At least nine people were killed in Russian ballistic missile strikes on Ukraine, local officials said early on Saturday.

At least another 23 were injured in the attack on the capital Kyiv, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.

Moscow has escalated deadly ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine’s capital recently, prompting President Volodymyr Zelensky to say interceptors are urgently needed.

The strikes came two days after a suspected Russian cruise missile landed in Poland during a widespread attack on Ukraine that killed at least eight people, including six members of one family in a village near Kryvyih Rih.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the capital had come under a ballistic missile attack, with AFP reporting more than 10 explosions.

Fires broke out across the city and power outages were reported in some areas.

Klitschko said a residential building in Shevchenkivskyi was partially destroyed, trapping people inside.

The emergency services said at least seven people were killed in a strike in Darnytskyi district. Another 14 were injured, including two children, it reported.

In Solomyanskyi district, two people died and eight were injured, including two children, as a five-storey residential building was partially destroyed, officials said.

A hard-right Israeli politician has denounced a deal agreed by Hamas to hand over its weapons in return for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza as ‘unacceptable’. 

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said the agreement – hailed by US President Donald Trump as a ‘major milestone’ – was ‘tantamount to agreeing to Hamas organising for the next massacre’.

The deal is aimed at implementing the long-stalled second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan brokered by Trump, who pledged that it will lead to Hamas’s ‘complete disarmament’.

In a post on social media, he wrote: ‘Today, the Board of ‌Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza.

‘This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY.’

The agreement was a critical step towards Gaza being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the so-called Board of Peace, Trump said. 

‘At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used ​as a base for terror attacks,’ he added.

Israel has yet to officially comment on the announcement, but a political source said ‘that there will be no withdrawal whatsoever’ from Israel ‘unless Hamas undergoes a genuine disarmament’.

Hamas said on Friday that it would not disarm prior to the withdrawal of the IDF forces (file pic)

US President Donald Trump hailed the deal as a ‘monumental step’ towards peace

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In somewhat of a stalemate, Hamas said on Friday that it would not disarm prior to the withdrawal of the IDF forces.

The weapons held by the Palestinian Islamist group have been one of the key sticking points in advancing the ceasefire deal, which has been in place since October.

The Israeli source said that ‘the issue of Gaza did not come up’ in this week’s meeting between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.

But Trump maintained on Friday that Israel was pleased about the new deal.

‘We do have an understanding with Israel. Israel’s very happy about it,’ Trump told journalists at Camp David.

Hamas said it expected mediators and Trump’s Board of Peace to ensure Israel complied with the deal’s terms, which include Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza.

Israel has long insisted on Hamas’s full disarmament before its forces pull back, and before the deal was announced, the political source had listed ‘the removal of weapons from Gaza and full demilitarisation of the Strip as a precondition for any process’.

Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’s negotiating team, said the movement was making ‘concessions for the sake of our people in the Gaza Strip’.

‘Israel will not intervene in the issue of disarmament. The National Committee is the body that will undertake this task,’ he said, referring to the National Committee for Administration of Gaza (NCAG), which was established under Trump’s plan to handle day-to-day governance in Gaza.

Despite the ceasefire, violence has continued in Gaza, with Israeli strikes killing at least four people, including two children, on Thursday, according to health officials.

The new agreement calls for all sides to immediately halt military operations, and for an International Stabilization Force to separate Israeli troops from NCAG-controlled areas.

The Board of Peace confirmed in a post on X that Hamas had ‘agreed to a detailed Roadmap for implementing the next phases of the Gaza ceasefire’.

‘Our focus now turns to implementation,’ the organisation wrote, adding the NCAG will ‘soon begin a phased transition toward full authority’.

Under the roadmap, the NCAG will be responsible for internal security.

Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza, said the deal ‘took months of very difficult negotiations’.

‘What happens next matters even more. Implementation and verification have to be real,’ Mladenov wrote on X. 

‘Withdrawal must move in lockstep with decommissioning.’

