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To capitalize on growing demand for products developed for sensitive skin, Bath & Body Works (BBWI) launched Essentials, a new line of hypoallergenic body washes and lotions developed exclusively for sensitive skin.
The Essentials line was launched on September 28
Strikes carried out in southeastern province of Khost cause no casualties, governor’s office says.
Published On 24 Sep 202624 Sep 2026
Pakistan says it has carried out air strikes on 10 locations in Afghanistan used to store and launch drones, some of which were used in cross-border attacks.
The air strikes on Thursday were carried out as tensions grow between the former allies over attacks by armed groups in Pakistan, which triggered their worst fighting in years in February.
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Islamabad accuses Kabul of harbouring fighters who stage cross-border attacks, but Afghanistan’s Taliban government denies harbouring anti-Pakistani armed groups and says the attacks are Pakistan’s internal problem.
The air strikes were “deliberate, precise, calibrated, and proportionate, and strictly limited to identified military objectives directly linked to the attempted attacks against Pakistan”, Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar wrote on X.
He condemned a “deliberate and unlawful incursion into Pakistan by drones” on Wednesday.
“This constitutes a blatant violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and is a grave and unacceptable act of aggression,” he said.
The Pakistani air strikes were conducted in several areas of Khost province in southeastern Afghanistan, Mustaghfir Gurbaz, spokesperson for the Khost governor, said.
There were no casualties, he said.
An attack on a police facility in northwestern Pakistan last week that killed at least 21 people has reignited fighting between the countries after nearly three months of relative calm. A Pakistan Taliban faction claimed responsibility for the blast and subsequent gun battle.
On Monday, air strikes targeting three locations in northeastern Afghanistan killed three civilians in the Nurgal district of Kunar province, Afghan officials said. Islamabad said it killed 28 “terrorists”.
The escalation threatens mediation efforts by China, Turkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to broker a lasting peace between the two neighbours.
Relations between the former allies have been strained since the fighting in February, the worst for years.
THE UK’s biggest waterpark is about to be the best place to start your weekend.
Sandcastle Waterpark, which is the largest and recently voted best in the country will be open for more hours of fun on Friday evenings.
The Blackpool waterpark has launched its Friday Night Splash event, so now you can spend your evening on its 18 slides and in the swimming pool.
Usually the waterpark is open is until 2:30pm in the week and 4pm on the weekends.
But the new Friday sessions will let you visit from 4pm until 8pm, for a post-work splash before the weekend.
The tropical waterpark, which is always heated to 28C, has something for everyone whether you’re after family-friendly splash zones or thrilling flumes.
There are 18 slides in total, and those wanting to try out the speedy rides should head to The Master Blaster which is described as “white knuckle”.
There’s also Sidewinder, the world’s first indoor half-pipe waterslide and Montazooma, a high-speed ride with hairpin bends and 360 degree helixes on the way from top to bottom.
For families, head to Thunderfalls, which are two twisting waterslides for side-by-side racing.
There are also treehouses and forts for kids to play in and that’s where you’ll find the country’s biggest water cannon.
The slower moving Ushi Gushi River Creek is the lazy river ride while the Typhoon Lagoon is the waterpark’s huge wave pool.
While the kids are splashing about, adults can escape to the Sea Breeze Spa for an extra £7 to unwind in the sauna, steam room, and aromatherapy lounge.
For the ultimate VIP day out, the £60 Tiki Cabana package gets you park entry, lunch and soft drinks, spa access, and the private retreat comes with a TV and hot tub.
Tickets to the waterpark for a three-hour session costs from £25.50 per person over the age of eight (if booked in advance).
Tickets for kids between three and seven-years-old cost from £16.50 per person and children under three go free.
The waterpark is two minutes from Blackpool Pleasure Beach – so it’s easy to make a day out of it and see all the attractions.
The main season runs until October 31, with opening dates from Wednesday to Sunday – this drops down to just weekends after this.
For even more of the UK’s tropical indoor waterparks – check out these ones which have tickets from £2.50.
Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding recently visited Sandcastle and gave her verdict…
She said: “Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool is kept at a toasty 29C and has more than 18 waterslides and attractions.
“The real gem of the show is the adult-only spa, hidden in plain sight in the middle of the waterpark.
“You’ll have to pay an extra £7.50 per person to enter the Sea Breeze Spa but it is well worth the money.
“When I visited it was quiet, with only one or two other people using the area, compared to the packed waterpark surrounding it.
“Dipping in and out of the saunas and steam room was the ideal way to relax.
“I spent half an hour in the salt inhalation room allowing my lungs to fill with warm, salty air and calm my nervous system.
“There’s Sidewinder too, which is the world’s first indoor vertical drop slide.
“Hovering over the edge of the half-pipe, butterflies flittered around my stomach anticipating the drop.
“Before I knew it, I was tipped over the edge in my rubber ring, dropping metres down before being propelled up the other side of the pipe.
“After, I ambled over to Aztec Falls, where in a rubber ring I dropped into a pitch-black bowl, swirling around like I was inside a waterfall.“
Days after banning a group of news organisations from the White House, the Trump administration has launched a platform called ‘Trump TV’ showing old speeches and announcements.
