These are the key events on day 1,196 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Here’s where things stand on Wednesday, June 4 :
Fighting
Russian shelling on the Ukrainian city of Sumy killed four people and injured 28, including three children, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said in a post on Telegram.
The Interior Ministry also said that two people were killed when fires broke out after a Russian attack on homes in the Kharkiv region’s village of Chistovodivka.
Ukraine’s SBU security service said it detonated explosives targeting underwater supports on the Crimea Bridge, which links Russia with Russian-occupied Crimea, causing “severe damage” to the structure.
The Russian Ministry of Transport said in a statement that “standard operations” had resumed on the bridge after earlier “temporary closures”, without providing a reason for the disruption, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.
Military aid
Secretary of Defence John Healey said the United Kingdom will spend 350 million pounds ($473.5m) to deliver 100,000 drones to Ukraine as part of the UK’s 4.5 billion pound ($6bn) military support for Ukraine this year.
Politics and Diplomacy
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that United States President Donald Trump “was not” informed in advance of Ukraine’s unprecedented drone attack on Russian airbases earlier this week. Asked if Trump approved of the attack, Leavitt said that “the president does not want to see this war prolonged”.
US Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate would begin working on a bill to impose sanctions on Russia as it works with Trump to “get Russia to finally come to the [negotiating] table in a real way”.
Russia’s mission to the United Nations said it would hold an informal UN Security Council meeting at 10am New York time (14:00 GMT) on Wednesday on “understanding and eliminating the ideological root causes of the Ukrainian crisis”.
Switzerland said it would impose sanctions on “17 individuals and 58 entities” listed in the European Union’s latest sanctions package, “in response to Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine”.
🚨 The Ukrainian Red Cross #EmergencyResponse team is responding to the Russian shelling in #Sumy. Volunteers provide first aid and help transport victims to hospitals. 3 dead, 16 injured. Damage reported to homes, a warehouse, cars & hospital. #NotATargetpic.twitter.com/3ymyuJc9Hs
— Ukrainian Red Cross (@RedCrossUkraine) June 3, 2025
A study of 2,000 UK holidaymakers found health emergencies are the top worry when in a different country, with theft also being a big concern.
Travellers regularly use unsecure networks when abroad(Image: undefined via Getty Images)
Holidaymakers are more concerned about misplacing luggage and missing flights than they are about being pickpocketed or losing their passport. A survey of 2,000 travellers revealed that health emergencies top the list of worries when abroad, with theft also a significant concern. Meanwhile, a third are apprehensive about getting lost, and a quarter worry about their accommodation not being safe.
However, only 8% are anxious about falling victim to online threats while overseas – a risk that is particularly prevalent on unsecured networks in foreign countries. With the most frequent activities carried out by those who connect to Wi-Fi when abroad include online banking, shopping with a credit card, streaming TV or music, and checking work emails.
Some have even been scammed when booking their trip(Image: undefined via Getty Images)
Melissa Voeller, a cyber safety advocate for Norton, which conducted the study, stated: “When we travel, we often focus on physical safety, like guarding our belongings or catching our flight, but digital threats don’t take a holiday.
“From public Wi-Fi risks to phishing scams disguised as hotel confirmations, cybercriminals target travellers when their guard is down. That’s why it’s just as important to secure your digital life as it is to secure important documents like your passport.”
The research discovered that 86% of travellers believe they are cautious when arranging travel. However, 29% have been scammed or targeted, either during the trip or while planning it, with 23% confessing they’re not particularly knowledge about online safety.
It was revealed that 14% are uncertain about the risks associated with connecting to an unsecured Wi-Fi network, which commonly include malware distribution; where unsecured networks can be used to distribute malicious software to your device.
Holidaymakers regularly use their bank apps (Image: undefined via Getty Images)
To gain access to this Wi-Fi whilst travelling, 45% have provided their email address, 30% have entered their first and last name – and 28% even revealed their hotel room number. After connecting many encountered suspicious pop-ups, data breach alerts and even online scams.
Melissa commented: “Public Wi-Fi might be convenient for checking maps or posting on social media, but it can be a hotspot for cybercriminals, too. Logging into banking apps or entering personal information on an unsecured connection abroad can be just as risky as losing your wallet.”
She cautioned: “A few clicks in the wrong place could give hackers access to everything from your email to your banking details, making you more vulnerable to threats.” It was revealed that only 26% say they have used a VPN while travelling, yet Melissa says it’s a key way to safeguard privacy whilst away.
Travel expert Simon Calder said: “Staying connected while travelling is second nature these days, whether it’s checking flight details, finding directions or booking last-minute tickets. But public Wi-Fi, especially in places like airports or hotels, isn’t always as safe as it seems.
“That’s why using a VPN is a smart move. It gives you added peace of mind that your online activity stays private and for your eyes only, no matter where your travels take you.”
Ukrainian officials said at least five people were killed from fighting and shelling along the war’s front line in eastern Ukraine, which is mostly occupied by Russia.
Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks on key infrastructure in Russian-occupied areas of southeastern Ukraine led to power cuts across the whole of the Zaporizhia region, according to Russian-installed officials there.
Similar attacks damaged electrical substations in the adjacent Kherson region, leading to power loss for 100,000 residents and 150 towns and villages, according to the Russian-installed officials.
However, there has been no effect on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, according to Russian officials who occupy the site. The station is currently in shutdown mode.
Ceasefire
Little headway was made during talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul, but the two sides did agree to swap thousands of prisoners and the remains of 6,000 deceased soldiers. The deal will also include all injured soldiers and those aged between 18 and 25.
Russia set out a memorandum at the talks to end its war on Ukraine. Terms include Ukrainian forces withdrawing from the four regions annexed by Russia in September 2022, but that Russian forces have failed to fully capture, Kyiv halting war mobilisation efforts and a freeze on Kyiv importing Western weapons.
The Russian document also proposes that Ukraine end martial law and hold elections, after which the two countries could sign a comprehensive peace treaty.
Ukraine must also abandon its bid to join NATO, set limits on the size of its armed forces and recognise Russian as the country’s official language on a par with Ukrainian, according to the memorandum.
Ukraine – which has previously rejected all such demands by Moscow – said it would spend the next week reviewing the memorandum and proposed another round of talks between June 20 and 30.
The White House said that United States President Donald Trump is “open” to a three-way summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy’s chief of staff said in a post on Telegram after the talks that he did not believe Moscow wanted a ceasefire. “The Russians are doing everything to not cease firing and continue the war. New sanctions now are very important,” he wrote.
Sanctions
The US Senate said it would start working on further rounds of sanctions for Russia and secondary sanctions for its trade partners if peace talks continue to stall.
Possible sanctions include 500 percent tariffs on countries that buy Russian exports, including oil, gas and uranium. The tariffs would hit India and China, Moscow’s two largest energy customers.
