For months, Donald Trump has claimed the Iran war would be over “very soon” even as he openly threatened to launch new strikes against the regime in Tehran.
More recently, as he has defended the unpopular conflict at rallies across America, the President has said there would be no escalation before the midterm elections, instead claiming he would bring the war to an end immediately after.
How Trump intends to do so remains unclear. Iran’s regime withstood a devastating campaign of joint US and Israeli strikes at the start of the war despite losing most of its senior leadership, including former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Russell Brand’s wife hails ‘kind’ husband but tells court he cheated when dating
Russell Brand’s wife Laura Brand has told his rape trial her husband is “caring” and “kind” and there is honesty at the centre of their marriage.
What Laura Brand told the court
She said they rekindled their romance in 2015, married two years later, and they now have three children together.
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What the court heard
Russell, my husband, is caring, he is kind, he is a wonderful father to our children. He is an amazingly attentive husband. He has got an eye for detail I’ve never known before. The way he treats me is to really know me, I feel very seen by him in every way. I love him very much.
laura brand
- Laura said she knew about his reputation before they met and she learned while they were dating that he had been having sex with other people.
- She said they stayed friends as Brand had a brief marriage to singer Katy Perry, and they got back together as a couple in 2015.
- Asked if she was “aware of his promiscuity” during their time apart, she said: “I was very aware of it. I could read about it regularly in the papers.”
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A closer look at the detail
During his wife’s evidence, Brand could be seen smiling and laughing at times, and he appeared to be mouthing words towards his wife as she talked about his 2024 baptism.
Laura Brand’s evidence was briefly interrupted when defence barrister Ian Winter KC attempted to ask for her view on the “truth of the allegations”. Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC interjected, and the judge pointed out she is not an expert witness.
What we have learned so far
Brand faces claims that he raped and sexually assaulted women over the course of 10 years of his showbiz career.
On Wednesday, he insisted consent is “non-negotiable” and told jurors it is “more important than sex itself”. He denies three charges of rape, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of attempted indecent assault.
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Psychologists sound alarm over chatbots ‘harmful’ mental health advice
Psychologists have raised concerns about unregulated AI chatbots providing “unqualified and harmful” information to people seeking mental health advice.
It comes as a British Psychological Society (BPS) survey found that practitioners have seen a 49 per cent rise in the number of patients using AI for support in the last 12 months.
What did the survey find?
- One member told the survey they are worried people are turning to technology as it feels “safer”, but warned there is a risk of increasing isolation that can impact wellbeing.
- The BPS poll of 197 psychologists, counsellors and psychotherapists found seven in 10 are somewhat or very concerned about clients using AI for mental health support.
A closer look at the figures
80%
told the survey they are concerned clients are becoming overly reliant on the technology, while around three quarters (76 per cent) said it is negatively affecting client wellbeing.
- The BPS poll comes after a survey of 2,000 children aged 11-17 by Barnardo’s and the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) found more than four in 10 (43 per cent) had used AI for advice or emotional support.
The expert view
This research shows there is real cause for concern for those that use AI for mental health therapy, and that concern is coming directly from psychological practitioners on the frontline providing vital in-person support. The risk of unregulated open access AI chatbots providing unqualified and harmful advice remains very real.
Dr Laura Dean, president of the BPS
Does testosterone really help improve menopause brain fog?
There is “insufficient” evidence to back the claim that testosterone can improve brain fog and memory symptoms linked to the menopause, a new study suggests.
Social media is “flooded” with claims that testosterone can improve these symptoms in menopausal women, experts said.
What you need to nkow
While there is anecdotal information that testosterone can help, experts stressed that there is currently not enough evidence to establish the effect. Experts at University College London said testosterone prescriptions have increased in the UK, reflecting growing interest in its role during menopause.
The team reviewed five studies which looked at whether testosterone can improve memory in post menopausal women.
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A closer look at the detail
244 women
Some 244 women with an average age of 57 involved in the review were given either a placebo or testosterone at varying levels.
- The research team did not find significant improvements for cognitive function among participants taking testosterone.
- “The findings should be interpreted as insufficient to establish an effect, rather than as evidence of no effect,” the authors wrote in the journal Reproduction And Fertility.
The expert view
While there may be some anecdotal evidence for this in perimenopausal women, we cannot claim testosterone improves cognition during menopause without further evidence. More research is needed to understand any links between and brain health.
Professor Aimee Spector, senior author of the study and director of the UCL Menopause Mind Lab
Girl, 8, injured in wolf attack at German wildlife park
An eight-year-old girl has been left seriously injured after being attacked by a wolf at a wildlife park in Germany.
What happened?
- The girl, who has not been named, was attacked at the Johannismühle wildlife park near Berlin.
- The facility had been holding a special event for children at the time of the incident, the Associated Press reported.
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What do we know?
- The girl was attacked before the park opened on Wednesday, German media reports.
- She was rushed to hospital by helicopter after the incident.
- The park has been temporarily closed and is set to reopen on 2 November.
- Johannismühle’s website states it offers small group tours where there is an opportunity to “feed wolves”.
- There are no reports of anyone else being injured.
The background
The news comes after William Chapman, 24, was fatally mauled by a tiger at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park earlier this month.
Senior coroner Nicola Mundy said Chapman had a history of mental illness, a diagnosis of schizophrenia and had suffered previous bouts of psychosis.
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Poundland on brink of administration – what we know
Poundland has filed to appoint administrators, threatening the future of around 12,000 workers.
