As the US and Israel’s assault on Iran grinds on, the Trump administration has issued increasingly bellicose claims that American and Israeli forces are delivering ferocious blows to the Iranian regime.

The US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, warned of the “most intense” day of strikes yet on March 10. And Donald Trump followed with a claim that the war will end soon because there is “practically nothing left” in Iran for the US military to target.

This is all part of a campaign that the White House has declared is aimed at “systematically dismantling the Iranian regime’s ability to ever again threaten America, our allies, and global security.”

So far, this campaign has largely targeted Iran’s military and nuclear facilities. But some critical non-military infrastructure has also come under attack. Israel struck two oil refineries and two oil storage facilities near Tehran on March 8, with Iran accusing the US of attacking a desalination plant the same day.

Yet one target vital to Iran’s economic survival, its largest export terminal for sending oil to international markets, remains unscathed. That terminal sits on Kharg, a small coral island off Iran’s south-western coast. This is where oil pumped across Iranian oil fields arrives via subsea pipelines to be loaded on to tankers, mostly bound for China.

At peak capacity, the terminal’s vast storage facilities and multiple jetties can handle millions of barrels of oil per day. Kharg accounts for an extraordinary 90% of Iranian crude exports and tens of billions of US dollars of annual government revenue.

No other major oil-producing country is so reliant on just one facility. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf, and massive producers elsewhere such as Russia, Mexico and Venezuela, do not concentrate almost all their export capacity in a single location.

Iran’s energy lifeline

Kharg Island became the linchpin of Iran’s oil industry due to a convergence of history and geography. Nowadays, Kharg is widely known among Iranians as the “forbidden island” because of the tight military restrictions and secrecy that surround it.

Yet behind its modern geoeconomic significance lies an ancient history, from early human settlements dating back more than 4,000 years to occupation by various empires that understood its strategic maritime importance as a trading post. The island also housed political prisoners in the mid-20th century, before the construction of Kharg’s modern terminal began in 1958.

The island quickly became Iran’s dominant export port for two reasons. First, it could be connected by pipeline to the major oil fields in south-western Iran. And second, its deep water location made it one of the only places on Iran’s western coast that could accommodate the new supertankers that were at the time dramatically reducing the cost of transporting oil.

Once the gigantic storage facilities, jetties and subsea pipelines feeding the terminal had been constructed, centralising exports there created significant efficiencies. Oil from multiple fields could share the same storage and loading infrastructure, thereby reducing overall operating costs.

Kharg’s dominance in the national oil export system was further reinforced after the Islamic revolution in 1979. This was because regional tensions and Iran’s emphasis on self-reliance discouraged it from using pipelines that pass through neighbouring countries.

At first glance, Iran’s reliance on one terminal for nearly all its oil exports seems like a major strategic vulnerability. There are also no significant operational challenges preventing the US and Israel from destroying it. Yet, paradoxically, this is precisely why it has not been targeted thus far.

Crippling Iran’s entire oil industry for months – if not years – would shatter the already fragile confidence in financial markets that Trump can achieve his vague war aims without long-term disruption to the global economy. Some analysts predict that oil prices could soar to US$150 (£112) a barrel if Kharg is hit.

To put that figure into context, Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine caused Brent crude to rise to well over US$100 a barrel for four months. This was not the only cause of the roughly 9% surge in inflation seen at the time, but it was an important factor in the ensuing cost of living crisis.

Launching an attack on Kharg would likely expose Trump’s gamble in launching a war against Iran while simultaneously promising US consumers that virtually everything would become more affordable as a catastrophic error. American voters are indicating that inflation and the cost of living are their biggest concerns ahead of the upcoming midterm elections in November.

Of course, Trump’s intervention in Iran may lead to rising prices even if the US does not attack Kharg Island. The wider disruption to Gulf shipping in the strait of Hormuz has already caused oil prices to rise to around US$100 per barrel. And in his first statement since becoming Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to keep blocking the waterway.

