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Met Office reveals whether ‘Blood Rain’ will hit North East

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Met Office reveals whether ‘Blood Rain’ will hit North East

This week, Saharan dust has been moving across Europe.

With the Atlantic weather systems heading towards the UK, many are questioning if this will result in “blood rain”, a term used to describe rain that appears tinted red due to the presence of dust in the atmosphere, impacting the UK on Wednesday or Thursday.

However, the Met Office has provided some clarity regarding this phenomenon.

What is Blood Rain?

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It’s important to note that ‘blood rain’ is not a scientific term.

The rain’s red tint can range from a mild rusty colour to deeper reds, depending on the concentration of dust in the air during a downpour.

Typically, these particles are abundant in iron oxides, lending them the red hue.

For the rain to visibly appear red, a relatively high concentration of these particles needs to mix with the droplets in the atmosphere during a downpour.

Where does it happen?

More commonly, though, rain appears normal and may leave a thin film of dust on surfaces once dried.

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Regarding the upcoming days, the UK, especially the southern parts, can expect a plume of dust coming northward from the Sahara Desert.

This atmospheric event may lead to dust settling out with the rain on Wednesday and Thursday.

Despite the looming presence of this phenomenon, the Met Office assures that the density of dust in the rain will remain low.

(Image: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)

Resulting Rainfall Pattern

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This means the rainfall won’t appear distinctly red, but rather, will likely leave a light layer of yellowish or brownish particles on cars and windows once it dries.

For those in the southwest, overnight and early-morning rain on Thursday could carry these dust particles due to a moist south-westerly airflow interacting with a broad dust plume.

Conversely, dust levels for other parts of the UK are forecast to remain even lower, resulting in non-differential rainfall.

Residents in the region may notice a light dusting on vehicles, decreased visibility at high altitudes, and possibly, notably vibrant sunrises and sunsets caused by the scattering effect of the airborne dust particles on sunlight.

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On the brighter side, the expected dust levels carry no significant health threats.

People with sensitive respiratory systems may only perceive a minor increase in airborne particles until the rain clears the atmosphere.

If you’re planning to wash your car, waiting until the end of the week may be wise, as additional dust pulses could reach the UK before conditions settle.

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US detainees in Iran risk becoming collateral damage in war, families and supporters fear

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US detainees in Iran risk becoming collateral damage in war, families and supporters fear

Families and supporters of Americans detained in Iran say their loved ones face new dangers during the intensifying war, including the risk of becoming unintended casualties of Israeli and American bombardment or victims of retaliation from Iran’s repressive regime.

“For Americans imprisoned in Iran, this is about as terrifying a moment as it gets,” said Siamak Namazi, an Iranian American who was detained for nearly eight years before being released as part of a deal with the U.S. in 2023. “What these families are facing now is days of war with no clear end in sight.”

The U.S. government would not confirm how many Americans are being held in Iran, but the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, a hostage advocacy organization, said there are six and that they face “unprecedented danger” because of the military conflict.

The known cases include a reporter formerly based in Washington and a Jewish Iranian American from New York who traveled to Iran last year for family reasons and hasn’t been permitted to return to the U.S.

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At least two of the known detainees are housed in Evin Prison, the notorious Tehran penitentiary where Namazi was held, according to representatives for the individuals. The high-security facility holds many of the Islamic Republic’s political prisoners and has been the target of past Israeli bombardment.

Kamran Hekmati, a 61-year-old from Long Island detained at Evin, spoke with his wife on Monday, a few days into the war, to assure her that he was safe for now, according to Shohreh Nowfar, his cousin.

But the family worries his condition could quickly deteriorate because he hasn’t been receiving regular treatments for his bladder cancer in the months since he was detained, she said.

“It’s an uncertain time in an uncertain country,” said Nowfar, a Los Angeles resident.

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Trump administration calls for detainees’ release

Ryan Fayhee, a lawyer for Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian American reporter also detained at Evin, said he’s stressed the urgency of the moment in his regular talks with White House and State Department officials.

