Figures compiled by Flux IoT using data from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) show that only 50.7 per cent of Bolton’s food businesses hold a five-star hygiene rating, well below the UK average of around 85 per cent.

Out of 2,346 registered food establishments in the borough, 116 have been rated zero or one, including 10 classed as requiring “urgent improvement”.

Overall, Bolton has an average hygiene rating of 4.2 out of five, with 70.29 per cent of businesses achieving four or five stars.

However, 5.07 per cent fall into the lowest categories, which is above the national average.

Bolton also lags behind nearby areas, with 58.6 per cent of food businesses in Manchester rated five stars.

Within Greater Manchester, Bolton ranks as the second-worst borough for food hygiene, ahead of only Wigan, where just 49.1 per cent of establishments have the top rating.

Trafford performs the best in the region, with 72.1 per cent of businesses receiving a five-star rating.

Standards vary across Bolton, with some areas performing better than others.

Halliwell has an average rating of 4.4, with 66.46 per cent of its 164 establishments achieving five stars.

However, 4.27 per cent of businesses in Halliwell are rated between zero and one.

Astley Bridge has an average rating of 4.1, with 51.69 per cent of its 590 establishments receiving five stars.

In contrast, 6.1 per cent of businesses in Astley Bridge fall into the lowest rating bands.

Food hygiene ratings are awarded by local authority inspectors under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS), which scores businesses from zero, meaning urgent improvement is needed, to five, meaning very good.

Inspectors assess how food is handled, prepared, cooked and stored, the cleanliness and condition of the premises, and how food safety is managed, including staff training and systems.

The ratings reflect standards at the time of inspection, although businesses are required to comply with food hygiene law at all times.

A Bolton Council spokesperson said: “All businesses receive a written report following the inspection which identifies the contraventions of food safety legislation identified during the inspection. 

“Where a business obtains a rating of 2 or below, an enforcement revisit is carried out to ensure any necessary works are carried out and standards improve. 

“However, unless a re-inspection is requested and paid for, the rating will remain the same until the next routine inspection of the business.  

“Once an operator has made the required improvements following an inspection, they can request a re-inspection to improve their rating, and this is again carried out unannounced within a 3-month timeframe.

“All businesses receive food safety advice during their inspections and enforcement action such as service of legal notices or even closure of a food businesses is carried out where appropriate.”

Flux IoT monitors hygiene ratings for more than 600,000 UK food businesses.

Pro-Iran groups have used artificial intelligence to create slick internet memes in English to try to shape the narrative during the war against the U.S. and Israel and foster opposition to it.

Analysts say the memes appear to be coming from groups linked to the government in Tehran and are part of a strategy of leveraging its limited resources to inflict damage on the U.S., even indirectly. That includes how Iran has used attacks and threats to control the flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and maintain a stranglehold on the world’s economy. A ceasefire raised hopes Wednesday of halting hostilities, but many issues remained unresolved.

“This is a propaganda war for them,” Neil Lavie-Driver, an AI researcher at the University of Cambridge, said, referring to Iran. “Their goal is to sow enough discontent with the conflict as to eventually force the West to cave in, so it is massively important to them.”

It’s not the first time memes have been used in a conflict, and they have evolved to include AI images in recent years. AI imagery bombarded Ukrainians after the Russian invasion in 2022. Last year, the term “AI slop” became widely used to describe the glut of imperfect images posted online during the Israel-Iran war to try to destroy the country’s nuclear program.

In the conflict that began Feb. 28 with joint U.S.-Israel strikes, the memes have used well-honed cartoons that lambast U.S. officials.

The memes are steeped in American culture

The memes are fluent not just in English but in American culture and trolling. Published on various social platforms, they are racking up millions of views — though it’s not clear how much influence they have had.

They have portrayed U.S. President Donald Trump as old, out of step and internationally isolated. They have referenced bruising on the back of Trump’s right hand that prompted speculation about his health; infighting in Trump’s MAGA base; and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s fiery confirmation hearing, among other things.

“They’re using popular culture against the No. 1 pop culture country, the United States,” said Nancy Snow, a scholar who has written more than a dozen books on propaganda.

