Tim Riley, Managing Director of travel insurer True Traveller and Chairman of the UK Travel Industry Association, representing all the major UK travel insurers, has issued the following guidance for UK travellers affected by the current Air Traffic Control disruption:

“The current air traffic control disruption is understandably frustrating for travellers, but there are a number of practical steps people can take.

The first port of call should be the airline. Depending on the circumstances, passengers may be entitled to rerouting, a refund and, where appropriate, meals, refreshments and accommodation.”

Tim advises passengers to keep confirmation of the reason for the disruption, together with receipts for any additional expenses, as airlines may still have responsibilities under passenger rights legislation.

“Travel insurance is there to provide valuable protection when things go wrong, but it is not intended to replace the responsibilities of airlines.”

He explains that cover will usually depend on both the cause of the disruption and the length of the delay. Air traffic control failure is commonly excluded, although travellers should always check their policy wording rather than assume they are not covered.

“Our advice is straightforward: speak to your airline first, establish exactly what has caused the disruption and keep all relevant documentation and receipts. If a later delay is caused by a genuinely separate insured event, such as an unrelated technical problem with the aircraft, the travel insurance position may be different.

Most importantly, don’t assume that a delay automatically means you are either covered or not covered. Check the reason, check your policy, and ask your insurer if you are unsure.”

It will shut a third of its counters

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Flooring firm Headlam has cut 154 jobs after tumbling into administration. The Birmingham-based company said it has also closed 28 trade counters – a store within a factory to sell products to tradespeople – across the UK as a result.

Headlam hired administrators from advisory firm Interpath on Tuesday but said it will continue to trade while a restructuring takes place. The company, which currently employs around 1,300 workers, said it will undertake a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) restructuring, which will close more than a third of its 76 trade counters.

The remaining 17 distribution centres and 48 trade counters will remain open, it said. Administrators said the business will also launch a refinancing of its debt facilities and cost reduction measures in order to help make its finances “sustainable” for the longer term.

Headlam, which specialises in floor coverings, saw its shares suspended at the start of September after warning that it expected to hire administrators due to a shortage of liquidity. The administrators said the firm was knocked by recent economic challenges, including cost inflation and fragile consumer confidence.

On Wednesday, Will Wright, UK chief executive at Interpath and joint administrator to Headlam Group, said: “Our immediate priority is to those employees whose roles have been lost as a result of today’s site closures. We understand this is devastating news and we are committed to ensuring that everyone impacted receives the support and information they need as quickly as possible.

“For the rest of the business, our focus is on implementing a restructuring that will give Headlam the best chance possible of recovery.

“Subject to the ongoing support of the group’s key stakeholders, including customers and suppliers, we believe the proposed plan provides a credible path to stabilising the business.”

By SABRINA PENTY, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 10:53 BST, 9 September 2026 | Updated: 11:44 BST, 9 September 2026

An Austrian woman who was allegedly drugged by her husband so that other men could rape her has died of the injuries she sustained while being sexually abused. 

The disturbing case draws comparisons with that of Gisele Pelicot in France, who was raped by dozens of men on numerous occasions after being drugged by her husband, Dominique. 

On June 25, emergency services were called to the couple’s home in Marchtrenk, Austria, after the 39-year-old woman was found lifeless and covered in blood on a waterbed by her teenage daughter. 

Her husband, who was intoxicated, initially told first responders his wife had had an accident while having ‘rough sex’, news outlet 20 Minuten reports. 

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Police did not initially suspect the 51-year-old husband; however, an autopsy and a search of his phone revealed that the woman’s death was linked to something more sinister. 

Following his wife’s death, police found that the man disposed of the waterbed and deleted an app on his phone.

Cops discovered that just days before his wife’s death, the man had allegedly looked up how to drug someone on his phone. 

He subsequently drugged his wife repeatedly over an extended period and handed her unconscious to men for payment, including on the night she died, local media reports. 

