By SABRINA PENTY, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 08:13 BST, 6 August 2026 | Updated: 09:44 BST, 6 August 2026

Ukraine is aiming to build at least 50,000 combat robots to support and replace its soldiers fighting on the frontline. 

Ukrainian officials say that using unmanned weapons would help Ukraine optimise its headcount while fighting Russia and free soldiers from dangerous tasks, Bloomberg reports.

It comes as Ukrainian President Zelensky appealed to the West for more missile defences after a major Russian air attack on Kyiv killed 17 people in Kyiv. 

Ukraine has already been using combat robots to fight Russia.  

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In the east of the country, near Dobropillia, the 93rd Mechanised Brigade used a robot equipped with a flamethrower to target Russian positions established on the edge of a wooded area, allowing Ukrainian troops to neutralise the remaining fighters. 

Last month, Ukraine landed a remote-controlled combat robot using an unmanned naval drone that travelled nearly 7 miles to reach the shore of the occupied Kinburn Spit in southern Ukraine. 

The Wolly 7.62 ground robot carried a machine gun loaded with ammunition that fired on Russian troop positions, forcing them to pull back from part of the coastline. 

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Ukraine is aiming to build at least 50,000 combat robots to support its soldiers fighting on the frontline

Ukrainian officials say using unmanned weapons would help Ukraine optimise its headcount while fighting Russia

Ukraine, which has a fraction of Russia’s population and a much smaller economy, has had little choice but to try and use new technologies to tackle its opponent, with Kyiv’s new commander-in-chief, Mykhailo Drapatyi, backing the massive integration of robotics on the front lines.

It comes as Zelensky urged his allies to increase the supply of drone interceptors after Ukraine failed to shoot down a single ballistic missile fired by Russia on Wednesday.

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‘Ballistic missile interceptors could have saved the lives of those killed today,’ Zelensky said. 

‘Quite literally every single day, the lives of people here in Ukraine depend on the decisiveness of our partners in Europe and America.’

NATO’s secretary general Mark Rutte said the alliance was working to get Ukraine the air defences it ‘urgently needs.’ 

Russian attacks on Kyiv and its surrounding region on Wednesday killed 17 people and wounded dozens more. 

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Moscow has been exploiting Ukraine’s critical shortage of interceptors for the U.S.-made Patriot systems, the sole air defence weapon in its arsenal able to shoot down ballistic missiles.

Zelensky has pleaded with other countries, especially the U.S., to send more of the ammunition made scarcer by the Iran war. 

Failing that, he wants to make Patriot ammunition in Ukraine or win permission from Elon Musk to use his Starlink satellite communications system to guide strikes inside Russia that can hit its missile launchers.

By ANGHARAD CARRICK, BUSINESS NEWS EDITOR

Updated: 09:25 BST, 6 August 2026

Wizz Air swung to a loss in the first quarter and warned of further ‘challenges’ as soaring fuel costs continue to hammer the low-cost airline.

The London-listed Hungarian airline revealed an operating loss of £157million between April and June, down from a profit of £23.6million for the same period last year.

Wizz said this largely reflected a 21 per cent rise in unit fuel costs, which followed a spike in oil and gas prices since the start of the Middle East conflict.

Shares fell 4.62 per cent to 1094p at the open, having shed 15.5 per cent this year.

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The budget airline, which primarily operates in Eastern Europe, has been more exposed to the ongoing war than others.

It has also been hit by the temporary cancellation of flights to Tel Aviv in Israel, which resumed in late May, and the grounding of some of its aircraft because some engines needed extra checks and repairs.

Slump: Wizz Air swung to a quarterly loss as it battles higher fuel costs 

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Chief executive József Váradi said: ‘The industry has been extremely volatile over the June quarter due to conflict in the Middle East, elevated fuel prices, and changes in booking patterns.’

The group’s load factor, a key measure of how well it fills its planes, dipped by 0.2 percentage points to 90.9 per cent.

Despite the travel disruption, Wizz Air recorded a 25.1 per cent jump in passenger numbers to 21.2million over the period, while revenue grew 5.5 per cent to £1.3billion.

