Venezuelan politician wins Nobel Peace Prize despite intense campaign by Trump

Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in “promoting peace” in Latin America at a time when “democracy is under threat”.

The 58-year-old industrial engineer was declared the winner in an announcement made by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in Oslo on Friday.

The Venezuelan opposition leader was awarded for “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in its citation.

The politician is currently in hiding due to serious threats to her life.

While her family fled the country after the threats, Ms Machado chose to remain in exile within Venezuela, a point noted by the Committee in its speech.

“When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,” it continued.

In January this year, Ms Machado was “violently intercepted” amid gunshots as she was leaving a protest in eastern Caracas. She was detained after making her first public appearance in months.

The politician and activist dedicated her win to President Donald Trump “for his decisive support of our cause” and to the “suffering people of Venezuela”.

“This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom,” she wrote in a post on X/Twitter on Friday.

“We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy.”

Born in Caracas in 1967, the mother-of-three set up a foundation for orphaned children living on the streets of her city called Fundación Atenea. She was subsequently forced to leave her role when she co-founded Súmate, which marked her official entry into politics.

Ms Machado then went on to found the liberal political party Vente Venezuela, for which she become the National Coordinator. From 2011 to 2014, she served as a member of the National Assembly of Venezuela.

The news will come as a disappointment to President Donald Trump. The American leader has been engaged in peacemaking efforts – with one eye on the accolade – ever since he returned to office in January this year. In the past 24 hours, he shared several articles on Truth Social claiming he should win the award for securing a peace deal between Hamas and Israel in Gaza.

Since his return to office, he has claimed to have stopped “seven wars” including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which remains ongoing.

Trump is eager to be recognised for his efforts to end the wars America has been involved in around the world.

Declaring his 20-point plan for Gaza alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he announced the document would end “thousands of years” of conflict and that it was a “big, big day, a beautiful day”, and “potentially one of the greatest days ever in civilisation”.

He has been open about his frustrations with his allies’ reluctance to cooperate, hitting out at Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “paper tiger” and saying Netanyahu was “f**king me” and being “so negative” with attacks on Qatar and further delays to a ceasefire.

However, he has had his supporters around the globe including the Hostages and Missing Families Forum who said the President should win for having brought them “light in our darkest times”.

Pakistan also nominated Mr Trump for his involvement in the de-escalation of the conflict Pakistan and India earlier this year.

His efforts have been lauded as “historic” by some commentators with no previous leader having launched an initiative for Israeli-Palestinian talks on such a scale and forging a formidable coalition of nations to work towards it.

Trump has previously said about the Prize: “I should have gotten it four or five times.”

Ms Machado has previously thanked Mr Trump for targeting drug lords.

“We Venezuelans are immensely grateful to President Trump for his decisive and courageous action in dismantling the criminal enterprise that has seized our nation,” she wrote. The US leader has also expressed his support for Ms Machado’s work in return.

“I think it’s amazing, she’s an incredible woman,” Adriana, a Venezuelan business graduate living in London, told The Independent.

“She’s always aimed for peaceful measures. She has always called for peaceful movements. She was running for the elections then the government made her ineligible for some silly reason. She organised witnesses to get proof of the votes in the thousands of tables across the country and that’s how she knew Edmundo Gonzalez won the election.”

The results of the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election were disputed and sparked a political crisis in the country.

In March 2025, the Nobel Committee announced that 338 candidates had been nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, of which 244 are individuals and 94 are organizations.

The winner is awarded $1.2 million, (£902,000) which will be presented at a ceremony on 10 December on the anniversary of the death of the Swedish industrialist.

Previous Prize holders include activist Mother Theresa, South African leader Nelson Mandela, and US politician Henry Kissinger.

Hatton’s fitting farewell taught us one final lesson about his legacy

It felt like pathetic fallacy: as the morning of Ricky Hatton’s funeral dawned, droplets of rain landed on the pavements and parks in and around Manchester like ceaseless jabs. It was an incrementally overwhelming bombardment that Hatton himself would have been proud of. Less than a month after one of Britain’s finest boxers suddenly passed away, at the age of just 46, it was time to pay a collective tribute.

The tributes began in Hyde, Greater Manchester, where Hatton resided; they ended – although, really, they may never truly end – at Manchester Cathedral. It felt as though a staggering percentage of the city’s population, and those of its suburbs, had turned out to mourn Hatton’s death and celebrate his life.

