By KATIE HIND, CONSULTANT EDITOR SHOWBUSINESS

Published: 17:52 BST, 11 September 2026 | Updated: 23:20 BST, 11 September 2026

It has been among the shortest and most tumultuous reigns of any Today presenter.

Now Emma Barnett is set to leave Radio 4 after little more than two years in the hotseat, it was claimed today.

The former Woman’s Hour host is expected to instead present a podcast for BBC Sounds which will leave just three anchors on the flagship news programme – Justin Webb, Nick Robinson and Anna Foster.

Sources claim that confirmation of her departure is expected within weeks and when approached by the Daily Mail, a BBC spokesman did not deny the claims.

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Meanwhile, a source at the broadcaster said: ‘Today has a great, fairly new editor, loads of new ideas and vision.

‘There’s always rumour and speculation about Today and its presenters.’

The i Paper reported that Ms Barnett, 41, is ‘excited to move on to her next challenge’ which is expected to be a current affairs podcast and had been in ‘long discussions’ with bosses at the corporation.

She currently hosts her own podcast, Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, which publishes weekly.

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Emma Barnett is set to hang up her Radio 4 microphone after little more than two years in the hotseat, it was claimed today

News of Ms Barnett’s rumoured exit from the show comes just days after Amol Rajan hosted his final episode of the programme before he goes off to make his own YouTube show

Ms Barnett hugs Rajan after her first show as presenter of the Today programme in May 2024

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Ms Barnett’s tenure at Radio 4 has been blighted by a strained relationship with her co-star Robinson.

Last year she complained to former BBC chief executive Deborah Turness, saying that she found long-serving Robinson to be ‘overbearing’.

Amid her gripes, it was noted that 90 days went by without the pair presenting together.

And on Thursday, Ms Barnett clashed repeatedly with Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch during an interview over her response to Labour’s spending review.

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Speculation that the mother-of-two is leaving the show comes just weeks after she returned to the airwaves after undergoing a hysterectomy for endometriosis and adenomyosis.

She has written and spoken openly and passionately about the debilitating pain caused by her endometriosis diagnosis in recent years.

Ms Barnett joined the BBC in 2014 when she worked at Radio 5 Live after hosting a show on LBC for three years before that.

Between 2016 and 2020 she presented 5 Live’s mid-morning weekday programme before moving to Woman’s Hour.

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On Thursday, Ms Barnett clashed repeatedly with Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch during an interview over her response to Labour’s spending review

News of Ms Barnett’s rumoured exit from the show, which she joined in May 2024, comes just days after Amol Rajan hosted his final episode of the programme before he goes off to make his own YouTube show, The Amol Rajan Connection, which is expected to launch within just a couple of months.

Last Saturday saw the Today programme’s Saturday edition being fronted by just one presenter, Ms Foster, with a rotating cast of correspondents covering following Rajan’s departure.

A source told the i Paper: ‘There has to be a new full-time presenter now. And it needs to be someone who is going to stick around. Listeners want stability. Amol and Emma were not here very long, compared with past figures.’

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The BBC has not yet announced a replacement for Rajan, 43, who is set to star in the second series of The Celebrity Traitors when it hits our screens later this year.

It was previously said an announcement would be made ‘in due course’.

Amongst those tipped to join Today are BBC Europe editor Katya Adler and chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman who filled in over the summer.

Meanwhile, the broadcaster’s political editor Chris Mason is also tipped for a future on the show but bosses may want him to stay in his current position in case Andy Burnham calls an early election.

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Ms Barnett was contacted for comment.

“This style has been my shoe of choice for years. 30 years in nursing and these have been the comfiest”

Now that autumn has arrived, fashion fans will be ditching their sandals, ballet flats and open-toe shoes for footwear more suited to the cooler, wetter weather. At Clarks, one pair in particular are proving popular with shoppersa, and it’s not hard to see why.

Clarks’ Funny Dream shoes blend comfort and style effortlessly. Described as being ‘so comfortable’, multiple nurses say they are the only shoe they wear while on shift at work, being easy to wear straight out of the box.

Clarks’ Funny Dream shoes in light pink suede typically cost £80 but shoppers can pick them with a 30% saving by applying the discount code ‘SAVE30’ at checkout. This brings them down to a more modest £56, offering a reduction of £24.