Wizz Air, which continues to withhold full-year earnings guidance, said it expects available seat kilometres capacity growth of around 20 per cent year-on-year and seats up ‘high twenties per cent’.

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Váradi said: ‘While we continue to see the build-up of forward bookings, the rest of the year is expected to present both industry challenges and strategic opportunities. Wizz Air is well positioned, with a strong liquidity position, a modern and efficient fleet, and a disciplined approach to capacity deployment.’

Other airlines have flagged weaker demand and higher costs as the fallout from the war continues. 

Wizz Air and rival Ryanair, whose profits slumped by a third in the first quarter, have been particularly hard hit as they cut prices even further to stimulate demand.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said in July that fares ‘required stimulation’ as the war led to ‘consumer hesitancy, concerns about EU jet-fuel shortages, economic uncertainty and later bookings.’

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Alex Pugh, analyst at Freetrade, said: ‘Wizz Air’s results show there’s no shortage of passengers. Demand for cheap flights is still there. 

‘Passenger growth was strong and planes remained full. 

‘Consumers are still willing to travel when the price is right. 

‘The problem is Wizz is having to absorb a lot more to carry them.’

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He added: ‘Wizz is under profit pressure, but its cash pile gives it breathing room, so this is not an existential crisis. And there are signs of punctuality and completion rates improving even in a difficult quarter. 

‘The ultra-budget airline is expanding fast, but the market will want proof bigger means better, not just more seats sold at thinner returns.’

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YouTube food critic Sam Wilder spent 48 hours eating from Aldi’s Specially Selected range – and compared it to the luxury food ranges Tesco Finest, Lidl Deluxe and Asda Exception

A YouTube food reviewer who put the luxury ranges of supermarkets Aldi, Lidl, Tesco and Asda to the test has declared one a clear winner.

Britain’s largest supermarkets all offer their own premium lines, purportedly delivering top-quality, some at more competitive prices than others.

With this in mind, content creator Sam Wilder set out to determine which major brand comes out on top, both in terms of value for money and taste.

Having already undertaken the same challenge with Lidl Deluxe, Tesco Finest and Asda Exception, he purchased 48 hours’ worth of food from Aldi’s Specially Selected range. This comprised two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners, along with snacks and a dessert.

Sam’s total came to a very reasonable £44.50 at the checkout before he headed home to begin the challenge, reports the Express.

The online food reviewer, who has 106,000 subscribers on his channel, was thoroughly impressed by his Aldi haul – so much so that he crowned the supermarket “the clear frontrunner”.

Upon completing the two-day challenge, he said: “I’m placing Aldi as my clear frontrunner of all of the premium supermarket ranges so far.

“It’s pretty similar price-wise to Lidl but the quality is right up there with what I found at Tesco and Asda compared to what I found at Lidl.

“Things have more flavour, there’s way more to choose from, and to be honest with you, given the option of Aldi or Lidl anyway, outside of this challenge, I’m always going for Aldi.”

It appears it was Sam’s final meal that truly won him over at Aldi.

He feasted on a Wagyu steak accompanied by chunky oven chips and cherry tomatoes, rounding things off with lemon and white chocolate cheesecake slices. It was the tomatoes that left him singing their praises.

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Sam said: “I’m not going to lie, that is a fantastic steak. Now I did have one of these tomatoes raw, and these tomatoes, I think they are quite possibly the favourite thing I have had in the last 48 hours.

“These tomatoes are phenomenal, they are sweet, they are zesty.

“This is just a very good dinner. £9.99 for a single steak at a supermarket is a little bit dear, but if you’re treating yourself, and I think Wagyu is a treat, then go for it. It feels worth it, it was that good.”

The YouTuber was caught somewhat off guard before the challenge even began while browsing the Aldi aisles.

He had underestimated just how extensive the budget supermarket’s luxury range actually was, which presented something of a problem at the checkout.

Sam added: “It did feel like there was an abundance of food in this range. What I’m already learning is, the Specially Selected range is, king of huge. I definitely over buy for these challenges.”

Mel C has admitted she had words with Geri Halliwell when her Spice Girls bandmate turned up to her wedding in a white dress. 

