Russia is poised to attack Britain – and has singled out a drone factory and a missile company as ‘legal targets’, it was claimed last night.

A senior adviser to Vladimir Putin warned that the ‘highest levels of the Russian government’ were considering a ‘hybrid attack’, such as sabotage or arson, rather than an ‘outright military strike’ that would unleash a response from Nato.

In an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, Andrei Fedorov, a former deputy foreign minister of Russia, described the UK as ‘evil number one’. 

Among the Kremlin’s targets is a drone factory owned by a British-Ukrainian firm, Ukrspecsystems.

Details of the company’s premises next to RAF Mildenhall, in West Suffolk, were made public in April alongside five other European firms that make weapons and drones for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

On Saturday night, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said: ‘The reckless rhetoric and attempts at intimidation we have seen from the Kremlin in recent weeks reflects the weakness of Putin’s position and we will not be intimidated.

‘This has been a bad year for Putin. The front line has barely moved. Russian casualties continue to mount. The Russian people are paying a heavy price for Putin’s war.

‘It is also in our national interest that Putin’s aggression must not be rewarded. The Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and I are working together to mobilise support for Ukraine ahead of winter.’

Details of Ukrspecsystems’s premises next to RAF Mildenhall, in West Suffolk, were made public in April alongside five other European firms that make weapons and drones for Ukraine 

It is understood Putin is angry with Prime Minister Andy Burnham for giving Ukraine blueprints for long-range Storm Shadow missiles

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The threat comes as: 

• Bosses of British defence companies have been warned they could be targets of Russian hybrid attacks;
• A pro-Kremlin war channel suggested that a Nato base in Estonia with at least 900 British troops should be attacked;
• One of the assassins of Russian defector Alexander Litvinenko plans to hold an anti-UK exhibition opposite the British embassy in Moscow;
• Britain’s ambassador to Russia told officials not to confirm if British weapons are going to Ukraine to prevent an escalation by Putin.

On Saturday, Elisabeth Braw, an expert on the Atlantic Council thinktank, said that the point of hybrid attacks is that they put a country like the UK in a dilemma about how to respond.

She said: ‘I call hybrid threats the defender’s dilemma because it really is the defender’s dilemma.

‘How exactly are you supposed to hit back because if you were to use military means, then you would really cause World War Three.’

Fedorov, 71, said that the Kremlin would not launch an outright military strike against Britain, a Nato member, because it could lead to the Western alliance launching a collective military response against Russia.

But he added: ‘The UK is evil number one. After the information that UK-made drones were used against Russian oil refineries, this has become a big anger [sic] in Russian society.

‘Various experts are calling to punish by strike [sic] the UK, and it will be supported by the majority of Russian citizens.’

He said that Putin and his cronies were angry Andy Burnham had handed Ukraine blueprints for long-range Storm Shadow missiles, which have been used previously to strike inside Russia.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Andy Burnham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv

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Andrei Fedorov said the Kremlin would not launch an outright military strike against Britain because it could lead to Nato launching a collective military response against Russia

The missiles – which have a range of 350 miles – are manufactured by the British arms company MBDA, which employs 4,000 people and has its headquarters in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

Fedorov said of MBDA: ‘Many experts in Moscow are saying yes, it’s a legal target. Absolutely.’ 

Throughout last week, Russian officials, including the Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, threatened Britain with attacks, in response to Mr Burnham’s visit to Ukraine.

The warnings came despite an unannounced visit to Moscow by the head of the CIA, John Ratcliffe, last Tuesday, where he reportedly warned Russia not to attack a Nato country.

Ms Zakharova said: ‘Andy Burnham’s government understands where this will lead. They should understand this is playing with fire and that the consequences could be unpredictable.’

The MoS has also been shown an official memo by Nigel Casey, Britain’s ambassador to Moscow, which he sent to Foreign Office staff after Mr Burnham’s visit.

In the memo, he says Russia is losing its ‘narrative’ on the Ukraine war, which is leading it to ‘step up’ hybrid warfare across Europe.

He adds: ‘In this period of escalation in the war, UK officials, whether speaking on or off the record, [should] stick firmly to our policy of neither confirming nor denying whether UK-supplied weapons are used by Kyiv inside Russia. 

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said Britain will ‘not be intimidated’ by the Kremlin. (Pictured: Mr Streeting Streeting in front of a building damaged by Russian strikes in Ukraine)

‘Any comments which appear to confirm Russian accusations risk unnecessarily elevating already substantial risks to UK national security.’

At a briefing in London last week, Western officials warned that Russia is poised to launch more hybrid attacks across Europe as Ukraine gains the upper hand in the war.

One said: ‘The Russian appetite to conduct hybrid operations is very clear. Our assessment is that Putin wants to avoid a direct confrontation with Nato.

‘We need to remain vigilant around hybrid threats. Relations are at a very low ebb between us and them.’

Former Tory security minister Tom Tugendhat said: ‘These are the desperate words of a regime that is losing the war it started. We will not be bullied. The UK will continue standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine.’

