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Secret signs a snooper is reading your text messages or even posing as YOU – & clues to show it’s happening as you sleep

iPhone screen showing apps and a scan code prompt.

IMAGINE if every text you’ve ever sent or received was being watched by a mystery stranger – or even someone you know. Well, that might be true.

There are loads of ways that sinister spies can have a nose around your private text conversations, so knowing the signs is essential.

Screenshot
Special feature shows you every device where your account is signed in
The Sun / Google

We reveal the hidden and forgotten settings you need to check.

1 – CHECK YOUR ACCOUNT

If you’re worried about your texts being spied on, your first port of call should be checking settings in your main messaging accounts.

After all, if someone has access to your Apple or Google account, or WhatsApp, then they have unrestricted access to your texts too.

That’s because they can simply log in as you and read everything you’re up to. They can send texts as you, and trawl through your old chats if they want. It’s about as nightmarish as it gets.

Thankfully, most major tech services will let you see who is logged in on your account and kick them out.

And once you do kick the person out, make sure to change your password and add a second layer of verification (like a code sent over text or an authenticator app) in your app settings.

For Apple users, you can see a list of the devices where your Apple Account is logged in.

Just go to Settings > [Your Name] on your Apple device, then scroll down to see the device. If you don’t recognise one, just tap it and then choose Remove From Account.

You can also do this on the account.apple.com website.

For Google (and Android) users, go to your Google account, then choose Security > Your Devices > Manage All Devices.

Once you’re there, you can then easily sign out of any unrecognised devices.

You’ll find other major apps like Facebook and Netflix all have similar settings – so it’s worth checking them all every so often.

2 – MYSTERY NIGHT SPIKE

You also need to watch out for someone close to you reading your texts in the middle of the night.

Maybe you don’t have a phone passcode, or it’s someone you’ve shared your code with, or perhaps a nosy partner or family member who has seen you tap it in.

First, go into Settings > General > iPhone Storage on your iPhone, and scroll down to the apps.

iPhone storage usage by app.
The Sun / Apple
Take a look at the order of your last-used apps – notice anything strange?[/caption]

Change the filter from Size to Last Used Date, which shows apps by when they were most recently used.

If you see a chat app there that you know you didn’t use recently (or in that order), then someone has been having a peek.

Next, go to Settings > Screen Time and turn it on. It’s a handy feature to track how much you’re using your iPhone – but has a hidden spy-busting benefit too.

Head into Settings > Screen Time > See All App & Website Activity, then scroll to Pickups. Now look for First Pickup.

This shows when your iPhone was first picked up and opened on a given day, so you can see if someone unlocked it before you’d woken up.

And third, go to Settings > Screen Time > See All App & Website Activity, then look for Most Used for today.

Now look for an app you’re worried is being accessed – like WhatsApp.

You can see the exact hour slots for when that app was used, as well as the amount of time spent on it.

WhatsApp screen time: 1 minute total, 1 hour 5 minute daily average, 42 notifications.
The Sun / Apple
Go to the Screen Time feature here – it has a hidden spy-busting benefit[/caption]

So if someone opened your WhatsApp at 3am for five minutes, you’ll know about it.

If you have an Android phone, you can use a similar trick.

But instead of Screen Time, you’ll be looking for a Google Feature called Digital Wellbeing.

You can tap on individual apps in Digital Wellbeing, and then check their Hourly usage – showing you when an app has been active.

3 – UNENCRYPTED CHAT APPS

Lots of popular chat apps are totally encrypted.

That’s true of apps like WhatsApp, Signal, Facebook Messenger, and Apple’s iMessage.

That means when you send a text, it gets all jumbled up into an unreadable mess.

And as it flies across the internet, it’ll stay jumbled.

WhatsApp screenshots showing private messaging with end-to-end encryption and a group video call.
The Sun / WhatsApp / Apple
Look for apps that have “end-to-end encryption” for the best protection[/caption]

Then, when it reaches your recipient, they have a special key to unlock it. No one else has that key.

This key will turn it back into the original text.

The idea is that no one can see the message as it’s sent over the internet. You ideally want your stored messages encrypted too (this is called end-to-end encryption).

For instance, WhatsApp can’t read the texts you send in the app, because they’re jumbled up.

