A migrant worker who was killed in an aerial attack on the United Arab Emirates on the first day of the Iran war would not have been outside if he had known the conflict had started, his son says.

Saleh Ahmed, 55, from Bangladesh, was delivering drinking water in the emirate of Ajman when he was struck by debris after an Iranian missile attack.

Speaking from Bangladesh, his son Abdul Haque told Sky News that Saleh was a hard-working man and the family’s sole breadwinner, who would have not risked his life had he known the US-Israeli war with Iran had started.

“My father went to deliver water,” Abdul said in tears. “That’s when an Iranian missile landed on him and his car.”

Ten minutes later, Saleh died at the scene, his son said.

Iran war latest – follow live updates

Saleh lived in the UAE as an expat for 25 years, sending under £500 per month in earnings to Bangladesh for his wife and four children.

His family says the attack took them all by surprise.

“No way, he wouldn’t have known,” Abdul said, when asked if his father was aware of the war.

“If he knew he wouldn’t go out like that. We are hungry people, we have nothing and our family is very big. For sure my father didn’t know about the war, or else he wouldn’t have gone outside.

“If I had known, God willing, I would not have let him go outside.”

‘You don’t get friends like my dad’

Five years ago, Abdul joined his father in Ajman to work alongside him at the water company.

“As a child, I’d only spend a month or two here and there with him. But for the last five-and-a-half years we were more like friends. Eating together and everything, we did it all together like friends,” he said.

“You don’t get friends like my dad anywhere in the world.”

Saleh’s life mirrors that of millions of South Asian migrant workers who live and work in the Middle East. Many have roles in construction, hospitality, transport and as domestic help.

With roots in the 1960s oil boom, today the migrant workforce is made up of workers from countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and constitutes a large percentage of the overall population. Their remittances support generations of family back home.

“At the beginning my father really struggled and did a lot of different work. He worked at hotels, he washed cars, cut grass, he did everything,” Abdul said.

“And for the last seven or eight years he had a good position at the water company. He did a good job, it was in the service of people, delivering drinking water to people.

“We never imagined this would suddenly happen.”

Read more from Sky News:
What satellite images reveal about war in Iran
Eyewitness: Panic on the streets of Beirut

Body cannot be flown home for burial

Saleh’s family live in a remote village in Sylhet, in northeastern Bangladesh. With the money he sent to them, they had begun building a house. The site remains incomplete, with a concrete foundation lying bare.

Abdul explains how his father did everything he could for the family to have their own home, right up until he died.

Saleh was not only supporting his family, but Abdul explains his father would gift meat parcels at Eid to friends and neighbours, give money to charity, and donate funds to the local mosques. He last visited his family four months ago.

Airspace closures over the UAE mean Saleh’s body cannot be flown home for burial until commercial flights resume. Abdul says the delay in being next to his father and laying him to rest only prolongs the family’s sadness.

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What happens to Gulf if immigrants want to leave?

Bangladesh’s foreign ministry confirmed Saleh’s death on Monday. It said ensuring the safety and security of more than six million Bangladeshis living in the Middle East remains the government’s top priority.

Meanwhile, there are no plans to evacuate Bangladeshi migrant workers. The government has urged its citizens in the Middle East to “remain vigilant and strictly follow guidance issued by respective host governments”.

“I pray for everyone to come quickly to a resolution,” Abdul said, speaking about the US, Israel and Iran.

“I’m seeing videos of many people dying, and I don’t want someone else to die like my father died. I don’t want any other people to lose their parents like we lost our dad.”

The secrets of two of Coronation Street’s most dangerous residents come under major threat next week.

As Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) turns to Megan Walsh (Beth Nixon), seeking help with how to handle her deeply troubled step son, Sam Blakeman (Jude Riordan), the insidious paedophile instantly begins to manipulate her worried roommate.

Elsewhere, Maggie Driscoll’s (Pauline McLynn) constant meddling in grandson Ollie’s (Raphael Akuwudike) love life looks set to pay dividends as she seeks to keep him apart from his (unknowing) cousin, Amy Barlow (Elle Mulvaney) and install Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton) as his partner.

Meanwhile, it’s a difficult day for Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) as he prepares to say goodbye to his recently-deceased dad. As secret brother Ben Driscoll (Aaron McCusker) approaches to offer his support, a deeply troubled Maggie watches on.

With manipulation, deceit and lies on the menu, may we offer you a sample platter of what’s to come, before the main course?

Bon appétit, mon cheri!

Tuesday, March 10

Leanne suggests a girly film night with Megan complete with ice cream, popcorn and no bras.

Before Megan can go, Leanne asks for her advice regarding Sam, concerned that there’s more to the story than he’s letting on.

Megan springs into manipulating Leanne into not pushing the issue, promising that if Sam needs anything, he’ll approach her. Placated, Leanne heads off to work.

As the door closes, Megan’s saccharine smile falls off her face. Has she managed to shut Leanne down? Or is her true nature about to come to light?

Wednesday, March 11

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As Lauren, quite blatantly, tries to make Ollie jealous with tales of nightclubs and groups of lads, he calls her out.

Dropping her tough exterior, Lauren opens up about her worry over being hurt, especially after her last two relationships. Admitting that this is the reason she ended things and that she regrets it deeply, Ollie is utterly floored.

