborough City Council’s planning department last week determined that Shadow Strength Gym’s application to take over Units 7 And 8 at the Saville Road Industrial Estate was lawful.

In making their decision, planning chiefs concluded the premises’ new function would be “Commercial, Business and Service” – known as ‘Class E’ – like the previous party shop.

This means that planning permission is not needed. As such, Shadow Strength Gym can remodel the existing premises to suit its needs.

The units were once home to The Party Place, a popular retail party shop that was run by Paul and Trish Shepherd, along with their daughter Jo, for 34 years.

The Shepherds decided to close the shop in October last year, citing rising costs, decreasing footfall, and the rise of online shopping as key factors.

First opened in 2024, Shadow Strength Gym is a well-established local gym that already has a 2,200 sq/ft unit on the Saville Road Industrial Estate.

This new acquisition – which is two units of 4,500 sq/ft – will see it more than double its footprint on the estate.

Celebrating the upcoming move on its Facebook page, the 24-hour gym said it was hoping to complete the move by early summer: “We’re aiming to be fully moved into the new unit within the next two months.

“There’s still a lot of work to do – from setup to final touches – but trust us when we say it’s going to be worth it.”

Tensions are said to have boiled over almost immediately after the final whistle at the Pré-Fleuri Stadium following the match

A brutal relegation battle in France’s ProD2 spiralled into extraordinary scenes after Nevers’ 44-41 win over Béziers allegedly sparked a stadium brawl, a blocked team bus and even a car chase on a major road.

According to Midi Olympique in France, tensions boiled over almost immediately after the final whistle at the Pré-Fleuri Stadium following a match loaded with survival pressure.

Nevers’ dramatic victory – their first win of 2026 – lifted them above Béziers in the table and cranked up the pressure on the visitors, who remain in deep relegation trouble.

French reports claim the first spark came when Nevers players not involved in the matchday squad taunted Béziers players after full-time, with one official said to have filed a report over the touchline confrontation.

From there, things escalated.

Midol reports Nevers’ Jason Fraser is alleged to have entered the visitors’ dressing room looking to confront opposite number Otunuku Pauta, although the pair were separated before the situation could turn physical.

The ugliest scenes followed during the post-match reception, where tempers reportedly flared between props Ilia Kaikatsishvili and Youssef Amrouni.

The pair are said to have moved behind the Béziers team bus to settle their differences, where punches were allegedly exchanged, with Nevers’ Kaikatsishvili said to have been left with a broken nose.

Nevers president Régis Dumange later confirmed the Georgian required treatment from the club doctor, while accounts from both sides reportedly differ over exactly how the confrontation began.

“Later, when I went downstairs, I saw the club doctor treating Ilia,” Dumange told Journal du Centre.

“He told me he’d just been headbutted and had a broken nose. The two coaching staffs met to calm things down. It was decided that Béziers would leave earlier than planned to prevent the situation from escalating.”

What happened next took the chaos to another level.

Senior players and coaches from both teams, including Samuel Marques and Jason Fraser, reportedly stepped in to calm things down as the atmosphere inside the stadium became increasingly heated in front of supporters.

But according to Midi Olympique, the disorder briefly threatened to spill beyond the ground when two Nevers players allegedly positioned a car in front of the stadium exit in an attempt to block the Béziers team bus from leaving.

Club staff and team-mates again intervened to defuse the situation before it escalated further.

Dumange then claimed Kaikatsishvili later got into a car with two fellow Georgians and pursued the Béziers bus along the N7 between Nevers and Moulins, allegedly trying to force it to stop so Amrouni could apologise.

French reports allege the car pulled in front of the bus and braked in an attempt to make it stop, prompting Béziers staff to urgently contact Nevers boss Xavier Péméja, who is said to have called the player and ordered him to return home.

The matter was eventually cooled when the two main protagonists reportedly spoke by phone.

For now, Nevers do not intend to file a formal complaint, with Dumange keen to downplay the affair publicly, but the LNR is looking into the incident and have opened an investigation.

This article contains spoilers for tonight’s (April 6) episode of Coronation Street, which has not yet aired on TV but is available to watch now on YouTube and ITVX.

If there’s one thing that not a single Corrie fan doubts, it’s that Ronnie Bailey’s (Vinta Morgan) will to look after Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney) is simply unshakeable. Another undisputed fact among Weatherfield faithful is that Carl Webster (Jonathan Howard) can not be trusted.

Ever.

It didn’t take Carl long after Debbie was released from the clink, for a crime that he committed, mind you, for him to resume his campaign to extract as much cash from her as possible.

Visiting her inside and perennially on the beg, the guilt Debbie felt for giving her son away at birth and only recently admitting all to him, led to much money being handed over as she desperately tried to make everything better, but her hope was false.

Carl had almost no interest in building a relationship with his sister-turned-mum – he wanted a cash injection and to be on his way.

Debbie was finally set free yesterday, but had her nearest and dearest panicked when she promptly disappeared. With her dementia ever-worsening, Ronnie and brother Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) were terrified.

As it turned out, though, Debbie was completely fine, and had taken herself off for a cheeky swing at the precinct. As she seemingly slipped into confusion, though, Carl approached, and she admitted she was playing, managing to talk an ice cream out of him.