And your internet provider can’t read those messages either, because it’s just seeing garbled data.

This also means if the Government, police, or spies want to snoop on your texts, they can’t. They could get a warrant and demand that WhatsApp hand over your messages, but they wouldn’t be able to read a thing.

The other benefit is that without a backdoor into these texts, hackers can’t read them while they’re in transit either. They’d have to break into your phone instead, which is difficult.

So if you’re using non-encrypted chat apps, it puts you in greater danger.

DON'T LET ENCRYPTION PUZZLE YOU

Here’s some advice from The Sun’s tech editor Sean Keach

Encryption is easy to forget about.

You can’t really see it, it’s hardly exciting to think about, and if it works properly, then you never have to.

But it’s important because it prevents some of the most effective hack attacks.

Not having your data encrypted is a bit like removing all the curtains and doors from your house.

You (probably) wouldn’t choose to live in a glass house where every wall was a window without blinds – so don’t use apps that are much the same. Not for anything important, anyway.

Think about all of the texts you’ve ever sent.

Most of them are probably boring.

But some of them will be personal and sensitive: private conversations with loved ones, chats about finances or medical issues, and even login details you’ve shared with family.

Don’t leave these in an unlocked box just waiting to be scooped up by a savvy hacker.

Using encrypted apps is one of the best defences against cybercrime, and it costs nothing.

Picture Credit: Sean Keach

For a start, texts sent via old-school SMS aren’t encrypted.

Popular chat app Discord doesn’t encrypt text chats – they’re just stored on servers. Most video games won’t encrypt text conversations you have either.

Make sure you’re not having any sensitive conversations unless you’re sure that the app you’re using is end-to-end encrypted.

4 – SECRET CONTACT CODE

This one is a dead giveaway that you’re not texting who you think you are.

It relates to encryption. Remember: encryption scrambles your texts, and only the recipient with the correct key can unscramble them.

Well, hackers have ways of getting around this, so tech giants have come up with a key-verifying system to put your mind at ease.

How does it work? Move to here

Let’s start with iPhone owners, who can use Contact Key Verification in the Messages app.

Turn it on by going into Settings > Name > Contact Key Verification > Verification in iMessage.

Screenshot showing that contact key verification is off.
The Sun / Apple
This allows you to check who you’re talking to is who they say they are[/caption]

This makes sure that you are speaking to the person with a matching key – and not an impostor intercepting your texts.

Once the setting is on, it’ll automatically verify the Contact Key when you chat with another person. You’ll get an alert if there’s an error, which Apple says helps “make sure that even a very sophisticated attacker can’t impersonate anyone in the conversation”.

You can also manually do this by tapping Conversation Details, and then generating a code at the same time to share and compare.

WhatsApp has a similar feature called Security Code.

Just open a chat with a pal, then tap the contact’s name.

Now tap on Encryption to view a QR code and a 60-digit number.

Next time you’re with your pal, you can scan the other person’s QR code or just visually compare the 60-digit number.

If they match, it’s a guarantee that no one is intercepting your texts (or calls!).

Screenshot of security code verification screen showing a large white circle on a black background with instructions to scan the code.
The Sun / WhatsApp
Your WhatsApp has a special key verification feature to help you make sure that your texts aren’t being intercepted[/caption]

5 – MYSTERIOUS SPY APPS

Every so often, take a look at your recently installed apps.

Notice anything strange? Anything that shouldn’t be there? Any apps that you don’t recognise? That’s a major red flag.

Unexpected apps that you don’t recognise are a serious sign that someone is meddling with you.

It might have been installed by someone close to you (maybe they grabbed your phone while you slept) or installed on your device as part of a hack attack (perhaps you clicked a dodgy link or opened a rogue email).

iPhone screen displaying various apps.
Apple
Make sure to check your phone for any strange apps[/caption]
iPhone screen showing the App Library.
Apple
Scroll to the far-right on your iPhone to find the App Library – apps may appear here that don’t show up on your Home Screen[/caption]

Either way, once a “spyware” app is on your phone, hackers can run riot with their surveillance.

And don’t be fooled by how the app appears: it might pretend to be a regular app with a normal function, but it is actually spying on you.

So even if it looks like a calculator and works like a calculator, it might still be spying. The only warning sign is that you didn’t install it. That’s never right.