As the two finally give in to passion, Amy bursts in as Maggie watches on with sinister glee. Withdrawing from the burgeoning love triangle, Amy storms away.

Has Maggie got what she wanted and successfully destroyed any chance of Amy and Ollie?

Thursday, March 12

Steve is buoyed by the support of girlfriend, Cassie Plummer (Claire Sweeney), with daughter Amy by his side, as budding bestie Ben and Eva Price (Catherine Tyldesley) arrive to offer their support.

Tim Metcalfe (Joe Duttine) arrives in a very interesting shirt while Sally (Sally Dynevor) pays her respects, in the most Sally way possible.

As the funeral car arrives, Steve and his family hop in, though Maggie’s conflicted glare at the proceedings remains hidden.

Is the truth of the bond between Steve and Ben about to be revealed?

MORE: On edge Maggie loses it in Coronation Street – and bars three shocked regulars

MORE: Coronation Street fans have the most brutal response to the upcoming death storyline

MORE: Coronation Street drops whopping hints to big twist after major death

Wales were beaten in Dublin by Ireland in a 27-17 scoreline but many players performed well

Wales fell agonisingly short in Dublin, slipping to a 27-17 defeat to Ireland.

Steve Tandy’s side were much improved with tries from Rhys Carre and James Botham.

But despite leaving the hosts rattled they couldn’t get over the line.

Here are your player ratings.

15. Louis Rees-Zammit 6

Kicked well out of hand with one excellent 50/22 in the first half.

The Welsh flyer did not get much opportunity with ball in hand but found it tough going in defence.

14. Ellis Mee 6

Competed well in the air, putting Ireland under pressure and defended well throughout making some good reads.

Solid with ball in hand without setting the world alight.

13. Eddie James 7

Not much chance to show his worth with ball in hand but made some good defensive reads and put in some big hits throughout the game.

12. Joe Hawkins 6

The Scarlets centre had a strong game defending well in the fact of an Irish onslaught in the first half.

Some nice touches in attack as Wales’ attack began to click.

11. Josh Adams 6

Started well, taking winning back possession in the air and defended well.

Adams also made some headway with ball in hand but his poor pass to James Botham cost Wales a try.

10. Dan Edwards 5

Exposed defensively in the first half and missed a tackle on Jacob Stockdale for the first Ireland try.

But grew into the game as his kicking improved as the game wore on.

Did well to cover Joe McCarthy’s kick into the Wales 22.

9. Tomos Williams 6

Williams had a solid game, if not spectacular, and kicked reasonably well from the base of the ruck.

Blotted his copybook when he got sent to the sin bin, meaning Wales had to play the final 10 minutes with 14 men.

8. Aaron Wainwright 7

The Dragons backrower had another strong game carrying well and putting in a huge defensive shift.

Wainwright put in 17 tackles and held his own in the physical confrontations.

7. James Botham 8

This was Botham’s best performance in a Wales shirt, with the Cardiff backrower putting in a huge shift.

Botham made 24 tackles as he smashed Ireland’s ball carriers backwards throughout the game.

Did well to burrow his way over for Wales’ second try.

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6. Alex Mann 8 – star man

The Cardiff backrower put in a huge defensive shift making a remarkable 28 tackles and getting under the skin of the Ireland pack.

Mann has found his feet as an international player as he won a crucial penalty at the breakdown in the first half, while his carry set up James Botham’s try.

5. Ben Carter 7

Another strong performance from the Dragons lock who put in 19 tackles as he fronted up to the powerful Ireland pack.

Carter also marshalled the lineout well as Wales’ set-piece functioned well.

4. Dafydd Jenkins 7

The Exeter Chiefs lock is a work horse who put in a huge shift.

Jenkins gets through a ton of work making 27 tackles and was a key reason the Wales lineout went well.

3. Tomas Francis 6

Scrummaged well and was arguably not rewarded as much as he should have been by the officials.

Also played his part around the park.

2. Dewi Lake 8

Carried extremely well throughout leading from the front.

Won a crucial turnover at the breakdown when Ireland were building up ahead of steam in the Wales 22.

Also, put in a huge defensive shift making 23 tackles and the lineout also functioned well.

1. Rhys Carré 8

The Saracens man is developing into a high-class Test player.

Solid in the scrum and carried well consistently getting over the gainline. The Wales prop scored a terrific try when he brushed aside Balacoune before running in from just outside the Ireland 22.

Replacements

16. Ryan Elias 6

Threw well into the lineout and offered himself as a carrier

17. Nicky Smith 7

Gave Tadhg Furlong a torrid time at the scrum and put in a strong shift around the park.

18. Archie Griffin 7

Scrummaged very well upon entering the fray.

19. Adam Beard 6

Solid after coming back into the team and ensured the lineout continued to function well.

20. Olly Cracknell 7

Carried extremely well getting Wales over the gainline.

21. Kieran Hardy – N/A

Unused

22. Jarrod Evans – N/A

Unused

23. Louie Hennessey 5

A few decent tackles on his first cap.

With the latest Resident Evil game proving to be a major hit once again, a reader explains why they’ve been a fan of the series for three decades now.

Resident Evil is going to turn 30 this month and that worries me because I remember playing the original as a kid (my parents were very lenient) and, well… time certainly does fly. I’ve played almost every Resident Evil game over the last three decades and I love the series more than any other.

