We can all be guilty of getting in our own way (Picture: Getty Images)
We all say we want happiness and contentment, and yet our behaviour often sabotages that, with unconscious habits and tics and urges that propel us into chaos or conflict.
And according to astrology, your zodiac sign may reveal the exact emotional blind spot, coping mechanism or mindset quietly standing between you and the life you actually want.
Yes, we can blame our star signs once again!
Here’s the one thing secretly blocking each zodiac sign from happiness — and how to break through to transform your life for the better.
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Aries
March 21 to April 20
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Take a breath, Aries (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
What’s blocking Aries’ happiness: Believing you must always win and be seen as invincible.
Vulnerability is a tough look for you to master, and yet it’s often what is expected, needed and wanted by others. They know you don’t always deal with things like the way you present. They want to be let in.
You often equate happiness with achievement and winning, but the constant pressure to ‘push through’ leaves little room for emotional honesty. Rest, support, and sensitivity are not weakness.
Loyalty and comfort don’t trump true happiness (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
What’s blocking Taurus’ happiness: Hanging in there far too long.
You find it very hard to let go, even when what you’re holding onto is fading, false or deeply hurtful. Whatever you once possessed, you struggle to release. You remain emotionally attached to things that no longer make you happy simply because they feel familiar.
Accelerate towards releasing dead weight far faster, your happiness begins the moment you stop confusing familiarity with fulfilment.
Sit with your feelings before making sense of them (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
What’s blocking Gemini’s happiness: Rationalising your feelings.
You can talk the talk about emotions and sound very convincing, like you’ve got your s*** together. But you’re actually only intellectualising your feelings. Truly sitting with them? Much harder.
Distraction, avoidance and humour are your go-to weapons in this battle against drowning in emotion. But you’d never drown, Gemini. You will always surface, and you’ll do so far faster if you let it all wash over you. Stop trying to outsmart your true feelings. Let them surface.
You can’t pour from an empty cup (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
What’s blocking Cancer’s happiness: Putting others first too often, for too long, in too big a way.
Your instinct to nurture others can leave you emotionally depleted. You spend so much energy protecting and caring for others that there’s often very little left for you. And, then, on top of that, you start to feel resentment and frustration but have nowhere for it to go. Festering.
The truth? Resentment mounts up and poisons wherever self-sacrifice becomes constant. Your happiness depends on learning that caring for yourself isn’t selfish. Self-care is your homework. Boundaries are your protection.
You are the glowiest, most outgoing and externally confident sign of the zodiac… but secretly rely too heavily on external approval to feel worthy. Attention and admiration are what you pursue, even unconsciously, until criticism or rejection knocks your confidence completely.
Never let success go to your head nor failure to your heart. Learn to balance and ground yourself in your own victories and benchmarks, not those set by others. Other people’s opinions are not your business.
Virgo, you can be your own harshest critic (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
What’s blocking Virgo’s happiness: Thinking that you have to be perfect to be happy.
Virgos can be brutally hard on themselves. Always in pursuit of the next achievement, self-improvement goal or perfectly organised plan, and often feeling like happiness exists just over that horizon, vs here and now. Almost like you don’t deserve it ‘until’…
But life isn’t a constant project. You are not an issue to be fixed. You are good! Work on things, sure, but enjoy the journey, the ride, the experience. Relax. Be in the here and now and let yourself enjoy it all.
Libra craves peace, harmony and connection and can shapeshift to keep the peace even when it flies in the face of your true feelings or needs. You smile through disappointment, stay quiet to avoid tension and tell yourself it’s ‘easier this way’.
But it’s not sustainable because then you feel pushed out, ignored, or resentment festers. Don’t disguise suppression and self sacrifice as diplomacy. Speak your mind, listen well, find compromises. If not, walk away and let it settle down. Don’t feel it’s all on your shoulders to heal, mend and make nice.
Let go of those reins (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
What’s blocking Scorpio’s happiness: Control.
Scorpio is intensely emotional and deep, and therefore vulnerability can feel terrifying. In order to avoid that feeling, Scorpios will focus on through control: controlling emotions, situations, relationships or expectations before anyone can hurt you.
But it doesn’t work. People don’t play ball, circumstances change, moods rise and fall, s*** happens, basically! So trust that you can handle it, whatever happens, and let everything outside of your direct personal circle of influence take care of itself. You will be fine, you are very strong.
You can be flighty at times (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
What’s blocking Sagittarius’ happiness: Restlessness, always seeking the better option.
Sagittarius loves possibility, freedom and adventure, but this can overtip into a selfish quest for the better option, always feeling like you’re missing out and need to be out hunting again. This can impact work, money, family, relationships… folk come to think you don’t really care for or prioritise them, because you struggle to appreciate what already exists in front of you.
Not every uncomfortable feeling means you need to escape. Consciously practice patience. Make yourself push through discomfort to show loyalty or commitment to the things, people and places that truly matter to you.
You know what they say about all work and no play (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
What’s blocking Capricorn’s happiness: Basing your self-worth on material status.
