It was one of those moments that definitely wasn’t Instagram-friendly. Wearing nothing but a pair of paper pants, I hoisted myself into a heated wooden casket where I steamed away for 20 minutes, like a dumpling in a bamboo basket.

The casket is a traditional Sri Lankan vashpa swede, or sweat box, and is lined with adhatoda leaves, which release their natural anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties while you drip like a tap.

The following day, my ritual humiliation, which by now I was getting used to, involved being scrubbed down with dark brown welmadata paste then placed into a bath of boiled herbs.

Both treatments, which also involved long, languid oil massages that made me drift in and out of sleep, are part of the wellness programme run by the small but cultishly popular Ayurvie Sigiriya retreat, set deep in Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle.

While the teardrop-shaped island off the southeastern tip of India is rapidly becoming popular for its beach culture (or Bali 2.0 as it’s been called), it’s also gaining ground as a unique wellness destination.

If, like me, you thought you had experienced ayurvedic treatments before, then you probably haven’t. Ayurvie Sigiriya is not a western-style spa with a couple of aromatherapy oil massages thrown in to spice up the spa menu. It’s the real deal.

It’s so off the beaten track that on our three-and-a-half-hour journey from Colombo, we passed a couple of wild elephants wandering by the side of the road, and even our local taxi driver struggled to find the right dirt access track. Hidden among rice paddies, the retreat has just 10 rooms and is designed to look like a traditional Sri Lankan village, with thatched-roof cottages and Buddhist deities greeting you at your door. But inside, the beds are plush, the water runs hot, the bath products are lush, and the wifi works.

Its absolute star turn is the treatments. In the open-air spa pavilion sit glass medicine cabinets filled with tinctures, oils and powders extracted from indigenous Sri Lankan herbs and plants. Although similar to Indian Ayurvedic medicine, the Sri Lankan system is a more gentle, herbal-based practice (designed to balance mind, body and soul with therapies and diet).

On arrival at the retreat, each new guest has a consultation with the ayurvedic physician Dr Hansika. “We believe our bodies are based on three pillars of wellness – food, sleep and activity,” she explains. “If these pillars are well-balanced, the house is well-balanced.”

Guests are then given a questionnaire about health and lifestyle to determine their dosha type, and Dr Hansika then creates a personalised “rebalancing” treatment programme.

It turns out I am a fiery pitha/vatha type (no surprises there), and my rebalancing programme was designed to calm my inner furnace with therapies involving water and a long list of recommended foods (chilli is out; sesame oil, barley and fish are in).

Read more: How I learned to tackle burnout like an ancient Greek

While my partner and I were there for a short, gentle four-day wellness break, many guests sign up for the full 14- to 21-day detox programme, which pretty much cleanses them until they squeak. Morning and evening yoga on a breezy platform in the trees is included for all guests, as are daily bespoke treatments and three meals a day. No caffeine or alcohol is on offer, but you won’t go hungry.

As lifelong carnivores who are, admittedly, trying to cut down on meat, we found the food surprisingly delicious. Unctuous coconut-based curries, crispy dosas and rich onion chutneys are all cooked in a traditional Sri Lankan kitchen where meals are taken communally. Even the earthenware bowls, plates and cups in the kitchen are made at the on-site pottery studio (you can also have a pottery lesson).

After our long, daily treatment sessions, we managed to squeeze in a guided bike ride to a nearby temple and a pre-dawn hike up to the top of the extraordinary Sigiriya rock fortress, where we watched the sun rise from the ruins of an ancient palace.

Read more: I tried to transform my gut health at a five-day wellness retreat

You are also never far from wildlife. On the grounds of the retreat, peacocks strutted, monitor lizards lumbered across the paths, mongooses played in the paddies, and geckos ran up the walls.

Although only there for four days, rarely in my life have I wound down so completely. My daze may have had something to do with caffeine withdrawal, but it probably had more to do with the daily massage and treatments delivered with such care by the team of ayurvedic therapists. At night, we both crashed early and slept solidly until our dawn yoga alarm woke us.

After all of that rest and detoxing, we decided it was time for a gentle retox. Instead of heading to the crowded beach towns on the south coast of Sri Lanka, we headed to the Maldives. Malé is just a 70-minute flight from Colombo, which makes it surprisingly simple to combine the two Indian Ocean destinations on a single break.

