The DUP leader said that his priority remains making Northern Ireland stronger within the United Kingdom.

Thousands of Orange Order members have marched through Glasgow as part of the annual Boyne parade.

Several streets around the city centre were closed off for the event, which saw bands parading with music and banners before gathering at Glasgow Green where DUP leader Gavin Robinson was among those addressing attendees.

The route for the parade was different this year due to a number of works going on around the city centre.

In his weekly email to party members, the DUP leader said of the Glasgow event, “It is a privilege to address the Twelfth celebrations and bring greetings from Northern Ireland to friends whose history and heritage are so closely linked with our own.”

“Every visit reinforces just how deep the bond is between Ulster and Scotland. It is a relationship built over centuries through faith, family, industry, service and sacrifice. While politics inevitably changes, those foundations have endured.

“It has also been a timely reminder that, despite years of predictions to the contrary, the United Kingdom remains strong. For decades, we have been told the Union is in inevitable decline. We heard it before the Scottish independence referendum, after Brexit and after almost every election since. Yet those predictions continue to collide with reality. “One of the reasons is straightforward. Across the UK, people increasingly expect government to focus on the issues that matter most to their daily lives. They want waiting lists reduced, streets kept safe, businesses supported and opportunities created for the next generation. Constitutional campaigning simply doesn’t achieve those things.”

Mr Robinson also referred to this week’s meetings between party leaders and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury at Hillsborough Castle and said that it was “embarrassing” that Sinn Féin spent as much time talking about constitutional issues as they did making a case for better funding.

“That is why my priority remains making Northern Ireland stronger within the United Kingdom. Every new investment secured, every job created and every improvement to our public services strengthens our place in the Union. Success prosperity remains the most powerful argument of all.

“I also believe we should never allow others to define our culture or identity for us. Too often those who cherish our British identity, our Orange tradition or our constitutional position are caricatured or dismissed by people who have little interest in understanding them. We should always reject hatred and sectarianism and equally we should never apologise for traditions rooted in faith, service, community and loyalty. “One part of my speech today reflects an issue on which I feel particularly strongly. Victims of terrorism deserve better than being told by the First Minister of Scotland to simply “move on”. “No society should ask innocent people to forget the loss of loved ones or minimise the suffering caused by terrorism. Truth, justice and respect must remain our guiding principles, and those values should never become politically inconvenient. “As I return home after two days in Scotland, I do so encouraged by the thousands of ordinary people who continue to celebrate our shared heritage with dignity and pride. They remind us that the Union is about far more than constitutional arrangements. “It is about people, communities, shared values and a determination to hand on an even stronger United Kingdom to the next generation.”

Ahead of the march, the Loyal Orange Institution of Scotland said: “The Grand Lodge Trustees convey their congratulations and best wishes to the County Grand Lodge of Glasgow ahead of their Boyne celebrations in Glasgow.

“We hope the day is marked by fellowship, dignity and success for Brother Mark Kirkland, RWCGM (Right Worthy County Grand Master) and all those who are participating.”

Around 11,000 people were expected to take part in the parade, which commemorates the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

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Sir Sadiq Khan joined thousands on the capital’s Pride in London march, as advocates warned rights were ‘being taken away from trans people’.

The Mayor of London led activists in a chant of ‘Happy Pride’, with huge crowds gathering amid rumours Madonna will make a surprise appearance at the event’s main stage in Trafalgar Square.

More than a million people were expected to head into London for the celebrations, with organisers saying more than 35,000 marchers from more than 600 groups were taking part in the procession running from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall Place via Piccadilly.

The Metropolitan Police said before the event that there would be ‘no tolerance of hate crime‘ as a busy weekend of Pride celebrations takes place in the city.

Spectators cheered as floats full of people dancing and speakers playing music drove through central London.

Many of those watching the parade wore rainbow colours and carried Pride flags and fans on a hot sunny day in the capital.

Companies that sponsored floats at the parade included Lidl, Tesco and Ikea, with the Swedish furniture brand’s float carrying the message: ‘Love doesn’t require instructions.’

London-based football teams including Arsenal, West Ham and Crystal Palace also had floats in the parade.

Huge crowds have been gathering amid rumours Madonna will make a surprise appearance at the event’s main stage in Trafalgar Square

More than a million people are expected to head into the capital to mark the Pride parade

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Many of those watching the parade wore rainbow colours and carried Pride flags

Tens of thousands of people are gathering in Trafalgar Square at the main stage amid rumours that Madonna will make an appearance

Spectators dress in rainbow colours and enjoyed watching the parade in the warm sunshine

Activist Peter Tatchell said Fifa was ‘doing nothing’ about 11 countries banning gay footballers at the World Cup.