Israel’s military has taken to social media in recent days to warn residents living near the prison that they should evacuate amid the continuing airstrikes. The families of other foreign nationals imprisoned at Evin have told European news outlets that bombs have been hitting close enough to the detention center to blow out windows.

“It’s my job to let the administration and the Israeli government know that there are innocent American citizens within that prison,” Fayhee said. “They should take great care with this military action to avoid any unfortunate collateral damage.”

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White House and State Department officials declined to respond to specific questions about the status of the detainees out of concern for their safety and security, but called on Iran to immediately release them.

“President Trump has been clear that he wants every American wrongfully detained to be returned home safe and sound, and that there will be dire consequences for regimes who treat Americans as political pawns,” said Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson.

Valizadeh is among at least 15 reporters currently jailed in Iran, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The 50-year-old fled the country in 2009 after reporting on its pro-democracy protests, according to a petition his lawyers submitted to the United Nations in January.

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Valizadeh obtained U.S. citizenship in 2022 while working in Washington for Radio Farda, the Persian-language arm of Radio Free Europe, which receives U.S. government funding.

He was detained in 2024 after returning to Iran to visit his elderly parents and sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges that he was collaborating with the U.S. government.

The U.S. has since officially designated Valizadeh as wrongfully detained, meaning it believes him to be innocent and has assigned the case to the State Department’s special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, the government’s chief hostage negotiator.

Americans imprisoned on dubious charges

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Among the other Americans whose plight has become public is Afarin Mohajer, a California resident originally from Iran.

She was detained in September and charged with posting propaganda critical of the Islamic Republic on social media and insulting its Supreme Leader and Islam, according to her son Reza Zarrabi, a political activist who lives in Germany.

Zarrabi didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment this week, but he has told European media outlets that his mother isn’t politically active and that he believes she was arrested to silence his outspoken opposition to the regime.

Hekmati’s family, meanwhile, is convinced the New York City jewelry business owner is just the latest victim of Iran’s “hostage diplomacy.”

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The country for decades has detained Americans in the hopes of securing the release of Iranians locked up in the U.S. or exacting concessions from Washington. Just last week, the U.S. sought to impose costs on Iran for hostage-taking, with the State Department a day before the conflict began designating the country as a state sponsor of wrongful detention.

Nowfar said her cousin, Hekmati, left Iran after the 1979 revolution but has returned several times without issue.

Then in May, Iranian authorities stopped him at the airport, seized his passport and forbade him from leaving the country. He was eventually charged under an Iranian law that makes it illegal to have visited Israel within the past 10 years.

Hekmati’s family maintains that his last trip to Israel was some 13 years ago for his son’s Bar Mitzvah. They also dispute espionage-related charges that accuse him of having met with Mossad agents.

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“They just wanted to have a hostage. An American hostage,” Nowfar said.

There are also concerns that Hekmati’s faith exposes him to further mistreatment, says Kieran Ramsey, the chief investigative officer at Global Reach, a nonprofit working on Hekmati’s case.

“He’s not only American, he’s also Jewish — and we had had some concerns early on in this case of him” getting bullied, said Ramsey, who previously led the U.S. government’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell.

As for Namazi, he sympathizes with families seeking solace, recalling a chaotic 2022 fire that killed at least eight inmates during his time at Evin.

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“I remember the smoke, the confusion, and the total absence of reliable information,” the 54-year-old Washington resident said. “For us prisoners it was terrifying. My mother says that night was one of the hardest she endured.”

___

Tucker reported from Washington.

___

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Meghan and Netflix end partnership after reports it ‘held her jam brand back’

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Meghan and Netflix end partnership after reports it 'held her jam brand back'
Meghan Markle and Netflix have ended their partnership on her brand, As ever (Picture: Jake Rosenberg/Netflix)

The Duchess of Sussex’s partnership with Netflix has come to an end amid reports she feared her jam brand was being ‘held back’.

