A US Air Force colonel who was stranded behind enemy lines in the heart of Iran for two days has opened up about the experience – from the ‘terrifying’ moment he realized his parachute was broken to the daring rescue mission.

The weapons system officer, who has only been referred to by his callsign ‘Dude 44 Bravo,’ was flying in the back seat of an F-15E Strike Eagle on April 2 when it was struck down over a remote area of Iran.

He now calls his rescue and fight for survival a ‘modern-day miracle’ after breaking his back, an arm and a shoulder, and spraining his ankle. 

Bravo’s mission that night was to conduct a strike on industrial facilities related to Iran’s drone and missile program, Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, told 60 Minutes on Sunday night.

But as he and the pilot of the plane, who has only been referred to as ‘Alpha,’ were crossing south of the city of Isfahan, a shoulder-fired missile struck the $30 million plane in what Bravo likened to ‘getting hit by a freight train.’

At first, the airman said he and his partner did everything they could to try to save the fighter jet – but it quickly became apparent that the plane couldn’t be saved and they were forced to eject.

Alpha was able to land safely, but after Bravo jumped out of the plane, he realized his parachute had been damaged in the attack.

‘At one point, when I looked up and saw no parachute, that was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever seen,’ the airman recounted, choking up as he spoke.

‘So I paused right then and I prayed, “Lord your will be done. But I’m getting through this.”‘ 

Bravo shared how terrified he was when he realized his parachute had been destroyed

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Bravo was flying in the back seat of an F-15E Strike Eagle on April 2 when it was struck down over a remote area of Iran

Bravo then free-fell to the ground, crashing down at an estimated 70 to 100 mph.

‘I believe it’s a testament to God’s provision in my life to bring me through that moment in a way that didn’t prevent injuries, but prevented any catastrophic injuries that would have affected my ability to survive,’ he said.

‘I had injuries, but we all train to adapt and overcome the things that we’re faced with,’ he explained. ‘I moved as quickly as I could, despite the injuries, away from the place that I landed.’

When the sun then rose that morning, Bravo was able to make out some of his surroundings – and found himself in a valley with cliffs to either side.

He then realized the safest place for him to go would be up, where he could see Iranian forces coming from the valley below.

So, despite his broken bones, Bravo hiked and climbed up a 7,000-foot ridgeline as he told himself to ‘never let a lack of motivation put you on Iranian TV.’

Meanwhile, back in the United States, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to be woken up in the middle of the night as his aides told him about the crash.

His immediate reaction, he said, was to ask whether the crew was OK and whether Iran knew what had happened. 

But ‘whether they’re alive or not, we’re going to get them,’ Hegseth vowed. 

Following the crash, Iranian military forces put a $60,000 bounty on the airman’s head, prompting Iranian militants to hunt for him in the mountains. (Pictured: Bakhtiari tribes in Khuzestan headed into the mountains, rifles in hand, searching for the missing American F-15 jet pilot)

Evidence of the wreckage was quickly shared on Iranian media 

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Soon, though, evidence of the wreckage was shared on Iranian media and videos emerged online of armed groups hunting down the F-15E’s crew.

Some came within just a few hundred meters of where Bravo was hiding, US military sources told 60 Minutes.

‘There was clear intent out of the Iranian ground force to come find those two guys,’ said General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

During the ‘race against time,’ US military closely tracked the Iranians in the area, and after six hours, US forces were able to rescue Alpha in a risky daytime raid as American helicopters took fire.

‘It was a gun fight all the way in and all the way out,’ Hegseth recounted. ‘But they got Alpha back in.’

Still, the crews were unable to find Bravo and withdrew from the region. 

Declassified video showed the moment rescuers approached Bravo after two days of hiding on the ridgeline at about 7,000 feet above sea level

But as night fell on that first day in Iran, Bravo was able to send a message back home.

‘When I got to the moment where I could review and think about all that I’d gone through, I sent “God is good” as recognition of all that He had brought me through,’ said the airman.

He also alerted the US military that he was injured but was moving.  

A rescue force was almost sent in immediately after US forces received the message, but it ‘just didn’t line up,’ Hegseth said. 