US Senate Majority Leader John Thune said that senators “stand ready to provide President Trump with any tools he needs to get Russia to finally come to the table in a real way”.
These are the key events on day 1,194 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Here’s where things stand on Monday, June 2:
Fighting
Ukraine said it destroyed Russian bombers worth $7bn at air bases as far away as Siberia in an attack that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Kyiv’s “longest-range operation”.
Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari, reporting from Moscow, said the “simultaneous large-scale attack” was “launched from inside Russia” and targeted “Russian planes that have been carrying out attacks on Ukraine”.
An official at Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service told the Reuters news agency the operation involved hiding explosive-laden drones inside the roofs of wooden sheds and loading them onto trucks that were driven to the perimeter of the air bases. At least 41 Russian warplanes were hit, they said.
Russia’s Tass news agency said there were no military or civilian casualties and that “some of the participants” had been detained.
The operation came as Ukraine’s air force said Russia had launched 472 drones at the country overnight, in the highest nightly total of the war. Moscow also launched seven missiles.
This included a missile attack on a Ukrainian military training ground that killed 12 soldiers and wounded more than 60 on Sunday morning, according to Ukraine’s Land Forces.
The assault led Ukrainian ground forces commander Mykhailo Drapaty to announce his resignation, saying he felt a “personal sense of responsibility” for the soldiers’ deaths.
Meanwhile, in Russia, at least seven people were killed and 69 injured when a bridge in the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, collapsed onto a passing passenger train. Moscow Railway, in a post on Telegram, said the bridge had collapsed “as a result of an illegal interference in the operation of transport”.
A second bridge collapse caused a freight train to derail in Russia’s Kursk region, which also borders Ukraine, injuring a train driver, according to the acting governor of the area.
A Ukrainian drone attack on Kursk also sparked fires after debris from destroyed drones fell on private homes, the acting governor said.
Vladimir Medinsky, a former cultural minister who will lead Russia’s delegation in Istanbul, said Moscow has received Ukraine’s “version of the memorandum on a peaceful settlement,” the TASS news agency reported.
However Zelenskyy said that Russia is yet to share its own memorandum. “We don’t have it, the Turkish side doesn’t have it, and the American side doesn’t have the Russian document either,” the Ukrainian president said in a post on X.
TASS also reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart Marco Rubio spoke by telephone about “several initiatives aimed at a political solution to the Ukraine crisis”, including Monday’s talks.
An exit poll in Poland’s presidential run-off shows the two candidates are very close and that the race is still too close to call, in an election where aid to Kyiv, Ukraine’s potential membership of NATO, and Ukrainian refugees were key issues.
The governor of Russia’s Bryansk, Alexander Bogomaz, said seven people were killed, and 30 were injured in a train derailment in the region bordering Ukraine. Moscow Railway said in a post on Telegram that the derailment and bridge collapse was a result of “illegal interference in transport operations”. Ukraine’s military did not immediately comment.
A Russian attack killed a child and wounded another person in the Ukrainian village of Dolynka in Zaporizhia, the region’s governor said.
A man was also killed by Russian shelling in Ukraine’s Kherson region, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin wrote on Telegram.
The Ukrainian Air Force said Russian forces launched an estimated 109 drones and five missiles across Ukraine on Friday and overnight. Ukrainian forces destroyed 42 of the drones, it added.
Russia’s military said it captured the Ukrainian village of Vodolahy in the Sumy region and Novopil in the Donetsk region.
The announcement came after Ukraine ordered the evacuation of 11 more villages in the Sumy region, saying Russia had amassed some 50,000 troops in the area.
Politics and diplomacy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia did not “look very serious” and had given “no clear information” on what it plans to achieve at peace talks in Istanbul, Turkiye, next week.
He did not comment on whether Ukraine would participate in the new round of negotiations, though Russia has said it would send a delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky, a former culture minister.
China’s embassy in Singapore criticised French President Emmanuel Macron for comparing the defence of Ukraine with the need to protect Taiwan from a Chinese invasion, saying that “the two are different in nature and not comparable at all”.
Russia’s war on Ukraine will be at the top of the agenda when German Chancellor Friedrich Merz meets with United States President Donald Trump on Thursday at the White House, according to a spokesman for the German government.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said new rules set to regulate foreign ships crossing Swedish territorial waters from July 1 come amid “a growing number of concerning incidents in the Baltic Sea”, as Russia’s so-called Shadow Fleet continues to run into problems.
Weapons
British Defence Secretary John Healey announces plans to build at least six new factories producing weapons and explosives, saying that “the hard-fought lessons from [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine show a military is only as strong as the industry that stands behind them.”
Eight people, including two teenagers, were injured in a Russian attack on the village of Vasyliv Khutir in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv, regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
The Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia launched 90 drones and two ballistic missiles against Ukraine that targeted the country’s Kharkiv, Odesa and Donetsk regions.
The Kharkiv region’s main city came under Russian drone attack, which targeted a trolleybus depot and injured two people, the city’s Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. He said more than 30 nearby apartment buildings were damaged, while one trolleybus was completely destroyed, and 18 others sustained varying degrees of damage.
Ceasefire
Ukraine has resisted US and Russian pressure to commit to attending another round of peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, saying it first needs to see Russian proposals for a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia “is doing everything it can to ensure that the next potential meeting brings no results”.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the planned second round of talks between Ukraine and Russia will pave the way for peace in a phone call with Zelenskyy, according to a readout issued by the Turkish presidency. Erdogan said it is important that both parties join the talks with strong delegations.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also said Kyiv needed to see the Russian ceasefire proposals in advance for the talks to be “substantive and meaningful”, without spelling out what Kyiv would do if it did not receive the Russian document or a deadline for receiving it.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky will again head Russia’s delegation in Istanbul for the second round of Russia-Ukraine talks and will bring a memorandum and other ceasefire proposals to the meeting.
Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, told the UN Security Council that Moscow was ready to consider a ceasefire, provided Western states stopped arming Ukraine and Kyiv stopped mobilising troops.
Influential US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on a visit to Kyiv that the Republican-led US Senate is expected to move ahead with a bill on sanctions against Russia next week. Graham, who met Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Friday, said he had talked with Donald Trump before his trip and the US president expects concrete actions now from Moscow.
Trump told reporters that both Putin and Zelenskyy were stubborn and that he had been surprised and disappointed by the Russian bombing of Ukraine while he was trying to arrange a ceasefire.
Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said Russia’s concern over the eastward enlargement of NATO was fair and Washington did not want to see Ukraine in the US-led military alliance.
Commenting on Kellogg’s statement, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was pleased, adding that a Russian delegation would be travelling to Istanbul and ready for talks with Ukraine on Monday morning.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told reporters in Kyiv that the next step after talks in Istanbul would be to try to host a meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy.
