All of a sudden, Russia seems like it is no country for old criminals, as the war in Ukraine is triggering a war on crime bosses back home. This is a desperate bid by the Kremlin to forestall a new era of gangster turf wars reminiscent of the wild 1990s, when car bombings and drive-by shootings were a regular part of Moscow life.
Given that one of the foundations of Vladimir Putin’s legitimacy as president is his claim that he tamed the gangs, this is a major political, not just criminal, issue.
Last week, a Moscow court ordered the arrest in absentia of Vyacheslav Shestakov, better known by his nickname “Sliva”. Although Shestakov, 69, now lives in Spain, he was one of the leaders of Russia’s notorious Lyubertsy organised crime group back in the 2000s.
Shorts
Scroll to previous short
Scroll to next short
Caption: Kent, England – 14 June, 2022 – A man enjoying sunshine on a deck chair at Viking Bay in the seaside town of Broadstairs
Photographer: VictorHuang
Provider: Getty Images
Source: iStock Editorial
Copyright: ? I-Wei Huang, All Rights Reserved
news
Temperatures to drop this weekend – but is another heatwave on the way?
Temperatures are set to drop across the UK this weekend after intensely hot weather, but will we see another heatwave any time soon?
Temperatures to fall
Fresher northerly winds will cause the temperature to drop by several degrees across parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England this weekend.
Caption: People use fans and they make an early morning journey towards the centre of Bristol where temperatures are already in the mid 20???s and extremely humid after overnight thunderstorms. A rare red warning for extreme heat has been issued by the Met Office as the UK has sweltered in exceptionally hot and humid conditions. The heatwave, driven by a “heat-dome” settling over western Europe that has brought extreme conditions across the continent, has led to health warnings, school closures and transport disruption. Picture date: Friday June 26, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Photographer: Ben Birchall
Provider: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Source: PA
The Mayor of London has launched the UK capital’s first plan to cope with extreme heat (Photo: Rasid Necati Aslim/Getty)
However, it will generally continue to be warmer than average, including in southern England where the heatwave threshold has now been met or exceeded for 12 days.
Forecast for the next week
Parts of southern England, including London, experienced hours of lightning and thunderstorms early Tuesday morning. Alongside the high humidity and heat warning, there is a further risk from storms this week (Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty)
Still no rain
There is still no sign of significant rain in the forecast.
Drop in the north
Scotland and northern England will be 5-7°C cooler.
Sunbathers head to Hastings Beach to cool off as the UK heatwave continues unabated (Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA)
(Photo: REUTERS)
Some relief in the south
The Midlands, Wales and southern England will be cooler but some parts could still exceed the heatwave threshold.
Will the heatwave continue?
- Despite cooler weather this weekend, temperatures are expected to bounce back quickly.
- Scotland and Northern Ireland will hover around 23°C, while southern England could reach 30°C in the middle of next week.
- For some parts of England and Wales, the heatwave could continue into its third week.
- There have been 25 days above 30°C this year – only the summer of 1995 has higher.
The Met Office prediciton
July and August are key months in the UK for heatwaves. Although we have had three significant heatwaves in the UK already, these have been independent events. But because of the preceding conditions dry soils could provide a feedback making another heatwave a little more likely
Met Office spokesperson Grahame Madge
A woman uses hand-held fan to cool down in London. Today was provisionally declared the hottest ever June day – after the record was broken three times yesterday (Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images).
Wildfires break out
Firefighters have been battling overnight to contain a wildfire which spread across more than two miles of dry land in the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland.
This comes after official warned multiple parts of the country face increasing threats of wildfires.