Hard-right Israeli politician Itamar Ben-Gvir said the latest deal was ‘unacceptable’

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas welcomed the deal, but said ‘a lot needs to fall in place for this to work’.

UN chief Antonio Guterres, alluding to the Middle East war and its regional spillover, said the agreement was a rare positive development.

‘The only good news in recent days is the announcement by the US president of an agreement for Hamas to relinquish their weapons and for Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza,’ he said.

Egypt’s state-linked Al-Qahera News said on Friday that Cairo will host a meeting soon of the truce’s mediators, which also include the US, Qatar and Turkey.

Earlier, a diplomatic source said the roadmap ‘offers a balanced and pragmatic path forward, with all weapons decommissioned and a phased transition of responsibilities’ to the new authorities.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there would be ‘no exceptions for certain weapons or certain people’.

The roadmap lays out a process to decommission and store Hamas’s heavy weapons, military production sites, weapons depots and tunnels, which will be implemented by NCAG. 

The free travel is to give families a helping hand with the cost of living over the school holidays.

In Bolton and Greater Manchester, 16-year-olds will be able to activate their Our Pass one month earlier (from 1 August instead of 1 September), giving them an extra month of free bus and cheaper tram travel.

The move means that all young people in Greater Manchester will be entitled to free bus travel for the whole month, with under-5s travelling free on the Bee Network all year round.

All under-18s in Greater Manchester can travel for free on Bee Network buses this August.

Families will be able to enjoy days out for less as part of the government’s Great British Summer Savings scheme, which is also cutting costs on children’s menu meals at restaurants, children’s tickets for theatres and cinemas and tickets for everyone at attractions like adventure centres, theme parks and soft play.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “We’re giving families room to breathe from the cost of living squeeze.

“With free bus travel for 5-15 year olds and discounts on kids’ meals at restaurants, cinema tickets and theme parks, we’re helping people make the most of the time they have together for the school holidays.

“Not only are we lowering costs for the summer, the £2 bus fare cap will help all passengers get to where they need to for less.”

Rob Parkinson, Chief Executive of the Family Holiday Charity, said:“A family holiday or day out doesn’t start when we arrive at our destination, it begins with the journey. Travel should be filled with anticipation, but for many families the cost of getting out and about can make quality time together feel less accessible.

“We welcome the commitment that wherever possible children will travel for free on public transport this summer – and look forward to hearing how the Great British Summer Savings initiative has unlocked new experiences for families throughout the UK.” 

VisitEngland Director, Andrew Stokes, said: “It’s fantastic to see free bus travel for children as the summer holidays get underway, supporting families to get out and explore the outstanding attractions and destinations across England in a stress-free and environmentally friendly way.

“Whether enjoying a trip to our stunning seaside destinations, beautiful countryside or our vibrant city attractions, there is so much to discover during the summer across England. I know our tourism and hospitality businesses will be very pleased to see you.” 

To help families navigate the thousands of offers as part of Great British Summer Savings, the government has created a new interactive tool showing the best deals in postcode areas, allowing families to easily see the restaurants, theatres, museums and other attractions offering discounts over the summer.

This can be found here

A link to the list of participating bus operators and routes will be available here.

Fran Wilkinson, Customer and Growth Director at Transport for Greater Manchester, said:

“We’re pleased to be taking part in the Greater British Summer Savings scheme which will mean free bus travel on the Bee Network for everyone aged five to 15 in August. This will help make days out more affordable for families this summer.

“To complement this national scheme, we are allowing Our Pass to be activated one month early which means no young person in Greater Manchester will miss out. The Bee Network is all about making it easier and more affordable to get around Greater Manchester and this national scheme will help us do just that.”

The Daily Telegraph reports, external that Prime Minister Andy Burnham is considering plans to exempt rapists, from the government’s early release scheme from prisons in England and Wales. The paper understands that no final decision has been made, and the option is part of a list under review, ahead of an announcement early next week.

