The Sunday Telegraph, external says John Healey is mulling a windfall tax on banks and oil companies in the Budget. Treasury officials are said to be looking at ways of plugging a £4.7bn black hole without raising direct taxes on individuals.

The paper suggests banks and oil companies are seen as “low-hanging fruit”. BP is said to have more than doubled its profits between April and June because of higher oil prices driven by the Iran war. In its editorial, the paper warns against the windfall tax move, saying it will harm growth by denting investor confidence.

According to the Mail on Sunday, Russia is poised to target Britain with a cyber attack on a drone or missile factory. A key advisor to President Vladimir Putin, the former deputy foreign minister Andrei Fedorov, tells the paper the highest levels of the Russian government are considering such a strike. A drone factory owned by the British Ukrainian firm, Ukrspecsystems, is said to be a target. Its location, near RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, was made public in April.

The Sunday Times, external reports that Andy Burnham has given what it calls a lucrative pay rise to train drivers on the Avanti West Coast London to Manchester line. The deal with union leaders was said to have been made to avoid strikes on a flagship service, and one of the busiest lines in Europe. The paper suggests industrial action would have proved embarrassing for cabinet ministers travelling to the prime minister’s new political hub, Number 10 North, in Manchester.

According to both the Sunday Telegraph and the Sunday People, new studies suggest statins can reduce the risk of dementia, as well as lowering cholesterol and the risk of heart attacks. The Telegraph reports that the largest study by Denmark’s Copenhagen University Hospital found that the daily pills reduced the chances of dementia by up to 15%. The paper says the research means statins could benefit around six million of almost 10 million people aged 70 and over in the UK who are not currently taking them.

The Sunday Mirror, external reports that Peter Homa, the ex-boss of Nottingham NHS Trust, where a review found that 520 mothers or babies suffered potentially avoidable death or harm, is now CEO of a firm giving maternity training to the health service. Grieving families tell the paper they are “concerned” by the news. Homa was approached for comment.

The Sun on Sunday, external suggests the X Factor could return, seven years after it left our screens. ITV chiefs are said to be “in talks” about revamping the programme for a younger generation. The show’s creator and former head judge Simon Cowell is said to be likely to return in some capacity.

And several papers carry pictures of Sir David Beckham and his wife Victoria watching their son Cruz perform at the Reading Festival with his band the Breakers. “Beckstage at Reading” says the Sunday Mirror, external. “Band it Like Beckham” is the Sunday Times caption.

President Donald Trump on Saturday posted an apparently AI-generated video depicting an army of buff, bequiffed and heavily-armed “Donald Ducks” patrolling the shores of “Lake America.”

Hours later, while he was at his Virginia golf course, the president posted another AI-generated video, this time showing himself knocking over a “Welcome to Lake Ontario” sign and installing a “Welcome to Lake America” one in its place. He then dances to the Village People’s “YMCA.”

The posts followed Trump’s executive order renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America” amid a bitter tariff war with Canada, a longtime U.S. ally and trading partner.

Set to the theme song from Hawaii Five-O, a 34-second clip shows a squadron of Canada geese marching near the Great Lake. The birds have human arms, carry assault rifles and sport the president’s signature blond pouf of hair.

The geese then fire their weapons into the air as fireworks erupt over the skyline of a nearby city — which appears to resemble Toronto.

Earlier this week, Trump announced that the U.S. was giving “serious consideration” to rebranding Lake Ontario, which straddles the U.S.-Canada border. He also posted a TikTok video showing himself using a Sharpie to mark up a map of the lake.

“We’re gonna make a little change; we’re gonna call it something different than Lake Ontario,” the 80-year-old president said in the clip.

Any doubt that the effort was simply trolling evaporated Thursday, when Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to refer to Lake Ontario as “Lake America” in all official documents and records. The move echoed his similar effort last year to rebrand the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”

Although the president can direct how the federal government refers to geographic features, he cannot compel foreign nations, private entities or even U.S. states to follow his lead.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to the missive in a Thursday post on X.

“The name Lake Ontario comes from the Wendat word Ontari’io, which, appropriately, means ‘the lake is beautiful, the lake is big,’” he wrote. “The name is more than 400 years old, predating both the Confederation of Canada and the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America.”

“We know that America is changing. Their trading relationships, their foreign policies, their national monuments, their hydronyms,” he added. “Canadians also know that naming reality means calling it Lake Ontario – then, now and always.”

Relations between the U.S. and Canada have deteriorated since Trump took office, including as a result of his repeated suggestion that Canada should become the “51st state.” Tensions escalated further this week over trade.

