Travel in the region continues to be severely disrupted

Travel expert Simon Calder has shared his thoughts on when ‘normality’ might return to airports in the Middle East. Flights to and from the region continue to be severely disrupted in the wake of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

A multitude of flights to and from Dubai, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi – all three being vital transport hubs for individuals travelling to and from the Gulf and Asia – have been cancelled. Approximately half a million passengers typically utilise these airports daily.

More than 37,000 Brits have made their way back to the UK from the Middle East since the crisis response commenced, with it believed that tens of thousands more remain stranded.

Mr Calder has been regularly updating on the crisis, which kicked off on February 28. He stated that whilst he anticipates an increase in the number of flights departing from the region, there’s no definitive end to the disruption in sight.

“There are tickets now being sold by Etihad out of Abu Dhabi,” he revealed. “Which is an interesting development. On top of that, I expect there to be a ramp-up in flights out of Doha and out of Dubai, but at the moment we are still a long way away from anything that could be described as. normality, whatever that looks like.

“You know, the idea that you have half a million people flying to, through, and from the three big hubs of Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi every day. And it’s an interesting question as to what on earth happens when, of course, the war is finally over, which cannot come soon enough. But anyway, so I hope that people will be able to get out.”

READ MORE: ‘Iran war means we’re stuck in the Maldives – it’s costing us thousands’READ MORE: Dr Amir Khan message for people on lansoprazole, omeprazole, or pantoprazole

On Monday, 16 out of the 18 scheduled flights from the UK to Qatar were cancelled due to ongoing airspace closures, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Eleven out of 33 flights from the UK to the United Arab Emirates – encompassing Dubai and Abu Dhabi – were also scrapped. It’s anticipated that clearing the backlog of stranded passengers caused by the conflict will take weeks.

“British Airways has taken the view that we’re not going into Dubai or Abu Dhabi or Doha,” Mr Calder explained. “If you want to fly out, we’re happy to do that, but we’re going to be arranging flights from Muscat and looking at Friday night’s Virgin Atlantic flight to Dubai, that was arguably a good call because the effect was that the flight got to within maybe a couple of hundred miles of Dubai over Saudi Arabia and then turned around because of the attack on Dubai airport.

“It flew back, couldn’t get all the way back, went to Budapest to refuel and then continued to Heathrow. So it was roughly, I think, something like an 18-hour flight to nowhere.”

The seventh American service member killed in the United States war with Iran has been identified as a 26-year-old soldier from Glendale, Kentucky.

Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington died Saturday after being seriously injured during an attack on U.S. troops at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, March 1, the Department of Defense said Monday.

”He gave the ultimate sacrifice for the country he loved. That makes him nothing less than a hero, and he will always be remembered that way,” said Gen. Sean A. Gainey, United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command commanding general.

Pennington, who enlisted in the Army in 2017, was assigned to the 1st Space Brigade at Fort Carson, Colorado.

“Sgt. Pennington was a dedicated and experienced noncommissioned officer who led with strength, professionalism and sense of duty,” said Col. Michael F. Dyer, 1st Space Brigade commander.

open image in gallery

open image in gallery

Pennington had received numerous awards and decorations during his time in the Army. He will be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant.

On Saturday, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, of six U.S. soldiers killed in the war.

The soldiers killed in action were Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa; Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa, who was posthumously promoted from specialist.

The six Army Reserve members were killed by a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait. The group was from the 103rd Sustainment Command, based in Des Moines, Iowa, which provides food, fuel, water and ammunition, transport equipment and supplies. They died a day after the U.S. and Israel launched a joint military campaign against Iran on February 28.

open image in gallery

Advertisement

open image in gallery

Trump said Saturday there will likely be more U.S. casualties in the conflict with Iran. When asked if he thought he would attend more dignified transfers, Trump said: “I’m sure. I hate to… but it’s part of war.”

Top administration officials also attended the dignified transfer, including Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence.

Hegseth wrote on social media Friday of “an unbreakable spirit to honor their memory and the resolve they embodied.”

open image in gallery

open image in gallery

open image in gallery

Trump, wearing a blue suit, red tie and white USA baseball cap, saluted each coffin as it was carried by service members from the military aircraft to awaiting transfer vehicles. The families of the slain soldiers were also in attendance.