At Ifuru Island Maldives in the Raa Atoll, we continued our healthy eating, daily yoga and exercise, but instead of the calm drizzle of central Sri Lanka, it was in the sunshine glamour of the Indian Ocean. Our wellness halo didn’t slip – there was a time when you’d fly to the Maldives and play the: How Much All-Inclusive Food and Drink Can I Guzzle Down in a Day, game? But now it’s more about how much all-inclusive health and fitness can you squeeze in.

At Ifuru, we filled our days with sunrise yoga on a powdery beach, swimming around the house reef with shoals of darting fish, paddle-boarding, sauna and steaming in the spa, sound bath healing and eating grilled reef fish and salad.

In a way, it was the ultimate island hop, switching the jungle and calm of central Sri Lanka with the beach glamour of the Maldives – an easy way to have two very different wellness breaks in one.

Fiona McIntosh travelled as a guest at Ayurvie Sigiriya and Ifuru Island Maldives.

How to do it

Ayurvie Sigiriya costs from £316 per night for two people, including all food, treatments, yoga, and activities.

Ifuru Island Maldives costs from £447 for two people per night on an all-inclusive basis.

How to get there

Sri Lankan Airlines flies to Colombo Bandaranaike International airport from London Heathrow direct, with flight times of around 10 hours 45 minutes. Prices start at £822 return. Auyervie Sigiriya is a three-and-a-half hour drive from the airport.

Five other brilliant Sri Lankan ayurvedic retreats

Siddhalepa

The 200-year-old Siddhalepa resort prides itself on being the only retreat affiliated with an ayurvedic hospital and its own pharmaceutical range. This is for a serious health break, with 40 ayurvedic practitioners on site, all set in beautiful grounds in Wadduwu on the West coast, an hour from Colombo. Three-night minimum stay from £924 for two people, all inclusive.

Ulpotha

Ulpotha is revered yoga retreat with authentic ayurvedic treatments that can be added to your stay. With a breathtaking jungle village setting on a natural lake in central Sri Lanka, this is a haute hippie heaven. Guests need to commit to one or two-week packages with guest yogis, starting from £1,303 per week all-inclusive; ayurvedic treatments are extra.

Ayurvie Weligama

The sister retreat to Ayurvie Sigiriya, Ayurvie Weligama is a modern, beachside hotel on the south coast but offers the same programme of doctor-led treatments, food and therapies. Prices from £316 per night for two people, all inclusive.

Santani Wellness Kandy

Minimalist, luxury retreat Santani Wellness Kandy is set on a remote tea plantation with stunning mountain views, has all the bells and whistles of a five-star resort, including a cinema room, two swimming pools and a hydrotherapy spa. Bespoke programmes are offered, with western and ayurvedic treatments, as well as a variety of meal plans including vegetarian and raw food. Prices from £783 per room, all inclusive.

Amuna Ayurveda and Wellness Retreat

Also close to Sigiriya in central Sri Lanka, Amuna offers a programme of doctor-led treatments and ayurvedic treatments in a calm, rural setting. Check the website for a menu of retreats, from a one-day wellness visit to a full 21-day deeper-healing programme for chronic conditions. Room prices start from £191 a night.

Short-haul flights are deemed more at risk of cancellations

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An airline boss has warned that the industry may be facing further flight cancellations as the conflict in Iran continues to fuel a global energy crisis. Eivind Roald, CEO of Norse Atlantic Airways, revealed that fuel costs have surged by more than 100 per cent in just a few days, making certain routes unsustainable. The sharp increase has already led to the decision to axe some scheduled journeys as the sector reels from the sudden price spike.

The Norse Atlantic chief suggested that other airlines may be forced to follow suit as they navigate the volatile market. Roald described the situation as leading to “challenging internal discussions,” with difficult decisions being made to protect the future of the company. With energy supplies under pressure and jet fuel costs reaching record highs, experts warn that the disruption could spread across the aviation industry in the coming weeks, Express reports.

Speaking to BBC Newsnight, he said: “From our side we will continue flying from London Gatwick and from Athens and Rome this summer, we don’t have any plans to cancel more flights. When it comes to our competitors, I can’t really say, I assume you will see more cancelations coming, we often see it coming in short haul flights in Europe. The long haul flights are still there.”

Criminal Record brings together today’s biggest crime stories.

Every day on Criminal Record we will be bringing you a round-up of the biggest crime stories of the day. Whether it’s a crooked bank manager or another dive into Scotland’s gangland war – this is the place where you’ll get the low-down.