Caption: Handout photo courtesy of Duncan Ferguson of a wildfire burning in heathland in the Cairngorms National Park. Residents have been evacuated after the large blaze broke out in the Scottish Highlands, sending large volumes of smoke towards nearby towns. The fire started near Ryvoan Bothy, close to Nethy Bridge, at about 11.50am on Wednesday, drawing four fire appliances and specialist wildfire resources. Issue date: Wednesday July 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Duncan Ferguson/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Duncan Ferguson
Provider: Duncan Ferguson/PA Wire
Source: PA
Caption: Handout photo courtesy of Duncan Ferguson of a wildfire burning in heathland in the Cairngorms National Park. Residents have been evacuated after the large blaze broke out in the Scottish Highlands, sending large volumes of smoke towards nearby towns. The fire started near Ryvoan Bothy, close to Nethy Bridge, at about 11.50am on Wednesday, drawing four fire appliances and specialist wildfire resources. Issue date: Wednesday July 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Duncan Ferguson/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Duncan Ferguson
Provider: Duncan Ferguson/PA Wire
Source: PA
England slump to another World Cup defeat
In what has become normal procedure, England slumped yet again to another World Cup exit after a bitter 2-1 loss to Argentina.
Caption: England fans look dejected following a screening of the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final match between England and Argentina at the World Cup Fan Zone in Times Square, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Picture date: Wednesday July 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire.
RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
Photographer: Owen Humphreys
Provider: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA Wire
How it happened
Caption: Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Semi Final – England v Argentina – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. – July 15, 2026 England’s Anthony Gordon celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Paul Childs
Photographer: Paul Childs
Provider: REUTERS
Source: REUTERS
England first to score
Anthony Gordon scored at the start of the second half to give England the lead.
Argentina equalise
But Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez equalised five minutes before injury time as England tried to hold their lead.
Caption: Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game during the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final match at the Atlanta Stadium.
Picture date: Wednesday July 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire.
RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
Photographer: Nick Potts
Provider: Nick Potts/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA Wire
Caption: Argentina’s midfielder #24 Enzo Fernandez (hidden) celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates during the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match between England and Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: JEWEL SAMAD
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
Injury time goal
Lautaro Martinez laid England’s hopes to rest in the 92nd minute with a crushing winner.
In pictures: Heartbreak at full-time
Caption: ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JULY 15: Anthony Gordon #18 of England looks dejected as he acknowledges the fans with teammates after defeat to Argentina during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium on July 15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Photographer: Sebastian Widmann – FIFA
Provider: FIFA via Getty Images
Source: FIFA
Copyright: 2026 FIFA
Caption: England fans look dejected following a screening of the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final match between England and Argentina at the World Cup Fan Zone in Times Square, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
Picture date: Wednesday July 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire.
RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
Photographer: Owen Humphreys
Provider: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA Wire
Anthony Gordon put England minutes from the final (Photo: Getty)
Tuchel blamed for loss
England manager Thomas Tuchel received heavy criticism after the England loss, with former England captain Wayne Rooney saying: “It started from the manager and the decisions he made.”
Rooney also criticised Tuchel for being “too passive” waiting for the final minutes to introduce Ivan Toney and Marcus Rashford.
Jordan Pickford (Photo: Getty)
Tuchel reacts after England are knocked out (Photo: Getty)
‘What was the point of appointing Thomas Tuchel if not for moments like this?,’ asks Daniel Storey (Photo: Getty)
opinion – football
Thomas Tuchel deserves to be sacked for his cowardice
Caption: The i writer Daniel Storey.
i News
Byline
Photographer: Andrew Fox
Provider: Andrew Fox
Source: Andrew Fox
Gareth Southgate ultimately paid the price for failing that final task, despite all his good. In the USA, so too did Thomas Tuchel. Losing hurts so much. Losing in the same way as before hurts three times as badly
Argentina flout Fifa laws with banner
Argentina players controversially held up a banner declaring “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” (“The Falklands are Argentine”) after the game.
Caption: Argentina’s midfielder #11 Giovani Lo Celso adjusts a banner reading “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) belong to Argentina,” after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match between England and Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: JEWEL SAMAD
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
Caption: Argentina’s players hold a banner reading “The Malvinas (Falkland Islands) belong to Argentina,” after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match between England and Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: PAUL ELLIS
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
Fifa’s Stadium Code of Conduct bans “banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia that are of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature” inside stadiums.
Watch more from The i Paper
There are things that all mid-life men should know about keeping their hearts healthy.
