Any deviation from the beaten track comes with moments of uncertainty. Is this the right dirt track? Is our progress going to be thwarted at any moment by an impenetrable thicket, or worse still an implacable landowner who will force a ham-fisted reverse? As it turns out, we are only temporarily stalled by two male peacocks jousting in the middle of the lane in a kaleidoscopic blur of feathers and fury. We wait for them to retire to the grass verge and continue to bounce up the track until we see a sign for our cottage pointing to the left. This leads us deeper into a woodland of oak, ash, birch and Douglas fir, until we finally see a brick-and-stone house standing in a clearing set back from the trail.

From the outside, Van Cottage looks like a pioneer homestead, with a crooked stone chimney to one side and a metal-roofed veranda to the other. Around the corner there’s a wood-fired hot tub, and beyond the garden fence in a little forest glade is a small brick dunny. The house sits on a ridge, and the garden offers views over the carmine-coloured ploughed fields and billowy woodland of Herefordshire.

Another “Real Housewives of Potomac” star is facing legal trouble: Wendy Osefo and her husband, Eddie Osefo, have been arrested for allegedly fraudulently reporting a burglary and theft last year.

A grand jury in Carroll County, Md., indicted the spouses Thursday on “multiple counts related to fraud,” the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday in a statement. The reality TV stars, both 41, were booked at Carroll County Central Booking. They were released Friday after posting bond, the statement said.

A representative for the Osefos said Friday that they are “back home safely with their family and in good spirits.”

“They are grateful for the outpouring of concern and support from friends, fans, and colleagues,” the representative continued. “The Osefos, alongside their legal team, look forward to their day in court. At this time, they respectfully ask for privacy as they focus on their family and the legal process ahead.”

Wendy Osefos faces 16 charges, including seven felony charges for alleged false/misleading information fraud involving more than $300, eight misdemeanor conspiracy counts and a misdemeanor for an alleged false statement to an officer. Her husband faces the same charges and is also on the hook for two additional felony counts. They are due back in court in November.

The fraud charges stem from an April 2024 burglary reported at the Osefos’ home in Finksburg, Md., more than 27 miles northwest of Baltimore. The Sheriff’s Office said law enforcement responded to a report of burglary and theft and met with the spouses, who claimed their home “had been entered and numerous items had been stolen” while they were on vacation, the statement said.

“They reported approximately 80 items of jewelry, luxury goods, clothing, and shoes were stolen,” the statement said, “worth a total of more than $200,000.”

Police said Friday that detectives investigating the burglary found that the Osefos had returned more than $20,000 of the “stolen” items to their points of purchase. Detectives also saw images of Wendy Osefo taken after the alleged burglary wearing a ring she said was among items that were stolen.

Court documents show that the Osesfos filed a claim with an insurance company alleging a loss of $450,000 worth of personal property, according to TMZ.

“It became clear that the Osefos had fabricated the burglary and filed a false report [in an] attempt to fraud their insurance company,” Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees said during a press briefing Friday.

Wendy Osefo joined “Real Housewives of Potomac” for its fifth season in late 2020 and has been part of the cast since. She is a political commentator, author and lifestyle brand entrepreneur. Eddie Osefo is an attorney and self-proclaimed “serial entrepreneur” whose businesses include a business agency and a cannabis edibles line.

In wake of the arrests, Bravo pushed its Oct. 14 episode of “Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition,” featuring the Osefos, until Oct. 21, Variety reported.

The couple was arrested a year and a half after another “RHOP” personality publicly faced legal woes. Karen Huger, known among fans as the “grand dame,” was arrested in March 2024 for driving under the influence after she crossed a median and hit street signs, crashing her Maserati. She was convicted in December of driving under the influence and negligent driving, among other charges.

She was released from prison in September after serving six months of a yearlong prison sentence.

If you fancy escaping the wind, rain and gloomy mornings this half term there’s a beautiful, Mediterranean island lined with stunning beaches where the sun is still shining

The long hot days of summer are well and truly behind us and after being spoiled with numerous heatwaves this year, the cold nip of autumn may be biting a little more fiercely than usual.

As half term approaches, the dark and early school starts could be starting to take their toll on the kids too. Tired from the stresses of their new routines with different teachers and classes, a trip away may be just what the whole family needs.

If the thought of some late October sun appeals before the madness of Christmas descends and the UK weather gets even colder, there are places where the temperatures still remain pleasantly warm.

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Located south of Turkey and southeast of Greece, Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. While many other tourist hotspots have already closed or are winding down for the winter, the main resorts here are still open in at this time of year.

This makes it the ideal place to head off for half term for some much needed rest and relaxation. The weather should also be on your side too because it’s one of the warmest places in this part of the European Union thanks to its subtropical climate.

The summer generally lasts eight months from April through to November, and temperatures during October can reach 28C or higher on occasion. Even in the cooler four months, it’s possible to enjoy 20C. Coastal areas in December are blessed with as many hours of sunshine as London gets in May on average, so sun seekers are certainly well catered for.

Luckily there is more than 400 miles of coastline to enjoy as well where you can partake in some water sports, watch the world go by in the many beachside bars and indulge in the delicious local cuisine at the numerous restaurants.

Resorts make the most of their sun-soaked climate and welcome holidaymakers late into the season. In high summer, the beaches in Protaras and Ayia Napa are heaving in but by this time of year they are much calmer, so great for families to make the most of with the sea temperature averaging around 24C.

Those with younger children or elderly travellers may prefer the sandy, tranquil beach of Fig Tree Bay in Protaras where it’s possible to explore the beautiful turquoise waters with a spot of snorkelling or on a boat trip. Limassol offers a long stretch of gorgeous coastline with some Blue Flag beaches and a stunning marina.

On the East Coast restaurants and kids’ clubs in Paphos and Limassol are still running and lively. For children who are too old for hotel clubs and making sandcastles, there’s plenty to entertain them too. The island has lots of water and amusement parks. Party town Ayia Napa is home to a number, with the Greek mythology-themed WaterWorld being the most famous, while the naturally landscaped Aphrodite Waterpark is situated in Paphos.

If culture is more your thing, or you want to enlighten the kids a little on their break, you can soak up the rich history of Cyprus, birthplace of Aphrodite, by visiting some of the many churches in Larnaca or relics from the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman eras The Tombs of the Kings is definitely worth a look. The UNESCO World Heritage Site offers visitors a glimpse into the mysterious burial practices in underground tombs dating back to the 4th century.

Recent visitors to Cyprus have shared their experiences on TripAdvisor, with one advising on the weather during autumn. “We have been four times to Paphos in October,” they wrote. “The temperature in mid October in the early afternoon has been around 28 degrees with beautiful blue skies. We have been able to eat outside in the early evening and used a pashmina later.

“Could still swim in the pool but it was a bit chilly. The sea, however, was fine to swim in.” Another added: “We’re always there mid-October and it’s lovely – still short sleeves in the evenings.”