Despite all the brain-eating zombies and disgusting mutations, playing Resident Evil is my comfort food. I’m never happier, when playing a video game, than when I’m being scared and thrilled and grossed out by a new Resi.

As I sit down to write this it’s actually kind of hard to explain the appeal of the games, even to another fan. Since Resident Evil 4 they’ve been great action games, but they didn’t start that way. And while some can be very scary at times, especially Requiem, they’re generally more tense than frightening.

They also have an ongoing story that spans that whole 30 years, but it’s complete nonsense and the scripts are always terrible – which is one of the things I love about it the most.

Resi games can be funny, but not always intentionally and they’re not straight up comedies, like something like Army Of Darkness or Shaun Of The Dead. They’re great third person combat games a lot of the time but that never dominates the games and, strangely for a Japanese franchise, the boss battles are often not that memorable.

Despite how often they’re copied, they’re strangely unique games where even today you don’t know how much of what you enjoy of them is intended, when it comes to the camp and corny dialogue. It has been hit and miss in the more modern games, because it’s hard to be bad on purpose and still be entertaining.

Thanks to Resident Evil 4, Leon S. Kennedy has always been the funniest of the main characters, with his bad jokes and one-liners. He’s also the best looking of the men, with his famous hair and manly stubble. He’s meant to be 50 in Requiem, but he barely looks it and certainly doesn’t move like he’s that old. But I guess the idea is that he’s not just aging with the games, he’s aging with his audience too.

Almost everything that comes out of his mouth in Requiem is hilarious, with dad joke after dad joke, and all delivered with the ultra-confidence that comes from being an invincible video game character.

To my great pleasure, Requiem has been a big hit – the fastest-selling entry for the series – and we’ve still got whatever Capcom might announce for the 30th anniversary itself (on March 22) to look forward to. I’ve seen people saying that it’s proof that big budget single-player games can still be successful and I’m glad of that too. It’s good to see Resi still leading the way after all these years.

For me Resident Evil will always be the perfect video game, in that the gameplay is great, the storytelling is entertaining (bad but in a good way), the graphics are top notch, and the whole thing is weird and fantastical in a way only a video game can be.

The Resident Evil movies are shlock, just like the games, and they do have some of the same DNA in the so good it’s bad sense, but it’s only the dialogue that’s like that in the games. Everything else is the best it can be and that’s certainly not true of the films.

The mix of elements that is Resi only works because it’s a video game, where you’re able to put your own spin on things, and read between the lines, while you’re playing. I love it and with Requiem it feels like the future is looking very bright for my favourite video game series.

By reader Cher

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

MORE: How a video game merch store helped me bond with my daughter – Reader’s Feature

MORE: How the video games industry will finally destroy itself – Reader’s Feature

MORE: My dream narrowboat sim would be the ultimate cosy game – Reader’s Feature

There are three types of people in Dubai right now: those off to play padel, those rushing to the Omani border, and those waiting for house prices to drop.

It’s a joke doing the rounds here, and it neatly captures the mood.

Day seven of this war started with the familiar humdrum of daily life – people out jogging, children off to the park, the malls filling with shoppers.

But the mid-morning air was pierced by the screech of another emergency alarm on mobile phones.

Iran war latest: Trump demands ‘unconditional surrender’

This one warning of incoming missiles, telling people to seek shelter and stay away from windows.

We’ve now had to teach toddlers and childminders to take cover when they hear the warnings or blasts from air defence. I’ve met children in Ukraine who are so familiar with the sounds of war they can tell if it’s incoming or outgoing fire. I never expected to see children enduring this in Dubai.

This is the dual reality the UAE is now living.

Normal life continues while the country is attacked every day.

The UAE is now having to defend its territory, residents and way of life – in a way it never imagined.

It’s understood Iran has fired more drones and missiles at the UAE than anywhere else – even Israel – in these last seven days of war.

If you want to get people’s attention, aim for a global city and its five-star hotels. Create shock, havoc, and headlines.

But no one expected this – not the government, the military, or the millions of people who live here.

The US military base in Abu Dhabi was always known to be a possible target, but fairly low down the list given the far larger American military assets in the region. The UAE also made it clear in a public statement several weeks ago that no attacks on Iran were to come from its territory, airspace or waters. It was thought this would add a layer of protection to Iran’s Gulf neighbour.

We couldn’t have been more wrong.

More than 200 ballistic missiles and nearly 2,000 drones have been fired at the UAE in seven days.

Two missiles and 74 drones have got through. Three people have been killed and dozens injured.

For some residents, it’s been too much, and community WhatsApp groups are in meltdown with people sharing flight information and tips on the journey to Muscat airport.

I’ve heard from many who have crossed into Oman to catch a flight, others who’ve driven to Saudi Arabia to get out.

I’ve also heard from others making the reverse journey – separated from their children and desperate to get back.

For many stranded tourists, it’s been a nightmare holiday. The initial shock of finding themselves caught up in a war has been replaced by a sense of abandonment.

The UK government took nearly a week to organise its first evacuation flight, and there are tens of thousands of British holidaymakers still trying to get home.

We’ve received hundreds of messages from people at a loss as to what to do. One traveller who did get a flight, called on the way to the airport to say they could see incoming fire.