In his interview with the Times, external, Chancellor John Healey hinted at benefit cuts when he said that the UK’s “inexorably rising welfare bill must be controlled”. Healey also echoed the prime minister in declining to commit to spending 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, saying a “target date” will instead be set at the next spending review in 2027.

The Guardian says, external Andy Burnham has been warned he faces the first revolt of his premiership, after indicating he would support fresh drilling in the North Sea. Many Labour MPs are, according to the paper, worried about how that will sit with an electorate alarmed by this summer’s soaring temperatures, drought and wildfires. The Guardian quotes the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who warned on Friday that every new fossil fuel project makes “tomorrow’s heatwaves more dangerous”.

The Financial Times leads, external on the influx of migrants into the Spanish territory of Ceuta, saying right-wing leaders including US President Donald Trump have seized on the incident. The paper notes that the 60,000 people who crossed into the exclave is five times the daily peak set in 2015 when hundreds of thousands of refugees entered Europe via Turkey. Ministers in the UK are under pressure from the Conservatives and Reform UK to strengthen Britain’s borders, according to the Daily Mail, external. Nigel Farage is quoted saying: “This is a battle for our civilisation.” The Daily Express, external, also leading on the story, cites a Conservative MP, Katie Lam, as describing the crisis as a “wake-up call”.

The Daily Mirror reports, external that grieving families are calling for a public inquiry into the actions of a funeral director in Hull, who mistreated the remains of dozens of people. Robert Bush was jailed for 20 years. The paper’s headline is, “Never Again”.

The festival will run over three days with events on Thursday, September 3, and Saturday, September 5.

There will be a variety of live music, industry talks, and comedy.

What’s happening?

Thursday, September 3

Location: Darlington’s Hopetown Museum

Headliner: George Boomsa

Hailing from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, George blends folk-rock influences, country motifs, and rhythm & blues to create his rich, unique sound.

Support Acts: Before Close and The Mist Calls

Saturday, September 5

Location: Darlington Hippodrome

Headliner: Chartreuse

Location: The Hullabaloo

Headliner: Lucia and The Best Boys

Location: The Forum Music Centre

Headliner: Benefits

Hailing from Teesside, their uncompromising spoken-word lyrics, sonic rage, electronic dance wall of sound has seen them tour the globe receiving critical acclaim across national press and radio.

Also on the festival line-up are Leazes, Polyvinyl, Lizzy Esau, Empty Page, Nano Kino, Bitchfider General, Central Arcade, Eve Simpson, Robyn Banks, Risco, Callum Pitt, The Callows, Katie Grace, Labyrinthine Oceans, Wench, Anna Karila, and more.

What else is on?

The festival will also be hosting a festival within itself called the Hilarity Bites.

On the same ticket, this stage provides a barrel of laughs all day.

You can pop in and out or spend all day there.

It welcomes hilarious comedians Silky, Rob Mulholland, Gavin Webster, Devin Gary, Maxine Wade, Anna Thomas, The Halls Of The Ridiculous, Ray Bradshaw, and more.

What time will it finish?

Doors open at 1pm and the event will finish at 10:15pm.

The festival is programmed to finish in time for festival goers to catch the ‘last train home’.

Festival organisers say this is to make the event more accessible and encourage festival goers to choose a greener transport option.

How much are tickets?

Tickets are £25 plus a booking fee online or £30 on the door.

An advance group-booking discount is available.

Is there an age limit?

Admission policy is 14+ years.

Any under-18s must be accompanied by a grown-up.

The Irish mob boss also told podcaster James English in a prison interview of the moment a Hutch assassin pulled a gun on him

Mob boss Daniel Kinahan believes the Irish courts will lock him up for the rest of his days when he is brought back from Dubai to face justice in the Republic.

“I think I have already got life in prison,” he told podcaster James English in a behind-bars phone interview in his Dubai prison cell.

Mr English, who previously interviewed Kinahan in 2022 before the Dublin mobster and key allies were sanctioned by the United States, released a portion of his interview with him on Friday – ahead of his extradition from the United Arab Emirates to Dublin to go on trial.

