Zelensky says Ukraine ready for peace talks anywhere except Russia and Belarus

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he is ready for peace talks to end the war in Ukraine anywhere except Russia and Belarus.

In comments to reporters released on Tuesday, Zelensky said he would not withdraw Ukrainian troops from additional territory first as Moscow has demanded.

“It’s absolutely clear that we’re approaching diplomacy only from the position where we currently stand. We will not take any steps back and leave one part of our state or another,” Zelensky said.

“And the important result is that the American side finally made this a public signal: President Trump came out with such a message.”

His comments came after Donald Trump warned Vladimir Putin that the US “has a nuclear submarine off your shore” as he condemned a Russian nuclear-capable cruise missile test as “inappropriate”.

Putin said Russia had successfully tested its Burevestnik cruise missile, a weapon Moscow says can pierce any defence shield, in a move that has infuriated Washington. Moscow said the Burevestnik had flown for 14,000km.

Why Justin Trudeau dating Katy Perry makes more sense than you think

Let’s call it a PDF. A Post Divorce Flex. A celebrity marriage breaks down, one partner moves out, lawyers are called in, stuff and real estate gets divided, co-parenting strategies are mapped out and access to dogs agreed on. From then on, it’s a race to see who can date the hottest, most glamorous and famous person first. A new younger and shinier partner, they can be seen out and about with – essentially flexing their newfound freedom with a happy confidence that says, “I’ve moved-on!”

But as the former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau makes it official with pop star Katy Perry by holding hands after a date at the Crazy Horse Cabaret in Paris for her birthday, you have to ask, who’s flexing who exactly?

Is it multi-platinum selling, “Queen of Camp” hitmaker Katy, 41, engaged to actor Orlando Bloom for five years, mother of his daughter Daisy Dove Bloom and said to be worth around half a billion dollars (American $ not Canadian, obvs) who is showing offJustin T? “Look at me! I used to be engaged to Legolas from fictional Middle Earth, now I’m dating a man who was a real world leader!”

Or is it the recently separated, now ex-Canadian prime minister Trudeau, married for 18 years to Sophie Grégoire, father of three children, who is flexing Katy like smooth maple syrup in his tight black T-shirt? “I was in a safe but dull, grown-up marriage to a First Lady, now I’m walking out with a hot California pop star girl… who kisses other girls!”

Perry and Trudeau first started fuelling dating rumours in July after the pair were photographed out in Montreal. Trudeau then attended the singer’s Lifetimes Tour stop in the city the following day. Earlier this month, the “Firework” singer and her new beau were photographed on a yacht in Santa Barbara, California. And what did they talk about? Perhaps the common ground of parallel career slumps was something to bond over, politician and pop star having both endured recent, high-profile, career lows in 2025.

This was the year that super-liberal golden boy Trudeau turned into an unpopular and unvotable political pariah, forced to resign from leadership at the will of his own party. Meanwhile, Katy Perry’s recent 143 album sold dismally, her clunky live performances were widely ridiculed on social media… not to mention the cringy optics of that Jeff Bezos-funded farrago into outer space. So maybe the TruPerry / J-Kat union makes sense as two currently un-hot celebrities making one battle-worn but hyper-hot (and age-appropriate) couple?

Then again, the whole post-split rebound situation may also be all part of a classic mid-life crisis playbook that every newly single man in his fifties (yes even this writer) falls into. And that particular script is basically a set of dumb, free and single lifestyle choices that revolve around showing-off, trying out “new things”, indulging in frequent and unnecessary (and undignified) displays of buffness and making questionable choices that are perhaps 10 or 15 years too young for a 53-year-old man.

The signs are there that this is where the J-Kat, Tru-Perry coupling is at. It’s not so much as a match made in heaven and a midlife meltdown in motion. With Trudeau, it began with a Canadian Haida Raven tattoo on his 40th birthday, shown off on a muscly shoulder during a televised charity boxing match (fighting against Canadian Senator Patrick Brazeau – Trudeau won, obvs).

Not long after the split from Sophie Grégoire, did we get served shirtless pap shots of JT and KP canoodling on a yacht. And have you noticed how single Justin is now rocking that sartorial mullet of a combo – suits with trainers? More specifically, green and orange Adidas Gazelles with a Ted Baker whistle to meet the King earlier this year.

While in power (and in wedlock), the PM used to travel around Ottawa in a series of boring Chevrolet Suburban people movers. Nowadays Trudeau’s ride of choice is the ultimate single man’s machine – a two-seater, gull-wing doored, pop video-worthy 1950s Mercedes Benz 300SL coupe inherited from his father. A trip to Coachella or the Burning Man festival must surely be on the TruPerry ’26 schedule.