It’s been a surreal and scary week on many levels. The psychological impact has been even greater than any physical harm.

Will this hurt the city? Will this impact the country? For sure. At least for a time. I’ve already spoken to residents who’ve left and don’t want to come back.

Will it impact the sky-high property prices and rents? Probably.

Much depends on how long this war lasts – how long Iran is willing to sabotage its relationship with its neighbours.

But what I do know is that seven days on, a country not used to war has shown it can defend itself.

And a population that chose this city for its lifestyle and security – never expecting to confront war on their doorstep – has shown a quiet resilience they can take pride in.

Many Britons aspire to leave a positive mark on the world, yet a significant number have not formalised their wishes through a will, new research reveals.

A survey by Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (Gosh Charity) found that while 61 per cent of people hope to be remembered for their contributions, only 39 per cent have actually drafted a will.

The figures are even lower for charitable bequests, with just 14 per cent including a gift in their will. A further 11 per cent expressed an intention to donate to charity but have not yet updated their will, and 19 per cent are considering it.

Over half (52 per cent ) of respondents emphasised the importance of their lifetime actions benefiting future generations.

open image in gallery

The research was carried out by Opinium and released at the start of Free Wills Month.

The research also found that two-fifths (41 per cent ) of people said they are not currently considering leaving a gift to charity in their will, rising to more than half (51 per cent ) of Baby Boomers (aged 62 to 80) and 44 per cent of Gen-X (aged 46 to 61).

The survey also explored the life moments that prompt people to reflect on the legacy they want to leave behind.

The death of a loved one was the biggest trigger (14 per cent ), followed by becoming a parent or grandparent (12per cent ), reaching a life milestone (10 per cent ) and experiencing a serious illness (9 per cent ).

The research suggests there may be some uncertainty about how accessible legacy giving can be, Gosh Charity said.

Nearly two-thirds (65 per cent ) of people were aware it is possible to leave a gift of any size to charity in a will, while just over a third (35 per cent ) were unaware of this.

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When asked about leaving a small financial gift of up to £100, nearly half (46 per cent ) of people surveyed believe it would make little difference to a charity, and 8per cent believe would make no difference at all.

Gabi Field, deputy director of public fundraising at Gosh Charity, said: “Every legacy gift, no matter the size, helps Gosh Charity fund vital support for families at the hospital as well as ground-breaking research. Together, these gifts ensure seriously ill children get the best chance and childhood possible, now and for generations to come.”

Gosh said patient Ary Patel and his family have seen the impact of that support first-hand. Ary, who is approaching his 10th birthday this year, underwent heart surgery at the hospital when he was six months old.

This month, he is starring in a Gosh Charity TV advert encouraging people to consider leaving a gift in their will.

Ary’s mother Shiva said: “To see Ary approaching his 10th birthday is truly incredible, and something we will never take for granted. When Ary needed surgery, the care we received at Great Ormond Street Hospital was extraordinary – not just the life-saving treatment, but the support and kindness shown to us every step of the way.”

Opinium Research surveyed 2,000 people across the UK in February.

The Anglo-American “special relationship” has hit a low ebb following American strikes on Iran. US president Donald Trump disparaged British prime minister Keir Starmer with a negative comparison to Winston Churchill, making clear his “disappointment” over British reticence to offer logistical support to the American military.

This is the latest in a series of comments Trump has made about Starmer’s authority on foreign policy concerns – particularly the British return of Diego Garcia to Mauritius.

For his part, Starmer has publicly broken from the president on the matter of Greenland, offering “strong support” to Denmark in response to US threats to take over the territory. In January, when Trump disparaged British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, Starmer called the remarks “appalling.”. Despite Trump’s attempts on Truth Social to smooth the matter over following a “stern” call from Starmer, one controversial exchange has bled into the next. Trump is understood to be very unhappy that the UK won’t join strikes on Iran. Starmer has stood by his decision and insists it is his duty to decide what action is in “Britain’s national interest,”.

This breakdown in relations between the two heads of state is remarkable – but it is not unprecedented. Britain’s refusal to follow America into a foreign conflict has inflamed tensions before. President Lyndon B Johnson and prime minister Harold Wilson endured a breakdown in the 1960s over Vietnam. The way Wilson handled this situation should be Starmer’s guiding light has he charts his own course on Iran.

Vietnam

The UK did not publicly participate in the Vietnam war. At the time it was searching for a way to join the European single market against French wishes and extricate itself from its military bases in the Arabian Peninsula and Southeast Asia. Wilson was seeking to move away from costly military commitments abroad.

Publicly, Wilson pushed for an end to the war, meeting with the Soviet Union’s Alexei Kosygin to try and move negotiations forward. He backed Johnson when the US agreed to what Wilson called “unconditional negotiations” with North Vietnam in 1966. Behind closed doors, Wilson reiterated his private support for Johnson regularly. He also met with the president to justify British reticence to join the war on several occasions, using trips to Washington as a way of trying to bolster the public image of a strong affiliation.

However, the Wilson and Johnson governments clashed over a number of concerns. Johnson faced criticism in Britain for failing to attend the funeral of Winston Churchill in 1965. LBJ was allegedly so infuriated by the lack of British troop commitment to the war that he called Wilson a “little creep” behind closed doors. The Americans also lamented the weakness of the British pound, as Wilson had it devalued by 14.3% in 1967. This threatened the stability of the US dollar and other western currencies.