A look at how the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-0) def. Orange Lutheran, 48-0; vs. Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills, next Friday

2. SIERRA CANYON (7-0) def. Chaminade, 45-14; vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, next Friday

3. CORONA CENTENNIAL (5-1) def. Vista Murrieta, 63-14; at Murrieta Valley, next Friday

4. MATER DEI (5-2) lost to Santa Margarita, 7-6; vs. Servite at Santa Ana Stadium, Oct. 18

5. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) did not play; vs. San Clemente, next Friday

6. SANTA MARGARITA (5-2) def. Mater Dei, 7-6; vs. St. John Bosco at Trabuco Hills, next Friday

7. LOS ALAMITOS (7-0) did not play; vs. Edison at SoFi Stadium, Thursday

8. ORANGE LUTHERAN (3-4) lost St. John Bosco, 48-0; vs. JSerra at Saddleback Coll., next Friday

9. CORONA DEL MAR (6-0) vs. Newport Harbor, Saturday; at Villa Park, next Friday

10. SERVITE (5-2) def. JSerra, 43-26; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, next Friday

11. BEAUMONT (5-2) lost to Cajon, 25-23; vs. Yucaipa, next Friday

12. OXNARD PACIFICA (6-0) vs. St. Bonaventure, Friday; at Camarillo, next Friday

13. MURRIETA VALLEY (6-1) def. Chaparral, 56-42; vs. Corona Centennial, next Friday

14. VISTA MURRIETA (5-2) lost to Corona Centennial, 63-14; at Eastvale Roosevelt, next Friday

15. DAMIEN (6-1) def. Etiwanda, 49-31; vs. Upland, Thursday

16. SAN JUAN HILLS (5-2) def. Yorba Linda, 41-17; at Newport Harbor, next Friday

17. JSERRA (3-4) lost to Servite, 43-26; vs. Orange Lutheran at Saddleback Coll., next Friday

18. GARDENA SERRA (3-4) lost to Loyola, 13-10; vs. Chaminade, next Friday

19. DOWNEY (6-1) def. La Mirada, 67-7; at Paramount, next Friday

20. YORBA LINDA (5-2) lost to San Juan Hills, 41-17; vs. Tesoro, next Friday

21. LEUZINGER (5-1) def. Palos Verdes, 40-14; vs. Culver City, next Friday

22. EDISON (5-2) did not play; vs. Los Alamitos at SoFi Stadium, Oct. 16

23. PALOS VERDES (4-3) lost to Leuzinger, 40-14; at Lawndale, next Friday

24. CREAN LUTHERAN (7-0) def. El Dorado, 50-7; vs. La Habra, next Friday

25. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (4-3) lost to Bishop Amat, 36-29; at Sierra Canyon, next Friday

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday offered his latest take on the prospect of Ukraine receiving Tomahawk Land Attack cruise missiles (TLAMs) from the United States. During a press conference, the Russian leader also hinted that his country would soon introduce a new nuclear weapon.

Asked his response to whether the U.S. is using the provision of Tomahawks to Ukraine as a bargaining chip in the sputtering peace talks, the Russian leader offered a terse answer.

“Our response is strengthening the air defense system of the Russian Federation,” Putin explained. He offered no further details. After nearly four years of war and Ukraine’s expanded long-range attacks deep inside the country, drastically broadening the demand for counter-air systems, Russia’s air defenses are already stretched very thin.

Putin’s response today was far less vitriolic than what he said earlier in the week about these weapons.

“This will lead to the destruction of our relations, or at least the positive trends that have emerged in these relations,” Putin said in a video clip released on Sunday by Russian state television reporter Pavel Zarubin.

Putin on Friday seemingly changed his tone. He suggested that the negotiations to end the war in Ukraine between him and Trump that took place during their Alaska meeting in August are indeed ongoing.

“Well, you see, we did not reveal what exactly was discussed during the Anchorage meeting,” Putin stated. “We said that there is a general understanding from the United States and an understanding of the Russian side about where we can move and what can be done to resolve this conflict through peaceful means, and those are not simple issues.”

The Russian leader said he and Trump both agreed to “think about this issue” with their respective government officials.

“This is a complicated set of questions that requires a thorough review, but we’re still grounded in that discussion that took place in Anchorage,” Putin explained. “We don’t change anything here, and we still believe there is work to be done on all other sides, but we’re still within the framework of the agreements reached in Alaska.”

Trump is mulling allowing Kyiv to have TLAMs out of frustration with Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine and Putin’s unwillingness to agree to a ceasefire. Earlier this week, Trump fanned speculation about this by saying he “sort of made a decision” about selling some to NATO countries to distribute to Ukraine.

“Where they are sending them, I guess I will have to ask that question,” Trump added. “I would ask some questions. I am not looking to see an escalation.”

We reached out to the White House for comment about Putin’s latest statement as well as the status of the Tomahawk decision and will update this story with any pertinent response.

When it comes to escalation, Russian media earlier this week reported a suggestion that missiles be sent to Cuba should Ukraine get TLAMs. It comes in the wake of this week’s ratification of a military cooperation treaty between Moscow and Havana.

A “military expert” told the official Russian news agency TASS that Russia should consider sending Iskander operational-tactical missile systems and the Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile systems to Cuba.

“This is about a symmetrical response to the potential supply of Tomahawks,” said Alexander Stepanov, a military expert with the Institute of Law and National Security at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. “The ratified agreement maximally expands our military cooperation and allows, within the framework of bilateral interaction and in coordination with the government of the Republic of Cuba, to deploy virtually any offensive systems on the island’s territory.”

We are awaiting a response to Stepanov’s suggestion from the State Department.

The prospect of Ukraine getting its hands on the Tomahawk, which can strike targets at a range of almost 1,000 miles, carrying a 1,000-pound unitary warhead, has caused great jubilation in Kyiv, consternation in Moscow and raises real questions about how it would work. Ukraine does not possess the surface vessels, submarines or ground-based systems that can fire them.

There are multiple launcher options for ground-based Tomahawks now. These include four-round containerized launch systems derived from the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System that Lockheed Martin has developed for the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. The U.S. Marine Corps had been in the process of acquiring single-cell Mk 41-derived launchers mounted on uncrewed versions of the 4×4 Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, but announced plans to cancel that program earlier this year. Lockheed Martin has also at least shown models of a two-cell Mk 41-based ground launcher in the past, as well.

While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has frequently requested TLAMs, Kyiv is producing its own long-range missiles. 

In August, Ukraine unveiled a new ground-launched cruise missile, called Flamingo, which reportedly has a range of 1,864 miles (3,000 kilometers) and a warhead weighing 2,535 pounds (1,150 kilograms).

Earlier this week, Ukraine showcased a new version of its Neptune cruise missile, which appears to have added fuel tank ‘bulges’ for increased range; however, how far the missile can reach and with what kind of payload is unclear.