This is the silly, regrettable stuff that happens when apparently sensible middle-aged people split up. Usually amicable and respectful confucius uncoupling, prioritising minimal emotional harm and reframing the breakup, not as a failure, but as a transition to a new life does not play out.

It’s more a sprint to the apps and the one who gets spotted out with the fittest, cleverest, best-looking date first, wins. Reader, I did this too. Married for 20 years then divorced at 50, I was a PDF-ing cliche also. Instead of a four million dollar Merc, a convertible Saab. No body ink, but definitely a few more buttons undone on my shirts and some marked post-divorce weight-loss (caused more by stress than diet and gym visits). Best of all? A gazelle-legged fashion model on my arm at a high profile media event. Was I ever so young and foolish?

Of course, the Trudeau boys have stellar form here. Justin’s dad, former Canadian PM aka “Swinging Pierre” and “Trendy Trudeau” was an A-list modeliser and flexer. A Studio 54 regular, Trudeau senior dated Barbra Streisand, Mick’s ex Bianca Jagger, Superman actress Margot Kidder and even Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall. “There’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation,” he once said.

In 1991, following the breakdown of his 13-year long marriage to wife Margaret Trudeau, Pierre Trudeau fathered a daughter with Deborah Coyne, a lawyer who ran for leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada during a 2013 election. Coyne came in fifth, soundly beaten by one Justin Trudeau…who won.

Pierre Trudeau, however, never wore Adidas Gazelle sneakers with a suit – the clearest sign yet that his son may not be cut from the same cloth, however much he thinks he is.

‘Divisive’ and ‘toxic’ Rodgers slammed by Celtic chief after resigning

Brendan Rodgers was accused of “divisive, misleading, and self-serving” behaviour after resigning as Celtic manager in an astonishing departing statement from the club’s principal shareholder, Dermot Desmond.

Celtic said Rodgers “tendered his resignation” late on Monday night, a day after the club’s defeat at Premiership leaders Hearts. Former boss Martin O’Neill will take interim charge, 20 years on from his first spell as manager.

But a bombshell statement from the major shareholder Desmond, dropped 15 minutes after Rodgers’ departure was confirmed, in which Desmond accused him of having “contributed to a toxic atmosphere” around the club.

Rodgers had been critical of Celtic’s transfer business over the summer, and there was further discontent among the club’s supporters following their Champions League play-off defeat to Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan.

The Scottish champions have also made a dismal start to the Premiership season and trail the league leaders Hearts by eight points following their 3-1 defeat at Tynecastle on Sunday, leading to further anger directed at the club’s board.

Desmond, however, looked to offer his side of the events as he wrote: “When we brought Brendan back to Celtic two years ago, it was done with complete trust and belief in his ability to lead the club into a new era of sustained success. Unfortunately, his conduct and communication in recent months have not reflected that trust.”

Desmond claimed that Rodgers was told in July that Celtic were keen to offer him a contract extension. “Yet in subsequent press conferences, Brendan implied that the club had made no commitment to offer him a contract. That was simply untrue,” Desmond said.

Desmond also said Rodgers would regularly meet with the board to discuss their transfer plans and that “every player signed and every player sold during his tenure was done so with Brendan’s full knowledge, approval, and endorsement”.

“Any insinuation otherwise is absolutely false,” Desmond said, adding: “His later public statements about transfers and club operations came entirely out of the blue.”

The statement continued: “When his comments were made publicly, I sought to address them directly. Brendan and I met for over three hours at his home in Scotland to discuss the issue. Despite ample opportunity, he was unable to identify a single instance where the club had obstructed or failed to support him. The facts did not match his public narrative.

“Regrettably, his words and actions since then have been divisive, misleading, and self-serving. They have contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the board. Some of the abuse directed at them, and at their families, has been entirely unwarranted and unacceptable.

“Every member of the board and executive team is deeply passionate about Celtic and acts at all times with professionalism, integrity, and a shared desire for success. What has failed recently was not due to our structure or model, but to one individual’s desire for self-preservation at the expense of others.”

Rodgers voiced his frustration over Celtic’s transfer business in the summer after the club failed to replace star forward Kyogo Furuhashi and then sold Nicolas Kuhn after losing fellow winger Jota to a long-term injury.

The only attacking arrival before the Kairat tie was Shin Yamada, who had only scored two goals in 21 J-League games and, since joining, has not featured for two months.

Celtic also sold striker Adam Idah to Swansea before the transfer deadline while adding two left wingers, Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Sebastian Tounekti, as well as free agent striker Kelechi Iheanacho.