The White House began to see Britain as a much less valuable – or stable – ally in the ongoing cold war. The British in return felt pushed to acquiesce to American pressure, while also relying on American support on issues such as Rhodesia, which unilaterally declared independence from the UK in 1965.

With this change in attitude, Johnson turned to other allies for public support. The then Australian prime minister, Harold Holt, went “all the way with LBJ,” joining other Pacific allies in sending troops to fight alongside Americans. Johnson lavished support on them, granting Australia its first state visit by a sitting US president in late 1966.

Conversely, he never visited Britain once. Johnson’s antipathy towards the UK is perhaps best summed up by an act of political disrespect towards Wilson in 1965, when he had the White House band play “Plenty of Nuttin’” at a diplomatic dinner following economic talks – a sarcastic rejoinder for Wilson’s lack of what he deemed proper support.

A third way

Ultimately, the “special relationship” cooled significantly during the Johnson-Wilson era. But despite the sometimes-wretched relations between the two leaders, the connection between the two countries in terms of intelligence sharing, training and support on other matters remained intact. Wilson saw the value of American support, travelling to the United States several times during the 1960s despite criticism from anti-war campaigners and from some in parliament. Wilson’s conciliatory approach is mirrored by Starmer’s attempts to carve a third way over the first year of Trump’s government. Starmer was heavily criticised for inviting Trump to carry out a second state visit – the first US president to receive a return invite.

The situation has changed since then, and the Iran strikes have indeed put pressure on the US-UK relationship. But there is precedent for resistance to American pressure in the Wilson-Johnson relationship. The effects were stark – it was not until Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan were in charge that the relationship truly felt “special” once again – but it endured and thrived again despite what had been a severe clash in personalities.

Trump’s climbdown over the criticisms he made of Nato troops in January shows that the United States still values its British ally to some extent. The prime minister should remember that the relationship will endure long after the current occupants of both the White House and 10 Downing Street leave their respective offices.

Many in the crowd saw the Cheshire-born star perform for the first time since his mammoth Love On Tour wrapped back in 2023 – and they came dressed for the occasion

For Harry Styles, Friday night in Manchester marked a long-awaited return to the stage. But for thousands of fans outside Co-op Live, it felt like a homecoming of their own.

Many in the crowd saw the Cheshire-born star perform for the first time since his mammoth Love On Tour wrapped back in 2023 – and they came dressed for the occasion.

Feather boas and cowboy hats – a staple of Harry crowds – had clearly been pulled out of storage, joined this time by a fresh wave of sequins and sparkle inspired by the ‘disco’ promise of his brand new fourth album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.

At just £20 a ticket, the show became one of the hottest – and most unusual – gigs of the year. The crowd arriving at the sold-out gig on Friday night (March 6) were met with a unique rule: this would be a strictly phone-free event.

Instead of filming the moment for social media, fans were asked to lock their phones away in special pouches on entry. In their place, concertgoers were handed disposable cameras – a nostalgic twist that encouraged everyone to stay present and soak up the moment.

It felt fitting when Styles eventually emerged to open the night – after a unique synth buildup – with Aperture, the first track on the album. It’s a song made for hugging strangers on a dancefloor – and as fans bounced along to the chant of ‘We belong together’, this quickly became the unofficial motto of the evening.

He appeared donning a bright blue jumper over a floral shirt, with classic Harry yellow suit trousers. He brought the same wild dance moves he teased us with last week at the Brits and, understandably, the crowd went wild.

The phone-free rule seemed to work exactly as intended. Instead of a sea of glowing screens, the arena was filled with fans dancing freely and fully engaged in the performance unfolding in front of them. I’ll admit, I thought the disposables would be a bit of a gimmick, but it was a very special way to immerse yourself in the gig.

The show coincided with the release of Styles’ latest 12-track album, which dropped in the early hours of Friday morning. It was the first chance for fans to hear all of the songs live – and possibly their first chance to hear them at all.

He moved onto American Girls – and despite having only 12 hours to revise the lyrics, fans didn’t disappoint. Track 2 is clearly already a favourite. Ready, Steady, Go! followed, allowing Styles to flex his vocals, bringing a similar undertone of rock to what we heard in his first solo album.

Early impressions suggest Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally continues Styles’ habit of refusing to sit comfortably in one genre. The album blends bits of funk, disco rhythms, pop and softer acoustic moments.

Like much of his previous work, there’s a thread of melancholy running beneath the upbeat production. It sparks the sort of nostalgia that makes you feel sentimental for memories you’re not even sure you have.

The heavy beat and impressive guitar solo of Are You Listening Yet? contrasted to the melancholy feel of The Waiting Game, which followed Taste Back – my favourite track on the album, which blends his older pop style with his newer, more mature lyrics.

Throughout the show, Styles was joined by the House Gospel Choir, who added a rich, soulful depth to several of the new songs. The popular choir – known for their own house anthems and recent appearance alongside Styles at last weekend’s BRIT Awards – helped bring Season 2 Weight Loss to life, with their soaring harmonies transforming the track into one of the evening’s standout moments.

The mood then softened as Styles moved into Coming Up Roses, the album’s most delicate offering, accompanied by a stunning live string section that transformed the arena into a quieter, more intimate atmosphere.