Capricorns are ambitious, capable and resilient but you often tie self-worth directly to your success, responsibility or usefulness. This can lead you into burnout and exhaustion, and rack up hollow victories that you don’t, emotionally, truly enjoy.
Rest is essential. You’re not a machine, you don’t owe people anything, you are allowed to just be. Stop tying yourself to material gains. Relax and rest and be in your own realm without worrying what you’re delivering or earning or gaining.
It seems easier to detach, but it’ll hurt you in the long run (Picture: Getty/Metro.co.uk)
What’s blocking Aquarius’ happiness: Detachment and distance.
Aquarians are great company — very funny and smart and unique. And yet, emotional closeness can feel overwhelming for you and you’d rather just detach and go off on a new pathway than stay with feelings that have become too intense or vulnerable.
Being independent and self sufficient is a virtue, until it thwarts your relationships or isolates you. Your happiness grows when you stop treating emotional intimacy like a threat to your freedom.
What’s blocking Pisces’ happiness: Escaping your issues instead of changing them.
You feel everything fully and deeply, which can make reality overwhelming at times. And, if given a choice, you often prioritise fantasy, avoidance, nostalgia or distraction over having to face down and deal with what’s right in front of you.
Trust yourself enough to actively create the reality you deserve. You are clever, imaginative, loving and loved. You have many allies, an army of folk who’d help you, no questions asked. Lean on them, ask for advice, create allies in different life areas. You can do this!
Kerry King has been reading, teaching and creating tarot for 30 years. Join her magical, exclusive Tarot Club for forecasts, predictions, lessons and readings straight to your inbox. Enjoy one month free for all Metro readers (no lock-in or commitment) over on Patreon.
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A popular business is opening its first restaurant in a Cambridgeshire city
A pair who lost their business after being told their burger van must close for “safety concerns” are opening their first restaurant in a Cambridgeshire city. Higgsy’s opened in a layby on the A15 near Peterborough in 2022, but closed this year after Huntingdonshire District Council refused to renew its licence.
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The local authority said it had “serious health and safety concerns” about the number of vehicles using the facility on the layby. Owners Adam Miller and Amber Higgs are preparing to open their permanent restaurant on Cowgate in Peterborough city centre.
The menu is due to remain similar to before with a range of burgers to choose from. Higgsy’s plans to open for two split shifts a day during the lunch and evening hours. A confirmed opening date and hours are expected to be announced soon.
Following the setbacks, Adam said: “It feels quite validating because there have been lots of times when Amber and I have thought that we don’t know what the solution is.”
“To be in the position we are in now, it feels absolutely fantastic and absolutely stronger,” Adam added. The business has faced other challenges, including being affected by three suspected arson attacks in 2025.
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Describing the environment the owners would like to create at Higgsy’s, Adam said: “We want somewhere that feels relaxed and natural and not like a chain.
“So, people will be able to come in with a menu that they know. Music will be playing and beers. We just want it to be really great quality food, no stress and a nice environment.”
He also feels like their restaurant will fill a gap in the market by offering a dedicated burger establishment for customers. The business has earned a strong reputation with an average of 4.9 stars out of five on Google reviews.
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One person said that they were “mind blown” by the burger while another customer said it was the “best burger in Cambridgeshire”.
Another wrote: “Wow burgers! We’ve heard a lot about Higgsy’s and it does not disappoint. Extremely friendly service with a smile and good chat.”
Harry Kane’s final task of the finest season of a magnificent career is to attend to unfinished business as England’s World Cup captain.
Kane is England’s ‘Mr Irreplaceable’ – as proved when Thomas Tuchel’s side were ominously toothless when drawing with Uruguay then losing to Japan in March friendlies at Wembley.
The 32-year-old’s fitness will be Tuchel’s biggest concern as they prepare to start their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June, not simply because of his status as England’s all-time record scorer with 78 goals in 112 games, but also because they have no-one remotely in Kane’s class.
If Kane stays fit, and in the remarkable form that brought him 64 goals in 56 games for Bayern Munich this season, England’s hopes will soar.
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If not, the reverse applies.
As former England striker Chris Sutton told BBC Sport: “Harry Kane is so important that if he announced his international retirement this afternoon, everyone would instantly view England’s World Cup chances in a different, more pessimistic light.”
Silverware has come late in Kane’s career after barren years at Tottenham Hotspur, when even his stunning goalscoring numbers could not bring glory.
He is now making up for lost time by winning a second successive Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, then scoring a hat-trick as they beat Stuttgart 3-0 in the German Cup final.
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And Kane now has his sights set on delivering the biggest prize of all as he leads England on their latest quest to end the search for men’s success stretching back to the 1966 World Cup win.
England’s countdown to their opening World Cup game continues when they play New Zealand in a friendly at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday (21:00 BST).
Kane has suffered the disappointment of losing successive European Championship finals with England to Italy and Spain, as well as a World Cup semi-final defeat by Croatia in 2018 and a quarter-final loss to France in Qatar.
Now Kane’s stellar form and fitness suggest the time might be right for England and their talisman to overcome the barrier that has brought 60 years of pain.
