The former president’s closeness to Vladimir Putin and isolationism bode ill for Kyiv. Accelerating US support is essential

Even Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s extraordinary communication skills were stretched as he rushed to congratulate Donald Trump on the victory that Kyiv had been dreading . The Ukrainian president wrote that Mr Trump’s commitment to “peace through strength” was exactly the principle that could bring a just peace closer. Vladimir Putin’s riposte came almost immediately, via a massive drone attack on the capital , and the Kremlin’s call on the west to stop arming Ukraine to save its people.

For Joe Biden, supporting Ukraine was about defending the post-second-world-war order. It was a relatively cost-effective way for the US to degrade the capabilities of a key adversary with no risk to its own personnel. But Mr Trump is an isolationist who has a strikingly close relationship with the Russian president – and who, according to a former aide, made it very clear that he believed Ukraine “must be part of Russia”. Mr Trump said during his campaign that he could end the war “in a day” and blamed Mr Zelenskyy for the conflict.

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The prime minister has strengthened the rules on government conduct but too many holes remain

Launching his government’s new ministerial code this week, the prime minister said that restoring trust in politics is “the great test of our era”. That is a bold claim in times of climate crisis, but it contains much truth. Without trust in government, democratic bonds shrivel and demagogues prosper – a lesson for our times. But in truth, Sir Keir Starmer seems to have taken a disturbingly easygoing approach to doing enough about it.

It has in fact taken him 124 days in office to publish his version of the rules on ministerial behaviour. During that time, the government’s – and Sir Keir’s – judgment about the acceptance of gifts from donors went badly missing. Those episodes did serious – and perhaps lasting – reputational damage to the government. It was all eminently avoidable. Publication of the code now feels like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

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Manchester United have already had one big European victory to celebrate this week. You know the one. You know why. It’s not much of a leap.

That’s not to say they couldn’t do with an actual win of their very own, though. United are currently 22nd in the Europa League megatable, after draws of varying degrees of ropiness against Twente, Porto and Fenerbahce. The feelgood factor might be back at Old Trafford in the wake of Erik ten Hag’s dismissal and Ruben Amorim’s impending arrival, but that won’t stop the mood momentarily descending again should United fail to see off the Panthessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans, who may be the reigning Greek champions but are currently 30th in the Europa League table after two losses and a draw; have only won three of their last nine matches in all competitions, losing four; and are 190th in this season’s official Uefa rankings , a full 143 places below their esteemed hosts ^† . Having said all that, United can’t take anything for granted, given their own shocking form: just two wins in their last ten in all competitions. They’re hot favourites tonight, but then we’ve said that before. Kick-off is at 8pm GMT. It’s on!

Pair allegedly recruited US woman to carry out shooting who wore hijab as disguise, but gun jammed, court told

A father and son have been jailed for a bungled revenge plot to kill a Birmingham shop owner, after allegedly recruiting an American woman to carry out the shooting who wore a hijab as a disguise.

Mohammed Nabil Nazir, 30, was sentenced to 32 years in prison, while his father, Mohammed Aslam, 58, was given 10 years after both were convicted of conspiracy to murder Aslat Mahumad, the owner of a boutique clothing shop in Birmingham.

Ousted defence minister also quoted as saying Netanyahu rejected peace deal against advice of his security officials

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Israel’s ousted defence minister, Yoav Gallant, has reportedly said the army had achieved all its objectives in Gaza and that Benjamin Netanyahu had rejected a hostages-for-peace deal against the advice of his own security establishment.

Gallant was speaking to hostages’ families on Thursday, two days after being sacked by Netanyahu , and reports of his remarks quickly surfaced in Israeli media.

Samantha Sherratt says young adults are presenting with life-changing bladder problems, while another reader writes that her daughter took her own life after years of addiction

Our hearts and gratitude go to “Nick” and Jack Curran for so bravely sharing the devastating impact ketamine has had on their lives ( The agony of ketamine addiction: ‘I felt like I was peeing glass’, 5 November ). Their stories starkly illustrate the unexpected crisis unfolding in urology clinics nationwide as more young adults present with bladder issues tied to their recreational use of the drug.

Last month, Jasmine King, a urology specialist nurse practitioner with North Bristol NHS trust, discussed this growing problem at an insights webinar held by the Urostomy Association to mark World Ostomy Day. She pointed out that not only do we have to raise awareness among younger people, as Elle Hunt’s article explores, but among health professionals too, as the symptoms of recreational ketamine use are not always recognised by GPs and nurses.

Paul McGilchrist and Prof John Denham examine Tory identity politics under Kemi Badenoch’s leadership. Plus a letter from Shaun Soper on the potential Conservative leader waiting in the wings

Nesrine Malik is right that, as with Rishi Sunak, Kemi Badenoch’s elevation to Tory leader is “a first that signifies nothing” ( Opinion, 4 November ). Conservatives are fond of downplaying the significance of colour as purely happenstantial, yet boasting about their promotion of those possessing it. It is a pity then that skin colour seems to signify so much they find problematic in those beyond the embrace of Westminster and Tory constituency parties.

Badenoch is chief among those on whom the party’s inclusive credentials depend, but who spend their time in the vanguard of culture and immigration wars, attacking, undermining and inhibiting those for whom colour is a defining characteristic.

Gambling Commission figures shows shock surge to 85,000, in number of children deemed to have addiction

The proportion of young people in Great Britain with a gambling problem has more than doubled, according to “astonishing” official data that prompted calls for urgent government intervention.

New figures from the Gambling Commission, which regulates bookies, online casinos and the national lottery, revealed a shock surge, to 85,000, in the number of children classified as having a gambling problem under widely used diagnostic criteria.

Timing of chief executive Allison Kirkby is good after ‘weaker non-UK trading’ blamed for soft revenue forecast

It feels like BT has been promising to simplify forever but here comes the newish chief executive, Allison Kirkby, with a plan that sounds more promising: rein in the foreign adventures and concentrate on the UK.

It makes sense because BT’s long-term fortunes ultimately rest on the progress in its home market of EE in mobile, Openreach in broadband, and the UK corporate business. Kirkby’s timing is also good. One of the explanations for Thursday’s soft revenue forecast that sent the shares down 4% was “weaker non-UK trading”.