A key reason is they are rapidly running out of ways to defend themselves if Iran's counter-attack continues. Iran's neighbours, like the UAE, have been remarkably effective at shooting down Iranian missiles and drones. But the expenditure is not financially, or logistically, sustainable. An analysis by Kirsty Grieco, a security expert at the Stimson Centre in Washington DC, found the UAE had shot down an impressive 92% of Iranian missiles and drones including 165 ballistic missiles, 541 Shahed drones, and two cruise missiles. 👉Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim on your podcast app👈 Assuming it used its American-made Patriot or THAAD missile batteries - one of the few ground-based interceptor systems capable of downing Iran's ballistic missiles - it is a high price compared with Iran's. A single patriot missile costs between $4-5m (export prices can be significantly higher), while an Iranian ballistic missile costs just $1-2m. And when it comes to targeting Iran's drones, the economics get even more dismal. 'The maths clearly favours Iran' Grieco estimates Iran spent in the region of $11m to $27m on the 541 drones it launched on the UAE, with interceptors averaging $500,000-$1.5m per drone to shoot down 506 of them. The UAE's drone defence costs were between $253m and $759m, suggesting it spent 20 to 30 times more defending itself against Iran's drones than it cost the attacker launching them. "The maths clearly favours Iran in this strategy of attrition because we don't know exactly how many Shahed drones they might have in their stockpiles," said Grieco. "But it's much larger than the combined total of the stockpile of interceptor missiles that are available." The race is on The pressure that puts on the US and its allies may also now be influencing their tactical response. "We're now seeing sort of a race between Israel and the US trying to locate this drone infrastructure, to try to destroy it, to reduce the pressure on these interceptors, versus Iran trying to keep it an active, a mobile and active threat, and to be able to sustain this longer," said Grieco. It's being reported that allies in the Middle East asking the US to replenish their supplies are being "stonewalled" by the Pentagon. While the US military can bear the financial costs of its campaign, its ammunition stockpiles may not. Trump said yesterday the US attack on Iran could last four to five weeks. But does he have the resources to do that? 'Long-term strategic risk' Leaks from the Pentagon ahead of the assault indicated it had resources for an attack lasting only a week or two at most. Analysts estimate that the US military may deploy up to 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles on ships and submarines sent to Iran. That's around 10% of the estimated 4,000 Tomahawks in the US military’s arsenal. Stockpiles of its THAAD interceptor missiles are also thought be depleted. The US launched 150 THAAD missiles in its attack on Iran last June - about a quarter of its total inventory of 632. Read more from Sky News:AI could be giving US lethal edgeIran 'made a mistake' targeting civilians While the Pentagon has moved to increase production of these and other missiles, replacement could take two or three years. "We are using these interceptors at a rate that's much faster than you can possibly replace them," said Grieco. "The US can choose to buy down short-term risk in the Middle East [by] devoting more interceptors to the conflict. "The problem is that increases your long-term strategic risk. Particularly in other theatres because not only can you not replace these interceptors overnight, you can't even replace them necessarily this year." America's watchful adversaries If the conflict continues, the financial and logistical asymmetry of combating Iran's drones is a deadly one for Iran's neighbours. For the US, it's less existential - it can sail away from the Middle East once it has run out of ammo. However, America's other enemies will be counting the rounds fired in this conflict, too. What's to stop a "peer adversary" like China launching an attack on Taiwan, for example, if it knows the US won't have the munitions to prevent it?

