The storm could cause major disruption across the region and will be in place from 5pm this evening (Saturday, April 4) until 7am on Easter Sunday (April 5).

The Met Office confirmed that rail, road, air and ferry services are likely to be affected, with longer journeys and cancellations possible.

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Strong winds may also result in the closure of roads and bridges, and result in power cuts, a warning has said.

Residents of coastal towns have also been alerted to the potential of large waves, spreading debris across the sea front and near properties and roads.

Areas affected include York, and North, East and West Yorkshire.

Temperatures will stay at 10 degrees Celsius until 1pm today in York, rising to 14 degrees at 3pm.

The strongest winds will be felt tonight, the Met Office said, and are expected to clear across Scotland before reaching the North Sea.

In York, these will be arrive at 11pm tonight – before gusts drop to around 13mph at 6am.

In Scarborough, winds are expected to strengthen from 7pm – building to gusts of 32mph by 12am.

In a statement, the Met Office said: “Whilst some uncertainty remains in the exact track and shape of Storm Dave, a spell of strong southwesterly winds is expected.

“Gusts of 50-60 mph are expected fairly widely with 60-70 mph in more exposed locations.

“The strongest winds are expected during Saturday evening where there is a small chance of gusts of 70-80 mph briefly, particularly northern England and southern Scotland.

“Large waves may lead to some dangerous conditions around windward coasts.”

The Met Office has issued the following advice:

• Prepare to protect your property and people from injury. Check for loose items outside your home and plan how you could secure them. Items include; bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.
• Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary.
• Prepare for power cuts in advance. Gathering torches, a mobile phone power packs and other essentials.  
• If you are on the coast, stay safe during stormy weather by being aware of large waves. Even from the shore large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and out to sea. Take care if walking near cliffs; know your route and keep dogs on a lead. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

Iranian state media has broadcast an extraordinary appeal offering rewards for the pilot’s capture. An anchor on a channel in Kohkilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province told viewers: “If you capture the enemy pilot or pilots alive and hand them over to the police, you will receive a precious prize.”

The Met Office has issued the warning to the majority of the North of England, which will start at 5pm today (Saturday, April 4) and run until 7am tomorrow (Sunday, April 5).

The national weather service has said very strong winds may cause damage and travel disruption in some areas overnight on Saturday and into Easter Sunday.

According to the Met Office, the exact track and shape of Storm Dave remains uncertain but a spell of strong southwesterly winds is expected.

Gusts of 50-60 mph are expected fairly widely with 60-70 mph in more exposed locations, with the strongest winds expected during Saturday evening where there is a small chance of gusts of 70-80 mph briefly, particularly northern England and southern Scotland.

According to the Met Office, residents should expect the following:

• Road, rail, air and ferry services are likely to be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible
• Some roads and bridges may close
• Power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage
• Some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, could happen
• Injuries and danger to life from flying debris are possible
• Injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties

Storm Dave will cross Scotland and the North of England on Saturday night before clearing into the North Sea on Sunday.

The majority of the North of England has been issued the yellow warning, along with Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Rain is also forecast to hit areas as part of Storm Dave.

UK-US relations may be beyond repair after Donald Trump mocked and impersonated Keir Starmer in a now-deleted video.

The US President called the UK ‘not our best ally’ at an Easter lunch speech at the White House and used a weak voice to mimic Starmer.

His episode marks the latest in a string of rants at the UK for its stance on the US’s war in Iran, in which he previously told the UK to ‘get your own oil’ for refusing to get involved in the war.

Appearing to mock Starmer, Trump used his speech to ridicule the prime minister for speaking with his team about military decisions, and accusing him of being evasive about sending aircraft carriers to the US.

In his speech, the president said: ‘I asked [the] UK, who should be our best. In fact the king is coming over here in two weeks, he’s a nice guy, King Charles.

‘But should be our best but they weren’t our best. I said: ‘You have two, old broken-down aircraft carriers, do you think you could send them over?’