Sporty Spice Mel, 52, married model Chris Dingwall in a ‘perfect’ Lake District wedding in the grounds of The Country House Cumbria on Saturday.

Whilst Victoria Beckham was forced to miss Mel’s big day, her other bandmates Geri, Emma Bunton and Mel B were all guests.

But Geri’s decision to wear white, her signature colour, raised eyebrows among fans, prompting newlywed Mel to address the drama during a new interview. 

Speaking on Australian radio station Kiis1065, Mel gave her verdict about her guests’ dress choices, admitting: ‘I did have a little chat with Geri because it is her favourite colour.’ 

‘She wears it every day. But she had a beautiful floral dress on and it was white white… I did have a little giggle with her about that.’ 

Mel gushed about her ‘beautiful weekend’ during the chat but did admit she missed Victoria, who had designed her stunning wedding gown. 

Victoria missed out on her friend’s nuptials as they clashed with the World Cup final in New York, which she attended with her FIFA ambassador husband David. 

Addressing speculation that she was upset Victoria chose football over her friend, Mel insisted: ‘Victoria was very disappointed to not be there. She was with David in New York and it was the football final.’

‘She tried to get out of it – she isn’t the biggest football fan, she won’t mind me telling you – but the family were there and David had commitments, being an ambassador for FIFA.’

‘Of course she made my gorgeous dress and she was messaging me on the day. I actually saw her when I was in Ibiza so we had a little catch up. We were giving her updates and sending her pictures.’

Despite being in New York, Victoria’s influence on her best friend’s wedding was unmistakable, with Melanie’s effortlessly elegant dress featuring the clean lines and understated tailoring that have become synonymous with the designer’s luxury fashion label. 

Mel added that she included several Spice Girls references in her big day, revealing there were multiple tracks from the girlgroup on her playlist, and she even walked back up the aisle to a rendition of 2Become1.

 In a host of photos released by Vogue, Melanie was seen getting her dress fitted, and walking hand in hand with her new husband Chris. 

Sporty Spice Mel married model Chris Dingwall in a ‘perfect’ Lake District wedding in the grounds of The Country House Cumbria on Saturday (pictured on their honeymoon)

Melanie told Vogue: ‘The spark was immediate,’ she said. ‘I was 49 when I met Chris and I was in a really good place. We had a date in Australia, and it’s been difficult to separate us ever since.

‘He’s been such a beautiful addition to mine and my daughter’s life. Because, you know, I’m a single mum. My daughter is 17, and we’re pretty resilient the two of us, we’re a team. For anybody coming into our world… it was going to be tough, and he just fits perfectly. It’s a beautiful dynamic.’

Melanie met Chris, thought to be in his 40s, in 2023 on the exclusive dating app, Raya.

She admitted she originally thought she was finished with romance following her split from previous long-term partners, including Thomas Starr.

But during a night out at the pub, her friends convinced her to download the app, turning the search for a partner into a game they jokingly dubbed ‘boy Bingo’.

The couple first had a legal ceremony in Australia and one particularly sentimental detail was also unveiled, with Melanie incorporating a special Australian touch into her sleek ivory gown, which featured a dramatic open back and minimalist silhouette.

The Spice Girl had the words ‘Sydney’ and ‘7.6.2026’ embroidered in blue into the inside of her custom-made Victoria Beckham wedding gown as her ‘something blue’, commemorating the date and place where she and Dingwall officially became husband and wife.

A leaked document reportedly shows that FIFA and Gianni Infantino were not just aware of the European Super League plans in 2021, but wanted in on the failed scheme

Gianni Infantino tried to get FIFA involved in the failed attempts to establish a European Super League, according to a leaked document.

Infantino is currently desperately trying to cling onto power as FIFA president following the humiliating U-turn over his plans to sell stakes in tournaments like the World Cup. Infantino has now apologised for secretly plotting to welcome private investment, while insisting that he will continue as president.

But UEFA and their allies are understood to remain determined to oust the Swiss from his position. They have encouraged their members to backtrack on their previous support for Infantino ahead of his attempt to be re-elected for a fourth term in March.