Indeed, “Look at the impact, how many people are missing work, school, just to see the car go past,” The Independent was told by Danny Atkinson. The local, who trained in boxing under Hatton’s brother Matthew, hailed Ricky as “one of my first heroes” while speaking outside the former world champion’s local pub – the Cheshire Cheese.

It was there that the funeral procession began shortly before 10am, just around the corner from Hatton’s home. Outside, police and security ensured peace for the fighter’s family.

As a boxer, the “Hitman” was “elite, tenacious”, said Atkinson, reminiscing on Hatton’s greatest night: his world-title win over Kostya Tszyu in 2005. “If anyone got hit with one of them rib shots, they’re going down on the floor,” added friend Michael Maher later in the day.

And what of Hatton the person? Again and again, the words “down to earth” were used to describe Hatton, who would speak to anyone and everyone in the local pubs, where he could drink as well as he could box, so they say. He was a uniquely funny man, in spite of mental struggles about which he was so open.

“I got married in June, went to Tenerife and was there with him,” remembered Maher tearfully, a Manchester United fan sporting a Man City shirt in honour of his friend’s beloved football club. “He tried to take my wife off me!” Maher joked. “He told my father-in-law, ‘I’m your new son-in-law.’”

Maher, despite his natural footballing allegiance, was one of thousands turning out in a Man City shirt, while many held flags or carried white and sky blue balloons. The entire route from Hyde to Manchester was lined with fans and loved ones doing just that.

The most moving moments, on a day overspilling with them and overspilling with tears, came at the start of the procession and at its end, at Manchester Cathedral.

When the procession first emerged outside Hatton’s local pub, loved ones hoisted flags on either side of the road, many failing to fight back tears, while they could barely raise their faces to look at the convoy before them. That convoy was led by the yellow three-wheeler from Only Fools and Horses, one of Hatton’s favourite comedies, and a vehicle that he owned. There was also a floral wreath forming a giant glass of Guinness – another of Hatton’s favourite drinks.

Soon, applause and cheers broke out as the hearse stopped. “There’s only one Ricky Hatton,” rang out – a refrain that soundtracked famous nights in Manchester and Las Vegas, in seismic fights with Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

Later, as the main ceremony began in the cathedral, Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, footballing icon Wayne Rooney, Tyson Fury and innumerable stars from the boxing world gathered. Speeches from Hatton’s mother and son conjured further tears.

“I can’t explain how much I’m gonna miss you, Dad,” said Hatton’s son Campbell, 24, himself a professional boxer until this year. “I’ll try my best to do you proud, I love you so much,” he said, sobbing between words, while reflecting on how his own daughter Lyla “idolised” her grandfather.

A speech written by Hatton’s mother Carol followed, though read aloud by another voice. She recalled how other mothers on the ward where Hatton was born assured her that childbirth was “not so bad“, only for Hatton to weigh almost double what their children did. A condition meant that the newborn Hatton had bruises around his eyes; “Everyone said he was a little bruiser. He looked like a boxer.”

That was the very start; it was inconceivable that the end of the life of one of Britain’s most remarkable athletes would come so soon. Yet what Friday showed above all else was this: Hatton was treasured more as a person than as a boxer. Perhaps that is the most significant thing of all.

Migrant guilty of threatening to kill Nigel Farage in TikTok video

An Afghan migrant who came over to the UK via small boats has been found guilty of making threats to kill Nigel Farage on TikTok.

Fayaz Khan, 26, shared a video between 12 and 15 October last year in which he claimed he wanted to come to England to “marry” the politician’s sister, and made gun gestures while saying “pop, pop, pop”.

During his trial at Southwark Crown Court, the Reform UK leader said that the post had been “pretty chilling”, adding “given his proximity to guns and love of guns, I was genuinely worried”.

Nicholas Coates of the Crown Prosecution Service said he hopes the conviction “sends a clear message” and stressed “elected politicians must be able to carry out their jobs free from the fear of harm or abuse and we will make sure that those who seek to intimidate them face the full force of the law”.

“Having already charged Khan with coming to the UK illegally, we were determined to bring him to justice for his threats against Nigel Farage,” he added.

Jurors were told that Khan had a “very large presence online” with his videos on TikTok, under the username “madapasa”, amassing hundreds of thousands of views.

In autumn last year, he filmed his attempts to come to the UK “by small boat” – with the defendant having lived in Stockholm, Sweden, since 2019.

On 12 October last year, Mr Farage uploaded a video to YouTube titled “the journey of an illegal migrant” which highlighted Khan and referenced “young males of fighting age coming into our country about whom we know very little”.