At least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran, more than 300 in Lebanon and about a dozen people in Israel since the conflict began over a week ago, according to the Associated Press.

The U.S. and Israel launched joint military strikes against Iran February 28, killing dozens of Iranian officials, including the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian officials announced his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as Iran’s new supreme leader Sunday.

Iran has retaliated against Israel and U.S. bases and allies in the region. On Sunday, Israel struck Beirut, Lebanon, and an oil storage facility in Tehran, continuing to escalate the conflict.

ET could be phoning home, but we’re ghosting him, a new study has suggested.

The search for alien life often brings up images of men in black and cover-ups at the highest levels of government.

But why alien life has yet to be discovered could be as simple as space weather, according to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute.

The institute’s findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal, said hunting for extraterrestrials involves listening to the heavens for sounds.

Think, for example, of the Wow! Signal that excited astronomers in 1977. The radio detection has never been properly explained or seen again.

There could be more of these signals being beamed to Earth, but the space weather caused by the sun could be ‘smearing’ the frequency, SETI said.

Dr Vishal Gajjar, astronomer at the SETI Institute and lead author, said: ‘[Traditional] Searches are often optimised for extremely narrow signals.

‘If a signal gets broadened by its own star’s environment, it can slip below our detection thresholds, even if it’s there, helping explain some of the radio silence we’ve seen in technosignature searches.’

By ‘technosignature’, Dr Gajjar means evidence that technology might have been used or is being used by alien life.

SETI figured out how space weather from stars could smear such clues by looking at radio transmissions from spacecraft in our solar system

Cool and dim red dwarves, which account for 70% of stars in the cosmos, are more likely to distort technosignature, the institute said.

In other words, we need to change how we detect signals to take into account volatile space weather.

Grayce C Brown, co-author of the study, added: ‘By quantifying how stellar activity can reshape narrowband signals, we can design searches that are better matched to what actually arrives at Earth, not just what might be transmitted.’

We’re ‘unintentionally ghosting aliens’ says expert

This gives decades-long alien hunters like Mark Christopher Lee hope, he told Metro.

Lee said SETI’s paper could answer the Fermi Paradox, the idea that if the universe is billions of years old, where are all the aliens?

He said: ‘It’s like trying to tune into a radio station during a solar storm; the signal gets broadened and slips below our detection thresholds, effectively “ghosting” us unintentionally.’

Lee said that from a UFO perspective, the sun’s plasma may also explain why sightings typically describe them as behaving erratically.

‘Perhaps alien tech is designed for interstellar travel but gets scrambled by our solar system’s “weather”,’ he added.

‘If true, it suggests we’re not alone, but the universe’s natural barriers are keeping the conversation one-sided.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Closest look yet at mysterious ‘UFO comet’ astronomers thought might hit Earth

MORE: Mysterious never-before-seen egg-like structures found on Mars

MORE: Hacker claims US government has UFO photos and list of ‘non-terrestrial officers’

Brenda Blethyn, known for her portrayal of Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope, has parted ways with the role, but she’s apparently had no shortage of job offers

Actress Brenda Blethyn has opened up about “dealing with some personal things” while giving fans an insight into her career plans going forward. Best known for her iconic portrayal of Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope in ITV’s —a role she held for 14 years before making her final bow last year — the in-demand star has found herself with offers.

It may come as some surprise to the 80-year-old actress, who initially didn’t think her phone “would ever ring” again. However, that clearly wasn’t the case, as she noted it has been “off the hook.”

Since parting ways with Vera, Brenda has kept busy. She appeared in Paul Andrew Williams’ 2025 film Dragonfly and is currently gracing screens in Channel 4’s A Woman of Substance, adapted from Barbara Taylor Bradford’s 1979 novel.

Opening up to Hello! magazine, Brenda confessed: “I didn’t think the phone would ever ring, but it’s been ringing off the hook. I didn’t know this was going to happen.”