If you love to read about crime – this is the place to be every day. Here’s what has been making the news across the country on Saturday.

Fake Mafia thug sent poison pen letters

A Scot posed as a mafia gangster in a chilling bid to intimidate his stepdad by sending him a poison pen letter threatening to hack off his arm and gouge out his eye with a spoon.

Christopher Kolon, from Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, posted the disturbing note alongside a pair of garden shears, warning his mum’s partner of violent consequences over a series of bizarre grievances.

The 47-year-old was said to be angered by his stepfather Bill Gaugh’s failure to attend a Remembrance Day service and claims he had “not allowed his wife to speak”. He also demanded an apology to the King, a new outfit for his mum and poppies for the couple.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the letter, sent by recorded delivery on January 28, claimed to be from “the mafia” and listed punishments for alleged “wrongdoings”.

READ MORE: Fake mafia thug sent poison pen letters to stepdad threatening to ‘gouge’ out eye with spoon

Influencer jailed over cannabis haul

A Scots social media influencer who was caught smuggling £150,000 of cannabis through Edinburgh Airport has been jailed for 16 months.

Ellie Crampsie was found to have more than 17 kilos of the Class B drug stuffed into a suitcase as she traveled home from a holiday in Thailand in April last year. Crampsie claimed she was forced into carrying the large drug haul by a former boyfriend and a sheriff accepted she had been “naive and potentially taken advantage of”.

The 23-year-old is a well known social media personality and influencer and is prominent in the Glasgow nightlife and events scene where she promotes several brands. She also runs her own beauty business called Brows by Ellie and specialises in styling and treatments.

Crampsie, of Broomhouse, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug at Edinburgh Airport when she appeared at the capital’s sheriff court last month. She returned to the dock for sentencing today where solicitor Michael Poggi said his client had played “a lesser role” in the drug operation and there had been “evidence of pressure” from others.

Mr Poggi said: “The fact is that other parties did not travel through [the airport] at the same time and did not make contact after. There was an element of influence from a much older person who had a controlling position over my client.”

READMORE: Scots influencer jailed after smuggling £150k of cannabis through Edinburgh Airport

Gamekeeper clubbed bird of prey to death

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A Scots gamekeeper was caught on hidden camera clubbing a bird of prey to death inside a cage.

Russell Mason was filmed striking the goshawk with a cosh six times after it had been caught inside a crow cage trap on Cochrage Moor, Perthshire, on February 12, 2024. The 49-year-old, who worked on the estate, then placed the dead animal in a carrier bag before driving off from the Milton of Drummie Estate in a Polaris Ranger car.

He appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and pleaded guilty to catching and killing the rare raptor. He also admitted a charge of illegally storing ammunition at his home outwith the terms of his firearms licence.

He was handed a 200-hour community payback order for killing the goshawk and fined £890 for firearm offences.

READ MORE: Gamekeeper caught on hidden camera clubbing bird of prey to death on Scots estate

Man who first exposed Lyons gang slams cops

The man who first exposed the Lyons crime clan has slammed the former Strathclyde Police for ignoring his warnings and claims the Spanish Police have shown this year what should have been done.

Billy McAllister was speaking out following the arrest of gang leader Steven Lyons in Bali and subsequent deportation to the Netherlands.

Lyons is is now facing extradition to Spain, where he is wanted on money-laundering charges linked to an alleged international network of drug trafficking and organised crime.

Billy claimed the failure of the former Strathclyde Police force to listen to him more than 25 years ago resulted in the Lyons’ rise from a street corner gang to a global crime syndicate.

READ MORE: ‘I was the first man to expose Lyons gang and they ignored my warnings’

HIV Scotland chief admits embezzling funds

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A former chief executive of HIV Scotland has admitted embezzling £5,000 from the charity during his time in the role.

Nathan Sparling, 35, spent the money on taxi journeys and Amazon deliveries including groceries, Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard. He admitted embezzling £5,000 between April 2019 and March 2021 in Edinburgh and elsewhere while employed as chief executive of the charity, which has since closed, when he appeared at the court on Friday.

The court heard that during his time in the role, Sparling was allowed to make purchases up to the value of £50 using HIV Scotland funds if it was for charity reasons – but anything above that value required authorisation from another member of staff. A member of staff noticed a large number of taxi journeys and raised the issue with Sparling, leading to an investigation.