The prosecution said Khan responded with a video on 14 October, which was played to the jury, in which Khan appears to say: “Englishman Nigel, don’t talk s**t about me.

“You not know me. I come to England because I want to marry with your sister. You not know me.

“Don’t talk about me more. Delete the video. I’m coming to England. I’m going to pop, pop, pop.”

Prosecutor Peter Ratliff told jurors that while Khan said “pop, pop, pop” he made “gun gestures with his hand”, as well as headbutting the camera during the video, and pointing to an AK47 tattoo on his face to “emphasise he wasn’t joking”.

Mr Farage said: “He says he’s coming to England and he’s going to shoot me. I understood that very clearly indeed as did many people who saw it at the same time.”

The right-wing politician added: “In high-profile politics, a lot of nasty stuff gets posted. A lot of nasty stuff gets said.

“What you don’t see is an individual say on social media they are coming for you directly, and secondly, the means by which they are going to do it.”

Asked by the prosecution about the reference to his sister, Mr Farage said: “I’m not sure he wanted to marry my sister, you could perhaps draw a different inference from that.”

Asked by defence lawyer Charles Royle whether he was concerned that Khan “wanted to marry” his sister, Mr Farage said: “Really, are you being serious? It said so much about the mindset of this individual.

“I was concerned there was a man who clearly treats women as mere objects and could be a threat to them on our streets.”

Mr Farage added that the comment was “deeply misogynistic”.

Jurors were shown a screenshot of a subsequent TikTok post by Khan with the caption “I mean what I say” written on an image of a GB News report about the alleged threat against Mr Farage.

In a police interview on 1 November last year, Khan said through an interpreter that he had attempted to come to the UK “10 times” and was in Dunkirk, France, when he recorded the video in which he is alleged to have made a threat to kill Mr Farage.

Khan told police: “I come here because I want to live here. I want new life. I don’t come here because I want to kill Nigel Farage.”

He also said that he had been smoking cannabis and was “high” at the time of posting the video.

Macron re-appoints Lecornu as prime minister just days after resigning

French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Sebastien Lecornu as the country’s prime minister, just days after he offered his resignation.

Mr Lecornu’s reappointment followed days of intense negotiations and came less than a week after he resigned amid infighting in his freshly named government.

As France struggles with mounting economic challenges and ballooning debt, Macron has asked Lecornu to try again to form a government and produce a budget in a bid to end the country’s political deadlock.

The appointment is widely seen as the president’s last chance to reinvigorate his second term, which runs until 2027.

Lacking a majority in the National Assembly to push through his agenda, Mr Macron faces mounting criticism – including from within his own ranks – and has little room to manoeuvre.

Mr Macron’s office released a one-sentence statement announcing the appointment, one month after a statement when Mr Lecornu was initially named and four days after he resigned.

Mr Lecornu said in a statement on social networks that he accepted the new job offer out of “duty”.

He said he was given a mission “to do everything to give France a budget by the end of the year and respond to the daily problems of our compatriots”.

All those who join his new government will have to renounce ambitions to run for president in 2027, Mr Lecornu said, adding that the new cabinet will “incarnate renewal and a diversity of skills”.

He said: “We must put an end to this political crisis that exasperates the French and to this bad instability for France’s image and its interests.”

Mr Lecornu abruptly resigned on Monday, only hours after unveiling a new cabinet that drew opposition from a key coalition partner.

The shock resignation prompted calls for Mr Macron to step down or dissolve parliament again. But they remained unanswered, with the president instead announcing on Wednesday that he would name a successor to Mr Lecornu within 48 hours.

Political party leaders who met for more than two hours with Mr Macron, at his request, on Friday emerged from the talks saying they were not certain what step the French leader would take next.

Some cautioned that another prime minister picked from the ranks of Mr Macron’s fragile centrist camp would risk being disavowed by the parliament’s powerful lower house, prolonging the crisis.

“How can one expect that all this will end well?” said Marine Tondelier, leader of The Ecologists party. “The impression we get is that the more alone he is, the more rigid he becomes.”

Over the past year, Mr Macron’s successive minority governments have collapsed in quick succession, leaving the European Union’s second-largest economy mired in political paralysis as France is faced with a debt crisis.

At the end of the first quarter of 2025, France’s public debt stood at 3.346 trillion euros, or 114 per cent of gross domestic product.

France’s poverty rate also reached 15.4 per cent in 2023, its highest level since records began in 1996, according to the latest data available from the national statistics institute.