The streaming firm had initially partnered with Meghan’s business venture As ever when it launched last year with offerings that also included rose wine and flower sprinkles.

Meghan and the streaming giant had also produced two seasons of her associated lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan.

But figures showed earlier this year that the Duchess’s Netflix show – which was branded ‘toe-curlingly unlovable’ by The Guardian – failed to crack the top 1,000 most-watched programmes on the platform.

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The second instalment of With Love, Meghan was the 1,124th most-watched show between July and December 2025, with two million views, according to data released by Netflix.

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Insiders claimed to The Sun that the duchess, 44, was relieved to be able to ‘go it alone’ now with As ever and launching it as a global brand after fearing it was being ‘held back’ by the ‘cautious’ streamer.

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With Love, Meghan. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex in episode 201 of With Love, Meghan. Cr. Jake Rosenberg/Netflix ?? 2025
The Duchess of Sussex also did two seasons of her show With Love, Meghan for Netflix, but if failed to attract solid viewing figures (Picture: Jake Rosenberg/Netflix)

Regarding the ‘mutual’ split, they added to the publication: ‘Meghan is still on good terms with the Netflix team and close personal friends with Ted (Sarandos, Netflix CEO) so hasn’t wanted to upset him, but is very happy to have full control of the company.

‘It’s a good time for Meghan to have complete control, given recent successes.’

A spokesperson for As ever said: ‘As ever is grateful for Netflix’s partnership through launch and our first year.

‘We have experienced meaningful and rapid growth and As ever is now ready to stand on its own. We have an exciting year ahead and can’t wait to share more.’

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Netflix’s statement read: ‘Meghan’s passion for elevating everyday moments in beautiful yet simple ways inspired the creation of the As ever brand, and we are glad to have played a role in bringing that vision to life.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock (16527980cf) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends the annual Fifteen Percent Pledge fundraising gala honoring Tina Knowles at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles on Saturday February 7, 2026. Knowles was honored for her leadership, advocacy and commitment to empowering black communities and creators. Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala, Los Angeles, California, United States - 07 Feb 2026
She reportedly felt that her brand was being ‘held back’ from a global launch by the more ‘cautious’ streamer (Picture: Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock)

‘As it was always intended, Meghan will continue growing the brand and take it into its next chapter independently, and we look forward to celebrating how she continues to bring joy to households around the world.’

Former Suits actress Meghan and her husband the Duke of Sussex signed a contract thought to be worth more than $100million (£74m) with Netflix after quitting as senior working royals in 2020.

They also inked a first-look deal for film and television projects, which is said to remain in place, meaning that Netflix has the first option on Harry and Meghan’s projects with their Archewell production company.

The first series of With Love, Meghan launched on Netflix in March 2025 and coincided with the unveiling of As ever; her first products, including her raspberry jam (which sold for $14/£10.44 a pop), were repeatedly promoted throughout the show.

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Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Meghan Markle and Prince Harry look on in game two during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Meghan and Harry initially signed an extremely lucrative contract with Netflix in 2020, when they first stepped back as senior royals (Picture: Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
Meghan cuts ties with Netflix over fears it was 'holding jam brand back' (HL tbc) Picture: meghan https://asever.com/collections/shop-all/products/the-library-golden-hour-set
As ever’s Golden Hour set contains teas, jams, honey and a leather bookmark for $137 (£102) (Picture: As ever)

Metro senior TV reporter Asyia Iftikhar was more positive towards the programme, calling it the duo’s ‘strongest offering’ from their Netflix partnership after their 2020 docuseries.

‘The Netflix series is a natural next career move for the star who ran the successful lifestyle blog, The Tig, up until 2017 before she was forced to shut it down (alongside her social media presence) as the royal spotlight heated up.

‘In many ways, watching her effortlessly coast through easy at-home recipes and happy-go-lucky conversations with her guests, it feels like this is what she should have been doing all along,’ she observed in her review.