Mocking Starmer in a weak voice, Trump said: ‘Ohhh, I’ll have to ask my team.’

‘I said: ‘You’re the prime minister, you don’t have to.’

”No, no, no, I have to ask my team. My team has to meet, we’re meeting next week.

‘But the war already started. Next week the war’s going to be over … in three days.’

Trump’s remarks were not open to the press, but were released in a White House social media post, which was later deleted, but redownloaded and republished by a Business Insider reporter.

According to Downing Street sources, Trump never asked the UK for the vessels, nor did Britain ever offer them, the Guardian reported.

Trump described the UK’s aircraft carriers as ‘old’ after Starmer declined to let the US use British military bases for its initial strikes on.

Starmer has been warned his relationship with Trump could be further strained following the speech.

One senior diplomat said Starmer made the right decision to ‘essentially ignore’ Trump, but added UK-US relations may not recover after Trump’s latest blow.

Kim Darroch, former national security adviser and a former British ambassador to the US, said Starmer should now look to build ties with Canada, Australia and Europe instead.

‘It could conceivably blow over. But it is equally possible that a damaged Trump could lash out, whether against Nato, or selected Europeans, including the UK, perhaps with new or higher tariffs – a risk which makes rebuilding our links with the EU single market an immediate priority,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Labour ministers have backed the prime minister, praising his calm demeanour in the face of Trump’s insults.

Emily Thornberry, Labour MP and chair of the foreign affairs committee, said she was ‘glad we have a leader in the UK who works with a team and listens to experts’.

However, Starmer was not the only person to be insulted by the US president after Trump took a moment during his speech to mock French President Emmanuel Macron.

He said Macron was ‘still recovering from the right to the jaw’ and claimed his wife, Brigitte, ‘treats him extremely badly’.

Despite Trump repeatedly hitting out at Starmer over his stance on the war in Iran, the prime minister said he would stick to his position, ‘whatever the pressure and the noise’.

‘I’m utterly focused on what is in the best interests of our country and I am unapologetic about that. Notwithstanding the pressure that comes from elsewhere, I will remain laser focused on what is in the British national interest,’ Starmer said.

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

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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Kieran Trippier is to leave Newcastle at the end of his contract at the end of the season.

The 35-year-old former England international arrived from Atletico Madrid in January 2022 and went on to play a significant role in the club’s progress under Eddie Howe.

The right back, who has made more the 150 appearances for the Magpies, lifted the Carabao Cup alongside captain Bruno Guimaraes when Newcastle won their first domestic trophy in 70 years last season.

“The time has come to leave this amazing club after four-and-a-half years,” Trippier said in an interview published on Newcastle’s website. “This is where I have felt most at home. It’s emotional, and I’m really going to miss it.

“I want to say a massive thank you to the supporters for all the support through the good and the bad times. You’ve always supported me, always stood by me.

“To my team-mates, it’s going to be emotional. It’s been an amazing journey with you guys. I’m going to miss you all, but to win a trophy with you guys was really, really special – the best of my career.

“And to the manager, Eddie Howe, all the coaching staff and the team behind the scenes, a massive thank you. The gaffer had the trust – twice – to sign me, gave me the opportunity to represent and captain this great club and most importantly, we managed to win a trophy.

“I’m going to miss everyone at the club. Thank you.”

Trippier arrived at Newcastle when the club were stuck in a relegation battle but he helped them qualify for the Champions League in two of the next three seasons, as well as lifting the Carabao Cup when they beat Liverpool in the 2025 final.

Tripper, who announced his retirement from England duty in August 2024 having played a part in several major tournaments, has seen his opportunities more limited this season due to injuries and the form of Tino Livramento.

His manager, Howe, said: “Kieran has been magnificent for us on and off the pitch. From the moment he walked through the door, he has helped to drive standards that have changed the club’s trajectory.