On August 22, the U.S. imposed 50 percent tariffs on about $20 billion worth of Canadian exports after last-minute talks between Ottawa and Washington broke down. The Trump administration has accused Canada of discriminating against U.S. businesses.

Carney, who has denied Trump’s accusations, likened the levies to an act of war. He retaliated with tariffs of up to 50 percent on a range of U.S. goods.

The trade war has also spilled into a war of words. This week, Trump singled out Ontario Premier Doug Ford in a Truth Social post, describing him as a blustering “flunky” who needs to “fall in line.”

At a news conference, Ford responded by calling Trump a “dictator,” a “bully” and the “king of bankruptcies.” He also told Trump to “kiss my a**.”

And so with this show, everything is very deliberate and performed with conviction. There is no “oh I need some stronger material there” or “haha I never know how that bit’s going to go”. That’s not to say every part of this show fully lands with the audience, by any means. But it’s the show as it was intended. To see a performer commit to the bit, to the extent she does in particular when playing out a funeral scene (and if you’re trying to guess how, you’re wrong) may be unrivalled at this year’s festival. It pays off with what may be its most brilliant extended joke. No spoilers.

Visitors can enjoy half-price entry to the children’s archaeological experience DIG and the historic Barley Hall during the final week of the summer holidays.

The offer is available to anyone with a valid JORVIK ticket and is designed to help families and visitors make the most of their summer outings.

Lisa Wood, head of communications and marketing, said: “It has been a great summer for us, with JORVIK’s new riverside interpretation proving incredibly popular, and the extension of our How To Train Your Dragon School exhibition at DIG, so we wanted to give an end-of-summer boost to those making last-minute trips before the school holidays become a distant memory.”

The discounted tickets can be used for visits between 31 August and 6 September.

Although the scheme is primarily aimed at families, it also provides an opportunity for adults to visit outside of the peak holiday period.

Ms Wood said: “September is a particularly popular time for adults without children to venture out, avoiding the busiest times of the summer but still taking advantage of decent weather for domestic holidays.”

Tickets can be booked at jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk using the code BH50 or DIG50.

Dent made the admission after appearing alongside McGuinness and fellow judge Giorgio Locatelli on the latest series of Celebrity MasterChef, where the trio were tasked with tasting dishes prepared by celebrity contestants including Emily Campbell, Jason Mohammad, Jay McGuiness, Joe Pasquale and Shakira Khan.

At the time of filming, McGuinness was in the middle of an intensive health and fitness plan. The TV presenter had recently completed the popular 75 Hard challenge and was following a strict diet as he prepared for a major magazine photoshoot.

Paddy McGuinness has opened up about his weight loss journey (Image: David Venni/Men’s Health UK/PA Wire)

However, his healthy eating routine was put to the test when contestants served up a selection of meat pies and dessert pies packed with pastry, chocolate and sugar.

Reflecting on the experience, Dent told Men’s Health magazine that she joked that she had almost undone weeks of hard work.

She said: “I nearly ruined Paddy McGuinness’ diet for the cover of Men’s Health.

“Paddy had been living on boiled chicken and broccoli for 42 days when we forced him to eat so much sugar, chocolate and pastry.

“He left winded, emotionally broken, and perilously high on nougat.

“Yes, I did make Paddy shout ‘no likey no lighty’ at me. It was strangely exhilarating.”

Paddy McGuinness will feature in the latest edition of Men’s Health (Image: David Venni/Men’s Health UK/PA Wire)

Dent has been a judge on MasterChef since joining the programme in 2024.

Despite the mountain of pies, pastries and sweet treats put in front of him during filming, McGuinness’ transformation remained firmly on track.

The presenter later appeared on the cover of Men’s Health after following a demanding training schedule involving regular full-body workouts and a tightly controlled diet.

Fortunately for McGuinness, it seems a day in the Celebrity MasterChef kitchen was not enough to knock him off course, despite Dent’s best efforts.

By CHRISTIAN CALGIE, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT-AT-LARGE

Published: 23:48 BST, 29 August 2026 | Updated: 02:06 BST, 30 August 2026

Reform UK wants the police to re-investigate an attempted robbery against an aide of Nigel Farage following Ann Widdecombe‘s murder.

Adviser George Cottrell was attacked outside his London home in April, days after Mr Farage revealed his house had been firebombed.

The timing of the incident, previously reported without naming Mr Cottrell, has raised suspicions in the party that it may be linked to the hate-fuelled attacks that culminated in Ms Widdecombe’s murder in July.