The economic and political struggles are worrying financial markets, ratings agencies and the European Commission, which has been pushing France to comply with EU rules limiting debt.

The two biggest opposition parties in the National Assembly – the far-right National Rally and the far-left France Unbowed party – were not invited to the discussions on Friday. The National Rally wants Mr Macron to hold fresh legislative elections and France Unbowed wants him to resign.

Mr Lecornu argued earlier this week that Mr Macron’s centrist bloc, its allies, and parts of the opposition could still clump together into a working government.

“There’s a majority that can govern,” he said. “I feel that a path is still possible. It is difficult.”

Mr Lecornu will now have to seek compromises to avoid an immediate vote of no confidence and may even be forced to abandon an extremely unpopular pension reform that was one of Mr Macron’s signature policies in his second presidential term.

Rammed through parliament without a vote in 2023 despite mass protests, it gradually raises the retirement age from 62 to 64. Opposition parties want it to be scrapped.

The political deadlock stems from Mr Macron’s shock decision in June 2024 to dissolve the National Assembly. The snap elections produced a hung parliament, with no bloc able to command a majority in the 577-seat chamber.

The gridlock has unnerved investors, infuriated voters, and stalled efforts to curb France’s spiralling deficit and public debt.

Without stable support, Mr Macron’s governments have stumbled from one crisis to the next, collapsing as they sought backing for unpopular spending cuts.

Mr Lecornu’s resignation, just 14 hours after announcing his cabinet, underscored the fragility of the president’s coalition amid deep political and personal rivalries.

Alex Kingston reveals shock womb cancer diagnosis: ‘I haemorrhaged on stage’

Your body does try to warn you. It just depends on whether you can read the warning signs.” Alex Kingston is talking about cancer. More specifically, her own recent, earth-shattering experience of womb cancer. The actor hasn’t spoken publicly about it before, but her 2024 was dominated by a shock diagnosis and subsequent recovery. “I had a major operation,” she says frankly. “I had to have a hysterectomy, I had to go into radiation therapy, and that took up a huge part of my life.” Her treatment only finished towards the end of last year.

It is astounding, really, considering the Doctor Who star is currently competing in the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing. The training schedule is notoriously gruelling, requiring a level of fitness that would be supremely challenging for most 62-year-olds – let alone a 62-year-old who’s just overcome the big C. But more than that, Kingston looks in incredible shape.

Two weeks into the iconic BBC show, she and professional dance partner Johannes Radebe have already delivered a gloriously dramatic Viennese waltz to “Cry Me a River”, Kingston swoon-worthy in a floor-length red gown with her signature golden curls smoothed into soft, 1940s waves. Last Saturday saw her snap into the samba swathed in multi-coloured frills to the jaunty strains of “La Bamba”. Though she describes the experience of learning a complex routine in just three days as “intense”, she’s clearly loving every minute. “I feel like Superwoman,” she tells me – and I believe her. There’s an aura of buoyant, unquenchable energy emanating from this woman.

It’s all in stark contrast to this time 18 months ago. “I had assumed that the way I was feeling was old age, and I just sort of accepted it,” Kingston says over Zoom. Clad in a grey sweatshirt, lioness-like corkscrew curls framing her face, she looks the picture of health as we chat during a break between rehearsals. “I thought, ‘OK, this is what it’s like to be in my sixties.’ But a lot of how I was feeling was to do with my illness.”

Kingston had been experiencing bloating and achiness for years. It wasn’t until she noticed blood in her urine that she sought medical help – but even then, “I never went down the cancer road in my head,” she admits. “It was a shock, because I have a very positive outlook on life in general. Even though my body was telling me there was something very seriously wrong, I kept thinking, ‘Oh, I’ve got a bad UTI or fibroids.’”

Then, while doing a play at Chichester Festival last summer, her body sent her a message that couldn’t be ignored. “That night on stage, I haemorrhaged,” she says. “That was really shocking.” She was thankfully wearing a big Tudor dress and knee pads at the time; “I just knocked my knees together and prayed that it would soak everything up.” It’s a macabre tale – we both chuckle darkly at the black humour of it all – that perhaps perfectly epitomises the old adage “the show must go on”.

“The wardrobe women were incredible,” she adds. “I ran off stage and said, ‘Grab me some pads!’ We shoved some pads in my pants and I went back on stage and carried on. That was how we finished the show.”