‘That was a really tough decision,’ he said. ‘I’ll never forget, you know, being in the situation room and saying “OK I guess we’re gonna roll 24,” which means, “Hey Bravo’s going to be out there for basically 24 hours more.”‘ 

Fortunately, the airman was able to survive with almost no food or water, in the wind and the cold on the high mountain desert.

At the same time, the CIA launched a multi-pronged deception campaign meant to confuse Iranian forces looking for Bravo as they used top-secret technology to pinpoint the airman’s location.

When US forces were then ready to conduct another daring rescue, American bombers and drones struck Iran’s Revolutionary Guard forces near where he was hiding.

Once the path was then cleared, the US sent more than 90 soldiers on the ground – marking the first US boots on the ground in Iran in 46 years.

Several hundred other soldiers took to the air while several thousand more served as support, as General Caine said the US would have sent even more to rescue Bravo.

The rescue teams then came in on two large planes and landed on a makeshift desert airstrip, while ‘Little Bird’ helicopters reached Bravo on the ridgeline several miles away.

When Bravo then saw his rescuers approach, he said it was ‘one of the greatest moments of my life.’

Still, Bravo was not in the clear – as the rescue planes’ landing gear got stuck in the desert sand and could not take off, leaving more than 90 of what Adm Cooper described as the military’s ‘most elite service members’ stuck until a clandestine Air Force unit came to the rescue.

It then destroyed the two stuck aircraft, worth about $100 million each, as well as the Little Bird helicopters so that the technology wouldn’t fall into Iranian hands.

Finally, about 50 hours after being shot down, Bravo was safe.

When he then left the country, the airman made sure to call his wife back home.

‘I was really proud of her and grateful for the strength that she showed,’ he recounted.

Bravo said he now wants the American public to realize the rescue mission was about more than what he had endured.

‘It’s a story of the teamwork, the training, of the faith, of the decisions and the leadership to do something that will live in history as an example of what America’s willing to do, in order to uphold our promise and leave no man behind.’ 

Donna Marie Brand was given service after her recent death at HMP Stirling. Prison officers claim the event was “extraordinary” given the killer’s part in barbaric death of Caroline Glachan, 14, in 1996

Prison staff were shocked at a memorial service held for a child killer who evaded justice for 30 years.

Officers were made to organise a service at HMP Stirling for Donna Marie Brand, who died after serving just two years of a 17 year sentence for the murder of 14-year-old schoolgirl Caroline Glachan in 1996. The family of the killer were then invited to the prison to see the cell she’s occupied and the facilities available to her.

Staff have claimed the treatment given to the murderer was “extraordinary”, given the appalling nature of her crime. When Brand appealed her sentence last year, appeal judge Lord Carloway said: “It is not possible to categorise the punishment part as excessive for what was an evil, concerted crime.”

Brand was part of a gang who savagely battered Caroline, then hit her with rocks and left her to die in the River Leven at Renton, Dunbartonshire.

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One source said: “Officers weren’t happy about having to facilitate this. It is extremely unusual, extraordinary even, for a murderer to be afforded this level of courtesy within a prison when they die. There was a lot of muttering about it and most people didn’t think it was appropriate.”

More than 20 people attended a memorial service, including Brand’s family members and prisoners. The source added: “If had been a prisoner that had been in the system for many years and who’d forged positive relationships in that time it would be easy to understand.

“But this is a woman who committed a terrible crime and who only served less than three years of a 17 year sentence. People felt it was an affront to the family of the young girl who was murdered.”

Caroline’s mum said she did not wish to comment on any memorial for her daughter’s killer.

But Margaret McKeich, 68, said she was troubled that Brand did not serve the sentence that was handed out to her. She said: “I don’t have any opinion on it, other than to say that she failed to serve her full time. That bothers me. But other than that I don’t have feelings for her. She doesn’t live in my head.”

Donna Marie Brand, 47, died in custody last month after an illness. She was found guilty in December 2023, alongside Robert O’Brien and Andrew Kelly following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

She was sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years in jail. Initial investigations back at the time of Caroline’s death were bungled, with huge police time wasted chasing up wild goose chase leads.