Zelensky claimed that both weapons have been used in tandem on unspecified Russian targets.

“Over the past week — I won’t specify in what quantity — our pair of Neptune and Flamingo missiles was used,” he said. “The corresponding results can be analyzed independently. We’re not saying it’s a mass deployment of this pair. We’re simply saying there has been use, and there are the first tangible results from this weapon of ours.”

While Zelensky offered no details, images emerged on social media claiming to be the remains of a Flamingo.

The Celebrity Traitors made its way to our screens after months of speculation and hype and, among the 6.5 million viewers to tune in this week, was Prince William

Guards had to stop The Celebrity Traitors stars sneaking between bedrooms at the hotel at which they stayed, it has emerged.

The security staff had to make sure there was no conferring when the TV cameras were switched off during the production of the series. Television’s most devious contest made its way to our screens this week after months of speculation and hype, and saw the likes of Sir Stephen Fry, Kate Garraway and Celia Imrie face devilish tasks.

But the personalities did not get the VIP treatment. During filming, the stars had to stay at a £80-per-night Courtyard by Marriott hotel near an airport, which remained open to the public. The celebrities, which also included Alan Carr and Clare Balding, were only allowed out at certain times for cigarette breaks and short walks, it has emerged.

The guards kept close eyes on the contestants at the hotel, the same one used in the non-celebrity version of the BBC programme, and they weren’t even allowed to go, alone, to visit other stars in their rooms.

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The titular “Traitors” must work together to eliminate the other contestants to win a grand prize, while the remaining contestants become “Faithful” and are tasked to discover and banish the “Traitors” by voting them out to win the prize. Knowledge gathered only be succeeding in tasks during the show will help the teams achieve these goals.

And the production team ensured they maintained the same tough rules for the household names as they had done for the non-famous counterparts in the original show, much to the “shock” of some stars.

“They must have had a shock, some of them would never have stayed anywhere that s*** before, it was hardly salubrious,” one source told the Daily Mail today, days after the first episode of the series aired.

The series was filmed over three weeks in May and, while tasks were often held in the famous castle, none of the contestants got to stay in the building – and had to make do with the hotel near Inverness Airport. Celebs were put on one floor and a lockdown-style curfew was imposed. Mobiles were confiscated and a “production phone” was issued for emergencies, it is reported today. The same source continued: “There was to be no social media, just old-fashioned phone calls.”

It is thought the BBC ensured transmission of the programme was quick – less than five months after filming – to avoid any leaks. The VIPs have been paid the same flat rate for their time – unlike the civilian version, for which contestants get a small stipend to subsidise time away from work.

Some friendships have already become strained. It has now emerged Alan Carr, for instance, “murdered” his good friend Paloma Faith in episode two by rubbing poison lily on her face. Faith said: “If the shoe was on the other foot, I would not have touched Alan’s face.”

The next episode of The Celebrity Traitors is on Wednesday on BBC One at 9pm.

Wales’ World Cup qualifying fate is back in their own hands after group rivals Belgium and North Macedonia cancelled each other out.

North Macedonia top Group J after holding out for a goalless draw in Ghent against second-place Belgium, who travel to Cardiff on Monday.

Wales are third ahead of that game knowing they will secure automatic qualification for the 2026 tournament if they win their remaining three games.

North Macedonia lead the group standings with 12 points from six games, one point ahead of Belgium and two ahead of Wales, who both have a game in hand.

The team finishing second will enter the play-offs in March, while Wales could even make that stage by finishing third following their performance in the Nations League last year.

Oct. 10 (UPI) — The Trump administration has canceled the proposed Esmeralda 7 Solar Project in Nevada that would have been among the world’s largest solar power facilities.

Officials with the Bureau of Land Management on Thursday announced an environmental impact review of the proposed renewable energy facility has been canceled, which in turn cancels the project, Politico reported.

The canceled project would have built seven solar power-generation projects within the Esmeralda site that would have occupied 118,000 acres of land in Nevada’s Esmeralda County and about 30 miles west of Tonopah and 270 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

The project would have generated up to 6.2 gigawatts of energy over its service life, which is enough energy to power up to 2 million homes, according to Heatmap.

The proposed solar power project generally enjoyed smooth sailing through the Biden administration and would have included the NextEra Energy utility firm and Invenergy among its developers, The New York Times reported.

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican, in August expressed his concerns that the solar power project was being delayed or canceled unnecessarily in a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

Lombardo said the project’s completion would help Nevada to better support the nation’s energy needs for mining projects and data centers, according to The New York Times.

President Donald Trump previously criticized solar- and wind-power projects as insufficient and costly compared to natural gas and coal power-generation facilities.

Since Trump took office in January, the Interior Department has added new review requirements for wind and solar projects, which have slowed their development and have stopped some from moving forward.

The Interior Department also has begun investigating bird deaths and other impacts on wildlife and plant life by large solar and wind projects.

While the Esmeralda 7 project appears to be canceled, another Nevada solar power project called Dodge Flat II is still in progress, according to the BLM.

We discovered unforgettable scenery, culture and cuisine on a trip to the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador’s western coast, with glacier-carved fjords and the Earth’s mantle

Amy Jones is a Lifestyle & Features Writer at OK! She covers health, travel, real life, homes and celebrity interviews. Before joining OK! in 2023, Amy previously worked as a Multimedia Reporter at Cambridgeshire Live and before, a Content Writer at The Mirror. If you have a story, get in touch via email or contact them on Twitter.

Majestic mountains, ancient glaciers and miles of untouched landscapes where moose and caribou thrive are just part of what makes Western Newfoundland so spectacular. With a rich history filled with Indigenous, English, Irish and French influences, this region in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador is a place of pure beauty, with a charm echoed by its residents.

You’ll be welcomed with open arms and told, “It’s the people that you’re going to meet that will make your experience.” The uncrowded paradise stretches 750 kilometres and is one of the rare places in the world you can walk on the Earth’s mantle and gaze at glacier-carved fjords. The area is known to experience four seasons in a day, as locals told us, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes!”

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Cosy cabins

Our first stop was family-run Shallow Bay Motel & Cabins in the small fishing village of Cow Head. Our room was cosy and comforting with views out to the serene waters. The inviting wooden porch was the perfect spot to enjoy a coffee in the morning, and the motel also offers guests a dip in its outdoor heated pool or hot tub overlooking the sea.

Our next stay was further down the coast in the town of Norris Point. Sugar Hill Inn is set on a hillside and has generously sized rooms and wrap-around porches. Our room had charming wooden floors and interiors, and an outside entrance led to our decking area with wooden Adirondack chairs for lounging.

Natural wonders

Carved by glaciers during the last Ice Age more than 10,000 years ago, the landlocked fjord of Western Brook Pond is one of the most popular places to visit in Newfoundland. Located in Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has towering cliffs, misty waterfalls cascading from 2,000-feet high and a pristine freshwater lake. We marvelled at this breathtaking fjord with its picture-postcard views during a two-hour boat trip, complete with insightful commentary from a friendly Bontours crew member. Keep an eye out for the hidden face in the rocks, naturally chiseled by time and weather, known as the Tin Man.