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A woman from the Austrian town of Marchtrenk has died after her husband allegedly drugged her so that other men could rape her. Pictured: General view of the town of Marchtrenk

The woman’s husband was paid up to 500 Euros per session and would refer to his wife as ‘dead meat’ in text messages.  

Her husband has been arrested alongside a neighbour, who is accused of sexually assaulting the woman twice, including on the night of her death. 

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He is understood to have left the house before she died. 

Text messages between the two men were found to mention the alleged abuse of the woman, newspaper Krone reports. 

In one text, the woman’s husband wrote: ‘I’ll get her properly drunk. Then you can have sex with her again. The way she was whining the other day was amazing.’

His neighbour responded: ‘She almost screamed. You cover her mouth again.’

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He also thanked the woman’s husband for ‘allowing me to use her’.  

In one text, the husband revealed his wife had not consented to the acts. He wrote: ‘She’s not participating willingly.’

He also said: ‘If it worked, if I had date rape drugs, I would regularly make her available for you to rape.’ 

More suspects remain under investigation as a police probe continues. 

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The case follows the high-profile trial that shocked France in 2024, in which Dominique Pelicot admitted to drugging his wife Gisele for almost a decade and inviting dozens of men to rape her while she was unconscious. 

He was found guilty on all charges last year and sentenced to 20 years in prison, which was the maximum possible.

He admitted his role and did not appeal.

All 50 of his co-defendants were also found guilty of various charges related to the case.

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The case has been likened to that of Gisele Pelicot (pictured in October 2025) who was raped by dozens of men on numerous occasions after being drugged by her husband

The trial drew international attention after Gisele opposed a closed hearing, a demand made by several defendants.

The court sided with her. Her courage inspired campaigners against sexual and sexist violence and the shocking case spurred a national reckoning over rape culture in France.

The evidence included stomach-churning homemade videos of rapes and assaults that Dominique Pelicot filmed in the couple’s home in the small Provence town of Mazan and elsewhere.

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For decades, Sweden has fostered a self-image as something of a world record-holder for peace, celebrating more than two centuries since it was last at war. But this record involves some creative accounting. The narrative, for example, excludes Sweden’s participation in modern-day military operations in Afghanistan and Libya.

Nor has Swedish “peacefulness” been entirely pacifist. The country operated one of the world’s largest air forces during the cold war, for example. But less well known is how far Sweden progressed towards developing nuclear weapons of its own. Despite never producing a bomb, the history of its unrealised nuclear weapons programme offers important insights for understanding security policy today.

Back in 1945, just months after the US had dropped nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Swedish military researchers began investigating this new weapon. In 1948, the defence staff asked the Swedish National Defence Research Institute (FOA) to examine the possibility of producing atomic bombs in Sweden.

We think we know Sweden – a peaceful nation grounded in social democracy, natural beauty, IKEA and Abba. But in 2026, is this still the real Sweden? Ahead of the country’s general election on September 13, The Conversation UK has teamed up with its Swedish partner universities for a series of articles examining why this small nation remains so fascinating.

The plans progressed rapidly. During the 1950s, FOA – with assistance from the state-owned nuclear energy company AB Atomenergi – conducted detailed studies of nuclear reactions and bomb design. Experimental facilities were built. By the mid-1950s, Swedish researchers believed they knew enough to construct a bomb.

Historian Thomas Jonter has argued that Sweden achieved a “latent” nuclear weapon capability. The main obstacle was access to weapons-grade plutonium and the industrial infrastructure needed to produce it.

Why would Sweden want nuclear weapons?

Behind Sweden’s determination was deterrence. Since the country’s principal strategic threat came from the Soviet Union, and since Sweden could never match Soviet conventional forces, nuclear weapons seemed to offer something compelling for a small state: the possibility to inflict disproportionate damage on a much stronger enemy.

By the end of the 1950s, the commander of the armed forces and much of the military establishment supported the idea. The defence minister and large parts of the political opposition were also in favour. Prime minister Tage Erlander was (cautiously) in favour but for years the issue was deliberately left unresolved. The government refrained from making a commitment, while the military kept its research and technical competence up to scratch in order to to keep the door open.