‘Meghan may not be re-inventing the wheel with her show, but she is re-inventing the image she wants to put out there. Goodbye exiled royal, hello lifestyle guru.’ 

Among the other products on As ever’s website are honey and tea sets, jam sets and a candle for $64 (£48).

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When is FA Cup draw? Start time, ball numbers, TV channel, live stream for quarter-finals

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When is FA Cup draw? Start time, ball numbers, TV channel, live stream for quarter-finals

The FA Cup steps up another notch this weekend with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs.

By Monday evening, West Ham and Brentford will be vying for the final last-eight spot, but not before the quarter-final draw is made.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the FA Cup quarter-final draw…

When is the FA Cup quarter-final draw

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The FA Cup quarter-final draw will take place on Monday, March 9, 2026, ahead of West Ham vs Brentford at the London Stadium.

TNT Sports coverage of the game gets underway at 6.30pm GMT, ahead of an 8pm kick-off, with the draw scheduled to begin around 7.05pm.

Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist will present the draw, which will be made by Joe Hart.

FA Cup draw

The FA via Getty Images

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Where to watch FA Cup quarter-final draw

TV channel: In the UK, coverage of the draw will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1.

Live stream: You can also follow along online via the Discovery+ app and website with a subscription, as well as on the TNT Sports YouTube channel.

FA Cup quarter-final ball numbers

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2. Port Vale or Sunderland

3. Newcastle United or Man City

5. Mansfield Town or Arsenal

When will FA Cup quarter-final ties take place?

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FA Cup quarter-final matches are scheduled to be held across the weekend of April 4/5, 2026.

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The billionaire who owns so much land it could cover 78% of Northern Ireland

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The billionaire who owns so much land it could cover 78% of Northern Ireland

Arsenal owner Stanley Kroenke has been dubbed ‘Silent Stan’ due to his desire to keep a low profile, but his huge fortune and business empire could not be more public

When British people hear the name Stanley Kroenke, most will immediately think of him as Arsenal’s owner. However, his connection to the North London football club represents just a fraction of his vast empire.

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This became abundantly clear earlier this year when he topped Land Report’s annual rankings as the United States’ largest private landowner.

The 78-year-old sports tycoon made headlines in December after acquiring a colossal 937,000-acre ranch in New Mexico — pushing his total land holdings across America and Canada to an astonishing 2.7 million acres.

To put that into perspective, that expanse of land could fit into 79% of Northern Ireland — which spans 3.4 million acres.

The jaw-dropping figure surpassed the previous record held by California’s Emmerson family, who own 2.44 million acres of timberland.

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Stan has a particular fondness for ranches, with properties scattered across Montana and Nevada. A decade ago, he also purchased the legendary Waggoner Ranch, the largest contiguous piece of ranchland in Texas, spanning an impressive 535,000 acres.

While he’s invested fortunes in land acquisitions, Forbes estimates his net worth at a remarkable $22.2 billion (£16.3bn). In that context, spending £105m on Arsenal’s signing of Declan Rice appears to be pocket money.

The entrepreneur also controls 60 million square feet of commercial property, and his connection to the world’s wealthiest family runs through his marriage to Ann Walton — a Walmart heiress whose personal fortune, according to Forbes, stands at $14.4billion (£10.7bn). Stan and Ann are parents to two children, Whitney Ann and Josh, with Josh serving as co-chairman of Arsenal alongside his father.

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Beyond his role at Arsenal, Stan’s sporting empire extends to ownership of the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Rapids.

The business tycoon is notoriously media-shy and has earned the nickname “silent Stan” due to his preference for keeping out of the spotlight.

In a rare conversation with Mirror Sport, he acknowledged that generating wealth would be far simpler in industries outside of sport.

He said: “There are a lot of easier ways, so many easier ways, to make money, I assure you! You guys talk about the downs, maybe that’s the nature of it, but if you’re just trying to make money there are a lot of easier ways to do it.