From eating more purple fruit to avoiding large bowls of pasta, consultant cardiologist Dr Zoe Astroulakis [below] shares her simple lifestyle habits she wishes her patients would take on board.
Positive changes to make
Swap ‘bad’ fats for healthy ones
You don’t need to eat a fat-free diet; the key is to reduce your saturated fat. Reduce your dairy and swap your red meat for lean meat such as chicken and oily fish.
Shoppers are set to face spiralling food bills as a result of the war in Iran (Photo: Bet_Noire/Getty)
Caption: man eating fried chicken
Photographer: Prapass Pulsub
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF
Control your portions
You don’t need more carbohydrates in a meal than you can fit in your hand. Enormous plates of pasta can cause blood sugar spikes, which can lead to health problems.
Positive changes to make
Supermarkets report increasing demand for blueberries (Photo: RHS/Guy Harrop)
Look for purple
Blueberries, black grapes and aubergines are great for boosting “good” cholesterol.
Have oats
Porridge is one of the healthiest breakfast options because it’s full of soluble fibre.
Swap supermarket-bought cereals for wholemeal oats (Photo: Arx0nt/Getty)
Ketamine has become an increasingly mainstream drug used in clubs and festivals in recent years (Photo: Getty)
Stop taking cocaine
It can provoke a massive heart attack, even in younger people who don’t have existing artery problems.
Stay below the alcohol limit
‘She doesn’t really like me drinking and says that I smell after a night out with friends’ (Photo: Getty)
- The NHS guidelines of 14 units per week is still more than 1,000 additional calories.
- The safest level to aim for is zero.
- If you’re drinking, make sure you have some alcohol-free days each week and space it out.
Interview
5 min read
Positive changes to make
Do cardio too
Don’t only focus on lifting weights. It might make you look toned, but it says nothing about the health of your heart.
Caption: Close-up view of female jogger tying laces of her sport shoes before running exercise routine. Motivation, healthy lifestyle and fitness concept.
Photographer: Xavier Lorenzo
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF
Home blood pressure monitors are now available to buy for around £20, and are preferred over smart watches due to their more accurate readings (Photo: Getty Images)
Check your levels
You can get free blood pressure checks in many pharmacies or you can buy a monitor for around £30 to use at home.
Avoid night shifts
It disrupts the body’s circadian rhythm and can lead to increased cholesterol.
Engineers from a Thames Water leak hunting team unloads equipment from their van during a night shift in London in 2022 (Photo: Getty)
A sign to look out for
A beer belly is a sign you need to make urgent changes
Caption: glasses of Real ale beer on bar in traditional English pub
Photographer: Peter Cade
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Photodisc
It’s usually a sign you’re drinking too much. By the time your belly starts to bulge, it’s a sign that you’re consuming excess calories and storing too much fat internally.
LIFESTYLE
3 min read
Caption: Andy Burnham with colleagues from the Parliamentary Labour Party in Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament in central London, as he returns to the House of Commons to take up his seat after winning the Makerfield by-election. Picture date: Monday June 22, 2026. PA Photo. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has resigned as PM and leader of the Labour Party less than two years after coming to power. Sir Keir’s decision to stand down means Labour will now hold a contest to choose his successor, with Andy Burnham seen as the frontrunner. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire
Photographer: Yui Mok
Provider: Yui Mok/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA
politics
Who will be in Burnham’s cabinet?
Andy Burnham is set to enter Downing Street on Monday but has so far refused to reveal who will serve in his top team, but a source told The i Paper senior cabinet positions are “pretty much locked in now”.
Here is our best assessment of who could land in six of the top jobs – and why.
Chancellor and home secretary
Ed Miliband had long been regarded as the front-runner for chancellor, but there are fears he could spook the markets. It is understood Shabana Mahmood is the top choice for the position.
Secretary of State for the Home Department Shabana Mahmood is keen to stay in post under Burnham.