Retiring to her flat, Carl and Debbie seemingly began to bond on a very real level, with Carl’s tough-as-nails exterior beginning to crack as he showed real guilt for what he’d put her through, delivering a genuine apology and declaring his love, with him finally accepting her as his mum…

…until he started asking for money. Again.

Todays trip to the cobbles saw our diminutive dynamo ready to return to work and get cracking. Out of her prison duds and exploding back into the Chariot Square hotel dressed to kill, Debbie was on a mission to reclaim her pre-prison identity, and also to shuffle ten grand out of the hotel’s accounts and into Carl’s.

Carl was jittery, constantly bugging Debbie about the cash, and Ronnie’s hackles turned vertical when he learned about the amount of money his wife was preparing to hand over. As Carl became more and more uncomfortable with how much Debbie was willing to share with Ronnie, especially that the money was being used to pay off Fiona, Ronnie grew more angry and, once alone, he decided to seek the truth from the source.

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With Debbie insisting that Carl work at the hotel to pay off his new debt to her, Ryan Connor’s (Ryan Prescott) nose was seriously put out of joint, having fired Carl previously. Approaching Carl and demanding he put in a shift that evening, the two males traded barbs, with Carl smugly declaring that he’d always come first with Debbie, and battling him would prove to be fruitless.

But battle Ryan did, and as they approached Debbie while at each other’s throats, Ryan was prepared to walk away, completely unable to deal with Carl, until Debbie offered to fatten his pay cheque.

As things got more heated, Ronnie returned and detonated the bomb that Fiona had handed him: Carl owes her £5,000, not £10,000. He spelt it out clearly as Debbie’s heart broke – Carl was using her to pay his debt, and line his own pockets.

Though Carl spluttered and scrambled, Debbie could take no more, hurting from yet another extortion attempt. She declared to Carl that they were finished as the scales fell from her eyes and shattered on the floor.

Inflicting yet another enormous wound on the only person who loves him in the whole world, has Carl lost his last lifeline? Could this have any bearing on the upcoming murder that’ll lessen Coronation Street of one of it’s many baddies?

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Botzman, a male tiger, had been receiving specialist care for over a year.

A Siberian tiger has died at the Highland Wildlife Park aged 14 after a battle with an age-related illness.

Botzman, a male Amur tiger, was put to sleep on Monday, April 6. He had been receiving specialist veterinary care for the illness for over a year.

Botzman was the sire to seven cubs, including Nishka, who still lives at the park in Kingussie with her mother Dominika.

A statement from Highland Wildlife Park reads: “We are sad to share the news that Botzman, our beloved male Amur tiger, has been put to sleep at the age of 14 following an age-related illness.

“Our veterinary team and animal keepers had been providing him with specialist geriatric care for more than a year, ensuring he had the best quality of life possible.

“With his health deteriorating in recent days our vet team made the difficult decision to put Botzman to sleep.

“This gentle boy was a father to seven cubs including Nishka, who still lives here at the park with her mother Dominika. We know he will be hugely missed by everyone.”

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The teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could be considered his successor, Seoul’s spy agency has been reported as saying.

The child, believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and aged around 13, has accompanied her father to several high-profile events since late 2022.

And the pair rode in a tank together last month, sparking further speculation she is being positioned as the secretive country’s future leader.

On Monday, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) director Lee Jong-seok said in a closed-door briefing at the National Assembly the girl could be considered Mr Kim‘s successor, according to Lee Seong Kweun, one of the politicians in attendance.

NIS reportedly said its assessment was based on “credible intelligence” collected by the agency.

Asked about potential protests from Mr Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong, who has long been viewed as North Korea‘s number two figure, the NIS director responded that she has no substantial powers, Mr Lee told a briefing.

It is the agency’s strongest assessment yet on the rising political status of the teenager who it believes could extend her family’s rule into a fourth generation.

In early 2024, the NIS described the child as Mr Kim’s likely heir, and in February this year, the agency said it believed she was close to being designated as the nation’s future leader.

Some observers disagree with the assessments, arguing North Korea’s extremely male-centred society will likely not embrace a woman leader.

Read more from Sky News:
Kim Ju Ae increasingly visible
Savannah Guthrie to return to Today show

They also say Mr Kim, 42, is too young to name a future leader, a development that could weaken his ruling of the country.

In a public appearance in March, the pair fired pistols during a visit to a light munitions factory.

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Will Kim Jong Un’s daughter be his successor?

The NIS, during Monday’s briefing, said North Korean authorities appeared to have organised such events to build up her military credentials and “reduce scepticism about a woman successor”, Mr Lee said.

The girl’s reported name is based on an account by former NBA star Dennis Rodman, who recalled holding Mr Kim’s baby daughter during a visit to Pyongyang in 2013.

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Kim Jong Un unveils ‘most powerful’ missile

North Korea, established in 1948, has been successively ruled by male members of the Kim family.

Kim Jong Un inherited power upon his father Kim Jong Il’s death in late 2011. Kim Jong Il took control after his father and state founder Kim Il Sung died in 1994.