Economy
Ukraine’s finance ministry has announced that it would not be paying more than half a billion dollars due to holders of its GDP warrants – fixed income securities indexed to economic growth – marking the first payment default since it created the financial instruments in 2015. Ukraine owes $665m on June 2 to holders of the $3.2bn worth of warrants, based on 2023 economic performance.
These are the key events on day 1,191 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Here’s where things stand on Friday, May 30:
Fighting
The Russian army said on Thursday that it had captured three villages in Ukraine’s Donetsk and Kharkiv regions in its latest advance.
Authorities in Ukraine said Russia had fired 90 drones overnight and at least seven people were killed in drone, missile and artillery strikes across five front-line Ukrainian regions.
Russia said it had repelled 48 Ukrainian drones overnight, including three near Moscow.
Drones made a night-time attack on Russia’s western Kursk region, damaging a hospital and apartment buildings, and injuring at least one person, the regional Governor Alexander Khinshtein said.
Ukraine’s military said its forces remained active in small areas of Kursk, though Russia’s military said last week it had completed the ejection of Ukrainian forces from the Russian region.
Across the border in Ukraine’s neighbouring Sumy region, the regional governor reported new fighting in villages near the border where Russia has been seizing territory. He said various areas in his region were constantly changing hands as both sides continued to battle for control.
“Active battles continue in certain border areas, notably around the settlements of Khotyn and Yunakivka,” Sumy Governor Oleh Hryhorov wrote on Facebook. “The situation on the line of contact is constantly changing. In some places, we hold the initiative, in others, the enemy is proving to be active.”
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had captured three more villages as it slowly advances through parts of eastern Ukraine. These were Stroivka in the northeastern Kharkiv region, and Shevchenko Pershe and Hnativka near the town of Pokrovsk, the focal point of Russia’s westward drive for months.
Ukrainian military reports made no mention of any of the three villages coming under Russian control. Russian forces had launched 53 attacks over 24 hours near Pokrovsk, the military said.
Ceasefire
The Kremlin said on Thursday that it was waiting for Kyiv’s response to its proposal for new talks in Istanbul next Monday.
Ukraine said it was ready to hold more talks with Russia in Istanbul but demanded that Moscow supply a document setting out its conditions for peace in the war, adding that Kyiv had already submitted its vision of a peace settlement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia was engaging in “yet another deception” by failing to hand over its peace settlement proposal in advance of the next potential meeting. “Even the so-called ‘memorandum’ they promised and seemingly prepared for more than a week has still not been seen by anyone,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Kyiv’s demand on the “memorandum” was “non-constructive”.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Heorhii Tykhyi, said Moscow’s refusal to send the document “suggests that it is likely filled with unrealistic ultimatums”.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who will host the new talks, called on Russia and Ukraine not to “shut the door” on dialogue.
The Russian delegation to the second round of talks in Istanbul will be the same as for the first round, the Russian TASS news agency cited Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.
United Nations Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council that the “cautious hope” she expressed a month ago for a ceasefire in Ukraine has diminished in the face of the “brutal surge in large-scale Russian attacks” against Ukraine.
Ukrainian Deputy Ambassador to the UN Khrystyna Hayovyshyn told the council that “Russia is not signalling any genuine intention to stop its war”, and said that increased political, economic and military pressure on Moscow was required.
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia rejected the accusations, instead accusing Kyiv of “attempting to prolong the war” and warning that Ukraine’s defeat was inevitable. “No new anti-Russian sanctions, nor deliveries of weapons to Ukraine or any other hostile steps vis-a-vis Russia will be able to prevent the inevitable military defeat of the Zelenskyy regime,” Nebenzia said.
John Kelley, the United States’s alternate representative at the UN meeting, said that if Russia “makes the wrong decision to continue this catastrophic war”, Washington will consider “stepping back from our negotiation efforts to end this conflict”, adding that additional sanctions against Moscow were “still on the table”.
Military aid
Zelenskyy said he discussed the possible delivery of German Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his visit to Berlin. “The Taurus issue was discussed in a one-to-one meeting between the chancellor and me,” the Ukrainian president told the German broadcaster RTL.
Russia accused Serbia of exporting arms to Ukraine, saying it was a stab in the back by its longtime Slavic Balkan ally.
“Serbian defense enterprises, contrary to the ‘neutrality’ declared by official Belgrade, continue to supply ammunition to Kyiv,” Russia’s foreign intelligence service said in a statement.
The statement alleged that exports of Serbian arms to Ukraine are going through NATO intermediaries, “primarily the Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria”. It added: “Recently, exotic options involving African states have also been used for this purpose.”
Regional security
A Belarusian radio station has been flouting European Union sanctions to spread “disinformation” and back a pro-Russian candidate on social media in advance of Poland’s presidential election, according to reports.
A Polish-language radio station, set up by Belarus, has been posting pro-Russian narratives on social media for almost two years “despite EU sanctions”, experts said in a report published by three think tanks. Poland votes on Sunday in a hotly contested presidential run-off between pro-EU and nationalist candidates, which is being closely watched in Europe.
Economy
The International Monetary Fund announced it had reached an agreement with Ukraine on a loan programme review to unlock about $500m dollars of funds to support macroeconomic stability.
YOU can spend hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds trying to make a small garden look bigger.
But a plant expert has insisted you don’t need to shell out to give the illusion of more space, as you can get the same results with a 48p buy.
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If you’ve got a small garden, there are some clever ways you can give the illusion of more spaceCredit: Getty
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A hanging planter is one such trick, and this gorgeous macrame one is 48p on SheinCredit: Shein
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Use a well-placed mirror to reflect the light in your green space tooCredit: Getty
The bargain in question is from Shein – a macrame plant hanger.
“Hanging planters are a brilliant way to add layers to a small garden without cluttering the ground,” Beards & Daisies‘ lead horticulturalist Connor Towning explained.
“Use them for trailing plants like English ivy, boston fern, or even strawberries if you want to grow fruit.”
They also work well on a balcony, as hanging planters make them “feel like little hideaway – kind of like having your own mini garden retreat in the middle of the city,” the company’s founder Jo Lambell added.
Read more Gardening stories
Another way to maximise a garden with limited ground space is with a vertical planting wall.
“Think herbs, trailing plants, or colourful bedding in planters attached to trellises or wooden pallets,” Jo suggested.
“It’s a high-impact look that also smells incredible when you include rosemary, mint or thyme.”
You can even try making one yourself, just by mounting an old metal shoe rack to a wall.
Tilt it, and make sure it’s properly secured so that you can sit small potted plants on it at an angle – creating an “eye-catching, space-saving solution that turns clutter into a garden feature”.
It’s also worth looking at furniture with a dual purpose – such as a planter that doubles as a storage bench – to “maximise functionality while keeping your garden clutter-free”.
I gave my garden a small patio corner using black and white paint from B&Q and people say it’s ‘gorgeous’
Make the most of the corners in your garden too.
You can turn one into a mini wildflower garden, using seeds such as a mix of cornflowers, poppies and cosmos.