Published On 22 Sep 202622 Sep 2026
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ITV The Chase viewers issued the same complaint (Image: ITV)
The Chase viewers have been left asking the same question.
The ITV gameshow returned on Monday, September 21, but viewers were quick to notice a repeat episode was airing, rather than the new series, which launched weeks ago.
During the show, Bradley Walsh and Chaser Darragh Ennis put four contestants to the test, Faith from Holmfirth, George from Hertfordshire, Anne from Pontypool, and Jamie from Liverpool.
However, after noticing the episode had aired in 2025, viewers were left asking the same question, with one writing: “Why is it back on repeats already? For the coming week. Perhaps they’re really struggling with their contestant quota,” reports the Express.
“Repeats already?” another echoed. “At least repeat the decent episodes!” someone else fumed. Another fan wrote: “Is it just me, or is this a repeat I’m watching? As far as I know, this ep was first shown in January 2025! What is going on, ITV?!”
The episode saw the four contestants ultimately lose against The Chaser. “I hope you’ve enjoyed your day, all of you, it’s been lovely meeting you,” Bradley told them.
“Sadly, I’ve got to take the £4,000 away and tell you that you that Faith, Anne, George and Jamie, you have been caught.” He added: “Once more, the Menace is triumphant! Could you take him down? Get together and apply, we’ll see you on The Chase.”
The Chase’s repeat comes after spin-off series, The Chase Around The World, aired earlier this year on ITV. The six-part special saw six teams of two battling to win £100,000 as they took on the beloved quiz show in destinations all over Europe.
ITV had teased: “The Chasers – The Beast and The Governess – have set a series of quiz questions, puzzles and cryptic clues that the teams must solve in order to navigate their way across the city and find Bradley at the finish line.
“Their route could take them to some of Rome’s iconic landmarks, such as the Colosseum, the Trevi fountain and the Spanish Steps. The teams must answer questions correctly to complete the course but they better be correct as wrong answers have serious consequences, costing them time and taking them off-course.
“Competition is fierce as the team that finishes last in each city will face a head-to-head showdown with the Chasers themselves. In Rome, the Beast and The Governess await. The final pair will need to beat them to stay in the competition. Lose, and it’s the first flight home.”
Speaking about the series, Bradley shared: “I would describe it as The Chase… but around the world! It’s out and about. It was very different doing it on location, in these incredible places, instead of being in a studio.
“I’ve been locked in Elstree Studios for 17 years! The locations were unbelievable. I loved it, I really did, but then again, I wasn’t chasing around, literally chasing around, the cities we were in.
The Chase is available to watch on ITVX
Europe’s central banks now have a working bridge into tokenised markets.
Launched on Monday, Pontes lets wholesale transactions in tokenised assets, meaning stocks, bonds and other instruments recorded as digital tokens on distributed ledgers, to settle in the safest form of money available — reserves held at the central bank itself.
It matters because the absence of a risk-free settlement asset has been one of the main barriers holding blockchain technology back. Without it, tokenised trades have typically settled in commercial bank money or stablecoins, carrying credit risk that large institutions are reluctant to accept.
“The Eurosystem is working to enable a more integrated, innovative and resilient European financial market in the digital age,” said ECB President Christine Lagarde.
Thirteen institutions have completed onboarding and are ready to use the system immediately, including Deutsche Bank, Santander, Société Générale, KfW and the European Investment Bank, alongside four ledger operators including Clearstream.
The ECB also intends to become a user itself.
In a separate announcement, it said it has begun preparatory work to invest a small portion of its own funds in tokenised securities, with purchases settled through Pontes.
The initial focus will be euro-denominated debt issued by euro area governments, regional authorities, agencies and European supranational institutions.
The own-funds portfolio sits outside monetary policy and generates income to cover the bank’s running costs. No amount was specified, and the Executive Board will decide on timing once the groundwork is done.
“Pontes brings tokenised markets another step closer to the core of the euro area’s financial infrastructure,” said Richard Baker, founder and CEO of Tokenovate, which builds technology to help financial institutions automate post-trade processing, collateral management and tokenised settlement.
Baker noted the service will initially run within existing market hours, but that “the longer-term opportunity is to support more continuous, potentially 24/7, settlement.”
That gap is where Europe is playing catch-up.
American markets have moved faster as the New York Stock Exchange is building a blockchain-based venue for trading tokenised shares and funds around the clock, and BlackRock has run a tokenised money market fund since 2024.
Pontes itself will only reach full capability, with longer operating hours and enhanced features, by 2028.
The two sides are also taking different routes.
Washington, under US President Donald Trump, abandoned plans for a Federal Reserve digital currency and backed privately issued stablecoins instead. On the other hand, Frankfurt is betting that public central bank money should sit at the centre.
Pontes is aimed at banks and markets, not consumers. The retail equivalent, the digital euro, would let the public make everyday payments directly in central bank money.
That project is further from reality.
The European Parliament’s economic committee approved its position in June, opening negotiations with member states, and final legislation is targeted for the end of this year.