Speaking at the march, Mr Tatchell said: ‘We’re marching in London Pride today to highlight the fact that at the World Cup, which is ongoing right now, 11 countries ban gay footballers from their team – that’s against Fifa rules, but Fifa is doing nothing.’

The Australian-born activist added: ‘This year’s Pride is as important as ever.

‘Particularly now that Reform councils across the country are banning Pride flags… wanting to remove books from shelves.

‘That is very dangerous, very threatening to all of us.’

Gay rights activist Julian Hows, 70, said the Pride in London march was important with ‘rights being taken away from trans people’ in the UK.

Speaking at the front of the parade, Mr Hows, 70, who was expelled from school for early gay rights activism in 1971, said: ‘Pride is important every year.

‘I’ve been coming to Pride marches since 1972 when the policemen outnumbered the marchers.’

Mr Hows, who wore a rainbow-coloured waistcoat with Abseil Against Section 28 and Gay Liberation Front pins, added: ‘Pride is also important because it needs to have an underlying level of protest, and you can see the freedoms that we have can so easily be taken away.

‘We also always need to push further because there’s always somewhere where our rights are being taken away.

‘Whether it’s in this country with Reform, whether it’s this country with rights being taken away from trans people, whether it’s abroad in other countries.’

A spokesperson for Pride in London said: ‘The urgency is clear: NHS gender-affirming care waiting lists now exceed four years in some regions while a comprehensive trans-inclusive ban on conversion therapy remains uncodified into law despite a 2018 government pledge.

‘At the same time, the community infrastructure LGBTQ+ people rely on is shrinking — since 2006, 58% of London’s LGBTQ+ venues have closed.

‘Together, these gaps in care, protection and safe spaces are unfolding amid continued hostility, with Home Office figures showing that more than 18,000 hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation were reported to police in 2025.’

Spirits were high as parade-goers took part in the UK’s largest LGBTQIA+ celebration

A performer was covered in colourful confetti as the parade made its way through London

Spectators cheered as floats full of people dancing and speakers playing music drove through central London on Saturday 

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The parade marked a busy weekend of Pride celebrations taking place in London

Revellers blew whistles and held up placards in support of the LGBTQIA+ community

Pride in London interim chief executive Rebecca Paisis said: ‘We want 2026 to be the most inclusive Pride in London event yet.

‘Our movement has always been built on many voices becoming one united front — from the people who marched in 1972 to those joining us for the first time this year. That’s where our power lies.

‘As LGBTQ+ people, we’ve never been strangers to adversity, but neither are we strangers to collective action.

‘This year’s campaign is a reminder that whilst the community often faces challenges in isolation, it is by coming together that we can change history.’

Co-founder of Stonewall and LGBT+ activist Lisa Power said: ‘Adversity is meant to shatter us but it can make us stronger as it did in the 80s.

‘Right now, we have a Government and institutions meant to defend our rights that are attacking trans people’s rights, and the rest of ours will follow.’

Pride in London is a majority volunteer-led organisation responsible for delivering the capital’s flagship LGBT+ Pride parade and events since 2013.

The American was left in stitches after discovering what ‘greetin’ meant in Scotland

Scottish slang has long been known for confusing visitors, with everyday words and phrases often meaning something very different compared to the rest of the UK and even more so for people across the pond trying to make sense of them when they visit.

From messages meaning the shopping to outwith replacing outside of or wains and bairn meaning children, Scotland’s unique way of speaking can take some time getting used to. Although, those differences have also become popular online, with social media videos regularly going viral for breaking down and mimicking these Scottish expressions.

Now an American TikTok creator known for his Scottish roots and remarkable impressions of a thick Scottish accent, has caught the attention of social media users after offering his own take on one of the country’s most misunderstood words.

The creator known for the user name Yung Young, who frequently posts videos mimicking a Scottish accent for his followers, has build a large following for his comedy skits and observations about Scottish culture.

READ MORE: Get Daily Record Premium for just £1 per month in exclusive offer to celebrate the World Cup

The 26-year-old inspiring musician recently visited Scotland for the first time, spending two weeks travelling across the country. His trip included stops in Greenock, the hometown of his mum before she moved across to America, as well as visits to the Scottish Highlands, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Since returning to social media, he has been sharing clips reflecting on his experience, with one video in particular catching the attention of viewers on both sides of the Atlantic.

In the viral post, he attempts to explain the meaning of the word ‘greeting’ to his American audience, showing the stark differences in Scottish slang and humour with the slang he experiences in America.

