Vladimir Putin has called the Su-57 fighter jet “the best in the world”, and it is marketed by Russia as its answer to the American F-35s, the jet the UK has been buying. As such, it is all the more embarrassing that a new Su-57 prototype appears to have crashed last week, raising questions about Russia’s ability to keep up with the latest military technologies.
The Su-57 “Felon” is a fifth-generation multirole stealth fighter. The original single-seat version has been in service since 2020 and the new two-seat version, the Su-57D, is meant to be an aircraft fit for the coming age of “wingman drone” warfare.
With space for a weapons system officer, the plane will be able to control its own Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik (“Hunter”) heavy attack drones.
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Children not picked for teams ‘more likely to be jobless at 18’
Children left sitting on their own at break time or not picked for teams in their early years at secondary school are at higher risk of being jobless and not in education or training when they turn 18, according to a study.
‘One of the biggest factors in a pupil’s success is parental engagement and involvement,’ India Sturgis says (Photo: Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty)
A closer look at the study
- King’s College London research found the outcome was the same whether or not the child felt lonely.
- The most isolated 12-year-olds had more than twice the odds of being NEET – not in employment, education or training – by the age of 18, compared with their less isolated peers.
- Social isolation’s link to poorer employability was around two to three times stronger than other important risk factors such as depression and anxiety.
OPINION
3 min read
What else you need to know
The research found that teenagers isolated aged 12 continued to be this way in later years, whether they had felt lonely as a result or not, with both social isolation and loneliness being independent predictors of worse outcomes in the future.
(Photo: Getty).
- Social isolation was defined as absence of positive social relationships and a lack of social networks with few social interactions.
- Loneliness was defined as a person’s dissatisfaction with their quality or quantity of one’s social relationships.
Two distinct concepts
Researchers stressed that the two concepts are different, as some people with lots of social connections can still feel lonely, while some people with little social contact might not consider themselves lonely.
They found that children who were isolated and lonely aged 12 remained just as isolated at 18 as children who were isolated but not lonely.
Big Read
3 min read
LIFESTYLE
4 min read
news
Train drivers consider strike action over lack of toilets
(Photo: Chris Radburn/AFP).
Unions claim basic needs are still not addressed a year after the rail regulator told operators to provide more breaks and facilities.
Companies had a year to do the right thing, says ASLEF
The railway watchdog wrote to operators on 29 July 2025 telling them the lack of “adequate facilities” was “unacceptable”.
ASLEF, whose members drive trains across the country, says the welfare charter has not been implemented a year on.
OPINION
3 min read
OPINION
3 min read
What ASLEF has said
We need action, not broken promises, to improve toilet facilities for drivers and to reduce the time drivers are expected to go without being able to take a toilet break. The health and wellbeing of our members is not a price we are prepared to pay for the inaction of the industry.”
Dave Calfe, the general secretary of Aslef
Members of the Aslef union on a picket line (Photo: Danny Lawson/PA)
What happens to drivers who can’t go to the toilet?
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Avanti West Coast will walk out in a dispute over rest day working (Photo: Anthony Devlin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
- Some drivers claim they avoid drinking and become dehydrated, or urinate in their cabs.
- A lack of toilet breaks is believed to be linked to bladder issues, prostate and colorectal cancer.
TRAVEL
6 min read
Watch more from The i Paper
EXCLUSIVE | Could you get a free plug-in battery to cut your energy bills? The Government is considering giving free plug-in batteries to some lower-income households as part of plans to help reduce energy bills, The i Paper can reveal. The suitcase-sized devices could store cheaper off-peak electricity for use later in the day, but there are still regulatory hurdles before any scheme could be rolled out. Read the full exclusive via the link above. #UKPolitics #News #EnergyBills #Exclusive
news
The UPFs that can ‘be beneficial for a healthy diet’
Happy black woman eating breakfast cereal with raspberries and yogurt at home – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Although ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have been demonised in recent years, researchers now say that some foods in this group are good for us and should still be eaten.
Which UPFs are actually healthy?
Researchers divided foods into four groups – healthy/ultra-processed, healthy/minimally processed, unhealthy/ultra-processed and unhealthy/minimally processed.
Woman Puts Bread Into Toaster – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Soya milk ‘delivers the most protein of any plant milk, with around 7g protein per class, comparable to dairy’ (Photo:Tanja Ivanova/Getty)
Examples of healthy UPFs include plant-based milks and yoghurts, canned beans and fruit, breakfast cereals and bread fortified with vitamins.
What did the study show?
Scientists analysed the eating habits of 200,000 people who took part in studies from the 1980s to the 2020s.
The risk of death, diabetes and cardiovascular disease was lower for those who ate mostly from the healthy groups, whether processed or unprocessed.
