The Black Sea is fast becoming a central front in Vladimir Putin’s escalating campaigns to make Ukraine unlivable and deter European allies from supporting it.
The Bulgarian prime minister summoned the Russian ambassador on Tuesday after two merchant ships were struck by drones off the country’s Black Sea coast, sinking one of them.
Rumen Radev stopped short of explicitly blaming Russia, saying that they “lack solid, clear evidence to level accusations against any specific party”. However, he said “logic suggests the outcome works to the advantage of the Russian Federation”.
Russell Brand ‘concerned’ as trial prosecution begins
Russell Brand said he is feeling “concerned” as prosecutors begin presenting their case against him in his trial on rape and sexual assault charges.
What is Brand accused of?
The 51-year-old entertainer faces three allegations of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one allegation of indecent assault, after being accused by six women.
Previous court hearings have been told how Brand, who denies all charges, is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room at a Labour Party conference in Bournemouth.
He also allegedly grabbed a TV worker’s breasts and forced her into a sex act in a toilet and is said to have kissed and groped a radio station worker.
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More detail
- The accusations against Brand date from 1999 to 2009.
- A jury was selected at Southwark Crown Court on Monday and Tuesday, before prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC opened the prosecution’s case on Wednesday.
- Arriving at court, Brand said: “Today I feel blessed. I feel, of course, concerned but hopeful that this process will lead to good outcomes for everybody involved.”
- Brand’s wife, Laura Gallacher, has supported him at court this week as the case continues.
What has been said in court
The court heard on Wednesday that Brand is “ruthless, calculated and manipulative”, a “sexual predator” according to the prosecution, who raped and groped women to satisfy his “huge sexual appetite”.
He was “obsessed” with sex and treated women as a “means to an end,” the court was told. Brand was described as “child-like in his expectation that his every desire should be met”.
“Regardless of who they were and what they said or did, the defendant was not deterred… He could be nice when he wanted to be – funny, undoubtedly; charming, likeable even… But then demanding, entitled, a flirt with a huge sexual appetite… Uppermost in his mind was his insatiable desire to get what he wanted”
prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC
Why water firms could be due customers £240m by 2030
Poor supplier performance means households are set to see £240m taken off their water bills by 2030, regulator Ofwat has announced.
Water firms not hitting targets
The water watchdog said it was looking at imposing penalties on a number of firms across the sector for not meeting environmental and customer service targets in the 2025-26 financial year.
- A total of £240m could be returned through customers’ bills by 2029-30, with £107m to be returned in 2027-28.
Why the reduction is unlikely to impact your wallet
However, cuts to bills will likely be offset for many customers by recent plans announced by Ofwat to permit water firms to raise annual tariffs by an extra £3.4bn.
This is in addition to the 36 per cent rise agreed over the five years to 2030.
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Who could see the biggest reductions?
Customers of Yorkshire Water could see £27 taken off their bills for under-performance on average, with a £7 reduction for those at Thames Water, according to Ofwat.
Meanwhile, some firms will see outperformance payments, such as Severn Trent and Northumbrian Water.
Ofwat stressed that changes to bills are “affected by a range of factors and the effect will vary by company and customer type”. It will make its on the payments by 15 December, taking effect on next year.
Burnham’s water plans
- Last month, plans were revealed for laws to pave the way for public ownership of water companies.
- It has sparked conversation about a possible temporary nationalisation of debt-ridden Thames Water.
- Andy Burnham has previously warned customers “cannot be treated as a blank cheque” after Ofwat announced plans in August to allow additional bill increases.
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Finally, sewage-dumping water bosses to lose their bonuses
The move marks a new win for The i Paper’s Save Britain’s Rivers campaign, which has been calling for tougher measures to restrict bonuses at underperforming water firms.
A man’s body has been recovered, with two others still unaccounted for, after a fishing vessel went missing off the Outer Hebrides.
Everything we know so far
HM Coastguard have said they were made aware of the missing ship, which was sailing off Port Ness on the Isle of Lewis, at around 9.20pm on Tuesday.
- Police Scotland were notified at about 11.35pm. The force said three men were aboard.
- The body of one man has been recovered. The man’s family have been made aware and are being supported by officers.