Posting the clip alongside the caption: “More things nobody else here [America] understands,” he quickly went viral with over 90,000 views and 8,600 likes.

In the 15 second clip, he states: “Scottish tough love is hilarious bro. You don’t know what it’s like to be in the middle of crying and they call it ‘greetin’ there.”

He continued: “So, you don’t know what it’s like to be in the middle of greeting and get called a ‘greetin faced git’.”

Explaining to his viewers how this will make you feel, he said: “S**t will make you strong boy,” before adding: “It’s hilarious to see it on the other side though.”

Scottish TikTok users were quick to take to the comments to give him some more information into the saying, with one user writing: “My mum used to say I’ll give you something to greet aboot.”

While another hilariously noted: “My grandpa used to say they’re like a Christmas card. Always greetin.” A third user simply penned: “If your greeting for no reason, they will give u a reason to greet.”

Meanwhile other Scottish users praised his accent, telling him he was “spot on” and described it as “excellent”. While many of the Americans in the comments were still left confused by the Scottish slang.

The ‘predator’ sex offender was sentenced on July 3

A prolific sex offender from Cambridgeshire, who targeted children by disguising as a caretaker has been sent to prison. David Pearce, 70, from Cambridgeshire pleaded guilty to seven sex offences at Snaresbrook Crown Court on May 6.

In 1990, Pearce impersonated a caretaker and approached a group of four children at a lido in Barking, pretending to search for lost keys. He lured them into a changing area before forcing them to strip off and inappropriately touching them under the false pretence of finding the keys.

According to Metropolitan Police, the youngest was aged eight-years-old.

After the incident, the children ran to a nearby police station to report the crime. This enabled officers to gather statements and allowed forensic officers to implement a cordon and avoid contamination of the scene.

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Forensic officers discovered semen on a wooden bench within the changing cubicle and extracted a DNA profile, but it unfortunately did not match to anyone on the database.

As part of their enquiries, specialist officers took one of the children to a local gym to try and identify the offender. However, there was no one present who matched the description of the suspect.

The case was filed pending further investigative opportunities coming to light after initial enquiries. In 2019, Pearce was arrested for a separate offence of voyeurism. The DNA he provided was a one in a billion match to the suspect at the lido.

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Upon obtaining this evidence, detectives reviewed similar reports and found victim statements from a 1996 incident which followed an identical pattern of offending. Again, the 13-year-old victim said a man had forced her into shrubbery in a Barking park and assaulted her as he claimed to search for a pair of lost keys.

Not long after Pearce’s initial arrest in 2019, he was questioned in relation to the 1996 incident. The victim-survivor attended an identification parade, where she confirmed Pearce as the man who had assaulted her.

The concrete forensics and successful identification provided detectives with enough to charge him. He was sentenced to 18-years in prison on, Friday (July 3), at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

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Detective Constable Tony Anionwu from the Met’s Specialist Crime Unit said: “Pearce was a predator who disguised himself as someone in a position of trust to exploit and assault young children. His actions had a lasting impact, and I would like to thank the victim-survivors for their unwavering resilience and profound patience while we strived for justice.

“Our dedicated team of officers have handled this case with sensitivity. As a force we remain committed to securing justice for anyone who has experienced a sexual assault, no matter when they occurred, and over the past five years we have more than tripled arrests and charges for this crime.”

On Wednesday, May 6, Pearce denied a further four counts of indecent assault, six counts of attempting an act of indecency with a child and two counts of indecency with a child relating to 12 other children – all in the 1990s.

The prosecution chose to leave those charges on file after his guilty pleas were entered.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce finally said ‘I do’ – and it didn’t take long for guests to start spilling what happened behind the velvet curtain, including intimate details of the couple’s vows.

After months of feverish speculation, cryptic clues and endless wedding rumors, the superstar couple tied the knot in front of around 1,000 family members, friends and A-list celebrities during an extravagant celebration at Madison Square Garden on Friday.

The blockbuster event was packed with headline-making moments, from Adam Sandler officiating the ceremony to Swift’s brother Austin standing by her side as her ‘best man’ instead of a maid of honor.

Then came another surprise when Sir Paul McCartney took to the stage during the reception to perform I Want to Hold Your Hand, leaving guests stunned.

But while the celebrity cameos grabbed headlines, fans were far more eager to know what the newlyweds said at the altar – especially with songwriting icon Swift penning her own vows. 