Kingston was advised to wait until the six-week run was over before undergoing further tests and investigations at her local hospital once she’d returned home. Though she was blindsided by the eventual diagnosis, she was “lucky” – the cancer was in her fallopian tubes but hadn’t spread to the ovaries. Moreover, the treatment turned out to be not just lifesaving, but life-changing. “Despite having gone through all of that – and any cancer is really tough to accept, to steel yourself to go through all of the necessary procedures to get back into health – the minute I had the operation, I suddenly felt like myself again,” she says. Kingston realised she “hadn’t felt like that for years”.

Her main guidance for other women is not to ignore it when they feel out of sorts. “Womb cancer is really tricky because it is so sneaky,” advises Kingston. “What I would say is, the body does know – and that was the body saying to me, ‘Help! There’s something really wrong.’ It’s so important to seek advice and have a check-up.”

There’s nothing like a health scare to put things into perspective; there’s nothing like coming face to face with one’s own mortality to make seizing the day feel urgent. Though sobering, Kingston’s experience with cancer is the real reason she said yes to Strictly – something she’d dreamed of doing for years. “When they approached me, I thought of that cliché: life is too short,” she says. “Go for whatever it is you secretly long to do, because if you’re not brave and you don’t do it, it won’t happen.” And, really, what’s the worst that could happen? In the case of Strictly, you might get voted off. “So what? You’ve done it. You’ve proved yourself.”

It’s why Kingston isn’t particularly fussed about how far she gets in the competition; determined to “live in the now”, she’s taking it one dance at a time. Though she would, she confesses, like to stay in for Radebe’s sake. “He’s putting so much effort into me – I would like to get as far as we can because I think he deserves it.”

She’s been inspired, too, by another professional dancer on the show: Amy Dowden. The 35-year-old has undergone her own very public health struggles, having first been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2023. Following a mastectomy and various setbacks, she was told there was “no sign of the disease” in February 2024 and returned to Strictly this season (though sadly, she and celebrity partner Thomas Skinner went out in week one). “The very first time I met her, it was the day that all of the contestants met the dancers,” recalls Kingston. “They walked into the room and looked like gods and goddesses. But I went and found Amy and gave her a hug and said, ‘I’ve been through it.’ I told her how incredible she is, how strong and brave she’s been.”

Kingston is also conscious that she’s repping not just herself, but older women everywhere. The former ER star is here to prove that “age is not a barrier and that we are still fully functional and vibrant”. During a recent appearance on ITV’s This Morning, Kingston put it even more bluntly, telling a slightly bemused Cat Deeley: “We’re not dead below the navel!” The actor bursts out laughing at the very mention of it: “Bizarrely, that came out of my mouth because I had just had my hysterectomy and I no longer have a womb. It was an analogy that nobody else really understood. But I understood – because I may not have all those parts that are about fertility and childbearing any more, but it doesn’t mean I’m not still functioning down there!”

It’s a laudable goal to strive for visibility in an industry notable for its rampant ageism, particularly when it comes to female actors. Kingston famously called out ER after her character, British surgeon Elizabeth Corday, was dropped from the medical drama in 2004 following more than seven seasons. “Apparently, I, according to the producers and the writers, am part of the old fogies who are no longer interesting,” quipped the then-41-year-old. Have things improved since then?

“I think it has got better,” she muses. “I mean, the very fact that I’m still working… I was already older when I got the job on Doctor Who as River Song [Kingston was in her mid-forties when she was first cast]. I’m old enough to be Matt Smith’s mother! It definitely has changed.”

The pressure to stop visibly ageing, though, has not. At least if half of Hollywood – Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore, Kris Jenner et al – are anything to go by. But again, Kingston’s recent health journey has made such strivings feel a little, well, frivolous. “My attitude has changed since I’ve had my diagnosis, because there’s part of me that doesn’t care so much about that,” she says. “There are far more important things in life than how am I looking, or can I still be cast as a 40-year-old? Of course you can’t! Get over it.”

She’s breezy, too, when it comes to social media – mainly because she has no truck with it whatsoever. “I could be cancelled and I wouldn’t even be aware of it,” Kingston says blithely with a shrug, when I ask whether we’re too quick to judge each other these days. It’s somewhat ironic, considering she starred in the Steven Moffat-penned ITV drama Douglas is Cancelled last year, which saw Hugh Bonneville’s presenter-of-a-certain-age fall foul of the online mob. “I stay away from it all,” she explains serenely. “I like to keep my own life private. In a sense, you can take the power out of cancel culture if you don’t actually join in. You don’t have to engage. You’ll actually have a much simpler life.”