“Sowing a small patch of wildflower seeds in a deep planter can support bees and butterflies,” Connor added.
“It’s one of the most rewarding things you can do for wildlife, and it adds a beautiful texture.”
Another option is to create a corner seating area – which you can do for less with reclaimed wooden pallets.
Add some weatherproof cushions to make a “snug lounge area that’s both budget-friendly and space-efficient”.
How To Make Your Small Garden Look Bigger
Garden design expert Fiona Jenkins from MyJobQuote.co.uk has created a guide on how to make your small garden look larger.
Add shelves – for additional storage and place to hold more plants.
Use foldaway furniture – to take up less space when not in use.
Add privacy – with fencing, trellis, brick walls or hedging.
Add a water feature – to make your garden seem like a natural retreat.
Go bright – when choosing plants, opt for bold colours to make the space pop.
Use large planters – to get more plants in less space.
Plant vertically – add plants upwards to make your garden seem fuller, and therefore, bigger.
Use blue flowers at the edges – blue flowers and plants recede into the distance and make the garden appear bigger.
Grow tall plants – it’s better to think big when it comes to a small garden.
Keep clutter a minimum – as it can give the illusion of less space than there actually is.
Lastly, there are some other illusions you can create with light and space, such as placing a mirror on a wall or fence to “visually double” the space.
Consider planting pale coloured flowers and plants such as white petunias, pale pink geraniums, or daisies to reflect light and make the space look bigger.
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Dust off your DIY skills to put together a garden furniture set from old palletsCredit: Getty
SHOCKINGLY seven in ten singletons say they’ve given up on dating. Why? Because half of them say they’re put off by constantly meeting liars.
But are the signs there from the very first date? The Sun takes a look at the red flags that could mean your new love interest is out to break your heart.
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According to an expert, there are numerous signs your date could be lying to youCredit: Getty
As many as 74 per cent singletons have either given up or have chosen to take ‘a lengthy break’ from finding love, according to a poll by dating site Seeking.
And an incredible 51 per cent said they have been fibbed to about their date’s age, while a third have turned up to find the person was shorter or taller than they were told.
Relationship therapist Rhian Kivits told The Sun: “Sadly, lots of people do lie, especially on dating profiles or when they are messaging before a date. Often they do this through insecurity.
“They want to get a date, but they have no confidence, so they post fake photos or tell lies about their age or height.
“This doesn’t necessarily mean they are abusive or dangerous, but if you spot this, it’s fair to ask, ‘Is this right for me?’
“Most of us probably don’t want to date someone who is presenting themselves as someone they are not.”
But that’s not the only white lie your date could dupe you with – there are seven red flags, according to Rhian, which might indicate a potential partner is telling porkies.
1. ‘Too good to be true’ dating profiles
If someone’s profile looks highly managed with model-like photos, and it all feels just a bit too good to be true, then it probably is.
People have been known to use AI photos or internet pictures that aren’t even them. Trust your intuition and if something in your gut gives you the impression it isn’t right, then it might be fake.
Look for photos of them doing a genuine hobby, such as playing golf.
Skinny dipping, body counts & menace girl summer: it’s de-cuffing season | Date. Delete. Repeat.
But they should be on a course really playing, not just posing up nearby.
I like it when other people are in their photos, at a family barbecue, for example. This shows someone is a genuine person.
2. Question dodging
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Vague answers can be a sign your date isn’t being truthfulCredit: Getty
Sometimes you might get chatting to someone and find they are dodging your questions.
You ask where they work, and they just say ‘all over the place’ or ‘I travel a lot’. That’s a red flag.
You might ask where and they say ‘the south west’, but that’s a big place.
Whilst I’d never expect someone to be specific, it’s reasonable to have some idea of what someone does and which town they live in before you meet up.
The same goes for relationship status. If they are being cagey or say ‘it’s complicated’, that’s not a promising sign.
3. Refuses a video call
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If they refuse to do a video call before a date it can be a red flagCredit: Getty
You can rule out a lot of fibs by meeting on a video call before a real date.
If they weren’t the age they told you, or the height, you’d know instantly.
If they say no to the call, what is it they don’t want you to see? Maybe they are sitting on the couch with their partner.
Liars can be very clever, so whilst you can never 100 per cent protect yourself, a video call beforehand is a great way of weeding out fibbers.
4. You share the same loves and hobbies
What some liars will do is ask an awful lot of questions about you.
Then they’ll say, ‘Oh, I love that too. ‘ It might be what you like to eat, where you like to hang out, whether you like swimming or going to the cinema.
What they are doing is painting themselves as your ideal partner and setting up a web of lies so you almost fall in love before you meet them.
This is a very negative trait, often used by narcissists, and they are very likely disingenuous.
If whatever you love, they love, it’s not always a good sign.
5. Overly rehearsed anecdotes
If they are telling stories or anecdotes that feel a little too polished rather than spontaneously shared, maybe they are not telling the whole truth.
When every detail is just so, you should be wondering what they have left out.
Look out for inconsistencies in their tales.
Perhaps in one version of the story, they were with a friend, then their brother.
Maybe it was last week the first time they told you, then last year.
And if they always paint themselves as the hero of the story, the one always in the right, perhaps they are not being 100 per cent honest.
6. Little or no digital footprint
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If someone has no presence online, it could be a cause for concernCredit: Getty
Most of us have a very big digital footprint these days. If there is nothing about them online, ask about it.
If they deleted a profile, why? If they have profiles under different names, why?
We can all look someone up before going on a date, and it’s healthy to do so. You might see they used to have a different job and switched careers, or their hair colour is different.
Just say ‘I did a sneaky Google of you’. If they are a genuine person, they won’t mind.
They’ll laugh and say, ‘Yes, I used to have red hair’. If they are cagey, something is up.
7. Suspicious smartphone activity
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A phone always being place down on a table could mean they are hiding somethingCredit: Getty
Perhaps they are unusually protective of their phone when you meet up.
They might turn it face down or step away to reply.
They might not want you to see notifications pop up if it’s from a partner or someone else they are dating.
If you are on a date, they shouldn’t be on their phone too much anyway.
If they are, they might be texting their partner to say they are going to be late home from work.
Of course, this is not always the case but if they are on their phone a lot – ask why – and see how they react.
Why do people catfish others on dating apps?
Speaking to Techopedia, professional dating coach Jacob Lucas reveals how to see if someone is a catfish on dating apps.
A lot of people are insecure about themselves. They may not be very confident about dating or making friends, or about the way they look, so they create this fake persona. When they get attention and receive compliments, they then feel validated.
Very often, catfishes are in that person’s life already, so they already know them. Sometimes, it can be started off as a joke and then it spirals out of control. People can become addicted to it and it becomes a habit.
The third reason is that as weird as it sounds, they think they’re doing the right thing. If it’s a friend who has a lot of bad luck in their love life, they want to give them confidence. But they often get stuck in the habit and can’t stop doing it.