The pro-Iran images circulating online include a series that uses the style of the “Lego” animated movies. In one, an Iranian military commander raps, “You thought you ran the globe, sitting on your throne. Now we turning every base into a bed of stone,” as Trump falls into a bullseye built of “Epstein files,” the U.S. government’s investigative records on disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“If you’re able to have the bandwidth needed to generate content like that and upload it, you are officially or unofficially cooperating with the regime,” she said — pointing to severe restrictions Iran has imposed on the internet as part of a crackdown on nationwide protests earlier this year.

State media has reposted some of the memes, including some from the account behind the “Lego”-style videos, Akhbar Enfejari, which means Explosive News.

Akhbar Enfejari described themselves as Iranians producing and uploading from within Iran in an effort to disrupt decades-long dominance of Western control of the airwaves.

“They’ve long dominated the media landscape and, through that power, imposed narratives on many nations,” the group told The Associated Press on the messaging app Telegram. “But this time, something feels different. This time, we’ve disrupted the game. This time, we’re doing it better.”

After the ceasefire was announced, Akhbar Enfejari posted: “IRAN WON! The way to crush imperialism has been shown to the world. Trump Surrendered.”

In addition to the memes coming from pro-Iran groups, Iranian government accounts have trolled the U.S., including in a post Wednesday from Iran’s Embassy in South Africa that said, “Say hello to the new world superpower,” with a picture of the Iranian flag. Both the U.S. and Iran declared victory after agreeing to a ceasefire.

Analysts say the deep grasp of U.S. politics and culture is the fruit of more old-school methods of propaganda: a decades-long Iranian government program to promote narratives against the U.S. and Israel.

“This meme war comes from institutions that are very aware what the American public is aware of and pop cultural references that can appeal to them,” Alimardani said.

Messaging from the US and Israel

Analysts say the U.S. and Israel do not appear to be engaging in the same kind of campaign — and given the restrictions Iran has put on internet access in the country, getting such messages to ordinary Iranians would be difficult.

Early in the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video that used AI to make it seem like he was speaking in Farsi, in which he urged Iranians to overthrow their government. The White House has published a steady stream of memes, but those are aimed at a U.S. audience and feature clips from American TV shows and sports.

The U.S. government-run Voice of America, which for decades beamed news reports to many countries that had no tradition of a free press, does still broadcast in Farsi, though it is has been operating with a skeleton staff since Trump ordered it shut down.

“This world order is really changing overnight and the U.S. is not going to end up necessarily as the state that everybody listens to,” Snow said.

It is part of a town development set to deliver 10,000 new homes over the next 20 years

Plans to deliver 145 homes in a new Cambridgeshire neighbourhood have been given the green light. South Cambridgeshire District Council has granted permission for the developers to build the homes in Northstowe.

The development is from a joint venture between TOWN and The Hill Group, working in partnership with Homes England. The plans will see two cohousing communities brought together within a mixed-tenure development and will be delivered across four blocks adjacent to Northstowe’s planned town centre.

Designed by Mole Architects, the plans will combine co-housing with mixed-tenure homes and 40 percent of the homes will be affordable. This is part of a new town development set to deliver 10,000 new homes for over 25,000 residents over the next 20 years.

The design and access statement said: “The scheme brings together a mix of housing types and tenures. At its heart, two cohousing communities sit around a shared, car-free lane that connects directly to the Greenway. This is the first instance in the UK of two cohousing communities being delivered side by side in a new town, and it forms the social and spatial centre of the development.”

All houses will be timber-framed and all homes are designed to achieve high energy performance. The housing mix includes terrace houses, maisonettes and apartments ranging from one to four bedrooms.

The development aims to bring together Suvana Cohousing, a community grounded in Buddhist principles, and Northstowe Cohousing.

Frances Wright, Head of Community Partnering at TOWN, said: “Cohousing has the power to transform how we live together, and Northstowe will be a fantastic example of that. We’re looking for people who want to live in a vibrant, supportive community. If that sounds like you, get in touch today.”

Once touted as “Westhoughton’s best kept secret,” It Sear is now firmly in the spotlight as The Bolton News competition heats up.

The chic Market Street venue has cultivated a devoted following, celebrated for its “legendary cocktails” and “fabulous food.”

Opened in January 2024 by Jack Ince and David Murphy, It Sear began life as a cocktail bar with an extensive drinks menu.

Following a successful first year, the venue expanded in December 2024 to launch its full restaurant offering.

The grill-focused menu aims to cater for all tastes, with a strong emphasis on premium meats alongside a selection of vegetarian dishes.

