millions

Fuel costs more. Food is harder to get or afford. Jobs are disappearing. Remittances are drying up.

These are the consequences of the United States-Israel war on Iran – felt not only in the Middle East but also in the fields and homes of Africa and Asia.

Countries in the Global South are particularly vulnerable to the economic fallout because of their dependence on imports from the Gulf.

The United Nations warned that the conflict could push as many as 32.5 million people globally back into poverty.

The war is weakening economies that were already fragile. Governments are scrambling, and international aid is becoming scarce.

AN eye-watering amount of cash is stuffed into suitcases, with Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews’ name printed onto a label stuck on top of the thousands upon thousands of $100 bank notes.

But rather than a show of his apparent wealth, today The Sun can reveal Lee’s boastful videos share the hallmarks of high-level scams – with his ex-fiancee Alana Percival warning that his time evading the heavy hand of the law may be running out.

Former glamour model Katie, 48, flew back to Dubai over the weekend to join Andrews, 41, in the country at a £36million mansion which he claims he bought in cash.

It will be the first time she has seen the businessman since he boasted he was buying a majority stake in Chelsea Football Club for £2billion.

The shameless brag, like most that come from his lips, is not true and the London football club have had no dealings with Andrews.

No doubt, like many women, Katie may have seen the suitcases stuffed to the brim with what appears to be millions of pounds in cash.

His alleged vast fortune is, he claims, from complex deals with foreign embassies and treasuries that he’s spent the past nine years developing.

Sharing the two videos with The Sun to prove his “wealth”, Lee alleges he ships the cash to Africa for institutional investment.

However, our analysis found that the clips are almost identical to the dubious proof-of-funds videos often used by fraudsters to convince people they have large sums of money.

In one video, Lee’s name is written on a sheet of A4 paper along with the date, while the man filming references a fictitious code that The Sun has discovered does not exist in the real world banking system.

The wads of $100 notes are bound by plain bands labelled “BEP” (Bureau of Engraving and Printing).

To the untrained eye, it would seem Lee is sitting on a fortune.

But those BEP labelled bands are most commonly found on film sets, binding together fake wads of cash seen in blockbuster movies.

Authentic BEP bands include the institution’s name, a routing number, and a branch ID.

Andrews’s bands include none of those.

The videos are known as “Black Money Scams” – and are often seen in fraud cases.

Metal briefcases, locked with padlocks, labelled “FRAGILE – HANDLE WITH CARE” — are designed to look like a secure, official shipment of cash.

Stacks of $100 bills are then laid out in an open case with a note to make it look personalised and real.

In fact, where these scams exist it’s all faked – the money is not real.

Andrews’ former fiancee Alana has warned the net may be closing in on him and claimed last week that a warrant was out for his arrest in Dubai.

And now those close to Katie tell The Sun they hope she can finally start to see what is happening.

“Alana is saying a warrant is out for Lee’s arrest in Dubai, he still appears to be taking money off women, but Katie still can’t see what he’s doing,” a friend tells The Sun.

“It’s exasperating. Those around her think Lee is bad news.

“The brags about his wealth, the videos of the fake cash, the claims he’s bought a £36million mansion in cash – it’s all laughable.

“Kate is usually shrewd but when it comes to matters of love, she thinks with her heart and not with her brain.

“It is painful for her friends and family watching her consort with this man.”

Alongside the videos supposedly proving his income stream, Andrews also provided three documents.

One of these is a payment guarantee letter for a $100m transaction, the first payment of a proposed $5bn.

It is signed by Mr Sikakaew, allegedly from the Thai bank Kasikorn, who holds a “Supreme SSID License”—a term not recognised in banking, as SSID is actually a name for a Wi-Fi network.

In the document, a scanned image of Lee’s passport appears to have been digitally manipulated and features glaring mistakes such as an upside-down photo and backward font.

A second document is a Memorandum of Understanding, which is a non-legally binding statement of intent to work with another party.

It mentions a “UN license for a mixed currencies redemption program”, something that also does not exist.

The letter, which outlines the transfer of $5bn to the Royal Thai Embassy in Kenya, is signed by American Joseph John Garrity, with no record of such a person being involved in high-level international finance.

The third document is a Capital Readiness Program prepared for Lee by Hachi Capital LLC — a business with no legitimate record.

A similarly named UK company called Hachi Capital Ltd was dissolved in 2013 and coincidentally featured Craig Boddington as director, the same name managing Lee’s account.

The program promises financial returns well beyond any realistic measure, claiming a 500 per cent return on investment per monthly cycle and as much as 100 per cent per 10-day cycle on “bullet trades”.

Further red flags include the business not being licensed or regulated by any major financial authority and has hallmarks of investment scams with six-figure set up fees designed to get clients to part with cash before realising any profits.

A number of women have spoken to The Sun after falling for such Andrews’ investment promises.

One woman, Crystal Janke, invested £123,000 in his Aura Worldwide Holdings Ltd, after being promised a return of up to £1m.

The money has since disappeared, with Crystal filing a police complaint in the US.

Andrews denies the claims but Crystal to date is still insistent she’s not had a penny, after sharing with The Sun her bank statements which prove the transactions into Andrews’ account.

Earlier this year The Sun revealed that his company, Aura Worldwide Holdings Ltd, was actually dissolved in 2024.

But Andrews is still claiming it is open, despite paperwork proving otherwise, and is pushing his schemes upon women he meets on social media and women he knows through business.

Last month, another woman came forward to tell The Sun she had invested $1,000 but still had no return.

When she confronted Andrews, she claims he fobbed her off and made excuses about the whereabouts of her funds.

A friend of Katie’s told The Sun: “Why Katie cannot see what is going on under her nose is scary.

“None of this is legitimate and everyone is just praying for the moment the penny finally drops and she gets the hell out of this marriage.”

Andrews previously denied all the allegations brought against him by The Sun.

He later claimed his inflated LinkedIn CV was the result of errors by his former assistant and swiftly removed some of his false work history.

Among them was that he was a Member of the Board of Advisors for the Labour Party and Director of Philanthropy at The King’s Trust.

He said: “I think that’s been hyped up and made to look better than what it is and it needs to come down.

“I can’t take the showmanship of it, but I’ll take the accountability.

“The PA no longer works for me now anyway, for other reasons — probably because of that.”

More recently he claimed to have made secret “back and forth” visits to the UK where he met wife Katie’s eldest children Harvey, Junior and Princess.

He told us: “People don’t know I’ve met Harvey and two of the kids, I haven’t seen the young ones.

“I’ve been back and forth, I just don’t f***ing tell anyone. I lead a very private life. I tell people what they want to hear, the rest they can make up, you know.”

A representative for Katie later told The Sun this claim was a lie and that Andrews had never met her children.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Millions more Americans might qualify for dual Canadian citizenship under a recent change to Canada’s requirements that has led to a surge in applications from its southern neighbor.

For people like Zack Loud of Farmington, Minn., it was a surprise to learn that under a new law, Canada already considered him and his siblings citizens because their grandmother is Canadian.

“My wife and I were already talking about potentially looking at jobs outside the country, but citizenship pushed Canada way up on our list,” he said.

