A key ally to Vladimir Putin has warned British factories could now be targeted by Russia after Andy Burnham stepped up support for Ukraine.

The prime minister announced this week during a trip to Kyiv that he would be handing the blueprints for building long-range missiles to our Ukrainian allies.

It was also confirmed last week that British drones had been used in Ukrainian strikes deep within Russia.

Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Putin’s adviser and former deputy foreign minister Andrei Fedorov said there could be a significant backlash as a result.

He claimed there may be a “technical reaction” or “hackers’ attack from unknown sources – not from an official level, of course”.

He said there could be different “political steps” and he cannot “100% exclude a semi-military” response.

“For example, something might be happening with enterprises, the factories, which are producing drones for Ukraine etc. etc,” he said.

Presenter Adam Fleming asked: “British factories in Britain could be attacked militarily by Russia?”

“They could be attacked not by Russia but from unknown sources,” Fedorov said.

Asked if he would support that, the ally said: “No, I don’t think it’s OK because the problem is we are now facing in front of the danger that Ukraine conflict will be beyond Ukrainian borders, and remembering that the UK is a member of Nato, and UK is a nuclear state.

“The risk is of course much higher than it was before, even a couple of months ago.”

Fleming questioned how such an attack could be legal under international law, to which the Putin ally hit back: “Frankly, who cares about international law?

“The problem is for Russian society that so many people are saying the president is waiting too long, not answering the UK.

“The answer should be made even earlier than now.”

Asked again why there would be a military response, he said: “The UK is, from Kremlin’s point of view, is a much more involved 1787647654.”

“Moscow is considering steps by the UK prime minister as direct military involvement in this conflict,” he added.

He added that “hackers can do anything”, admitting that security and government facilities would likely be targeted, especially if related to the production of drones.

His alarming remarks follow a growing spat between the UK and Russia over British backing for Ukraine.

Moscow accused Burnham of adding “fuel to the fire” of the Ukraine war on Monday over the PM’s decision to give Kyiv key missile blueprints.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “Britain is participating in this war on the side of the Kyiv regime.

“Britain is methodically and consistently adding fuel to the fire and methodically and consistently plotting to prevent a peaceful settlement process.”

However, Burnham brushed off the comments, saying: “Who started the fire? That’s the question, isn’t it.”

He later told broadcasters that he would not be put off by the “outrageous threats” from Russia during his first official visit to Kyiv as prime minister.

The PM also insisted he had not gone further than his predecessors with his backing for Ukraine.

He said: “We’re not doing anything different. This is continuity. We’ve said we would support Ukraine.

“We did so from the start and we’re carrying on supporting them with the technical backup that they need this far into the conflict.

“Russia could stop this war tomorrow if it so choose. But when that hasn’t happened, obviously it’s right that UK continues to provide steadfast support to Ukraine. We’re not a fair weather friend, we’re here for the long haul.”

He continued: “Obviously with a change of prime minister, presumably people might think is there a change of policy. Well, I’m here to say there isn’t. I’m going to do what my predecessors have done.”

He added: “I’m doing what I think is the right thing to do. Where we see an illegal invasion on the borders of Europe if we don’t take a firm stand, who would be next? It’s right to do this.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Last week, one of the most unexpected entertainment stories of the year emerged when it was first reported that Meghan Markle had begun talks about appearing in the third season of the Netflix gangster series The Gentlemen.

Although neither the Duchess of Sussex nor Netflix has commented publicly on the matter, that hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from going into overdrive, with conflicting reports most recently claiming that the talks had stalled – while other sources have cast doubt on whether they ever even existed.

Despite this, People magazine reported on Monday that Meghan, in fact, “remains in talks, despite recent reports to the contrary”.

Similarly, The Sun also reported this week that the talks are ongoing and that “Netflix bosses are eager to feature Meghan’s screen comeback”, even if “no formal agreement has been reached”.

HuffPost UK contacted Meghan Markle and Netflix for comment.

Following the rumours over the weekend, Netflix announced on Monday that a third season of The Gentlemen had officially been greenlit.

Director Guy Ritchie, who helmed the first two seasons, enthused: “The ambition of The Gentlemen has accelerated, the world has expanded and the consequences carry weight.

“A third season felt inevitable, and I’m looking forward to pushing the boundaries of it further.”

Before that, though, there’s the small matter of season two to get out of the way, which will premiere on Netflix next week, two years after the first run of episodes debuted on the platform.

The new season will reunite cast members including Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, Daniel Ings, Ray Winstone and Vinnie Jones, as well as introducing a new character played by Love Island host Maya Jama.

An official synopsis has teased: “It’s been one year since Eddie and Susie joined forces to work together in Bobby’s criminal empire overseas. As they drive to expand their enterprise, the decisions Bobby is making seem to be increasingly unsound.

“Now Eddie and Susie must decide whether to take action or risk losing it all, but unfettered ambition never ends well…”

Meghan and her husband Prince Harry will move back to the UK next month, six years after stepping down from their duties as senior members of the Royal Family.