If you ever find any app that you don’t recall installing, delete it right away. It could be tracking every single text you send – and potentially much more.

6 – UNEXPLAINED TEXTS

This sign can come in two forms.

The first is when you receive texts from family members that don’t seem to make sense or flow from your previous conversation.

Maybe they’re having a mad day. But more likely, someone has broken into your text conversations.

What this usually means is that someone is texting your friends and family as you – and then deleting the evidence.

iPhone keyboard with a message containing strange symbols.
The Sun / Apple
Watch out for texts with strange letters and symbols[/caption]

So when you look at your phone, there’s nothing there.

But you’re catching it out because your friend or family member has replied to a text – and you’ve seen it before the snooper has deleted it.

Check in with that person immediately (and not over text!) to ask them about what conversations you’ve had recently.

Chances are, they’ve received texts from you offering them a lucrative money-making deal, asking for a bit of quick cash, or requesting some security info (like a log-in code for an app).

It’s best to do this over the phone, or better yet in person – so you can make sure your conversation isn’t being meddled with.

The second sign to watch for is when a text contains strange strings of letters, numbers, and symbols.

This might be a symptom of some spyware installed on your phone.

Spyware – software built to watch what you’re doing – isn’t meant to be there, and can result in bugs.

KEEP YOUR PHONE UPDATED

Here’s another tip from The Sun’s tech expert Sean Keach

If you want another easy way to protect yourself from dangerous attacks, just update your phone.

It sounds simple, but plenty of people forget about it.

Tech giants spend loads of money uncovering dangerous loopholes that hackers can exploit to break into your phone.

And they release these as security fixes via updates for your phone and apps.

If you don’t download them, you’re leaving your gadgets wide open to snooping.

What to watch: If you’ve got a very old phone, it might no longer be supported by the creator.

That means it’s no longer getting software updates.

So if you’re finding yourself unable to update your phone, you may have been cut off.

That means you won’t get the latest software updates to fix security bugs, leaving you in serious cyber-danger.

If that’s the case, you’ll want to upgrade to a newer model as soon as possible. It’s not worth the risk.

Picture Credit: Apple / The Sun

This can sometimes manifest as strange strings of text (including coded instructions meant for a computer) that don’t make sense to your human eyes.

It’s not a guarantee that you’re being spied on, but it’s definitely a sign that something is amiss.

Just like before, look for and delete any mysterious apps on your device that you don’t remember installing, update your phone’s software, and reboot it completely (to wipe any ‘active’ hacks that live in your phone’s short-term memory).

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I was banged up in hellhole prison like Brit drug mules & preyed on by pervy guards… sick ways they break female inmates

Collage of a woman in a red dress, images of a prison cell and two young women.

HANDCUFFED to a chair and sweating profusely in a puffer jacket, Alana Moor was terrified she’d never be allowed to go home. 

The 24-year-old was due to fly back home to Canada from Panama when she was arrested for drug smuggling in March 2015. 

Woman with long brown hair wearing a red dress.
Supplied
Alana was given the suitcase containing drugs by people she trusted[/caption]
Photo of a South American prison cell with several inmates sleeping on bunk beds.
Supplied
She spent seven years in a crowded prison in Panama[/caption]
A Panamanian police officer stands in a dilapidated prison cell.
Alamy
She claims up to 60 women would be held in one cramped cell[/caption]

People she’d considered friends had persuaded her to take a suitcase, which contained 11 kilos of cocaine stashed in the lining.

Alana – who was sentenced to six years and nine months for her crime – says she was detained in a stinking prison cell where she was deprived of all basic necessities and preyed on by pervy male prison guards.

So she understands only too well the horror that alleged Brit drug mules Bella Culley, 18, Charlotte May Lee, 21, will be facing in Georgia and Sri Lanka respectively, after they too were caught smuggling the illegal substance. 

In an exclusive chat Alana, now 38, tells The Sun: “I was scared for my life as two armed officers put me into the back of a rickety truck. 

“I didn’t know where I was going, and I was terrified I was going to be raped or something. 

“After a while, they pulled up to this police station with a prison attached. 

“Once there I was strapped to a chair in the clothes I had planned to travel home in – winter items.

“They left me there for days, nowhere to go to the loo, wash, or not even allowed to take off a layer. It was humiliating.