If that holds, a pilot involving 36 payment providers will begin in September 2027, with first issuance possible in 2029.
LOOKING for your next big holiday? Look no further as British Airways has revealed a major update to its summer 2027 schedule with flights to TWO East African destinations.
British Airways (BA) has announced that it will be launching new flights to Tanzania from May 29, 2027 – which last took off 14 years ago.
The flights will take off from London Gatwick Airport and head to Kilimanjaro before heading onto Zanzibar.
The flights will then continue for the season, until October 31.
In Kilimanjaro, you can obviously visit the famous mountain, which is Africa’s highest peak and the world’s highest free-standing mountain.
It takes about 45 minutes from the airport to reach Moshi – the gateway town.
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The National Park is home to rainforest, as well as an arctic summit.
In the region, there’s also Tanzania’s loved Northern Safari Circuit to explore, which is one of the continent’s most famous wildlife routes.
It includes the Serengeti Wildlife Park, where the Great Migration is found, as well as UNESCO World Heritage Ngorongoro Crater, which is home to the Big 5.
Or head to Tarangire National Park as well, which is well-known for its elephant herds.
Meanwhile, Zanzibar is famous for its white, sandy coast that’s home to an abundance of marine life including dolphins and sea turtles.
There’s also the UNESCO-listed streets of Stone Town to explore, with hand-carved wooden doors and coral-stone buildings.
Across the island, there are a number of spice plantations, giving visitors the chance to sample fresh vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Flights will take off three times a week from London Gatwick, landing in Kilimanjaro, before going on to Zanzibar.
Flights from London Gatwick to Kilimanjaro International Airport and then onwards to Zanzibar, will take off on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The flights will depart at 9:05am and land in Kilimanjaro at 8:20pm,before then taking off to Zanzibar at 9:20pm and landing there at 10:25pm.
Return flights from Zanzibar back to London Gatwick, will take place on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing at 12:25am and landing at 7:55am.
Flights will cost from £849 return.
Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Chief Planning and Strategy Officer said: “We’re excited to be launching flights to two exceptional new destinations that showcase the very best of Tanzania.
“From the vast plains of the Serengeti and the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro to the turquoise waters and white-sand beaches of Zanzibar, these new routes strengthen our footprint in East Africa and open the door to some of the world’s most extraordinary travel experiences.
“Alongside these new routes, we are strengthening our wider long-haul network, adding capacity to a number of popular destinations across Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean.
“By increasing frequencies and extending seasonal services, we’re giving customers more choice and flexibility, while deepening London’s connectivity to key destinations around the world.”
In addition to the Tanzania flights, BA is increasing its capacity to Latin America by 25 per cent.
There will also be new non-stop flights to Buenos Aires, Argentina and onward service to Santiago, Chile.
Additional seats have been added to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as well, and flights to San José, Costa Rica, will become year-round.
Las Vegas in America and Cape Town in South Africa will also gain additional flights.
A NEW hotel has opened at Bristol Airport that couldn’t feel farther from a classic pre-flight stay.
Each room is inside a former shipping container, it even has an orchard area and the airport is under a 10-minute walk away.
Called Nodpods, each room is self-contained and inside visitors will find a king size bed and en-suite with a shower.
There’s complimentary tea, coffee, hot chocolate, biscuits and there’s the option of a croissant in the morning.
There’s also a smart TV, WiFi, hairdryer, full length mirror, and towels are provided too.
One woman who stayed inside a Nodpod described it as being “really cosy” thanks to its small, snug size.
And unlike airport hotels, the pods have some outdoor space too, it even has an orchard area where some visitors have spotted wildlife, like rabbits and squirrels.
Someone else who had stayed wrote in the comments: “I’ve stayed in this place, so convenient for Bristol airport, and it’s spotless.”
On Tripadvisor, the Nodpods have 22 reviews with a high average rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Lots praise the alternative accommodation for its convenience, others for their affordability.
One wrote: “Staying at nodpods has cut our pre-flight costs in half (we used to stay in a hotel in Bristol and paid for parking overnight) so we have more money to spend on holiday!”
The pods can be booked for as little as £90 for one night for two people which works out to £45 each.
Meanwhile, a stay at Hampton by Hilton Bristol Airport starts from £129.
At the Nodpods there is free parking at the pods, although it is caveated that this is for your stay there only – not for the duration of your holiday.
While there isn’t a restaurant at pod site, The Airport Tavern is a three-minute walk away, and The George & Dragon is a five-minute drive.
Bristol Airport recently submitted plans to expand with thousands more flights and long-haul journeys – so the NodPods would be a great option to stay before jetting off.
Along with more passengers the terminal will be larger, there will be new shops, restaurants as well as an extended runway at the cost of £500million.
The proposal revealed the airport had plans to reach “world cities within Europe and beyond”.
This includes a limited number of new flights to North America, the Middle East and Asia.
WASHINGTON — A nonprofit run by Black federal lawmakers launched a multimillion-dollar effort Tuesday to engage lower-propensity voters in key districts in the midterm elections, following years of dissatisfaction over traditional efforts to reach such voters.