READ MORE: Clarks reduces trainers with ‘softest ever’ soles in nine beautiful colours to £38

READ MORE: Marks and Spencer’s ‘smart but stretchy’ £16 trousers ‘shoppers have been buying for years’

Inspired by designs from the Clarks archive, the Funny Dream shoes feature a vintage-inspired silhouette while maintaining a modern look. The casual shoes has handcrafted stitched seams with chunky, Clarks-branded eyelet laces for a contemporary touch.

The shoes are made from premium leather, offering comfort and durability in equal measure. They’re finished off with a breathable leather sock lining, a grippy and flexible outside and a modest 30mm heel height.

Alongside the beautiful pink style, shoppers can pick up the shoes in four other colours in sizes three to eight. There’s teal suede, £80, and leopard print suede, reduced to £36 down from £80, as well as plum, £80, and black, £80.

Elsewhere, Marks and Spencer’s Suede Loafers are priced at £56. Made from soft suede for comfort and luxury appeal, they feature ruching along the sides and classic saddle detailing on the vamp.

The regular fit and flat heel keep you comfortable all day, while the slip-on design makes this shoe easy to slip on and go. Perfect for dress occasions at work or casual weekend wear.

Alternatively, the Gen-FF Padded Mules are available for £76.50 instead of £90 with the discount code ‘WELCOME’ at checkout. Ergonomically engineered to help optimise the body’s alignment, the mules are perfect for slipping on and heading out of the door.

They feature reflective detailing on the heel tab for increased visibility during the darker nights, while the hardy nylon upper is padded and overlaid with a coated finish for added durability in winter. The interior is fully lined in fluffy micro fleece for added cosiness.

Back at Clarks, the Funny Dream shoes boast an overall star-rating of 4.6 out of five based on 589 reviews. One satisfied shopper said: “Comfortable and looks good as well as being strong and sturdy. True to size.”

A second wrote: “I’m a nurse and I’ve been buying this shoe for 12 years. They have gone up in price however I never get aching feet so I replace them when needed every few years.”

“This style has been my shoe of choice for years,” a third penned. “30 years in nursing and these have been the comfiest, I work 12 hour shifts with no aching feet. Comfy from day one, no uncomfortable breaking in period.”

A fourth stated: “Rare to have footwear that are comfortable from first wear. This is important to me as I have feet/mobility issues.

“Great quality. Great colour. And remind me of the old Cornish Pasty shoes I loved back in the late 70s.”

One shopper, however, found the Funny Dream shoes to be ‘too heavy’, giving the style a three-star review. They mentioned: “These are far too heavy, I had to return them.

“Otherwise, they are very comfortable indeed. I found that the padded, stitched in tab just adds to the comfort.”

“These shoes look really comfortable but I didn’t try them on,” another three-star review mentions. “It seems the insoles aren’t removable, which I need to do to insert my custom-made orthotics. This fact isn’t stated in the description and I ordered them online so they will be returned.”

Nevertheless, someone else loved their latest Clarks purchase, adding: “I love this shoe style but of the five pairs I’ve got, these attract by far the most attention. Business smart with tailored trousers or down the market in jeans, these can cover most requirements.”

Another five-star review reads: “I absolutely love these shoes. The quality is excellent, the materials feel durable and the stitching is very well done.

“They’re super comfortable even after hours of walking, and they look great with almost any outfit. I’ve already received several compliments. Totally worth the price.”

On Friday, Yemeni pro-government forces withdrew from Perim (also known as Mayyun).

Witnesses and news agencies reported that Houthi forces moved on to the island.

The Houthis later issued a statement, saying that their military operation to expel Saudi-backed forces had been a “success” and that “maritime navigation is safe for all companies except for Saudi vessels”.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said the “large-scale” military operation was launched on 3 September due to Saudi Arabia’s “blatant aggression” against “our dear people”.

Sarea also said the Houthis had expelled “Saudi enemy” forces from six districts in the Taiz and Hodeidah regions, claiming that hundreds of troops had been killed, wounded or captured.

The Houthi statement, however, did not mention Perim Island.

Saudi Arabia has not publicly commented on the latest developments.

Perim Island sits at the narrowest point of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which has become increasingly important following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz – another crucial waterway – in the conflict between the US and Iran.

Saudi Arabia has been relying on the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait for shipping oil to customers in Asia.