“I had to wipe myself with my hand when I went to the loo where I was sat.

“When the guard came to unchain me, he retched at the smell of me.

“Just two weeks before I had been partying with NBA stars.”

Alana claims she was convinced to carry the case by a client she was styling, with ambitions of becoming a fashion designer.

She had been taken under the wing of the woman – who claimed to work for a famous US music star in Toronto.

Alana says the woman, who’ d become a friend, promised to introduce her to celebrities that could become potential clients – on the condition she took a holiday to Panama to pick up a suitcase and bring it back to Canada for the musician.

Alana claims they promised to get her out of Panama safely if anything went wrong because they had top lawyers.

Prison exterior with razor wire fence.
Getty
Alana spent her sentence in a jail that often had power outages and poor sanitation[/caption]
Inmate speaks with guard through prison bars.
AFP
Alana claims prison officers often treated the women badly[/caption]

She admits she suspected the suitcase contained something illegal, telling The Sun she thought it was likely drugs, passports or cash.

The friend promised Alana that on her return she’d be introduced to the music mogul and become their stylist.

But her dream was shattered when border officers found the cocaine stash hidden in the suitcase lining.

Alana says she was strip-searched at the airport and made to watch as cops pulled out the packages, which she’d naively thought was insulation. 

She was then handed a form in Spanish and told by a translator to cooperate and sign it – but later discovered it confirmed everything in the case was hers. 

In the first Panama prison she was detained in, Alana says they sent one meal, a bottle of water and a can of Coke, and claims it was the only food she was given while shackled to the chair.

She was later moved to an all-female prison to await her court date.

Violent offenders

After being handed a six year, nine-month sentence, Alana was moved to an overcrowded female prison in the centre of Panama.

When she arrived at the jail, she says there were 26 women to one cramped room. By the time she left that number was closer to 60.

Many were in prison for murder and other violent offences. 

But the majority had been caught with drugs and arrested to show officials were taking an active stance in the war on drugs. 

“Prison in Panama is nothing like prison in the US, Canada or the UK,” she says. 

“As I was being taken in, the guard said to me, ‘There are laws in this country, but as soon as you cross these bars, the laws don’t apply’.

Woman in red dress.
Supplied
Alana uses her experience to provide incarcerated women with basic hygiene packages[/caption]

“I had nothing given to me, just the clothes I was wearing. I had to shower with laundry detergent for the first two weeks.

“I wasn’t given any underwear, no toilet paper or sanitary products. When I got my period I had to free bleed, with blood soaking my clothes as I went about my day.

“Guards and other inmates would tell me I smelt like blood, but there was nothing I could do. No woman should ever be put in that position.”

Thankfully Alana’s parents were allowed to visit and could bring supplies and money for her to buy things she needed – but she says that didn’t always make things better. 

“Depending on who was guarding when we were sent outside for work, sometimes we wouldn’t be allowed back in to use the bathroom,” she recalls.

“And when I was on my period, that would mean I used to have to just bleed through whatever sanitary product I was wearing. It was vile.”

Horrifying searches

Alana claims it was common for prison guards to randomly search cells in the middle of the night or early hours of the morning to try to seize phones or drugs that had been brought into the prison.

Often these raids came with humiliating strip searches for the women. 

“One morning, 80 balaclava-wearing officers burst in and sprayed us with pepper spray,” she recalls. 

“I was in my underwear. They took people out to be strip searched.”

I’d find notes in my stuff from the male guards telling me I was pretty or that they wanted me to be their girlfriend.

Alana Moor

Alana claims she was made to bend over and officers pointed to her tampon string, demanding she remove it.

“I tried to refuse, but they didn’t care,” she says.

“I was then made to sit in the corner of the cell while they searched it for 45 minutes holding this bloody tampon in my hand while bleeding everywhere. 

“Six male officers watched me as I left the room and then sat where I was told. It was horrendous and inhumane.”

Indecent propositions

Guard tower at a prison.
Getty
Alana claims officers would target her because she was a foreigner[/caption] Illustration of Bella Culley's travel route and arrest.

Male officers also brazenly attempted to woo girls they were supposed to be guarding, Alana claims. 

“Often after raids I’d find notes in my stuff from the male guards telling me I was pretty or that they wanted me to be their girlfriend,” Alana says. 

