By RYAN HOOPER, CRIME CORRESPONDENT

Published: 08:54 EDT, 1 April 2026 | Updated: 14:42 EDT, 1 April 2026

The Artemis II astronauts have waved goodbye to their families and friends as they prepare to launch on their voyage around the moon.

Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch are about to embark on their 10-day trip to the moon and back for the first time in 53 years.

Glover was seen mouthing ‘I love you’ to each of his family members wearing matching t-shirts before the voyagers boarded a shuttle bus on their way to the launch pad 39B.

The launch now looks likely to go ahead after many setbacks with the crew all in their flight suits and good weather conditions.

Waving to family, colleagues and news photographers, the crew boarded the so-called astrovan for the 9-mile ride to the launch pad and their awaiting SLS rocket.

Before their highly anticipated walkout, commander Reid Wiseman and his crew played a quick card game with NASA’s chief astronaut Scott Tingle. It’s a preflight tradition since the space shuttle era.

Losing is good: It means the astronaut has gotten rid of all bad luck before launching.

The four thanked the suit techs and posed for photos, keeping a safe distance from many of the bystanders to avoid germs.

They then went down the elevator at the Neil Armstrong Operations & Checkout Building and walk out to a barrage of cameras and cheers.

What is Artemis?

Artemis, Nasa’s return-to-the-moon programme, has been plagued by delays, technical hiccups and budget cuts for years.

This has all but denied generations of astronauts their chance at walking where Neil Armstrong once did in 1969.

The last time humans were casually strolling – or moonwalking, we suppose – on the moon was for the 1972 Apollo 17 mission.

Donald Trump made bringing American space boots back to the lunar surface a goal during his first administration, signing Artemis in 2017.

Space officials were tasked with working with commercial companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX to build a lunar-orbiting Gateway outpost.

The project’s first mission, known as Artemis I, involved an uncrewed Orion capsule doing a 1.3 million-mile lap around the moon in 2022.

Unlike the Apollo missions, the second Artemis mission won’t actually land on the moon.

Nevertheless, it will be the first to leave Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in 53 years.

It will also be the first time that astronauts launch on top of NASA’s giant Space Launch System rocket and then swing around the Moon inside the Orion crew capsule.

This equipment was one of the main reasons Artemis II was postponed by more than a year, with NASA citing issues with Orion’s life support system.

This is a breaking news story… more to follow…

MORE: Who are the four Artemis II astronauts who will see the moon up close?

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MORE: How and when to see a pink moon, a comet and a galaxy this month

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By NOOR QURASHI, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 09:58 EDT, 1 April 2026 | Updated: 12:58 EDT, 1 April 2026

Donald Trump has announced that Iran’s new leadership is requesting a ceasefire – but warned that any truce is contingent on the Strait of Hormuz opening.

The President claimed that the ‘new regime president’ was ‘much less radicalized and far more intelligent that his predecessors’, without revealing with whom the US was negotiating, in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday morning.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps branded Trump’s claims ‘nonsense’ and said that the Islamic regime would not be moved by his ‘absurd displays.’

Stocks moved higher on Wednesday after staging a relief rally on Tuesday as  Trump signaled he would be prepared to end the Iran war even if Hormuz remains closed. 

The market buoyancy came even as Trump muddied the waters again, writing in his post that a ceasefire would only come when the Strait is ‘open, free, and clear.’

‘Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages,’ he added.

Trump separately said he was considering pulling out of NATO and said he planned to express his ‘disgust’ with the alliance during an address to the nation at 9pm ET which will be focused on the Iran war.

The Pentagon is giving Trump a range of military options, massing thousands of Marines and Paratroopers on Tehran’s doorstep as America’s Arab allies urge the President to seize the opportunity to kill off the regime. 

The USS Tripoli arrived in the Middle East on Friday, composed of around 5,000 sailors and Marines distributed across several warships.

They will soon be joined by the San Diego-based USS Boxer amphibious assault ship, and two other vessels comprising the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. 

Also heading to the region are thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne, who will apparently be accompanied by hundreds of Special Forces. 

The Dow added 363 points, or 0.8 percent, while the S&P 500 was up 0.6 percent and the Nasdaq spiked by 0.7 percent.

Oil prices are also falling, with global benchmark Brent crude down 2 percent, to $102 per barrel, after touching $118 on Tuesday – the highest price since the war started on February 28. 