The Duchess of Sussex initially rose to fame as an actor, but hasn’t performed since leaving Suits in the mid-2010s, ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry.

Andy Burnham has insisted he “won’t be unrealistic” about the state of public finances and refused to rule out tax rises in the autumn Budget.

The prime minister said Britons must understand the country is “in a challenging position” when asked how he would fund the public spending commitments he’s made during his first month in the job.

Chancellor John Healey is expected to hike taxes when unveils the government’s spending plans on October 28, due to the economic fallout from the Iran war and the pressing need to increase defence spending.

Speaking to ITV News, Burnham said: “I will always take a careful approach to things. I won’t take risks with people’s jobs or livelihoods or their family finances.

“I will try to help them in whatever way I can and we have already done some things that will help them going forward. I will do what I can, but I won’t be unrealistic and people need to understand that.

“We are in a challenging position. Whatever I do will be carefully thought through. It will be funded. That is exactly what I have done so far but there will be more to come as we go into the autumn.”

The prime minister has promised to follow Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which vowed not to increase VAT, income tax or national insurance.

Energy regulator Ofgem is expected to hike the energy price cap by 4% on Wednesday, up to £1,729 annually for the average household between October and December.

Healey also needs to find at least £4.7 billion for extra defence spending along with funding for the cost of living promises Burnham has made since getting into office.

The pressure from the Iran war has reportedly seen the government’s fiscal headroom decline from £22 billion to about £15 billion, while inflation also rose to 2.9% in July due to the conflict.

Burnham also told ITV News he would not call an early election, saying: “An election just brings a load of point scoring, a load of arguments, a load of division. Actually what I’m going to try to do in this moment as prime minister is bring people together, get some hope going around the country.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

James Blunt is shutting down speculation that he was the unnamed figure in a story shared by the late Hayden Panettiere months before her death.

Earlier this year, the Nashville and Heroes star published her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she reflected on the highs and lows of her life in the public eye.

In one passage of the book, she wrote about a friend who took her beneath the deck of a luxury yacht when she was 18 years old, where “a famous thirtysomething British singer-songwriter was lying in a bed” waiting for her.

“He was shirtless and propped up on a few pillows with his arms positioned behind his head,” she recalled. “From the waist down, he was covered by bedsheets, and I could see the outline of his body underneath.”

The Golden Globe nominee then claimed that this undisclosed friend then pulled the sheet away and told her: “I want you to get in bed with him. He has a huge dick.”

She then admitted that “the shock was so great it didn’t even occur to me to say no”, but added that she didn’t let things go any further and made arrangements to leave the yacht.

In the days after Hayden’s death, certain parts of her life story have been re-examined, including this anecdote, with some piecing together supposed “evidence” – including a photo of him and Hayden posing together at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009 – that they have alleged indicates that James is the British singer-songwriter being referenced.

While he initially chose to stay quiet on the matter, on Monday, the You’re Beautiful singer shared a link on X to a Substack article pointing out that he couldn’t have been the star in question as the dates don’t properly align.

The article, written by former tabloid journalist Dean Piper, reads: “Here lies the problem with the Wild West of internet chatter. Facts don’t matter. Legalities don’t matter. People are saying whatever they like and getting away with it and that is wrong.

“Guys, it only takes the smallest of AI searches to find out that in May 2009, when the pictures of Blunt and Panettiere were taken, she was 19, almost 20. So, if the incident happened when she was 18, Blunt’s not your guy to start with.

“And as she says she hadn’t met the man before the incident, and that she fled the boat immediately after, it takes nothing to work out that the cabin incident was the first and last time she met the man. So, pictures of Blunt and Panettiere at the amfAR charity event [and] together on the boat again the next day [mean] only one thing – he’s really not your man.”

Hayden began her professional acting career when she was just five years old, and went on to become known for her roles in the TV series Heroes and Nashville, as well as the Scream franchise.

The actor died earlier this month at the age of 36, with police currently investigating the circumstances leading to her death.

Let’s just say that President Donald Trump’s latest move makes the duo from “Dumb and Dumber” look like geniuses — at least according to The Wall Street Journal.

On Sunday, the newspaper’s editorial board published a spicy opinion piece expressing its utter befuddlement over the president reigniting a trade war with Canada, which will make certain goods way more expensive amid rising inflation and plummeting support for the Republican party.

The United States imposed 50% tariffs on about $20 billion (£14.6 billion) worth of Canadian goods early Saturday after talks with the US and its northern neighbor went really, really badly.

In response to the move, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that “America has changed” thanks to Trump and vowed to match the US tariffs “dollar for dollar” beginning September 8, targeting sectors, including steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp, paper and electronics.

Other goods that could become more expensive include milk, honey, smartphones, beer, booze, hockey sticks, and “even wigs and fake beards,” CNN reports.

The board of the Rupert Murdoch-owned outlet didn’t mince its words while describing what they thought of this mess, which the board said makes no “economic or political sense.”