Inside, a striking blue and gold interior creates a stylish setting, whether for a romantic dinner or brand new bottomless brunch, priced at £40 per person.

One of It Sear’s hidden highlights is the beer garden, where customers can make the most of a midweek two-for-£12 cocktail deal.

It Sear is renowned for a unique cocktail selection (Image: It Sear)

The venue’s growing popularity is clear from the number of repeat customers.

One diner said: “I’ve been more than 10 times since they opened as a bar and then a restaurant.

“I’ve eaten here more than six times and even had a family birthday.

“The food has always been excellent, the best place to eat and drink in Westhoughton in my opinion.”

Co-owner David has recently expanded his business ventures with the opening of games bar Room, just two doors down from It Sear.

The venue features interactive dartboards and a large shuffleboard table, alongside freshly prepared food served directly to customers’ tables.

“We’re trying to cater to a changing market,” he said.

“There are lots of young professionals in Westhoughton nowadays.

“People who used to live in Manchester, but felt trapped in apartments during COVID, now want to move out here and have more space.”

Like It Sear, Room focuses on preparing fresh food on site.

“We want to do things the same way, preparing all the meats and baking breads ourselves,” he added.

Readers can vote for their favourite restaurant by picking up a copy of The Bolton News and completing a voting slip. The winner will be announced at a later date.

Jeff Bradford, 62, initially blamed gym dust for his symptoms before doctors diagnosed stage-three throat cancer caused by HPV16 virus contracted decades earlier

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A father who put a persistent sore throat down to dust while refurbishing his gym was stunned to discover it was throat cancer – triggered by the HPV16 virus transmitted through oral sex.

Jeff Bradford, 62, first experienced a scratchy throat following work on the rafters of his gym in March 2016. “We were in the loft putting some equipment up onto the rafters and there was a lot of dust and insulation. I had a mask but a couple of days after I had a bit of a sore throat and I thought it was just the dust but I couldn’t shake it,” he said. He attempted to treat it by gargling soluble aspirin, assuming it was an ordinary sore throat.

When there was no improvement after a fortnight, Jeff consulted his GP, who diagnosed “classic tonsillitis” and issued antibiotics. As the symptoms continued, he saw another doctor, who provided a stronger prescription and took a throat swab, ultimately referring him to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

“They must have seen the photos and thought ‘there’s something dodgy going on there’. I couldn’t see anything but I could feel something touching the back of my tongue, it was making me gag. It was like something was tickling the back of my tongue,” Jeff remembered.

At hospital, a consultant examined Jeff and arranged a biopsy. While on the operating table, the surgeon informed him the thumb-sized growth at the rear of his throat had doubled in size since the previous scan and advised immediate removal. “The surgeon came up that evening [after the surgery] and he said ‘looking at it, I think you’ve got stage three cancer.’ I was just shocked,” Jeff said, reports the Daily Star.

After the four-hour operation, test results confirmed stage-three throat cancer. Medical professionals told Jeff that the cancer stemmed from the HPV16 strain, which can be passed on through sexual contact, particularly oral sex.

“A week later I went back and that’s when they mentioned HPV, I didn’t know what that was. HPV is caught through sexual transmission, it’s normally from oral sex. I was totally shocked it was from that,” Jeff said, adding that doctors suggested he’d picked the virus up decades earlier, before he met his wife Heidi Bradford.

Jeff endured chemotherapy and 35 sessions of radiotherapy, which left him confined to bed for three months. “Radiotherapy caused really bad burns. It was like someone took a blowtorch to my neck, it was horrible. I went home and went to bed for three months,” he said. Now a decade clear of cancer, Jeff is encouraging others not to dismiss ongoing symptoms. “If someone has a persistent sore throat my advice is to get it checked out, it could be easily missed if you don’t push it. Everybody does it, don’t they? It’s a normal, sexual activity with somebody you love… I would never say to anyone ‘give up oral sex’… but it might put people off that. I think if it’s not talked about quite candidly it’ll get brushed under the carpet and if people are embarrassed to talk about it they may avoid treatment,” he said.

Jeff, a former Royal Air Force corporal and father-of-two from Forres, Moray, Scotland, described his diagnosis as simply “bad luck.”

“I’ve had a few partners before I met my wife, but you just go about life like everyone else. You don’t expect when you’re young ‘do that and I might get cancer when I’m 50-odd’,” he said.