The only exception to her mistrust of social media is Strictly, during which she’s happily meeting her contractual obligations by using it to connect with fans. But don’t expect to see her popping up on your Insta after that – even if it may feel mandatory in our influencer-obsessed era. “There is pressure; all the actors that get work nowadays are the ones who have huge numbers of followers, and that’s what casting producers often look at,” Kingston says ruefully. “I want to be cast because of my ability, my talent – not because of how many followers I have. I just won’t play that game.”

Working on Douglas is Cancelled had the added benefit of bringing Kingston back into the professional orbit of two fellow Doctor Who alumni: Karen Gillan, the Doctor’s assistant during Matt Smith’s tenure, as well as former showrunner Moffat. Both have been in touch to say they’re rooting for their ex-colleague on Strictly – Gillan has even said she’ll fly over from the US – and they’re not the only ones. “Matt Smith left me an amazing voice message,” says Kingston fondly. “He’s really hard to get a hold of, so for him to suddenly message me, I must be doing something right! Russell T Davies, Steven Moffat… They’re all obsessed. The Doctor Who gang is on the ball.”

All these years later, her former ER castmates are also in her corner. Laura Innes, who played hospital chief of staff Kerry Weaver on the series, is currently in England shooting the third season of Apple TV’s dystopian future drama, Silo. “I’ve already told her she has to come and watch me dance,” Kingston says excitedly. “I said, ‘Laura, I’m going to put you in the front row!’”

And with that, it’s time for Kingston to get back to rehearsing the quickstep – she can’t disappoint her legion of fans, after all. I comment again on how amazing she is to be handling such a physically demanding challenge less than a year after completing cancer treatment. But she’s not having any of it.

“The thing is, it isn’t amazing. We can all do it. It’s just having the belief that you can do it and going for it.”

I nod along politely, but I don’t really believe her. She is a bit amazing, actually.

‘Strictly Come Dancing’ returns on Saturday 11 October

Specialised womb cancer organisations:

The Eve Appeal is a national charity that raises awareness and funds research for all five gynaecological cancers, including womb cancer. They also offer a support service called Ask Eve. eveappeal.org.uk

Peaches Womb Cancer Trust is a UK charity focused on funding research, raising awareness, and providing support to those affected by womb cancer. peachestrust.org

Womb Cancer Support UK is an organisation established to support and inform women diagnosed with womb cancer and raise awareness of the disease. wombcancersupportuk.weebly.com

Norwegian nature: Enjoy wild, wonderful adventures on a safari-at-sea

Norway’s rugged coast is chock-full of natural beauty, dotted with steep fjords where the mountains meet the sea and teeming with all kinds of curious wildlife, from orcas, humpbacks, and over 80 species of seabirds to red foxes, reindeer, and otters. Norwegians are famous for their deep love of the outdoors, which even has its own word: friluftsliv. It helps that it is home to more than 150,000 lakes and is known for its dramatic fjord-fringed landscapes and shimmering glaciers. It’s also one of the best places to catch the technicolour magic of the Aurora Borealis.

What’s more, if you explore this breathtaking region on a Hurtigruten cruise, you’ll do so alongside the expert local Expedition Team, who have spent years traversing Norway’s rugged coastline. They are always on hand to provide engaging insights into the nature, wildlife, and culture you’ll encounter on every voyage. They go above and beyond to ensure you experience more than just the tourist hot spots. Each team member has their own area of expertise and hosts regular lectures for those who want to delve deeper into a specific interest. They also encourage you to join them on their hand-picked hikes and activities, which are at an additional cost and subject to availability but offer the chance to explore with those who know the area best.

Drawing on over 130 years of travel experience, Original and Signature Hurtigruten Voyages lead passengers along Norway’s dramatic Arctic coastline, showcasing its remarkable natural beauty in all its glory, with options to stop off in various locations along the way. As you sail between destinations, keep your eyes peeled for the abundance of wildlife that frequents the area. The coastline is a popular haunt for mammals like giant humpbacks, frolicking seals and playful porpoises.

During time spent on land, depending on your route, you might also come face-to-face with reindeer in the north or the elusive lynx, not to mention the flora that decorates the landscape in various seasons. Some routes stop at Mehamn, a traditional fishing town with only 800 inhabitants. From here, you can embark on an excursion to learn about the Sámi, an indigenous people from Europe’s northernmost region, known for reindeer herding, traditional handicrafts, and a deep connection to nature. Get to know the family, hear their stories and joik chanting, and try dried reindeer meat around a fire in a lavvo tent.