The Congressional Black Caucus Institute’s “SO VOTE” campaign will seek to register and mobilize young voters, as well as voters in majority-Black and rural communities, across the South, Midwest and West. The campaign involves partnerships with dozens of local organizations, the institute said, with in-person and online outreach to voters often sidestepped by major political campaigns.
“For decades, as far as I can remember, there are those of us who have always complained about the fact that neither party spends the significant and requisite time with Black and brown and poor and rural communities,” said Marcia Fudge, a former Democratic congresswoman from Ohio who served as the secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the Biden administration.
“So we finally decided to take it upon ourselves to do something that we didn’t think anybody else in the industry was doing,” said Fudge, who is spearheading the new effort alongside former Black Caucus colleagues.
Voter engagement efforts will cover outreach across Georgia and Mississippi, as well as target voters in 16 congressional districts that are likely to determine control of the House.
Instead of traditional television advertising, the campaign will convene local civic groups and houses of worship, as well as fraternities and sororities. The effort will also use some now-widespread techniques in political campaigns, such as geotargeting online ads and partnerships with local content creators for audiences who mainly receive their news online.
While the voter engagement efforts are officially nonpartisan, the Black Caucus’ targeted races are in many regions where Black voter turnout could prove key to whether a Democratic candidate prevails in closely divided House districts. Cedric Richmond, a former Louisiana Democratic congressman who served as a senior adviser to President Joe Biden, said the effort would focus on repeatedly engaging voters in rural communities who feel alienated from Democratic campaigns.
“If you’re not happy with the way things are going, then voting is part of the solution, but it takes constant communication,” Richmond said.
The Black Caucus’ institute has raised about $1 million for the campaign, primarily from individual donors, and plans to spend at least $4.5 million in the midterm election cycle.
The new outreach effort follows years of disappointment and frustration among some in the Black Caucus at the broader Democratic Party’s efforts to court Black, rural and younger voters.
Rep. Jim Clyburn, an influential South Carolina Democrat who decried the lackluster voter turnout in the 2024 election, said the campaign “allows us to put to practice that which we have been proposing, and we have never had the resources to do it. But this year we do.”
The effort is also a response to Republican-led redistricting efforts in multiple states, said Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat.
“These Southern states are trying to minimize Black political participation and ultimately Black political strength,” he said. “So what we have to do is take that low-propensity voter and elevate their participation so they become an additional voice to be reckoned with.”
Brown writes for the Associated Press.
YOU’VE probably strolled past the Tower of London at least once – but did you know it’s the city’s oldest tourist attraction?
Parts of it have been open to the public since 1661, and it’s just started a new tour to meet eight of its feathery residents.
Called the Ravens Experience, the new early morning tour gives visitors a chance to meet all eight permanent residents, and early access to the tower itself.
The ravens are very important to the Tower of London as the legend is that if the birds ever leave, the country will fall to ruin.
Dubbed a ‘truly unique early mornings experience’, the new tour starts at 8.15am.
It begins with a 45-minute talk from a Yeoman Warder (a guardian of the Tower of London) about the ravens – before the cage is opened.
Visitors can learn more about the ravens named Harris, Jubilee, Poppy, Edgar, Georgie, Chaos, Henry and Poe.
There’s a chance to take pictures and see them being released into the tower too.
The ticket also includes early entry to the Tower which means you skip the admission queue and are first in line as the Crown Jewels exhibition opens
And ticket holders get access to all public areas of the Tower of London.
Tickets for adults are £90, children between 5-16 are £50.00, concession tickets are £70 and under 5s go free – you have to book the tour in advance.
Building work first started work in 1078, so the historical attraction has been standing for almost 950 years.
Parts of it were first accessible since 1661 when the Crown Jewels were first put on display.
Other events at the Tower of London include Halloween special when the past will ‘creep back to life’.
There will be special visits from the ghostly past residents including a poet, pirate a queen, an astronomer – even a bear.
The Halloween trail is more family-friendly than scary and will take place between October 24 and November 1.
For those on Universal Credit, general admission tickets cost £1 each.
It was recently announced that the Tower of London will undergo a £70million project as it opens community spaces and learning centres.
THE FINAL tickets for one of the country’s biggest Christmas events will drop TODAY.
LaplandUK will release its final batch of tickets today at midday.
These will be the final tickets available for the 2026 events and there will also be tickets to the Golden Experience available.
Tickets will be available for both Lapland Ascot and Lapland Manchester – which has more availability of the two.
Fans can also nab tickets to The Golden Experience – a VIP experience with a personal guide, private check in, a meal in Pumpernickel’s secret pantry in the Eleven Village, priority seating and access, honorary elf hats, Golden Explorers pin badge, onsite currency, a signed Lapland storybook and a 2026 bauble.
Each experience will have its own online queue.
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Those who are signed up to LaplandUK’s newsletter will receive an email before midday with links to all the queues.
Then at midday, all people in the virtual queues will be randomly assigned a place in line for tickets.
Once you reach the front of that line, you will be able to make your booking.
LaplandUK states: “We recommend joining ahead of midday to give you the best chance of securing your preferred visit.”
The experience is often dubbed the ‘Glastonbury of Christmas’ due to tickets selling out fast each year.