Kinahan, 49, is expected back from Dubai imminently after he lost his final appeal against that extradition – which means the way is now clear for him for him to be sent to Ireland for trial.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has already ruled that Kinahan – head of the €1.5billion drugs and crime cartel that bears his family name – is to be charged with serious gangland offences here.

It is understood he is to face charges of directing a crime gang – an offence that can see anyone convicted of it jailed for life.

In the excerpts from the interview, published on Mr English’s Instagram account on Friday afternoon, Kinahan says he believes he has already been convicted – even though is trial has not even started yet.

He tells Mr English: “I think I have already got life in prison, James.”

He adds that he believe a deal has been done to get him back from Dubai quicker than normal extraditions.

“I think there is a deal being done, you know,” he says.

And he adds: “I think we’re going to go through the dance now and the circus and the character assassination even more now of me and my family.”

Kinahan also raises the absence of Gardaí from the Regency Airport Hotel in north Dublin in February 2016 when the Hutch gang attacked a boxing bout he was at in an effort to murder him and colleagues. That attack saw the Hutch mob kill ally David Byrne – and miss Kinahan by seconds.

Gardaí have faced repeated criticism for not having officers there – even though some media were present because they knew Kinahan would be attending.

Kinahan echoes that criticism, as well as slamming the slow reaction of the force to the attack.

He says: “There are so many things that happened and there is so much dirty things that I think it is time to start to come out now.

“Regarding the Regency, it took over 20 minutes for them to respond, there was no police there.

“They talk about, I’m a big mafia boss and this imaginary cartel that they created and there is no police at the Regency when there is a publicised boxing event on there.

“There’s four different reporters there, ready to take pictures.

“Police didn’t respond, (they are) two minutes away and the police didn’t respond for over 20 minutes.”

He says: “People need to connect the dots now and start looking into this because once they unravel what is happening there it is going to unravel and it is going to be a snowball effect for all other corruption that has been going on over the last two, three, four decades.”

He also spoke about the moment a Hutch gunman pulled a gun on him during the attack – and how he managed to escape.

He said: “I seen him actually pulling the gun from the back of his waist and just pulling his hand up and then I just ran through the door.”

Kinahan also said he believes he has been scapegoated.

He said: “I believe I have not been an angel in my life and I don’t think anyone has been an angel. The person who points the finger has three fingers pointing back at themselves.

“I don’t want to play like I am a martyr and people believe he is innocent, he is a conspiracy theorist.

“But yeah, I believe in a way I am a scapegoat and anyone that looks into this so-called feud that they say they have created, then you will see, you will see things yourself if someone has the time to look into it.”

Before the US sanctions hit him and his father Christy and brother Christopher, Kinahan had been making inroads on his plan to become boxing’s Mr Fixit – and was trying to make himself a supremo in the game by facilitating major deals.

That plan collapsed after he was targeted by the Americans – and he said he feels he could have made a difference in the sport.

He said: “I think I would have done a lot of good for boxing because I was not in boxing to launder money as they say – I never did that whatsoever.

“I think I would have given a lot back to boxing and helped a lot of people, you know.”

He also said he cannot understand how the media in Ireland can repeatedly write about him and call him a gang boss.

“That is a question that I would like to know,” he says.

And, when asked who is the most interesting person he has met, he replied: “I would say one of the most interesting people I spoke to, just for a short time, was (director) Guy Ritchie, without a doubt.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Billy Fletcher (Jay Kontzle) was left for dead on the floor of the depot in Emmerdale. But who did it?

Who would want Billy, who would barely hurt a fly, lying in a pool of his own blood?

The timing is certainly interesting – it happened right after Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) allegedly just missed witnessing Billy and Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley) almost share a kiss.

He’s been suspicious for a while that something was going on between them given Dawn’s raging jealousy at Billy’s relationship with Gabby Thomas (Rosie Bentham), but would Joe do this?