Mr Cottrell – ‘Posh’ George, as he is known – was ‘jumped’ outside his Chelsea property in the early hours and recalled being grabbed at by blue latex gloves as he fled on foot.

Advertisement

While the incident was reported as a stand-alone crime, the heightened fears about security have led to calls for the case to be reopened.

Reform aides also pointed to a profile about Mr Cottrell in Tatler the previous August which revealed Mr Farage was ‘often’ at his west London house, which could have made it an easy target for those hoping to do harm to the party leader.

The Metropolitan Police said the case remains closed, and that it had ‘carried out extensive enquiries’ but could not identify the suspects.

The statement suggested the case could be reopened ‘subject to further information coming to light’.

Advertisement

George Cottrell was ‘jumped’ outside his Chelsea property in the early hours and recalled being grabbed at by blue latex gloves as he fled on foot (Pictured: Mr Cottrell and Nigel Farage)

Ann Widdecombe was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon, on July 9

But last night a Reform source said the police may want to reconsider after announcing they are re-investigating Mr Farage’s firebombing.

Advertisement

They said: ‘In the current climate, it would seem strange to dismiss the possibility of a link between the incident involving George, the firebombing of Nigel’s house and murder of Ann Widdecombe. 

‘The police must keep an open mind, even if means re-opening George’s case.’

Counter-terror police confirmed they are reopening their probe into Mr Farage’s firebombing last year.

Mr Farage said: ‘It was an outright arson attempt. I wasn’t home at the time, but when I came back I found the damage.’ 

Advertisement

A spokesman for Counter-Terrorism Police yesterday said the investigation into Ms Widdecombe’s murder ‘remains ongoing’.

PHOENIX (AP) — A social media influencer known for posting viral videos of pranks has pleaded guilty to criminal impersonation in Arizona for posing as an employee of businesses in a Phoenix suburb and orchestrating brief but chaotic takeover attempts.

The outcome was welcomed by observers who said it could serve as a reminder to seekers of viral fame that stunts that cross the line legally can lead to serious ramifications.

Heston James Cobb, who posts as “Heston James,” was arrested in July 2025 after police in Tempe say he and others went into businesses posing as workers, entered employee-only areas and refused to leave when asked to do so. He entered his plea Friday.

In one video Cobb, wearing a Chipotle Mexican Grill shirt, told restaurant staff he was going to “clean house” before a group of men wearing dark shirts flooded into the eatery and ignored requests to leave. One man posing as an employee cleaned a tabletop with a mop.

Investigators said the videos had millions of views and potentially generated large amounts of income.

Vicki Lopez, an attorney representing Cobb, declined to comment Saturday. The Associated Press left a message with Cobb’s TikTok account seeking comment.

Steve Chucri, president of the Arizona Restaurant Association, said he hopes Cobb’s punishment is “severe” to deter copycats.

“There’s no place for it,” Chucri said. “That’s the last thing we need to put up with in the restaurant industry. The amount of money it takes to operate today is expensive.”

Chucri said the association does not offer any formal training or advice to restaurants on dealing with social media pranksters, and he hopes it does not come to that.

“We’re a society of civility,” Chucri said. “We shouldn’t have to.”

Matthew Pittman, a social media professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, hopes the arrest will be a warning to influencers about boundaries when creating prank or satirical content.

Pittman said he and others who teach aspiring content creators generally stress that “real world norms and laws” extend into the digital world.

“So doing something that is illegal in real life would also be illegal on social, even if you are doing it for content,” he said. “This is a clear case of going beyond what the law allows.”

Among the recent cases he cited was an influencer in Long Island, New York, who was arrested last year after a series of pranks. They included videos of him going to eateries; pouring food such as raw eggs or beans over his head; and then running off, leaving the mess to be cleaned by others.

“Every few years a YouTuber, influencer or prank content creator goes a little too far, gets in trouble, and reminds the rest of us creators that digital actions can have real world consequences,” Pittman said.

Cara Hawkins-Jedlicka, a communications professor at Washington State University who teaches about content creation, said it’s not enough for influencers to stay within the law. They also need to have basic empathy.

“When is it pulling a prank, and when it is being cruel?” Hawkins-Jedlicka said. “Before anything else, this is truly kind of unkind. This influencer was really only thinking about himself and how can I take advantage of this community.”

___

Marcelo reported from New York.

For students starting at a new school, the first day holds many questions: Will they see any familiar faces? Who will they sit with at lunch? Who will they play with at recess?

“I’m this much nervous,” said Iman Fair-Seldon, 5, holding her hands about 4 inches (10 centimeters) apart. Iman will start first grade next month at a new school in southern New Jersey, near Philadelphia. Despite the nerves, she said she is excited to make new friends.