But at least for the moment, Trump seems to realise that Kharg Island needs to be left intact if he is to preserve the already shaky notion that he can end this war in a manner he can present as a success – which increasingly looks like degrading Iran but not forcing it to capitulate – without causing long-term economic pain for Americans.

One other factor preventing the US from destroying Kharg is that it would cause long-lasting damage to the Iranian economy. This would undermine any pretence that Trump is acting in the interests of the Iranian people, as he has claimed, since any new government would be financially crippled if the regime did collapse.

So Kharg Island survives intact for now. This is, in large part, due to the fundamental contradiction between Trump’s objectives in Iran and the political and economic costs he is willing to incur in pursuit of them.

You can check vaccination rates in your area and see how many cases have been confirmed using our interactive map

A disease that had been eliminated in the UK is returning. The Victorian illness had been eradicated thanks to a vaccination programme by public health leaders, but it has now reappeared in 50 council areas.

A new map has highlighted the low vaccine-rate areas where it is spreading quickly. Measles infections have now been confirmed by lab tests in every region of England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed, mainly among children under 10.

The figures come as one health chief has warned: “Measles is a serious disease that can cause pneumonia, meningitis, blindness, seizures and, tragically, death… Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known, and it will find those who are unvaccinated.”

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It comes after the WHO stripped the UK of its measles elimination status in January, following sustained circulation of the disease for more than a year. The UK was first declared measles-free in 2017, but lost its status two years later, only to regain it in 2021. However, that was mainly thanks to social distancing during the pandemic.

Outbreaks began in 2023 and intensified throughout 2024. In England alone, there were 2,911 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles in 2024. That was the highest number since 2012.

On that basis, WHO and the UK Health Security Agency said that the virus had re-established endemic transmission, costing the UK its measles elimination status.

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The most recent figures show that measles cases have fallen since the 2024 peak. However, cases remain high. Last year, there were 957 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles. As of March 9, this year, there have been 235 cases.

Most of these infections have been in unvaccinated children under the age of 10.

Enfield, in London, appears to be the epicentre of the current outbreak, with 80 confirmed measles cases so far this year. That includes 35 new cases since the last update in February.

Enfield also has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, with around one in three children unprotected by the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. The latest data shows only 64.3% of children in Enfield had received both MMR jabs needed for full protection by their fifth birthday.

The target vaccine coverage rate is 95%. Although the UKHSA has confirmed that 50 separate council areas have had at least one confirmed infection, it only publishes case numbers for areas with at least 10 cases.

So far, three council areas have met that threshold – all with low vaccine coverage rates. Apart from Enfield, there have been 43 cases so far in Birmingham, including 19 since February, and 15 in the London borough of Haringey, which neighbours Enfield.

In Birmingham, 75.5% of five-year-olds have received both MMR jabs, and in Haringey, just 65.0% of under-fives are fully protected.

The UKHSA has blamed the resurgence of measles on falling vaccination rates, after uptake of the MMR jab slumped to its lowest in a decade. As of last summer, 91.8% of five-year-olds in England had received one dose of the MMR jab, and 83.7% were protected by both doses.

In many areas, such as Enfield, Birmingham and Haringey, vaccine uptake is much lower. WHO says a vaccine coverage rate of 95% is needed to achieve “herd immunity”, which prevents transmissible diseases like measles from circulating.

From this year, the MMR jab has been replaced by the MMRV vaccine, which offers the same protection as MMR but also covers chickenpox.

You can check the vaccination rates in your area and see how many measles cases have been confirmed since 2024, using our interactive map.

Dr Yimmy Chow, UK Health Security Agency’s London Region Deputy Director said: “We continue to see measles cases in north London, and while children remain unvaccinated, the risk of further spread is very real.

“Measles is a serious disease that can cause pneumonia, meningitis, blindness, seizures and, tragically, death. Children and adults who get measles can end up in hospital suffering needlessly, sometimes with long-term consequences that stay with them for life.

“Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known, and it will find those who are unvaccinated. Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide vital protection. If your child has missed any vaccinations, or you are unsure whether they are up to date, please contact your GP surgery as soon as possible — it is never too late to catch up.”