Search under way
A Coastguard aeroplane, two helicopters, six rescue teams, two RNLI lifeboats, a local vessel and Police Scotland are involved in the search, which is being carried out amid a yellow weather warning for high winds in the region.
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Rules, London’s oldest restaurant, given to National Trust
The home of Rules, London’s oldest restaurant which has been there since 1798, has been donated to the National Trust.
The charity said the donation of the £11m site by J-P Mayhew, its owner of 40 years, would secure the future of a building where “kings dined and writers and politicians plotted”.
The freehold acquisition included visitor books, menus, caricatures, photographs, stained glass and signs. Annual rent from the restaurant business will also go into conservation work.
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Famous diners
Rules is no stranger to celebrity, having welcomed figures from and – who would rendezvous with his mistresses there – to and over the past two centuries.
The restaurant, located at 34-35 Maiden Lane in Covent Garden, central London, has outlasted empires and overcome challenges including the Blitz during the Second World War as well as plans for a dual carriageway.
A long future ahead
This place is an outstanding piece of living history… it has defied the odds to be standing here today, doors still open and treacle sponge still on the menu. Mr Mayhew’s extraordinary generosity, and the care he has poured into Rules over many decades, mean this beloved place has a future measured not in years but generations.
Hilary McGrady, director-general of the National Trust
New dinosaur species discovered from ‘overlooked’ fossil
A new species of dinosaur has been identified from an “overlooked” fossil which was found on the Isle of Wight more than 100 years ago, researchers have said.
The history of the fossil
The fossil, which was a piece of the back of a skull, was originally found at the foot of a cliff on the south-west coast of the Isle of Wight by amateur palaeontologist Reginald Walter Tooley. It was procured by the Natural History Museum in 1924.
Dr Cassius Morrison of University College London said it was a “real mystery” why the fossil had been overlooked.
A megaraptoran
The new dinosaur, named Invictibellatrix amberina (with the former meaning “unconquered female warrior”), has and is about the size of a large tiger.
It is part of a group of agile, two-legged carnivores called . These were closely related to tyrannosaurus but had more slender heads and used their claws to attack prey rather than their jaws.
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A mysterious species
- Megaraptors are seen as the most mysterious of the large carnivorous dinosaurs, with few fossils found.
- Until this discovery, no megaraptorans had been found in Europe.
- Researchers suggest invictibellatrix would have been three to four meters long and just over a metre and a half tall.
- They also speculate it would likely have had feathers and 10-20cm long claws.
- Its diet is thought to have consisted of small dinosaurs, lizards and mammals.
Pope Leo diagnosed with lung cancer after surgery
Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with cancer following a “successful” operation to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, the Vatican has announced.
A common type of lung cancer
Doctors confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, a common type of lung cancer, after pre-planned surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. Dr Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora said cancer had been suspected by pre-operative tests.
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What else do we know?
- The surgery lasted around 90 minutes and had no complications.
- Pope Leo had a “peaceful night” in hospital, where he is expected to remain for about a week.
- The 71-year-old pontiff cancelled all public events until 20 October to give him time to recover.
- It is understood that King Charles is writing privately to the Pope to pass on his well-wishes.
Hope for quick recovery
- The Vatican did not give more details of the operation, but Margaritora is an expert in robotic surgical techniques and Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (Vats).
- Using small incisions by endoscopic instruments equipped with a high-definition camera, Vats reduces surgical trauma and can result in faster recovery.
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Reactions from religious leaders and supporters
Archbishop Richard Moth, leader of the Catholics in England and Wales, said: “I have sent a message on behalf of all in the Catholic Church in England and Wales, assuring him [the Pope] of our prayers.”
- Large crowds gathered outside the hospital to wait for the Pope before his surgery. One well-wisher, Carla, told the BBC she was “taken aback” by the news, adding: “It turns out he’s vulnerable too.”
How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
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A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
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It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
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The attack on the Ukrainian-owned Chelsea 3, which was sailing under a Maltese flag, resulted in five people receiving medical treatment, though no one was seriously hurt, while the HS Dignity, a cargo ship flying under the flag of Guinea-Bissau, sank, with six sailors rescued and 10 missing.