The escalation of the conflict between the Houthis, Yemen’s government and Saudi Arabia has contributed to a surge in oil prices.

Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed and thousands displaced in Yemen since the Houthis launched an offensive in the south-west a week ago.

A Saudi-led coalition has also carried out air strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in western Yemen in support of the pro-government forces, and the Houthis have launched missiles and drones at cities and oil facilities in southern Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi foreign affairs ministry said on Friday that drones from Iraq had targeted the country’s East-West oil pipeline, forcing it to be closed as a “precautionary measure” and injuring several people.

Iraq’s government condemned the attack and its prime minister has launched an investigation.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said that, following a call from Iraq’s prime minister, it had chosen not to respond to the attacks at this stage.

Arcade games, cocktails and classic pub atmospheres are all on offer for University of Sunderland students and freshers exploring Sunderland’s nightlife.

Whether you’re craving a quirky cocktail bar, traditional pub, or somewhere to belt out karaoke with friends, Sunderland has something for everyone.

SpaceBar Cocktails & Arcades

SpaceBar is a standout option for those who enjoy a bit of friendly competition with their drinks, and is around a ten-minute walk from the city centre campus.

Customers on Tripadvisor say the venue has the “best cocktails” and “biggest arcade and pinball collection”.

The bar also hosts karaoke, live music, quizzes, pinball tournaments and comedy nights, making it a lively option for groups looking for more than just a drink.

The Dun Cow

For those who prefer a more classic pub atmosphere, The Dun Cow offers historic Edwardian surroundings, real ales and a welcoming vibe.

At just a five-minute walk from the city centre campus, or 20 minutes across the river from the St Peter’s campus, customers often praise the venue as a “fantastic back bar” with “great real ales”.

The pub also serves food and features live music.

The Ship Isis

Another character-filled venue is The Ship Isis, known for its old-fashioned charm.

Tripadvisor reviewers call it a proper “old-fashioned pub” with “great décor” and “excellent pizza”.

The Ship Isis is a five-minute stroll from the city centre campus, often hosting live music and other performances, making it a great spot for a longer evening out with a bit of everything.

Diego’s Joint

Around 20 minutes on foot from both campuses, and for something more modern, Diego’s Joint in Sunniside offers cocktails, beer, food and a packed events calendar.

The bar regularly hosts live music, comedy nights and quizzes, making it an all-rounder for students making a night of it.

The Manor Bar

The Manor Bar adds to the city’s nightlife mix with cocktails, wine, beer, live music and a cosy, trendy setting.

The venue, which is around 15 minutes from the city centre campus, is popular with groups and also features decent outdoor seating.

With such a variety of venues on the doorstep, freshers can make the most of their time in Sunderland by exploring everything the city has to offer.

From arcade games and karaoke to traditional ales and comedy nights, there’s plenty to help students settle in, make new friends and start university life with a bit of fun.

Are you going out tonight? Comment below.

Unlike Haaland, who is a specialist goalscorer, Joao Pedro has played as a midfielder, number 10 and winger during his career and possesses a more rounded skillset.

Alonso, who made 195 appearances alongside former Ballon d’Or winner Benzema at Real Madrid, said there were also similarities between the Frenchman and Joao Pedro.

“In many things he reminds me of Benzema, because he is good in the box, he is good out of the box, he is good coming to his left side, he is good with the head, he is very complete, he is intelligent,” added the Spaniard.

“So yes, he is still young, still things to develop, but many, many absolutely outstanding qualities that he has.”

Benzema, now 38 and a free agent, has scored 523 goals in 994 appearances for France, Lyon, Real Madrid and Saudi Arabian sides Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal.

Meanwhile, Joao Pedro was a surprise omission from Brazil’s squad for the World Cup this summer, but has since been recalled for September’s international fixtures against New Zealand and India.

Asked whether the omission by Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti, who coached Alonso at Real Madrid, had provided added motivation this season, the Chelsea boss said: “He had enough motivation.

“He already had enough within him, so I didn’t need to go there. It was painful for him, but that is in the past. We are now focused on what he is doing well and what he can do better.

“He has been outstanding. Not just in football terms, but in his personality, his maturity and his desire. He has a very clear goal this season, which is to have a great campaign and score a lot of goals.”