“They’d leave their phone number because they knew we had mobiles. I was often targeted for being the ‘white gringo’ in the prison.”

Alana says having a mobile phone was commonplace, and hiding them became a lucrative business for inmates. 

Everyone was hustling to try to make money. Drugs were dropped of at night by gangs.

Alana Moor

Women would be paid $100 to put them in intimate places to stop them being taken, with Alana claiming some girls fit “up to five” in their private parts.

“Everyone was hustling to try to make money,” she says.

“Drugs were also common. They’d be dropped in at night by gangs who would post them through the tiny letter box windows in the concrete jail.”

Vile conditions

El Renacer Prison near Gamboa, Panama Canal.
Getty
Alana says facilities in the prison were poor and rarely worked for several days[/caption]

Alana claims it was common for power and water at the prison to fail for days on end, leaving them without showers or facilities to wash. 

“We’d be having to put our excrement in bin bags because we couldn’t flush the toilets,” she recalls. 

“Then we’d be given a bucket of water to shower with for the days the power was out. This was all while it was extremely hot.

“It just wasn’t sanitary. I’d get sick a lot because the water wasn’t particularly clean. I had to beg and pay to get purified water. 

There are just layers and layers of trauma being piled onto you when you’re inside. They treat you like you’re nothing.

Alana Moor

“Often the food we were given was rotten, but you had to eat it in order to survive.

“There are just layers and layers of trauma being piled onto you when you’re inside. They treat you like you’re nothing.”

Alana used her prison time to do every course she could, even teaching herself Spanish.

She also worked out for two hours every day and helped teach other women how to exercise to keep themselves fit. 

Warning to Brit drug mules

A handcuffed woman in court.
East2West
Bella Culley was arrested in Georgia for smuggling cannabis from Thailand[/caption]
Exterior of a women's prison near Tbilisi, Georgia.
.
Bella is being held in an all-female prison near Tbilisi called Penitentiary No 5[/caption]
Interior of a women's prison in Georgia.
Linkedin
A view inside the prison where Bella is being held and could remain for decades[/caption]
Woman in white outfit on rooftop overlooking city at sunset.
Instagram
Former air hostess Charlotte May Lee is accused of smuggling £1.2million of cannabis into Sri Lanka[/caption]
Interior of a maggot-infested prison corridor.
The prison where Charlotte faces being locked up is reported to be infested with maggots and rats
Welikada prison exterior.
The infamous Welikada Prison is said to be “hell” for female inmates especially
Photo of Cameron Bradford sitting in a chair.
Cameron Bradford is being held in Germany

Now she is a motivational speaker and offers dignity packages to women who find themselves in prison, and helps families advocate for drug mules in similar situations. 

Alana is horrified by the growing number of young British women who have recently been caught attempting to smuggle drugs.

Former air hostess Charlotte May Lee is in a Sri Lankan jail accused of smuggling £1.2million of cannabis while pregnant Bella Culley from County Durham was arrested in Georgia for smuggling cannabis from Thailand.

This week it emerged another young mum, Cameron Bradford, is being detained in Germany for allegedly smuggling cannabis in her bags on a flight from Thailand.

Alana says: “I feel so sad for them, but the best thing they can do now is take accountability for their actions, as hard as that is. 

“It’s easy to blame other people, but you’ve made this decision. The best and worst thing about prison is time, so use that time wisely.

“The end goal is to come out better than you went in.

“For their parents, support and love your child. They need you now more than ever.

“They know they’ve made a mistake, and getting mad at them won’t make that any better.

“I will be reaching out to their families to offer help and support in any way I can.”

Alana Moor is founder of The Hour Glass Movement, which provides dignity packages to women in prison. She also works as a motivational speaker, life coach and an advocate for women in prison, working with Lenola PR.

Why Brit backpackers are prime targets, Thai cop reveals

By Patrick Harrington

Police Lieutenant Colonel Arun Musikim, Deputy Inspector of the Surat Thani province police force, said: “Cases involving British nationals smuggling cannabis have been around for a while. 

“There is a lot of cannabis grown on Thailand’s islands in the south because the climate is suitable and it is legal. A lot of gangs are attracted to this.

“There are now various smuggling methods that we have seen. Some carry it themselves, some hire backpackers, and some send it via mail.