The national average price for a regular gallon of gas stands at $4.1, up from $2.9 before the war started. 

Trump previously ordered a stand down on military strikes targeting Iranian energy infrastructure as negotiations between Iran and the US continue. 

The five-day ceasefire was later extended to a 10-day halt in targeting Iranian energy plants, power stations and oil wells after the President said the Iranian government requested an extension. 

Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi made a rare appearance on the streets of Tehran last night. 

‘I came to be among the people, to draw energy from the movement on the ground and to enjoy this unity,’ Araghchi told reporters at an evening rally.

‘This popular cohesion is our greatest defense against any external threat.’ 

Ever since the start of the conflict, Trump has sent out a flurry of contradictory messages: from declaring the war is won, to giving the regime ten more days to make a deal, to threatening to ‘completely obliterate’ Iran’s energy infrastructure the Strait of Hormuz was not ‘immediately’ reopened for business.

NATO nations have been taunted as ‘cowards’ and nothing more than a ‘paper tiger’ alliance which the US ‘needs nothing from’, while at other points they are called upon to ‘go to the strait’ and reopen it themselves. 

While the US has said talks with Iran were ongoing and expressed optimism, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Tuesday he had received direct messages from US special envoy Steve Witkoff but those did not constitute ‘negotiations’.

Amid mounting hopes for a deal, the US President might deliver an announcement tonight bringing the war to a close, but there is also the possibility he is touting peace as cover for an Easter invasion.

An invasion on Good Friday would coincide with the closure of Wall Street and major European markets for a three-day weekend.

Trump might time the operation for when markets are closed, especially if the military has only short, sharp missions in mind before they reopen.

Park rangers have been forced to remove Highland cows from a nature reserve after visitors ignored warnings to keep their distance amid an unexpected social media surge. 

Last month, the rustic cattle, which were found ‘free grazing’ on the Hothfield Heathlands Nature Reserve near Ashford, Kent, skyrocketed to online stardom after going viral. 

And amid their newfound fame, Kent Wildlife Trust, which manages the site, urged visitors to keep their distance from the animals as new visitors began ‘actively approaching the animals’. 

Meanwhile, animal experts issued a stark warning to those trying to capture a close-up of the cattle, insisting ‘they are not pets’. 

Despite stressed guidance, the Highland cows became unsettled as they were unable to sleep or eat without being bothered. 

Several TikTok clips showed visitors walking up to the cattle, leaving the path to stand with them as they graze, and even trying to pet them.

Kent Wildlife Trust previously pointed out that these videos often showed the cows in clear signs of distress – shaking their horns as the filming influencers approach.

As such, the trust has since decided to remove the animals to an undisclosed location ‘at least for the time being.’ 

In a social media post, they said: ‘We’re sad to say we’ve made the decision to remove the cows at Hothfield Heathlands, at least for the time being.

‘After some recent viral posts of people getting up close (and sometimes even touching) the cows, interest in them has exploded.

‘We love that people love our animals, but unfortunately lots of people have been ignoring our 10-metre rule and the pressure on the lovely Highlands has become too much.

‘When under pressure, the cows can become distressed and not carry out their jobs as ecosystem engineers.

‘That’s best case – and worst case, they could start to react out of fear.’

They added: ‘To keep our cows and everybody safe and healthy, we’ve moved the Highlands for now,’ the post continued.

‘This’ll be sad for those of you who love to visit them safely at Hothfield – we can only apologise and hope you understand.’

Ian Rickards, Kent Wildlife Trust area manager, said: ‘The constant pressure will be affecting the animals’ ability to behave naturally.

‘Also, the effect of hundreds of people walking off paths across sensitive habitat will be damaging the wildlife the site is designated for.’

TikTok videos featuring the stunning Highland cows went viral last month, as more than 300,000 videos had hashtags related to the animals.

However, gushing commenters soon translated into a surge of visitors at the nature sanctuary, who disturbed the animals. 

Alison Ruyter, wilder grazing lead at the trust, told the Telegraph: ‘People suddenly arrived about four or five weeks ago. We were getting a lot of visitors who were clearly not used to being out in the countryside.

‘People only wanted to get that viral selfie or viral video rather than enjoy the natural landscape.’

Jessica Allam, Senior Wilder Grazing Ranger at Kent Wildlife Trust, previously told the Daily Mail that over 50 cars were filling the small car park at the beginning of March, while a normal weekday might only bring three or four visitors at a time.