Nick Timothy, the Tory MP for West Suffolk, whose constituency hosts Ukrspecsystems, said: ‘People in Suffolk, like the British people as a whole, will never be intimidated by Russian threats.

‘Our support for Ukraine – which is the victim of unprovoked Russian aggression – will remain as strong as it has always been.’

Last night, it also emerged that a pro-Kremlin Telegram channel, ATO Donetsk – a favourite of Russian troops – called for attacks on the Tapa Nato base in Estonia, where 900 British soldiers are stationed. 

In a broadcast, the channel said: ‘We won’t fly over Britain, but the Tapa military base houses about 900 British troops, equipment and ammunition depots.

‘It’s only 150km [93 miles] from Russia. The Baltics are a very convenient target for a show trial.’

Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, Russia has launched several hybrid attacks against the UK. 

In March 2024, a warehouse in Leyton, East London, storing aid for Ukraine, was burned down. The culprits were hired by Russian mercenary group Wagner.

And in June, two men were jailed for a number of arson attacks of homes and a car linked to former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Ukrspecsystems declined to comment and MBDA could not be reached.

Additional reporting: Mark Nicol

Litvinenko assassin’s anti-Britain campaign ‘Poison killer’ heads UK hate campaign

A Kremlin assassin who poisoned defector Alexander Litvinenko with a radioactive chemical in London is now spearheading an anti-British campaign in Russia.

Andrey Lugovoy was one of two spies sent to Britain in 2006 to kill Mr Litvinenko – a former Russian Federal Security Service officer who became a fierce Putin critic.

Lugovoy, 56, who denies the poisoning and is now an ultra-loyalist Putin MP, is leading the campaign against Britain. He last week told Russian TV his aim is to portray the country as a ‘truly terrifying… enemy’.

Lugovoy will hold an anti-British exhibition later this year in a building opposite the UK’s embassy in Moscow highlighting ‘colonial crimes’.

It will be titled ‘Britlag’ to pun with the Russian word gulag.

The assassin who poisoned defector Alexander Litvinenko (pictured) is now spearheading an anti-British campaign in Russia

Salmonella can cause unpleasant symptoms but there are ways you can avoid the infection.

Ian Budd, lead prescribing pharmacist at Chemist4U, said: “Salmonella is a group of bacteria comprising more than 2,500 different strains, although only some are responsible for causing food poisoning in humans.

“While most infections are relatively mild, they can sometimes lead to serious illness, particularly in young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.

“In recent days and weeks, the UKHSA has announced that an outbreak affecting seven countries has led to one death and 34 hospitalisations in the UK.”

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed 207 cases between August 11 last year and August 1 this year, with 199 in England, six in Scotland, one in Wales, and one in Northern Ireland.

It said the outbreak “may be linked to eggs imported from outside of the UK.”

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said there is “no evidence that UK-produced eggs are affected”.

While eggs could be the issue in this case, the pharmacist reminds Brits that salmonella can be found in a number of other food products, including chicken, pork and even fruit.

Budd added: “Similarly, if any fresh fruit or vegetables have come into contact with the bacteria, they can also present a risk to you.”

What are the symptoms of salmonella?

You can expect salmonella symptoms to typically develop between a few hours and a few days after exposure.

They can include diarrhoea, cramps in the stomach, nausea, vomiting and a fever.

Ian Budd adds: “While these symptoms usually only last from 4-7 days, it is vital that you seek medical advice if diarrhoea or vomiting lasts for more than two to three days without improving, you have blood in your stool or have a prolonged high fever.”

The NHS explains that symptoms can sometimes start after “a few weeks.”

You can read more about salmonella and when you need to call 111 or 999 via the NHS website.

How do you get salmonella?

Contaminated food that hasn’t been cooked correctly can cause salmonella, but you can also get it by drinking contaminated water or by being in close contact with infected animals.

How you can avoid salmonella

If you want to avoid salmonella, there are a few things you can do.

Budd suggests: “As salmonella bacteria is most commonly spread through contaminated food products, one of the best ways to avoid contracting it is through proper food preparation and hygiene.

“When cooking food, make sure to thoroughly wash your hands before preparing food and after handling raw meat or eggs.

“Make sure to cook foods all the way through and always avoid cross-contamination between raw and cooked foods.

We have published a news story on the latest investigations into an outbreak of #Salmonella Enteritidis.

Full story: https://t.co/5xG7Tnl6gj pic.twitter.com/ZFriCC3bWb

— UK Health Security Agency (@UKHSA) August 27, 2026

“Similarly, regularly washing food, utensils and chopping boards with hot water will minimise the possibility of contracting salmonella.

“As well as practising good hygiene, remember to check the temperature of your fridge and ensure you are following the sell by dates on your produce.”

What to do if you think you have salmonella

Make sure you’re staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.

The pharmacist also advises adding oral rehydration sachets or solutions to replace electrolytes you may have lost through vomiting and diarrhoea.

He added: “Avoid any spicy or fatty foods as these can increase feelings of nausea and make sure not to drink fizzy drinks or fruit juice as these can worsen diarrhoea symptoms.