“This year, there have been many cases we have intercepted. Most involve British and Malaysian nationals.

“It’s easy for British citizens to travel as they can enter Thailand and return to the UK without needing a visa.

“Most of the smugglers are people hired to carry the cannabis, similar to how tourists might smuggle tax-free goods.

“They’re usually unemployed individuals from the UK. The gangs offer them flights, pocket money and hotel stays, just to come and travel and take a bag back home with them. 

“These people often have poor social standing at home and are looking for ways to earn quick money. They find them through friends or on social media.

“Many will go to festivals or parties while they are here, just like they are having a normal trip abroad.

“They are told that it is easy and they will not be caught. Then the amount the organisers can sell the cannabis for in the UK is much higher than it costs in Thailand.

“Police suspect that there are multiple employers and groups receiving the drugs on the other end. The cannabis then enters the UK market.

“We are being vigilant to ensure there are no routes out of the country.”

Illustration of a woman's travel route and arrest, showing locations and details of her journey.

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Holly Willoughby shares makeup free selfie on a dog walk after her Netflix show was axed after one series

HOLLY Willoughby is looking on the bright side and enjoying some downtime after her Netflix show was axed.

The beloved TV personality shared a new photo today, beaming in a make-up free selfie while she walked her dog.

Holly Willoughby walking her dog.
Instagram
Holly Willoughby looked happy and carefree in her latest selfie[/caption]
Holly Willoughby and Bear Grylls at a film screening.
Getty
The star’s Netflix show Celebrity Bear Hunt has been axed after one series[/caption]
Holly Willoughby appearing emotional in a scene from Celebrity Bear Hunt on Netflix.
Netflix
The star hosted the series which was set in the Costa Rican jungle[/caption]

With the pup focusing on the path ahead, Holly looked cosy in a dark olive raincoat, wide-rimmed brown hat and a pair of wellies as she went for a stroll.

She joked in the caption: “Raincoat ✅ hat ✅ wellies ✅ … must be June 🫢☔

The star seems to be in good spirits despite her latest show, Celebrity Bear Hunt, was axed by Netflix after only one season.

This means for the first time in 20 years Holly doesn’t have an active show on television.

The series saw Holly head to Costa Rica with survival expert Bear Grylls to put 12 celebs through their paces to test their survival skills.

At the end of May, Bear had teased they had big plans for the show going forward while on an appearance on BBC Radio 2.

He said: “God willing, we are bringing Bear Hunt back, nd we’re hoping to do it live so it’s going to be a live version, which Netflix have never done before.

“Raw, real, hunt them down!”

However, just two weeks later it was revealed the streamer had pulled the plug on the service.

The decision not to recommission the heavily backed series comes following a series of last ditch production meetings where various cost-cutting measures were discussed.

A source told The Sun: “Everyone involved with Bear Hunt is absolutely gutted – they loved the format, and it actually hit its targets from the streaming side.

“But the overall cost of travel, insurance and, of course, securing big name talent proved too dear – it was completely untenable even after they looked at filming closer to home, and making more of a budget show.

“It is no slight on Holly or Bear either and execs are now trying to find another formula for them to showcase their talents.

“Naturally it’s a real blow to Holly as it’s the latest show to have time called, but she’s a professional and knows that sometimes this is how it goes.”

However, despite the end of the show, Holly’s team aren’t worried – with the host already working on new projects.

“She’s got a number of other exciting projects in the pipeline.” they said. “That’s showbiz, after all.”

Holly Willoughby and Bear Grylls covered in mud.
hollywilloughby/Instagram
Holly and Bear tested the survival skills of celebrities in the reality show[/caption]
Holly Willoughby and Bear Grylls standing in front of a jungle structure.
PA
Despite a strong line-up, Netflix has opted not to renew the show[/caption]

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Candace Owens Warned Us About Elon Musk Before His Big Fight With Donald Trump

Elon Musk and Donald Trump are in for a tussle as the SpaceX CEO has declared an all-out war against the Trump administration and his stance of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency). Commentator and conspiracy theorist Candace Owens, who found fame for her controversial stances and talks, uploaded a video in which she claims that […]

This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire

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John Wick 5: Everything We Know So Far

Alright, John Wick fans, it’s time to get excited because our favorite suit-wearing, dog-loving assassin is officially coming back for round five! After the absolutely mind-blowing success of John Wick: Chapter 4, which had us all scratching our heads about whether our beloved hitman was actually dead or just taking a really long nap, Lionsgate […]

This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire

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Four more TV channels to disappear from Sky Q boxes in days after secret overhaul & millions of users are impacted 

Sky remote control in front of a blurred Sky TV screen.
2A5JP19 Sky News launches a Brexit Free News Channel Sky tv

FOUR fan-favourite channels will be disappearing this month from Sky which could leave millions of TV fans devastated.