(Photo: Wiktor Szymanowicz)
Caption: British Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband walks on Downing Street before a cabinet meeting after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a timeline for his resignation, in London, Britain, June 23, 2026. REUTERS/Toby Melville
Photographer: Toby Melville
Provider: REUTERS
Source: REUTERS
With Mahmood possibly moving positions, this leaves an opening for former cabinet ministers such as Rachel Reeves, Wes Streeting or Darren Jones. Streeting is considered as one of the front runners.
Foreign secretary and Work and Pensions
Blamed for the 2015 election loss, Ed Miliband could be shifted to foreign secretary, although after impressing as defence secretary, John Healey could return to cabinet too. Pat McFadden has performed well in his brief and is seen a competent minister on the broadcast round.
Caption: (FILE PHOTO) John Healey Resigns as UK Defence Secretary LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 22: Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey attends a press conference following a deal on the Chagos Islands at Northwood Military Headquarters on May 22, 2025, in London, England. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he had signed an agreement to return the remote Chagos Islands to Mauritius in return for continued use of a key military base. (Photo by Thomas Krych – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Photographer: WPA Pool
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 15: Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden arrives at Downing Street for Keir Starmer’s final cabinet meeting on July 15, 2026 in London, England. Keir Starmer served as the 58th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from July 2024 to June 2026. Leading the Labour Party to a landslide victory, he ended 14 years of Conservative rule. Facing political pressures, Starmer resigned in June 2026, remaining in office for an orderly handover to a new leader, likely to be Andy Burnham.
Photographer: Carl Court
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
Health, housing and defence
Streeting could also be asked to return to his previous job, but Reeves and surgeon-turned-MP Zubir Ahmed have all been mentioned for the position.
Caption: LIVERPOOL, UNITED KINGDOM – SEPTEMBER 22: British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner attends the Labour Party Conference that is held at the ACC Liverpool Convention Center in Liverpool, UK on September 22, 2024. (Photo by Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Photographer: Anadolu
Provider: Anadolu via Getty Images
Source: Anadolu
Chancellor Rachel Reeves (Photo: Getty)
With the departure of current Housing Secretary Steve Reed looking almost
certain, Angela Rayner is the strong favourite to return to her previous job. Yvette Cooper or one time leadership hopeful, Al Carns, could well take up the defence brief.
news
Is your dog addicted to his ball? How pets show signs of addiction
Caption: ANKARA, TURKIYE – APRIL 15: Police dogs of the Turkish General Directorate of Security undergo rigorous training and actively take part in crime-fighting operations at the Dog Training Center (KEM) in Golbasi district of Ankara, Turkiye on April 15, 2026. Operating under the Narcotics Crimes Department, dogs are deployed across multiple units of the force. Both service dogs and their handlers are trained together to carry out coordinated missions. (Photo by Binnur Ege Gurun Kocak/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Photographer: Anadolu
Provider: Anadolu via Getty Images
Source: Anadolu
For many dogs, a tennis ball may be just a toy, but for others it could be part of a wider addiction. These dogs may love the toy so much that they may even be regarded as “ball junkies”.
Some dogs will ignore food to play with their toys
As part of largest study of its kind, two Belgian shepherds were presented with their favourite toy locked inside a heavy container.
Food was also given to them alongside the box, but they ignored it and attacked the container until they managed to break it open to release their toy.
First Person
4 min read
LIFESTYLE
4 min read
Similarities between dogs and humans
The study, conducted by the University of Bern, found that when their ball was taken from them, the dogs would actually exhibit withdrawal-like distress.
Caption: MENANDS, NY – FEBRUARY 5: Buck walks with a football in his mouth at Mohawk Hudson Humane Society on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026 in Menands, N.Y. Buck along will local dogs Jodi and Gazpacho will appear in the nationally televised Animal Planet Puppy Bowl XXII, airing on Super Bowl Sunday. (Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
Photographer: Albany Times Union/Hearst Newspa
Provider: Albany Times Union via Getty Ima
Source: Hearst Newspapers
Copyright: ? 2023 Lori Van Buren / Times Union
Caption: Man is sitting at a slot machine while focusing on the game. Scene is illustrating gambling, entertainment, and casino atmosphere.