(Photo: Getty).
LIFESTYLE
4 min read
Quality over process, says scientist
People should prioritise the quality of foods rather than focusing solely on the level of processing. Aim for more nutrient-dense, high-quality foods to help lower your risk of chronic diseases.
Xiaowen Wang, research fellow in the department of nutrition at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
Table top view of a woman eating healthy beef cobb salad bowl with greens, avocado, cherry tomatoes, figs, pumpkin and soft boiled egg, vegan chia and quinoa granola fruit bowl and coffee by the side. Healthy food trend. Nutritious and well-balanced diet – stock photo. (Photo: d3sign/ Getty)
Watch more from The i Paper
OPINION | “I went to my first sex party expecting debauchery. I found something very different,” writes Poppy Jay. “It wasn’t the sex that shocked me the most. It was the fact that in this sex club, I was completely safe.” Read more by clicking the link above to find out why Poppy says her first sex party changed the way she thinks about consent, body confidence and modern nightlife ⬆️ #Parties #BodyConfidence
world news
Widespread damage from magnitude 7.1 earthquake in south-west Japan
Caption: An aerial view shows the damaged Aeon Mall shopping centre after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture, in Kashima Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, July 28, 2026. Kyodo/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Photographer: KYODO
Provider: via REUTERS
Source: Kyodo
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture today, knocking out power to thousands and leaving some trapped and others presumed dead inside a collapsed shopping mall.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said authorities were still assessing the full extent of the damage in the area, which was devastated by a deadly quake a decade ago.
What we know so far
- Around 300,000 people have been instructed to go to evacuation centres, while Takaichi said 3,600 soldiers would be deployed to help with the disaster recovery as aftershocks continued to rumble.
- One hospital had reported more than 50 injuries, public broadcaster NHK said.
- Several people on a high-speed train at the time of the quake were also injured, media reported.
Analysis
2 min read
The story so far in pictures
Caption: MINAMATA, JAPAN – JULY 28: Bottles of wines are scattered after the magnitude 7.1 strong earthquake hit the region on July 28, 2026 in Minamata, Kumamoto, Japan. A tsunami advisory have been issued. (Photo by The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)
Photographer: The Asahi Shimbun
Provider: The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Imag
Source: The Asahi Shimbun
Copyright: 2026 The Asahi Shimbun
Caption: This aerial image shows a part of the stone wall of the Kumamoto Castle which was damaged after an earthquake in Kumamoto, southern Japan, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
Provider: undefined/Kyodo News via AP
Source: Kyodo News
Caption: Toppled shelving after an earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1, struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, in Kumamoto, July 28, 2026. Kyodo/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN.
Photographer: KYODO
Provider: via REUTERS
Source: Kyodo
What Japan’s PM said
We have already been informed that people have been injured. Power outages and fires have occurred in some areas, and there has also been damage to roads and bridges and the collapse of buildings… I ask everyone to take action to protect themselves, including evacuating to a safe location.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
Caption: Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks to the media at her official residence in Tokyo, Japan, after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture, July 28, 2026. Kyodo/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN.
Photographer: KYODO
Provider: via REUTERS
Source: Kyodo
bbc
Naga Munchetty to leave BBC Breakfast after 17 years
BBC Breakfast host Naga Munchetty will leave the flagship morning show after 17 years to present Radio 5 Live’s breakfast programme.
The broadcaster will take the helm of the radio show five days a week from January 2027, alongside a co-host who is yet to be recruited.
What we know so far
Munchetty joined BBC One’s Breakfast as a finance reporter and has been one of the main hosts for the past 12 years.
She currently presents 5 Live’s mid-morning programme on some week days. The news comes as current 5 Live Breakfast hosts, Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards, announced on Tuesday’s programme that they will step down in December.
Big Read
3 min read
Analysis
3 min read
What Munchetty said
Live news, great conversations and connecting with audiences are what I love most about broadcasting, and 5 Live does all of that brilliantly. It has been a privilege to be part of the BBC Breakfast TV team for the past 17 years, working alongside an incredibly talented and hard-working group of journalists.
naga munchetty
Colleagues fear Naga Munchetty could quit BBC Breakfast (Getty)
US singer D4vd to face murder trial over death of 14-year-old girl
David Burke, 21, known by his stage name D4vd, is facing trial in Los Angeles over alleged child abuse, mutilation of human remains and the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Caption: MANCHESTER, TENNESSEE – JUNE 15: d4vd performs during 2024 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 15, 2024 in Manchester, Tennessee. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images)
Photographer: Erika Goldring
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images North America
Copyright: Erika Goldring
What we know
D4vd was arrested in April this year, after his Tesla was found abandoned in the Hollywood Hills last September containing the decomposed body of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
She was 14 when she was stabbed to death and is believed to have met D4vd when she was 11. Prosecutors allege he began sexually abusing her when she was 13.