Vital evidence that was available at the time was never given proper priority until the cold case team took another look at the crime. Jurors heard the trio arranged to meet Caroline near a bridge by the River Leven, on August 25, 1996.

She was repeatedly punched and kicked and had bricks or similar objects thrown at her. She was pushed or fell into undergrowth before her body was discovered in the river later the same day.

When Brand was sentenced, the judge said she played no active part in the assault but shared responsibility for Caroline’s death because she left the teenager in the river. Ringleader Robert O’Brien and accomplice Andrew Kelly were also jailed for life, with minimum terms of 22 years and 18 years.

Caroline was still alive when she entered the water and that the ultimate cause of death was drowning.

A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: “Every death, whether in prison custody or in our communities, is a tragedy for all those who knew and supported the individual. When someone in our care dies, a service will often be held for those who knew and cared for the individual.”

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Anti-migrant protests in Dover and Portsmouth may look like another manifestation of a familiar phenomenon. In recent years, the UK has seen repeated demonstrations and rioting over asylum hotels, small-boat crossings and immigration. This time though, the gatherings consisted of black-clad men in balaclavas, organised by a man who calls himself a devoted Christian.

The protesters took to the streets of Dover, occupying key roundabouts and causing traffic chaos. Similar intimidation tactics were used in Portsmouth the following day. My research on the contemporary far right suggests that we should pay attention not only to what these activists believe, but how they organise and what they do.

At the centre of the latest protests is a group called Patriot Platform, a network formed in June connecting anti-migrant and “patriot” formations. This appears to be an evolution in British far-right activism: away from conventional demonstrations and towards something more mobile, networked and potentially vigilante in nature.

Anti-migrant activists monitoring Britain’s coastline are not new. Other research has documented how Dover became an important arena for far-right mobilisation around small-boat crossings from around 2020. This study described an ecosystem of political organisations, single-issue groups and influencers (often self-described “citizen journalists” and even “auditors”). They operate in a space that falls somewhere between activism, the online celebrity world and vigilantism.

One key difference with Patriot Platform, however, lies in its organisation and operational capacity. The group claims to have had 45,000 “sign-ups” since its launch. A longstanding weakness of the British far right since the decline of the British National Party has been the way in which it has splintered.

Patriot Platform is significant because it is attempting to connect disparate local “patriot” groups rather than construct a single hierarchical organisation.

This appears to be a very different and more localised movement to the 2024 UK riots in Southport and beyond. Now, a relatively small, committed set of activists travel between coastal locations, communicate privately and draw support locally wherever the next flashpoint occurs.

Christian nationalism

There is also an explicitly Christian dimension to Patriot Platform – this is not incidental. The group is a self-professed Christian “army of patriots”. Its leader Daniel Thomas (Danny Tommo) has presented the network as committed to Christian values and restoring the nation to a time when Christian values were central to the nation.

The group’s use of religious language (“Christ is king” and “Christian values”) provides a vocabulary of redemption, duty, sacrifice and the defence of a community supposedly under threat. This fits a wider pattern in the UK of an emerging Christian nationalism, where Christianity isn’t just about theology or church attendance. It is also a marker of national and civilisational identity.

Britain is imagined as fundamentally Christian. Immigration (particularly Muslim immigration) can be framed by these groups as a threat to borders and to the country’s cultural and moral order.

That does not mean that Christianity in itself explains the mobilisation, nor that the activists represent British Christians generally. Rather, Christian symbolism can reframe right-wing ideas of nationalism as a moral mission

Activists become protectors of the nation, family (another cherished institution of Patriot Platform) and inherited values, rather than simply people who oppose immigration. This broadens the movement’s appeal, opens up funding opportunities in the US and gives its political action a higher sense of purpose.

The riots following the Southport murders in 2024 demonstrated how rapidly misinformation and anti-migrant and anti-Muslim narratives could travel between social media and the street. Subsequent protests around asylum accommodation have shown how immigration can function as a focal point for wider political grievances.

This is why it’s important not to become overly focused on individual organisations. Groups can collapse, while their activists, tactics and narratives migrate elsewhere. The crucial question about Patriot Platform is not whether it will still exist in five years. It is whether its networks, tactics and ideological framing will become more broadly adopted within the UK far right.