While the conservation expert said it had been ‘lovely’ to see so many people taking an interest in nature, the influx of eager fans has also had a downside for the animals.

While the enthusiastic visitors might mean well, wildlife experts warn that the cows don’t appreciate being touched or ‘petted’ under any circumstances.

Ms Allam said: ‘When an animal hasn’t been handled, it is always a shock and quite stressful for them for somebody to suddenly reach out to them.

‘Animals don’t even touch each other unless they’re friends. This is like a stranger walking up to you and trying to pet your head.’

That increased stress doesn’t just disturb the animal in the moment, but also has the risk of creating long-term issues.

Stress can lead to reduced grazing and weight loss, increased risk of injury from running, and increasingly defensive behaviour.

‘They have massive horns, and they know how to use them,’ she said. ‘They’re not quite semi-wild, but they’re pretty much untouched.’

Because Highland cows are so hardy, they spend their entire lives outside and are almost never handled by humans unless they need medical treatment.

‘It can be dangerous, so we ask that people keep a distance of 10 metres or 10 big steps,’ Ms Allam previously said.

Kent Wildlife Trust also asked visitors to refrain from approaching, touching, or feeding the animals and to keep dogs under control on a short lead.

Kent Wildlife Trust is the county’s leading conservation charity, supported by more than 31,000 members and 1,000 volunteers. Hothfield Heathlands is one of 85 nature reserves and sites it manages.

However Ashford was not the only place in England with teeming with Highland cattle, as Petersfield in Hampshire has also become a social media hotspot after the cows were discovered on the beauty spot. 

Videos on TikTok – some boasting more than 50,000 likes – show the animals peacefully eating grass and resting as hikers walk past them and soak up the idyllic scenery.

One walker captioned their video: ‘Your sign to visit the Highland cows in Hampshire.’  Another wrote: ‘A wholesome hike you must do before winter is over.’

However, firefighters attempted to deter people from attempting to reach the cattle with three people having to be rescued while taking photos in the nature reserve in January.  

Station manager Steve Jenkins said that while social media posts show the Highland cows and panoramic views, they ‘rarely reflect the physical effort or preparation required to reach them’. 

‘The terrain can be challenging, especially during winter when poor weather conditions are more frequent and the daylight hours are limited,’ he added. ‘The area is covered in thick gorse, and the wet weather has made the ground very slippery.

‘Without proper preparation, visitors are at risk of slips, falls and hypothermia. We’re glad no-one was harmed during this incident, but it highlights the risks of visiting an exposed downland environment where conditions can change rapidly.’

Mr Jenkins advised visitors of the countryside to check weather conditions, plan a route before heading out and wear appropriate clothing including sturdy footwear.

Meanwhile, another man had to be rescued by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service after climbing a tree in a bid to escape an angry cow while walking his dog through Whiteley Bank. 

The man was stuck in the tree for around half an hour until emergency services managed to guide the calf and cow to their respective field. 

It is believed he had come across the animal who was thought to be protective over the calf on February 4 of this year. 

And selfie warnings are not only being issued for Highland Cows, as droves of selfie-obsessed tourists were seen circling two stags in 2019. 

The incident prompted a warning for officials that the majestic animals can be perilous, especially when their mating season, known as rutting, begins.

The mob chaos seen in Clapham has spread to other towns and cities after youths ran riot in London and Birmingham during Easter holiday ‘linkups’.

A sea of over 100 crazed teenagers descended on Clapham Common basketball courts on Saturday and Tuesday before swarming the high street where they looted shops, attacked police and fought one another.

After multiple shops were targeted on Saturday, including Marks and Spencer and Sainsbury’s, police advised establishments on Clapham High Street to close early yesterday as they braced for the second wave.

Families had to be barricaded inside or quickly ushered out of backdoors as bored children with nothing better to do during the half term decided to turn supermarkets into their playground.

Five teenage girls were arrested and police issued dispersal orders across the two days of chaos that spawned from a social media trend encouraging youngsters to ‘linkup’ en masse.

A similar sinister gathering happened in Birmingham on Friday as school kids flocked to the city centre on the last day of term.

Hooded youths were seen hurtling through the streets, fighting each other, swarming on shops and fast-food restaurants with videos posted on social media showing teens being arrested in the street.

TikTok videos and comments from people who attended suggest these ‘linkups’ are loosely pre-arranged via social media.

‘I was gonna go but none of my friends wanted to go,’ said one comment on a video about the ‘Clapham courts linkup’.