And earlier this year when tickets were released in March, they sold out within a few hours.
This year will mark the second edition of LaplandUK Manchester at Capesthorne Hall.
At both experiences, guests can enjoy immersive sets and live performances.
Tickets include a four-and-a-half hour journey through the Enchanted Forest and into the Eleven World.
Children get to help the elves make toys and Mother Christmas to decorate gingerbread.
And of course, after all that, guests will get to meet Father Christmas himself.
Both UK experiences will be open from November 7 to December 24.
And ticket prices range from £60 to £155 per person, depending on the day you visit.
Golden Experience tickets range from £299 to £599 per person.
SYDNEY Sweeney bounced in a little white bralette and underwear – while launching the latest Syrn campaign.
The Euphoria and White Lotus actress, 28, launched lingerie brand Syrn in January 2026.
On Instagram, Syrn’s account posted a clip of Sydney showing off her incredible physique as she modelled some of its clothing range.
The caption read: “Comfy, cozy and layered for extra support.
“Syd’s look: Top: Tit for Tat Triangle Bralette layered with the Lowdown Cami.
“Bottoms: No Show High Rise Short layered in Pillow Fight and After Dark.”
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One person commented: “I want this outfit.”
Another penned: “So adorable but I know I won’t look like this.”
It comes as Sydney previously spilled out of an incredibly sexy Syrn bra while licking cake off her fingers – ahead of her 29th birthday.
The star, who is turning 29 on September 12, showcased a black bra, thong and garters that she designed for her lingerie brand.
One person commented: “I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU.”
Another added: “Prettiest girl and most beautiful lingerie.”
FAMILIES can save even more on holidays this month with a new deal that lets kids fly for FREE.
Turkish Airlines Holidays, the holiday brand of Turkish Airlines, has launched an offer that allows children under 11-years-old to fly for free.
The offer is available on specific holiday packages booked up to September 29.
And it includes some exciting holiday destinations such as Turkey, Mauritius, the Maldives and Dubai.
The offer is for any holiday departing between now and March 30, 2027.
Other offers include 15 per cent off Economy Class basic fares or 20 per cent off Business Class fares.
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You’ll also get complimentary seat selection as well on eligible flights.
For example, you could head to Istanbul in Turkey from £249 per person for two nights.
You’d stay at the four-star Darkhill Hotel, close to all the city’s main attractions.
The hotel also has its own rooftop bar with views across the city.
Alternatively, you could head to Dubai for three nights, costing from £769 per person.
You’d stay at the five-star Paramount Hotel Midtown, with breakfast included.
In the hotel there are a number of restaurants and bars including a rooftop terrace with a huge screen and views across the city skyline.
Want to splash out? Well, you could travel to Mauritius and stay at the five-star Maritim Resort & Spa for five nights, from £1,369 per person.
The new offer brings Turkish Airlines Holidays in line with other tour operator such as TUI and easyJet holidays.
Yemen’s internationally recognised government has launched a series of air attacks against Houthi positions in the country, marking a significant escalation in the conflict, with some of the country’s heaviest fighting since a fragile truce in 2022.
Government warplanes carried out at least 15 strikes on Friday against Houthi positions, gatherings and vehicles in the western provinces of Taiz and Hodeidah, according to the Yemeni military.
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The air assault against Houthi positions provided support to government forces fighting a major Houthi offensive towards the Red Sea coast and the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
These are not the first air attacks by government aircraft since Yemen’s fragile truce began to unravel in July. On July 25, government aircraft struck Houthi missile and drone launch sites and weapons depots in Marib and al-Jawf, according to Yemeni military officials cited by the Reuters news agency.
And less than two weeks earlier, on July 13, Yemen’s internationally recognised government said its forces had struck the runway at the Houthi-held Sanaa International Airport to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing.
However, the latest attacks mark a significant step up in the government’s use of its own air power against the Houthis, after Saudi-led coalition aircraft provided much of the aerial firepower supporting anti-Houthi forces during the most intense years of Yemen’s war.
Friday’s air campaign comes as the Iran-backed Houthis, who have been vying for control of Yemen for years, attempt to advance through western Taiz and southern Hodeidah towards al-Makha (Mocha), and territory overlooking the critical Bab al-Mandeb Strait at the opening to the Red Sea.
Control of the area could strengthen the Houthis’ position along the Red Sea, where the group has previously attacked commercial and military vessels, while threatening a key government supply route.
The fighting unfolds against a backdrop of the wider regional conflict, with the Houthis recently declaring a Red Sea maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, while disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israel war with Iran has raised the strategic importance of alternative routes through the Red Sea. This means any expansion of Houthi influence around Bab al-Mandeb could have consequences for shipping far beyond Yemen.
Here’s what we know.
Fighting erupted on Thursday as Houthi forces launched a major offensive along front lines in western Taiz and southern Hodeidah, using ballistic missiles, drones and artillery as ground forces attempted to advance towards government-held territory along the Red Sea coast.