He was also disqualified from driving for 17 years. The grime artist, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, failed to stop after his BMW struck 20-year-old Yubin Tamang last October. Clarke-Samuel, 41, had pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving in Ilford, northeast London. Mr Tamang, who had come to the UK from Nepal to study, died in hospital from his injuries two days after the crash. Speaking after the sentencing, a spokesperson for Mr Tamang's parents said: "We speak today with hearts broken beyond repair. "Our only child, a precious soul has been taken from us far too soon. He came to the UK to study and create a better life for himself and his family. Justin Clarke-Samuel has stolen our son's future and ours with it. "We are relieved that Justin Clarke-Samuel pleaded guilty and that he has now been jailed, but we can never forgive him for what he has done." The victim's mother, Sharmila Tamang, had earlier broken down in court, describing the "extreme pain" and "unimaginable sense of loss" of losing her only child. Evidence showed that Clarke-Samuel, 41, was driving his BMW M5 at 74mph in a 30mph zone moments before he hit Mr Tamang as he crossed Redbridge Lane at 11.33pm on 18 October. Clarke-Samuel then failed to stop at the scene. As the judge summarised the case, Clarke-Samuel, who was dressed all in black, sat in the dock with his eyes closed. He showed no emotion as the sentence was handed down. He has been in custody since a preliminary appearance at Barkingside Magistrates' Court on 27 October. Judge Mark Lucraft KC told Clarke-Samuel that CCTV footage showed a "quite appalling litany of incidents" leading up to the fatal collision which he described as "simply shocking". After the crash, Clarke-Samuel had continued to drive for eight miles before going home and having six or seven shots of Ciroc vodka and a "cannabis cookie", the court heard. When he was arrested several hours later, the BMW was found parked near his home, with significant damage including a smashed windscreen, extensive marks on the bonnet, damage to the front bumper and a missing wing mirror cover. The court was told the defendant had claimed he had driven dangerously because he feared someone was following him, but no evidence of a pursuit was found on CCTV. The judge noted Clarke-Samuel's "genuine remorse" and previous good work in the community, saying: "Your music has provided you with a following and a significant financial reward... I acknowledge that you have used that to good effect and done much to support many others." He went on to say it was a "real shame" that "all that good work is marred by driving in drink and taking the life of another young man". Ghetts describes his 'extreme regret, shame and remorse' Speaking for the defence, Benjamin Aina KC, told the court that Clarke-Samuel had written a letter in which he expressed his remorse for his actions on that night. Mr Aina said the father-of-two wanted to apologise to "the family of Mr Tamang, the community at large, to his own family, and to the court for his actions on that Saturday night of October last year". Reading an extract from Clarke-Samuel's letter, Mr Aina said: "I write from a place of extreme regret, shame and remorse… I cannot express the enormous feeling of guilt and shame for the suffering I have caused." The letter went on: "I want Mr Tamang's family to know that I am so truly sorry. I offer no excuses, and I have let my family and community down." Erratic driving and a further collision The court was shown CCTV footage of Clarke-Samuel driving erratically through the streets of London and showed the moment Mr Tamang was hit by the car. Prosecutor Philip McGhee told the court Clarke-Samuel's vehicle had thrown Mr Tamang into the air before he crashed to the ground in the road. Mr McGee said Mr Tamang was hit at 67mph, more than double the permitted maximum speed in that area. The court was also told Clarke-Samuel had been involved in a collision with a Mercedes on the same night, and had narrowly avoided striking a cyclist. In December, Clarke-Samuel admitted a charge of dangerous driving in Tavistock Place, in the Bloomsbury area of central London, and on other roads in Camden, Islington and Hackney ahead of the crash. The court heard that Clarke-Samuel has 12 previous convictions for 27 offences, including robbery, aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving, dating back to 2000. Speaking outside the court after the sentencing, Shani Taggart, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Justin Clarke-Samuel knew he was in no fit state to drive and there was clear evidence of his excessive speed and disregard for road users as he drove incredibly dangerously across our city. "After presenting this evidence, we secured guilty pleas to these two charges and today's sentence will see Clarke-Samuel face the consequences of his fatal decision to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking." Detective Sergeant Faye Cook, who led the Met's investigation, said: "We hope today's sentencing brings some measure of comfort to Yubin's family, while also serving as a reminder to the public of the devastating consequences of dangerous driving." Who is Ghetts? The rapper and songwriter, a two-time Mercury Prize nominee, has collaborated on tracks with Skepta, Stormzy and Ed Sheeran, and performed at Glastonbury several times, including in 2024. He won best male act at the 2021 MOBO Awards and received the MOBO pioneer award in 2024. He also starred as a gang leader called Krazy in the Netflix sci-fi series Supacell about five black south Londoners who unexpectedly develop superpowers.

An emergency brake is being placed on study visas for people from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, while work visas have also been stopped for Afghans. It's the first time such visa bans have been implemented by the UK government. Shabana Mahmood claimed a growing number of migrants from these countries are using legal migration routes as a backdoor for claiming asylum. According to Home Office figures, 39% of the 100,000 who claimed asylum in 2025 did so after arriving via a legal migration route. A spike in asylum applications between 2021 and September last year was dominated by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan. Ms Mahmood said: "Britain will always provide refuge to people fleeing war and persecution, but our visa system must not be abused. That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity." The bans will be officially introduced on Thursday, when Ms Mahmood will lay out measures to toughen up the asylum system. They would include asylum seekers having to have their refugee status reviewed every two-and-a-half years. Refugees whose countries are deemed safe will also be expected to return home. Read more on Sky NewsHow UK and Denmark's immigration policies compare Ms Mahmood's tougher approach doesn't sit comfortably with many Labour MPs, but she has warned a failure to address the public's concerns about immigration will lead to a right-wing government. But the government is also coming under pressure from its left flank, after the Greens won the year's first Westminster by-election. Ms Mahmood has argued the level of illegal immigration is "creating division within communities across the country", risking the erosion of public support for the asylum system entirely. The government has committed to ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the next election, though its plans for using old military sites are also proving unpopular.