The Tablelands in Gros Morne National Park is one of the few places in the world where you can encounter the Earth’s mantle – the layer of silicate rock between the crust and the outer core. In an experience we won’t forget in a hurry, we walked on the exposed ground – which we were told is similar to that on Mars – along a 4km trail through the striking valleys.

Cultural tour

In Norris Point, we threw ourselves into the local culture and journeyed back in time on an Indigenous Tour with Gros Morne Adventures, experiencing life through the eyes of the first inhabitants. Starting in a canoe, we paddled across serene waters as bald eagles flew above to Bonne Bay, where colourful cabins decorate the shoreline. A speed boat then took us to Gadd’s Harbour where we disembarked to hike through woodland, following moose trails while passing wildflowers, raspberry shrubs and squash berries.

We learnt how locals had a“boil up”, making a campfire to serve tea while out in the wilderness – a tradition many still hold today. We also made Lu’skinikin (bannock), a traditional Indigenous bread, before trying our hand at creating a fire using Stone Age tools.

We also took a stroll around Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse, which once guided fishermen and sailing vessels into Bonne Bay, and sampled local honey during a tour at the Cormack Bee Company. We couldn’t resist buying their red Thai chilli-infused honey to bring back home.

For a night like no other, we attended the annual Writers at Woody Point Literary Festival, where we enjoyed live music from the likes of Ed Robertson, frontman of the band Barenaked Ladies, and who wrote the theme song for sitcom The Big Bang Theory. It was an evening we’ll remember forever.

Coastal cuisine

We discovered a thriving food scene in Newfoundland, with nods to Indigenous dishes while paying homage to its European influences, and a strong focus on fresh fish and seafood. At the Buoy & Arrow Restaurant in Rocky Harbour, we had our first taste of moose in a soup, before sharing a snow crab Nmjinikej dip with salted flatbread chips. A visit here wouldn’t be complete without ordering their signature lobster roll.

Shallow Bay Family Restaurant in Cow Head saw us dine on fresh salmon from their menu of local favourites and sip refreshing beer, brewed with iceberg water, while admiring the views of the bay through their panoramic windows.

Another highlight was Chanterelles at Sugar Hill Inn, which offers a fine dining experience in an intimate yet relaxed setting. We started with the seafood cakes with shrimp, salmon and cod, before relishing the succulent roasted duck breast with partridgeberry and orange gastrique and roasted garlic mash.

The Black Spruce at Neddies Harbour Inn was nothing short of perfection too – even our freshly baked bread with molasses butter to start left us speechless. Some favourites on the menu include the seafood chowder and the Atlantic beef tenderloin.

How to book

Rooms at Shallow Bay Motel start from £87, and at Sugar Hill Inn from £134 per night, based on two sharing. Air Canada offers return flights from London Heathrow to Deer Lake, Newfoundland and Labrador (via Halifax, Nova Scotia) from £587pp. See newfoundlandlabrador.com and atlanticcanadaholiday.co.uk for more details.

This small countryside town in the Cotswolds might be the perfect spot for an autumnal day trip or weekend away, offering everything from delicious pub grub to stunning walks

At the edge of the Cotswold Way, this charming market town is an ideal place to plan a day trip or weekend away this autumn.

Rich with history and dotted with picturesque pubs that feature cosy fires to enjoy as the temperatures drop, Chipping Campden is well worth a visit.

Located in Gloucestershire, much of the town is built from the stunning Cotswold stone that’s well known in the area, a picture-perfect country idyll that’s increasingly attracting some A-list residents.

Fans of a good countryside walk will be treated to some spectacular views of the colourful autumn foliage, and when it comes to food, there are some great options on offer.

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Dubbed the ‘Jewel of the Cotswolds’, Chipping Campden dates all the way back to the Middle Ages. It’s known for its unusually wide high street – parts of which were built in the 14th century – and was once home to a bustling wool trade.

History lovers will enjoy a visit to the Market Hall – now protected by the National Trust – and its proximity to many independent shops and boutiques will provide a welcome distraction for anyone in more of a mood to spend that learn.

St. James’s Church, Grevel House, and Old Campden House all provide more insight into the long history of the small market town.

Even a trip to the pub will give you a taste of the many lives that have gone on in this historic place, with the Eight Bells – a local favourite – including many character features that create a lot of atmosphere. From stone floors and wooden beams, to roaring fires in a cast iron grate – you will never want to head home.

The menu at the Eight Bells offers a decent number of vegetarian, fish, and meat options, so everyone will be catered to.

But the puddings are where the offerings really come alive: so make sure you leave room for a sweet treat to round off your meal.

The Red Lion is another stunning historic location to sit back and enjoy a drink or a bite to eat, but if you’re looking for more action, less relaxing, the walks on offer in the area are nothing short of magical.

The Cotswold Way is a 102-mile walk that begins at Chipping Campden and runs all the way to the historic city of Bath. But even the portion from the market town itself is a day well spent amongst the autumnal scenery, with the woodlands you will pass through second to none at this time of year.

It’s a well marked walk, so you don’t need to be a pro-hiker to give this one a go, but bear in mind there are more than a few steep hills along it, so if you’re planning to try the whole thing out over the course of some days, make sure you stay hydrated and organise plenty of breaks along the route.

United States President Donald Trump has unveiled a second deal with a major pharmaceutical company to offer lower-cost prescription drugs direct to American consumers.

This time, the agreement concerned AstraZeneca, a multinational based in the United Kingdom.

Trump hosted the company’s chief executive, Pascal Soriot, in the Oval Office on Friday to publicly cement the deal, which he described as “another historic achievement in our quest to lower drug prices for all Americans”.

“Americans can expect discounts, and as I said, it could be, in many cases, way over a hundred percent,” Trump said.

As in previous press appearances, he pledged US consumers would see impossible discounts on popular medications.

Inhalers to treat asthma, for example, would be discounted by 654 percent, Trump said, calling the device a “drug that’s hot, very hot”. He also reiterated past claims that some medications could see “a thousand percent reduction”.

Trump has long pushed to reduce prescription drug costs to what he has billed as “most-favoured nations prices”.

That would bring prices down to the same level as in other developed countries, though Trump, with typical hyperbole, has said the policy would equate to “the  lowest price anywhere in the world”.

AstraZeneca is the second major pharmaceutical company after Pfizer to strike such a bargain. Last month, Pfizer announced a “voluntary agreement” to price its products “at parity with other key developed markets”.

Like AstraZeneca, it also agreed to participate in an online, direct-to-consumer marketplace the Trump administration plans to launch, called TrumpRx.

But in a news release on its website, Pfizer made clear that the agreement would help it dodge the high tariffs that Trump threatened against overseas pharmaceutical manufacturers.

