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Metro
3 days ago
- Politics
- Metro
Russia 'combat ready' while top general warns UK must prepare for attack
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Russia has warned that it is 'combat ready' after secretly inspecting the country's nuclear test site in the Arctic. It has led to fears that Vladimir Putin is preparing to resume nuclear testing at the site for the first time since 1990. Andrey Gurulev, a Russian military general, visited the site at Novaya Zemlya archipelago and said: 'You know, there's a lot of fascinating stuff I could say about the test site – but sadly, I cannot. 'The only thing I can say is – we're fully combat ready.' Professor Stephen Hall said recent events may explain Russia's actions at the Arctic site. 'Russia needs to prove that it still has a nuclear arsenal, particularly following Ukraine's drone strike,' he told Metro. 'Putin needs to prove he is battle ready because in his eyes Russia is already at war with the West.' The West has also ramped up its rhetoric, with ex-military chief Sir Richard Barrons saying everybody in the UK must prepare for missile attacks. He said this could be achieved through a 'national defence plan' which could include air raid drills with sirens tested. Barrons told The i Paper that 'families and communities' across the country, and leaders of public services and major companies need to learn to cope in a war environment. 'There is a clear, present risk – particularly as president Putin does see himself as being at war with the West,' he warned. 'The homeland is again on the pitch – it's not got some magic immunity from war, in the same way that Kyiv doesn't… Air and missile attacks will cause civilian casualties in potentially very large numbers.' He also said that the UK could learn from countries, like Finland and Sweden, which have developed plans for 'total defence'. 'These are comprehensive models where the entire population feels part of the defence effort. The UK is just not anywhere near that,' he added. Barrons co-wrote the government's strategic defence review – which recommended sweeping changes including a focus on new technology and reaching 3% GDP defence spending. Presenting the review, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 'We will never gamble with our national security'. One of the recommendations from the defence review was that the British Army will 'increase lethality' over the next decade. But Professor Hall pointed out some flaws in Barrons argument of preparing the UK for missile attacks. 'We should prepare for missile attacks but this is somewhat difficult for the UK to do,' he said. 'We are such a tiny island that one nuclear missile could wipe out the entirety of the country – that's the problem. 'Whereas Finland is geographically bigger and less densely populated, it's had years of experience preparing itself for a nuclear attack.' One way the UK is preparing is by sending military officials to Finland to support the country as it faces a build up of Russian troops on its eastern border. Finland's military intelligence has said it expects there to be as many as 50,000 new Russian soldiers to be stationed at the border. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) said UK military officials would work with both Finland and Sweden to 'strengthen the alliance's deterrence posture on the eastern flank'. More Trending Professor Hall welcomed any support that the UK could give to its Nato allies in the face of Russian aggression. 'It is productive that the UK does this,' he said. 'Any sign of support and unity that the UK and Nato can show against the Kremlin is important. 'It sends a signal to Putin that we are ready in the face of aggression.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: New footage gives kamikaze drone pilot's view of attack on Russian airbases MORE: Trump warns that Putin wants revenge for Ukraine's drone attacks MORE: Gang 'live-streamed arson attacks in London' for Wagner Group
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Inside Kate Middleton's ‘Incredible Bond' With Sons Prince George and Prince Louis: ‘They're Mama's Boys'
King Charles III had a famously formal relationship with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. In her 2017 book Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life, author Sally Bedell Smith wrote that the 76-year-old monarch's parents 'only saw their children after breakfast and tea time.' His first wife, Princess Diana, broke the cycle, insisting on forging a new parenting path before her untimely death in 1997. 'I remember [her] telling me that she wanted her [sons Prince William, 42, and Prince Harry, 40] to be brought up in a way no other royal princes had been,' former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond wrote in The i Paper in December. 'And she did her best to give them an idea of what life beyond the palace walls is like,' from secret trips to McDonald's to clandestine vacations to Disney World. William and his wife, Princess Kate, she added, 'have gone further.' While they can't change the fact that their kids, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, 'have been born into an extraordinary destiny,' the former royal correspondent explained, 'they've also given them a taste of a more ordinary existence.' From doing school runs to attending sports practices to spending quality time 'outside in the countryside [when] we're all filthy dirty' — as the Princess of Wales, 43, recounted to the 'Happy Mum, Happy Baby' podcast — 'it's all helped Kate forge an incredible bond with her children,' notes a royals source, adding that she, George and Louis have that 'classic mother-son' connection. 'They're mama's boys, but not in the sense that they cling to her — they're both very independent. They just adore Kate and want her approval!' To George and Louis, she's not a future queen — she's simply their mum. 'Being a good mother is what's most important to Kate, and she works at it,' says the source, calling her parenting style 'hands-on' and 'playful, but firm.' 'Kate prioritizes being present, engaged. She cooks with them, does silly dances with them — her 'Little Grape' and her 'Lou-Bug.'' The royal's instincts have long been to reenforce the values her middle-class parents, Carole, 70, and Michael Middleton, 75, instilled in her growing up in rural Bucklebury, England. Instead of pomp and circumstance, she focuses on 'the simple things,' like 'watching a fire on a really rainy day ... going for a walk together,' Kate shared on the aforementioned podcast, noting 'it totally strips away all the complications, all the pressures.' Plenty of pressure already awaits. To mitigate that, the Waleses have taken a gentler approach to royal duties for their kids, electing to 'wait a little bit longer,' William told Sky News in November, explaining, 'They're at school and I think that takes priority over everything else.' All three currently attend the $30,000-a-year coed Lambrook School near their home on the Windsor Castle estate. But in a matter of months, George will be moving on to secondary school, which has sparked debate. Recent U.K. media reports claim Kate wants to break with royal tradition by giving George and his siblings a more 'normal' education at a coed institution, British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital in April — perhaps Marlborough College, her alma mater. William, however, reportedly wants his heir at Eton College, the all-boys boarding school where he and Harry were educated. Kate, Hilary claimed, would prefer the children remain together and that George 'live at home versus a boarding school.' Supporting George and Louis' bond with each other is a priority, too. 'Kate wants to make sure George and Louis stay connected,' says the source, 'un-like William and Harry,' who've been estranged for years amid deep-rooted issues that began festering decades ago, the Duke of Sussex alleged in his 2023 memoir, Spare. 'No one wants the same fate for Kate's boys.' She's also working to ensure her sons continue to see her as a guiding force. 'All boys go through a stage of pulling away from their mom, so she's taking advantage of every second she has with them now,' says the source, 'She's extremely proud of George and Louis and will continue raising them to be respectful and in- dependent — that's her focus.'