The Blackpool-based sibling duo have appeared on the Channel 4 show since 2017 and have since become fan favourites.
While both Sophie and Pete are often praised by viewers for their hilarious views and antics, a recent discover about the duos family has stunned fans.
As the pair are related to British comedy and children’s TV icons that also happen to be siblings.
Gogglebox’s Sophie and Pete Sandiford related to Chuckle Brothers stars
Sophie and Pete’s uncle is none other than comedy legend Paul Elliott and the late brother of Paul, Barry Elliott.
The connection was hinted at over the years, but never confirmed, but now Paul shared an old picture of the happy family on X, captioning the post: “This day 2018 with my great niece and nephew @PeteandSophie #Gogglebox.”
The Chuckle Brothers star also shared a picture with his niece and nephew in 2019 sharing: “Look who we had a very nice lunch with @pinklarkholme #ProudUncle @Petesandiford @PeteandSophie @llucyjohnson X.”
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More recently, in November 2025, Paul shared a snap of the family on Facebook, writing, “Here’s a well-known fact that a lot of people still don’t know. Pete and Sophie from Gogglebox are my niece and nephew.”
In 2018, Gogglebox star Sophie took to X to share a touching tribute to the late Barry Elliott, who died from bone cancer in August of that year.
Sharing a tribute, she wrote: “A truly lovely and funny man to be around. You filled millions of childhoods with laughter and entertainment, including mine and Peter’s.”
Adding: “You will be sadly missed by many. Rest in peace, Uncle Barry. Lots of love from me to you.”
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Sophie and Pete are not the only Gogglebox stars to share a famous relative, as the former star of the Channel 4 show Marcus Luther had a famous son.
Marcus appeared on the show alongside his partner Mica Ven, but it was revealed that he had previously filmed for Gogglebox with his son from a previous relationship, boxer Shiloh Defreitas.
Shiloh is the older brother of Marcus and Mica’s son, Yash, while Mica has two daughters, Sachelle and Shuggy.
The career trajectories of French Open finalists Mirra Andreeva and Maja Chwalinska could not be more contrasting.
Russian eighth seed Andreeva is a teenage sensation who earned her first WTA Tour win as a 15-year-old in 2023, reaching the Wimbledon fourth round just two months later.
Becoming a Grand Slam champion has felt like a question of when, and not if, ever since.
“I’m getting closer – I’m getting a little bit more mature with every match I play,” said 19-year-old Andreeva.
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Qualifier Chwalinska’s path to Saturday’s showpiece at Roland Garros has been less predictable.
The 24-year-old from Poland has never received direct entry into the main draw of a major and had only come through Grand Slam qualifying in two of her previous 14 attempts.
With little pedigree, 114th-ranked Chwalinska’s breakthrough is a lesson in what can be achieved through dedication and perseverance.
“I feel like I’m in the bubble. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m just very happy to be here,” said Chwalinska, who was a 500-1 outsider at the start of the tournament.
Putin says he is ‘grateful’ to Trump but sees no reason to meet Zelensky
Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Friday he currently saw no reason to meet Volodymyr Zelensky after the Ukrainian president published an open letter proposing they hold face-to-face talks to agree an end to the war.
In his letter, which was sent to other countries, including the United States, Mr Zelensky said the majority of Russians had grown tired of Ukrainian missile and drone attacks, high inflation and fuel shortages, and were ready for peace.
He also suggested that continuing the war could threaten Mr Putin’s own position, saying that history had shown that when Russia got tired change followed.
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Speaking at an annual economic forum in St Petersburg, Mr Putin said the letter did not come across as a sincere offer to hold talks.
Russian president Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Chinese vice president Han Zheng on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (Reuters)
“This letter contains some rather rude remarks. Was it a way to create the conditions for a face-to-face meeting or a way not to set up a face-to-face meeting? I think it was the latter,” said Mr Putin.
Asked whether he would meet Mr Zelensky, Mr Putin was blunt: “I don’t see the point in meeting; the only point is for the Ukrainian side to halt the advance of our armed forces.
But we need agreements – not for six months, not for three months, but for the long term.
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“In the open letter, “he mentioned my age, but the main thing is not an age, but ability to work,” said Mr Putin.
“I don’t understand why Ukraine does not want to see the Trump administration as a guarantor of peace talks,” he added. “I am grateful to Donald, but there is some work to do.”
Namita Singh6 June 2026 04:44
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Putin’s response to meeting proposal shows he does not want to end war, says Zelensky
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s rejection of his proposal for a meeting to end more than four years of conflict showed that the Kremlin had no wish to end the war.
“Unfortunately, the Russian side is once again choosing war – everyone hear the response. A weak response,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address. “I think this response will have disappointed many in the world.”
“He does not want to change anything, and he does not want to admit that this war appeals only to him – and to those who are making money off him. They were all smiling very broadly today.
“That means Russia must have less money, and there must be more pressure on Russia,” he said.
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Namita Singh6 June 2026 07:25
Armenia prepares for an election that could reshape ties with Moscow and the West
Armenia’s parliamentary elections on Sunday will be a vote on its geopolitical future as incumbent prime minister Nikol Pashinyan seeks closer relations with the European Union and the United States despite longstanding ties with Russia that have been championed by his critics.