And the revelation that the recent plot was not the first time that Infantino had used football’s governing body to try to usher in outside money will pile further pressure onto him and strengthen his detractors’ resolve. The Guardian reports that Infantino held talks about branding the European Super League as “FIFA Super League”.

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The European Super League fell flat in a matter of days in the spring of 2021 after becoming public knowledge. The 12 clubs involved in trying to form a closed-shop breakaway league from UEFA were forced into an embarrassing climbdown after fan protests.

It has now emerged that Infantino and FIFA were also involved, having created a ‘term sheet’ for the league in October 2020. Infantino reportedly wanted a ‘golden share’ in the breakaway, while a 12-year partnership, which would’ve seen FIFA run the commercial operation, was proposed.

There were also plans to tie FIFA’s Club World Cup to the Super League. It is reported that, like with the private investment scheme, FIFA’s federations were not consulted in the early stages of the scheme.

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In response to the article, a FIFA spokesperson replied on X, writing: “The FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, in his address to the 45th Ordinary UEFA Congress in Montreux, Switzerland in April 2021, clearly expressed FIFA’s strong disapproval of the proposed European breakaway league project: ‘At FIFA, we can only strongly disapprove the creation of a super league which is a closed shop, which is a breakaway from the current institutions, from the leagues, from the associations, from UEFA and from FIFA, which is outside of the system. There is no doubt whatsoever of FIFA’s disapproval for this’.”

Those words from Infantino came after it was clear the European Super League was doomed to be a spectacular failure. All six of the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ – Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool – pulled out quickly following the backlash, while Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus and Atletico Madrid soon joined them.

Barcelona and Real Madrid held on longer to the pipe dream before quietly backing out in 2025 and 2026 respectively. A company called A22 Sports Management is still trying to pursue the idea through the courts, but it largely been consigned to the history books until now.

Meanwhile, Infantino has gone on the offensive in his attempts to secure his position at the head of FIFA, where he has sat for 10 years. After holding a meeting in Morocco, he issued a letter with FIFA general secretary, Mattias Grafstrom, which outlined the new approach to sweeping the ordeal under the carpet.

It said: “With the project withdrawn, FIFA will no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity, good governance and due process and will take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard its name and reputation.”

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean police raided the headquarters of Starbucks’ local operation as part of an investigation into a controversial marketing campaign that was perceived as defaming 1980s’ pro-democracy movements.

Investigators searched the Starbucks headquarters in southern Seoul on Tuesday, police said Wednesday.

Police gave no further details, but South Korean media reported investigators also were sent to the residences of Starbucks executives.

The coffee chain triggered a public uproar when it attempted to promote a series of stainless-steel tumblers it called “SS Tank” by declaring May 18 to be “Tank Day.” The date marks the anniversary of a 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju that was brutally oppressed by South Korea’s then military-backed rulers.

The campaign also used the slogan “Thwack it on the table!” which many read as a reference to a notorious 1987 police statement that attempted to cover up the torture death of student activist Park Jong-chol. Authorities had falsely said Park died after investigators “hit the desk with a thwack.”

The public outrage prompted Shinsegae Group, which owns a 67.5% stake in Starbucks Korea, to cancel the campaign within hours. It also fired the chief executive of Starbucks Korea. Shinsegae Chairman Chung Yong-jin later issued a televised apology. Starbucks Korea closed all of its stores nationwide early on June 22 for mandatory history and social sensitivity training.

The police investigation was launched following complaints from relatives of the victims of the Gwangju crackdown, which official records say left about 200 people dead.

South Korea achieved a genuine democracy in 1987 when then authoritarian President Chun Doo-hwan, who led the Gwangju crackdown, was forced to accept a constitutional revision introducing direct presidential elections in the face of massive pro-democracy demonstrations.

The woman, referred to as Mrs Y, was given dog food by care workers contracted to deliver home care for Portsmouth City Council, with an ombudsman report finding the care amounted to a ‘significant personal injustice’ in the months before her death

A woman was fed dog food by care workers who were unable to read the label during the final months of her life.

Portsmouth City Council has issued an apology following the incident, after care workers employed by Radis, who were contracted to provide home care on behalf of the council, committed a ‘litany of errors’.