Since the new law took effect Dec. 15, immigration lawyers in the United States and Canada say they have been overwhelmed by clients seeking help submitting proof of citizenship applications. Driven by politics, family heritage, job opportunities and other factors, thousands of Americans are exploring whether the easier process makes now the right time to gain dual citizenship.

Nicholas Berning, an immigration attorney at Boundary Bay Law in Bellingham, Wash., said his practice is “pretty much flooded with this.”

“We’ve kind of shifted a lot of other work away in order to push these cases through,” he said.

Immigration attorney Amandeep Hayer said his Vancouver, British Columbia-area practice went from about 200 citizenship cases a year to more than 20 consultations per day.

How the new law works

Canada has been changing its citizenship laws for decades, whether to update historic interpretations of law or to address discrimination issues.

Previously, Canadian citizenship by descent could only be passed down to one generation, from a parent to a child. But the new law opened up citizenship to anyone born before that date who could prove they have a direct Canadian ancestor — a grandparent, great-grandparent or even more distant ancestor.

Those born on or after Dec. 15 need to show that their Canadian parent lived in Canada for 1,095 days.

Under the new law, descendants of Canadians are already considered citizens but must provide proof to obtain a certificate of citizenship. Hayer estimated that there are millions of Americans who are Canadian descendants.

“You are Canadian, and you’re considered to be one your whole life,” said Hayer, who advocated for the new law in parliament. “That’s really what you’re applying for, the recognition of a right you already have vested.”

“The best way I can put it is like, if a baby’s born tomorrow in Canada, the baby’s Canadian even though they don’t have the birth certificate,” he said.

Americans interested in dual citizenship

American applicants have different motivations, but many say President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and other topics have led them to seek dual citizenship.

Michelle Cunha, of Bedford, Mass., said she decided to move to Canada after reflecting on decades of political activism and deciding she had “nothing left to give.”

“I put in my best effort for 30 years. I have done everything that I possibly can to make the United States what it promises the world to be, a place of freedom, a place of equality,” Cunha said. “But clearly we’re not there and we’re not going to get there anytime soon.”

Troy Hicks, who had a great-grandfather born in Canada, said he was spurred by an international trip.

“I recently went to Australia and you know, first words out of the first person I talked to in Australia was basically an expletive about Trump and the U.S.,” said Hicks, of Pahrump, Nev. “It was just like, whoa, I walked off a 20-hour flight and literally the first words of somebody’s mouth to me were that. … So the idea of doing that with a Canadian passport just seemed easier, better, more palatable.”

Maureen Sullivan, of Naples, Fla., said she was motivated by the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, which hit home when her teenage nephew encountered federal officers near his high school in St. Paul. Sullivan, whose grandmother was Canadian, said she sees citizenship in Canada as an option in case things in the U.S. “really go south.”

“When I first heard about the bill, I couldn’t believe it. It was like this little gift that fell in my lap,” Sullivan said. “There was kind of this collective excitement amongst the (family) who just felt like, we wanted to feel like we were doing something to take care of our security in the future if needed.”

How much will Canadian citizenship cost?

For those with documentation ready at hand, the proof of citizenship application fee is a relatively inexpensive 75 Canadian dollars ($55).

But costs will climb for those seeking help from an attorney or genealogist to locate records like birth, death and marriage certificates that can establish the lineage to a Canadian ancestor.

Cunha said she used an attorney and estimates the cost will be about $6,500.

However, Mary Mangan, of Somerville, Mass., filed her application in January using advice from online forums.

“There are some situations where a lawyer might be the right thing, but for many people, I would guess 90% of people can probably do this on their own,” Mangan said.

The website for the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada office, which processes applications, says processing times for a certificate is around 10 months, with more 56,000 people awaiting a decision.

The agency said that from Dec. 15 to Jan. 31, it confirmed citizenship by descent for 1,480 people, though not all were Americans. Last year, 24,500 Americans gained dual U.S.-Canada citizenship.

What’s the reaction in Canada?

Fen Hampson, professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa, said Canadians are generally a “welcoming people.”

Hampson said some also worry a surge of interest from Americans could delay efforts by refugees and asylum-seekers fleeing vulnerable situations.

“I think where people start looking askance is someone who’s never been to Canada, who has very thin ties. They can get a passport, becoming Canadians of convenience. People don’t like that,” he said.

Raza writes for the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department recovered $2.3 million in cryptocurrency ransom that Colonial Pipeline paid to hackers whose cyberattack last month shut down its major East Coast pipeline, leading to gas shortages up and down the East Coast, authorities said.

Deputy Atty. Gen. Lisa Monaco said the FBI on Monday seized the majority of the ransom that Colonial Pipeline paid to hackers who used malware developed by DarkSide, a Russia-linked hacking group, to encrypt and lock up the company’s computer systems. The company, which Monaco credited with quickly alerting the FBI to the attack, said it paid the hackers $4.4 million in bitcoin to regain access to its systems.

“Today we turned the tables on DarkSide,” Monaco said, calling such ransomware attacks an “epidemic” that poses a “national security and economic threat” to the U.S. “This was an attack against some of our most critical infrastructure.”

Though the malware did not affect systems that operate the company’s pipelines, which stretch from New Jersey to Texas, Colonial discovered the hack on May 7 and closed its spigots for five days out of an abundance of caution. The pipeline supplies about 45% of the jet fuel, gasoline and heating oil consumed on the East Coast, and the shutdown sparked panic from drivers, who raced to top off tanks, leading gas stations to run out of fuel.

The Justice Department did not disclose how much Colonial paid in ransom, but the company’s chief executive told the Wall Street Journal last month that it made a $4.4-million payment in bitcoin. Colonial CEO Joseph Blount said the company paid the extortion demand because he was concerned a prolonged disruption of the pipeline would hurt the nation.

“I know that’s a highly controversial decision,” Blount told the newspaper. “I didn’t make it lightly. I will admit that I wasn’t comfortable seeing money go out the door to people like this.”

Ransomware hackers typically trick unwitting employees into opening an email and clicking on an attachment or a link, which then infects computer servers with malware that encrypts data and locks the systems. Victims must pay a ransom to the hackers to obtain a decryption key to unlock and recover the information. DarkSide’s malware poses a double whammy — it can also siphon out information, giving hackers more leverage because they can threaten to disclose sensitive data if they are not paid.

FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate said DarkSide produces ransomware that it sells to hackers who conduct cyberattacks and share a percentage of their proceeds with the malware’s developers. DarkSide’s product is one of about 100 ransomware variants the FBI is investigating, Abbate said.

The bureau has been investigating DarkSide since last year, Abbate said, and has identified more than 90 victims of its ransomware in manufacturing, legal, insurance and healthcare industries. Working with other U.S. government agencies, the FBI identified “a virtual currency wallet” that the DarkSide hackers were using to collect payment from a victim, Abbate said.

The Justice Department then obtained a warrant to seize those bitcoins, officials said.

“The old adage ‘follow the money’ still applies,” said Monaco, the deputy attorney general. “That’s exactly what we do.”

The Colonial Pipeline attack was the latest in a series of ransomware assaults that has crippled government agencies, hospitals and businesses, including a major meat producer that was forced last week to idle plants, sparking concerns about potential increases in meat prices and shortages. A task force of more than 60 experts from industry, government and nonprofits issued a report in April that calls ransomware “a flourishing criminal industry that not only risks the personal and financial security of individuals, but also threatens national security and human life.”