“We now have the certainty and stability we need on two critical fronts, tariffs and pricing, that have suppressed the industry’s valuations to historic lows,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said.

At Friday’s Oval Office ceremony, officials like Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr openly celebrated the power Trump had wielded through his tariff threats.

“ The president saw something that we didn’t see, which is we had leverage, and that came through Howard [Lutnick] and the tariffs,” Kennedy said, giving a nod to Trump’s commerce secretary. “We had extraordinary leverage to craft these deals.”

The deals with both AstraZeneca and Pfizer came after Trump threatened in September to impose a 100-percent tariff on pharmaceutical companies unless they started to build manufacturing plants in the US.

“There will, therefore, be no Tariff on these Pharmaceutical Products if construction has started,” Trump wrote on his platform, Truth Social.

Those tariffs were slated to come into effect on October 1. But Pfizer unveiled its deal with the Trump administration on September 30, and the tariffs were subsequently postponed.

In Friday’s Oval Office appearance, Soriot acknowledged that, like Pfizer, he had negotiated a delay for any tariffs against AstraZeneca. In exchange, he pledged to increase US investments to $50bn by 2030.

“I appreciate very much Secretary Lutnick granting us a three-year tariff exemption to localise the remainder of our products,” Soriot said. “Most of our products are locally manufactured, but we need to transfer the remaining part to this country.”

Just one day earlier, AstraZeneca had revealed it would construct a “multi-billion-dollar drug substance manufacturing centre” in Virginia, with a focus on chronic diseases, a top priority for the Trump administration.

Trump himself touted his tariff threat as the impetus for the recent string of drug deals. When asked by a reporter if he could have brought the pharmaceutical companies to the negotiating table any other way, Trump was blunt.

“ I would never have been able to bring him,” he replied, with a gesture to Soriot. “ Now, I’m not sure that Pascal would like to say, but behind the scenes, he did say tariffs were a big reason he came here.”

Since returning for a second term as president, the Republican leader has relied heavily on tariffs – and the threats of tariffs – as a cudgel to bring foreign governments and businesses in line with his administration’s priorities.

He has called the term “tariff” the “most beautiful word” in the dictionary and repeatedly labelled the dates he unveiled such import taxes as “Liberation Day”.

But earlier this year, it was unclear if his sabre-rattling would pay dividends. In May, for instance, Trump issued an executive action calling on his government to take “all necessary and appropriate action” to penalise countries whose policies he understood as driving up US drug costs.

He also called on Secretary Kennedy to lay the groundwork for “direct-to-consumer” purchasing programmes where pharmaceutical companies could sell their products at a discount.

Trump, however, lacked a legal mechanism to force participation in such a programme.

In July, he upped the pressure, sending letters to major pharmaceutical manufacturers. The letters warned the drug-makers to bring down prices, or else the government would “deploy every tool in our arsenal” to end the “abusive drug pricing practices”.

He also openly mused that month about hiking tariffs on imported medications.

“We’ll be announcing something very soon on pharmaceuticals,” Trump told a July cabinet meeting. “We’re going to give people about a year, a year and a half, to come in, and after that, they’re going to be tariffed if they have to bring the pharmaceuticals into the country, the drugs.”

“They’re going to be tariffed at a very, very high rate, like 200 percent,” he added.

The “most-favoured nation” pricing scheme is an idea that Trump tried but failed to initiate during his first term as president, from 2017 to 2021.

How that project might shape up in his second term remains to be seen. The TrumpRx website – which the president insists he did not name himself – has yet to offer any services.

Those are expected in 2026.

OUR much-loved astrologer Meg sadly died in March 2023 but her column will be kept alive by her friend and protégée Maggie Innes.

Read on to see what’s written in the stars for you today. 

♈ ARIES

March 21 to April 20

Talking and listening are your stand-out skills today, but it’s important to know when to draw a line, as you need to further your own projects.

So try to feel a two-way focus sharpen.

Mars stirs transformation ideas, and yes, you’re ready to reinvent a love-bond.

Single? New attraction flickers by firelight.

Get all the latest Aries horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions.

2

♉ TAURUS

April 21 to May 21

There’s room for manoeuvre in a health pledge, so don’t allow yourself to get too fixated on a goal, or a schedule.

When you find a way that’s right for you, the rest can follow.

Saturn may give you false friendship starts, but your instincts about a new individual are spot on.

Your oldest relative gives great advice.

Get all the latest Taurus horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♊ GEMINI

May 22 to June 21

There’s a commitment you want, and need, to make – but it’s important to keep everyone you care about informed, so don’t skip this stage.

Talking, even casually, about your past inspires a story idea that can be a hit – but also highlights where to address an emotional gap.

Lucky numbers start with “2”.

Get all the latest Gemini horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♋ CANCER

June 22 to July 22

The sun’s in your stability sector and inspires you to see the very best in every situation.

So you can move on, even if you need to do it solo.

Playing a part in passion isn’t right for right now, so do commit 100 per cent to being your authentic Cancer self.

Someone you admire in a local group is starting to notice you.

Get all the latest Cancer horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♌ LEO

July 23 to August 23

You have hot persuasion power, and any role linked to getting people to try, or buy, can work well for you.

In passion terms, too, you’re able to persuade partners over to your way of thinking.

This can apply if you’ve just connected.

Moon magic filters through your chart to boost positive thinking – and connections.

Get all the latest Leo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♍ VIRGO

August 24 to September 22

There’s a spark of impulsive Mars deep in your communication centre, that makes today stand out.

Maybe you’ll surprise yourself, but you can achieve great results.

The sun lights your values zone – so not dismissing problems is a step to solving them.

Passion blooms where floral visuals are shared.

Get all the latest Virgo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♎ LIBRA

September 23 to October 23

You’re loving your time in the sun, as deep-seated confidence grows.

There’s very little you can’t help happen right now – or at least try.

Meanwhile, Jupiter encourages talking about a gap in your life, or heart, with someone who’s new to your circle, yet feels familiar.

Prizes link two separate parts of your past together.

Get all the latest Libra horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♏ SCORPIO

October 24 to November 22

Your chart carries some challenges today but you cope so well.

So don’t hold yourself back from pushing forward.

You really rate romance, and have fabulous ideas to show you care – this time, do see them through.

Single? Your soulmate shares a music passion.

An odd-numbered team can be lucky.

Get all the latest Scorpio horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♐ SAGITTARIUS

November 23 to December 21

If you’ve tried a lot of ways to fix a family situation – Saturn suggests stepping back now.

You can see simple solutions from afar, and realise who holds the keys to your future.

Personal ability to change rises with Jupiter’s input – this can line up a surprise passion bonus.

Don’t rush to choose, enjoy the process.

Get all the latest Sagittarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♑ CAPRICORN

December 22 to January 20

Finding solutions is your star skill of the day – so even when other people give up, keep pursuing information.