Opposition, however, grew rapidly. The Federation of Social Democratic Women and the party’s youth wing (SSU) were staunch critics, and foreign minister Östen Undén opposed the programme from within government. Writers, academics and peace activists mobilised external opposition.

Their campaign exposed what many saw as the dark logic of deterrence. If Sweden intended to use nuclear weapons, it had to assume that nuclear weapons would also be used against it, perhaps in a pre-emptive strike.

By the early 1960s, domestic opposition was reinforced by a changing international environment. Negotiations for arms control advanced, and the US opposed proliferation. At the same time, Swedish leaders received informal guarantees from the US in the event of a Soviet attack, which reduced the strategic case for a Swedish bomb. By the mid-1960s, the plans had effectively been abandoned, and when Sweden signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1968, the door finally closed.

But Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 transformed Swedish security policy, culminating in Nato membership in 2024 along with rapidly rising military expenditure. It has also changed Sweden’s relationship to nuclear deterrence. For Nato, nuclear weapons are a central component of its deterrence strategy.

The consequences are already noticeable in Swedish defence planning. The government’s defence policy for 2025–2030 states that Sweden is now part of Nato’s nuclear deterrence and must participate actively in the alliance’s work in this field. It also calls for Sweden to build knowledge about the role and function of nuclear weapons, echoing the build-up of knowledge from the early cold war.

This time, Sweden has no plans to build its own nuclear weapons – but the developments bring renewed attention to that dark logic of deterrence. After all, nuclear weapons promise security by threatening potential enemies with destruction.

One particularly sensitive question concerns the possibility of stationing nuclear weapons on Swedish territory. Sweden joined Nato without a formal domestic decision on this matter, although the government has stated that it sees no reason to do so in peacetime. For now, the issue is hypothetical.

But history suggests that it may not remain so forever. Seventy years ago, the prospect of Swedish nuclear weapons provoked fierce political conflict and public protest. If nuclear weapons were ever to be based on Swedish territory, the controversial idea of deterrence might stir emotions once again. Provided, of course, that the plans become known to the public.

He was reported missing nearly two months ago

A body has been found in the search for a man who was missing for months. Police have confirmed a body was found on Friday in fields near Peterborough.

Lewis Winter, from Eye, near Peterborough was reported missing on July 16 but he had not been seen for some time prior to this date. CCTV previously released by Cambridgeshire Police showed Lewis leaving the Tasman Caravan Park in Eye at around 7pm on July 5.

The force has now confirmed a body was found in the fields off Eyebury Road in Eye on Friday (September 4). A spokesperson for the force said: “The death is being treated as unexplained at this time.”

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The devastated wife and sons of one of the police officers killed in the A66 tragedy will pay a heartbreaking final farewell to him today.

The family of PC Matthew Blades, 37, – who described him as their ‘superhero’ – saw their world turned upside down on August 22 when he and his colleague PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed in a head-on smash with a car full of youths. 

PC Blades’ funeral takes place with full police honours and a procession through his home town of Hartlepool, County Durham, attended by his wife and sons aged just eight and six. Road closures will be in place. 

The boys’ plight tore at the hearts of football fans when they were mascots for Manchester United in their opening home fixture against Ipswich on August 30, attending Old Trafford with their mother, Sarah.

Ahead of today’s ceremony, Cleveland Police Federation paid tribute to PC Blades, who was known as Matty, and to the courage of his family.

Lauren Somerville, Chair of Cleveland Police Federation, said: ‘Matthew was a best friend, a husband, a father, a brother, a son and his family have said that words aren’t powerful enough to describe how they feel right now.

‘He has been described as the heart of the family and he will be remembered beyond words, today, tomorrow and always.

‘He would be so proud of all the support that has been shown from the public and from his colleagues to his family.’

PC Tom Clough, 38, also died in the crash, which occurred around 10 seconds after a police pursuit of the Volkswagen was called off 

A police officer leaves flowers at the Cleveland Police HQ Memorial Garden in Middlesbrough

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Lauren added: ‘Matt’s family have shown incredible dignity and courage since those awful events in August and it is our honour to play our small part in honouring his memory. 