Many analysts favour Mr Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party to retain control of the parliament, but with many opposition parties running on pro-Russia platforms, the Caucasus nation’s place on the international stage has been thrown into the spotlight.
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Supporters of Russian-Armenian tycoon Samvel Karapetyan, wave a Armenian national flag during a rally against incumbent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at Republic Square in Yerevan, Armenia, Wednesday, 3 June 2026 (AP)
In the months ahead of the election, Russian president Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials have warned Armenia that joining the EU could come at the expense of massive economic damage by disrupting Armenian trade ties with Moscow and its allies.
“These are the first elections in Armenia’s history where geopolitical orientation has become a decisive issue,” Mikayel Zolyan, an analyst and former member of the Armenian parliament, told the Associated Press from Yerevan.
“Until now, Armenia has remained within Russia’s sphere of influence, and this was taken for granted, but now, for the first time, this is being called into question.”Relations between Moscow and Armenia soured in 2023 after Azerbaijan took control of the entire Karabakh region.
The mountainous region had been controlled for decades by ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia, part of a long conflict between the neighbouring countries.
Armenian authorities accused Russian peacekeepers deployed to the region of failing to stop Azerbaijan’s onslaught. Moscow, busy with the conflict in Ukraine, has rejected the accusations, arguing its troops didn’t have a mandate to intervene.
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“It turned out that Russia’s image as a guarantor of Armenian security was not based in reality, and it all collapsed after the Karabakh war,” said Alexander Iskandaryan, director of the Caucasus Institute in Yerevan.
Mr Pashinyan has begun cautiously weakening ties with Moscow, joining the International Criminal Court in 2023 and suspending its participation in the Moscow-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organisation in 2024.
Namita Singh6 June 2026 07:06
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Montenegro is ‘within reach’ of joining the EU by 2028, von der Leyen says after Balkans summit
Montenegro is on track to become a member of the European Union by 2028, the bloc’s leaders and the Balkan country’s president said on Friday following a summit focused on expanding the EU to include other countries in the region.
Ukraine and Moldova are also among about 10 countries aspiring to join the bloc, while Iceland will hold a referendum in August on whether to apply.
Leaders from across the EU were joined by their Western Balkan counterparts in Montenegro’s Adriatic Sea coastal town of Tivat, where they discussed the bloc’s enlargement into a region seen as a key area in countering security and economic threats posed by Russia and China.
Montenegro’s president Jakov Milatovic speaks to journalists at a press conference in the Naval Heritage Museum during the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Tivat, Montenegro, 5 June 2026 (Reuters)
The summit brought together leaders including president Emmanuel Macron of France and German chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen as well as the heads of Balkan candidate countries.
High on the agenda was Montenegro’s EU accession, a process that is approaching its final stages and which von der Leyen said Friday was “within reach.”“If I had to sum up this summit in two words, they would be determination and confidence,” Ms von der Leyen told a news conference.
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“Confidence that our union will grow in the years ahead.”
The EU has already formed a working group to draft an accession treaty for Montenegro, whose president, Jakov Milatovic, said the summit had given him “even greater confidence” that his country will fulfill its aim of joining the EU by 2028.
Namita Singh6 June 2026 06:40
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Romania deploys helicopters to search for more drones as 1,300 people evacuated
Raed Arafat, the head of Romania’s Department for Emergency Situations, told a news conference on Friday morning that helicopters had been deployed to search for more drones and that the authorities had issued text message alerts to residents.
The measure came after a Ukrainian maritime drone used against Russia exploded at a black sea port in Romania.
“There is a possibility that there may be other drones,” he said.
A small military patrol boat sails past the Romanian frigate Marasesti docked in the military port of Constanta following the explosion of a maritime drone in the Black Sea port of Constanta, Romania, Friday, 5 June 2026 (AP)
“We are not panicking. These are preventive measures. If there are other drones, we want to make sure there is not another explosion in an area where people are not evacuated.”
After the port explosion, more than 1,300 people were evacuated from several Black Sea beaches and the routes leading to them were temporarily blocked. Just before 3pm, the emergency authorities announced they had suspended evacuation measures.
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Namita Singh6 June 2026 05:56
A Ukrainian maritime drone explodes at a Romanian Black Sea port
A Ukrainian maritime drone that was being used in the country’s war against Russia exploded on Friday at a Black Sea port in Romania, while three other sea drones exploded outside the port, Romanian authorities said. No one was injured.
The drone that self-detonated in the port of Constanta exploded at around 10.30am, after the area had been secured and isolated by the Romanian intelligence service, coast guard and the defence ministry, authorities said.
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“Immediately after identifying the drone, the Ministry of Defence contacted its Ukrainian counterparts, who confirmed that they had lost control of the operation of four drones,” the Romanian government said in a statement. “The other three drones self-detonated – two offshore and the third outside the port.”