Sparling, a former adviser to an SNP MP, was suspended from his role at HIV Scotland and then replaced. Fiscal depute Kirsty McKenzie told the court: “During the period, a total of £5,000 was embezzled from the charity.

“£2,000 was spent on Ubers and £3,000 on Amazon packages that were delivered to his home, including groceries and technical goods. He was never given permission for any of these transactions.”

READ MORE: Ex-HIV Scotland chief and SNP aide admits embezzling cash from charity

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ISLAMABAD (AP) — Iran’s top diplomat was heading Friday to Pakistan, where officials have been trying to get the United States and Iran to convene for a second round of ceasefire negotiations.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that he was on his way to Pakistan, Oman and Russia on a trip focused on “bilateral matters and regional developments.”

The White House did not immediately respond to questions about Araghchi’s trip to Pakistan and whether a U.S. delegation would also travel there.

The trip comes as much of the world has been on edge over a war that has snarled crucial energy exports through the Strait of Hormuz, clouded the global economic picture, and left thousands dead across the Middle East.

Earlier, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press that Araghchi was heading to Pakistan with a small government delegation. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Islamabad has sought to reinject momentum into the negotiations between Iran and the United States, which had been set to resume this week but did not materialize.

Trump extends the Jones Act waiver for 90 days

Separately Friday, the White House said President Donald Trump issued a 90-day extension to the Jones Act waiver, making it easier for non-American vessels to transport oil and natural gas in the wake of the war.

Trump first announced a 60-day waiver in mid-March, a move seen as helping to stabilize energy prices and making it easier for more ships to travel to the U.S. following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The post on social media by a White House press aide said: “New data compiled since the initial waiver was issued revealed that significantly more supply was able to reach U.S. ports faster.”

The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, retreated on the news, falling to around $104 a barrel. Earlier it had edged up to more than $107, a level nearly 50% higher than where it was on Feb. 28, when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran to start the war.

Pakistan forges ahead with diplomatic efforts

Pakistan has been trying to get U.S. and Iranian officials back to the table after Trump this week announced an indefinite extension of the ceasefire with Iran, honoring Islamabad’s request for more time for diplomatic outreach.

That hasn’t lowered tensions in the strait the strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas is shipped during peacetime.

Iran has kept its stranglehold on traffic through the strait, attacking three ships earlier this week, while the U.S. has maintained its blockade of Iranian ports and ordered the military to “shoot and kill” small boats that could be placing mines.

“Iran has an important choice, a chance to make a deal, a good deal, a wise deal,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters on Friday. He said a second U.S. aircraft carrier will join the blockade in a few days.

Washington now has three aircraft carriers in the region after the USS George H.W. Bush arrived in the Indian Ocean this week. The USS Abraham Lincoln is in the Arabian Sea and the USS Gerald R. Ford is in the Red Sea.

It is the first time since 2003 that three American carriers have been operating in the region simultaneously. The force includes 200 aircraft and 15,000 sailors and Marines, U.S. Central Command said.

The situation in Lebanon remained tense a day after Trump announced Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks.

Hezbollah has not been a participant in the diplomacy brokered by Washington between the two governments.

The Israeli army asked residents of the southern Lebanese village of Deir Aames to evacuate, saying Hezbollah was using the village to launch attacks against Israel.

Israel’s military said it downed a drone over Lebanon following the launch of a small surface-to-air missile by Hezbollah. The militant group, meanwhile, said it shot down an Israeli drone with a surface-to-air missile over the outskirts of the southern port city of Tyre.

_____

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Rising from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani and Josh Boak in Washington, Bassem Mroue in Beirut, and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report.

York Council planning officers have approved an application for Stableside, off Tadcaster Road, Dringhouses, to be legally used as a hotel and accommodation for racing staff.

Council officers stated the property had been used by racing staff and let out to schools, church groups and others continuously since 2008.

The decision to approve York Racecourse’s bid for a certificate of lawful use follows their submission of the application in February.

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The building which houses the hotel was built in 1992 on the site of dormitories for jockeys constructed in the 1960s.

Stableside features 26 rooms, a kitchen, dining room and offices on a 2.3 hectare site.

A horse box park and quadrangle of four stable blocks is also on the site.

The accommodation itself is in an L-shaped building next to a grassed communal area.

Planning permission for the current building was granted in 1991 for accommodation for stable boys and girls.

York Racecourse’s Stableside hotel, off Tadcaster Road Dringhouses (Image: Google)

The site now provides accommodation for travelling racing stable staff which is required by the British Horse Racing Association.