Photographer: Nico De Pasquale Photography
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Digital Vision
Copyright: Nico De Pasquale
The finding that 3 per cent of dogs experience this broadly correlates with the proportion of humans that are affected by behavioural addictions such as problem gambling.
How you can help your dog
Alja Mazzini, the lead author of the study, told The Times that you should start to be concerned if your dog is exhibiting an inability to disengage, persistent frustration when a toy disappears, difficulty resting and steadily escalating arousal.
She recommended that play should be shorter, with clear beginnings, endings and time to recover afterwards, instead of long sessions of repeated ball-throwing.
Caption: Woman bonding with her border collie dog at sunset by the lake
Photographer: Olga Pankova
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF
The midnight social media curfew for older teens proposal – explained
Sixteen and 17-year-olds will face a voluntary overnight social media curfew, the Government has announced.
Caption: PASAY CITY, PHILIPPINES – JUNE 8: Passengers bound for the quake-hit city of General Santos check social media posts about destruction in Mindanao, following a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Southern Philippines, at the domestic departure area at NAIA airport, Pasay City, Philippines, on June 8, 2026. Multiple buildings across the Mindanao region have reportedly been damaged or collapsed. Rescue operations are underway. (Photo by Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Photographer: Anadolu
Provider: Anadolu via Getty Images
Source: Anadolu
Midnight social media ban for teens
The Government has announced that older teenagers in the UK will be subject to a social media curfew from midnight until 06:00. However, they will have the option to disable it by adjusting their account settings.
Caption: BATH, UNITED KINGDOM – APRIL 27: In this photo illustration a 14-year-old teenage boy looks at an iPhone screen displaying various social media apps on April 27, 2026 in Bath, England. In the UK, a ban on social media for under-16s has been backed by the House of Lords following the Australian law which aims to stop children under 16 from having social media accounts and social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram potentially being be fined for preventing children younger than 16 from having social media accounts. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Photographer: Matt Cardy
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
NEWS
3 min read
Hopes of ending infinite scrolling
- Apps such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube will be set to unavailable by default during the curfew times.
- The Government also wants “addictive” functions such as auto-play and infinite scroll to be set to disabled.
- Ministers believe these restrictions will improve teenagers’ focus, sleep quality and family life.
Explained
2 min read
Will it work?
- The Government trialled the curfew previously with 300 teenagers and found it led to improved sleep as well as making teens more communicative with their families.
- The report found the curfew was the most manageable measure to enforce.
- However, in Australia, where an under-16 ban is already in place, many teens have said that they can still access supposedly banned sites.
- Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) can also be used to get around age checks, but the Government said that they have found little evidence to show VPNs are being used by children.
news – explainer
Social media debate continues
Australia brought in a similar ban for under-16s in December last year (Photo: Hollie Adams/Reuters)
Professor Sonia Livingstone, an expert in children’s digital rights at the London School of Economics, told the BBC that the curfew could harm vulnerable children by restricting them from social media when they need it most.
But online safety minister, Kanishka Narayan, said the plans show the UK is “firmly on the side of” parents and families.
Want a new career but worried it’s too late?
Mid-life is not too late to start again, says experienced recruiter Elizabeth Willetts [below].
Here, Willetts shares the best jobs to switch to during midlife if you want a change – without sacrificing pay.
Changing careers in your fifties
Mid-life career pivots can lead to higher earnings.
7.4%
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, workers aged 45 to 54 who voluntarily pivot jobs see an average wage growth of 7.4 per cent.
3.5%
And those aged 55 to 64 still see a 3.5 per
cent increase.
The AARP Global Employee Survey also found that over half of workers who changed jobs voluntarily experienced improvements in work flexibility and mental health.
So what job options are there?
Virtual assistant
As a virtual assistant your workload will be very varied and it could be anything from tidying inboxes, booking travel, sending invoices or updating spreadsheets.
