First UK government repatriation flight from Middle East lands in London’s Stansted airport
The first UK government-chartered flight evacuating British nationals stranded in the Middle East landed at London’s Stansted airport after departing Oman nearly a day late due to technical issues.
The flight finally departed late on Thursday night local time from Oman’s capital Muscat, almost 24 hours behind schedule, and landed at Stansted at 00.53GMT on Friday.
The evacuation effort comes amid escalating regional tensions after US-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory attacks, grounding or restricting flights across several Middle Eastern countries.
Shweta Sharma6 March 2026 04:18
Trump says he wants Iran to have ‘good leader’
President Donald Trump has said he wants Iran to have a “good leader” after U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“We want them to have a good leader. We have some people who I think would do a good job”, Trump told NBC News.
Trump has criticized the reported frontrunner in the selection of a new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the late Khamenei’s son.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran”, Trump told Axios.
Rachel Dobkin6 March 2026 04:00
Japan confirms a second Japanese national has been detained in Iran
Japan has confirmed that a second national has been detained in Iran and has requested the early release of its citizens.
Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi said two Japanese nationals had been detained but were currently safe.
“The government strongly calls for their early release and will provide as much support as possible while staying in touch with them, their families and related parties,” Motegi said.
One of the detainees is believed to be the Tehran bureau chief of public broadcaster NHK, who was detained on 20 January.
Details about the other detainee remain unknown.
Shweta Sharma6 March 2026 03:55
House speaker insists US is ‘not at war’ with Iran
House Speaker Mike Johnson has insisted that the United States is “not at war” with Iran.
“We’re not at war, we have no intention at being at war. The president and the Department of Defense have made this very clear…this is a limited operation,” Johnson told reporters after the US House of Representatives blocked a War Powers Resolution to curb Donald Trump’s attacks on Iran.
Rachel Dobkin6 March 2026 03:45
Hezbollah asks Israeli residents nears boder to evacuate immediately
Hezbollah has warned Israeli residents to evacuate from villages and towns within 5km of the border with Lebanon.
The group sent the message on its Telegram channel in Hebrew early today.
“Your military’s aggression against Lebanese sovereignty and safe citizens, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the expulsion campaign it is carrying out will not go unchallenged,” it wrote.
Israeli lauche strokes on Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah after telling people to leave the southern suburbs of Beirut, which remains a stronghold of Hezbollah.
It has come as just a short while ago, the IDF also said it had begun “a broad-scale wave of strikes against Iranian terror regime infrastructure in Tehran”.
Shweta Sharma6 March 2026 03:44
Trump says ‘Iran has lost everything’ as he rules out ground invasion
Donald Trump has said that Iran has lost everything in US-Israel attacks and ruled out the need for ground invasion for now.
Speaking to NBC News, he said American forces leading a ground invasion of Iran would be a waste of time and suggested it is not something he is currently thinking about.
It was his response to the Iranian foreign minister’s comments about Iran being ready for a ground invasion.
“It’s a waste of time. They’ve lost everything. They’ve lost their navy. They’ve lost everything they can lose.”
He added that the US forces have sustained resourses to continue their strikes.
“We have massive ammunition, which people didn’t understand. We have the most we’ve ever had. We have a lot in other countries.”
Speaking about new leadership in Iran after Ali Khamenei was killed by US-Israeli attacks, Trump said they want a “good leader”.
“We want to go in and clean out everything. We don’t want someone who would rebuild over a ten year period, they’ve been hit harder than anyone has been hit, but we don’t want someone who would rebuild it in ten years. That’s what it would take.”
“We want them to have a good leader. We have some people who I think would do a good job.”
Shweta Sharma6 March 2026 03:30
Recap: House narrowly rejects motion to curb Trump’s powers in Iran
The House narrowly rejected a war powers resolution Thursday to halt President Donald Trump’s attacks on Iran.
It was the second vote in as many days, after the Senate defeated a similar measure along party lines on Wednesday.
While the tally in the House, 212-219, was expected to be tight, the outcome provided a clarifying snapshot of political support for, and opposition to, the U.S.-Israel military operation and Trump’s rationale for bypassing Congress, which alone has the power to declare war.
Smoke billows over Tehran following strikes, as the US and Israel expand their attacks on Iran (AFP/Getty)
James Reynolds6 March 2026 03:30
ICYMI: Etihad Airways to resume flights to London, New York
Earlier today, Etihad Airways reported that it would resume some flights between 6 and 19 March.
These were to key popular destinations including Cairo, Delhi, London, Frankfurt, New York, Paris, Moscow, Toronto and Zurich.
James Reynolds6 March 2026 03:15
US issues 30-day wavier to India to allow import of Russian oil
The US Treasury Department has issued a waiver for India to allow the purchase of some Russian oil as the conflict has upended the oil market.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the 30-day waiver will allow oil to keep flowing in the market and “alleviate pressure caused by Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage”.
A license was issued late Thursday to allow transcation of Russian crude oil and petroleum products loaded onto vessels before 5 March. It will expire on 4 April at 12.01am Washington time.
“To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil,” Mr Bessent said in a post on X.
“This deliberately short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government as it only authorizes transactions involving oil already stranded at sea.”
US president Donald Trump sanctioned Russian oil to pressure the Kremlin leadership into a peace deal to end its war in Ukraine.
Washington reached a trade deal with India after Mr Trump claimed that India agreed to stop buying Russian oil.
Shweta Sharma6 March 2026 03:15
US congressman postpones ‘Salute to the Troops’ event following service members’ deaths
US Representative Zach Nunn has postponed a “Salute to the Troops” event following the deaths of six American service members in the Iran conflict.
Nunn had promoted his Top Gun-themed event, which the congressman said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was planning on attending, Tuesday after the service members’ deaths were announced.
“My focus, as a combat veteran, dad, and Member of Congress is mission first: prioritizing Iowa service members forward deployed, supporting families on the homefront, and helping American citizens in harm’s way get to safety”, Nunn wrote on X Thursday.
The six service members killed in an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa.
“Operation TOP NUNN is postponed. We will have more to share about the event soon, and all ticket holders will be notified of the new date”, Nunn said.
Rachel Dobkin6 March 2026 03:00