After a recent 2-0 defeat to Dundee, Rodgers expressed further frustration at his squad when he compared the players at his disposal to a “Honda Civic”.

“There’s no way you’ll go into a race and be given the keys to a Honda Civic and say, ‘I want you to drive it like a Ferrari’. It’s not going to happen,” Rodgers said.

A former Liverpool manager, Rodgers won seven trophies with Celtic before leaving the club to take charge of Leicester in 2019, a move that upset many supporters. He returned to Glasgow to replace Ange Postecoglou in 2023.

Rodgers won two more Scottish Premiership titles, as well as a Scottish Cup and League Cup, in his two full seasons in charge and also reached the Champions League knockout play-offs last season.

In the play-offs, Celtic lost narrowly to Bayern Munich, but their opportunity to make further progress in Europe was lost following their defeat to Kairat on penalties in August.

Includes reporting from PA

Family of British couple detained while travelling in Iran say they are ‘losing hope’

A British couple detained in Iran have told their family that their last hearing “had not gone well” and they are now expecting a verdict rather than another court appearance.

Lindsay and Craig Foreman, from East Sussex, were taken into custody in January while on a motorcycle tour around the world.

The couple were later charged with espionage. They deny the allegations.

Lindsay’s son Joe Bennett said he had recently spoken to his mother for the second time since she was detained, after she was permitted a 20-minute call from prison last Thursday.

Mr Bennett said: “There was very little my mother could say. Her spirits were low.

“She told me that a further recent court appearance last week had not gone well.

“We had been told to expect a verdict rather than another appearance.

“I don’t know exactly what that means, but I could feel she’s losing hope.”

The detained couple’s family met foreign secretary Yvette Cooper earlier this month, but Mr Bennett described the approach of the UK government as “deeply concerning”.

He said: “Right now, it feels like each side is waiting for the other to move first.

“The British are waiting for a sentence before acting. The Iranians are deciding what sentence to hand down.

“And in the middle of this diplomatic stalemate are my parents, innocent people caught between two systems moving too slowly.”

Mr Bennett added: “It’s been 10 months.

“It feels like living a nightmare, one we can’t wake from.

“The horizon for their freedom feels hard to see, but with public support, I still believe we can get there.”

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warns all British and British-Iranian nationals not to travel to Iran because of a “significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention”.

The FCDO has been approached for comment.

Thousands of families hit by pause of lifeline refugee visa route

Thousands of families, including more than 6,000 children, will be hit by the shutdown of a lifeline visa route that allows refugees to reunite in the UK, according to new analysis that reveals the true impact of the crackdown.

A temporary ban on new applications from refugees wanting to bring their loved ones to safety in the UK was announced in September by then-home secretary Yvette Cooper, who said the scheme was putting pressure on council housing and was being manipulated by people-smuggling gangs.

But data analysis by the British Red Cross has now estimated that thousands of families will be left separated as a result of the temporary ban.

It found that at least 4,900 families will be affected by the pause between September 2025 and April 2026, according to estimates based on previous Home Office data. This could include 6,300 children, of whom 1,500 are unaccompanied.

The vast majority of people who benefited from the refugee family reunion scheme were women and children, accounting for 91 per cent of visas granted by the Home Office since 2010.

New requirements for refugees are expected to be announced next spring and are likely to introduce financial requirements that many will struggle to meet. Charities have already said the crackdown may fuel more dangerous Channel crossings as women and children left in warzones attempt to reunite with their families in the UK.

In a new report, published on Tuesday, the British Red Cross warned that unaccompanied children will be left trapped in danger due to the scheme’s pause.

They are calling on ministers to exempt unaccompanied children trying to reunite with parents in the UK from any future financial requirements.

In the case of one family supported by the charity, a Sudanese man was able to reunite with his children in the UK, but only after they came close to tragedy. He said: “I applied immediately for my family because the situation was critical in Sudan. My children, if they had been one day late, they would have died. Just one day. But they left early in the morning. They left the village at 7am. At 10am, [the fighters] raided the village. Many people died.”

Another Afghan man told the charity that, before he was able to reunite with his family, he was “always worried that maybe someone will kidnap my kids”. He added: “I was always thinking about them, about their security, about their living conditions, because they were alone there. I have got family there, but still, when a father is not there, it’s not enough.”

One Ethiopian computer science student, Umer Heyi, told The Independent of his heartbreak at missing the deadline to apply to bring his wife and two-year-old son to the UK.

Umer received his refugee grant on 4 September and tried to start an application for his family, but the scheme closed at 3pm that day.

Speaking about his son, he said: “If I can’t save him, if I can’t protect him, then what have I got?