Introducing the song, Styles paused to thank one of his closest collaborators.

“There’s a lot of people in the audience tonight who helped me make this record,” Styles told the crowd, before dedicating a song to his friend Tom. “I wrote a lot of songs and typically the songs I write by myself at home are the ones I assume won’t make it onto the album.

“I want to thank Tom for pushing me to believe in me. That’s the reason why this song exists. It’s one of my favourite things I’ve ever done.”

From there, the mood lifted again as the crowd danced along to the infectious Pop, before the funk-leaning Dance No More saw Styles’ signature dance moves make a welcome return.

The choir and band then rejoined him for the emotional Paint By Numbers, with the crowd swaying in unison as flashes from disposable cameras briefly punctured the otherwise hushed moment.

The Manchester show marks a significant moment for the singer. Born in nearby Cheshire, Styles has always maintained a strong connection to the North West – and on Friday night, that sense of homecoming was unmistakable.

“Good evening Manchester,” he grinned at one point, clearly soaking in the reception. “My name is Harry. It is an absolute pleasure to be here tonight.”

The evening concluded with Carla’s Song, which Styles dedicated to a close friend in the audience.

Just when it seemed the night had reached its end, Styles returned to the stage with a surprise encore.

“We haven’t played that one in a while,” he joked after launching into From the Dining Table from his debut album. “Truth be told, we haven’t played anything in a while.”

Fans erupted as he followed with Golden from Fine Line, before the unmistakable opening notes of Watermelon Sugar sent the arena into a frenzy.

Continuing a tradition from Love On Tour, the crowd gleefully screamed the famous ‘leave America’ line during As It Was, an affectionate chant urging the British star to return to the UK for good.

Reflecting on the atmosphere in the room, Styles told the crowd the community created at his shows is something he treasures deeply.

“The community that you guys have built together in this room, and rooms that I’ve seen around the world, is something so unbelievably magical,” he said.

“In a world that we have today that feels so chaotic it’s so easy to become hopeless – and I see what you create together and there is just so much hope in here.”

“I encourage you to keep being the change in the world that you want to see,” he added.

He closed the night with Sign of the Times, the towering ballad from his debut solo album. Arms wrapped around friends and strangers alike, thousands swayed together as Styles delivered the final chorus – many, myself included, teary eyed.

But there was one final moment left. Returning briefly for a reprise of Aperture, Styles hammered home the message that had opened the night: ‘We belong together.’ As the chorus rang out once more, fans jumped arm in arm, rounding off the show in a full circle moment.

The concert ended the same way it began – united.

For those lucky enough to be in the room, the night felt less like a typical arena show and more like a shared experience. The perfect blend of old and new, it felt like fans had witnessed something really special. Something intimate, despite the scale of the venue.

And thousands of voices sang together, one thing was clear: In that moment, Manchester really did belong together.

Frankenstein’s female creature, also known as “the Bride”, was the first female monster to appear on screen, in the 1935 Frankenstein sequel: The Bride of Frankenstein. An unruly and rebellious figure, she has inspired dozens of adaptations since.

Most recently, the Bride, as a dramatic character, has been part of a series of creative reimaginings through an explicitly feminist lens. For instance, the dark coming of age comedy, Lisa Frankenstein (2024). It imagined the Bride (Kathryn Newton) in the role of the scientist, who accidentally brings to life a young Victorian man (Cole Sprouse).

Released just a year earlier, Poor Things (2023) brought an even more complex exploration of power, agency and consent, set in a retro-futuristic Victorian era. In it, the female creature Bella (Emma Stone) negotiates what it means to be both a scientific object and creator (being created out of the pregnant body of a woman and the brain of the mother’s unborn baby). Bella does not abide by the rules and conventions of polite society, using her body against the purpose of her creator and causing several mental breakdowns for the male characters in the process.

Now, a new movie directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Bride!, brings the character to life in moody 1930s Chicago. Jessie Buckley plays the female creature brought back from the dead to be Frankenstein’s mate. But she is not the sort of creature that is inclined to serve someone else’s purpose. When Frankenstein (now the monster, not the scientist, and played by Christian Bale) calls her “the Bride of Frankenstein”, she replies: “No, just the Bride.”

Although the film promises a “Bonnie and Clyde” story – two lovers and rebels on the run from the law – this Bride refuses to belong to any man. Instead, gun in hand, she demands to be seen and heard on her own terms.

Reanimating the Bride from novel to screen

Since her inception, the Bride’s struggle has been for autonomy. She first appeared in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), named after an egomaniac scientist who creates a creature from cadavers. In the novel, Dr Frankenstein begrudgingly agrees to make his male creature a companion, but destroys her before she can live. He is afraid she might reproduce or become even more powerful than the male creature.

Her destruction is the most violent episode in the novel and makes apparent the anxiety that her unruly female body causes to the mad scientist. The erasure of Shelley’s original female creation set the scene for the way she continues to be written out of most adaptations of the novel. This includes, most recently, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025).

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Guillermo de Toro’s Frankenstein: beguiling adaptation stays true to heart of Mary Shelley’s story

One hundred years on from Shelley’s novel, the Bride was finally brought to life in James Whales’ The Bride of Frankenstein and played by Elsa Lanchester. Although central to the film’s title, she appears only in the final five minutes. But that was more than enough time to establish her cinematic legacy.