There are many different journeys you can take, depending on what you want to get out of your cruise. Trace the historic Coastal Express route on one of their Original Voyages, Hurtigruten’s first and most iconic route, established in 1893 and often hailed as the world’s most beautiful voyage. You’ll cover 2,500 nautical miles and visit 34 ports, starting in Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, where you can hop on a funicular to the summit of Mount Fløyen and soak up the incredible views of the city, the nearby fjords, and the surrounding mountains.

The North Cape Line Winter route is another popular cruise for nature lovers. This Signature Voyage adventure starts and finishes in Norway’s Capital, Oslo. The Signature Voyages take things up a notch, offering unmatched views of Norway’s best bits with more time to explore each stop. They’re also a hit with foodies, thanks to the all-inclusive option featuring award-winning restaurants and seasonal produce from Norway’s bountiful coastline.

Åndalsnes is also a favourite stop on the route, home to soaring mountains overlooking the surrounding town. It’s the ultimate hotspot for hikers, climbers and skiers thanks to its abundant accessible natural beauty. The Troll Wall is a highlight for adrenaline seekers here; this 1,000-metre vertical cliff in the Romsdalen valley boasts some of the most epic views from atop, including 360-degree vistas of Romsdalshorn, Åndalsnes town centre, and the Rauma River.

This route also takes you to The City of Northern Lights, Alta, where you can stand at the northernmost point in Europe, Cape Point in Honningsvåg – the perfect vantage point for those trying to catch this incredible natural phenomenon. Hurtigruten is so confident you’ll see the lights that they even offer a ‘Northern Lights Promise’: a free cruise if you don’t see them during the season (valid on 11-day plus voyages from 20th September to 31st March).

Many of the routes stop at Lofoten, an archipelago with immense peaks and fishing villages sandwiched between slopes. It’s not hard to see why this chain of islands is referred to as one of Norway’s most beautiful locations. Hiking opportunities abound here, and most trails lead to spectacular vistas, or if you prefer to stay on the water, you can hop in a kayak and enjoy a leisurely paddle.

Lofoten isn’t the only archipelago you’ll see on specific routes — keep an eye out for the Vega archipelago, a collection of around 6,500 islands, skerries, and islets. On Gardsøy Island, you’ll find a UNESCO World Heritage Centre with dedicated huts for local eider ducks to build their nests.

Journeying south along Norway’s west coast, many of the routes also take you past some of the country’s most famous fjords, including Hardangerfjord, measuring a whopping 179 kilometres in length, making it the second longest fjord in the country and fifth longest in the world. Get your cameras ready, as you’ll be treated to panoramic mountain vistas from every direction, with snow-capped peaks peeking over the fjord reflected on mirror-like water.

Hurtigruten cruises stop at Torsken on the southbound leg of the Svalbard Line, one of their premium, all-inclusive Signature Voyages that sails from Bergen to the Arctic archipelago and back. The secluded fishing village of Torsken is perfect for outdoors enthusiasts, tucked away in Torskenfjorden on the rugged west coast of Senja Island. It’s home to just a handful of houses, workshops, and small piers sprinkled with fishing boats and is the ideal base for exploring Norway’s second-largest island, Senja.

Senja’s stunning coastline has been rightly nicknamed the ‘Caribbean of the North’ thanks to its white-sand beaches and towering mountain peaks. It’s best to take an excursion and explore by small boat to spot white-tailed eagles, seals, seabirds like cormorants, and maybe even a golden eagle. Whether exploring Senja or simply soaking up sea views from onboard, a Hurtigruten cruise offers a chance to connect with nature, wildlife, and Norway’s stunning landscapes, with countless routes to choose from.

Book your Norwegian adventure for less, with up to 30% off, plus 10% off excursions on selected Coastal Express and North Cape Line voyages. For offers, routes and excursion info, visit Hurtigruten.

‘Burglary to order’ claim thrown out of Prince Harry’s legal battle

An allegation that the publisher of the Daily Mail commissioned “burglary to order” will not form part of an upcoming legal battle by a group of stars including Prince Harry, a High Court judge has ruled.

The Duke of Sussex is one of a group of seven high-profile individuals bringing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over alleged unlawful information gathering.

The group, also including Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Liz Hurley, have accused the publisher of unlawful activities such as hiring private investigators to place listening devices inside cars, “blagging” private records and accessing private phone conversations.