You can bring people or promises back together, this time for keeps.

A new group may be making space for you, but do you want to join?

The ultimate choice is yours.

Love is strong when you believe in it.

Get all the latest Capricorn horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

2

♒ AQUARIUS

January 21 to February 18

A stop-start system or sequence of steps is ready to push forward again, as an enterprising moon carries you along.

So be ready to decide who you want to keep in your heart and head.

You have a sunny side that creates passion, and someone you often smile at from a distance can be waiting for a sign.

Get all the latest Aquarius horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

♓ PISCES

February 19 to March 20

A deep well of personal success in your chart makes anything possible – if you truly commit.

This is not the time for half-hearted goals, so make clear choices.

Partners make an impressive team, but it’s important to support each other.

If you’re free to meet someone new, say yes to an invite with a music theme.

Get all the latest Pisces horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions

PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills will run for the U.S. Senate seat held by veteran Republican Sen. Susan Collins next year, two people familiar with Mills’ plans said Friday.

The development sets up a potential showdown between the parties’ best-known figures in a state where Democrats see a chance to gain a seat in their uphill quest for the Senate majority.

Mills is tentatively expected to announce her candidacy Tuesday, according to the people, who insisted on anonymity to discuss plans they were not authorized to share publicly.

Mills was the top choice of national Democrats who have long tried to unseat Collins, who has held the seat since 1997. She was urged to run by party leaders including New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader. And though she met only once with Schumer to discuss the race early this year, her decision is viewed as a recruiting win for Democrats, who also have well-known figures with statewide experience running for seats held by Republicans in North Carolina and Ohio.

Democrats see the Maine seat as especially important, considering it is the only one on the 2026 Senate election calendar where Republicans are defending an incumbent in a state carried last year by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

Still, a Democratic majority in the 100-member Senate remains a difficult proposition.

The party would need to gain a net of four seats, while most of the states with Senate elections next year are places where Republican Donald Trump beat Harris. Maine is an exception, while in North Carolina, where Trump narrowly won, Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper is viewed as a contender, and Democratic former Sen. Sherrod Brown is running in Ohio, where Trump won comfortably and Brown was defeated in November.

Mills gained national attention in February during a White House meeting of governors with Trump when she announced to him, “We’ll see you in court,” over her opposition to his call for denying states federal funding over transgender rights.

In April, Maine officials sued the Trump administration in an effort to stop the federal government from freezing federal funding to the state in light of its decision to defy a federal ban on allowing transgender students to participate in sports.

Mills stoked Democratic enthusiasm in April when she said of the lawsuit, “I’ve spent the better part of my career listening to loud men talk tough to disguise their weaknesses.”

Mills, 77, is a former state attorney general who won the governorship in 2018 and again in 2022. Maine governors are barred from seeking a third term and, while Mills early this year seemed to dismiss a Senate campaign, she said she had rethought the notion and was “seriously considering” running.

She had set a November deadline for making a decision, though as of mid-September, she was interviewing prospective senior campaign staffers.

A campaign against Collins would pit her against a senator who has built a reputation as a moderate but who was a key supporter of Trump’s Cabinet and judicial nominations. A spokesperson for Collins declined to comment on the expected upcoming Mills announcement.

Collins, 72, has won all of her four reelection campaigns by double-digit percentages, except in 2020.

That year, Collins defeated Democratic challenger Sara Gideon, the former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, by more than 8 percentage points in a race Democrats felt confident could help them gain a seat in the Senate. Collins won in a year Democrats gained a net of three seats in the chamber. She won despite Trump losing Maine to Democrat Joe Biden by 9 percentage points.

Like Collins, Mills was born in rural Maine. She became Maine’s first female criminal prosecutor in the mid-1970s, and she would later become the state’s first elected female district attorney as well as its first female attorney general and governor. She served as attorney general twice, from 2009 to 2011 and from 2013 to 2019.

A few other challengers have declared candidacies for the Democratic nomination, including oyster farmer Graham Platner, who has launched an aggressive social media campaign. Platner has the backing of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who posted on social media on Thursday that Platner is “a great working class candidate for Senate in Maine who will defeat Susan Collins” and that it’s “disappointing that some Democratic leaders are urging Gov. Mills to run.”

Whittle and Beaumont write for the Associated Press and reported from Portland and Des Moines, respectively. AP writer Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.

Travel experts have shared one of the prettiest European destinations for those looking for some winter sun – as the caves and water are some of the clearest around

With the colder weather approaching, you may be looking to escape the chilly temperatures and rain for warmer climates.

This ‘magical’ island is perfect for those looking for an escape with some of Europe’s clearest waters and fewer crowds of tourists. Malta is the perfect autumn destination, and the Blue Grotto is a natural wonder, allowing visitors to swim, explore the caves and relax in the sun.

According to travel experts at Ski Vertigo, October temperatures in Malta are still around 25C, and the Blue Grotto is made up of several sea caves on Malta’s west coast, surrounded by clear turquoise waters.

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There is a network of six caves on the southern coast, offering some of the clearest waters and most stunning views in the Maltese Islands, making it one of the island’s most popular natural attractions. The experts say the best way to see the caves is by boat from Wied iż-Żurrieq (£7.20 for adults, £3.60 for children).

Visitors can board the traditional fishing boats run from 9am to 4.30pm in summer, and 9am to 4pm in winter, weather permitting and on the way, you can can stop at the panoramic viewpoint, 500m high, for photos.

“The waters are very clear thanks to their unique minerals, and in sunny weather, colourful reflections of pink, orange, turquoise, and green shimmer on the limestone walls. From above, the caves are framed by a majestic arch with views of the island of Filfla – truly breathtaking,” the travel experts add, and shared a list of some of the top activities for visitors:

• Boat tours – Glide through the sea caves and see rock formations.
• Swimming & snorkelling – Explore the clear waters.
• Photography – Capture cliff views and colourful cave reflections.
• Sightseeing from viewpoints – Stop at the roadside or picnic areas for great views.
• Picnicking – Enjoy a snack with a view.

There is plenty of parking at Wied iż-Żurrieq, along with public toilets, cafes, snack bars, and gift shops. On rough sea days, boats may not run, but the viewpoints and picnic areas are still worth a visit.

Tips from Ski Vertigo:

• Book ahead – Tours fill up quickly, even in autumn.
• Wear swim-friendly shoes – Paths and rocks can be tricky.
• Bring snorkel gear – Perfect for exploring the clear waters.
• Visit the viewpoint – Stop for panoramic photos.
• With warm waters, stunning scenery, and plenty to do, the Blue Grotto is the perfect autumn escape for travellers wanting sun, relaxation, and natural beauty.

Do you have a story to share? Email [email protected]

PHOENIX — A’ja Wilson scored 31 points, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young both added 18 and the Las Vegas Aces won their third WNBA championship in four seasons, beating the Phoenix Mercury 97-86 on Friday night for a four-game sweep of the Finals.