And finally, its could be that the person is trying to extort money from the other person. They may ask for a small amount of money to pay for their electricity bill for example to start off with, but if they do, it can spiral into a large amount of money. They use romance to get people to send them money.
Russian air defences destroyed or intercepted 112 Ukrainian drones over a three-hour period, most of them over central or southern regions of the country, the Russian Ministry of Defence said in a post on Telegram early on Wednesday, as the two countries continue to trade drone attacks.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said six Ukrainian drones were repelled while heading for the Russian capital. Recovery crews were examining fragments on the ground, he said.
Russia deployed 60 drones across multiple regions of Ukraine through the night, injuring 10 people, Ukrainian Air Force officials said.
More than 850 residents were left without power in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, after three Russian air strikes hit the city late on Monday night.
Russia’s military said in a post on Telegram that it had begun naval drills in the Baltic Sea with more than 20 warships, boats and support vessels, 25 aircraft and helicopters, and 3,000 servicemen.
Politics
United States President Donald Trump suggested that he has protected Russia from “really bad things”. In a post on TruthSocial, he said: “What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realise is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD.”
Responding to Trump’s remarks, Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev said in a post on X: “I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!”
Trump’s comments came after the the Kremlin said the US president may be experiencing “emotional overload” after Trump’s earlier remarks that Putin was “absolutely crazy” over the scale of Russian air attacks on Ukraine’s cities.
Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy for Ukraine, told Al Jazeera that the US is waiting for a response from Russia after Trump gave Putin “some guidelines a week ago”.
Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov accused German Chancellor Friedrich Merz of “pretentiousness” after Merz said that France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the US had lifted range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine.
Energy
The New York Times reported that satellite images suggest Russia is building new electricity lines in occupied southeastern Ukraine, connecting the grid to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant captured by Russia.
Ukraine’s energy regulator said in a post on Facebook that a gas import mechanism will avoid high transit fees when supplying gas through the Trans-Balkan pipeline from Greece to Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Minister of Energy German Galushchenko said he hoped all participating countries would agree that the Trans-Balkan Route from Greece to Ukraine would meet “common strategic goals”, as Ukraine continues to explore gas supply routes not involving Russia.
Ukraine says Russia launched a record number of drones overnight on Monday, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy describing the attacks as a sign that Moscow is “acting with impunity”.
Ukrainian air defences downed most of the 355 drones, but several broke through defences, causing casualties, according to authorities. Two elderly women were killed in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, the regional governor said.
Russia, meanwhile, accused Ukraine of launching aerial attacks on its “social infrastructure”. The Ministry of Defence said it shot down at least 48 Ukrainian drones on Monday, after shooting down 96 overnight.
Russia’s state TASS news agency, citing the Defence Ministry, reported that Russian forces have taken over the villages of Volodymyrivka and Belovody in the northeastern region of Sumy.
The governor of Sumy said Russian forces had captured four other villages as part of an attempt to create a “buffer zone” on Ukrainian territory. He identified them as Novenke, Basivka, Veselivka and Zhuravka, and said that residents had long been evacuated.
The Ukrainian prosecutor general’s office said Russian attacks have killed 630 Ukrainian children and wounded 1,960 since the beginning of the war.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs special envoy Rodion Miroshnik has accused the Ukrainian military of causing more than 400 civilian casualties in April, including with “inhumane methods of warfare”.
Military aid
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Ukraine’s key Western allies are no longer limiting the range of weapons they supply, a move the Kremlin said would be “dangerous”.
Ukraine says it has confirmed information that China is supplying a range of important products to Russian military plants, including tooling machines, special chemical products, gunpowder and components specifically to defence manufacturing industries.
Politics and diplomacy
The Kremlin responded to United States President Donald Trump’s remark that Putin has gone “absolutely crazy” over the scale of Russian air attacks, suggesting the US leader may be experiencing “emotional overload”.
It also said that serious work on Russia’s proposal for a possible peace deal for the war in Ukraine was ongoing and that a draft had not yet been submitted. “This is a serious draft, a draft of a serious document that demands careful checks and preparation,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Zelenskyy said Russia launched more than 900 drones as well as missiles towards Ukraine over three nights, and again called for intensified pressure on Moscow. “There is no military sense in this, but it is an obvious political choice – a choice by Putin, a choice by Russia – a choice to continue the war and destroy lives,” the Ukrainian leader said in his nightly video address.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he believes Trump is beginning to see that Putin “lied” to him about the war in Ukraine. He also called for the imposition of a deadline for Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, backed up by the threat of “massive sanctions”./li>
Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredericton also said that Russia’s attacks on Ukraine over the weekend proved that Moscow is not interested in peace.
Finland summoned Russia’s Helsinki ambassador to ask for an explanation regarding a suspected violation of Finnish airspace which took place last week. The NATO member said on Friday that it believed two Russian military aircraft entered its airspace off the coast of Porvoo in the southern part of the country.
These are the key events on day 1,187 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Here is where things stand on Monday, May 26:
Fighting
Ukrainian officials say the death toll from the largest Russian aerial attack on Ukraine has risen from 12 to 13, and wounded at least 60 people.
The victims included three children aged eight, 12 and 17 in the northwestern region of Zhytomyr.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 298 drones and 69 missiles in its overnight assault, adding that it was able to down 266 drones and 45 missiles.
The Russian Ministry of Defence said its troops had taken control of the village of Romanivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
It also said Russian air defences intercepted 110 Ukrainian drones overnight on Sunday, including 13 over the Moscow and Tver regions.
Russia and Ukraine completed a three-day exchange of 1,000 prisoners each, in the largest such swap since the war began three years ago.
Politics and diplomacy
United States President Donald Trump lashed out at his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, following the attack, calling him “crazy” and warning that any attempt at a total takeover of Ukraine would “lead to the downfall of Russia”.
Trump also raised the possibility of more punitive measures against Russia, saying he was “absolutely” considering increasing US sanctions on the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged international leaders to increase the pressure on Russia, saying that “the silence of America, the silence of others in the world only encourages Putin”. He also said that additional sanctions “will certainly help”.
Trump also criticised Zelenskyy, saying in a post on social media that the Ukrainian leader “is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop.”
Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul told public broadcaster ARD that Russia’s latest wave of attacks on Ukraine should be answered with additional Western sanctions. He said the weight of more sanctions on Moscow would get Putin to the negotiating table.
The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also called for “the strongest international pressure” on Russia to stop the war. “Devastating to see children among innocent victims harmed and killed,” she said on X.
US Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg said the latest Russian attack was “a clear violation” of the 1977 Geneva Peace Protocols, and called for an immediate ceasefire.
Military aid
The Netherlands says it will send the last one of 24 promised F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine on Monday.
At least four people were killed and 16 others injured, including three children, after Russian forces hit Kyiv and surrounding areas in a “massive night attack”. The strikes also damaged dwellings and other buildings, officials said.