In terms of the future, Brenda admitted that there is currently no work in the pipeline, although she has turned “some things down,” citing “personal things.” She elaborated further, telling the publication: “There’s no work planned, but I’ve been turning some things down. I’m dealing with some personal things at the moment, with family.”

Nevertheless, Brenda has one ambition firmly in her sights—reprising her role for a second series of A Woman of Substance, enthusing: “I want to know what happens next!”

This follows Brenda’s revelation earlier this year that her “idea of a holiday” would be visiting a cherished seaside port town in Kent, which she regards as her “happy place.”

She disclosed to Prima magazine: “My work takes me away from home all the time, so my idea of a holiday is going home. Ramsgate is my happy place. My mum and dad were here for a long time, so I’ve always had some connection with the town.”

Discussing A Woman of Substance last week, in which she appears alongside Jessica Reynolds, Emmett J. Scanlan, Harry Cadby, and Will Mellor, Brenda described how she has a personal link to the story.

The series follows Emma Harte, who starts out as a kitchen maid before rising to become a department store magnate.

Brenda explained the link on a recent episode of Lorraine: “Funnily enough, one of the reasons I was very interested in taking part was my mum started as a skivvy in a big rich house down in Kent around about the same time, maybe a few years after. That’s where she met my dad, who was the chauffeur. My dad was born in 1894; it’s just reminiscent of that, and I used to love hearing their stories.”

The ex-co worker said she hopes his death can bring ‘some closure’ to the town

A woman who worked with Ian Huntley before he murdered schoolgirls Holly and Jessica has reacted to his death. The woman who worked with him in Soham, Cambridgeshire and did not want to be named, said she “didn’t like” him when she worked with him.

Huntley, aged 52, died in hospital on Saturday (March 7) after being attacked at HMP Frankland on February 26. He was serving a life sentence for the murder of Soham schoolgirls Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells, 10, in 2002.

Huntley worked as a caretaker at Soham Village College after moving to the area in 2001. One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, used to work with Huntley at the school.

She told CambridgeshireLive that she “didn’t like him” even before he killed the two innocent girls. It was reported that Huntley’s life-support machine was switched off on Friday night after the 52-year-old suffered severe brain trauma during the attack and then he died in hospital on Saturday morning.

A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “A man who was attacked at HMP Frankland in Durham last week has died in hospital this morning. Ian Huntley, 52, was taken to hospital with serious injuries following an incident in the workshop on the morning of Thursday, February 26. A police investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing. A file is being prepared for the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration for charges.”

The partner of Huntley’s former colleague, who also wished to not be named, said: “He [Ian Huntley] had one problem, he breathed. The only other problem is when he died, he wasn’t conscious.”

The former co-worker and her partner both said they hope Huntley’s death can bring “some closure” to Soham. She added: “They [Holly and Jessica] would be in their 30s now. They [Holly and Jessica’s] parents could have been grandparents now. [We hope] it’s a rest for the parents.”

Police in New Zealand have said a rucksack left in a donation area at a charity shop contained cannabis and more than $3,700 (£1,600) in cash.

Two teenagers – a boy and a girl – left the bag outside the shop as they waited for their car to be serviced at a nearby workshop, according to a police statement released on Monday.

A volunteer at the store in the Southland region of the South Island noticed a pungent smell coming from the rucksack and found plastic bags containing 43.2g of cannabis and the money.

Police were called when the teenagers returned to the charity shop in a panic to retrieve the bag.

Officers found more cash, an air pistol – which requires a license and adult supervision for under-18s – and a police scanner in the teenagers’ vehicle.

While the possession of a scanner is not illegal in New Zealand, distributing or acting on information heard is a crime.

Recreational use of cannabis is illegal in New Zealand, as is selling, supplying and possessing the drug.

Some medical use is allowed with a doctor’s prescription.

Read more from Sky News:
Synagogue in Belgium damaged in explosion
Masked fan unplugs VAR monitor during penalty decision

The incident happened on 18 February.

The teenagers were arrested, but police did not say what charges they face or if they have appeared in court, in line with New Zealand’s rules around what can be reported from cases before the Youth Court involving alleged offenders younger than 17.