Understanding HPV

The NHS explains that human papillomavirus (HPV) comprises a collection of viruses affecting skin and moist membranes, including the cervix, anus, mouth, and throat. Transmission typically occurs through sexual contact, including oral sex, and the virus can trigger cellular changes potentially leading to cancers such as cervical or throat cancer.

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Jeff Bradford, 62, from Forres initially blamed throat symptoms on dust while renovating his gym, but was diagnosed with stage-three throat cancer caused by HPV16

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A father who originally put a persistent sore throat down to dust while refurbishing his gym was shocked to discover it was throat cancer — triggered by the HPV16 virus transmitted through oral sex.

Jeff Bradford, 62, initially noticed a scratchy sensation after working on the rafters of his gym in March 2016. “We were in the loft putting some equipment up onto the rafters and there was a lot of dust and insulation. I had a mask but a couple of days after I had a bit of a sore throat and I thought it was just the dust but I couldn’t shake it,” he said. His first instinct was to gargle soluble aspirin, assuming it was just an ordinary sore throat.

When the symptoms persisted after a fortnight, Jeff visited his GP, who diagnosed “classic tonsillitis” and prescribed antibiotics. As the discomfort continued, he saw a different doctor who gave a stronger course and took a throat swab, ultimately referring him to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

“They must have seen the photos and thought ‘there’s something dodgy going on there’. I couldn’t see anything but I could feel something touching the back of my tongue, it was making me gag. It was like something was tickling the back of my tongue,” Jeff recalled.

At the hospital, a consultant examined Jeff and arranged a biopsy. While on the operating table, the surgeon informed him the thumb-sized growth at the back of his throat had doubled in size since the previous scan and urged immediate removal. “The surgeon came up that evening [after the surgery] and he said ‘looking at it, I think you’ve got stage three cancer.’ I was just shocked,” Jeff said.

After the four-hour operation, tests confirmed stage-three throat cancer. Medical staff told Jeff the cancer was caused by the HPV16 strain, which can be transmitted through sexual activity, particularly oral sex.

“A week later I went back and that’s when they mentioned HPV, I didn’t know what that was. HPV is caught through sexual transmission, it’s normally from oral sex. I was totally shocked it was from that,” Jeff said, explaining that doctors believed he had contracted the virus decades earlier, before meeting his wife Heidi Bradford.

Jeff underwent chemotherapy and 35 rounds of radiotherapy, which left him confined to bed for three months. “Radiotherapy caused really bad burns. It was like someone took a blowtorch to my neck, it was horrible. I went home and went to bed for three months,” he said.

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Now a decade cancer-free, Jeff is urging others not to ignore lingering symptoms. “If someone has a persistent sore throat my advice is to get it checked out, it could be easily missed if you don’t push it. Everybody does it, don’t they? It’s a normal, sexual activity with somebody you love… I would never say to anyone ‘give up oral sex’… but it might put people off that. I think if it’s not talked about quite candidly it’ll get brushed under the carpet and if people are embarrassed to talk about it they may avoid treatment,” he said.

Jeff, a former Royal Air Force corporal and dad-of-two from Forres, Moray, Scotland, described his diagnosis as simply “bad luck.” “I’ve had a few partners before I met my wife, but you just go about life like everyone else. You don’t expect when you’re young ‘do that and I might get cancer when I’m 50-odd’,” he said.

What is HPV?

The NHS explains that human papillomavirus (HPV) is a group of viruses affecting the skin and moist membranes, including the cervix, anus, mouth, and throat. It is typically spread through sexual activity, including oral sex, and can trigger cellular changes that may lead to cancers such as cervical or throat cancer.

A woman shared her dilemma after her neighbour started coming into her front garden to weed, claiming part of the property belongs to her despite the homeowner’s deeds showing otherwise

When it comes to neighbours, some hit it off brilliantly while others become bitter rivals. Many find themselves treading carefully between these two extremes, attempting to maintain cordial relations with those living next door.

And one woman has revealed how she’s been trying to achieve precisely that with her neighbour while avoiding any conflict – but they’ve run into a problem.

In a post shared on Mumsnet, the anonymous woman explained how her neighbour keeps entering her front garden and has even begun weeding it.