It remains to be seen if the same activists are able to mobilise around successive flashpoints and whether national networks can continue to recruit local supporters. Another question is whether the combination of patriotism, anti-migrant politics and Christian identity will provide a more durable organising culture.

Several years ago, the intersection between anti-migrant activism, surveillance and vigilantism in Dover was already understood. Recent events may show the next stage of that process. The important question is whether parts of Britain’s far right are developing the networks and ideological identity to sustain vigilante actions into the future.

Friends of Rowntree Park said it was “really upsetting” to find the damage in the park on Sunday morning (September 13).

A spokesperson for charity said three rowan trees, planted last year and worth around £80 to £100 each, have been “snapped and pulled apart” in the park’s Friends Railed Garden.

A tree which has been snapped in Rowntree Park, York (Image: Friends of Rowntree Park)

Pampas grass has also “been torn out and strewn around the garden, alongside a considerable amount of rubbish and cannabis-related paraphernalia”, they said.

The spokesperson said the vandalism has been reported to North Yorkshire Police and urged anyone with information about the damage – as well as any other anti-social behaviour in the park – to contact the force.

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They said the rowan trees, which can grow to 15m in height and live for up to 200 years, were donated to Friends of Rowntree Park last year and planted by its volunteers.

“While there is a financial cost to replacing [the rowan trees], the real cost is much greater,” the Friends of Rowntree Park spokesperson said.

“Someone donated those trees, volunteers gave their time to plant and care for them, and now more volunteer time will be spent clearing up and trying to repair the damage.”

Litter left in Rowntree Park, York (Image: Friends of Rowntree Park)

They said the vandalism overnight into Sunday came after the park faced “increasing problems in this particular area over the last few months, including regular litter and graffiti”.

“Whoever was responsible, deliberately destroying trees and plants in a community garden is incredibly disappointing,” they said.

“We don’t have CCTV in the park. We do report incidents of antisocial behaviour to the police, and this damage has also been reported.

“If you witness antisocial behaviour, deliberate damage or drug-related activity in the park, please report it to the police too.

“Individual reports help build a picture of what is happening and when, and hopefully help make the case for more community policing and evening patrols in and around the park.”

They added: “Rowntree Park belongs to all of us.

“The Friends Railed Garden is cared for largely by people giving their time for free. It’s incredibly frustrating to see that work deliberately destroyed for no reason.

“A huge thank you, as always, to the volunteers who keep turning up and caring for this space.”

The sun had its hat on in Newcastle today (September 13) as runners of all ages and abilities took on the world’s biggest half marathon.

The Red Arrows brightened up the skies with red white and blue as they soared over the Tyne Bridge on Sunday morning as runners left the city centre on their 13.1 mile route. 

From Chris Kamara and Ben Shephard to Joe McElderry and Helen Skelton, a string of celebrities took part in the event today, kicked off by Newcastle legend Dan Burn.

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: Richard Sellers)

Plumes of colour fill the skies as runners cross the start line of the AJ Bell Great North Run (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Armed with banners, signs, and bucket loads of community spirit, thousands of people lined the streets of Tyneside to cheer on the many runners.

First to cross the finish line for the men’s elite race today was Zouhair Talbi (59 minutes, 47 seconds) followed by last year’s winner Alex Mutiso (01:00:01) and Yohei Ikeda (01:00:40)

The Great North Run 2026. First to cross the finish line for the men’s elite race today was Zouhair Talbi (59 minutes, 47 seconds) followed by last year’s winner Alex Mutiso (01:00:01) and Yohei Ikeda (01:00:40) (Image: Adam Kennedy)

Zouhair Talbi wins the elite mens race in the AJ Bell Great North Run (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

Brigid Kosgei (1st), Sheila Chepkirui (2nd) and Melknat Wudu (3rd) at the end of the elite womens race in the AJ Bell Great North Run (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

The Great North Run 2026. In the elite wheelchair race, Melanie Woods (00:50:19) came first followed by Rita Cuccuru (01:06:57) and Catriona Johnston (01:27:29). (Image: Adam Kennedy)

Brigid Kosgei (01:06:15) took home the top spot in the elite women’s race, followed by last year’s winner Sheila Chepkirui (01:08:19) and finally Melknat Wudu (01:09:37).