Dean Higgins, 35, of Winrose Avenue, Leeds, has been jailed for 27 months after pleading guilty to theft, driving whilst disqualified, and dangerous driving.

Connor Barnett, 21, of Quarry Way, Leeds, has been jailed for 14 months after pleading guilty to theft.

The pursuit began on December 12 after a man was asleep in a heavy-goods vehicle in the Woolston area of Warrington when he was woken by loud banging coming from the rear trailer at around 3.45am.

He saw that tyres from his trailer were being unloaded and placed onto another -with around 500 in total reportedly being taken. The police were contacted and the HGV filled with the stolen tyres fled the scene.

Officers soon located the vehicle – which was displaying false plates – as it entered Greater Manchester Police’s force area via the M62 from the M6, with officers joining Cheshire’s in a covert pursuit while the means to stop the vehicle were put in place.

Once the lorry entered the West Yorkshire area, it failed to stop and a pursuit began, with the police helicopter scrambled.

The lorry weaved in and out of traffic between lanes, putting other road users at significant risk of harm as Higgins drove the vehicle in a dangerous manner to avoid police.

During this pursuit, Higgins crashed with a GMP traffic car, causing it to spin out and crash into the central reservation. The officer in the vehicle only received minor injuries.

The pursuit came to an end after the lorry, which was stung earlier in the pursuit, lost control and came to a rest near Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Higgins and Barnett fled the vehicle as it came to a stop, making off across the opposite carriageway.

The two were quickly located thanks to the assistance of the helicopter specialist dog units within GMP, and officers from West Yorkshire Police.

PC Philip Raymond, from GMP’s Roads Policing Unit, said: “This was a highly challenging and dangerous pursuit which involved colleagues from three different police forces.

“The pair stole thousands of pounds worth of tyres and showed recklessness as they fled, including spinning out a GMP officer – we are fortunate there were not more serious consequences for their actions.

“The work of Cheshire, GMP, and West Yorkshire has meant that the pair are now rightly behind bars for their crimes, and is testament to the commitment and dedication of all police forces.”

Detective Inspector David Schofield, from Cheshire Police, said: “This is another fine example of forces working together to catch criminals and put them before the courts. They certainly got more than they bargained for when they came to Cheshire to steal and thought they could simply get away with it.

“I hope this sends a message loud and clear that we are tireless in our efforts to stop cross-county criminals in their tracks and get justice for victims.”

Oil prices spiked near $120 per barrel Monday as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East and pummeling financial markets.

Prices eased only after French President Emmanuel Macron said the Group of Seven nations could dip into their emergency oil stockpiles in response.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, surged to $119.50 per barrel early in the day but later was trading above $101 per barrel, up 9%.

West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, also soared above $119.48 per barrel but fell back closer to $100.

Iran named the hard-line Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his late father as supreme leader on Monday, signaling no letup in the war. The appointment marked a new sign of defiance by Iran’s embattled leadership after more than a week of heavy U.S. and Israeli bombardment, suggesting that Tehran is not close to giving up on what it considers a fight for the country’s existence.

The war’s toll on civilian targets grew as Bahrain accused Iran of striking a desalination plant vital to drinking water supplies. Bahrain’s national oil company declared force majeure for its shipments after an Iranian attack set its refinery complex ablaze. The legal declaration releases the company of contractual obligations because of extraordinary circumstances.

Oil depots in Tehran smoldered following overnight strikes by Israel.

Oil prices have surged as the war, now in its second week, ensnares countries and places that are critical to the production and movement of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf.

Prices moderated after the Financial Times reported that some members of the Group of Seven industrial nations were considering releases of strategic oil reserves to alleviate pressure on the markets.

Macron said Monday that “the use of strategic reserves is an envisaged option.” He said G7 leaders could meet this week to coordinate a response to climbing energy prices. France currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7 group. Separately, finance ministers from the G7 nations are meeting Monday by video conference to discuss the repercussions from the war.

On Saturday, President Donald Trump downplayed the idea of turning to America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, saying U.S. supplies were ample and prices would soon fall.