Recommended reading:

“If the symptoms of salmonella are causing you pain and discomfort, you can also take paracetamol, making sure to check the information leaflet first before taking.

“If you are at higher risk of complications, such as if you are pregnant, elderly or have a weakened immune system, you should seek medical advice if you begin to feel unwell.

“As mentioned, if you are experiencing blood in your stools, persistent symptoms, prolonged high fever or signs of dehydration such as dizziness, dry mouth, or passing very little dark urine, please seek medical advice.”

What do you do to reduce your risk of getting salmonella? Let us know in the comments.

Every day on Criminal Record we will be bringing you a round-up of the biggest crime stories of the day.

If you love to read about crime in Scotland – this is the place to be every day.

Here’s what has been making the news across the country on Saturday.

Irish gang looting wealthy Asian families

An Irish crime clan are targeting wealthy Scots in sophisticated gold heists using metal detectors to find the loot and wipes to remove any forensic trail.

The gang are behind a spate of robberies which have netted them hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of gold and jewellery from Asian families in Glasgow’s south side.

The masked and gloved criminals carry out break-ins, often lasting less than 10 minutes, using metal detectors to find the valuables and then cleaning fluids and wipes to scrub surfaces of fingerprints or DNA.

In the most recent raids the gang targeted 10 luxury homes in the affluent Glasgow suburb of ­Whitecraigs, where properties can sell for £1million and more.

A retired businessman, who asked not to be named, spoke of his shock at falling victim to the gang and released CCTV of their terrifying raid. He said: “My wife went out at 1.15pm and they must have been watching the house.

READ MORE: Irish crime gang loot Scotland’s wealthiest Asian families in gold and jewellery heists

Revenge porn fiend sends pics of pal’s ex to neighbours

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A vile fiend posted revenge porn pictures of his friend’s ex to her neighbours. Arkadiusz Lis sent letters which included a snap of the victim showing full frontal nudity and her phone number in the wake of a split with his pal.

Lanark Sheriff Court heard the victim was “horrified” when she opened the letter and discovered several neighbours had been sent the same image by post.

Lis, 42, from Bellshill, Lanarkshire, also admitted sending the woman a text threatening to disclose “intimate images” of her. The sicko was ordered to carry out community service as a “direct alternative” to prison.

Fiscal depute Jack Muir told the court: “It is a picture she had taken. She was horrified to open the letter. The telephone number associated with the text message was associated with the accused. He was arrested at Glasgow Airport.”

READ MORE: Cruel revenge porn fiend sent nude pictures of pal’s ex to her neighbours

Woman’s face left ‘like something from horror movie’

A woman mauled by a dog she had known since it was a puppy says she faces years of surgery after the “terrifying” attack left her with devastating injuries.

Samantha Redding, 20, had been around the Spanish mastiff crossed with a bear-headed Akita, which belonged to her friend’s father, since it was young and says she had never known it to be aggressive.

But during a brief visit to the house in January, the huge dog suddenly latched onto her face. Samantha remembers little of the attack beyond seeing the animal coming towards her, hearing it growl and feeling excruciating pain.

“I went to my friend’s dad’s house to get her but she’d already left to meet me at my house,” Samantha, from Falkirk, said. “I was only in the house for about 10 minutes and I was getting ready to leave.

“I went to pick up my bag and the dog latched onto my face… My face looked like something from a horror movie.”

READ MORE: ” My face was like something from a horror movie” Scots woman opens up on dog attack hell

Rangers legend’s daughter slams abusive husband

The Daughter of Rangers legend Gordon Smith has spoken out after her tarot reader husband was convicted of abusing her and blocking her from seeing her family.

Libby Smith married ‘psychic entrepreneur ’ Colin Stevenson in a ‘secret’ wedding ceremony in 2023 before holding a lavish reception with her famous dad by her side and Corrie star Helen Flanagan as a bridesmaid.

But Stevenson was sentenced to community service this week after admitting abusing the 37-year-old mum-of-three over a period of almost three years – starting just weeks before their marriage.

The 43-year-old was banned from contacting Libby after admitting behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards his ex at Lanark Sheriff Court – including preventing her family from visiting her and their newborn child.

READ MORE HERE: Rangers legend’s daughter hits out after abusive tarot reader husband convicted

Cops seize drugs and cash in dawn raid

Drugs and cash were seized by police following a dawn raid at a number of properties in Perth. Warrants were executed at properties on New Row in the city centre on Thursday morning, August 27.

Following a search of the properties by police, a quantity of drugs, cash and other items were seized. No further details as to the value or type of drugs seized was released by police.

In a video shared on social media, police can be seen preparing for the raid around the corner from one of the properties. Some officers are wearing protective clothing and can be seen with tools to break in if necessary.

Once ready, the group of nine officers cross the road and make their way down the street towards their intended target. Enquiries into the find are ongoing.