More and more people are using AI for counselling (Photo: Oscar Wong/Getty/Moment RF)
Confident successful Indian female HR recruitment manager holding resume in hands while having an interview in a modern office, looking and listening to job candidate. Friendly interview between HR female director and caucasian job candidate. – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
You can start out earning around £20 to £35 an hour, but it can scale into agency work, launch support or even project management. Some earn very well.
Recruitment
Male candidate handshake with the recruiter at job interview – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
What it involves
You will source, screen and interview candidates to match them with the right job roles.
Who it’s for
You don’t need any qualifications but it’s suited to communicators and commercially-minded people.
Rearview female recruitment reading and checking resume in hands interviewing and hiring woman candidate for joи near laptop in office with glass windows – stock photo. (Photo: Olga Rolenko/ Getty)
From April 2027, retirement savings will be included when the tax bill for those inheriting money is calculated (Photo: Malte Mueller/Getty)
The pay
The salary van vary from £25 to £50k, but you can earn around £100k depending on commission.
Jobs to switch to in your fifties
Some estate agents give high valuations to drum up business (Photo: Monkey Business Images/Getty/iStockphoto)
Estate agent
It offers flexible hours and weekend staff can earn £15 per hour.
Training
This form of coaching for businesses could earn around £250 to £1,000 per day.
Caption: portrait of confident senior business man holding digital tablet in modern office
Photographer: zeljkosantrac
Provider: Getty Images
Source: iStockphoto
(Photo: Getty).
Sales
In the lower end, a sales rep can make £30k and on the higher end £50-60k, plus commission.
Why coaching is a good option
Coaching is incredibly varied and can be anything from career coaching, to confidence and leadership coaching.
- As it is an unregulated industry, you don’t need qualifications but the more reputable option is the International Coaching Federation.
- It’s a great career option for older people because clients genuinely value your wealth of life experience.
- It’s flexible, scalable, and you can start doing it part-time alongside another role.
- It could make you anything from £200 an hour, all the way up to £500 p/h+.
Even though the NHS Pension scheme is envied by many for its generosity, those working for the NHS facing financial struggles are choosing to opt out (Photo: Getty Images)
Consulting
This can be across HR, operations, marketing, finance, people strategy or project management, as it’s varied.
A huge number of businesses now want expertise without having to hire full-time staff so there is a big job market for freelance consultants.
Price on value, not hours – if your advice saves a client £200k, charging £150 an hour undersells what you’re worth.
What is the Hillsborough Law and what will it change?
Andy Burnham has said the Hillsborough Law will help shift the balance of power between the people and the state.
Liverpool fans display a banner in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster before a match in 2025 REUTERS/David Klein
Exclusive
3 min read
What is the Hillsborough Law?
The Hillsborough Law takes its name from the 1989 disaster at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield.
A banner stating ‘justice’ outside Saint George’s Hall as thousands of people gather to attend a vigil for the 96 victims of the Hillsborough tragedy (Photo: Christopher Furlong /Getty)
Andy Burnham leaves the venue of the second Hillsborough inquests in Warrington after hearing the coroner’s conclusions in April 2016 (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty)
The legislation, which cleared commons on Tuesday, aims to prevent cover-ups by requiring officials to be transparent during investigations and inquiries into failures by the state.
What is the Hillsborough Disaster?
The Government has signed the ‘Hillsborough Charter’ which promises public bodies will act with what Rishi Sunak called ‘honesty, transparency and candour’ (Photo: Paul Ellis/Getty)
What happened?
The 1989 Hillsborough disaster claimed 97 lives after a crush during the FA Cup semi-final.
Police response
Afterwards, police spread false narratives blaming Liverpool fans and withheld evidence of their own failings.
Tributes to the 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster outside Liverpool’s Anfield stadium
Steve Kelly, the brother of 38-year-old Michael Kelly, and Sue Roberts, the sister of 24-year-old Graham Roberts, during the press conference (Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Inquest findings
Fresh inquests held in 2016 found the fans had been unlawfully killed and that police had caused or contributed to their deaths.
What will the law do?
- 1The law will create a legally-enforceable “duty of candour” for public officials to tell the truth to inquiries and investigations.
