Heidi Alexander says new tactic of slashing people smugglers’ boats will discourage dangerous journeys

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French police slashing the boats of people smugglers was not “pleasant” but the right tactic, a UK cabinet minister has said, saying the government welcomed the new approach from the authorities.

It comes as Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron are expected to announce new plans for French police to do more to block small boats crossing the Channel when the French president arrives for his state visit in London this week.

A daughter is brought up isolated from the world in this tender debut novel from an exciting talent

In the woodland, beyond the fence, inside the old forester’s hut, Maya and Daughter live in a world of rituals. The fence is secured with “Keep-Safes” – fingernails, Daughter’s first teeth, the umbilical cord that once joined them – to protect them from intruders. While their days are filled with chores, setting traps for rabbits and gathering firewood, every night they play a game they call “This-and-That”, in which they take it in turns to choose an activity – hair-brushing, dancing, copying – before saying their “sorrys and thank yous” in the bed they share.

From the beginning of British author Rowe Irvin’s captivating debut novel, it is clear that Maya has created this life for herself and her daughter – who calls her mother “Myma” – as a refuge from the brutality of the world beyond the fence’s perimeter. Irvin’s tale switches between two narrative strands: present-day chapters narrated by Daughter, a naive, spirited girl who is as much woodland creature as she is person; and more distant sections detailing Maya’s rural upbringing with an alcoholic father and withdrawn mother, and the acts of male violence that led her to flee.

Teenage forward scored on her debut for the Lionesses and is ready to make the difference in vital Netherlands game

“It’s easy to look at the time and think there’s not enough left,” says England wildcard Michelle Agyemang. “That’s the beauty of the game. It only takes 10 seconds to make an impact. Any time is good enough for me so I’m grateful for that opportunity.” The 19-year-old forward is true to her word – it took her only 41 seconds to score on her England debut, reducing the deficit against Belgium from 3-1 to 3-2 in April. On Saturday, she was given four minutes of normal time against France to make a difference. She made an impact but, despite a battling final 10 minutes, the Lionesses couldn’t salvage a point.

“There’s fire in the belly,” says Agyemang of the mood in camp since that opening-game defeat put their European title defence in jeopardy. “You can see that everyone’s willing to go and get the result that we need in the next game. It’s been the same goal from day one. We still want to win the tournament and that one result doesn’t necessarily change anything. There’s still something that we’re going after, which is the trophy. The Netherlands game is a stepping stone in our way and we want to get past that and get towards the trophy.”

Toby Kebbell is excellent as an ageing fighter (and care-home worker) getting sucked into crime, with a vivid LaBeouf as his childhood friend

Blue-collar chancer gets drawn into criminal underworld; it must be one of the most well-worn plots in cinema, and if debut directors Bjorn Franklin and Johnny Marchetta don’t exactly make it fresh in this character study, then they undeniably lend it a heartfelt vividness. That’s thanks in no small part to lead actor Toby Kebbell, who as ageing boxer and care-home worker Sal holds our attention with a loquacious naivety, despite having been around the block many times. Yakking his way in and out of various marital, family and felonious situations, Sal is a man fundamentally in negotiation with himself.

Living in a trailer, Sal is first and foremost trying to salvage his relationship with his 14-year-old daughter Molly (Kíla Lord Cassidy), irritating his ex-wife Elaine (Elaine Cassidy) in the process. Despite his thickening waist, he’s still a force in the boxing ring; checking on his form one day is his childhood buddy and local gang leader Vince (Shia LaBeouf, with thick Irish brogue and a bleached top that causes one character to complain: “It’s hard to hear myself think over that fucking hairstyle.”) Vince asks Sal to referee the bare-knuckle boxing bouts he’s got going, but his Irish Traveller clientele won’t accept this local legend remaining a bystander.

Donald Trump says ‘they are getting hit very, very hard’ and he is ‘not happy’ with Russian president Vladimir Putin

Defence and security editor

The UK has sanctioned the head and a deputy of Russia’s principal chemical weapons unit over the illegal use of CS teargas in Ukraine ahed of a meeting of the executive council of the Organisation of Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.