READ MORE: Drugs and cash seized in dawn raid at Perth properties as video shows police presence

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The Met Office warns of showers across the country on Monday as the downpours continue to fall this bank holiday weekend

Showers are set to continue on Monday, with chances of potential hail and thunder to persist this bank holiday weekend.

According to maps by the forecaster 107 areas will be hit by showers as scattered patches of blue cover much of the nation throughout the day.

The wet conditions follow a soggy Sunday, as showers could turn heavy and thundery impacting festivalgoers according to the Met Office.

Monday will be drier and brighter, but still with some showers.

Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said: “On Sunday there will be some scattered showers around to start, mostly across Scotland, Northern Ireland might see some.

“The South East could remain dry, but by the evening they will probably start to see some showers, they also could be heavy and thundery.”

The Monday is expected to be drier, however there is still high chance of rain across the UK.

According to the Met office weather maps showers will start at around 8am in the South West, with much of Wales also seeing downpours.

As the day continues there are scattered spells of rain across different areas of the country.

By midday the majority of the rain is concentrated in the North West and North East of England, having slightly dispersed from the South.

Areas including Lancaster and Darlington are set to be soaked.

In the afternoon as far north as Yorkshire will also see some showers, with Scarborough forecast rain at 4pm.

Then as the evening comes in, the rain appears to hit the Midlands with Birmingham, Nottingham and Loughborough experiencing showers at 10pm.

Honor Criswick added: “It will probably be quite dry first thing on Monday, some showers across western areas, some heavy showers mostly across north Scotland.

“For many areas it’s going to be turning drier and brighter, a better end to the day compared to the start.

“On Monday there will be some showers around but probably less heavy thundery ones and a few more brighter spells, it’s still probably worth taking a waterproof if you’re at a festival.

“Monday will also see maximum temperatures in the early 20s.”

Areas forecast rain on Monday:

1. Looe
2. Tavistock
3. Chulmleigh
4. Dulverton
5. Minehead
6. Weymouth
7. Blandford Forum
8. Tenterden
9. Dover
10. Canterbury
11. Margate
12. Bath
13. Cirencester
14. Swindon
15. Didcot
16. Oxford
17. High Wycombe
18. Aylesbury
19. Chepstow
20. Llantwit Major
21. Maesteg
22. Merthyr Tydfil
23. Ystradgynlais
24. Llandeilo
25. Llandovery
26. Lampeter
27. Aberystwyth
28. Llanidloes
29. Newtown
30. Barmouth
31. Llanwddyn
32. Welshpool
33. Church Stretton
34. Ludlow
35. Worcester
36. Wellingborough
37. Stamford
38. Peterborough
39. Norwich
40. Hunstanton
41. Skegness
42. Horncastle
43. Louth
44. Caistor
45. Gainsborough
46. Mablethorpe
47. Grimsby
48. Hull
49. Hornsea
50. Driffield
51. Malton
52. Bridlington
53. Pickering
54. Scarborough
55. Ripon
56. Skipton
57. Burnley
58. Preston
59. Settle
60. Lancaster
61. High Bentham
62. Blackpool
63. Whitby
64. Ambleside
65. Broughton In Furness
66. Brough
67. Moffat
68. Langholm
69. Jedburgh
70. Hawick
71. Peebles
72. Cumnock
73. Lauder
74. Biggar
75. Edinburgh
76. Cumbernauld
77. Stirling
78. Kinross
79. Perth
80. Brechin
81. Glasgow
82. Aberdeen
83. Hartlepool
84. Bradford
85. Cambridge
86. Colchester
87. Brighton
88. Ipswich
89. Manchester
90. Liverpool
91. Warrington
92. Leek
93. Macclesfield
94. Buxton
95. Stoke-on-Trent
96. Uttoxeter
97. Birmingham
98. Northampton
99. Exeter
100. Milton Keynes
101. Bournemouth
102. Nottingham
103. Grantham
104. Loughborough
105. Wolverhampton
106. Bolton
107. Wigan

Nine areas were covered by Environment Agency flood alerts, meaning floods are possible, as of Saturday night.

The wet weather comes after continued hot weather across the UK, which coincided with extremely dry conditions.

The Met Office has previously said the UK is on course for its hottest summer on record after five heatwaves, with temperatures of up to 38.1C recorded in London.

Marion McMillan was 17, pregnant and unmarried, when she made her first trip to England from her home in the south-west of Scotland.

It was 1966 and she was sent by her family to a maternity home run by the Salvation Army more than 150 miles away, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

The young mum spent nine months with her baby – a beautiful boy with “gorgeous wee black hair” – before he was taken from her.

She begged staff to let her keep him. “I said ‘please help me keep my baby, don’t let them take my baby, please’ and he was gone,” she told a new BBC documentary, Stolen Babies.

Warning: This story contains racist language and descriptions of sexual abuse and violence

It tells the stories of some of the 250,000 women who were forced to hand over their newborns for adoption between 1949 and 1976.

They were powerless against the will of the state, social workers and religious organisations, and the system which supplied infants to adoptive families.

“Let’s face it, we were working class unmarried girls having babies that were being adopted by middle class women,” another victim, Ann Keen, told the programme.