Caleb Miligan (William Ash) knew all about the moment and when Joe confronted him about his illegal car parts business, Caleb hit him where it hurts by revealing what he saw between Billy and Dawn.

Joe immediately vowed revenge, just as Dawn left Billy a voicemail. What should happen next? Billy is found bludgeoned on the floor.

Kerry (Laura Norton) and Jai (Chris Bisson) made the discovery at the depot, and Jai leapt into action to call an ambulance.

Kerry jumped into a different kind of action – hiding the counterfeit goods. Priorities.

Billy’s loved ones were told that he had suffered a brain bleed. The detective investigating the incident then arrived and didn’t hesitate to tell everyone that he believes Billy was the victim of an attack.

Caleb made a great deal of effort to tell the copper that Joe had motive having just discovered Billy and Dawn’s kiss.

At the hospital, Joe tried to convince his partner that he’s an innocent man, but it seemed as though he was lying when the detective arrived and arrested him for GBH.

In scenes that will air soon, Billy’s life remains in serious danger.

In the police station, Joe is questioned after spending the night in a cell. If Billy doesn’t wake up, will DS Byrne charge Joe with manslaughter or murder? Even though the troublesome Tate says he didn’t do anything?

Meanwhile, Gabby discovers that Dawn and Billy kissed.

If Billy wakes up, the only thing we know for certain is that it’s crystal clear he no longer wants to be with Gabby.

What will happen if Billy wakes up and confirms that Joe definitely did attack him?

How will that impact Dawn’s upcoming departure from the show?

MORE: Major arrest made in Emmerdale as Billy’s life hangs in the balance after attack

MORE: Are you a true fan? Test your knowledge with Metro’s weekly Soaps quiz

MORE: Lives forever destroyed in Emmerdale as Sadie, Charity and Sarah explode shattering secrets

She shared a glimpse of her diamond ring on social media while celebrating with friends.

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A former Coronation Street star turned fashion boss has announced her engagement. Arianna Ajtar played a model called Olivia Radfield on the cobbles between 2018 and 2019.

The 30-year-old’s character and her family were wrapped in drugs, insurance fraud, and theft storylines that landed Corrie stalwart Sally Metcalfe in prison. She launched her own fashion brand Mars The Label in 2016 from Manchester and it has been reported the firm had an eight-figure turnover in 2022.

Arianna posted a selfie to Instagram on July 27 that showed off her engagement ring. The post, which includes snaps of her and former Love Island contestant Mary Bedford, includes the caption ‘celebrating love with my favourite people’.

She ended the post with a ring emoji and a white heart, which commenters also used to congratulate her. Arianna appears to have kept her relationship private, with no posts of her fiance currently on her Instagram profile.

In reply to a comment, she revealed she had been taking her engagement ring off when taking selfies to keep the news under wraps. One friend commented: “My most beautiful girl in her best era yet.”

Another said: “I have never seen anyone’s outfit and hand look this good.” A third said: Ah, we’ve launched our wifey. You deserve the world. Love you.”

Arianna replied: “FINALLY can stop taking the ring off for selfies now the bandage has been ripped off.”

The Bolton-born business owner first appeared on Coronation Street in May 2018 where her character Olivia met Rosie Webster at Underworld underwear factory. The pair discovered a bag given to her by agent Antoine Reese was filled with drugs so the pair swapped the majority of the bags with Sally Metcalfe’s icing sugar.

Her dad, Duncan, had a larger role in the soap and stole charity money and framed Sally for the crime, landing her in prison. He and his wife, May, faked her death for an insurance claim but When Sophie Webster suspected them she questioned Olivia.

Olivia had been told that Sally’s husband Tim Metcalfe was to blame for May’s death but eventually his lies unravelled when May returned to visit him. According to fan site Corriepedia, Arianna’s last episode on the cobbles was on January 14, 2019.

Gwyneth Paltrow has extended her social media presence by joining TikTok.

The 53-year-old Oscar winner, who was recently criticized for appearing in an Israeli ad, appeared topless in two clips shared in her introductory post, which is a montage of her filming in various locations.