‘The support and love we offer them does not end today. We will always be there to take care of them.’

She concluded: ‘His family have said they’re going to miss everything about him more than words can say and his laughter and silly jokes made them smile even when they least expected it. He’s been described as bringing light and laughter into every room and now life feels unbearably quiet without him.’

A GoFundMe page set up by the federation raised £1.2million in donations to be split between the families of PCs Blades and Clough.

Sarah Blades paid tribute to her husband the day after the tragedy which claimed his life.

She said: ‘No words will ever feel like the right words to honour our Matt – my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys.

‘He was an adored son and brother, a perfect son-in-law, and the most fun uncle. He was loved beyond words by all his family and friends, and his loss has left a space that can never be filled.

‘He gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness.

Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Cahill, 23, Cole Worthy, 17, (right) and Theo Rae, 17, (left) were also killed in the smash. Cole’s funeral also takes place today

‘The pain of losing him is beyond words, and our lives will never be the same. Neither will the love he gave us ever fade.

‘Our children will grow up knowing what an incredible father he was and will always be, and I will carry his love, his memory and everything we shared with me always.

‘He may have left this world committed to the duty he believed in, but his greatest legacy will always be the love he gave to his family.

‘We would also like to express our deepest gratitude and heartfelt thanks to all of the emergency services and to our police family who have stood beside us through the most difficult time of our lives.

‘The kindness, compassion, love and unwavering support we have received as a family has meant more to us than words could ever express. Every message, visit, gesture of support and every person who has stood alongside us will never be forgotten.

‘Forever loved. Forever missed. Forever our superhero. Our Matt and Dad.’

The two officers were killed at 3.39am on Saturday August 22nd when their armed response vehicle was struck at South Bank, near Middlesbrough, by a speeding VW Passat containing five youths and young men aged between 17 and 23.

Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Cahill, 23, Cole Worthy, 17, and Theo Rae, 17, were also killed in the smash. Cole Worthy’s funeral also takes place today in Middlesbrough.

Police said the five all had links to organised crime and had been trying to flee police when they drove the wrong way up the A66 into the police vehicle.

The VW Passat had set out in pursuit of a Volvo XC60 which had rammed the homes of relatives of Worthy and Rae as part of a tit for tat gangland turf war over the supply of drugs on Teesside.

PCs Matthew Blades with his two children and a Manchester mascot 

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PC Blades’ sons led out the Manchester United team as mascots for Premier League match against Ipswich Town on August 30

PC Clough and Blades died from severe head and neck injuries at the scene.

Away from his work as a Cleveland police response officer, PC Blades was heavily involved in the Hartlepool football scene, inspiring his own children and other youngsters as a much-loved coach.

He worked at two clubs in the town – FC Hartlepool and, more recently, Seaton Carew. Both clubs have paid tributes, with FC Hartlepool under 10s to become known as FC Blades.

The club said: ‘Some things in football mean far more than the result. The FC U10 Reds have changed their name to FC Blades in tribute to coach Matt, whose influence on the team and everyone around it will never be forgotten.

‘Yesterday marked the beginning of that new chapter, with The Blades taking to the pitch for the first time under their new name. And the boys started the season brightly, playing some good football to win their opening game.

‘A new name and a new season, but one that will always carry Matt’s influence and memory with it. FC Blades.’

A spokesperson for the club added: ‘Matty was so much more than a coach. He was a role model, a mentor, a friend, and someone the children looked up to and admired. He was able to share his love of football with his son while inspiring and supporting every child on the team.

‘Matty gave his time, energy, and heart to the team. He encouraged the boys, believed in them, supported them, and helped them grow – not only as footballers but as young people. His kindness, patience, and infectious personality made him loved by all who had the privilege of knowing him.’

Diddly Squat Farm has become one of Britain’s best‑known farms thanks to the Amazon Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm.

The popular Amazon series documents the former Top Gear and Grand Tour presenter’s efforts to manage the 1,000-acre Oxfordshire site.

