The United Kingdom has said two Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft joined a 12-hour NATO patrol earlier this week near Russia’s border, following a series of Russian drone and aircraft incursions into alliance airspace.
“This was a substantial joint mission with our US and NATO allies,” Defence Minister John Healey said on Saturday, as concerns rise that Russia’s war in Ukraine will spill over into Europe.
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“Not only does this provide valuable intelligence to boost the operational awareness of our Armed Forces, but sends a powerful message of NATO unity to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and our adversaries,” he added.
The mission involved an RC-135 Rivet Joint surveillance jet and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft flying from the Arctic region past Belarus and Ukraine, supported by a US Air Force KC-135 refuelling plane.
British officials said the operation followed several incursions into the airspace of NATO members, including Poland, Romania, and Estonia.
Growing airspace tensions
In recent weeks, Poland and its allies have reinforced air defences amid increasing Russian drone activity. Earlier this month, Warsaw deployed additional systems along its border with Ukraine – which stretches about 530km (330 miles) – after unidentified drones briefly entered Polish airspace.
Poland temporarily closed part of its airspace southeast of Warsaw in late September during a major Russian assault across Ukraine. It was the second such incident this year, with Polish and NATO forces previously intercepting Russian drones that crossed the border – marking their first direct military engagement with Moscow since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
Elsewhere, airports in Germany, Denmark, Norway and Poland have at times also temporarily suspended flights due to sightings of unidentified drones. Romania and Estonia have directly accused Russia, which has dismissed the claims as “baseless”.
Putin has pledged a “significant” response to what he called “Europe’s militarisation”, rejecting suggestions that Moscow plans to attack NATO as “nonsense”.
“They can’t believe what they’re saying, that Russia is going to attack NATO,” he said on Thursday at a foreign policy forum in Sochi. “They’re either incredibly incompetent if they truly believe it because it’s impossible to believe this nonsense, or they’re simply dishonest.”
Putin said he was closely monitoring Europe’s military build-up and warned that Russia would not hesitate to respond. “In Germany, for example, it is said that the German army should become the strongest in Europe. Very well. We hear that and are watching to see what is meant by it,” he said. “Russia will never show weakness or indecisiveness. We simply cannot ignore what is happening.”
‘Fine felon’ Jeremy Meeks shot to fame after his handsome mugshot became an unexpected viral sensation. More than ten years on, his rollercoaster story is still taking surprising turns
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‘World’s hottest felon’ Jeremy Meeks has carved out an impressive career(Image: Getty Images)
Back in the summer of 2014, the Stockton Police Department in California uploaded a mug shot to Facebook. Little did they know the stir they were about to cause.
Officers warned that the arrested man was “one of the most violent criminals in the Stockton area” and that he faced five firearms charges. However, those in the area were more interested in the then-gang member Jeremy Meeks’ ice-blue eyes and striking good looks than his rap sheet.
At the time, the BBC reported that the photo clocked up more than 95,000 comments and 20,000 likes after being posted to the Police Department’s Facebook page. Handsome Meeks quickly became known as the “fine felon”, and his brush with the law turned out to be the beginning of an extraordinary career.
READ MORE: Mum dubbed next ‘Hot Felon’ earns £70k a month after drunken shoplifting arrest mugshot goes viralREAD MORE: ‘Predator’ brothers destroyed 12-year-old’s life for ‘sexual gratification’
Meeks was convicted of felony firearm possession in February 2015 and sentenced to 27 months in prison, but even while still behind bars, he began taking strides to stardom. Speaking with BuzzFeed in 2020, Meeks, who served out 13 months of his sentence, said, “While I was still incarcerated, I received, I believe, 45 contracts.”
Upon his release in March 2016, grateful Meeks told his Instagram followers: “I want to thank my family and everybody for all your love, support and prayers. I’m overwhelmed and grateful for what lies ahead. I’m ready.”
This proved to be a new start for the ‘world’s hottest felon’, who had previously served time for grand theft and forgery.
He appeared in several films, including Trigger (2020), Secret Society (2021), and True to the Game 2 and 3 (2020 and 2021). He also made an appearance in the music video Wi-Fi by Russian pop star Olga Buzova.
It wasn’t long before Meeks carved out a path for himself as a sought-after name in fashion, landing a modelling contract and walking the runway for the likes of Tommy Hilfiger and Philipp Plein. Reflecting on his whirlwind Cinderella story back in 2020, Meeks remarked: “If anyone would’ve told me 10 years ago that I was gonna be travelling the world, walking in fashion shows, acting in movies? I don’t know what I would’ve done.”
The former convict has also taken the time to discuss how he ended up stuck in a life of crime, making the following candid admission during a 2019 episode of the What’s Your Water podcast. “Both of my parents were heroin addicts. I was a heroin baby … My childhood was very dark. My dad committed a murder when I was nine months old and killed my mom’s best friend,” he disclosed.