She stripped off while lounging in a bed with luxurious white sheets, seemingly wearing nothing but gold-rimmed aviator eyeglasses and coordinating gold earrings.

In another outtake, the Marty Supreme actress soaked in a bathtub with her blonde hair pulled back as she modeled black-framed aviators.

Paltrow recited different versions of the phrase, ‘One second, I’m just doing a TikTok,’ in several scenes.

She teased her arrival on the platform by posting the video via an Instagram Story with the caption: ‘Apparently I’m on TikTok now.’

The 53-year-old Oscar winner appeared topless in two clips shared in her introductory post, which is a montage of her filming in various locations; pictured in March

Paltrow delivered the ‘one second, I’m just doing a TikTok’ line in multiple languages.

She recited it while in a helicopter, on a boat, in a garden, and on a private jet. 

The blonde beauty, who is the nepo baby of the late director Bruce Paltrow and actress Blythe Danner, runs the wellness and lifestyle brand Goop.

But last year she returned to the silver screen, appearing in the table tennis drama Marty Supreme.

In 2024 Paltrow and Timothee Chalamet made headlines when photos of them kissing on the movie set went viral.

In December 2025, ahead of the film’s Christmas Day release, she stopped by Good Morning America to discuss her role in the Josh Safdie-directed project.

‘I play a retired movie star in the film, who Timothee is sort of… tries to… I think he tries to get her sheen to rub off on him in more ways than one,’ she told hosts Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos.

Recalling the reactions to the widely spread images of her lip-locking with Chalamet, she said, ‘You should have seen my mommy group chats when the paparazzi pictures came out of us kissing in the park. All the moms were pretty stoked.’ 

She stripped off while soaking in a bathtub 

She teased her arrival on the platform by posting the video via an Instagram Story with the caption: ‘Apparently I’m on TikTok now’

In early June the entertainer drew ire from fans when she appeared in a campaign promoting a housing development in Israel.

The advert showed her waking up in a high-rise apartment building and getting ready for the day, all while listing the benefits of living near a park.

‘There’s a reason the world’s most iconic buildings are by a park,’ she says in the video, as she tells a driver to take her to ’51 Park’ – a luxury residential development in the affluent Israeli city of Herzliya.

Her partnership with the real estate group Aviv Melisron divided social media users, with several people accusing her of supporting the country’s war in Gaza and Lebanon.

Paltrow shares daughter Apple, 22, and son Moses, 20, with ex-husband Chris Martin, 49.

She has been married to TV producer Brad Falchuk, 55, since 2018. 

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — At least three people were killed and over a dozen others injured after Russia launched an intense barrage of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Kyiv overnight into Saturday, local authorities said.

A five-story residential building in the Solomianskyi District was damaged by falling debris with people believed to be still trapped inside and a fire in the courtyard, said Vitalii Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv in a post on Telegram.

People were also reportedly trapped in another residential building the Shevchenkivskyi district, after a partial collapse on the first and second floors, Klitschko said.

Elsewhere in the capital, warehouse buildings were on fire in the Darnytskyi district, he said.

The attack came just two days after a large-scale Russian ballistic missile and drone attack across Ukraine killed 10 civilians and wounded more than 50 others and saw a Russian missile enter Polish airspace.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pressing Ukraine’s need for more Patriot anti-ballistic missile defense systems to counter missile attacks from Russia with the U.S. and other Western partners.

Late Friday, the Ukrainian leader said he had spoken to U.S. Vice President JD Vance and discussed the meeting earlier this week in Washington with President Donald Trump which he described as “positive and productive.”

“The Russian air strikes on our country continue and air defense, specifically interceptors for Patriot systems against ballistic missiles, remains a top priority,” Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram Friday.

At a NATO summit in Ankara in July, Trump said the U.S. would give Ukraine a license to make Patriot systems but he appeared to move away from that commitment on Friday during a Cabinet meeting at the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland, saying he had not yet made a final decision on the matter.