ANL firmly denies the allegations and is defending the legal action, previously describing the claims as “lurid” and “simply preposterous”.

At a preliminary hearing earlier this month, lawyers for the group and the publisher returned to the High Court in London ahead of an expected trial in January 2026.

Antony White KC, for ANL, made a bid to have allegations that two Mail on Sunday journalists burgled the home of former businessman Michael Ward in 1992 and stole documents thrown out ahead of the trial.

And in a judgment on Friday, Mr Justice Nicklin agreed.

He said: “Even if proved true, they cannot assist in the fair resolution of the claimants’ claims. It is not alleged that this incident has any connection with any claimant, or any pleaded journalist.”

In his 16-page ruling, the judge said the 30-year-old allegation had become a “substantial dispute of fact”.

“The costs and resources that would be devoted to resolving the factual dispute would, I am satisfied, be out of all proportion to any possible evidential value,” he continued.

“Put bluntly, it has become a complex and involved side-show.”

He also ruled that establishing whether unlawful information gathering was widespread or habitual is not necessary to resolve the claims.

The judge said he would exclude allegations “which are not relevant and probative” from the trial and prevent the case from becoming “an uncontrolled and wide-ranging investigation akin to a public inquiry”.

However, lawyers representing the group of seven, which also includes David Furnish, Sadie Frost and Sir Simon Hughes, will make a bid to appeal against Mr Justice Nicklin’s ruling as wrong in fact and in law, it is understood.

At the two-day hearing earlier this month, which Prince Harry attended via video link, the celebrities’ lawyer David Sherborne also dragged the Prince of Wales into the legal battle, claiming his 21st birthday party may have been targeted by private investigators.

He claimed an invoice linked to a story from June 2003 – which included “extensive” details about William’s “out of Africa” themed party – was likely obtained through blagging.

“It can be inferred… that information for the article was obtained through blagging,” Mr Sherborne argued in written submissions.

Mr Sherborne also told the court that a record from a different private investigator allegedly shows a journalist commissioning him to provide a “mobile phone conversion” related to the Princess of Wales, as well as phone numbers from a “family and friends” list.

However, Antony White KC, for ANL, argued the claim includes “wholly unparticularised” allegations of unlawful information gathering (UIG) that should not proceed to the trial.

A further preliminary hearing is expected to take place next month.

China embassy decision ‘set to be delayed again’ amid spy case row

Approval for the planned Chinese “mega embassy” in London is reportedly set to be further delayed as tensions rise over Labour’s approach to Beijing.

Officials in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) are reportedly preparing to announce that the deadline on 21 October, will be pushed back, according to The Telegraph.

Controversy has surrounded China’s plans to build a large embassy near the Tower of London since 2018; no final decision has been made as it has been repeatedly delayed. China bought the 20,000 square metre complex in the Royal Mint Court at the time for £255 million.

The potential delay follows changes in the department, responsible for the planning case, made in the new Cabinet reshuffle, which saw Steve Reed take over from Angela Rayner, who resigned from her role.

Critics connected the potential delay with the collapse of the trial of alleged Chinese spies.

The prosecution of former parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash, and teacher Christopher Berry, was pulled after the Crown Prosecution Service tried “over many months” to get the evidence from the government it needed to show China was a threat to national security, but witness statements did not meet the threshold to prosecute.

Luke de Pulford, the co-founder of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, told The Telegraph: “The reason for this delay stretches credulity, to put it kindly. Planning officials in Steve Reed’s [the Communities Secretary] department have already had six weeks longer than planned, and done a very diligent job.

“Everybody knows the final call on the mega-embassy will be determined by politics, not planning law. The real reason for this delay is that current scrutiny makes giving the anticipated green light inconvenient.”

Sir Keir has said that responsibility lay with the previous Conservative administration which was in power at the time of the alleged offences.

The prime minister maintained on Thursday that because the last Tory administration had not designated China as a threat to national security, his government could not provide evidence to that effect, which the director of public prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said was required to meet the threshold for prosecution.

Planning for the embassy has faced a number of setbacks after the initial planning application was rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in December 2022 due to security concerns and opposition from local residents. Another planning application was submitted shortly after the general election and ministers called in the proposal from the council, triggering an investigation by the Planning Inspectorate and a final decision from the Department of Communities.

In August, Ms Rayner asked China to explain why parts of its plans for the new embassy were redacted.

The MHCLG declined to comment.