Jeremy Clarkson says farming has changed his outlook on life

Clarkson opened up about his life on Diddly Squat Farm during the first-ever Hawkstone Festival, held at his Farmer’s Dog pub.

The former Top Gear and Grand Tour presenter revealed how farming has changed his outlook on life, according to The Mirror, especially when it comes to working with animals.

Clarkson explained: “With the animals it’s the weirdest relationship.

“I know I’m going to eat them.

“I know they are going to be sold in the pub and other people are going to eat them.

“I know that but you don’t half love them when you’ve got them on the farm and when they die or they get TB or they get Bluetongue or whatever it might be, it’s properly heartbreaking.

“And that’s the worst thing for me.

“I’m a little softy at heart.”

He added: “When it comes to animals I could watch James May being run over all day but a piglet, I can’t.

“I get wobbly.”

“Worst mistake” on Diddly Squat Farm that left Kaleb Cooper close to tears

Clarkson, 66, also revealed the “worst mistake” he has made on Diddly Squat Farm.

He explained that he sold the publishing rights to finance buying the farm “without doing a soil test”, which left co-star Kaleb Cooper close to tears.

Clarkson explained: “Kaleb does a speech where he’s almost in tears, saying ‘I’m not from a farming background.

“‘Lots of farmers don’t think I’m a proper farmer.

“‘You’ve completely messed this up.

“‘They are all going to think I can’t farm.’

“And it’s one of the most heartfelt, tragic things you’ve ever seen.

“I felt so ashamed, genuinely ashamed.

“I had to go home and have 42 pints of Hawkstone to make myself feel better.

“I think that was probably my worst mistake genuinely.”

The mistake is set to feature in the upcoming series of Clarkson’s Farm.

Clarkson described Cooper as an essential part of the Diddly Squat Farm journey, saying: “He’s the stupidest cleverest person I’ve ever met or the cleverest stupid person.

“He doesn’t know anything, but when he does learn something, my God, he’s clever at working it through.

“I couldn’t have done any of it without him, really.”

What is your favourite Clarkson’s Farm moment? Let us know in the comments below.

More than 50 flights at Barcelona have been cancelled while 194 are delayed

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Holiday-makers are being warned ‘check your airlines’ as Barcelona Airport cancels several flights due to extreme weather. Northeastern Spain is battling torrential rain, heavy gusts and hail to the city’s coastline.

The Mirror reports Barcelona-El Prat Airport has grounded over 50 flights from the holiday hotspot, while 194 are delayed, FlightRadar data shows. It comes as the Catalan meteorological agency issued a severe thunderstorm and rain alert this morning, with those in Barcelona warned to expect “hail and very strong wind gusts”.

Travellers flying to and from the airport have been urged to check the status of their flights due to “adverse weather” in the region.

A warning message on the website reads: “Adverse weather. If you are planning to fly to/from Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport, please check with your airline for the status of your flight.”

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Police are appealing for witnesses

A woman aged in her 70s tragically died after reports of a collision in Wigan. According to Greater Manchester Police, she was driving on Walthew House Lane, near to the junction with Spring Road when she is believed to have suffered a medical episode at the wheel.

The car she was in then came to a stop. GMP said the woman, who hasn’t been named, was taken to hospital for treatment, where she sadly later died.

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The force has issued an appeal for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Police said officers were called to reports of a road traffic collision there at 9.53am on Tuesday.

In a statement, GMP said: “At 9.53am on Tuesday 8 September 2026, officers were called to a road traffic collision involving a car that was believed to be driving along Walthew House Lane, near to junction with Spring Road.

“It is believed the driver, a woman in her 70s, suffered a medical episode before the vehicle came to a stop. She was taken to hospital for treatment where she sadly died. Officers from our Serious Collision Investigations Unit (SCIU) are appealing for anyone with dashcam footage or CCTV to assist with their enquiries.

“Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 and quote log 890 of 08/09/2026. Reports can also be made via the LiveChat function at gmp.police.uk.” No further details have been revealed.