The report, published by the nonprofit Institute for Security and Technology, estimates that nearly 2,400 governments, healthcare facilities and schools were victims of ransomware attacks last year. Ransom payments rose to $350 million last year, a 300% increase over 2019, the report says. The average such payment topped $300,000.

Cybersecurity experts and former federal prosecutors and agents blamed several trends for the increase. The rise of difficult-to-trace cryptocurrency has made it far easier for criminal gangs to collect payments, the experts said. Cybercriminals have also begun to increasingly operate within the borders of U.S. adversaries, particularly Russia. The Kremlin, for example, allows hackers to operate with impunity if they do not target Russian businesses or citizens and focus their energy on sowing chaos and confusion in the West.

The Biden administration is seeking to find ways to combat the rise. President Biden said he will discuss ransomware attacks this week with U.S. allies during a European trip, and bring up the subject during a June 16 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Justice Department has launched a task force to better coordinate its approach to the crime wave. Justice Department officials said the Colonial Pipeline ransom seizure was the first such payment recovery by the task force. Justice Department officials could not say how many other ransoms they have recovered.

“This is a big deal,” said Scott Jasper, a lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School and author of “Russian Cyber Operations: Coding the Boundaries of Conflict.” “The question is: Will this be big enough to change the behavior of DarkSide or of other cyber actors? It’s too early to tell. It’s a slow game, a long-term game. This is a significant, big business. This is a big enterprise.”

April 14 (UPI) — Kevin Warsh, the presidential pick for the next Federal Reserve chairman, has wealth greater than any other recent chairman, his financial disclosures released Tuesday show.

The filings were part of the usual consideration process for the role. Warsh, if confirmed, would succeed current Chairman Jerome Powell, whose second term ends May 15. A Senate hearing on the matter is expected to take place April 21.

CNBC reported that Warsh’s disclosure forms show that the nominee has about $192 million in assets in combination with his wife, Jane Lauder, who is an heir to the Estee Lauder fortune. Warsh’s solo assets equal about $135 million to $226 million. These numbers show a large range because they can include variable items such as bonds, stocks and other assets.

By comparison, Powell’s financial filings for 2025 showed assets of between $19 million and $75 million, while former Chairman Ben Bernanke, who left office in 2014, submitted filings that year of about $2.3 million in assets, CNBC reported.

If the Senate confirms Warsh, he has said that he will divest a large amount of assets, of which about 1,800 were listed in the forms. Some of these were undisclosed because of cited “preexisting confidentiality agreements,” The New York Times and CNBC reported.

Warsh, who served as a governor at the Federal Reserve from 2006 to 2011, also said that he would resign posts such as his role as financial adviser to investor Stanley Druckenmiller, as well as several other positions including a board seat at UPS.

Warsh will face the Senate Banking Committee in the planned hearing before a full Senate vote. However, an ongoing Department of Justice investigation into Powell has further complicated matters. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a member of the Senate Banking Committee, has said he will not vote on Warsh or any other nominee for the role until the investigation is completed.

Many people resorting to eating leaves and animal feed to survive in North Darfur and South Kordofan states.

Millions of people in Sudan are surviving on just one meal a day, as the country’s food crisis deepens and threatens to spread, according to a report published by a group of nongovernmental organisations (NGOs).

“Sudan’s war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which enters its third year on Wednesday, has caused widespread hunger and displaced millions of people amid one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises,” a report by Action Against Hunger, CARE International, International Rescue Committee, Mercy Corps, and the Norwegian Refugee Council said on Monday.

“Nearly three years of conflict, marked by violence, displacement and siege tactics, have systematically eroded Sudan’s food system – field by field, road by road, market by market – producing mass hunger,” it added.

The report highlighted that millions of families can only access one meal a day in the two states worst hit by the conflict – North Darfur and South Kordofan.

“Often, they miss meals for entire days,” the report said, adding that many people have resorted to eating leaves and animal feed to survive.

The NGOs said communal kitchens set up to collectively prepare and share meals are struggling to stretch the scarce food available as resources dwindle.

It added that the crisis is being compounded by a worsening economic crisis and climate change.

Government denies famine

In April 2023, a war erupted between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), unleashing a wave of violence that has led to one of the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crises, with more than 12 million forced from their homes, and more than 33 million people in need of humanitarian aid.

More than 40,000 people have been killed over the past three years, according to the United Nations. Aid groups say the actual death toll could be many times higher.

Some 61.7 percent of Sudan’s population – 28.9 million people – is facing acute food shortages, according to the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan.

The army-aligned Sudanese government denies the existence of famine, while the RSF denies responsibility for such conditions in areas under its control.

The UN has reported widespread atrocities and waves of ethnically charged violence. In November, the global hunger monitor confirmed, for the first time, famine conditions in el-Fasher and Kadugli.

In February, the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification found that famine thresholds for acute malnutrition have been surpassed in Um Baru, where the rate of acutely malnourished children aged below five years was nearly double the famine threshold, and Kernoi.

The report, based on interviews with farmers, traders, and humanitarian actors in Sudan, details how the war in Sudan is driving communities towards famine conditions – due to disruptions to farming as well as the use of starvation as a weapon of war – including deliberate destruction of farms and markets.

Women and girls have been disproportionately affected, as they face a high risk of rape and harassment when going to the fields, visiting markets, or collecting water, the report said.

Female-headed households are three times more likely to experience food shortages than male-headed households, it added.

The UK is in talks about considering making the same decision

Greece has announced that it will introduce a brand new rule next year that will impact millions of people. The change comes months after Australia implemented a similar decision in December 2025, and now Greece is urging the European Union to follow suit with its upcoming ‘ban‘.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis confirmed on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, that Greece will ban all children under 15 from accessing social media. The measure, which will come into force on January 1, 2027, is designed to protect children’s mental health and will apply irrespective of parental consent.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis cited “unambiguous” evidence that addictive screen time and social media algorithms are contributing to anxiety and sleep deprivation among children. Data from the Greek Safer Internet Centre in Athens shows that 75% of children currently using social media in Greece are of primary-school age.

It comes as the UK government has started a discussion about possibly banning under-16s, and Ireland and Denmark are considering doing the same. Last month, the House of Lords supported a proposal to ban under-16s from using social media platforms in the UK.

In a video posted on TikTok, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: “We have decided to go ahead with a difficult but necessary measure: ban access to social media for children under 15 years old. Greece is among the first countries in the world to adopt such a measure.” The prime minister went on to say he would put pressure on the European Union to follow suit.

The Greek government plans to enforce the ban through its existing ‘Kids Wallet’ application, which is already used to verify ages for alcohol and tobacco purchases. This application will be used to filter and block social media access at the device level.

Unlike approaches that rely on social media platforms to police themselves, Greece is pursuing a ‘source-based’ approach. Parents will be required to activate the Kids Wallet app on all of a child’s devices to block access at the system level. Greek officials hope this state-mandated device-level block will effectively counter circumvention methods, such as VPNs.

Greece joins other nations implementing strict age-based digital restrictions, including Australia, which enforces an under-16 ban, and Indonesia. Following the announcement, Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, calling for a common EU-wide “Digital Age of Majority” to be set at 15.