Scotsman
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
18 Edinburgh pubs hailed by beer guru as city named ‘Britain's best place for a pint'
In a recent article in The i Paper, Phil wrote: 'Other cities might provide a similar variety, thanks to the craft revolution that's brought new breweries and new beer styles to almost every corner of the UK. But I found Edinburgh to have the strongest sense of place. Whichever pub or bar, or taproom you're in, you never forget you're in Edinburgh. 'There's a certain level of service there, a care for the customer and the beer, that I found to be consistently a notch above the rest. These are the venues that confirmed to me why the Scottish capital outshines all other towns and cities on a beer tour of Britain.' After arriving at Waverley Station, Phil went on a tour of Auld Reekie's best boozers, describing it as a dream gig. Take a look through our photo gallery to see the ones that impressed him most. Beer Breaks in Britain: 30 places to explore and drink good beer (Bloomsbury Conway, £20.00). Available to buy now. 1 . 18 photos of Edinburgh 'best' pubs Take a look through our gallery to see 18 photos of Edinburgh's finest pubs as the city is named as 'Britain's best place for a pint'. Photo: Pixabay Photo: Pixabay Photo Sales 2 . The Guildford Arms Address: 1 West Register Street, Edinburgh EH2 2AA. Photo: The Guildford Arms Photo Sales 3 . The Abbotsford Bar & Restaurant Address: 3-5 Rose Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PR Photo: The Abbotsford Bar & Restaurant Photo Sales 4 . The Oxford Bar Address: 8 Young Street, Edinburgh EH2 4JB Photo: Third Party Photo Sales Related topics: BritainEdinburgh
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
New report raises concerns about price spikes for common food items: 'The price trend is clear'
After many months of extreme temperatures in the United Kingdom, eight common produce items have seen an uptick in pricing of at least 15%. Drought, extreme heat, and floods have increased the price of 10 staple produce items commonly found in U.K. households, reported The i Paper. The produce items most affected are lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, cauliflower, zucchini, onions, and broccoli. Tomatoes and mushrooms have also been affected, but those price increases amounted to only 3.88% and 2.30%, respectively. Five of those foods increased 15% to 20%, while cucumbers increased 27%, carrots increased 34%, and lettuce increased 40%. "British farming has recently been on the front line of climate change with unpredictable extreme weather giving us the wettest 18 months since records began [from September 2022 to March 2024]," Rachel Hallos, the vice president of the National Farmers' Union, told The i Paper. Over the last few years, England has endured its second-worst harvest on record, record-breaking rain in the winter, and 20% heavier rainfall overall. While lettuce has seen its price impacted due to weather conditions in Spain, carrots are the most affected produce item grown in the U.K. "The floods of winter 2023-24 led to our farm losing 15 per cent of our carrot crop – about 4,000 tonnes – and the drought of 2022-23 led to a 20 per cent yield reduction," Rodger Hobson, a Yorkshire carrot farmer and chairman of the British Carrot Growers Association, told The i Paper. Extreme temperatures affect the quality of produce and the quality of life for farmers and workers. In particular, carrots become tougher and less flavorful. Lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and leeks react similarly to high heat. Farmers also see an increase in production costs, labor costs, and storage costs when there is not proper irrigation or the rainfall is too extreme. In addition to affecting agriculture, rising global temperatures and extreme weather disrupt entire ecosystems and their food chains. "The price trend is clear. If harvests continue to be lumpy and we are forced to import more and more vegetables like carrots, we will continue to see higher prices," Sofie Jenkinson, co-director of Round Our Way, said to The i Paper. The weather has been steadier, allowing some produce prices to stabilize for the time being. However, as agriculture is already a low-margin industry, farmers must continue preparing for climate disasters. Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Definitely Sometimes Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Farmers are also considering alternative ways to ensure their crops do not get destroyed. Some want to improve irrigation, while others are looking into gene editing to improve resilience to extreme temperatures or transitioning to indoor farming. If grocery prices are increasing in your area and you are noticing your household staples go up drastically, consider using a meal plan, buying in bulk, or freezing multiple portions of prepared meals to stretch your dollar. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
BBC News
01-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Gossip: Toffees interested in Delap £30m release clause deal
Everton are among the clubs interested in 22-year-old Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, with the English forward believed to have a £30m release clause, while the prospect of England forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, 28, signing a new deal beyond this summer at the club is not out of the question. (The i Paper, external)Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip columnFollow the gossip column on BBC Sport