“We just want the opportunity to save our lives and not stay separated.”

With the refugee family reunion scheme closed, those settled in the UK can only sponsor immediate family members to come to the UK if they can meet the salary threshold of £29,000 per year.

Umer, who has a degree in computer science, is currently doing a course in cyber security so that he can find work in the UK.

Olivia Field, head of policy at the British Red Cross, said: “We know that being reunited with family is vital to wellbeing and integration.

“The government’s proposed changes to refugee family reunion risk leaving unaccompanied children in dangerous situations and will increase the anxiety of people already in the UK as they worry over the safety of their loved ones.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We have recently moved to suspend the refugee family reunion route, acknowledging the pressures it is putting on local authorities and public services.

“We understand the devastating circumstances of some families, which is why there are other routes which individuals may be eligible to apply for in order to reunite with family.”

Enriching escapes: find your perfect luxury break

Urgent alert issued to anyone who uses Gmail after 183 million passwords leaked

Gmail users have been warned about a huge attack that appears to have left as many as 183 million email accounts insecure.

The data leaked online includes not only the email accounts themselves but the passwords believed to be associated with those logins.

The breach could allow hackers entry not only to email accounts but all of the other logins that depend on Gmail.

The breach occurred in April of this year but was recently noted by Have I Been Pwned, a website that tracks data breaches so that users can be alerted to them.

The data came from a much broader hack that was aggregated from across the internet, according to Troy Hunt, who runs the website.

Users are able to check whether their emails and passwords are part of the attack – or any other tracked data breaches – by using that website. In all, the website has tracked 917 breached websites and more than 15 billion accounts.

If a users’ account has been compromised, or might have been, then there are a series of relatively simple recommended actions. Users are advised to change their Gmail password as well as setting up two-factor authentication.

Two-step authentication adds an extra layer of security to an account so that even a hacker who has stolen a users’ password would not be able to get access with that alone. Unlike some other systems, Google uses a host of different second challenges, and says that its tools will choose the one that is most likely to keep hijackers out of an account.

Rachel Reeves faces new £20bn Budget blackhole

Rachel Reeves could be facing a larger than expected blackhole in the nation’s finances as she prepares for next month’s Budget amid reports that the fiscal watchdog could be about to downgrade the UK’s productivity performance.

The BBC reported on Tuesday that the Office for Budget Responsibility is expected to downgrade the UK’s performance on productivity, with fears that it could represent a further £20billion gap in the pubic finances.

It comes less than a month before the chancellor’s Budget, due on 26 November, with the OBR due to deliver their final draft forecast in the coming days.

The chancellor is faced with the prospects of tax rises or spending cuts to fill the existing £40bn gap, as well as an additional £10bn of headroom to help the country brace for any further economic shocks.

Speculation is mounting around what measures Ms Reeves could introduce at the Budget with changes to income tax and property tax thought to be among the ideas on the table, but the Treasury will not be drawn on what is up for consideration.

A Treasury spokesperson said: “We won’t comment on speculation ahead of the OBR’s forecast, which will be published on 26 November.”

On Monday, Ms Reeves signalled that tax rises are being considered ahead of the Budget, as the government needs to make sure there was “sufficient headroom” above its spending plans, and that its fiscal rules are met.

Speaking while on a trip to Saudi Arabia on Monday, the chancellor did not rule out the possibility of tax rises when asked if they were being considered as part of the Budget.

“The underpinning for economic growth is stability, and I’m not going to break the fiscal rules that we’ve set,” she said.

She added: “We are going to reduce that primary deficit, we are going to see debt starting to fall as a share of GDP, because we need more sustainable public finances, especially in the uncertain world in which we live today.

“So growth will be a big part of that Budget story, in a way that, frankly, I think growth has been neglected as a tool of fiscal policy in the last few years.

“But we are looking, of course, at tax and spending to ensure that we both have resilience against future shocks by ensuring we’ve got sufficient headroom, and also just ensuring that those fiscal rules are adhered to.”

Last month The Independent reported that the Budget watchdog was set to slash its estimates on productivity.

A senior source told this publication at the time that “the OBR will make it clear that this revision has nothing to do with any of the measures brought in by this government.”

Tax rises are expected to be announced during the fiscal event at the end of next month, as the chancellor looks to balance the books.

One measure thought to be under consideration is a mansion tax on properties worth over £2million, but Ms Reeves has been warned that such a levy would not be enough to fill the gap.

Former Institute for Fiscal Studies director Paul Johnson told The Independent that the government should reform property taxes more widely so that council tax is proportional to the current value of a property, while also scrapping stamp duty.