In the elite wheelchair race, Melanie Woods (00:50:19) came first followed by Rita Cuccuru (01:06:57) and Catriona Johnston (01:27:29).

Prime Minister Andy Burnham gets ready to take part in the AJ Bell Great North Run (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

Prime Minister Andy Burnham completes the AJ Bell Great North Run, (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

And some runners were even able to jog alongside Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who was announced as a surprise runner earlier this morning. 

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Wearing a Number 10 bib, the Labour leader became the first serving Prime Minister in the event’s 45 years to take on the event whilst serving in office. 

Plumes of colour fill the skies as runners cross the start line of the AJ Bell Great North Run (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: Adam Kennedy)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: Adam Kennedy)

He described the event as “fantastic” and said it was “good for the whole country to have its eyes on this wonderful part of the world today”.

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Speaking to the BBC before the race on Sunday morning, Mr Burnham said: “People said to me when I became Prime Minister: ‘Don’t change.’

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“I’ve been doing the Great North Run for a few years, so I thought: ‘Well, I’ll live that now. I won’t change. I’ll come and do it again.’

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The Great North Run 2026 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Runners take part in the AJ Bell Great North Run (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

“And hopefully leading from the front, getting out there. I’m a big believer that everybody should do a bit of activity, whatever it is people can do.”

He ran to raise money for homelessness charity Changing Lives, which he visited in Newcastle last month as part of a national drive to end rough sleeping.

While many runners simply opted for a lightweight t-shirt and shorts, others opted for something a little more out there – with a dinosaur, panda, and sunflower among the costumes this year.

A growing number of older men are turning to boxing for the first time and taking part in competitive bouts with another new recruits

A grieving dad has become a boxer to help him cope with the tragedy of losing his wife to cancer.

Khurum Jabbar took up the sport competitively after his wife Shahzia, who passed away in July, was diagnosed with Melanoma last October. The 36-year-old mother has also left three young children aged two, five and seven.

Rookie Khurum who had never fought before is part of a new wave of pugilists – called white collar boxers – taking part in the sport for the first time despite their advancing years. He has already fought twice in the ring with more bouts to follow.

His most recent outing was last month in Glasgow’s River Palace banqueting hall where he drew with his opponent. The 34-year-old, who runs a takeaway business, says the step into the ring came with the full blessing of his late wife and he wants to continue boxing to celebrate her memory.

He took up the sport in November a short time after Shahzia’s cancer diagnosis. Khurum from Irvine, Ayrshire, says his wife was very supportive right to the end. He added:” She told me just to be careful and don’t get hurt. She was a very strong woman.”

White‑collar boxing has been described as one of the the fastest‑growing “contact sports” in the world. Beginners with no prior fight experience — typically office workers, executives, lawyers, bankers and businessmen — train for several weeks and then compete in a supervised bout. The three-round bouts are held under normal boxing rules.

Khurum’s first fight was in January which he won and also raised over £3000 for Cancer Research. He added: “Shahzia’s cancer was a rare, aggressive type and she was given no more than a year to live.

“We were desperate to find something that would keep her alive for longer and scoured the world for a possible cure. We tried immunotherapy, without success.

“Then we were given great hope when Shahzia was accepted for a trial of a new drug in a London hospital. Then, one day, out of the blue as she was preparing to go to London, they phoned and said they’d pulled the plug on the trial.”

Khurum added: “I started looking abroad and found a possible treatment in Turkey. I spoke to the hospital in Istanbul and they offered to examine her suitability.

“In April we went there for a biopsy. At the time we were told that the treatment won’t work for between eight and ten per cent of patients. We felt confident the odds were in her favour.

“Alas, Shahzia was in that small group who couldn’t benefit from the treatment. She was in that eight and ten percent. After that setback she lost heart and went downhill.”

Khurum admits that boxing is helping to ease the pain. He said: “In the gym I need to focus on the fight and there are always other people there to keep my spirits up.