Donald has guided Team Europe to back-to-back victories over the United States, leading them to a 16.5-11.5 win in Rome in 2023 - avenging a record-breaking loss two years earlier - before successfully retaining the trophy in New York last September. Team Europe built a record-breaking lead over Team USA over the first two days at Bethpage Black before closing out a 15-13 victory, seeing Donald join Tony Jacklin as the only European captains to win successive Ryder Cups. 2027 Ryder Cup: When is it and who will be involved?Ryder Cup: Latest headlines, reports and highlights Got Sky? Watch the Ryder Cup on the Sky Sports app 📱Not got Sky? Stream golf and more with no contract 📺 The former world No 1 was described as the 'best European captain of all time' after their famous win on American soil, with the former world No 1 now confirmed to become the first since Bernard Gallacher to captain Europe in three consecutive Ryder Cups. Donald will look to defend the trophy once again on home soil, live next September on Sky Sports, where he aims to complete a historic three-peat and become the first European to win three Ryder Cups as a captain. "The last two Ryder Cups have meant a lot to me and my family," Donald said. "I didn't imagine this third time would come. Celebrating on that Sunday night in New York after a pressure-packed week in a tough environment, I thought maybe my job was done. But maybe there is a little more story to tell. "This Ryder Cup captaincy journey has given me so much focus, so much purpose and it is something I don't take for granted. It's a real privilege and I am certainly looking forward to another home Ryder Cup." Captain Donald continues historic journey Donald has never been on a losing team in the Ryder Cup as a player or a captain, appearing in four victorious sides as a player before masterminding the back-to-back wins over the United States as a captain. The Englishman was part of winning teams as a player in 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2012, with Donald also serving as a vice-captain to Thomas Bjorn in the 2018 success in Paris and Padraig Harrington in the heavy 2021 loss at Whistling Straits. Donald was initially a replacement captain for the 2023 edition, following Henrik Stenson being stripped from the role for joining LIV Golf, although has since cemented his status as one of Europe's Ryder Cup greats. He was met with a chant of "two more years" from his players after the Rome victory, which he responded to by taking on the role again for the 2025 edition, with a similar message directed his way after last year's title defence. He held discussions with DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings in January and has been locked in as captain again for the centenary edition at Limerick's Adare Manor, taking place from September 17-19 next year. "History is obviously important to me," Donald added. "As a team, as Ryder Cup Europe, we all play for history. We talk about it a lot, about the guys who paved the way for us and the responsibility we have to inspire next generations. "I don't think I have ever thought about history through a personal lens. I just try to enjoy the journey and the day-to-day work to create an environment that gives the players the opportunity for success. That is what I focus on." Donald had previously refused to rule out a third stint in the role immediately after ending home dominance in the biennial contest, with victory at Bethpage Black the first away win - from either team - since the 2012 'Miracle at Medinah'. Guy Kinnings, chief executive of the European Tour Group, said: "Luke was an outstanding captain in Rome and New York, leading the team to victory both times, and it is fantastic he is coming back to do it a third time. "Those victories were remarkable, but almost even more impressive was how he led the team and how he conducted himself. He has faced a lot of challenges as captain throughout his two terms, and he has handled all of them with his usual calm, poise and authority and above all with respect. "He is meticulous in everything he does when it comes to planning and preparation, but Luke would be the first to acknowledge that as good as job as he has done, this is a new challenge for him and the team. He will be as motivated and as committed as ever to help them achieve more success." The PGA of America are yet to announce who will captain Team USA for the 2027 contest, with Tiger Woods the favourite to succeed Keegan Bradley after turning down the opportunity last time around. Watch the next two Ryder Cups, including the 2027 edition at Adare Manor in Ireland, exclusively live on Sky Sports. Stream the DP World Tour and more with no contract.