Another video shows two girls smiling and dancing at home, seems to be referencing yesterday’s second ‘linkup’ with a caption reading: ‘How we feel knowing it’s gonna be live at Clapham Courts on Tuesday.’ 

Elsewhere, West Midlands Police were forced to issue a 36 hour dispersal order in Solihull town centre due to ‘a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour’, including ‘reports of children and teenagers causing anti-social behaviour and criminal damage’.

The force said: ‘We realise the community have been impacted by the incidents which are simply not acceptable and we want to reassure residents we are taking action.

‘The people involved, which are groups of youths, are causing issues in the local community and we are determined to stop this happening.

‘Over the next 36 hours we’ve put in extra policing powers which will allow us to disperse anyone engaging in anti-social behaviour and causing a public nuisance. We have also increased the number of officers in the area.’

Inspector Mitch Darby, from Solihull Police, said: ‘We can’t tolerate this kind of behaviour which is having a real negative impact on the local community and this dispersal order gives us the powers to move people on who are causing a public nuisance.

‘We can assure the community we are taking action. You will see extra officers in the area over the coming days.’

With teenagers across the across the country on half-term, there are now fears the viral clips of these three ‘linkups’ will inspire more to erupt in different cities and towns with the Met Police warning it is a real possibility.

On Tuesday, police vehicles could be seen desperately trying to move through the throng of  who took to the streets in broad daylight.

The force confirmed two teenage girls were arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, and a dispersal order was put in place.

Marks and Spencer on the high street – which was looted by the flash mob over the weekend leading to two arrests – shut early amid fears of a further raid on its aisles.

And a security guard working for the supermarket told the Daily Mail he had to lock shoppers in for a short while, before gradually allowing them to be escorted out by officers. 

Mohammed said: ‘Police warned us there would be chaos so we prepared for it because of what happened last Saturday.

‘There were loads of kids sprinting and shouting and police advised all the shops to close for one hour.’

He added the supermarket decided instead to just close for the day and not reopen, but some shoppers remained inside. 

‘Police knew roughly the time today,’ he said. ‘They said it would start at around 4pm so they were here since midday. But the chaos happened at 7pm.

‘We had to lock shoppers in, at 8.15pm we let them out one by one with police and and security holding the doors shut and escorting them out.

‘Shoppers were very scared. There was one lady with a pram and a baby. She was terrified but police escorted her to safety.’

Mohammed added that the teens targeted a branch of Boots which was not as well prepared for the chaos as other shops.

Meanwhile, a local Waitrose also closed its doors, sticking a ‘police advised’ closure notice onto its front door, and Boots was targeted ‘very badly’, according to witnesses.

Further videos showed large groups of balaclava-clad youths gathering outside a McDonald’s restaurant in the area as marked and unmarked police cars raced to the scene.

And families were reportedly ‘barricaded’ inside a local Sainsbury’s as teenagers, many of whom dressed in all black, claimed control of the busy high street. 

Both McDonald’s and Sainsbury’s were forced to shut before their scheduled time amid the mob disruption.

By 10.30pm, the commotion had died down with police able to disperse a majority of the participants.

Employees at local shops said they were ‘scared’ as chaos reigned along the heaving road with cars coming to a standstill and commuters ducking for cover, or opting to film the scene using their smartphones. 

Fires were spotted burning on the fields of Clapham Common as police swooped in to extinguish them, sending smoke billowing into the air.

Dozens of officers broke into the huge crowd of teens in a bid to disperse the mob, but most of the participants appeared to hold their ground. 

The riot raged on into the evening with around 60 teenagers facing off with police attempting to disperse participants.

Officers arrived in four vehicles, including two vans, to separate a group gathering outside the Common’s basketball courts but many teens simply dashed past them while others shouted jibes at cops as they walked past.

Lime bikes lay scattered across the ground and a stench of cannabis hung in the air as youths gathered into intimidatingly large groups both on the street and in the park. 

‘It felt like Notting Hill carnival,’ the security guard said. ‘I’ve only seen something similar happen during the carnival when I worked at the Notting Hill branch.’

An employee at Roosters Spot chicken shop said: ‘Police told us to shut our shop and after we reopened we were warned not to let any kids come in today.

‘We were scared because we heard groups of 10 to 15 of them were coming into shops, running about, picking up trays and smashing stuff at walls.’