The other woman is convinced a section of the garden is hers and maintains the boundaries are incorrect. She and her partner have examined their deeds and are certain the neighbour is wrong – yet she continues entering the garden.

The post states: “Moved house three months ago. Next door neighbours seem fine, however, about a month ago the lady collared me as I was setting off on the school run to ask about popping into the front garden to access something. I had my two-year-old kicking off as standard and was quite distracted so (also wanting to be an amenable neighbour) said yes fine and set off on my way.

“A week or so later, I came home to find her sitting on my driveway weeding. Before I had a chance to ask what she was doing, my four-year-old innocently asked why she was sitting in our garden to which she replied ‘well this bit is actually my garden’.

“I asked what she meant and she began waffling about how the boundary goes beyond the fence they erected and this strip of land is actually hers, she just hasn’t been able to access the garden to weed it for some time.

“Confused and again distracted by the kids, I went inside and relayed the conversation to other half who was NOT happy, especially after getting the title deeds out which shows the boundary line as being in line with the brickwork of our garage.”

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She continued by explaining how the woman recently wandered into their garden uninvited and laid down weed matting along the disputed strip of land she insists belongs to her.

Now her partner is livid with her for permitting the woman access to their garden initially and failing to clarify the boundary situation properly. He’s insisting that she confronts the neighbour about the facts, but the woman is anxious about sparking a row.

She confessed: “I HATE confrontation, even when I’m in the right feel guilty and uncomfortable like I’m doing something terribly wrong in asserting myself or opposing something, and usually end up getting shouted down and back down.

“Dreading this conversation. Have they got a leg to stand on if I say take the matting away and stay on your side of the fence? Am I about to make a dick of myself and an enemy in my new neighbours?”

The post garnered dozens of responses – and many urged the woman to take control of the situation by getting out the property’s official paperwork.

One person responded: “Just take a copy of the deeds and show her, it really doesn’t need to be a big drama.”

Another suggested: “I believe that the deeds are the end of it. Just take round a copy. No need to have a fight as it might very genuinely be a misunderstanding.”

A third wrote: “I believe that the deeds are the end of it. Just take round a copy. No need to have a fight as it might very genuinely be a misunderstanding.”

And a fourth added: “How annoying for you. I hate confrontation too but perhaps this is a good opportunity to stand up for yourself. This must be nipped in the bud.”

Radcliffe Central Snooker Club’s licence was called to be reviewed by Bury Council’s licensing panel on Wednesday, April 8.

PC Peter Eccleston, GMP’s licensing officer, told the committee that police were called to reports of an assault at the club just before 3.10am on February 1.

He said the man was “conscious and breathing” when they got there and “thankfully, his injuries were relatively minor”.

The police launched an investigation into an assault causing actual bodily harm and said the club had provided CCTV “without delay”.

The footage shows the victim being punched in the face before he falls backwards and hits the floor.

However, PC Eccleston said it also “shows consuming alcohol and recently poured pints on the bar itself”.

The officer noted that the club’s licence holder, David Morley, had “without excuse, accepted responsibility”.

Mr Morley had told police that staff had been out on a “belated Christmas party” and lost track of time – but it was “not a regular occurrence”.

PC Eccleston backed up this claim, stating that in his almost four years as a licensing officer, the snooker club was “not somewhere” they would “normally get reports of incidents”.

He said: “Up to this point it was run relatively well, but considering that this incident happened the best part of nearly two hours over the allowed time on the licence, we felt as GMP we had to bring it to the attention of the licensing committee today.”

Cllr Mary Walsh, of Radcliffe East, said: “My concern is this chap was out for 16 seconds and beyond with a banged head, and it looked like he went down pretty hard.

“People who have banged their heads like that have been killed”.

The Radcliffe First councillor raised concerns that the assault was categorised as only ABH and said: “This downgrading of serious offences needs to stop”.

PC Eccleston said they measure offences on the level of injury and “in terms of the actual level of injury it was minor”.

Licensee Mr Morley told the committee that he’s run the club for just over nine years, but it has been there for 30 years, and has 500 members.

He called the club a “real hub for the community” but said: “Did we get complacent? We certainly did.”

Speaking about the man and his brother involved in the incident, he said: “They don’t deserve to be hit – but we do monitor them.

“We’ve asked them to leave a few times and, in fairness, they do. If I were aware of this situation breaking out earlier, I would have asked them to leave.