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“If you look at our history — just go look at our history. We get into these things to try to build them, to try to grow them. You don’t see us selling things. You just don’t. Go and check us. We are committed long-term.”

These remarks from Kroenke came in 2017, when he made it crystal clear he had “absolutely not” any intention of parting with Arsenal, emphasising his ambition to deliver complete success to North London.

He said: “Look, we want to be champions of everything. Premier League, Champions League — we want them all.”

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Nearly ten years on, as he achieved the remarkable feat of becoming America’s biggest landowner, his football club appears poised to create its own piece of history on the field, with their first top-flight championship in 22 years now tantalisingly close.

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Welsh village with Mediterranean gardens make it ‘feel like you’re in Italy’

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Welsh village with Mediterranean gardens make it 'feel like you're in Italy'

A travel content creator has shared her visit to an enchanting Welsh village with sub-tropical gardens and stunning architecture which is worthy of your staycation ‘bucket list’

Next time you’re contemplating arranging a break close to home, you might want to consider the recommendation of a travel content creator who maintains she’s discovered an idyllic Welsh spot that “feels like you’re in Italy”.

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After visiting the destination, Amy Hulley described the stunning village as thoroughly deserving of a place on your holiday “bucket list” as she shared her experience with Instagram followers. “For a moment I genuinely forgot I was in the UK,” she confessed in a video. Visitors can pay an admission charge to explore the village for the day, or book accommodation in one of its quaint hotels and cottages.

The location? Portmeirion in Gwynedd, on the edge of Eryri National Park.

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Amy added: “Pastel buildings. Arches and domes. Palm trees overlooking the water. It felt Mediterranean, almost cinematic.”

She disclosed her visit happened to coincide with a steampunk event, with period costumes and music enhancing the “fun atmosphere”.

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Noting the village’s sub-tropical gardens and striking architecture, Amy explained: “Sir Clough Williams-Ellis began creating it in 1925 to prove that colourful, theatrical design could sit beautifully within nature rather than damage it. Every building was carefully positioned to frame the estuary and protect the woodland around it.”

Writing in response, a previous visitor commented: “A wonderful place to visit, a little expensive but worth it!” Another person admitted: “Wow I can’t believe this is in the UK, Amy. Stunning Italian vibes.”

A second person exclaimed: “Can’t wait to visit here! So picturesque.” And a third Instagram user enthused: “This is beautiful, it’s definitely on my bucket list now.”

Portmeirion’s tourism website proudly advertises: “Experience the magic of staying in Portmeirion. See the dawn break over the mountains of Meirionnydd; watch the tide fill the Dwyryd estuary from shore to shore.

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“Stay in one of two luxury 4-star hotels or in a suite in the middle of the village. Portmeirion also offers self-catering accommodation on the picturesque North Wales coast. Situated on the southern flank of its own private peninsula, Portmeirion is a place apart.”

The village also features several cafes and an Italian-style gelateria offering authentic home-made gelato. “There are three shops in the village The Prisoner Shop with souvenirs of the famous series filmed here in 1966-67, the Rob Piercy Gallery and The Ship Shop with gifts, toys, housewares and Portmeirion Pottery best-ware, Portmeirion Pottery seconds as well as preserves, wines, and confectioneries,” the website details.

It also served as the setting for the 1960’s cult classic series, The Prisoner, starring Patrick McGoohan. “It was probably one of the most influential pieces of television of the 1960’s not only in the UK and USA, but also in France, Australia, and many other countries,” the site states.

The website continues: “The series is rich in imagery and visual impact. The surreal architecture of the village with its Mediterranean atmosphere coupled with the high-tech interiors, tannoys, surveillance cameras and piped music create a bizarre combination.”

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Police investigating attempted robbery in Radcliffe on moped

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Police investigating attempted robbery in Radcliffe on moped

They said the incident took place between 3.30pm and 3.45pm last Sunday (March 1) and two people are thought to have been involved.

The pair were riding a scooter or moped with balaclavas on, one dressed in black clothing and the other in a grey tracksuit jacket with black trousers.