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: ‘Police are responding to an ongoing incident on Clapham High Street following reports of a large crowd of young people causing anti-social behaviour.

‘Officers are on the scene, and a dispersal order has been put in place, meaning anyone congregating must leave the area.

‘At this time two teenage girls have been arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. They have been taken to custody.

‘Officers will remain in the area to offer support and respond to any concerns from local residents and businesses.’

It comes after a mass ‘linkup’ that saw a wild mob of youths run riot in a M&S store and terrorise the streets of Clapham on Saturday was arranged in advance online.

Police were forced to issue a dispersal order and two 16-year-old girls and one 15-year-old girl were arrested for shoplifting and assault during the crazed gathering of over 100 teenagers. 

Footage posted on social media showed police officers watching on as an army of youngsters stormed through the supermarket.

Officers attempted to control the frenzied crowd as they shoved each other while running down the frozen food aisle before a brawl broke out that left one girl in tears.

Other videos showed them running through the high street squealing and shouting as confused onlookers stood frozen in fear.

They also ambushed other shops in the area, including a Sainsbury’s where a young girl was filmed hitting a police officer and another seen running out of the shop and away from officers. 

Videos and comments from teenagers who attended suggest the meet-up was arranged on social media with many calling it ‘the Clapham courts linkup’ and others simply referring to it as ‘Clapham courts’ or ‘courts’.

The chaotic scenes took place on the first day of the Easter holidays as it raised concerns that this might happen again while Britain’s youth is away from school. 

Footage showed Saturday’s large gathering initially meeting up at Clapham Common netball and basketball courts before spilling out on to the streets as the atmosphere became increasingly chaotic.

A clip of the incident has since gone viral on social media, with viewers branding the ordeal yet another example of Lawless London.

A Met Police spokesperson said of Saturday’s mob incident: ‘Tackling shoplifting and anti-social behaviour continues to be a priority for the Met, and we’re doing more to take action against offenders and support local businesses.

‘This proactive approach saw a 44 per cent increase in arrests last year, while shoplifting across London fell by four per cent.

‘At around 16:45hrs on Saturday, 28 March, police responded to reports of a group of around 100 young people causing anti-social behaviour and stealing from a number of businesses on Clapham High Street.

‘Officers imposed a dispersal order and made three arrests. Three girls, two aged 16 and one 15-year-old girl, were arrested for shoplifting and assault. They have since been bailed.’

The NHS is only days away from running out of some supplies because of the Iran war, the head of the health service in England has warned.

Sir Jim Mackey said ‘we are really worried’ about potential shortfalls in the number of critical supplies like syringes, masks and surgical equipment.

Deliveries have been affected by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with shipments either being held up completely or having to be diverted around the world.

Asked about what contingency planning is in place in the NHS because ‘the UK imports 75% of its medicine’, Sir Jim said: ‘We are really worried about this.

‘We’ve already had a couple of supply shocks in the last 12 to 18 months of key supplies.’

He said there is a team in place to ‘focus on where the risks might be through the supply chains’.

Asked on the LBC phone-in how much supply there is, he replied: ‘It depends what you’re talking about.

‘In every area, we’ve got enough to get through for a reasonable period… so generally, a few weeks

‘Because things perish and it costs money to store and various other things go out of out of use, you can’t hold years and years of supply, generally dependent on the product we keep a reasonable period.

‘Some of that is held centrally, some held locally.’

Asked what was at risk, Sir Jim said: ‘Well, everything, honestly – everything’s at risk.’

Asked whether in some instances it would be ‘weeks’ worth of supply’, he replied: ‘Yeah, it could be days for some products.’

On Monday, the Independent Pharmacies Association said the UK was facing a ‘perfect storm of factors exacerbating medicine shortages’.

Chief executive Dr Leyla Hannbeck said: ‘The UK pharmacy sector depends heavily on imports, particularly from India and China, and ongoing pressures, from rising energy costs to constrained raw ingredients from the Middle East conflict, are already disrupting supply and risk worsening shortages without decisive action.’

Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association said: ‘We’re not currently seeing shortages of medicine directly linked to the conflict in the Middle East, but pharmacies are seeing disturbing spikes in prices which can be an early indicator of challenges.

He added that ‘the supply chain is very international’ and said ‘we import a lot of medicines, but it’s an international system’.

‘The Department of Health have issued unprecedented numbers of price concessions designed to cope with price surges, which are likely exacerbated by this current situation.