Just hours after the lavish celebration wrapped, one wedding guest lifted the lid on the ceremony itself, describing the couple’s vows as ‘long, entertaining, personal, charming, emotional, irreverent and endearing’ in a remarkably detailed post on X.

Just hours after the lavish celebration wrapped, one wedding guest lifted the lid on the ceremony itself, describing the couple’s vows as ‘long, entertaining, personal, charming, emotional, irreverent and endearing’ in a remarkably detailed post on X

The guest was AMC CEO Adam Aron, who shared an unusually detailed account of the ceremony in a since-deleted post.

‘Then the vows. Long, entertaining, personal, charming, emotional, irreverent and endearing explorations by each as to how they met, why they want to be with each other for all eternity, the promises they made in joining their much-beloved two whole families (Kelce’s and Swift’s) as one, and committing to their new mutual life together,’ he wrote.

Aron said the ceremony took place inside a transformed Madison Square Garden that ‘did not look like Madison Square Garden,’ with the venue draped in ‘peach and white’ and decorated with oversized photos of the bride and groom from childhood through their teenage years.

According to Aron, Kelce looked ‘handsome’ in a white tuxedo while Swift stunned in a white wedding gown with a long veiled train before an officiant who was ‘warm and welcoming, funny and eloquent’ led the ceremony.

After the couple sealed their marriage with what Aron described as a ‘sweep you off your feet kiss,’ guests moved into an elaborate ‘Secret Garden’-themed reception featuring five-story illuminated trees, an A-list crowd, lavish food and drink and plenty of music.

He ended his post by calling the ceremony ‘real, pure, true joy’ and declaring that, in a world filled with conflict and division, the couple’s wedding proved ‘that love conquers all.’

Aron wasn’t the only wedding guest to offer a glimpse inside the ultra-private ceremony. 

During Saturday’s Good Morning America, hosts Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan and George Stephanopoulos revealed they had all attended the star-studded celebration.

They also echoed Aron’s description of an event that somehow felt intimate despite taking place inside Madison Square Garden. 

The guest was AMC CEO Adam Aron, who shared an unusually detailed account of the ceremony in a since-deleted post (above)

During Saturday’s Good Morning America, hosts Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan and George Stephanopoulos revealed they had all attended the star-studded celebration

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As the trio reflected on what Strahan called the couple’s ‘dream wedding,’ conversation soon turned to the ceremony itself and the vows that had captivated fans.

‘Oh, and their vows,’ Roberts said, sounding visibly impressed. ‘They wrote their own. Mmm.’

While Roberts didn’t divulge any further details, her comments appeared to reinforce Aron’s account that the personal exchange between Swift and Kelce was one of the standout moments of the day.

The heartfelt vows came after the first night of the wedding extravaganza, when the couple hosted a far more intimate celebration for around 100 of their closest family members and friends.

A Daily Mail insider revealed there were ‘lots of speeches’ throughout the evening, with both Swift and Kelce acting as emcees.

In an adorable personal touch, Kelce introduced Swift’s loved ones before they addressed the room, while the singer returned the favor by inviting his closest friends and family to the microphone.

A former Hamas hostage has opened up about the cruelty ‘deliberately’ inflicted on her by Palestinian doctors who reattached her ankle at a 90-degree angle after she was shot by terrorists.

Maya Regev, who was 21 when she was kidnapped on October 7, 2023, also revealed how medics in Gaza needlessly sliced open her skin before pouring alcohol, chlorine and vinegar over her wounds while watching her helplessly scream in pain. 

Just days earlier, Maya had been enjoying ‘the best four hours of my life’ after joining  fellow trance revellers at the Nova Festival, alongside her younger brother Itay, 18, and their close friend Omer Shem Tov, 20. 

All three would later fall into the hands of Hamas terrorists, who ruthlessly shot them at close range before hauling them onto a truck across the Gaza border.

Maya and Itay were later released in November 2023 during the first ceasefire negotiations, having spent 50 days under the control of their brutal captors. 

But Omer, who went on to be held in isolation and kept largely in darkness, was only finally released after 505 days.

Maya, from Herzliya, central Israel, is one of several survivors appearing at an immersive exhibition in London – running until July 15 – showing the atrocities that took place at the Nova Festival on October 7.

Some 413 people were killed and 44 taken hostage to Gaza from the annual outdoor trance festival in southern Israel, with terrorists inflicting similar barbarities in nearby Kibbutzim, including Be’eri, Kfar Aza and Nir Oz.