“His performances on the pitch have been to the highest level. While we’ll be saying goodbye to Kieran shortly, we also know we have a lot left to play for this season, and I know a player of Kieran’s character will be giving absolutely everything to end his time here on a high.”

Kieran Trippier is to leave Newcastle United when the defender’s contract expires this summer.

The right-back joined the club from Atletico Madrid in January 2022 as the first signing following the club’s takeover by a Saudi-led consortium.

He has gone on to play a crucial role in Newcastle‘s resurgence and helped Eddie Howe’s side end their seven-decade wait to win a major domestic trophy last season by lifting the EFL Cup, as well as playing his part in the club qualifying for the Champions League in 2023 and 2025.

In a joint statement, the 35-year-old announced he will be departing the club where he has “felt most at home” at the end of the season.

“It’s emotional and I’m really going to miss it,” he said.

“I want to say a massive thank you to the supporters for all the support through the good and the bad times for me personally. You’ve always supported me, always stood by me.

“To my team-mates, it’s going to be emotional. It’s been an amazing journey with you guys. I’m going to miss you all, but to win a trophy with you guys was really, really special – the best of my career.”

Trippier also paid tribute to Howe, who had the “trust” to sign him for Newcastle after the pair previously worked together at Burnley.

Trippier was the first signing Howe made at the club and though the right-back is moving on, the head coach knows he will be “giving absolutely everything to end his time here on a high”.

“Kieran has been magnificent for us on and off the pitch,” Howe added. “From the moment he walked through the door, he has helped to drive standards that have changed the club’s trajectory.

“His performances on the pitch have been to the highest level. Building strong partnerships with the players around him. His outstanding technical ability helped elevate the team and his strong crossing ability helped create many goals and chances for his team-mates.

“His leadership skills have been invaluable. In difficult moments his experience has proved calming and his drive and will to win has inspired the players to keep pushing forward.”

The history-making space mission to the far side of the moon from the US is well underway – here’s what life is like onboard the Orion spacecraft for the four crew members taking part in the historic Artemis mission

Freeze-dried food, a no privacy toilet and confined living quarters, this is what it’s like to live in a spaceship.

Defying gravity as they launch towards the moon for the first time in 53 years, four astronauts are on a history-making endeavour.

The Artemis II mission are on a planned lunar flyby by the United States, with four space explorers taking on a daring expedition to reach the far side of the moon in their Orion Capsule, launching over 252,000 miles away from the surface of the Earth.

Last night, Nasa said the astronauts have passed the halfway point between Earth and the moon, with the spacecraft more than 136,080 miles from Earth.

Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, the first person of colour to travel beyond low Earth orbit, Christina Koch, the first woman on a lunar mission, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen rocketed in to space on the evening of Wednesday April 1.

But this was no April fools – the goal? Stress test Humans, the ‘SLS’ (Space Launch System) rocket, and the life support systems which keep us alive in the daring, harsh reality of deep space.

READ MORE: NASA Artemis crew’s warning as they pass ‘point of no return’ on moon mission

While it may sound glamorous, the next two weeks will be a gruelling endurance test for the space seekers, sharing a living quarters no bigger than a minivan.

Cosy and compact, the foursome are settling into their new digs. Life inside the Orion Spacecraft, which they have named “Integrity” is a mix of high-tech living and “camping” in their very small floating room.

There are six windows in the Orion capsule, and currently, the astronauts will only be able to see Earth shrinking, while the moon grows towards them.

There are a few amenities for the crew. While there is no fridge or cooker, they have a food warmer and a water dispenser. NASA allows the astronauts a few home comforts, as they could choose some of their favourite meals such as mac and cheese and prawn cocktail.

Their food comes from freeze-dried pouches that they then rehydrate and cook. They also brought five different varieties of hot sauce as tastebuds can dull down in microgravity.

When it comes to the toilet, they have a rather compact but high-tech vacuum system built into the floor. The crew experienced some issues as the toilet broke on day two, but luckily got it back working.