The key symptoms of measles include a high fever, coughing, sneezing, red and sore watery eyes, and a rash that usually appears after the initial symptoms.

Measles usually starts to get better after a week. However, it can lead to serious problems if it spreads to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or brain. Babies and people with weakened immune systems are more at risk from measles.

Harry Redknapp says there were no excues after his horse The Jukebox Man fell away in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and that winning the race would have been like winning the Champions League.

Redknapp’s lifelong love of horseracing reached its zenith on a sunny afternoon at Prestbury Park as he, along with wife Sandra and son Jamie, cheered on the eight-year-old who was well placed heading to home.

The Jukebox Man then ran out of steam having kept up with the leader, Haiti Couleurs, before being passed by eventual winner Gaelic Warrior with two fences to jump.

“Yeah, absolutely [it would have been like winning the Champions League] if we had won here today, but Gaelic Warrior was fantastic. My God, didn’t he win? Really impressive,” said Redknapp after the race.

“Yeah, he traveled great until two out, and then he just seemed to just fall in a bit of a hole, but overall he jumped great, run great and he’s come back, hopefully safe and sound, which is the main thing.”

The 79-year-old then explained that his horse had missed a week of work before coming to the Festival but refused to use that as an excuse for his loss.

“He missed a week’s work and I’m not blaming it, I’m not making excuses,” Redknapp explained, “The winner won, different class but he did miss a week’s work. He simply just ran out of steam today.”

Redknapp went on to explain what his week at Cheltenham has been like and how he has revelled in then build-up to having a Gold Cup running horse.

He said: “I’ve loved it. It’s been a great week. The build up and the dream and everything. I’ve loved it. To have a runner here with a chance was fantastic for me.

“I’m not saying he would have won. The winner was amazing. That was absolute Gaelic warrior today. He absolutely bolted up, didn’t it? But we’ve had another great run for him again today. Yeah, he’s jumped, well, run well. So, yeah, that’s how it goes.”

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In spite of the obvious disappointment, Redknapp remained positive and praised how his horse had captured the hearts of the nation.

He ended by saying “that’s why it would have been great today if he could have won it. He didn’t but he came and give his best shot.”

Redknapp’s only previous success at the Cheltenham Festival came in 2024 when Shakem Up’Arry won the Plate Handicap Chase but the step up to the Gold Cup brings him into the upper echelon of successful owners.

In 1997, my students and I traveled to Croagh Patrick, a mountain in County Mayo, as part of a study abroad program course on Irish literature I was teaching for the University of Dayton. I wanted my students to visit the place where, each July, thousands of pilgrims pay homage to St. Patrick, who, according to lore, fasted and prayed on the summit for 40 days.

While there, our tour guide relayed the story of how St. Patrick, as he lay on his death bed on March 17 in A.D. 461, supposedly asked those gathered around him to toast his heavenly journey with a “wee drop of whiskey” to ease their pain.

The mention of whiskey left me wondering if St. Patrick may have unintentionally influenced the way most of the world celebrates the holiday today: by drinking.

It wasn’t always this way. The Festival of St. Patrick began in the 17th century as a religious and cultural commemoration of the bishop who brought Christianity to Ireland. In Ireland, there’s still an important religious and cultural component to the holiday, even as it has simply become an excuse to wear green and heavily drink in the rest of the world.

The legend of St. Patrick

Because historical details about St. Patrick’s life remain shrouded in speculation, scholars are often stymied in their attempts to separate fact from legend.

In his spiritual memoir, “Confessio,” St. Patrick describes how he was brought to Ireland as a slave. He eventually escaped, rejoining his family in Britain, probably Scotland. But while there, he had a recurring dream, in which the “Voice of the Irish” called to him to return to Ireland in order to baptize and minister to them. So he did.

The Irish revere the account of this dream described in the “Confessio”; they accept the simplicity and fervor of his words and feel a debt of gratitude for his unselfish commitment to their spiritual well-being.

St. Patrick’s efforts to convert the Irish to Catholicism were never easy. Viewing him as a challenge to their power and authority, the high kings of Ireland and the pagan high priests, called Druids, resisted his efforts to make inroads with the population.