Stableside is offered to the general public as a budget hotel for bookings outside of the racing season.

It is also available for functions and conferences and features onsite food and drinks facilities.

A council report on the plans stated the site had been functioning as a hotel for the last 17 years.

The report stated: “The evidence submitted creates a convincing profile of the application property being let out to racing staff, school groups, church groups and other third parties for a continuous period.

“It has been confirmed by the Racecourse team that the stable staff must fill out a form which indicates the length of stay, contact details and seniority of staff.

“The form requests information on the horses staying at the adjacent stables and the date of the race day which the stable staff and the horses are competing in.”

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has had multiple iterations since it began a few years after World War I.

Washington’s premier soiree on Saturday is most identified by its modern form: a red carpet for the capital’s journalism elite, political staffers and an assortment of American business leaders and celebrities — with the leader of the free world and a comedian offering roasts.

Some years are forgettable and relegated to C-SPAN archives. Others produce viral moments — funny, cringeworthy or undeniably tense — and endure across social media.

Here’s a look at some of that history as Donald Trump prepares for the first time to attend as president:

Ronald Reagan once gave up the chance to rebut a comedian

As a former Hollywood actor, the 40th president had a magnetic stage presence and easy manner with a joke, and it was during Reagan’s presidency that comedians became an annual part of the dinner.

In 1983, Mark Russell, whose satire was a PBS staple, offered relatively tame jabs at Reagan. “There is another speaker following me,” he opened, “and so it is quite an honor for me to be doing the warmup for my chief writer here.”

When it was the president’s turn, Reagan demurred. He reminded the audience that he’d made “a sad journey” to Andrews Air Force Base earlier that day to receive the remains of the Americans killed in the April 18 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon.

“I realize the original plan was that I would, in a sense, sing for my supper. In fact, I was prepared, not really to sing, but to do what you expected,” Reagan said, before explaining that it would be inappropriate for him to deliver humorous remarks. “If you’ll forgive us,” he said, “I’ll keep my script, and I hope you’ll give us a rain check, and it’ll still be appropriate next year.”

Dana Carvey and George H.W. Bush: A rare friendship

Bush became a fan. He and Carvey sat together at Bush’s last dinner as president, in 1992. After he lost to Bill Clinton that November, the president invited Carvey to the White House for a Christmas party. The two remained friends.

George W. Bush jokes about weapons of mass destruction

During his first White House term, Trump broke the long streak of presidential attendance. Comedian Michelle Wolf targeted him anyway.

If you’ve found a dating app that feels right for you and have set up your dating profile, the next step is finding possible matches and starting a conversation (or two). Your first contact is a really important part of the process and will help you get off to a positive start on your dating journey. 

But how do you open a conversation without sounding too keen, not keen enough, even cheesy or bland? Below, we share our top tips on starting a conversation on a dating app along with expert advice from sex and relationship coach, Angela Vossen. 

What makes a good first message on a dating app?

How to start a conversation on a dating app

Taking the time to read someone’s dating bio and profile information will help you lead with genuine questions and get the conversation off to a good start. Try not to get too personal too quickly, though. For instance, if their profile states that they are a widow or are divorced, don’t lead the conversation with questions about this. Sensitive subjects are better discussed in person when you have got to know one another better. 

Identify key details to personalise your message

The dating profile of a potential match should have lots of key information, such as their hobbies, interests and photos. Use these nuggets of information to ask questions and start a genuine conversation. ‘I see you’re a keen runner and go to regular park runs. So do I,’ shows genuine interest while offering detail about yourself too. You could also ask them questions about photos they have shared on the app or something simple such as how their weekend was. 

Step 2: Craft a unique opening line

Avoid generic greetings: Stand out with something specific

Starting a conversation with a very generic opening line such as ‘Hey, how are you?’ or just ‘Hello’ leaves the work of starting the conversation to the other person. Instead, lead with something more specific such as a warm introduction and an explanation as to why their profile stood out to you. 

You can then ask a question that is specific to your match, such as, ‘I see from your profile that you’ve travelled a lot. Where did you go on your last trip? I recently got back from two weeks in France.’ In this example, you’re showing interest in them without asking anything too intrusive, and sharing more detail about your own life. 