Smoke rises after an explosion as a marine drone self-detonated in Romania’s Black Sea port of Constanta near an oil terminal, without causing any casualties, according to the defence ministry, in Constanta, Romania 5 June 2026 (Reuters)
“Confirmation of these events came from both the Ukrainian side and from data obtained by the Romanian authorities,” it added.
Romanian president Nicusor Dan said in a statement online that the Ukrainian forces “lost control of the assets as a result of electronic warfare actions by Russia,” likely jamming, and that the drone’s incursion into “Romanian sovereign space is a direct consequence of the war waged by Russia” against Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Navy confirmed in a statement that it had lost control of an unmanned naval boat “while performing tasks in the Black Sea operational zone,” and that its military was in contact with Romanian authorities “to prevent losses among the civilian population”.
Namita Singh6 June 2026 05:43
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Zelensky says Putin’s response to meeting proposal shows he does not want to end war
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s rejection of his proposal for a meeting to end more than four years of conflict showed that the Kremlin had no wish to end the war.
In this photo provided by Ukraine’s 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanised Brigade press service, a soldier reacts as an MRLS BM-21 Grad fires at the Russian positions near Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday, 4 June 2026 (AP)
“Unfortunately, the Russian side is once again choosing war – everyone hear the response. A weak response,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
“I think this response will have disappointed many in the world.”
Namita Singh6 June 2026 05:34
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How significant is Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is Europe’s largest with six reactors. Seized by Russian troops in the early weeks of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, each side has since accused the other of undertaking military actions to compromise nuclear safety.
The plant’s Russian-installed management accused Ukraine on Thursday of deploying more than 20 drones to attack a nearby thermal plant vital to supplying the facility with external power.
The plant generates no electricity, but needs external power to ensure that nuclear fuel at the site does not overheat.
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A Russian serviceman stands guard the territory outside the second reactor of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in Energodar on 1 May 2022 (AFP/Getty)
The latest ceasefire was the sixth negotiated since late last year to carry out repairs to the power lines. In its statement, the IAEA said the plant’s second external power line was also down following attacks on two electrical substations located on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River from the nuclear plant.
The facility was relying on diesel generators as it did for a month last year in similar circumstances.
Namita Singh6 June 2026 05:19
Russia’s Rosatom says Ukrainian drone hit engineers demining areas around Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
Russia’s nuclear energy corporation Rosatom yesterday said that a Ukrainian drone had deliberately struck engineers demining an area around the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, injuring at least three people.
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Rosatom said the incident occurred at the start of a ceasefire around the plant, brokered by the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, to restore the main external power line to the plant.
“The strike was clearly calculated,” Rosatom head Alexei Likachev said in comments posted on social media. “Three of our engineers were injured. Two are in serious condition.”
A view shows Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant from the bank of Kakhovka Reservoir near the town of Nikopol after the Nova Kakhovka dam breached, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine 16 June 2023 (Reuters)
“The international community must know of the continuing attempts to inflict maximum damage on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, on the personnel responsible for ensuring its safety… despite the agreements that have been reached.”
In a separate statement, Rosatom said five people were hurt.
The IAEA said it had been informed of the incident by the plant’s Russia-installed management, and its director general Rafael Grossi, writing on X, called for maximum military restraint and full adherence to the ceasefire.
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There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.
Namita Singh6 June 2026 05:05
Putin held ‘friendly one-on-one meeting’ with Germany’s Schroeder, Kremlin says
Russian president Vladimir Putin held a one-on-one meeting with former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, which was “good and friendly,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov was quoted as saying yesterday by Russian news agencies.
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“The discussion was friendly. It was in the form of a tete-a-tete, one on one,” the agencies quoted Mr Ushakov as saying.
“I honestly don’t know any of the details. It took place in Moscow, in the Kremlin.”In his comments to journalists, Mr Ushakov said Russian officials were engaged in numerous informal contacts.
Russian president Vladimir Putin and the German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder poses at the opening of the Hanover Fair 2005, a trade fair for industrial technology at the Congress Centrum on 11 April 2005 in Hanover, Germany (Getty)
“I can well imagine that there are a lot of informal contacts and we simply don’t know about them,” the agencies quoted him as saying. Mr Schroeder was the German Chancellor from 1998 to 2005, when his Social Democratic Party was voted out of office.
He subsequently worked for Russian state companies and cultivated a close relationship with Mr Putin. The Russian president last month suggested that he would be willing to negotiate new security arrangements for Europe, with Mr Schroeder as his preferred partner.
But EU foreign ministers at a meeting in Brussels rejected any role for Mr Schroeder, with the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas saying that would allow the former chancellor to “be sitting on both sides of the table”.
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Mr Ushakov said he made no public statements about his own informal contacts, including with the special US envoys dealing with the conflict in Ukraine – Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, president Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
He noted that US diplomacy was focused on events in Iran, but said a forthcoming visit by Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner to Moscow was “being prepared, but the dates have not been agreed”.
Families claim their loved ones were doped so often they were unable to eat or walk and suffered serious falls.
Lawyers have launched a legal battle against hospital bosses after families claimed dementia patients were left like doped-up “zombies” on a ward.