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But through his missionary zeal, he was able to fuse Irish culture into Christianity, whether it was through the introduction of the Celtic Cross or the use of bonfires to celebrate feasts like Easter.

Again, many of these stories could amount to no more than myth. Nonetheless, centuries after his death, the Irish continue to show their gratitude for their patron saint by wearing a spray of shamrocks on March 17. They start the day with mass, followed by a daylong feast, and prayer and reflection at night.

St. Paddy’s Day goes global

From 1820 to 1860, almost 2 million people left Ireland, many due to the potato famine in the 1840s and 1850s. More followed in the 20th century to reunite with relatives and escape poverty and joblessness back home.

Once settled, they found new ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and their Irish identity in their new homes.

Irish-Americans, especially, were quick to transform March 17 into a commercial enterprise. The mandatory “wearin’ of the green” in all its garishness is a far cry from the original tradition of wearing a spray of shamrocks to honor St. Patrick’s death and celebrate Irish solidarity. Parades famously sprung up – especially in New York and Boston – revelry ensued and, sure enough, even the beer became green.

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Children of Irish-Americans in the United States have absorbed Irish culture at a distance. Many probably know that St. Patrick is Ireland’s patron saint. But they might not fully appreciate his mythic stature for kids growing up on the emerald isle.

Ask children of any age in Ireland what they know about St. Patrick, and they will regale you with stories of his magical abilities, from his power to drive the snakes out of Ireland to his use of the three leaves and one stem of the shamrock to demystify the Trinity doctrine of the Catholic Church.

They see St. Patrick as a miracle worker, and as adults, they keep the legends alive in their own ways. Some follow St. Patrick’s footsteps all around Ireland – from well to hill to altar to chapel – seeking his blessing and bounty wherever their journeys take them.

Raising a glass

Of course, in America, the holy day is really a party, above all else.

Americans have in some years spent US$6.16 billion celebrating, with 13 million pints of Guinness consumed. Some parts of the country have even held a pre-celebration on Sept. 17 – or, as they call it, “Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day.”

Where all of this leads is anyone’s guess. But beginning in the 1990s, Ireland seemed to grasp the earning potential of the Americanized version. March 17 remains a holy day for the natives and a holiday for tourists from around the world, with pubs raking in the euros on St. Patrick’s Day.

But I’ve always wondered: What if St. Patrick had requested a silent prayer instead of “a wee drop of whiskey” to toast his passing? Would his celebration have stayed more sacred than profane?

This is an updated version of an article originally published on March 16, 2021

Flick Williams said “change is needed” to ensure disabled people who feel they have been discriminated against “have easier access to legal help” to “enforce our rights”.

Ms Williams, a visually impaired wheelchair user, has previously won legal battles over alleged discrimination against City of York Council, First York and Marks and Spencer.

The campaigner said she was “honoured” to be invited to give evidence to the Parliamentary Justice Committee, which is undertaking an inquiry into barriers to accessing justice for several groups.

Ms Williams said currently “too much of the burden of enforcing disability rights falls to us as disabled people”, and she was “confident that the changes that are needed are understood” by the committee.

“Change is needed so that we have easier access to legal help and representation to assist us to enforce our rights,” she added.

Ms Williams said the “core issue” is that there are “very few solicitors who will take disability discrimination cases because the compensation awards are so low it simply doesn’t pay to take them”.

She said it means people have been left with few options but to take discrimination cases on themselves. “This can be very daunting and many disabled people simply don’t have the confidence, the energy or capacity to do this.”

Ms Williams added: “I’ve always had a burning sense of injustice which has spurred me on to pursue blatant discrimination to the bitter end.

“I have now taken more cases than I can count, but always choose which cases to take on the basis of their wider impact for other disabled people.”

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Ms Williams said she was “most proud” of the case she won against City of York Council over its licensing of pavement cafes, which followed the campaigner becoming trapped on a footpath while out shopping in York city centre in May 2022.