“President Trump took exception last year when we called his tariffs against Canada and Mexico the dumbest trade war in history,” the board wrote. “It got dumber this weekend as Mr. Trump escalated with another round of border taxes on Canadian imports, a mere 10 weeks before midterm elections.”

The Journal concluded its piece with a burn, stating: “Republicans are already getting pounded on the campaign trail over his tariffs and inflation. One reason for Mr. Trump’s frigid approval rating is that voters believe Mr. Trump is waging blunderbuss wars without a strategy, and on trade they’re right.”

To make matters even worse, on Monday, Trump doubled-down on his threats, warning that US tariffs on all cars, trucks and automotive parts from Canada would be increased to 50% starting Jan. 1. On Truth Social, the president called Canada — one of the US’ top two trading partners last year — “entitled,” “among the worst Nations in the World to deal with,” and “will be treated like a State no longer!”

“WE DON’T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US!” Trump wrote.

“Build in the U.S. and there are ZERO TARIFFS,” he added.

Earlier this month, Trump alluded he may pull this dumb move for an even dumber reason — as a penalty for the smoke from Canada’s massive wildfires making its way across the border into the US.

Trump has also had a weird beef with Canada, which may stem from his desire to make it an American state and even went as far as mocking Carney by calling him “the future Governor of Canada” in May.

JD Vance made an admitted Freudian slip on Monday that probably won’t ease the minds of Canadian citizens.

The vice president made the gaffe during a rally in Maine, where he was discussing the escalating trade war with Canada and argued that the current policy hurts the Pine Tree State.

“I think that we need to send a message loud and clear to the prime minister of Canada: Stop taking advantage of the people of Maine,” Vance said. “Stop taking advantage of America. It’s over. We expect fairness in our trade policy.”

Trade negotiations between the neighboring nations fell apart on Friday, and the US responded by imposing 50% tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian goods, while Canada said it would retaliate with its own penalties starting Sept. 8.

Although Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused the US of not acting fairly or respecting Canada’s sovereignty, Vance claimed Canada is the one who is acting unfairly.

But his attack wasn’t as smooth as he probably hoped, given that it began with a major unintentional error.

“We have to remember Canada is a state,” Vance said, seeming to reference Trump’s long-announced troll, er, goal of turning the country into America’s 51st state.

But Vance quickly corrected himself. “Sorry, Freudian slip,” and stressed, “That was actually an accident.”

Vance then accused Canada of underinvesting in its military, claiming it “quite literally would get invaded by a foreign country were it not for the umbrella of protection provided by the United States of America.”

He then claimed Canada was applying “ridiculous tariffs and other non-tariff duties on Maine products coming into Canada,” and asked rhetorically, “and they don’t expect Maine or anybody else to fight back?”

Vance told the crowd, “We’re actually going to fight back against unfair trade practices, whether it’s coming from China or Canada.”

Nicholas Hoult will no longer be appearing in the new Harry Potter TV series.

Two weeks ago, it was announced that the former X-Men star had been cast as Gilderoy Lockhart in season two of the upcoming Harry Potter adaptation, which takes inspiration from the second novel in the wizarding series, Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets.

At the time, the news was met with a mixed response, largely due to the controversy surrounding the franchise’s creator JK Rowling, who is attached to the new TV show in an executive producing role.

However, on Monday evening, it was announced that the British actor had dropped out of the role due to a scheduling conflict.

In his place, Kit Harington will take over as Gilderoy Lockhart, having recently lent his voice to the character in an audiobook retelling of the Harry Potter novels.

“Before we begin year two at Hogwarts, there has been a slight change due to scheduling: Kit Harington will now be stepping into the role of Gilderoy Lockhart,” US broadcaster HBO confirmed on Monday night.

JK Rowling has become an increasingly divisive figure in recent history, due to her views and ongoing commentary on issues relating to transgender people.

This has included the deliberate and repeated misgendering of numerous transgender public figures, as well as donating tens of thousands of pounds to the campaign group which raised the initial legal challenge that led to the UK Supreme Court’s ruling last year that the legal definition of a woman should include only those who were assigned female at birth.

Once the Supreme Court’s decision was reached, she also shared a celebratory social media post showing herself smoking a cigar on a yacht.

Because of this, the Harry Potter series faced controversy before it even premiered, with several cast members being asked about their decision to take part in it during interviews, often while distancing themselves from Rowling and her views.

The franchise’s new Albus Dumbledore John Lithgow admitted earlier this year that he had considered quitting the series when he began to face criticism over his involvement, but ultimately decided to remain a part of it.

Nick Frost, the new Rubeus Hagrid, has also maintained that his and Rowling’s views on trans issues “don’t align in any way, shape or form”.

Meanwhile, Paapa Essiedu, the successor to the late Alan Rickman in the role of potions teacher Severus Snape, raised eyebrows when he co-signed a petition in solidarity with the transgender community, despite his participation in the new Harry Potter series.

And earlier this month, Bel Powley took part in an interview with The Telegraph, in which she defended her involvement in the series, insisting: “I think that the trans community deserve safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance. But I love Harry Potter.”