A report by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found that the care the woman received amounted to a “significant personal injustice” as she was regularly left alone for “prolonged periods of time” or went without food.

The woman, referred to as Mrs Y, was receiving at-home care from GP Homecare Ltd, also known as Radis.

She had been left with limited mobility and was bedbound after suffering a fall in April 2024, with care workers attending her home on a daily basis, reports the Daily Star.

Mrs Y’s son raised safeguarding concerns regarding a “lack of management oversight at Radis”, claiming that staff failed to refer to her care plan, visits were not recorded properly and a ‘Do Not Attempt Resuscitation’ document was found “scrunched up in a cupboard”.

A Section 42 safeguarding enquiry was launched by the council to examine the concerns, while Radis commenced an internal investigation.

Mrs Y suffered a mini-stroke and it was agreed by her family and Radis that she needed a “soft diet due to the increased risk of choking”.

However, in mid-June 2024, a care worker was discovered giving the woman dog food, which had been logged as a “lamb dinner”. Two care workers visited Mrs Y’s home, and a week later one raised concerns about witnessing the other “feed dog food” to Mrs Y.

The care worker “only realised the meat was dog food when they noticed the packaging in the kitchen”.

They initially attempted to reach a senior colleague to flag the incident, but their call went unanswered, leading them to report the matter in person the following week.

They were subsequently questioned by the senior manager, who asked “why they did not remove the dog food” during the visit and “why they did not report the incident on the day it happened”, before being told to remove the dog food from Mrs Y’s freezer “to prevent any other care workers doing the same”.

It was later established that the care worker “fed three mouthfuls of microwaved dog food to Mrs Y”.

“This was vacuum packed dog food stored by Mrs Z in Mrs Y’s freezer. The food was labelled as “fresh take on dog food” and “for adult dogs and puppies”.”

Following discussions between Radis and the family, it was agreed that a new care provider would be sought.

However, in July 2024, Mrs Y’s family opted to delay the new provider’s start date following a deterioration in her health, meaning Radis continued to deliver end-of-life care.

Mrs Y’s daughter alleged that “footage from Mrs Y’s home camera showed evidence of a care worker force feeding Mrs Y”.

Later in July 2024, Mrs Y passed away and it was determined she “died from frailty of old age”. Radis admitted failings in the care provided following complaints raised by Mrs Y’s family, confirmed that disciplinary action had been taken against the care workers involved, and issued an apology.

The council’s investigation further revealed that Mrs Y had been “left unattended for prolonged periods and on occasions left wet or in darkness overnight”.

The report highlighted that staffing levels were “inconsistent”, with concerns raised over workers’ “attitude, compassion and respectful communication”.

Additionally, there were “Allegations that staff falsified records and that some visits had not taken place despite being recorded”.

The ombudsman recommended that the council issue a formal apology, reimburse the care fees, and make a symbolic payment of £1,000 to the family to “recognise significant distress” and the “delays” in the safeguarding investigation.

Councillor Matthew Winnington, cabinet member for community wellbeing, health and care, said: “We accept the Ombudsman’s findings in full and recognise the seriousness of what happened in this case. We ended our contract with Radis early and we no longer work with, or commission services from them.

“The care described in this report is not the standard anyone should expect, particularly at such a vulnerable time in someone’s life. We have apologised to the family and are very sorry for the distress they have experienced; we know this has been deeply upsetting for the family.”

He went on to say: “These events happened two years ago, and since then we have taken action to strengthen how we oversee care providers…Our adult social care services recently received a ‘good’ rating from the Care Quality Commission, reflecting the wider positive experiences of residents, the strength of partnership working across the city, and the support available to help people remain independent.”

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Travel plans are being affected as water levels on major European rivers drop due to prolonged heatwaves and low rainfall.

Viking River Cruises and TUI have both warned customers of potential changes to itineraries, with recent reports of two ships running aground.

The Viking Einar ran aground on the Rhine River in Cologne, Germany, on June 29 with around 190 passengers on board.

Another vessel, the Viking Ullur, ran aground on the Danube River in Bulgaria on July 27, with all 186 passengers having to be rescued.

