Animal charities have seen an influx of abandoned animals as tourists fear the war

British citizens in Dubai have been leaving their pets behind, with some asking vets to put them down in a desperate attempt to flee to safety according to reports.

It’s been over a week since war broke out in the Middle East after Israel and the USA struck Iran and killed its leader, Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran struck military bases across the Middle East including including Tehran, Beirut and the UAE, including missile strikes and drones in Dubai.

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Since then, the strikes have lead to mass flight cancellations with many holidaymakers told to stay in their hotel and being unable to currently fly home as the Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel to the UAE.

The emirate, part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is home to tens of thousands of Brits, many of whom have packed up their belongings as they try and leave their lives in the Middle East behind. Unfortunately, many expats have “ditched” their beloved pets in the process, reports the Mirror.

Vets working in Dubai have reported that there has been a wave of inquiries from people asking about putting down their dogs, and a re-homing group explained how they’ve been left overwhelmed with the number of expats ditching their animals on the streets.

Some vets have even admitted that they were made to put down “healthy animals” by owners who didn’t want to deal with relocation fees and any paperwork involved.

A local dog re-homing group, K9 Friends Dubai, has shared that they are overwhelmed with the rising number of calls about abandoned puppies, as well as owners looking to give up their animals.

Speaking with the Mirror, Claire Hopkins, 53, a Dubai resident who volunteers with animal charities, said these groups were “under major financial stress” thanks to the sudden influx.

She added that popular fundraising pages like GoFundMe are banned in Dubai, making it more difficult to carry on their work amid the Middle East war.

Claire continued: “Some pet owners are stressed and panicking. It’s right across the board, and I think the Brits are better than most, but you’re talking about 200 different nationalities here in the UAE. Some people want to give back their adoptive pets. There are dogs starting to be abandoned.”

Addressing how the flight chaos happening across the region has impacted the abandoned pet crisis, Claire went onto say: “The airlines aren’t taking animals at the moment anyway as the flights are operating a very reduced service. If you wanted to get a rabies jab, then you have to delay your travel by a further three weeks.

“I’m sorry to say that vets have had inquiries about euthanasia, which is disgusting. Most vets would pass them on to the shelters, but we’re already full.”

There has also been disturbing images circulating online which show dogs tied to lamp posts without any food or drink. A volunteer at a Dubai dog day care company, The Barking Lot, said: “Some vets have even confirmed that owners are coming in to euthanise healthy pets because they don’t want to deal with relocation costs or paperwork.”

War Paws, a charity which works to help animals during conflict, told the Mirror that ditched pets is not a new issue, with CEO Louise Hastie saying: “It’s happening across Iraq and Ukraine as well …some people just don’t see pets the way we do. Abandoning pets at the border or on the streets, not even leaving them with the vet – there’s really no excuse for it. Dubai is an affluent country.”

A man was found dead in a car on Saturday

Police have issued an update after three men were arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with a “physical altercation” in a Welsh town. A 36-year-old man was found dead in a car following the incident in Tredegar town centre, Blaenau Gwent, over the weekend.

Early inquiries by Gwent Police established the man died after being involved in “a physical altercation” in Tredegar town centre some time between 10pm on Friday and 2am on Saturday. He was found dead in a car on Saturday morning in St James Way, the force later confirmed.

Three men, aged 18, 19, and 51, all from Tredegar, were arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the incident.

In an update issued on Tuesday Gwent Police said the three men had been bailed “pending further onquiries”. Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter

“Officers are continuing their inquiries to establish the full circumstances”, the statement added.

Detective chief inspector Robin Fuller previously said: “We are in the early stages of this investigation and I offer my thoughts to the family of the victim.

“We’re working to establish the full circumstances and are particularly interested in speaking to anyone who was in the area of Castle Street, opposite the Castle Hotel and Jem’s jewellery, between 1am and 2am on Saturday.

“If you have dashcam footage this could also help our investigation so please get in touch.”

Anyone who witnessed the altercation, or has any information that could help police, can call police on 101 quoting log reference 2600071626. Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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While Australia is outside the Middle East, it’s not unusual for passengers flying there to stop in places like Dubai and fly over the affected countries and airspace.

Whether you’re set to travel to Australia or know someone who is, you might be wondering if it’s safe to travel.

It’s worth staying updated with the latest travel advice and warnings.

The UK government has updated its travel advice for those heading to Australia (Image: Newsquest)

What is happening in the Middle East?

The US and Israel attacked Iran last month, killing its supreme leader.

The first reported American casualties included three American service members as the US and Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran on Saturday, February 28.

Five were seriously injured in military operations targeting Iran, the US military said.

Airspace closures in the Middle East have resulted in a number of commercial flights being grounded since the attacks began on Saturday.