The Aces made quick work of the league’s first best-of-seven Finals. It was another offensive onslaught from Las Vegas, which scored 54 points in the first half and averaged more than 90 points per game in the series.

Wilson — honored as the Finals MVP — was in the middle of the action once again even if she didn’t have the best shooting night. The four-time regular-season MVP finished seven of 21 from the field, but made 17 of 19 free throws. Gray made four three-pointers, including two in the fourth quarter to help turn back a final rally by the Mercury.

The Aces were presented the championship trophy by embattled WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who was greeted with boos from the sizable contingent of Las Vegas fans who made the trip to Phoenix.

The Aces led 76-62 going into the fourth quarter, but the Mercury went on an 8-0 run early that cut the deficit to 76-70 with 7:56 left. That was as close as they would get.

Kahleah Copper led the Mercury with 30 points, shooting 12 of 22 from the field. Alyssa Thomas had 17 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts was ejected in the third quarter after receiving two quick technical fouls from official Gina Cross. Tibbetts was arguing a foul call against Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani, and reacted in disbelief as he was escorted off the court.

DeWanna Bonner and Copper also got called for technical fouls in the fourth quarter.

The Aces never trailed in the series clincher, building a 30-21 lead by the end of the first quarter on 55% shooting. Jewell Loyd, Gray and Dana Evans made three straight threes early in the second quarter to put Las Vegas ahead by 19.

Las Vegas settled for a 54-38 halftime advantage. Wilson had 14 points before the break while Gray added 10.

The Mercury were without forward Satou Sabally, who suffered a concussion near the end of Game 3. They suffered another injury blow on Friday when Thomas had to leave just before halftime after taking a hard hit to her right shoulder on a screen from Loyd.

Thomas returned for the second half but was hampered by the injury.

The Mercury enjoyed a deep playoff run under Tibbetts, but couldn’t find a way to slow down the Aces. Phoenix made it to the finals after beating the defending champion New York Liberty in the opening round and knocking off the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the semifinals.

Phoenix lost in the WNBA Finals for the second time in five years, also falling to the Chicago Sky in 2021. The Mercury have won three championships, with the last coming in 2014.

The US president told reporters that the bodies of Israelis who died in captivity in Gaza are ‘being unearthed’.

Israelis held in Gaza by Hamas and other armed groups are slated to “come back” on Monday, United States President Donald Trump said, with 20 living captives and the bodies of 28 others who died in captivity due to be handed over as part of the US-backed ceasefire deal.

Speaking to reporters at the White House late on Friday, Trump said Monday will be “big” as Hamas exchanges all 48 Israeli captives, both living and deceased, for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

“Some of those bodies are being unearthed right now, as we speak. They’re working on it right now,” Trump said.

“It’s a tragedy. It’s a tragedy,” he said.

Of the living captives still held in Gaza, the US president added, “they’re in some pretty rough places, where only some people know where they are”.

Trump said he plans to travel to Cairo this weekend and separately speak at the Israeli Knesset before returning to the US.

Under the terms of the US-brokered peace deal for Gaza, Hamas agreed to release all captives within 72 hours following the start of a ceasefire.

Israel’s government ratified the ceasefire in the early hours of Friday, and it came into force later in the day. Israeli troops then began to withdraw from areas in Gaza to designated locations, and the countdown began on the 72 hours for Hamas to release captives.

Reports surfaced earlier this week that Hamas may struggle to locate and gather the remains of all the deceased captives, potentially complicating the planned exchange on Monday.

As Palestinians began to return to their war-torn homes on Friday amid the Israeli pullback, key questions about Gaza’s future remain uncertain – including plans for a future Palestinian state.

Trump, however, maintained an optimistic tone about both the first and later phases of his unfolding ceasefire plan.

Both Hamas and Israel, he said, are “all tired of fighting”.

“There is consensus on most of it and some of the details, like anything else, will be worked out,” Trump said.

“Because, you’ll find out that when you’re sitting in a beautiful room in Egypt, you know, it’s easy to work something out,” he said.

“But then sometimes it doesn’t work from a practical standpoint. But for the most part, there’s consensus,” he added.

The US president also appeared to be pleased with support for the deal from the European Union, Iran and Russia, saying that the peace plan will extend “beyond Gaza”.

“This is peace in the Middle East, and it’s a beautiful thing,” he said.

Josie North, who has a nut allergy, faced a “very scary situation” on a flight from Los Angeles, California, to Heathrow Airport and complained to the Virgin Atlantic team

A tourist with a severe nut allergy was left terrified after a pecan pie was primed to be served as a dessert on her flight.

Josie North alerted Virgin Atlantic attendants of her allergy and was assured no nuts would be served on the plane from Los Angeles to London Heathrow. However, just 15 minutes into the 10-hour journey Josie spotted the nutty dessert offering on the menu, and immediately called over an attendant.

The 28-year-old Brit, who is allergic to all types of nuts, said today: “I felt sick to my stomach. There was a chance I could die if that many people around me were eating nuts all at once.

“I told him [the attendant] there was just no way this pecan pie could be served. This was a very scary situation for me. If I was told they were serving actual nuts, and everyone around me is going to be eating nuts, I wouldn’t have got on the flight.”

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The issue has been topical in recent years following the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, 15, on a British Airways flight. She had eaten a baguette – albeit bought at Pret a Manger – which contained sesame seeds, to which the teen was allergic.

But Virgin Atlantic staff had spoken to Josie to assure her flight attendants would accommodate her needs ahead of the flight last month. Josie, who runs a party card games business, was told Virgin is a peanut-free airline only, and so she insisted on speaking to another member of staff on the plane.

“I was very adamant that this was a very, very dangerous situation for me, especially as we were already in the air at this point,” Josie, from London, said. Eventually, the captain was involved and agreed the pie should be removed from the menu and replaced with Oreos and KitKats.

But Josie wants to raise awareness of her experience, and remind large organisations of the dire dangers of allergies. When she boarded the flight, the entrepreneur asked the attendant to make an announcement to let other passengers know someone on board had a nut allergy. She claims the employee only announced someone had a peanut allergy – while Josie is allergic to all nuts.

A “persistent” Josie insisted they do a second announcement, which they did, but shortly afterwards, she was horrified to see the nut dish on the menu.

Josie said: “I understand it might not be easy to eliminate anything that may have been contaminated by or made in the same factory as nuts.

“But to actively include food items that contain nuts on a flight is extremely dangerous and unnecessary. I’m sure most people go hours and if not days without having a single nut on land so why is it so necessary to have nuts mid-air with no access to emergency hospital treatment?

“I’m sure people would be equally as happy with a chocolate brownie or an apple crumble for their dessert! And there may even be children on the flight who don’t even know if they have nut allergies yet ” so what is the point in serving such a common allergen?”

A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “We’d like to apologise to Ms North for any incorrect information she may have received prior to her recent flight with us.