- 2The Hillsborough Law will also ensure victims of disasters or state-related deaths are entitled to parity of legal representation during inquests and inquiries.
- 3Bereaved families will get access to public funding, just as public money is used to support Government and public authority lawyers.
The court order was just the latest in a series of cases launched against underworld kingpins of previous decades, reflecting the Kremlin’s growing fears about an explosion in criminal violence in Russia in the near future.
Last month, the 75-year-old mobster-businessmen Ilya Traber, known as the “Antiques Dealer”, was arrested outside St Petersburg and whisked to a pre-trial detention centre in Moscow. Before that, an international arrest warrant was issued for 64-year-old Merab Dzhangveladze, a Georgian gangster who had been particularly active in the 2010s.
So why is Moscow suddenly getting serious about prosecuting criminals who are either past their prime or, like Traber, who has known Putin since 1995, were assumed to be politically protected?
Russian businessman Ilya Traber during a court hearing on his detention in Moscow last month. Having known Putin since years, it was assumed he was politically protected – until now (Photo: Courts of general jurisdiction of Moscow/Reuters)
The answer lies in growing concerns about the effects of the war in Ukraine, and how it is threatening the increasingly fragile underworld status quo and the police’s successes in combating organised crime. The worry is that this could easily spill out into the streets once more.
Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022 changed everything. Before then, Russian and Ukrainian gangs had co-operated seamlessly. The northern route through their two countries accounted for up to a third of the heroin reaching Europe from Afghanistan. Criminal goods of every kind followed the same path, from counterfeit cigarettes to illegal guns.
Those connections were suddenly cut, and the gangs that got rich off these underworld routes found themselves in trouble. Meanwhile, gangs along the borders with Belarus, Georgia and Azerbaijan, once backwaters, prospered, as those became the new routes for smuggling goods.
At the same time, criminals languishing in prison were able to get released by volunteering to fight in Ukraine. The war has also led to the spread of drug-taking within the Russian army. An estimated 15 per cent of Russian soldiers are taking drugs, and gangs able to supply those on the front are in turn acquiring loot plundered from the occupied territories as well as guns picked up from the battlefield. There are now an estimated 10 million illegal guns in circulation in Russia.
This all means that the old balance of power in the underworld – in which gangs knew their place in the pecking order and the boundaries of their turfs – is under threat. Established groups, which often had links to local or national politicians, are on the slide, while hungry newcomers are taking advantage of emerging opportunities. This is putting the criminal realm further outside Putin’s influence and control.
Russian riot police during a training exercise. Focussing on the war in Ukraine has led to manpower cuts in the police force (Photo: Mihail Siergiejevicz/Getty)
In 2025, Russia saw offences linked to organised crime rise by a third, and the fear is that local struggles between criminals will explode into wider violence. Meanwhile, the money being offered to Russians to go to fight in Ukraine has led to a hollowing out of the police force, which is now around 25 per cent under strength.
There is a sense that the Kremlin has a narrow window of opportunity to restore some control. When the war does eventually end, hundreds of thousands of military veterans will return home. Upwards of 30 per cent could manifest some form of PTSD, and all will have been exposed to the undisciplined, violent and lawless ways Putin’s war has often been carried out.
They will also likely feel angry, as it increasingly becomes clear that the glowing promises made to them – about the care, benefits and opportunities they will face on demobilisation – will never be fulfilled.
As past conflicts – like the Soviet war in Afghanistan and Russia’s two campaigns in Chechnya – have shown, most veterans will eventually reassimilate back into society, but a significant minority will not. The police are openly acknowledging that many of these will drift into organised crime, fuelling new and more violent turf wars.
For Putin, the concern is that trying to intervene in the emerging conflicts will only destabilise the situation further. Hence the current campaign of “archaeological policing” – going after godfathers who once seemed untouchable, and especially those like Dzhangveladze who, in their day, had also been happy to upset the status quo.
By doing this the Kremlin hopes to warn their younger and more active criminal counterparts that the state is still the biggest gang in town. On current showings, though, this is a strategy it is badly losing.