Maya was kidnapped alongside her brother Itay on Octover 7, 2023 at the Nova Festival

Maya, seen on crutches, walks with her father Itay days after her release in December 2023

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A report published last month by The Civil Commission, an independent Israeli women’s rights NGO formed in the wake of October 7, 2023, also detailed how several men and women were sexually abused, raped and mutilated.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Maya, now 24, detailed how the atmosphere at Nova turned within mere moments from ‘celebration’ to ‘shock, panic and running for our lives’.

At 6.29am, the music suddenly turned off amid the sounds of missiles overhead and gunfire in the near distance.

Thousands of festivalgoers began running through the nearby fields, heading to cars and trucks to make their escape from the impending Hamas terrorists who were flooding into Israel from the border with Gaza.

Maya, Itay and Omer ran for more than two hours desperately trying to find a place of safety.  

‘I remember running and the people next to me were just falling because they had been hit. I couldn’t even stop to help them, because if I did so I might be next. So I had to keep running, the bullets whistling past me all the time.

‘I saw many bodies, a lot of blood, a lot of people just terrified for their lives. I saw things no young woman should have to see.’

At one point, their friend Ori Danino, 25, phoned them to ask where they were. Ori had managed to get to his car and was driving away from the scene, but decided to do a U-turn to save his friends. 

It was a decision that ultimately cost him his life – Ori found the group and helped them into his car, but he was subsequently kidnapped with the others to Gaza.

Ori was one of six hostages later found murdered in a tunnel, with IDF soldiers recovering his body in September 2024.

Maya recalled how after being picked up by Ori they believed they might yet evade the Hamas terrorists – and she called her father, Ilan, to tell him what was happening.

She said: ‘But the minute he answered the phone was the minute we saw this pickup truck filled with terrorists.

‘Nine of them just came off of it and started shooting like crazy while I was on the phone with my father.

‘He heard everything. He heard Arabic. He heard me screaming that I was shot, that I loved him. I was basically saying goodbye.

‘Dad asked me to try to hide, but I told him: “We’re in a car, we can’t escape, I love you.”

‘The terrorist opened the door and dragged me out of the car. I remember screaming “Abba” [father] as they pulled me onto the ground. And this is how the call ended.’

Maya was seen being escorted to a Red Cross vehicle flanked by Hamas terrorists on November 26, 2023

Emotional footage shows Maya being surrounded by her parents and younger brother after she was released and taken to a hospital in Israel. She would need to be admitted for a year after contracting serious infections in her leg

A disturbing recording of the last phone call Maya made to her father, believing she would die imminently, was played by her tearful parents to the media in the aftermath of her being kidnapped. 

Even now, close to three years since her ordeal began, Maya has to close her eyes every time she hears the ‘chilling’ recording again.

Now in the hands of Hamas terrorists, Maya said she was forced to sit between two armed men in the rear of their vehicle, with two more in the front. On the outside of the truck, Itay and Omer were forced to lie down in the truck at gunpoint, surrounded by another five men.

As they crossed the border into Gaza, Maya knew she had been taken hostage – and began suffering the searing pain from her horrific gunshot wounds.

She explained: ‘On my right leg, it didn’t hit the bone luckily, the bullet just took a little muscle from the calves.

‘On my left leg, it hit the bone and crushed six centimeters or almost three inches.

‘My foot was basically hanging on strings of flesh, and I had to hold it so it wouldn’t disconnect.

‘This is how I was for eight days. The bullet inside my leg with a very open wound and a lot of infection, untreated.’

Maya described how Itay and Omer were taken into an apartment while she was placed in another on a different floor in the same building. 

Given her distress, she asked her captors if she could send a message to her brother and they agreed. For a short while the siblings were able to pass notes back and forth between one another, giving each other the strength to get through their traumatic situation.

‘I still have the notes – I hid them in my clothes,’ said Maya. ‘It was just things like  “be strong, eat whatever you have, don’t worry, soon we’ll be home”.

‘We didn’t say how miserable we are. We always said, think good and it will be good.

‘We were just cheering each other up because this is the only thing we had. I always say if I would cry myself to sleep every night, I would probably not survive.

‘You have to be strong mentally so you can survive physically.’

As the days wore on, Maya became unable to stand or walk and had to be carried from one place to another. After eight days, her kidnappers agreed to take her to Al-Shifa hospital, in northern Gaza City.

She recalled: ‘That’s where they took the bullet out and connected my foot, but they connected it almost 90 degrees to the left and my leg was a lot shorter. 

‘I remember looking at it and tried to move my toes – and they moved.’

She spent more than 40 days afterwards lying in the hospital bed until the day she was released.

During this time, Maya said she was subjected to nothing less than torture at the hands of the doctors and medical staff tasked with looking after her. 

