Lancashire's Stonyhurst College forced to cancel drinks and canapés receptions in Tokyo, Dubai and Singapore
Lancashire’s Stonyhurst College has had to cancel three international drinks and canapes receptions because of escalating tension in the Middle East.
The college in Hurst Green, Ribble Valley, attracts a number of international boarding pupils every year, and had planned three admission events this month - at the Tokyo Midtown Yaesu tomorrow, at the Radisson Beach Resort in Dubai on March 13 and at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on March 21.
An announcement was made on the college’s social media platform this week, stating: “Due to the current situation and associated airspace restrictions, the upcoming Stonyhurst drinks and canapés receptions in Tokyo, Dubai and Singapore have unfortunately been cancelled in the interests of safety.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused and hope to reschedule these gatherings when circumstances allow.”
What’s happening?
The United States and Israel are continuing to carry out air strikes in Iran after war broke out on Saturday.
Iran has responded by firing missiles at Israel and other countries in the region with links to the US, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
On Sunday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader who ruled Iran for nearly 40 years, was killed in an air strike. US President Trump said that the attack was to stop Iran from making nuclear weapons - something that Iran denies it's doing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called this a threat to both Israel and the US.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the attack unprovoked and illegal.
There have been full or partial airspace closures in the affected area since the weekend, with flights to many major hubs across the region cancelled or suspended.
The school
The school, which dates back to 1593, boasts famous alumni including author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, actor Charles Laughton, and rugby union stars Will Greenwood, Kyran Bracken. J.R.R. Tolkien is closely associated with Stonyhurst College, although he was not a pupil at the school, he was a frequent visitor during the 1940s and 1950s, particularly when his son, Michael, taught Classics there, and is said to have written parts of The Lord of the Rings in a classroom on the Upper Gallery.
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