The UK “cannot simply turn AI off”, the Cabinet Office said on Friday, signalling opposition to calls for the creation of a new “last-resort power” for the state to shut down an autonomous model in an emergency.

Peers have sought to make the case for a “kill switch” in Parliament in recent weeks amid growing fears of the risks posed by the technology, including warnings from experts that it could wipe out humanity within the decade.

Earlier in September, Liberal Democrat Lord Clement-Jones tabled an amendment to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill that would introduce a legal mechanism for the state to intervene if a model malfunctions.

He said this would allow for “a necessary emergency kill switch” where the Government “currently lack clear statutory power to direct an emergency shutdown”.

But in a statement on Friday, a Government spokesperson said: “Britain cannot simply turn AI off and blocking access to models in the UK would not prevent them being developed or misused elsewhere.

“Companies have a clear responsibility to develop their products safely and to invest in the security infrastructure this technology requires.

“We will continue to take a long-term, science-led approach to understand and prepare for emerging risks from AI – including through the work of our world-leading AI Security Institute.

“Our Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will boost UK cyber defences and improve the cyber security of our essential public and digital services that we all rely on, including data centres.”

Officials said the Government is exploring whether further targeted interventions may be needed to address the most significant risks linked to the technology, but that any measures would need to be proportionate.

Earlier this week, the Prime Minister acknowledged “risks to national security” posed by AI after a top safety researcher at Anthropic said he believed the technology could “kill all humans” in the next decade.

Mr Burnham has boosted the role of AI safety minister Kanishka Narayan by giving him a seat at the Cabinet table, a move which he said on Wednesday had “lifted the level of the conversation about artificial intelligence within Government”.

“The offer is open to colleagues on all sides of the House to be part of that crucial discussion,” he told the Commons at Prime Minister’s Questions.

It came after Evan Hubinger, alignment science lead at Anthropic, laid out his concerns about the potential advancement of AI in a post on social media.

“We really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans! I personally think it is >10% within the next decade,” he wrote on X.

“I believe Anthropic is trying its best, but we do not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence and are not clearly on track to.”

His post came in response to another Anthropic researcher, Jacob Coxon, warning that a race between companies towards self-improving superintelligence was “gambling with our lives”, as he resigned from his role at the firm.

Announcing his departure, Mr Coxon said that Anthropic and OpenAI, its main competitor, were not “acting responsibly” and that people outside of AI labs were underestimating the power of the technology.

“The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade. This is not a marketing stunt,” he said.

“No other human activity poses this level of danger.”

It comes after the Financial Times reported the US tech giant had withheld its latest model from the UK’s AI Safety Institute, one of the world’s leading bodies for testing the risks of the technology.

Claude Mythos 5.1 was only made available to vetted American organisations, according to the paper.

Anthropic and OpenAI have been contacted for comment.

By WILL GRIFFEE

Published: 20:24 BST, 11 September 2026 | Updated: 22:32 BST, 11 September 2026

England: B Duckett, E Gay, J Cox, J Root (captain), H Brook, D Lawrence, J Smith (wicketkeeper), G Atkinson, O Robinson, J Archer, J Tongue.

Pakistan Imam-ul-Haq, A Awais, S Masood, A Shafique, B Azam (captain), S Shakeel, M Rizwan (wicketkeeper), A Usman, K Shahzad, M Abbas, M Ali.

An airline ticket agent who checked in two of the 9/11 hijackers admits he ‘didn’t listen to his gut’ despite their suspicious behavior ahead of the attacks. 

Michael Tuohey was working at Portland International Jetport in Maine on the morning of September 11, 2001, when he helped al-Qaeda terrorists Mohamed Atta and Abdul Aziz al Omari get to their connecting flight in Boston. 

The terrorists made their flight to Boston in the nick of time, Tuohey said, before they hijacked the next aircraft and flew the jet into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. 

Tuohey said he has been left haunted by the thought that he could have prevented the attacks, as he believed the men were suspicious but he did not stop them.

‘If anyone looked like a terrorist, he was a terrorist,’ he said of Atta.  

‘My gut instinct was good, but there were laws, there were laws against profiling people,’ the ticket agent, 80, told RTE. 

‘It’s just that it could have changed something. Not that it would have, but it could have. Who knows?… I didn’t listen to my gut. And it turned out to be an awful thing.’ 