Court filings show that the retailer filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators on Thursday, which will give the business 10 working days of breathing space from creditors to secure a potential rescue deal.
Despite enormous efforts it has not been possible to identify an acceptable offer for the business as a whole. The process has however attracted several established retail operators who have made formal offers. Collectively these cover a significant part of the business.
Barry willams, Poundland’s managing director
What you need to know
- Advisers are still in talks with parties interested in buying the brand and swathes of stores.
- Poundland stressed that all its stores remain open and trading as normal despite the insolvency process.
- It comes after owner Gordon Brothers rejected a takeover offer from Irish real estate firm Martin Property Group, which management named as their preferred bidder earlier this month.
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A closer look at the detail
- Gordon Brothers – which only bought Poundland last year for £1 – launched a sale process for the retailer at the start of September.
- Poundland currently runs around 600 stores across the UK.
- Wilko and The Range owner CDS Superstores, Poundstretcher owner Fortress and TG Jones owner Modella are all understood to be interested in buying parts of the Poundland business.
- However, deals are unlikely to include all Poundland stores and some jobs are likely to be affected.
How weight-loss jabs boom is putting waste workers at risk
The rising popularity of injectable weight-loss drugs like Mounjaro and Wegovy means more used needles are turning up at recycling centres – and their bosses have warned this is putting workers at risk of infection and serious injury.
What is the issue?
Used needles should always disposed of through a dedicated clinical waste service.
But a large number of weight-loss needles are being dumped in household bins, the BBC reports.
Waste site workers are regularly being pricked by them, putting their health at risk.
What should you do to help?
- Weight-loss drug users have been urged to speak to their GPs or pharmacies about obtaining a sharps bin.
- Whatever you do, never put a sharps container or loose needles in your recycling bin.
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Recycling boss voices concern
There are safe disposal routes for needles but the worst place to put them is in your recycling. It ends up in facilities like ours where it will be touched by people and that’s inherently unsafe
Richard Dobbs, managing director of Sherborne Recycling
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 regime has also remained resilient in the face of a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as additional US sanctions.
Yet evidence is emerging Trump may soon again turn to military action in order to break what has become an effective stalemate, even though fresh strikes risk plunging the region into a wider war.
Trump briefed by key general
With the President weighing how to proceed in Iran, the reported Trump received a rare, in person briefing from one of the US’ top generals.
Central Command (CENTCOM) head Admiral Brad Cooper, who oversees all operations in the Middle East, briefed the President and a host of senior officials on Thursday, providing an update on the conflict and outlining potential next steps.
Admiral Cooper had recently returned from a visit to the Strait of Hormuz, with the reporting Trump wanted to hear first-hand whether the US blockade of the waterway was proving effective.
Earlier, Admiral Cooper met with the Joint Chiefs Chairman, General Dan Caine, and Vice President JD Vance for a separate discussion on the war.
The meetings between senior military and administration officials lend weight to speculation the US is preparing to launch fresh strikes.
Trump last met with Admiral Cooper in July shortly after a ceasefire agreement with Iran collapsed, sparking a brief flare-up in attacks from both sides.
In an apparent confirmation military officials had presented the President with a new plan of attack, Democratic Senator for Connecticut, Chris Murphy, told those gathered at a Middle East Institute event he had been briefed on what was under consideration.
“The plan is insane. It will not achieve objectives and will set off a new cycle of escalation,” he said on Thursday.
Senator Murphy sits on the chamber’s foreign relations committee, which regularly receives briefings on the war.
US warns allies, moves troops
While Trump has suggested fresh attacks would most likely occur if Iran failed to agree a peace deal when discussing his plans in public, in private reports have increasingly suggested the President’s administration is preparing for future hostilities.
However, any attack would likely trigger an Iranian response, potentially extending the operations for weeks.
Tehran has repeatedly warned, in public and in private, that any attacks would result in Iranian forces striking a wide variety of targets across the region, including US military bases and military and civilian infrastructure in Gulf states.
In addition to warning allies about the potential for fresh strikes, the US has also shifted troops across the region in apparent anticipation of renewed hostilities.
Troops have been redeployed away from a handful of bases across the Middle East in recent weeks as part of an effort to minimise threats to personnel.
At the same time, the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and a number of amphibious landing vessels are en route to the region after having been deployed by the Pentagon last month.
Beyond providing more firepower, the deployment will also help re-supply troops and bolster air defences.
The Pentagon is also in the process of moving an additional Patriot missile system to Israel, which has been forced to deplete its stockpile of interceptors in response to attacks from Iran-backed militant groups.
Mediators urge diplomacy
While evidence increasingly suggests the US is looking to resume strikes on Iran, mediators in the conflict have continued to urge both sides to pursue a diplomatic solution.
In a statement, the United Arab Emirates’ Foreign Ministry called on both sides to “exercise wisdom and pursue political solutions to help contain tensions”, echoing similar sentiments from Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Iran has also continued to publicly talk up a proposal – which Trump quickly rebuffed last month – it says would re-open the Strait of Hormuz within seven days and provide a pathway to a permanent end to the conflict.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragachi insisted Tehran “continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed”.
Negotiations have picked up in recent days, with the US Vice President credited for having pushed for new talks.
Vance wrote to Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, General Mohsen Rezaei, but maintained discussions over ending the war would have to include a long-term plan to address Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
However, Iranian officials on Thursday continued to insist the US end its blockade and lift sanctions before resuming talks on its nuclear programme, raising doubts over whether both sides could reach a compromise.