Officers have appealed to anyone who may have witnessed the incident on Stopes Road, near the junction of Countess Lane and Bolton Road, to come forward.

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They are also appealing for any CCTV footage or information that could help with their investigation.

A spokesperson for GMP said: “Officers are investigating an attempted robbery that occurred between 3.30pm and 3.45pm on Sunday, March 1, on Stopes Road in Radcliffe, near the junction of Countess Lane and Bolton Road.

“It is believed two people, one wearing black clothing and the second person wearing a grey tracksuit jacket and black trousers with balaclavas and riding a scooter/moped, were involved in the incident.

“Investigators are appealing for any witnesses, information or CCTV footage which could assist their enquiries.”

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If you can assist, contact police by calling 101 and quoting CRI/06NN/0003097/26 or alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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North Yorkshire hidden gem chippy with real taste of Whitby

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North Yorkshire hidden gem chippy with real taste of Whitby

From Magpie Cafe (James Martin approved) to Trenchers, which has just been crowned the UK’s best chippy restaurant at the National Fish and Chip Awards 2026, there are so many to visit.

But there’s one fish and chip shop that’s been hailed a “hidden gem” which some might not know about, and it’s been described as a “proper” chippy.

It comes as someone posted on Reddit: “Which Yorkshire town has the best proper chippy, no debate?

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“Everyone claims their local is the best, but let’s settle it properly.

“Crispy batter, decent portion size, chips that aren’t soggy, and proper gravy or curry sauce.

“Which Yorkshire town genuinely does it best? No politeness, just honest answers.”

‘Proper’ Whitby chippy is a go-to spot for a ‘taste of the coast’

Riverside Fisheries, tucked away on Church Street, received a notable mention by residents and visitors on the Reddit thread.

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Someone replied: “It’s a bit of a hidden gem with it being a bit out of the way, but it’s been my go-to for a while whenever I’m over there.”

The eatery is also said to offer a “quintessential Whitby fish and chip experience” and is a go-to spot for an “authentic taste of the coast”.

Welcome to Yorkshire shares: “Riverside Fisheries offers a quintessential Whitby fish and chip experience, cherished by locals and visitors alike for its traditional charm and exceptional value.

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“Nestled on Church Street, this popular takeaway has earned a fantastic reputation, reflected in its impressive 4.6/5 star Google rating based on over 200 reviews.

“Renowned for serving gloriously fresh, often ‘criminally light and crispy’ fish and generous portions of chips, Riverside Fisheries prides itself on classic chip shop fare.

“Customers consistently praise the quality and size of dishes like the huge haddock, alongside tasty options such as scampi and homemade tartar sauce.

“The friendly and efficient team ensures brilliant service in an immaculately clean setting, making it a go-to spot for an authentic taste of the coast.”

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On Tripadvisor, Riverside Fisheries currently has a “good” 4.1/5 rating based on 155 reviews – 99 of which are rated as “excellent”.

‘Riverside Fisheries offers a quintessential Whitby fish and chip experience’ (Image: Tripadvisor)

A recent customer commented: “Staying nearby in Whitby, so called in for tea.

“Lovely crispy chips, fish had just the right amount of batter.

“Friendly staff and good prices, will definitely be back.”

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Someone else who also praised the batter said: “The haddock was lovely and the batter was light and flaky. Very good price.

“We had this as an evening meal and thoroughly enjoyed it. Would definitely visit again. Highly recommended.”

A third impressed guest wrote: “This is one of the best chippies I’ve been to – had the haddock which was really nice and the curry sauce was nice with a bit of a kick to it. Would highly recommend.”

Have you discovered Riverside Fisheries in Whitby? Let us know in the comments below.

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Man charged with driving woman to suicide through campaign of domestic abuse | News UK

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Man charged with driving woman to suicide through campaign of domestic abuse | News UK
Gillian Morand was aged just 36 when she ended her own life in March 2020 (Picture: Met Police)

A man has been charged with manslaughter over the death of a woman who killed herself after allegedly being subjected to a campaign of domestic abuse.