For several days following the start of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, the country felt like a lone EU voice questioning the legality of the operation. Iran latest: Iran close to picking new leader Then it went further, refusing to let the Americans use Spanish bases to launch their military operations. Donald Trump rewarded these actions by threatening Spain with a trade war. "We're going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don't want anything to do with Spain," he said while flanked by a conspicuously silent German chancellor. But Spain isn't budging. Today, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addressed the nation, summing up his position in four words, "no to the war". He said this stance was by no means a sign of support for the Ayotollahs; instead, he was calling on Iran, Israel and the US to stop the fighting before it was too late. "Twenty-three years ago, another US administration dragged us into a war with the Middle East. It triggered the largest wave of insecurity our continent has experienced since the fall of the Berlin Wall," Mr Sanchez said. He also warned that the war risked "playing Russian roulette" with millions of lives. Clearly not afraid to challenge the US president further, he said governments were meant to improve people's lives and provide solutions to problems, not make them worse, adding: "It is unacceptable that leaders who are incapable of fulfilling their duties try to cover up their failure with the smoke of war." Ouch! 👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈 Trump isn't used to being so openly defied. As I write, we are still awaiting his reaction to this morning's speech, but it feels unlikely that he will let it pass unchallenged. Others have already reacted, the Spanish vice president of the European Commission, Teresa Ribera, throwing her weight behind her country, denouncing Trump's threats as detrimental to global stability. "The tension arising from this way of relating to third parties, whether it be British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, or Pedro Sanchez, is deeply disruptive for societies, for peace, cooperation, and also for the economy," she said. Meanwhile, sources in France and Spain told us the French president was planning on calling Sanchez to show his allegiance. In a softer tone last night, Emmanuel Macron joined the Spanish prime minister in calling the legality of the strikes into question, concluding that they were conducted "outside of international law" and that Paris "cannot approve of them". But what about Germany - the EU's biggest beast? While Friedrich Merz didn't join Trump in his criticism of the Spanish stance on Iran, Germany's chancellor certainly didn't jump to Spain's defence. In fact, he later mentioned that they were still negotiating with Madrid to up their NATO contributions - another sore spot for the US president. Read more from Sky News:Was Iran 'days' from atomic weapons?US allies fear shortage of weaponsIs AI giving US lethal edge in Iran? When questioned by reporters about this later, the chancellor said he addressed the attacks on Spain and the UK in private, reminding Donald Trump that Spain is an EU member, so cannot be singled out for treatment. "I did not want to escalate or prolong the debate publicly," Merz explained. While his reasoning - that an open challenge to Trump would have likely just enflamed the situation - makes sense given the experience of Zelenskyy last year, the Spanish are unimpressed. Spain's foreign minister expressed his "surprise" at the chancellor's behaviour, pointedly remarking: "I cannot imagine Chancellor (Angela) Merkel or (Olaf) Scholz making such remarks." While other Spanish sources went further, saying: "Merz had an attitude not befitting a European leader who defends the unity of his partners." It seems by deciding not to antagonise Donald Trump, Friedrich Merz has put himself firmly in Madrid's firing line.

During the ceremony, as Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award on stage, a racial slur was shouted out by Tourette's campaigner John Davidson, who was there to celebrate a movie about his life. The BBC failed to cut the slur from its broadcast of the 22 February event and viewers could see the offending moment for more than 12 hours before the programme was taken down from BBC iPlayer. By then, the incident was starting to make headlines and create online discourse around the world. Cumming, an actor and presenter who hosts the US Traitors, has now released a statement, saying: "It's now a week since I hosted the BAFTAs. What should have been an evening celebrating creativity as well as diversity and inclusion turned into a trauma triggering shitshow. "I'm so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt at hearing that word echoed round the world. I'm so sorry the Tourettes community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition." Cumming said the "only possible good" to come out of the incident is "a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgement about things of which we are not fully cognisant is folly, that all trauma must be recognised and honoured". The BBC has said it did cut a second racist slur from the ceremony. Other moments, including a call to "free Palestine" by director Akinola Davies Jr, were also edited out. Cumming finished by referencing this, saying: "We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech. Congratulations to all the artists whose work was overshadowed by the night's events." The presenter apologised on stage for the language viewers may have heard during the ceremony, but this is his first statement addressing the fallout. Lindo says support 'means a lot' At the weekend, Lindo was in California where he appeared at the NAACP Image Awards, which celebrates outstanding achievements and performances of black and minority ethnic people in the arts. The British-born US actor addressed the incident while on stage with Sinners director Ryan Coogler, saying: "We appreciate - I appreciate - all of the support and love we have been shown in the aftermath of what happened last weekend, it means a lot to us. "It is an honour to be here amongst our people this evening, amongst so many people who have shown us such incredible support. "And it's a classic case of something that could've been very negative becoming very positive. Thank you so much for the support." Lindo praised the ceremony as "a room where being fully seen is not rare, but it is expected". Read more:John Davidson on I SwearWho is Robert Aramayo? What have the BBC and BAFTA said? The BBC and BAFTA both apologised in statements released last week. The BBC later described the incident as a "serious mistake" and said it was carrying out a "fast-tracked" investigation. Davidson, whose Tourette's causes him to involuntarily shout out words, has said he is "deeply mortified" by what happened. He was at the ceremony to celebrate I Swear, a film about his life and struggles, which was nominated for several awards and went home with two - best casting and best actor for Robert Aramayo. Aramayo plays Davidson in the movie and beat the likes of Hollywood stars Timothee Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio to win the award.