‘There was one time they put an external fixation on my leg and the doctor just came in the room and grabbed me by it. He tilted my leg up in the air and began yelling at me.

‘People ask if he did it on purpose – so I want to say of course it was on purpose. He didn’t have to do it. He didn’t need to do it.

‘There was another time they poured alcohol into my wounds and cut my skin when they didn’t need to do it. I still have the scars of where they cut my skin. 

‘And I remember sitting there not being able to do anything because there’s only one of me and there are so many of them – and they have guns and knives.

‘If I would yell at them or kick them, they would have just killed me.’ 

She detailed how while at the hospital, an armed terrorist stood in one corner of the room with others outside in the corridor, while an Arab woman sat close to her by her bedside. 

‘This woman, who was a teacher, was with me 24/7, and there was one terrorist that would always go in and out of the room. Once a day, he would come with a plastic bag with a little rice and sometimes a very tiny piece of chicken.

‘They would sit with me and we had to share the food. Even though they had anything they wanted to eat, she would take my food.

‘Sometimes they placed food on a table in the room but I couldn’t move and I couldn’t reach it. The woman was the one who decided whether I would get to eat or not.’

At times her kidnappers would also taunt her about being released – telling her ‘nobody wants you, you’re going to die here’. 

Then on November 25, 2023, the terrorist came into her room and ‘tossed’ new clothes at her. He ordered her to get dressed and told her she was finally going home as part of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.

News of her salvation however came at a cost when she realised Itay and Omer would not be with her and would instead be ‘left here in this hell’. 

As she was handed over to the Red Cross in Rafah, and then on to an Israeli ambulance, she finally allowed herself to smile for the first time in weeks.

And when she saw her parents and younger brother again, an emotionally-charged video captured the moment she sobbed tears of relief and happiness.

‘For 50 days I was alone. There was no one to tell me that everything will be okay, there was no one there to wipe my tears. I was there only for myself. 

‘I had to take a deep breath and say to myself, “when you’ll be home you can cry”.

‘So when I saw my mum and dad and my brother, and I touched them, that’s when I just let everything out.’

Maya’s mistreatment resulted in deep, life-threatening infections, including a fungus growing inside her bone. 

When she was finally released, other hostages were able to be reunited with their families and return home. But Maya remained in hospital for more than a year, where she was given intravenous antibiotics and underwent 10 operations.

Miraculously, Maya can now walk again – though she still has to undergo regular blood checks and has lost the ability to run. 

‘Captivity really changed me,’ reflected Maya. ‘Before October 7, I was very naive, very innocent, like I felt like there is only good in the world and no-one means to do bad to you.

‘Then I met this pure evil, face to face. It changed the way I look at life, it changed the way I have faith in people.

‘But I realised there is also good in this world and there is still hope, because of my family, my friends, the doctors who saved me.

‘Captivity changed the way I look at life. Now I don’t take anything for granted.’

Nova Exhibition runs in Shoreditch, London, until July 15.

By MATTHEW LAMBWELL, TENNIS REPORTER

Published: 15:46 BST, 4 July 2026 | Updated: 15:56 BST, 4 July 2026

Serena Williams has withdrawn from the doubles with her sister Venus after failing to recover from a knee injury suffered in her first-round singles defeat by Maya Joint.

‘I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles. Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside Venus once more meant the world to me. I did everything I could but unfortunately my knee just isn’t ready to compete,’ she said in a post on Instagram.

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‘I’m especially grateful to tournament director, Jamie Baker, and the entire tournament team for giving me every opportunity to recover. Thank you to the fans for your incredible support and for making this comeback so meaningful…All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you…’

The post was accompanied by a video of the 23-time Grand Slam champion limping along with her right leg heavily bandaged, with her daughter Olympia played with her walking stick. There were also picture of Williams receiving medical treatment, and Serena’s post added: ‘The photo of the syringes is the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match – yikes! The good news is that my knee shouldn’t swell or collect that much fluid again. The bad news is that, as hard as I tried, I wasn’t able to be ready for doubles.’

The 44-year-old is playing here at Wimbledon for the first time in four years and was down to play both singles and doubles. But when the seven-time singles champion failed to appear for her post-match press conference after the Joint defeat, a saga began which has run on throughout this week.

After an initially furious online reaction over Williams’ ‘snubbing’ of the press, her agent released a statement saying she had missed her media because of a knee injury.

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Serena Williams withdrew from Wimbledon in the eleventh hour on Saturday afternoon

The superstar accompanied an emotional Instagram message with pictures of the treatment she has been receiving

When the Williams sisters did not appear on the order of play for Friday – the last day of the women’s doubles first round – there was more confusion: had she pulled out?