‘The NHS has driven down the price of medicines over many years, which leaves the UK vulnerable in a global market and contributes to the rising problem of medicine shortages, which are a daily reality for many years for our members.

‘Pharmacies will always do everything they can to ensure patients get the medicines they need but they must do this in an increasingly competitive global market.

‘The Government needs to ensure both that physical supply routes are protected during this conflict but also ensure that the NHS is providing sufficient funding to ensure that Britain is not left behind in the international market at a time when both supply and demand for medicines are very challenging.’

A Government spokesperson said: ‘There are currently no reported medicine shortages as a result of conflict in the Middle East.

‘We continue to monitor the situation closely for any impacts on the medical supply chain.

‘The department actively monitors emerging threats to supply resilience and has established processes in place to manage disruption across the health and social care sector.’

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

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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27 березня 2026 року Кабінет Міністрів України ухвалив постанову №398 «Про визнання такою, що втратила чинність, постанови Кабінету Міністрів України від 22 травня 2019 року №437 «Питання українського правопису». Тож 28 березня 2026 року набрав чинності стандарт державної мови «Український правопис», затверджений рішенням Національної комісії зі стандартів державної мови від 1 березня 2026 року №47. Текст стандарту опубліковано на офіційному сайті комісії.

Рішення комісії обов’язкові для виконання на всій території України, отже, стандарт державної мови «Український правопис» поширюється на всі сфери життя, визначені в законодавстві, зокрема в Законі України «Про забезпечення функціонування української мови як державної». Єдиний офіційний текст правопису став обов’язковим для застосування в законодавстві, офіційному документообігу, офіційних перекладах, освітніх і наукових текстах тощо, повідомляє Національна комісія зі стандартів державної мови.

A surge in jet fuel prices driven by the US-Israeli war on Iran has upended the global aviation industry, forcing airlines to raise fares and revise financial outlooks. Here is how airlines have been responding so far this month:

AEGEAN AIRLINES: The Greek airline expects suspended Middle East flights and a spike in fuel prices to have a ‘notable impact’ on its first-quarter results.

AIR FRANCE-KLM: The airline group said it planned to increase long-haul ticket prices to address surging fuel costs, with cabin fares set to rise by 50 euros ($57) per round trip.

AIR NEW ZEALAND: The airline was one of the first to announce broad increases to ticket prices on March 10. It also suspended its full-year earnings forecast due to fuel market volatility. The price increases for one-way economy fares are set at NZ$10 ($6) on domestic routes, NZ$20 on short-haul international services and NZ$90 on long-haul flights, with further price, network and schedule changes possible if fuel costs remain elevated.

AKASA AIR: India’s Akasa Air said it was introducing a fuel surcharge ranging between 199 and 1,300 Indian rupees ($2 to $14) on domestic and international flights.

AMERICAN AIRLINES: The US carrier said it expected a $400 million increase in first-quarter expenses as fuel prices surge.

CATHAY PACIFIC: The Hong Kong airline said it would raise fuel surcharges on all routes from April 1, its second increase in about two weeks after a March 18 hike, and review them every two weeks. The carrier, which reviews fuel surcharges monthly, kept them steady last month at $72.90 for flights between Hong Kong and Europe or North America.

CEBU AIR: The Philippines-based airline said the sharp rise in fuel prices was a key concern and it would continue to review its pricing and network strategies to mitigate the impact.

EASYJET: EasyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis said European consumers should expect higher ticket prices towards the end of summer, when existing fuel hedges come to an end.

GREATER BAY AIRLINES: Hong Kong-based Greater Bay Airlines said it would raise fuel surcharges on most routes from April 1 due to higher fuel prices linked to the Iran war, while keeping charges unchanged on mainland China and Japan routes. Its surcharge for flights between Hong Kong and the Philippines will more than double, the carrier said.

FRONTIER AIRLINES: The US airline is reviewing its full-year forecast as fuel prices have increased significantly since it issued the outlook.

HONG KONG AIRLINES: The airline said it would raise fuel surcharges by up to 35 per cent from March 12, with the sharpest increase on flights between Hong Kong and the Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal, where charges would rise to HK$384 ($49) from HK$284.

IAG: British Airways-owner IAG said on March 10 it did not plan to increase ticket prices immediately, as it has hedged much of its fuel for the short- to medium-term.