Starting at a new school or making a big transition, such as moving from elementary school to middle school, can be challenging. Parents may want to help but aren’t always sure what to say or do. Here’s some advice from both grown-ups and the ultimate experts: kids who have gone through transition themselves.

Schedule playdates and go to birthday parties

Parents of young children have significant influence over where their children spend time and with whom, experts say. They can seek out activities that create opportunities for connection, such as parks, playgrounds and birthday parties, and decide when their children are ready for activities like sleepovers.

“Initially, parents have a huge impact when it comes to the friends that children have,” said Dr. Asha Barber Sutton, a licensed marriage and family therapist and an associate dean of academic affairs at National University in San Diego. “More than we would like to believe, our actions as caregivers make a difference in terms of how children experience the world.”

Amira Fair, Iman’s mother, says she prefers to keep to herself, but she pushes past those feelings to help her daughter develop relationships. “I make it my business to exchange numbers and try to schedule monthly playdates,” she said. “One thing I tried to do, especially at her old school, was go to every single birthday function, say hi to the parents, get a present, see the family.”

Let kids navigate their own friendships

Parents can’t manage every friendship for their children, experts say. Instead, they can help children develop their own sense of what makes a good friend: Are they kind? Are they honest? Can you be yourself around them? Some difficult interactions can help children learn what they value in a friend and how to handle conflict, Sutton said.

Parents can also ask questions to help their children think about what they value in friendships: What qualities do you like in your friends? Who makes you feel comfortable being yourself? Those conversations can give children a framework for evaluating their own friendships when problems arise, experts say.

Jaiden Journet, a 14-year-old starting at a new high school in North Carolina, suggests parents ask their kids: “Have you found anything you have in common with anyone?”

Help kids get involved

Parents also can support their children through encouragement, especially if they are shy or anxious. Encouraging children to get involved in extracurricular activities or to try something new can help them meet people with similar interests.

Shia Watts, 16, says trying something new led her to some of her friends at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California.

“Last year, I was part of theater production. I’d never done that before, but I met so many amazing people,” she said.

When Jamir Gonzalez transferred last year to Uncommon Camden Prep High School in New Jersey, he joined the baseball and debate teams.

“If you have any hobbies, find out if they have that at your school, and if they do, talk to the people that are there,” said Jamir, now a 16-year-old senior.

Once students find opportunities to connect, starting the conversation is the next step, experts say. Smiling, complimenting others and asking questions can help start a conversation and keep it going.

Iman, the New Jersey 5-year-old, remembers how she met her now “B-F-F-F-F-F.” It started with a compliment.

“I think I said, ‘I like your shirt,’ and then she said, ‘Thank you.’ And I said, ‘So what’s your name?’” she recalled.

Put down the cellphones — sometimes

Students may find it harder to start conversations when their peers are on their phones, wearing headphones or focused on screens. Experts say parents can encourage children, particularly teens, to put devices away at times so they can be more present and engaged with the people around them. One way to help: Stop texting your child at school, some teachers and experts say.

But being too harsh with older children’s tech limits can isolate them socially, Sutton said. Still, parents should talk with their teens about expectations around technology, social media and gaming, including knowing who kids are interacting with online.

Technology can also help children maintain friendships when circumstances separate them, Sutton said. “If you move away, it’s no longer like, ‘Hey, I moved out of state, and I can never see you,’ ” she said. “We have FaceTime, and we can still stay connected to friends in that way.”

Even one friendship counts

Feeling connected and having a sense of belonging at school can have an important effect on students’ well-being. If a student feels staff and peers at their school care about them, they are less likely to have poor mental health, use substances or be involved in violence, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and they are more likely to have better grades and attendance.

But a student needn’t have a large friend group to feel connected. Even one relationship can make a meaningful difference, said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit that focuses on gun violence prevention in schools.

“Even if you only have one really strong friendship or one strong trusted adult, one strong sense of belonging, that can be enough to really positively affect your well-being and your trajectory through school and life,” she said.

For students who are nervous about starting over, Hockley said, it can help to remember that other students may be looking for connection, too.

“There’s also someone else just like you in that same space who’s also saying, ‘I would like to meet someone. I’d like to make a friend,’ ” she said. “It can be intimidating, but it’s not hard once you practice it.”

___

This story has been updated to correct that Jamir Gonzalez joined the baseball team, not the basketball team.