Airlines such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and easyJet have changed their flight schedules since the attack and travel advice has been updated for those in the region or thinking about travelling to the region.

Is it safe to travel to Australia?

The UK government’s latest advice for those travelling to Australia can be found on the website.

It says: “Escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption, including airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights.”

British nationals should check the latest travel advice before travelling (Image: Newsquest)

The government warns that while Australia isn’t in the Middle East, travel can still be impacted.

It says British nationals should check their airline or tour operator’s latest travel updates before heading there.

You should also check your travel insurance policy before travelling and monitor travel advice, including local and international media.

Recommended reading:

Brits can sign up for email alerts and the latest travel advice.

Away from the Middle East conflict, the UK government says “there is a higher risk of bushfires in Australia during the spring and summer seasons, from October to February.”

It reminds travellers that “no travel can be guaranteed safe.”

To find the best air beds for guests, I tested a selection of double, king and queen options from brands including Argos, Decathlon, Dreams and Active Era. Each had a built-in pump and could also be inflated manually.

I rated them on design, warmth, comfort, portability and ease of assembly. I also considered pillow and edge support, how easy it was to get on and off the bed, and whether they came with useful extras, such as a puncture kit or carry bag.

I asked friends of different heights and ages to try each bed, lying on their backs, sides, and stomachs, then sitting up. To check durability, I let my two young children jump on each for two minutes – great fun for them, though not exactly recommended by manufacturers.

If you’re looking to improve your sleep more generally, be sure to read our guides to the best pillows (including the best pillows for side sleepers) and the best duvets.

As for the best air beds for camping, Phoebe took her picks on the road to test comfort, packability and value.

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Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best sleep product. No manufacturer ever sees Telegraph Recommended reviews before publication and we don’t accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles.

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There are some non-negotiables when it comes to boxes the best kids’ smartwatches should tick. They need to comfortable, fairly robust, and have reassuring safety features and parental controls.

Beyond this, you can also expect to find kids’ smartwatches with similar features to the best adult smartwatches. For this review, my three young testers and I used watches with activity and health tracking, GPS tracking, and calls and video calls. These “phone watches” can be a great choice for parents who aren’t quite ready to purchase a mobile for their child, but want to safely stay in touch with them. Bear in mind you’ll probably need to cover the rolling cost of a SIM card for these kinds of features though.

If your child is keen on sport (more than 90 per cent of children between five and 16 years old reportedly are), you might purchase a wearable tech gadget to encourage and track movement. By wearing a watch, they can reach their step goals, with more advanced options tracking heart rate, too.

Ultimately, parents should consider what they want to get out of their kids’ smartwatches, whether that’s a fitness tracker, a mini mobile phone or simply a more interactive watch. Here, I’ve rounded up the best ones on the market from a parent’s perspective.

Read more: 7 best kids’ headphones for noise-free screen time

The best smartwatches for kids in 2026 are:

• Best overall – Garmin vivofit jr.3: £64.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best budget buy – Disney Encanto character print smartwatch: £24.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best for heart-rate monitoring – myFirst fone S3: £169.99, Myfirsttech.com
• Best for easy set-up – Tikkers plain blue interactive watch and headphone set: £34.99, Argos.co.uk

How I tested

With the help of three testers (aged four, six and 13), I put a selection of kids’ smartwatches to the test over many weeks, assessing them on factors such as battery life, fun factor and screen quality. You can scroll to the bottom of my review for a more in-depth look at my full testing criteria.

Read more: The best kids’ tablets for homework, gaming and more

Manchester City fly out to Spain today ahead of tomorrow night’s Champions League round of 16 first leg vs Real Madrid

Manchester City have confirmed their 23-man travelling squad to take on Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 first leg. Erling Haaland, who missed the FA Cup fifth round victory over Newcastle United, has been included after training with his teammates in Manchester on Tuesday morning.

Pep Guardiola’s decision not to select Haaland last weekend sparked concerns he could be miss the last-16 clash. But, the City boss confirmed after the match his absence was to allow him to rest. “I didn’t think to let him play and I prefer him training to [clicks fingers] make a rhythm,” Guardiola said on Saturday. After injury when he drops he always struggles to have that real pace.”

There are also spots on the plane for Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi. The duo who signed from Bournemouth and Crystal Palace respectively in January, were ineligible to play the final league phase fixtures against Bodo/Glimt and Galatasaray.

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However, when the registration window reopened, both men were added to City’s squad for the knockout stages and could make their Champions League debuts at the Bernabeu. Mateo Kovacic was spotted in training on Tuesday but has not been deemed fit enough to travel to Madrid.