“We do serve alcohol, and these things happen occasionally, no matter how well the business is run – unfortunately for me, it happened over time, and that’s why we’re here.”

Radcliffe First Councillor Andrea Booth said that on the CCTV footage they were shown, “nobody went to help the victim” and asked if the staff had first-aid training.

Cllr Booth, of Radcliffe North and Ainsworth, said: “I think if you have any incident like that and there’s nobody with a first-aid qualification – it could go very, very, wrong.”

Mr Morley replied that they were all “in shock” when the incident happened and said: “Whatever the recommendations are, we’re going to accept that – we’ve got to move forward.”

Cllr Tahir Rafiq, head of the committee, said the business “has been running well for a while” without major issues.

Announcing their decision, he said they accepted all of GMP’s proposed added conditions – including that CCTV cameras be installed to cover all public areas, including entrances and exits, that incident logs lasting at least six months are made, and the club conducts more robust staff training.

Cllr Rafiq, a Labour councillor for Unsworth, said they would be adding additional conditions to the recommendations.

Under public safety, he said “at least one member of staff on the premises” should have a “recognised first-aid qualification” and, “if possible”, all should have basic first-aid training.

A risk assessment or review must be taken within 28 days, if one doesn’t exist, and health and safety and safeguarding policies should also be created in the same timeframe.

Travellers should be aware that budget carrier Ryanair is reducing flights to popular destinations, including Spain, Germany, France, and Portugal.

Travellers should be aware that budget carrier Ryanair is reducing flights to popular destinations, including Spain, Germany, France, and Portugal.

In 2026, Ryanair will make major changes to its European routes, cutting millions of seats from its schedule. The airline plans to leave some airports entirely after disagreements with local authorities about fees. These changes will affect flights to popular tourist spots in Spain, Portugal, Germany, and France.

Ryanair says it made this decision because higher aviation taxes, airport fees, and other costs are making some routes too expensive to keep running.

This news follows a warning from Ryanair’s chief executive, who said before the recent two-week ceasefire between Iran, the US, and Israel, that the airline may not be able to run its full summer schedule if the Strait of Hormuz stays closed, because of fuel shortages.

In an interview with ITV News, chief executive Michael O’Leary said that if the war in Iran does not end “by the end of April”, he expects European airlines will begin cutting scheduled flights. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter

“The Strait of Hormuz has been closed for 30 days. If it remains closed for 60 or 90 days, then we’re all facing an unknown scenario, and we are certainly looking at maybe having to cancel 5%–10% of flights through May, June and July,” he said.

O’Leary explained that airlines will not be able to choose which routes to cut. Instead, reductions will depend on which airports have fuel supply problems, according to the Liverpool Echo.

He said he expects jet fuel suppliers will give only a few days’ notice, which will make disruptions hard to manage. Still, he encouraged passengers to book their summer holidays “as quickly as they can”.

The conflict is driving up oil prices, making energy more expensive. Airlines have been increasing ticket prices because fuel costs are going up, and jet fuel is their biggest expense after labour.

According to Reuters, airlines such as Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand are raising fares because of the conflict in the Middle East. Airlines around the world are struggling with fuel prices, which have risen from $85–$90 per barrel to $150–$200 per barrel in recent weeks.

Travel expert Simon Calder has also warned passengers flying with British Airways, EasyJet, and Ryanair that while fuel supplies should meet demand for the rest of April, there is uncertainty for May and the summer months.

Mr Calder had already warned passengers that UK flight cancellations have started, partly because of lower demand and rising fuel costs. He also pointed out that airlines are worried about a “jet fuel cliff”, which means a possible collapse of Jet A-1 fuel supplies worldwide.

On April 8, 2026, however, oil prices fell sharply after the US and Iran agreed to a conditional ceasefire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude dropped more than 13% to about $94–$95 a barrel.

Even with the ceasefire, flight prices may not drop right away. Willie Walsh, head of the airline industry’s global trade group, told Bloomberg that the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is “positive” for aviation, but jet fuel and ticket prices will stay high for a while.

“Even two weeks is a positive because we will see some flow of oil return,” said Walsh, who will become chief executive officer of Indian budget airline IndiGo later this year, in an interview with Bloomberg Television.

We will bring you the latest as soon as we get it, and make sure to follow our senior travel reporter, Portia Jones, on TikTok for updates.