Caption: FILE – A makeshift memorial for Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was found inside a vehicle owned by singer D4vd, is displayed outside her home in Lake Elsinore, Calif., on April 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)
Photographer: Damian Dovarganes
Provider: AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes
Source: AP
WORLD
3 min read
What happens now?
Prosecutors read out details of the case, including alleging that D4vd drove around for months with Hernandez’ mutilated body in his car boot.
Caption: In this courtroom sketch, David Anthony Burke, also known as D4vd, far right, is seen in court Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in Los Angeles, during his trial for the killing of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. (Bill Robles via AP)
Photographer: Bill Robles
Provider: AP Photo/Bill Robles
Source: FR171550 AP
Copyright: Bill Robles
- He will appear in court again on 31 August, but his trial will be some months from now.
- The prosecution may seek the death penalty.
news
How council tax reform could affect how much you pay
Andy Burnham’s Government is considering options to reform council tax, as the new Prime Minister comes under pressure to bring in a fairer system. Two models are on the table – we take a look at the possibilities.
What are the options?
A reader’s mortgage offer is set to expire, so what options do they have? (Photo: Anna Barclay/Getty)
- Proportional property tax (PPT), which would replace council tax and stamp duty with an annual charge on a home’s value.
- Land value tax (LVT) – an annual charge based on the value of the land a property sits on.
OPINION
3 min read
Northerners would win under PPT
Re-evaluating council tax on a property’s current market value would mean homes in the south east, where prices have risen dramatically since council tax bands were set in 1991, would pay far more tax.
Analysis by Fairer Share suggests 77 per cent of households would be better off, though, mainly in the North and Midlands.
Caption: Newbuild houses in Dutton Close, in Stoke Heath, Shropshire where one family of asylum seekers have been moved in. Villagers in Stoke Heath, Shropshire react to plans to house 121 asylum seekers on their housing estate. // An asylum seeking family who moved into a ??250,000 newbuild home on so-called ???Migrant Street??? say they ???hate??? living there and want to leave. Muhammad Nadeem, his wife Shamaila, and their four children fled their native Pakistan two years ago and settled in the UK. They rented a house in Stockport, in Greater Manchester, where Muhammad qualified for a work visa and got a job as an Uber driver. When the visa ran out they applied for asylum but were forced from their home and into a hotel while their application was processed. Two weeks ago the couple were forced to take their three daughters and young son 60 miles away to a barely furnished four-bedroom house on Dutton Close, Stoke Heath. The family say they are desperate to leave the village after being targeted by thugs. Photo released 01/07/2026
Photographer: Anita Maric / SWNS
Provider: Anita Maric / SWNS
Source: Anita Maric / SWNS
PROPERTY AND MORTGAGES
3 min read
Londoners’ boost from end of stamp duty
- People moving house would no longer have to pay this tax to buy.
- If stamp duty remained it could be capped at £1,200 a year or deferred.
NEWS
3 min read
A closer look at the detail
Recent analysis by Dan Neidle of Tax Policy Associates suggests LVT would leave 69 per cent of households better off, with bills falling most in the north east.
Critics say it would be hard to work out the value of a land, though, making PPT the simpler option.
Explained
3 min read
POLITICS
3 min read
What has No 10 said?
Treasury officials have been examining options for reforming council tax, as revealed by The i Paper on Sunday.
Andy Burnham speaks during an interview at No 10 North at Heron House, in Manchester (Photo: Jeff Overs/BBC/Handout via Reuters)
- No 10 denied the Government was currently “actively considering” replacing it, before pointing out that any decisions on tax are “a matter for the Chancellor to set out at fiscal events”.
sport
How much each Premier League team charges for a 2026/27 shirt
Caption: Arsenal fans line the streets as they await the arrival of a victory parade to celebrate their team winning the Premier League title in London. Picture date: Sunday May 31, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: David Davies/PA Wire.
RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
Photographer: David Davies
Provider: David Davies/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA Wire
Many of the most popular clubs have put up the prices of their home kit for this season, with the most expensive now pushing £90. Here’s a breakdown of what the teams are charging this year.
Priciest kits on the market
Tottenham Hotspur
The Spurs lead the pack with a shirt now priced at £90, an increase of £5.
Palhinha is keen to stay in north London (Photo: Getty)
Caption: Chelsea’s US striker #09 Catarina Macario celebrates after scoring their second goal during the English Women’s FA Cup final football match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium, in north west London, on May 18, 2025. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) / NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: JUSTIN TALLIS
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
Chelsea
The West London club is not far behind on £89.99 for a home shirt.