___

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Train drivers are set to receive an above-inflation pay rise as agreed by Burnham who frequently travels up from the capital to work at No 10 North

Andy Burnham has agreed on a pay rise for train drivers including those operating the London-Manchester line used by the Prime Minister.

Train drivers are set to receive an above-inflation pay rise of 3.6%, following threats of strikes.

The wage deal between Avanti West Coast and the Aslef union is the first to be approved under the Prime Minister, who frequently travels up from the capital to work at No 10 North.

The company runs services from London to destinations including Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and Blackpool.

Aslef has secured time-and-a-half pay on Sundays, a single-year wage rise of 3.6% – 0.7% higher than the latest inflation rate – and up to £720 for turning up to work on a fifth day of the working week, as first reported by the Sunday Times.

It comes after the union announced plans at the end of June to ballot members in the following weeks on whether to launch strikes in a dispute over pay.

An Aslef spokesperson said on Saturday: “Our job is to enhance our members’ terms and conditions and this deal, struck with Avanti West Coast and approved by the DFTO (Department for Transport Operator), has been accepted.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “This Government has prioritised resolving the rail union disputes, improving services for passengers and saving hundreds of millions in lost revenue to ease the burden on taxpayers.

“We are pleased to see Avanti West Coast work with Aslef to enable a fair and affordable settlement to keep Britain’s railways moving and prevent disruption for passengers.”

The Mirror has contacted Avanti West Coast.

HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese university student Fleming Cheng found the political books he had only glimpsed online in a Hong Kong bookstore last year.

Before visiting Greenfield Book Store, Cheng had only managed to see the books’ covers online after bypassing Beijing’s internet censorship using a VPN. At the store, he picked up a title offering a critical account of China. He stood there devouring dozens of pages from another, about a pro-reform Chinese leader who fell from power for sympathizing with the protesters during the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement in 1989.

Cheng said he saw perspectives diverging from the mainland’s official narrative.

“A space of freedom,” he said.

Hong Kong’s independent bookstores, many of them tucked away from busy streets inside buildings, have long offered a refuge and a window to a freer world for some mainland Chinese readers seeking ideas suppressed at home.

But these spaces now are under threat following a wave of bookseller arrests over alleged sedition under a 2024 national security law. Critics say their plight reflected the city’s broader crackdown on dissent that began after Beijing imposed a separate 2020 security law. Authorities say the two laws are vital to stability.

Greenfield was one of four bookstores targeted by police in just four months. Although bail was granted, the 50-year-old shop in July announced it would close at the end of its lease. Another bookstore, Have A Nice Stay, set up by former journalists, had announced plans to shut down Sunday, citing “elusive red lines” and financial challenges, even before its booksellers were arrested on the same day as Greenfield’s.

“If the Hong Kong government desperately tries to bring every aspect of the city into close alignment with the mainland, or even to the point where the two become indistinguishable, that would be a tremendous loss for us mainlanders too,” Cheng said.

Booksellers under pressure

Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to China in 1997, was once known for its freedoms of publication and expression.

But in 2015, bookseller Lam Wing-kee and four others affiliated with Causeway Bay Books disappeared. The store was known for selling politically sensitive titles. Lam later told reporters he was held by Chinese authorities, providing explosive details that contradicted official Chinese accounts. Gossipy books about Chinese politics soon dwindled on Hong Kong’s shelves.

After the 2020 security law, leading activists were arrested and civil society groups disbanded. Titles about the Tiananmen crackdown and works by pro-democracy politicians were pulled from public libraries. At the city’s annual book fair, some smaller book businesses were barred from exhibiting, and a pro-Beijing newspaper labeled an independent book fair a form of “soft resistance.”

Despite the pressure and increased official inspections, many pressed on, with some continuing to organize activities alongside selling books.

But the arrests hit Book Punch in March, Hunter Bookstore in June, and Greenfield and Have A Nice Stay in July. The authorities accused the booksellers of selling seditious publications, according to government statements and media reports.

Cautious booksellers say they struggle to interpret the rules

Authorities say statements with “seditious intention” to incite hatred against or the overthrow of the governments of China and Hong Kong are prohibited. But they have not specified the books they consider as “seditious,” leaving observers to find clues in news reports quoting anonymous sources.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang said the law is clear about what constitutes seditious intent and reiterated there would be no banned book list. He said booksellers should ensure the titles they sell do not harm national security, just as those selling food need to ensure the food won’t cause a stomach ache or be poisonous.

A bookseller, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of government retribution, said they struggled to judge what was seditious. Still, they became more cautious about whether to sell certain books on China’s modern politics. Their landlord was also reviewing whether to continue to rent the space to them after being harassed.