The fighting has centred on areas west of Taiz and around al-Makha, a government-held port near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
A Yemeni official in Aden told the AFP news agency that the Houthis were seeking to capture hills overlooking Bab al-Mandeb and al-Makha before pushing towards the coast.
Al Jazeera’s Yousef Mawry, reporting from Sanaa, said Houthi forces had made gains in western Taiz.
“According to military officials from the internationally recognised government, the Houthis have been able to take some of those territories,” Mawry said. “In western Taiz, they’ve managed to take over a strategic military base, which is settled on top of a strategic mountain and gives the Houthis an overview of the entire area.”
Mawry said there had been particularly heavy fighting around al-Barah and Maqbanah, where a main road is used to resupply government forces stationed in Taiz and al-Makha.
More than 120 fighters have been killed since the Houthi offensive began, according to an AFP tally, making the clashes among Yemen’s deadliest in years.
Several civilians were also reported killed and others injured after a ballistic missile hit a restaurant in the al-Makha area, according to government-run Saba TV.
On Saturday, at least four civilians were killed and nine others injured in a Houthi missile strike on a crowded road in southwestern Yemen, according to Saba news agency.
The attack by the Iran-backed group on Saturday targeted a gathering of civilians along the strategic Heijah al-Abd Road, south of Taiz city, Saba said, citing local and medical sources.
The Houthis seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in September 2014 and subsequently took control of much of northern and western Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition of Arab countries to intervene in support of the internationally recognised government in March 2015.
A United Nations-brokered truce in April 2022 sharply reduced fighting. Although the agreement formally expired six months later, large-scale hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces remained relatively limited and Saudi Arabia pursued negotiations with the group.
No comprehensive peace agreement followed, however, leaving front lines largely frozen rather than ending the conflict.
That fragile status quo came under increasing pressure after the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran on February 28, but tensions escalated further in July with the government air force strike on the Houthi-held Sanaa International Airport, preventing an Iranian aircraft from landing.
The modern Yemeni Air Force was created after North and South Yemen unified in 1990, bringing together two militaries equipped with both Soviet and Western aircraft.
Its fleet subsequently included MiG-21 and MiG-29 fighters, Su-22 fighter-bombers, US-made F-5 fighters and a range of helicopters and transport aircraft.
But Yemen’s armed forces fractured when the Houthis seized Sanaa and the political crisis descended into war in 2014 and 2015.
When Saudi Arabia intervened soon after, its coalition targeted airbases, air-defence systems and combat aircraft in a bid to prevent the Houthis from making use of Yemen’s air force.
That left the Saudi-led coalition – rather than the Yemeni government’s own depleted air force – providing much of the air power supporting government forces during the subsequent war.
Saudi-led coalition aircraft conducted tens of thousands of air raids between March 2015 and the 2022 truce, striking Houthi military positions and providing air support during major government ground offensives. The campaign also caused extensive civilian casualties and became one of the most controversial aspects of the war.
Between 2014 and 2022, Human Rights Watch documented dozens of apparently unlawful coalition air attacks on homes, markets, hospitals, schools, detention centres and other civilian sites.
In 2024, the US and the United Kingdom launched a new round of air attacks against Houthi positions in Yemen following strikes on Israel-linked shipping in the Red Sea. Earlier this year, the US Pentagon disclosed that US military attacks against Yemen’s Houthis killed 153 civilians in 2025 and wounded another 243. The US had previously denied its attacks had caused civilian deaths.
The conflict in Yemen has caused a huge humanitarian crisis. In 2021, the UN estimated that 377,000 people had died in Yemen since 2014, with 60 percent the result of food shortages and lack of accessible health services.
Previously relying on Saudi-led coalition air force power, the government’s decision to deploy its own warplanes now comes as it tries to blunt a Houthi offensive that initially made gains across several fronts in western Taiz and threatened the main road linking Taiz with the Red Sea port of al-Makha.
Mohammed al-Basha, a Yemeni American analyst and former spokesperson for Yemen’s embassy in Washington, told Al Jazeera that the Houthis had achieved “some initial gains during a surprise, multi-axis offensive across western Taiz” this week, temporarily capturing positions and threatening areas overlooking the Taiz-al-Makha corridor.
But those advances did not produce the wider breakthrough the group appears to have sought, he said.
“The front did not collapse, the Taiz-al-Makha corridor was not severed, and attempts to expand the offensive towards other strategically important positions were stopped,” al-Basha added.
Government and allied forces recovered much of the territory lost during the first day of fighting, according to al-Basha, while Houthi advances on several other axes were contained or repelled.
The government has since sent reinforcements, and the use of aircraft gives those forces another means of attacking Houthi positions and concentrations as they try to retake high ground and prevent the group from cutting the Taiz-al-Makha road.
Al-Basha said Jabal Numan, overlooking the Taiz-al-Makha road, is one of the most important remaining contested areas, while a Houthi attempt to capture Jabal Dhu Ba’s, north of Hays, was repelled by National Resistance forces.
Taking such high ground could allow the Houthis to observe and threaten government supply routes, while losing it could make further advances towards al-Makha substantially more difficult.
“The first day therefore ended with a mixed battlefield picture,” he said. “The Houthis gained ground through the initial surprise and speed of their multi-axis assault, but much of that ground was subsequently recovered.”