While both Greece and Australia share the goal of protecting children’s mental health, their enforcement methods differ significantly. Australia’s existing under-16 ban places the burden on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to find and remove underage accounts.

Since its launch in December 2025, Australia’s platform-based model has faced challenges. The eSafety Commissioner recently reported “significant concerns” about platforms that allow children to bypass checks or that provide insufficient reporting tools for parents.

Australia’s ban impacts ten major “high-risk” social networks but largely spares educational and messaging services like Google Classroom and WhatsApp. The Greek proposal is part of a broader framework that also restricts minors from online gambling, dating apps, and tobacco and alcohol sales.

Meanwhile, the UK government is actively considering an outright ban on social media for children under 16 through a high-profile national consultation and legislative debate. A three-month government consultation on “digital wellbeing” is currently open, seeking views on restrictions such as overnight curfews and “app caps,” and is scheduled to close May 26, 2026.

In the legislative arena, the House of Lords has twice defeated the government by adding an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would mandate a social media ban for under-16s. The House of Commons previously rejected this measure in March 2026, with the bill scheduled to return to the Commons on April 15, 2026.

The team at Money Saving Expert shared simple steps to take to get the best price for a new passport

Brits have been urged to follow some simple steps to ensure they get the best price for an essential travel document. According to experts, “millions” of people could have overpaid for their passports.

A passport is required for travel abroad. In the UK they are valid for 10 years for an adult, or five years for those under 16.

When your passport is due to expire, it is important you apply for a new one ahead of time, to ensure you don’t risk having to cancel a holiday. However, you may not realise that the way in which you apply for a new passport can affect the price.

Addressing this issue, the team at Money Saving Expert (MSE) said on its website : “Millions of Brits applying for a passport last year may have been able to save money by taking their own photo or applying online, MoneySavingExpert.com can reveal. If your passport’s due for renewal, here’s how to get it for less.”

The three main steps to remember are:

• Apply online rather than via post
• Take your own photo
• Renew before fees rise on April 8

Applying online

MSE said: “Currently, it’s £12.50 cheaper to apply for a passport online through GOV.UK instead of using a paper form. Of course, this isn’t an option for those excluded from, or who struggle to use, digital services – though if this is the case, you may want to consider the Post Office’s ‘Check & Send’ service.”

Check & Send is an optional extra that costs £16 on top of the standard passport fee.

Take your own photo

MSE continued: “If it’s been a while since you last applied for a passport, you may be surprised to learn that you can now take your passport photo yourself at home and upload it directly into your online application. This means you don’t need to shell out for photos taken at high-street shops or photo booths, which can typically cost between £5 and £13ish.”

Here are some pointers to help you get your photo right first time:

• You can use your smartphone – just make sure the photo is clear, in focus and in colour
• Take it against a plain, light background. The photo should include your head, shoulders and upper body, with no other people or objects in the frame
• Avoid editing or altering it. It will be cropped for you during the application process, so there’s no need to do that yourself

Renew before fees rise

Passport fees will rise on Wednesday, April 8. This is how much they will rise by:

• Adult: takes up to three weeks to arrive – online cost now – £94.50, online cost from April 8 – £102, postal cost now – £107, postal cost from April 8 – £115.50
• Adult fast-track – arrives one week after appointment – online cost now – £178, online cost after April 8 – £178
• Adult ‘Premium’ – given at the appointment – online cost now – £222, online cost after April 8 – £239.50
• Child – takes up to three weeks to arrive – online cost now – £61.50, online cost after April 8 – £66.50, postal cost now – £74, postal cost after April 8 – £80
• Child fast-track – arrives one week after appointment – online cost now – £145, online cost after April 8 – £145

For full details and to renew online visit GOV.UK here.

Kim Paul, executive director of the Piikani Lodge Health Institute, a nonprofit on the Blackfeet Reservation that promotes health and well-being, saw the email notification flash across her computer screen as she was working late one day recently.

It was the U.S. Department of Agriculture saying a nearly $9-million grant contract with Piikani Lodge had been terminated.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture has determined that awards under this program involved discriminatory preferences based on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and wasteful spending that did little to further lawful agricultural land purchases,” the USDA wrote.

Paul was stunned. Piikani Lodge had planned to use the grant to improve operations for Native and non-Native farmers and ranchers in the Montana region. The nonprofit had already separately acquired 600 acres on the Blackfeet Reservation and planned to use the USDA funds to build a training hub for food producers and support about 300 farmers and ranchers in Glacier and Pondera counties.

Paul said she became short of breath when she saw the email. She dreaded sharing the news with her team.

“It was horror,” she said. “The horror of losing stability for our community.”

Funded through the Biden-era American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the Increasing Land, Capital and Market Access Program was designed to support “underserved” farmers and ranchers. It awarded about $300 million to 50 grantees in 2023. Forty-nine of those grants were terminated last month.

At least two additional projects in Montana were affected by the cancellations: a Chippewa Cree Tribe project to purchase land and train young farmers and ranchers how to manage it; and one run by South Dakota-based Four Bands Community Fund that would have trained and financially supported at least 25 low-income agricultural producers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana.

Montana-based awardees called the terminations “devastating.” They also say the grant cancellations were based on a false presumption that tribal initiatives fall under the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — DEI — rubric, and that USDA claims of wasteful spending are baseless.

Asked for comment, a USDA spokesperson said in a statement Thursday that the agency “has worked to clean up the mess left for us by the last Administration. To no surprise, a peek behind the curtain of this Biden-era program revealed the egregious misuse of taxpayer dollars.”

Piikani Lodge Health Institute leaders say they will have to restructure budgets and reconfigure staffing to keep some semblance of their project going. The Chippewa Cree Tribal project may be halted altogether. Four Bands Community Fund did not respond to an interview request by publication deadline. Awardees say the terminations hinder economic progress, not just in their communities but across the state.

Montana projects targeted

The Chippewa Cree Tribe in north central Montana was awarded a grant of nearly $6 million for a land acquisition project.

Chippewa Cree planning director Neal Rosette said the tribe planned to purchase agricultural land on and around the reservation and train prospective farmers and ranchers how to manage it.

Though reservation land can be used for farming and ranching, Rosette said, land prices can keep people from entering the industry. The Rocky Boy’s Reservation is home to almost 3,400 people, about 35% of whom live below the poverty line, according to U.S. census data. The median household income on the reservation is $49,550, almost $26,000 less than the state average.

“We are trying to give opportunities to our young folks to make a living,” Rosette said.

Rosette said people working on the project had been trying to close on a 320-acre reservation property for months. The land costs about $400,000, but, according to Rosette, the tribe has received only about $50,000 of the nearly $6-million grant since 2023. The tribe, he said, asked USDA repeatedly to release the funds, but received minimal communication from the agency.

“They drug their feet, drug their feet, and then finally they pulled the rug out from under us,” he said.

Rosette has written many grants for the tribe in the past. He said receiving the termination letter from USDA marked “the first time I’ve ever got to the point where I felt like crying.”

“It’s so, so, so cruel,” he said. “It’s the worst feeling in the world. It was devastating for everybody. We were so proud of this project. We were so happy that we were finally going to be able to recover some lands for the benefit of our young people. And now it’s gone.”