River cruise holidays in Europe face disruptions and itinerary changes

Viking River Cruises, in a statement on its website, said: “Sections of the Danube and Rhine Rivers are currently experiencing exceptionally low water levels.

“As a result, select Viking river itineraries may be modified.

“Viking’s nautical and operational teams are closely monitoring conditions and working to minimize any impact to guests’ travel experiences.”

The company said it was prepared for these challenges.

Viking said: “We also deploy identical sister ships on the same itinerary, sailing in opposite directions.

“In various water-level situations, when disruptions occur, we can implement ‘ship swaps’, allowing guests and their luggage to transfer to their exact same stateroom on an identical sister ship on the other side of the affected section of river.

“This approach helps minimise overall disruptions and preserve the experience our guests expect from Viking.”

TUI has also advised customers that cruise plans may be affected.

A spokesman for TUI said: “Most sailings go ahead without any disruptions, but water levels on the rivers can go up or down depending on the weather.

“If your cruise is affected, we’ll make every effort to complete your itinerary.

“To do this there may be changes to berth locations, modifying shore experiences or completing some sections of the itinerary by coach.”

Do you have a river cruise holiday in Europe booked? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.

By GETHIN HICKS, REPORTER

Published: 08:26 BST, 6 August 2026 | Updated: 08:36 BST, 6 August 2026

A mother spent her final moments recording a video message while trapped in a burning building, an inquest heard. 

Horse-loving Laura Foulis died aged 38 after a blaze engulfed a rural farm stable in Milnrow, Manchester, on July 3. 

Police and fire crews rushed to the scene and found Laura, from the Isle of Man, dead. Her body was only identifiable by her fingerprints. 

An inquest at Rochdale Coroner’s Court this week heard that ‘one of a kind’ Laura sent a video while trapped in the inferno. 

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The tragic footage showed the scene inside the stable, where bottles and containers had caught fire. Laura was heard saying she was ‘in a set of stables and cannot get out’. 

A neighbour said the horsewoman had been living in a mobile home at the time of her death while renovating a nearby barn and using the stables. 

The exact circumstances surrounding her passing are yet to be made clear, with a full inquest set to be held at a later date. 

Assistant Coroner Michael Salt said: ‘The circumstances of the lady’s death are not yet fully known, however given the information we have already it is clearly an unnatural death and therefore a full inquest is needed.’  

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Laura Foulis died aged 38 after becoming trapped in a burning stable in Milnrow, Greater Manchester

The horse-loving mother spent her final moments recording a video message in the inferno

Images meanwhile showed the fire completely destroyed in the aftermath of the blaze

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A man in his 40s was arrested on suspicion of murder in the aftermath of Laura’s death and released on bail pending an investigation. 

He will, however, face no further action as police believe no third-party was involved.

Witnesses reported seeing large flames and black smoke billowing into the sky as the fire raged in the stables, according to The Sun. 

Images meanwhile showed the building completely destroyed in the aftermath of the inferno. 

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Paying tribute, ex-partner David Jacobs, who Laura shared a 16-year-old son with, said he was ‘devastated’ by her death.

‘Words are lost on me at the moment,’ he said. ‘All I can say is Laura we love you and we miss you so much.’

Laura regularly posted pictures and videos of herself riding horses in the countryside on social media before she died.  

In other tributes online, friends described her as having a ‘big heart’ and thanked her for helping inspire their ‘passion for horses’.

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Leah Sykes wrote: ‘Thank you for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself, for pushing me to be better and helping me fall in love with horses all over again.

‘You’re one of a kind and such a kind soul that will be missed by so many.’ 

Another friend, Jack McManus added: ‘RIP Laura, a hole in my heart has been made.

‘I will cherish our times together and the memories…will miss you and love you forever and a day.’

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A date for the full inquest is yet to have been set.  

Chelsea are on the verge of signing Pep Chavarria and eyeing a fresh offer for Alex Scott, though Diogo Costa will not be heading to Stamford Bridge. Manchester United remain in pursuit of Lewis Hall, while they wait to see if Guimaraes’ arrival at Arsenal could boost their hopes over Myles Lewis-Skelly. Liverpool are still pushing for Bradley Barcola as they also target PSG team-mate Ibrahim Mbaye.