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The family of former boxer George Maguire is suing NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde after he was given unprescribed painkillers – which are only for meant use in cases of extreme pain or end of life care.
The Daily Record has now spoken to several families who claim their loved-ones were heavily sedated at the Jura Ward in Glasgow’s Stobhill Hospital.
The Maguire family, from Bishopbriggs, have given statements to police, laying down their belief that George, 91, was unduly sedated for weeks earlier than one weekend that the hospital has stipulated in February this year.
And now they intend to sue hospital chiefs.
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Their lawyer has told the Daily Record he believes the illegally administered drugs, believed to be morphine, may have been given to many more patients at the ward.
Jonathan Howat said the families involved in the scandal deserve answers on how strict legal protocols in the administration of the drugs appear to have been repeatedly broken by multiple medical staff.
Howat, head of Thompsons Solicitors Scotland’s medical negligence unit, said: “Reporting from the Daily Record about the care of elderly dementia patients in Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow is deeply disturbing. For families who entrust their frail and very vulnerable family members to care at Stobhill this is the stuff of nightmares.
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“It seems clear from reports that elderly dementia patients have been plied with extremely powerful opiates. It appears these drugs were unprescribed and their use was unauthorised.
“This is illegal and it is right there is now a police investigation into what exactly has been going on.”
Howat added: “The health board have assured the families affected, including our clients, that the illegal drugging of their relatives was simply a one off.
“I believe that the family’s are right to suspect that the illegal drugging may well have been more widespread and have gone on for longer. We believe the families are right to be sceptical of any internal investigation which is now ongoing.
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“Our legal action against the health board will help provide the families with a greater degree of clarity. They are right to demand answers and we will do all we can to make sure they get them.“
The Daily Record first told of the scandal at the Jura Ward – a 20 bed dementia ward – in February, when NHSGGC admitted that several patients had been given unprescribed opiates.
The Maguire family noted that George was left “like a zombie”, barely able to open his eyes and unable to eat.
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Several other families have approached the Record to say their own loved ones experienced the same pattern of care – being given so many sedating drugs that they could not talk or eat, which led them to waste away before their eyes.
Families have also reported that the sudden sharp decline in their loved ones’ condition led to repeated falls and head injuries.
Several families have reported that their loved ones were dressed in random clothing which did not belong to them – with an alleged acceptance in the ward that they would wear anything that fits.
Families affected by the conduct of staff were summoned to the unit to receive apologies and were told that a Serious Adverse Event Review had been launched.
George Maguires’ situation only came to light after he suffered falls and was transferred to Glasgow’s Royal Infirmary – where analysis of his blood revealed the shocking presence of the opiates.
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His family claim a doctor said he could have died within days if the inappropriate medication had continued.
Three months on, George is now living in a care home, where his condition improved dramatically.
His daughter Maureen Cahill, a former psychiatric nurse, claimed that after being moved from the Jura ward George showed clear signs of “cold turkey” – a slang term for severe opiate withdrawal symptoms.
Maureen said that when they asked nurses why he was so exhausted all the time she was told – like other families – it was just a symptom of the dementia.
Earlier this week The wife of a former Scottish champion cyclist claimed his last months were destroyed by constant “doping” in the Jura ward. Ernie Scally suffered from Alzheimer’s but wife Helen believes he was still able to enjoy life until he was admitted to the Jura Ward, at Glasgow’s Stobhill Hospital in July 2024.
After he entered the ward, his family claim he showed clear signs of having been given heavy sedation.
A spokesperson for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said a Serious Adverse Event Review (SAER) remains underway following an incident involving a small number of patients within Jura Ward at Stobhill Hospit.
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They added.: “We would be happy to meet with any other families who may have concerns.”
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Steve Clarke’s men beat Curacao 4-1 at Hampden Park in Glasgow before jetting out to North America to prepare for the upcoming tournament.
The Scots will face their South American opponents at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, which is the home of the New York Red Bulls, the Major League Soccer franchise.
Scotland are playing in their first World Cup since Craig Brown guided them to the 1998 tournament, and they have a tough group to try and get out of.
First, they face Haiti, the weakest in Group C, at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, before they take on Morocco in their next match.
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Their trickiest test will come on matchday three against Brazil, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
The furthest Scotland have gone at a World Cup is the group stage, but they will be hoping to write history in the United States this time around.
How to watch Scotland vs Bolivia
TV channel: You can watch Scotland vs Bolivia live and for free on BBC Two, with coverage starting at 8.30pm BST ahead of the 9pm kick off.
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Live stream: You can also stream the game for free on BBC iPlayer with a valid TV licence.
The scheme will support eligible schools across the Diocese of Durham by contributing up to £500 towards transport costs for educational visits to the cathedral between September 2026 and August 2027.
The Very Reverend Dr Philip Plyming, Dean of Durham, said: “Durham Cathedral belongs to the whole Diocese, and we want every child to have the opportunity to experience it as a place of learning, inspiration and welcome.
“This bursary reflects our commitment to widening access and helping schools overcome practical barriers so that more young people can benefit from the rich educational opportunities the Cathedral offers.”