More recently, the now 41-year-old has delved deeper into his personal story in his upcoming autobiography, Model Citizen: The Autobiography of Jeremy Meeks, which is available to pre-order through Amazon now. According to the official synopsis: “It all started with the mugshot seen ’round the world. Jeremy Meeks rose to global fame, as his photograph from jail led to nicknames like Prison Bae and Hot Felon soon after. He became an icon while still behind bars, and once he left the prison system, he vowed never again to return.
“But there is much more to Meeks than a pretty face. From bouncing coast to coast in his childhood to enduring a poverty-stricken and gang-tied adolescence that ultimately led to prison being his second home, Meeks has a story to tell. Model Citizen is the tale of how one man changed his entire world once that world saw his face. From humble beginnings to wealth, high fashion, and Hollywood, Meeks is a true success story. The new American Dream, finally realised.”
Explaining why he’s decided to release his rollercoaster memoir, Meeks told People: “I’m in a place in my life where I am extremely vulnerable and want to tell my story, the whole story and hope that people can connect to it and understand how I came to be in the place that I’m at in my life.”
Career aside, Meeks has also led an eventful love life. The unexpected heartthrob was previously married to Melissa Meeks, the mother of his son, Jeremy Jr. Meeks also found love with Chloe Green, the daughter of former Topshop tycoon Philip Green.
In 2018, the couple welcomed son Jayden Meeks-Green, but ended up parting ways amicably the following year. In an October 2020 conversation with Extra, Meeks confirmed: “I am single. I’m trying to focus on myself. I have an incredible relationship with Chloe, the mother of my two-year-old. And now I have a relationship with the mother of my oldest son. They’re in good places. I’m in a good place. We’re all co-parenting. They are incredible mothers.”
It would appear that romance isn’t a priority for Meeks right now, and, back in July, Meeks revealed he’s now been celibate for “almost three years”. As previously reported by Complex, the prisoner turned superstar divulged this information while attending the premiere of Dutch III: International Gangster when asked about his “biggest turn on”.
Hesitating slightly, Meeks admitted, “I don’t have a girl. I’ve been celibate for almost three years.” When asked why this was the case, he explained: “‘Cause I’m not being distracted.”
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Newcastle United have appointed Nottingham Forest’s chief football officer Ross Wilson as sporting director.
Wilson replaces Paul Mitchell, who lasted less than 12 months with the Magpies having taken over from Dan Ashworth.
Under Wilson, Forest broke their transfer record several times, with Omari Hutchinson’s £37.5m move from Ipswich this summer their biggest outlay.
Wilson was previously sporting director at Rangers and director of football operations at Southampton.
He said: “Newcastle is such a special club, and I fully understand the passion, ambition and expectations of our incredible supporters.
‘Wilson to plan for the long term’
Ciaran Kelly
Football reporter
Magpies boss Howe was just a couple of days into an end-of-season break when the Newcastle head coach’s phone “exploded” last summer.
Sporting director Paul Mitchell had just announced he was departing.
While there were initial tensions between the pair, Howe was the first to recognise that such a figure “protects the manager from a lot of things”.
That is why the arrival of Ross Wilson is so significant for Newcastle.
Rather than rushing into the appointment – despite the need for a sporting director during a draining transfer window – Newcastle have been keen to recruit the right person.
In Wilson, who already has a good relationship with Howe, they feel they have that man.
It will fall to Wilson to help plot the medium to long-term strategy of the club.
Wilson helped transform Forest
Nick Mashiter
Football reporter
Wilson helped shape Nottingham Forest’s rise, with his influence in just over two years at the City Ground helping turn them from relegation candidates to European contenders.
Brennan Johnson was sold to Tottenham for over £45m in 2023 but replaced with £15m Anthony Elanga and £3m Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Nikola Milenkovic was bought for under £12m from Fiorentina in 2024, forming an exceptional partnership in defence with Murillo and being named Forest’s Player of the Season.
That shrewd business helped Forest to Europe for the first time in 30 years after last season’s seventh-placed finish.
It says a lot about his standing and the respect he has that owner Evangelos Marinakis wanted him to stay at the City Ground to oversee the end of the transfer window, until the time was right for him to leave.
A deal was agreed a while ago after Wilson beat Jason Ayto to the post – with former Arsenal deputy sporting director Ayto eventually moving to Brighton.
Newcastle owner PIF has watched Wilson for a long time and expressed an interest in him when he was Rangers’ sporting director.
Newcastle United have appointed Nottingham Forest’s chief football officer Ross Wilson as sporting director.
Wilson replaces Paul Mitchell, who lasted less than 12 months with the Magpies having taken over from Dan Ashworth.
Under Wilson, Forest broke their transfer record several times, with Omari Hutchinson’s £37.5m move from Ipswich this summer their biggest outlay.
Wilson was previously sporting director at Rangers and director of football operations at Southampton.
