A British court has temporarily blocked the deportation of an asylum seeker to France, dealing an early setback to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plan to return people who arrive in the United Kingdom on small boats.
The 25-year-old Eritrean man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, crossed the English Channel on August 12 and was due to be removed on Wednesday under a “one in, one out” pilot scheme agreed between the UK and France in July.
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But on Tuesday, London’s High Court granted him an interim injunction preventing his removal, pending a full hearing of his trafficking claim.
Judge Clive Sheldon ruled: “I am going to grant a short period of interim relief. The status quo is that the claimant is currently in this country and has not been removed.
“So, I make an order that the claimant should not be removed tomorrow at 9am, but that this matter should come back to this court as soon as is reasonably practical in light of the further representations that the claimant … will make on his trafficking decision.”
“The removal takes place against the backdrop of the recently signed agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the French Republic.
“It seems to me there is a serious issue to be tried with respect to the trafficking claim and whether or not the Secretary of State has carried out her investigatory duties in a lawful manner.”
The case follows a decision by the UK’s National Referral Mechanism (NRM) – which identifies and assesses victims of slavery and human trafficking – asking the man to submit further evidence in relation to his claim.
The ruling is a setback for Prime Minister Starmer, who has made stopping small boat crossings central to his government’s agenda.
His approach has drawn criticism from rights groups, who accuse him of bowing to pressure from the far right following attacks on asylum-seeker accommodation.
The UK-France scheme is also seen by analysts as part of the government’s attempt to blunt the growing support of the anti-immigrant Reform UK party, which has been climbing in opinion polls.
Under the plan, people arriving in Britain would be returned to France, while the UK would accept an equal number of recognised asylum seekers with family ties in Britain.
Downing Street has defended the plan, calling it a “fair and balanced” system designed to reduce irregular migration.
It insisted it expects deportations to begin “imminently”, with the prime minister’s official spokesman saying “for obvious reasons we’re not going to get into a running commentary on operational details before that”.
Jade Thirwall won’t make a single penny from one song, which is featured on her debut solo albu,m due to sampling the legendary Diana Ross on the track
Jade Thirlwall reveals the major sacrifice she made to get Diana Ross sample(Image: Instagram/ @jadethirlwall)
Jade Thirlwall has revealed she won’t be raking in the cash on one of her latest songs. The former X Factor star released her debut album, That’s Showbiz Baby! on Friday (12 September), and fans were delighted to find one of the songs sampled an iconic track from Diana Ross and The Supremes. But the former Little Mix star has now revealed that this sample came at a great cost.
The South Shields-born singer samples The Supremes’ 1965 anthem Stop! In The Name of Love on her song Before You Break My Heart. Jade later revealed that she wasn’t sure how fans would take the track and admitted that she was only able to use the sample because she agreed not to profit from it.
“I didn’t think [Before You Break My Heart] would be a favourite,” Jade said in an interview. “But it’s the one that’s getting the most traction online.”
Jade revealed that she agreed not to receive any royalties so that she could use The Supremes’ song Stop! In The Name of Love(Image: Thomas Jackson / TyneSight Media)
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When she was asked by The Sun how she managed to get the sample on the track, she added: “I am getting no royalties for that track, that’s how I got it.”
The album is currently sitting in the No. 3 spot in the UK midweek charts. Many think it’ll rise to No. 1 by the end of the week, but not Jade, who said she thought it would be Ed Sheeran instead. The Thinking Out Loud singer also released his album, Play, on Friday.
Jade already has two UK Top 40s as a solo artist. Her debut single Angel of My Dreams peaked at No. 7, while FUFN peaked at No. 25 in March.
Angel of My Dreams sees Jade appear to take a swipe at Simon Cowell, with whom Jade’s former group, Little Mix, signed their first record deal. The deal was their prize for winning the reality talent show X Factor in 2011.
Jade already has two solo singles hit the UK Top 40(Image: Redferns)
With Little Mix, Jade won several awards, including three BRITs – one each for British single, video and group of the year. On her own, she has already won a BRIT Award for best pop act and is set to embark on a nationwide tour next month.