“They’ve been like a family to me. Going into boxing has helped me. It has released a lot of emotions. It was the best thing I could have done to keep me focussed and not go down a bad road.”

The white collar boxing nights are arranged by brothers Shehbaz and Raz Parnez, through their Glasgow based RT Elite Promotions. Raz says the fights could even be a pathway to a professional career for someone like Khurum.

He added: “It gives people who have never boxed before the chance to test themselves in the ring in front of a large crowd. For Khurum it has kept his mind busy, occupied and in a better place It is a hard thing he is dealing with with as well as three young children to look after.”

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Schools will have to cut down on serving pupils sweetened baked desserts under the first new school food standards for more than a decade.

The desserts must contain or be served with fruit as part of the sweeping overhaul aimed at tackling childhood obesity and tooth decay.

Sugary drinks and foods such as ice cream and waffles will also be restricted, while deep-fried foods are cut, according to the Department for Education.

Foods high in fat and salt such as pizzas and sausages will also have to be limited. More fibrous wholegrains and pulses such as lentils and chickpeas will be required on menus alongside main meal options at least once a week.

And a portion of vegetables or salad should accompany, or be incorporated into, every main meal.

Each school will be expected to publish their menus and food policies online to help boost compliance.

They will also be expected to nominate a school food governor who will hold schools to account for the meals on offer.

The DfE will work with the Food Standards Agency on a plan to monitor schools, with details to follow in the coming months.

A survey of more than 1,400 headteachers and senior leaders in primary and secondary state schools in England – conducted in September by Teacher Tapp on behalf of School Food Matters – found 68% believe the standards would be more effective if compliance was independently checked.

The standards will come into effect next September, with secondary schools given until September 2028 to make some of the changes.

Around one in three children are leaving primary school overweight or obese, while tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions for youngsters aged five to nine.

Education Secretary Lucy Powell said: ‘These are once-in-a-generation changes that will transform school food for children across the country.

‘From our historic expansion of free school meals to the rollout of free breakfast clubs and new school food standards, we are making sure that every child has access to the healthy meals we know children need to learn, grow and succeed.

‘No child should spend the school day hungry, and no family should have to struggle to put food on the table. This is what change looks like: healthier food, fuller stomachs and a fairer start for every child.’

The changes are backed by chef Jamie Oliver and actress Dame Emma Thompson.

Oliver said: ‘Back 20-plus years ago when I started School Dinners I could not believe that we had standards for dog food but not what we serve our children at school.

‘And I’ve never stopped banging that drum. So it’s brilliant to see new school food standards based on the latest science, to make sure the food children get at school is actually supporting their health and helping them thrive.’

Dame Emma, who campaigns for the Food Foundation charity, said: ‘This is a milestone worth celebrating and an investment in a healthier future for the next generation.’

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The new scheme to help passengers left stranded by cancelled trains will start on September 20

The Government has announced a new scheme to help passengers whose trains have been cancelled, starting this weekend.

From Sunday September 20, passengers whose trains are cancelled will be able to use other services free of charge – ending being stranded at stations and the need for costly re-bookings.

Currently, the Department for Transport (DfT) says passengers are paying the price for a “system which prioritises shareholders when trains are cancelled.”

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Adding: “People are left to wait on platforms for operators to agree ticket acceptance, rush to catch another service across the station, buy a new ticket, or abandon their journey altogether – with countless meetings, appointments, and reunions missed as a result.”

The changes this weekend come as part of Government reforms to rail services, including the creation of Great British Railways (GBR) which The DfT says will bring railways under stronger public control to “put passengers and their experience first.”

What is changing?

From Sunday September 20, passenger’s whose trains are cancelled will be able to transfer to another service run by a different operator to complete their journey at no additional cost.

Customers holding a valid ticket will be able to travel on another participating operator’s train, departing within two hours before or after their original cancelled service, using a direct or reasonable alternative route.

Passengers will need to show their original ticket to customer support staff on their new service as proof of purchase, with no requirement to download a new ticket.

The Dft says cross-operator ticket acceptance is already in place across all publicly owned operators, but from Sunday September 20, this expands to include CrossCountry, GWR and Avanti West Coast and Chiltern Railways, bringing operators running key intercity routes across the UK into the scheme to support thousands more passengers.