Gillian Morand was aged just 36 when she ended her own life in March 2020.

A subsequent inquest ruled her death a suicide, but the Met Police has now charged Seyhan Assaf, 45, with manslaughter and coercive or controlling behaviour.

Scotland Yard said the decision was made after ‘information came to light around allegations of domestic abuse that Gillian had previously suffered’.

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A spokesperson said: ‘It is alleged Gillian was abused over a significant period of time, and it is further alleged that this abuse contributed to her death.’

Detective Chief Inspector Dan Whitten, from the Metropolitan Police Service, added: ‘This is a complex investigation with very few charges of this nature authorised across the country.

‘We are supporting Gillian’s family, who ask for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time.

‘I ask that anyone who was in contact with Gillian in the decade prior to her death contact us. Any information, irrespective of how insignificant it may seem, may be of considerable value.’

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There are currently only two other men in the country facing manslaughter charges over the deaths of women who killed themselves because of alleged domestic abuse.

Samantha Yelland, Senior Crown Prosecutor in CPS London Homicide Unit, said: ‘We have decided to prosecute Seyhan Assaf with manslaughter and controlling or coercive behaviour.

‘This decision comes after working closely with the Metropolitan Police as they have carried out their investigation into the death of Gillian Morand.

‘Our prosecutors worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring these charges to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.’

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Assaf, of Sidcup, southeast London, will appear at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, March 7.

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How people in the Gulf are reacting to the Iran war

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How people in the Gulf are reacting to the Iran war

Iran immediately responded to US-Israeli strikes on February 28 by launching coordinated missile and drone attacks against US military installations in the Gulf region. Since then, its targeting has expanded to airports, seaports, hotels and oil refineries. The debris from missile interceptions has produced several casualties.

The first official statements from governments in the Gulf, with the exception of Oman, refrained from condemning the US-Israeli strikes. Those strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several senior Iranian officials and nearly 180 civilians. Many of these were schoolgirls killed in an attack on a school in southern Iran.

This lack of condemnation did not go unnoticed. Across social media, a wave of debate broke out, with many Gulf citizens asking how governments that style themselves as voices of measured multilateralism could fail to register the illegality of the US-Israeli aggression against Iran.

However, as the barrage continued and many Gulf citizens and residents found themselves stuck indoors, the initial sympathy for Iran’s position began to give way. For most Gulf citizens, the sound of explosions and aerial interceptions is new. The exception is Kuwait, whose population carries the memory of Iraq’s 1990 invasion and occupation.

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Like many anxiously watching from a distance, I have been calling family and friends in the Gulf every day. They send voice notes offering insights on the conflict that rarely make it into official Gulf channels.

A military helicopter flies over Doha on March 4 as Iran retaliates against US-Israeli air strikes by firing hundreds of missiles and drones at neighbouring Gulf countries.
STR / EPA

Those who had been through war before knew what to do. An Emirati friend described a message from her Lebanese colleague, who had lived through multiple cycles of conflict and passed along a piece of practical advice: “Keep your windows and doors slightly ajar, so that pressure from nearby explosions does not drive the glass to shatter inward.”

She went on to recount how a Serbian woman in Dubai, who had survived two wars and believed she had exhausted her capacity to do so again, had told her she found the sounds so triggering that she spent the night sleeping in her car in the basement of her apartment building.

The sight of a long queue outside an Emirates airline office in a Dubai mall offended at least one Emirati observer. Expatriates rerouting their lives away from a conflict that had not yet become catastrophic, by any measure, was something this person found “cowardly”, she told me in an indignant voice note.

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A Qatari friend put the asymmetry differently. Western governments, she remarked, could be relied on to extract their nationals from the consequences of foreign policy decisions they had supported. In contrast, Gulf populations would be left to absorb them – including rising food prices that could strain household budgets if traffic through the strait of Hormuz remains disrupted.