In order to ‘flush’, the compact system uses airflow to ‘pull’ waste away since gravity isn’t on their side – but there is no privacy.

Being in zero gravity means it’s crucial for the astronauts to do physical exercise every day to prevent their muscles and bones from weakening. The human bones will shrink and become fragile as they don’t need to hold the weight of the human body. The crew will use a flywheel device – a cable-based machine that allows them to “row” and do squats against resistance, since weights are pretty useless in space.

While they are they hundreds of thousands of miles away, the Orion crew are still able to communicate with Earth. They aren’t completely isolated as they have direct communication with Mission Control in Houston. Today’s technology means fans of the mission all over the globe can follow along in real time.

However once they get behind the moon, they will experience a “blackout” where contact with the Earth will cut off for up to 50 minutes. As the crew are travelling through the “Van Allen” radiation belt in deep space, it means they could be susceptible to a solar flare. This is a colossal burst of energy and light from the sun.

If this was to happen, the crew have a designated radiation shelter where they will clear out storage lockers and crouch down together under the cabin floor for protection.

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It’s a dangerous mission with exceptional risks, these four crew members are making history. The Artemis 2 mission is scheduled to end on Friday, April 10, 2026. It will splash down into the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of San Diego around 8:05pm EDT.

The end of the mission is actually the most dangerous part as the crew will parachute out of the spacecraft after hitting the atmosphere at 25,000 miles. The friction creates a “superheated plasma” around the capsule which will block all radio signals for seven minutes.

However waiting for them in the ocean will be a US Navy ship ready to pull them out of the water and back to safety.

Rodri won the Ballon d’Or in 2024 but missed almost the entirety of last season after sustaining a knee injury and City failed to win a major trophy for the first time in eight years.

He has missed large chunks of this campaign because of a hamstring issue but has played 28 games in all competitions, helping the side to win the Carabao Cup against Arsenal at Wembley.

During his time at City, Rodri has won four Premier League titles, the Champions League, FA Cup and three League Cups.

Rodri previously said to Spanish media: “There have been many players who’ve gone down that path [playing for Atletico and Real].

“Not immediately, but over time. For me, you can’t turn down the best clubs in the world.”

Guardiola said Rodri has shown over time “how attached, how close he is” to City and his “contribution has been massive”.

The manager confirmed he would “absolutely” not stand in the midfielder’s way if he wanted to leave, adding: “The organisation of the club is above all of us – if one player is not happy they have to leave and [we] continue the same always if they are happy – and I think he is happy.

“If he is not happy just knock on the door of the sporting director, accept an offer according to his incredible quality and after that he doesn’t belong to the club – only himself.

“I know what the club wants. They informed me what they want from Rodri – it is to stay, stay, stay. I always had the positive [feeling] with that but at the end I don’t know.”

TSAKANE, South Africa (AP) — Gladys Khoza had missed being able to see her family. Not because they couldn’t visit, but because the 84-year-old had vision problems.

Now that has changed. Khoza is one of 133 people whose sight was restored during a “marathon” of free cataract surgeries conducted by doctors in South Africa at two hospitals over two weekends last month.

“Wow!” a delighted Khoza whispered as a nurse peeled back a bandage a day after her operation, and the world came back into view.

“Can you see me?” the nurse asked. “Very well,” Khoza replied, a big grin on her face.

Patients in South Africa’s public health service can be on waiting lists for years for the simple 15-20-minute cataract operation. Officials said some of those who were selected from hospital waiting lists for the surgeries had been waiting since 2019 to see properly again.

Cataracts are a common, often age-related condition in which the eye’s lens becomes clouded, and they are the leading cause of curable blindness. The surgeries insert a new artificial lens.

For Khoza, who said she couldn’t see anything out of one eye because of a cataract and had long had issues with the other, the simple surgery equates to a major boost for her quality of life.

“I just wanted to be able to see,” she said. Now, after nearly a year of waiting, some of her favorite things — seeing loved ones, reading her Bible and watching late-night soap operas — are all possible again.