The Croatia international has been missing since October after sustaining an ankle injury. Guardiola confirmed the midfielder would play a part in the final stages of the season and his return to the first-team is edging closer, even if this game has come too soon for him.

City head into the knockout tie as favourites considering their home advantage in the second leg. The Blues were also victorious earlier this season when the two teams met in the league phase. Nico O’Reilly and Haaland scored in a 2-1 win.

City’s travelling squad to face Real Madrid

Goalkeepers – Gianluigi Donnarumma, James Trafford, Marcus Bettinelli

Defenders – Max Alleyne, Marc Guehi, Abdukodir Khusanov, Matheus Nunes, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Rayan Ait-Nouri

Midfielders – Nico O’Reilly, Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders, Nico Gonzalez, Bernardo Silva, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden

Forwards – Antoine Semenyo, Savinho, Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland, Omar Marmoush

While profit and sustainability rules (PSR) were about a club’s balance sheet of all revenues over a three-year period, SCR is just about team costs on a seasonal basis.

The new rules will operate a dual system, with clubs in European competition having to adhere to Uefa’s SCR limit of 70% – so a club could be sanctioned by Uefa but be compliant in the Premier League.

The higher limit is intended to protect the Premier League’s competitive balance, given the increased income that will be received by those clubs competing in Europe.

Chelsea and Aston Villa were both given heavy fines by Uefa for breaches in the 2024-25 campaign, and that is when the limit in Europe was 80%.

The Premier League has added some wriggle room, too, with a multi-year rolling allowance of 30% that permits clubs to spend beyond the limit. It allows clubs to invest ahead of revenue and variance or sporting underperformance.

An assessment is made each March, and the allowance is crucial to determine possible sporting sanctions applied in the same season.

The 85% marker is known as the Green Threshold. Spend above that and you get a financial penalty, although this will be far less punitive than Uefa.

The Red Threshold is 85% plus the allowance. Go beyond that, and it is a fixed six-point deduction which increases by one point for every £6.5m spent over the Red Threshold.

Think of it this way – every club will start next season on 85% + 30% allowance, so effectively 115%.

Any clubs that spend above 85% will face a fine, but they would need to be in excess of 115% to lose points.

But those percentages will change for 2027-28.

If a club spends 105% on their squad next season, it means they have used 20% of their allowance, and for 2027-28 their maximum spend before potential sporting sanction is 95%.

If a club spend less that 85%, they can increase the allowance again to the maximum of 30%.

The 26-year-old has denied the charge and will now stand trial

Gallagher PREM side Bristol Bears have suspended hooker Will Capon after the former England U20s player was charged with rape.

The 26-year-old appeared in court on Friday, having been accused of the assault in Exeter in September 2021. Capon, who has spent 12 years at Bristol after joining the club’s academy in 2014, denied the charge when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court last week and he will now stand trial at the same court in September next year after being granted unconditional bail.

Bristol have confirmed that the front rower was suspended from “all club activities” after being charged.

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However, he has not played since May last year, having undergone surgery on a knee injury suffered during the Bears’ pre-season training camp in Portugal ahead of the current campaign.

Capon made his senior debut for Bristol in 2018 as they secured promotion to the Gallagher PREM, and made 13 appearances for them last season, scoring four tries.

He was also part of the England squad at the World Rugby U20s Championship in 2019, while he was called up by Eddie Jones to train with the senior side two years later.

In a statement issued to The Telegraph, Bristol said: “Bristol Bears can confirm that Will Capon is suspended from all club activities pending the outcome of an ongoing legal matter.

“The club will not be making any further comment while legal proceedings are active.”

A brief statement from the Crown Prosecution Service read: “Will Capon is charged with one count of rape.

“Next hearing is a case management hearing scheduled for 26 July, 2027 at Exeter Crown Court.”

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It looked a pretty sobering weekend for McLaren to be so far off the pace after being the best car the last couple of years. Is it realistic to hope they can compete this year or is being best of the rest, as Lando Norris was in Melbourne, the best they will be able to do? – Tom

The fastest McLaren in Australia qualified more than 0.8 seconds slower than George Russell’s pole time, and Norris finished the race 51 seconds behind Russell.

McLaren – world champions for the past two years – admitted their car was not quite on the level of the Mercedes. As team principal Andrea Stella put it: “When we look at the GPS overlays, we see that Mercedes is faster in some of the corners.”

But the vast majority of McLaren’s deficit was down to usage of the power unit and the energy recovery system.

It’s clear the works team has more knowledge of how to get the most out of the engine, and it’s equally clear that, with software systems so complex, more information and knowledge translates into a significant advantage on track.

In Melbourne, the Mercedes cars were able to deploy a significant amount more energy on the long run from Turn Six to Turn Nine, where much of the lap time was being lost by McLaren.