Her former bandmates have also started solo careers. Perrie Edwards has released several singles and will drop her debut solo album at the end of this month, while Leigh-Anne Pinnock released an album in May last year.
Jesy Nelson, who left the group in 2020, has not yet released an album or revealed plans for one, but did release a single called Boyz, featuring Nicki Minaj.
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Perrie will also appear in an upcoming BBC documentary called Girlbands Forever, diving into the reality of being in groups like Little Mix.
Love Is Blind UK star Sophie Willett has admitted that she was painted as the ‘villain’ of the 2025 series – but the reality TV star has now shared her truth with The Mirror
Sophie Willett appeared on the 2025 series of Love Is Blind UK(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Standout participant from the 2025 series of Love Is Blind UK, Sophie Willett, has opened up about her transformative experience on the show, which allowed her to not only gain a newfound self-awareness but also heal her relationship with her formerly estranged mother.
Entering the experiment, Sophie, 28, was determined to find a genuine connection. However, she quickly found herself entangled in a love triangle with gamer Kieran Holmes-Darby and his now-wife, Megan Jupp.
Despite her efforts, Kieran ultimately chose to tie the knot with Megan, leading Sophie to leave the show prematurely. She later returned during the cast mixer, where her flirtatious behaviour with Javen Palmer contributed to the end of his relationship with Katisha Atkinson just days after he got down on one knee to pop the all-important question.
Reflecting on her journey, Sophie told the Mirror that the whole experience has been life-changing. “The overall experience is very positive and transformative for me.
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Sophie was a standout participant on this year’s series of Love Is Blind UK(Image: Getty Images)
The Love Is Blind star’s life has completely changed for the better since appearing on the show(Image: Instagram/slw.3)
“I learnt so much about myself, and even though I expected to walk away with a husband, I found myself in ways I truly don’t think I would have without the experiment.” Sophie emphasised the importance of her family and friends throughout her journey, adding: “I couldn’t have done this without them.”
The most significant development post-show was her amazing reconnection with her estranged mother. During the reunion episode, Sophie revealed that she was so thankful to the show because it mended her relationship with her mum and, in turn, changed her whole life.
Opening up about her beautiful reconnection with her mum, Sophie revealed: “My mum rang me after the first few episodes dropped and told me how proud she was of me and she didn’t realise how much us losing connection affected me and especially in my love life. I recently went home for a weekend and just had girly time and it was such a breath of fresh air.”
While being on the show has brought her closer to her family, Sophie hasn’t quite been able to escape the claws of cruel keyboard warriors who brutally trolled her after the series aired. Addressing the online backlash she faced, Sophie admitted that she was forced to delete certain apps due to the intense hate she received.
Sophie had an instant connection with Kieran while in the pods(Image: Netflix)
However, she admits that she found solace in her family’s support: “My dad has always had a pragmatic view on life and reminded me that these people are irrelevant in the grand scheme of my life and my journey.”
She concluded, “As long as my family and friends are proud of me and can see the real version of me I’m okay.” The intense environment of the pods, devoid of external distractions, allowed Sophie to experience deep emotional connections that she never thought were possible.
Speaking about what it’s really like to fall for someone you’ve never even laid eyes on, the Love Is Blind star explained: “The experiment is your whole life, there is no outside noise, no phone, no sense of time. Just you, a pod and a connection. I can see why they fell in love in such a short time.”
Acknowledging her controversial moments, Sophie has owned up to her behaviour and has since done a lot of reflecting and a lot of apologising to those who were left hurt by her actions.
Sophie sadly didn’t find her husband on the show(Image: NETFLIX)
“I mean every programme has to have their own villain and angel I guess. My behaviour at the mixer was disrespectful towards Katisha, I own that and have since apologised in public and private.”
She also addressed misconceptions about her intentions as she insisted: “Some people decided before this that I thought I was too good for the show. Which is truly unfair and so far from the truth.”