Dr. Tebogo Fakude, one of the doctors who volunteered to perform the operations at two regional hospitals near Johannesburg, said his mother was blind and that having sight restored is “beautiful.”

“It’s beautiful because it alleviates depression,” Fakude said adding that the sense of being a burden was also eased.

Globally, more than 2 billion people suffer from some kind of vision impairment, according to the World Health Organization. For half of them, the problem could have been prevented, or they are still waiting for treatment.

Nearly 100 million people are affected by cataracts, and half of them still need access to surgery, according to the WHO. In Africa, that figure rises to 75% of people without surgery, according to a study published in March by the Lancet medical journal.

Surgery backlogs are a significant problem in South Africa, where government-run hospitals serve more than three-quarters of the population of 62 million people. Limited resources mean emergency procedures and more serious operations are prioritized over elective surgery.

The Health Department-led surgical marathons were first staged on Mandela Day in 2023 to commemorate the legacy of the country’s first Black president, Nelson Mandela. They have developed into a public-private partnership that takes place several times a year to increase access to care.

The ministry has vowed to use surgical marathons as a means of eliminating backlogs. Previous ones have addressed prostate, cleft palate and stomach issues.

Cataracts became the latest focus. Around 300,000 new cases are diagnosed every year in South Africa, Fakude said.

Health groups say South Africa faces a backlog of over 240,000 people waiting for cataract operations. Over 35,000 people in the most populous province of Gauteng — where the surgery marathon was performed — have cataract-related blindness.

WHO says eye cataract operations are “one of the most cost-effective medical procedures,” and a powerful tool to restore someone’s independence, dignity and opportunities.

During the three-day surgery marathon at Pholosong Regional Hospital, a new patient was brought into the operating theater about every 30 minutes. Soothing gospel music played on speakers to keep up doctors’ morale.

Looking through a microscope, the eye specialists made tiny incisions for each operation, removed the cloudy lens and replaced it with an artificial one. At one point, two surgeons worked concurrently on separate patients to quicken the pace. They completed 60 surgeries on the last weekend of the marathon.

Molefe Mokoena, 72, said he was looking forward to regaining his independence after suffering from a cataract for four years.

“I want to see my great-grandchildren,” he said. “I want to drive my car, and I’m happy about this.”

___

For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse

The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Marvel and DC have been captivating the world with their superheroes and supervillains for almost a century. Characters like Spider-Man (Marvel) and Superman (DC) are global household names whose recognition rivals that of world leaders.

For most of their history, Marvel and DC have gone toe-to-toe in comics, cartoons, TV and films. In 2008, Marvel made a breakthrough with its Marvel Cinematic Universe, an ongoing series of interconnected films and TV shows. Overall, it is the highest-grossing film franchise in history, with 2019’s Avengers: Endgame also being the highest-grossing franchise film ever made.

Forced to compete, DC responded with its own cinematic universe (2013-2023) that featured Man of Steel (2013), Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice (2015), Justice League (2017) and The Suicide Squad (2021). But it flopped both commercially and critically, forcing an abrupt ending in 2023 with Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom.

Now, in 2026, DC is attempting a revival. The home of Batman and Superman is launching a brand new cinematic universe, with director James Gunn leading the charge. The flagship Superman film was released in 2025, the second film with David Corenswet in the lead role, and Supergirl is dropping this July.

In total, 23 new films and shows have been announced, and DC is on a media blitz promoting its comeback. The timing could not have been better; Marvel is reeling from its own string of disappointments, such as 2021’s Eternals, 2023’s The Marvels, and 2025’s Thunderbolts*, all of which performed rather poorly at the box office given their big budgets.

Can DC pull it off this time around? My ongoing research into mega-franchises such as Marvel, DC and Warhammer, suggests not.