On leaving a shop, Ms Williams found café furniture had been put out while she was inside, blocking the dropped kerbs on either side – effectively creating an island on which she was trapped.

At the time, a council spokesperson apologised, saying “we got it wrong” and “will continue to listen and learn from the lived experiences of disabled people”.

Ms Williams said the case “certainly had the greatest impact forcing the council to change its policy thereby enabling all disabled people to get around the city with fewer obstacles on pavements”.

The Parliamentary committee was told about many barriers faced by disabled people trying to access justice including inaccessible court buildings and a failure to make reasonable adjustments for court hearings.

“It’s bitterly ironic that disabled people going to court for failures by service providers to make reasonable adjustments as they are required to do by law, then face more reasonable adjustments failures by the court system itself,” Ms Williams said.

The Justice Committee is compiling a report with recommendations for the government.

It is a disappointing result for Redknapp and his stable. The former Tottenham boss, whose week at Cheltenham has been overshadowed somewhat by links to the Spurs job, had enthusiastically backed his horse in the build-up to the race after he won December’s King George Chase, but his wait will continue for a first Gold Cup win.

Councillors heard the significant demand was driven by the cost of living crisis and the challenging private rent sector

Demand for temporary accommodation and homelessness services across Bridgend have continued to rise “significantly” despite a number of measures taken to reduce costs by the council.

The discussions were held at a council cabinet meeting where members heard how the number of households in temporary accommodation across the borough had consistently gone up since 2019.

The figures were presented to council bosses as part of an update on the service where they also gave approval for officers to enter into further agreements with private accommodation providers to enable the “continuation of short-term arrangements”.

Data given at the meeting showed the number of households in temporary accommodation in Bridgend in 2019 was 83 though by January 2026 this had climbed to 296. Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter.

It also showed consistent increases in the number of individuals in temporary accommodation with single-person households shown to make up 75% of all those temporary accommodation.

Additionally the report noted a major rise in the number of applicants on the Bridgend Common Housing Register since the 2019-20 financial year which it said was driven by the cost-of-living crisis and a challenging private rented sector.

The report said: “The demand for homelessness and temporary accommodation services has been compounded by a wider increase in demand for social housing.

“The total number of applicants on the Bridgend Common Housing Register at the end of each year has increased substantially. In 2019-20 there were 816 households on the Common Housing Register.

“At the end of January 2026 there were around 3,500 households on the Common Housing Register.

“A combination of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and a challenging private rented sector are key drivers behind this demand.”

Speaking at the meeting council leader John Spanswick praised the work of officers and said despite the rise in demand for services they had driven down the cost of delivering them by around 21% or £1m.

This came after the council purchased three of their own properties to be used as temporary accommodation along with a capital programme to “increase affordable housing options”.

Cllr Neelo Farr said the three properties purchased for HMOs were reducing their costs “tremendously” with funding now in place to buy three more over the next 12 months.

The report also noted that upscaling this positive work was still considered medium-to-long-term with agreements needed with accommodation providers such as guesthouses, holiday lets, and other properties to address the immediate pressures seen.

Cabinet members in attendance approved plans to temporarily suspend contract procedure rules for agreements to be made directly with providers for up to 12 months or three years where there is value for money.

Cllr Farr said: “This approach ensures that vulnerable people continue to have safe suitable accommodation while longer-term solutions such as increasing affordable housing and supported accommodation are developed to reduce reliance on temporary accommodations.”

WASHINGTON — Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said Friday that the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping traffic has essentially been stopped since the start of the war on Iran, is actually “open” and that military leaders “don’t need to worry about it.”

“The only thing prohibiting transit in the straits right now is Iran shooting at shipping. It is open for transit should Iran not do that,” the former Fox News weekend host told reporters at a Pentagon briefing.

Hegseth, in a particularly angry appearance, also attacked press accounts suggesting that Iran’s attacks on shipping were not anticipated by President Donald Trump and his top aides when he unilaterally took the United States into war against that country two weeks ago.

“As the world is seeing, they are exercising sheer desperation in the Straits of Hormuz, something we’re dealing with. We have been dealing with it and don’t need to worry about it,” he said, and then attacked CNN by name. “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.”