INDIGO: India’s biggest airline said it would introduce fuel charges on domestic and international flights from March 14, including a charge of 900 rupees for flights to the Middle East and a charge of 2,300 rupees for flights to Europe. The company is also lobbying the Indian government to cut fuel taxes, sources told Reuters.

JETBLUE AIRWAYS: The US-based low-cost carrier said it was increasing fees for optional services such as checked baggage as it experiences ‘rising operating costs.’ Baggage prices will rise by either $4 or $9, the company said.

PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES: The carrier said it would raise domestic flight fares by $20 and international fares by up to $100, citing higher fuel surcharges.

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES: The airline said it had adequate fuel supply to support scheduled operations, but did not have visibility beyond May to June. Company president Richard Nuttall told CNBC the Philippines might eventually consider measures such as rationing how much fuel airlines can purchase, which a few countries have already implemented.

QANTAS AIRWAYS: The Australian airline, which had already said it would raise international fares, said on March 26 it would add flights to Rome, Paris and Singapore. It said it was monitoring fuel security, fuel prices and demand, and could make further changes.

SAS: The Scandinavian airline said it would cancel 1,000 flights in April because of high oil and jet fuel prices. For March, it said it had cancelled a ‘couple hundred’ flights. SAS, which had already increased flight prices, said that even if it tried to absorb the rising fuel costs, the price surge would still be a blow to the aviation industry.

SPRING AIRLINES: The budget Chinese airline said it would raise fuel surcharges on domestic flights from April 5, with details to be announced later.

THAI AIRWAYS: The Thailand-based carrier said it would raise fares by 10 per cent to 15 per cent to address rising fuel costs.

TURKISH AIRLINES, LUFTHANSA: SunExpress, a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, said it would impose a temporary fuel surcharge of 10 euros ($11.46) per passenger from May 1 on routes between Turkey and mainland Europe. The surcharge will apply to bookings made on or after April 1 for departures on or after May 1.

UNITED AIRLINES: The US airline is cutting unprofitable flights over the next two quarters as it prepares for oil prices to remain above $100 until the end of 2027, CEO Scott Kirby said. United has been able to raise fares without materially hurting bookings in response to the rapid increase in oil and jet fuel prices, Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said.

VIETJET: The Vietnamese budget airline said it had adjusted flight frequency on selected routes due to potential fuel shortages.

VIETNAM AIRLINES: The carrier plans to cancel 23 flights per week across domestic routes from April, Vietnam’s aviation authority said, after the airline requested government assistance to remove an environmental tax on jet fuel.

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Virgin Australia said it was adjusting fares to reflect rising cost pressures across the aviation sector, which it said were being significantly exacerbated by the situation in the Middle East.

A Clapham security guard has described the moment he was forced to lock customers inside the store as mobs of feral youths ran wild.

The Metropolitan Police warned of more Easter holiday ‘linkups’ as teens tore through south London once again on Tuesday evening with terrified families barricaded inside high street stores in the latest wave of chaos.

Clips circulating on social media showed crowds of children gathering in the neighbourhood, terrorising locals and forcing shops to close.

Police vehicles could be seen desperately trying to move through the throng of rioters who took to the streets in broad daylight on Tuesday afternoon, responding to a social media trend encouraging teens to ‘linkup’ en masse. 

The force confirmed two teenage girls were arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, and a dispersal order has been put in place.

Marks and Spencer on the high street – which was looted by a similar flash mob over the weekend leading to two arrests – shut early amid fears of a further raid on its aisles.

And a security guard working for the supermarket told the Daily Mail he had to lock shoppers in for a short while, before gradually allowing them to be escorted out by officers. 

Mohammed said: ‘Police warned us there would be chaos so we prepared for it because of what happened last Saturday.

‘There were loads of kids sprinting and shouting and police advised all the shops to close for one hour.’

He added the supermarket decided instead to just close for the day and not reopen, but some shoppers remained inside. 

‘Police knew roughly the time today,’ he said. ‘They said it would start at around 4pm so they were here since midday. But the chaos happened at 7pm.

‘We had to lock shoppers in, at 8.15pm we let them out one by one with police and and security holding the doors shut and escorting them out.

‘Shoppers were very scared. There was one lady with a pram and a baby. She was terrified but police escorted her to safety.’

Mohammed added that the rioters targeted a branch of Boot’s which was not as well prepared for the chaos as other shops.

Meanwhile, a local Waitrose also closed its doors, sticking a ‘police advised’ closure notice onto its front door, and Boot’s was targeted ‘very badly’, according to witnesses.