One of the reasons is DC’s failure to understand the psychology of mega-franchise consumers, even after Marvel’s multi-year success from 2008 onwards, and DC’s own failures. Below are four research-backed issues that could start posing serious problems for DC soon.

1. Lack of stylistic diversity

James Gunn is the genius director who gave Marvel the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, its much praised (and highly successful) comic relief. His 2025 Superman for DC shared the same light-hearted humour and quirky dialogue. And going by the trailer, this year’s Supergirl looks to be similar in tone.

However, a universe cannot be built on quirkiness alone. Dozens of fans I interviewed uniformly praised the impeccable variety of styles that Marvel has managed to deliver since 2008. Some films are darkly funny (Deadpool), and some are dead serious (Eternals). And Marvel is very good at shuffling styles to keep viewers perpetually entertained.

This roller-coaster unpredictability is what drives the success of mega-franchises. If every film was just another spin on Guardians of the Galaxy, consumers could quickly lose interest.

2. Getting the pacing wrong

Last year’s Superman barraged consumers with a cavalcade of characters from DC’s roster, including Superman himself, but also Mister Terrific, Green Lantern, Metamorpho and Hawkgirl, to name a few. Which means DC is doing what it did in 2017, when its Justice League film introduced several major characters all at once.

In contrast, my research shows that fans prefer slower pacing, where characters are introduced first on their own and then aggregated into major spectacles such as Marvel’s Avengers. If the pacing is more measured, consumers cultivate an emotional stake in the characters’ stories. But if dozens of characters are introduced at the same time without proper grounding, who can blame audiences for not caring enough?

3. Over-reliance on obscure characters

Mega-franchises thrive on huge rosters of characters. However, it is important to first focus on just a few popular characters to get that “I know them!” effect. Here, Marvel did an excellent job promoting its biggest heroes first. Its first film featured the iconic Iron Man, quickly followed by mainstays like Captain America, Hulk and Thor. They already existed in the popular consciousness – which is exactly what Marvel counted on.

In this regard, DC’s release schedule leaves much to be desired. A few major characters (Aquaman) are meshed with minor episodic villains (Clay Face) and obscure heroes that have not seen major action in decades (Sergeant Rock).

Meanwhile, one of DC’s biggest characters, Batman, is not even getting his own film (the 2022 film starring Robert Pattinson was not part of this DC universe, but something called DC Elseworlds). If consumers refuse to become comic book nerds to enjoy a two-hour flick, whose problem is it?

4. The missing ‘big picture’

Mega-franchises such as Marvel and DC are famous for their massive life-or-death dramas. This is what drives audience engagement and gives a mega-franchise its purpose.

As my interviewees attest, the fact that such purpose emerged early on in Marvel’s oeuvre is what made it successful. From the start, audiences knew that everything was leading to the Avengers team-up. And, when The Avengers was released, it established Thanos as the archenemy and ensured that all threads led to him. The resulting film, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, tied everything together in a massive spectacle that also happens to be the highest-grossing franchise film in history.

For now, the new DC universe can’t see the wood for the trees. As such, last year’s flagship film Superman did not seem to establish any major threats, cosmic events, supervillain archenemies, or any meaningful connection to any upcoming characters except Supergirl.

Instead, it opted for a local conflict between Superman and his arch-rival Lex Luthor. And, looking at the upcoming releases, it appears that the Justice League (DC’s version of Marvel’s Avengers) film is not even on the list.

Releasing a bunch of seemingly unrelated superhero offerings harks back to the early 2000s, when both Marvel and DC tried to reinterpret various characters in a series of disconnected standalone films. With audiences accustomed to major interconnected film sagas, this approach will not suddenly work in 2026. If audiences don’t know where the road is going (and, with mega-franchises, it is a long road), who can blame them for not taking it?

While DC’s comeback is sorely needed, the odds are that the current version is just not it. However, DC has always found ways to rebound, and it is still an iconic brand adored by millions (myself included). Like many fans, I await with baited breath to see how this new universe expands – or not.

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