She stands tall, dressed in a white gown, her dark, voluminous hair streaked with lightning. Scars and stitches run around her face. She is both alive and dead, a bride and child, beautiful and monstrous, futuristic and otherworldly. Her appearance defies categorisation, not quite the demure wife she is meant to be.

Even more memorable is the Bride’s defiant scream when she rejects the male creature and the role assigned to her by the film’s title and her creator. Feminist scholars have read this as an assertion of sexual autonomy and agency, a rejection of patriarchal control and a refusal of the role of wife and mother. She is a powerful symbol of defiance, and both costume and voice become tools for future Brides to say no to their fate. Lanchester’s Bride, however, is not able to invent alternative possibilities for herself and is ultimately destroyed by the male creature, punished for her rebellion.

The limitations of patriarchy are made even clearer in later adaptations in which Brides who choose to end their lives, such as Frankenstein Created Woman (1967). Her limited options also show the constraints of a narrative in which she is made a mere character in someone else’s story.

The creature Lily (Billie Piper) in the television series Penny Dreadful (2014-2016) is another Bride who attempts to make her own path. But the memories of her body’s previous life as a sex worker have shown her that the world is rotten to the core – her only solution is to destroy it. Lily chooses destruction over radical change, and while she rejects both Frankenstein and the male creature, the man she does willingly choose ultimately betrays her.

For some Brides, power comes from reclaiming the role of creator. This can be seen in Lisa Frankenstein and Poor Things, but also in an earlier adaptation – the exploitation comedy Frankenhooker (1990). The film ends with the Bride taking revenge on her creator by attaching his head to female body parts.

Poor Things is one of the only films where the Bride is not only invested in radical social change, but also escapes the expectations put onto her body as a scientific and sexual object. Bella actively subverts these expectations by repurposing her body as one of personal scientific enquiry. This extends to the way she uses sex. It puts her in a complicated position in relation to exploitation and empowerment, where she is simultaneously both and neither. Instead, her actions sit somewhere on the outside of our current perceptions of both.

As Jessie Buckley’s new Bride graces our screens, she promises to follow in the footsteps of her rebellious predecessors – and a long horror tradition.

This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

When the police arrived, Michelle thought her ordeal was finally over.

She sat shellshocked on the sofa, squinting through a black eye with blood seeping from a cut lip after the latest violent assault at the hands of her abusive partner.

But it was Michelle who ended up in a cell that night after he told officers she hit him first.

Her ex had used the counter-allegation tactic.

It’s one that perpetrators often employ, according to Nadia Hughes, head of criminal justice services at Advance, a charity that helps women who’ve experienced harm through domestic abuse and the criminal justice system.

The ploy is particularly effective when a woman has acted in self-defence or retaliated, so the perpetrator himself has injuries. These are then misunderstood by the police as signs of aggression, rather than the culmination of years of abuse.

Nadia says that besides deflecting the blame from the abuser, the tactic also serves another purpose: ‘It’s a really manipulative way to deter a survivor from calling 999 in the future’.

Once the counter-allegation strategy has been used once, the police have a record that this woman might be violent or abusive. Nadia explains that ‘she’s then less likely to report the abuse she’s been subjected to because there is a distrust of statutory services like the police’.

‘Counter allegations actually become a sort of weaponised way of controlling that survivor. It is something we hear a lot unfortunately.’

Around half of recent referrals to Advance, which works at the intersection of domestic abuse and criminal justice, have stemmed from women being arrested as a result of counter allegations.

Research shows that women are three times more likely to be arrested than their male partners at a domestic abuse incident involving them.

This Is Not Right

On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.

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With the help of our partners at Women’s Aid, This Is Not Right aims to shine a light on the sheer scale of this national emergency.

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Michelle tells Metro she suffered years of abuse prior to her wrongful arrest, beginning when she was pregnant.

‘The second time he hit me was after my son was born and he was in my arms,’ she says. ‘That was horrific.

‘My son had a white baby grow on and there was blood all over him where he broke my nose.’

Michelle suffered appalling injuries, including a broken leg and fractured collarbone, when her ex pushed her from a fourth-floor window.

‘When you’re in it you don’t see how serious it is,’ she says. ‘You just know that you survived it.’

She describes how her homelife hinged on her ex’s moods.

‘He would phone me during the day and let me know how good or bad his day was going,’ she says.

‘That would determine what my evening was going to be like. If it was a bad day, I would be walking on eggshells waiting for him to flip at me.

‘It’s like dying a slow death waiting for that snap to happen.’

Looking back, Michelle can’t even remember what that final argument was about.

When her ex started hitting her again, she instinctively threw her arms up to try and defend herself.

But she caught his face with her elbow while doing so, giving him a bloodied nose.

Despite being the one who called the police, she found herself being arrested alongside him.

She lost her job as a family support worker after missing a key court hearing while in custody.

‘I sent myself to university when I was 30 trying to better my life,’ Michelle says. ‘I got the job of my dreams, and it was taken.’

Beyond the physical and emotional toll, counter allegations can cost women their homes, their children and their jobs.

In the case of Bethany Rae Fields, her killer used counter allegations in the lead up to, and on the day he killed her.