Sky previously announced that seven channels would be changed this month but that has been increased following the latest news as the company’s secret overhaul continues.

Sky TV remote and interface showing various streaming services.
Sky have announced four more channels will be replaced this month

Commencing on June 9, 2025, four channels are set to vanish as the company aims to give its service a fresh look. 

Sky Family will be temporarily renamed to Sky Fantasy on channel 306/850.

Sky Pitch Perfect, which will replace Sky Comedy on June 7, will be reverted back into Sky Comedy on June 9, 2025.

Meanwhile, Sky Blockbusters which was introduced as a temporary channel in July 2023, will be reverting back to Sky Hits on channel 303.

After it was announced by ITV that their beloved channel ITVBe will cease to exist, the brand new – ITV Quiz – will take its place on channel 131.

Close-up of a hand using a Sky TV remote.
June will see the end of beloved channel ITVBe

This follows Sky already announcing that seven other channels will be changing this month. 

From Friday June 6 Sky Romance is set to go forever – now renamed to a different title.

The beloved channel 302 will go by SuperheroHD, which is said to be a temporary change.

Sky Fairytale on channels 306/850 was renamed to Sky Family on June 2, 2025 reverting back from a temporary change.

Sky Karate Kid also had its name changed on June 2, again the channel reverted from a temporary change.

The channel has returned to being named Sky Action on channel 307/851. 

Elsewhere, channel 310 which was previously home to Sky Pride has been renamed Sky Drama. 

That’s Pride on channel 360 is now under a new name of That’s Dance.

These changes were revealed on a Sky Community page and fans expressed mixed opinions at the news. 

One fan said: “Actually disappointed that the Pride channels aren’t lasting all of June, or even maybe a bit longer than a few days.”

Another said: “Great about ITV Quiz channel launching 9th June,

“So excited. It will be interesting to see what day 1 will bring.”

Sky already announced a major shake up to their system that affected all Sky Q and Sky+HD boxes.

After a number of big brands have opted to leave TV services and stick to traditional radio plus digital listening – such as Magic and Absolute Radio at the end of 2023.

To fill gaps from these departures, Sky has decided to re-arrange the channel numbers for a big chunk of the radio stations it offers on satellite.

Sky TV interface showing fitness app, available apps, and favorite channels.
Sky have revamped their system in order to fill gaps from departing brands

If you’re looking for a new Sky deal, customers can get Sky Stream & Essential TV for just £15/month. 

The company is also giving Sky customers an upgrade for popular TV app filled with top movies.

What are Sky's early termination fees?

SKY TV customers will incur an early termination fee if they choose to cancel their contract before the end of the agreed minimum term.

The amount you’re charged depends on:

  • How long is left of your minimum term from the date your subscriptions end, calculated in days
  • The days you have already been billed for in advance
  • The products you subscribe to, the price you pay for them and when your subscriptions end

For Sky TV, early termination charges range from £14.00 to £42.89 per month, depending on the specific package.

For instance, if you cancel a standard Sky TV package priced at £33.82 per month with 12 months remaining on a 24-month contract, you would be required to pay the remaining 12 months’ fees in one lump sum.

This would result in a total early termination fee of £405.84.

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I’ve made £18k in 7 months after losing weight & flogging my old clothes – my little-known site makes reselling easy

ARE you trying to flog your old clothes – but don’t seem to be making any money?

While most of us have heard of Vinted – where some have made a fortune of £18k – there are also other sites to check out.