“We would like to reassure her that a full investigation is taking place. The health and safety of our customers is always our top priority and for any special requirements including allergies we ask that customers inform our Accessible Travel Services teams in advance of their flight.

“For the safety of any customers travelling with an allergy we would strongly encourage customers to take all necessary precautions including bringing their own subsistence on board and to prepare for the possibility of inadvertent exposure.”

Here are the key events from day 1,325 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is how things stand on Saturday, October 11, 2025:

Fighting

• More than 450 Russian drones and 30 missiles targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure through the early hours of Friday morning in what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a “cynical and calculated attack” that injured at least 20 people nationwide.
• Throughout Friday, repair crews raced to restore power to more than 725,000 families in Kyiv and other cities amid widespread outages.
• In a video message discussing the attacks, Zelenskyy said Russian President Vladimir Putin was “clearly taking advantage of the moment” as world leaders focus on implementing a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
• Zelenskyy separately told reporters that Russia deliberately waited for bad weather before launching its assault, with inclement conditions reducing the efficiency of Ukraine’s air defences by 20 to 30 percent.
• Russian forces killed three foreign soldiers fighting on behalf of Ukraine near Otradnoye, a village in northeastern Ukraine, where Russian troops claimed to have taken control earlier this week, Russia’s state TASS news agency reported.
• Ukraine’s military said it struck Russia more than 70 times last month, decreasing oil refining in the country by more than 21 percent.

Peace process

• The “E3” leaders of Germany, France and the United Kingdom condemned Russia’s “escalatory” attacks against Ukraine’s national infrastructure, promising to increase pressure on Russia as Putin “continues his stalling tactics and abhorrent attacks in response to peace talks”.
• The leaders added they were “ready to progress towards using, in a coordinated way, the value of the immobilised Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s armed forces” in order to pressure Russia to negotiate.
• During a three-day visit to Tajikistan, Russia’s Putin told reporters he remained “committed to the discussion that took place in Anchorage”, referring to his Alaska summit with United States President Donald Trump in August.
• Putin’s comments were a sharp reversal from those of Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov earlier this week, who said that “powerful momentum” for peace talks has been lost since August.
• US First Lady Melania Trump said she and Putin are discussing the repatriation of children caught up in the war, with some already returned to their families and more expected to be reunited soon.

Politics and diplomacy

• Zelenskyy said he had spoken with several leaders in light of Russia’s overnight strikes – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz  – and thanked all three for their support.
• Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and current deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, visited North Korea for the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. Russia and North Korea signed a mutual defence treaty last year, and Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops and vast quantities of weapons to support Moscow’s war against Kyiv.
• Putin told reporters that Trump “does a lot for peace” and praised the Gaza ceasefire deal.
• Trump quickly reposted a clip of Putin’s comments about his peace efforts to Truth Social with a note of thanks to the Russian leader.

Regional security

• Ukraine and the Netherlands signed a memorandum of understanding for the co-production of drones. Amsterdam has provided almost $9bn in support to Ukraine throughout the war, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry.
• European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the EU must seek a “common European vision for defence”, and that Russia must be prevented from winning its war against Ukraine.
• Putin said that Russia is developing new weapons of deterrence, and noted that it’s “not a big deal” for Moscow if the US declines to extend the warhead limits set out in a nuclear arms treaty that expires next year.

“The Chair Company,” premiering Sunday on HBO, is a conspiracy comedy — dark comedy, one would definitely have to say — in which Tim Robinson goes down a rabbit hole, from one carrot to the next, after a chair collapses beneath him. It’s a thriller in its way; there will be suspense, and injuries, and a lot of screaming, mostly by the star.

Robinson, who co-created the series with Zach Kanin (who also co-created Robinson’s Netflix sketch show, “I Think You Should Leave”), is a difficult hero. His main shtick is the madman underneath a cracking veneer of civilization; physically, he projects a sort of eccentric normality, like a critique of normal. From the beginning of “The Chair Company,” we see that Robinson’s Ron Trosper is tense and nervous and can’t relax, getting into a argument with a waitress over what and what isn’t a mall — he’s been named to lead the development of a new one in Canton, Ohio. (The action all takes place in the state.)

A presentation he’d been dreading goes well, but as he sits back down, his chair — a standard office model — collapses under him, robbing him of a moment of triumph. What most would throw off with a joke sets Ron on edge, and he begins an obsessive quest to track down the manufacturer. But all he comes up with are dead ends and empty offices, and he begins to suspect a conspiracy. When, getting into his car, he’s hit on the head with a pipe and told to stop asking about the chair, it only makes him more determined to uncover it. Lurking, sneaking and stealing will ensue. Reckless behavior. Shouting.

Along with some standard office comedy involving HR reports and Ron’s “know it when I see it” boss (Lou Diamond Phillips, aging gracefully), there is a family element. Wife Barb (Lake Bell) is moving ahead with plans to develop a more attractive breast pump. Daughter Natalie (Sophia Lillis) is getting married to her girlfriend, and wants to change the venue at the last moment to a haunted house. Son Seth (Will Price), a basketball player apparently of enough talent to mention it in the series, has discovered the pleasures of drinking just as recruiters are coming around. It’s not a developed thread, but it gives Price the opportunity to deliver my favorite line in the series: “Some nights I’ll have like four beers and I’ll sit in my room and I’ll put on Abbott and Costello after I’ve had a couple; it makes me feel good to know that [these] two guys found each other because they both seem so different.” Which is a theme of the show.

The character who makes the series breathe is Mike Santini (Joseph Tudisco), the person wielding the pipe. Ron will track him down, and eventually they’ll become partners in his investigation and, after a fashion, friends. (Though Ron is not always friendly.) Mike is the series’ most original conception, and, in a strange way, its heart — someone not beyond taking money from a stranger to hit another stranger over the head, but sympathetic. Lonely, he craves the connection. Ron, for his part, is forever running out on his family to join Mike in some misadventure.

Robinson, the rare “Saturday Night Live” worker who went from performer to writer, is quite adept at playing this character, which makes Ron exhausting company; it takes a certain sort of stamina, or a love for, this particular brand of chaos to put up with him. It seems hardly credible at times that he’s successfully helped raise two rational children, one to adulthood; has attained an upper-middle-class life (with Lake Bell!); and occupies a position of creative responsibility. There are difficult comic characters you’re nevertheless happy to see — Larry David, because he’s so centered in his world and basically right, Lucille Ball because she’s a genius. But Ron spends so much time at DEFCON 1, dialed up past 11, that it can be off-putting, and drowns out the human inside.

Nevertheless, like any mystery, it draws you along, waiting for answers. Seven episodes of eight were released to reviewers; the seventh ends on what feels like a note of quiet irresolution — if not, in Ron’s mind, satisfaction. But the eighth will surely not let things rest, and you may rest assured — and may need the rest — that eight is not the end.