For years many of the women kept their ordeal – their shame – secret.

In July, outgoing prime minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a formal apology to those mothers, telling them: “The shame is not yours… the shame is ours.”

Norway’s new king Haakon VIII has addressed the nation for the first time after succeeding his late father Harald V as monarch. 

Haakon, 53, spoke to the Norwegian people on Saturday in a speech broadcast live from the Royal Palace in Oslo – where his father lies in state – in which he thanked him ‘for everything he was and everything he did’.

King Harald V, who is a cousin of King Charles III, died on Friday aged 89 following a brief stay in hospital where he was being treated for haemolytic anaemia, a disorder that causes red blood cells to be destroyed at an abnormally fast rate. 

Speaking for the first time since his ascension, former crown prince Haakon eulogised his father as a loving parent and dedicated monarch – and thanked the people of Norway for their outpouring of compassion in the wake of his death. 

‘Dear Dad,’ he said: ‘Thank you for being such a good father to Märtha and me. Warm and reassuring. You were also a gentle and funny grandfather. 

‘A loving and thoughtful husband. A generous father-in-law. A brother and uncle whom everyone loved spending time with.

‘I’m going to miss him. I’ll miss his laughter. His good-natured way of dealing with people and situations. My father always made those around him feel at ease.

‘And that means – in the ultimate sense – being willing to risk everything, even one’s life, for Norway’s freedom and independence.’ 

King Harald of Norway, cousin of King Charles III, died at the age of 89 after a brief stay in hospital

Speaking for the first time since his ascension, former crown prince Haakon eulogised his father as a loving parent and dedicated monarch

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A gallery of photos of the Norwegian Royal Family are displayed in the Hall of Mirrors at the Royal Palace, where Haakon gave his first speech as monarch

King Haakon and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra met with Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Toril Marie Oie on Friday in the wake of Harald’s death

 Haakon and Ingrid also received the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Norway, Olav Fykse Tveit, at the Royal Palace on Friday

Wearing a sombre black suit and sat beside a picture of his late father, the new king continued: ‘As king, my father represented Norway and the Norwegian people with pride and joy, through visits around the country, at events here at the royal palace, and while working on Norway’s behalf around the world.

‘We are in mourning. At the same time, it brings us comfort and strength to know that so many are mourning with us.

‘It has been a powerful and moving experience to see the Palace Square filled with people, flowers, messages of condolence, and candles. Thank you so much.’

Haakon – now officially His Majesty King Haakon VIII – came to the throne almost immediately following his father’s passing.

He and other senior members of the Norwegian Royal Family rushed to Harald’s bedside at the national hospital in Oslo on Thursday after his health ‘deteriorated’ as a result of an infection. 

In a statement announcing his passing, Norway’s Royal Court said: ‘It is with deep grief that we announce that His Majesty King Harald has passed away.

‘King Harald died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Friday, August 28 at 6.35am.’

On Friday, King Charles extended his ‘deepest and most heartfelt condolences’ to the Norwegian Royal Family following the death of his ‘dear cousin’. 

King Harald V ruled Norway for 35 years – becoming the country’s oldest reigning monarch in 2024

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Harald is pictured with his widow, queen dowager Sonja, and the late Queen Elizabeth II in London. On Friday, King Charles extended his ‘deepest and most heartfelt condolences’ to the Norwegian Royal Family following the death of his ‘dear cousin’

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere was seen looking at floral tributes outside the Royal Palace following the death of King Harald

Presiding Bishop of the Church of Norway Olav Fykse Tveit was pictured laying flowers at the Palace Square 

The pair were second cousins once removed, sharing great-great-grandparents Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark. 

King Charles said: ‘As Norway mourns the loss of so towering a figure, my whole family join in remembering a much-loved kinsman and friend whose kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades.

‘The Queen and I extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Queen Sonja and all her family, as Britain shares in Norway’s grief at this time of such heartbreaking loss.’ 

Throughout Friday, thousands of mourners descended on Oslo to pay their respects to the late king, placing flowers, flags and condolence cards outside the royal palace

Flags were flying at half-mast throughout the country, as portraits of Harald – who ruled for 35 years – in gala uniform were displayed everywhere, from metro stations to public buildings. 

Across Norway, churches and city halls were also opened specially so people could light candles, and write their thoughts about the deceased king in condolence books.

New king Haakon – the only son of Harald and now queen dowager Sonja – shares two children with his wife Mette-Marit, 22-year-old Princess Ingrid Alexandra and 20-year-old Prince Sverre Magnus. 

Ingrid is now second in line to the throne, meaning she would be the first female monarch in Norway for more than 600 years if she were to become queen – the last being Queen Margaret I, who died in 1412. 