Micaela Young, development director at Piikani Lodge Health Institute, said the canceled grant will delay construction on the community training center on the Blackfeet Reservation.

The Piikani Lodge project included building an industrial community kitchen where agricultural producers could prepare and process products such as jam and jerky.

In its termination letter to Piikani Lodge, the USDA cited a “$20,000 allocation for a [barbecue] smoker” as an example of funding for items “outside the program’s mission of increasing land access.” The USDA has also mentioned a “$20,000 [barbecue] smoker” in statements to other media outlets as an example of “inappropriate spending.”

Paul said the characterization is hurtful.

“We did all this work, we spent so many years on this,” she said. “To say this was built on fraud? It’s a travesty. This was going to be five years of jobs for our people. Can you imagine the economic development that would come from that?”

‘’DEI’ is the new buzzword’

Paul and Rosette both took issue with the USDA’s assertion that programs benefiting tribes fall into the category of DEI. It’s well established in federal law that tribal citizenship is a political classification, not a racial one.

In a May 2025 memorandum, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins acknowledged the distinction, writing that “the Department’s unique government-to-government relationship” with tribes and their members “are legally distinct from policy-based Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.”

“We are a sovereign nation,” Rosette said of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. “We have a political relationship with this government.”

Democratic state Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, a citizen of the Chippewa Cree Tribe who is running for Congress in Montana’s eastern district, called the agriculture department’s DEI reasoning “ludicrous.”

“‘DEI’ is the new buzzword in D.C.,” he said. “Why isn’t our delegation protecting the sovereign status of the tribes? The bottom line is we don’t have representation in D.C.”

Asked for comment on the grant terminations, a spokesperson for the incumbent in the eastern district, Rep. Troy Downing, said his “office is aware of the rescinded grants and welcomes input from community members regarding their impact.” A spokesperson for Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) said the senator “is looking into the grant cancellations and will always work to support Montana’s tribal communities.”

Sen. Tim Sheehy and Rep. Ryan Zinke, both Republicans, did not respond to requests for comment.

Walter Schweitzer, president of the Montana Farmers Union, said that as land, livestock and equipment prices increase, and as more farms are purchased by corporate entities, it becomes increasingly hard for young people to enter the agriculture industry.

“The average age of a farmer or rancher is somewhere around 60,” he said. “We need to encourage and incentivize any way we can to get young people involved in agriculture. And having diversity in who gets into agriculture is a positive thing because they bring a diverse set of ideas.”

Young, of Piikani Lodge Health Institute, said agricultural producers living on tribal land also face unique challenges. A patchwork of historical and sometimes conflicting federal policies have congealed over the course of more than a century into an unwieldy system of property ownership on reservations. Banks have not learned to effectively navigate the legal, bureaucratic and financial peculiarities of that system, making it difficult for prospective producers to access the capital necessary to enter the agricultural industry. Tribes, Young said, are also often located far from markets where they could sell their products.

“These kinds of projects that bring capital into Native communities can really help revitalize their main streets, increase public safety, there’s the opioid crisis, the suicide crisis in tribal communities, and people are really looking for hope,” Young said. “People are looking for jobs. Families need that income. So this kind of work really does lift up our Native communities to strengthen the overall state.”

What’s next?

Piikani Lodge leaders said they plan to file an appeal through the National Appeals Division, which reports directly to the secretary of agriculture, before the 30-day deadline.

Andrew Berger, director of agriculture and climate adaptation at Piikani Lodge, said the organization is drafting a petition urging restoration of the funds.

“We’re still wrapping our heads around this,” he said. “[The grant] supported salaries and internships and all kinds of things. So we need to fill those gaps with other funding.”

Rosette isn’t sure whether the Chippewa Cree Tribe will file an appeal, which he noted requires time and resources. He said the tribe plans to ask the USDA to reconsider its decision.

“Whether they will listen?” he said. “Who knows?”

This story was originally published by Montana Free Press and distributed through a partnership with the Associated Press.

April 3 (UPI) — More than three million bottles of eye drops sold at stores across the United States have been recalled by their manufacturer because they may not be sterile.

K.C. Pharmaceuticals earlier this month issued a nationwide U.S. recall of roughly 3.1 million bottles of eight different eye drop products because of a “lack of assurance of sterility,” an FDA notice about the recall said.

The drops have been sold at some of the nation’s largest drug and grocery retailers, including CVS, H-E-B, Publix, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Kroger, Good Neighbor and several pharmaceutical supply companies.

K.C. Pharmaceuticals bills itself as the largest private label eye care supplier in North America, servicing 26 of the top 30 U.S. retailers and more than 90,000 stores across the country.

The voluntary recall, issued on March 3, has been categorized as a Class II recall, which the Federal Drug Administration told USA Today indicates that “the probability of a serious health issue is remote.”

People who have the drops also can continue to use them unless otherwise directed by K.C. Pharmaceuticals or the FDA, the agency said.

NBC News also reported that the FDA has not received reports of injuries linked to the recalled drops.

The eight types of drops included in the recall are Sterile EYE DROPS AC, EYE DROPS Advanced Relief, Dry Eye Relief Eye Drops, Ultra Lubricating Eye Drops, Sterile Eye Drops ORIGINAL FORMULA, Sterile EYE DROPS REDNESS LUBRICANT, STERILE EYE DROPS SOOTHING TEARS, and Artificial Tears Sterile Lubricant Eye Drops.

A complete list of the products, lot numbers and expiration dates, and what company or retailer sold the recalled drops can be found at the FDA’s website.

BBC expert Rebecca Wilcox has warned people may want to opt out of Winter Fuel Payment from April 1 to avoid paying double monthly deductions back to HMRC due to a change this year

A BBC expert has warned that millions of individuals may need to take action on or after 1 April, or risk paying ‘double’ back to HMRC. Consumer specialist Rebecca Wilcox told BBC Morning Live viewers that anyone with a taxable income exceeding £35,000 might want to opt out of the 2026 winter fuel payment to avoid repaying ‘£33 each month’ due to the change.

She cautioned that from April, millions of households will be contacted by HMRC and informed they may need to repay their Winter Fuel Payment. She further clarified that some might want to act to prevent receiving the money and thus bypass the repayment process.

Ms Wilcox highlighted that a significant change later this year would result in people repaying double the full amount. On the topic of early cancellation, she explained: “If you know your personal income is going to be over the threshold of £35,000 then opt out of it for the next year and then you don’t have to worry about the next payment. You cannot do this until 1 April. The reason you’ll want to opt out is because the payments are going to double just for one year.

“This is because the taxman is in debt, he’s in arrears, because he’s paid out all this money and it wants to claw this money back. For one year it is going to charge everybody double on their repayments so it can get back into the normal process of taking the money from you and then returning it. It wants to have its money so for one year it is going to charge you, say you were doing, for example we were talking about, of £17 per month tax deductions, it’s going to charge you double, £34 per month for that one year and then it will go back to £17.

“So that’s why you might want to opt out if you know you’re going to be earning £35,000 and above. If your income then drops just be aware you will have to opt back in to receive the winter fuel payment.”

Ms Wilcox told BBC Morning Live viewers: “The Winter Fuel Payment was a lump sum that was paid out to help you with your fuel bills during the cold months of November and December. That’s when the payments were made. What happened was they paid everybody who was over the age threshold. You were eligible to keep it if you were born before 22 September 1959 – that’s for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Or the 21 September 1959 in Scotland.