Using humour wisely to break the ice

Humour can be a great way of breaking the ice when used in the right way. For instance, you could say something playful such as, ‘I saw your profile and it looks like you’re a tennis player too. Maybe we should plan a game and see who has the better backhand?’ Alternatively, lead with something such as ‘I’m new to online dating. How are you finding it? Hopefully it’s about to get a lot better.’

Be mindful of being too sarcastic or dry initially as this may not always translate well over text or direct message. Humour such as this is best left until you have met in person and become more acquainted with each other’s tone and personality.

Discover more of the best pick-up lines

Step 3: Use open-ended questions to encourage dialogue

Open-ended questions encourage deeper conversation and allow the conversation to flow more naturally. Here are a few examples that will help you to get to know each other better:

Examples of effective open-ended questions

• How would your friends describe you?
• What are most people surprised to learn about you?
• What’s the best place you’ve ever visited?
• What are you most looking forward to over the next few years?
• What are you most proud of?
• What’s your idea of the perfect day?

Step 4: Introduce light-hearted and fun topics

Using ‘this or that?’ questions to spark interest

“This or that?” questions can be a really fun way of getting to know someone and are ideal for first dates or getting the conversation started. Take it in turns to answer questions such as ‘tea or coffee?’, ‘beach or mountains?’, ‘cats or dogs?’, ‘podcast or playlist?’ or ‘stay in or go out?’. The options are countless. 

Fun discussion topics to make it reciprocal

Additionally, ‘this or that?’ questions will also bring up lots of different discussion topics too where you can expand further on your answers. For instance, if you chose mountains over a beach, you can explain more about why this is. Perhaps you went on an unforgettable hike that you would love to share more about. You could even use this game to decide where you go on your next date.

Questions such as ‘romantic dinner or active adventure?’ for instance, will make your dating experience fun and reciprocal. 

Step 5: Be authentic and playful

Share a fun fact about yourself

Sharing a fun fact about yourself allows you to get more personal in a light-hearted way. This keeps the initial stages of conversation authentic without getting on to topics such as past relationships that may be too serious. This could be anything from a hidden talent to something unusual that happened to you such as meeting a film star or appearing on TV.

How to balance playfulness with genuine interest

Being playful and asking fun questions is a great way of getting to know someone new. Asking further follow-up questions about a light-hearted answer they have given shows genuine interest and a willingness to know more about them. 

Step 6: Don’t hesitate to shift the conversation if necessary

Recognising when the flow dims

If you’re sensing that the person you’re messaging is losing interest on a certain topic, don’t be afraid to shift the conversation to something else. We all have hobbies and areas of interest that we’re passionate about, but it’s important to know when to change course. Have they started answering more briefly or less frequently? Ask them something about themselves to get the conversation flowing again. 

Suggestions for smooth transitions to new topics

If you feel the need to move to a new topic of conversation, try and do this subtly and naturally. Saying something such as ‘On a completely different topic…’ before changing tack keeps things flowing without the chat grinding to a halt. If you feel you’ve overshared too early and sensed the other person feels uncomfortable, move on gently by saying, ‘on a lighter note…’ or ‘that’s enough about me. I’d love to know more about you.’ 

Step 7: Knowing when to move on

Understanding when interest is lacking

If you’ve been messaging frequently with a potential match and you feel that the interest is one-sided or they won’t commit to meeting in person, take note of this and don’t force it. There is no harm in making your intentions clear (such as that you would love to meet for a coffee etc) but if they don’t reciprocate or are vague in their response, place your focus on making other connections.

How to gracefully exit a conversation

If things aren’t going well (perhaps the conversation has started to slow or even made you feel uncomfortable), it’s absolutely fine to leave. The graceful way to do this is by thanking them for the chat and wishing them all the best in their dating journey. This makes it clear you’re moving on without being rude or leaving them feeling ghosted.

Likewise, if you want to keep the door ajar to a slow responder, write something such as ‘let me know if you ever fancy grabbing that coffee’ before leaving the conversation. This allows you to preserve your dignity without completely shutting down a potential connection. 

Why is this important? Angela explains that not every faded thread is a rejection. “Sometimes it’s just someone who got busy and felt too awkward to re-engage,” she says. Ending with a comment like this leaves the ball in their court and doesn’t sound rude or dismissive.

What to avoid with dating app openers

No one likes to feel as if they are just another number in someone’s dating experience, so avoid sending generic and impersonal messages. You may think it’s a good idea to send ‘Hi, how are you?’ messages to lots of different people, but low-effort greetings such as this may not inspire the recipient to reply and engage further.