To date, the casualty figures in the Gulf are relatively low. Three people have died in Kuwait, three in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), three in Oman and one in Bahrain. None were Gulf citizens. Two of those killed in Kuwait were members of the Bidoon, a stateless community that has existed in Kuwait for generations without formal legal recognition.

For now, the absence of citizen casualties has softened the psychological impact of the conflict, exposing the racial hierarchies that have long plagued Gulf societies. But it is possible the Gulf governments are managing disclosure carefully, wary of provoking panic.

The information environment there is tightly controlled. The UAE has warned the public against filming or sharing footage of strikes and interceptions, with violations carrying a fine of 100,000 UAE dirhams (roughly £20,000) and potential imprisonment.

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Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar have also issued directives urging citizens and residents to rely only on official sources.

Regional security questions

The conversation has taken on a different register among Gulf scholars and commentators. Despite the narrow space for debate, the war has opened an unexpected aperture for introspective commentary.

Conspicuously absent have been Emirati voices. Scholars and commentators in the UAE operate under tighter constraints than their Gulf counterparts. Views that interrogate state policy also rarely find their way into public circulation.

Saudi analyst Sulaiman al-Oqaily, speaking on Al Jazeera on February 28, gave voice to a frustration that has also appeared in local media. He argued that the US, nominally a security partner to the Gulf, had revealed itself as focused overwhelmingly on Israeli security, with scant regard for the Gulf states.

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Omani scholar Abdullah Baabood put it plainly in a social media post on March 3: “The Iran-US war is not the Gulf’s war, yet Gulf states have become sitting ducks – exposed by geography, constrained by alliances, and vulnerable to escalation they neither chose nor control.”

Qatari commentator Abdulrahman Al-Marri offered a more layered analysis. Also in a post on social media, he insisted any serious engagement with the crisis must begin from its most basic fact: this is a war of choice, manufactured by the US and Israel. But he was equally insistent that this should not obscure the Gulf’s own reckoning with Iran.

The US and Israel and also Iran, in Al-Marri’s framing, are respectively engaged in forms of “state terrorism” and “counter-state terrorism” that have cost the region dearly. Iran’s conduct is not absolved by US-Israeli aggression, he writes. Its support for armed proxies and interventions in Iraq and Syria have left a residue of enmity and distrust that are etched in collective memory across the Gulf.

Yet on one point, the commentary has converged: the Gulf states must stay out of the war. Restraint and diplomacy have been the consistent recommendations.

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Alongside this, Al-Marri and others have pointed out that US military bases in the Gulf, long presented as guarantors of security, have revealed themselves as liabilities. They have made Gulf territories a target in a confrontation they did not initiate.

Fifty years after independence, the Gulf region has yet to build a security framework that does not depend on outsourcing its defence to external partners whose interests, as this war has shown, do not reliably align with its own.

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Reborn Wales push Ireland to limit to hint at brighter future

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Reborn Wales push Ireland to limit to hint at brighter future

Ireland starting XV: 15 Jamie Osborne; 14 Rob Baloucoune, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Jacob Stockdale; 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park; 1 Tom O’Toole, 2 Ronan Kelleher, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 James Ryan, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 6 Jack Conan, 7 Nick Timoney, 8 Caelan Doris (captain).

Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Michael Milne, 18 Thomas Clarkson, 19 Joe McCarthy, 20 Josh van der Flier, 21 Nathan Doak, 22 Tom Farrell, 23 Ciaran Frawley.

Wales starting XV: 15 Louis Rees-Zammit, 14 Ellis Mee, 13 Eddie James, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Tomos Williams, 1 Rhys Carre, 2 Dewi Lake (captain), 3 Tomas Francis, 14 Dafydd Jenkins, 5 Ben Carter, 6 Alex Mann, 7 James Botham, 8 Aaron Wainwright.

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Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Adam Beard, 20 Olly Cracknell, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Louie Hennessey.

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