Further videos showed large groups of balaclava-clad youths gathering outside a McDonald’s restaurant in the area as marked and unmarked police cars raced to the scene.

And families were reportedly ‘barricaded’ inside a local Sainsbury’s as teenagers, many of whom dressed in all black, claimed control of the busy high street. 

Both McDonald’s and Sainsbury’s were forced to shut before their scheduled time amid the mob disruption.

By 10.30pm, the commotion had died down with police able to disperse a majority of the participants.

Employees at local shops said they were ‘scared’ as chaos reigned along the heaving road with cars coming to a standstill and commuters ducking for cover, or opting to film the scene using their smartphones. 

Fires were spotted burning on the fields of Clapham Common as police swooped in to extinguish them, sending smoke billowing into the air.

Dozens of officers broke into the huge crowd of teens in a bid to disperse the mob, but most of the participants appeared to hold their ground. 

The riot raged on into the evening with around 60 teenagers facing off with police attempting to disperse participants.

Officers arrived in four vehicles, including two vans, to separate a group gathering outside the Common’s basketball courts but many teens simply dashed past them while others shouted jibes at cops as they walked past.

Lime bikes lay scattered across the ground and a stench of cannabis hung in the air as youths gathered into intimidatingly large groups both on the street and in the park. 

‘It felt like Notting Hill carnival,’ the security guard said. ‘I’ve only seen something similar happen during the carnival when I worked at the Notting Hill branch.’

An employee at Roosters Spot chicken shop said: ‘Police told us to shut our shop and after we reopened we were warned not to let any kids come in today.

‘We were scared because we heard groups of 10 to 15 of them were coming into shops, running about, picking up trays and smashing stuff at walls.’

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: ‘Police are responding to an ongoing incident on Clapham High Street following reports of a large crowd of young people causing anti-social behaviour.

‘Officers are on the scene, and a dispersal order has been put in place, meaning anyone congregating must leave the area.

‘At this time two teenage girls have been arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. They have been taken to custody.

‘Officers will remain in the area to offer support and respond to any concerns from local residents and businesses.’

It comes after a mass ‘linkup’ that saw a wild mob of youths run riot in a M&S store and terrorise the streets of Clapham on Saturday was arranged in advance online on yet another day in Lawless London.

Police were forced to issue a dispersal order and two 16-year-old girls and one 15-year-old girl were arrested for shoplifting and assault during the crazed gathering of over 100 teenagers. 

Footage posted on social media showed police officers watching on as an army of feral youngsters stormed through the supermarket.

Officers attempted to control the frenzied crowd as they shoved each other while running down the frozen food aisle before a brawl broke out that left one girl in tears.

Other videos showed them running through the high street squealing and shouting as confused onlookers stood frozen in fear.

They also ambushed other shops in the area, including a Sainsbury’s where a young girl was filmed hitting a police officer and another seen running out of the shop and away from officers. 

Videos and comments from teenagers who attended suggest the meet-up was arranged on social media with many calling it ‘the Clapham courts linkup’ and others simply referring to it as ‘Clapham courts’ or ‘courts’.

‘I was gonna go but none of my friends wanted to go,’ said one comment.

The chaotic scenes took place on the first day of the Easter holidays as it raised concerns that this might happen again while Britain’s youth is away from school. 

Another video showing two girls smiling and dancing at home seemed to be referencing tonight’s second ‘linkup’ with a caption reading: ‘How we feel knowing it’s gonna be live at Clapham Courts on Tuesday.’

Footage showed Saturday’s large gathering initially meeting up at Clapham Common netball and basketball courts before spilling out on to the streets as the atmosphere became increasingly chaotic.

A clip of the incident has since gone viral on social media, with viewers branding the ordeal yet another example of lawless London.

A Met Police spokesperson said of Saturday’s mob incident: ‘Tackling shoplifting and anti-social behaviour continues to be a priority for the Met, and we’re doing more to take action against offenders and support local businesses.

‘This proactive approach saw a 44 per cent increase in arrests last year, while shoplifting across London fell by four per cent.

‘At around 16:45hrs on Saturday, 28 March, police responded to reports of a group of around 100 young people causing anti-social behaviour and stealing from a number of businesses on Clapham High Street.

‘Officers imposed a dispersal order and made three arrests. Three girls, two aged 16 and one 15-year-old girl, were arrested for shoplifting and assault. They have since been bailed.’