Roughly 15 million barrels of crude oil — about 20% of the world’s oil — typically are shipped every day through the Strait of Hormuz, according to independent research firm Rystad Energy. The threat of Iranian missile and drone attacks has all but stopped tankers carrying oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iran from traveling through the strait, which is bordered in the north by Iran.

Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE have cut oil production as storage tanks fill due to the reduced ability to export crude. Iran, Israel and the United States also have attacked oil and gas facilities since the war started, worsening supply concerns.

The surge in costs for oil and natural gas is pushing fuel prices higher, cascading through other industries and jolting Asian economies that are especially vulnerable due to the region’s heavy reliance on imports from the Middle East.

Iran exports roughly 1.6 million barrels of oil a day, mostly to China, which has called for an immediate end to the fighting. Beijing may need to look elsewhere for supply if Iran’s exports are disrupted, another factor that could increase energy prices.

“All parties have their responsibility to ensure stable and smooth energy supplies,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said in a briefing Monday. “China will take necessary measures to safeguard its own energy security.”

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned Monday of strict penalties for refiners and gas stations caught hoarding or colluding on prices, saying it would be wise to find alternatives to supplies that must travel through the Strait of Hormuz.

Across Southeast Asia, the spike in prices has led to long lines outside filling stations.

“Higher oil and gas prices will affect everyone and our economy,” said Le Van Tu, who was waiting outside a gas station in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi. “All activities, including those using petrol based transportation will be affected.”

South Korea’s Kospi tumbled 6% to 5,251.87.

The last time Brent and U.S. crude futures traded near the current level was in 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Higher energy costs push inflation higher, straining household budgets and denting the consumer spending that is a main driver of many big economies. Those worries have spilled into financial markets, pulling share prices sharply lower.

In the U.S., the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline rose to $3.48 as of early Monday, up nearly 50 cents from a week earlier, according to AAA motor club. Diesel, used heavily in shipping, sold for about $4.66 a gallon, a weekly increase of more than 80 cents.

The price of natural gas in the U.S. also has climbed during the war, though not by as much as oil. It was selling for about $3.34 per 1,000 cubic feet early Monday. That’s up from Friday’s closing price of $3.19.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the Israel-U.S. attacks on Iran started Feb. 28, not March 1.

___

Kurtenbach reported from Bangkok. Associated Press journalist John Leicester contributed from Paris.

The hit BBC show is taking a break after 15 series, but fans can expect more from the drama.

Call the Midwife won the best family drama gong for a 10th consecutive year at the TV Choice Awards last year.

What happens with Call the Midwife now?

While fans have said goodbye after the series 15 finale, it’s not completely over for the show.

That’s because a film and prequel TV series set during the Second World War are being made, according to the BBC.

This means fans will see a pause in the show rather than it being axed altogether.

Speaking to the Radio Times this month, Helen George, who has starred in the show since the first series, said: “It is just a pause, because we know it’s coming back.

“But it won’t be the same, with different characters leaving and whatever.”

Call the Midwife fans ’emotional’ as BBC series takes a break

As the final episode aired last night, the official Call the Midwife Instagram account posted a goodbye from Nonnatus House.

It said: “Nonnatus House may have closed its doors for now, but don’t despair!

“Call the Midwife returns with a new prequel series later in the year! xxx ❤️❤️❤️”.

Fans were quick to share their thoughts on the final episode with one saying: “Amazing episode but I am totally bereft.

“15 years of my life – my children have grown up with it.

Top 10 best British TV series

“Going to have to start from the beginning again!”

Another commented: “What a wonderful episode-it contained a bit of everything that makes the show great!

“I’m so looking forward to the prequel series-I’d love it to tell the stories of the nuns in their younger days!💖”

This person said: “I cried so much 😢 so sad but so beautifully done.

“Anyone else think that Rosalind and Cyril will have a baby girl and they will call her Pearl? X”

Another fan shared: “Excellent finale . Acting of the very highest standard . Sunday night’s will never be the same .👏👏👏👏”

Who is your favourite Call the Midwife character? Let us know in the comments.