Rail Minister Lord Hendy said: “This is a simple, common-sense change that puts passengers first. No one should be left stranded because of a fragmented railway when their journey is disrupted. From this weekend, if your train is cancelled, you can get on another operator’s service and carry on your journey without paying again.

“We’re fixing the railway from the ground up, making it simpler, fairer and easier to use, as we move towards Great British Railways and put public service back at the heart of our railways.”

Who is covered?

Following the expansion this weekend, the following operators will be taking part in the scheme. East Midlands Railway will join the scheme at a later date:

• c2c
• Gatwick Express
• Greater Anglia
• Great Northern
• LNER
• London Northwestern Railway
• Northern
• Southeastern
• Southern
• Thameslink
• South Western Railway
• Transpennine Express
• West Midlands Railway
• Avanti West Coast (new)
• Chiltern Railways (new)
• CrossCountry (new)
• Great Western Railway (new)

The DfT says expanding ticket acceptance signifies the Government’s “common-sense approach” to reform the overly complicated and outdated rail fare system ahead of the establishment of GBR.

Adding they are investing £156 million in new ticketing schemes so that by 2027, with pay-as-you-go becoming available at over 100 more stations across Greater Manchester, the Midlands and the South-East.

Digital ticketing allows passengers to download an app that uses GPS to track their journeys to calculate the best fare without physically checking in and out or buying a ticket in advance.

A new GBR website and app is also said to be in development, which will serve as a one-stop shop, with passengers able to buy tickets, check train times and access support in one simple-to-use app.

Alex Robertson, Chief Executive of the independent watchdog, Transport Focus said: “When passengers are delayed, they just want to get where they need to be, not worry about whether their ticket will be accepted on another train.

“This is a welcome change that we have long called for and should make it easier for people when services are cancelled.

“The key now is making sure passengers get clear information about their options whenever disruption occurs.”

With the Sun linking with Mars, productivity is firmly on the cards. This is an energetic start to the week.

Gemini, Cancer and Leo, it’s a placement of possibility for you, so grab it with both hands. Open your heart and your mind to what could be.

Keep this positive energy going, and this week will see great things happen. You have the power.

Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Monday September 14, 2026.

Like checking your horoscope every morning? You can now sign up to our free daily newsletter to get a personalised reading for your star sign delivered straight to your inbox.

To order your unique personal horoscope based on your time, date and place of birth, visit patrickarundell.com.

Aries

March 21 to April 20

It’s an energetic start to the week, one that gives you a solid platform to set your goals and then go for them. However, to really make this work for you, think about what you want to achieve. As much as your ability to share inspired ideas with others is to the fore, precision will be important too. Otherwise, your energy may end up getting scattered and get wasted.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aries

Taurus

April 21 to May 21

The Sun is our core energy; Mars gives us the desire to express our passions. Today’s link between them is an opportunity to be both enthusiastic and persuasive. Your words can carry more clout, but it’s where you are completely gripped by something that they’ll land best. A further bonus is that your mind can be agile, and all this sees you creative and productive.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Taurus

Gemini

May 22 to June 21

Your ruler, the celestial winged messenger, sparks brilliantly. The original idea you have could enthuse you and motivate you to move forward at speed. Not your usual fare for a Monday, true, but if something has been capturing your imagination, do believe it is worthy of working with. Another energy can also see you attend to delayed practical chores.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Gemini

Cancer

June 22 to July 23

Fiery Mars may not naturally thrive in your sign, but today, his link to the radiance of the Sun gives you a great platform to be single-minded about a project or plan that requires stamina and drive. If someone doesn’t quite get the merits of this, don’t be deflected. You may even need to let go of some vague self-doubts but truly focus Cancer and go for it.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Cancer

Leo

July 24 to August 23

The Sun’s rulership of your sign confers many possibilities. At its best, it gives you a great platform for individualism, self-confidence and passion. With Jupiter, the planet of optimism, continuing with you until next year, you can and will showcase many talents. Yet past issues or hurts may still have been calling out for your attention. Now you can make sense of why.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Leo