The incidents occurred just a week after two other ships were attacked by drones. A Turkish-owned cargo ship was sunk, with all 10 crew still missing, presumed dead, while a second vessel, which was carrying grain, was also hit. All of the attacks occurred in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone.
A similar attack, which killed two sailors near Romania earlier this month, was condemned by Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Russia of targeting “a civilian vessel in neutral waters carrying corn and owned by Turkey”.
The rise in attacks has raised fears of an increase in tensions in the critical waters, which are used by Ukraine to export grain and other provisions.
Ursula Von Der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, condemned the attacks as “unacceptable” and said that “the Black Sea has become another front of escalation of the Russian war in Ukraine”.
Russia’s ambassador to Bulgaria, Eleonora Mitrofanova, said she had no information from the Russian Defence Ministry about the attacks but did not rule out they could be a provocation by a third party, Bulgaria’s government said.
Why the sea is ‘crucial for Russia’s power projection’
The Black Sea contains several important trade routes, through which key commodities like oil and grain pass, with an estimated 20 per cent of the world’s wheat exports and 15 per cent of global maise exports passing through the Black Sea before the war.
Arun Dawson, a researcher at the Freeman Air and Space Institute, King’s College London, told The i Paper that “lots of countries in the Black Sea have the sea-drone capabilities required to pull off such an attack”. He added that the example of Nord Stream demonstrated the risks of jumping to conclusions too soon.
The Nord Stream gas pipelines connecting Russia to Germany were sabotaged in a series of explosions in 2022. Observers initially blamed Moscow for the attack, but this year German state prosecutors accused Ukrainian “state authorities” of ordering the attack. A Ukrainian soldier is on trial in Germany, accused of attacking the pipelines.
But Dawson said that “once you account for capability, it only really comes down to intent, and Russia is really the only player that would have the intent to damage these vessels”.
Dr Maryna Vorotnyuk, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said that the region was “crucial for Russia’s power projection, as it has traditionally served as a platform for projecting military power into the eastern Mediterranean”.
It is also essential for commercial navigation and energy exports, including Russian crude oil and petroleum products, she said, as well as grain and agricultural exports such as fertilisers.
“Maintaining strategic control over Ukraine and limiting Nato’s military presence and influence in the Black Sea have long been primary Russian objectives.”
‘Russia is testing how we respond’
Vorotnyuk suggested that the drone attacks in the Black Sea could be tied to the war in Ukraine entering a decisive phase, with the battlefield stalled in parts of the front line. “Moreover, over the past couple of years Ukraine has clearly gained the upper hand in the maritime domain in the Black Sea,” she said.
She believes Russia is responsible, and added that a sustained campaign against maritime shipping could “strangle” Ukraine’s economy. “Unfortunately, the land corridors, the so-called Solidarity Lanes along Ukraine’s western borders with its EU neighbours, cannot substitute for the maritime corridor, which is crucial for the majority of Ukraine’s exports.”
According to Dawson, the attacks could have two objectives, from a Russian perspective. The first is to “inflict economic pain on Ukraine and add pressure to come to some sort of settlement”.
But the attacks on ships connected to countries other than Ukraine could also be designed to give Ukraine’s allies “pause for thought” in their support for the country, he said.
In 2025, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that “the Black Sea is the prime target for hybrid actions” and in August Politico reported that there had been discussion over whether Russia’s actions there were moving beyond hybrid actions into overt aggression.
“The fact is that Russia’s activities have long moved beyond sub-threshold or grey-zone operations,” said Vorotnyuk. “What we are seeing is Russia testing and probing how the West responds”.
Dawson said that the cumulative effect of Russia’s campaign of hybrid actions might be to “normalise what a decade ago might have been considered quite provocative actions by the Russian state”.
Russia has been quite hostile and aggressive, but this behaviour is calculated not to trigger Article 5 of Nato,” he added. “The Black Sea is a vast, vast domain and it can be very easy to hide underwater drones in that environment, which makes it hard to defend.”
Nato’s chief, Mark Rutte, said the alliance would adjust its defences “as needed”. He added: “We have already strengthened our posture along the eastern flank and will continue to monitor the security environment, adjusting our deterrence and defence posture as needed.”
If Russia is to blame for these latest drone attacks, the Black Sea could soon become one of the most important fronts in the war.