“If you’re born before that and you earn £35,000 exactly and under you can keep it. If you earn even a penny over the £35,000 of your personal, taxable income, then you will need to pay back this payment. The payment was between £100 and £300 and that number was calculated on your circumstances, your household circumstances and how old you are.

“For some this is going to be the first they’ve heard about repayment. And there’s a reason that this is happening and it’s because HMRC can do many things but it cannot predict the future. It has no idea how much you’re going to earn in that future tax year. So it’s just given it to everybody and then when it knows how much you’ve earned whic” h is April, it will reclaim the funds that were paid to you in November.

“If you earn over £35,000 and are within the age bracket you will be required to pay this back in full.” She noted that HMRC has an online checker available for those uncertain whether they exceed that threshold.

Winter Fuel Payments, referred to in Scotland as Pension Age Winter Heating Payments, are annual financial grants designed to assist with winter energy costs. For the current payment, eligibility extends to individuals born before 22 September 1959 in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, and before 21 September 1959 in Scotland.

The payment amount varies from £100 to £300 depending on age and household situation. HMRC cannot determine final income until the tax year concludes. Since payments must be distributed before winter, the system operates by paying everyone of qualifying age initially, then contacting those who exceed the income threshold afterwards.

In most instances, the money will be recovered automatically through the tax system. HMRC will modify the individual’s tax code in the 2026 to 2027 tax year. The repayment shows as an underpayment, resulting in slightly higher tax deductions each month.

No interest is charged on the sum being repaid. For instance, someone who received £200 might see their monthly income reduced by approximately £17 while the repayment is collected.

Individuals who complete a Self Assessment tax return will instead have the repayment added to their tax bill for the 2025 to 2026 tax year. Anyone who believes the calculation is wrong can dispute the decision with HMRC.

From 1 April 2026, households can decline the 2026 to 2027 payment by contacting the Winter Fuel Payment Centre or filling in a form online. You will need your National Insurance number to do this.

Once you opt out, you will not receive future payments unless you choose to opt back in. The primary reason to opt out if you expect your income to remain above the threshold is because from the 2027 to 2028 tax year, HMRC plans to recover payments in advance rather than in arrears, meaning deductions could be roughly double.

For a typical £200 payment, this could mean around £33 a month being taken through the tax system instead of about £17. The deductions are expected to return to the lower monthly amount in the following tax year.

A rolling wave of “No Kings” protests swelled through America’s small towns and big cities Saturday, with crowds gathering to blast President Trump, Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdowns, the war in Iran and high gas and food prices.

Saturday’s demonstrations were expected to draw millions of people nationwide, including thousands for a downtown Los Angeles rally. More than 40 protests were planned for L.A., Orange and Ventura counties, part of the national “No Kings Day of Nonviolent Action.”

No Kings Coalition organizers were hoping that turnout for the rallies in all 50 states could combine to form the largest single-day protest in U.S. history. They pointed to growing anger over the country’s direction, including fatal ICE shootings and troops dispatched to the Middle East, since the first “No Kings” demonstration was held last June.

On Saturday morning, hundreds gathered around the reflecting pool at Pasadena City College. A band rolled through with a fascism-themed parody of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.” Sign-toting protesters lined Colorado Boulevard, drawing a constant stream of honking from the cars driving by. For many, the Iran war was top of mind.

“Every time we protest, there’s something completely new, which speaks to the chaos of the Trump administration,” Cindy Campbell told The Times. “ICE raids last year, Epstein files a few months ago. Now, war.”

“This administration doesn’t serve us. It serves billionaires,” said Kent Miller, of Monrovia, who participated in the Pasadena protest. “War with Iran is only making life harder for working people.”

Miller pointed to a Chevron gas station advertising gas for $6.45 per gallon.

“See?” he said.

National coordinators said there has been increased interest in smaller communities, including Republican bastions, with higher-than-expected attendance during Saturday’s protests.

“I’m out here because I’m disgusted with what I’m seeing,” said Kersty Kinsey, a mother who was protesting near the Beaufort, S.C., City Hall. “People are suffering, and he’s playing golf. People are suffering, and he’s going other places and blowing things up.”

In Beaufort, an antebellum city founded in 1711, an estimated 3,000 people turned out — a marked increase over earlier “No Kings” rallies, said Barb Nash, one of the coordinators. Amid the moss-draped live oaks and blooming pink and white azaleas, a person in a purple Barney dinosaur costume held a sign reading: “Dino’s for Democracy.” A young girl handed out homemade “Resistance Cookies.”

Los Angeles coordinators said they expect more than 100,000 people at the local events, which were being planned for Beverly Hills, Burbank, West Covina, West Hollywood and Thousand Oaks. One group planned a “Road Outrage” car caravan to motor through Mid City with flapping flags calling for “No War,” and “ICE Out of LA.” At a Torrance gathering, cars honked, protesters waved flags, and a person in an inflatable green cow costume hoisted a large American flag.

The White House, in a Saturday statement, dismissed the protests as a “Trump Derangement Therapy Session.”

Organizers said they have been particularly encouraged by the surge of interest from groups in rural communities that wanted to join the loose-knit No Kings Coalition and hold protests.

Jaynie Parrish, founder of the Arizona Native Vote project, started planning a protest for her tiny town of Kayenta, on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, only earlier this week.

“My dad, who’s a [military] veteran and an elder, said: ‘We should go,’ and I said, ‘OK,’” Parrish told The Times.

“Our folks don’t always protest for things, but this was very important,” Parrish said. “A lot of our families are feeling the impacts right now of higher prices and things being cut. A lot of our healthcare benefits are being cut … and our tribal sovereignty is being threatened.”

Upbeat Midwestern activists withstood whipping winds to form a line of protesters stretching nearly three blocks of Burlington Avenue in Hastings, Neb. Under the crisp blue skies, one of the protesters, Drew Fausett, told The Times in a phone interview that he is a registered Republican in the decidedly red state.

“My politics haven’t really changed — but the party around me has,” Fausett said. “It used to be the two parties were two sides of the same coin, and they would work together — but not anymore.”

He and his wife, Becky, have attended “No Kings” and other protests because “it’s the only way to show that people have different opinions,” he said. “People are out here speaking for their families and their neighbors. That’s what this is all about.”

Trump’s policies are hurting many in Nebraska — including farmers, said Debby Thompson, one of the Hastings organizers.

“We want to urge our representatives in Congress to not just rubber stamp whatever Trump wants because it’s really hurting rural folks and farmers,” Thompson said. “The tariffs and huge increase in prices on fertilizer are hitting farmers really hard.”

The “No Kings” campaign sprouted in June as an act of defiance on Trump’s 79th birthday. He wanted a military parade in Washington to mark his milestone, and anti-Trump protesters came out in force — an estimated 5 million people around the country — with their own display. At the time, Trump’s second-term policies were coming into focus, including ramping up immigration raids, deploying the National Guard to L.A. in response to protests, and mass firings within the federal government.

A subsequent event in mid-October drew even larger crowds, with an estimated 7 million people protesting around the country.