Virgo

August 24 to September 23

There are two dominant planetary influences today, and you are one of the signs that can benefit most. They give you a great opportunity to focus on an individual plan with a firm eye on your future horizons, while also collaborating where needed. Your talent is for precision, but when melded with innovation and your abundant drive, things look even more promising.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Virgo

Libra

September 24 to October 23

Mercury in your sign appreciates fairness and open communications. It can also emphasize your skills as a listener. Equally, it can give you a push to believe in any new ideas you are developing. Today these are supported by the planet of innovation. Just know that even if these are not gaining immediate recognition, you’re paving the way for future progress.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Libra

Scorpio

October 24 to November 22

You might find yourself wanting to push back against the usual routines of the new week and scanning faraway places or holiday packages. If you are fortunate to be enjoying some free time, you may even do something completely spontaneous. Yet if a restless spirit does show up, you can also use this to do some deep thinking or meaningful research, Scorpio.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Scorpio

Sagittarius

November 23 to December 21

The Sun is pushing you not so much to seize the spotlight, but to appreciate your worldly value. Intriguingly, his link to the driven Mars, in the part of your chart to do with shared resources or long-term finances, could prime up action around where you live. And if this is something you want to change or use as a base for a small business, do push forward.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Sagittarius

Capricorn

December 22 to January 21

A fun friend, but who you spark off, may have featured over the weekend. Whatever pursuits you enjoyed together, you can enter the week keen to repeat the moment. However, this expansive vibe can be one you turn to your personal advantage. Don’t hold back from thinking outside the box either, Capricorn, but do embrace the spirit of competition.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Capricorn

Aquarius

January 22 to February 19

Your modern ruler is encouraging you to showcase your more progressive and creative ideas, and its link today to the communicator and planet of precision, Mercury, gives you a fine chance to express them with added charisma and sparkle. Yet that doesn’t mean that they are airy, for there is every chance you can also align this energy with business-like nous.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aquarius

Pisces

February 20 to March 20

Sometimes planets align where we need to pause and reflect; at other times, we need to put our foot to the floor and go for it with all our might. With the sky’s two energy maestros of the combining in such a supportive way now, if there is something or some you feel excited about, don’t hold back from pushing forward at pace. Whatever happens, it will be a buzz.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Pisces

Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.

Check out the tarot horoscope reading for the month of September here.

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MORE: Your star sign’s weekly tarot horoscope reading for September 14 to September 20

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Prime Minister Mark Carney has said Canada is seeking a “unique alliance” with the European Union (EU) but not membership of the bloc, as its trade war with the US intensifies.

“What we are looking – and will begin discussions for – [is] a unique alliance with the European Union,” Carney told reporters in Toronto on Sunday.

Carney will this week travel to the UK and France, where he is due to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

His comments come after the Wall Street Journal reported that EU officials were open to a suggestion from Carney that Canada could become an “associate member” of the bloc, according to officials from both sides.

Carney instructed his special envoy to Europe to “scope out the most ambitious possibilities short of full membership”, the paper reported.

Speaking to reporters at the Toronto International Film Festival, Carney denied Canada was seeking formal membership, saying: “We share the same values. We have the same priorities, and we have very complementary strengths.”

He continued: “We’re stronger together. And this is at a time when the world’s more dangerous and divided, and friends need to stick together at these times.”

In recent weeks, Canada and the US have been locked in an escalating trade war, after trade negotiations between the two countries broke down in late August.

The US has imposed tariffs on key Canadian sectors including steel, aluminium and lumber, as well as introducing an additional 50% levy on about C$28bn ($20bn; £15bn) of Canadian goods.

In response, Ottawa slapped levies of up to 50% on C$28bn ($20bn; £15bn) of American products, from steel to furniture to cotton T-shirts.

While in Europe, Carney will attend European Commission Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the European Union address. The Canadian leader will also travel to Liverpool to meet with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

Since taking office, Carney has promoted a strategy aimed at creating a “more independent, more resilient economy”, in the wake of increasingly hostile policy towards his country from the Trump administration.

Trump has talked about making Canada a “51st state” of the US, and recently ordered the US government to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America”.

In January, Carney urged middle powers to come together during a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, adding that the “old order is not coming back”.