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The bursary is open to schools in the Diocese of Durham with a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals and who have not previously built a visit to Durham Cathedral into their learning programme.
The programme is designed to encourage first-time visits and help build lasting relationships between schools and the cathedral.
Each bursary offers up to £500 per school to contribute towards transport costs for visits that include guided learning activities delivered by Durham Cathedral’s Learning and Engagement team.
Sarah Dellar, Learning and Engagement Manager at Durham Cathedral, said: “We know that the cost of transport can be a real challenge for many schools.
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“This bursary allows teachers to focus on the learning experience itself, confident that support is available to help them get here.
“We hope it will encourage schools to take that first step and begin a rewarding relationship with the Cathedral.”
The scheme has been made possible thanks to funding from the Friends of Durham Cathedral.
Four one-way attack drones headed toward the key oil passageway in the Middle East were shot down, US Central Command wrote on social media Friday evening, Washington time.
“The attack drones posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic”, CENTCOM wrote.
US forces later struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island along the strait “to defend against further attacks”, according to CENTCOM.
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“American forces remain vigilant and postured to respond to unjustified Iranian aggression in self-defense”, the US military said.
The new escalation comes hours after Reuters reported that Iran’s navy said it fired warning missiles and drones at US warships in the Gulf of Oman.
It accused the American navy of harassing maritime traffic and seizing commercial vessels and oil tankers, according to Iranian state media.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump said Washington did not need a ceasefire deal with Iran to get enriched uranium from Iran.
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“We could get it right now. I don’t think they could stop us if we wanted, but there’s no reason to. It’s entombed”, he told reporters in the Oval Office Thursday.
US shoots down four Iranian drones bound for Strait of Hormuz
US Central Command stated on social media that “The attack drones posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic”.
The military is enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports in response to Tehran’s restrictions on the vital shipping route for global oil and natural gas exports, a move that has driven up energy prices.
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It marks the latest in back-and-forth attacks straining a tenuous ceasefire and efforts to extend that truce.
Michelle L. Price6 June 2026 02:08
Calls for $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets to be released
A top Iranian official has said a potential peace deal between the US and Iran is weighted on the Trump administration agreeing to release $24 billion in frozen Iranian assets.
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In an interview with CNN Mohsen Rezaei, military adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei warned the US would “enter into a dark corridor” should it resume fighting.
“The negotiations are at a deadlock and Trump must break this deadlock,” he said.
“The ball is in Trump’s court.”
It comes as Iran reportedly demanded the release of $12 billion in frozen funds after an agreement is signed with the US. This money would be followed by another $12 billion, according to CNN.
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But the US has concerns that unfreezing the funds could remove a key leverage point over the regime.
Rebecca Whittaker6 June 2026 01:00
Pictured: Israel strikes southern Lebanon
Black smoke billows at a strike scene following an Israeli strike on a car as seen from Nabatieh, Lebanon (Reuters)
An Israeli man stands against the backdrop of southern Lebanon, along the Israel-Lebanon border (AFP/Getty)
Smoke rises following Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon as seen from a position across the border in the Upper Galilee, in northern Israel (AFP/Getty)
Rebecca Whittaker6 June 2026 00:00
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Two men guilty of stabbing Iranian journalist in London
Two Romanian men have been convicted in a London court over the stabbing of a journalist from a Persian-language television station, an attack prosecutors say was carried out at the behest of authorities in Tehran.
A jury at Woolwich Crown Court found Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25, guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Pouria Zeraati, a presenter at London-based Iran International, was stabbed in the leg in March 2024 outside his home in the Wimbledon area of London.
He recovered from the attack and returned to work.
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Police said former professional soccer player Badea and another man attacked Zeraati before fleeing in a getaway car driven by Stana and then flying out of the country from Heathrow Airport.
Badea and Stana were arrested in Romania in December 2024 and extradited to the UK.
The third suspect, David Andrei, is the subject of criminal proceedings in Romania.
“This was a targeted and violent attack and it was the prosecution’s case during the trial that it was carried out on behalf of the Iranian regime,” said Chief Superintendent Kris Wright of Counter Terrorism Policing London.
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The jury’s verdict does not conclude that the attack was conducted on behalf of Iran, though prosecutors said the judge may determine that when the defendants are sentenced on July 3.
Iran’s senior diplomat in the UK has denied Tehran was behind the attack.
Rebecca Whittaker5 June 2026 23:30
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Iran launches drones towards Strait of Hormuz
Iran has launched multiple drones towards the Strait of Hormuz, CNN has reported.
US forces have taken out at least three of them out, according to a United States official.
Rebecca Whittaker5 June 2026 23:20
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Recap: US forces board sanctioned vessel in Indian Ocean, Pentagon says
US forces overnight conducted an interdiction of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T DAVINA in the Indian Ocean, the Indo-Pacific Command said on Friday.
“We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” it wrote in an X post.
Washington has imposed a blockade on Iran’s trade by sea while Iran has fired on ships to prevent them sailing through the Strait of Hormuz waterway at the entrance to the Middle East Gulf. U.S. forces have intercepted multiple commercial and oil tankers in the Indian Ocean in recent months.