While viewers only saw Sophie getting close with one connection, the reality star has revealed that Kieran was not her sole focus. While in the pods, she actually had several more connections – but producers decided to cut the footage.
“Kieran was not my only connection but I realised quite early on that my husband was just not in there and that’s okay,” Sophie explained. “I certainly had other connections that weren’t shown, but knowing them all now I stand on business when I say my husband was not in there.”
The blonde beauty is still on the hunt for love(Image: Instagram/slw.3)
Sophie shares regular updates on her social media accounts(Image: Instagram/slw.3)
Despite the challenge and the setbacks, Sophie remains optimistic about finding a love of her own and is hopeful that her dream man is on the horizon. “
Taking a risk on love is never guaranteed to result in your happy ever after. The fact that it didn’t work for some does not mean the experiment didn’t work. Kieran and Megan are the epitome of it working.” Sophie added: “So I guess love is blind, but fortunately for me I can now date with visuals.”
The experience also led to immense personal growth, as Sophie shared: “I have grown so much, I have realised what is truly important in my life and ultimately I’m aware of what I want and need in a partner.”
Utah prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, with aggravated murder, and will seek the death penalty. Robinson was also charged with felony discharge of a firearm, witness tampering and obstruction of justice.
Coldplay legend Chris Martin cracks jokes during a rare private gig without his bandmates – as the kindhearted star is understood to have donated the huge fee to his charitable endeavours
Coldplay performed 10 Wembley dates this year(Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
He only finished performing in the last of Coldplay’s record-breaking 10-night run at Wembley on Friday. But Chris Martin had yet another show lined up the following night – which was shrouded in total secrecy.
We can reveal the star did a private gig on Saturday evening, for which he was rumoured to have been paid a sum “in the millions”. It is understood Chris’s fee will be donated to various charitable endeavours.
After playing to crowds of 82,000 people at Wembley, the 48-year-old Fix You singer performed to a far smaller audience of around 70 partygoers. The intimate event was part of an “Indian summer” party on Saturday hosted by multi-millionaire singer-songwriter and philanthropist Miel de Botton at her posh Hampshire home.
Chris at one point told her guests: “There were more people in the toilets at Wembley than there are here.” And he referenced Coldplay’s stadium shows ending by joking to the few guests: “I’m now unemployed.”
Chris performed for 90 minutes at the party. Instead of his usual bandmates he was joined by a bass guitarist he has played with since he was 12, and three female backing vocalists. Miel – whose brother is philosopher Alain de Botton – also took to the stage for a duet of Coldplay’s Magic in French.
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Chris performing the previous week at Wembley(Image: Redferns)
Guests had to temporarily surrender their phones ahead of the show, in which Chris also sang Yellow, Paradise and Viva La Vida. A source said: “The event was a gathering of Miel’s loved ones, friends and directors at the various charities she supports and works with. All those in attendance were asked not to bring gifts and instead donate to a charity of their choosing.” A second source added: “It was a totally joyful night. Chris was delighted to have been asked and raise important funds for charities which he loves.”
Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres world tour has broken all kinds of records. For a band to perform 10 shows at Wembley in one tour is unprecedented. The tour, which kicked off in March 2022, is the highest attended in history, beating Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. More than 13 million tickets were sold across Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. In total, they played Wembley 16 times: six shows in August 2022 and 10 shows this August and September, which earned them rave reviews.
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Chris has revealed the tour is expected to resume in 2027. The band said the Wembley gigs were powered by 100% renewable energy with no generator use – a world first for a stadium show.
Hollywood star Robert Redford was regarded as the godfather of independent cinema and graced screens both as an actor and director over the course of his career
Hollywood star Robert Redford was regarded as the godfather of independent cinema and graced screens both as an actor and director over the course of his decades-long career.(Image: AP)
Hollywood star Robert Redford was regarded as the godfather of independent cinema and graced screens both as an actor and director over the course of his decades-long career. The iconic screen legend passed away peacefully in his sleep at his Utah home, surrounded by family and friends.