F1 rules dictate that manufacturers must supply engines of exactly the same specification to all their teams – works or customer. However, they don’t say they have to share all the information about how to exploit them fully.

After the race, Stella came quite close to expressing frustration with the lack of information McLaren had from Mercedes and their engine company HPP.

“We remain a little puzzled by the difference we see in the data between the speed of our car and the speed of other cars using the same power unit,” Stella said.

“The discussion with HPP about having more information has been going on for weeks because even in testing, we were pretty much going on track, run the car, look at the data, ‘oh, that’s what we have’, good, now we react to what we have.

“That’s not how you work in Formula 1. In F1, what happens on track, you simulate [beforehand]. You know what is happening. You know what you are programming. You know how the car is going to behave.

“You also have your plans as to how you evolve it that you have figured out before because you know what you are expecting from the car.

“This is the first time since we have been a customer team that we feel we are on the back foot even when it comes to the ability to predict how the car will behave and to anticipate how we can improve the car.”

Mercedes’ argument would be that, as a customer, McLaren can’t expect as close a relationship with the engine department as the works team has.

McLaren would probably counter that they accept that, but they feel they should be a lot better informed than they are.

The McLaren car is believed to be a little overweight, so there is lap time to be gained there – even without aerodynamic upgrades, which are in the pipeline.

In theory, the knowledge of how to exploit the engine will come.

The key questions are how long it will take to learn it, and whether starting with extra knowledge is an advantage that keeps on giving.

The systems in the cars keep learning and improving. It’s yet to be seen whether this is a virtuous circle that never stops, or whether Mercedes will reach diminishing returns and McLaren can catch up.

Dietmar Hamann has described Nick Woltemade’s struggles at Newcastle United as ‘remarkable’ and says it has presented Eddie Howe with a ‘really tricky situation’.

Newcastle completed a £69m move for Germany international Woltemade after begrudgingly selling Alexander Isak to Liverpool for over £120m.

Woltemade had a decent record for his former club Wolfsburg – scoring 18 goals in 36 games – but it was suggested in Germany that Newcastle had overpaid for the striker.

The 24-year-old enjoyed a bright start to his St James’ Park career, however, scoring six goals before the start of November and impressing with his all-round play.

But Woltemade’s contributions began to fall away over the winter period and the German has now scored just once in his last 20 appearances in all competitions.

The towering forward has even been used slightly deeper by an increasingly desperate Howe but Newcastle legend Alan Shearer has dismissed the notion he can play in midfield.

Hamann insists his compatriot’s drop-off is ‘very strange’ and has raised the possibility that Woltemade will now be sold after just one season.

‘I couldn’t believe the developments in the last few weeks and months regarding Nick Woltemade,’ Hamann told BoyleSports.

‘There was a story in one of the German papers that he hasn’t settled in the North-east, which I personally think is a paradise for a footballer, because if you’ve got a bit of success, they treat you as a hero. 

‘He had a great start and was adored by the faithful, adored by the fans. It’s obviously a very strange situation because if you had told me this after six or eight weeks, where he scored a few goals, I would have said he’s going places and he’ll be one who might be there for a few years, who is loved and adored by the people.

‘To have the turnaround now in a short space of time is really remarkable. What you hear and what you see probably makes me think that there might be a summer exit, which is obviously not a good situation for the club because they paid an awful lot of money.

‘Do you force him to stay here? Is that a good solution? And who’s going to pay the money for him now?

‘So, yeah, I think it’s a really tricky situation for both of them, for both parties, but especially for the club.’

If Newcastle do end up selling Woltemade, Hamann believes former Manchester United and Chelsea transfer target Victor Osimhen would be the ‘perfect’ replacement.

Osimhen has scored an impressive 55 goals in 67 games since joining Galatasaray in 2024 and helped Napoli win the Serie A title before his move to Turkey.

‘I think Victor Osimhen is one of the top five centre forwards in Europe,’ ex-Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester City and Bayern Munich midfielder Hamann added.

‘I couldn’t believe that he ended up in Turkey. Obviously, Napoli paid an awful lot of money for him, but I’m very surprised that none of the English teams signed him, because they all struggled for centre forwards in the summer.

‘They tried for players like Benjamin Sesko, and other players who have come in are only just starting to adapt now because they obviously needed some time.

‘I think he’s an outstanding player and I think he’s probably the reason why Galatasaray is doing well in the league and also in the Champions League.

‘I love watching him and I think, if he were to play in the Premier League, there are teams he would make much better.

‘Obviously, Liverpool have got two players there now, so he won’t end up there, but he’s an outstanding player. He’s got pace, he’s got power, he can finish, a wonderful player.

‘If Newcastle do sell Nick Woltemade, he could be the perfect fit.’

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