At least four people were reported dead and five others wounded in Ukraine’s western Khmelnytskyi region, according to Sergiy Tyurin, the deputy head of the regional military administration.
A Russian attack killed three children in Ukraine’s northwestern Zhytomyr region as Moscow unleashed massive overnight air attacks across the country, emergency services said. The victims were aged eight, 12 and 17, emergency services said, adding 10 other people were wounded.
A man was also killed when a residential building was hit by a drone in Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine, the emergency services said.
At least three people were injured in northeastern Ukraine, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said, as Russian drones hit three city districts. Blasts shattered windows in high-rise apartment blocks.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 12 drones flying towards the Russian capital had been intercepted. Restrictions were imposed on at least four airports, including the main hub Sheremetyevo, the Russian civilian aviation authority, Rosaviatsiya, said.
The Russian military said on Saturday that Ukraine had targeted it with at least 788 drones and missiles since Tuesday.
The Russian Ministry of Defence announced that its troops advancing slowly on the eastern front have captured two settlements in the Donetsk region as well as one in Ukraine’s northern region of Sumy.
Politics and diplomacy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s attacks indicated Moscow was “prolonging the war” and repeated his call for ramped-up sanctions.
The Russian Defence Ministry announced that it released an additional 307 Ukrainian prisoners of war in exchange for as many Russian servicemen, who are being cared for in Belarus before their return to Russia.
Russia announced that it would send Ukraine its terms for a peace settlement once a “1,000-for-1,000” prisoner swap between the two was complete, without saying what those terms would be. At least two prisoner exchanges have been carried out between the two countries on Friday and Saturday.
Ukraine announced that it had opened inquiries into the alleged executions of 268 Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian troops since their invasion in February 2022. Ukraine’s prosecutor general said it had opened 75 criminal proceedings into the 268 alleged killings.
These are the key events on day 1,185 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Here is where things stand on Saturday, May 24:
Fighting
At least 14 people were injured in one of the biggest combined drone and ballistic missile attacks to date on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, according to city officials, and witnesses reported a series of explosions and waves of Russian drones flying over the city.
Ukraine’s air force said that Moscow launched 250 long-range drones and 14 ballistic missiles overnight. It said it down 245 of the Shahed-type drones and six of the Iskander ballistic missiles. It was unclear if the remaining drones and missiles hit its targets.
Anti-aircraft units were activated across the Ukrainian capital following the attack at dawn. Timur Tkachenko, head of the capital’s military administration, said two fires had broken out in the city’s Sviatoshynskyi district. Drone fragments also hit the ground in four districts.
At least two people were killed in Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa after Russia struck port infrastructure with missiles, according to authorities.
Three people were killed in shelling incidents in different parts of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, the focal point of the war’s front line, authorities said.
Russia has accused Ukraine of launching a massive wave of drone attacks, numbering up to 800, against non-military targets in Moscow and other regions in the last three days and said it would respond, but said it was still committed to holding peace talks with Kyiv.
Ukraine’s military said that it had hit a battery-manufacturing facility in Russia’s Lipetsk region, which it said supplied Russian missile and bomb manufacturers. It added that the batteries were used in aerial bombs, cruise missiles and the Iskander-M ballistic missile.
A Russian military helicopter has crashed near the village of Naryshkino in Russia’s Oryol region, killing the crew, the state news agency TASS reported, citing the Moscow military district headquarters. The preliminary cause of the crash was a technical malfunction.
Politics and diplomacy
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced that Moscow will be ready to hand Ukraine a draft document outlining conditions for a long-term peace accord once a prisoner exchange, now under way, is completed.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told reporters that Kyiv was waiting for Russia’s proposals on the form of talks, a ceasefire and a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Sybiha, quoted by Ukrainian media, said Kyiv would be in favour of expanding such a meeting to include United States President Donald Trump.
Lavrov has cast doubt on the Vatican as a potential place for peace talks with Ukraine. Italy had said Pope Leo XIV was ready to host the peace talks after Trump suggested the Vatican as a location. Italy, the pope and the US had voiced hope the city-state could host the talks.
Russia and Ukraine have each released 390 prisoners of war and said they would free more in the coming days, an initiative agreed in talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Turkiye last week.
Putin has declared in televised remarks that Russia needs to strengthen its position in the global arms market by increasing exports of weapons.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Chinese President Xi Jinping to back Western efforts towards a Ukraine truce in his first phone call with China’s leader since Merz took office this month.
Economy
US credit rating agency Fitch has affirmed Ukraine’s long-term foreign currency sovereign credit rating at “Restricted Default”, as the war-torn nation continues to navigate diplomatic tensions and a significant erosion of its finances amid its grinding war with Russia.
The International Monetary Fund has started a new review of its $15.5bn programme to Ukraine this week, even as the country failed to reach a deal with GDP-linked debt holders last month.
Jetting of to a country you’ve never visited before is an exciting adventure but it can bring risk. Here’s what to do case one of your loved ones go missing, according to the experts at the charity Missing People
08:00, 24 May 2025Updated 10:48, 24 May 2025
The charity Missing People has given advice on what to do when someone you know goes missing abroad
Ahead of the summer holidays, here are three key things you should do as soon as someone you know goes missing. The charity Missing People have shared a plan of action to follow.
With over 13.5 million Brits jetting off last year according to a Kwik Fit study, and 82% of Brits saying their “number one holiday priority in 2025” is to explore somewhere new, according to the Great British Holiday Audit report – it’s wise for holiday makers to have a plan of action in case a member of their party goes missing.
The UK police define a missing person as anyone whose whereabouts cannot be established. They will be considered missing until located and their wellbeing confirmed. By this, the definition means that if a person is expected at home and aren’t there, or did not arrive at an expected location, they can be reported missing. Once they are reported missing to the authorities, a public appeal is released via social media.
Missing People have released advice on what to do if a person you know goes missing abroad(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Following a number of recent tragedies involving Brits on holiday abroad in recent years, it is safe to say there is a now a certain nervousness about travelling, especially as a young person. The Missing People’s charity have developed guidance, along with the Lucie Blackman Trust, to help prepare jet setters in case of such emergency.
Providing sympathy and support, the advice can be summarised as such:
Think of simple steps to try and find your loved one
If you know the location of where they were staying, try to call the establishment to ask whether the missing person has been spotted on the premises or if someone there knows where they are. If this is unsuccessful, you should contact the local police or any nearby hospitals to ask whether they may be held there or whether they are aware of the person’s location.
Contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or UK police
If they appear to be missing after these steps, the charity advise you to contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 020 7008 1500 and ask for the Consular Directorate. The Foreign Office will then assign a caseworker if appropriate and contact the British Embassy in the country of said visit on your behalf.
Despite not being in the UK if travelling, you are advised to contact UK police for either the area where the missing person lives, or your own local police station. Request that they inform the UK National Central Bureau of Interpol.