The actor, director, producer, and environmentalist is renowned for his roles in timeless films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, All the President’s Men, The Way We Were and Out of Africa. He bagged an Oscar for directing Ordinary People in 1980 and was honoured with a lifetime achievement Oscar in 2002 for his significant contributions to cinema.
A statement from Redford’s publicist Cindi Berger, chairman and chief executive of talent agency Rogers and Cowan PMK, said: “Robert Redford passed away on September 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah – the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved.
“He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy.” Following his death at the age of 89, here is a brief timeline of some of his most prominent films over the years.
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1969 – Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid
The actor’s rise to fame was kick-started after starring in the 1969 Western, Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid. Set in 1890s Wyoming, the film follows two free-spirited gang leaders, Butch Cassidy, played by the late Paul Newman, and The Sundance Kid, played by Redford, on their journey to South America with the hopes of evading the law after a robbery goes wrong.
1969 – Downhill Racer
Directed by Michael Ritchie, the film follows a young and quietly cocky Olympic skiing champion, David Chapellet, as he joins the US ski team in a bid to break all existing records. Redford’s performance won him a BAFTA in 1971 for Downhill Racer as well as for Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid. He also took home the best actor Bafta for Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here that same year.
1972 – The Candidate
The political comedy-drama was made on the cusp of president Richard Nixon’s re-election, an irony that was difficult to overlook as the film follows a hopeful democratic candidate, Bill McKay, whose campaign for the US senate begins to take its toll at the expense of his real values and ideals. The result is a tired and watered down candidate that appears to become more popular the less he gives and stands for.
1973 – The Sting
Redford reunited with Newman, swapping the wild west for the Great Depression, as two con men team up to avenge the death of a friend by swindling the fortune of a big-time mobster. It was for this picture that he received his first Academy Award nomination for his performance, with the film taking home seven Oscars, including for Best Picture.
The actor starred in numerous cinematic hits over the years and is seen here on set for A River Runs Through It in 1991, which he directed (Image: AP)
1973 – The Way We Were
The romantic-drama follows two radically politically different students, Katie Morosky, played by Barbra Streisand, and Hubbell Gardiner, played by Redford, as their love for each other is strained when their worldviews clash, putting them to the test to see if they can truly make their relationship work.
1974 – The Great Gatsby
The actor starred in the film adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel as Jay Gatsby, the extravagant millionaire next-door neighbour to Nick Carraway, played by Sam Waterston, who momentarily enters his life and observes it in all its obsession and tragedy.
1976 – All The President’s Men
Here, Robert is seen alongside Dustin Hoffman in All the President’s Men(Image: Bettmann Archive)
Starring alongside Dustin Hoffman, the pair portrayed The Washington Post reporters, Bob Woodward (Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Hoffman) to recount how the journalists uncovered the details of the Watergate scandal that led to President Nixon’s resignation.
1980 – Ordinary People
Taking on the role of director, Redford went on to win an Academy Award for Ordinary People – a psychological drama which stars Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore and Judd Hirsch. The film follows an affluent family in the aftermath of the death of their other son with the strain taking its toll on each of them and their relationships with each other.
1984 – The Natural
The film adaptation of Bernard Malamud’s novel of the same name stars Redford alongside Robert Duvall and Glenn Close in a story that follows a struggling baseball team until an unknown mysterious player appears and turns their luck around.
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1994 – Quiz Show
Returning to the director’s chair, Redford received two Academy Award nominations, including for best directing and best picture in 1994 for the thriller, which follows a young lawyer, Dick Goodwin, as he investigates a game show and one of the programme winners, Charles Van Doren, played by Ralph Fiennes, to expose the truth behind its apparent success.
2013 – All Is Lost
The one-man survival drama follows a solo voyager (Redford) as he is adrift in the middle of the ocean after a shipping container damaged his boat. Lost at sea he is forced to face extreme conditions and make do with what little he has left in order to survive.