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In fact, the All England Club schedulers had pushed them to the late slot on Saturday, giving Serena as much time as possible to be fit. Serena was due to practice at 4pm, but at 3.45pm her Instagram post landed.

That means Serena’s grass court comeback has consisted of only three matches: a first-round win in the doubles at Queen’s with Victoria Mboko, after which they had to pull out because the 19-year-old Canadian suffered an MCL knee injury, a defeat in Berlin alongside Karolina Muchova, and that 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 loss to Joint on Centre Court.

It is doubtful she will be content with that for her big return, and so it now seems almost certain – unless this is a truly serious injury – that Williams will target a blockbuster return to the US Open in August, with stops perhaps in Washington, Cincinnati and/or Toronto. As she said in her statement: ‘All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you…’

Wales begin their Nations Championship campaign with an “away” fixture against Fiji at Cardiff City Stadium as a new era for international rugby begins.

Louis Rees-Zammit is back on the wing after playing full-back during the Six Nations, with Blair Murray wearing 15.

The game kicks off at 2.10pm and will be televised on ITV. You can follow live updates below.

Fiji: Salesi Rayasi; Selestino Ravutaumada, Semi Radradra, Josua Tuisova, Jiuta Wainiqolo; Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, Frank Lomani; Eroni Mawi, Tevita Ikanivere (c), Tim Hoyt, Isoa Nasilasila, Temo Mayanavanua, Pita Gus Sowakula, Kitione Salawa, Elia Canakaivata.

Replacements: Zuriel Togiatama, Livai Natave, Peni Ravai, Mesake Vocevoce, Peceli Yato, Simione Kuruvoli, Vilimoni Botitu, Kalaveti Ravouvou.

Wales: Blair Murray; Louis Rees-Zammit, Eddie James, Joe Hawkins, Josh Adams; Dan Edwards, Tomos Williams; Rhys Carre, Dewi Lake (c), Dillon Lewis, Ben Carter, Adam Beard, Alex Mann, Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Ben Warren, Taine Plumtree, James Botham, Kieran Hardy, Sam Costelow, Ellis Mee.

The cans of what appears to be Red Bull and bottles of wine, as well as laundry detergent, were seized after officers visited a shop in Ancoats, Manchester.

They were there to investigate allegations that the business was reselling stolen items and found some of the cans had been marked with “SmartWater”.

This is a liquid that can mark goods without a visible trace, and which can later be identified by officers and retailers.

Greater Manchester Police’s force lead for retail crime, Superintendent Cara Charlesworth, said: “Retail crime remains a huge priority for Greater Manchester Police.

“We completely understand and appreciate the frustrations of businesses who experience issues with shoplifters, and we are constantly reviewing new crime-prevention methods that can aid our work.

More than 500 cans of energy drinks and 70 bottles of wine were seized (Image: GMP)

“As part of the action being taken across Greater Manchester, our local teams have been utilising multiple resources to prevent and deter shoplifters.

“This work has seen us secure nearly 4,000 shoplifting arrests over the last year, ranging from repeat offenders and opportunistic thieves to organised criminal gangs systematically stealing goods for re-selling purposes.

“One tool being used across our busy Manchester retail areas is ‘SmartWater’, a liquid that can mark goods and which can later assist in identifying stolen items.

“We have worked closely with local retailers as part of this scheme, and which has already produced multiple successful results, targeting gangs who are stealing from stores for illicit profit.

“In recent weeks, we have conducted several warrants and investigations across Manchester – including on one occasion when more than 500 energy drinks and 70 bottles of wine were recovered.

“These items were traced back to their original stores and we continue to work with those retailers to ensure we are providing all necessary support.

“By working with stores, workers, local partners, and communities in our areas, we will continue to take robust action to tackle retail crime and continue our trend of increased positive outcomes across Greater Manchester.”

In another investigation, a second-hand store was investigated and found to be selling suspected stolen goods.

Police say the suspected stolen items are in the process of being reunited with their owners, and officers are still investigating the full circumstances.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are officially married – and the first photo from inside their very private wedding has leaked, revealing how the couple transformed Madison Square Garden into their own ‘countryside retreat.’

After months of teases, rumors and conflicting reports, the couple finally married in front of 1,000 of their closest friends – including some of the world’s biggest stars – in a colossal blowout at the historic arena in New York City on Friday.

At exactly 7.30pm, the couple shared the news in blockbuster style, lighting up the iconic music venue with video ads which read ‘JUST&T MARRIED!’, a romantic nod to their shared initials.