Rebecca Whittaker5 June 2026 23:00
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Iran has about 22 per cent of missiles left, according to Trump
Donald Trump has said Iran has about a fifth of its missiles left, according to an interview with NBC News.
“They have some missiles, they have some drones. I would say percentage wise, maybe 21-22 per cent of their missiles. It’s a lot of missiles, but it’s not what it was when we first attacked,” Trump was quoted as saying.
US President Donald Trump (AFP/Getty)
Rebecca Whittaker5 June 2026 22:56
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Watch: Trump claims US military ‘wants to’ wipe out’ all of Iran and is ‘ready to do it’
Trump claims US military ‘wants to’ wipe out’ all of Iran and is ‘ready to do it’
Rebecca Whittaker5 June 2026 22:30
How the war in Iran could impact £3bn of UK pensions
As a barrage of Iranian missiles rained down on the Fujairah oil terminal, the explosion was deafening and the destruction dramatic: a brutal fire, thick black smoke stretching into the sky – and untold damage to one of the region’s crucial pieces of fossil fuel infrastructure.
Read more here by Josephine Moulds and Nick Ferris:
New analysis from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and The Independent finds that billions of pounds of UK pensions have been left exposed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Josephine Moulds and Nick Ferris report
Rebecca Whittaker5 June 2026 22:00
British couple jailed on spying charges in Iran are on hunger strike
A British couple jailed on spying charges in Iran have lost an appeal against their convictions, their family have said.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman were handed 10-year prison sentences in February after being convicted of espionage, which they both deny.
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The couple’s family have claimed they were not permitted to attend their appeal hearing.
They were jailed following their arrest in January 2025 while travelling through Iran during a round-the-world trip by motorcycle.
The couple are on a hunger strike, according to the family, adding that all communication between them has been cut off by Iranian authorities.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman are on hunger strike in Iran (PA)
Anthony Head, the British actor best known for playing Rupert Giles in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Rupert Mannion in Ted Lasso, has died aged 72
Emma O’Neill Content Editor and Laura Harding Press Association Entertainment Editor
16:53, 05 Jun 2026Updated 17:14, 05 Jun 2026
Actor Anthony Head, celebrated for his memorable performances in Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Ted Lasso, has passed away aged 72, according to a statement released by his daughters.
The British performer gained widespread recognition portraying librarian Rupert Giles in the beloved American supernatural drama featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar, which aired between 1997 and 2003.
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His daughters, actresses Emily and Daisy Head, shared with the Press Association: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head.
“He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family. It has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many.
“We know how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues, and fans of the shows he was in – he loved his job very much, and he always considered himself incredibly lucky, to have been able to work alongside such exceptionally talented people, in such wonderful productions, across a career that spanned several decades.
“Our grief is far greater than the hole he has left behind, but we know his legacy will live on, in the shows he was a part of, and in the audiences that love them. How lucky we are to know we are able to watch him doing what he loved, even when he is no longer with us.
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“We kindly ask that our privacy is respected at this difficult time.” In recent years, Head portrayed Rupert Mannion, the former owner of Richmond FC and ex-husband of Hannah Waddingham’s character Rebecca, in the hit football comedy Ted Lasso.
Among his most memorable performances were his portrayal of the Prime Minister in Little Britain and Uther Pendragon, Prince Arthur’s father, in Merlin.
Recognised for his unmistakable deep voice, Head initially captured public attention in Britain during the 1980s through the iconic Nescafe Gold Blend television commercials.
Alongside Sharon Maughan, he formed one half of the Gold Blend couple, whose gradual romance unfolded over shared cups of coffee.
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Running between 1987 and 1993, these advertisements remain among the most memorable instances of serialised television marketing.
While his Buffy role brought him widespread recognition across America, Head departed as a regular cast member during the programme’s sixth series, returning only for guest appearances until the show’s finale.
His television credits also encompassed Motherland, Manchild, Silent Witness, Spooks, Doctor Who and My Family, alongside a role in the feature film Repo! The Genetic Opera.
In July 2018, he joined BBC Radio 4’s enduring drama The Archers, taking on the character of Robin Fairbrother.
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Beyond acting, Head pursued a singing career, gracing West End stages and releasing recordings, including the soundtrack from Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s musical episode, as well as his own solo projects.
Head’s long-term partner, animal welfare advocate Sarah Fisher, passed away in December 2025 at the age of 61.
Fisher served as an ambassador for Battersea Dogs And Cats Home and held the position of patron at Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary.
The couple’s two daughters, Emily and Daisy, have both followed in their father’s footsteps as actresses. Emily gained widespread recognition for portraying Carli D’Amato in the E4 comedy series The Inbetweeners, while Daisy has featured in various television programmes such as Harlots, Shadow And Bone and The Gray House.
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His sibling, Murray Head, is equally established in the acting world, renowned for his performance in the 1971 Oscar-nominated film Sunday Bloody Sunday, as well as performing the 1984 hit One Night In Bangkok from the stage production Chess.
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