If needed, Interpol can contact the relevant foreign police, however this is normally only the case if the missing person is considered to be at risk of harm.
Be prepared with information about your missing person
To help aid any potential searches, Missing People also advise travellers to collect as much information as you can about the missing person and their recent activity and travel plans. This could be essential to an effective search and result in the local authorities finding them. See below for a list of questions to consider as seen on the Missing People Guidance Sheet:
The missing person’s full name, date of birth and place of birth
His/her mobile phone number and email address
The last time you or anyone else that you know had contact with him/her and where this was
His/her travel plans
His/her passport details
His/her travel insurance details
Any travel blog/personal website/social network details
Bank or building society account details (the police may ask the bank or building society for details of when and where the account was last accessed)
A recent photo
When you were expecting the missing person to contact you and why
Whether there was anything in his/her last email/phone call/text/blog/social network message which could give a clue as to whereabouts and/or who he/she could have been with
Whether the families of fellow travellers could provide any useful information
Whether there is anyone else the missing person could have been in touch with
Any other relevant information which could be of use in the search such as, and including any physical or mental health issues
The Lucie Blackman Trust can provide help and support tailored to your situation. It is open 24 hours a day and you can contact them for support and advice by calling 020 7047 5060, emailing [email protected] or visiting their website: http://www.lbtrust.org
If you suspect a child may have been abducted abroad then see here (p. 3) for Missing People’s advice to further ensure their safety, how to proceed.
For advice, support and options, if you or someone you love goes missing, text or call Missing People’s Helpline on 116 000 or email [email protected]. It’s free, confidential and non-judgmental, and sightings information can also be taken. Or visit www.missingpeople.org.uk
These are the key events on day 1,184 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Here is where things stand on Friday, May 23:
Fighting
Ukrainian drones disrupted air traffic around Moscow, grounding planes at several major airports on Thursday, as 35 drones targeting the city were downed, according to Russia’s Ministry of Defence.
According to the ministry and Moscow mayor’s office, a total of 46 Ukrainian drones targeted Russia’s capital, while an additional 70 drones were launched against other targets across the country.
Russia launched 128 drones at Ukraine overnight, according to Ukraine’s air force, with 112 of those drones either shot down, jammed or were lost en route to their targets.
Russia said that 12 civilians were injured in a “massive” Ukrainian strike on the town of Lgov in Russia’s Kursk region.
Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the former top commander of Ukraine’s military who was known for clashing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said it was unlikely Ukraine would be able to return to the borders with Russia it held from 1991 until the Russian invasion of 2014. Even keeping Ukraine’s borders up until Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 may also not be possible, he said.
“I hope that there are not people in this room who still hope for some kind of miracle or lucky sign that will bring peace to Ukraine, the borders of 1991 or 2022 and that there will be great happiness afterward,” Zaluzhnyi told a forum in Kyiv.
Russia said it has received a list of names from Ukraine for a prisoner of war swap. A swap of 1,000 prisoners from each side was agreed to during a meeting last week between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul aimed at ending the war.
Regional security
Finland said it is closely monitoring a Russian military build-up along its 1,340km (832-mile) joint border with Russia. Finland closed the border with its neighbour in December 2023 when 1,000 migrants crossed its frontier without visas.
Economy
Following a meeting in Canada this week, the G7’s finance ministers said they would explore further sanctions on Russia if it fails to reach a ceasefire with Ukraine. They also said they will work to ensure “no countries or entities” that fuelled “Russia’s war machine” will be able to benefit from Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Moscow is moving to block foreign companies returning to Russia from accessing “buyback” options for assets left there when they pulled out following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The bill before Russia’s legislature allows “Russian citizens and companies to refuse to return assets to foreign investors, subject to a number of conditions”.
A FORMER Met detective who investigated Jay Slater’s disappearance has said his drug dealer “pal” has to come forward and answer key questions from the inquest.
Detective turned TV-sleuth Mr Williams-Thomas said he had been in close contact during the investigation with a number of witnesses – including Jay’s family and friends.
Now he has urged Qassim to come forward and answer questions from the “disappointing” inquest.
Qassim took the19-year-old Britback to anAirbnbin Masca the night before he went missing on June 17.
Mr Williams-Thomas called Qassim “the most important witness” who he says gave him “crucial evidence” that “hasn’t been made public” yet.
The ex-detective added that the evidence he received from Qassim in his own investigation provides “greater context” as to why Jay left the villa.
Qassim was previously jailed for nine years in 2015 as the ringleader of a London-based gang dealing heroin and crack cocaine in Cardiff.
He and another Brit previously known only as “Rocky” had rented the Airbnb in the remote Tenerife mountains that they took Jay back to after the festival.
Jay posted a final Snapchat picture of himself smoking on the doorstep of the apartment at 7.30am on June 17 before leaving shortly after.
Qassim has always denied any involvement in Jay’s death.
Jay Slater inquest drama as mum makes shock demand…meaning MORE bombshells to come after drugs & ‘missing’ pals revealed
One of those theories claimed Jay had stolen a £12,000 watch – which his mum Debbie dismissed as vile rumours.
Josh Forshaw, who met Jay as they boarded a plane from Manchester to Tenerife, said he received a message from the teen before he disappeared.
It read: “Ended up getting thrown out with two Mali kids, just took an AP [luxury watch strap] off somebody and was on the way to sell it.”
Josh told the hearing via video link that Jay said he was planning to sell the strap for “10 quid”, slang for £10,000.
Josh told the hearing he received a Snapchat from Jay later in the night that claimed he “ended up getting thrown out” of the venue with two other people.
He also claimed Jay sent him a photo showing “knives down his trousers” that was captioned “in case it kicks off”.
Josh said he didn’t mention the image to Spanish police before leaving Tenerife, but did inform cops in Lancashire on his return.
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The Airbnb Jay went to before he vanishedCredit: Steve Reigate
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Jay’s mum Debbie Duncan pictured outside Preston Coroner’s CourtCredit: STEVE ALLEN
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Dad Warren Slater and brother outside the hearingCredit: STEVE ALLEN
Speaking of Josh’s claim of receiving the knives image, Mr Williams-Thomas says he was told that they weren’t found with him and were left in the apartment.
Apprentice bricklayer Jay travelled to the Spanish island in June to attend the NRG music festival in Playa de las Americas with two friends, Lucy Law and Brad Hargreaves.
The teen travelled to an Airbnb apartment in Masca with two men including Qassim in the early hours of June 17, before leaving at around 8am.
Jay, of Oswaldtwistle, Lancs, made a heartbreaking final call to his friend Law saying he had cut his leg, was lost, dehydrated and had just one per cent battery on his phone after he left the Airbnb.
They claimed she was also unaware that she had been called to give evidence at the inquest.
Speaking at the family home in Burnley, Lucy’s stepfather Andy Davis said: “We had no idea Jay’s inquest was even being held today.