The arrival of new government-aligned forces, coupled with air support, could make it harder for the Houthis to repeat their initial breakthrough.
“The next phase is likely to be more difficult,” al-Basha said. “Both sides are reinforcing, several positions remain contested, and control of Jabal Numan remains a key immediate objective.
“The coming hours will likely centre on attempts by anti-Houthi forces to recover the mountain, consolidate their lines and prevent another Houthi push towards the Taiz-al-Macha corridor.”
EASYJET’S well-loved Big Orange Sale has returned – and there are some VERY cheap flights and holidays on offer.
More than 780,000 seats are on sale with up to 20 per cent off.
The sale is on until September 15, although the sooner you book, the better deals you will find.
And you can plan ahead as the flights in the sale are for anytime between September 14, 2026 to March 18, 2027.
But where can you go?
Some of the cheapest flights include Edinburgh to Belfast for £14.99, but lots of flights to Europe are under £20.
For example, you could fly to Alicante from London Gatwick from £18.99.
Over in Bristol there are flights to Malaga for £18.99, or go to Amsterdam from Glasgow for £18.49.
Or head over to London Luton and you could fly to Antalya or Barcelona for £18.99.
Other airports you can fly from in the UK include Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle, with destinations across Spain, France, Morocco and Portugal are also on offer.
EasyJet has 30 new flight destinations too, including Newcastle to Marrakech and Tenerife, and London airports to Sharm el Sheikh and Pristina.
The sale also includes easyJet holidays too, with up to £400 off.
Using the cost ORANGESALE, it can be used on any holidays that depart before October 31, 2027.
The biggest saving is for holidays that cost £4,000 or more, with £400, although you can also get £50 off holidays worth at least £500.
A NEW premium economy seat is set to change the way you fly – with business class-like privacy screens.
Emirates has revealed its new seats, with premium usually only a small jump up from economy (often with more legroom and better food).
However, the designs show something much closer to a business class seat too.
Launching on the Airbus A350, they will be the first fully electrically powered premium economy seats.
This means with a flick of the button, you can choose from ‘lounge mode’ to ‘meal mode’.
Don’t worry about annoying the person behind you when you recline – each seat is built into a ‘cradle’ so it doesn’t affect them.
But the highlight is the privacy screen between seats, the first ever for premium economy seats.
The divider can be lowered if sitting with family or friends, or raised and locked into position.
The new seats will be laid out in a 2-3-2 layout, with 28 seats in the cabin.
Pitch will be up to 39 inches – compared to most having around 38 inches – as well as 50.8cm width.
Other perks include wireless charging – a first for premium economy – as well as USB-C chargers and phone holders.
The new premium seats are part of wider regeneration of the plane cabins.
Recently, the airline unveiled the new economy seats with built in adjustable headrests.
Called the U-Dream Headrest, it means you can ditch the travel pillow as the headrest pulls down to offer neck support.
There are also plans to launch the world’s first ever private bathrooms onboard, albeit only for first class passengers.
Here’s what it is like to fly business class with Emirates.
BlackJack3D
Solana (SOL-USD) has launched Payment Channels, allowing AI agents to authorize a spending limit once and make multiple payments without requiring approval for every transaction.
The feature lets AI agents pay for things like data, computing power, and AI-generated answers
United States President Donald Trump’s face has officially found its way onto the country’s currency.
On Tuesday at 12pm Eastern Time (16:00 GMT), the US Mint began circulating – and selling – a “once-in-a-generation” $1 coin bearing Trump’s likeness to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
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The gold-coloured coins feature Trump’s portrait on one side, alongside inscriptions of “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST”. On the reverse is an illustration of the US presidential seal with “250” inscribed on its shield.
The US Mint says the coins “capture the spirit, pride, and legacy of a nation approaching its landmark anniversary”.
It’s the first time in nearly 100 years that a living person has been featured on US currency, drawing a heavy dose of criticism, since such honours are largely reserved for long-dead dignitaries.
How did this $1 coin come to be? Here’s what you need to know:
Since Trump returned to the White House last year, the administration has taken steps to put his name or image on an array of buildings and items, including the Kennedy Center, the US Institute of Peace, National Parks passes, a limited-edition passport and a $1m “gold card” visa that was announced last year.
The Trump administration has tied some of those efforts to celebrations of the country’s semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
On July 15, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent first announced the coin in a post on social media. Bessent said the coin “celebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all”.
The Trump administration has also pointed to another anniversary coin as a precedent for the Trump-branded $1 piece.
In 1926, for the 150th anniversary of the country, the US Mint struck a coin featuring side-by-side portraits of George Washington and Calvin Coolidge, a president who was in office at the time.
But critics have pointed out that the 1926 coin was commemorative and not intended for circulation as currency.
In May, Bessent also said preparations were under way to print a new $250 banknote featuring Trump’s face.
Bessent added that the Trump administration was seeking congressional approval for the new bill.
Despite the coin being valued at $1, consumers can purchase a 25-coin roll for $61 or a 100-coin bag for $154.50 — a significant mark-up.