Hundreds of people gathered on the Palace Square after the bier with King Harald drove in a procession from the chapel at the National Hospital through Oslo

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Norway’s Royal Palace lowers a flag to half-mast following King Harald’s death

Lighted candles and flowers were laid in front of the palace

Flowers and children’s drawing lay outside the Royal Palace square as mourners gathered to pay tribute

Mette-Marit (pictured) has faced increased scrutiny following the release of the Epstein Files, which revealed she stayed at Jeffrey Epstein’s Palm Beach residence in 2013 – after he was convicted for soliciting sex from girls as young as 14

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In June, Mette-Marit’s son, Marius Borg Høiby (pictured), was convicted on two counts of rape and jailed for four years 

However, Haakon’s ascension to the throne has not been without controversy.  

In recent months, the new monarch’s wife, Mette-Marit, 53, has faced intense scrutiny following the release of the Epstein Files, which revealed she stayed at paedophile Jeffrey Epstein‘s Palm Beach residence in 2013 – after he was convicted for soliciting sex from girls as young as 14.

The new queen claimed this year she had been misled by the late sex offender as she sought to contain the fallout. 

Fresh scandal also came in June when Mette-Marit’s son, Marius Borg Høiby, was convicted on two counts of rape and jailed for four years following a six-week trial that laid bare allegations of violence, drug abuse and sexual misconduct. 

An Oslo court also found him guilty of assaulting his former girlfriend, Nora Haukland, issuing threats and committing traffic offences, although he was acquitted of two other rape charges. 

The 29-year-old had been charged with sexually assaulting four women who were asleep or otherwise unable to resist between 2018 and 2024. 

The conviction marked a fall for Høiby, who grew up in the public eye after his mother married the then Crown Prince Haakon in 2001 when he was just four.

Although he does not hold a royal title or carry out official duties, he has long been closely associated with the Norwegian Royal Family.

King Haakon also faces additional drama drama with the upcoming arrival of a second reality TV show by King Harald and Queen Sonja’s eldest daughter, Princess Martha Louise, and her ‘shaman’ husband, Durek Verrett. 

The couple’s first Netflix show, Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story, took an ‘intimate look’ at the love story between Martha Louise and the Hollywood ‘half-reptilian and bisexual’ shaman.

The film followed the couple as they ‘navigated a swirl of controversy’ and prepared for their wedding, which took place in the picturesque small town of Geiranger in 2024.

In a move dubbed ‘Norway’s Megxit’, Martha Louise relinquished her royal role in November 2022.

Eyebrows were raised when the princess first began dating Verrett, who holds some controversial and pseudoscientific views, including that cancer in children can be caused by ‘being unhappy’.

The couple were introduced by friends in 2019 and have claimed to have known each other in a past life, specifically from ancient Egypt.

Their latest reality TV venture adds to what has been – and what is continuing to be – one of the toughest periods for the Norwegian throne in modern times.

The Irish rap trio headlined the Gallery Stage at Leeds Festival – leading a politically-charged crowd chant targeting the Prime Minister

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has been the subject of a expletive-laden chant by Irish rap trio Kneecap during their set at Leeds Festival on Friday night.

The group previously found themselves embroiled in controversy over a pro-Palestinian chant at Glastonbury last year, which prompted an investigation by Avon and Somerset Police.

The Belfast-born trio headlined The Gallery stage on Friday, August 28, where they reportedly incited the crowd into chanting: “Andy Burnham’s a w*****”, Yorkshire Live reports.

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Earlier this week, the Prime Minister made his inaugural official visit to Northern Ireland, declaring that a referendum on a united Ireland “is off the table.”

He went on to cite Brexit and the independent Scottish referendums as examples of “risks that come from those situations and take a long time to heal, as reports the Mirror.

Marland Yarde, who played for Sale Sharks, saw his life ruined by a woman’s false accusations

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An ex-Sale Sharks star whose life was ‘ruined’ by a woman who made false allegations against him has spoken of his complete career turn.

Marland Yarde, who played rugby union for England and Sale Sharks, was the victim of a vicious campaign by Sandra Ntonya that left his career in tatters.

Ntonya, from Gorton, first met Yarde on a night out in Manchester shortly after he had left his girlfriend. However, she ended up ringing police and falsely accusing him of raping another woman – which saw him arrested and the centre of a police investigation for five months until prosecutors decided to bring no charges.

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Ntonya ended up arrested herself and convicted of stalking Yarde at Manchester Crown Court in February 2025. She was called an ‘attention-seeking narcissist’ whose behaviour towards Yarde was ‘highly abusive and damaging’ and was eventually jailed in April 2025 for breaching a restraining order against him.

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Now, Yarde has spoken about how he has rebuilt his life overseas following the ordeal that effectively derailed his rugby career. The 33-year-old has taken a dramatically different path since walking away from professional rugby, trading the pitch for the classroom as he works towards obtaining his commercial pilot’s licence in Portugal.

Despite his innocence, the ordeal took a profound toll on Yarde, who played for England 13 times. It left him unable to play rugby for a considerable period and feeling as though his life had been placed on hold indefinitely, WalesOnline reports. At Ntonya’s sentencing, the court heard the impact was ‘profound’ on the player, saying that following the allegations his contract was terminated and his mental health suffered.