2. Being overly forward

Angela says that asking for a connection’s number before you’ve established any real chemistry or commenting solely on their appearance are two common ways of being overly forward on dating apps. Both can seem arrogant and shallow and may be off-putting to a potential match. 

3. Not giving enough time for responses

Try not to send multiple messages before the recipient has had a chance to reply to one. Receiving a barrage of messages from someone they don’t know can come across as overly intense and place unnecessary pressure on a new connection. 

4. Complaining or being negative

Complaining, being overly negative or so self-deprecating that it becomes a burden for a potential match to carry are all key things to avoid on dating apps. Try to keep the chat upbeat, positive and fun.

For more dating advice, head to Telegraph Media Group’s dating hub. If you’re single and interested in meeting like-minded people, join Telegraph Dating. With more than 220,000 single people, Telegraph Dating is the perfect place to find romance.

The Attorney General has warned the public about social media posts and commentary on active criminal proceedings

The public has been warned that they could face a two year prison sentence if they make social media posts regarding the upcoming Jeffrey Donaldson sex offence trial.

The trial of former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife on charges relating to alleged historical sexual offences is set to begin next month after it has been delayed twice because of her medical issues.

Jeffrey Donaldson, 63, has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences. The charges include one count of rape and allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency, and span a time period between 1985 and 2008, involving two alleged victims.

Eleanor Donaldson, 59, of Dublinhill Road, Dromore, is facing charges of aiding and abetting, which she denies.

The trial is scehduled to begin on Tuesday, May 26, with a review hearing taking place on May 5.

Ahead of the start of the trial, the Attorney General for Northern Ireland has issued a statement on the need for caution around social media posting and commentary on active criminal proceedings, warning people could face two years in prison.

“As mentioned in my previous Media Advisory Notice I am concerned about the potential impact of social media postings and commentary on members of any jury as the hearing date for the trial approaches.

“I would remind members of the public that they can be found in contempt of court if something they publish creates a substantial risk that the course of justice in the criminal proceedings would be seriously impeded or prejudiced.

“A sentence of up to two years imprisonment can be imposed.

“Users of social media should therefore take great care before posting or re posting clips or commentary and may wish to delete material at this point rather than risk proceedings being brought against them.

“Further, it is a criminal offence to identify the complainants, who must remain anonymous.”

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One of the easiest ways to look stylish on a run is to add a statement piece or accent to an otherwise simple, neutral outfit. “This season especially, we are seeing runners express themselves through considered, styled outfits — co-ords, bold colour palettes, animal print designs, statement sunglasses and accessories like bandannas that bring personality,” says Culling.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has ended its probe into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, clearing a major roadblock to the confirmation of his successor, Kevin Warsh.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeannine Pirro said on X on Friday that her office was ending its probe into the Fed’s extensive building renovations because the Fed’s inspector general would scrutinize them instead.

The decision ends an investigation, one of several undertaken by the Justice Department into President Donald Trump’s perceived adversaries, that for months had failed to gain traction as prosecutors struggled to articulate a basis to suspect criminal conduct.

A prosecutor handling the case conceded at a closed-door court hearing in March that the government hadn’t yet found any evidence of a crime, and a judge subsequently quashed subpoenas issued to the Federal Reserve. The judge, James Boasberg, said prosecutors had produced “essentially zero evidence” to suspect Powell of a crime. Boasberg prosecutors’ justification for the subpoenas as “thin and unsubstantiated.”

More recently, prosecutors made an unannounced visit to a construction site at the Fed’s headquarters but were turned away, drawing a rebuke from a defense attorney in the case who called the maneuver “not appropriate.”

The move could lead to a swift confirmation vote by the Senate for Warsh, a former top Fed official whom Trump, a Republican, nominated in January to replace Powell, whose term as chair ends May 15. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, has said he would oppose Warsh until the investigation was resolved, effectively blocking his confirmation.

Warsh said Tuesday that he never promised the White House that he would cut interest rates, even as the president renewed his calls for the central bank to do so.

“The president never once asked me to commit to any particular interest rate decision, period,” Kevin Warsh, a former top Fed official, said under questioning by the Senate Banking Committee. “Nor would I ever agree to do so if he had. … I will be an independent actor if confirmed as chair of the Federal Reserve.”

Warsh’s comments came just hours after Trump, in an interview on CNBC, was asked if he would be disappointed if Warsh didn’t immediately cut rates and responded, “I would.”