Tuohey said he encountered the two men struggling to find their way through the Maine airport, as they had arrived just half an hour before their flight. 

‘They looked confused,’ he recalled, saying he helped the men through their check-in procedure to make the connecting flight. 

Tuohey recalled a rude interaction with chief hijacker Mohamed Atta (left) and Abdul Aziz al Omari (right), but he helped them make their connecting flight before the hijackings 

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The ticket agent said he was surprised to see the two men had purchased first class seats, and said Atta became frustrated with him when he was slowly checking his flight credentials. 

He recalled Atta barking at him, ‘They told me it would be a one-step check in’, so Tuohey gave him his boarding pass and sent him on his way. 

Tuohey said he told Atta that because he had a first class ticket, he should head to the Admiral Lounge when he got to Boston, where they would ‘set him up’ with a more comfortable experience.

He said Atta responded to his friendly suggestion by bluntly repeating, ‘They told me it would be one-step check in.’

This rude remark caught Tuohey off-guard, he said, and he then warned the terrorist: ‘Mr Atta, if you don’t get upstairs real quick, you’re going to miss your flight altogether.’

He said Atta then gave an ‘order’ to al Omari, and the two men hastily picked up their belongings and headed for their flight. 

Tuohey said he was glad to see the men walk away because of their rude encounter, as he ‘didn’t want to deal with this guy anymore.’

Tuohey, seen during his time working at Portland International Jetport in Maine, said he has been left haunted by the thought that he could have prevented the attacks

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When Tuohey saw the 9/11 attacks unfolding on the news, he said it quickly dawned on him that he may have encountered the hijackers that day 

Some time later, Tuohey said he saw the 9/11 attacks unfolding on the news, and a colleague reminded him that he had helped passengers get onto the flight to Boston.

‘Oh my god, the poor guys, they’re dead,’ Tuohey recalled thinking, unaware at the time that the Atta and al Omari could have been responsible.

‘And then it dawned on me, wait a minute… if anyone looked like a terrorist, he is a terrorist,’ he said.

‘That passed through my mind earlier that day.’ 

Tuohey said even though he had his suspicions about Atta, he understood ‘there are laws against profiling people’, and he believed at the time he would have been accused of racial profiling.

‘I don’t want to get into a pissing contest about that,’ he said. ‘My opinion is, I didn’t listen to my gut, and it turned out to be an awful thing. 

‘It wasn’t that I was right, it’s just that it could have changed something… I followed all the guidelines, I did my job, and 3,000 people ended up paying with their lives.’

Need to know

A massive security operation is underway as the US President lands in Dublin tomorrow.

Here’s everything you need to know about the US President’s trip to Ireland:

• US President Donald Trump is due to fly into Dublin Airport at around 8am on Air Force One.
• It’s expected the US President will have a massive entourage with him, up to 1,000 people including US secret service personnel.
• Over 20 US military aircraft have touched down in Ireland over the past week, bringing personnel and equipment for what will be one of the state’s biggest security operations.
• After landing in Dublin Airport Trump will be ferried straight to the Phoenix Park, where all of his events in the capital will take place.
• He will first meet President Catherine Connolly at Áras an Uachtaráin, with sources close to preparations saying it will be a “brief” courtesy call.
• Here, Trump will be greeted by a guard of honour outside before meeting the President.
• A bilateral meeting between the US President and Taoiseach Micheál Martin will then be held at Farmleigh House.
• President Trump will then meet industry leaders and give a speech at the US Ambassador’s Deerfield Residence.
• Early plans for Trump’s trip included turning the sod at the new US Embassy in Ballsbridge, however, it was decided to keep all Dublin events in the Phoenix Park for security purposes.
• The Phoenix Park is currently on lock-down and will be until 6pm on Saturday.
• After the Phoenix Park President Trump will be brought back to Dublin Airport and will fly on Air Force One to Shannon Airport.
• He will then travel on a Marine One helicopter to his golf course in Doonbeg, arriving at around 3pm to attend the Irish Open.
• Security in Doonbeg is expected to be extremely tight. It will be a massive logistical challenge for gardaí and US secret service personnel, with the event drawing in 75,000 spectators over the week.
• After gracing the golf course on Saturday, Trump will sleep in his five-star luxurious resort.
• He is then expected to present the Irish Open cup on Sunday before flying back to the White House from Shannon Airport that evening.

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