‘It was very, very tough’

And speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, Yarde opened up about the harrowing experience and its lasting impact.

“It was very, very tough. I obviously knew within myself that I had never done anything wrong, but as an athlete and especially someone who’s basically within the media, you can’t really say anything.

“It lasted a lot longer than I thought it was going to happen. I spent six months just in the dark, it’s almost like I was guilty just via association because there never was a charge, there was nothing.

“I just wanted my life to be back to normal, that was really hard to take. Once something like this happens, say you lose your family, lose your job, lose your income, your character is destroyed – there’s so many different foundations of stuff that just evaporates.

“Everything that I had, your security, your job, where I was living, everything else was just completely eradicated. You still feel in prison in your life.”

Yarde explained that the prolonged uncertainty was particularly gruelling, as he repeatedly believed he was on the verge of returning to the sport he loved, only to watch those prospects vanish at the last moment.

“When you lose everything at once, it’s really quite a dark thing,” Yarde added. “There was light at the end of the tunnel because it was done and I was thinking I can back into [rugby] and play at that level, and I speak to a few coaches from different clubs and we’re good, and then it gets blocked in the last second.

“That went on for about six months, and that for me was the hardest part, because I was like even though I am free, I am not really free, because I’m still locked in jail in my own life, and everything else that I had built for so many years.”

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Yarde ultimately secured a transfer to Bayonne in France’s Top 14. The relocation offered him a chance to rebuild away from the surroundings where his career had fallen apart and, with some distance from those events, he started to see the experience through a different lens.

“Over that period of time, it was just very, very difficult,” he added. “All I wanted at that stage was just to get back into my game. I wanted to be with my family and I just wanted all this to be like a whole little nightmare.

“But I feel like this allowed me to grow. I obviously needed to hit the the bottom to really appreciate everything that I have in life. I was truly blessed to do what I did and the whole experience and going abroad and playing…. that was one of the best moves I ever did, I absolutely loved it there.

“I wanted to take my life into my own hands and grow as a person, and it made me a better person. It made me appreciate things, protecting your peace, protecting people around you and you start to learn the people who are really there for you.”

Yarde’s new career

These days, instead of trying to resurrect his rugby career, Yarde is gearing up for life in a completely different field.

He has relocated to Portugal and begun an intensive commercial pilot training programme, something he reveals had captivated him for years.

“I’m living abroad currently,” he said. “I managed to take up a commercial pilot course in Portugal and it’s been a revelation to be honest. It’s something I’ve always been intrigued about wanting to do, so I just took a decision.

“Having a child as well, you start to think a little bit more in the future, so it was uh important. But it’s a lot of hard work and definitely not an easy thing to do.

“I’m doing the integrated ATPR course, it takes roughly two to three years,” Yarde continued. “I’m at the back end of it now. You have to do around 800 hours of classroom, so it’s basically going back to class with people of all different ages from all different parts of the world. You meet some interesting people.

“We do about 26 exams in total and you have a time constraint of 18 months for completing those exams, so it’s quite intense. You’re going to class for probably about eight hours a day, Monday to Friday, and then having to study on top of that.”

For somebody whose entire adult life had centred around professional sport, returning to the world of education has posed a significant challenge.

Yet Yarde maintains that encountering individuals from diverse backgrounds and nations has also formed a major part of the attraction.

Reflecting on his life there, he said: “It’s very nice. I’ve actually moved a little bit towards the middle now, where the aerodrome is, but I did the ground [school] in a place called Cascais, which is a beautiful part of Portugal.”

For Yarde, the relocation signifies considerably more than merely securing another profession following rugby. His playing career concluded in a manner he could hardly have envisioned when he initially emerged onto the professional stage with London Irish, but the former England wing now seems to have discovered a new path forward.

From early-season heavyweight clashes to conference rivalry games, the road to the College Football Playoff could come down to a handful of marquee matchups. Here are six must-watch games that could shape the playoff race in 2026:

Ohio State at Texas, Sept. 12

Steve Sarkisian and Ryan Day match wits again as both teams get an early-season measuring stick game after failing to meet expectations in 2025. A Week 1 loss to the Buckeyes left the Longhorns fighting an uphill battle with little room for error throughout the rest of the season. Texas ultimately fell short of the 12-team CFP while the Buckeyes lost their last two games, the latter in the CFP quarterfinals.

Julian Sayin vs. Arch Manning will get the headlines but last year’s 14-7 win by Ohio State is a reminder that the best-prepared defense may rule the day. The Buckeyes are reloading on defense — including three spots on the line — while Texas has four of its starting o-linemen back.

Both teams have stacked schedules — Texas faces the likes of Tennessee, Ole Miss, LSU and Texas A&M and Ohio State has Indiana, Oregon, USC and Michigan — so a win here helps set the tone.

LSU at Ole Miss, Sept. 19

One of the most intriguing games of the year, an emotionally charged revenge game on paper for Ole Miss, as Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford for the first time since his awkward departure for LSU last December. Trinidad Chambliss is a Heisman contender again for the Rebels. Will Leavitt says he couldn’t be happier after transferring in for the Tigers.