While the coins are being sold at a premium, the US Mint emphasises they are not solely decorative.
They are valid currency and can be used to make everyday purchases, just like a $1 bill.
US federal law states: “Only the portrait of a deceased individual may appear on United States currency and securities.”
Congress passed that law in 1866 after a Department of the Treasury official, Spencer M Clark, put his own face on a note valued at five cents, angering lawmakers.
However, during his first term, Trump signed legislation known as the Circulating Collection Coin Redesign Act of 2020 (CCRA), which gave the Treasury the authority to mint $1 coins “with designs emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial”.
That law prohibits the portrait of “any person, living or dead” on the reverse side of those coins. However, Trump’s image on the new $1 coin appears on the obverse — the front of the coin — meaning it likely complies with the law.
Late last year, Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Jeff Merkley of Oregon introduced legislation that would block Trump from placing his face on the coin.
“While monarchs put their faces on coins, America has never had and never will have a king,” Cortez Masto said. “Our legislation would codify this country’s long-standing tradition of not putting living Presidents on American coins. Congress must pass it without delay.” Their bill did not become law.
The Treasury Department and US Mint did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
Search and rescue operations under way as authorities lose contact with 10 crew members after a vessel collision near Istanbul.
Published On 2 Sep 20262 Sep 2026
Turkiye’s coastguard has launched a search and rescue operation after two Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collided off Istanbul and contact was lost with one vessel and its crew of 10.
The collision took place at 3am (00:00 GMT) in the Marmara Sea a little more than 20 miles (32 kilometres) south of Silivri, a suburb of Turkey’s largest city, the Istanbul governor’s office said in a statement on Wednesday.
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Contact was lost with the crew of the Tugberk Imamoglu, flagged to Turkey, after the collision with the Turkish-flagged Alsu, which appeared undamaged, the governor’s office said.
“Numerous naval units from the coast guard’s Marmara and Bosphorus Command and a coast guard helicopter were dispatched to the scene,” the office said.
DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,
US says it is attacking IRGC targets following ‘attempted attacks’ on ships in Strait of Hormuz.
Published On 1 Sep 20261 Sep 2026
The United States military says it is conducting new strikes against Iran as fighting renews between the two countries.
The Middle East-based Central Command (CENTCOM) of the US military said on Tuesday that it was hitting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets.
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“The strikes follow recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed to the region,” CENTCOM said.
Iran has previously responded to similar US attacks, so the strikes risk sparking a new cycle of fighting.
Iranian semiofficial news agency Tasnim reported explosions in the south of the country, including in Konarak, Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island.
Tuesday’s strikes follow an exchange of attacks on Sunday when the US military struck Larak Island in southern Iran and Tehran retaliated with missile launches against a base housing American troops in Jordan.
The fighting on Sunday saw the first attacks by both countries since July. The administration of US President Donald Trump had said that it was shifting its strategy from military strikes to intense economic pressure on Iran.
The US has imposed a naval siege on Iranian ports while threatening Tehran’s trade partners with secondary sanctions.
But Iran continues to assert its control over Hormuz – a major artery for the global energy trade. However, in recent weeks, Trump and his aides have said that the US is managing to get millions of barrels of oil through the strait daily despite the Iranian blockade.
Still, attacks on ships around the strait have been reported almost daily.
On Monday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said an oil tanker was hit by three “unknown projectiles” while transiting through Hormuz.
More to come…
BUTLIN’S has announced that eight new shows will launch at all three parks in 2027.
The new shows include Britain’s Got Talent and DreamWorks’ Madagascar musical.
Britain’s Got Talent will headline every school holiday break in 2027 with the talent show brought to life in Studio 36 across the Minehead, Bognor Regis and Skegness resorts.
Each show will be hosted by a mystery celebrity presenter and feature a line-up of faces seen on the TV show.
Guests can even show off their own talents as well.
Every break from February Half Term will then also featureDreamWorks’ Madagascar musical with Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo.
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The much-loved film will be transformed into a musical, following the friends as they escape New York to head to Madagascar.
On selected Showtime Midweek breaks, families with kids under the age of five can join children’s TV star Andy Day with Andy’s Dino- Rap.
Other shows include K-Pop Forever on every school holiday break and a new Animal Guyz show from February Half Term.
There will also be three new West End-style productions including A Billion Streams, which will feature some of the world’s biggest songs and Playtime Party with Billy and Bonnie Bear.
What makes it even better is that you could head to one of the resorts during February Half Term for just £54 – which is £13.50 per person or just £3.50 per person, per night.
Mike Godolphin, Entertainment Director at Butlin’s, said: “As the Home of Entertainment, live shows are at the heart of what we do, and our 2027 line-up is one of our most exciting yet.
“We’re taking things to another level by bringing Britain’s Got Talent to our resorts for the first time, with celebrity presenters and performers that families will recognise from the show.
“From Madagascar and K-pop to dinosaurs and some of the biggest songs in the world, we’ve created a line-up with something for every age.
“Best of all, it’s all part of the Butlin’s experience, so families can enjoy brilliant live entertainment throughout their break at no extra cost.”