“The police have only just been round today to say that she was due to give evidence. But it’s the first time we knew of it.”
He added: “They asked if Lucy was home and I said she was abroad and they asked me if I was aware that she should have been in court, and I said I wasn’t.”
“The police said they had sent Lucy paperwork with the dates on it, but the first I knew about it was when the police turned up earlier today.”
Sources in the Slater family later said they were aware where the other missing witnesses were, and had also been able to find them easily, according to the MailOnline.
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Jay with friend Lucy Law, who he was on holiday withCredit: Instagram
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A post-mortem examination concluded he died of traumatic head injuriesCredit: Ian Whittaker
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Jay’s devastated mum Debbie beside his graveCredit: Louis Wood
The family source said: “Lucy is in Tenerife. Another supposedly untraceable witness is on holiday in Greece.
“If we can find this out so quickly why can’t the police?”
The court also heard a suggestion that witnesses may be reluctant to appear because drugs may have been involved.
After Jay’s body was found, officials said there were traces of cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine in his body.
Dr Adeley said: “When drugs are involved in a death, the witnesses are less than forthcoming and do not wish to speak to the authorities.”
Jay‘s disappearance and death remain largely cloaked in mystery and it is hoped that glaring gaps in his final movements will be filled after the inquest.
The inquest heard from three construction workers who said, via video link, they saw Jay on the main road through the remote village of Masca and he asked them about bus times.
He was attempting the treacherous 10-hour walk back to his apartment in Los Cristianos when he called Lucy to say he was lost.
DCI Rachel Higson, head of digital media investigations at Lancashire Police, told the hearing today that Jay’s phone recorded “a lot of steps and inclines” between 7.59am and 8.49am.
His mobile last pinged in the mountainous Rural de Teno Park after Jay walked the wrong way from the Airbnb, and DCI Higson said there was “no data recorded” after 8.49:51am.
After a month-long search, Jay’s body was found in a ravine on July 15 last year – near to where his phone last pinged.
A post-mortem examination concluded he died of traumatic head injuries, consistent with a fall from height.
Home Office pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd today told the inquest Jay suffered a “heavy fall from height” and the “devastating” effects would have been “immediate”.
Why the inquest farce is more pain for Jay’s family
AS I stood in the sweltering, remote mountains of Masca I was told the news Jay Slater’s loved ones dreaded – his body had been found.
But for his devastated family, it didn’t bring the closure they so desperately needed.
Now almost a year on, his grief-stricken mum, dad and brother have been subjected to yet more torment as an inquest into his death dredged up painful details of his disappearance – while lacking any actual answers.
Jay’s courageous mum Debbie Duncan opened up to me just weeks after his body was found about how she was tortured by not knowing what happened to her beloved son before he fell to his death.
I was humbled by the bravery she showed in the face of living every parent’s worst nightmare on the world stage – relentlessly hounded by mindless trolls.
Spineless witnesses failing to turn up to the hearing to provide crucial information is a kick in the teeth for Debbie and his already suffering family.
The 19-year-old went missing 11 months ago, and his body tragically discovered 29 days later.
So why after all these months has the court failed to bring together vital witnesses – including the two friends he was on holiday with?
After months and months of battling through their grief, the last thing Jay’s family needed was to face a farce of a hearing without the necessary witnesses.
But, Fury has started to tease a comeback with glimpses of his return to training while the success of his series could factor into his decision to fight again.
Netflix bosses will be keen to centre a series around Fury’s preparation for what would be the nation’s biggest-ever fight.
And with the streaming service now in the boxing business – they could even make a play to broadcast the mega-bout.
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul had 100 MILLION watch his fight in November with Mike Tyson – who controversially made a return aged 58.
The stream crashed amid the demand and Netflix also home to Katie Taylor’s July 11 trilogy against Amanda Serrano.
Eddie Hearn teases Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury in 2025?! + Allen KOs Fisher | Split Decision | Sun Sport
Joshua, 35, and Fury, 36, are both exclusive to DAZN per the deals their promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren signed.
But DAZN gave permission for Irish star Taylor, 38, to rematch and beat Serrano, 36, on Paul’s undercard.
It would take quite some convincing for DAZN to allow a similar pass for AJ and Fury but the streaming giants are making an aggressive push in live sports.
They have exclusive UK rights to the WWE and Monday Night Raw in America while also pushing to take over UFC coverage from ESPN.
These are the key events on day 1,183 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Here is where things stand on Thursday, May 22:
Fighting
Russia’s Defence Ministry said air defences shot down 105 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, including 35 over the Moscow region, after the ministry said a day earlier that it had downed more than 300 Ukrainian drones.
Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said one person was killed in a Russian artillery attack on the region.
H said over the past day, 35 areas in Kherson, including Kherson city, came under artillery shelling and air attacks, wounding 11 people.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said the “most intense situation” is in the Donetsk region, and the army is continuing “active operations in the Kursk and Belgorod regions”.
Diplomacy
Legislators from the European Union are expected to greenlight tariffs on fertiliser imports from Russia. A United States Senate bill to pressure Russia with new sanctions over the war gained the support of more than 80 members of both parties.
The Kremlin rejected Ukrainian and European accusations that it was stalling peace talks, saying it plans to name its conditions for a ceasefire without a timeframe.
Poland said its military intervened after a ship from the Russian “shadow fleet” was seen performing suspicious manoeuvres near a power cable connecting Poland with Sweden.
Zelenskyy said he had spoken by phone to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and that they had discussed joint steps and the need to put pressure on Russia to secure “a just peace”.
Ukraine’s allies, including the US and UK, issued an advisory warning of a Russian cyber campaign targeting logistics and tech firms involved in delivering foreign assistance to Ukraine.
“She’s a total footballer. She’s got everything,” Arsenal manager Renee Slegers said of Caldentey earlier this season.
Her impact was instant and transformative.
Arsenal went from a struggling side at the start of the season to a team marching up the table, sealing second spot in the WSL and competing with Europe’s elite.
Caldentey’s role was to be the creator, linking up with WSL Golden Boot winner Alessia Russo and providing stardust from midfield.
“She’s given us so much,” Slegers added. “There are so many things to say about Mariona, because she does so many things so well. She has given us that next level.
“Technically and tactically – her intelligence is really high level. Her work ethic is unbelievable. You can see it in games, but you can see it on the training pitch as well.
“Last but not least, she’s a winner.”
After Arsenal beat Tottenham 5-0 at Emirates Stadium, a journalist described Caldentey as the conductor of an orchestra, with eight legs like an octopus.
The analogy surprised Slegers but she admitted it was a good description.
Arsenal captain Kim Little, who has played alongside Caldentey this season, said she has been “incredible” for the team.
“She came in from Barcelona and had a great impact on the team, on a personal level and also with how we play,” she told BBC Radio 5 Live.