John Swinney has once again maintained his assurances about the safety of the near £1bn Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH). The campus has been at the centre of ongoing controversy over contaminated water and ventilation system issues, possibly being linked to a number of patient deaths in the past decade. Earlier this week, Sky News' Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies reported that mould and dirty water leaks were identified in clinical areas within the adult bone marrow transplant (BMT) unit, which treats patients with severely weakened immune systems. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) said a number of rooms in a ward had been closed "in line with agreed recognised processes". Professor Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen, claimed the ward "is not safe, and nobody should be saying it is". The expert told Sky News any form of mould "could kill" bone marrow patients and the ward "should be closing" until repairs are complete. In February, Mr Swinney was sent a letter signed by 27 people affected by the hospital infections scandal, which called for more reassurances about the ongoing safety of the facility. The first minister said he understood their concerns but stated that he believed the hospital is safe. He was asked about Sky News' report during a visit to Inverness on Wednesday. Mr Swinney said: "I'm confident that the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is safe for patients. "There will be issues that emerge from time to time with individual hospitals that require a response and action to make sure that safety is maintained. "That is exactly what's going on at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital under the leadership of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. "All of that focus is necessary to make sure that we can continue to be confident in the safety of the hospital, and that's the work that will be undertaken." Read more:Health secretary repeatedly asked if QEUH is 'safe'Families call for health board bosses to 'face a reckoning' NHSGGC refused to specifically answer 10 questions posed by Sky News - but issued a statement in response. The health board confirmed that a "number of rooms on ward 4B are closed at the moment and are being managed in line with agreed recognised processes". The spokesperson added: "These rooms do not have patients in them and actions have been implemented including sealing the rooms off as a precaution, with additional appropriate infection control measures taken to mitigate any potential risks to patients. "We are in communication with patients to ensure they are fully kept up to date." The health board said patient safety "remains at the heart of everything we do". The spokesperson added: "Infection prevention and control are core priorities across all our hospitals. "Since the QEUH and RHC (Royal Hospital for Children) opened in 2015, we have faced challenges linked to the original build quality. The building we got was not what we paid for. "We acknowledge the impact this has had on patients, families, whistleblowers and staff, and we are sorry for the distress caused."

Fletcher, 18, the son of former United midfielder and current coach Darren Fletcher, was sent off in the incident, which occurred in a 5-2 win against Barnsley in October. Fletcher was heard by the referee directing a homophobic term at an opponent, which Sky Sports is aware of but has taken the decision not to repeat. When the charge was brought, the FA said: "It is alleged that during the fixture, you acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words, contrary to FA Rule E3.1. "It is alleged that the breach of FA Rule E3.1 is an "Aggravated Breach", as defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to sexual orientation." An FA regulatory commission hearing on February 3 decided he had used it as an insult and handed Fletcher a six-match ban, fined him £1,500 and also ordered him to complete an education order. "I am truly sorry for the offensive word that I used in the heat of the moment," Fletcher said. "Despite the fact I had no intention to use the term as a homophobic insult, I completely understand that such language is unacceptable and immediately apologised after the game. "I want to be clear that this momentary lapse of character absolutely does not reflect my beliefs or values." A statement on social media from Rainbow Devils, United's LGBTQ+ supporters' club, welcomed Fletcher's apology. "We hope Jack learns from this and grows as a person and a player," it read. "His immediate regret and guilty plea suggests that he will." A statement from United read: "Manchester United has worked with Jack to strengthen his understanding of discriminatory language and why it is harmful. "In addition to his ongoing participation in regular academy programmes on diversity and inclusion, Jack will also take part in educational training through the FA (Football Association). "Manchester United prides itself on being an inclusive and welcoming club. Since launching All Red All Equal in 2016, we have embedded equality, diversity and inclusion into everything we do."