Next tier
Both Manchester teams, Fulham, Newcastle, Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa are £85.
Foden celebrates with his City teammates after setting up Semenyo’s opener (Photo: Getty)
New clubs join the fray
Coventry City, which was promoted for this season, is now selling shirts for £70, the same as Bournemouth and more than Brentford, Ipswich Town and Hull at £65.
Only Brentford has said it will keep its kit for two years, in a bid to improve sustainability.
Kayode is one of City’s summer targets (Photo: Reuters)
Analysis
3 min read
More football from The i Paper
EXCLUSIVE | What is Gianni Infantino really like behind closed doors? A Fifa whistleblower has revealed all. A former chair of Fifa’s governance committee has accused football’s governing body of “serious, systemic” problems, claiming its independent committees are “not generally independent” and questioning how power is exercised under Gianni Infantino. Special Projects Editor Rob Hastings speaks to Miguel Maduro, the former senior Fifa official brought in after the organisation’s corruption scandals, about why he believes nothing is likely to change despite the latest controversy. #Infantino #Fifa #News #WorldCup #DonaldTrump #Whistleblower
Denis Manturov, Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister, who has overall responsibility for the defence-industrial sector, announced the start of the prototype’s flight tests in May.
But last week, a jet crashed in the Moscow region, right after taking off from the Kubinka airbase on a training flight. The pilot ejected safely, and while the Russian defence ministry has been coy, the Russian press has identified it as a Su-57D.
Ukrainian sources have claimed that hackers managed to spoof a Russian air defence unit into shooting down their own plane. This is both unconfirmed and implausible. The units in question are essentially armed and trained to shoot down low and slow-flying drones. The weapons they are issued with all require visual targeting.
The claims do, however, reflect the way modern social media turbocharges the rumour mill – even some Russian channels began repeating them – as well as Kyiv’s continuing campaign to spread disillusion and confusion behind Russia’s lines.
A Sukhoi Su-57 performs during a Victory Day parade in Moscow (Photo: Sefa Karacan/Getty)
What is more likely is a technical malfunction, as officially reported. In some ways, though, this is even worse for Moscow than enemy action, given the hopes it has pinned on its new-generation aircraft, both as combat assets and sources of export funding.
Like so many modern combat aircraft, the development of the Su-57 went over budget and over schedule, with each costing up to £90bn.
The very first jet off the production line crashed during a test flight in 2019, due to issues with its advanced integrated control system. Meanwhile, the initial order was scaled back to 76 Su-57s being put into service by 2028. Russia currently fields fewer than 50.
Nor have the hoped-for export orders materialised. Algeria currently has two Su-57E export models and plans to eventually buy another ten, to make up a full squadron. But Moscow’s hopes for a major sale to India remain stalled and although Rostec, the plane manufacturer’s parent company, has claimed that several other countries plan to buy Su-57s, no further sales have been announced.
The problem is that while Russia continues to make advances in many areas of military technology – from stealthing its submarines to electronic warfare – these days its ambitions tend to outrun its capabilities.
Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, inspect a Sukhoi Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet outside Moscow (Photo: Maxim Shipenkov/AFP)
The Su-57 is a highly capable aircraft, but it is not so much a genuine, top-of-the-line fifth-generation jet as a “four-and-a-half” generation one.
It is bigger and faster, but the “stealthy” Su-57 is much more visible to enemy radars than the F-35, and it also lacks the US aircraft’s ability to network with other units, allowing the rapid sharing of information.
This was something the Su-57D was meant to provide.
Of course, sometimes even the best aircraft crash. Nonetheless, there is a serious risk that this latest incident catalyses growing concerns on the international stage about turning to Russia for advanced military systems.
There is a reason why Russia is losing market share. Sanctions have cut it off from supplies of many high-tech components and the performance of its Aerospace Forces in Ukraine has been underwhelming to say the least.
Lessons from the Su-57D were meant to be factored into the new Su-75 “Checkmate,” a smaller stealth fighter originally due to have its maiden flight in 2023. This became 2024, then 2025 – and the world is still waiting to see if this design will ever get to fly.
Russia’s arms sales are equally grounded. While it can churn out simpler systems, its share of the global arms market has slumped by 64 per cent over the last five years, as so many of its newer or planned systems have either underperformed in the field or never materialised.
Its much-vaunted T-14 Armata tank, for example, has only appeared in parades.
The likely loss of a Su-57D last week, in such a public way, will only have further damaged Russia’s military reputation.
The Kremlin had hoped that arms sales would support further research and development, to help it keep up with the latest military technologies. Putin was also looking for revenue for the cash-strapped federal budget.
As is, these hopes appear to be crashing, along with the Su-57D prototype.