And now, one of the A-list guests has offered a first glimpse into how the couple overhauled the space into their own fairytale wedding.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday morning, personal trainer Rob Jordan’s wife, Joann Jordan, shared photos of her and her husband taken on the day of the wedding.

One of the snaps showed the couple walking up the large staircase to the party, which was covered in a gorgeous, peach-colored velvet carpet.

Surrounding the stairs were light and dark pink curtains, making the space private and magical.

‘An unforgettable evening in New York celebrating the beginning of a beautiful new chapter for our dear friends, Travis and Taylor. Love was in the air, the city was magical and every detail was simply unforgettable,’ Joann Jordan wrote in the caption. 

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift married in front of 1,000 of their closest friends – including some of the world’s biggest stars – in a colossal blowout at the historic arena in New York City on Friday 

According to AMC CEO Adam Aron, MSG was completely transformed into a ‘secret garden’ for the couple.

In a now-deleted post on X, Aron shared every detail of the night, including the fact that Kelce wore a white tuxedo, while Swift was in a ‘stunning white wedding dress.’

‘It did not look like Madison Square Garden. Immediately upon entry, everything… floors, walls, ceilings… was draped in peach and white,’ Aron wrote, in part.

‘Large blown up pictures of Taylor and Travis at each age, year by year from one year-old to late teenager-hood, were on display,’ his messaged continued.

‘A small portion of MSG was cordoned off, devoid of any notion that that a basketball or hockey game ever shared that space. Somehow magically, someone created an outdoor garden at a lush countryside retreat.’  

‘Everything draped off this time in green and white. Real flowers and I think artificial trees welcomed fifteen rows of maybe 75 or so chairs. They say there were around one thousand attendees, but surprisingly, it all felt intimate and small. Everything was close.’

The CEO described the exchange of their vows as ’emotional’ and ‘charming.’

‘Long, entertaining, personal, charming, emotional, irreverent and endearing explorations by each as to how they met, why they want to be with each other for all eternity, the promises they made in joining their much-beloved two whole families (Kelce’s and Swift’s) as one, and committing to their new mutual life together,’ he wrote.

Tom Brady looked somber as he became one of the first stars to leave  

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Jessica Alba and Danny Ramirez also headed off before midnight

Karlie Kloss and her husband, Joshua Kushner, made a surprise addition to the guest list – after reports of a feud in recent years 

Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper were seen departing Madison Square Garden 

Billboards outside the venue revealed the news shortly after the couple said ‘I do’

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He emphasized that Swift and Kelce had clearly found their ‘soulmate’ in each other, and guests had witnessed ‘real’ and true ‘pure joy.’

Both the bride and groom were dressed in Christian Dior, Swift’s publicist announced after they said their ‘I dos.’

There were no bridesmaids. Instead, Taylor’s brother, Austin Swift, acted as her ‘man of honor’, and Travis’s brother, Jason Kelce, was the best man.

Jason’s daughters were the flower girls, tossing petals at Taylor’s feet as she made her way down the aisle with a string quartet playing one of her own songs.

The guest list included a dazzling array of the world’s biggest stars.

Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid, Lena Dunham and Dakota Johnson were among the bride’s closest friends there.

Steven Spielberg was also in attendance, and Beyonce and Jay Z are also understood to have attended.

There was also Brad Pitt, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Hugh Grant, Graham Norton, Jessica Alba, Tom Brady, Chris Rock and almost every NFL player imaginable.

Millie Bobby Brown was also seen leaving the venue 

Travis’ dad, Ed Kelce, was seen returning to his hotel at the end of the night 

Zoe Kravitz, who is now engaged to Swift’s ex, Harry Styles, attended the wedding as well

Sports commentator Erin Andrews was also seen heading off to the venue on Friday afternoon

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The guest list also included Zoe Kravtiz, Graham Norton, Ethan Hawke, Nelly, Andrew Scott, Ice Spice, Kareem Hunt and Laura Dern.

Eagle-eyed fans clocked some surprise guests and notable absences.

Karlie Kloss, once known as one of Swift’s closest friends, attended with her husband Joshua Kushner.

Swift did not attend Kloss’s 2019 wedding after the pair had a rumored feud over the model’s close bond with the singer’s nemesis Scooter Braun.

Her inclusion on the guest list appeared to signal the pair had patched up their relationship.

However, there was no sign of Swift’s longtime pal Blake Lively, with whom the pop star had a purported falling out over her inclusion in the movie star’s legal battle with Justin Baldoni.