Saturday’s event coincided with a dip in Trump’s approval ratings. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week found 36% approve of Trump’s job performance, marking the lowest level since his return to office last year. In a separate Fox News Poll released last week, 59% disapproved of his job performance.

“Since the last ‘No Kings,’ we’re seeing higher gas prices and groceries, all while there’s an illegal war in Iran,” national organizer Sarah Parker of the organization 50501 said during a Thursday press briefing. “We’ve also seen our neighbors executed — American citizens executed.”

Widespread protests and candlelight vigils followed January’s fatal shootings by ICE agents in Minneapolis of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, and Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse.

“The defining story of this Saturday’s mobilization is not just how many people are protesting — but where they are protesting,” Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, said during the press briefing. She said two-thirds of the RSVPs to national organizers came from outside of major urban centers.

The Los Angeles event was organized by the local chapter of 50501 (short for “50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement”) and other progressive groups, including the ACLU, Human Rights Campaign, Indivisible and Public Citizen, as well as labor unions such as Unite Here Local 11 and the Service Workers International Union.

“There’s an affordability crisis in this country — people can’t afford groceries or healthcare,” Joseph Bryant, SEIU executive vice president, said in a statement. “But this administration is focused on expanding its power, starting unnecessary wars that benefit billionaires, and targeting immigrants and citizens who dare to stand up for them.”

Families heading off on the Easter holidays and days out face paying an average 150p a litre for petrol and as much as 180p for diesel – on top of the usual Bank Holiday misery of congested roads

Brits beginning the Easter getaway face price hikes and possible disruption.

The economic shockwaves from the Middle East war mean the millions taking the road are in for pain at the pumps when filling-up for long journeys. It came as petrol prices rose to close to 150p a litre and diesel nears the punishingly high 180p mark.

And there are warnings those planning to jet abroad face higher fares – if they have not booked ahead – and the risk of cancellations. That is all on top of the usual misery of queues on routes near holiday hotspots for those staying in the UK. The rush is expected to start from Friday as schools break up for the holidays, and will peak over the long Easter weekend.

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The AA said more than 19 million people travelled on Good Friday last year, with 18.5 million on the Saturday and 18.2 million each on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Many will end up paying through the nose when they stop off to fill-up, given a sharp rise in fuel prices since the start of the Iran war at the end of March.

The nationwide average for unleaded has jumped to almost 150p a litre, up 17p since before the conflict erupted. Diesel drivers have been hit even harder, with diesel now averaging 176.66p per litre, a leap of 34p in recent weeks.

Motoring groups and ministers have urged drivers not panic buy fuel. Ministers insisted the UK was well stocked, despite Iran’s effective blockade of oil through the key Strait of Hormuz. A handful of forecourts have displayed signs saying they are out of fuel.

RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader Sean Kimberlin said: “Fuel prices may have risen sharply in recent weeks, but our research with drivers shows they are still determined to make the most of the Easter break. Despite diesel costing around £19 more per tank than last year and petrol about £8 more, only a small number of people are actually changing their plans. For many, Easter is the first real chance to get away since Christmas, so we’re urging drivers to use the myRAC app to find the cheapest forecourts near them.”

He added: “This year we’re expecting one of the busiest Easter getaways since 2022, with planned leisure trips rising again for the second year running.

“Traffic is likely to build from Thursday as schools break up, with the M5 towards Devon and Cornwall and the M25 set to be particularly congested. The worst delays are expected from around 10am, so getting on the road early is still the best way to avoid the queues.”

Predictions that Brits are in for a cracking Easter, with blue skies and temperatures climbing towards 20C, are expected to mean are even busier than normal.

National Highways said it was lifting around 1,500 miles of roadworks between next Thursday and Easter Monday, “meaning 98% of our motorways and major A-roads will be free of roadworks over the bank holiday,” it added.

Airports are also braced for a rush families taking advantage of the Easter break for a week in the sun. Yet it comes amid warnings of possible cancellations to some long haul destinations, partly due to fears of jet fuel shortages. The soaring cost of aviation fuel has also led to concerns that flight prices will rise.

Regulator the CAA says it expects over two million passengers through UK airports across the Easter break, including 1.6 million over the Easter weekend.

It is urging travellers to check the flight status with their airline and ensure they are up to date with the latest government foreign travel advice on any countries they are transiting through before you leave for the airport.

Anticipating possible disruption, it said: “If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you may be entitled to meals, accommodation or alternative travel arrangements provided by your airline.” It went on: “Travel insurance can protect against missed flights, medical emergencies, and lost or stolen belongings. Carefully review the terms and conditions to understand your coverage.”

Selina Chadha, group director for consumers and markets at the CAA, said: “With many UK travellers planning to get away over the Easter holidays, it’s important that those planning to travel know their rights and plan ahead to make their journeys as smooth as possible.”

Gatwick Airport says its near 60 airlines have flights to more than 220 destinations over Easter. “Short-haul breaks are expected to lead over the Easter holidays with bookings for Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante, Dublin and Geneva currently topping the most popular list,” a spokesperson said.

“Passengers are also preparing to travel further afield, with top long-haul options currently including Orlando, Shanghai and Cancun.” The airport’s busiest day over the holidays is set to be Easter Sunday.

A week into the United States-Israeli war on Iran, and Iran’s attacks on its Gulf neighbours, Jaya Khuntia spoke – as he often did – to his Doha-based son Kuna on the phone.

It was March 6, about 10pm, and Khuntia and the family were worried. “He told me, ‘I am safe here, don’t worry,’” the father recalled from the conversation with Kuna.

It was the last time they spoke.

The next day, the family in Naikanipalli village of India’s eastern Odisha state received a phone call from Kuna’s roommate telling them that the son had suffered a heart attack after hearing the sound of missiles and debris from interceptions falling near their residence. He collapsed and was later declared dead. Kuna’s body reached home days later.

Al Jazeera cannot independently confirm the cause of Kuna’s death, but the family of the 25-year-old, who worked as a pipe fitter in Qatar’s capital, is among millions across South Asia directly affected by the war in the Middle East.

Of the eight people killed in the United Arab Emirates in Iranian attacks, two were Emirati military personnel, a third a Palestinian civilian, and the remaining five were from South Asia: Three from Pakistan, and one each from Bangladesh and Nepal. All three people killed in Oman were from India. An Indian national and a Bangladeshi national are the only deaths in Saudi Arabia.

Migrant workers from South Asia total nearly 21 million people in the Gulf nations, a third of the total population of the region. At stake, for their families back home, is the safety of their loved ones and the future of their dreams.

The Khuntia family had taken on a 300,000-rupee ($3200) debt in 2025 for the marriages of their two daughters. Kuna’s income in Doha – where he had moved only in late 2025 – of 35,000 rupees ($372) was helping them collect what they needed to pay back the loan. Kuna had been sending back about 15,000 rupees ($164) every month.

“We thought our suffering was finally ending,” Jaya said, his voice trembling. “My only son would say, ‘Baba, don’t worry, I am here.’ He was our only hope… our everything.”

That hope is now extinguished. “That one call finished us,” Jaya cried. “He promised to return after clearing our debts … but he came back in a coffin. We have nothing left now. Losing our only son is the biggest debt we have to live with.”

‘I thought we would be next’

In all, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – the six Arab countries in the Gulf – host 35 million foreign nationals, who form a majority of their total population, 62 million.