After 21-year-old Bethany reported her ex Paul Crowther to the police following threats he had made against her, her friends and family, Paul turned his finger at her multiple times.

Pauline, Bethany’s mum, calls his actions ‘despicable. She was tiny; 21 to his 35 years.’

Staffing issues meant that Paul’s complaint progressed slowly – as did Bethany’s against him – and a week after filing his ‘case’ with the police, he chased it, and then again four days later.

Despite Paul being reported to the police seven times, despite being known to services after having had two former partners complain about harassment – with one resulting in a conviction, and despite Paul telling mental health services that he wanted to take revenge against Bethany, he was still invited to make a statement after reporting her to the police.

He went into the station on September 12, 2019, to make a statement against her. That same day he killed her.

Pauline now urges police to think of Bethany’s initials – BRF – and to ‘Believe. React. Fast’. That means considering whether the counter-allegation tactic is in play.

For Jessica, the experience of being disbelieved by the police has eroded her faith in the force completely.

‘I don’t believe they have listened to me once, or made me feel safe,’ she tells Metro.

Jessica was abused for years by two of her children and ended up having to leave the family home after being arrested and charged when one of them claimed she was the perpetrator.

She says her son would hold a knife to her throat and her daughter would kick and spit at her.

‘It got to the point where I couldn’t go to the rest of the house really. I was living in a bedroom. It was marked cell number five with my name.’

Jessica adds: ‘I don’t think I could even admit to myself how bad it was until now, when I look at the pictures of the injuries and the pictures of my bedroom door – I thought that was normal.

On the day of her arrest, Jessica says her daughter ‘started on’ her again as she was going into her bedroom.

Like Michelle, she put her hand out to signal she’d had enough – but that was not how it was subsequently reported to the police: ‘Apparently that was attempting to push her down the stairs.’

‘We are finding that women are not speaking up – they are not feeling confident or safe to report.’

Jessica is still haunted by the traumatic experience of being arrested.

‘I was in the bedroom with my other daughter,’ she recalls. ‘We were just laying there. There was a bang on the door.

‘My bedroom door regularly banged from the children anyway, but as I went to open it, I was literally pulled out by force onto the little landing.

‘I didn’t have a clue what was happening – there was no reason for the police to be there. I was put in handcuffs.

‘I was crying, and the two children that did this were sat there filming the whole thing and laughing.

‘It was so daunting, and the way they treat you when you’re going to the cells is just horrendous. I’d never been in one before.’

Jessica adds: ‘Everyone always joked and called me Wonder Woman because I had six children. I was a nursery manager. I was a trusted person.

‘They’ve taken all of that away.’

She spent a year under investigation only for the common assault charge to be dropped at the crown court.

Being made to feel like a criminal has now changed how she views the police.

‘They just don’t seem to understand domestic abuse. They definitely don’t understand child-to-parent violence.’

In addition to being less likely to call the police, a woman subject to counter allegations is also less likely to be referred by them on to specialist support because she is seen as a perpetrator.

Nadia says: ‘If you’ve got perpetrators who are recording a woman using resistance – someone who has been subjected to abuse for a long period of time and gets to the point where she retaliates as a response to that – that becomes an isolated incident away from the long-term abuse and can be used as evidence against her.

‘We are finding that women are not speaking up – they are not feeling confident or safe to report.’

Research shows nearly 70% of women in prison or under community supervision are victims of domestic abuse. For many, that is directly linked to their offending and can take the form of counter allegations, coerced offending or criminalisation by association.

‘I’ve seen quite a number of cases where very coercively controlling men – very manipulative men – are able to set these situations up. It can all be quite Machiavellian and horrendous.’

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The Centre for Women’s Justice is campaigning for a new defence in criminal law that will recognise coercive control as the driver of the offence.

Currently, victims can only rely on the defence of duress – when you are coerced into acting under the use or threat of violence – which has been found to be ineffective in cases of domestic abuse.

Instead, they often depend on the police or Crown Prosecution Service deciding it is not in the public interest to prosecute them.

Harriet Wistrich, founder and CEO of the Centre for Women’s Justice, tells Metro: ‘In a lot of domestic abuse situations, by the time the police have arrived the victim could be very traumatised or hysterical and he’s appearing very calm.

‘If he’s saying, “she’s just a bit mentally unwell and she’s just thrown something at me”, how do the police deal with that situation?

‘And we have seen a lot of situations where the woman has been arrested and she’s really the victim and the police aren’t necessarily able to make a very careful assessment of what’s going on.

‘I’ve seen quite a number of cases where very coercively controlling men – very manipulative men – are able to set these situations up.

‘It can all be quite Machiavellian and horrendous.’

She adds: ‘Our proposed model is based on what we have for victims of trafficking, where it’s recognised that if you’re forced to commit criminal offences that essentially you have a defence if you can show that it’s directly linked with your exploitation.

‘What we’re arguing is that where somebody is in a coercively controlling relationship where they are under control of somebody and they are essentially forced to handle stolen goods or drugs or commit mortgage fraud or whatever it is, they can show circumstances which lead them to commit those acts.

‘Obviously, it’s not necessarily having a gun held to you, but if it’s in that context of the relationship then they should have a defence and be able to argue they are not culpable rather than potentially argue it as mitigation but still be convicted of a crime.’

*Names have been changed

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