The narrow passage between the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf normally sees about 20% of the world’s crude oil supply pass through. That flow has dropped to a trickle, with the exception of Iran’s own oil.

Convicted sex offender and former TV personality Stephen Bear, 36, is set to become a dad, as his 19-year-old wife, Miami, is pregnant.

Bear rose to fame on reality shows such as Shipwrecked (2011), Ex on the Beach (2015), and Celebrity Big Brother, winning the 2016 series.

In January 2021, he was arrested for uploading private CCTV footage of himself having sex with his ex-girlfriend, Georgia Harrison, on his OnlyFans account.

That May, Bear was charged with voyeurism, disclosing private, sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress, and harassment without violence.

He pleaded not guilty, but in December 2022, he was convicted. The following March, he began serving his 21-month prison sentence but was released early in January 2024.

Following his release, Bear relocated to Brazil, telling social media at the time: ‘The police can’t catch me now.’

While it’s unknown how he met his now-wife, they wed last year when she was 18.

Now, the couple have revealed that she is three months pregnant, whooping and cheering in an Instagram video after announcing: ‘Guys, we have a baby!’

‘We can confirm the baby is three months old,’ said Bear. ‘The doctor said it’s fit and healthy.

‘I’ve been wanting to tell you lot for a few weeks, but it had to be three months old before we announced the news.’

Bear added that he is ‘over the moon’, explaining that they are not going to find out the unborn baby’s sex, but because he is English and ‘really good at football’, while his wife is Brazilian, ‘[they’ve] decided that [their] baby is gonna play for the Brazilian national team’.

Miami then excitedly held up a baby’s yellow sleepsuit emblazoned with the team’s logo and with ‘Bear’ across the back.

‘We’re super excited,’ he shouted.

‘Guys, there’s a new Bear on the way! Woo! Come on!’

The video then cuts to footage of Miami having a scan while the baby’s heartbeat is played aloud.

Bear frequently shares posts online from his new life in Brazil with Miami, while she also posts vlogs, sketches, and dancing clips.

Upon his move to South America, Bear filmed himself from the beach, swigging a beer and saying: ‘I’m just chilling out; licence is finished, police is finished. I can be completely left alone, ready to enjoy my life now. All my conditions are just lifted.

‘Now I can post on social media; that was the main condition. Watch this space.’

He also debuted Miami on his page, telling the camera as he panned to her: ‘This is my 18-year-old Latina girlfriend. Say hello, baby.

‘We just chilling. I got eight music videos I got to shoot while I’m in Brazil. Thinking of looking at some property while I’m over here.’

‘As they say in Brazil, te amo, ciao. That means I love you, goodbye,’ he concluded, blowing a kiss.

He and Miami now live together in an apartment.

Bear, who served just 10 months of his jail sentence, earns a living by continuing to share explicit videos on OnlyFans, for which he charges $20 (£15) each.

Meanwhile, former Towie star Harrison, 31, who dated Bear between 2018 and 2019, waived her right to anonymity during his criminal and civil cases.

She has continued speaking publicly about revenge porn to raise awareness and highlight its prevalence, as well as demanding increased support for victims.

Harrison also donated part of the £207,900 that Bear was ordered to pay her in compensation damages to multiple charities that supported her after the incident, which, while it involved consensual sex between her and Bear at his home in Loughton, she had no idea that it was being filmed and didn’t consent to footage being shared.

Speaking previously at the Proceeds of Crime hearing, she recalled: ‘I had to live in fear that this was going to come out and my family were going to know about it.

‘It was just like the worst feeling you can ever possibly imagine. I felt violated, I felt embarrassed – I hated myself for a really long time.’

Harrison’s other work since has included fronting the documentary Revenge Porn: Georgia vs Bear (2023) and the two-part series Georgia Harrison: Porn, Power, Profit (2025).

Last year, she was appointed an MBE for her services to the prevention of violence against women and girls and for her campaigning around cybercrime. She also welcomed her first child

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