They include 9 million people from India, 5 million each from Pakistan and Bangladesh, 1.2 million from Nepal, and 650,000 from Sri Lanka. Most of them are engaged in blue-collar work, building or supporting the industries and services that are at the heart of the Gulf’s success and prosperity.

But since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran, these migrant workers have often been among the most vulnerable. That vulnerability extends beyond deaths and injuries to the very nature of their work: Oil refineries, construction areas, airports and docks, where many work, have been targeted in Iranian attacks.

The suspension of work at many of these facilities, coupled with fears of a major economic downturn in the region, has also left many workers and their families worried about the future of their jobs.

Hamza*, a Pakistani migrant labourer working at an oil storage facility in the UAE, recalled a recent attack that he witnessed. “A drone struck a storage unit right in front of us. We were completely shaken. Most of us there are from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

“We couldn’t sleep for nights after that. The drone was so close that it could have killed us, too,” Hamza added. “For a moment, I thought we would be next.”

Despite these dangers, he said, leaving is not an option.

“We want to go back, but we can’t,” Hamza said. “Our families depend on us. It’s dangerous here, but if we stop working, they will have nothing to eat. We have no choice.”

Experts say Hamza’s sentiment is common across South Asian blue-collar workers in the Gulf, because of poverty and limited employment opportunities back home.

Imran Khan, a faculty member at the New Delhi Institute of Management working on migration economics, said migrant labourers from South Asia are often driven by desperation to take up jobs in the Middle East. He said Western countries have, in recent years, dramatically raised entry barriers for less-educated blue-collar foreign workers.

“These workers are the worst affected during crises – whether war or natural disasters,” he says. “I have been speaking to several migrant labourers, particularly Indians in the Middle East, and many are living in distress since the conflict began.”

But, like Hamza, most cannot afford to leave, Khan said.

“They cannot simply quit. Their income would stop immediately, and there are very limited opportunities back home,” he explained. “They have families to support, and without these jobs, survival becomes difficult.”

Families – and societies – that depend on remittances

Middle Eastern countries remain a key source of remittances for South Asian nations such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The remittances these five countries receive from the region, $103bn, are comparable to Oman’s total gross domestic product (GDP).

Just the remittances that India receives from the Gulf, $50bn, are more than Bahrain’s entire GDP. Pakistan receives $38.3bn in remittances, Bangladesh $13.5bn, Sri Lanka $8bn, and Nepal $5bn.

With the recent escalation of conflict in the Middle East, experts warn these flows could be significantly affected, especially if Gulf economies contract and layoffs follow.

Faisal Abbas, an expert in international economics and director at the Centre of Excellence on Population and Wellbeing Studies, a Pakistan-based research institute, said remittances from the Middle East form a crucial economic backbone for South Asian nations, not just families.

“Remittances are a critical pillar for Pakistan and other South Asian economies, and a large share comes from Middle Eastern countries,” he explained. “If the situation worsens, it will not be a positive development for the region.”

Pakistan’s remittances from the Gulf constitute nearly 10 percent of its GDP, about $400bn.

Abbas added that the effect may extend beyond remittance flows. “Migration patterns could also be disrupted. Many workers may return home, while those planning to migrate might reconsider,” he said. “This could further increase unemployment in a region already facing job shortages.”

Unlike Hamza, a number of South Asian workers are planning to return home.

Noor*, a migrant worker from Bangladesh employed at an oil facility in Saudi Arabia, said he no longer feels safe and plans to return home once his contract ends.

“I will never come back here again,” he said. “It’s too dangerous. We can’t even sleep at night. The fear never leaves us.”

Noor said drone attacks had occurred close to his workplace. “We saw it happen in front of us,” he said. “That fear stays with you… It doesn’t go away.”

His family, too, is deeply affected. “My children cry every time they call me. They are scared for my life,” he added.

He said he knows that returning to Bangladesh would mean more economic hardship for his family. But Noor said he had made up his mind.

“I would rather go back and struggle to survive with my family than live here in constant fear,” he said. “At least there, I will be with them.”

*Some names have been changed at the request of workers who fear retribution from contractors for speaking to the media.

EASYJET has launched a huge sale with millions of seats on offer for winter 2027 including the February half-term.

The budget airline’s Big Seat Release has over seven million seats on flights to and from the UK on sale for between February 1 and March 21, 2027.

Travellers can choose from over 140 destinations across Europe and North Africa from 22 UK airports.

Flight offers include one-way flights to Paris from London Gatwick, costing £31.99 on February 2, 2027.

You could also travel to Dusseldorf in Germany, Geneva in Switzerland, and Grenoble and Nantes in France for the same price.

If you fancy travelling further afield, you could fly to Agadir in Morocco from London Gatwick on February 23, 2027, for £37.99 one-way.

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Agadir was recently named the most affordable break for summer 2026 by loveholidays, with a week holiday to the seaside city costing as little as £24 per person per night between June and August.

The Moroccan city is surrounded by mountains and also boasts a six-mile long golden beach.

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey recently visited the city and said: “The Moroccan city is home to the country’s largest market, Souk El Had, as well as a bustling harbour and modern marina.

“Rebuilt following a devastating earthquake in 1960, the sprawling city nestles against the Atlantic Ocean and its palm-lined wide roads feel more Miami than Morocco.”

Other bucket-list destinations include Reykjavik in Iceland, with flights costing from £44.17 per way and Thessaloniki in Greece, costing from £48.99 per way.

To find easyJet‘s lowest fares, head to the low fare finder section of the easyJet website where the best value fares are shown.

EasyJet holidays also has thousands of package holidays available, including to destinations such as the Canary Islands, Morocco and Tunisia.

All of the holiday packages include flights and a hotel, with a 23kg luggage allowance and transfers for beach getaways.

Kevin Doyle, UK Country Manager for easyJet, said: “Putting millions more seats and package holidays on sale today for next winter means our customers across the UK can book early and enjoy great value to Europe’s most popular leisure destinations, including firm favourites such as Amsterdam, Paris, Alicante, Tenerife, and Malaga.

“With hundreds of routes available from 22 UK airports, our short-haul network offers unrivalled choice for those planning their holidays for next year, to book with ease, and we can’t wait to welcome them on board.”

In other flight news, one of the world’s best cities is getting more flights and TUI holiday packages – with mega cheap food and island beaches.

Plus, one of Europe’s cheapest city break destinations has £2 beers and a massive waterpark and now has new UK flights.

BRITS applying for a new standard passport will be charged more than £100 for the first time ever.

The fee for online applications for adults within the UK will rise on April 8 from £94.50 to £102.

Holidaymakers looking to renew their passport before the summer holiday rush will be stung unless they get their bid in soon.

The Home Office says the hike is to “move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation.”.

But it will likely spark a backlash for putting up prices as many families face the pinch in a cost of living crisis.

The standard fee for kids will rise from £61.50 to £66.50.

Postal applications will increase from £107 to £115.50 for adults and £74 to £80 for children.

The charge for a next-day premium service made from within the UK will rise from £222 to £239.50. 

The Home Office said: “The fees contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders.  

“In 2025, where no further information was required, 99.7 per cent of standard applications from the UK were processed within three weeks.”