Woman reporting £18,000 profit from reselling vintage clothing in 7 months.
tiktok/@jess.vintage.revivals
The woman started flogging her old clothes online after she lost weight[/caption]
Person packing clothes in a room with many clothes hanging on racks.
tiktok/@jess.vintage.revivals
In just seven months, Jess had raked in a whopping £18k thanks to this side hustle[/caption]

This is what one savvy Brit, TikToker Jess, recently shared online after raking in close to £20k in less than a year.

Jess, who posts under the username @jess.vintage.revivals, started selling items from wardrobe after an epic body transformation.

As none of the old clothes no longer fit her, she decided to sell them online – before realising she had ”the bug for reselling”.

Reselling involves purchasing products from various sources , such as manufacturers, liquidators, individuals and charity shops, and then selling them at a higher price to generate profit.

Resellers determine a price that covers their costs, for instance, the purchase price of the product and any shipping costs, and allows them to make a profit

They then sell these products through various channels, including Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Vinted.

”It started off small and I scaled it from there,” said Jess who moved from her ”items to charity shops to wholesale”.

As well as flogging the goods on Vinted, eBay and Depop, Jess also uses a little-known site to cash in – Whatnot.

The ”vintage clothing reseller” explained: ”Whatnot is a live auction selling website.

”They have an app […] and it’s a really, really nice platform with lovely people and lots of sellers, and lots of buyers.

”What I will do is I will get all my items ready and I will show those items on the screen and then people will bid if they want to buy that item.”

According to Jess, you can start at different prices, such as £1, £3 and £5 – which is ”entirely up to you”.

The site – where you can also feature the products front-and-center rather than showing your faces – also offers pre-paid shipping labels.

Once you’ve made a sale, slap the label on the box and send it out for delivery.

Do I need to pay tax on my side hustle income?

MANY people feeling strapped for cash are boosting their bank balance with a side hustle.

The good news is, there are plenty of simple ways to earn some additional income – but you need to know the rules.

When you’re employed the company you work for takes the tax from your earnings and pays HMRC so you don’t have to.

But anyone earning extra cash, for example from selling things online or dog walking, may have to do it themselves.

Stephen Moor, head of employment at law firm Ashfords, said: “Caution should be taken if you’re earning an additional income, as this is likely to be taxable.

“The side hustle could be treated as taxable trading income, which can include providing services or selling products.”

You can make a gross income of up to £1,000 a year tax-free via the trading allowance, but over this and you’ll usually need to pay tax.

Stephen added: “You need to register for a self-assessment at HMRC to ensure you are paying the correct amount of tax.

“The applicable tax bands and the amount of tax you need to pay will depend on your income.”

If you fail to file a tax return you could end up with a surprise bill from HMRC later on asking you to pay the tax you owe – plus extra fees on top.

According to Whatnot, 48-72 hours after the order is delivered, you can cash out via direct deposit.

It doesn’t have to be just clothing you’re tying to cash in from – the sellers flog electronics, collectibles, beauty, live plants, and more.

Raving about the little-known site, Jess said in a video: ”I personally kind of think it kind of has revolutionised the way we resell things.

”The thing I love the most about it is that when I get my stock in, I can show it on the screen […] and then you buy it.

”I post it out within a couple of days – so it really stops that whole issue of having to store items for a really, really long time.”

While there are plenty of pros, Jess also noted the platform does have its cons, such as the fees.

Seller fees are as follows:

  • 8% commission on the sold price of an item when it sells
  • 2.9% + 30 cents (24p) payment processing fee for the entire transaction
  • Payment processing applies to the subtotal, tax, and shipping price paid by a buyer for a given order
  • The payment processing fee is not currently applied to any international shipping/taxes.

”But with a lot of reseller websites, there are fees anyway.

”The other cons can be the price points – you might not always get the same prices you would on things like eBay, Depop and Vinted.”

Jess also added under another video that she’s ”registered as a sole trader and will pay tax during the self assessment window”.

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Tyrese Haliburton jokingly reveals ‘secret sauce’ in Pacers Game 1 win

Falling behind by 15 points in the fourth quarter of the NBA Finals usually signals the end for most teams. Especially when you’re against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But when you have Tyrese Haliburton on your side, like the Pacers do, the story changes. Tonight, Haliburton led a remarkable rally, capped by a buzzer-beating game-winner […]

The post Tyrese Haliburton jokingly reveals ‘secret sauce’ in Pacers Game 1 win appeared first on ClutchPoints.

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