He said: “Newcastle is such a special club, and I fully understand the passion, ambition and expectations of our incredible supporters.
‘Wilson to plan for the long term’
Ciaran Kelly
Football reporter
Magpies boss Howe was just a couple of days into an end-of-season break when the Newcastle head coach’s phone “exploded” last summer.
Sporting director Paul Mitchell had just announced he was departing.
While there were initial tensions between the pair, Howe was the first to recognise that such a figure “protects the manager from a lot of things”.
That is why the arrival of Ross Wilson is so significant for Newcastle.
Rather than rushing into the appointment – despite the need for a sporting director during a draining transfer window – Newcastle have been keen to recruit the right person.
In Wilson, who already has a good relationship with Howe, they feel they have that man.
It will fall to Wilson to help plot the medium to long-term strategy of the club.
Wilson helped transform Forest
Nick Mashiter
Football reporter
Wilson helped shape Nottingham Forest’s rise, with his influence in just over two years at the City Ground helping turn them from relegation candidates to European contenders.
Brennan Johnson was sold to Tottenham for over £45m in 2023 but replaced with £15m Anthony Elanga and £3m Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Nikola Milenkovic was bought for under £12m from Fiorentina in 2024, forming an exceptional partnership in defence with Murillo and being named Forest’s Player of the Season.
That shrewd business helped Forest to Europe for the first time in 30 years after last season’s seventh-placed finish.
It says a lot about his standing and the respect he has that owner Evangelos Marinakis wanted him to stay at the City Ground to oversee the end of the transfer window, until the time was right for him to leave.
A deal was agreed a while ago after Wilson beat Jason Ayto to the post – with former Arsenal deputy sporting director Ayto eventually moving to Brighton.
Newcastle owner PIF has watched Wilson for a long time and expressed an interest in him when he was Rangers’ sporting director.
For the past couple of months, the billionaire father-son duo of Larry and David Ellison have been making deals involving major media brands. Having acquired Paramount, the parent company of CBS News, they appointed Bari Weiss – an outspoken supporter of Israel – as the network’s editor-in-chief. The moves by the Ellisons are not just about growing their media empire, but about shaping the narrative around Israel in the US, where public support continues to decline.
Contributors: David Klion – Columnist, The Nation Danielle Moodie – Host, The Danielle Moodie Show Ryan Grim – Reporter, Drop Site News
On our radar:
Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire, ending two years of genocide. It’s a moment that brought relief to Palestinians in Gaza. But for Donald Trump, it was an opportunity for self-congratulation – with both he and his allies emphasising how pivotal he was in making things happen. Tariq Nafi has been following the story.
In Portugal, the far-right party Chega, once on the fringes, is leading the polls, and its leader, Andre Ventura, has become one of the country’s most recognisable political figures. Ventura’s rise has been spurred by his television background and carefully crafted media persona. The onetime football pundit has become a political showman. And he’s been amplified by the country’s mainstream media, who have been chasing ratings over accountability. Ryan Kohls reports.
Two suspected vandals have been arrested as the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Saturday decried increasing incidents of vandalisation of its electrical and signaling installations across the Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, and Warri–Itakpe corridors.
A statement signed by its Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, noted that the Corporation described the attacks as a major threat to safe and efficient train operations.
The suspects, Ibrahim Abdullahi (22 years old) of Hayi, Rigasa, and Sani Ibrahim (24 years old) of Layi Turaki, Rigasa, were apprehended by operatives of the Nigeria Police, Railway Command attached to the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service (AKTS).
They were arrested in Kaduna in connection with the recent vandalisation of its equipment at the Rigasa Train Station area.
The arrest followed the discovery on Friday, at about 12:30 p.m., that a cable wire had been cut and removed from one of NRC’s cranes stationed within the Rigasa facility.
Acting on intelligence, the patrol team led by ASP Abdullahi Bwajin, Administrative Officer at Rigasa, traced and arrested the suspects, according to the statement.
“During interrogation, the duo confessed to committing the crime and disclosed that they sold the stolen cable to one Musa, popularly known as “Musa Major,” for ₦90,000. Each suspect reportedly received ₦30,000 as his share, while another member of their syndicate, Abdulwahab Yakubu of Rigasa, is currently at large”, the statement read in part.
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The NRC said efforts are ongoing by the Nigeria Police, Railway Command (AKTS), to apprehend the remaining suspect and recover the stolen materials.
It commended the Command for its professionalism and swift action, assuring that all culprits involved in acts of vandalism will face the full weight of the law.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, expressed deep concern over the increasing attacks on railway electrical and signaling infrastructure, describing them as Critical National Assets.
He stated that henceforth, the Corporation, in collaboration with security agencies, will treat such offences as economic sabotage with severe legal consequences for perpetrators.
Dr. Opeifa further appealed to members of the public, particularly residents of communities hosting railway facilities, to support the NRC and security agencies in protecting these assets.