Besides the obvious tension, the matchup could help shape the playoff race early. As contenders but not necessarily favorites in the SEC, Ole Miss and LSU could find themselves fighting for an at-large bid. A win here could make all the difference come playoff selection time, especially with both teams facing schedules that leave little room for error.

Georgia at Alabama, Oct. 10

The SEC’s two most dominant programs over the past decade meet in Tuscaloosa, with plenty of recent history hanging over the matchup. Georgia had its 33-game home winning streak snapped by Alabama with a 24-21 defeat in 2025, but the Bulldogs later got revenge with an SEC championship game rout.

Both teams now enter the season with plenty at stake. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer faces pressure to keep the Crimson Tide in national title contention following Ty Simpson’s departure for the NFL. Kirby Smart looks to finally secure a regular-season win against Alabama. This one could have major implications beyond just SEC standings.

Indiana was untouchable in 2025, as coach Curt Cignetti and a haul of transfers — including quarterback Fernando Mendoza — put together a perfect 16-0 season and claim the Hoosiers’ first national title. The final four wins were a murderer’s row: Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon and Miami.

It will be difficult to go through the Big Ten unscathed. A road win here would reassert the Buckeyes as a top dog in a rugged conference.

Miami at Notre Dame, Nov. 7

It’s safe to assume grudges are still being held in South Bend after Miami beat the Fighting Irish in the opener and then finished ahead of Notre Dame in the rankings to claim a playoff spot this past season.

Both teams enter the season with extra motivation to win it all and rosters capable of pulling it off. While Miami can return to the playoff by winning an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title, this is one of the few statement-making opportunities for the Irish, who have a relatively low strength of schedule.

BYU at Utah, Nov. 7

Morgan Scalley’s debut season as Utah coach will include an edition of the Holy War that could play a big role (again) in the Big 12 race and the playoff berths available the first week of December. There’s new staff in place and new faces, too, including two replacements for NFL draft picks on the offensive line.

BYU held on to coach Kalani Sitake, has quarterback Bear Bachmeier and RB LJ Martin back, and is coming off a 12-2 season loaded with big wins and only a pair of losses to Texas Tech. The Cougars will be itching to erase that runner-up finish and crack the CFP.

Honorable mention

Oklahoma at Michigan (Sept. 12), Houston at Texas Tech (Sept. 19), SMU at Louisville (Sept. 19), MIami at Clemson (Oct. 3), USC at Penn State (Oct. 10), Texas at Texas A&M (Nov. 27).

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The remains of 19 dead migrants, including children, were found in the Arizona desert near the U.S.-Mexico border last month, a two-year record, according to data from the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner and the advocacy group Humane Borders.

Among the deceased, five appeared to have been dead for less than a day and two had been dead for less than a week when they were found.

“This is a persistent and perennial problem, it’s not just a July 2026 problem,” Brad Jones, a political science professor at the UC Davis Global Migration Center and a Humane Borders board member, told the Arizona Daily Star.

“It does ebb and flow, but it never goes away,” he said. “We’ve never had a period of zero recovered remains” since Humane Borders was founded in 2000, acording to Jones.

The record number of deaths, likely an undercount, is all the more striking because border crossings have plunged overall since Donald Trump took office and tightened a variety of immigration policies, including effectively cutting off all asylum claims and restricting entries at the southern border.

There were nearly 10 times fewer encounters between Border Patrol agents and migrants in July 2026 than during the same month in 2024, the final full year of Joe Biden’s administration.

As The Independent has reported, the U.S. has long pursued a strategy of “prevention through deference,” using military-style security infrastructure such as walls and barbed wire at popular points of entry to push migrants into remote rural areas spanning the lengthy U.S.-Mexico border, in the hopes that the danger of the crossing will prevent future migration.

Critics argue that undocumented immigration into the U.S. is often driven by life-or-death factors and migrants will make the journey regardless of what kind of barriers are in their way, exposing already-vulnerable people to injury and death along the mountains, rivers and deserts of the borderlands.

The Trump administration has continued to fortify the border, thanks in part to a $46 billion infusion of funds from Congress to continue building its signature border wall, which was largely paused during the Biden administration.

Border construction efforts have continued across Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, despite opposition from indigenous tribes, environmental advocates and park boosters, who have been particularly incensed by a plan to add new border security infrastructure within Big Bend National Park, an area that’s not a high-traffic illegal immigration zone.

In addition to adding new physical barriers at the border, the Trump administration has sought massive changes to the legal regime along the frontier.

The White House has argued migration into the U.S. constitutes an invasion and gives the administration the power to remove undocumented border crossers without giving them a chance to seek asylum, a right which is protected under U.S. and human rights law. Lower courts have blocked the policy, though the Trump administration is seeking a Supreme Court appeal.

The administration has also revoked temporary protected status rights for people from a variety of nations, policies which had given tens of thousands of immigrants from unstable regions reprieve from deportation.

Last year, 32 people died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, the most deaths in more than two decades.